Vietnam hails upgrade of diplomatic ties with EU as 'historical milestone'European Union and Vietnamese flags are seen at the government office in Hanoi, Vietnam June 30, 2019. REUTERS/Kha/ File Photo
Chinese spox dares Philippines to expel ambassador, entire embassy media teamSupporters of China's Premier Li Qiang wave Chinese national flags outside an event held at the Auckland Museum in Auckland on June 14, 2024. But even if their embassy were shut down, Chinese diplomats would keep attacking critics of Beijing, Embassy Spokesperson Ji Lingpeng said in a statement on Wednesday, January 28. "As Ambassador, he bears responsibility for all words and actions of the Chinese Embassy," he said. The spokesperson challenged senators to include himself and the embassy's entire 12-member media affairs and public diplomacy team if they intended to declare any Chinese diplomat persona non grata. "If anyone intends to declare any Chinese diplomat 'persona non grata', please do include myself and the entire 12-member media affairs and public diplomacy team.
King Charles III's documentary sets out his philosophy for saving the planetFILE -Britain's King Charles III waves as he arrives for a visit to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre in London, Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
SC junks House appeal on Sara impeachmentMANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld its ruling declaring the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte as unconstitutional for violating the one-year bar rule, denying with finality the motion for reconsideration of the House of Representatives. The fourth impeachment complaint had been endorsed by one-third of House members and transmitted to the Senate on Feb. 6. The SC ruled that the one-year ban is counted from the time an impeachment complaint is dismissed or otherwise rendered no longer viable. EmasculatedIn an interview with “Storycon” on One News, Sarmiento said the SC decision has “dulled” the impeachment process. With the House confronted by new impeachment complaints not only against the Vice President but also the President, lawmakers must adjust their rules to abide by the new rules.
Zaldy in Sweden, based on SC petitionRep. Zaldy Co (Ako Bicol party-list) presides over a House Committee on Appropriations hearing on the budget of the Office of the President in September 2023. MANILA, Philippines — Fugitive former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co, who has been implicated in the flood control scandal, was in Stockholm, Sweden this January, based on a petition filed through his lawyers before the Supreme Court (SC). In a petition for certiorari, an apostille dated Jan. 15 shows that Co appeared before a notary public in Sweden, namely Stockholm County Administrative Board notary public Beatrice Gustafsson. Fugitives will be caughtMalacañang yesterday expressed confidence that the fugitives hiding abroad would be brought home following reports that Co is staying in Sweden. Cancel Co’s foreign passportAfter reports surfaced that Co appeared before a notary public in Stockholm, Sweden, the government is seeking to limit his movements in Europe by having his foreign passport cancelled.
The impeachment race is onThe doors are not shut yet even after the House of Representatives’ Office of the Secretary-General refused to accept last Monday the impeachment complaint initiated by a third group against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM). This was after Garafil’s deputy did not accept the third impeachment complaint on the grounds that their boss was not physically present in their office. Lawyer Andre de Jesus was the first to file impeachment complaint and was officially accepted by Garafil at her office last week. The third group of Topacio, mostly identified with the PDP-Laban, opted not to refile their own impeachment complaint. He disclosed the third impeachment complaint was supposed to be endorsed by three congressmen.
‘Go ahead, make my day’What’s worse than assassins using an RPG or rocket-propelled grenade to assassinate a mayor in broad daylight? Unfortunately, it was the Chinese embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng, saying there was “no need for a Senate resolution” to declare “the deputy spokesperson of the Chinese embassy persona non grata” over the current word war between Philippine and Chinese officials. As a team, we stay or leave together.”“There is but one person who has the authority to ask Ambassador Jing to leave, and that is President Marcos Jr. I learned that the attack on Xi Jinping made sparks fly among Chinese embassy officials. Any diplomat or student of international studies will tell you that it is equivalent to Malacañang or President Marcos Jr. directly disrespecting China’s Xi Jinping.
