📰 News & Current Affairs

In an article posted on its website, SMNI confirmed that Meta has suspended the SMNI pages and its affiliates DZAR 1026 and SMNI Integrated News. “[This] for allegedly E×ρréššing hatred or contempt for a group of people and using harmful racial stereotypes — citing a violation of their so-called community standards,” said SMNI. The incident transpired following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte who is a known ally of televangelist and alleged rapist Apollo Quiboloy. Source: Meta suspends SMNI Facebook pages for spreading ‘hatred, contempt’

The manifestation, a copy of which had been circulated to media, says that that the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) cannot defend the government because it has always taken the position that the ICC had lost its jurisdiction over Duterte’s war on drugs. “Considering the OSG’s firm position that the ICC is barred from exercising jurisdiction over the Philippines and that the country’s investigative, prosecutorial, and judicial system is functioning as it should, the OSG may not be able to effectively represent Respondents in these cases and is constrained to recuse itself from participating herein,” said the manifestation. Source: SolGen opts out of defending Marcos in Duterte petition vs ICC arrest

“As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, I am calling for an urgent investigation into the arrest of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, an issue that has deeply divided the nation,” Marcos said in a statement. “It is imperative to establish whether due process was followed and to ensure that his legal rights were not only upheld but protected, especially given the involvement of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and the International Criminal Court,” she added. Source: Imee Marcos to hold Senate probe into Duterte’s arrest on March 20, 2025

During a press briefing here on Friday, former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson doubled down on his call for the government to assist Duterte just like it would extend help to any other Filipino jailed overseas. "I'll be honest with you. Of course, it has an effect because many supporters of President Duterte, rightly or wrongly, E×ρréšš sentiments in his favor. We would be numb if we think we’re not affected by recent events. Many have been criticizing us. Many have been saying that they would not vote for us because we are part of the Alyansa," Lacson said. Source: Duterte arrest has affected Alyansa campaign, senatorial bets admit

Layon ni Atty. Leila de Lima na gumawa ng batas para sa EJK victims compensation fund, na magbibigay ng suporta sa mga pamilyang naulila sa war on drugs ng nakaraang administrasyon.

The following video is a compilation of events that transpired during the time of Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte as compiled by SMNI. It uses news reports, video clippings, and other information sources in order to produce the coherent whole. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZUGlaRq1dfGK6nCvFAJotD2nxbx9ZpWI/view Source: SMNI

Major Crackdown on Cybercrime: Operation Talent Seizes Key Websites In a significant development in the battle against cybercrime, the FBI announced today, January 2025, the seizure of several notorious îllégâl marketplaces. The targeted websites—nùlléd.to, Cracked.io, Sellix.io, and StarkRDP.io—have been instrumental in facilitating the trade of pirated software, cracked tools, and unauthorized access to remote desktop services. This operation, dubbed Operation Talent, marks a milestone in the ongoing efforts to combat online illicit activities. The sites seized are known for their roles in the distribution of malware, stolen data, and häçking services, contributing to a growing ecosystem of cybercrime that affects countless...

I was just watching videos on FB/Meta when a sponsored advertisement appeared. The title itself may catch the general public's attention especially those who are considered the "working class citizens". The ad, when clicked, will open a link that 'seems like" an article from INQUIRER. But the truth is, this is a FAKE ARTICLE and is clearly a diversion aiming of to regain the public trust amid impeachment complaint against Sara Duterte. PressONE.PH posted a fact-check article 7 days ago, and these #FakeNewsSpreadingShits yet re-posted the same shit today. Beware! Huwag magpapalinlang.

The agency has been criticised by Democrats who have accused it of a lack of transparency, and its efforts have also been hampered by legal challenges. But Musk, who was questioned by reporters for the first time since Trump took office last month, described sweeping government cuts as "common sense" measures that are "not draconian or radical". "The people voted for major government reform and that's what the people are going to get," he said. "That's what democracy is all about." Source: Elon Musk denies 'hostile takeover' of government in surprise White House appearance

Zelensky's five-year term of office was due to come to an end in May 2024. However, Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022 and elections are suspended. "He refuses to have elections. He's low in the real Ukrainian polls. How can you be high with every city being demolished?" Trump said. Source: Trump calls Zelensky 'dictator' as rift between two leaders deepens

Its long-awaited report, published on Tuesday, raised the alarm over the digitisation of children and young people’s lives and called for a better balance between digital and analogue life. The minister for children and education, Mattias Tesfaye, told Politiken: “There is a need to reclaim the school as an educational space, where there is room for reflection and where it is not an extension of the teenage bedroom.” The chair of the commission, Rasmus Meyer, compared the mobile phone ban to not allowing smo̾king in schools and said that the moment a child is given a smartphone “it will colonise the child’s entire life”. Source: Denmark to ban mobile phones in schools and after-school clubs

