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Metro Manila, Philippines – More than 100 Filipinos have faced immigration action in China in what sources said was in retaliation to Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., with Filipino workers in Hong Kong and Macao potentially at risk of further measures if tensions with Beijing escalate. The information was first reported by Manila-based Chinese-language newspaper Chinese Commercial News (菲律賓商報) and was independently confirmed by NewsWatch Plus sources. The sources said China is considering further action against Filipinos in Hong Kong and Macao, as well as possible economic and trade measures against the Philippines, if Teodoro continues what they described as his “anti-China” approach. China has not officially announced such measures against Filipinos in Hong Kong and Macao. China confirms action vs 100+ Filipinos China’s Foreign Ministry had already announced on Aug. 10 that immigration authorities launched a special operation involving more than 100 Philippine citizens. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun…

Metro Manila, Philippines – A number of provinces and municipalities have declared a state of calamity due to nonstop rains and heavy flooding.  These areas are: +Pampanga +Cavite  +Mangaldan, Pangasinan +Dagupan, Pangasinan +Montalban, Rizal +Calumpit, Bulacan Twenty one people were killed, 14 injured, and three missing as of Thursday morning, Aug. 13, the Office of Civil Defense said.  Here is a summary of where casualties were recorded and their cause of death:  Benguet +La Trinidad: 2 – landslide +Baguio: 10 – landslide +Atok: 3 – landslide READ: Baguio landslide kills 10; DepEd mourns deaths of five learners Rizal +Rodriguez: 2 – rockslide +Antipolo: 1 – felled tree  Batangas +Batangas City: 1 – drowning +Lipa: 1 – electrocution +Santa Teresita: 1 – landslide Disaster officials said 1,087,246 families or 3,733,883 people were affected by the severe weather. There are 15,017 families or 53,570 individuals staying in evacuation centers. Flooding was reported…

Metro Manila, Philippines – A heated exchange took place between opposing lawyers  in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, Aug. 12, with the lead defense counsel directly calling out in open court a prosecutor over what it claimed as out of context remarks from the proceedings.  Before the adjournment of the trial, lead defense lawyer Sheila Sison took offense to the online post of prosecution counsel Amando Ligutan about cross examination. “A principle all lawyers and law students know by heart: Misleading questions are not allowed even on cross examination,” Ligutan wrote on Facebook. He posted this after Kristine Ferrer, a defense lawyer, was quoted as saying “they are allowed” shortly after opposing counsel Lorna Kapunan mentioned that misleading questions are not allowed in cross examination. Sison raised the matter with the court presiding officer, saying she finds it “inappropriate” to do it against a fellow…

Metro Manila, Philippines –  French-funded development projects must be free from corruption, France’s outgoing ambassador said, as the Marcos administration intensifies scrutiny of alleged irregularities in government infrastructure spending. French Ambassador Marie Fontanel said Paris supports the anti-corruption campaign as France expands its development and infrastructure cooperation with Manila. “Obviously, we can only praise the efforts to fight against corruption,” Fontanel told NewsWatch Plus. “Our projects and our ODA, for example, it’s always according to our rules,” she said, referring to official development assistance. “So, of course, there is no place for any corruption when French financing ODA is involved in projects,” she added.  In his July State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. opened with updates on efforts against the flood control controversy, an issue he raised a year ago, saying the investigation had moved toward the filing of cases and establishing accountability for officials and contractors…

Metro Manila, Philippines – France is positioning its decades of nuclear expertise to support the Philippines as the Marcos administration moves toward adding nuclear power to the country’s energy mix. In an exclusive interview on The Newsmaker, outgoing French Ambassador Marie Fontanel said the energy company, Électricité de France, commonly known as EDF, has had discussions in the Philippines and continues to engage with officials in preparation for a possible civilian nuclear energy program. “They came already in the country and they continue to come to engage with the Philippines to prepare for the moment when the Philippines would be ready to launch a nuclear, civil nuclear energy plan,” she said.  Fontanel pointed to France’s nuclear power energy, which accounts for a major share of its electricity source. “We have that experience, we have that expertise,” she added.  EDF reported producing 373 terawatt-hours of nuclear electricity last year.  President Ferdinand…