MANILA, Philippines -- The Court of Appeals has ruled that the owner and employee of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) refilling plant should pay nearly P300,000 in damages to a customer who was badly burned when fire engulfed the facility.

MANILA, Philippines -- Election lawyer Leila De Lima took her oath Thursday as the new chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights before Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

MANILA, Philippines -- It’s “full steam ahead,” said Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Jose A.R. Melo after the poll body formally signed a contract that would ensure the automation of the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in the middle of this year.

ILOILO CITY -- Iloilo Vice Governor Rolex Suplico said on Thursday his witness had said what he knew and had little to add about President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's meeting with the ZTE Corp. officials in China in November 2006.

MANILA, Philippines -- Leftist lawmakers are set to petition the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to order the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to refund the more than P400 million a year in pass-on charges to consumers.

MANILA, Philippines -- The Manila Regional Trial Court allowed the son of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim to post P400,000 bail on Wednesday after finding the evidence presented by the prosecution in drug charges against the accused was "weak."

MANILA, Philippines -- Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to gather evidence against National Food Authority (NFA) officials and employees in Mindanao allegedly in cahoots with rice hoarders to exploit the current food crisis.

MANILA, Philippines -- Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero has cautioned his colleagues in the Senate against reopening the national broadband network (NBN) pending the chamber‘s case before the Supreme Court.

MANILA, Philippines -- The new commanding general of the Philippine Army acknowledged the "need" to remind troops to respect human rights, as he pledged to cooperate in investigations into the disappearance of activist Jonas Burgos.

MANILA, Philippines -- Tropical depression "Cosme" maintained its strength, as it remained "almost stationary" off the western coast of Luzon late Thursday morning, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

WASHINGTON -- Democratic front-runner Barack Obama scored a coup Wednesday in his White House nominating battle against Hillary Clinton by winning the high-profile endorsement of blue-collar champion John Edwards.

MANILA, Philippines -- Aiming for a stronger political party, the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Partner of the Free Filipino, Kampi) has proposed a "two-tiered merger" with Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno said.

MANILA, Philippines -- "Explain the picture. Explain the allegation," Senator Alan Peter Cayetano told President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday.

ILAGAN, Isabela -- At least 34 aftershocks followed the magnitude 5.4 earthquake that shook Isabela province Tuesday night, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

MANILA, Philippines -- A petition for “emergency relief for drivers,” has been filed by a group of taxi operators at the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB), an official said.

MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s allies at the House of Representatives are considering filing a class suit against the Manila Electric Co (Meralco) for passing on to consumers its own power consumption.

MANILA, Philippines -- Two active low pressure areas on the western and eastern coasts of Luzon could intensify into storms by Wednesday afternoon, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

MANILA, Philippines -- Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, accused of libel by employees of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), posted early Wednesday afternoon the P10,000 bail imposed on him by Judge Antonio Rosales of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 52.

MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has ordered the Bureau of Immigration to put a key witness on the national broadband network (NBN) scandal on its watchlist.

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited the Department of Justice (DoJ) anew to follow up the cases against suspected rice hoarders and said she was satisfied with the agency’s efforts, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said Wednesday.