The Latest Breaking News from Manila

MANILA: The Philippines on Tuesday filed a diplomatic protest calling on Beijing to ensure its vessels cease "aggressive activities" after Manila accused China's coast guard of trying to block one of its ships in the South China Sea using a "military grade laser."

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr summoned China's ambassador on Tuesday to express his "serious concern" over China's actions in the South China Sea and the foreign ministry called on Beijing to stop its vessels' "aggressive activities".

The United States has been rebuilding its military might in the Philippines more than 30 years after it closed its bases there

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr arrives in Japan on Wednesday for a visit that is expected to pave the way for closer security ties with Tokyo, as Manila increasingly sides with the United States in its regional tussle with China.

MANILA -- Metropolitan Police Department officers on Tuesday arrested two Japanese men suspected of involvement in a recent string of robberies in Japan, with the arrest officially taking place aboard a deportation flight to Narita Airport from the Philippines, which had transferred the men to Japanese custody.

MANILA: The Philippine Coast Guard has stepped up its presence in the disputed South China Sea by deploying additional vessels and conducting more sorties and overflights to protect maritime territory and the country's fishermen, its chief said on Monday.

MANILA -- Philippine authorities announced Saturday that they had dismissed all 36 officials, including the director, at the Bicutan detention center in a Manila suburb, where four Japanese men suspected of involvement in a string of robberies across Japan are being held.

The Philippines signed an agreement with the United States on Thursday that will allow American soldiers free access to four of its new military bases at a time of growing unease in the Indo-Pacific region over China's burgeoning influence.

MANILA -- Two of four Japanese men suspected of involvement in a recent string of robberies in Japan, currently being held in a detention center near Manila, are scheduled to face court hearings on Tuesday after decisions on their treatment were postponed on Thursday. The extradition of all four suspects…