The UK to return corrupt Macau official’s stolen millions
The UK has agreed to return $44.3 million to Macau which was confiscated from a government official who was convicted in the Chinese enclave’s biggest corruption case in history. The …
Catholic Church has paid out nearly $4 billion due to sex abuse scandals
Sex abuse scandals within the Catholic Church have now cost the Vatican $3,994,797,060.10, nearly $4 billion since the 1950s. The National Catholic Reporter added up the final count and posted …
Drug mules breeze through Manila airport with 2.5 kilos of pure cocaine
Roland Recamono, head of the Office of Transportation Security (OTS) has said he was “not aware that four Filpinas carrying 2.5 kilos of cocaine have been arrested in Hong Kong.” …
‘Candy Crush’ sold to ‘Call of Duty’ game maker for $5.9 billion
Video game maker Activision Blizzard Inc. said it will buy “Candy Crush Saga” creator King Digital Entertainment for $5.9 billion to strengthen its games portfolio. Activision, which owns popular game …
Three children die after eating tainted turtle meat
Three young children have died after eating sea turtle meat in the town of Ironsin, in the province of Sorsogon. All three children were from the same family, they include …
Total of 1,394 bullets planted at Manila airport so far this year
The Philstar has reported that nearly 1,400 bullets have been discovered at Manila’s NAIA airport alone this year. So does it settle the bullet planting scheme being blamed on security at …
British man arrested for voyeurism and child pornography in Pagadian City
Police have arrested a British man after a raid at his home turned up a hoard of pornography in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Norte. Authorities said the Briton was arrested after police raided his …
London-bound Filipina one of three arrested in bullet scam at Manila Airport
A Filipina headed to London, was arrested by Ninoy Aquino International Airport security cam merchants after they claimed she was carrying an M-16 rifle bullet in a medicine pouch inside her carry-on bag. She …
Guns, drugs, sex toys and even a civet cat confiscated at Bilibid Prison
High-powered firearms, illegal drugs, sex toys and even a civet cat were seized when police raided the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City. Teams …
Filipino arrested for molesting two teenage boys he’d recruited for photoshoot
A 31-year-old marketing promotions officers from Tacloban City was arrested after he brought two boys from Cebu to a hotel in Quezon City for a promotional photo shoot. Ramil Cañete will …
President Aquino says country could become ‘first-world’ under his policies
President Aquino said last week that “the best is yet to come for the Philippines,” even going as far as claim that the country could easily be a “First-World” status …
Abu Sayyaf demands $63 million ransom for three kidnapping victims
Abu Sayyaf terrorists have demanded more than $60 million for two Canadians and a Norwegian they are holding in the jungles of the southern Philippines in the largest ransom the Muslim …
Google internet balloons to launch over Indonesia, California and Australia
Google is planning to increase testing of its internet-beaming helium balloons after striking deals with three Indonesian mobile network operators, it said on Wednesday. The ambitious “Project Loon” is aimed …
Two Vatican officials arrested for leaking confidential documents
Two members of a commission Pope Francis set up to study reforms, including a high-ranking Holy See official, have been arrested on suspicion of leaking confidential documents, the Vatican said …
NGO worker tied to tree, doused in gasoline and set alight by gang of five
A non-government organization (NGO) worker was tied to a tree, doused in gasoline and set on fire by at least five unidentified men in Cebu City on Monday. A police investigation suggested Daniel …
British man arrested for for groping women’s backsides at restaurant
A British man has been arrested on the complaint of four Filipino women after he allegedly touched them inappropriately on their behinds in Taguig City. Arrested was Nicholas Rogerson of …
Two more members of nationwide Romanian gang arrested for ATM scam
Two more Romanians have been arrested for their part in a hi-tech card skimming scheme. 43-year-old Petru Loan Uveges and 36-year-old Stefania Mehaela were caught in the act of making …
Four arrested on same day amid NAIA bullet planting scam
The bullet-planting scam at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has just stepped up a level – on Tuesday alone, four people, including an elderly Filipino-American passenger, were taken into custody …
Australian man found dead in hotel room in Ermita, Manila
An Australian man has been found dead inside a hotel room in Ermita, Manila. Manila District-Homicide Sections said 58-year-old Kimberley James Powell was found dead by hotel staff at the Paragon …
Police chief transferred after arresting mayor’s sister-in-law in Baler, Aurora
The chief of police in Baler, Aurora was relieved of duty on Wednesday, just a few days after his men arrested the sister-in-law of Mayor Nelianto Bihasa for illegal drug possession. …
New hotline for victims of “tanim-bala”: the airport bullet planting scam
The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) has opened a hotline for victims of the “tanim-bala” – the bullet planting scam infesting the country’s airports. PAO chief, Presida Acosta said the agency will send …
Forty airport security staff under investigation for bullet planting scam
So far, at least 40 security staff from the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) are under investigation after complaints from passengers at NAIA airport. On Monday, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) spokesman David …
Tourism experts say Philippines is wasting its time with new star rating
A new “star” rating system for hotels and resorts in the Philippines is to be implemented by the Department of Tourism (DOT) – but a global hospitality consulting firm says …
Cebu City mayor demands action on spaghetti wires
“Only in the Philippines,” comes to mind when listening to the mayor of Cebu City and his distrust in dealing with local utility companies that broke the deadline for untangling …
Filipina discovers six-month-old lottery ticket worth 5.9 million pesos
A 39-year-old single mother has been unknowingly carrying around a winning lottery ticket in her worn-out shoulder bag for the past six months. The women was about to give her …
Philippines refuses to take Muslim refugees from Australia
The Philippines says it has a basic knowledge of the issues associated with taking the Muslim ‘refugee’ migrants that Australia wants to off-load onto the country. The major problem is …