Rappler's latest stories on liberalism
Colombia's ELN rebels propose ceasefire during pandemic
The offer receives short shrift from President Ivan Duque, who writes on Twitter: 'I will never stop complying with the constitutional duty to confront criminality throughout the territory'
Iloilo suspends public events due to coronavirus risks
The governor's order is in effect for 45 days starting March 10
Duterte names MILF founder's son as BTA member, completing Bangsamoro gov't
Abdullah Hashim's appointment to the Bangamoro Transition Authority completes the interim government's required 80 members nearly a year after it was formed in March 2019
U.S. indicts 4 Chinese military 'hackers' for Equifax breach
(UPDATED) The hackers stole 'the sensitive personal information of nearly half of all American citizens,' says Attorney General Bill Barr
Duterte names ex-Muslim affairs official as new Bangsamoro gov't member
Ali Sangki is appointed to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, making him the 79th member out of the required 80
Over 8,000 MILF fighters decommissioned in 2019 – OPAPP
Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Assistant Secretary Wilven Mayor says a total of 12,000 Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters will be decommissioned by 'early 2020'
FALSE: Convicted Ampatuan brothers are ‘Liberal Party members’
The masterminds of the Ampatuan massacre were officials of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, the party of former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. They were kicked out of the party after the massacre.
MNLF leads new call for Duterte to declare revolutionary government
The MNLF's founder Nur Misuari is a staunch supporter of federalism, which supporters see as the endgame for declaring a revolutionary government
Duterte appoints Misuari economic envoy to Organization of Islamic Cooperation
The government and Misuari's Moro National Liberation Front agree to implement remaining items from the 1996 Final Peace Agreement, after the former rebel leader complained of being left out of the Bangsamoro peace process
2019: A bad year to be in the opposition
Here are the 6 times the political opposition took a major hit from the Duterte administration in 2019
150 more MILF soldiers join Bangsamoro security team
The former rebel fighters join members of the police and military in a security force tasked with protecting certain areas of the Bangsamoro region until an elected government is established in 2022
Britain's Lib Dems unveil 'stop Brexit' manifesto
The pro-European party, which has vowed to halt Britain's departure from the EU if it wins a majority, also outlines policies to tackle climate change, expand free childcare, and recruit more teachers
Chinese soldiers leave Hong Kong barracks in rare clean-up cameo
(UPDATED) Political analyst Dixon Sing says the rare appearance could be a 'hint' to protesters that China can still use the People's Liberation Army in a 'more naked manner' at the rallies
Senate urges gov't not to pursue sugar liberalization
'We do not want another industry to fall and falter because of the liberalizing imports of these products,' says Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri
Romania votes for president with liberal incumbent favored
In all, 14 candidates are standing, with pro-European incumbent Klaus Iohannis the favorite to win
Trudeau rules out coalition as he forms new Canadian government
Justin Trudeau's new cabinet will be sworn in on November 20. Like his first in 2015, Trudeau says it will be made up of an equal number of women and men.
Victorious but weakened, Trudeau needs help to form government
The win is a vindication for Trudeau, despite a campaign in which his party lost support across Canada
Romania's president names liberal as new premier
Ludovic Orban, 56, a former transport minister, must now receive the backing from the fragmented parliament as the EU-member country struggles to overcome months of political instability
7 MILF members killed in clash with ISIS-linked terrorists
(UPDATED) Tension remains high in Shariff Saydona town in Maguindanao, with the MILF expected to send reinforcements after the clash
Groups welcome proposed U.S. travel ban on officials in De Lima detention
The Philippine government, meanwhile, tags the move as an intrusion of sovereignty
Pangilinan, Belmonte stay on as LP leaders
It takes the Liberal Party's leadership 4 months to issue the resolution affirming support for two of its key leaders who wanted to resign after the May elections
LP lawmakers seek P13.19-billion cash aid for rice farmers
Liberal Party stalwart and Occidental Mindoro congresswoman Josephine Ramirez Sato says direct cash assistance, not the government's zero-interest loans, would help rice farmers
Duterte tells disarmed MILF soldiers: Do not be disheartened
Having been at war for much of their lives, the former Moro rebels face insecurity and uncertainty as they return to civilian life
'We are not surrendering': Tears, prayers as MILF begins large-scale disarming of forces
'If it is in our power to make peace happen and Allah grants it to us, we do not want our families to go through what we’ve suffered,' says an MILF combatant
Government wants MILF to give up more weapons
The MILF says it has 40,000 fighters but only about 7,000 weapons. OPAPP Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr wants the combatants to give up their own guns, too.
