House lawmakers on Thursday called on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to collaborate with Dutch authorities to block former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque鈥檚 asylum request and force him to come home to face allegations linking him to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogo).
The Makabayan bloc, composed of ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel, condemned Roque鈥檚 鈥渟hameless attempt to escape accountability鈥� by seeking asylum in the Netherlands, noting that he had no role in former President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
A Timorese court has rejected the Philippine government鈥檚 bid to extradite expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr.鈥攁 ruling that the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday described as 鈥減eculiar and legally improbable.鈥�
In a March 20 decision written in Portuguese by Timor-Leste鈥檚 Court of Appeals, an English translation of which was provided by Teves鈥� lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, the plenary of judges 鈥渦nanimously decided鈥� to grant Teves鈥� appeal and 鈥渞efuse the request for [his] extradition.鈥�
Palace declares April 1 a regular holiday for Eid鈥檒 Fitr
President Ferdinand 鈥淏ongbong鈥� R. Marcos Jr. has declared Tuesday, April 1, a regular holiday nationwide in observance of
This was confirmed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin to reporters on Thursday.