General

Baguio City: More than 100 residential lease agreements in Camp John Hay (CJH) were signed by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), two months since it reclaimed the property. In a statement Tuesday, the BCDA said this represents 95 percent of the total residential properties within CJH. According to Philippines News Agency, the BCDA targets to finalize and sign all residential lease contracts within the month. This development underscores the confidence of investors in the state-run organization’s vision for the CJH property, it said. The BCDA added that these residential lease agreements were signed with foreign nationals, the majority

Manila: Former senator and known Rodrigo Duterte nemesis Leila de Lima is willing to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed during the administration of the former president, her legal counsel said on Tuesday. In an interview with Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, lawyer Dino de Leon said De Lima has already submitted evidence to the ICC and is prepared to testify if summoned. According to Philippines News Agency, De Lima was jailed from February 2017 to November 2023 in Camp Crame, Quezon City for alleged drug-related charges. She was fully acquitted of

Manila: Law enforcement authorities here arrested Central Visayas’ most notorious carnapper following a manhunt, an official said Tuesday. According to Philippines News Agency, PEMS Aurelio Bodo, head of the Highway Patrol Group-Negros Oriental, stated in an interview that the suspect was escorted back to Bohol after his arrest on Sunday. The suspect, who was using another name and carrying falsified documents, was ‘kind of difficult to trace because he changed his identity,’ Bodo said. The suspect is tagged as the No. 1 most wanted person by the Regional Highway Patrol Unit. Apart from the Bohol case, the suspect is also

Manila: The Philippine Navy (PN) will fire three major missile systems in its inventory when its naval units join live-fire exercises for this year’s iteration of the “Balikatan” exercises with American forces in late April. This was announced by PN flag officer-in-command Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta in a press briefing at the Navy headquarters in Manila on Tuesday. According to Philippines News Agency, Vice Admiral Ezpeleta stated, “We will launch the C-Star surface-to-surface (missile), the Spike (Non-Line of Sight) NLOS (missile), and the Mistral surface-to-air missiles from our Navy assets. Our involvement in the combined exercise is instrumental

Manila: Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque is seeking asylum in the Netherlands in an effort to avoid accountability for his alleged involvement in illegal Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGOs) and related crimes, including human trafficking. According to Philippines News Agency, House Assistant Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre described Roque’s asylum bid as a maneuver to escape consequences. Acidre stated that Roque has been cited in contempt and detained for refusing to cooperate in an investigation into POGO-related criminal activities. Acidre questioned Roque’s need to flee the country if he has nothing to hide. A human trafficking case