INQToday: PNP chief forbids cops from carrying umbrellas for VIPs

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

China’s dropping of flares in WPS expected as PH asserts sovereignty – Teodoro

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Monday said China’s aircraft dropping of flares in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea is expected as the Manila continues to assert its sovereign rights.

Chinese fighter jets fired flares into a path of a Philippine Air Force plane last Aug. 8, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said over the weekend.

PNP chief forbids cops from carrying umbrellas for VIPs

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Rommel Marbil has ordered a stop to police officers carrying umbrellas for VIPs.

Marbil issued his directive Monday, noting that such an act is not part of a police officer’s job as it is degrading for a man in uniform.

Dela Rosa wishes PNP ‘good luck’ on its recalibrated ‘drug war’

As the Philippine National Police (PNP) changed its approach in its fight against illegal drugs,  Sen. Ronald  “Bato” Dela Rosa had this to say to the police force he once headed: “I wish them good luck.”

“I hope and pray that they will succeed,” he added in a text message to reporters on Monday, when asked to comment on the PNP’s recalibrated anti-drug campaign.

DBM: Mid-year bonus included in gov’t workers’ pay hike release this year

The mid-year bonus of government workers will be included in the first tranche of their salary increase to be released this year.

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandman made the statement on Monday after announcing that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has already released the guidelines on the raise.

Sandro Muhlach’s alleged abusers apologized, thought it was ‘consensual’

Niño Muhlach said his son Sandro’s alleged abusers have personally apologized for what they did, claiming that they had mistaken what transpired as “consensual.”

Speaking before the Senate committee on public information and mass media’s hearing on Monday, Muhlach said his meeting with Jojo Nones and Richard Dode Cruz took place at the house of GMA Senior Vice President Annette Gozon-Valdes, who invited them over. In that meeting, Nones and Cruz cried and apologized to him, Muhlach told the senators.

Sotto confronts ‘Pasigueño’ protesters; finds out they’re from Quezon City

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto confronted a group of protesters rallying against the construction of the new city hall. But the mayor later finds out that the protesters were actually from Quezon City, instead of Pasig.

Meralco power rates up 3¢/kWh in August

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) consumers may see a slight increase in their electricity bills this month, the power distributor giant said Monday.

At a briefing, the company said it would impose a minimal upward adjustment of P0.0327 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in power rates, pushing the overall rate to P11.6339 per kWh from July’s P11.6012 per kWh.