ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 26 February) – One hundred fifty former combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Basilan received government assistance Thursday as part of their reintegration into civilian life. The provincial government, in partnership with the Office
Colorful vintas join the Regatta de Zamboanga on Sunday (22 February 2026), a prelude to the City’s 89th Charter Day (Día de la Ciudad de Zamboanga) on February 26. MindaNews photo by FRENCIE L. CARREON
Survivors of the ill-fated MV Trisha Kerstin 3 are shown being given a hot meal by a Philippine Coast Guard personnel following their rescue. The ship sank 2.7 nautical miles northeast of Baluk-Baluk Island, Basilan a few hours after leaving Zamboanga City for Jolo, Sulu at about 1 AM Monday, January 26. From the Facebook page of Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao (CGDSWM)
Passengers and crew of MV Trisha Kerstin 3 are shown being rescued by Philippine Coast Guard personnel. The ship sank 2.7 nautical miles northeast of Baluk-Baluk Island, Basilan a few hours after leaving Zamboanga City for Jolo, Sulu Sunday evening, January 25. From the Facebook page of Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao (CGDSWM)
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 25 January) — Three vessels carrying undocumented cargo worth P63-M were intercepted in the waters off Sulu on December 28, 2025 and January 5, 2026, the Western Mindanao Naval Command reported on Saturday. “The total estimated value
A member of the Philippine Marine Corps is arrested after taking his live-in partner hostage Saturday, January 10, 2026 in Zamboanga City. Photo courtesy of Marine Battalion Landing Team 1
Julienne Stephanie Fabie, managing director of Pagbayaw, Inc. during the turn-over or equipment from the staff of Sen. Loren Legarda through the Department of Labor and Employment. Photo courtesy of Pagbayaw, Inc.
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 6 January) — For PO3 Al-Shier Alimuddin, a Philippine Coast Guard personnel assigned in Siasi in Sulu, it was a case of being at the right time at the right place that he was able to
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 18 December) – “We did not equate pork with corruption,” the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) said in a letter to Zamboanga del Norte Congressional Representative Adrian Michael Amatong on December 1, a copy of
The rare Philippine Pied Fantail (Rhipidura nigritorquis). Photo courtesy of the DENR-9
Zamboanga del Norte 3rd District Representative Adrian Michael “Ian” Amatong. Photo from Rep. Adrian Michael Amatong’s Facebook page
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 11 December) — The local government has intensified its campaign against online child sexual exploitation by equipping frontline responders with specialized training aimed at strengthening early detection, rapid intervention, and coordinated protection for vulnerable children. From
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 10 December) — The Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC) seized smuggled cigarettes almost ₱374 million worth in separate apprehensions last week in the waters of Basilan and Sulu. Lt. Commander Chester Ross Cabaltera, WMNC spokesman, told
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 07 November) – Solar-powered streetlights have been installed in 13 out of 20 barangays of Maluso town in Basilan Thursday, according to provincial information officer Richard Falcatan. In a phone interview, Falcatan said the installation of
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 01 November) – Entries to this year’s Halloween Costume Contest in Zamboanga City on Thursday night filled the venue with color and excitement with their creative designs and costume. Participants from different age groups who joined
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 29 Oct) — In this year’s Zamboanga Hermosa Photo Safari, held in conjunction with the annual Zamboanga Hermosa Festival during the month of October, a silhouette picture of two friends splashing water by the sea at
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 28 October) — Gunshots rang at the vicinity of the Tipo-Tipo municipal hall early morning Tuesday as gunmen surround the building in an apparent effort to pressure local authorities to give up the suspects in the
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 20 Oct) — Operatives of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) have intercepted in Tawi-Tawi on separate occasions two motorboats carrying almost ₱700,000 worth of undocumented fuel, belated reports said. Lt. Commander Chester Ross Cabaltera, NFWM
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 18 October) – Four minors – three girls and one boy – were rescued from a suspected trafficker identified only as “Jay-ar” in Barangay Sunrise in Isabela City, Basilan. Richard Falcatan, Basilan provincial information officer, said
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 16 Oct) — Vice President Sara Duterte has confirmed that former President Rodrigo Duterte will be spending Christmas in The Hague, Netherlands, as the family awaits developments related to the ongoing proceedings before the International Criminal
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 16 Oct) — Six human trafficking victims were rescued in two separate operations Tuesday in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, according to the Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC). WMNC, through Joint Task Force Poseidon, rescued the six “believed to
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/15 October)—Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman said over 200 local farmers have signed up for the province’s Magtanah or Magtanim Para May Hanapbuhay program, aimed at revitalizing the province’s agricultural sector and uplifting the lives of its farmers by
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/14 October)–Vice-President Sara Duterte said Tuesday, October 14 that she has no control over Cavite 4th District Rep. Kiko Barzaga. “Hindi ko pakawala si Kiko Barzaga (Kiko Barzaga is not doing my bidding),” she said. “I do
ZAMBOANGA CITY–Basilan Gov. Mujiv Hataman launched Tuesday, October 14, the Magbassa Kite Intensive Quality Reading Activity (IQRA) Program to address functional illiteracy in the province. Richard Falcatan, Provincial Information Officer, said the 12-week intensive reading program is meant to enable
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 11 October) – Two clans in Al-Barka, Basilan on Thursday held a reconciliation ceremony to formally end a prolonged conflict that had led to deaths on both sides. Several members of the Lajid and Jakilan clans
