By Macon Araneta i FilAm Star Correspondent Opposition Sen. Leila de Lima warned against some popular senatorial candidates she called “Trojan horses” who might undermine the country’s democracy and freedom if elected in the coming May elections. “Trojan horses could make their way into the Senate, unless we do something about it. They will destroy the remaining shred of independence of that institution,” she said, without naming names among the long list of senatorial ...

By William Casis i FilAm Star Correspondent Medical marijuana, once legalized by Congress, is bound to open the floodgates for recreational use of the highly addictive drug warned Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza recently. Atienza, the House senior deputy minority leader, said the bill legalizing medical marijuana, which the House passed on third and final reading on January 29, would “create demand where there is none.” “If we create demand through legalization, then supply ...

By Beting Laygo Dolor | Contributing Editor A powerful political family backstopped by another local clan are bidding to maintain their control of politics in the former Philippine capital of Quezon City. The Belmonte and Bautista clans have held sway in QC for nearly four decades. The former is headed by patriarch Feliciano Belmonte, former Speaker of the House, while the latter is led by Herbert Bautista, who is serving out his third and final consecutive term as mayo...

By Macon Araneta i FilAm Star Correspondent Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, one of the leading figures in the 1986 EDSA revolution, stressed that the bloodless People Power Revolution should be celebrated not on February 25 but on February 22. “For me, what is important was February 22 because that was when the shout of EDSA was aired and heard. That was when we risked our lives (for the) benefit (of our) country,” stressed Enrile, who was then defense minist...

By Daniel Llanto i FilAm Star Correspondent The dream of a modern subway system for traffic-plagued Metro Manila is on its way to become a reality after the design-and-build contract was signed and the ground-breaking ceremonies held last February 27 for the first three stations of the PHP 227-billion subway project. Transportation Sec. Arthur Tugade said, “Our country will finally see that the dream of a railway system running underground in this country is soon becomi...

By Daniel Llanto i FilAm Star Correspondent Senators are resisting President Duterte’s call to let illegal Chinese workers stay in the country. Deporting them, according to proper immigration laws, would mean trouble for some 300,000 Filipinos currently in China, most of them reportedly staying there illegally. Sen. Panfilo Lacson said immigration laws should be obeyed by all foreigners and that they should not be allowed to take away employment opportunities from Fi...

By Corina Oliquino i FilAm Star Correspondent MANILA -- President Rodrigo Duterte during a PDP-Laban campaign rally in Biñan, Laguna claimed that at least 40 percent of New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), rebel soldiers are gay last February 23. “I mean ano lang ‘yan eh, a tag. Actually as natural as kung makakita ng gwapo, mga gaga,” he added. “Kahit ‘yung anak ko, nagtaka ako, bakit sabi nila si Baste talaga, ibi...