Daily News Highlights – October 25, 2015 Edition

“Perpetual disqualification” – this is what nearly 600 candidates could face after they failed to report their campaign expenses in two previous polls, the Commission on Elections said. The list, released Friday, October 23, included some prominent names, such as former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Nur Misuari, former Caloocan City mayor Macario Asistio Jr, and former Quezon City congressman Ismael “Chuck” Mathay III.

Read more why the Comelec made such move on Rappler.

Hurricane Patricia hit Mexico’s Pacific coast on Saturday, October 24, but despite the storm reaching record-breaking strength, it has so far brought less destruction than earlier feared. Patricia made landfall as a Category Five storm, with winds peaking at 325 km/h Friday, October 23, but quickly lost steam. “So far, there are no reports of major damage from #Patricia. Our gratitude to all for your thoughts, prayers and actions #PrayForMexico,” President Enrique Peña Nieto wrote on Twitter.

Read more on Rappler.

After nearly 3 months, former Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) minister Lowell R. Menorca II and members of his household were rescued after allegedly being illegally detained at the central compound of the influential church in Quezon City. In a video obtained by Rappler, Menorca said in Filipino that they did not request the Iglesia leadership to provide them housing in the premises of the INC Central compound or to keep under protective custody.

Read more on Rappler.

Nearly a week after their long journey against killings of Lumad or indigenous peoples in Mindanao, hundreds of participants of a protest caravan dubbed Manilakbayan are expected to arrive in the county’s capital on Sunday, October 25.

The caravan participants, who are called Manilakbayanis, travelled from Surigao City to Eastern Visayas, before crossing over to Luzon island, highlighting their call to stop human rights violations in various Lumad communities. A camp-out will be held at the University of the Philippines Diliman in the coming week.

Read more on Rappler.

Catholic bishops on Saturday, October 24, wrapped up a divisive synod by approving a compromise report reflecting a stalemate in the battle between the Church’s conservative and liberal wings over its approach to sex, love and marriage.

The document, which Pope Francis is free to ignore or implement as he sees fit, fudges the key issue of whether divorced and remarried believers should be allowed to play a full role in the Church.

Agence France-Presse reports from the Vatican.

The New People’s Army claimed responsibility for the death of Loreto town, Agusan del Sur Mayor Dario Otaza and his son Daryl in Butuan City.

Rigoberto Sanchez, spokesman of the NPA Southern Mindanao Regional Command, admitted that guerrilla rebels from the Davao region were behind the daring abduction and execution of father and son on October 19.

Read more on Rappler.

The Philippines is immune from external shocks, particularly from China’s economic slowdown, the HongKong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) said. 

In its latest Global Research entitled Commodity Concerns Dominate, HSBC economist James Pomeroy said the Philippines is among the emerging market (EM) countries that are immune from the economic slowdown in China.

 Read more on Rappler.

Negotiators wound down a bruising round of talks Friday, October 23, with broad agreement on the rough outlines of a UN climate pact to be inked in December.  

This latest haggle to to prepare for the vaunted UN summit, now just weeks away, has strengthened awareness that reining in carbon emissions is a very long-term problem indeed. 

Read Agence France-Presse’s analysis here.

Just in time for the release of the latest Star Wars blockbuster, Ukrainians have transformed a statue of Lenin into one of Darth Vader, an oddly prominent figure in local politics. Soviet founder Lenin – long despised by most in non-separatist parts of Ukraine – fell victim to a law adopted in April that ordered the removal of all symbols and insignia reminding the country of its communist past.

Read more on Rappler.

Thousands of fans converged at the Philippine Arena Saturday, October 24, while millions more watched from their homes across the country as the wildly popular kalyeserye finally had the main character Alden and Yaya Dub together at last. It wasn’t just a TV coup for long-time noontime show Eat Bulaga; it also set more than 38 million tweets, breaking the show’s previous record of over 26 million tweets. 

Read the full story here.

Rappler has got AlDub covered – see the top 10 highlights, the show’s sweetest moments, and more ‘Tamang Panahon’ photos here.