The United States flagged the “significant problem” of impunity within Philippine security forces amid a spate of “unlawful and arbitrary” killings of activists, judicial officials, local government leaders, journalists and drug suspects.

A report from the US State Department flagged “significant problems” in the past year that affected the independence of the Judiciary, including the continued threats to the legal profession and slow trial proceedings.

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea reported that 115 Chinese militia ships have been located in Chigua (Kennan) Reef and 45 vessels in Pag-asa (Thitu) Island.

The government is looking to purchase half a million antigen test kits in a bid to screen more individuals within the NCR Plus bubble, the Department of Health said Wednesday.

In a briefing Wednesday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the agency has issued a memorandum to its regional offices to ensure “there is continuity of operations” this Holy Week.

Several priests at the Jesuit Residence have tested positive for COVID-19, the Ateneo de Manila University said Wednesday, days after it announced that that the house was placed on lockdown. 

The Supreme Court has extended the period of application for institutions to apply as local testing centers for the 2021 Bar examinations in November.

Medical collectives have also already called for a "time-out" return to ECQ once before. This call was granted, but other calls to reform the national government's pandemic response ultimately went unheard. 

Canlas helped farmers and indigenous Aeta communities in campaigns in Mount Abo and was involved in struggles against other destructive land grabs that put at stake at least 75,500 hectares of indigenous lands in Central Luzon, Kalikasan-PNE said.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government has so far asked 13 local government executives to explain why they were inoculated with coronavirus vaccines despite not being on the priority list.