Martial law in Mindanao deters terror
The imposition of martial law in Mindanao and the aggressive posturing of military and police forces across the country has deterred all threat groups from committing terrorism and violent acts aimed to disrupt the recently concluded midterm elections.
Manila Standard

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Gov’t lawyers bring up technicalities in NUPL’s anti-harassment petition
Without mentioning a prayer for dismissal, government lawyers on Tuesday focused on the legal technicalities of the petition of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) to stop  military harassment and red-tagging of its members.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine News Agency

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PNP, AFP fail to stop Bayan Muna from winning    
Furious campaigning by state forces and online trolls against progressive parties failed to stop Bayan Muna (BM) from gaining lost ground in yesterday’s midterm national elections.
Kodao

Peace Talks

Incidents/ Operations    

Australian terrorist, supposedly headed for PH, sentenced to 7 years in jail
An Australian national, who was planning to join the violent jihadist group Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Mindanao and help overthrow the government in the Philippines in 2016, has been sentenced to seven years in prison by the Victorian Supreme Court.
Manila Bulletin

MARAWI

Unofficial tally in Marawi: 7 Duterte-backed senatorial bets in Top 12
Despite reported delay in the rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi City, seven of the 12 senatorial candidates with the highest votes in the Islamic City were backed by the Duterte administration.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE WORLD     

Christchurch Call: Jacinda Ardern takes online extremism battle to EU after mosque massacre
A lot has been said of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's leadership in the wake of the Christchurch massacre that left 51 Muslim worshippers dead in March. She has earned praise for her resolve and her humility, and now she's embarking on an ambitious plan to curtail the spread of extremism online across the world.
ABC News

Put hatred back in the sewer where it belongs
Six months to the day of the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, an armed gunman walked into the sacred confines of a Chabad synagogue near San Diego and opened fire, killing one and injuring several others. This was history repeating itself before it had even become history.
CNN

Burkina Faso cannot fight terrorism alone
The attack on a church in northern Burkina Faso on Sunday, in which up to 30 gunmen killed six worshippers, is just the latest incident in a worrying rise of violence and extremism in the Sahel.
The National

Terror alert in Jakarta: More than 32,000 troops deployed ahead of election results
Indonesia is deploying more than 32,000 troops to secure its capital Jakarta, following intelligence of possible terrorist attacks during the release of the presidential election results in the week ahead.
The Straits Times

Islam in Indonesia: Strengthening diversity through religion
Inside one of Southeast Asia's largest mosques, Nasaruddin Umar is conducting his usual Friday prayers. It's a routine he has been doing for the past three years. He is the Imam in Istiqlal Mosque, one of Indonesia's oldest places of worship.
CGTN

Google announces $11.2 million grant fund for organizations working on safety
Google.org, the charitable arm of Google, just announced a new grant fund for European organizations. This fund in particular will support nonprofits, universities, research teams and for-profit social enterprises working on safety issues and combatting abuse.
Techcrunch

Authorities confirm arrest of Indonesian man over Kuala Lumpur terror plot
The Foreign Ministry has confirmed that an Indonesian man was among those who were recently arrested by Malaysian authorities on suspicion of being involved in a terror plot in Kuala Lumpur.
Jakarta Post

M'sians must do more to help police counter terror threats
It is certainly that time again for all peace-loving and law-abiding Malaysians to once again appreciate the recent success of Malaysia’s Counter Terrorism Division (E8) in detaining four suspected militants.
Malaysia Kini

Elite Military Organization Or Harsh Terror Group? Controversy Over Iran’s New Guards Corps
The US has had a turbulent relationship with Iran since its revolution in 1979.  With President Trump’s designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, the US classifies an entire foreign government pillar as a terrorist threat for the first time and enters into an uncertain situation with the Iranian state.
The Organization for World Peace

Ex-foreign fighter turns youth away from life of terrorism
An ex-al Qaeda foreign fighter now works to protect young people from being recruited.
CNN
 

Minda pushes more local products in barter
WITH the revival of the Barter Trade System in Mindanao, the Mindanao Development Authority (Minda) is pushing for more locally-made value-added products in the barter market. “Local products with value added means they are processed and produced with better quality. If this is done this way, more processing means more jobs and value adding yields higher revenue,” assistant secretary Romeo Montenegro, Minda deputy executive director, said in a text message to SunStar Davao on May 13. 
Sunstar Davao

