Manila - The European Union on Monday underscored the need to incorporate the protection and promotion of human rights into an agreement being negotiated with the Philippines, which seeks to expand political, security and economic cooperation.
James Moran, the EU's director for Asia and chief EU negotiator for the Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with the Philippines, stressed that human rights is one of the cornerstones of the pact.
"Respect of human rights and the collective preservation of peace and security are the very basis for improving the life of our peoples," he said at the start of two-day negotiations in Manila. "This is one of the objectives of the PCA."
Manila - Five people were killed in floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains in the central Philippines on the weekend, authorities said Monday.
Three people drowned in floods in Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental province, 645 kilometres south of Manila, according to provincial Governor Emilio Macias II.
Macias said two children were also reported killed in a landslide in nearby Valencia town.
Zamboanga City, Philippines - Two Muslim militants were killed Monday during a clash with government troops in a southern Philippine island, a navy spokesman said.
Lieutenant Colonel Edgard Arevalo said the fighting erupted before dawn when troops searching for several kidnap victims in Akbar town in Basilan province, 900 kilometres south of Manila, encountered undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf rebels, a militant group linked to the al-Qaeda terror network.
Zamboanga City, Philippines - A Filipino-Chinese businessman has been freed a week after he was seized by Muslim militants on a southern Philippines island, a police report said Saturday.
Diong Hin Que, a trader, was freed by his captors late Friday near a public school in Indanan town on Jolo island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila, the report said.
Que said he did not pay any ransom for his release and said his kidnapping was a case of mistaken identity. He did not give details about his ordeal or his abductors.
Cotabato City, Philippines - Six communist rebels were killed in a clash with government troops in the southern Philippines, a regional military spokesman said Saturday.
Major Randolph Cabangbang said the fighting erupted Friday when soldiers encountered an undetermined number of guerrillas is the outskirts of Tulunan town in North Cotabato province, 960 kilometres south of Manila.
Cabangbang said among the fatalities was a guerrilla commander identified as Felix Amodia. He said Amodia's body was turned over to the local officials.
Zamboanga City, Philippines - Muslim militants on Friday freed unharmed an abducted employee of a lending firm in the southern Philippines after three days of captivity, a military spokeswoman said.
Ammad Sali was one of two of the firm's employees abducted Tuesday in Sumisip town in Basilan province, 900 kilometres south of Manila.
Sali was recovered by troops in the village of Mahayhay in nearby Maluso town Friday morning, said Lieutenant Esteffani Cacho, a regional military spokeswoman.
Manila - Five people were killed in floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains in the central Philippines on the weekend, authorities said Monday.
Zamboanga City, Philippines - Two Muslim militants were killed Monday during a clash with government troops in a southern Philippine island, a navy spokesman said.
Zamboanga City, Philippines - A Filipino-Chinese businessman has been freed a week after he was seized by Muslim militants on a southern Philippines island, a police report said Saturday.
Cotabato City, Philippines - Six communist rebels were killed in a clash with government troops in the southern Philippines, a regional military spokesman said Saturday.
