Long queues greeted the resumption of the Commission on Election (Comelec) voter registration on Monday in Metro Manila that is still under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said many would-be voters have lined up in many Offices of Election Officer (OECs) in the National Capital Region (NCR). “The first day of registration in NCR while under MECQ saw a heavy turnout of registrants throughout most of NCR,” he said in a statement. “Long queues formed outside many offices.” Despite the strong turnout, Jimenez said the applicants were compliant with minimum health protocols amid the threat

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Cebu extension office on Monday issued a warning to investors in Cebu who have dealt or are about to deal with a Luzon-based lending firm offering investment portfolios to the public without authority from the government. Lawyer Alma Marie Estrada-Dalena, SEC-Cebu officer-in-charge, said an alert was issued against R.L. Aggregates and Diversified Lending Group, Inc. after the central office ordered the firm to stop soliciting investments from the public through a fraudulent scheme that involves the use of falsified registration documents. Dalena said the SEC issued the order on July 27, directing R.L. Aggregates

The House of Representatives on Monday overwhelmingly approved on final reading a proposal providing monetary compensation for residents affected by the Marawi City siege. A total of 197 lawmakers voted in favor of House Bill 9925, otherwise known as the proposed Marawi Compensation Act, which seeks to provide compensation to qualified claimants for the loss or destruction of residential and commercial properties as a result of the 2017 armed conflict between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and terrorist groups in Marawi City. No one voted against the bill or abstained from voting. Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman said an estimated

It’s about time to amend a 29-year-old law that compensates victims of heinous crimes and those who have been wrongfully convicted. Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra told reporters via text message on Monday that his agency supports the amendment to Republic Act (RA) No. 7309, the law that created the Board of Claims (BOC) for victims of unjust imprisonment or detention and victims of violent crimes. “The DOJ will give its full support for the amendment of RA 7309 to increase the amount of compensation,” Guevarra said. “The law was enacted in 1992 and the value of the

Malacañang on Monday said the quarantine classification in the National Capital Region (NCR) will be downgraded to general community quarantine (GCQ) from Sept. 8 to 30. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said localized or granular lockdowns, however, will be piloted in Metro Manila during the GCQ period with comprehensive details on the guidelines to be issued on Tuesday. “During this period, the guidelines for pilot areas shall be observed, supplemented by the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) omnibus guidelines on the implementation of community quarantine in the Philippines amended,” Roque said. Roque said once the

Police arrested Sunday afternoon a suspected big-time drug peddler in Barangay Kalipapa here. In a report, Col. Jibin Bongcayao, Maguindanao police director, identified the suspect as Jodatu Fidel, 21, of Barangay Balong, Northern Kabuntalan. Bongcayao said elements of the local police, backed by the Maguindanao provincial police personnel and Army units from the 6th Infantry Battalion, carried out the buy-bust operation in Sitio 3, Barangay Kalipapa at around 3 p.m. Seized from Fidel were about 25 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP150,000. Bongcayao said the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Task Force “Ittihad” (Unity) provided the