2 suspected BIFF shabu traders nabbed in North Cotabato
Law enforcement agents arrested two drug traffickers reportedly helping fund the activities of a local Islamic State-inspired group. Naravy Duquiatan, director for Region 12 of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, said Tuesday Baljunaid Tumagantang Ali and Danny Ali Calungsod were arrested in separate operations early this week in Pikit town in North Cotabato.  
NDBC News

PHL abhors terrorism in all its manifestations
“At last year’s debate on this item, we spoke about Marawi. It was the most destructive act of terrorism in our history. If Marawi fell and stayed in their hands, other cities would be taken by terrorist groups that included foreign fighters espousing violent extremist beliefs that are alien to our race, to our Christian and Muslim religions, to our country and democracy, and abhorrent to the rest of the civilized world.
Business Mirror

MARAWI

Gov’t to issue P13.5 B worth of ‘Marawi’ bonds
The Department of Finance (DOF) is planning to issue the initial tranche of retail bonds in the domestic market that will fund the ongoing reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in the devastated city of Marawi in Mindanao.
Manila Bulletin, Business World Online, The Manila Times, Philippine Daily Inquirer, ABS-CBN News

SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE WORLD      

Can violent extremism be prevented?
Can the global community prevent violent extremism? Is the violence associated with terrorism different from other forms of violence, and in what ways? Although the UN’s 2015 Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism was received with enthusiasm, the answers to these questions are still unclear.
Institute for Security Studies

Asia-Pacific Nations Look to Tech Firms to Help Fight Terrorism
Ministers from nine Asia-Pacific countries emphasized the importance Tuesday of working with the private sector to fight online terrorist propaganda, as a Twitter executive told the group the social media platform had suspended 1.2 million accounts worldwide for promoting terrorism.
Benar News

Dutch intelligence report: ISIL using Turkey as base to reorganize and threaten Europe
The Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) has reported that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has been using Turkey as a strategic base to reorganize, posing a threat to the security of Europe.
Stockholm Center for Freedom

Twitter has suspended more than 1 million accounts for terrorism, but Australia says there's more work to be done
Twitter is clearly proud of its achievements in the fight against terrorism. In 20 months, the social media platform suspended more than 1.2 million accounts for terrorist content. And thanks to purpose-built early detection technology, 75 per cent of those accounts were suspended before they could even thumb out their first tweet.
ABC News, The Sydney Morning Herald

5 Ways Your Vote Today Can Combat Radical Islam
Exercising your citizen’s right to vote today and select elected officials who represent you is one of the most basic principles of democracy. We urge everyone to participate in that process! When making your decisions today, we also urge you to choose candidates that understand the threat of radical Islam. Here are some of the pressing issues. We encourage you to elect candidates who will:
Clarion Project

Fight Against Last Vestige of ISIS in Syria Stalls, to Dismay of U.S.
An American-backed military offensive has stalled against the Islamic State’s last vestige in eastern Syria — in part because of the enemy that the allied fighting force had expected, and other threats that it very much had not. Booby traps, land mines and a militant counterstrike during a fierce sandstorm after the campaign began in September have knocked the coalition back on its heels.
The New York Times

Russia hopes to sign agreement on counter-terrorism cooperation with Spain soon — Lavrov
Russia hopes to sign an agreement on cooperation in the fight against terrorism with Spain soon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a joint news conference after negotiations with Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation Josep Borrell.
Russian News Agency (TASS)

Russia supports Iraq’s anti-terrorist efforts
Russia supports Iraq’s resolute efforts against international terrorism, the Russian foreign ministry said on Tuesday following a series of terror attacks in the Iraqi capital city. Six people died and some 20 more were wounded in a series of explosions of improvised explosive devices in Baghdad on November 4.
Russian News Agency (TASS)

Minister: Brunei committed to counter-terrorism measures
MINISTER of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof yesterday stressed that Brunei Darussalam maintains a hard stance against Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs) movements.
Borneo Bulletin

UN verifies 200 mass graves left by Islamic State in Iraq
More than 200 mass graves containing between 6,000 and 12,000 bodies have been found in Iraq from the time of the Islamic State group’s three-year reign, United Nations investigators said Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Turkish court sentences pro-Kurdish lawmaker to jail on terrorism charges
A Turkish court sentenced a lawmaker from the pro-Kurdish opposition party to 2-1/2 years in jail on terrorism charges, a party official said on Tuesday. Mahmut Togrul, a member the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP)representing the southeastern province of Gaziantep, was found guilty of spreading propaganda for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) at two separate speeches in 2016.
Channel News Asia