'There is another life coming,’ Murad tells MILF fighters before disarming
Over a thousand MILF combatants will disarm in a ceremony to be led by President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday, September 7
Mindanao closer to peace as MILF decommissions 12,000 fighters – gov't
President Rodrigo Duterte will lead a ceremony in Maguindanao on Saturday, September 7, as former rebels from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front begin their transition to civilian life
PM Johnson loses majority ahead of Brexit parliament showdown
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemns a plan by lawmakers to block his Brexit strategy as 'surrender' and says it will undermine his intention to negotiate a new divorce deal with the EU
China 'rotates' troops in Hong Kong ahead of planned rallies
'The Hong Kong Garrison of the Chinese People's Liberation Army on Thursday morning completed the 22nd rotation since it began garrisoning Hong Kong in 1997,' Xinhua news agency says
Duterte orders creation of MNLF, gov't coordinating committee
The committee will convene in the second week of September in Davao City, says Malacañang
ASEAN lawmakers: Free De Lima, drop charges vs opposition
The ASEAN legislators also lament the sedition charges filed against Vice President Leni Robredo and key opposition figures in the Philippines
Myanmar rebels carry out unprecedented attack on military academy
Thursday's brazen assault targets Pyin Oo Lwin, a tourist town near Mandalay, that is also home to barracks teeming with soldiers receiving training
Belmonte defends opposition: Speaking the truth is not sedition
'Last I checked, ang katotohanan ay katotohanan pa rin, at hindi inciting to sedition,' says Liberal Party secretary-general and House Deputy Minority Leader Kit Belmonte
Trump takes back seat as China bristles over Hong Kong unrest
China's People's Liberation Army garrison in Hong Kong releases a video showing tanks, helicopters, rocket launchers, and heavily armed troops in an 'anti-riot' drill
AFP to train 255 ex-MILF fighters to help secure Bangsamoro region
Members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces will work alongside soldiers and cops in the Joint Peace and Security Team, says Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr
Robredo 'ready to face trumped up charges' in sedition complaint
'This is clearly politically motivated,' says the Vice President's spokesperson Barry Gutierrez of the sedition complaint
China says army can be deployed at Hong Kong's request
Article 14 of Hong Kong's garrison law says the city's authorities may ask, 'when necessary', the central government for assistance from the garrison 'in the maintenance of public order and in disaster relief'
DOJ starts probe into Robredo, LP lawmakers in Bikoy complaint August 9
(UPDATED) 'I assure everyone of utmost fairness in the resolution of this case. The evidence, or the lack of it, will speak for itself,' says Justice Secretary Guevarra
China eyes high-tech army, says U.S. undermines global stability
The plan calls for more cutting-edge technology in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) arsenal, admitting it 'still lags far behind the world's leading militaries.'
LP, Makabayan blocs back Benny Abante for House minority leader
Manila 6th District Representative Benny Abante also gets support from lawmakers belonging to PDP-Laban, the Nacionalista party, and the party-list groups
Robredo hits sedition allegations: 'Nakakatawa talaga'
'Hindi ba sila nag-verify, para hindi naman sila napapahiya?' Vice President Leni Robredo asks
Kosovo PM resigns after being called to war crimes court
'I received a call by the special court as a suspect and was offered to go as the prime minister or as an ordinary citizen of Kosovo. I chose the latter,' Ramush Haradinaj tells reporters
We must rally behind Robredo, Pangilinan tells LP bloc in House
(6th UPDATE) 'We urge our fellow lawmakers at the House of Representatives to seriously consider where they stand in the face of the harassment and persecution brought upon our party chairperson,' says Senator Francis Pangilinan
CIDG sues Robredo, LP, bishops for sedition over Bikoy videos
(3rd UPDATE) Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra immediately forms a panel to investigate the complaint
FALSE: MILF surrendered arms to gov't 'for the first time in 2019'
The decommissioning process first starts in 2015 as part of the agreement between the MILF and the Philippine government
Huawei staff pair up with Chinese military on research
Several research papers published since 2009 show Huawei employees have worked with researchers at different arms of the People's Liberation Army
'LP will remain steadfast to principles' even if in House majority – Belmonte
'Maninidigan pa rin tayo,' says Quezon City 6th District Representative Kit Belmonte, Liberal Party secretary-general
LP open to rejoining majority bloc in the 18th Congress
This move is nothing new, as most Liberal Party legislators were part of the administration-allied majority bloc in the House at the start of President Rodrigo Duterte's term
12,000 former MILF troops to be decommissioned in 2019
Decommissioning of the troops comes after the ratification of the Bangsamoro Law and is part of the Philippine government's agreement with the MILF
PNP begins Bikoy probe vs Trillanes, LP members
The Philippine National Police has yet to receive a revised sworn statement from Peter Joemel Advincula, the man also known as Bikoy
