Philippines-China sea dispute moves to legal battlefield with cyber libel suit

By Raissa Robles The Philippines’ maritime dispute with China has spilled into the courts after a top coastguard official filed a cyber libel case against a pro-Beijing influencer over explosive – and, he claims, baseless – allegations that he is a paid asset of the United States. Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesman for Philippine Coast Guard […]

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Philippines joins Japan’s ‘one-theatre’ plan against China sea threat

By Sam Beltran The Philippines is adopting a Japan-led strategy to treat the East and South China seas as a unified theatre of operations – a shift that is seen to reflect growing alignment among regional allies in the face of China’s expanding maritime footprint. Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the “one-theatre” concept would promote […]

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Philippines’ Sara Duterte takes aim at US ties, attacks missile deployment

Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has stepped in to defuse a potential family feud over his Davao City house that was put up for sale, saying he is unwilling to offload the property due to its sentimental value. Duterte’s partner Honeylet Avancena said she was seeking buyers for the residence, citing her emotional concerns ever […]

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Philippines’ financial center taps tourism department to become halal hub

MANILA: Philippine business leaders in Makati City are collaborating with the Department of Tourism to make the country’s financial center an all-encompassing halal hub for both trade and tourism, the head of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Makati chapter said on Saturday. Makati City in Metro Manila is popularly known as the Philippines’ […]

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‘A scrap of paper’: Philippine VP Duterte wants impeachment complaint dismissed

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has described the impeachment complaint against her as “nothing more than a scrap of paper” in her formal response to the Senate, saying the case was baseless and should be dismissed for being unconstitutional. The impeachment, widely seen as a test of political alliances, comes amid an acrimonious falling out […]

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Philippines’ Sara Duterte warns against Marcos’ US pivot, ‘leaning’ on foreign powers

By Raissa Robles The Philippines’ Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio has called on the country to steer away from its “unbalanced” foreign policy in an implicit criticism of President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, as she offered her clearest indication yet of where she stands on China. In a speech delivered to a group of Filipinos at the Parliament […]

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Filipinos in Israel face tough choices amid escalating Iran conflict: run or stay?

By Sam Beltran About 150 Filipinos in Israel have requested help from Manila to return as the conflict escalates with Iran. However, most of the 30,000-strong community, primarily domestic workers and carers, are reluctant to leave their wards behind. The Philippine embassy in Israel revealed the number of repatriation seekers on Tuesday. Migrant Workers Secretary […]

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Philippines says more US Typhon missiles ‘very welcome’ despite China’s warnings

By Raissa Robles The Philippine army has signalled it would welcome additional US Typhon missile systems to accelerate troop training and strengthen deterrence, despite Beijing’s repeated denunciations of the system as a destabilising force that risks fuelling tensions in the South China Sea. Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Philippine Army spokesman Colonel Louie […]

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Will Sara Duterte revive her dad’s softer China stance if she wins 2028 Philippines vote?

By Jeoffrey Maitem With Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr about halfway through his six-year term, questions are growing over whether his successor will uphold his firmer stance on the South China Sea or, as one senior official has warned, retreat to the symbolic “jet ski” posturing and softer policies seen under his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte. Last […]

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Philippines’ rice industry in danger of being ‘drowned out by cheap imports’: report

The Philippines’ rice industry is in danger of being “drowned out by cheap imports”, according to a new report, with experts also warning that prolonged policy inertia could affect the country’s food security. The report, produced by the Integrated Rural Development Foundation, said policy failures and under-investment had pushed the country’s farming industry into its […]

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