Lidasan: A vision for the Bangsamoro
BANGSAMORO identity, rido, conflict, security, violence, war, and peace are issues that both young and old struggle with. They are complicated issues to discuss to our people today. They are also crucial to the legacy we pass on to our future generations. We know that we can start building peace in the world and in our communities by building peace within ourselves and our families.
Sunstar Davao

BANGSAMORO ORGANIC LAW

MAGUINDANAO AND COTABATO CITY

Civilians, Army foil bombing in Maguindanao
Civilians today foiled a roadside bombing in Ampatuan, Maguindanao by quickly alerting soldiers nearby about the presence of suspicious sack that contained an improvised bomb. Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, the commander of the 6th Infantry Division, said the explosive device was found by civilians at 1:30 p.m. along the national highway in Barangay Poblacion, Ampatuan, Maguindanao.   
NDBC News, Philippine Daily Inquirer

LANAO PROVINCES

BASILAN

SULU 

4 soldiers injured in Sulu clash
Four soldiers, including an officer, were wounded in a firefight against Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits in Sulu, the military said Tuesday. Lt. Gen. Arnel Dela Vega, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, said the firefight occurred around 1:40 p.m. Monday in Sitio kan Apo Aluk, Barangay Panglayahan, Patikul, Sulu.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sunstar Zamboanga

TAWI-TAWI 

DRUGS

Duterte doubts magnetic lifters contained P11-B in shabu
President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday that he doubted the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s new estimated value of shabu smuggled into the country using four magnetic lifters.
GMA News, Philippine Daily Inquirer

For Cabinet members: lecture on drugs and lawless violence
Members of the Duterte Cabinet will be given a “lecture” on the illegal drug menace and other national security problems as well as apparent militarization of the bureaucracy, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine Star

Acting as drug war witnesses endangers journalists—NUJP    
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) launched an online petition asking that journalists be spared from acting as witnesses in the government’s so-called anti-drug war.
Kodao

HRW calls for independent probe into police's role in extrajudicial killings
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday, November 6, urged the government to create an indepent commission to investigate the reported involvement of Philippine National Police (PNP) officers in extrajudicial killings under President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs.
Rappler

Malacañang hits HRW proposal to probe cops' liability in drug war
Malacañang on Tuesday slammed the proposal of Human Rights Watch (HRW) urging the Duterte administration to create an independent commission to investigate the alleged involvement of police personnel in the killing of drug suspects.
Philippine News Agency, Philippine Star

PNP eyes anti-drug operations in universities
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking forward to carry out anti-illegal drug operations in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) after the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) issued a memorandum order authorizing such move, provided there is proper coordination.
Manila Bulletin

Law enforcers to get reward for killing ninja cops — Duterte
President Duterte is planning to give a reward to law enforcers who will kill their superiors involved in the illegal drug trade. The President has offered the reward after commending the policemen who launched a buy-bust operation that led to the death of drug-linked Police Supt. Santiago Rapiz in Digos City.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer

NCRPO, Mimaropa police validating ‘tanim-droga’ incident on priest
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and Mimaropa Police Regional Office (PRO-4B) disclosed on Tuesday that it is checking the validity of a report it received saying a priest has been a victim of a “tanim-droga” incident.
Manila Bulletin

De Lima runs to Ombudsman: DOJ use of convicts as witnesses 'illegal'
Detained Senator Leila de Lima ran to the Office of the Ombudsman to file a complaint against former justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and his successor, Secretary Menardo Guevarra, for using convicts as state witnesses in the drug case against her.
Rappler, Manila Bulletin, CNN Philippines

4th judge in De Lima case inhibits
The already slow case progress of detained Senator Leila de Lima hit another snag after Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 206 Judge Lorna Navarro Domingo inhibited from the senator’s trial.
Rappler

Operations/ Incidents

'Ninja cop' killed in Dipolog drug buy-bust
A police officer suspected of reselling confiscated illegal drugs was killed in a drug buy-bust operation in Dipolog City on Monday night, November 5.
Rappler

Recovery and Rehabilitation  

ILLICIT FIREARMS, EXPLOSIVES AND AMMUNITION

CROSS-BORDER TRADING/ SMUGGLING  

P3.6-M smuggled rice intercepted in Zamboanga
Around 1,200 sacks of rice suspected to be smuggled from Sabah, Malaysia into the country were intercepted in Zamboanga City Saturday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Tuesday.
Manila Bulletin

HUMAN TRAFFICKING 

SCAM 

Santo Rodrigo or Santo Muerte?
Which should we prefer: a blustering, vulgar President Rodrigo Duterte or a sleazy, barefaced liar like President Donald Trump? The ideal answer is: Neither. But if we have to make a choice, it would be Duterte. 
Business World Online

