MANILA — With the peace talks between the government and Muslim rebel ongoing and the ceasefire mechanism in place - the road to peace is brighter than ever with the infusion of P8 billion by the government as stimulus fund for various projects in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The impending power crisis in the city will take its toll on the production of canned sardines, Industrial Group of Zamboanga Inc., President Engr. George Ledesma said.

MANILA — President Benigno S. Aquino III has said the government is already working on several measures to address the power shortage in Mindanao.

MANILA — The continuing talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is a positive indication that both sides are still optimistic towards forging a peace agreement, Malacanang said.

CAMP SK PENDATUN, Maguindanao — A province-wide manhunt has been launched against Abu Sayyaf bandits who seized health workers at gunpoint in a remote village of Sulu Monday afternoon.

MANILA — Operatives of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) and other allied units arrested a suspected Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) member during Tuesday's operations in Barangay Recodo, Zamboanga City.

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Four civilians were injured when a group of Abu Sayyaf bandits attacked a military detachment in a remote village in the island province of Sulu, a military official disclosed Monday.

Mayor Celso Lobregat is closely coordinating with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) in Manila to expedite the conduct of a hearing pertaining to the proposal of the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (ZAMCELCO) to purchase power from a private supplier as a mitigating measure to the looming energy crisis.

MANILA — After years of delay, the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is now in full swing with the initial acquisition of four brand-new combat helicopters and one Hamilton-type ship, with 138 pending defense contracts for implementation over the next five years.

BUTUAN CITY — An intensity 6.0 earthquake caused panic and a power blackout in Surigao City and some other towns in Surigao del Norte Friday afternoon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) office based in Surigao City, said.

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — At least four suspected Abu Sayyaf militants and an army ranger were killed while three government troops were wounded in an encounter Thursday in the mountains of Basilan province, a military official said.

BUTUAN CITY — Mindanao power consumers may suffer longer brown outs that will last for seven months after the National Power Corporation (NPC) admitted that this month alone, the second largest island of the country lacks 47 megawatts of power supply.

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) cannot provide any fixed schedule of blackout for the city’s some 100,000 power connections linked to 12 substations/feeders in the city

CAMP SK PENDATUN, Maguindanao — Two suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Bandit Group facing criminal charges in Basilan have been arrested by police.

AIR FORCE CITY, Clark, Pampanga — Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin formally received four new W-3A Sokol combat utility helicopters the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ordered from Poland during simple ceremonies here Friday morning.