What issues surround Allen Capuyan's NCIP appointment?
Allen Capuyan's recent appointment as chairperson of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) raised some eyebrows. Yet again, President Rodrigo Duterte has chosen a retired military officer to head a civilian agency. And not just any agency but one which revolves around indigenous communities – a sector in society that has had its share of tense brushes with the armed forces.
Rappler

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Reds care
It is already 2019 but the Philippine government under Rodrigo Duterte still continues the archaic policy of red-baiting and red-tagging Filipinos perceived to be left-leaning or allegedly influenced/controlled by the Communist Party of the Philippines.
Manila Bulletin

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11IB returns to NegOr to fight insurgency
The 11th Infantry “Lapu-Lapu” Battalion (11IB) of the 3rd Infantry “Spearhead” Division of the Philippine Army is expected to be redeployed to Negros Oriental starting Monday following its stint in Zamboanga City.  Pulled out from Negros Oriental two years ago to see action in Mindanao, the battalion’s return to the island is a welcome development, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo said Thursday.
Philippine News Agency

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Army, PLGU holds peace dialouge, a whole of nation approach
The 36th Infantry (Valor) Battalion, Philippine Army in closed collaboration with the Local Government Unit of Surigao del Sur holds poverty reduction, livelihood and employment cluster dialogue to the Former Rebels and the locals held at Sitio Ibuan, Brgy Mampi, Lanuza, Surigao del Sur yesterday, June 6, 2019 at 9 o’clock in the morning.
Kalinaw News

Rebels’ ‘false promises’ push young members to yield
The false promises of the New People’s Army (NPA) drove two of its young members to surrender.  Lt. Col. Joel Benedict Batara, commander of the 61st Infantry Battalion (61IB), said a team leader and a medical officer of the rebels yielded to the battalion’s Charlie Company on Thursday.
Philippine News Agency, Kalinaw News, Manila Bulletin

Peace Talks

Incidents/ Operations    

1 dead, 3 injured in 'NPA' wake shooting
One person was killed while three others were injured during a shooting incident allegedly perpetrated by New People’s Army (NPA) members at a wake in Barangay Buenavista in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental on Thursday evening.
Philippine News Agency

US Southeast Asia Counterterrorism Approach in the Headlines With New Philippines Program
Earlier this week, news surfaced that U.S. and Philippine officials were in the process of finalizing a new program to address the root causes of violent extremism amid continuing challenges on this front in the Philippines’ south. While the development was by no means surprising, it nonetheless spotlighted a component of Washington’s ongoing approach to addressing terrorism and violent extremism in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia more generally, which remains a key concern for policymakers.
The Diplomat

MARAWI

Lacson: Use of Marawi rehab fund for Mecca trip is ‘technical malversation’
Senator Panfilo Lacson on Friday said that the issue on the P5-million Marawi rehabilitation fund was not about whether religion is more important than housing. “It is about technical malversation,” he said.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE WORLD     

NATO works with Colombia on counter-terrorism at sea
Experts from NATO and Colombia joined up to support the Colombian Armed Forces’ efforts in their ongoing fight against maritime piracy and narcotics during a workshop sponsored by the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme, held in Copenhagen, Denmark from 27 to 29 May 2019.
NATO

Australian Who Tested Rockets on His Farm for ISIS Gets 9-Year Sentence
An Australian electrician who tested rockets and propellants on his farm and sent his findings to the Islamic State through an encrypted app was sentenced to nine years in prison on Friday by a court in Australia.
The New York Times
 

Duterte offers to add P15 million to finance Hajj pilgrimage of Muslim Filipinos
As part of investing in peace, the government is planning to sponsor the Hajj pilgrimage of more Muslim Filipinos to the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Manila Bulletin

BARMM

Duterte recognizes Dureza, Galvez for contribution to creation of BARMM
Two public servants have earned praises from President Duterte for their contribution to the implementation of the law creating the Bangsamoro autonomous region.
Manila Bulletin

