A lone gunman was responsible for the shooting rampage at an Army patrol base in Sulu province that killed nine soldiers and a civilian, the Chief of Staff, General Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said.
Quoting initial findings of a military investigation, Esperon also said “no drinking spree and no mauling” preceded the carnage, contrary to some news reports.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) weeded out more than 1 million Filipinos from the list of voters in the May 14 midterm elections.
Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said the poll body was able to de-list a total of 1.13 million ?unscrupulous” voters, bringing down to 45.5 million the number of qualified voters for the May polls.
“Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and the strong peso are boosting us.”
Thus enthused Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio R. Bunye over the report of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) that FDIs “recorded net inflows of US$357 million, or a year-on-year growth of almost 51 percent” in January 2007 alone.
PRESS RELEASE
Department of Foreign Affairs
2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines ▪ Tel. No. 834-4000
▪ www.dfa.gov.ph
PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL, SYDNEY ADVISES FILIPINOS ON NEW AMENDMENTS TO
AUSTRALIAN MIGRATION ACT
12 April 2007 ? Consul General Maria Theresa P. Lazaro of the Philippine
Consulate General in Sydney, Australia reported to the Department of Foreign
Affairs that recent amendments the Australian Government passed to its
existing Migration Act of 1958 imposing stiffer sanctions on employers who
take in overstaying foreigners or those individuals who are in breach of
visa conditions will make employment more difficult for Filipino overstayers
and ?tourists,? as well as the Filipino-Australian employers, recruiters and
migration agents who exploit them in the guise of compassion or ?pakiusap?.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
12 April 2007
MANILA?The creation of a national committee that would assist the nation’s former armed rebels lead normal lives is vital to the overall peace process, the government’s top peace adviser said.
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (PAPP) Secretary Jesus Dureza said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s signing of an Administrative Order creating the National Committee on Social Integration (NCSI) is essential to the search for a just, lasting, and sustainable peace in the country.