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Philippines

Facebook helps Philippine cops nab murder suspect

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine police tracked down a suspect in a series of grisly robberies and murders with the help of his Facebook account, officials said Tuesday.
Mark Dizon, a 28-year-old computer technician, did not resist when arrested Tuesday while talking with his father in a public square in northern San Fernando [...]

Read More » No commentJuly 29, 2010

Aide to witness to Philippine massacre gunned down

MANILA, Philippines – Members of the clan suspected in one of the worst massacres in Philippine history are believed to be behind the weekend shooting death of an aide for a key witness to the mass killings, officials said Monday.
The attack Sunday appeared to be the latest case of harassment and [...]

Read More » No commentJuly 28, 2010

Philippines’ famed Boracay island under threat

MANILA (AFP) – The Philippines’ once pristine island of Boracay has become extremely overdeveloped, with its famous beach now choked by sewage and too many bars, the country’s new tourism minister said Friday.
In a candid interview with AFP, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim suggested it was time tourists visited equally beautiful beaches in [...]

Read More » No commentJuly 13, 2010

Filipino coup suspect says new prez is legitimate

MANILA, Philippines – A rebel soldier who turned himself in to face charges stemming from two coup attempts against the Philippines’ former president said Thursday he is willing to face justice because he considers the new president legitimate.
Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon was accused of helping lead 300 soldiers in taking over the [...]

Read More » No commentJuly 9, 2010

Surrendered Filipino coup suspect says no regrets

MANILA, Philippines – A rebel soldier who turned himself in to face charges stemming from two coup attempts in the Philippines against the former president said Thursday he had no regrets for his actions.
Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon, who was accused of helping lead 300 soldiers in taking over the upscale Oakwood Hotel and [...]

Read More » No commentJuly 9, 2010

Philippine drive for massacre witness protection

MANILA (AFP) – The Philippines ordered greater protection on Sunday for witnesses implicating a powerful Muslim clan in the country’s worst political massacre.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s directive came as police said they had arrested two suspects in the killing of a key witness against the Ampatuan clan for the November [...]

Read More » No commentJuly 4, 2010

15 killed, 48 injured in bus crash in Philippines

CEBU, Philippines – Fifteen people were killed after the brakes on a speeding bus packed with passengers failed and the vehicle slammed into a concrete barrier in the central Philippines. Another 48 people were injured, police said Sunday.
The bus carrying mostly homebound factory workers was traveling at high speed Saturday [...]

Read More » No commentJuly 4, 2010

New Philippine leader sits in jams like other folk

MANILA, Philippines – The new president of the Philippines was 40 minutes late for his first address to the military Friday as he kept his promise to suffer in the capital’s heavy traffic like ordinary people.
In one of the most loudly applauded portions of his inaugural speech Wednesday, Benigno Aquino III [...]

Read More » No commentJuly 4, 2010

Philippine military chief quits

MANILA, Philippines – The chief of the 120,000-strong Philippine military retired Tuesday after the incoming president said he would replace him when he takes power next week — a move the general declared a “dangerous precedent.”
Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit was widely viewed as close to outgoing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He [...]

Read More » No commentJune 24, 2010

Five communist rebels slain in Philippines: police

DAVAO, Philippines (AFP) – Five communist guerrillas were killed and six policemen were wounded in an extended gunbattle in the southern Philippines on Friday, a police spokesman said.
About 50 fighters from the (NPA) attempted to overrun a small police outpost in the restive island of Mindanao but the police [...]

Read More » No commentJune 22, 2010