Philippines election: Maverick Rodrigo Duterte wins presidency (tags)
Maverick anti-crime candidate Rodrigo "Digong" Duterte has won the Philippine presidential elections, following the withdrawal of his opponents.
AQUINO III, MURAD OF MILF HELD TALKS IN TOKYO FOR TWO HOURS (tags)
The Alliance News (AN) learned today through media reports from Manila that President Benigno Aquino III left the country unannounced on Thursday night to hold unprecedented talks with a Muslim rebel leader in Japan. According to AN, Mr. Aquino met for two hours with Murad Ebrahim, chair of the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), in a hotel near the Narita airport in Tokyo on Thursday evening, the first time a Philippine president has met face-to-face with a leader of the rebel group since on-and-off peace talks started 14 years ago. The MILF called Mr. Aquino?s effort a ?grand gesture? that gave ?a tremendous boost to the peace process.? Ghadzali Jaafar, the MILF political affairs chief, said it was ?a fruitful meeting.?
‘Free the 43’ FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS! (tags)
resident Benigno Aquino III is concerned over the detention for the past 15 years of Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma, a democracy icon like his late mother, former President Corazon C. Aquino. Last Oct. 28, while attending the Asean Summit in Hanoi, he urged Burma’s Prime Minister Thein Sein to free Suu Kyi, but predictably, the latter made no clear commitment. But while Mr. Aquino seems to be passionate in working for the release of Suu Kyi, he does not seem to be very concerned about the detention for the past nine months by government forces of 43 health workers, the so-called “Morong 43.” Last Oct. 14 Mr. Aquino said the case of the 43 detainees would have to be decided by the court that is trying them for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
The NDF reaffirms its commitment to the MILF and the Bangsamoro struggle for genuine self- (tags)
The PESANTE NEWS learned today through news sources from Mindanao that the National Democratic Front - Mindanao (NDF-Mindanao) shares with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in raising concern with regard to the capability and sincerity of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP), presently under Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, in undertaking peace negotiations as a venue to address the just demands of the Bangsamoro. The NDF spokesperson Jorge Madlos said " GRP would have the Moro as well as the Filipino people believe that credible talks under a favorable atmosphere for peace with the MILF would promptly resume after the Holy Ramadan, but all indicators point otherwise.