We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Brawner backs NTF-ELCAC, says no let-up in anti-insurgency campaign
The Armed Forces of the Philippines will continue its efforts to achieve total annihilation of the insurgency problem in the country. This was the commitment of Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. during the Commission on Appointments panel’s deliberation of his promotion as the AFP chief of staff with the rank of four-star general and other AFP officers on Wednesday. During the deliberations, Rep. Johnny Pimentel, CA assistant Minority floor leader, backed Brawner’s endeavor to continue supporting the program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, lamenting that the insurgency has been halting community development in the country. “Gen. Brawner, the biggest challenge that you will be facing is not the problem on the West Philippine Sea, but rather how to end the communist insurgency which has been with us for more than 50 years, I believe,” he said. Pimentel said the insurgency problem may not be felt in Metro Manila but “insurgency problems in rural areas are real.” He then asked about Brawner’s plans to end insurgency in the country. “I’ve always been saying that the best thing to our counter-insurgency efforts is the NTF-ELCAC,” said Brawner, noting that the whole-of-nation approach was able to address not just the armed component but also the root causes of the problem.” Brawner also recognized the local government chief executives and barangay officials who have been playing a “big role” in the pursuit of the anti-insurgency convergence under the ambit of Executive Order 70 or NTF-ELCAC. “So ipagpapatuloy po natin iyon. Dahil po dun sa NTF-ELCAC natutugunan natin 'yung basic needs nung ating mga kababayan especially in geographic isolated areas, at habang ginagawa po natin iyan with the local government leading and andun po 'yung government agencies also supporting, ‘yung inyong armed forces are capable now of focusing on the armed element,” he said. Brawner said the inter-agency efforts through NTF-ELCAC are making the AFP’s efforts “very effective” in reducing the number of the armed component of the CPP-NPA-NDF. “We have so many accomplishments on these because of our better relations with communities; they are the ones leading us to the armed groups,” he added. Brawner said the AFP has been successful in inviting rebels to come down and surrender through the NTF-ELCAC’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program. “So we will continue all of this. We gave our units an ultimatum again, but it looks like very achievable, and right now we don’t monitor any active guerilla front,” he said. “What we have is a weakened guerilla front and we also have a few vertical units—a group of remnants gathered together. Wala no ho silang halos suporta mula sa komunidad and the only ones supporting them, right now, are their relatives,” he added. “That is why we are reaching out to their relatives to convince their family members to go down.” Meanwhile, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri cited the AFP for a “job well done” in improving the security situation in Budkidnon province. “They did not totally eradicate the communist insurgency there but brought it down drastically,” he said. The post Brawner backs NTF-ELCAC, says no let-up in anti-insurgency campaign appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Malaysia’s Anwar thwarts opposition challenge in state polls
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's ruling coalition thwarted a challenge by an opposition alliance in state elections, official results showed Sunday, with analysts saying the win would buy him time to consolidate power in the largely Islamic Southeast Asian nation. Saturday's vote in six states had been the toughest political challenge yet to Anwar, who was appointed prime minister in November last year to head a unity government after an indecisive general election. The election of state assembly members does not affect Anwar's current two-thirds majority in parliament. It was, however, widely seen as a barometer of support for Anwar, including his push for a more inclusive society in which minority ethnicities could be allowed greater participation in the largely Malay Muslim nation, which also has large Chinese and Indian populations. Results released by the Election Commission showed that Anwar's Pakatan Harapan coalition retained three states: Selangor, Penang, and Negeri Sembilan. The opposition alliance Perikatan Nasional -- whose key member the PAS party aims to create a theocratic state in Malaysia -- kept its hold on Kedah, Terengganu, and Kelantan. Retaining Selangor, which hosts the country’s biggest port, and Penang, home to Malaysia’s thriving semiconductor industry, are prized wins for Anwar, analysts said. The ruling coalition, however, lost its two-thirds majority in Selangor, as the opposition made strong inroads. Perikatan is backed by the Malaysian Islamic Party, or PAS, whose strong performance in last year’s general elections had sparked ruling party concerns it could spring a surprise and flip one or two states to the opposition. "This is a