sona-new-normal | ABS-CBN News

Why Gatchalian gave up justice panel seat to Dela Rosa

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jul 31 11:44 AM

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said Friday he gave up his membership at the Senate justice committee so that his colleague Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa could join deliberations on the revival of the death penalty. Read more »

Palace explains why Marawi rehab left out of Duterte's fifth SONA

Arianne Merez, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 30 04:33 PM

The rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi City was left out of President Rodrigo Duterte's penultimate State of the Nation Address.   Read more »

Angara wants 'compelling evidence' death penalty deters crimes

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 30 01:07 PM

Sen. Sonny Angara on Thursday said he needed "compelling evidence" that the death penalty could deter crimes and that "miscarriages of justice" could be avoided before he votes for its revival, which President Rodrigo Duterte sought again this week.    Read more »

Telcos should get chance to improve, gov't takeover 'very drastic': senator

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 30 12:03 PM

President Rodrigo Duterte's threat to close down or expropriate telecommunication firms if their services do not improve is too "drastic", a senator said Thursday.    Read more »

Police chief tells UP: Don't practice your chartered independence too much

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jul 29 12:49 PM

The head of the Philippine National Police on Wednesday urged the University of the Philippines to refrain from exercising its chartered independence too much after its Diliman campus hosted one of the biggest protests for President Rodrigo Duterte's State of the Nation Address this week.  Read more »

PNP claims cops seized placards from Mass-goers on Church request

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jul 29 12:20 PM

The Philippine National said Wednesday its officers seized placards and other protest materials from activists during a Mass in Manila this week "in accordance to the request of the church."    Read more »

50 grams of drugs ‘enough’ to merit death penalty: PNP chief

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jul 29 02:07 PM

The head of the Philippine National Police on Wednesday backed President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for the revival of death penalty, saying it should be meted out to those caught with at least 50 grams of narcotics.  Read more »

Duterte urged: Set deadline for Marawi rehabilitation

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jul 29 07:56 AM

President Rodrigo Duterte should set a deadline for the rehabilitation of the southern city of Marawi that a terrorist siege left in ruins 3 years ago, an issue that he failed to mention in his State of Nation Address this week, a lawmaker said Wednesday. Read more »

'Siguro bingi sila': Palace slams critics who say gov't lacks COVID-19 recovery plan

Arianne Merez, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 28 06:10 PM

While Duterte discussed the COVID-19 crisis in his SONA, he did not provide any new plan, prompting critics to claim that there was no recovery roadmap. Read more »

'9/10': Roque says Duterte's 5th SONA could have used more 'quotable quotes'

Arianne Merez, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 28 04:48 PM

For Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, the penultimate State of the Nation Address on Monday of President Rodrigo Duterte could have had more "quotable quotes" to earn him a perfect score.   Read more »

#SONA2020: Kakulangan umano ng plano ni Duterte kontra pandemya pinuna

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jul 28 07:55 PM

MAYNILA — Pinuna ng ilang grupo ang nilalaman ng State of the Nation Address (SONA) ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte noong Lunes na anila’y kulang sa pagtalakay kung paano tutugunan ng pamahalaan ang pandemyang COVID-19.  Read more »

Drilon opposes Duterte's fresh call for death penalty

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 28 11:48 AM

Sen. Franklin Drilon said Tuesday he would oppose President Rodrigo Duterte's fresh call for the revival of death penalty due to "deficiencies in our justice system." Read more »

Death penalty unnecessary if drug lords have separate prisons: Sotto

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jul 28 02:54 PM

The Philippines does "not need" death penalty for high-level drug traffickers if they are transferred to regional prisons, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Tuesday after President Rodrigo Duterte renewed his call for the return of capital punishment.  Read more »

Gov't takeover of telcos 'possible': Sotto

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jul 28 10:44 AM

It is "possible" for the government to take over telecommunication firms that fail to deliver quality service to the public, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Tuesday, lending weight to a threat by President Rodrigo Duterte.  Read more »

Unrealistic? Duterte wants Congress to amend CPD law

Arianne Merez, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 27 09:07 PM

President Duterte, in his fifth State of the Nation Address, said requiring licensed professionals to go to seminars for CPD units is "not realistic" during a global health crisis. Read more »

Duterte seeks formation of pandemic response agency as PH grapples with COVID-19

Arianne Merez, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 27 09:02 PM

President Rodrigo Duterte, during his penultimate State of the Nation Address, sought congressional support for the creation of a National Disease Prevention and Management Authority. Read more »

Without clear plan for COVID-19, Duterte's 5th SONA disappointing - solons

Davinci Maru, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jul 29 12:32 AM

MANILA (UPDATE) — Some lawmakers on Monday found President Rodrigo Duterte's penultimate State of the Nation Address (SONA) wanting, saying the chief executive didn't provide a detailed and concrete action plan towards the country's recovery from COVID-19. Read more »

Duterte seeks speedy passage of Bayanihan 2

Arianne Merez and Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 27 06:45 PM

In his fifth State of the Nation Address, President Rodrigo Duterte said he hopes Congress will act quickly on the bill, the same way it passed the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act that granted him additional powers to respond to the pandemic. Read more »

Duterte uses fifth SONA to castigate Drilon over challenge to ban political dynasties

Arianne Merez, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jul 27 06:41 PM

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday used his State of the Nation Address to castigate Sen. Franklin Drilon over the opposition lawmaker's proposal to ban political dynasties if government wants to dismantle oligarchy. Read more »

Duterte says he is ‘inutile, cannot do anything’ against China sea aggression

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jul 27 09:31 PM

President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday he was "inutile" and "cannot do anything" in the face of Beijing's continued aggression in the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by Manila.  Read more »