• 11 hours ago
Here are today’s headlines – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world:

- ‘Fabricated’ receipts in Sara Duterte’s confidential funds flagged 
- Michael Poa out as Sara Duterte’s spokesperson
- After pandemic deals, Pharmally bosses buy P1-B Dubai properties
- LGUs, TV stations, Catholic Church among most trusted PH sectors — study
- Trump vs Harris: US voters head to polls as turbulent campaign concludes


https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap/november-5-2024/

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Transcript
00:00Today on Rappler
00:15Lawmakers flag-fabricated acknowledgment receipts submitted by Vice President Sata
00:18Duterte's office in its use of confidential funds.
00:21The office of Vice President Sata Duterte terminates the contract of its spokesman,
00:25Michael Poa.
00:26The two formerly bosses bought P1 billion worth of properties in Dubai a year after
00:30the firm won irregular projects under the Duterte government.
00:34A study says local government units, television stations, and the Catholic Church are among
00:38the most trusted sectors in the Philippines.
00:41And a study finds billionaire Elon Musk and his platform X are at the epicenter of U.S.
00:45election disinformation as Americans head to the polls.
00:51House lawmakers flag-fabricated acknowledgment receipts submitted to state auditors by Vice
00:55President Sata Duterte's office in its use of confidential funds.
00:59Congressmen cite issues such as identical ink, incorrect dates, and alleged non-existent
01:04names.
01:05One writer-Rep.
01:06Rog Gutierrez says around 158 ARs amounting to P23.8 million had incorrect dates.
01:12The documents were supposed to reflect December 2022 but were mistakenly dated December 2023.
01:18Commission on Audit Rep. Gloria Gamora says the OVP explained this as typographical errors
01:24but she asks how could 158 people commit the same mistake?
01:28Meantime, Antipoli Rep. Romeo Acop also flags the OVP's use of identical ink and handwriting
01:34in 302 ARs, which had unreadable names and five repeated names.
01:39Vice President Duterte has yet to comment on the matter.
01:43Lawyer Michael Poa announces Tuesday, November 5, he is no longer the spokesperson of Vice
01:48President Sata Duterte.
01:50This amid intense congressional scrutiny over alleged fund misuse by the vice president.
01:55Poa says the OVP pre-terminated his consultancy contract as spokesperson.
02:00The OVP has yet to respond.
02:01In the October 17 House hearing, Poa revealed he sought certification from the Armed Forces
02:06of the Philippines to justify the use of DepEd's confidential funds for youth leadership summits,
02:12despite the agency's lack of direct involvement in the military-led event.
02:15Poa also admitted occasionally receiving envelopes with cash from the vice president.
02:20He recalled having received an envelope in December 2022.
02:23Poa has been attending the House probe, while other OVP officials have consistently skipped
02:28the hearings.
02:29Poa was Duterte's chief of staff and spokesperson at the Department of Education, and became
02:34her spokesperson in August 2024.
02:39Formerly bosses bought P1 billion worth of properties in Dubai a year after the firm
02:43won irregular pandemic-era projects under the Duterte government.
02:47Michael Yang, the former presidential economic advisor of Rodrigo Duterte, co-owns property
02:51in Dubai, acquired by his business partner and formerly financial manager, Lin Weishong,
02:56in 2021.
02:57Yang acted as financier and guarantor for formerly.
03:00This, just a year after the company won P7.49 billion in irregular pandemic projects during
03:06the Duterte government.
03:08An investigation by Rappler and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project finds
03:12Lin acquired two Dubai properties in 2021 worth P1.04 billion or P21 million.
03:19Lin bought a property at Luxury Altanaya 4th in Emirates Hills for P804 million or P16
03:26million, and another at Posh District 1 Phase 2 Villas in Mohammed Bin Rashid City worth
03:31P232 million or P4.7 million.
03:37A study says local government units, television stations, and the Catholic Church are among
03:42the most trusted sectors in the Philippines.
03:44The 2024 Philippine Trust Study explores the meaning of trust across six sectors.
03:49LGUs earn a trust rating of 95.4%, in contrast to the Office of the President, which is at
03:5582.3%, and Congress at 81.6%.
03:59The researchers explain trust in national government is influenced by public perceptions
04:03of transparency, competence, and consistency.
04:07Television stations have a trust rating of 93.6%, the highest among media platforms.
04:13Headlines supported by evidence, unbiased news, and the amplification of voices of the
04:17underdogs are some of the basis for trusting media.
04:20The Roman Catholic Church, where nearly 80% of Filipinos belong, holds a combined trust
04:25level of 92.4%.
04:28The study was conducted by public relations firm Eon in partnership with Ateneo de Manila
04:32University.
04:35A report by non-profit Center for Countering Digital Hate says 87 false or misleading claims
04:41by billionaire Elon Musk about the U.S. election amassed 2 billion views on social media platform
04:46X.
04:47Musk supports Republican Donald Trump.
04:50This as Americans head to the polls Nov. 5 to choose between two sharply different visions
04:54for the country.
04:55Reuters' Ipsos polling shows a gender gap, with Harris leading among women by 12 percentage
05:00points and Trump winning among men by 7 percentage points.
05:04Meantime, celebrities show up for Harris' final campaign rally, with Lady Gaga heading
05:08the pack.
05:09On stage in Harris' final rally in Philadelphia are Ricky Martin, Will.i.am, Christina Aguilera,
05:15and Oprah Winfrey, among others.
05:19And that's today's Wrap, I'm Kara Oliver, thank you for watching.
05:22Click the link below for the full story.
05:24Follow us on Rappler's YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.
05:34And don't forget to subscribe to Rappler for more great content.

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