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Iligan folk offer Mass for Typhoon Sendong victims on All Saints’ Day

Families, friends and village officials offered a Holy Mass and lit candles on All Saints’ Day for victims of Typhoon Sendong in Barangay Hinaplanon in Iligan City.

The Holy Mass, which was officiated by Reverend Father Rolando ‘Dodong’ Cantina of the Diocese of Iligan, was dedicated to the dead and missing individuals in the wake of the deadly typhoon, which struck on December 17, 2011.

Vernonico Echavez, former Hinaplanon barangay chairman and kagawad (councilor), told the Inquireron Tuesday, Nov. 2, that the mass was held in front of the barangay hall, where the names of over 500 missing persons were engraved in a lapida or marble wall.

‘Most of these missing individuals are my relatives,’ Echavez said in Bisaya.

Among the missing persons in the list is Michael Kundiman, a resident of Bayug Island and a broadcast journalist of then DXRJ station, Echavez said.

In Bayug Island, a memorial wall was also established, bearing the names of 1,600 individuals, including both the dead and the missing, he said.

Echaves said that some of the victims on the island were on Christmas vacation when the typhoon struck.

Many dead victims were buried in the public cemetery in Barangay Palao, where they are visited by relatives during Undas and other special occasions, Echaves said.

Divided we fall

A couple of years ago, I started hearing the unthinkable. Expats, I was told, who’d long loved living in the Philippines, no longer viewed Metro Manila as a plum post. From traffic to climate, red tape, and services, the country was increasingly considered hopelessly inefficient, backward, and downright unpleasant compared to neighbors, Filipinos and expats alike had long considered hopelessly provincial and boring. To me, it marked the end of an era stretching back to the 1980s when the Asian Development Bank built a new headquarters and surrounding enclaves were favored as expat residences.

A similar stretch of time, 33 years, separates two speeches by two Zobels. The first, titled ‘Democracy is development,’ was delivered by Jaime Zobel de Ayala on Oct. 23, 1993. The second was the keynote address at the Makati Business Club’s 45th anniversary by Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.

Zobel Senior reflected on the role of government in economic development when memories-and wounds-of the dictatorship were still fresh, but the newly restored democracy had already committed its share of mistakes.

‘Conventional wisdom favors maximum free enterprise and minimum government. The historical truth is that effective government is indispensable to economic progress. When government works, the economy succeeds,’ he said.

He listed what government does and what happens when it’s remiss in its duties:

‘Without law courts, there is no sanctity of contracts, therefore, no security of trade.

‘Without police, there is no security of property, therefore, no reason to invest in industry.

‘Without publicly built and maintained roads, rails, ports, bridges and telecommunications, commerce can only crawl.’

But then as now, there was the preoccupation with success and failure: our neighbors versus ourselves, and beyond, marked, he said, by ‘government, not just as catalyst, but as leader and main actor in rapid economic development.’

His prescription? ‘What is needed is not more imperious orders, but the same laws, rules, and regulations evenly applied.’ As for the rest, ‘The last thing we need is a change of form of government … What is needed is to stay the course …. Let us shun quick fixes and slick slogans. There is no easy way out.’ He added, ‘Let us pay our taxes, but let us make our officials pay if they misuse our taxes. Only in a democracy can we do that.’

By and large, he articulated what public opinion has been saying in the generation since; his son did something similar: ‘Business cannot thrive over the long term in a society that is not itself thriving,’ he said. ‘As global companies diversify their supply chains, we should think beyond which company, industrial park, or sector secures the next investment,’ because in a dog-eat-dog world, ‘a more important question to ask is whether the Philippines itself is winning.’ But to do so, he suggested, requires ‘an honest conversation.’

The ongoing disruption of institutions and systems globally means that global multinationals are actively diversifying their supply chains from the hubs that traditionally dominated, just as shipping is finding new pathways beyond the choke points that the Suez and Panama Canals have become. Seeking new paths for supply chains is an opportunity the Philippines is increasingly missing: Zobel Junior cited a steep decline in foreign direct investment as proof of this and anecdotal evidence of fewer international investors coming to Manila to look at prospects. The demographic ‘sweet spot’ enjoyed by the country is thus relatively underutilized, while the digital economy, which is already at 10 percent of gross domestic product, is in danger of not meeting its potential because of domestic handicaps.

He enumerated five fundamentals required if we are to attract long-term investments:

Talent: Do we have the required workforce and high-level productivity?

Infrastructure: Is the country’s infrastructure modern enough to handle the influx?

Energy: Is there sufficient, reliable, and transition-ready energy?

