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New DCPO chief pledges technology-driven approach
THE new director of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) underscored the utilization of technology to streamline their operations......»»
New DCPO chief to focus on personnel morale, asset optimization
THE Davao City Police Office (DCPO) bid farewell to PCol. Alberto Lupaz and welcomed its new City Director, PCol. Richard Bad-ang, in a turn-over ceremony at the Camp Captain Domingo E. Leonor on March 22......»»
13 killed in vehicles collision in southern Philippines
MANILA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen people were killed after a passenger van and a dump truck collided on a highway in Cotabato province in the southern Philippines on Monday, police and local media said. Police said the van, with about 15 passengers aboard, was negotiating a sloping curve when it was hit by the speeding dump truck in the opposite lane. The accident happened after 12 noon local time. In.....»»
Philippines declares 'strategic defeat' of NPA rebels
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines declared on Tuesday a "strategic defeat" of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels, who have been fighting against the government since the 1960s, saying there is no more active guerilla fronts in the country. Eduardo Ano, National Security Adviser and former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said "thousands" of NPA insurgents have decided to return t.....»»
3 suspected rebels killed in clash in Philippines Batangas
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Three suspected rebels were killed in a clash with government forces in Batangas province, south of Manila, on Tuesday, the Philippine military said. The military said a 30-minute gunfight broke out around 6:30 a.m. local time after the troops ran into a group of New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Rosario town. The troops recovered three rifles, six jungle packs, and some mater.....»»
Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, March 26
MANILA -- Three suspected rebels were killed in a clash with government forces in Batangas province, south of Manila, on Tuesday, the Philippine military said. The military said a 30-minute gunfight broke out around 6:30 a.m. local time after the troops ran into a group of New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Rosario town. (Philippines-Clash) - - - - BEIRUT -- Two people were killed and nine other civ.....»»
Missing man found dead in Barangay Bonbon
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 50-year-old man who had been missing for two weeks was found dead in Sitio Golivas, Barangay Bonbon, Cebu City. The victim was identified as Adriano Fuentes Durano, a resident of Kiniasan, Barangay Bonbon, Cebu City. Police Major Philip John Libres, chief of Malubog Police Community Precinct, stated that on Tuesday.....»»
Philippines declares 'strategic defeat' of NPA rebels
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines declared on Tuesday a "strategic defeat" of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels, who have been fighting against the government since the 1960s, saying there is no more active guerilla fronts in the country. Eduardo Ano, National Security Adviser and former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said "thousands" of NPA insurgents have decided to return t.....»»
Southeast Asian Police, Prosecutors Join Forces to Fight Scamdemic
Bangkok - Police and prosecutors across Southeast Asia are forging new ways of working together to thwart and pursue the sprawling criminal networks behind the online scam centers that have quickly taken root in the region, experts involved in the effort have told VOA.In a few short years, scamming hubs bilking billions of dollars out of victims across the globe have set up shop in Cambodia, Laos, the Philippine.....»»
13 killed in vehicles collision in southern Philippines
MANILA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen people were killed after a passenger van and a dump truck collided on a highway in Cotabato province in the southern Philippines on Monday, police and local media said. Police said the van, with about 15 passengers aboard, was negotiating a sloping curve when it was hit by the speeding dump truck in the opposite lane. The accident happened after 12 noon local time. In.....»»
Southeast Asian Police, Prosecutors Join Forces to Fight Scamdemic
Bangkok - Police and prosecutors across Southeast Asia are forging new ways of working together to thwart and pursue the sprawling criminal networks behind the online scam centers that have quickly taken root in the region, experts involved in the effort have told VOA.In a few short years, scamming hubs bilking billions of dollars out of victims across the globe have set up shop in Cambodia, Laos, the Philippine.....»»
Wanted for high-profile crimes killed in Bangsamoro police operation
A suspect in a series of motorcycle theft, multiple murder, extortion and operation of a drug den, who has links with local terrorist groups, was killed while his companion was wounded in a shootout with policemen in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte on Thursday......»»
Philippine road crash kills woman, injures man
MANILA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A woman was killed after the motorcycle she and her husband were riding was hit by an overtaking bus along a highway in Rizal province of the Philippines at dawn on Monday, police said. Police said the accident occurred around 4 a.m. while the couple traveled along a highway in Taytay town. The woman died at the crash site, while her husband sustained injuries in the left arm......»»
