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The kidnapings by the Abu Sayyaf (ASG) seem unstoppable.
A 2005 US Department of State report cites a number of major kidnappings by the ASG thus:
In April 2000, an ASG faction kidnapped 21 persons, including ten Western tourists, from a resort in Malaysia. In May 2001, the ASG kidnapped three US citizens and 17 Filipinos from a tourist resort in Palawan, Philippines. Several of the hostages, including US citizen Guillermo Sobero, were murdered. A Philippine military hostage rescue operation in June 2002 freed US hostage Gracia Burnham, but her husband Martin Burnham and Filipina Deborah Yap were killed.

“What we need are efficient leaders who can turn around things, and not full autonomy,” said Sen. Francisco “Kiko” Pangilinan, reacting to a group’s proposal to create Bikol Autonomous Region through Charter change.
Pangilinan said he knew local government executives who were able accomplish much by making use of the provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991.
He said that although he had supported empowerment of local governments, he did not see full autonomy as an option.

MANILA — Even with the release of one of the three Red Cross workers, the Roman Catholic Church continues to exhort the whole nation to pray for the two other workers’ immediate release.
In Rome, Pope Benedict XVI raised his voice and made an appeal that “humanitarian sense and reason will prevail over violence and threat.”
The Apostolic Nunciature in Manila communicated the Pope’s appeal to the local media through the CBCP Media Office morning of March 31.

MANILA, March 31, 2009—Amid calls for him to choose between the priesthood and politics, Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio said he will quit from priesthood should he decide to run for president in 2010.
Panlilio, a Catholic priest-turned politician, said he has no choice but to ask for dispensation to end dispute over his priestly status.

SORSOGON CITY, April 3 (PNA) – The Philippine Army (PA) conducting anti-insurgency activities in Sorsogon, a highly communist rebel-infested province southeast of Luzon, has accused the New People’s Army (NPA) of killing a 37-year-old widow human rights activist here.

JUBAN, Sorsogon, April 2 (PNA) – Local officials here on Thursday spread the red carpet for the formal opening of the Balikatan exercises in Sorsogon province under the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
Opening ceremonies were held in Barangay Guruyan, an interior village of this fifth class municipality highly infested by 40-year old co

LEGAZPI CITY, April 2 (PNA) -- Suspected communist rebels ambushed and killed three Philippine Army (PA) soldiers, while two others were injured on Wednesday in Ragay, Camarines Sur.
An Army official today identified those killed as Army Cpl. James Caronan, Pfc. Noel Bagao, and Pfc. Rolly Caitor.

MANILA--President Gloria Arroyo’s aproval of the poll automation bill into law has given a Catholic Church-back poll watchdog a leeway to focus more on intensive voters’ education.
The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) said it is all systems go for the automation of the electoral system (AES) now that the P11.3 billion supplemental budget has been approved.
Their next step, PPCRV national chairperson Henrietta de Villa said, is to make sure that voters are well informed about the poll automation.

MANILA--Catholic Church leaders once again called on lawmakers Friday to ditch plans to amend the country’s constitution. Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal said there’s time for Charter change and it should not be done with haste.
He said a thorough review of the measure, which according to its proponents at the House of Representatives, only seeks to revise the economic provisions of the constitution.

IRIGA CITY--True to its mission of giving its students quality education and academic excellence, the University of Northeastern Philippines (UNEP) has invited Vice President Noli “Kabayan” de Castro as its distinguished guest and speaker during the school’s 61st Commencement Exercises on April 2 at the university gymnasium here.

LEGAZPI CITY--The Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) has earmarked P2-billion loan facility under its Development Advocacy Program for Bikol this year.
Mauricio Feliciano, LBP vice president and general manager for Bikol, said the amount would finance projects of priority sectors such as small fishermen and farmers (SFFs) and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“Most of our small farmers and fishermen are afraid of loans that is why, through this DAP, we are reaching out to them to make them realize the importance of financing for their economic advancement,” Feliciano said.
He said that the bank, as a government-owned financial institution, also assisted its clients in the marketing and technology transfer.

PILI, Camarines Sur--The ban on shellfish from two coastal areas of Bikol is still imposed, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Office here said in a warning.
Shellfish ban is still imposed in Juag Lagoon in Matnog, Sorsogon Bay, Sorsogon; the coastal waters of Milagros in Masbate, all of Bikol region.