Regulatory environment: Is the local regulatory landscape friendly to foreign capital?

Institutional stability: Is the environment predictable and secure for multibillion investments?

Zobel Junior proposed that ‘we can remain fierce competitors in the marketplace, while recognizing that there are areas where collaboration creates greater value for everyone,’ identifying what he calls the three pillars of national advancement: education, citizen health, and reliable livelihood generation where the private sector can help scale up ‘social infrastructure.’ The Ayala Corp.’s own efforts include investing in its Healthway Medical Network (filling the need for affordable health care), partnering its own drugstore networks with local government units to support PhilHealth needs, and its own social outreach efforts to bring medicines and health care to remote barangays. In education, it is working to provide workforce-ready curricula to schools and to support greater capacity and quality in education for 3- to 5-year-olds. For sustainability and mobility, it is supporting the transition to electric fleets for private companies and LGUs, and renewable energy for municipalities.

The now-retired generation might remember former President Fidel V. Ramos’ ‘Team Philippines’ approach, which he lacked the charisma to sell.

130,000 Children To Receive Fresh Polio Vaccination In Adamawa

The Adamawa State Government, in partnership with development partners, will conduct a special polio vaccination exercise in two local government areas, targeting a total of 130,000 children.

Director, Disease Control and Immunisation of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ADSPHCDA), Dr James Jacob Vassumu, disclosed the position at a media dialogue on Friday in Yola.

He stressed that the Agency, in conjunction with its development partners, has scheduled the special vaccination for November 5th to 12th, targeting 130,000 children in Gombi and Fufore LGAs.

Dr Vassumu stated that the proposed exercise was carefully planned to strengthen immunity in the targeted communities of the two local councils as part of activities for the November 2026 National Plus Days Immunization Campaign.

Vassumu said that the history of polio virus circulation, disease surveillance records, and assessment of immunisation coverage informed the choice of the exercise in Gombi and Fufore councils.

He explained that the vaccination exercise will focus on children from zero to 59 months of age, with special emphasis on those living in hard-to-reach communities where routine immunisation coverage remains inadequate.

Azerbaijan neutralizes drones detected near state border

As a result of operational measures carried out along Azerbaijan’s state border, unmanned aerial vehicles that had illegally entered the country’s airspace were detected and neutralized.

At the same time, an attempt to smuggle 22 kg and 900 grams of narcotics from Iran was foiled.

According to the State Border Service (SBS), the incidents occurred in the areas of responsibility of the Horadiz and Goytepe border detachments.

During inspections of the incident sites, 15 kg and 400 grams of narcotics were seized in the area under the responsibility of the Horadiz detachment, while 7 kg and 500 grams were found in the Goytepe detachment’s area of responsibility.

Operational and investigative measures are ongoing in connection with the incidents.

Karakul deal probe pits Magosi against three Presidents

A high-stakes showdown between former Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services Peter Magosi and Botswana’s current and former presidents is bubbling over following the corruption probe over an elusive P45 million Karakul procurement deal.

The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) has launched a sweeping investigation into the covert procurement of rare Karakul sheep from Uzbekistan, an operation executed by the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) under a dense cloak of national security.

Sunday Standard has been informed that the unfolding probe has successfully pierced the highest echelons of power, with investigators officially interrogating former President Mokgweetsi Masisi. During his questioning, Masisi allegedly pleaded ignorance, shifting the entire burden of accountability onto his former intelligence chief, retired Brigadier Peter Magosi.

As the state tightens its net around the retired intelligence boss, unconfirmed media reports indicate that Magosi has issued a devastating, scorched-earth warning to President Advocate Duma Boko’s current administration. The former spy chief has reportedly threatened to execute a ‘Samson stunt’-vowing to entirely bring down the political temple and expose the dark secrets of the ruling elite if the state attempts to criminally prosecute him.

The Office of the President last week formally confirmed the active existence of the high-level graft investigation. However, executive officials flatly declined to provide any operational details surrounding the P45 million asset trail. Presidential spokespersons insisted that the state will not interfere with active processes, warning that disclosing sensitive transaction records prematurely could deeply compromise and prejudice the integrity of the investigation.

The explosive political drama has now spilled directly into the chambers of Ntlo ya Dikgosi, driven by Botswana’s fourth President, Lt. Gen. Ian Khama. Now sitting as a member of the advisory house, Kgosi Ian Khama IV filed an aggressive legislative inquiry demanding that the government completely declassify the investigation. Khama demanded to know exactly when the corruption probe commenced, which statutory authority holds the investigative mandate, and the precise timeline for its conclusion. He openly challenged the state’s ongoing refusal to explain the missing multi-million-pula asset, questioning why the government continues to hide behind the blanket shield of national security to suppress details of an alleged transaction that dates back to a June 2026 parliamentary inquiry.