decision of the people. We have to respect this decision," Anwar said of the results at a late-night press conference as he also appealed for unity after a divisive campaign. "The federal government remains strong after this poll and we will continue to promote a prosperous Malaysia," he added. Oh Ei Sun of the Pacific Research Center of Malaysia think tank said "it was a nail-biting win for Anwar after he thwarted the challenge from the powerful Islamic party PAS". Bridget Welsh, a Malaysia expert from the University of Nottingham, said retaining the three states was a "victory for Anwar" as "he had gone into this campaign defensively". "It was in many ways a stress reliever for Anwar not to be confronted with any major political shifts that could alter the status quo," said Mustafa Izzuddin, a political analyst with consultancy Solaris Strategies Singapore. But the outcome was also a disappointment in that "his coalition did not make much significant inroads" at the polls, he told AFP. Anwar "has more than enough time" before the 2027 general elections "to shore up support including the complex political bargaining that may need to happen within the coalition", according to Mustafa. No guarantee James Chin, a Malaysia expert at the University of Tasmania in Australia, had warned earlier Saturday of "dire" consequences if Anwar lost even a single state, including shifting allegiances that could have threatened his future as prime minister. Anwar became prime minister last November after a long struggle as an opposition leader. His party had won the most seats in the general election but fell short of the outright majority needed to form a government. That forced him into an alliance with former foes in the United Malays National Organisation to secure a two-thirds parliamentary majority and approval from Malaysia's king to form a "unity government". The coalition has so far held together in a country that had seen three leadership turnovers in as many years after scandal-tainted Najib Razak was voted out as prime minister in 2018 over massive corruption at state fund 1MDB. But Oh, the analyst, said Anwar "must remain vigilant" even as he pushes for reforms. "There is no guarantee that his government will stay until the next general elections," he said. The post Malaysia’s Anwar thwarts opposition challenge in state polls appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Thai reformist Pita’s PM bid crashes on establishment opposition
Thai reformist leader Pita Limjaroenrat's bid to become prime minister ended Wednesday, despite his party winning the most votes in May elections, after the military and pro-royalist establishment blocked his bid for power. Pita's Move Forward Party (MFP) has ridden high on the support of young and urban Thais frustrated by nearly a decade of army-backed rule, but its efforts to form a government have stumbled. The 42-year-old was dramatically suspended from parliament while seated in the chamber for discussions on his candidacy, which came to an end when lawmakers voted to refuse considering him for a second ballot. "I would like to say goodbye until we meet again," he said, raising his fist as he left the assembly floor to the cheers of party allies. Pita's suspension came when Thailand's Constitutional Court said it would proceed with a case that could see the leader disqualified from parliament altogether for owning shares in a media company. Lawmakers are forbidden from doing so under Thailand's constitution, though the television station in question has not broadcast since 2007. Pita, Harvard-educated and wealthy from a family-run agrifood business, has said the shares were inherited from his father. He has 15 days to respond to the case. After he left the parliament, lawmakers voted by a large margin to rule that he could not be considered for the post a second time. "Pita can't be nominated twice in this parliamentary session," speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said, over howls of protest from within the chamber, immediately before the day's proceedings were called to an end. Dozens of supporters cried and shouted abuse at a large riot police cordon guarding the gates of parliament after news of Pita's suspension broke. "Why even ask people to go to the polls?" one protester, who did not give his name, told AFP. Protesters began gathering in the evening for a public rally near Bangkok's Democracy Monument and police said they were prepared for any unrest. "No matter what their opinions are, they need to follow rules and orders set by the police," said Archayon Kraithong, a spokesman for the Royal Thai Police. Roadblocks Pita's first tilt at the premiership failed when he fell dozens of votes short of the required support in a joint parliamentary sitting. Thailand's senate is stacked with military appointees, with only 13 of 249 serving senators voting for Pita last week. Other roadblocks have been thrown in front of his Pita's candidacy. The court has also agreed to hear a case alleging that MFP's campaign promise to amend Thailand's royal defamation law is tantamount to a plan to "overthrow" the constitutional monarchy. Pita's party has refused to compromise on its pledge