Palace declares Oct. 26 a regular holiday

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Wednesday declared October 26, 2012 a regular holiday throughout the nation in observance of Eidul Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice. The declaration was contained in Proclamation No, 488 signed by President Benigno Aquino III. “Republic Act No. 9849 provides that Eidul Adha shall be celebrated as a regular holiday,” the proclamation said. “Eidul Adha is one of the two greatest feasts of Islam, “it said. The date of the festival, the proclamation said, was based on the declaration made by Saudi...

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13 Parties Disqualified

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) disqualified yesterday the Ako Bicol (AKB) party and 12 other party-list groups from participating in the May 2013 polls. Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes, in an interview, said they are denying the participation of AKB in next year’s polls mainly because it does not represent a marginalized sector. “They are a duly accredited political party, but they are trying to run in the party-list without representing any particular sector. They did not file any special petition to run in 2013 elections,” he...

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Weather update typhoon nina

At 4:00 p.m. today, the center of Typhoon "NINA" was located at 810 km East of Aparri, Cagayan (18.8°N, 130.3°E) with maximum sustained winds of 140 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph. It is forecast to move Northwest at 7 kph....

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Prosecutors want Arroyo in regular jail

MANILA, Philippines – Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo may soon be seeing the inside of a Philippine jail unless her defense lawyers prove that she needs to stay at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City. Prosecution Bureau II director Diosdado Calonge, lead prosecutor in the plunder case against Mrs. Arroyo, said the government will ask the Sandiganbayan First Division to transfer the defendant to a regular jail unless the defense can show convincing proof that she requires hospitalization. "What's...

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Petitioners vs. cybercrime law continue calls for vigilance despite SC TRO

Lawyers and lawmakers who challenged the Cybercrime Prevention Act before the Supreme Court on Tuesday enjoined the public to remain vigilant despite a temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by High Court halting the implementation of the law.   Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño, who questioned the validity of the law on Monday together with the group Philippine Internet Freedom Alliance, described the TRO as an “initial victory.”   “I commend the SC for listening to the petitioners… We must remain vigilant because the...

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