Rappler's latest stories on Salvador Panelo
Panelo recommends signing of anti-terrorism bill
President Duterte's chief legal counsel claims the bill is constitutional and has enough safeguards against abuse

FALSE: Richard Gomez won’t accept returnees to Ormoc City
The President says in a late night address that Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez would not accept returning residents in Ormoc City. Gomez never said this.

Guevarra contradicts Panelo: Coronavirus not grounds for martial law
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra says in the context of martial law, rebellion, or invasion refers to 'armed actions by human beings, not by non-living things like viruses'

FALSE: Panelo quote lashing out at the poor
Panelo did not say what was attributed to him in the graphic, which was manipulated from a quote card posted by Inquirer.net

Malacañang says SC petition on Duterte's health merits 'outright dismissal'
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo tosses aside the petition, saying it is 'based purely on speculations'

PH to lift deployment ban on health workers with existing contracts
The President still needs to approve the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases' resolution allowing nurses and other health workers with existing contracts to leave

Malacañang won't call out Pimentel and Yap, cites 'conflicting' reports
(UPDATED) Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo says an investigation should be done first for 'true facts' to come out

Duterte backs out of Boracay visit over coronavirus threat
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo says President Rodrigo Duterte will not proceed to Boracay after 'careful review' of the coronavirus situation in the Philippines

Duterte clears POGOs despite alleged crime links
'Under my oath of office as President of the Republic, as elected by you, 'yang POGO na 'yan, malinis 'yan,' says President Rodrigo Duterte

Panelo defends Duterte's decision to keep POGOs running: 'Hindi naman masama'
'You cannot be burning the entire house just because there are so many rats there,' says Panelo of the President's decision to keep POGOs despite alleged crime links

Duterte won't ban POGOs despite alleged crime links – Panelo
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo says President Rodrigo Duterte's decision is also based on the need to fund government projects

Malacañang: Duterte won't rush decision on calls for POGO suspension
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo also says the President's decision to suspend lotto operations in 2019 – widely criticized as done in haste – should not be compared to his perceived slow action on calls to suspend POGO operations

Duterte studies proposals to tap nuclear energy
A proposed executive order to add nuclear energy to the Philippines' energy sources is also up for President Rodrigo Duterte's approval, says Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo

Philippines partially lifts ban on Filipino tourists bound for South Korea
(UPDATED) Filipino tourists can now travel to South Korea again, but restrictions remain in place for North Gyeongsang Province, including Daegu City and Cheongdo County

Malacañang satisfied with handling of Greenhills hostage crisis
'For as long as people are alive, we welcome it,' says Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo

PH bans travel of Filipino tourists to South Korea over coronavirus threat
(3rd UPDATE) The Philippine government also bans the entry of travelers from virus-hit North Gyeongsang province in South Korea

Duterte sacks immigration officials, employees over POGO bribery scheme
President Rodrigo Duterte found 'probable cause' to investigate allegations that immigration officers have taken bribes to let illegal Chinese workers slip into the country, says his spokesman

Panelo contradicts Panelo: No Trump, Duterte phone call after all
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo admits to reporters there was no scheduled call to begin with

'It is his duty': Panelo defends Calida petition vs ABS-CBN
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo also distances President Rodrigo Duterte from the petition against ABS-CBN, even as Duterte has publicly threatened the broadcast giant multiple times

No order from Duterte yet to terminate VFA – Lorenzana
'This is fake news,' says the defense secretary about Salvador Panelo's claim that the President has taken steps to instruct Foreign Secretary Locsin to send the notice of termination to the US

Despite risks, Duterte orders Locsin to terminate VFA
President Rodrigo Duterte ignores the calls of top security and foreign officials to first review the defense agreement

Filipinos repatriated from China back home on February 8
The initial batch will be brought straight from the Clark Airport in Pampanga to Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine

Duterte expands ban on travelers from China, Hong Kong, Macau over coronavirus fears
(UPDATED) Only Filipino citizens and permanent resident visa holders are exempt from the new travel restrictions, says Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea

Duterte bans travelers from Wuhan, Hubei as coronavirus spreads
The ban will also cover other areas in China where the 2019 novel coronavirus has spread, says Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo

China favored? Malacañang 'open' to complaints on Sangley airport project
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo says Malacañang assumes the Sangley Point International Airport project is 'aboveboard,' unless it receives proof showing otherwise