MAGUINDANAO AND COTABATO CITY

Mamasapano high school valedictorian to graduate cum laude in college
Four years ago, Norombai Utto graduated from high school just days after a heavy military bombardment of Mamasapano in 2015, and her valedictory address moved the audience to tears at Hji. Salik National High School in Barangay Tukanalipao in Mamasapano.
NDBC News

‘Politics behind school fire in Maguindanao’
The Education Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) suspected politics as behind the burning of the four-classroom school building of the Pageda Elementary School in Talitay, Maguindanao on Thursday.
The Manila Times

NORTH COTABATO

LANAO PROVINCES

2 suspects fall, P6.8-M shabu seized in Lanao Sur ops
After two weeks of surveillance operations, anti-narcotic operatives said they arrested on Friday two big-time drug peddlers and seized a kilo of suspected shabu with a market value of PHP6.8 million in Wao, Lanao del Sur.
Philippine News Agency, Philippine Daily Inquirer, NDBC News

BASILAN

SULU 

TAWI-TAWI 

DRUGS

Caloocan bishop says he met ‘Bikoy,’ not Trillanes
Caloocan City Bishop Pablo Virgilio David on Thursday night said he had a “brief” encounter with Peter Joemel Advincula, also known as “Bikoy,” but clarified that the meeting between him, Advincula and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was a false report.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Rafael Ragos testifies against De Lima in court; defense finds alleged loopholes
Former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos testified against Senator Leila de Lima in court Friday, repeating the allegation that he delivered drug money to her house in a testimony the defense said was filled with "loopholes."
GMA News

Operations/ Incidents

5 nabbed, P272-K shabu seized in Zambo City drug ops
Five people were arrested while some PHP272,500 worth of illegal drugs were seized in separate anti-drug operations in this southern port city, a top police official said Friday. Brig. Gen. Froilan Quidilla, Police Regional Office 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) director, identified the arrested suspects as Allan Lacandalo, 43, businessman; Ryan Sipin, 26; Jansen Elmi, 29; Francis Climaco, 27; and Salip Pulalon, 24.
Philippine News Agency

'Drug surrenderer' nabbed in Iligan police op
A former drug surrenderer was arrested Friday afternoon during a joint anti-drug buy-bust operation here, police said. Captain Aiman Pantaran, chief of Iligan City Police Station 4, identified the suspect as Mabaning Limbona, 29, a resident of Lanao del Sur.
Philippine News Agency

2 suspects killed in Nueva Ecija drug-bust
Two suspected drug pushers were killed in a buy-bust carried out by police operatives in Barangay Barrera here on Friday. Lt. Col. Ponciano Zafra, city police chief, identified the suspects as Christopher Santiago, resident of Barangay Fatima, and Alvin Garcia, of Barangay Valle Cruz, both in this city.
Philippine News Agency

Recovery and Rehabilitation  

ILLICIT FIREARMS, EXPLOSIVES AND AMMUNITION

CROSS-BORDER TRADING/ SMUGGLING  

P740-million fake, smuggled goods seized in Pasay, Manila warehouses
Various counterfeit products, such as clothes and cosmetics, worth P740 million were discovered in two warehouses in Manila and Pasay recently, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Friday.
Manila Bulletin

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

NBI arrests illegal recruiter at NAIA 3
An illegal recruiter has been arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for attempting to facilitate the trip of two women to work as guest relations officers or entertainers in Malaysia.
Manila Bulletin

KIDNAP FOR RANSOM

6 Chinese arrested for kidnapping compatriots
Six Chinese were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in connection with the kidnapping of three of their compatriots who owed them P7 million in gambling money.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer

ILLICIT FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS 

Experts call on UN Human Rights Council to probe violations in PH
Ten human rights experts on Friday called on the United Nations to set up an independent probe into human rights violations in the Philippines, citing a sharp deterioration in the situation of human rights across the country, including sustained attacks on human rights defenders.
Manila Bulletin, CNN Philippines

CHR spox: PHL participation in climate conferences abroad not in vain
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is urging the Duterte administration to reconsider its refusal to send a Philippine delegation in climate change conferences, saying that Philippine participation is crucial in preventing adverse climate change effects to the country.
GMA News

