Philippine leader asks officials to ignore corruption probe

14 Sept 07:36 Key points summarised by AI

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced he would prohibit Cabinet officials from participating in an ongoing Senate inquiry into alleged corruption in government medical supply purchases.
Duterte plans to issue a written order barring officials, including those involved in the pandemic response, from attending the hearings, accusing critical senators of political grandstanding and abusing their power.
He threatened to order the police and military to disregard any Senate arrest warrants for officials who defy summons, escalating a brewing "constitutional crisis."
The Senate inquiry focuses on suspected overpricing and irregularities in multi-billion peso contracts awarded to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., a company with minimal capital linked to a former Duterte economic adviser.

Uthenthawai students and alumni declare truce with Pathumwan rivals

Yesterday 20:34 Key points summarised by AI

Uthenthawai students and alumni have pledged to cease violent clashes with Pathumwan Institute rivals, coinciding with their campus's reopening after a 90-day closure.
The Minister of Higher Education is mediating the long-running conflict, while the campus closure has significantly disrupted in-person classes and laboratory work for over 1,000 students.
Uthenthawai resists relocation from its current site, citing a historical land grant from King Rama VI, despite Chulalongkorn University's plans to reclaim the land for an educational hub.
Concerns are mounting over the legality of the campus closure, its detrimental impact on uninvolved students, and the potential commercial development of the land, which critics argue contradicts the late King Rama VI's intentions.