PH Politics

Tokhang survivor seeks Supreme Court action as Duterte goes before ICC

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A tokhang survivor who witnessed a 2016 anti-drug operation that left four people dead is asking the Supreme Court of the Philippines to review the legality of the raid, as former president Rodrigo Duterte faces trial before the International Criminal Court over his administration’s war on drugs. Court records show the petitioner challenges police conduct during the operation and seeks accountability for the deaths. The case proceeds in the domestic legal system while the ICC pursues charges related to alleged extrajudicial killings under Oplan Tokhang.

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Sara Duterte insists Duterte, not Marcos, secured Davao Bridge funds

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Vice President Sara Duterte said former president Rodrigo Duterte secured Chinese government funding for the Davao River Bridge in Bucana, Davao City, after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. cited the nearly completed structure as one of his legacy projects. She explained that planners originally budgeted only the Davao City Coastal Road and left the bridge unfunded, prompting the former president to seek financing from China. She said Chinese funding covered construction costs at no expense to the local or national governments and described the bridge as a crucial link between the southern and northern parts of Davao City.

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SC orders gov’t to return P60-B PhilHealth funds, Palace says

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The Philippine executive branch on Friday, December 5, 2025, announced it will return P60 billion in unused Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) funds in compliance with a Supreme Court order. Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez said the government has started coordinating with fiscal agencies to identify fund sources, validate amounts, and process the remittance to PhilHealth through standard budget and accounting procedures. Officials will brief PhilHealth’s management on the transfer schedule and will submit compliance reports to the Supreme Court. Further implementation details will follow after interagency consultations.

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Marcos vows to excise corruption, calls it a cancer

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. pledges to intensify his administration’s anti-corruption campaign, comparing graft in government to a “cancer” that requires major systemic surgery, while acknowledging the disruption and hardship caused by reforms. He cites investigations into anomalous flood control and infrastructure projects, asset freezes worth about P12 billion, and ongoing cases filed by the Ombudsman. Separately, the Bureau of Immigration moves to deport Chinese national Cao Cheng, alleged importer of luxury cars tied to contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya, after his arrest for alleged misrepresentation and use of an alias. Authorities link Cao to a suspected luxury car smuggling syndicate and report multiple vehicles with missing import entries, unpaid duties, and tax deficiencies.

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