Politics

PANABO CITY— Panabo City Mayor Rey Gavina appealed to opposition groups to refrain from staging protest rallies during President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo?s visit to Panabo city this week.

Gavina vowed not to issue a permit to any group who has plans to disrupt the President?s visit with protest actions.

?I?m wholeheartedly appealing not to stage (protest) rally during the President?s visit, I won?t give permit to those who will stage the rally except some other time,? he said.
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Instead of a general assembly that people attended on their own volition, the gathering was marred by alleged deception and other machinations, allegedly done on orders by Malacanang.

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By Cheryll D. Fiel
davaotoday.com

DAVAO CITY ? They were all gathered on Saturday to supposedly hear the pros and cons of the proposed constitutional amendment to shift to a parliamentary form of government. What they heard instead were the earnest words of their officials promising dramatic change in governance.

Worst, instead of a general assembly that people attended on their own volition, the gathering was marred by alleged deception and other machinations, allegedly done on orders by Malacanang.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government had earlier asked barangays (villages) across the country to hold general assemblies yesterday and on Oct. 21 to supposedly get the pulse of the public on constitutional amendments.

The assemblies are part of the ?people?s initiative,? one of the ways the administration is using to amend the charter, which requires the signatures of at least 12 percent of the total registered voters nationwide and at least three percent of voters in a congressional district.

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DAVAO CITY -- Davao City Mayor Duterte was being eyed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to be the next secretary of the defense, the local ABS-CBN reported on Saturday. But the…