Machismo games
President Rodrigo Duterte’s latest rants against saints is, to my mind, just another instance of his continuing campaign to express his machismo; still another effort to demonstrate his manliness in terms of iconoclasm against all things held sacred, even by religious tradition.
Business World Online

Duterte names new NAPC lead convenor, PCUP chairman
President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Noel Felongco, who formerly headed the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP), as lead convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC).
Rappler, Manila Bulletin

Duterte authorized military presence in BOC to restore law and order
President Duterte has clarified that he has not issued any appointment or designation of the military to take over the posts of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) employees. The President said he merely authorized the military presence in the customs bureau to help restore law and order, adding that only the BoC section chiefs would be placed on floating status.
Manila Bulletin

Panelo on Michael Yang's work as adviser: 'That's between him and the President'
Malacañang on Tuesday, November 6, refused to elaborate on the nature of the services that Chinese national Michael Yang provides to the Philippine government as an "economic adviser to the President."
Rappler

-----------

Robredo reads book titled Digong Dilaw
Putting a playful approach on “irony” and “representation” in politics, Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo on Tuesday read a book titled Digong Dilaw to students of a day care center during a visit to the urban poor in Tondo, Manila.
The Manila Times

DISASTER

MINDANAO

Inflation rates in four Mindanao regions decline in October
Except for Northern Mindanao and CARAGA, inflation rates in four Mindanao regions slowed down in October 2018, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) disclosed Tuesday. Data released by PSA on Tuesday showed that the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which held the highest inflation among the six Mindanao regions, decreased to 8.3% in October 2018 from 9% in September 2018.
Manila Bulletin

P38M UCT disbursed in Caraga region
The regional office of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-Caraga Region 13), through the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) has already disbursed a total of P38,570,000 for the Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) program beneficiaries identified through the Listahanan database.
Manila Bulletin

The opening up of Mindanao: Davao real-estate study tour
MINDANAO is like New York. If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. The same cannot be said of Manila, unfortunately. We have seen many brands that have done well in Manila but have failed to conquer the hearts and minds of the equally lucrative Visayas and Mindanao market.
Business Mirror

ELECTION RELATED

Shouldn’t the AFP also take over the Comelec?
HAVING made the military takeover of the Bureau of Customs the absurd and unconstitutional “solution” to the rampant illegal drugs smuggling and corruption there, shouldn’t President Rodrigo Duterte now order a similar takeover of the Commission on Elections before the May 14, 2019 elections for the same reason? 
The Manila Times

Election-related Violence

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

PRRD’s federalism task force brings Cha-cha back in focus
Former Senate president Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. on Tuesday described President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s move to create an Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on federalism as a “calculated” effort to bring talks on federalism and charter change back in the spotlight.
Philippine News Agency

JUDICIARY

20 vie for Supreme Court seat to be vacated by Tijam
There are 20 persons vying for a seat at the Supreme Court (SC) which will become open upon the retirement of one of its magistrates, said Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.
Manila Bulletin

LEGISLATIVE

Higher pay for Comelec employees pushed
Senate President Vicente Sotto III is pushing for a measure that seeks to raise the wages of Commission on Elections (Comelec) employees and reorganize the poll body’s offices to improve services.
Manila Bulletin

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)

Richest LGU Makati breaches P100-B mark in assets
Makati City did not only overtake Quezon City as the Philippines’ richest local government unit in 2017, it also became the first LGU to breach the P100 billion mark in terms of assets.
Rappler

DEFENSE AND SECURITY

Solon rejects PNP argument vs. more female officers
Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel says the Philippine National Police (PNP) argument against the hiring of a greater number of female officers is “unfair.”
Manila Bulletin

ECONOMY AND INVESTMENTS

Inflation in Oct. remains highest in past 9 years
nflation in October may not have turned for the worse from the 6.7 percent level in September but it remained the highest in the past nine years.
Manila Bulletin, Business World Online

Gov’t taking steps to tame inflation
Malacañang is hopeful that consumer prices would further ease after the country’s inflation remained unchanged at 6.7 percent in October.
Manila Bulletin

Hurry up on EODB IRR, business tells government
THE Philippines may have a law on ease of doing business (EODB), but business leaders find this is useless almost half a year it was passed. President Duterte in May signed Republic Act 11032, or the EODB and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act, which is intended to reduce processing time for permits, transactions and applications. 
Business Mirror