BARMM

MILF prepares UBJP party for 2022 polls as BARMM transitions in post-midterm elections
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim, also chair of the former rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), cast his vote Monday, his first time to participate in national elections.
Business World Online

64 poll-related violence recorded in BARMM
Authorities recorded only 64 violent incidents related to the Monday's elections in southern provinces, much lower than the figures logged during the 2016 electoral season. Army Lt. Gen. Arnel Dela Vega of the Western Mindanao Command said Tuesday there were 96 violent incidents related to the 2016 synchronized local and national elections in Regions 9, 10, 12 and in what is now the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, or BARMM.
Philippine Star

MAGUINDANAO AND COTABATO CITY

Monday polls peaceful, orderly in Cotabato
The conduct of the 2019 midterm elections here was more peaceful and orderly compared to the previous polls in the city, according to Commission on Election (Comelec) Cotabato City Election Officer lawyer Mark Sorilla.
Manila Bulletin

Guiani-Sayadi reelected mayor in Cotabato City
Two opponents failed to replace the incumbent mayor of Cotabato City, Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi. Sayadi was proclaimed winner in the mayoral race by the City Board of Canvassers around 7:54 p.m. on Tuesday after she garnered 34,753 votes in the recently concluded elections.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Husband, wife win as governors in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao
A husband and his wife won as governors of this province and the adjacent province of Maguindanao in the gubernatorial elections on Monday.
Manila Bulletin, GMA News

NORTH COTABATO

Mar again lost in town named after grandpa
Senatorial aspirant Mar Roxas was defeated again in a town in North Cotabato named after his grandfather, Pres. Manuel Roxas in this year’s elections.  
NDBC News

LANAO PROVINCES

4 children, 4 others wounded in 3 shooting incidents in Lanao Sur town
Eight people were wounded in three separate shooting incidents that could have been perpetrated by followers of rival political clans in this town afternoon of election day. The military said among the victims were four children from out of town who were hit in the crossfire as the family vehicle was passing through.
Mindanews, Philippine Daily Inquirer

Suspects in Lanao Sur blast admit membership in MILF – Army
The suspects in the failed bombing attempt in Marantao, Lanao del Sur on Monday have admitted they were members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), according to Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., commanding officer of the Marawi-based 103rd Infantry Brigade.
Mindanews

#HalalanResults: Dimaporos remain dominant clan in Lanao del Norte
The Dimaporo clan is poised to maintain its stranglehold of Lanao del Norte, getting a huge chunk of votes based on the partial, unofficial poll results on Tuesday. Incumbent governor Imelda "Angging" Quibranza-Dimaporo is already a sure winner after getting 186,472 of the votes over Rafael Rizalda (47,269).
ABS-CBN News

BASILAN

Basilan mayor Akbar concedes to Hataman
Incumbent city vice mayor Cherrylyn Akbar here conceded to her opponent candidate, Sitti Djalia Turabin Hataman, who was leading the race for mayor, according to partial and unofficial election count Tuesday morning.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sunstar Zamboanga

#HalalanResults: Mujiv Hataman poised to win Basilan congressional race
Mujiv Hataman is poised to represent Basilan in Congress, based on partial and unofficial results. Hataman received 109,173 votes, while his opponent Omar Akbar got 26,293 votes, based on 88.88 percent of election returns of clustered precincts, as of 9:22 p.m. Tuesday. 
ABS-CBN News

SULU 

TAWI-TAWI 

DRUGS

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Operations/ Incidents

4 nabbed for drugs
Four persons were arrested in separate operations in Negros Occidental from May 12 to 13, 2019. On May 13, Melvin Estoquia, 28, of Barangay Enclaro, Binalbagan town was arrested in the said village which resulted in the recovery of three sachets of suspected shabu, an improvised tooter, a canister, the P300 marked money, and P210 cash.
The Daily Guardian

