Category: News
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 Elections’ (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 – 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 province’s 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 Sulu’s Districts Following Supreme Court Ruling
COTABATO CITY — 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 – With political temperatures rising ahead of the 2025 elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), leaders of the region’s major political parties are urging their supporters to exercise restraint—particularly 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 country’s 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 surplus—enough to
PH, US Marines Sharpen Skills in Mindanao as Part of Marine Exercise 2025
COTABATO CITY – 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 – 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 — A joint operation by Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Group, Zamboanga City Police, and Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized P2.8 million worth of illegal Indonesian cigarettes in a raid last Tuesday, April 1. Acting on community tips, authorities stormed a storage facility in Baliwasan Seaside, uncovering 95 large boxes of contraband brands, including New Berlin Red, Canon, and Bravo cigarettes—all smuggled
P2 Million Shabu Bust in Zamboanga City: Police Nab Notorious Drug Dealer
ZAMBOANGA CITY — 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 shabu 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)—not 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 tool—tariffs—as 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 China—if
Trump’s New Tariffs Shake Global Trade—Here’s How the Philippines Could Be Affected
President Donald Trump has unleashed his long-awaited new round of tariffs, promising to reshape U.S. trade—but the move could drive up prices for American consumers and trigger global economic ripple effects, including in the Philippines. On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order imposing reciprocal tariffs on all countries that tax U.S. goods, declaring April 2, 2025, as “Liberation
Mindanao ‘Uprising’ Claims Debunked: PCIJ Exposes Social Media Misinformation
A recent study by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) has debunked viral social media claims about an “imminent uprising” in Mindanao following the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte last month. The PCIJ report, released on March 30, dismantles a wave of disinformation portraying Duterte as a victim of injustice and falsely suggesting
