Blog

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) on Tuesday expressed grief over the death of alleged New People’s Army (NPA) member Vince Francis Dingding, saying the incident underscores the emotional toll of armed conflict on Filipino families.

Dingding, a former student leader from Cebu City, was among five individuals killed in an encounter with government troops in Cauayan, Negros Occidental, on May 16, according to authorities.

In a statement, the task force said Dingding’s death was “not only a story about a young life lost in armed conflict” but also “a painful story of a son lost to a movement that gradually pulled him away from home, from family, and from the people who loved him most.”

The NTF-Elcac cited a handwritten letter dated May 18, signed by Dingding’s parents, Romulo and Rica, requesting that all matters related to their son’s death be coordinated through their barangay captain to spare the family further distress.

The letter also revealed that Dingding’s mother is battling colon cancer and had been advised to avoid stress during her recovery.

Two suspected drug peddlers were arrested and approximately P1.16 million worth of suspected “shabu” (crystal meth) was seized in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Sicsican here on Monday evening.

Joint operatives from the Puerto Princesa City Police Station 2–Special Drug Enforcement Team, Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group, other units of the Puerto Princesa City Police Office, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency carried out the operation.

Authorities identified the suspects only by their aliases, “Payat,” 20, a resident of the barangay, and a 23-year-old woman from Barangay San Pedro in this city. Both were listed as high-value targets.

Police said the operation began with a buy-bust transaction where a poseur-buyer was able to purchase a sachet of suspected shabu weighing about 5.46 grams in exchange for ₱41,000 in marked money.

A follow-up search in the area led to the recovery of 25 additional heat-sealed plastic sachets containing suspected shabu with a total weight of about 171.93 grams and an estimated standard drug price of P1,169,124.

Moderate to heavy rain showers accompanied by lightning and strong winds are expected to affect several towns in Zambales within the next two hours, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Tuesday afternoon.

In an advisory issued at 2:20 p.m., Pagasa said the affected areas include Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan, San Felipe, San Marcelino, San Antonio, San Narciso, and Castillejos.

The state weather bureau warned residents of possible flash floods and landslides due to thunderstorms, particularly in low-lying and mountainous areas.

Paagsa earlier said there is no active tropical cyclone inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility. The weather disturbance formerly named “Caloy” has weakened into a low-pressure area and is unlikely to redevelop into a tropical depression.

The Senate must act with impartiality in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial and hear the case free of bias and regardless of political leanings, Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima said on Tuesday.

In a media briefing, de Lima said that the Senate’s impeachment guidelines outline that senator-judges should be politically neutral while the upper chamber is sitting as an impeachment court. 

“They are actually expected to exhibit political neutrality,” she said. “They have to fulfill their duty without unfair discrimination and without regard to political color or affiliation.”

On Monday, the Senate convened as an impeachment court for the trial of Duterte, who was impeached by the House last May 11.  A total of 257 lawmakers voted in favor of adopting House Resolution No. 989 which contains the articles of impeachment against Duterte.

Duterte’s impeachment was hinged on accusations of unexplained wealth, bribery, misuse of confidential funds, and threats to have President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and his relatives killed in the case she herself was assasinated.

An employer that reduces the workload and adopts a flexible work scheme without employee consent is tantamount to dismissing them.

The Supreme Court en banc, in a Sept 30, 2025 decision made public only on Tuesday, found Valenzuela City-based Fiber Textile Manufacturing Corp. (FMC) liable for constructive dismissal of seven of its employees after unilaterally cutting their work days to just two to three from the original six days per week.

The move, which was done in 2018 in violation of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) rules, led to pay cuts and their eventual resignation from FMC. 

The case stemmed from the complaint filed with DOLE by the seven former FMC workers for constructive illegal dismissal, shorter work hours and nonremittance of mandated contributions, such as the Social Security System, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., and the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-Ibig), after not reaching a settlement with the company.

The petitioners were employed in June 2017 as folding operator, chemical mixer, color man, dyeing operator, among others, with a wage of P380 per day, according to case records. But a year later, they were informed of the changes in work schedule and were even told to quit.