Press Freedom/ Freedom of Expression

Martial Law   

Duterte reminds other countries PH not a place where they could just send their garbage
President Duterte reminded other countries that the Philippines was not a place where they could just dispose of their garbage, saying that they should have the basic respect for other sovereign nations.
Manila Bulletin

Duterte thanks police, military for 'peaceful' 2019 midterm elections
President Rodrigo Duterte recognized the efforts of the police and the military for the successful conduct of the May 13 midterm elections. “The entire military establishment and the police, you have to thank them for the peaceful election,” Duterte said in a speech at the Eid’l Fitr celebration in Davao City on Thursday night.
GMA News

Duterte wants criminal charges filed vs those involved in PhilHealth ghost dialysis scam
President Duterte has instructed the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to institute criminal actions against officials and employees who were part of the ghost dialysis treatment scheme.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer

Research group cites Sara, fears of populist measures
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte is “the lady to watch” in the run-up to the 2022 presidential polls, said New York-based think tank Global Source. Global Source cited the role of the President’s daughter in forming a coalition of “well-funded” national and local parties under her own party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago, that endorsed nine of 12 winning senatorial candidates.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Bill that will create positions for judges at-large awaiting Duterte’s signature
The overload of cases in trial courts across the country will soon be eased once Senate Bill (SB) 2065 or the Judges-at-Large Act of 2018 is enacted into law, Senator Richard J. Gordon said Friday.
Manila Bulletin

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Bautista willing to accept Tulfo’s apology, but only if…
Social Welfare secretary Rolando Bautista said he was willing to accept the apology offered by Erwin Tulfo for his fiery on-air tirades against him, if the broadcaster met certain conditions first.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine News Agency, Philippine Star

PNP orders Erwin Tulfo to surrender firearms
The Philippine National Police has ordered radio broadcaster Erwin Tulfo to surrender his firearms after his License To Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF) expired in May.
GMA News, Manila Bulletin, Philippine News Agency

Trillanes hopes Tulfo learns from Bautista backlash
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV hopes that broadcaster Erwin Tulfo will be “put in his rightful place” following his outburst against Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista, who is a former general.
Manila Bulletin

Aguirre on Tulfo’s row with DSWD chief: ‘These brothers never learn’
Former Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Friday twitted the Tulfo brothers for the latest controversy hounding them.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

ELECTION RELATED

SET asked to invalidate Koko Pimentel's victory in May 13 polls
The Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) has ordered reelected Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III to comment on the petitions seeking to invalidate his victory in the May 13 elections, according to Nimfa Ravelo's report on Super Radyo dzBB on Friday.
GMA News

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DISASTER

MINDANAO

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

JUDICIARY

LEGISLATIVE

Drilon hopes ‘equity of the incumbent’ should also apply to Senate minority bloc
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Friday insisted that the equity of the incumbent rule should apply to all senators whether they belong to the majority or minority bloc.
Manila Bulletin

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House under GMA passes all Duterte priority bills
The House of Representatives under Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has passed all of the priority measures under President Rodrigo Duterte’s legislative agenda in less than a year by doing away with “unnecessary investigations in aid of legislation,” her allies said Friday.
The Manila Times

Moratorium on inquiries gave House more time to pass Duterte’s priority bills
The House of Representatives under former president and outgoing Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was able to pass all the bills listed under President Rodrigo Duterte’s legislative agenda by not giving due course to over 700 resolutions for congressional probes that were deemed unnecessary by the House leader.
Manila Bulletin

Barbers throws hat into speakership derby
Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers says he will be relying on four “advantages” in his candidacy for House Speaker in the upcoming 18th Congress.
Manila Bulletin

Better if Duterte won’t meddle in Speakership race — Suarez
It will be better if President Rodrigo Duterte maintains his hands-off stance on the House Speakership race and respect the independence of the chamber, House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez asserted Friday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

BUDGET, FINANCE and TAXATION

Casino income from junket operations subject to 30% income tax, not to 5% franchise tax
Earnings of casino from junket operations, or the practice of bringing foreign high rollers to wager here, are subject to 30 percent corporate income tax.
Manila Bulletin

