📰 News & Current Affairs

The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama and Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes from government service in two separate decisions that were made public on Thursday, October 3. Despite this, Rama still filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for reelection as mayor on Thursday morning, while Cortes filed his certificate of candidacy also for reelection as mayor on Friday morning, October 4. Source: Dismissed Cebu mayors Mike Rama, Jonas Cortes still file candidacies for 2025 elections

WATCH: TV personality Bienvenido 'Ben' Teshiba Tulfo filed his Certificate of Candidacy on Saturday, 5 October, at the Manila Hotel Tent City. | via John Louie Abrina https://www.facebook.com/share/v/r892qmgfVqEBwaxJ/

George Royeca, the chief executive officer (CEO) of popular ride-hailing app Angkas, has formalized his bid for a House seat Saturday, Oct. 5 under the new party-list, "Angkasangga". Angkas CEO Royeca seeks House seat, eyes upliftment of informal sector

Susubukan muli ni "half-human, half-zombie" na si "Rastaman," o Rolando Plaza, na makapasok sa politika matapos niyang maghain ng certificate of candidacy (COC) sa pagka-senador ngayong Sabado, Oktubre 5, sa The Manila Hotel Tent City. https://balita.mb.com.ph/2024/10/05/half-human-half-zombie-rastaman-kakandidato-bilang-senador-pabor-sa-e-******/?-fjtu8ewnm718tjyxnkkk4sxycvhwhje7lteijuuxb7319nkia_aem_zcd7l0-j3fb8jfcg3bagfw

The House of Representatives has committed to continue assisting the Marcos administration’s efforts to, among other things, further reduce the price of rice, which has been the primary driver of headline inflation throughout the years.

President Marcos has E×ρréššed his admiration for teachers as he cited their indispensable role in imparting excellence and preserving the country's democratic values, especially with the upcoming 2025 midterm elections. Marcos cites teachers' 'indispensable' role in upholding excellence, democracy

A 44-year old woman was killed and her 17-year old stepdaughter was raped in their house in Sara, Iloilo on early Thursday. The victim’s head was severely injured and a blood-stained wood was also recovered by authorities. The victim’s sister said that her 17-year-old stepdaughter, who was staying with the victim, went to her at around 2 a.m. after she witnessed the death of her aunt. But the sister believes that her stepdaughter was really the target of the suspects. “I think my stepdaughter was really the target of the suspects. The suspects just threw out the cellphone they got from them,” the victim’s sister said in vernacular. The victim’s niece was also allegedly raped by the suspects, the report said. “Allegedly, she...

The Manila Police District (MPD) identified the suspect as Christian Navarro, a resident of Mithi Street, Tondo, Manila. According to the victim, she was abducted by the suspect from her hometown in Antipolo, Rizal on the morning of September 9 and taken to the suspect's house in Tondo where she was raped several times. From September 9 to 11, the suspect held the victim captive inside his house. On September 11, the victim asked the suspect if they could go to Luneta Park to which the suspect agreed to. When the two arrived at the park, the victim managed to borrow a cellphone from a bystander to contact her family. Her family arrived in Tondo with the authorities to rescue her on September 12. The suspect was immediately arrested...

NBI Director Jaime Santiago said complaints of perjury, falsification and obstruction of justice were filed against Guo and lawyer Elmer Galicia, plus four alleged accomplices: Dante Catapay, Cheryl Medina, Catherine Salazar and Geraldine Pepito. Source: NBI files perjury raps vs lawyer who notarized Guo reply

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes has been found guilty of grave misconduct and is meted the penalty of dismissal from the office by Office of the Ombudsman. The complaint is anchored on the alleged act of Cortes for allowing the continuous operation from 2020 to 2022 of SUPREA Phils. Development Corp, a batching plant of concrete mix cement located in Sitio San Jose 1, Circumferential Road, Barangay Labogon, Mandaue City. Source: Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes dismissed from office - Ombudsman

Preventively suspended Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has been permanently disqualified from holding any government position after the Office of the Ombudsman found him guilty of nepotism and grave misconduct. Source: Preventively suspended Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama banned from public office