Hundreds dead in Israel-Gaza war as Hezbollah launches attacks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday warned of a "long and difficult" war, as fighting with Hamas left hundreds dead on both sides after a surprise attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group. The conflict's bloodiest escalation in decades saw Hamas carry out a massive rocket barrage and ground, air and sea offensive Saturday that Israel's army said had killed more than 200 Israelis and wounded 1,000, while soldiers and civilians were taken hostage. Gaza officials said intense Israeli air strikes on the coastal enclave had brought the Palestinian death toll to at least 256, with nearly 1,788 wounded. As fighting raged Sunday, Lebanon's powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah movement said it had fired "large numbers of artillery shells and guided missiles" at Israeli positions in a contested border areas "in solidarity" with Hamas. Israel's army had earlier said it fired artillery on southern Lebanon in response to a shot from the area without identifying the attackers. "We are embarking on a long and difficult war that was forced on us by a murderous Hamas attack," Netanyahu said on X, formerly Twitter, early Sunday. "The first stage is ending at this time by the destruction of the vast majority of the enemy forces that infiltrated our territory," he added, pledging no "respite" until victory. Overnight Israel battered the Gaza Strip with air strikes as rockets from the blockaded Palestinians territory rained on Israel. Sunday morning gun still battles raged between Israeli forces and hundreds of Hamas fighters in multiple locations, including at the Sderot police station across the border from Gaza. Police and Israeli army special forces "neutralized 10 armed terrorists" who were holed up inside the station, a police statement said. The bloody air, sea and land attack launched Saturday by Hamas came half a century after the outbreak of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, taking Israel and the world by surprise. As the UN Security Council called an emergency meeting for Sunday, President Joe Biden voiced "rock solid and unwavering" support for the US ally and warned "against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation". - Hostages and 'so many bodies' - The Israeli army said overnight its forces were still engaged in gun battles in a string of Israel locations, in an operation labelled "Swords of Iron", as reservists were being called up. Hamas earlier released images of several Israelis taken captive, and another army spokesman, Daniel Hagari, confirmed that soldiers and civilians had been kidnapped. "I can't give figures about them at the moment," he said late Saturday, adding there was also a "severe hostage situation" in the Negev desert communities of Beeri and Ofakim east of Gaza. According to Ynet Israeli news website "dozens of Israeli captives, including numerous women, children and elders, are believed to have been taken into the Gaza Strip". The fighting prompted Israel to cut off Gaza's electricity, fuel and goods supplies, Netanyahu said. The Islamist group started the multi-pronged attack around 6:30 am (0330 GMT) on Saturday with thousands of rockets aimed as far as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some bypassing the Iron Dome defense system and hitting buildings. Hamas fighters -- traveling in ground vehicles, motorized paragliders and boats -- breached Gaza's security barrier and attacked nearby Israeli towns and military posts, opening fire on residents and passersby. "Send help, please!" one Israeli woman sheltering with her two-year-old child pleaded as militants outside opened fire and tried to break into their safe room, Israeli media reported. Bodies were strewn on the streets of the Israeli town of Sderot near Gaza and inside cars, the windscreens shattered by a hail of bullets. "I saw many bodies, of terrorists and civilians," one man told AFP, standing beside covered corpses on a road near Gevim Kibbutz in southern Israel. "So many bodies, so many bodies." AFP journalists witnessed Palestinian armed men gather around a burning Israeli tank, and others driving a seized Israeli military Humvee vehicle back into Gaza, where they were met by cheering crowds. - 'Gates of hell' - Israeli army Major General Ghasan Alyan warned Hamas had "opened the gates of hell". An AFP journalist in Gaza saw clouds of dust from the remains of bombed residential towers which Gaza's interior ministry said contained 100 apartments. Israel's military said it had warned residents to evacuate before targeting the multi-story buildings used by Hamas. The escalation follows months of rising violence, mostly in the occupied West Bank, and tensions around Gaza's border and at contested holy sites in Jerusalem. Before Saturday, at least 247 Palestinians, 32 Israelis and two foreigners had been killed this year, including combatants and civilians, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials. Hamas labeled its attack "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood" and called on "resistance fighters in the West Bank" as well as in "Arab and Islamic nations" to join the battle. Its armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, claimed to have fired more than 5,000 rockets, while Hecht said Israel had counted more than 3,000 incoming rockets. Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said the group was on the "verge of a great victory", vowing to press ahead with "the battle to liberate our land and our prisoners languishing in occupation prisons must be completed". - 'Dangerous precipice' - Air raid sirens wailed across southern and central Israel, as well as in Jerusalem on Saturday, and there were major disruptions at Tel Aviv airport where many carriers canceled flights. Israel said schools would remain closed on Sunday which marks the start of the week. Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, leading to Israel's crippling blockade of the impoverished enclave of 2.3 million people. Israel and Hamas have since fought several wars. The last major military exchange, in May, killed 34 Palestinians and one Israeli. Violence also erupted across the West Bank, including annexed east Jerusalem, with five Palestinians killed and 120 wounded in clashes with Israeli forces and settlers, Palestinian medical services said. Countries around the world condemned the wave of attacks by Hamas, which Israel, the United States and European Union consider a terrorist group. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the attack "terrorism in its most despicable form". But Hamas drew support from other foes of Israel, with Iran's supreme leader declaring he was "proud". UN Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland warned of "a dangerous precipice" and called on all sides to "pull back from the brink". (Rosie Scammell with Adel Zaanoun in Gaza) az-rsc-jd/hkb © Agence France-Presse The post Hundreds dead in Israel-Gaza war as Hezbollah launches attacks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden urges ‘national unity’ 22 years after 9/11
President Joe Biden called Monday for Americans to unite despite bitter political differences as the United States marked the 22nd anniversary of Al-Qaeda's 9/11 attacks. Bells were rung and the names of nearly 3,000 people were read out in somber ceremonies in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania where the hijacked planes struck. "Let's honor September 11 by renewing our faith in one another," said Biden, speaking at a US military base in Anchorage, Alaska as he traveled back from a trip to India and Vietnam. "We must never lose our sense of national unity, so let that be the common cause of our time." Speaking in front of a huge flag, Biden added that "terrorism, including political and ideological violence, is the opposite of all we stand for as a nation." His speech comes as the United States is increasingly polarized, with tensions likely to increase as Biden, a Democrat, heads into a likely election rematch next year with Republican former president Donald Trump. Trump has been indicted four times since April, including for efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, with the 6 January 2021 Capitol attack by his supporters still fresh in the public's memory. 'Never forget' In New York, Vice President Kamala Harris and current and former mayors joined victims' families at the 9/11 memorial on the site of the World Trade Center twin towers brought down by two aircraft flown by hijackers. The names of the more than 2,600 who died in New York were read out by family members and young relatives not alive at the time of the attack. "I wish I had a chance to really know you. Everyone in the family misses you. We will never forget," said the grandson of firefighter Allan Tarasiewicz, who was killed at age 45 during rescue operations at the World Trade Center. At the Pentagon in Washington, where the attackers plunged a third aircraft into the headquarters of the US military, a sailor rang a ship's bell for each of the 184 killed there. And in western Pennsylvania, where a fourth hijacked plane apparently heading toward Washington was forced to crash, bells were rung for each of the 40 passengers and crew who died. "September 11 made America a nation at war, and hundreds of thousands stepped up to serve our country in uniform," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at the Pentagon ceremony. "I know that it aches to remember this milestone year after year... The men and women of the Department of Defense will always remember." Across New York City, in Congress and elsewhere, a moment of silence was held to mark the attack, plotted by Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, who was found and killed nearly a decade later by US Navy Seals in a raid on his hideout in Pakistan. Biden noted in his speech that he himself had given the order for bin Laden's successor Ayman al-Zawahiri to be sent to the "gates of hell" last year in an airstrike in Afghanistan. "The soul of America is the fortitude we found in the fear of that terrible September day," he added. "The terrorists believed they could bring us to our knees, bend our will, break our resolve. But they were wrong, they were dead wrong." The post Biden urges ‘national unity’ 22 years after 9/11 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
WTC attack death list adds 2 new victims
Americans mark today the 22nd anniversary of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on New York City with two new victims added to the list of 1,649 identified fatalities. The identities of the two, a man and a woman, were determined through DNA analysis, the city’s mayor and Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Friday. Their names were being withheld at the request of their families. “We hope these new identifications can bring some measure of comfort to the families of these victims, and the ongoing efforts by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner attest to the city's unwavering commitment to reunite all the World Trade Center victims with their loved ones,” Mayor Eric Adams said, according to a statement released late Friday. The two latest identifications were made possible through the use of “next-generation sequencing technology” more sensitive and rapid than conventional DNA techniques,” the OCME statement said. The remains had been found years ago. A total 2,753 people were killed when an al-Qaeda commando crashed two hijacked civilian airliners into New York’s twin towers during 9/11. Still unidentified are 1,104 victims. When the trade center’s south tower, and then its north, collapsed in a deafening roar, raining down a deluge of fire, choking gray dust and twisted steel on the Manhattan streets below, the violence was so extreme that no identifiable trace has been found of hundreds of the missing. Nineteen jihadists, most of them Saudis, had hijacked four planes. In addition to the two that destroyed the World Trade Center, a third plane slammed into the Pentagon near Washington inflicting heavy damage, and a fourth crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew fought with the attackers. The attacks claimed a total 2,977 lives. WITH AFP The post WTC attack death list adds 2 new victims appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
