General

Manila: The Senate, acting as an impeachment court, has issued a writ of summons to Vice President Sara Duterte, directing her to respond to the articles of impeachment within 10 days of receipt. This development follows a decision by the Senate to return the complaint to the House of Representatives for further clarification, as announced by Senate President and presiding officer Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero. According to Philippines News Agency, the Senate voted 18-5 to return the complaint, but Escudero emphasized that this action does not equate to a dismissal of the case. The impeachment process remains active, and the issuance

Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday extended his congratulations to South Korea’s newly elected president, Lee Jae-Myung, expressing the Philippines’ intent to bolster bilateral ties with the Republic of Korea (ROK). ‘On behalf of the Filipino people, I congratulate Lee Jae-Myung on his election as President of the Republic of Korea,’ Marcos said in a statement released on social media. Marcos said the Philippines values its deep and enduring ties with South Korea. ‘I look forward to working with him to further strengthen the Strategic Partnership between our two countries,’ he added. According to Philippines News Agency, Lee

Manila: A ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official on Tuesday stated that “appropriate contingency measures” are in place should Chinese maritime forces deliberately ground their ships in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). “In the PN and in the Armed Forces (of the Philippines), we do not deal (with) speculation. Nevertheless, we have appropriate contingencies in place for any eventuality,” PN spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a press briefing. According to Philippines News Agency, Trinidad refrained from disclosing specific details of these measures due to security reasons. He was referring to the incident involving the Chinese

Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed Secretary Jay Ruiz to persist in his responsibilities as the head of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO). According to Philippines News Agency, PCO Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro conveyed during a Palace briefing that the President encouraged Secretary Ruiz to maintain his work. The Commission on Appointments (CA) was initially set to review Ruiz’s appointment on June 3, but the session was postponed due to time constraints. Castro emphasized that the CA’s scheduling change will not interfere with the PCO’s ongoing initiatives to combat fake news and misinformation. She noted

Antique: The Antique Trekkers Inc. (ATI), composed of local mountaineers, is set to commemorate Independence Day on June 12 with a ‘freedom climb’ at Mt. Danawan in Tobias Fornier. This initiative aims to highlight the importance of environmental conservation, as stated by Board Member and ATI vice president Pio Jessielito Sumande Sr. According to Philippines News Agency, the freedom climb serves as a call for the protection of the environment and the wildlife in the area, including the dulungan, Antique’s provincial bird, and the surrounding caves. The event will also feature a flag-raising ceremony and a symbolic tree-planting activity at