Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno said that he’s considering to close down a famous mall in Recto for operating without a permit.

After his appearance at the “First 100 Days special report on CNN Philippines,” Moreno said that he’s going to ask Isetann mall in Recto to explain why they’re operating without proper documents.

“We just notified them to explain why the operators of the mall has no permit, they have to explain,” Moreno said.

According to him, he would still give them a chance to fix their problems.

However, Moreno said that he’s not sure how long Isetann was operating without any permit.

“One thing for sure, there’s no document state that they have a permit to operate as mall operators,”

The Manila City Mayor also said that the alleged illegal activities happening inside Isetann made them discover how the said mall was operating without any necessary documents.

Moreno made the statement one day after he ordered to ban the trade of all second-hand mobile phones in Manila.

Isetann is one of the malls warned by Moreno for selling phones that allegedly came from illegal activities.

“The warning was made after a student reported to the MPD Special Mayor’s Reaction Team that he saw his mobile phone from one of the vendors inside Isetann Mall in Recto,” the Manila Public Information Office said on Twitter.

However, a mall officer in Isetann made an alibi saying that the said stolen phone is not on sale.

“Hindi binili ng tenant ng mall, pinagawa sa technician sabi babalikan may bibilhin lang. Hindi na binalikan,” he said.

Well-known activist of the reproductive health bill and tourist guide Carlos Celdran passes away at the age of 46, his family confirmed on Tuesday.

The cause of the demise of the activist is not yet known as the family of Celdran is still arranging things to bring him home.

“As the family is making arrangements to bring him home, no details can be announced yet. Only that he passed from natural causes,” his wife Tesa Celdran wrote in a Facebook post.

The sad news about Celdran happened two days after netizens criticized him for his reaction over President Rodrigo Duterte’s new revelation about his health.

After his tweet was removed, Celdran wrote another post on Facebook to share his reaction over President Duterte’s health.

“Don’t get well soon,” Celdran said in his last social media post on Facebook.

Meanwhile, Carlos Celdran became trending on Twitter after he passed away.

Celdran is currently in Madrid since January 2019 after the Supreme Court said that he’s guilty of offending religious feelings after he interrupted a mass at the Manila Cathedral in 2010.

During his infamous actions in 2010, Celdran entered the Manila Cathedral wearing an attire same with the Filipino hero Jose Rizal while holding a sign with the words “Damaso”.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Spokesperson Celine Pialago took a swipe against Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Secretary-General Renato Reyes over the transport strike yesterday.

In a Facebook post, Pilago told Reyes to stop organizing rallies and transport strike because they’re not going to be successful.

She said that maybe if Reyes could organize a one-year transport strike, the government may feel the effect of their movement.

“Tigilan mo ko Renato Reyes. Tigilan mo kaka strike mo para pahirapan ang mga pasahero dahil hindi ka magtatagumpay.” Pialago said.

“Kung kaya mong mag transport strike ng isang taon baka sakali magtagumpay ka. One day? Try harder.” she added.

Pialago also made an open letter addressed to her critics who swarmed her on social media after she stated that the transport strike of groups didn’t succeed.

According to her, there’s nothing wrong of doing their job to counter the transport strike organized by some jeepney owner groups because they don’t want to commuter to suffer.

She stated that the strategy of some groups to get the attention of the government is wrong and it only affects the comfort of other people.

“Yung epektong gusto niyong mangyari ang paghihirapan naming pigilan, dahil bukod sa MMDA, pinaghandaan kayo ng ibat ibang local governments.” Pialago said.

“We are after the welfare of the people, at sa pagkakataong ito, mahalaga sa amin na hindi na kayo dumagdag pa sa araw-araw ng hirap na dinaranas ng mga commuters.” she added.

Pialago insisted that the PUV Modernization Program that is opposed by militant groups are for the people.

She also vowed that the government would not adjust for the sake of few groups who oppose PUV Modernization.

Meanwhile, Reyes responded to Pialago’s social media post, saying that the latter doesn’t understand the goal of a transport strike.