Finance chief Dominguez seeks investors’ support on future economic reforms
Finance Secretary Carlos on Friday sought the business community’s support for the government’s upcoming economic reforms and initiatives as the administration bets scored a landslide victory in the May 13 midterm elections.
GMA News

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)

DEFENSE AND SECURITY

ECONOMY AND INVESTMENTS

Japan Cash Machine to move part of China production to Philippines
Banknote-validating and currency-handling machine manufacturer Japan Cash Machine Co. will relocate part of its production in China to the Philippines to avoid the threatened imposition of another batch of higher US tariffs.
ABS-CBN News

BUILD, BUILD, BUILD

OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

P4.4-B foreign-funded DAR project in Mindanao ends this year
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is winding up its six-year Mindanao Sustainable Agrarian and Agriculture Development Project (MinSAAD), which is aimed at improving the agricultural production and income of farmers in 12 settlement areas located in three Mindanao regions. The MinSAAD is funded by the government of Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with a PHP3.34-billion loan, and by the Philippine government, which had a share of PHP1.05 billion. It is one of five foreign-assisted projects of the DAR.
Philippine News Agency

GRAFT AND CORRUPTION

PVAO clarifies COA report on ghost pensioners, explains ‘fool-proof’ system
The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) Friday reiterated that they don’t have any ghost pensioners and no funds were released to them. PVAO Administrator Usec. Ernesto G. Carolina made the clarification after a recent Commission on Audit (COA) report indicated that the government agency continued paying about P70 million worth of monthly pensions to retired soldiers who are already dead.
Manila Bulletin

FOREIGN RELATIONS  

Israeli envoy explores cooperation opportunities in tech, agri during Iloilo visit
Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Rafael Harpaz visited Iloilo earlier this week to explore cooperation opportunities in line with its goal to strengthen ties with the Philippine through local partnerships in the regions.
Business World Online

PH eyes foreign post in Stockholm
With the growing number of Filipinos in Sweden and its ties with the Philippines going on an upswing since the reopening of the Swedish embassy in Manila, the Philippines is considering a foreign post in Stockholm, a Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official said Thursday.
Philippine News Agency

West Philippine Sea

LABOR

Labor group refutes employment statistics, attributes errors to temporary election employment
A militant labor group described as erroneous and deceitful a Philippine Statistics Agency (PSA) report claiming a 94.9 percent employment rate increase and unemployment rate decline of 5.1 percent.
Manila Bulletin

Zagu workers go on strike to protest ‘union busting, contractualization
The workers of famous pearl shake chain Zagu went on strike Thursday to protest alleged “union busting and illegal contractualization.” “The Union filed a Notice of Strike last January to address these issues, but discussions collapsed earlier this week,” the Organization of Zagu Workers – Solidarity Unions in the Philippines for Empowerment and Reforms (Organiza-Super) said in a statement.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

TRANSPORTATION

Third SC case filed vs. ban on provincial buses on EDSA
A third petition was filed with the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday (June 7) against Metro Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) regulation that will bane provincial buses from plying along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA), a traffic-clogged main thoroughfare.
Manila Bulletin

MRT-3 unloads 850 passengers at Boni Station
About 850 passengers of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) were offloaded on Friday afternoon after one of its northbound trains encountered a technical glitch.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

HEALTH 

PhilHealth lost P154B to overpayments, fraud
More than 757,000 people got sick with pneumonia in 2018, according to claims made by hospitals and paid for by Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), the state insurance company. The number is staggering as only a little more than 295,000 suffered from the community-acquired strain of the respiratory disease in 2010.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

78 hospitals, 18 doctors facing cases over fraud claims —PhilHealth exec
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Friday said 78 hospitals are currently facing cases due to fraud claims. Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, PhilHealth senior manager Rey Balena said these hospitals are believed to have been involved 370 fraud cases.
GMA News

PhilHealth probing over 8,000 cases of fraudulent acts —spokesperson
The spokesperson of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Friday said the allegation that a certain wellness center had been performing "ghost dialysis" is not an isolated matter.
GMA News, Manila Bulletin