The United States is seeking $500 billion worth of natural resources from Ukraine in a contested deal in exchange for the military aid provided throughout Russia’s invasion of the country, which may include some of the country’s large titanium, lithium and graphite reserves. Source: Here’s What Ukraine Possesses In Natural Resources—As US Reportedly Nears Deal To Secure Minerals

The email, seen by Reuters, asks employees to reply with five bullet points summarizing 'what you accomplished at work last week,' and to copy their managers. “All federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week,” Musk posted on X. “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.” Source: Musk orders US federal staff to report on work by Monday or resign

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) saved more than P50 million in taxpayer money when it stopped the release of vouchers meant for senior high school students (SHS) in 12 private schools that were found to be nonexistent. The “potential defraudment,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara revealed, amounted to P52,571,500 for the SHS voucher program and covered the school year 2023-2024 during the tenure of Vice President Sara Duterte as DepEd chief. Read more: DepEd: P52M almost went to ‘ghost students’ in 12 private schools

Inciting to sedition, unlawful utterances Complainant: PNP CIDG chief Police Major General Nicolas Torre III Date filed: February 2025 Status: Pending with the Department of Justice (DOJ) Plunder, graft (Davao contracts) Complainant: Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV Date filed: July 2024 Status: Pending with the (DOJ) Plunder, graft (Frigates) Complainant: Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV Date filed: August 2024 Status: Pending with the DOJ as of August 2024 Grave threats Complainant: ACT Teachers Representative France Castro Date filed: October 2023 Status: Dismissed Source: LIST: Complaints filed against Rodrigo Duterte after his presidency

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday took a jab anew at former president Rodrigo Duterte as he courted vote-rich Metro Manila to pick all 12 senatorial candidates of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas coalition. Marcos opened his speech at the rally by making sure that the administration's ticket was "complete" and that "no one has been harmed." "Please allow me and I'm just counting our candidates because I'm making sure that they are complete and that no one has been hit by a grenade," Marcos said. Source: Marcos fires back at Duterte anew, counts his senators to make sure none hit by grenade

The statement added that the Pope's "polymicrobial infection, which has arisen in the context of bronchiectasis and asthmatic bronchitis, and has required the use of corticosteroid and antibiotics, makes the therapeutic treatment more complex.” “A follow-up chest CT scan, to which the Holy Father was subjected this afternoon—prescribed by the Vatican medical team and the medical staff of the “A. Gemelli” Polyclinic Foundation—revealed the onset of bilateral pneumonia, requiring additional pharmacological therapy.” Source: Pope has double pneumonia; condition remains 'complex' - Vatican News

Three more academic institutions have announced a suspension of classes and work on February 25, 2025 to fully commemorate the 39th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution. Earlier, several schools have also announced class suspension on February 25, including the University of Sto. Tomas and members of the EDSA Ortigas Consortium of Schools (EDSOR Consortium) namely, the Immaculate Conception Academy, La Salle Greenhills, Saint Pedro Poveda College, and Xavier School. In a separate statement, De La Salle Philippines said all of its schools will also suspend classes and work on February 25. Source: UP Cebu, St. Scholastica-Pampanga, Saint Louis schools suspend classes, work on Feb. 25 to observe EDSA People Power anniversary

In a 19-page petition before the Commission on Elections, Atty. Virgilio Garcia asked the Comelec to disqualify ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo and broadcast journalist Ben Tulfo, who are both running for the Senate; ACT-CIS Rep. Jocelyn Pua-Tulfo and Quezon City Rep. Ralph Tulfo, who are eyeing a return to the House of Representatives; and former Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo Teo, the nominee of the Turismo party-list. Erwin, Ben and Wanda are siblings, while Jocelyn and Ralph are the wife and son respectively of another Tulfo sibling, Raffy, who is an incumbent Senator. Garcia in his petition said the Tulfos constituted a political dynasty which is prohibited under the 1987 Constitution, and were not natural-born Filipinos. Source: Lawyer...

"The Omnibus Election Code itself allows negative campaigning," Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said in an interview. Section 79 of the Omnibus Election Code provides that an "election campaign" or "partisan political activity" refers to an act designed to promote the election or defeat of a particular candidate or candidates. It includes "making speeches, announcements or commentaries, or holding interviews for or against the election of any candidate for public office." Source: Comelec: Law allows negative campaigning | Philippine News Agency

Brigadier General Nicolas D. Torre III, head of the police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), said he filed the case against the tough-talking leader at the Department of Justice (DoJ) as CIDG chief and as a citizen “to make sure that we protect the citizenry from criminal activities like this.” Source: CIDG chief files inciting to sedition complain at DoJ vs ex-President Duterte - BusinessWorld Online

The Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) questioned why Quiboloy, who was back in Pasig City Jail after being hospitalized due to pneumonia, was allowed by the court to record his video for the campaign. “Quiboloy’s recorded message during his campaign’s kick-off activity smacks of VIP treatment,” Dela Fuente added. Source: Group of ex-detainees: Quiboloy campaign video shows VIP treatment

Rice was being sold "at maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) guidelines at P55, P54, P45, P42, and P40. This is a good sign. For tomatoes, one stall was selling at P30 per kilogram (kg), the highest at P50," DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said. Since last month, the DA has been imposing an MSRP for imported rice — from P58/kg on Jan. 20, P55/kg on Feb. 5, and P52/kg on Feb. 15. Source: Rice, vegetable prices going down – DA chief

Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong pointed out that the NBI should probe former President Duterte’s remark since it also investigated the “kill” threat of Vice President Sara Duterte against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. Adiong also said that the older Duterte could not hide his threat in a joke. Source: NBI urged to probe Duterte’s joke on killing 15 senators

In the watchdog’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), the Philippines ranked 114th out of 180 countries with a score of 33 out of 100, up a spot from 115th last year. This was the Philippines’ best ranking since 2018 when it ranked 99th. Singapore ranked 3rd in the global index and 1st in the Asia-Pacific region with a score of 84. Source: Philippines’ ranking inches up in global corruption perceptions index - BusinessWorld Online

“It's completely safe and normal for women to mastu̾rbate. It actually has some health benefits aside from providing you pleasure," said Dr. Sarte-Uygongco. She added that mastu̾rbation is one of the “safest forms of sexual pleasure” because it doesn’t pose the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or getting pre̾gnant. “Male or female, there are no rules. It is just a twisted evolution of society that paints largely through ‘yung mga religious lenses, no? Na se̾x is bad. Se̾x is dirty. ‘Yun ‘yung mga nagiging attachments to se̾x and women are very much victims [of] this because men are expected or parang accepted to explore their sexuality,” he said. “There are various hormones that are released when you are...

It must have been bad enough for Zelensky to hear Trump's abrupt announcement that he had welcomed Russia's President Vladimir Putin back to international diplomacy with a 90-minute phone call, to be followed by a face-to-face meeting, perhaps in Saudi Arabia. After Putin, the White House dialled up Zelensky's number. Speaking to journalists in Ukraine the morning after, Zelensky accepted the fact that Putin received the first call, "although to be honest, it's not very pleasant". What stung Zelensky more was that Trump, who rang him after he spoke to Putin, seemed to regard him, at best, as a junior adjunct to any peace talks. One of Zelensky's many nightmares must be the prospect of Trump and Putin attempting to settle Ukraine's...

Senate President Francis Escudero on Monday announced that the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte will start after the 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in July. In a press conference, Escudero said the impeachment court will convene on June 2, denying allegations that the Senate has been delaying the impeachment complaint. “Most likely when the new Congress already enters into its functions — that means after SONA. SONA, I think, is on July 21. So the trial will commence after that day,” Escudero told Senate reporters. Source: Escudero sets start of impeachment after SONA | Philippine News Agency

Once the Senate convenes as an impeachment court, House prosecutors in Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial plan to seek a subpoena for her bank records to examine evidence related to her alleged “unexplained wealth.” Rep. Joel Chua (Manila, 3rd District), one of the 11 prosecutors, said on Monday, February 10, that the subpoena pertains to Duterte’s statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN). They plan on coordinating with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and Commission on Audit (COA). “Well, we will request it from the impeachment court since they have the authority to subpoena documents. So we will apply to the impeachment court for this [bank records] to be subpoenaed so that our evidence will be stronger,” he said...

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday seeking to ban transgender athletes from participating in women's sports, in his latest move targeting transgender people since returning to office. "With this executive order the war on women's sports is over," Trump said before he signed the order at the White House, surrounded by dozens of children and female athletes. Source: Trump bars trans athletes from women's sports

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said on Friday she had been preparing since last year for impeachment and would welcome on her defence team her firebrand father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, if interested to join. Duterte said her 79-year-old father was welcome to join her defence team "if he wants to", adding he may not lead the team given his age. Duterte is a former city mayor and prosecutor who was Philippine president from 2016-2022. Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/philippines-vice-president-duterte-prepared-impeachment-father-welcome-join-2025-02-07/

As of early afternoon on Wednesday, the effort to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte in the House has secured the backing of nearly double the required number of lawmakers. The first source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Rappler that “around 200 lawmakers” as of 1 pm have supported the impeachment complaint, which is expected to be read in the plenary before the House adjourns session on Wednesday night, in time for the three-month-long campaign period. Source: ‘Around 200 lawmakers’ sign to impeach VP Sara Duterte