Police swoop on van carrying sacks full of dead dogs
Police arrested the driver of a van after he was found to be carrying two sacks filled with dead dogs. The vehicle was intercepted in Barangay San Francisco, Agoo, La …
News
Troops recover body of beheaded German as noose closes on Abu Sayyaf
Philippine troops have found the remains of Jurgen Kantner as the army presses ahead with its bid to free 30 other captives of the Islamic State-affiliated terror group. Marines dug up the head …
Woman killed as powerful aftershock rocks earthquake-hit city
One person died and several injured today (Sunday, March 5) when a magnitude 5.9 earthquake hit Surigao City, which is still recovering from a more powerful quake last month. The quake at 8.08am caused some …
I’m not suicidal! Senator De Lima hits back at fake news that’s making her feel unsafe
Senator Leila De Lima has felt moved to confirm that she is alive and well in custody, despite reports alleging that she had attempted suicide. “To paraphrase Mark Twain, fake news about …
Korean sex tourists face up to 12 years prison for sleeping with women
Nine Korean sex tourists have been arrested in Cebu under anti human trafficking laws for sleeping with women provided by an escort firm. The group was detained by National Bureau …
British Muslim convert who plotted to join Abu Sayyaf blames Brexit
A British Muslim convert who attempted to join Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines blamed Brexit for his actions as he was jailed for eight years. Muslim convert Ryan Counsell, aged …
Ten Abu Sayyaf terrorists killed as Army closes net on group
A clash between the Army and Abu Sayyaf today (Friday, March 3) resulted in the death of 10 terrorists, including two grandsons of the group’s leader Radulan Sahiron. On the …
Nun injured after masked man punches her in the face at her convent
An elderly Irish nun has been attacked and injured by a masked man at her convent in Zamboanga del Sur. Local police director Sofronio Ecaldre said that 70-year-old Kathleen Anne Melia was closing up …
What’s in a name? Latest addition to the Duterte clan is called ‘Stonefish’
President Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, has given birth to a baby boy — and has announced his name as ‘Stonefish’. The president said he was “exceedingly excited” …
Banged up and butt naked: Prisoners forced to strip off during cell search
Photos showing hundreds of prisoners stripped naked while their cells are searched for contraband have prompted fresh criticism from a human rights watchdog. On the day that New York-based Human …
Duterte hits back at human rights report: “They have no humanity, goddamn it!”
President Duterte responded to a human rights watchdog’s hard-hitting investigation into extra-judicial killings, by declaring that criminals have no humanity. “When you kill criminals, it is not a crime against …
Kitten found in Manila with eyes, ears and nose sewn up makes recovery
A one-month-old kitten has recovered after being found wandering the streets of Manila with her eyes, ears and nose stitched together. The cruelly tortured creature, now named July, was found …
Only in Asia: 21 utterly baffling slogans printed on clothes
When you travel in Southeast Asia, all sorts of things can leave you scratching your head. But for me, one of the biggest mysteries is the amount of utterly weird slogans that …
Singapore man to be jailed and caned for molesting his Filipina maid
Singapore’s public court sentenced a senior security specialist to 11 months in jail and three strokes of the cane for repeatedly molesting his Filipina domestic helper. Singapore permanent resident Jacob …
Man born without legs helps keep streets safe for schoolchildren
A man born without legs has not let his disability stop him working as a traffic controller in Cebu City. For five years Magdalino Borces has been a familiar sight …
Philhealth gouges foreigners – premiums to rise steeply
As I’m sure many expats have heard by now, those of us who are taking advantage of local rates for Philhealth are about to have our premiums go up. Rather …
Ex-teacher who filmed himself having sex with children jailed for 190 years
A former schoolteacher from California’s Orange County who molested girls in the Philippines has been jailed for 190 years. Robert Ruben Ornelas, aged 66, was found guilty of filming himself …
Police called back to drug war amid calls to target Abu Sayyaf terrorists
President Duterte has relaunched his war on drugs, despite calls for extra manpower to be deployed against Abu Sayyaf and other terror groups. Less than a month after the Philippine …
Factsheet: The Abu Sayyaf terror group – who they are and what they do
Although the armed forces continue to make inroads against their strongholds, Abu Sayyaf remain a force to be reckoned with. For years, the militants have maintained a reign of terror …
Senator: Duterte’s hit man plotted to assassinate me in “an accident”
Opposition senator Antonio Trillanes IV has claimed that President Duterte made plans to have him killed. Sen. Trillanes quoted self-confessed leader of the Davao Death Squad, Arturo Lascañas, who claims …
Self-confessed “Duterte hitman” denied claims because he feared for his life
The self-confessed leader of Davao Death Squad has explained why he originally denied his role in the group when he appeared before a Senate hearing last year. In a 12-page …
‘Now he kills me’… Last words of German beheaded by Abu Sayyaf
German hostage Jurgen Kantner has been beheaded by Abu Sayyaf terrorists after the deadline for a $600,000 ransom demand passed on Saturday. The brief video was circulated on Monday by …
Duterte tightens grip on power with purge of jailed De Lima’s senate allies
President Duterte has tightened his grip on power by stripping allies of jailed senator Leila de Lima of senior roles in the government. In a motion led by boxer-turned-senator Manny Pacquiao, …
Drugs back on the streets since Duterte’s war on drugs paused
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs had until three weeks ago driven the trade in crystal methamphetamine underground, according to residents and drug users in some of the slum …
Bramovich: A raucous romp through the global news
I was going on one of my trips down memory lane this morning. Once a month or so I engage in an unfettered gluttonous indulgence in the news from some …
Pacquiao announces “super fight” against Britain’s Amir Khan
Manny Pacquiao has agreed to fight Britain’s Olympic silver medallist Amir Khan on April 23, in what has already been billed as a “super fight”. The 38-year-old Pacquiao, who currently sits …