Michael Apacible Bulletin

  MANILA, Philippines – The hunt for former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag, who has been wanted for murder for two years, is intensifying. Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Nicolas Torre III revealed in a DZMM interview that authorities now have promising leads regarding Bantag's whereabouts and that intelligence operations are ongoing to apprehend him. "We have leads regarding that matter, where he is hiding, and we are deploying resources to locate and arrest him," Torre stated, emphasizing the PNP's commitment to capturing the high-profile fugitive. Bantag is accused of being the mastermind behind the murder of journalist Percival Mabasa, widely known as Percy Lapid. Lapid was gunned down in Las Piñas after his commentaries exposed alleged corruption within the New Bilibid Prison under Bantag's leadership. Beyond Bantag, Torre affirmed the PNP's relentless pursuit of other prominent fugitives. These include former...

  Panelo Advises Roque to Return to Philippines, Dismisses Political Persecution Claim in POGO Hub Case MANILA, Philippines - Former Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo has publicly urged ex-presidential spokesperson Harry Roque to return to the Philippines and face the human trafficking charges filed against him, stemming from his alleged involvement with the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub, Lucky South 99, in Porac, Pampanga. In an interview with One News, Panelo addressed the arrest order issued by a Pampanga court against Roque, expressing his belief that Roque appeared to have acted as a lawyer for the controversial POGO operation. Panelo dismissed Roque's claims of political persecution, asserting that such an argument would be difficult to substantiate given statements Roque made during past congressional hearings. "It would be hard to prove Roque's claim of political persecution because of the statements he made during the past congressional ...

  Palace Acknowledges VP's "Violent" Rhetoric, Expresses Hope for Figurative Interpretation MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang has acknowledged the "violent" tone of Vice President Sara Duterte's recent statement regarding the impeachment trial, expressing hope that her remarks were merely a figure of speech and not meant to be taken literally. During a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Secretary Claire Castro addressed a question regarding the Vice President's comment that she wants the impeachment trial to "pursue because she wants to see bloodbath." "Medyo may pagka bayolente ang tugon ng ating Bise Presidente (The response of our Vice President had a somewhat violent tone)," Secretary Castro stated. However, she followed this by expressing a more optimistic interpretation of the Vice President's words. "Pero we hope that it is just a figure of speech and it should not be taken literally (But we hope that it is just a fig...

  NAIA Bollard Debacle: A Monument to Negligence and Potential Corruption? Pasay City, Philippines - Grief and outrage have gripped the nation following a horrific incident at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 yesterday morning. An out-of-control SUV careened into the departure area, tragically claiming the lives of two individuals, including a child, and injuring several others. While initial reports point to human error, a closer look at the scene and expert opinions raise serious questions about the integrity and efficacy of the safety measures in place, specifically the bollards intended to protect pedestrians. Eyewitness accounts and initial footage painted a chaotic scene. A black SUV inexplicably accelerated within the airport's departure zone, mowing down unsuspecting passengers. The sheer speed and impact of the vehicle left two individuals pinned underneath, requiring heavy machinery to lift the SUV and ultimately leading to their on-the-spot declaratio...