to revise the law, which can allow convicted critics of the monarchy to be jailed for up to 15 years. The MFP's reformist platform also poses a threat to family-owned business monopolies that play an outsized role in the kingdom's economy. The Constitutional Court has intervened in Thai politics before. The billionaire leader of MFP's predecessor party, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, was disqualified as an MP in 2019 after falling afoul of the same shareholding rule. Compromise candidate Pita has vowed to step aside to make way for another party to form a government if his second attempt fails. The coalition backing him is expected to fall in line behind property tycoon Srettha Thavisin, potentially relegating MFP to serve in opposition. Srettha's Pheu Thai party is seen as a vehicle for the Shinawatra political clan, whose members include two former prime ministers ousted by military coups in 2006 and 2014. But as a successful entrepreneur liked by fellow business leaders, the 60-year-old is seen as a potential compromise acceptable to the Thai elite. Prawit Wongsuwan, 77, a former Thai army chief who served as number two in the junta that took power in 2014, has also been floated as a candidate by parliament's military bloc. Thai voters roundly rejected army-backed parties in May's election. Political analyst Thitinan Pongsudhirak told AFP the prospect of a military presence in the next government could spark a backlash in a country that is no stranger to political unrest. The post Thai reformist Pita’s PM bid crashes on establishment opposition appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mindanao marines relieve Palawan battalion
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — Battle-tested marines relieving their colleagues in Palawan will be tasked to keep the island free from insurgents. Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos, the commander of Western Command, Col. Antonio Mangoroban, commander of the 3rd Marine Brigade, other military officials and stakeholders welcomed the Marine Battalion Landing Team-7 during a reception ceremony at the Marine Base Rodolfo Punsalang in Barangay Tiniguiban here Wednesday morning, 28 June. MBLT-7 is relieving MBLT-4 whose members will be retrained, refurbished and redeployed to a new mission after a successful internal security operations in Palawan. For the past 12 years, MBLT-4 carried out operations against New People's Army rebels in the island. Carlos said the stage is set for MBLT-7 to build upon this legacy and continue the mission of ensuring security and stability in Palawan's southern part. Following the departure of the last remaining combatants from the province, Palawan has received official recognition as free from the presence of the NPA, according to the Wescom commander. Carlos said the accomplishment has prompted the Provincial Peace and Order Council to declare Palawan as an insurgency-free area. He thanked the MBLT-4 and the entire 3rd Marine Brigade which has been working very closely with the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Coast Guard and others involved in ISO for finally neutralizing the enemy. “You just have to continue the gains of MBLT-4, you have already achieved strategic victory. Now the challenge is for you to sustain it and make sure they don’t come back,” Carlos told the MBLT-7. The extensive experience gained by MBLT-7 will undoubtedly facilitate their execution of the new mission, he said. “With your history, coming from Marawi battling Maute terrorists, and then in Sulu and to Tawi-tawi to fight Abu Sayaff, if people or some parties will attempt to enter Palawan or challenge our peace and order, and security, especially in the southern backdoor, where they will be stationed, the only thing I can say is, they will get what they deserve with MBLT-7,” Carlos said. Meanwhile, the Wescom commander said that with the addition of troops in the province, there is a gradual transition from ISO to external security operations. MBLT-9, a Marine Amphibious Ready Unit, is also deployed in Palawan and will play a role in enhancing naval presence for a comprehensive maritime awareness campaign in the disputed waters of the West Philippine Sea, Carlos said. The post Mindanao marines relieve Palawan battalion appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Wagner chief to leave Russia in deal to ease crisis
The chief of the rebel Wagner mercenary force will leave Russia and won't face charges after calling off his troops' advance on Saturday, Moscow said, easing Russia's most serious security crisis in decades. The feud between Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russia's military brass came to a violent head in the past day, with his forces capturing a key army headquarters in southern Russia and then heading north to threaten the capital. Within hours of Prigozhin's about-face, the Kremlin announced he would leave for Belarus and Russia would not prosecute either him or the group's members. It had been a dramatic day of developments, with President Vladimir Putin warning against civil war, Moscow telling locals to stay off the streets and Kyiv revelling in the chaos engulfing