Parents under arrest for pimping out their 16-year-old daughter
The parents of a 16-year-old girl have been arrested for pimping her out to a foreigner, who was caught in the act of sleeping with her. Kim Hyo Soon, who …
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Sprinklers out of action during Manila hotel fire that claimed five lives
Firefighters who battled the deadly fire at the Manila Pavilion Hotel & Casino have claimed the building’s sprinklers were out of order. “The sprinklers did not work]based on the initial …
Bright future: Town welcomes Southeast Asia’s largest solar battery
A remote corner of the island of Mindoro is looking forward to a brighter future with the largest solar-battery micro-grid in Southeast Asia. Paluan, a town of 16,000 at the …
Duterte among handful of ‘strongman’ leaders to congratulate Putin
President Duterte is one of a handful of ‘strongman’ world leaders to congratulate President Putin on his victory in Russia’s presidential elections. “President Rodrigo Duterte extends the warmest congratulations of …
Launch of new ferry from Palawan to unspoiled Sabah promised for April
Questions have been raised over the delayed launch of a new ferry linking Bataraza town, Palawan, with Kudat in Sabah. As we reported last year, the international service was due …
Coron Bay unsafe for swimmers due to rising levels of human excrement
The waters of Coron Bay, Palawan, have been found to be so polluted with human excrement they are no longer safe for swimming. An official of the Department of Environment …
BREAKING: Ten dead as plane crashes into house in Bulacan
A small passenger plane crashed landed onto a house in Bulacan, leaving 10 people dead, including three children. All five people on the plane, including the pilot and chief engineer, …
Big plans for little island: Vision for ‘rehabilitated’ Boracay revealed
Ambitious plans have been revealed for how Boracay could look after it is has been “rehabilitated” following a period of closure. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu recommended this week that the …
British ‘cannabis activist’ plans return to Philippines after evading US law
A British man is hoping to return to his family in the Philippines after fighting off a bid by the USA to extradite him on cannabis charges. Gypsy Nirvana, whose …
Duterte ‘punched wall’ when told alleged drug lords had been cleared
President Duterte punched a wall when he heard about the dropping of cases against 22 alleged drug lords, the nation’s police chief has claimed. Ronald Dela Rosa said the president …
Chinese firm to exploit oil and gas field found off Alegria, Cebu
A Chinese firm is preparing to exploit huge reserves of gas and oil found off the coast of Alegria, Cebu. The news has been welcomed by town mayor Verna Magallon, …
Man arrested on drug charge admits to murder of American
A man being investigated by police for for drug and firearm offences in General Santos City has confessed to the murder of an American last month. Chief Inspector Aldrin Gonzales …
Jailed senator says acquittal of drug lords proves her innocence
Leila de Lima has said the dismissal of drug charges against Kerwin Espinosa and Peter Co, among others, is proof of her innocence. Espinosa and Co testified in congressional hearings …
Plan for $500m Boracay casino presses ahead as island closure looms
Plans for a $500 million casino-resort on Boracay are pressing ahead, despite concerns about over development on the island. The government is considering closing the resort for at least two …
Inspirational stories: Former housemaid graduates from military academy
A Filipina who started working at the age of six and later spent five years as a housemaid has graduated from the Philippine Military Academy. Meriam Libongcogon is the second …
Hearing on Marcos family ‘looted’ art deferred yet again
The Philippine anti-graft court has deferred a hearing on the forfeiture of the Marcos family’s multi-million dollar art collection. The Sandiganbayan rescheduled the hearing, which was due to take place …
British tourist drowns off El Nido after getting caught in rip tide
A renowned London barber drowned after getting caught up in strong currents off the coast of El Nido. Kevin Bui, aged 27, was swimming off the shore of the Palawan …
Justice chief urged to explain dropping cases against alleged drug lords
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre is being pressed to explain the dismissal of charges against self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa and 20 others. Senator Richard Gordon said he was shocked that …
President Duterte withdraws Philippines from International Criminal Court
President Duterte has announced that the Philippines is withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC), a month after it launched an investigation against him. The president cited “baseless, unprecedented and …
Australian taxpayers fund alleged child abuser Scully’s legal defence
Australian taxpayers have funded $500,000 of legal aid for Peter Scully, who is awaiting trial for murdering and raping young girls. The disgraced former Melbourne businessman denies the allegations against …
Silent night: New law planned to stamp out anti-social videoke sessions
Lawmakers are working on a bill to stamp out the anti-social use of videoke machines late at night. The House of Representatives Committee on Public Order and Safety hopes to …
Tourism chiefs tout Samar as alternative to troubled Boracay
The Department of Tourism is eyeing Samar province as an alternative to Boracay as the island undergoes environmental rehabilitation. Speaking at the Spark Samar Travel Fair 2018 on Sunday (March …
Justice department drops charges against alleged drug lords
Charges against a number of high-profile drug smuggling suspects have been dropped due to ‘weak evidence’. The Depatment of Justice has dismissed charges filed against Peter Lim and 20 others …
Drug-resistant HIV strain identified as Aids epidemic looms in Philippines
UPDATED: See below A Philippine scientist has warned of a new drug-resistant subtype of HIV that could worsen the country’s worrying Aids epidemic. According to Dr Edsel Salvana, director of …
At least eight jihadis killed as Army clashes with BIFF fighters
At least eight jihadis were killed in a series of clashes with the Philippine military in the Maguindanao province of Mindanao. Armoured vehicles and artillery were used against some 50 …
Norwegian and US cops help snare producer of online child porn
Norwegian and US law enforcers have helped Philippine police snare the alleged operator of an online child pornography operation. Anselmo Ico, known to his clients as “Jaja Jhoncel”, is alleged …