General

Antique: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) reminded local candidates to remove their illegal and oversized election materials before the local campaign begins on March 28. According to Philippines News Agency, Comelec Acting Assistant Regional Director and concurrent Antique Provincial Election Supervisor Wil Arce±o stated that materials outside the designated common poster areas in municipalities must be taken down three days before the start of the campaign period for local candidates. Arce±o expressed that he is sending letters to local candidates in Antique, urging them to start removing their illegal and oversized campaign materials starting Tuesday. Illegally posted campaign materials are

Manila: Former Senator Leila de Lima on Monday rejected comparisons to slain democracy icon Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr., after Vice President Sara Duterte warned her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, of possible arrest should he return to the Philippines. In a Facebook post, de Lima said Aquino ‘returned to the Philippines knowing it could cost him his life,’ calling his sacrifice an act of courage for ‘the nation, for democracy, for the Filipino people.’ According to Philippines News Agency, de Lima criticized Duterte’s current situation, describing it as a “drama” and a “desperate attempt to escape accountability.” She emphasized that

Manila: Malaca±ang on Monday refuted claims being peddled on social media that detained former president Rodrigo Duterte gave the Marcos family the dignity to return to power, while President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. supposedly gave his Duterte a ‘death sentence’ in a foreign land. In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer and Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro stressed that it was the Filipino people, not just a single individual, who made Marcos president of the country. According to Philippines News Agency, Castro asserted, “Ang nagpabalik po kay Pangulo Marcos ay ang taumbayan po, hindi po iisang tao. Pinakita po

Bicol: The Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO-5) has successfully seized nearly PHP2.49 million worth of illegal drugs and arrested 42 individuals during a series of operations conducted over the course of a week, from March 17 to 23. According to Philippines News Agency, PRO-5 Director Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon reported that 35 anti-drug operations were carried out across six provinces and one component city, resulting in the confiscation of a significant quantity of illegal substances, including 367.2611 grams of shabu and 1.90 grams of marijuana. Among the provinces, Camarines Norte reported the highest drug seizure value at PHP1.60 million,

Manila: Government officials signed on Monday the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 12079 or the Value-Added Tax (VAT) Refund for Non-Resident Tourists. In a statement, the Department of Finance (DOF) said the IRR was signed by Secretary Ralph Recto, Bureau of Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, and Bureau of Internal Revenue Deputy Commissioner Marissa Cabreros. It was witnessed by Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco and Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Secretary Frederick Go. According to Philippines News Agency, RA 12079 aims to boost tourism and encourage more foreign