Filipinos in Europe Join Call for Foreign Poll Observers
Filipinos in Europe, through Migrante, welcome the call in the Philippines to encourage independent foreign observers to monitor the mid-term elections this year.
2 Huge Davao Norte Projects Bared
TAGUM CITY — Former Davao del Norte governor Rodolfo del Rosario, who is President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo?s adviser on New Government Centers, has said there are two big-ticket infrastructure projects in Davao del Norte that have been funded for their implementation.
Del Rosario said last week that the two ?mega-projects? are the Talaingod-Bukidnon road, which was allocated 1.2 billion pesos and the Saug River Development Project, which was given an appropriation of 700 million pesos.
Davao Traders Coddling NPA Leader — Army
A military official has said Kumander Parago, the leader of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) operating in the Davao region, is being coddled and protected by some businessmen and politicians in the region. The official said he has a list of these businessmen.
Duterte Next Defense Secretary?
Mindanews reported yesterday that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is being considered as the next defense secretary. (We cannot provide the link to the story because the Mindanews website, as of 9 a.m. today, has been hacked.) The story mentioned the praises Duterte has received lately from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Senate president Manuel Villar, mainly for the mayor’s efforts to keep his city safe from criminals.
U.S. Elated Over Janjalani’s Death
The U.S. government has congratulated the Arroyo administration for the death of Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani. In a statement, the U.S. embassy in Manila called Janjalani’s death a “step forward” in the fight against terror.