Stefano Vecchia

Leila De Lima - former Minister of Justice under Aquino and proud opponent of the president's methods in the "war on drugs" - was arrested and convicted for alleged favors to a drug trafficker. Today Kerwin Espinosa claims that it was the police who forced him to accuse her. Msgr David, president of the Episcopal Conference: "A grave injustice committed against the entire Filipino people".

Exports have fallen from more than 11 million tonnes to 5.7 million tonnes in two years. The reasons lie in failed economic policies compared to rivals in the region and rising transport costs. International lenders warn of the growing burden of climate change on agriculture.

According to Surfshark, the Philippines ranks second for child exposure to online risks after Thailand but before Turkey. Sexual exploitation, cyberbullying and hacking are the most common dangers. In the last two years, child pornography has also grown in parallel with remote learning.

The apostolic vicar of Taytay and former auxiliary bishop of Manila, beloved by the downtrodden, spoke to AsiaNews about the situation in his country ahead of the 9 May election. Human rights are increasingly seen as a burden. Extrajudicial executions call for justice. He personally supports Leni Robredo. Speaking about the war in Europe he said: “What the Russians are doing in Ukraine, China could do to us.”

For the outgoing president, the measure "could give rise to dangerous interference by the State". In the Philippines, where internet use is very high, disinformation, anonymous defamation, verbal aggression, slander and incitement to hatred are widespread.

Eleven Finger, an artist from the Khlong Toei slum openly critical of the military, has been arrested for allegedly throwing smoke bombs at a military compound where the Thai prime minister, a former general, lives. Treason legislation is increasingly used to impose heavy punishments and silence dissidents.

The PSA’s latest figures show that the unemployed and underemployed represent more than 20 per cent of the workforce. Political uncertainty and the Ukraine war are making matters worse, while many are coming home from Macao, Thailand and Vietnam because of the crisis.

Marcos Jr.'s main challenger in the 9 May election signed an agreement with an association of 18 indigenous groups, pledging to protect their rights over the lands where they live. Although still far behind in the polls, she is rising against the frontrunner, son of the late dictator Marcos, and vice-presidential candidate Sara Duterte.

The Malaysian Chinese Association has raised the issue of about a hundred young women forced to work in call centres carrying out online scams. This is the tip of the iceberg that involves thousands of people at the mercy of criminal gangs linked to a casino network which Cambodian authorities welcomed into the country.

Plan includes creating production capacity for six million cubic metres per year of commercial timber. The objective is to develop the local economy while limiting illegal deforestation. The country’s natural forest lost 4 per cent in a decade. The pandemic has provided an opportunity for environmental revitalisation.

A mother’s quest for justice for her son, Veeraphan Tamklang, who died last year after a beating on a campus, shows police failure to investigate this type of violence, which is often perpetrated by members of high-ranking families.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has always upheld the principle of non-interference. Apart from Singapore, no member country has imposed sanctions on Russia. Taking a stand would mean going against China, the regional bloc’s first economic partner.