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Manila, Philippines – There’s an elephant in the room that is being ignored, and it is bigger than the P60-billion public funds taken from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), a former solon said on Monday.  The P107.23 billion in “excess funds” of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) covering 2024, but remitted to the national treasury in January this year to bankroll government projects, should also be returned to the deposit insurer, former Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate said. The Supreme Court earlier ordered the return of PhilHealth’s P60 billion, but that ruling was mum about the PDIC remittance to the national coffers, Zarate said.  ​”The Supreme Court’s decision on the PhilHealth funds is a welcome, though partial, affirmation that public funds must not be used at the mere whim of the executive branch,” Zarate, one of the principal petitioners, said in a statement on Monday, Dec. 8.…

Metro Manila, Philippines –  Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque denounced on Sunday the Philippine government’s move to seek an Interpol Red Notice against him, calling the request unlawful and motivated by politics. In a statement, Roque said he “vehemently” disagreed with the government’s filing and argued that it violates Interpol’s rules as well as European protections afforded to him as an asylum seeker. Roque said he is recognized as a “protected bona fide asylum seeker” under Dutch and European Union law, supported by official documents from the Netherlands’ Immigration and Naturalisation Service.  He left the Philippines in September 2024 after being cited for contempt for refusing to attend Senate inquiries into alleged abuses at offshore gambling hubs. He later surfaced in the Netherlands, where he claimed he was facing political persecution back home. The Department of Justice confirmed last month that Roque’s passport, along with that of Cassandra Ong, had…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Jing Quan, formerly the deputy head of China’s embassy in Washington, arrived in Manila on Saturday to take up his post as Beijing’s top envoy to the Philippines, pledging to safeguard national interests while working to stabilize increasingly tense bilateral relations. “As the ambassador, I will firmly safeguard China’s national interests and dignity, while also serving as a bridge to ensure China-Philippines relations stabilize rather than deteriorate, and that our peoples draw closer instead of drifting apart,” Jing said upon arrival, according to state media Global Times report.  “The task is heavy, but I am confident,” Jing added.  The embassy emphasized his commitment to fostering closer diplomatic and economic ties, even as disputes over maritime boundaries continue to test the relationship. Critical moment in PH-China ties Jing’s arrival comes at a sensitive moment in China-Philippines relations. Tensions have intensified in the West Philippine Sea, a portion…

Some senators seek to pass the bill that would institutionalize the independent commission to probe anomalous infrastructure deals, despite Malacañang’s lack of support on the measure.

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Department of Justice has not received or seen any International Criminal Court warrant of arrest for Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said on Monday, December 8. “We have not officially received and neither have we seen a copy of the warrant of arrest against Sen. De La Rosa as of this time,” Fadullon told NewsWatch Plus. The statement came after former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque claimed that the ICC had already issued a warrant for Dela Rosa’s arrest. On Dec. 7, Roque, who is currently seeking asylum in Europe, posted on Facebook urging Dela Rosa to chain himself to the Supreme Court to avoid being “kidnapped.” He wrote, “Sen Bato, your warrant of arrest is out! Hwag ka pa-kidnap [Senator Bato, your warrant of arrest is out! Don’t allow yourself to be kidnapped]!” Roque also told Dela Rosa to seek sanctuary…