Recovery and Rehabilitation  

ILLICIT FIREARMS, EXPLOSIVES AND AMMUNITION

CROSS-BORDER TRADING/ SMUGGLING  

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

ILLICIT FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS 

Press Freedom/ Freedom of Expression

Maria Ressa refuses to enter plea on cyber libel case
Rappler executive editor and CEO Maria Ressa and former researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos Jr. on Tuesday refused to enter a plea for the cyber libel case before the Manila Regional Trial Court.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Martial Law   

Duterte drug war ally and Marcos daughter set for Philippines seats
The architect of Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal campaign against illegal drugs in the Philippines has almost certainly won a senate seat in the country’s midterm elections, prompting concerns among victims’ groups.
The Guardian

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte Tightens Grip as Allies Make Election Gains
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte appears set to consolidate his rule as early results from the country’s midterm elections showed his allies leading by a large margin, indicating that domestic support for his administration remains strong despite its bloody war on drugs that has left thousands dead and caused international condemnation.
TIME

Philippines Election: Duterte Allies Sweep Senate, Unofficial Results Indicate
Allies of President Rodrigo Duterte appear to have swept the elections for the Philippine Senate, according to unofficial results on Tuesday, giving him a stronger grip on the one legislative chamber that had shown some degree of independence from his authoritarian rule.
The New York Times

'Duterte magic' secures controversial Philippines president victory at midterms
The Philippines’ controversial president Rodrigo Duterte appears to have secured a resounding victory in mid-term elections that were billed as a referendum on his hardline, authoritarian rule.
The Independent UK

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Duterte will respect Senate independence – Palace
President Rodrigo Duterte would respect the Senate’s independence even if administration candidates dominated the senatorial race in the 2019 midterm elections.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Palace: ‘Duterte magic’ works; Filipinos prefer admin reforms
The defeat of the opposition’s “Otso Diretso” candidates in the midterm elections was a proof that Filipinos wanted continuity on the genuine reforms of President Rodrigo Duterte, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Duterte’s Tokyo visit to help boost PH-Japan ties – Palace
Malacañang confirmed on Tuesday President Duterte’s visit to Tokyo, Japan by the end of the month to further boost relations between the two countries.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine News Agency

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Duterte all set to fortify power
President Duterte’s allies were poised for victory in the May 13 midterm elections, partial unofficial results showed Tuesday, signaling firm approval of his rule and clearing a path for his most controversial plans.
Manila Bulletin

As long as there is poverty, there will be vote-buying – Palace
The government must enhance the literacy of Filipinos, generate jobs, and make the country progressive to help eliminate the illegal practice of vote-buying in the country, a Palace official said Tuesday.
Manila Bulletin

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This nation is on the verge of take-off, finally
THE most important consequence of the elections the other day is this: The political landscape has been cleared for our country to finally take off, not just in terms of its economy and its nationhood.
The Manila Times

ELECTION RELATED

Comelec open to going back to manual voting amid VCM glitches
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is open to return to manual voting following several issues with the automated vote counting machines (VCM).
Philippine Daily Inquirer

961 VCMs, 1,665 SD cards suffer glitches in 2019 polls — Comelec
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Tuesday that 961 vote-counting machines (VCMs) and 1,665 SD cards suffered glitches during the midterm polls on Monday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Comelec eyes penalties vs suppliers of faulty VCMs, SD cards, pens
Suppliers of faulty election materials used last Monday will be penalized if found guilty of violating terms of their contracts with the government, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sheriff Abas said on Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin

715 poll precincts selected randomly for manual audit
Over 700 clustered precincts were selected Tuesday morning (May 14) to undergo random manual audit (RMA). The RMA committee members picked 715 clustered precincts during a random selection process held at the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) headquarters at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.
Manila Bulletin

Comelec Commissioner Guanzon laments more glitches in polls
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon lamented on Tuesday more glitches reported during the elections on Monday compared to the 2016 polls.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Take down your posters, Comelec’s Jimenez tells candidates
Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson James Jimenez reminded all candidates who participated in the midterm elections to help in taking down their campaign posters.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Comelec traces transparency server problem; debugging awaits approval
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) clarified that there is no problem with the transmission of the election results, but rather with the application in the transparency server that is used to push the data to media servers.
Manila Bulletin

