-
Opinion | A Peace Sanctuary Is Not Enough: Recognizing NMIP Ancestral Domain Is Key to Lasting Security in Bangsamoro
The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) recently passed Proposed Resolution No. 712, declaring Sitio Mekir in Barangay Lamud, South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur as a peace sanctuary and safe evacuation center for Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIPs) during armed hostilities. Authored by MP Froilyn T. Mendoza, herself a staunch advocate for the rights of Indigenous Peoples, this…
-
Kidnap Victim Rescued in Lanao del Sur; Two Suspects Nabbed at COMELEC Checkpoint
Lanao del Sur – Authorities rescued a kidnapping victim and arrested two suspects following a swift police response in Malabang, Lanao del Sur, on August 26, 2025. The operation was launched after concerned citizens reported the incident, prompting a composite team from the Lanao del Sur Police Provincial Office and the Special Action Force to…
-
Opinion: COA’s Special Audit in BARMM — Accountability or Political Pressure?
The Commission on Audit’s (COA) decision to launch a special audit into the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) is more than just an accounting exercise. It goes straight into the heart of the fragile relationship between the national government and the Bangsamoro. At face value,…
-
Php 3M Worth of Smuggled Cigarettes Seized at COMELEC Checkpoint in Maguindanao del Norte
Maguindanao del Norte — Authorities confiscated an estimated Php 3 million worth of smuggled cigarettes during a COMELEC checkpoint operation conducted by the Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO BAR) on Tuesday. The operation was carried out after a wing van was flagged down and found to contain 150 boxes of smuggled cigarettes—30 boxes…
-
Brutal Ambush in Guindulungan Leaves Two Dead, Several Wounded Amid COMELEC Gun Ban
Guindulungan, Maguindanao del Sur — August 25, 2025 At the height of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) gun ban in connection with the upcoming first-ever Parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro, violence erupted along the national highway in Barangay Bagan, Guindulungan, Maguindanao del Sur on Monday night, leaving at least two people dead and seven others…
-
Peace Mediation in Nabalawag, BARMM Seals Agreement to End Conflict
August 26, 2025 — The Philippine Army’s 601st Infantry (Unifier) Brigade, led by Brigadier General Edgar L. Catu, facilitated a peace mediation between the parties of Honorable Datu Rhenz Tukuran “Datu Puti,” Mayor of Nabalawag, Special Geographic Area (SGA), BARMM, and Norodin Omar “Obiten.” The mediation was held at the headquarters of the 6th Infantry…
-
Maritime Police Rescue Fisherman Stung by Venomous Fish in Tawi-Tawi
Tawi-Tawi — A late-night patrol of the 1st Special Operations Unit–Maritime Group (1st SOU-MG) turned into a life-saving mission after officers rescued a fisherman suffering from a venomous fish sting off the coast of Buan, Panglima Sugala, on Monday night, August 25, 2025. At around 10:15 p.m., the team led by PLTCOL Jeseryl A. Dela…
-
100 Turtle Eggs Seized in Jolo, Authorities Probe Illegal Wildlife Trade
JOLO, Sulu — Authorities confiscated at least 100 turtle eggs during an operation at the Serantes Fish Landing Wet Market in Jolo on August 25, 2025, in a crackdown against illegal wildlife trade. The operation, conducted around 10:30 a.m., was carried out by personnel of the Sulu Maritime Police Station (MARPSTA) following intelligence reports on…
-
Peace Caravan and Covenant Signing Held in Basilan for BARMM’s First Parliamentary Elections
LAMITAN CITY, Basilan — In a show of unity and commitment to peaceful and orderly polls, the Basilan Police Provincial Office, led by Provincial Director PCOL Cerrazid A. Umabong, and the Commission on Elections (COMELEC)–Basilan, headed by Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Roberto V. Dela Peña, spearheaded a Peace Caravan and Covenant Signing on Tuesday, August…
-
Search and Retrieval Operation Recovers Two Bodies After Sea Fire in Sulu
SULU — Authorities have recovered two bodies during a joint search and retrieval operation on Sunday, August 24, following a sea fire that left three people missing off the coast of Tapul, Sulu. The operation, conducted around 9:00 a.m. near the waters of Sulari, Parang, was led by personnel of the Sulu Maritime Police Station…