its enemy. The tide shifted suddenly when Prigozhin made the stunning announcement that his troops were "turning our columns around and going back to field camps" to avoid bloodshed in the Russian capital. Prigozhin, who has feuded bitterly with Moscow's military leadership even as his outfit led parts of Russia's Ukraine offensive, said he understood the importance of the moment and did not want to "spill Russian blood". - Wagner troops cheered - By early Sunday Wagner had pulled fighters and equipment from Rostov-on-Don, where they had seized the military headquarters, said the regional governor. But before they left, dozens of residents were cheering and chanting "Wagner! Wagner!" outside the military headquarters they had captured. Authorities in the southern Lipetsk region announced the lifting of restrictions after earlier reporting Wagner fighters in their territory, where the local capital is just 420 kilometres (260 miles) south of Moscow. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said he had negotiated a truce with Prigozhin, drawing thanks from Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later told reporters that the "criminal case against him (Prigozhin) will be dropped. He himself will go to Belarus." Peskov also said that members of Wagner who had taken part in what authorities termed an "armed rebellion" will not be prosecuted. "Avoiding bloodshed, internal confrontation, and clashes with unpredictable results was the highest goal," Peskov added. Kyiv revelled in the chaos that engulfed its enemy. "Prigozhin humiliated Putin/the state and showed that there is no longer a monopoly on violence," presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter. While Russia claimed the rebellion had no impact on its Ukraine campaign, Kyiv said the unrest offered a "window of opportunity" as the nation pressed its long-awaited counter-offensive. - Moscow's warning - The United States and its allies publicly stayed on the sidelines as officials waited to see how the revolt would play out. US President Joe Biden spoke with the leaders of France, Germany and Britain amid concerns that Putin's control over the nuclear-armed country could be slipping. Moscow issued a stiff warning to the United States and allies to stay back. "The rebellion plays into the hands of Russia's external enemies," the foreign ministry said. Before Prigozhin's climbdown, Russian regular forces had launched what one regional governor called a "counter-terrorist operation" to halt the Wagner advance northwards up a main highway towards Moscow. In the capital, the mayor urged Muscovites to stay indoors and declared Monday a day off work. Security was tightened in the city centre, with armed men in flak jackets guarding the parliament building and Red Square closed off to the public. "I don't know how to react. In any case it's very sad this is happening," 35-year-old Yelena told AFP, declining to give her last name. The measures came after Prigozhin announced his troops had taken control of the military command centre and airbase in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, the nerve centre of Russia's offensive in Ukraine. - 'A blow to Russia' - Responding to the challenge in a televised address, Putin accused Prigozhin of a "stab in the back" that posed a threat to Russia's very survival. "Any internal turmoil is a deadly threat to our statehood and to us as a nation. This is a blow to Russia and to our people," Putin said, demanding national unity. "Extravagant ambitions and personal interests led to treason," Putin said, referring to Prigozhin, who began building his power base as a catering contractor. Another Putin ally, Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, declared that he had dispatched his own units to help quash the Wagner rebellion. Armed Wagner fighters deployed around administrative buildings in Rostov and tanks were seen in the city centre. As the insurrection force headed north through Voronezh and Lipetsk towards Moscow, the capital's mayor announced that "anti-terrorist" measures were being taken. Critical facilities were "under reinforced protection", TASS reported, citing a law enforcement source. While Prigozhin's outfit fought at the forefront of Russia's offensive in Ukraine, he repeatedly blamed Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, chief of the general staff, for his fighters' deaths. bur-jmm/jj © Agence France-Presse The post Wagner chief to leave Russia in deal to ease crisis appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Resign en masse, Rody tells cops
