Day: October 3, 2024

Manila: The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Thursday got a commitment from Senator Loren Legarda for its proposed 2025 budget to be increased. This, after Legarda found some of the programs of the agency interesting, particularly the Barangay Information Officers Network of the Philippine Information Agency. “We suspend the briefing but we consider the budget as approved subject to an increase after my study. I will not decrease you,” Legarda said before concluding PCO’s budget deliberation. “If you give me good proposals then I can always increase your budget,” she said. Under the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP), the PCO,

Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday pledged that the current administration would make sure that the ‘Lab for All’ Project, which offers free medical services to Filipinos in need, will reach the 7,063 geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) in the country. During the Lab for All caravan at the Rizal High School in Pasig City, Marcos said the project, spearheaded by no less than First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, aims to bridge the gap in the country’s health care system. ‘Ang kalusugan po ay kayamanan. Walang silbi ang lahat ng yaman kung hindi maayos ang ating kalusugan. Ngunit

BUTUAN CITY – Police have apprehended one of the most wanted New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the Caraga Region, an official said Thursday. Brig. Gen. Alan Nazarro, director of the Police Regional Office-Caraga (PRO-13), identified the rebel as “Rudy Amara,” 31, the vice commanding officer of the weakened NPA Guerrilla Front 30. The arrest took place on Tuesday in Carmen, Surigao del Sur. ‘Amara faces six counts of murder, five counts of frustrated murder, three counts of attempted murder, and a charge of slight illegal detention,’ Nazarro said. Amara is listed as the region’s second top communist priority target

Manila: The Philippine National Police – Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) has begun its investigation into the administrative liability of police officials tagged in the killing of retired police general and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga. IAS Inspector General Brigido Dulay said the internal probe ordered by PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil includes Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza, who disclosed during a hearing at the House of Representatives that he was ordered by former PCSO general manager Royina Garma and National Police Commission commissioner Edilberto Leonardo to kill Barayuga. He said the IAS has coordinated with the

MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – The Ilocos Police Regional Office (PRO-1) confiscated PHP32.1 million worth of illegal drugs and arrested 91 suspects in September this year. In a statement on Thursday, PRO-1 information office chief Lt. Col. Benigno Sumawang said they launched 82 anti-illegal drugs operations last month. He said confiscated during the operations include 110,350 marijuana plants, 55,600 marijuana seedlings, 305 grams of dried marijuana leaves, and 1,147.54 grams of shabu. The latest operation was on September 27, in the village of Telbang, Bayambang town. Armed with several warrants of arrest, the police nabbed alias ‘Nakila’, a top drug leader in

LEGAZPI CITY – The Police Regional Office (PRO) 5 (Bicol) reported on Thursday the arrest of four most wanted persons in the region. Lt. Col. Malu Calubaquib, PRO-5 spokesperson, said the wanted persons were arrested early this week in operations in the provinces of Catanduanes, Masbate, Camarines Norte, and Sorsogon. Among those arrested was “Juan,” 40, of Bato, Catanduanes, who was considered the No. 4 most wanted person in the region. The suspect was charged with attempted rape with PHP120,000 recommended bail, and with sexual assault with a recommended bail of PHP180,000. In Masbate, alias ‘Lads’ of Aroroy town, the