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The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has called for an agreement with the Department of Education (DepEd) to allow government forces to conduct information campaigns in schools aimed at countering the recruitment activities of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Retired Colonel Noel Detoyato, the second nominee of the Laang Kawal party-list, highlighted the need for accurate information to combat the NPA’s influence during his campaign visit to Zamboanga City on April 5. He was accompanied by Lieutenant Colonels Jaime Roberto Almario, the first nominee, and Janette Chavez-Arceo, the third nominee.

Detoyato, a former AFP public affairs officer, emphasized that students are particularly vulnerable to the NPA’s recruitment efforts, which often target young, impressionable individuals.

Recent reports indicate that the NPA is actively recruiting students, who are often easily persuaded by their promises. “A well-informed populace can make the right decisions,” Detoyato remarked during a press conference. “Let us help spread the right information so that children, especially students, can make informed choices.”

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He recalled an incident in Quezon province where school officials were alarmed after young students expressed interest in joining the NPA. It was later discovered that NPA members had been visiting school canteens, paying for students’ snacks during recess to gain their trust and recruit them.

To address this, Detoyato proposed that the AFP, through an agreement with DepEd, be allowed to conduct educational campaigns in schools to provide students with accurate information about the NPA and its activities.

While in Zamboanga City, the Laang Kawal party-list candidates also met with AFP reservists and various sector representatives to discuss the party’s platform and seek support for their cause.

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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.

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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.

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MANILA, Philippines — Following the controversy surrounding a Pasig congressional candidate, another politician, this time from Mindanao, is under scrutiny for making misogynistic remarks during a campaign event.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is expected to issue a show cause order against Misamis Oriental Governor Peter Unabia for comments he made about the nursing profession. Unabia, who is running for re-election in the upcoming May elections, stated that his administration’s nursing scholarship program was only for “beautiful women,” suggesting that unattractive nurses could worsen a patient’s condition.

During a campaign rally in Villanueva town on Thursday, Unabia said, “This nursing scholarship is for women only, not men. And only for beautiful women.” He further added, “It’s not for the unattractive, because if a male patient who is already weak is attended by an ugly nurse, what would happen? Their condition might worsen.”

Youth advocate Cyrus Arado-Ubay Valcueba shared a video of Unabia’s remarks on social media, which quickly went viral. Valcueba expressed his disappointment, writing, “It’s sad that our current leader is a sexist and racist. Imagine, there’s a nursing scholarship in the province, but you can’t avail of it if you don’t meet the governor’s standards.”

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In response to the controversy, Comelec Chair George Garcia confirmed that a show cause order would be issued against Unabia, similar to the one issued against Pasig congressional candidate Christian Sia, who also faced backlash for a misogynistic comment about single mothers.

Garcia emphasized that sexist remarks and gender-based discrimination should not be tolerated in political campaigns. He also stated that Comelec would not stop issuing show cause orders until those responsible are held accountable.

In addition to his remarks on the scholarship program, Unabia made controversial comments targeting the Moro community. He implied that if his son’s political opponent, a candidate married to a Maranao politician, were to win, the Maranaos would dominate the region, potentially leading to security instability similar to the situation in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Human Rights Watch Senior Researcher Carlos Conde described Unabia’s anti-Muslim rhetoric as “deeply concerning,” pointing out that Mindanao has long struggled with conflict and harmony.

Unabia later issued a statement claiming that the video circulating online was a “distorted version” of his comments and clarified that he did not intend to disrespect the Maranao people.

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