The temporary disruption is a last resort in order to raise just demands. May ipinaglalaban po ang mga tsuper. Hindi lamang po ito pamemerwisyo.

— Renato Reyes, Jr. (@natoreyes) September 30, 2019

“A strike aims to disrupt in order to call attention to an issue. The fact na nagsuspinde ng pasok, dahil may disruption, ito ay tagumpay na ng transport groups. Hindi ata nauunawaan ng MMDA ang layunin ng isang strike,” Reyes said.

“The temporary disruption is the last resort in order to raise just demands. May ipinaglalaban po ang mga tsuper. Hindi lamang po ito pamemerwisyo,” he added.

Senator Panfilo Lacson proposed to penalize children who are not going to give support to their parents who are already reached senior citizen or having illness regardless of age.

According to Senate Bill No. Twenty-nine filed by Lacson, even in the past, children are already obliged to give support to their parents.

“We, Filipinos, are well-known for our close family ties. Because of this, it is not surprising that we have the usual inclination to care for our elderly. However, even with these close family ties, there are cases of elderly, sick, and incapacitated parents who were abandoned by their own children,” Lacson wrote in the explanatory note.

“Nowadays, the sights of abandoned elderly in our streets become typical. Children fail to provide the necessary support to their aging, sick and incapacitated parents. This happens despite our moral and natural obligation to maintain our parents who are in need of support,”

The bill stated that “son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, whether biological or adoptive” are required to give support to their family member who is already reached 60 years old and above or suffering from illness.

Minors or people who cannot take care of themselves because of physical or mental condition are exempted in giving support to their family member.

If the parent who needed assistance have more than one child, the support should be divided among the children.

Children who cannot provide support to their parents will face 1-6 months of detention or a fine of P100,000.

Meanwhile, abandoning their parents would face 6-10 years of detention and a fine of not less than P300,000.

The bill also mandated all provincial governments and highly urbanized cities to establish one Old Age Home that can accommodate 50 parents.

Lacson passed a similar bill in 2016 but it didn’t pass into law.

Albay Vice-Governor Edcel “Grex” Lagman makes fun of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go who mentioned him during his speech in the Senate a month ago.

In his privilege speech, Go defended the “Malasakit Centers” from the criticisms of Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman urging him not to be “anti-poor.”

He even mentioned Rep. Lagman’s son, Grex who visited one of the openings of the Malasakit Center in Albay.

Lagman Jr. couldn’t stop himself from defending his father from the criticisms of Go so he made a Facebook post to make fun of his party mate in Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN).

In his post, titled “You elect clowns. Expect a circus”, Lagman took a swipe against Go, claiming that the Senator’s face was put in every government hospitals in the Philippines to promote himself in the last senatorial elections.

“A public health system that allowed itself to be driven by patronage. A senatorial wannabe’s irritatingly ugly face plastered all over government hospitals all over the Philippines,” Lagman said.

“Self-promotion for political “pogi points” eh mukha namang tukmol. Walang hangganang kaepalan na gamit ang kaban ng bayan. Ayan na po si Ssenador “feeling gwapo looking g*GO” na pekeng may malasakit,” he added.

He even mocked Go for being number 14 in the senatorial elections in Albay, saying that the Albayano doesn’t like his style of campaign.

“Kahit tumodo ka sa kapelan mo sa Albay, no. 14 ka lang. Kase ayaw ng mga Albayano sa style mong bulok!” he said.

Lagman ran under President Duterte’s PDP-Laban, the same party of Sen. Bong Go last senatorial elections.

Meanwhile, his father Edcel Lagman kept his membership in the Liberal Party.

Vice President Leni Robredo said that the United States has the right to ban Filipino government officials who are allegedly involved to Senator Leila De Lima’s detention from visiting America if they want to.

In her radio show “Biserbisyong Leni,” Robredo said that it’s the right of the U.S to choose the people who can visit their country.

“Karapatan nila iyon. Pareho din noong karapatan ng China na i-prevent iyong officials natin na papasok, puwedeng hindi tayo sang-ayon pero hindi siguro natin maipagkakaila na karapatan nila iyon bilang isang bansa,” Robredo said.

