DFA leaves fate of Ayungin resupply deal with China to AFP, PCG
Tel Aviv, Israel – The Department of Foreign Affairs is leaving it to security agencies to determine the continuance of a provisional deal with China on resupply missions to a grounded vessel that serves as an outpost in the West Philippine Sea, in light of a renewed confrontation at Ayungin Shoal. The DFA said the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard are in the best position to assess whether the Provisional Understanding on Rotation and Resupply, or RORE, for troops at the BRP Sierra Madre is still needed. “The Department defers to the security sector on the Understanding’s continued implementation, should they deem this necessary,” the DFA said in a statement on Tuesday, Aug. 11. The department also ruled out applying a similar arrangement to other areas in the West Philippine Sea. “There is no intention to replicate the arrangement elsewhere in the Philippine maritime domain,”…
PH eyes easing Israel travel restrictions for business
Tel Aviv, Israel – The Philippines is considering easing restrictions to Israel for business travelers as the security situation stabilizes, with Manila’s envoy saying it is time to revive bilateral economic engagement. Philippine Ambassador to Israel Aileen Mendiola said the embassy could recommend allowing business travel even as restrictions remain in place for non-essential trips. “Maybe our recommendation would be allowing the business people to come in, do business with Israel, both ways,” Mendiola told NewsWatch Plus in an interview in Tel Aviv. “Because we think that we’ve waited too long. We need to jumpstart business. We need to jumpstart our economic cooperation with Israel,” she added. Israel remains under Alert Level 2, or Restriction Phase, under the Philippines’ existing travel advisory system. Under Alert Level 2, Filipinos are advised to exercise increased caution because of heightened security risks, while non-essential travel to the affected country is discouraged. Philippine foreign…
COA initially cleared DepEd confidential funds in Q1, Q2 2023 – auditor
Metro Manila, Philippines – The Commission on Audit (COA) initially cleared the Department of Education – via a credit notice – in its use of confidential funds in the first and second quarters of 2023 under Vice President Sara Duterte in a concurrent capacity, a state auditor said on Tuesday, Aug. 11. The COA issues a credit notice to an agency if the liquidation documents are found in order and pass audit standards. However, state auditor Xylene Del Campo clarified that a credit notice can still be reopened if there is material evidence that a transaction was tainted with fraud or collusion before the three-year expiry of the settlement. Defense spokesperson Michael Poa reiterated that his client’s previous office had been issued a credit notice on Aug. 9, 2024. “Dati pa sinasabi namin yan kahit nung mga [House] committee hearings pa lang na talagang may credit notice ang DepEd [We’ve…
Duterte confidential fund receipts show payouts nationwide by single authorized person in a day – auditor
Metro Manila, Philippines – Acknowledgment receipts issued by the Department of Education (DepEd) under Vice President Sara Duterte show multiple payouts of hundreds of thousands of pesos to people nationwide in just one day when, under the rules, only one person is authorized to disburse confidential funds, a state auditor said. The prosecution panel presented its case at the resumption of the impeachment trial on Tuesday, Aug. 11, focusing on DepEd receipts for various payments. The receipts all dated Feb. 21, 2023 listed the following: +only a signature provided, Danao, ₱50,000 +Alfred Avanta, Malolos, ₱100,000 +Mary Santilliano, Davao City, ₱50,000 +Amy Liu, Negros Occidental, ₱45,000 +only a signature provided, San Francisco Agusan del Sur, ₱100,000 +Andre Galor, Makati City, ₱100,000 +only a signature provided, Negros Oriental, ₱40,000 On Feb. 25, 2023, the DepEd had another batch of recipients: +Geraldine Omoy, Masbate, ₱200,000 +only a signature provided, Laoag, ₱100,000 +Jaime Aquino,…
Sara Duterte faces grave threats complaint, NBI inciting to sedition case dismissed – DOJ
Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte is facing a grave threats complaint with the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, the Department of Justice confirmed. Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said the complaint was filed in the afternoon of Tuesday, Aug. 11. Duterte is also facing an impeachment trial, and one of the articles centers on her grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez. In a video conference in November 2024 that was played at the Impeachment Court as evidence, Duterte said she hired a person to kill the presidential family if she herself were to be killed. However, Martinez said the DOJ dismissed the inciting to sedition charges filed by the National Bureau of Investigation against Duterte. These were also based on Duterte’s alleged threats against the presidential family.
