News

'Bikoy' surrenders, will name 'Totoong Narco-list' brains - police

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of May 23 08:09 AM

A man who introduced himself as "Bikoy", a hooded figure who linked President Rodrigo Duterte's family to the narcotics trade in several viral videos, has surrendered to authorities, police said Thursday.  Read more »

Backdoor to power: Rise of Duterte-allied party-list seen to boost admin's hold

Michael Joe Delizo, ABS-CBN News
Posted at May 22 12:42 PM

A party-list group allied with the Duterte administration is the runaway leader in the 2019 midterm elections party-list race, adding to the list of groups pushing for the administration’s legislative agenda in Congress.  Read more »

OPINION: 'Ang Probinsyano' emerges as top kingmaker

Ellen T. Tordesillas
Posted at May 22 11:52 AM

The single most formidable political force in the country today as shown by the results of the May 13 elections is not President Duterte nor his daughter, Sara, who made her debut in the national political scene with her newly-formed party Hugpong ng Pagbabago. Read more »

Senators proclaimed, showing Duterte, 'Solid South' clout

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of May 22 07:10 PM

Greater influence over the Senate will help the 74-year-old Duterte fulfill his campaign promises in the last 3 years of his term, including shifting to a federal form of government to spread wealth to the countryside and lowering corporate taxes to lure more investors. Read more »

Sara Duterte: Alvarez 'very dangerous, Machiavellian'

ABS-CBN News
Posted at May 22 12:30 AM

MANILA - Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Tuesday said she will not reconcile with Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, whom she described as "very dangerous" and "Machiavellian." Read more »

Paolo Duterte as House Speaker? Only President can answer, sister Sara says

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of May 21 11:57 PM

MANILA (3rd UPDATE) — Will Congressman-elect Paolo Duterte aim for the speakership of the House of Representatives? The answer is up to their father, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio said Tuesday. Read more »

2022 polls not yet on Pacquiao's mind

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Posted at May 16 05:52 PM

MANILA – Sen. Manny Pacquiao on Thursday said running for a higher post in 2022 is not yet on his mind. Read more »

#HalalanResults: Sara Duterte 'sobs' after Hugpong sweeps Davao City vote

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of May 15 02:08 PM

MANILA - Davao City Sara Duterte-Carpio on Wednesday said she "sobbed" after her bailiwick delivered a 12-0 victory for Senate hopefuls endorsed by her regional party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago.  Read more »

Duterte gets midterm thumbs up as allies sweep Senate race

Martin Petty, Reuters
Updated as of May 14 01:39 PM

Nine of 12 Senate seats available look set to go to pro-Duterte candidates and the rest to independents, unofficial results showed, with the opposition that campaigned strongly against his presidency failing to make the cut. Read more »

Davao City delivers 12-0 for Hugpong senatorial bets

ABS-CBN News
Posted at May 14 09:24 AM

Davao City delivered a 12-0 victory for administration candidates in the midterm elections.  Read more »

#HalalanResults: Duterte siblings sweep Davao City poll races

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Posted at May 14 07:03 AM

DAVAO CITY - President Rodrigo Duterte's 3 children are set to take key elective posts in Davao City after they swept their respective races in the local elections. Read more »

Duterte warns Sara: The presidency will destroy you

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of May 14 10:13 AM

DAVAO CITY - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday warned his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, that the presidency will destroy her. Read more »

Koko Pimentel ditched by Hugpong?

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of May 13 06:32 PM

“In spite of this development, I still want to thank HNP and Mayor Inday Sara Duterte for allowing me to campaign with them for the entire 90 days. God bless us all,” Pimentel, president of the ruling party PDP-Laban, said in a tweet. Read more »

Sara Duterte: Senate support to help President pursue 'vision' for PH

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of May 13 10:16 AM

Duterte-Carpio said she was a bit nervous after she cast her vote and that she picked 12 senatorial candidates "from memory." Read more »

Filipinos vote in polls seen to strengthen Duterte

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of May 13 12:53 PM

Senior citizens, some in wheelchairs and crutches, fell in line as early as 3 a.m. to avoid the crush. There were reports of vote-buying and faulty counting machines that delayed the vote for some, including former Vice President Jejomar Binay. Read more »

Polls open with Duterte mandate on the line

ABS-CBN News
Posted at May 13 06:20 AM

Polls opened Monday for the midterm election seen as a referendum on the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, who remains widely popular halfway into his 6-year term.    Read more »

Philippines votes in polls expected to strengthen Duterte

Cecil Morella, Agence France-Presse
Posted at May 13 05:34 AM

MANILA - Filipinos vote Monday in midterm polls that are expected to strengthen President Rodrigo Duterte's grip on power, opening the way for him to deliver on pledges to restore the death penalty and rewrite the Philippine Constitution. Read more »

Dry-run for presidency? Duterte daughter revels in Philippine midterms spotlight

Martin Petty, Reuters
Updated as of May 10 06:17 PM

During Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's first two years in office, his daughter Sara had barely any interest in politics. One year on, she is front and center in a midterm election that she isn't even running in, playing kingmaker for candidates allied with her father. Read more »

Hugpong wraps up campaign in Duterte bailiwick

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of May 10 08:02 AM

DAVAO CITY - Regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago ended Thursday its 3-month campaign for its Senate bets in the hometown of its leader, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. Read more »

Sotto eyes heftier fines vs perjury as credibility issues hound 'Bikoy'

ABS-CBN News
Posted at May 09 05:16 PM

Lawmakers in the incoming 18th Congress should prioritize raising penalties for perjury, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Thursday, after assailing the credibility of "Bikoy", a man who linked President Rodrigo Duterte's family to the narcotics trade.  Read more »