MARAWI CITY (MindaNews/05 February) — The young and the old, women in black, religious leaders, government and civil society organizations gathered at the public plaza at Banggolo this morning, for the second rally since the weekend, against the joint RP-US military exercises, Balikatan.
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/05 Feb) – Mixed reactions greeted Rep. Prospero Nograles’ election as Speaker of the House of Representatives. While many are cheering Mindanao’s first House Speaker, others are jeering at Nograles as “another puppet of GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo).”
The business sector appears to be the happiest.
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/05 February) — Not all representatives from the 59-member Mindanao Bloc voted “yes” to oust House Speaker Jose de Venecia.
In fact, of Davao City’s five representatives, 1st district Rep. Prospero Nograles, whom de Venecia later nominated as Speaker (and who became Speaker) did not cast his vote; 2nd district Rep. Vincent Garcia abstained; 3rd district Rep. Isidro Ungab voted yes and party-list representatives Luz Ilagan (Gabriela) and Mariano Piamonte (A Teacher), both Dabawenyos, voted no.
ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews/05 Feb) — Two more TransCo towers were simultaneously toppled down in Abasara, Guimba, Marawi City at 2 a.m. Monday, bringing to 14 the number of power pylons toppled down since late last year.
KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/Feb 5) – The police station here was adjudged best component PNP station in Region 12 (Southwestern Mindanao) during the region’s founding anniversary celebrations held at the Philippine National Police (PNP) regional headquarters in Barangay Tambler, General Santos City, last Monday.
Chief Justice Reynato Puno yesterday said he would spearhead a workshop, tentatively scheduled for March, aimed at "leveling the playing field" and providing legal help to the poor, including farmers, fishermen and indigenous peoples, who were usually intimidated by the abstract court processes.