BUILD, BUILD, BUILD

OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

GRAFT AND CORRUPTION

Philhealth head charged before Ombudsman-Mindanao
Key officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) or PhilHealth have accused their acting president and CEO of alleged graft and corrupt practices, malversation of funds, abuse of authority, and grave misconduct, gross dishonesty, and conduct prejudicial to public interest.
Manila Bulletin

Ledesma: The unrelenting war against corruption
WHOEVER said corruption in the government will be swept in two to three years must be dreaming. Not even with a magic wand can President Rodrigo Duterte do that. Corruption in the government bureaucracy was institutionalized by the BSAIII administration it is a Herculean job for Duterte to dismantle it like all of us wish he would.
Sunstar Davao

FOREIGN RELATIONS  

FAST FACTS: Who is DFA chief Teddyboy Locsin?
A lawyer and TV host who was once newspaper publisher, congressman, and speechwriter to 3 Philippine presidents, Foreign Secretary Teodoro "Teddyboy" Locsin Jr brings a complex persona to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Rappler

West Philippine Sea

Maritime law expert calls on gov’t to protest China’s weather stations
A University of the Philippines (UP) expert on international maritime law has called on the government to lodge a protest against China’s latest action in the West Philippines Sea following Beijing’s official announcement that it has installed weather stations in the Spratlys.
Manila Bulletin

House panel urges DFA to file diplomatic protest against China
The chairman of the House special committee on West Philippine Sea urged on Tuesday the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to file a diplomatic protest against China in the wake of Beijing’s reported establishment of weather monitoring stations in the disputed South China Sea.
Manila Bulletin

How the US-China Trade War Could Impact the South China Sea
Trade and oceans have always been integral parts in the struggle for global supremacy. In 1829, English adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh wrote: “For whosoever commands the sea commands the trade; whosoever commands the trade of the world commands the riches of the world, and consequently the world itself.” It was the case for Great Britain with the Pax Britannica in the 19th century, the United States with the Pax Americana in 20th century, and will be the case for China if it wants to build up its own Pax Sinica in the 21st century.
The Diplomat

LABOR

OWWA launches OFW e-card for easier access to gov't benefits
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) launched on Tuesday, November 6, its overseas Filipino worker (OFW) e-card, a membership card that provides easier access to government benefits.
Rappler

Wage hike ‘never nearly enough but better than nothing’ — Robredo
Vice President Leni Robredo prefers to look at the brighter side of the P25 increase in the minimum daily wage of workers in Metro Manila and the inflation rate that remained steady at 6.7 percent in October.
Manila Bulletin

TRANSPORTATION

LTFRB issues 2,365 fare guides to jeepney operators
More than 2,000 fare matrices have been issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to jeepney operators in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Southern Luzon allowing them to impose the newly approved fare increase.
Manila Bulletin

HEALTH 

WHO exec backs hike in tobacco tax
World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to the Philippines Dr. Gundo Weiler said that the proposed raise on the tobacco tax is a “win-win” situation for the country.
Manila Bulletin

Garin insists no one has died from Dengvaxia
Former Health Secretary Janette Garin continues to deny that there was anyone who died from the Dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine.
Manila Bulletin

Gov’t vows to pursue charges vs persons liable for Dengvaxia mess
The government has vowed to pursue charges against persons found liable for the “failed” vaccination program of anti-dengue drug Dengvaxia.
Manila Bulletin

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

EDUCATION

CHED looking into Baguio college's mandatory pregnancy test
The legal department of the Commission on Higher Education is looking into the now-viral memorandum of a university in Baguio City mandating pregnancy tests, the chairman of the agency said Tuesday. A copy of the memorandum allegedly from Pines City Colleges circulated on social networking sites, with people saying it could be violating the students' right to privacy.
ABS-CBN News

ENERGY

POVERTY

Board topnotcher thanks 4Ps forfilling the gaps
A Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiary acknowledged the cash grants his family received from the government that helped him pursue his dream and paid back well by gaining the top spot in this year’s licensure exam for Naval Architect and Marine Engineer held last month.
Manila Bulletin

HOUSING

In Bulacan, no houses left for Kadamay
There are no more houses for members of the urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) at government housing projects in Bocaue and Norzagaray towns in Bulacan province.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

TOURISM

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

Government to select third telco company soon
The telecommunications (telco) duopoly of PLDT/Smart Communications and Globe Telecom may soon be shattered upon entry of a third player.
CNN Philippines

NOW Telecom loses bid vs contentious 3rd telco provisions
The bidding for the 3rd major communications player slot will push through as scheduled and without changes to its rules, as a court denied the appeal of NOW Telecom questioning certain provisions of the selection criteria.
Rappler

DEVELOPMENT SECTOR