Chinese claims immunity

Gun used in Cebu shooting has ‘twin’ in Manila Two Chinese diplomats being held over a gun attack that killed two of their colleagues and wounded another have immunity from prosecution and would be turned over to a security team … Read more »


Noy visits Casiguran, skips Baler

CASIGURAN, Aurora: President Benigno Aquino 3rd on Thursday visited this town where Typhoon Lando (international name: Koppu) made landfall last Sunday before wreaking havoc to Central Luzon and Northern Luzon. Instead of visiting Baler as initially scheduled, Aquino went to … Read more »

Palace’s trust rating drops

THE Office of the President (OP) suffered the sharpest drop in general public trust rating this year based on the latest Philippine Trust Index (PTI), a study launched by the group EON. Data showed that from a high of 26 … Read more »

A mandate beyond sound monetary policy

An exclusive Manila Times roundtable interview with Central bank Governor AmandoTetangco Jr. Amando Tetangco Jr. as the two-term central bank governor of the Philippines is one of the few people in government who will be seeing through the transition of … Read more »

Cayetano: I don’t back off from a fight

SENATOR Alan Peter Cayetano has no plans to pull out from the vice presidential race at this point despite having no candidate for President. He, however, admitted that more than just winning the elections in 2016, his goal is to … Read more »

Other stories >>

Editorial

Doing necropolitics right

ON Wednesday afternoon in Washington (very early Thursday morning in Manila), US Vice President Joe Biden put an end to weeks of speculation by calling a formal press conference in the Rose Garden of the White House to announce that he would not seek the Democratic nomination for president. The reaction to Biden’s decision, from political... Read more »


Nation

Binay: No to higher VAT

Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday said he disagrees with the government’s proposal to raise the current value-added tax (VAT) from 12 percent to 14 percent to compensate the loss to be incurred from lower tax rates if the tax … Read more »

Rice supply ample – Palace

THE government has enough rice buffer stock to cover the billions worth of crops destroyed by Typhoon Lando (Koppu), according to Malacañang. Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Food Security Council headed by Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisa¬can has … Read more »

Palawan named world’s best island again

For the second year in a row, the island of Palawan was recognized as Best Island in the World by leading US travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler in its Readers’ Choice Awards 2015. Boracay and Cebu also made it to … Read more »

DOJ: Pemberton to be deported after murder trial

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday clarified that the deportation of US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton shall take place after the murder trial of the American soldier. In a statement, Justice Secretary Benjamin Caguioa said the trial … Read more »

Comelec powerless vs premature campaigning

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) calls the shots in all poll-related matters but it is helpless when it comes to illegal campaigning. Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista admitted that the Supreme Court ruling on the Penera vs. Comelec virtually abolished illegal … Read more »

Vatican denies report Pope has brain tumor

THE spokesman for the Vatican has called a newspaper report that Pope Francis has “a small dark spot on the brain” as unfounded. According to the Vatican Radio, Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, issued the … Read more »

Analysis & Commentary

Paying debt with other people’s money

WHEN a company taps the public for funds by selling them shares under an initial public offering, it should tell its prospective investors how it would use other people’s money (OPM) that it expects to generate from such an offering. … Read more »

Ultimate quintessential ‘political question’

WERE I to be baselessly defamed by a sitting lawmaker in the halls of Congress, I cannot sue him as he may not be questioned in any other place under the Constitution.(Art. VI, Sec. 11). The matter is exclusively vested … Read more »

Are we — America — No. 1? It depends

WASHINGTON, DC: Americans have long been fascinated with global rankings. Where do we stand? How do we compare with other nations? We like to imagine ourselves as No. 1: the national equivalent of the racing halfback who raises his forefinger … Read more »

Dual degrees and their variants

IN the early 50’s, the Bachelor of Arts/Science degrees were known as general AB/BS (Bachelor of Arts/Science). Both degrees did not require a major. When our higher education institutions (HEI’s) began hiring liberal arts graduates to teach, the Department of … Read more »

Five priority issues for the next President

Last of Two Parts (The first part was published yesterday, Thursday, October 22.) BEFORE discussing the last two issues, there’s another life-and-death concern made tragically current by Typhoon Lando’s 60 or so casualties: disaster readiness. Department of Interior and Local … Read more »

Sugar smugglers also into illegal drug importation

My exposé on some politicians involved in sugar smuggling has led to my discovery that these crooks are, in fact, also engaged in illegal drug trafficking. No wonder drug addiction remains widespread. The cost of illicit drugs is going down … Read more »

Nietes needs Gonzalez to cement legacy

It is now eight years and counting as world champion for Filipino Donnie “Ahas” Nietes following his recent successful defense of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) light flyweight (108 pounds) championship against Mexican challenger Juan Alejo in Carson, California. Nicknamed … Read more »

Still a nuclear non-starter

IF the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) had never been built, it seems very unlikely that there would be any reason to have a conversation about nuclear power in the Philippines. Beyond the BNPP, nuclear power has never been seriously … Read more »

Legal Advice

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Property owners not allowed to impede water flow

Dear PAO, We live in a very hilly part of our town where a creek is located beside our property. My neighbor who lives in the lower part of the hill made a construction which prevented the flow of the … Read more »