General

Manila: Filipinos will not be intimidated from speaking out in defense of the country’s sovereign rights, Malaca±ang said Wednesday, following reports that China has imposed sanctions on former senator Francis Tolentino over his remarks on the West Philippine Sea (WPS). According to Philippines News Agency, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro emphasized that every Filipino who is pro-Philippines cannot be silenced or stopped from defending the nation’s national and maritime rights. Castro highlighted President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s steadfast commitment to maintaining the country’s territorial integrity, quoting him as saying, “We will not yield even an inch of our territory to

Surigao del sur: The Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Office reported the seizure of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP1 million during two separate operations conducted on Tuesday. In a statement on Wednesday, Provincial Police Director, Col. Harry Domingo, detailed the successful operations that took place in different locations within the province. According to Philippines News Agency, the first buy-bust operation occurred in Barangay San Pedro, Cantilan at noon on Tuesday. This operation led to the arrest of three suspects and the confiscation of 50 grams of suspected shabu valued at PHP340,000. Additionally, authorities recovered a loaded

San fernando: The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) disbursed PHP1.76 billion in inpatient hospital claims in La Union province in 2024, while its total collection from members’ premiums in the same year amounted to PHP700 million. PhilHealth La Union Local Health Insurance Office head Raymund Maningding, in a phone interview on Wednesday, said that of the total amount, PHP400 million was paid for maternity care package. “This covers normal spontaneous delivery and caesarean,” he said. According to Philippines News Agency, some PHP276 million of the total amount was paid for dialysis, he said. “That’s why we are asking the health

Manila: The Court of Appeals (CA) has dismissed the petition filed by Katherine Cassandra Li Ong questioning her indictment for qualified human trafficking over her alleged part in the illegal activities of a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub in Central Luzon. According to Philippines News Agency, in a seven-page resolution dated June 25, the appellate court’s Special 13th Division “dismissed outright” Ong’s petition for being premature as she failed to file a motion for reconsideration before the Department of Justice (DOJ). “In not availing of a motion for reconsideration and an available appeal, petitioner (Ong) deprived PG (Prosecutor General

Isabela: The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has confiscated unregistered cooking oil worth PHP1.3 million and arrested two Indian nationals in Isabela province. According to Philippines News Agency, CIDG director Brig. Gen. Romeo Macapaz stated that the two foreigners – a woman identified as ‘Kulvinder’, 47, and her son ‘Kamaljot,’ 22 – were arrested in a buy-bust operation. This operation also led to the confiscation of 273 containers of cooking oil in Barangay Patul in Santiago City on June 26. Authorities discovered that the cooking oil was not registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and that the