News Roundup 26 June 2025
Jun 26, 2022 • 4 min Read
Robredo says there is need to discuss giving VP ‘bigger mandate’ | INQUIRER.NET – Vice President Leni Robredo stressed the need to discuss how to further widen the mandate of the country’s second highest official during her weekly radio show on Sunday. Robredo said this during the last episode of her radio show “BISErbisyong Leni” before her term as Vice President ends on the 30th of June. “Kailangan pag-isipan talaga kung papaano mas bibigyan ng mas malaking mandato ‘yung VP, kasi sayang kung halimbawa, kung ‘di ka masyadong naging creative, sayang ‘yung opisina,” she added. (We really need to think about how to give the VP a bigger mandate because it would be a waste if, for example, if you fail to be creative, the office won’t be put to good use.) She looked back with her own experiences, especially with how “she and her office were not treated as an ally and part of the government,” which she admitted wasn’t easy. “Para sa’kin kailangan pagusapan siya kung paano bibigyan ng mas malaking espasyo [ang VP] para mas may magawa,” said Robredo. (I think we need to talk about how to give the position a bigger space to do more.) Meanwhile, despite the hardships and limitations she and her office faced as the Vice President, Robredo said they all look at it now as “blessings,” expressing gratitude with what they went through. “Grabe ‘yung dinaanan namin, ayaw na namin ikwento ‘yung dinaanan kasi para sa’min ‘yun ‘yung blessing,” said Robredo. (We went through a lot, but we don’t want to talk about what we had to go through because for us it was a blessing.) “‘Yung kahirapan talaga ‘yun ‘yung blessing, syempre kung tatanungin kami sana hindi naging mahirap, pero ngayon na tapos na, pasalamat kami na naging mahirap kasi natututo kaming paghusayan lahat ng mahirap,” she added. (The hardship was really the blessing. Of course if we had a choice, we wouldn’t have wanted it to become that difficult, but now that we are done, we are thankful because we learned how to do excellent work in difficult tasks.)
Marines help arrest 4 gunmen, dismantle drug den in Maguindanao | INQUIRER.NET – Government forces arrested four persons during joint law enforcement operations in Maguindanao on Saturday. The anti-illegal drug operation in Sitio Kitob, Barangay Rumidas, Buldon town of Maguindanao also led to the dismantling of a drug den, according to Rear Admiral Toribio Adaci Jr., commander of the Naval Forces in Western Mindanao. According to Adaci, the man identified only as Sadam, was a high-value target of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority (PDEA), was the primary target of the operation. He eluded the raiding team composed of operatives of the 5th Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT-5), PDEA and the Maguindanao police but four of his men were arrested. Police identified those arrested as Jalil Maguilis, Johaiver Mamalumpong Usop, Jhonari Mamalacat and Alenajer Manalao, all residents of Buldon town. Government forces reported to have recovered five sachets containing 20 grams of shabu (crystal meth) estimated to cost P136,000; assorted improvised drug paraphernalia; two M16 rifles; ammunition for an M14 rifle, and other items. The four suspects have been turned over to Buldon municipal police office. Adaci lauded the Marines for helping other security forces in neutralizing drug personalities in their area of operation.
Tugade promises smooth transition for Jaime Bautista at DOTr | PHILSTAR.COM – Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade expressed support for Jaime Bautista, who has been tapped by President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to lead the Department of Transportation. In a statement on Sunday afternoon, Tugade said Bautista’s “professionalism, experience, dedication, and hard work will certainly augur well in his being the Secretary of Transportation.” Tugade promised to respond if he would be tapped for assistance by the department’s new chief. “The DOTr Transition team is likewise exerting all efforts to ensure a smooth, full, and transparent transition — one of cooperation, one of support, and one that is geared in making the new administration successful,” Tugade said. Last week, the president-elect’s camp confirmed that Bautista has been appointed to lead the DOTr. He previously served as the president and chief operating officer of flag carrier Philippine Airlines from 2004 to 2019.
