General

Kuala Lumpur: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. spoke to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim over the phone on Friday night to discuss the economic and security issues confronting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). According to Philippines News Agency, the phone call was made ahead of Malaysia’s hosting of the ASEAN Summit and Related Summits. Malaysia is this year’s ASEAN chair, while the Philippines will take over the rotating chairmanship in 2026. Marcos expressed his intention to continue similar discussions with other ASEAN leaders during the upcoming summit in Malaysia this month. Marcos shared in a Facebook post that

Pangasinan: Five foreign nationals were arrested in separate operations in Pangasinan and Ifugao as the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) intensified crackdown on overstaying and undocumented aliens. The foreigners were brought to the BI main office in Manila for booking and legal processing. They are now detained at the BI Warden Facility in Taguig pending deportation. According to Philippines News Agency, in Dagupan City, Nigerian national Emmanuel Emeka Ndukwe, 34, was apprehended on April 25 near a church in Barangay Bolosan. He was undocumented and holding an expired passport. During booking, Ndukwe turned violent, head-butting two BI staff, including a nurse.

Washington DC: A high-level economic delegation from the Philippines recently met with United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington DC, marking a significant step in discussions over the 17 percent reciprocal tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump. The Philippine Embassy in Washington DC announced the meeting on Saturday, describing the talks as ‘productive’ and ‘positive’. According to Philippines News Agency, the meeting aimed to address the paused tariffs and explore ways to strengthen the trade relationship between the two nations. The Philippine government is keen on negotiating these tariffs to improve economic ties and benefit both economies. The

Batangas City: Senatorial candidates from the administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas have pledged their support for initiatives aimed at curbing internet trolling and revisiting the Free Tertiary Education Act. At a campaign rally in Batangas City, ACT-CIS Representative Erwin Tulfo emphasized the need for a provision addressing online trolling within the proposed anti-disinformation legislation currently under consideration in Congress. According to Philippines News Agency, Tulfo highlighted the influence of trolling on readers, particularly given the increasing reliance of Filipinos on social media over traditional media outlets. He referenced the case of InfinitUS Marketing Solutions Inc., a Makati-based firm allegedly

Sta. Maria: Authorities nabbed two fugitives in separate operations in Sta. Maria, Bulacan and Angeles City, Pampanga on Friday. In a social media post Saturday, the Police Regional Office-Central Luzon (PRO-3) revealed that a vendor known as alias ‘Intoy’, 59, and a resident of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, is the prime suspect in the killing of Roderick Constantino due to alleged drug-related conflict. He was arrested in Barangay Poblacion, Sta. Maria town by operatives of the San Jose del Monte City Police Station at around 11:33 a.m. According to Philippines News Agency, a warrant of arrest for murder was