Ejercito rejects suspension of UHC amid allegations of ghost transactions at PhilHealth
Outgoing Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Friday rejected calls to suspend the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) law amid allegations of fraudulent transactions within PhilHealth.
Manila Bulletin

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COA: Lung Center of the Philippines yet to refund P22.6M to PhilHealth patient-members
The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) for its supposed failure to refund more than P22.6 million worth of reimbursement claims to eligible members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) for six years.
GMA News

COA: Lung Center’s purchase of P6.4M worth of medical gases failed to undergo public bidding
The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the Lung Center of the Philippines' (LCP) purchase of P6.4 million worth of industrial and medical gases in 2018 which failed to undergo a public bidding as required under government procurement rules.
GMA News

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DOH raises early warning against illnesses known to be common during rainy season
The Department of Health (DOH) advised the public to prepare early against illnesses that are known to be common during the rainy season.
Manila Bulletin

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

PNRI director: Something synthetic is not necessarily bad
The director of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) on Friday said synthetic acetic acid is not that bad, but products made from this must be properly labeled.
GMA News

Canned, processed meat from AFS countries destroyed
Authorities destroyed canned and processed meat products confiscated from arriving passengers of two international airports in Panay, believed to have come from countries where there is an outbreak of the African Swine Flu (ASF) virus.
Philippine News Agency

Support to tobacco farmers to continue under new excise tax scheme – Angara
Senate ways and means committee chair Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara on Friday assured that tobacco farmers would be continuously supported under the measure increasing the excise tax on cigarette products.
Manila Bulletin

EDUCATION

DepEd chief Briones: I'm not against salary increase of public school teachers
Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones has denied that she is against increasing the salaries of public school teachers. "It is not true that I am against the salary increase of our public school teachers," Briones said in a statement dated June 6.
GMA News

DepEd assailed for crackdown on teachers in toilet-cum-faculty room expose
Following reports of restrooms being used as faculty rooms by teachers in some public schools, a federation of teachers on Friday accused officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) of imposing a “news blackout” in an effort to conceal the anomaly.
Manila Bulletin

Tondo school teachers also use toilet as faculty room
Another public school teacher has taken to social media, and complained that teachers at the Felipe Calderon Integrated High School in Tondo, Manila have had to use the toilet in the school as their faculty room.
Manila Bulletin

ENERGY

Japan firms keen on Philippines power investments
The Philippines has secured the support of Japan to invest in a power plant with up to 1,000 megawatts (MW) in capacity, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said. Cusi said President Duterte’s working visit to Japan has led to another positive development for the power sector.
Philippine Star, Manila Standard

DOE expects service contracts to start contributing to energy program
The Department of Energy (DOE) is currently monitoring “23 operating service contracts in terms of their respective work programs for oil and gas,” Jesus T. Tamang, director of DOE’s Energy Resource Development Bureau, said in a presentation in a lecture series hosted by the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) and the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) in Pasig City Friday.
Manila Bulletin

POVERTY

HOUSING

TOURISM

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

Climate body: Foreign conferences important
The Climate Change Commission (CCC) stressed yesterday the importance of the Philippines’ participation and being at the forefront of international efforts to address climate change. The CCC, however, remained mum about Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.’s statement that he would reject “all official participation” in climate change conferences that would require air travel. 
Philippine Star

Environment group wants accounting of disposed Canadian trash
Waste and pollution watchdog EcoWaste Coalition is pressing the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to publicly disclose how the other seized cargoes of garbage from Canada were disposed of.
Manila Bulletin

Lady solon to keep eyes peeled on Verde Soko mess
Misamis Oriental 2nd district Rep. Juliette Uy wants sanitation engineering experts to observe the “balling and compacting” procedures which Bureau of Customs (BoC) Commissioner Rey Guerrero said were scheduled to be done to the remaining Verde Soko garbage still at the Phividec Industrial Estate before shipping them back to South Korea.
Manila Bulletin

Water crisis

INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY



DEVELOPMENT SECTOR