The Department of Justice has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to dig deeper into the deaths of Ateneo de Manila University basketball players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili in Dipaculao, Aurora. The DOJ said the NBI would determine whether charges should be recommended over the fatal drowning that has raised questions from the families…
Photo courtesy of Senator Win Gatchalian/Facebook. Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said Wednesday the Senate was not under lockdown despite tighter security measures prompted by reported threats against the chamber. Gatchalian said the proper term was heightened security, not lockdown, as the Senate continued to allow access to authorized personnel. In a Zoom interview, he…
Flag of Japan. Photo by Kulbir on Pexels.com Japan’s government approved a bill on Tuesday that would allow antibody drugs to be used in immunization programs, expanding the country’s approach beyond conventional vaccines. The measure would open the way for antibody-based treatments to be included in public immunization efforts for the first time. The government…
Mindanao quake. Photo courtesy of Jurel Bayang/PNA. The death toll from the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck southern Mindanao on Monday climbed to 45, disaster officials said Wednesday. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council also reported 487 injured and 17 still missing as search, rescue, and relief operations continued in affected areas. In…
Photo courtesy of PNA. Ilocos Norte has recorded no African swine fever cases since the first quarter of 2025, a development the provincial government credited to coordinated efforts among local authorities, hog raisers, and other stakeholders. The Provincial Veterinary Office on Tuesday said the province had sustained its ASF-free status through continued monitoring and cooperation…
Photo courtesy of Philippine News Agency (PNA). Some Senate employees and visitors were denied entry to the chamber on Wednesday as tighter security measures were enforced following reports of a possible threat. Among those stopped at the gate were staff members of Sens. Loren Legarda and Kiko Pangilinan, who were not immediately allowed to enter…
Photo courtesy of Presidential Communications Office. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government would continue strengthening the Philippine Navy as the country moved to defend its waters and protect its interests in the West Philippine Sea. Speaking during the Navy’s 128th anniversary celebration, Marcos said maritime defense had become more crucial as the Philippines faced…
The southwest monsoon has loosened its grip on the country, but sudden thunderstorms could still bring rains to several areas on Wednesday, Pagasa said. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the habagat was now affecting only the western portion of Northern Luzon. The weather agency said widespread rains were no longer…
More than 2,000 aftershocks had been recorded after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off Maasim, Sarangani on June 8, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Wednesday. Phivolcs said its monitoring showed 2,023 aftershocks as of 7 a.m., two days after the powerful offshore quake jolted parts of Mindanao. The tremor left widespread…
Senate of the Philippines. Photo courtesy of PNA. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said security around the Senate would be strengthened after Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian cited information on possible threats against the chamber. Remulla said threats were always part of the security landscape, but he confirmed that authorities were taking steps to reinforce…