INQToday: 3 OFWs confirmed dead in Kuwait building fire

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

3 OFWs confirmed dead in Kuwait building fire

Three Kuwait-based Filipinos died following a fire that broke out in a heavily populated residential building south of Kuwait City, Migrant Workers Chief Hans Cacdac confirmed on Thursday.

“The three, who died from smoke inhalation, were part of a group of 11 OFWs, all working for the same Kuwaiti construction company housed in the building that caught fire,” said Cacdac in a statement.

Teves now under house arrest in Timor Leste

Former Congressman Arnolfo Teves is currently under house arrest in Timor Leste, both the Department of Justice (DOJ) and his lawyer confirmed Thursday.

“We learned from Timor Leste Prosecutor General that former Cong. Teves is now under house arrest. As regardless of whether he is in custody, rearrested or house arrest, he is under the control of the police authorities,” Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez told reporters.

A Palace waiter? Escudero says waiting on a lady is ‘gentlemanly’

It’s just being a gentleman to simply do nothing, even if a lady—in this case, the wife of the country’s top leader—suddenly sips wine from your glass.

This was how Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero addressed his situation on Wednesday during the Vin d’Honneur (wine of honor) at the Malacañan Palace.

Quiboloy sect: PNP ‘not telling truth’ on June 10 operation in Davao

The Philippine National Police (PNP) “is not telling the truth” when it said it carried out a “lawful operation” during the delivery of arrest warrants for Apollo Quiboloy and others in Davao City three days ago.

According to the religious sect Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC), which was founded by Quiboloy, the PNP, with hundreds of its members allegedly heavily armed, “attacked” their compounds in Davao City on June 10 with “unnecessary and unrestrained force.”

PAOCC confirms Pogos operating near Edca sites

Amid growing security concerns regarding Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo), the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Thursday confirmed that some gaming hubs are operating near Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) sites.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. raised the alarm on Pogo sites near military bases, saying they must be stopped due to the illegal activities that spring from them.

Senators see Pogos as nat’l security threat: ‘Shut them down, deport them’

Senate President Chiz Escudero on Thursday expressed support for Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s call to stop the operation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) near military bases in the country.

But while he backed Teodoro’s view, Escudero emphasized that all illegal Pogo operations must be stopped.

Meralco electricity rates to increase this months of June

Consumers should prepare for higher power prices, as the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) said on Thursday that electricity rates will increase from P11.4139 per kilowatt hour (kWh) to P12.0575 per kWh this month of June.

According to Meralco in its release, this increase was estimated to reflect around P129 in their monthly bills.