Former president Rodrigo Duterte demanded yesterday the resignation of the entire Philippine National Police force, saying that many of its members had become the “gatekeepers” for the nation’s illicit drug trade. “We have a fractured police force in this country,” Duterte said on his weekly program over the SMNI channel. Duterte expressed dismay over the Senate’s recent investigation into the alleged cover-up by police officials of the P6.7-billion shabu bust where the drugs were allegedly seized from a police sergeant. He lamented that some police officers were not just protecting drug dealers, “but are into drug dealing themselves.” “The volume is one too many. How many police personnel are involved? There are many; it goes up to the generals,” he said. If he were still president, Duterte said he would order all members of the PNP, from the lowest-ranked patrolman to its chief (General Benjamin Acorda Jr.) to surrender all the firearms issued to them. He said he would then order the Armed Forces of the Philippines to take over police duties following the dismantling of the PNP. “The army would be happy to take over. And I suppose that is what should happen,” Duterte said, adding that he trusted the military more than the police. “The AFP knows what is right and wrong, and what is right for the country,” he said, slamming the “built-in arrogance” of rogue cops, especially those involved in the drug trade. Generals accused of coverup In October 2022, PNP officers seized 990 kilograms of shabu, worth P6.7 billion, from an office in Tondo, Manila. Several PNP generals were accused of trying to cover up the arrest of an alleged drug dealer, dismissed police sergeant Rodolfo Mayo, even as kilos of the drugs were found to have been pilfered. Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, who oversees the PNP, assured Duterte and the public that the PNP was not hopeless as an organization. Abalos said criminal complaints had been filed against about 50 PNP members, including two generals. Abalos said a plan is afoot to place the PNP Internal Affairs Service under the supervision of the Office of the President or the DILG to make it totally independent of the PNP. Go welcomes raps Meanwhile, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go backed the filing of charges against the police generals and policemen tagged in the coverup in the P6.7-billion drug bust. “I welcome that. That’s the right thing to do. The truth must always come out, and those found guilty should be held accountable and prosecuted,” Go told reporters Thursday. “We, along with [former] President Duterte, fully supported the PNP. That’s why we worked to double their salaries to work against the illegal drug trade so they would not engage in those activities,” he said. ‘PNP functioning well’ For his part, PNP public information chief P/Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan said the PNP continues to function well, citing a 10-percent decline in so-called index crimes, from 18,270 from 1 January to 9 June last year to 16,492 crimes for the same period this year. In the campaign against illegal drugs, Maranan said the PNP conducted 19,464 operations, arrested 25,641 persons, and confiscated P6.2 billion worth of illegal drugs for the period cited this year. A total of 836 PNP personnel were dismissed and 1,703 were suspended as of 7 June, Maranan added. “This is a manifestation of the PNP’s well-functioning disciplinary mechanism to weed out those who are unfit to be in the organization,” Maranan said. He said the PNP recently achieved an 80-percent trust and performance rating. The post Resign en masse, Rody tells cops appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A month into Sudan’s brutal war, no end in sight
One month since Sudan's conflict erupted, its capital is a desolate war zone where terrorized families huddled at home as gun battles rage, while the western Darfur region has descended into deadly chaos. Residents of Khartoum have endured weeks of desperate food shortages, power blackouts, communications outages, and runaway inflation. The capital of five million, long a place of relative stability, has become a shell of its former self. Charred aircraft lie on the airport tarmac, foreign embassies are shuttered and hospitals, banks, shops, and wheat silos have been ransacked by looters. Violence also renewed in El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur state, leaving hundreds killed and the health system in "total collapse", medics said. Fighting continued on Monday, with loud explosions heard across Khartoum and thick smoke in the sky while warplanes drew anti-aircraft fire, according to witnesses. "The situation is becoming worse by the day," said a 37-year-old resident of southern Khartoum who did not wish to be named because of safety concerns. "People are getting more and more scared because the two sides... are becoming more and more violent." Another witness reported "clashes with various types of weapons" in Omdurman, the capital's twin city. Battles erupted on 15 April between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who leads the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). What remains of the government has retreated to Port Sudan about 850 kilometers (500 miles) away, the hub for mass evacuations. The United Nations says more than 700,000 people have been internally displaced by the fighting, and nearly 200,000 have fled Sudan for neighboring countries. There are fears for the stability of the wider region. "We're left on the street, in the sun," complained Hamden Mohammed, who escaped the Khartoum area for Port Sudan. "We want the organizations to evacuate us from Sudan because the country is totally devastated. There's no food, no work... nothing." Around 1,000 people have been