Month: April 2025
Election-related violence surges in Mindanao ahead of May 12 polls
Violence continues to escalate across Mindanao in the lead-up to the May 12 midterm elections. Local officials and political operatives among those targeted in a string of deadly ambushes and attacks, reports gathered by the Inquirer show. Despite the Commission on Electionsโ (Comelec) gun ban and the deployment of additional security forces, politically motivated violence
PH, US troops hold anti-terror drills in Maguindanao del Norte’s ‘most peaceful town’
DATU BLAH SINSUAT, Maguindanao del Norte โ Filipino and American troops conducted a joint sea-to-shore anti-terror assault drill and artillery fire exercise on Wednesday, April 9, in a quiet coastal village in this provinceโs fishing capital. The drills, held in Barangay Penansaran, were part of Marine Exercise 2025, a bilateral training operation between the Philippine
Bangsamoro Parliament to Reassign Suluโs Districts Following Supreme Court Ruling
COTABATO CITY โ With Sulu officially removed from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), lawmakers in the regional parliament are now gearing up to reallocate its seven parliamentary districts ahead of BARMM’s first-ever elections in October 2025. This move follows a landmark Supreme Court decision earlier this year, which granted a petition by
Bangsamoro leaders call for civility as political tensions rise on social media
COTABATO CITY, Philippines โ With political temperatures rising ahead of the 2025 elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), leaders of the regionโs major political parties are urging their supporters to exercise restraintโparticularly in social media. Officials from Serbisyong Inklusibo, Alyansang Progresibo (SIAP), the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) of the Moro
Energy Woes Hit Luzon and Visayas as Mindanao Powers Up
As the summer heat intensifies, so does the countryโs energy challenge. A new report by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) warns that Luzon and Visayas may face thinning power reserves by June 2025, with Luzon potentially hitting critical red alert levels. In contrast, Mindanao is expected to have a steady surplusโenough to
In Zamboanga Sibugay, Small Businesses Feel the Pinch Weeks Before Elections
IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay โ The streets of Ipil, the bustling capital of Zamboanga Sibugay, are getting louder as political motorcades weave through barangays, posters cover every wall, and candidates flood the airwaves with promises as elections day get nearer. But behind the campaign music and hopeful slogans, a quieter story unfoldsโone that affects karinderya owners,
Left Behind: Small Fishermen and Farmers Struggle to Access Climate Finance
Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay โ In the quiet rhythm of the tides, fishermen in this coastal town steer their boats through the mangrove-lined waters, hauling in oysters and red grouperโlife teeming where once there was none. Just a few decades ago, these waters were empty, devastated by rampant mangrove deforestation. With their livelihoods vanishing, a group
PH, US Marines Sharpen Skills in Mindanao as Part of Marine Exercise 2025
COTABATO CITY โ Under the cover of night and the sharp gaze of high-powered scopes, Filipino military and police snipers joined U.S. counterparts in a long-range nighttime shooting drill in Maguindanao del Norte on Friday, April 5 โ a key highlight in the ongoing Philippine-US Marine Exercise 2025. The marksmanship training, held at the Philippine
P2.8M Smuggled Cigarettes Bust in Zamboanga City; Crack Down on Illegal Trade
ZAMBOANGA CITY โ A joint operation by Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Group, Zamboanga City Police, and Bureau of Customs (BOC)ย seizedย P2.8 million worth of illegal Indonesian cigarettesย in a raid lastย Tuesday, April 1. Acting onย community tips, authorities stormed a storage facility inย Baliwasan Seaside, uncoveringย 95 large boxesย of contraband brands, includingย New Berlin Red, Canon, and Bravo cigarettesโall smuggled
P2 Million Shabu Bust in Zamboanga City: Police Nab Notorious Drug Dealer
ZAMBOANGA CITY โ In a blow to the illegal drug trade in the Zamboanga Peninsula, undercover police operatives arrested a high-profile dealer and confiscated P2 million worth of shabuย during a sting operation in Barangay Baliwasan last Wednesday, April 2. The suspect, known for supplying methamphetamine (shabu) across multiple barangays in Zamboanga City and nearby towns
‘I Want to Die in My Country’: Rodrigo Duterte Seeks Swift ICC Resolution Amid Fears of Dying in Detention
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is pushing for an expedited resolution of his crimes against humanity case at the International Criminal Court (ICC)โnot out of defiance, but out of a desperate wish to return home before time runs out. Now 80 years old, the fiery ex-leader fears he could spend his final days behind bars
Trump Dangles Tariff Relief to Sway China on TikTok Deal
With the clock ticking on the fate of TikTok in the U.S., former President Donald Trump is once again using his favorite negotiation toolโtariffsโas leverage to pressure China into making a deal. Speaking aboard Air Force One on Thursday, Trump hinted that he’s open to easing the heavy tariff burden he just slapped on Chinaโif
