Senator Bam Aquino said that the black propaganda against him might be the reason why his popularity is lowering.

In a statement, Aquino blamed the fake news spreading about him for having difficulties in campaigning for the 2019 senatorial elections.

“Naging mahirap po itong ating kampanya dahil sa matinding paninira sa amin at walang tigil na fake news, sa totoo lang po, kami dito habang sinisiraan ay tumatapang.” Aquino said in a statement.

He also prayed for a peaceful and successful election on Monday.

“Ipagdasal po natin na maging mapayapa, malinis at maayos ang eleksyon sa Lunes para manaig ang tunay na boses ng mamamayan,” he said.

Aquino is one of the Senators who first opened the topic of fake news in the Philippines.

One of the notable fake news about him is the claims of some netizens that he’s pushing for a law that would give leftovers of restaurants for the poor people.

However, Aquino said that his proposed bill was only misunderstood by the people and it got worst by the spreading of misinformation about it.

Aquino proposed Senate Bill No. 357 or the Zero Waste Food Bill, which required restaurants and supermarkets to give unserved food and not leftovers to food banks and distribute it to Filipino families.

A netizen narrated her meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte two months ago during the wake of her father.

In a lengthy post, Dr. Sharon Mae Atienza told her friends and the other social media users how tight is the security in their chapel during President Duterte’s visit that the Presidential Security Group (PSG) asked them to go outside first so they can check if the place is safe for the President.

President Duterte arrived at the chapel after the PSG checked the area, and the chief executive was welcomed by Atienza and her family, including her daughter Sofi who didn’t hesitate to ask a simple but striking question to the former Davao City Mayor.

“Are you the king?” Sofi asked the President.

As a response, the President told Sofi that he’s not a King and just working for the government like her late grandfather.

“No… I am just a government worker. Just like your Lolo.” Duterte told Sofi.

The conversation between Sofi and the President touched Dr. Atienza, saying that despite the imperfections of the President, he didn’t think that he’s a big person and just doing his job as a government official.

“Yes, just a government worker. A government worker who tells bad jokes, a government worker who, since the day he sat on that damned presidential seat, was belittled by the elitists and hypocrites because he is probinsyano, a government worker who was heavily criticized for his fight against drugs, a government worker that they would fight tooth and nail to unseat.  But he gets the job done. He delivers. Enough said. This is not a political post. He is, after all, not gunning for one.” Atienza said in her post.

As of writing, the post already reached 12,000 reactions and 3,270 shares on Facebook.

A netizen explained to Otso Diretso senatorial candidates Atty. Chel Diokno and Samira Gutoc why Marawi rehabilitation process took so long.

On Thursday, Diokno together with Gutoc in a press conference questioned why the government is slow in rehabilitating Marawi City which damaged by siege in 2017.

Diokno claimed that he saw nothing when he visited the ground zero of the City.

“I visited Marawi about two weeks ago and got to see Ground Zero myself. And I was perhaps, we could say, shocked that nothing has yet been done,” Diokno said.

As a response to Diokno’s question, netizen Rolaiza Singayao pointed out that the government cannot rebuild Marawi easily saying that the military took a year to remove the remaining IEDs left by the defeated Maute group.

He also asked Diokno if he’s aware that the LGU did consultations in the residents of Marawi City and the issues of land titles.

According to her, several difficulties need to be addressed by the government before starting building houses in the war-torn Marawi City or else it might endanger more lives in the future.

She also asked Diokno if he can suggest something different to help the government to hasten the rehabilitation process.

You can read her post below:

“IF ONLY CHEL DIOKNO CARED TO CHECK & GET FACTS FIRST

“…shocked that nothing has been done,” says senatoriable Chel Diokno.

Alam nyo ba na it took almost a year for the military and its engineering division to clear the main battle area covering 24 barangays of IEDs left & planted by the ISIS-Maute?

Are you aware of the difficulties in clearing every inch of the heavily damaged area with bombs? Yong mga structures na nag mistulang Graham crackers na durog-durog? Do you care to see how the issues involved available military technology, logistics and the safety of each uniformed men and women?

Are you aware of the consultations that had been conducted by the military and Task Force Bangon Marawi with the LGUs, traditional leaders, religious leaders and affected clans & families of the city? Abogado yong mayor namin, ano akala mo, papayag ba iyon na “nothing was done” sa siyudad nya?

Are you aware of the challenges sa pag map ng areas na eto? Dahil sa issues ng ancestral o clan land/lots vis-a-vis sa pag-kakaintindi legally natin sa ‘titulo?’ Ang hirap nun. Paano i-re-resolve yang land titles?

Are you aware of the difficulties in handling the resistance to the plans of NEDA? Hihimayin iyon, the people will insist to be involved. Lugar nila, buhay at kinabukasan nila.

Are you aware, that the visitations into the main battle areas comprising 24 barangays were only allowed in the early part of 2019 & that it has to be arranged per batch of residents to ensure safety and order?

