Regional News

An American national wanted in California over an alleged child sexual abuse case has been arrested in the Philippines after U.S. authorities asked immigration officials to help track him down. The Bureau of Immigration said its Fugitive Search Unit arrested 50-year-old Robert Carlos Ramirez on September 10, 2026, during an enforcement operation at Camp Tomas Pepito in Angeles City, Pampanga. Ramirez is reportedly the subject of an outstanding warrant issued in Los Angeles Co

A 43-year-old U.S. citizen and military veteran who had been reported missing in the Philippines has been found alive and safe, according to the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office. The American, identified as Nathan Macvittie, was located after police traced his movements and eventually established direct contact with him. Capt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson for the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, said Macvittie personally confirmed that he was in good conditi

Police have identified a suspect in the killing of an American national and his Filipina wife inside their home in Barangay Bajumpandan, Dumaguete City, marking a major development in the investigation. Capt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson for the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, said the couple’s household helper positively identified the suspect from photographs in a police rogue’s gallery. According to Polinar, the helper identified the man as the same individual w

Philippine authorities are intensifying the search for 43-year-old American and reported U.S. Army veteran Nathan Macvittie of Missouri, who has been missing since arriving in the country in June, as investigators follow a trail of financial transactions across Negros Island. Police in Negros Oriental are reconstructing the U.S. veteran’s movements in an effort to determine where he traveled, whom he may have met and what happened after his last known activity. Capt. Stephen

An American national and his Filipina wife were shot dead inside their rented residence in Barangay Bajumpandan, Dumaguete City, in an early-morning attack that police are investigating amid reports that cash, jewelry and other valuables were taken from the house. The couple’s caretaker identified the victims as Mark Duell, 72, an American citizen, and his 71-year-old Filipina wife, Elsie Duell. The two were found with multiple gunshot wounds inside the living room of their r

The Association of Filipino Teachers in America (AFTA) has expressed grief over the deadly school shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University, calling the tragedy a reminder of the shared responsibility of schools, families and communities to protect young people. Two students, including the suspected shooter, died in the August 18 attack at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University High School campus in Zamboanga City. Two other people were wounded, according to the latest reports.

Catarman Doctors Hospital, Inc. (CDHI) continues to strengthen its role as a trusted private healthcare provider in Northern Samar, delivering accessible medical services while investing in technology, facilities, and professional healthcare personnel to better serve patients and families in Catarman and nearby communities. Located along Diversion Road 2 in Barangay Bangkerohan, Catarman, CDHI is a 41-bed, PhilHealth-accredited Level 1 General Hospital offering a broad range

A 59-year-old American fugitive wanted for child molestation charges in the United States was arrested by operatives of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Pangasinan as part of the government’s intensified #ShieldKids campaign against foreign sex offenders. Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado identified the fugitive as Matthew Cole Calhoun, a U.S. citizen who was apprehended by members of the BI Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) during an operation conducted on the evening of

An American fugitive accused of serious crimes back home has been tracked down and arrested in Danao City, Cebu, immigration authorities confirmed. The 44-year-old foreign national was collared on April 29 in a joint operation by the Bureau of Immigration’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU), local police, and U.S. authorities. Authorities said the American is wanted in Texas for allegedly threatening to release intimate visual material and for attempted aggravated assault with a dea

LEGASPI CITY - Residents in several communities surrounding Mayon Volcano experienced ash fall on Saturday afternoon following a lava flow collapse that generated a pyroclastic density current (PDC) along the volcano’s southwestern slopes. The event occurred at approximately 5:38 PM and was captured by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) Quick Response Team. According to PHIVOLCS, the PDC was produced by the collapse of advancing lava flows, send

NEW YORK - Northern Samar 2nd District Representative Edwin C. Ongchuan recently met with executives of Cebu Pacific to discuss possible initiatives aimed at strengthening transportation connectivity and promoting economic development in the province. The meeting brought together Ongchuan and key airline officials, including Michael Ivan Shau, President and Chief Operating Officer of Cebgo, Ces Natividad, Vice President for Corporate Affairs, and other executives from the air

CEBU - What was supposed to be a simple trip to seek help after a typhoon turned into a heartbreaking tragedy for a young mother struggling to support her family. Mary Christ Cuizon, 31, collapsed and died while waiting in line to validate records for ₱5,000 financial assistancefor victims of Typhoon Tino, which hit Cebu last November, at the Barangay Opao gymnasium in Mandaue City. Cuizon, a resident of Zone Talong, Barangay Paknaan, was later declared dead on arrival at Man