Comelec unsure it will use same equipment in next elections
Due to the number of vote counting machines (VCM) breaking down during the recently concluded May 13 midterm polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) remains unsure if it will use the equipment in the 2022 local and national elections.
Manila Bulletin

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Palace backs congressional probe on VCM glitches
Malacañang supports the move of reelectionist Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III to launch a congressional probe on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) over vote counting machines (VCMs) glitches.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Teachers ask COMELEC to investigate glitches, make disappointment known
After reporting hundreds of malfunctioning vote counting machines (VCMs), teachers’ groups on Tuesday expressed disappointment with the overall conduct of the 2019 national elections and urged the authorities to “investigate” to ensure that those responsible will be held liable.
Manila Bulletin

PNP probes 1,000 cops for alleged partisan politics involvement
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is probing more than 1,000 police personnel for alleged involvement in partisan politics. “Meron po tayong iniimbestigahan. Mahigit 1,000 din dun na under investigation na tinitingnan natin these are allegations kasi,” PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said in a press briefing Tuesday about last Monday’s elections.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin

PPCRV hopes for 100% transmission of results within the day
The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) hopes to receive all transmissions of electronic election returns (ERs) nationwide within Tuesday, PPCRV chair Myla Villanueva said.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

PPCRV starts manual encoding of election returns
A day after the May 13 polls, the Parish Pastoral Council on Responsible Voting (PPCRV) has started manual encoding of printed election returns.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

DILG urges candidates, local execs to help remove campaign materials 
Local officials and candidates should help in the removal of campaign posters and other materials in public places as election season draws to an end, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Gabriela urges COMELEC to investigate election-related problems
Women’s group Gabriela on Tuesday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to investigate various problems that were encountered during the midterm polls. “The COMELEC should not immediately dismiss these reports as few and isolated,” said Gert Ranjo-Libang, Vice Chairperson of Gabriela.
Manila Bulletin

Many party-list groups win in 'home' regions, provinces
The 2019 elections continue to show a pattern where party-list groups get a big chunk of votes from their "home" regions and provinces.
Rappler

Calling winners 'worst leaders imaginable,' Neri Colmenares refuses to concede defeat
Senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares, the Bayan Muna party-list representative, denounced the results of the senatorial race and said he will "never" concede defeat.
Philippine Star

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Pol dynasties lose in regions
THE outcome of the Monday elections might have spelled the end to many known political dynasties in the provinces. Early results in the partial unofficial count by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gave people a peek at which of the looming political dynasties will occupy center stage of partisan rule in the provinces.
The Manila Times

[OPINION] The reality behind the midterm polls
When Rodrigo Duterte announced his candidacy for the presidency of the Philippines in the 2016 elections, I knew he was going to win for one reason: he was an outsider. He did not seem like a traditional politician, at least not in the mold of the prominent ones during preceding administrations. For many of those who crave genuine change, he was easily the best choice.
Rappler

'Dragon slayer' Kaka Bag-ao wins as Dinagat Islands governor
Dinagat Islands Representative Kaka Bag-ao has defeated another member of the Ecleo political clan, this time in the race for governor. Bag-ao won 29,869 votes in the May 13 elections, outnumbering Benglen Ecleo’s 26,843 across 7 municipalities in the small province.
Rappler

Oppositions

Hit Duterte campaign strategy backfired on Otso Diretso – political analyst
They trained their guns on President Rodrigo Duterte, but that campaign strategy backfired, and triggered a “political suicide” that wiped out the opposition Otso Diretso senatorial team during the May 13 mid-term elections.
Manila Bulletin

What went wrong with Otso Diretso?
While there is no single reason why opposition Otso Diretso candidates lost, it could partially be traced to them going head-to-head against President Rodrigo Duterte, who wasn’t on the ballot, according to analysts.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Last time opposition didn't win any Senate seat was 80 years ago
The last time that the opposition failed to win even a single seat in the senatorial elections was in 1938 during the time of then-president Manuel L. Quezon. This means that the impending loss for the opposition in the 2019 mid-term elections is a revert to pre-war Philippines, or to the very first time that mid-term elections were held during the Commonwealth.
Rappler

