IBP laments slow pace of cases in Bukidnon courts

Justice delayed is justice denied and in Bukidnon, whose courts are swamped with cases, resetting a trial today would likely mean waiting for 2010, an official of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines has warned.
Anastacio Rosos, IBP Bukidnon chapter president, said the problem has hampered the speedy dispensation of justice in the province’s four [...]

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Transparency in peace negotiations

Those who are familiar with peace negotiations could understand the nature of talks being held there. Important but confidential, these are only two of the important considerations.
Any point being brought up or agreed upon bears impact to people —the respective constituencies of each negotiating party.
In the case of the government negotiating peace with the Moro [...]

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GMA, Esperon, Razon respondents in first writ of amparo petition in Mindanao

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Armed Forces Chief of  Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon and Philippine National Police chief Avelino Razon and three other military officials are respondents in the first petition for writ of amparo in Mindanao.
The petition was filed by Bebelita Bustamante of Paquibato district, whose only son, 21-year old Luicito, disappeared on October 27.
The [...]

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(My Views) Reforms in selection process urged for Comelec

The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting threw in their take on the recent noise at the Commission on Elections.
PPCRV saw something fishy in the alleged lack of transparency in the selection process with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s appointment of Iligan City judge Moslemen Macarambon, Sr. Read the MindaNews story here.
The poll watchdog making noise [...]

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Legislators want Shari’ah courts in Davao City

The City Council unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday urging the creation of at least a Shari’ah circuit and district court court here.  The resolution was sponsored by Councilor Amilbangsa Manding, President of the Association of Barangay Councils, to help free the regular courts of cases involving Muslims.
Estimated at around 150,000, Muslims here constitute 10% of [...]

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Microview: Military abuse in Ecoland terminal

Where you’re supposed to be safe, you are not.
KB’s presentation in his blog of a passenger’s ordeal with a soldier detailed at the Ecoland Bus Terminal in Davao City is comical.
His style is light and it made use of youtube-famed monicker to appeal for a common touch.
The story he revealed, however, no matter how common, [...]

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Hello World!

Welcome to the new Istambay sa Mindanao.
There are many reasons why I call it a new blog, apart from the new theme and header. I hope to share more about it at the right time.
Just a few things about the photo in the header. I took it in December 2005 along the highway in Kumalarang [...]

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Mining and Mindanao: what fate awaits communities?

A friend Penelope Sanz, an anthropologist and a part-time journalist, has gone deep into both probing mining communities and met with mining firms.
I think she has an extensive and intensive field work on mining in Mindanao. I have always wanted to cover communities as there are both interesting and shocking stories to tell from the [...]

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Painting the school blue

The bright young eyes of eleven year old Rasmia Kasim is looking at the playground of J. Marquez Elementary School.
 
From her classroom in suburban Cotabato City, she could see children her age busy playing in the sunny afternoon.
 
After a gleeful good bye song for classmates and their teacher,
she quickly [...]

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The Kalagans of Davao City

I took an aimless walk in downtown Davao City last Sunday. It was something born out of being a surrogate son of Dabaw.  I just wanted to explore what’s in store in the city’s streets. I know the Kadayawan Festival has rolled off so I was hoping I could see new things and sights this [...]

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Grassroots blogging

One of my more serious agenda at the Mindanao Bloggers Summit in October (aside from partying, listening to the A-listers, and meeting new friends) is to help spread out blogging vocabulary and technology for the grassroots level.
I intend to share an idea about how blogging can be a useful tool for communities to megaphone their [...]

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More village dialogues pushed in Mindanao

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / August 10) - Mindanao bishops and Muslim scholars and the top brass of the military and the police have suggested wider dialogues in the localities to help find solutions to the triggers of violent conflict in Mindanao.
This was one of the consensus points reached in a closed-door meeting Thursday [...]

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