MILF infighting leaves boy dead, man wounded in Maguindanao

MANILA, Philippines — The National Unity Party (NUP) on Wednesday called for an end to withholding district funding as political punishment for lawmakers who break ranks and do not toe the line, saying the practice is a form of retribution that ultimately harms their constituencies. “The practice of punishing districts and communities for any opinions

Screengrab from Senate of the Philippines / YouTube Dole: P25 NCR wage hike still possible if Wage Order 27 upheld in court MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) on Wednesday said the additional P25 daily wage increase for Metro Manila workers can still be implemented if the courts will ultimately uphold

MANILA, Philippines — Atty. Levito Baligod, legal counsel for the 18 “maleta boys,” said National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag is the one who needs to take a lie detector test. Baligod made this statement when asked about the NBI chief’s remark that the bureau also asked the “maleta boys”—who implicated various government

KORONADAL CITY — The principal of Isulan National High School in Sultan Kudarat province on Wednesday vehemently denied reports of a shooting or hostage-taking on campus, saying all students were safe following a security scare that prompted a lockdown. “There was no shooting incident, and there was no hostage-taking,” school principal Lorna Lee Ann Valencia

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Wednesday expressed concern over Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s claim that he was unaware of his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte’s, financial interest in Gencorp Industries Inc. The Palace made the statement after Mayor Duterte said during the resumption of the impeachment trial on Tuesday that he had no

Screengrab Senate of the Philippines / YouTube MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Wednesday grilled the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), which is under the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), over regional directors who have remained in their posts for years, with some allegedly staying for decades. During the Senate finance committee’s 2027 DOLE

ILIGAN CITY — A total road closure will be implemented along a section of the Mariano Lluch Badelles Sr. Road in Barangay Tambacan, Iligan City, starting Thursday, October 1, to pave the way for the rehabilitation of the Tambacan Bridge. Pursuant to Sangguniang Panlungsod Resolution No. 26-670, vehicles are not allowed on the affected road

MANILA, Philippines — The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) on Wednesday committed to investigate a plastic surgeon and his clinic. This comes after Sen. Raffy Tulfo raised alleged malpractice cases involving reported deaths of patients. During the Senate Committee on Finance hearing for the 2027 spending plan of

The Camon Slim 5G phone from Tecno is out today and is one of the more anticipated units of the mobile brand if the staff at the Tecno store in One Ayala is to be believed. He shared during a brief chat that potential customers have been inquiring about its release and said many were willing to go on a list to be the first to get their hands on it. Unfortunately, staff weren’t permitted to accept reservations but the wait is finally over. Fresh out of the box, the Camon Slim is true to its name. With a width of 6.39 mm, it is sleek with rounded edges and comes with a large 6.78” Amoled display. It’s equipped with a 6000mAh long-lasting battery and is extremely dust- and water-resistant. Once the unit has been programmed, it can be activated by its owner three ways. First is through fingerprint access, followed by face recognition, and lastly by sliding your finger on the display using your chosen pattern. These security measures are welcome and not at all excessive in this day and age, but can take some getting used to. That was the general sentiment for this writer who has gotten so used after years spent with the Apple interface. The Tecno Camon Slim 5G is tricked out with numerous features like a 50MP Sony Lytia 700C Camera that takes photos that are way clearer then those taken with my aging but still serviceable iPhone XR. Test shots on the Camon Slim during brunch on a sunny day were crisp although the built-in filter rendered its subjects poreless, porcelain-complected. This particular feature is marketed by the brand as “universal skin tone [that captures] enhanced but true-to-life colors.” For those aware of how they look in real life, the flawlessness can be jarring or, in some cases, very much welcomed. During Bench Fashion Week last weekend, the camera was able to capture video quickly and efficiently. Take note: it retains the last function used so if one keeps shifting from shooting video to taking photos, one will have to toggle the desired function every time. The phone is obviously targeted at a younger market, one that’s more accommodating to AI since another feature is called practical AI. Under that category is AI Snap Poster where items can be isolated and placed on a themed scene (home interior, beach, showroom, etc) and is ideal for small vendors creating product posters. AI Health and Sports, meanwhile, can analyze food photos to estimate calories and nutrients before offering personalized meal recommendations. For creatives or writers, the unit’s AI Recording Notes feature shows some promise. It can transcribe record lectures into structured notes, and even match whiteboard photos to the corresponding moments in the recording. So far, this writer has managed to write a 600-word column by connecting the phone via Bluetooth using a compact and foldable keyboard (sold separately). What usually takes an hour to an hour and a half ended up taking more than two hours because the on-screen keyboard had to be repeatedly dismissed. The system didn’t seem to recognize that an external keyboard was already connected. For those who appreciate all the bells and whistles incorporated into the new phones these days, the Tecno Camon Slim 5G might be the perfect unit. It comes in four colors (Burgundy Red, Gossamer White, Matisse Black and Rebel Pink) and is equipped with 256GB ROM and 24GB RAM (8GB + 16GB Extended).

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Police said all students and personnel of Isulan National High School (INHS) in Sultan Kudarat were safe, and no injuries were reported in the incident that caused panic there Wednesday morning. Col. Marvin Fontalva, acting director of the Sultan Kudarat Police Provincial Office (SKPPO), said police personnel were coordinating with the

MANILA, Philippines — Heavy rains may affect Metro Manila and six areas in Luzon on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 30, due to the persistence of localized thunderstorms, the state weather bureau said. In a thunderstorm advisory issued at 2:18 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said heavy rain showers with lightning and

[Updated Sept. 30, 2026, 6:33 p.m.] MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has dismissed three petitions challenging the Senate Impeachment Court’s interpretation of the two-thirds vote required to convict Vice President Sara Duterte. Voting unanimously, with acting Chief Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen presiding, the high court said the petitions filed separately by former Executive Secretary