Archive - Focus

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

By ARTHA KIRA PAREDES BANGUED, Abra.—In the afternoon of March 23 this year, 50 heavily armed guards of mayoral candidate Cromwell Luna appeared at the kindergarten graduation of Tineg Central School in Barangay Agsimao in Tineg town. Eyewitnesses said children wailed, old men and women cried, while the rest scampered for cover as the men

By ARTHA KIRA PAREDES BANGUED, Abra.— Bangued Mayor Dominic Valera is under hospital arrest after he allegedly shot and killed a supporter of his political rival earlier today, the first recorded casualty of an election-related violent incident in the province. Abra provincial police chief Senior Superintendent Ernesto Gaab said two witnesses pointed to Valera as