Philippine police raid Chinese-run scam centre, arresting dozens including Malaysians

MANILA: Philippine police raided a Chinese-run scam centre in the capital Manila on Thursday (Aug 22), arresting dozens of Filipino and foreign workers who allegedly tricked people into investing in a "manipulated" trading platform. Police said the centre was operating in the guise of a licensed online gaming company, which President Ferdinand Marcos banned last month...

Senior passenger offloaded after bomb joke at Mindoro airport

MANILA: A 61-year-old female passenger was offloaded at the San Jose Airport in Occidental Mindoro after making a bomb joke before boarding a flight to Manila on Monday (Aug 19), according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap). Caap reported that the senior citizen was at the final screening checkpoint around 7.15am when she...

Police chief forbids cops from carrying umbrellas for VIPs

MANILA: Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Rommel Marbil has ordered a stop to police officers carrying umbrellas for VIPs. Marbil issued his directive Monday, noting that such an act is not part of a police officer’s job as it is degrading for a man in uniform. “I want to bring back the dignity of our uniform,”...

Three Chinese nationals held over abduction of Vietnamese tourist in Paranaque

MANILA: Three Chinese nationals were arrested on Tuesday (Aug 6) for reportedly abducting a Vietnamese tourist in Paranaque City, according to police. In a report on Wednesday, the Southern Police District (SPD) said the three Chinese suspects, identified as alias Jun, 31, Hao, 27, and Zhang, 26, were arrested during a coordinated operation on Aug 6. The...

6.8-magnitude earthquake hits off Philippines’ Mindanao: Geological survey

MANILA: A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the southern Philippines on Saturday (Aug 3), the United States Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued and there were no immediate reports of damage. The shallow quake hit just before 6:30am local time about 20km from the village of Barcelona on the east of...

Alice Guo may have left Philippines using Chinese passport: Senator Gatchalian

MANILA: It is possible that suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo had already left the country using her Chinese passport. This possibility was raised on Wednesday (July 17) by Sen Sherwin Gatchalian. “Based on our information from the Bureau of Immigration is that she’s still here because we checked if Guo Hua Ping has already left the Philippines,...

Manila court issues gag order in Degamo murder case

MANILA: The Manila Regional Trial Court has issued a gag order prohibiting all parties in the murder case of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo from discussing the case in public. Degamo and nine others were killed in a March 4, 2023 attack. Expelled Negros Oriental Congressman Arnolfo Teves and several others are facing 10 counts of...

Former president Duterte plans senate run in 2025: Sara Duterte

MANILA: Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and his two sons plan to run in the country's senate election in 2025, Vice President Sara Duterte said on Tuesday (June 25). "All of them are raring to run," Sara Duterte, the current Philippine vice president and daughter of the former president, told reporters less than a week after...

Philippines says it won’t back down, but won’t start a war, after clash with Chinese Coast Guard

MANILA, Philippines (AP): The president of the Philippines said Sunday his country would not yield to "any foreign power” after Chinese forces injured Filipino navy personnel and damaged at least two military boats with machetes, axes and hammers in a clash in the disputed South China Sea, but added the Philippines would never instigate a...

Four policemen nabbed over kidnapping of Malaysian, foreign tourists in Pasay, Philippines

MANILA: Four Filipino police officers, suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate, have been arrested for the abduction of four foreigners in Pasay City, Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported. Interior and Local Government Department Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil presented the suspects - Major Christel Villanueva, Staff Sergeant...