killed, mainly in and around Khartoum as well as the ravaged state of West Darfur, according to medics. Violence on Friday and Saturday in El Geneina, the West Darfur capital, killed at least 280, according to the Sudanese doctors' union. "There was still heavy shelling on Sunday that hit my home, damaging a part of it and injuring one of my sisters," said one El Geneina resident. "Other houses around us were completely destroyed." After a month of war, Burhan declared he was freezing the assets of the RSF which, analysts say, has interests in Sudan's gold mines. Burhan dismissed the central bank governor and the police director general, while Daglo threatened in an audio recording that the army chief would be "brought to justice and hanged" publicly. History of coups Neither side has been able to establish dominance on the battlefield, and experts have forecast a protracted conflict. The army, backed by Egypt, has the advantage of air power while Daglo is, according to experts, supported by the United Arab Emirates and foreign fighters. Daglo commands troops that stemmed from the notorious Janjaweed militia, accused of atrocities in a war that began in Darfur two decades ago. The scorched-earth campaign killed up to 300,000 people and uprooted more than 2.7 million, the UN said. Many were still living in Darfur's displacement camps as war returned to the region. Multiple truce deals in the current conflict have been violated. Sudan has a long history of military coups, but hopes had risen after mass protests led to the ouster of Islamist-backed strongman Omar al-Bashir in 2019, followed by a shaky transition toward civilian rule. As Washington and other foreign powers lifted sanctions, Sudan was slowly reintegrating into the international community, before the generals derailed that transition with another coup in 2021. The security breakdown has extended beyond Khartoum and Darfur to other regions. Ethnic violence last week killed more than 50 people in West Kordofan and White Nile states, according to the UN. Poorer for longer The fighting has deepened the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where one in three people already relied on humanitarian assistance before the war. Since then, aid agencies have been looted and at least 18 of their workers killed. Diplomatic facilities have also been targeted. Jordan on Monday issued condemnation after its Khartoum embassy building "was stormed and attacked." Across the Red Sea, in the Saudi city of Jeddah, envoys from both sides have been negotiating. By May 11 they had signed a commitment to respect humanitarian principles and allow in badly needed aid. "Scarcely had the two warring parties signed the Jeddah Agreement on Thursday night when chaos erupted once again in Geneina," according to William Carter, the Norwegian Refugee Council's country director. Doctors Without Borders said food shortages in Darfur displacement camps mean "people have gone from three meals a day to just one". The fighting has caused "the partial deindustrialization" of the country, said Aly Verjee, a researcher at Sweden's University of Gothenburg, meaning "any future Sudan will be much poorer for much longer." The post A month into Sudan’s brutal war, no end in sight appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pita claims Thai poll victory
Thailand’s progressive Move Forward Party claimed victory in the country’s election Monday after a result that decimated military-backed parties that have ruled the kingdom for nearly a decade. A stunning surge for the upstart MFP in Sunday’s ballot left it on course to be the biggest party, followed by its rival opposition — the Pheu Thai movement of billionaire ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat said he would seek to build a six-party coalition including Pheu Thai. “I am Pita Limjaroenrat, the next prime minister of Thailand,” he told reporters at the MFP headquarters in Bangkok. “We are ready to form the government,” he added, vowing to be a “prime minister for all.” The 42-year-old said he had called Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Pheu Thai’s lead candidate to be prime minister, to congratulate her on her campaign and invite her to join the coalition. Thais turned out in record numbers to deliver a brutal verdict on former coup leader Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, blamed for economic stagnation and a crackdown on rights. Between them, MFP and Pheu Thai are expected to take 292 out of 500 seats in the lower house, with the two main army-allied parties mustering just 76 seats in total. But in a kingdom where coups and court orders have often trumped the ballot box, there are fears that the result may yet be thwarted. MFP has vowed to reform the country’s strict lese-majeste laws, putting it on course for a collision with the powerful royalist-military establishment. The post Pita claims Thai poll victory appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ched-Davao: Quake drill not just ‘procedural activity’ but necessity
AN OFFICIAL from the Commission on Higher Education-Davao Region (Ched-Davao) said that there is a need to prepare students for disasters and other calamities......»»
