Taking a jab at the administration’s “Daang Matuwid” (Straight Path), Vice President Jejomar Binay said on Thursday, October 8, that what the Philippines needs is “Daang Mabillis” or the “Fast Path”. At the launch of Go Negosyo’s Presidentiables Series, Binay also hit the lack of inclusiveness in the administration’s “inclusive growth” strategy. He likewise enumerated priorities that could benefit business – among them, tax reform, high-speed Internet access, and streamlining business registration. Addressing questions about corruption allegations, Binay said, “Through good governance, I will reverse the allegations.

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The recent kidnapping of Italian restaurateur Rolando del Torchio in Dipolog City indicates the Abu Sayyaf is regaining strength in the south, analysts said. Del Torchio, a former missionary priest, was the fourth foreigner kidnapped in the region in just 3 weeks. He also brings to 8 the number of hostages held by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), listed by the US as a terrorist organization. Rodolfo Mendoza, senior analyst at the Philippine Institute for Peace Violence and Terrorism Research, said the ASG is “not only regaining its old shape and form, it is also reaching a new level of sophistication.”

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A related story on the kidnap of Del Torchio is also on Rappler.

Regardless of its flaws, the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is “far better” than the current structure of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). At a forum organized by the Eisenhower Fellowship Association of the Philippines, ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said the BBL is the answer to what the ARMM failed to do, among them, bringing change down to the local government level. Several local government units failed in their task of providing good governance and the ARMM did not have the power to police them, much less prosecute them. The ARMM, despite its current weaknesses, is “not a hopeless case,” however, since according to Hataman, it has shown in recent years that development in the region is possible.

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Thanks to NASA’s unmanned New Horizons, a nuclear-powered spacecraft which made a historic flyby of the dwarf planet in July, probers have seen blue skies and patches of frozen water on Pluto. Never before has Pluto been observed in such detail. Along with the announcement, NASA also released an image showing a blue layer of haze around the planet, which was taken by the spacecraft. On Pluto, the blue haze appears to be caused by larger, though relatively small, soot-like particles called tholins.

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Manila police shot dead a hostage taker of a southbound public bus along Taft Avenue on Thursday, October 8. The driver pulled over at the corner of Pedro Gil and fled the bus, along with the bus conductor, and reported the incident to policemen on patrol. The suspect, who was armed with a knife, boarded an HM Transport bus at Luneta along Taft Avenue and held hostage a female passenger at the front row of the bus. When police officers saw the female student being poked by the suspect, one of them went to the driver’s side of the bus and shot him, allowing the hostage to escape. When the unnamed suspect was rushed to a hospital, he was pronounced dead. 

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Out of 14 countries with unsolved media murders, the Philippines ranked No. 4 next to Somalia, Iraq, and Syria, which ranked 1-3 respectively. The 2015 Global Impunity Index of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists listed 44 unsolved cases for the Philippines. The report said remains “the only country within the top 5 impunity offenders not engulfed by conflict and acute political instability.” Justice for the 32 media victims and 26 others “slaughtered in the 2009 massacre in Maguindanao appears more elusive than ever,” the CPJ report said. After 6 years, no one has been convicted and the suspected mastermind of the massacre has died.

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Former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is filing her certificate of candidacy for a third term as Pampanga 2^nd District Representative, her lawyer Raul Lambino said on Thursday, October 8. A senior member of Lakas-CMD, Lambino said a party staff member would file the COC in Pampanga on Arroyo’s behalf. Even while in detention, Arroyo has continued to perform her duties as a lawmaker, Lambino said. The former president has been under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center for plunder charges arising from the alleged misuse of P366 million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office intelligence funds. Recently the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention also said her detention violates international law.

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A related story on the UN is also on Rappler.

The courageous draw achieved by the Philippines against North Korea ranks among the greatest results in Philippine football history. Former assistant national coach Consorcio Manreza Jr said, “That’s really amazing, North Korea being an Asian power. That is the first time for us to have drawn them and it has a good mark on Philippine football.” The draw means the Philippines is still in contention for “at least a slot in the Asian Cup qualifying,” Mariano Araneta, Philippine Football Federation president, said The first time the Philippines played North Korea, they lost 0-2 in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup in Nepal.

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A related story on the Azkals’ game vs North Korea is also on Rappler.

A mudslide that destroyed a village near the Guatemalan capital has killed over 200 people, and left 150 others missing. The public prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the country’s deadliest disaster this year. About 100 houses were buried Thursday, October 8, by a mountain of mud and debris, following heavy rain. Rescuers said they did not expect survivors.

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Facebook is introducing “Reactions” consisting of 6 emojis that enhance its “Like” button. These include emojis for Love, Haha, Yay, Wow, Sad, and Angry. According to TechCrunch, the pop-up feature will be tested in Spain and Ireland, chosen for their extensive international friend networks in English and non-English speaking users.  The added emojis will show on mobile and desktop versions of Facebook, particularly on all posts in a user’s Facebook news feed.

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