Gusto mo bara-bara na magpatayo ang gobyerno na hindi naaayos ang pag ayon ng mga residente sa city planning at rehabilitasyon?

Heavily damaged. Total make over mula sewerage, drainage, power and water supply ang babakahin ng LGUs with govt agencies. Palagay mo ganun -ganun lang iyon?

Sige nga, what do you propose to fast track the rebuilding of Marawi City? Talino mo, e.”

Source: [1]

A high ranking stalwart of the Liberal Party of the Philippines couldn’t hide her anger towards Iglesia Ni Cristo after the religious group endorsed politicians again for the 2019 senatorial elections.

In a tweet, Vicky Garchitorena criticized Iglesia Ni Cristo and shared a post which calling the religious group a “cult” and “business enterprise” that only sell their votes to the “highest bidder.”

“Considering that most of their members are loyal fanatics, they follow Manalo’s order without question,” @serrano_rene said in his tweet, which also shared by Garchitorena.

The said tweet was also showing an article about Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos as one of the chosen senatorial candidates in Iglesia Ni Cristo’s endorsement list.

It was shared by Garchitorena and included a message which raised the eyebrows of the followers of Iglesia ni Cristo.

Iglesia ni Cristo AY Hindi Maka-Diyos! https://t.co/IeNFUma3m4

— Vicky Garchitorena (@vickygarch) May 7, 2019

Before tweeting about Iglesia ni Cristo, Garchitorena shared a music video with the title “One Good Vote” urging to Catholics to choose the people focused in upholding the sovereignty of the Philippines, press freedom and human rights.

https://t.co/UUY7CPqK47

— Vicky Garchitorena (@vickygarch) May 7, 2019

Opposition senatorial bets Otso Diretso are seeking a “One Catholic Vote” in the upcoming election.

Iglesia ni Cristo on May 7 reportedly endorsed pro-Duterte administration bets and no Otso Diretso candidates were included in the list.

The senatorial candidates are:

• Grace Poe
• Cynthia Villar
• Sonny Angara
• Nancy Binay
• Bong Go
• Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa
• Francis Tolentino
• Jinggoy Estrada
• Lito Lapid
• Bong Revilla
• Pia Cayetano
• Imee Marcos.

Malacañang announced on May 7 that Canada decided to shoulder all the expenses to bring back the trash they sent to the Philippines to their country.

According to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, President Rodrigo Duterte insisted that Canada should carry their trash back to their country because Filipinos are not garbage collectors.

“On the issue of garbage from Canada, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources noted that the Canadian government is committed to shouldering all the expenses to ship out all the 69 waste containers,” Panelo said in a statement.

“The president is firm that we are not garbage collectors, thus he ordered that the Philippines will no longer accept any waste from any country,” he added.

The recent statement is one of the updates on the order of President Duterte to bring back the trash sent by Canada in 2013, saying that he’s even ready to go to war if Ottawa insists to keep their garbage in the Philippines.

“I will really return (the garbage)… Load the containers to a ship, and I will advise Canada that your garbage is on the way. Prepare a grand reception. Eat it if you want to,” Duterte said.

Since 2013, 69 garbage containers were shipped to the Philippines and despite several calls, Canada didn’t ship back their trash back.

While Canada said that they’re working towards a ‘timely resolution’ on shipping the waste back to them, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodory Locsin insisted that Ottawa should transfer the waste to their country before May 15.

“The President expects the garbage to be seaborne by May 15. That expectation will be met or else…” Locsin said in his tweet.

The President expects the garbage to be seaborne by May 15. That expectation will be met or else… https://t.co/9ZueAXIW1E

— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) May 7, 2019

Senate President Tito Sotto in a press conference confirmed that Peter Joemel ‘Bikoy’ Advincula is the same person who contacted his office in 2016, claiming that he knew some information about the links of former President Noynoy Aquino and former Vice President Jejomar Binay in illegal businesses.

According to him, Advincula tried to reach him by talking to his chief political affairs, Hutch Altavas and might become a big issue if he helped ‘Bikoy’ to expose his accusations against the former President in 2016.

“It was really a  big bombshell during that time kung pinatulan ko,” Sotto said.

However, the Senate President said that the story presented by ‘Bikoy’ to him was unbelievable.

He also gave a hint that Bikoy only changed the cast of his stories after Sotto mentioned the underground safe house in Misibis Bay, the same place Advincula mentioned in the “Ang Totoong Narco-list” video which according to him, are the hideout of the Dutertes.

“Like for example, I cannot imagine President Noynoy Aquino going to that underground safe house in Misibis with Ochoa, De Lima and exchanging money,” he said.

“I can’t imagine that happening…Napakahirap paniwalaan ang kwento nito,” he added.

The Senate President also said that the people who still believed in Bikoy despite telling unbelievable stories are embarrassing.

“Definitely the person is not credible at all, yung mga nagbibigay ng statements na sabi credible daw ito, o sounds credible, nakakahiya,” he said.

Bikoy in 2012 was considered as a Most Wanted in Naga City after victimizing more than 200 people in illegal recruiting.

