Singer Leah Navarro declared 'persona non grata' in Gen San over 'retribution' tweet

Singer Leah Navarro declared ‘persona non grata’ in Gen San over ‘retribution’ tweet

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General Santos City has declared singer Leah Navarro a “persona non grata,” Monday.

This is related to Navarro’s reaction to Atty Theodore Te’s tweet, which points out that the strong earthquake in Mindanao seemed to be a “retribution.”

In Te’s tweet on October 31, where he seemed to be asking: “What’s with all the earthquakes in Mindanao?” Navarro replied, “Retribution?”

Inquirer.net reports confirmed that Leah Navarro has been “unanimously approved by the council” to be declared “persona non grata,” although it has to be finalized.

Navarro, meanwhile, apologized.

In his Twitter post on Monday (Nov. 4), Navarro said she had also removed the post in the wake of calls for relief from earthquake victims.

“I apologized and deleted my tweet, but they just couldn’t find in their hearts to forgive my one-word reply in the form of a question” Now they’ve twisted it into a declaration. Why not help Mindanao instead? Stop wasting time on me, I’m not a victim, ”she added.

Even Te’s tweet has been deleted.

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2 Egyptians, 1 Pinoy suspected ASG suicide bombers killed in Sulu

2 Egyptians, 1 Pinoy suspected Abu Sayyaf suicide bombers killed in Sulu

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Three suspected suicide bombers of the Abu Sayyaf Group were killed in a military encounter in Indanan, Sulu, on Tuesday.

According to the military, those killed include two Egyptian nationals and a Filipino.

The foreigners were identified only by the names Abduramil and Abdurahman, which were believed to be a father and son.

According to Western Mindanao Commander Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, the three terrorists were about to carry out suicide bombings when they were stopped by members of the Philippine Army at a checkpoint in Barangay Kan Islam at 5:00 pm.

The Sulu Abu Sayyaf suicide bombers fired at the soldiers and took. The military and the suspects exchanged fires, which lasted for about five minutes.

The military is confirming whether two Egyptians are related to a female suicide bomber who attacked a military outpost in Sulu in September.

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3 suspected ASG suicide bombers killed Sulu security tightened

3 suspected ASG suicide bombers killed: Sulu security tightened

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The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has ordered tighter security in Sulu following the killing of three suspected Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) suicide bombers.

According to AFP Western Command Chief, Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, he has tasked all the Joint Task Force under Westmincom to intensify security measures.

This was to prevent any threat of retaliation by the terrorist group following the deaths of their comrades.

Sobejana said the suicide bombers who were killed in Sulu on Tuesday (Nov. 5) were all foreign members of the ASG sub-group under the leadership of Hatib Sawadjaan.

He said the group’s planned attack was related to the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

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PACC asks VP Leni to stop asking for donations for Mindanao quake victims

PACC to VP Leni: stop soliciting donations for Mindanao quake victims

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The Presidential Anti Corruption Commission (PACC) said that the office of the Vice President (OVP) Leni Robredo should no longer solicit donations for the victims of the quake in Mindanao.

According to PACC spokesman and Commissioner Manuelito Luna, such solicitations will bring legal and ethical issues to the Vice President.

It will also result in duplication of jobs or functions among government agencies such as the DSWD, LGUs, and the Philippine Red Cross that are already providing relief operations to areas devastated by the earthquake in Mindanao.

Luna said the government already has funds available for disaster victims, so the Office of the Vice President (OVP) does not need to solicit donations anymore.

So he asked Vice President Leni Robredo to stop soliciting donations for Mindanao quake victims.

Should the vice president insist on soliciting donations, he will ask the Commission on Audit (COA) and the Ombudsman to investigate the OVP.

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DepEd to investigate why student-athletes packed like sardines in a truck

DepEd to investigate why student-athletes packed like sardines in a truck

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The Department of Education is investigating why student-athletes were packed like sardines in a truck in Rizal Palawan.

The children were on their way to Bataraza to attend the provincial meet.

Children packed like sardine Palawan
(Image from James Factor)

Netizens who saw the pictures expressed their concerns about the student-athletes’ safety. Some asked where did the school’s budget for transportation go.

students riding in truck Palawan
(Image from James Factor)

Under DepEd Order No. 40, series of 2012 or the Child Protection Policy, such negligence could be considered as child abuse which includes

  • Psychological or physical abuse, neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse, and emotional maltreatment
  • Any act by deed or words which debases, degrades or demeans the intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as a human being
  • Unreasonable deprivation of the child’s basic needs for survival, such as food and shelter or
  • Failure to immediately give medical treatment to an injured child resulting in serious impairment of his or her growth and development or in the child’s incapacity or death.

It can also be considered as physical violence against children for “assigning children to perform tasks which are hazardous to their physical well-being.”

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Gay public school teacher stabbed to death in Catanduanes

Gay public school teacher stabbed to death in Catanduanes

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A 28-year-old public school teacher whose also a member of the LGBTQ community was stabbed to death inside his room in Virac, Catanduanes, Sunday.

Donn Carlos Borja Bagadiong, a teacher at Catanduanes National High School, was found bathing in his own blood, with deep wounds to his face and various other parts of the body.

According to a report by Catanduanes Police, the body of the victim was found on the second floor of his home in Brgy. Valencia, Virac, at around 4:14 pm on Sunday.

Police recovered a butcher knife with a bloodstain not far from the victim’s body, which is believed the unidentified suspects in brutally killing the victim.