EDITORIAL - Reversing a slowdownEconomic growth skidded to 4.4 percent in 2025, well below the government’s target of 5.5 to 6.5 percent. Balisacan admitted that the corruption scandal involving flood control and other infrastructure projects contributed to the economic slowdown along with extreme weather disturbances, aside from economic headwinds overseas. Corruption scandals rock other countries, with minimal or no impact on their economies and business confidence. These are not seen in the Philippines, where there has been a long string of major corruption scandals, with the big fish all getting away. The best way to reverse the economic slowdown and achieve government targets is to show the world that those behind the corruption scandal are identified, prosecuted swiftly and punished, particularly the big fish.
2 soldiers killed in clashes with terroristsThe slain Cpl. Ryan Bagual, a Muslim, was immediately buried by his relatives in their hometown, President Quirino in Sultan Kudarat, only about 60 kilometers south of Datu Hofer, Maguindanao del Sur, where he was killed in an encounter with Dawlah Islamiya terrorists. COTABATO CITY, Philippines — A soldier who was reported missing after a gunfight with Dawlah Islamiya terrorists in Datu Hoffer town in Maguindanao del Sur was found dead by villagers on Wednesday, the Philippine Army said. Mangalay is the second casualty in the skirmishes with terrorists this week. Both soldiers are members of the Army’s 90th Infantry Battalion.
Learning crisisEmerging briefly at Malacañang from his diverticulitis break, President Marcos accepted the report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education or EDCOM 2 yesterday and said that he wanted the country’s “learning crisis” to be addressed. Changes can start in early education, a critical part of the human learning process. Once learning is derailed in the formative years, it’s so hard to catch up. Aid distribution is among the core functions of the DSWD, but it shouldn’t disrupt preschool education. Most of our Asian neighbors understand the importance of quality education, early childhood learning and skills-jobs matching after high school.
Seasoned with saltLet your words be seasoned with salt. When we season our words with salt, we recognize that, just as salt enhances food and preserves it, so do our words when we apply them with grace, tact and wisdom. As we all should know, the Philippines and China have some non-sensitive areas of cooperation that are put at risk. Words that are seasoned with salt require speech that is wholesome and truthful in order to preserve relationships and not corrupt them. As Colossians 4:6 in the Bible says, “Let your words be seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
P221 million smuggled gadgets seizedStock image of people using their mobile phone. MANILA, Philippines — Smuggled cellphones and other gadgets valued at P221.5 million were intercepted in Quezon City on Wednesday. Gen. Hansel Marantan said police officers noticed the convoy of trucks for traffic violations, such as fraudulent license plates. The HPG said it received information about a convoy of trucks allegedly transporting illegal goods from Central Luzon to Metro Manila. The gadgets were turned over to the Bureau of Customs for further investigation.
Parental claim conflictDNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the genetic material found in most human cells, carrying information that is passed from one generation to the next. She asked Maria to return the child, but Maria refused, leading Lina and Pedro to file a petition for habeas corpus. During the trial, Lina testified about the child’s birth and disappearance. Midwife Aling Rosa confirmed Junjun’s birth, while Daniel testified about Carlos’ sterility and the adoption claim. Both Maria and Carlos were incapable of having children, Lina presented the midwife and clinical records, and the birth certificate had discrepancies.
Special purpose taxesMANILA, Philippines — As if the burden of regular taxes on the middle class is not enough, there are also numerous special taxes that overtax the taxpayers. The most visible is the travel tax, a special tax imposed on all Filipinos and long-term foreign residents when they leave the country. Why CHED gets anything from the tourism tax is unexplainable, a product of chop suey policymaking. The problem is, like the toilets of PTA before, not all the supposedly tourist rest areas are really in tourist travel routes. The other notorious special tax is what they call the road users tax.
GDP growth slows to 4.4% in 2025Photo shows the skyline at the Ortigas Business Center in Pasig. Last year’s GDP growth also fell below the government’s 5.5 to 6.5 percent growth target. The fourth quarter 2025 GDP print was also lower than the previous quarter’s 3.9 percent expansion and the 5.3 percent growth in the same quarter in 2024. Industry declined by 0.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025 from the previous quarter’s 0.7 percent growth, bringing the sector’s full-year 2025 growth to 1.5 percent. Growth in the services sector also eased to 5.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025, from 5.4 percent in the previous quarter, leading to a full-year 2025 growth of 5.9 percent.
