Today's headlines: Cassandra Ong, Atom Araullo, Google search terms | The wRap | December 13, 2024
Here are today’s headlines – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world:
House quad committee frees Cassandra Ong
Duterte’s PDEA chief ordered arrested, but detention scheduled in January
Journalist Atom Araullo wins game-changing civil suit vs red taggers
Negros Occidental under state of calamity after Kanlaon Volcano eruption
Heat wave, Carlos Yulo, Sining, BINI: Top Philippine search terms for Google in 2024
https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap-december-13-2024/
Today's daily wRap has been brought to you by @LazadaPhilippines. For SuliTipid online shopping deals, visit www.lazada.com.ph
Here are today’s headlines – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world:
House quad committee frees Cassandra Ong
Duterte’s PDEA chief ordered arrested, but detention scheduled in January
Journalist Atom Araullo wins game-changing civil suit vs red taggers
Negros Occidental under state of calamity after Kanlaon Volcano eruption
Heat wave, Carlos Yulo, Sining, BINI: Top Philippine search terms for Google in 2024
https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap-december-13-2024/
Today's daily wRap has been brought to you by @LazadaPhilippines. For SuliTipid online shopping deals, visit www.lazada.com.ph
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NewsTranscript
00:00Today on Rappler
00:12Cassandra Ong, the POGO worker linked to a scam hub in Porac, Pampanga, has been released
00:17from detention after almost four months.
00:20Lawmakers ordered the arrest and detention of Duterte's PIDEA chief, Wilkins Villanueva.
00:25Justice Atom Araulio wins a civil suit against his red taggers, SMNI hosts Lorraine Badoy
00:30and Jeffrey Sellis.
00:32Negros Occidental is placed under a state of calamity four days after the eruption of
00:36Canlaon volcano.
00:38And Heatwave, Carlos Yulo, Sining, and Beanie topped the most searched terms on Google in
00:43the Philippines.
01:02The House of Representatives squad committee releases Cassandra Ong, the 24-year-old Philippine
01:06offshore gaming operator or POGO worker linked to a scam hub in Porac, Pampanga.
01:12Ong had been detained for almost four months over a contempt charge.
01:15The quad committee lifted the contempt charge against Ong late Thursday, December 12.
01:20Ong petitioned to lift the charge, citing mental health issues due to her incarceration
01:24at the Correctional Institute for Women or CIW.
01:28She is a key figure in the POGO network in Porac, Pampanga, and a scam hub in Bambantarlac
01:33linked to dismissed mayor Alice Guo.
01:35She denied involvement in the POGOs throughout the trial.
01:38Squad committee chairperson Rep. Ace Barber says they can't get more information from
01:42her and her statements are sufficient for their committee report.
01:46Ong faces multiple human trafficking and money laundering complaints, all pending before
01:50prosecutors.
01:51Without a resolution, she will be free unless she is charged and arrested like Alice Guo.
01:58The House squad committee orders the arrest and detention of the former chief of the Philippine
02:01Drug Enforcement Agency, Wilkins Villanueva, during a hearing Thursday, December 12.
02:07The Duterte administration's PIDEA chief was cited in contempt by quad committee co-chairperson
02:11Joseph Stephen Paduano after refusing to answer questions related to a 2004 anti-drug operation
02:17in Davao City.
02:18The megapanel approves Paduano's request to hold Villanueva, but quad committee vice
02:22chairperson Romeo Ako proposed detaining the former PIDEA chief next year.
02:26Villanueva's arrest warrant will only take effect on January 13, 2025, or when the megapanel's
02:31hearings resume next year.
02:33Villanueva faced criticism for weeks over the 2004 anti-drug operation in a shabu facility
02:38in Dumoy, Davao City.
02:40On Thursday, he faced Jed Pilapil C, the wife of alleged drug personality Alan C, who was
02:45involved in the 2004 operation.
02:48Villanueva was allegedly involved in Jed's warrantless arrest.
02:52He claimed he didn't know about it, but Ako perfuted this by showing PIDEA records stating
02:56Jed was arrested twice by the agency.
03:01Journalist Atom Araulio wins a civil suit against his red daggers, SMNI hosts Lorraine
03:05Badoy and Jeffrey Sellis.
03:06A Quezon City court orders Badoy and Sellis to pay Araulio 2 million pesos in damages
03:11and lawyers' fees to compensate for the red-dagging and its impact.
03:15Araulio says, quote,
03:16"...this case opens up a legal option for anyone who has been a victim of red-dagging
03:20and harmful disinformation, particularly journalists.
03:23It is not okay to be attacked or harassed simply for doing our jobs."
03:27The case is a game-changer because it is the first known application of a Supreme Court
03:31ruling issued in May that classified red-dagging as a threat to one's constitutional right
03:35to life, liberty, and security.
03:37In Judge Dolly Rose Prado's 27-page decision, she took the SC's definition, concluding
03:42that Badoy and Sellis deliberately sought to discredit and inflict harm on Araulio.
03:46The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, or NUJP, says, quote,
03:50"...this case also shows how one can seek redress for defamation without resorting to
03:54criminal libel, an archaic and anachronistic law that has been often used to silence critical
03:58reporting, criticism, and dissent."
04:01Araulio was a journalist for ABS-CBN Channel 2 and now works for GMA7.
04:08Negros Occidental is now under a state of calamity four days after the Canloan volcano eruption.
04:13The Provincial Board approves on Friday, December 13, the recommendation made by the Provincial
04:18Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson.
04:23The declaration mandates a price freeze on basic commodities across the province to combat
04:27price gouging and hoarding of goods.
04:30Alternative procurement methods will be used for emergency works, goods, or services required
04:34for disasters.
04:36The provincial government is also authorized to use its P78M Quick Response Fund, or QRF,
04:42to help those affected areas.
04:44Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer assures help will be sent to affected cities
04:48and towns following the declaration.
04:51Heatwave, Carlos Yulo, Sining, and Bini topped the most searched terms on Google in the Philippines.
04:59The Google Philippines list covers various topics such as female and male personalities,
05:04TV shows, and songs.
05:06The heatwave that enveloped the country during the summer is number one for Filipinos, with
05:10actor Jaclyn Jose's passing coming in at second.
05:13The overall list concludes with climate change and AI-related terms such as AI detector and
05:18Google's AI tool, Gemini.
05:21This year's best-selling toy, Labubu, also made it to the list, along with concerns about
05:25the disease mpox and the trendy term demure.
05:29Olympic double gold medalist Carlos Yulo took the top spot for male personalities, while
05:33the girl group Bini topped the female personalities list.
05:37Korean domination continues with Queen of Tears and Marry My Husband on top, with eight
05:41of the ten spots occupied by a Korean show.
05:45In music, Dionella's Sining and international K-pop star Rose and Bruno Mars' APT are top
05:50one and two, respectively.
05:52Sarah Geronimo's version of Maybe This Time made a comeback thanks to a viral TikTok video.
05:57For sports, NBA matchups, Olympian EJ Obiena and the country's top volleyball league also
06:02dominated searches.
06:04Others also made it to the list like Kamala Harris and Alice Guo, and the passing of Liam
06:09Payne.
06:12And that's today's wrap.
06:13I'm JC Gotinga.
06:16Click the link below for the full story.
06:19Follow us on Rappler's YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.