Day: June 3, 2025

Manila: The Commission on Audit (COA) has acknowledged significant infrastructure developments at the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO), marking a departure from previous inactivity and establishing a platform for ongoing advancement. According to Philippines News Agency, APECO has been recognized in the 2024 Audit Observation Memorandum for its infrastructure initiatives, which are seen as crucial in preparing the ecozone for investment. The organization completed three major projects, including the initial phase of a Sewage Treatment Plant, a Fire Station, and a Central Water Supply and Reservoir (CSWR) Project, collectively valued at PHP100 million and delivered in under

Manila: The Supreme Court has revised its plea bargaining guidelines in drug cases, mandating that the prosecution must present all grounds for objections upfront or risk waiving them. According to Philippines News Agency, the Supreme Court’s en banc decision, dated January 28, 2025, reinstated the Regional Trial Court’s (RTC) verdict, which found Rodulfo Ferraren Aquino guilty of illegal possession of drug paraphernalia under Section 12 of Republic Act No. 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. This decision highlights the requirement for prosecutors to raise all objections when an accused offers to plead guilty to a

Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is firm on not extending the June 11 deadline for the filing of Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCEs) of candidates in the May 12 midterm elections. “There is no extension. We do not plan to give an extension to anyone who asks. That is the deadline, June 11,” Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said in an interview on Tuesday. Garcia pointed out that the deadline for SOCE filing was announced “a long time ago.” “Therefore, you have to face the consequences of non-filing of SOCE,” he warned. According to Philippines News Agency, the submission

Manila: The Supreme Court (SC) has launched the ‘Judicial Burnout Scale for Filipino Judges’ app, reinforcing its commitment to mental health under the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI). In a news release, the SC stated that the app was developed by the high court’s Governing Council for Mental Health (GCMH) as part of the SC C.A.R.E.S. (Supreme Court Compassion, Awareness, Education, and Save) Program. Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and SC Associate Justice Mario Lopez, the chairperson and working vice chairperson of the GCMH, respectively, led the launch on May 30, 2025, at the SC Session Hall in Manila.

Manila: The Court of Appeals (CA) has reduced the administrative penalties previously imposed by the Office of the Ombudsman on former Albay governor Noel Rosal and his wife, Legazpi City Mayor Carmen Geraldine Rosal. The penalties were related to the unauthorized reassignment of provincial department heads in 2022. According to Philippines News Agency, the CA’s 15th division, led by Associate Justice Germano Legaspi, partially granted the Rosals’ petition and adjusted the Ombudsman’s ruling. In its 15-page decision dated May 30, the court found Noel Rosal guilty of simple misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, resulting