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Comelec Clarifies Starlink Devices in Davao Were for Election Transmission
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) addressed concerns regarding the discovery of Starlink satellite transmission devices in a private residence in Davao City, clarifying that they were not intended to rig the May 12 elections.
Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco explained that the house in Barangay Buhangin was used as a temporary staging hub by a joint venture (JV) of iOne Resources and Ardent Networks Inc. The JV won the poll body’s P1.4-billion Secure Electronic Transmission Services (SETS) project for the May polls.
The 10 sets of Starlink devices, solar panels, and batteries found in the residence were solely for transmission purposes, Laudiangco emphasized, and had no connection to machines or programs used for counting ballots. They did not contain any election programs or software that could impact the automated counting machines or the election management system.
The discovery came after an alert from Buhangin residents led to a police inspection of a house on Santol Street, Purok Sto. Niño. The house owner clarified that the devices were temporarily stored there by a relative with a contract to store the equipment for the Comelec.
The Comelec further explained that according to their contract, the JV is responsible for deploying and installing the devices at various voting and canvassing centers in the Davao Region, with distribution set for completion by April 15.
For added security and transparency, the Comelec instructed the JV to move the devices from the private residence and deliver them directly to the concerned Office of the Election Officer (OEO), under Comelec and police supervision.
Comelec Chair George Garcia confirmed that trucks had arrived at the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor of Davao del Norte in Tagum City to transport the devices. The delivery was witnessed by election watchdogs and political party representatives, with police escorting the trucks to ensure proper inventory.
COTABATO CITY – On April 8, 2025, Kanlaon Volcano erupted explosively at 5:51 a.m., producing a 4,000-meter-high ash plume. The eruption also triggered pyroclastic density currents flowing down the volcano’s southern slopes, as confirmed by PHIVOLCS. The eruption ended at 7:02 a.m., but Alert Level 3 remains in effect, indicating ongoing risk.
In response, DOST-PHIVOLCS employed computer simulations using Ash3D, an ash dispersion model, to track the impact of the eruption and guide ashfall monitoring in the surrounding communities. These simulations, based on the eruption’s duration and plume height, predicted the dispersal of ash primarily at a height of 5 kilometers.
The model was crucial in confirming that Barangays Cubay, San Miguel, and La Granja in La Carlota City experienced ashfall. The model also predicted minimal ashfall to the west of Kanlaon, which aligned with reports from the ground.
DOST-PHIVOLCS’s efforts in collaboration with local government units and volcanologists provided timely and accurate data for identifying affected areas, verifying the ashfall distribution, and ensuring public safety.
COTABATO CITY — Authorities confiscated an estimated ₱1.7 million worth of suspected shabu from two alleged drug dealers during a buy-bust operation in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, on Sunday afternoon, April 6.
The suspects were identified as Mel Anok Ibrahim, 38, and his 20-year-old companion, Bhads Salim Abdillah. Both are currently detained and face charges for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The 250 grams of suspected shabu seized during the operation will serve as evidence in court.
According to Brig. Gen. Romeo Juan Macapaz, director of the Police Regional Office–Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, the operation was led by Lt. Col. Esmael Madin, chief of the Sultan Kudarat Municipal Police Station. The suspects were arrested shortly after allegedly selling the illegal drugs during the sting.
Initially, the entrapment was planned to take place in Barangay Simuay, Sultan Kudarat. However, the operation was relocated to the town proper of Datu Odin Sinsuat at the request of the suspects.
Macapaz also noted the successful collaboration between the Sultan Kudarat and Datu Odin Sinsuat police units in executing the operation. He thanked local government and barangay officials for their assistance, acknowledging that the operation was based on tips from informants about the suspects’ drug-related activities.
DAVAO CITY – A 38-year-old barker, identified only by the alias “Jori,” was caught in a drug buy-bust operation conducted by personnel of San Pedro Police Station 2 at Purok 4, Upper Exodus, Barangay 8-A, Davao City around midnight on April 8, 2025.
According to the police report, a poseur buyer was able to purchase a sachet of suspected shabu worth ₱2,240 from the suspect, which led to his immediate arrest.
During the operation, authorities also confiscated three more sachets of suspected shabu from the suspect, with an estimated total value of ₱54,320.
The suspect and the seized illegal drugs are now under police custody for proper documentation and filing of charges.
A Closer Look at Kanlaon Volcano’s Eruption and Ashfall Impact Monitoring
Cops Seize ₱1.7-M Worth of Shabu in Maguindanao del Norte Sting
Barker Caught in Drug Buy-Bust in Davao City
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