DepEd s SHS vouchers fall short of decongesting public schools, helping poor learners
"It's a waste that we don't solve the problem of congestion because we are randomly giving the voucher program to students," the senator said......»»
Scorching schools: How heat worsens conditions of poor students in PH
[This is the second and last part of a special report on how extreme heat in 2023 impacted the education sector in the Philippines. Click here for the first part.] CEBU CITY, Philippines – The same analysis by Cebu Daily News Digital (CDN Digital) showed that even private schools, which usually have better facilities and.....»»
Youth groups in Southern Tagalog oppose reso urging military-led ‘national security awareness’ bid in schools
By JACINTO LINGATONG Bulatlat.com SANTA CRUZ, Laguna — Youth groups in Southern Tagalog have strongly opposed the proposed resolution of the 202nd Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army and CALABARZON Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF ELCAC) urging the Department of Education (DepEd) Region IV-A, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Region IV-A, Technical… The post Youth groups in Southern Tagalog oppose reso urging military-led ‘national security awareness’ bid in schools appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
Egypt: Court Punishes Activists for Challenging al-Sisi
(Beirut) - An Egyptian court on February 6, 2024, sentenced the prominent politician Ahmed Tantawy, along with his campaign advisor and 21 of his detained supporters, to a year in prison for alleged offenses associated with his presidential challenge to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Human Rights Watch said today. The court also barred Tantawy from running f.....»»
FPRRD opposes disguised Charter change initiative
Former President Rodrigo R. Duterte has vehemently opposed the disguised People’s Initiative for Charter change, denouncing the cash-for-signature campaign as repugnant and a disgraceful act during a YouTube interview with Banateros Brothers on January 22, 2024. Duterte emphasized his disapproval of the initiative, urging for it to be halted, particularly criticizing the payment of individuals to sign the documents. He warned that such actions could lead to a new Constitution that might destroy the nation and open avenues for political abuses. Duterte stressed the importance of democracy in the Philippines, asserting that those seeking to remain in power should go through the electoral process. He highlighted that a well-performing and non-corrupt individual would retain power, while those with poor performance would be ousted through the electoral process. Expressing satisfaction with the current Constitution, Duterte argued that it has contributed to stability, reducing conflicts with groups like the New People's Army (NPA). He strongly advised against meddling with the Constitution, cautioning that it would only bring trouble to the country. Duterte pledged active opposition to the initiative, stating that he would campaign against it. Additionally, residents of Calinan District, Vice President Sara Duterte, and Representatives Isidro Ungab and Paolo Pulong Duterte have also voiced opposition to the People's Initiative for Charter Change. Margarita Atty. Migs Nograles, the representative of the Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Partylist, alleged to have started the cha-cha signature campaign, has yet to issue an official statement on the matter as of the latest update. Related stories include the denouncement of alleged `vote buying’ in signing the petition for Cha-cha by Davao City lawmakers, Vice President Duterte's condemnation of the cash-for-signature drive, and a prayer rally against PI’s Cha-cha on Jan 28......»»
Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, Dec. 7
MOGADISHU -- Somali National Army (SNA) backed by local forces on Thursday killed 33 al-Shabab militants and injured several others in a special operation near Harardhere town in central Somalia, officials said. Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Abdirahman Yusuf Al-Adala said that the forces targeted a primary base of the militant group, resulting in casualties, destroyed the al-Shabab command.....»»
Cordillera indigenous leaders challenge terrorist tag
CPA leaders Windel Bolinget, Sarah Abellon-Alikes, Jennifer Awingan-Taggaoa, and Stephen Tauli filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition before the Baguio Regional Trial Court......»»
Lady Blazers rip Parañaque foes
NCAA champion St. Benilde made short work of Parañaque City, 25-6, 25-20, 25-17, to kick off its campaign in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Challenge Cup yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum......»»
