Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has directed the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the alleged sale of shots and slots for COVID-19 vaccines reported in the cities of Mandaluyong and San Juan.

In a briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the male seafarer, a crew member of M/V Athens Bridge, died last week.

The Supreme Court has approved the early retirement of Associate Justice Edgardo Delos Santos, creating another vacancy for President Rodrigo Duterte to fill this year.

"Assuming some of these ships may be Coast Guard, and a few might not be Chinese, we estimate that there are approximately 250 Chinese fishing ships in these contested areas now," Simularity said in its report released on Monday.

The Archdiocese of Manila has warned the public that Manila Archbishop-elect Jose Cardinal Advincula has no official social media account.

"I am perplexed by the need for unified operational guidelines given that it is very clear in the [Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972] that the PNP and other agencies will coordinate with the PDEA in any drug-related activity."

The study, which will be implemented by the Philippine Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, will involve 1,200 participants and will run for 18 months.

The call for hearings started in February, when personnel of the Quezon City police and the PDEA figured in a shootout outside a mall where they were conducting anti-drug operations independent of each other.

These survey results come in the middle of government efforts to withhold brand information from those already willing to be vaccinated. 

Australia will continue to work with the Philippines for an “open, inclusive, stable, prosperous and free” Indo-Pacific, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said over the weekend.