INQToday: OVP says VP Sara in Mindanao, not behind QC road closure; Cop in roadblock sacked

Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories:

Jobless, underemployment rates fell in August

The number of unemployed Filipinos dipped in August while the quality of available jobs seemed to have improved as fewer people looked for additional working hours, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.

The PSA, citing a nationwide survey, said Friday there were 2.21 million Filipinos who were either jobless or out of business in August, translating to an unemployment rate of 4.4 percent.

OVP says VP Sara Duterte in Mindanao, not behind QC road closure

Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday said that the viral video tagging her as the cause of the closure of a portion of Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City is false and asked the Quezon City Police Department (QCPD) to shed light on the issue.

In a separate statement, the Office of the President (OVP) explained that Duterte was in Mindanao since Wednesday.

Cop in Commonwealth Ave. roadblock sacked – QCPD

The police officer responsible for halting traffic flow along Commonwealth corner Tandang Sora Avenue to allegedly let the convoy of Vice President Sara Duterte pass through has been relieved from his post, according to the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).

QCPD issued a statement and likewise apologized after the video of a police officer identified as a certain Sergeant Pantallano went viral on social media Thursday afternoon.

LTO: Plastic driver’s license cards out now; schedule of renewal announced

Land Transportation Office (LTO) can now issue plastic driver’s license cards to holders of expired and paper-printed licenses.

LTO Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II made the announcement in a press briefing on Thursday.

Pura Luka Vega says arrest was hasty, ‘unfair’

Embattled drag performer Pura Luka Vega claimed their arrest in Manila on Wednesday was done with haste and was “unfair” for them who did not receive a subpoena to appear in court to answer to charges of “immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibitions, and indecent shows.”

Pura Luka, whose real name is Amadeus Fernando Pagente and goes by the pronouns they/them, told reporters upon their arrest that they weren’t given “enough time to submit the documents” before the Manila regional trial court where they are facing the charges filed by the Hijos del Nazareno, a group of devotees of the Black Nazarene.