Villagers displaced by gunfight in Maguindanao del Norte
COTABATO CITY --- The police and military have urged the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to disengage and reconcile two of its groups that clashed on Monday morning in Maguindanao del Norte, causing the displacement of about a hundred villagers. The two groups figured in running gunfights for about four hours in Linib and Tinindanan areas in Barangay Bugawas in Datu Odin Sinsuat town, the local police stated in a report on Tuesday to Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. Lt. Col. Esmael Madin, chief of the Datu Odin Sinsuat Municipal Police Station, and officials of the Maguindanao del Norte Provincial Police Office identified the leaders of the feuding groups as Commanders Salim and Adam, who has more than 30 followers each, armed with assault rifles and grenade launchers. Evacuees from the conflict-torn villages are convinced the hostilities were related still to the October 30 synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, where both groups had favored candidates. Talks are spreading around Datu Odin Sinsuat and in this city hinting that the incident, which affected more than 30 families, could be connected to the gun attack on Monday morning in the same barangay that resulted in the death of two residents, Juhaimen Ube and Mistah Alon and left four others wounded. The slain duo, who were attacked while on their way to a polling site, campaigned for certain candidates for barangay elective posts, according to their relatives. They are both related to members of one of the two groups that clashed in Linib and Tinindanan on Monday, according to traditional community Moro leaders. Army Major Gen. Alex Rillera, commander of the 6th Infantry Division, said he has directed their units in Datu Odin Sinsuat and nearby towns to secure Barangay Bugawas to prevent a repeat of Monday’s skirmishes in the area. The two groups scampered away when they sensed that soldiers backed by armored combat vehicles dispatched to secure Barangay Bugawas were closing in......»»
Nearly 29,000 people flee southern Lebanon
Nearly 29,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon amid deadly exchanges between Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters and the Israeli army, a United Nations agency said Friday. A total of 28,965 people have been displaced, mainly in the country’s south, the International Organization for Migration said in an update, adding that the figure had risen by 37 percent since 23 October. Some have found refuge with family members elsewhere in the country, while those who can afford it have been able to rent apartments on a short-term basis. But with Lebanon in the grips of an economic crisis that has plunged most of the population into poverty, many are living in makeshift shelters in the south’s larger towns. Since Palestinian militant group Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip on 7 October, Lebanon’s southern border has seen tit-for-tat exchanges between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah, a Hamas ally. At least 58 people have been killed in the cross-border exchanges of fire, most of them Hezbollah fighters but also including at least four civilians, one of them Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah. Soldiers and volunteers on Thursday were battling a blaze on Lebanon’s southern border caused by Israeli bombing overnight, local officials said. Mayor of the border village of Alma al-Shaab, Jean Ghafari, said fire broke out after Israeli bombing late Wednesday. “The blaze reached the edges of the village after midnight” and is still burning, he told Agence France-Presse, adding that it “has come close to houses.” The municipality said some 70 percent of the village’s population had fled due to Israeli attacks. The post Nearly 29,000 people flee southern Lebanon appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Falling drones hitEgypt resort, 6 injured
Six people were lightly injured when two drones struck an Egyptian Red Sea resort on the border with Israel on Friday, the army said. Anarmy spokesperson said on Facebook that an unidentified drone crashed into “a building next to Taba hospital,” in the resort town of the same name, just across the border from the Israeli resort of Eilat. He clarified later that there had been “two drones coming from the south of the Red Sea,” which lies off Yemen. “One fell in Taba and the other was targeted outside Egyptian airspace in the Gulf of Aqaba,” with some debris hitting an uninhabited area. Israel’s military said its air force had countered an “aerial threat” and intercepted “hostile targets.” Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat accused the Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen of firing the drones at Israel. Earlier Friday, Egypt’s AlQahera News television, which is linked to state intelligence, reported “a rocket” falling on Taba “as part of the current escalation in Gaza.” Witnesses had told Agence France-Presse that a rocket hit a hospital annex in the Red Sea resort. Images circulating online and in Egyptian media showed a damaged building and blown-up vehicles. The post Falling drones hitEgypt resort, 6 injured appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»