No personal U.S. trips for Cabinet members too, says Panelo
'We have to defer to the President's wishes,' says Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo

'Under the weather': Duterte's Q and A with Panelo postponed again
Sitting across an empty chair, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo says the interview with President Rodrigo Duterte may instead take place 'perhaps next week'

WATCH: Duterte, Panelo one-on-one interview cancelled
Duterte is feeling 'under the weather,' according to Panelo

Panelo to U.S.: State reason for Dela Rosa's canceled visa 'out of courtesy'
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo says the United States should give an explanation since there should be courtesy 'among allies'

Malacañang downplays possibility of U.S. terminating other military pacts
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo says the Duterte government is not concerned the United States may terminate other military treaties following the Philippines' move to scrap the Visiting Forces Agreement

Duterte orders review of UP-Ayala technohub deal
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, who recommended the review, says President Rodrigo Duterte wants the contract carefully studied

Malacañang postpones Duterte's Q and A with Panelo due to 'pressing matters'
The interview will instead take place on January 28

Malacañang: Albayalde innocent until proven guilty
'Let the law take its course,' says Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo

Malacañang: Kuwait OFW deployment ban stays until labor agreement implemented
The Philippine government says terms in a 2018 labor agreement with Kuwait must be incorporated in every contract with overseas Filipino workers in the Gulf State

Malacañang defends Phivolcs amid criticism over Taal eruption warnings
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo says President Rodrigo Duterte is satisfied with state volcanologists' response to the ongoing eruption of the Taal Volcano

Malacañang says 'standby fund' for Middle East evacuation not needed
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo says President Duterte did not follow through with his request for Congress to hold a special session on the Middle East as tension in the region has so far de-escalted

Panelo hits U.S. senators for ‘bullying’ PH officials with proposed sanctions
The United States Senate wants further action by passing a resolution that seeks accountability among Philippine officials for human rights violations in the country

Duterte signs law increasing government workers' pay
President Rodrigo Duterte's signing of the Salary Standardization Law will see salary schedules of government workers increased in 4 tranches starting 2020 until 2023

'It's a dud': Malacañang dismisses Robredo's findings on drug war
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo says the Duterte administration will only listen to recommendations of experts who have been involved in the anti-illegal drug campaign 'from the very beginning'

Panelo hits U.S. senators for 'absolute ignorance, shameful bias' over De Lima case
The Presidential Spokesman suggests US senators Patrick Leahy and Richard Durbin 'consult' with the US Ambassador to the Philippines 'before they start blabbering further nonsense'

PH bars entry of 2 U.S. senators who proposed ban on De Lima accusers
President Rodrigo Duterte also threatens to require US citizens to secure Philippine visas if the ban is enforced

After U.S. ban, Duterte gov’t officials insist De Lima detention lawful
(3rd UPDATE) Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo and Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano cite the Philippine Supreme Court ruling upholding the opposition senator's detention

Malacañang welcomes guilty verdict in Ampatuan massacre
But the 'narrative on the protection of media workers is far from over,' says Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, who was once a lawyer for Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr

U.S. senators misled over PH officials ban? De Lima: ‘Nakakatawa naman ito’
Senator Leila de Lima tells Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo her detention is a 'test case for your boss’ attempt to flex his tyrannical ambitions'

No need for Duterte to release his 2018 SALN – Panelo
But it was the Office of the Ombudsman which told media groups to ask Malacañang for a copy of the President's Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth

Panelo falsely claims Makati kidnapping an 'isolated incident'
Other officials make this claim despite police data showing a rise in kidnappings and a pattern in kidnappings involving Chinese

Panelo downplays critics' 'fervent wish' of Duterte 'arrest' in ICC case
Meanwhile, detained Senator Leila de Lima welcomes the International Criminal Court's report on the status of the complaint against Duterte over his administration's war on drugs

Malacañang: Morales, Del Rosario tapped 'ineffective process' for propaganda value
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo says the ICC Prosecutor's conclusion that it has no jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed in the West Philippine Sea by China is in line with the Duterte government's stand

Malacañang claims SWS slanted survey on foreign Chinese workers
The Palace also denies any tension caused by the influx of workers from China even if lawmakers and President Duterte's own advisers have expressed concern about it

Malacañang: SEA Games critics have a point
(UPDATED) The Palace announces it will conduct its own probe into the logistical mishaps dogging the regional sporting event