An aspirant who faced drug cases filed his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) in Leyte. Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa filed his COC on October 1, 2024. Espinosa is seeking the mayoralty post in Albuera town, Province of Leyte. Espinosa and his entire slate submitted their COC under the Bando Espinosa-Pundok Kauswagan (BE-PK). “Be with me, if you won’t join me, I can’t do it. So, let’s come together for the change and progress of our town, Albuera," Espinosa said to his supporters. He also explained to his supporters the symbolism of Batman in his bid for mayor. “"The true meaning of that is, Batman is helpful. Whether you're poor or rich, as long as you're oppressed, Batman is ready to die for you," Espinosa added. . Espinosa became a...

Juan Ponce Enrile, former senate president and now chief presidential legal counsel, has been acquitted of plunder in the pork barrel scam, effectively making it a 0-3 loss for the Benigno Aquino government’s biggest pork barrel scam cases. Source: Juan Ponce Enrile acquitted of plunder in pork barrel scam

"Republic Act 112023 imposes a 12% value-added tax (VAT) on digital services provided by both resident and non-resident digital service providers, regardless of whether they have a physical presence in the Philippines. ■ What the law changes. The law adds a provision in the Tax Code which states that digital services delivered by foreign digital service providers are considered performed or rendered in the Philippines if the digital services are consumed in the Philippines. ■ What will be taxed? RA 112023 covers all foreign digital services, which refer to those delivered via the internet or electronic networks using information technology, where the process is largely automated. Examples include online search engines...

A 44-year-old man was arrested after sexually assaulting his 16-year-old daughter in Tondo, Manila, on Sunday, September 29. According to the Manila Police District (MPD), the suspect asked the victim to massage his back, to which the victim complied. The suspect then pulled the victim and undressed her. The victim said her father attempted to rape her but she pushed him and sought assistance from barangay officials. Authorities immediately arrested the suspect. They said he will face charges for violation of Section 5 of Republic Act 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act).

In February 2019, the Pangasinan RTC held that the victim’s testimony was “positive and straightforward,” and her claims were corroborated by a medico-legal report that showed evidence she was raped. Source: Supreme Court affirms father, mother guilty in rape of teen daughter

DOC WILLIE ONG TO RUN AGAIN FOR SENATOR IN 2025 Popular doctor Doc Willie Ong announced that he will run for senator in the May 2025 elections despite battling cancer. “Magfi-file po ako for senator. I’ll be filing for senator sa October 2,” Ong said during his Facebook live on September 30, 2024. Currently in Singapore for treatment, Ong mentioned that his wife, Liza Ong, will be filing his candidacy on his behalf. Ong ran in the 2019 senatorial elections but did not secure a spot in the top 12. | via SunStar Davao 📷Screenshot from the Doc Willie Ong's Facebook live

Rodrigo “Rigo“ Duterte II was accompanied by his father, Rep. Paolo Duterte, and his brother Omar, the barangay captain of Buhangin, in filing the COC. Other members of the Duterte family have yet to file their COCs. Source: Duterte grandson files COC for city councilor

“The cases that have been filed against Alice Guo, none of them have achieved finality. The one from ombudsman, which is the decision that dismissed and disqualified her perpetually from running for public office, I believe that is still not final,” he added. The same is true for the other cases filed against her, including the quo warranto and the petition for the cancellation of Guo’s birth certificate. Source: SolGen: Guo can still run, unless…

The three friends were drinking the night before the crime happened. They had stab wounds and were possibly hit by a blunt object. Full Story: Tatlong magkakaibigan, natagpuang patay; mga biktima umano ng "salvage"

The Commission of Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday said it does not have the power to automatically cancel dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo's certificate of candidacy (COC) should she run for another seat in government. Source: Comelec: We have no power to automatically cancel Alice Guo candidacy

