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GMA Network
02-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
House bills on absolute divorce refiled in 20th Congress
The plenary hall of the House of Representatives at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City is seen on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 before the complex is locked down ahead of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 24, 2024. Tina Panganiban-Perez/GMA Integrated News Proposed legislation on absolute divorce has been refiled in the House of Representatives under the 20th Congress. House Bill 108 filed by 4Ps Partylist Representative JC Abalos and House Bill 210 filed by ACT Teachers Partylist Representative Antonio Tinio and Kabataan Partylist Representative Renee Louise Co aim to reintroduce absolute divorce in the Philippines. "In the context of divorce, a marriage is recognized as valid but is terminated. The termination occurs not due to any defect or omission at the time of the marriage ceremony, but rather as a result of circumstances that arise during the marriage itself—which is a reality that most individuals often fail to acknowledge," Abalos wrote in his explanatory note. ACT Teachers and Kabataan Partylists also refiled the Absolute Divorce Bill this 20th Congress. @gmanews @gmanewsbreaking — Tina PanganibanPerez (@tinapperez) July 1, 2025 Abalos cited a study that showed that approximately 17.5% of Filipino women between 15 and 49 years old have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from their partners. "The bill aims to provide spouses in irreparably broken marriages a legal avenue for dissolution, thereby safeguarding children from marital strife and empowering vulnerable spouses, particularly in abusive relationships, to rebuild their lives," Abalos said. In their explanatory note, Tinio and Co wrote that "Philippine society generally frowns upon and discourages marital break-ups and provides cultural and legal safeguards to preserve marital relations." "For many women, the inequalities and violence in marriage negate its ideals as the embodiment of love, care, and safety, and erode the bases upon which a marriage is founded," they added. READ: What's the difference between annulment, legal separation, and divorce? The bills provide common grounds for granting absolute divorce, such as physical violence, drug addiction, homosexuality, and grounds for annulment of marriage under Article 45 of the Family Code. "Hindi naman nating pinipilit or ine-encourage na maghiwalay ang married couples dahil napaka-importante at napaka-invaluable and grabe ang sanctity of marriage," Abalos told reporters in an interview. (We are not insisting or encouraging the breakup of married couples because the sanctity of marriage is important and invaluable.) "What we're just saying here is that we must acknowledge the struggle of our countrymen na nasa-stuck sa mga ganitong toxic relationships," he added. (What we're saying here is that we must acknowledge the struggle of our countrymen who are stuck in toxic relationships.) READ | Divorce in PH: 'Humanitarian imperative'? Abalos' version of the proposal requires a 60-day cooling off period for the Family Court to "exercise all efforts to reunite and reconcile the concerned spouses," while Tinio and Co's version requires a six-month cooling off period. The absolute divorce bill was passed on third and final reading by the House of Representatives during the 19th Congress. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Prostitutes, kickbacks and a porn star: Spanish PM Sánchez's Socialist Party rocked by wild corruption scandal
Live Events Who's involved in the scandal? FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez , who once promised to clean up politics, is now caught in a massive corruption scandal. His Socialist Party is under fire for shady deals, prostitutes, secret recordings, and even a porn star. His wife and brother are also facing serious Sánchez became PM in 2018 after removing the last leader, Rajoy, for corruption. He promised to clean up politics and called for a 'new democratic era.' Now his own party, PSOE, is involved in a giant scandal involving sex workers, shady deals, and illegal contracts, as per the report by The wife is being investigated for using her position to help people unfairly. His brother, David, got a special job made just for him in a public office, according to reports. Enemies call Sánchez 'the dog' because they say he's hard to get rid of, but this scandal might finally do it. Sánchez is known for his 'woke' politics and feminist image, but now tapes show his allies talking about sex shocked his left-wing supporters, including ministers who refused to sit beside him in Congress. Santos Cerdan, one of Sánchez 's closest allies, resigned last week over corruption claims. Police say Cerdan charged companies money in exchange for public contracts in Navarre. Sánchez