Duterte Takes Aim at Trash

By Cheryll D. Fiel
davaotoday.com

DAVAO CITY ? The trash bins look expensive. These are placed strategically in practically every street corner in several ?pilot? areas in the city, as if telling the public that there?s no excuse for littering and — this is important — segregating garbage.

To put it bluntly, you could go to jail for ignoring what the bins are for. And City Hall says it is serious in implementing this waste-segregation scheme.

davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan

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3 Davao Backpackers Cleared of NPA Links

The military, police, barangay officials from Davao all agree: They are not members of the New People?s Army (NPA).

By Ace Alegre
Bulatlat

La Trinidad, Benguet ? The Davao City-based military command, local police and barangay officials cleared the three backpackers who live in Davao from any link with the NPA.

The Regional Trial Court in Benguet declared two weeks ago the arrest by Benguet police officers of 11 Sagada-bound backpackers as illegal. Two of the 11 were released on recognizance immediately after.
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Virador Urges Scrapping of Intel Funds

?Despite the billions of (intelligence) funds made available since 2001, these have not contributed to maintaining peace or even arresting the violence. Unless, of course, these funds were used to sponsor such violence, which we strongly believe is the case.?

Bayan Muna Rep. Joel Virador (davaoyoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)DAVAO CITY ? To Joel Virador, the Bayan Muna congressman who represents Mindanao, it?s an idea that makes perfect sense: if the state?s intelligence apparatuses can?t stop criminals from killing political activists, journalists, lawyers, students and church people, why should the Filipino people allow them to continue enjoying their intelligence fund?

In fact, Virador thinks that ?it is very plausible that these government funds are being used by the Arroyo administration to fund operations of death squads to murder Bayan Muna members, leaders and supporters nationwide.?

The solution would be to scrap these ?Confidential and Intelligence (COIN) Funds? immediately, Virador said.

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