Food security and education were among the key priorities discussed during a recent meeting between Northern Samar Governor Harris Christopher Ongchuan and Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform. The dialogue focused on strengthening programs that support Filipino farmers, fisherfolk, and students sectors considered critical to the country’s long-term development. A major part of the discussion centered on

LUCENA CITY, Philippines - A suspected relationship dispute turned deadly after a man was fatally shot inside a store along Enriquez Street in Barangay 4, Lucena City, around 11:00 a.m. on March 5. The victim was identified as Jayson Zoleta, who reportedly worked at a clothing outlet in a mall in the city. According to the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Lucena, the suspect has been identified as Fattah Esmai Faisal, a resident of Barangay Marketview. Authorities said th

BISLIG CITY, Surigao del Sur — Several families were evacuated Friday morning (Feb. 20, 2026) after rising floodwaters inundated parts of Bislig City due to continuous heavy rains brought by a shear line affecting Mindanao. Residents of Maglikian-Requina in Purok 7, Barangay Tabon were among those forced to leave their homes as water levels rapidly increased overnight. The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), assisted by local emergency responders and

New York City — One Waraynon Creators, a growing collective of digital content creators from Samar Island, is making a meaningful impact beyond social media by organizing regular humanitarian missions to support underserved communities across the island. Through these initiatives, the group distributes food packs, school supplies, and other essential items to families, schoolchildren, and senior citizens who need them most. According to Dr. Cassey Samantilla, the organizatio

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Grief turned into a nightmare for one family after they were forced to move their loved one’s coffin to the second floor as neck-deep floodwaters invaded their home at the height of Typhoon Basyang. The heartbreaking scene showed relatives wading through murky water while trying to keep the white coffin from being swallowed by the flood. Kent Kobe Opon, who shared the images online, said Basyang robbed them of both their home and their chance to mourn in

A woman sustained 63 stab wounds after she was allegedly attacked and killed by her husband, a retired member of the United States Marine Corps. The victim was identified as Norma Abadano Hall, 36, a resident of Barangay Pinocawan, Vallehermoso, Negros Oriental. The suspect was identified as her husband, John William Hall, 40, a former U.S. Marine from Norfolk, Virginia, USA, who had been living in the same area. According to Vallehermoso Chief of Police PCPT Berwyn Soreño, t

A brutal killing has stunned residents of Sto. Tomas after a young man surrendered to authorities and admitted to fatally stabbing a member of the LGBT community, claiming the attack was fueled by anger after he was allegedly sexually abused multiple times. According to the Sto. Tomas Police, the suspect voluntarily went to authorities on Saturday and turned over the knife he allegedly used in the killing. The stabbing reportedly occurred in a remote area of Barangay Balellen

A 36-year-old woman was allegedly strangled to death by her own husband, a security guard, before her body was stuffed inside a garbage bag and hidden under their bed in Samal, Bataan. Police said the victim, known by the alias “Jenelyn,” was found already decomposing at around 6:00 p.m. Tuesday inside their home in Sitio Adamson, Barangay Gugo. The horrifying discovery was made after the victim’s sister went to check on her, worried because she had not been seen for three da

ALBAY, Philippines - Authorities have ordered the pre-emptive evacuation of residents within the six-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) of Mayon Volcano after state volcanologists raised the volcano’s status to Alert Level 3, citing increased volcanic activity and the heightened risk of hazardous eruptions. Following the advisory from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Albay Governor Noel Rosal, together with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and

Investigators from the Basud Municipal Police Station and the Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Unit (PIDMU) have traced the origin of the body found dumped at the Pinagwarasan Bridge in Purok 1, Barangay Pinagwarasan, Basud, Camarines Norte, following information provided by a tricycle driver and a bus conductor who unknowingly transported the container where the victim was allegedly placed. According to police, the tricycle driver surfaced after seeing repor

Philippine security forces have uncovered a cache of high-powered firearms allegedly belonging to the New People’s Army (NPA) during a joint military and police operation in a remote area of Labo town in Camarines Norte province, authorities said. The operation was led by the Philippine Army’s 16th Infantry Battalion under the 2nd Infantry “Jungle Fighter” Division, in coordination with the 42nd Infantry Battalion of the 9th Infantry “Spearhead” Division. Police units involve

Philippine Congresswoman Leila de Lima has called for an immediate and comprehensive investigation into reports that iron ore extracted from the coastal town of Jose Panganiban in Camarines Norte province may have been shipped to China, raising concerns over legality, environmental impact, and government oversight. De Lima said reports of several vessels positioned near the shoreline allegedly preparing to transport iron ore overseas must be thoroughly examined, stressing th