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 2 Oct) — The Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC) intercepted various undocumented food products valued at ₱6.2 million from Tawau, Sabah in Malaysia aboard a motor launch on Monday. Lt. Commander Chester Ross Cabaltera, WMNC spokesperson,
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 2 Oct) — The Philippines has remained on “Tier 1” status for the past 10 years as far as the global campaign against human trafficking is concerned, meaning it has “continued to demonstrate serious and sustained
ZAMBOANGA CITY—Over P26 million worth of contraband cigarettes were seized by the Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC) in a series of operations over the last five days beginning September 24. Some 16 million worth of cigarettes were seized by Naval
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 25 Sept) — The City of Zamboanga posted the fastest economic growth, at 4.9 percent, in the Zamboanga Peninsula, according to the latest report released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The city outpaced all other
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 24 Sept) — The Josefina H. Cerilles State College (JHCSC) in San Miguel, Zamboanga del Sur has now become a state university as Republic Act No. 12295, which converts the academic institution into the Zamboanga del
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 19 September) – The bill converting Sulu State College in Jolo into Sulu State University lapsed into law on Monday, September 15, in accordance with Article VI, Section 27(1) of the Constitution. The provision states that
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 18 Sept) — Fourteen would-be trafficking victims were rescued Wednesday in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, according to the Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC). Lt. Cdr. Chester Ross Cabaltera, WMNC spokesman, said the human trafficking operation was conducted at
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 17 Sept) — A motor launch with assorted smuggled goods on board was intercepted by the Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC) as it travelled off Lahangan Island in Tawi-Tawi on Sunday. Lt. Cdr. Chester Ross Cabaltera,
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 17 Sept) — A university official here was shot early morning Wednesday, according to officials of Police Station 6 of the Zamboanga City Police Office. Alfredo “Aldie” Solis Eustaquio, 33, single, and vice president for administration
ZAMBOANGA CITY– Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman, in a bid to draw mountaineers and promote the island’s tourism potentials, trekked with 30 others over the weekend to the summit of Puno Ulayan, the island’s highest mountain.Rising 1,011 meters (3,317 feet) above
ZAMBOANGA CITY—Some P25 million worth of smuggled cigarettes were seized by police in waters between the islands of Sacol and Manalipa, Friday, September 12, 2025.In a press release by the Police Regional Office-9, authorities said the contraband was onboard an
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 10 September) – The rehabilitation of the water facility in Saad Elementary School in Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur is set to start with funding support from the local government and the Philippine KOICA Fellows Association (PhilKOFA)
ZAMBOANGA CITY—The suspect in the February 2025 murders of three men outside a bar here has been arrested, police said.Al-Nednyl Amjad Tulawie was arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Sulu Provincial Field Unit (PFU) following an arrest
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 06 September) – Twenty-four human trafficking victims were rescued Friday in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi. The Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC) said the rescue operation also led to the arrest of two illegal recruiters identified as Sanilyn Hasmin, 37,
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 3 September) — Following the arrest of a lawyer early this year and the rescue of 38 Sabah-bound victims last month, the Department of Justice (DOJ) last week boosted its anti-human trafficking campaign here, launching a
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 16 Aug) — The three illegal recruiters arrested in the alleged human trafficking case here on Aug. 8 have signed a waiver, which thus allows authorities to detain them longer even if they were arrested without
TUKURAN, Zamboanga del Sur (MindaNews / 14 Aug) — A rescued reticulated python and a water monitor lizard were released to the Regional Wildlife Rescue Center here on Tuesday. “We released these rescued wildlife species back into their natural habitats
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 13 Aug) — Authorities here rescued 38 persons, including 4 minors, on Aug. 8 in what was believed to be a case of human trafficking, belated reports said. Three of the illegal recruiters were captured during
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 12 Aug) — The Western Mindanao Naval Command (WMNC) intercepted and apprehended Friday last week off Basilan a motorized fishing vessel with undocumented tobacco products. The tobacco products were valued at ₱16,439,542, according to Lt. Chester
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 5 Aug) — Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan II said that most workers who lost or are about to lose their jobs because of the shift from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) do not
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 5 Aug) — Sulu Gov. Abdusakur “Toto” Tan II is pleased with his province’s inclusion in the Zamboanga Peninsula following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s issuance of Executive Order No. 91, s. 2025 last week. While there
DIPOLOG CITY (MindaNews / 24 July) — The provincial government of Zamboanga del Norte and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources have entered into a memorandum of agreement tapping the private sector to make the province resilient to climate
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 22 July) — A total of 1,315 individuals from 360 families in this city have been affected by Tropical Depression “Crising” and the habagat (southwest monsoon) the past few days, officials said. The City Disaster Risk
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 04 July) – Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MNLF) members who have undergone socioeconomic profiling by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru) have received cash assistance of P45,000 each or a
BARIRA, Maguindanao del Norte (MindaNews / 2 July) — What was once known as a center of conflict has now become a center of development, peace, and tourism. This was how Brig. Gen. Romulo Quemado, commander of the 1st Marine