Nine of the key priority measures of the administration, including the value-added tax (VAT) on digital transactions, are now up for the signing of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said Sunday. Source: 9 key priority measures up for Marcos’ signature—Chiz Escudero

https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=1307058653972178

The clingy space rock is actually a near-Earth asteroid named 2024 PT5, which measures an estimated 33 feet (10 meters) wide, or about the length of a school bus. Snagged by Earth's gravity during an unusually close approach, this "minimoon" is predicted to orbit our planet for just 57 days; on Nov. 25, the asteroid will break free of Earth's influence and resume its regular orbit of the sun without a chaperone, astronomers wrote in the journal Research Notes of the AAS. Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/asteroids/can-you-see-earth-s-new-minimoon-with-the-*****-eye

“The court denied Roque’s prayer for the writ of Amparo. It held that Amparo is not the proper remedy against congressional contempt and detention orders,” the high court, through its spokesperson Atty. Camille Sue Mae Ting, said in a press conference. SC made the ruling during Tuesday’s en banc (full court) session. Source: SC denies Harry Roque’s protective writ request

Ten out of 12 administration-backed senatorial aspirants for the 2025 midterm elections secured the top spots in the latest senatorial preference survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS). The September 14 to 23 survey, commissioned by the Stratbase Group, showed that ACT-CIS Party-list Representative Erwin Tulfo maintained his number one position with 54 percent voter preference. Source: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1234539

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. celebrated his birthday on Friday, September 13, with a piece of good news — a survey showing a double-digit increase in the satisfaction numbers of his administration in the second quarter of 2024. This gives the Marcos administration a net satisfaction rating of +40 in June, classified by SWS as “good.” It is a significant improvement from the “moderate” +29 in March. Source: Marcos admin's satisfaction numbers up by double digits in SWS June poll

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said he is expecting rice prices to further decrease amid the current price trend happening in Southeast Asia. According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) in a statement, Marcos made the pronouncement during a sectoral meeting on managing food and non-food inflation in Malacañang. Source: Marcos: Expect rice prices to fall further

#BagongPilipinas A 12-year-old girl was stabbed by a man while sitting at a waiting shed in Barangay San Vicente, Tarlac City, on the night of September 25, 2024. In the closed circuit television (CCTV) footage, the girl can be seen using her cellphone when the man in white approaches her, suddenly stabs her, and grabs her phone. "Initially, lumapit nga daw ‘yung suspek sa kanya, palakad-lakad. Then tinabihan siya. Bigla na lang siyang sinaksak. After that, dinampot ‘yung cellphone niya," PLTCOL. Sean Logronio, Tarlac City Police Station Chief, said. The girl survived the attack and is now safe. A manhunt was immediately launched, leading to the suspect's capture after he was identified through CCTV footage from a local store...

Tropical cyclone wind signal (TCWS) no. 2 is raised over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and parts of Ilocos Norte and Cagayan, with gale-force winds expected. Strong winds are also forecast across Northern Luzon, including Metro Manila and nearby regions. PAGASA warns of a moderate to high risk of storm surge in low-lying coastal areas. Sea travel remains hazardous in Northern Luzon. Julian is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Thursday evening.

A student died after he allegedly underwent hazing in San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija on Sunday night. Reports said Ren Joseph Bayan, 18, Grade 11 at the San Pablo National High School in Jaen, was already dead when he was brought to his house in Barangay San Pablo at around 5 p.m. A manhunt was launched for the suspects, identified as Baron Cabado and Patrik Guinto, who allegedly conducted the hazing in Barangay San Anton. The suspects were allegedly members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity.

Neo-Nazi Telegram Users Panic Amid Crackdown and Arrest of Alleged Leaders of Online Extremist Group Durov’s announcement marked a considerable policy shift: He said Telegram will now share the IP addresses and phone numbers of users who violate the platform’s rules with authorities “in response to valid legal requests.” I knew this day would come. It's a good thing I completely ditched Telegram the moment they implemented SIM registration. Now I have nothing to worry about, as my identity is clean. I'm sure when the government improves SIM registration, the same thing will happen. If they aren't monitoring your private conversations, how can they know the users are breaking any rules? They must be invading our privacy by snooping...