A macabre political thriller recently unfolded in the Philippine province of Palawan, an island known mostly for its rich biodiversity and pristine beaches. On 9 May, Joel T Reyes, the alleged mastermind of the 2011 murder of well-known radio broadcaster Gerry Ortega, ran again for governor.
Last week, while many were welcoming 2021 and bidding farewell to the dreaded 2020, a tragedy occurred in a grand hotel in Makati City in the Philippines.Christine Angelica Dacera checked in at the City Garden, a four-star hotel to celebrate New Year’s Eve with her friends.However, on 1 January, 2021, the 23-year-old flight attendant at Philippines Airlines was found unconscious in the bathtub of a hotel room.According to media reports, one of her friends, Rommel Galido woke up around 10:00 a
Media headlines and stories of domestic abuse and violence against women are, unfortunately, common these days.
The United States (US) on Friday for the first time publicly accused Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of approving the gruesome murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but stopped short of targeting the powerful heir apparent.The prince, who is de facto ruler of the US ally and oil provider, "approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," said an intelligence report newly declassified by President Joe Biden's admini
Last week, while many were welcoming 2021 and bidding farewell to the dreaded 2020, a tragedy occurred in a grand hotel in Makati City in the Philippines.Christine Angelica Dacera checked in at the City Garden, a four-star hotel to celebrate New Year’s Eve with her friends.However, on 1 January, 2021, the 23-year-old flight attendant at Philippines Airlines was found unconscious in the bathtub of a hotel room.According to media reports, one of her friends, Rommel Galido woke up around 10:00 a
On 13 September, the Philippines released and deported United States (US) Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton after President Rodrigo Duterte granted him “absolute pardon” for killing Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude, a Filipino transgender woman in 2014. Serving less than six years of his 10-year prison term, Pemberton’s early release sparked public outcry in the country due to a host of other issues.
President Rodrigo Duterte's pardon of a United States (US) marine convicted of killing a transgender woman should help the Philippines gain access to coronavirus vaccines being developed by American companies, his spokesman said Thursday."I accept the reality that the president is upholding the higher national interest," spokesman Harry Roque said, although he insisted that he was expressing a personal opinion, and not that of Duterte.Duterte sparked controversy earlier this we
Malaysian ex-leader Najib Razak swore in a packed mosque Friday he did not order the killing of a Mongolian woman linked to a major defence deal, rejecting an allegation from his ex-bodyguard.Altantuya Shaariibuu was shot dead and her body blown up with military-grade plastic explosives in 2006.Her death was linked to a scandal which allegedly saw kickbacks doled out during a 2002 deal to purchase French submarines, on which Altantuya worked as a translator.This week, a government bodyguard c
The masterminds of the Philippines' worst political massacre were found guilty Thursday of murder a decade after they led the killings of 58 people, rare convictions of powerful figures in a country notorious for its culture of impunity.However, with dozens of other accused gunmen acquitted, and 80 suspects never having been caught, relatives of the victims as well as rights groups gave a mixed response to the verdicts.Leaders of the powerful Ampatuan family dynasty orchestrated the 23 N
An Indonesian palm oil executive has been arrested for allegedly ordering the killing of two activist journalists who were mediating a land dispute between his company and local residents, police said Saturday.Maraden Sianipar’s body was found last week in a ditch near a palm plantation in Labuhan Batu in North Sumatra province.Police found the remains of his colleague, Maratua Siregar, in the same area a day later.
As media practitioners across the world gather tomorrow to commemorate the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, reporters in the Philippines have little to celebrate.For the third year in a row, the Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) Global Impunity Index has named the Philippines as the country with the most unsolved murders of journalists, with perpetrators of 41 killings over the past 10 years yet to be served justice.The Philippines was second to Iraq fro
Recently in Malaysia, a husband and wife were arrested after a four-year-old girl under their care died. A post-mortem on the girl’s remains found that she died after sustaining injuries to her abdomen due to blunt force trauma. Meanwhile, the couple are also suspected of having abused two other children aged five and eight.This is only one of many cases where children have been killed after being abused by their babysitters.