Meanwhile, Police Col Raul Florendo, Provincial Director of the Catanduanes Police, ordered immediately to investigate the crime to arrest the culprit.

Authorities believed the teacher personally knew the suspect. They also look at robbery as possible motives behind the crime.

With this, the Catanduanes provincial government has offered a P100,000 reward for anyone who can provide information to arrest the suspect and resolve the crime.

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DA blames smuggled pork from China for ASF outbreak in Philippines

DA blames smuggled pork from China for ASF outbreak in Philippines

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The Department of Agriculture believed the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in the Philippines have originated from smuggled pork products from China.

This is what DAR Secretary William Dar suspected when smuggled meat products with ASF from China were seized last month.

In a news conference in Quezon City, DAR said the refrigerated container vans with imported meat and other meat products from China had ASF.

It is said that when this commodity entered the Port of Manila last month, it was declared to contain tomato paste and vermicelli. However, it included dim sum, dumplings, peking ducks, fresh frozen duck deserts, pork meat, and pork products, marinated chicken wings, minced vegetables with meat, egg, and noodles.

Then ASF outbreaks can also come from swill feeds or “kaning baboy,” or food leftovers owners feed their pigs.

“Ang mga food waste nila ay itinapon sa Rodriguez Rizal at may nagkolekta ng swill feeds at pinakain sa baboy, doon nagsimula,” DAR added.

(They throw their food waste at Rodriguez Rizal, and some collected the swill feeds and fed them to the pigs, that’s where it started.)

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Woman hides shabu under 'hotsilog'

Woman hides shabu under ‘hotsilog’

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Police arrested a woman who hid sachets of shabu under a ‘hotsilog’ (HOTdog, SInangag or fried rice, and ITlog or fried egg) food pack at Fairview Police Station at 3 am, Tuesday.

Camie Olaguer arrived at the police station to visit her friend, who was in jail for a week.

Because she had come after the visiting hours, she was not allowed to see her friend.

Olaguer requested the jail guard to hand over the ‘hotsilog‘ to her friend in jail.

Woman hides shabu under 'hotsilog' (1)
A woman visiting her friend in jail tried to hide sachets of shabu under ‘hotsilog’ food pack. (Image from James Agustin)

Coincidentally, the jail guard opened the food pack upside down, revealing five sachets of shabu under the ‘hotsilog.’

The suspect defended she did not know that there was shabu inside the food pack.

Olaguer and her friend would also face charges for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

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50 Filipinos working in international cybersex syndicate arrested

50 Filipinos working in international cybersex syndicate arrested

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Authorities arrested around 50 Filipinos working in an international cybersex syndicate during All Saints’ Day, November 1.

According to an exclusive report from John Consulta on Unang Balita, the National Bureau of Investigation Cybercrime Division personnel raided the fifth floor of a building in Makati City, where the group’s operations were taking place.

Around 50 Filipinos were caught in the act at their work stations. The arrested suspects were allegedly the cybersex operation’s technical support team.

The NBI agents discovered the software the group was using and links to live sex cam in other countries.

“Aalukin na nila ito kung gusto nila mag-avail ng service. Bibigyan sila ng links kung saan, sino yung panonooring hubad na models,” said Francis Señora, special agent of NBI Cybercrime Division.

(They will offer a customer if he or she wants to avail of the service. Then, customers will be given a link where they can watch nude models.)

The arrested suspects refused to provide any statement concerning their arrest.

The NBI confiscated all of the computers of the arrested Filipinos working in international cybersex syndicate. These will be used as evidence in violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act case to be filed against them.

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Chinese national, pinay girlfriend arrested for sex trafficking in spa

Chinese national, pinay girlfriend arrested for sex trafficking in spa

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Police arrested a Chinese national and his Pinay girlfriend during a drug raid at the couple’s spa, which is being used for sex trafficking, yesterday afternoon in Las Piñas City.

Chinese national, pinay girlfriend arrested for sex trafficking in spa
RodMiles Wellness Spa in Las Piñas City. Chinese national and Pinay girlfriend arrested for using their spa to cover their sex trafficking operations. (Image from Yelp)

Authorities identified that arrested suspects as Mysa Dela Cruz, owner of Rodmiles Wellness Spa, and her Chinese boyfriend, Yuwen Thao. Police also rescued three women who work as a massage therapist but were being sold as sex workers in the said spa.

According to the Las Piñas City Police report, the police raided a spa in BF Resort Village of Brgy. Talon Dos at 12:30 am. This was after they put the spa under surveillance after they received a report that the Chinese and Pinay were using the establishment to cover its sex trafficking operation.

The two suspects are now detained in Las Piñas City Police Detention Center and are facing charges of violating the Anti-Human Trafficking Act at the Prosecutor’s Office.

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DTI approves price hike in 113 noche buena products

DTI approves price hike in 113 noche buena products

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Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) approved price hike of more than 100 Noche Buena products this Christmas season.

The products include ham, fruit cocktail, spaghetti, pasta, mayonnaise, cheese, and condensed milk.

The price hike for Noche Buena products ranges from 2 to 13 percent, depending on the type, brand, and size of the product. This equates to P3 to P76 per item.

According to DTI Asec. Claire Cabochan, the price hike was due to the increase in the production cost of some products such as canned goods.

It is also “Reasonable,” Cabochan added.

As a result, more than P100 per kilogram has been added to some “high-end” hams since the manufacturers reduced their ham production in the market.

According to DTI, the price increase was also an effect of ‘African Swine Fever’ where pork supplies were also scarce.

Nevertheless, ham products supplies are said to be enough this Christmas season.

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