apologized for defending Cerdan, calling the whole thing a small 'anecdote', as stated by The Telegraph scandal includes Koldo Garcia, a former nightclub bouncer turned top aide. Koldo worked for Jose Luis Abalos, ex-minister and longtime party insider. Abalos is suspected of taking kickbacks worth hundreds of thousands of euros. Abalos's house was raided by police in June. He was found with a woman named Anaí turned out to be porn star Letizia Hilton, according to El Mundo. Abalos allegedly tried to hide a hard drive with evidence by sneaking it in her pocket while she walked the dog. Koldo is said to have recorded all conversations for over 10 years, and police are now checking all his memory sticks, as per the report by The found recordings of officials talking about sex workers and shady deals. One tape has Koldo saying, 'I could break someone's legs, but with time, you learn.' Now party members are paranoid, nobody knows who else was recorded. Another minister might be in trouble next, as police dig into more links to Abalos. Sánchez ordered an external audit of the party's finances to prove PSOE isn't opposition leader Feijoo said Sánchez is 'deeply caught in a corruption scheme' and called him out in Parliament. Feijoo told Sánchez, 'You're not the victim. The Spanish people are'. Feijoo also said Sánchez is avoiding early elections because he 'knows he will lose.' Now everyone is waiting for the next batch of leaked recordings; they could decide if Sánchez stays or falls, as per The linked to a huge scandal involving his party, sex workers, and name is Letizia Hilton, found with ex-minister Ábalos during a police raid.
GMA Network
22-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
DOJ dismisses Duterte's complaints vs. Abalos, Marbil over warrant serving at KOJC
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has dismissed the malicious mischief and domicile complaints filed by former President and KOJC property administrator Rodrigo Duterte against former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos and other officials. In a 14-page joint resolution, the DOJ dismissed the two counts of malicious mischief filed against Abalos, Philippine National Police chief Police General Rommel Marbil, and others for damaging the gate of the compound during the serving of warrants against KOJC founder Apollo Quiboloy in August 2024. The DOJ ruled that there was no malice present. 'No evidence—direct or circumstantial—has been offered to show that any of the respondents, much less those who were not physically present, acted with malicious intent,' the resolution read. 'At best, the complainants impute malice based on the scale and nature of the operation, which is legally insufficient,' it added. Aside from this, the DOJ dismissed the complaint for violation of domicile filed against Abalos, Marbil, and other cops. Duterte alleged that the police officers forcibly entered the compound and residential quarters without a search warrant, violating their domicile right. However, the DOJ said that no evidence was presented that the police entered any premises in defiance of the law. 'Their actions, as alleged, fall within the realm of lawful performance of duty and are protected by the presumption of regularity in official functions,' it read. 'Absent any overt act that constitutes an element of the crimes charged, and in the absence of malice, unlawful intent, or personal participation, this Office finds that no probable cause exists to warrant the indictment of the respondents,' The complaint was dismissed by Davao Acting City Prosecutor Angelica Laygo-Francisco. Last August, tensions rose between the KOJC and the PNP as the latter attempted to serve the arrest warrants against Quiboloy. This ended with Quiboloy's surrender to authorities in September after he was given an ultimatum to turn himself in within 24 hours. Quiboloy is facing charges under Section 5(b) and Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act. He is also facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended, before a Pasig court. In a statement, Abalos welcomed the dismissal, saying it is a win for truth and justice. 'It affirms that all our actions were in accordance with the law. Ito ay malinaw na ang aming ginawa ay tamang pagpapatupad ng batas [It is clear that what we did was a proper implementation of the law],' he said. 'This is the end of the matter. The truth has prevailed,' he added. — BM, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
08-05-2025
- Business
- Filipino Times
New era for OFW services: Faster, easier, and more digital