In 2018 it was also reported that Bikoy used a company’s name to organize a pageant without consent and didn’t pay the people who participated in the said event.

After Peter Joemel Advincula revealed claimed that he’s the man behind the “Ang Totoong Narco-list” videos, several netizens already expressed their doubts about the credibility of the self-proclaimed whistleblower and until now, new stories about him kept circulating.

In a news report, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III revealed that several years ago, an individual with a surname “Advincula” approached his camp and offered him information about the alleged illegal businesses owned by former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and former Vice President Jejomar Binay.

“There was a particular person — you can verify this, I think I still have some of the records. There was a person that approached me, sent word to me when he was still in the National Bilibid,” Sotto said.

“After we investigated and validated the information and documents passed on to us, we decided not to further entertain him. Nothing materialized because the bank accounts and the checks given were disowned by the concerned bank overseas,” he added.

A news article from Politiko also claimed that Peter Joemel Advincula claimed that he can prove that former President Aquino, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, and former Justice Secretary Leila De Lima are receiving payoffs from illegal businesses like what Bikoy was claiming against the Dutertes now.

Advincula offered the information to a police officer from Bicol in 2016, showing some bank documents to the cop, however, the official was already suspicious with Peter Joemel’s credibility because of his past bad deeds.

In the video “Ang Totoong Narco-list” Bikoy showed several bank documents claiming that some of the members of the Duterte family are receiving payroll from illegal businesses.

Several days ago, he appeared in the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to face the media and insisted that his claims are real.

However, several netizens recognized him as a known illegal-recruiter and former most wanted of Naga City.

Senator Panfilo Lacson responded on the decision of Peter Joemel “Bikoy” Advincula to testify in an investigation of the Senate after the elections.

In his tweet, Lacson already said that he’s going to let Bikoy reveal all the information he knew about the alleged illegal businesses of the Duterte family and his close allies like senatorial candidate Christopher “Bong” Go.

However, Lacson explained that Bikoy should be there personally carrying “a sworn statement and his evidence to support his accusations”.

He set the Senate probe on Friday, May 10, two days before the midterm elections.

Like it or not, Bikoy has become a political, if not an election issue. The Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs can schedule a hearing this week on one condition: Bikoy must personally present a sworn statement and his evidence to support his accusations.

— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) May 7, 2019

However, Bikoy reasoned that he cannot attend on Friday because he’s doesn’t have any lawyer that can defend him in the said probe.

According to him, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) is still not informing him if they’re going to give him free legal assistance. He’s also worried that the authorities might seize him on Friday.

In his latest tweet, Lacson said that Bikoy cannot order the committee to change their probe schedule.

“On Bikoy’s decision to testify after elections: He cannot dictate on the committee. Truth is never time bound. If he can’t be spontaneous, the only logical conclusion is he has not yet weaved his lies.” Lacson said.

On Bikoy’s decision to testify after elections: He can not dictate on the committee. Truth is never time bound. If he can’t be spontaneous, the only logical conclusion is he has not yet weaved his lies.

— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) May 7, 2019

According to some reports, Lacson already asked his colleagues, Senators Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan 2nd, Mary Grace Poe, Loren Legarda, Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay, Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, Antonio Trillanes 4th, and detained Leila de Lima and ex-officio members Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migs” Zubiri and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon to attend.

But Lacson is still doing some background check on Bikoy so they still need to push with the hearing.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed a law making some of the certificates and clearances required in applying to work as free of charges if you’re a fresh graduate.

According to the Republic Act, 11261 or the “First Time Job Seekers Assistance Act” newly graduated Filipinos is not required to pay fees in government agencies if they wanted to get clearances or certificates from them if they’re seeking for work.

Some of the documents before costs the newly grads hundreds of pesos each.

This is the list of certificates and clearances you can get for free:

• Police clearance certificate
• National Bureau of Investigation clearance
•  Barangay clearance
•  Medical certificate from a public hospital
•  Birth certificate
•  Marriage certificate
•  Transcript of academic records issued by state colleges and universities
•  Tax Identification Number (TIN)
•  Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID) card
•  Other documentary requirements issued by the government that may be required by employers for job applicants

Senator Joel Villanueva who’s the principal author of the bill expressed his happiness over the decision of President Duterte to sign it as a law.

“We warmly welcome the signing of our bill into law as this will financially aid our youth in finding employment. Ang pagsasabatas po ng ating First-time Jobseekers Assistance Act ay hindi lamang isang malaking tulong pinansyal para sa ating kabataan kundi isa ring napapanahong graduation gift para sa ating masisipag na fresh grads.” Villanueva said.

“Lubos po tayong nagpapasalamat sa ating Pangulo sa paglagda ng natatanging batas na ito gayundin po sa ating mga kapwa mambabatas na sinuportahan ang ating adbokasiya na tulungan ang ating kabataan sa paghahanap ng disenteng trabaho,” he added.

According to data, job applicants spent 2,000 pesos for employment requirements alone and still not included the food and transportation expenses.