APT cyber attacks rising
Global cybersecurity leader Fortinet has released its 2023 Global Threat Landscape Report, revealing that while ransomware attacks have declined, advanced persistent threat, or APT, groups have increased their activities. The report found that the number of ransomware attacks fell to 13 percent in the first half of 2023, from 22 percent in the same period five years ago. However, the report also found that the attacks that did occur were more sophisticated and targeted. “Ransomware attackers are becoming more selective about their targets,” said John Maddison, Fortinet’s chief security officer. “They are going after organizations that they believe are more likely to pay the ransom.” The report also found that APT groups were active in the first half of 2023. APT groups are often state-sponsored and are known for launching targeted attacks against government agencies, businesses and other organizations. “APT groups are constantly evolving their tactics, techniques, and procedures,” said Maddison. “This makes it difficult for organizations to defend themselves.” The report also found that botnets have become more persistent. Botnets are networks of infected computers that are controlled by a single attacker. They can be used to launch a variety of attacks, including distributed denial-of-service or DDoS attacks and spam campaigns. “Botnets are a major threat to organizations,” Maddison said. “They can be used to disrupt businesses and steal sensitive data.” The report also found that the number of unique exploits has increased. An exploit is a piece of code that takes advantage of a vulnerability in software. When an exploit is used, it can allow an attacker to gain control of a computer system. “The increase in the number of unique exploits is a worrying trend,” Maddison said. “It means that organizations need to be constantly vigilant about patching their software.” The report concludes by calling for a “whole-of-society” approach to combating cybercrime. This means that governments, businesses, and individuals all need to work together to protect themselves from attack. “Cybercrime is a global problem,” said Maddison. “It requires a global solution.” The report also recommended that organizations adopt a number of security measures, including: Patching software vulnerabilities promptly. Using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. Educating employees about cyber threats. Implementing a layered security approach. The report also recommended that organizations use a security solution that can provide visibility into their entire attack surface and help them identify and respond to threats quickly. The post APT cyber attacks rising appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ecuador under emergency after presidential bet gunned down
Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso declared a two-month state of emergency on Thursday following the assassination of a presidential candidate. In an address broadcast on YouTube, Lasso said he is mobilizing the armed forces to secure and ensure the conduct of the 20 August elections as well as protect citizens. “This is a political crime that acquires a terrorist character and we do not doubt that this murder is an attempt to sabotage the electoral process,” Lasso said. Lasso also declared a three-day mourning for Fernando Villavicencio Valencia who was shot dead on Wednesday evening as he was leaving a rally at a stadium in the capital Quito. The 59-year-old Villavicencio, a centrist politician and anti-corruption crusader, was the second most popular candidate in the presidential race, according to recent opinion polls. According to the latest polls, Villavicencio, a former journalist who wrote about corruption and served in parliament, polled at 13 percent behind lawyer Luisa Gonzalez, who is close to former left-wing president Rafael Correa. He complained of receiving death threats before he was assassinated. Nine other people were injured in the attack, including a candidate running for the national legislature and two policemen, prosecutors said. One of the alleged attackers was shot and killed by security personnel. Prosecutors also said six other suspects were arrested in raids carried out in southern Quito and in a neighboring town. Police detonated an explosive device planted in the area, chief investigator Alain Luna said. Carlos Figueroa, a friend of Villavicencio who was with him at the time of the attack, told local media that the assailants fired around 30 shots. The country’s main newspaper, El Universo, reported that Villavicencio was assassinated “hitman-style and with three shots to the head.” WITH AFP The post Ecuador under emergency after presidential bet gunned down appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ecuadoran presidential candidate shot dead after rally
