Philippines Supreme Court frees former President Arroyo after 5 years

The Philippine Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plunder charge against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and ordered her immediate release from nearly five years of hospital detention.

20 Jul 2016 2:16 AM

Manila rejects Beijing’s offer of SCS talks

The Philippines has turned down a Chinese proposal to start bilateral talks on their South China Sea dispute, its foreign minister said on Tuesday, because of Beijing’s pre-condition of not discussing

20 Jul 2016 12:10 AM

China vows to protect sovereignty

China vowed to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty over the South China Sea and said it had the right to set up an air defense zone, after rejecting an international tribunal’s ruli

14 Jul 2016 7:05 AM

Ready to share SCS resources: Manila to China

The Philippines is willing to share natural resources with Beijing in contested South China Sea areas even if it wins a legal challenge next week, foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay said Friday.

09 Jul 2016 7:05 AM

Philippines' Duterte says wants death penalty for revenge

Duterte said European ambassadors were also among those who had expressed concern over the death penalty and extrajudicial killings.

27 Jun 2016 12:26 PM

Rodrigo Duterte offers bounties to kill criminals

The Philippines’ President-elect Rodrigo Duterte urged the public to join his anti-crime crackdown, offering people huge bounties for killing drug dealers.

06 Jun 2016 6:53 AM

Duterte offer of hero’s burial for Marcos sparks outrage

Plans by the Philippines’ controversial President-elect to give late dictator Ferdinand Marcos a hero’s burial triggered outrage on Tuesday, with martial law victims warning it would whitewash the str

25 May 2016 6:29 AM

The rise of the unlikely new leader Duterte

In a nation with a famously raucous political scene, Rodrigo Duterte stands out as one of the Philippines’ most colourful, unorthodox and controversial figures.

11 May 2016 6:41 AM

Islamists behead Canada hostage in Philippines

27 Apr 2016 6:48 AM

High-rollers brought in heist money: Agent

A Chinese junket operator in Manila said on Tuesday that two high-rollers from Beijing and Macau were responsible for bringing $81 million stolen by hackers from Bangladesh’s central bank into the Phi

30 Mar 2016 11:57 PM

Heist exposes Manila’s dirty money secrets

RCBC bank manager Maia Deguito (right) during a Philippines Senate inquiry into the allegations stemming from the Bangladesh bank heist. (Photo: AFP)

21 Mar 2016 3:37 PM

Bangladesh: Central bank governor quits after heist

‘$30m in cash sent to a Manila casino junket operator’

16 Mar 2016 6:13 AM

Boxing champ Pacquiao is on a political crusade

Philippines boxing legend Manny Pacquiao dribbles basketballs during training at a sports complex in General Santos City, southern Philipppines. Manny Pacquiao still trains with the joy that has been a trademark of his spectacular boxing career, but outside of the ring he speaks in ominous, biblical tones about his political crusade against wickedness. Pacquiao, already a congressman, is running for a Senate seat in the May elections. (Photo: AFP)

27 Feb 2016 1:11 AM

Filipino boxer calls gay couples ‘worse than animals’

Eight-time world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has sparked a firestorm of criticism in the Philippines after describing gay couples as “worse than animals”.

17 Feb 2016 5:42 AM

Manila to auction Marcos’ jewellery

Philippine authorities pledged on Monday to auction off as soon as possible millions of dollars’ worth of jewellery recovered from late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and his family.

16 Feb 2016 5:39 AM

Barack Obama faces South China Sea challenge

With the symbolic handshakes and unity photo-op, President Barack Obama’s high-profile summit with Southeast Asian leaders in California this week aims to step up pressure against China’s behaviour in

15 Feb 2016 3:01 AM

Gold heads for best month in a year as US data disappoints

Spot gold was little changed at $1,115.20 an ounce.

29 Jan 2016 10:43 AM

Gold slips from 12-week high, peaked at $1,127.80 an ounce

US gold for February delivery gained 0.4 per cent to $1,120 per ounce.

28 Jan 2016 10:04 AM

Japan's emperor Akihito visits Philippine WWII cemetery

Akihito's visit is the first by a Japanese emperor to the Philippines and comes as the two countries fortify economic and defence ties.

27 Jan 2016 4:05 PM

Manila says worried Filipinos could join Islamic State in Middle East

President Benigno Aquino said authorities would ask their Middle East counterparts to monitor possible radicalisation.

15 Jan 2016 3:02 PM