Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories:
Gov’t, NDFP in prelim talks agree to seek peaceful solution to armed conflict
Philippine government and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) have reached a tentative agreement to seek a peaceful resolution to armed conflict.
This development was announced by Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Carlito Galvez Jr. on Tuesday.
Senate approves P5.7 trillion national budget for 2024
Senate on Tuesday approved on third and final reading the P5.7 trillion proposed national budget for fiscal year 2024.
With 21 voting in the affirmative, no negative votes, and one abstention, the General Appropriations Act of 2024 was approved by senators.
Duterte on Marcos: ‘No cracks in UniTeam. We just work as Pres. and VP’
No “cracks” exist between the Marcos-Duterte tandem, otherwise known as the ‘UniTeam,’ Vice President Sara Duterte herself said on Tuesday.
Duterte made the pronouncement after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. recently revealed that the prospect of the Philippines reintegrating as a state party to the International Criminal Court (ICC) is currently being studied.
Zubiri on rejoining ICC: It is President Marcos’ decision
Only President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and not the Senate, can decide whether or not the Philippines should rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC), Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said on Tuesday.
“It is the decision of the President of the Republic being the Chief foreign policy maker of our country. He alone makes that decision and everything else is just noise on whether we should join or not,” said Zubiri in a statement.
Critics of PH’s return to ICC only serving Duterte’s interest, says De Lima
Former Senator Leila de Lima on Tuesday blasted those who are against the country’s possible return to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
For her, rejoining the ICC should not be difficult since she said the Philippines’ withdrawal in the first place only serves the interest of one man — former President Rodrigo Duterte.
House to probe SMNI over claim Speaker spent P1.8B for trips in 1 year
House committee on legislative franchises has been directed to investigate Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).
The order comes, after SMNI’s hosts in a program supposedly aired misleading information against Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.