Responding on behalf of the executive, Minister for State President, Defence and Security Moeti Mohwasa countered that the administration’s defensive posture remains entirely unchanged. Refusing to satisfy Khama’s specific questions on timelines, Mohwasa maintained that public commentary on any matter directly or indirectly connected to the active case is strictly inappropriate. The minister emphasized that further disclosure would severely prejudice subsequent administrative, disciplinary, or criminal legal actions. While acknowledging that the DIS has historically cited national security concerns to avoid public accountability, Mohwasa reassured the house that independent statutory oversight bodies would ultimately uncover the truth through closed constitutional channels once the final findings are compiled.

The multi-million-pula Karakul controversy first entered the public domain in 2024 through explosive court papers filed by suspended DIS legal officer Kuda Malikongwa. Malikongwa sued the state for wrongful arrest, alleging she was targeted and subjected to a retaliatory smear campaign after refusing direct orders from Magosi to bypass all statutory government procurement protocols. Her sworn affidavits detailed a highly irregular, covert operation where a senior intelligence officer was ordered to bypass treasury oversight and effectively smuggle the elite, desert-acclimatized sheep from Central Asia into Botswana using state funds. Malikongwa’s filings explicitly alleged that the high-value livestock was destined for the private benefit of then-President Masisi.

The scandal reached a humiliating climax when state counsel formally admitted in open court that the government is completely unable to account for the P45,142,152 transaction. The state acknowledged that it has no record of the sheep’s physical whereabouts and cannot even verify if the imported livestock ever touched Botswana soil. As the DCEC attempts to trace the missing millions and President Boko’s administration navigates Magosi’s reported threats, the missing Uzbekistan sheep have transformed into a definitive test of accountability for Botswana’s intelligence apparatus.

Dismantling drug networks

The new commissioner of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) has vowed to intensify the crackdown on illegal narcotics, expanding checkpoints nationwide and invoking special legal provisions against cross-border trafficking networks.

Since taking office on Oct 1, Pol Lt Gen Phumin Phumphanmuang, the 51-year-old officer known as “Big M”, has pledged a tougher approach to drug suppression, combining intensive enforcement, intelligence-led investigations and community involvement.

He said two suspected drug traffickers had already been shot dead in confrontations with police since his appointment.

A graduate of the 52nd class of the Royal Police Cadet Academy, Pol Lt Gen Phumin has built a reputation for investigative skills, tactical expertise and marksmanship.

He earned the nickname “M5, the powerhouse” while serving as superintendent of Division 5 of the Crime Suppression Division, where he became known for pursuing armed criminals in southern Thailand.

He is the nephew of former national police chief Pol Gen Somyot Poompanmoung.

After serving as a superintendent and confronting numerous armed criminals, Pol Lt Gen Phumin rose to become deputy commander of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division.

He was later appointed commander of the Central Investigation Bureau’s (CIB) Special Operations Division, overseeing the nationwide commando unit, before becoming deputy commissioner of the CIB.

He was later appointed commander attached to the Office of the National Police Chief. After only a year in that position, he was transferred to lead the NSB.

Pol Lt Gen Phumin said the bureau was a crucial agency because tackling narcotics was a national priority for every government.

Before taking up the post, he had analysed drug-related offences across 11 dimensions, covering production sources, imports across border areas, trafficking routes, major dealers, street-level sellers, distribution to users, exports and imports, postal delivery services and social media channels.

“My next step is to introduce interception measures across every part of the system. Tackling only one aspect of the drug problem will not solve it, because there are many contributing factors,” he said.

One key concern was precursor chemicals manufactured in Thailand and exported overseas. Such chemicals might be legal in themselves but become part of an illegal activity when used to manufacture narcotics.

He said investigators must establish how businesses intended to use these chemicals and produce clear investigative reports determining whether they were supplying the drug trade.

Where evidence justified action, authorities could use legal measures, including asset seizure under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, to target production sources.

Along border areas, the NSB would work with security agencies, military units responsible for border protection and the Border Patrol Police.

Pol Lt Gen Phumin said he had met the National Security Centre and military units the previous week to discuss interception measures.

The bureau would also use technology provided by the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the Australian Federal Police.

He said drug trafficking routes, traditionally concentrated in the North, had expanded into the Northeast, where gaps remained in interception measures.

The bureau planned to upgrade its capabilities through technologies such as X-ray scanners and artificial intelligence, allowing officers to detect drug consignments without traffickers realising they had been identified.