The long wait is finally over! Government services for Filipinos abroad are now becoming faster, easier, and more digital than ever before. Thanks to reforms driven by actual OFW concerns, the old hassle of long lines, appointment systems, and paperwork is slowly being left behind. Whether it's voting, verifying contracts, or securing civil documents, big improvements are now in place. These are more than just upgrades—they're life-changing shifts for the millions of Filipinos working overseas. Let's break down how the digital era is reshaping the OFW experience—one click at a time. Bumoto na online For the longest time, voting while overseas felt like a luxury instead of a right. Many OFWs either couldn't make it to their consulate or had no time off from work to participate. But that's all changing, thanks to the launch of online voting. In 2025, OFWs in 77 countries can now vote digitally. No queues. No hassle. No missed chances. This update empowers Filipinos abroad to join the democratic process without sacrificing time, energy, or income. Several netizens welcomed the move. 'Done online voting,' one shared. 'This program is so useful to those Filipinos like us who are so far from the Philippine Embassy. I don't wanna waste my right to vote.' Another added, 'Vote cast! May God bless all leaders of the Philippines in serving every Filipino with honor and heart.' Having the power to vote is great, but if basic services are still slow and stressful, it's not enough. Thankfully, the Migrant Workers Office in Dubai and the Northern Emirates (MWO-Dubai) just put contract verification on the fast track. The dreaded appointment system? It's officially gone. Senatorial candidate and former DILG secretary Benhur Abalos expressed his gratitude to MWO-Dubai for their swift response following his online consultation with OFWs last April. During the session, OFWs from the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and North America raised concerns about the slow and appointment-heavy process for securing OECs and contract verification. On May 1, the MWO in Dubai has taken out the appointment system in contract verification process and increased the online slots to 800. 'Ngayon po ay binabati ko ang Department of Migrant Workers sa pangunguna ni Secretary Hans Cacdac sa kanilang ginagawang hakbang at reporma para mapabilis ang ating proseso. Ako po ay taos pusong nagpapasalamat sa kanilang pagtugon,' Abalos stated. Abalos also promised OFWs that he will do everything he can to further speed up the process if he gets elected as Senator. ''Pag ganyan ang batas na gagawin mo, Benhur, magkakasundo tayo [d'yan],' one netizen commented. Docs, done, delivered! Having your contract verified is one thing. Having your documents authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is another story. Before, Filipinos had to go through a two-step hassle: first request their PSA documents, then submit them to the DFA office for Apostille authentication—often with additional requirements to present, adding even more stress to the process. But now, things just got way easier. According to a new DFA advisory, OFWs can request Apostille services for PSA-issued documents—like Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Advisory on Marriage, and Certificates of No Marriage Record (CENOMAR)—completely online. No more lining up, no more paperwork, no need to visit the DFA. It's a big win for convenience, time, and peace of mind. Serbisyo with a heart For many OFWs, these changes—online voting, faster contract verification, and PSA documents now automatically DFA-apostilled—are more than just improvements in process. They're a step towards making life abroad a little easier, with less stress and more convenience. The hope is that this progress will continue to make life easier, happier, and more fulfilling for all Filipinos abroad. These changes will offer a better, brighter future, not only for the OFWs of today but for future generations as well.
Filipino Times
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Vice Ganda backs Abalos for Senate: ‘Kesa naman yung mga walang kwenta ang pumasok sa top 12'
Comedian and TV host Vice Ganda has openly expressed support for former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Atty. Benhur Abalos in his bid for the Senate in the 2025 midterm elections. The endorsement was made through a short video posted on social media, where the text read: 'Kesa naman yung mga walang kwenta ang pumasok sa Top 12. Dito na 'ko! #1 Abalos, Benhur.' Known for her sharp commentary and massive following, Vice Ganda have long emphasized the importance of electing public officials who have a clear track record and genuine concern for the Filipino people. In several statements, Atty. Abalos has laid out his legislative priorities, which include fast-tracking digital government services for OFWs, implementing affordable housing programs, providing stronger support for farmers, and removing the value-added tax (VAT) on electricity to help lower household bills. Vice Ganda has long been vocal about her political views, having supported Leni Robredo in the 2022 presidential elections. Robredo, for her part, has also expressed support for Atty. Abalos' Senate run, citing his consistent assistance to her hometown, Naga City.