Otso Diretso’s Gutoc, Tañada, Hilbay concede
Opposition senatorial candidates Samira Gutoc, Erin Tañada and Florin Hilbay have conceded their defeat in the midterm elections but vowed to remain vigilant as two other fellow Otso Diretso candidates, Sen. Bam Aquino and former Sen. Mar Roxas,  are still within striking distance of the winners’ circle.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Pangilinan: Fight does not end with May polls
The fight does not end with the elections, opposition leader Senator Francis Pangilinan said Tuesday. Until the last ballot is counted, Pangilinan said they would continue to hope that one or two opposition senatorial bets would make it to the Magic 12.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Otso Diretso slate wins senatorial race in Naga City
The eight candidates of Otso Diretso might have failed to secure a spot in the Magic 12 in the overall unofficial count, but they dominated the list in Naga City, Camarines Sur – the bailiwick of Vice President Leni Robredo.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Campaigning for and with Filipinos a great privilege – Hilbay
Senatorial aspirant Atty. Florin “Pilo” Hilbay said campaigning for and with Filipinos was “one of the great privileges” of his life.
Manila Bulletin

Gutoc on failing to make it to Senate’s Magic 12: I’m alright, it’s like my three bar exams
Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc said she’s alright despite failing in her Senate bid. “I’m alright despite what happened. Ganon naman talaga. It’s like my three bar exams,” Gutoc said in a short clip uploaded by her staff one day after the elections.
Manila Bulletin

Mar Roxas fails to top senatorial polls in Western Visayas
Former interior secretary and Otso Diretso bet Mar Roxas garnered the largest number of his votes from Western Visayas, but he ranks only fourth in the region’s senatorial race results as of May 14, 7:42 pm.
Rappler

Samira Gutoc calmly dismisses critics on indelible ink incident: ‘No biggie’
Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc addressed criticisms on the indelible ink being placed on her right thumb instead of her forefinger in a short video on Facebook. Facebook page Duterte Kami previously mocked a photo of Gutoc showing off her inked thumb after voting in Mindanao.
Interaksyon

Otso Diretso’s Gutoc ‘most talked about’ candidate — Twitter
OTSO Diretso’s Samira Gutoc was hailed as the “most tweeted” senatorial candidate, Twitter Philippines said on Tuesday.
The Manila Times

Administration

Villar on presidency: No, ‘unless God gives it to me on a silver platter’
Senator Cynthia Villar rejected Tuesday talks of any possible presidential run in 2022 unless God would give it to her on a silver platter. Villar said this as she leads the partial and unofficial tally of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) in the senatorial race. She was followed by fellow reelectionist Senator Grace Poe, who also topped the senatorial race when she first ran in 2013.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Albayalde congratulates ‘Bato’ on Senate race lead: He deserves it
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde congratulated his classmate and former PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa for leading in the Senate race, saying Dela Rosa “deserved it.”
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Incoming senator Dela Rosa seeks lawmaking seminars
With more than 18 million votes, first-time senatorial candidate Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa is poised to land a Senate seat. But the former Philippine National Police chief admitted that he doesn't know what his new position entails, adding that he would seek out seminars on lawmaking and ask advice from other senators.
Rappler, Philippine Daily Inquirer

Election-related Violence, Incidents and operations 

Armed men torch VCM, election paraphernalia in Isabela
Unidentified armed men snatched and burned a vote counting machine (VCM) and election paraphernalia that were being transferred to the municipal canvassing center at the town hall here on Tuesday morning, police said.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

PNP probes absence of police escorts in Isabela VCM torching
The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it is probing why the dump truck that was carrying a vote counting machine, members of the board of election inspectors (BEI) and election paraphernalia was not secured by police personnel when it was attacked by armed men in Jones, Isabela.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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PNP: 441 arrested across Philippines for alleged vote buying
Four hundred forty-one people were arrested nationwide for alleged vote buying, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Tuesday. In a press briefing, PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said the PNP also rescued eight minors in 225 cases of alleged vote buying.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

------------------------------------

DISASTER

MINDANAO

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

JUDICIARY

SC sets aside Comelec ruling on poll bets’ use of old COC form
The Supreme Court has overturned a Commission on Elections (Comelec) order that disqualified candidates for using the old form of the certificate of candidacy (COC).
Philippine Daily Inquirer