She also said that it’s up to the Philippine government if they’re going to give attention to the proposal of US Senators Patrick Leahy and Dick Durbin or not.

“Choice naman natin iyong kung magpapa-pressure tayo o hindi, ‘di ba. Kahit pa anong gawin noong nasa labas na i-pressure tayo, nasa sa atin kung magpapa-pressure tayo. In the same manner na choice din nila iyong pagdedesisyon kung sino iyong papasok sa bansa nila o hindi,” The Vice President stated.

However, she said that whether we like it or not, the government of the Philippines should not question the actions of the American Senators.

“Siguro iyong pag-kuwestiyon noong aksyon nila, hindi natin iyon puwedeng pakialaman kasi in the same manner na hindi nila dapat pakialaman iyong mga desisyon natin, hindi din natin puwedeng pakialaman iyong desisyon nila kasi statement iyon ng mga values na mahalaga sa kanila,” she said.

Robredo is one of the allies of Senator Leila De Lima, a critic of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Meanwhile, several Senators including Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go wanted to counter the proposal of the American Senators by banning them from visiting the Philippines.

According to Go, the said Senators of America are interfering with the affairs of the country.

“These senators should also be banned here in the Philippines. I will suggest to President Duterte to ban these legislators from entering our country for interfering in our internal affairs. These senators think they know better than us in governing ourselves,” said Go.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go proposed that the Philippines should counter the proposal of United States Senator Patrick Leahy and Dick Durbin of banning all Filipino government officials from visiting America if they’re involved in the detention of Senator Leila De Lima.

In an interview, Sen. Go said that they should also ban foreign government officials who are interfering with the internal affairs of our country from visiting PH.

He expressed disappointment over the US Senators for not trusting the judicial system of the Philippines.

“These senators should also be banned here in the Philippines. I will suggest to President Duterte to ban these legislators from entering our country for interfering in our internal affairs. These senators think they know better than us in governing ourselves,” said Go.

“Nakakaloko kayo. Wala kayong tiwala sa aming judicial system,” he added.

Go told the Senators not to listen to intrigue and to mind their “own business”.

The aide of the President-turned-Senator made the said statements while attending the 118th commemoration of the Balangagiga Day in Eastern Samar.

Meanwhile, Senator Leila De Lima thanked the US Senators defended her.

“The proposal of US Senators Dick Durbin and Patrick Leahy to impose a visa ban against Philippine government officials is a clear message that impunity while remaining unchecked in our country, may find an end in the “home of the brave and the land of the free.” De Lima said.

“Thank you, Senators Durbin and Leahy, and many other champions of justice and democracy, for reminding us that the world is still watching,” she said in another tweet.

US Senator Patrick Leahy, one of the lawmakers of America who proposed to block Filipino government officials involved in the detention of Senator Leila De Lima criticized Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

In a statement, Leahy argued that they have the “responsibility to respond” on the alleged maltreatment to Senator Leila De Lima because their country is giving a large amount of aid to the Philippines.

“Every year, the United States provides large amounts of aid to the Philippines, and I have supported that aid. I assume President Duterte’s spokesman who defended the wrongful detention of Senator De Lima does not consider our aid to be ‘interfering’ in their sovereignty,” Leachy said.

“Our aid is not a blank check, and when Philippine officials misuse the justice system for the purpose of political retribution, we have a responsibility to respond,” he added.

Leahy is proposing to block Filipino officials from entering the United States of America if they’re involved in the detention of Senator Leila De Lima, a critic of the current administration.

The US Senate Appropriations Committee passed the said amendment which criticized by the Palace.

According to Panelo, the move of the US Senators are a “brazen attempt” to interfere with the Philippines affairs.

“It treats our country as an inferior state unqualified to run its own affairs. All sensible Filipinos, regardless of their political or social association, should feel affronted and disrespected by this act,” Panelo said.

Several politicians like Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Ping Lacson also questioned the move of the Leahy.

Meanwhile, opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan welcomed the move of Leahy, insisting that the US lawmaker is not interfering with the affairs of the Philippine government.