The bureau currently operates six permanent checkpoints nationwide.

Traffickers know where they were located, he said, so the bureau would develop plans to make interception operations less predictable and expand its coverage.

Investigators would also pursue the financial networks behind major dealers under the Narcotics Conspiracy Measures Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

Reaching those at the top of the trade required investigative reports establishing the underlying offences, he said. The bureau would reopen channels for receiving information from the public through community policing.

For street-level dealers and drug users, the strategy would focus on building stronger, more sustainable communities through long-term cooperation among community leaders, government agencies and the private sector.

Authorities would identify users and small-scale dealers, organise enforcement operations and remove dealers from affected areas. Drug users would be referred for social rehabilitation measures provided by the Public Health Ministry.

The NSB would also modify the physical environment to deter crime, including by installing CCTV cameras near suspected drug dealers’ homes and setting up police posts staffed by narcotics suppression officers, he said.

The bureau would develop model communities in which residents could participate through continuous two-way communications.

Pol Lt Gen Phumin identified Klong Toey, Bang Bua in Bang Khen district and Phai Khiao in Don Muang district as communities in Bangkok where narcotics remained prevalent.

He singled out Bang Bua as particularly concerning because it was only about two kilometres from the NSB’s headquarters.

“If a drug problem persists this close to the headquarters, how can we call ourselves drug suppressors? This is a key issue,” he said.

Pol Lt Gen Phumin said the drug war would be a prolonged struggle, noting that Thailand was also a transit route for narcotics destined for third countries, including Australia, the Philippines, Japan and South Korea.

Recent intelligence indicated that traffickers were using Cambodian waters to transport drugs to the Philippines.

Pol Lt Gen Phumin said the bureau would invoke international legal provisions, noting that Thai narcotics legislation allowed Thai nationals who committed offences outside the kingdom to be arrested, prosecuted and punished in Thailand.

Although such offences often occurred in foreign waters, he believed Thai nationals were involved and could be prosecuted if operations extended into the exclusive economic zone. Investigations could then lead to asset seizures, the seizure of vessels and arrest warrants for those directing the operations.

Pol Lt Gen Phumin said enforcement would become progressively more intensive, warning that police would not hold back when armed suspects resisted arrest, in line with the national police chief’s orders.

He cautioned criminal suspects against attempting to fight officers, saying police had superior tactical capabilities.

The bureau would also use public communications to explain the penalties imposed on drug traffickers and warn people that involvement in the trade was not worth the consequences.

It would disseminate information about emerging narcotics before they could reach households.

MNLF-Sema faction denies sheltering Bato dela Rosa

The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) faction chaired by Muslimin Sema has denied that the group is protecting Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague over the deadly war on drugs during the Duterte administration.

In a statement entitled ‘The MNLF is not cuddling (sic) Senator Bato,’ the MNLF Information Committee said there is ‘no established formal relationship’ between the senator and the MNLF.

The statement was posted on the Facebook page of the Office of the MNLF Chairman Muslimin Sema, former Cotabato City mayor and former Minister of Labor and Employment during the Bangsamoro transition government that ended on October 30.

The statement said speculation about the MNLF coddling the senator arose from reports that Dela Rosa may be hiding with a ‘powerful armed group’ in Mindanao.

‘The claim that the MNLF may be protecting him is speculation, not a confirmed fact,’ it said.

Abuja Women Groups Urge Action Against Child Marriage

Women engineers and education advocates have called on parents and the government to tackle child marriage and ensure girls complete their education, warning that the practice limits their potential and exposes them to health risks.

They made the call at a public lecture and workshop organised by the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) Abuja Chapter, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and the FCT Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, to commemorate the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child.

The event, held in Abuja on Thursday, had as its theme, ‘End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.’

The National President of APWEN, Engr Chinyere Nnenna Igwegbe, who was the chairman of the event, said parents should not force children into marriage, particularly when financial difficulties or debts influence such decisions.

She said girls should be allowed to develop mentally, emotionally and physically before deciding to marry, adding that early marriage could disrupt their childhood and expose them to childbirth complications.

Igwegbe urged parents, teachers, religious leaders and other stakeholders to support girls through formal education, vocational training and other opportunities that would help them realise their potential.

She said cultural and religious values should not be used to prevent girls from achieving their ambitions, while encouraging parents to take advantage of government and non-governmental education support programmes.

The guest speaker, Engr Seriki-Johnson Oluwatoyin, an assistant director at the Rural Education Agency, said child marriage interrupts girls’ education and limits their opportunities to become professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders.

