Archive - Top Stories

    BY ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS I really hope that Election Commissioner  Christian Robert Lim’s allegation that China is out to sabotage the 2016 elections is just a burst of irresponsibility that has been in abundance in this administration. What is more worrisome is if the sinister scenario that Lim raised is a camouflage for

    By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS I watched “Heneral Luna” last Friday at Southmall in Las Pinas and I witnessed something that re-affirmed my faith in the Filipino: after the screening the students in the audience clapped. I should not be worrying much about the future of our country. Actress, writer and director Bibeth Orteza,

               By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS  A week after he floated an “alternative version” to the killing of  Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli “Marwan”bin Hir last January which also cost the lives of 63 people, 44 of them members of the elite Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police, President Aquino

By ELLEN T.TORDESILLAS DESPITE the fact that relations between China and the Philippines are bad, Chinese officials said “war is never an option” for China in resolving the territorial conflict in the South China Sea. It is not in China’s interest to have an unstable South China Sea, said Tang Qi  Fang of China Institute

Text by JAKE SORIANO Video by ZANNETH TAFALLA-LAGO and LUCILLE SODIPE THE country’s new anti trafficking chief has vowed to go after public officials involved in the crime. “We are not lenient on erring officials. If they are part of the syndicated human trafficking ring, we will go after them,” said lawyer Darlene Pajarito, a

By CONG B. CORRALES CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY– The killing of five people, including two minors, in Pangantucan town in Bukidnon nearly three weeks ago remains a subject of disagreement between government forces and relatives and supporters of the victims. Shortly after the incident last August 18, the police and military labelled the five fatalities

                            By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS THE Iglesia ni Cristo is making a mockery of Philippine laws and personalities who are aspiring for the presidency are either kowtowing to the church leadership or treading lightly on the controversy. Vice President Jejomar Binay has become the INC’s prime protector accusing Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s investigation

  By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS I’M so glad that lawyer Harry Roque has decided to go via the party list in his entry into politics. He is no longer joining Vice President Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance ticket. In his meeting with members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in Bacolod yesterday, Roque announced

By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS THEY are well- deserved beatings that Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina is getting this week. After being slammed by the OFW community (that means the estimated 2.3 million overseas Filipino workers plus their relatives at the average of six per OFW) for his order to impose tighter inspection of balikbayan boxes, a

By JAKE SORIANO PRESIDENT Aquino’s reversal of Alberto Lina’s decision on the balikbayan box issue was not the only trouble the customs chief found himself in on Monday. A trial court in Manila the same day also ruled against the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) cancellation of the P650-million contract for an integrated customs processing system

  By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS   OMBUDSMAN Conchita Carpio Morales didn’t mince words in asking the Makati Regional Trial Court to dismiss the suit filed by Vice President Jejomar Binay against her and 12 other persons including senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Alan Peter Cayetano and the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “Considering that the Complaint appears

      By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS      HAS the government relinquished its duty of regulating the mining industry to the Catholic Church? That’s the question I asked Environment Secretary Ramon Paje when he said that Hinatuan Mining Corporation (HMC) has to get the approval of the  church to their request to remove the  1.1 million

      By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS NO wonder there was no urgency for the Aquino government to find solution to the horrendous traffic that Metro Manilans have to survive daily: they continue to think it’s an affirmation of their “good work.” Aquino always brags that under his term, the Philippines experienced economic boom. And proof

    By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS ANTIQUE Gov. Rhodora Cadiao’s worst fear has come true: it didn’t take long after the July 17 accident in Semirara Coal mine  that killed nine workers   that the  suspension was lifted. News reports Wednesday said  the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has lifted its suspension order against Semirara

By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS WITH President Aquino, what you see is what you get. He is not good at masking his lack of concern and sympathy for the everyday problems of Filipinos. Like when Tacloban businessman Kenneth Yu Uy complained to him during in his post-Yolanda visit to Tacloban in November 2013 about the peace

By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS THIS is hilarious. July 27- President Aquino delivered his 6th and last State- of- the- Nation- Address declaring his “Tuwid na Daan” a huge success . Just like in a TV show, he thanked a number of people including his clothes designer and hairdresser. Those who were not able to see

By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS INSTEAD of acting like crybabies for not having lulled Sen. Grace Poe into their trap so she could not be an impediment to their standard bearer’s Malacañang dream, Liberal Party officials should work on getting Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto as Mar Roxas running mate. Ate Vi is the perfect partner for

By JAKE SORIANO A visiting United Nations envoy has urged Philippine lawmakers to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) “as urgently as possible,” saying failure to do so would lead to further violence in the region where “displacement has become the pattern of life” for many. “A viable, inclusive and comprehensive peace process is essential