LEGISLATIVE

Bracing for a Super Majority at the Senate in the 18th Congress
With their apparent win in the senatorial race, more allies of President Duterte are expected to flank the Senate come the 18th Congress.
Manila Bulletin

Drilon: Opposition to continue to fiscalize in Senate
Senators on Tuesday stressed the need to respect the results of the recently concluded May polls despite its “flaws and weaknesses.” “The people have spoken. I respect it,” Senate Minority Franklin Drilon said in a text message to reporters.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Sotto assures public of independent, transparent Senate
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Tuesday assured that the Senate will remain “independent and transparent” despite the looming dominance of the administration in the upper chamber.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Senate will remain independent, won’t be Palace rubber stamp – Villar
Senator Cynthia Villar on Tuesday allayed fears  that the new Senate would become Malacanang’s rubber-stamp. Administration – backed candidates, including Villar, dominated the recently-concluded senatorial race based on the partial and official count.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Sotto wants Smartmatic scrapped; Pimentel calls for probe 
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III wants to stop the use of Smartmatic in Philippine elections as reelectionist Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III sought a congressional probe on vote counting machine (VCM) glitches.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Palace leaves it to Congress to decide on fate of dynasties in PH
Malacañang has left to the “good conscience” of the two houses of Congress whether or not to pass a bill banning political dynasties in the country.
Manila Bulletin

BUDGET, FINANCE and TAXATION

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)

DEFENSE AND SECURITY

PH, Czech Republic hold 1st defense committee meeting
The Philippines and the Czech Republic have just concluded the conduct of the first Joint Defense Committee (JDC) that potentially opened the door for possible military and defense cooperation between the two countries.
Manila Bulletin

ECONOMY AND INVESTMENTS

Philippine stocks tumble as U.S.-China trade war heats up
Most counters were in the red at the Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday, May 14. The benchmark index ended the day at 7,646.66, 1.23% lower from the closing figures last Friday, May 10. At one point during the trading day, it even slipped to 7,577.72.
Rappler, GMA News

BUILD, BUILD, BUILD

OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

GRAFT AND CORRUPTION

Sandigan affirms trial of 194 Malampaya cases
Anti-graft court Sandiganbayan has upheld its earlier ruling to proceed with the formal trial of 194 criminal cases in connection with the alleged misuse of the government’s P900-million proceeds from the Malampaya natural gas project.
Philippine Star

FOREIGN RELATIONS  

West Philippine Sea

SC orders government to comment over writ of kalikasan
The Supreme Court (SC) gave the government yesterday (May 14) 10 days to comment on the protection order issued to protect, preserve and rehabilitate the marine environment in areas in the West Philippine Sea.
Manila Bulletin

Palawan’s Kalayaan re-elects Del Mundo
The Kalayaan municipality, which includes the highly contested Pagasa Island, re-elected its mayor Roberto Del Mundo. Kalayaan, with its 391 electoral votes concluded its vote counting at 9:16 a.m. Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

LABOR

TRANSPORTATION

Metro Pacific still interested in MRT 3 operations, maintenance
Metro Pacific Investments Corp. said it is still interested in operating and maintaining Metro Rail Transit Line 3 despite the government’s decision to award the rehabilitation of the rail system to a Japanese company.
Manila Standard

HEALTH 

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

EDUCATION

Teachers helped make midterm polls peaceful and orderly – DepEd
The Department of Education (DepEd) said on Tuesday teachers who rendered poll duties helped make the midterm elections peaceful and orderly.
Manila Bulletin

ENERGY

Psalm told to collect P59B in unpaid dues
The Department of Finance (DoF) has ordered the collection of P59.2-billion worth of long overdue obligations of top corporate entities to the state-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (Psalm).
The Manila Times, Business World Online

POVERTY

HOUSING

TOURISM

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

Water crisis

INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

WhatsApp flags vulnerability to voice call attack
WhatsApp has revealed a vulnerability in its system that could have allowed hackers access to its users' phones, with a London-based human rights lawyer possibly among the targets. The encrypted messaging service, owned by Facebook, said Monday that it had discovered and fixed the vulnerability the attackers had sought to exploit.
CNN Philippines

DEVELOPMENT SECTOR