Maniolas

More than 160 self-confessed drug addicts surrender to authorities at the San Juan City Hall, Monday. City officials directed local barangay officials to ask drug users and pushers in their respective jurisdiction to voluntarily surrender and undergo drug rehabilitation. (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – The Duterte administration is planning to put up rehabilitation centers for drug users in different regions across the country, presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Monday, amid reports of hundreds of drug users and pushers voluntarily turning themselves in to authorities. “I believe there are plans for setting up regional rehab centers,” Abella told reporters in a press briefing, adding that President Rodrigo Duterte “is out to exert firm pressure, a firm hand in order to deter the spread of drugs.” Asked if Duterte was aware of the number of drugs syndicate members being killed in the past days, Abella said, “I’m sure he has his ears to the ground. He’s listening.” “I don’t know if the term should be ‘wary’ or ‘alarmed,’ but I’m sure it’s ‘concern’ probably because, with that kind of activity, it shows the depth of the drug menace,” Abella added. Duterte, who won a landslide victory in the May 9 elections on the back of his staunch anti-crime advocacy whose term as Davao City mayor was marked with reports of extrajudicial killings, has repeatedly vowed to kill drug pushers. Allaying fears by human rights groups, Abella assured the public that all arrests in relation to the campaign against illegal drugs are in Read More …

President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the Armed Forces of the Philippines Testimonial Parade and Review at the Grandstand of the AFP General Headquarters, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Monday. (MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) –Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.’s election protest versus Vice President Leni Robredo has fallen on the lap of a classmate of former President Noynoy Aquino and a former member of Aquino’s official family, Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa. The case, filed on Wednesday by Marcos with the high court sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), was raffled to the most junior magistrate. Caguioa and Aquino were classmates at the Ateneo de Manila University from grade school to college. Aquino appointed Caguioa as his Chief Presidential Counsel in 2013 and as his Justice Secretary in October 2015. After his stint at the Department of Justice (DOJ), Caguioa was appointed by Aquino to the SC on January 22, 2016. However, Caguioa was also a classmate of Marcos’ wife, Atty. Liza Araneta-Marcos, in law school. In Marcos’ 1,000-page protest, he alleged massive fraud in the recent vice-presidential contest and urged the high court to order a revision of votes and an election systems audit, among others. He alleged that a major portion of Robredo’s votes were obtained via electoral fraud and irregularities. Marcos is seeking the nullification of election results in the provinces of Basilan, Maguindanao, and Lanao del Sur, alleging that ballots there were “pre-shaded.” His camp claims Read More …

Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil (MNS photo) Teen actress Liza Soberano revealed that her father approves of her dating her “Dolce Amore” co-star, Enrique Gil. “Pero sabi niya sa akin na, ‘Know your priorities’,” Soberano, 18, quickly added. She also said that her relationship with Gil remains to be without a label, but hopes that she will be with him “forever.” “Sana,” gushed Soberano in a joint interview with Gil at the set of their hit prime-time series when asked about her much-talked photos with the actor taken during their recent trip to England. Meanwhile, Gil, who has been vocal about his feelings for Soberano, remained confident about his chances with the actress. This, even if Soberano shared that her grandfather does not want her to be in a relationship until she reaches the age of 23. “Papunta na doon. Nafe-feel ko na kasi matagal na rin kaming nagsasama,” explained Gil. “Ang pangit na kami ang nagpauso nitong forever tapos kami iyong hindi magkaka-forever.” In April, Gil said that he and Soberano were almost like a couple already. “Parang ganun na nga rin. Parang kami na pero siyempre you have to respect her family first,” he said. Gil first publicly admitted his feelings for Soberano back in February 2015. Two months later, Soberano confirmed that Gil was courting her

Former Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has been recently sworn in as the 16th President of the Republic of the Philippines. A Duterte presidency could very well bring hope to millions of marginalized Filipinos for a better life. Hopefully we will see a change in governance for the better and corruption in government offices to be minimal, if not total eradicated. Duterte won the presidency by a landslide. Thanks to millions of Filipinos who have long been disappointed and dissatisfied with most of their elected officials who they view as either weak, corrupt or inefficient. Most Filipinos, if not all of them, believe that President Duterte is the only elected public official right now who could clean up the corrupted system in government. Filipinos all over the country are optimistic that President Duterte will be able to correct whatever mistakes the Aquino administration may have committed in the past six years for him to lift the lives of millions of Filipinos out of poverty. This is a big and difficult task for President Duterte to tackle. He needs the full support of Congress to implement his economic policies and programs to help turn around the Philippine economy. Some are saying that President Duterte will be spending more of his time in Southern part of the country for him to be able to improve and empower other provinces who have been left behind or neglected by the government in terms of public funding for their development. If Duterte will transfer the Read More …

Around 196 generals, flag and senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and 28 Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) officials await confirmation of their promotion by the Commission on Appointments during a hearing at the Philippines Senate in Pasay City on Wednesday. (MNS photo) MANILA  (PNA) – Upon his assumption as the next Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff this July 1, outgoing Southern Luzon Command head Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya pledged to implement a “24/7 fight” in order to neutralize the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) threat in Basilan and Sulu. “We are planning to fight the ASG 24/7. We would like to defeat the ASG the fastest way, that can be the best option to (defeat) them,” he added. The terrorist group landed in the limelight again after it kidnapped seven Indonesian sailors in the Sulu Sea last June 22, eight days after it beheaded Canadian hostage Robert Hall in Sulu. Visaya added that the AFP has more than enough resources for his proposed “24/7 fight” against the bandits as the military has 11 battalions deployed in Sulu alone hunting these terrorists. “There will be some procurements, and there will be realignment of resources also,” he stressed. But he declined to give an exact timetable on how this proposed offensive will defeat the ASG. The incoming AFP chief also stressed that civilian support and cooperation is needed in addressing the ASG threat. “We have than enough forces to match them but they are very hard to Read More …