Politics

US to Focus on ?Peace, Prosperity? in Mindanao — Envoy

By Cheryll D. Fiel
 davaotoday.com

Amb. Kenney in Davao, June 22. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)DAVAO CITY — “Peace and prosperity” are the focus of the US government’s efforts in Mindanao, US ambassador Kristie A. Kenney said during her visit to Davao City this week.

“We continue to work,? Kenney replied to a question regarding the US government’s financial and military assistance to the Philippines during a brief meeting with the media at the Marco Polo Hotel. ?I think our real focus at this point is on peace and prosperity.”

She emphasized that, on the security side, the US government is not working only with the armed forces and the police. The US is doing this, she said, “in a variety of ways,” such as through development, agricultural, education and health assistance programs.

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?Mega-Region? Concept Excites Execs

TAGUM CITY ? Clustering provinces into a ?mega-region? enables one to support the other and could prove beneficial to Mindanao, officials said this week.

Davao del Norte Vice Governor Antonio Rafael ?Anthony? del Rosario praised the plan of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to lump provinces and regions into mega- or? supra-regions as an economic and development strategy,? a concept which the province of Davao del Norte implemented during the time of former Rodolfo del Rosario.

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NPA Denies Killing Kidapawan Couple; Pi?ol Disagrees with ?All-Out War?

By Cheryll D. Fiel
davaotoday.com

DAVAO CITY — The New People’s Army (NPA) in Southern Mindanao has denied the accusation made by the police that it was behind the murders this week of George and Maricel Vigo, development workers and former journalists in Kidapawan City.

Instead, the NPA pointed to North Cotabato governor Emmanuel Pi?ol and officials of the military as the perpetrators.

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Southern Mindanao Cited as Nation?s Safest Region

By Grace S. Uddin
davaotoday.com

DAVAO CITY ? This city?s notoriety as the ?salvage? capital of the Philippines did not prevent the Southern Mindanao region, where other cities also emulate Davao in dealing with suspected criminals, from getting the award for the ?Best in Regional Peace and Order Council? for the year 2004.

?Salvage? is a term widely used by Filipinos to refer to a summary execution, often by people suspected to be authorities, mainly the police. ?Salvaging,? in fact, has been widely supported and endorsed by Davao City officials, among them Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, the chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC).

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