Archive - Focus

By TESSA JAMANDRE THE Aquino government, in reviewing the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, will examine the terms of reference and roles of the third-country facilitator as well as state parties and international nongovernmental organizations before restarting talks. Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles said while the government is still

By CARLOS MARQUEZ Nueva Ecija Gold ALIAGA, Nueva Ecija.—An entire village virtually turned sepia here last week as people clothed themselves in mud to celebrate the Feast of St. John the Baptist. Unshod feet rushed from the barrio’s farthest points to the chapel patio—most wrapped in dried banana leaves and wild plants soaked in mud—where

By IBARRA C. MATEO PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino’s appointee to the post of health secretary said Thursday he supports the teaching of sex education among Filipino students and the passage of a reproductive health bill. In his first press conference, Dr. Enrique T. Ona said he sees no problem on “how or when” sex education

ANG pagtayo ko rito ngayon ay patunay na kayo ang aking tunay na lakas. Hindi ko inakala na darating tayo sa puntong ito, na ako’y manunumpa sa harap ninyo bilang inyong Pangulo. Hindi ko pinangarap maging tagapagtaguyod ng pag-asa at tagapagmana ng mga suliranin ng ating bayan.  (Note: The official English translation of his address

By YOUTHVOTEPHILIPPINES GLORIA Macapagal-Arroyo exits the presidency before noon today, bequeathing her successor, Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III, a path littered with “landmines” that could weaken his control over the bureaucracy, former government officials said. These landmines come in the form of hundreds of “midnight” appointments, said Former Senior Government Officials (FSGO) member and columnist

By LUZ RIMBAN CHIEF Justice Renato Corona will oversee the computerization of all 2,200 courts throughout the country as part of what a High Court official said was the strengthening of the judicial branch. Court Administrator Midas Marquez, who is also the High Tribunal’s spokesperson, told a gathering of member of the Philippine Press Institute

By YVONNE T. CHUA OUTGOING President Gloria Arroyo has issued an executive order that would turn most government lawyers in the executive branch into career executive service officers (CESO) and guarantee them not only bigger pay and higher rank, but permanent appointment that incoming president Beningo Aquino III and future presidents may not revoke except

By ELLEN TORDESILLAS A KEY witness in the Maguindanao  massacre who was refused protection by the Department of Justice was killed 10 days ago. Lawyer Harry Roque, counsel for 14 of the 57 victims of the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre, said three sources confirmed the killing of Suwaid Upham, one of the seven gunmen, who had

PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s family expects the Department of Agrarian Reform to approve within the next seven days or before she steps down from office their application to convert the 157-hectare family-owned Hacienda Bacan in Isabela, Negros Occidental from agricultural to industrial use. The application, which will exempt Hacienda Bacan from coverage of the Comprehensive

THE Rotary Club of Manila yesterday awarded  VERA Files a special citation for outstanding reporting under the New Media category. “For its exhaustive investigative reports  on the Assets and Liabilities of government officials, particularly of the President and the First Gentleman, highlighting the people’s right to information,”  the citation read. This is the first time

By CAROLYN O. ARGUILLAS Mindanews DAVAO CITY.–The Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) ended nine years of peace negotiations under the Arroyo administration with the signing of a “Declaration of Continutiy for Peace Negotiations” and the “Guidelines on the Humanitarian, Rehabilitation and Development Component of the International Monitoring Team” shortly after noon today

By E.V. CARREON GUIMBA, Nueva Ecija.—At least 60 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines that went missing here after the May 10 elections are now at the Commission on Elections provincial office, with Smartmatic unable to explain how it lost control of these machines. The Comelec ordered the PCOS machines brought to its provincial office

RYAN ROSAURO, VIOLETA M. GLORIA, AND JULES BENITEZ Mindanews and VERA Files THE automated election system failed to bring change to Lanao del Sur traditional warlord and goon country of Mindanao where violence and a low voter turnout marked the May 10 elections, as they did in the past. The police, military and election watchdog

By VIOLETA M. GLORIA Mindanews ILIGAN CITY. – The conduct of elections in Lanao del Norte can be considered generally peaceful despite delays in the transmission of results from 11 hinterland towns, the Pastoral Parish Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) said. Fr.Rey Pati-an, provincial PPCRV head, said the peaceful election could be attributed to well-behaved

By VIOLETA M. GLORIA Mindanews ILIGAN CITY.–Two persons lining up to vote at the Tugaya Central Elementary School ended up dead while another was wounded when a man identified as Albert Balindong strafed them at around 10:45 a.m., Major Ferdinand Cacas, head of the Philippine Army’s103rd Brigade Election Monitoring and Action Center, said. Cacas added

By ARTHA KIRA PAREDES BANGUED, Abra.— Senior citizen Aida Bolante-Camaro was among some 200 Abrenians who rallied for peaceful elections Friday, three days before the May 10 national and local elections. Tugging along her 12 year-old grandson, the 72-year-old volunteer catechist from La Paz town said she and representatives from her vicariate joined the prayer

By ARTHA KIRA PAREDES BANGUED, Abra.—A detachment of the Citizens Armed Force Geographical Unit in Lagayan town was dissolved after its members were found to have been in the employ of local politicians. Col. Essel Soriano, commanding officer of the 503rd Infantry Brigade, confirmed the dissolution of the CAFGU detachment in Lagayan town, where the

By ANTONIO M. MANAYTAY MindaNews ISABELA CITY, Basilan.—For the first time in years, this island province will experience elections without the charismatic Islamic preacher-turned-politican Wahab Akbar, and people are waiting to see whether the dynasty he left behind will survive his death. Akbar was a three-term governor who became congressman in 2007, the same year