She called on the government to enforce existing policies and introduce measures to ensure every girl has access to education.

Oluwatoyin also urged authorities to provide free education and scholarships for girls, particularly those from poor households, saying financial hardship often pushes parents to withdraw their daughters from school or give them out in marriage.

She called for measures to hold parents accountable when children are denied education, while urging teachers and community leaders to encourage girls to remain in school.

Engr. Comfort Emenyonu, the Vice Chairman of APWEN Abuja Chapter and Project Director welcomed all guests and dignitaries to the event on the behalf of the Chapter Chairman, Engr. Amina Abdulmalik. She said ‘When we protect a girl’s rights, we protect her future; and when we invest in girls, we invest in a stronger, fairer, and more prosperous society.’

The programme also featured speeches by students from FCT schools on child marriage.

My emergence as Nigeria’s leader, extraordinary blessing – Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his resolve and determination to build a prosperous nation, invest in the future of young Nigerians and pursue development in line with the will of Almighty Allah and the aspirations of the people.

A statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, disclosed that Tinubu made the remarks on Monday while reflecting on his spiritual journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah.

During the visit, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, granted him the rare privilege of leading Nigeria’s delegation in prayers inside the Holy Ka’aba.

Tinubu left Nigeria last week to perform the lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

At the Ka’aba, President Tinubu offered prayers of gratitude to Almighty Allah for the privilege of serving as Nigeria’s President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Sheikh Dahlulah Muthawal of Masjid al-Haram led the President into the Ka’aba.

Revealing his supplications to God, Tinubu said he asked Allah for wisdom and resilience to continue serving Nigerians, expressing confidence that his prayers had been answered.

He said: ‘Well, I asked for wisdom and resilience to continue to serve the people. I know that prayer has been granted. Before the 2023 election, I did the same thing. I asked Allah to bless my Umrah then, and He did. And I promised that I would come back to thank Him.’

Reflecting on the message from the Holy Qur’an in Surah Aal-Imran, Verse 26, which affirms that Almighty Allah is the Owner of all sovereignty, granting power and authority to whom He wills and taking them away from whom He wills, the President said power was a trust that must be exercised responsibly, with humility and in the service of the people.

He noted that no position of authority was permanent and that ultimate sovereignty belonged to Almighty Allah.

‘There is no other God but Almighty Allah. He is the giver and the taker. He owns power and authority. He says, ‘If I give you, use it well. If you don’t use it in accordance with my dictates, I can take it from you and give it to another person. I am the only One who has that authority,” the President said, quoting the words of the Qur’an.

President Tinubu said his faith in Allah had strengthened his conviction that his emergence as Nigeria’s leader was an extraordinary blessing that must be matched with dedicated service to the country.

‘I have faith in that, and I believe extremely well that He has done me and my country a great favour. Out of many millions of people, to be the President and Commander-in-Chief is a favour that only Almighty God can do to a human being,’ he stated.

‘My commitment to Project Nigeria is higher. I am determined to usher in prosperity and fully develop the country, consistent with the wish of Allah and the support of the people.

‘It is important to put Allah first, then move on. Follow your conscience. Follow the right path that will lead Nigeria to that greatness.’

Appraising the state of the economy under his administration, President Tinubu described the economic foundation as solid and the country’s emergence from a difficult period as encouraging.

‘The foundation is solid, and the economy has come out of the dark tunnel. This is inspiring,’ he said.

He maintained, however, that nation-building required sustained investment in the future of young Nigerians, noting that decisions taken by today’s leaders would determine how future generations remembered them.

‘We need to build a future for our youth. If we don’t invest in their future, how do we want to be remembered as leaders 50 years from now? That’s the main thing. So this is a rare privilege to lead the country,’ the President added.

Tinubu thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting him and members of his Nigerian delegation the opportunity to enter the Holy Ka’aba in Makkah and offer prayers to Almighty Allah.

The President described the honour as a historic and deeply cherished spiritual experience, reflecting the longstanding bonds of friendship, mutual respect and cooperation between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

‘I want to say a big thank you for the faith, for the recognition. I can’t believe the fencing of the Ka’aba is in Green-White-Green, which reminds us of the Nigerian identity.

‘I thank the Crown Prince and all the administrators of the holy land. I thank them for the hospitality and recognition given to me as the leader of the delegation and the country.

‘We are all facing challenges and hostility around us. We will overcome them with faith in God Almighty. I’m grateful forever. I thank the King and the royal Crown Prince.

‘It is an honour that I enjoyed, and it is gracious of them to have allowed me to enter inside the Ka’aba. This is history,’ the President said.