A popular Ecuadoran presidential candidate was shot dead while leaving a rally in the nation's capital on Wednesday, prompting President Guillermo Lasso to declare a state of emergency and blame the assassination on organized crime. Fernando Villavicencio, a 59-year-old anti-corruption crusader who had complained of receiving threats, was murdered as he was leaving a stadium in Quito after holding a campaign rally, officials said. Lasso declared a two-month state of emergency early Thursday following the assassination, but said general elections slated for 20 August would be held as scheduled. "Outraged and shocked by the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio," the president said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, blaming the killing on "organized crime." "For his memory and for his fight, I assure you that this crime will not go unpunished." Villavicencio was the second most popular candidate in the presidential race, according to recent opinion polls. "The Armed Forces as of this moment are mobilized throughout the national territory to guarantee the security of citizens, the tranquility of the country and the free and democratic elections of August 20," Lasso said in a YouTube address. The president also declared three days of national mourning "to honor the memory of a patriot, of Fernando Villavicencio Valencia." "This is a political crime that acquires a terrorist character and we do not doubt that this murder is an attempt to sabotage the electoral process," he added. Lasso has said he will not seek re-election. President of the National Electoral Council Diana Atamaint said "the date of the elections scheduled for August 20 remain unalterable." Nine other people were injured in the shooting attack, including a candidate running for the national legislature and two policemen, prosecutors said. One of the alleged attackers was shot and killed by security personnel. And police detonated an explosive device planted in the area, said chief investigator Alain Luna. Carlos Figueroa, a friend of Villavicencio's who was with him at the time of the attack, told local media that the assailants fired around 30 shots. "They ambushed him outside" the sports center, Figueroa said. "Some (of those present) even thought they were fireworks." The country's main newspaper, El Universo, reported that Villavicencio was assassinated "hitman-style and with three shots to the head." Prosecutors later said six other suspects were arrested in raids carried out in southern Quito and in a neighboring town, and that Villavicencio's body was brought to a police department and would undergo an autopsy. 'Full weight of the law' In recent years, Ecuador has been hit by a wave of violence linked to drug trafficking which, in the midst of the electoral process, has already led to the death of a mayor and a parliamentary candidate. The homicide rate has doubled between 2021 and 2022. "Organized crime has gone too far, but the full weight of the law will be applied to them," Lasso said in his post. According to the latest polls, Villavicencio, a former journalist who wrote about corruption and served in parliament, polled at 13 percent behind lawyer Luisa Gonzalez, who is close to former left-wing president Rafael Correa. Gonzalez and other presidential candidates denounced the murder and said they were suspending their campaigns, local media reported. "We will never allow such acts to go unpunished. When they touch one, they touch all. When one's life is at risk, everyone's life is at risk," Gonzalez wrote on X. National Court of Justice president Ivan Saquicela called Villavicencio's murder "very painful for the country." "I am very hurt and very worried about Ecuador," he said. The United States, Spain, Chile and the Organization of American States observer mission have also condemned the crime. "We are horrified by the tragic attack... Violence cannot win. Democracy can," European Union ambassador to EcuadorCharles-Michel Geurts said on X. As a journalist, Villavicencio uncovered a corruption scheme for which former president Correa (2007-2017) was sentenced to eight years in prison. Villavicencio later served as president of the legislative oversight commission, where he continued to denounce corruption. The politician had complained this month that he and his team were receiving threats allegedly coming from the leader of a criminal gang linked to drug trafficking. "Despite the new threats, we will continue fighting for the brave people of our #Ecuador," he posted on X at the time. Atamaint, head of the electoral council, also said that several members of her organization, which is responsible for supervising the ballot, had received death threats. President Lasso sent a message to Villavicencio's family. "My solidarity and my condolences with his wife and his daughters," he said in his post. The post Ecuadoran presidential candidate shot dead after rally appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Militants attack Hungarian oil site, kill 6
Six paramilitary and security guards died when some 50 armed militants attacked a Hungarian-owned oil and gas exploration site in a province of Pakistan at midnight. The police chief of the Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said the attackers fired light and heavy weapons and mortars in an attempt to enter the remote site of the Budapest-based MOL Group near the Afghanistan border. “The exchange of fire continued for more than an hour. Police forced the militants to flee,” district police chief Asif Bahadur told Agence France-Presse. Bahadur said the attackers came from the nearby North Waziristan district, which borders Afghanistan and has historically been a hive of militancy. The post Militants attack Hungarian oil site, kill 6 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»