In a pastoral statement on peace, signed by Archbishop Garcera, the bishops’ conference calls for “mutual respect” and “dialogue” between cultures and religions, amid conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere. The prelates encourage Catholic communities to hope and show solidarity towards vulnerable people. The statement mentions overseas Philippine workers and the environmental damage caused by war, stressing that “every human life is sacred.”
The Catholic Bishops' Conference has called for a fair trial against the vice president, in compliance with the constitution, a necessary step “to restore our people’s faith and confidence in our public institutions”. Meanwhile, dela Rosa, former President Duterte's ally and right-hand man in the war on drugs, fled the Senate after a standoff to avoid arrest.
Price rises linked to the oil crisis triggered by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have caused the sharpest surge in the Philippines in the last three years in the prices of essential goods and transport fares. This trend is hitting low-income families and those living in rural areas of the Visayas hardest.
With 255 votes in favour, the process to impeach the vice president, blocked by the Supreme Court due to a procedural flaw, reached again the quorum. Today, however, the Duterte clan saw a loyalist elected to lead the Senate, which will examine the charges. The country’s Catholic bishops call for a process that transcends political manoeuvring.
The Metro Infanta Foundation has awarded the 2026 prize to the Archbishop Emeritus of Cotabato. The first cardinal from Mindanao, he is known for promoting dialogue between Christians, Muslims and the Lumad. A leader who embodies the vision of a humble Church, attentive to human rights and close to marginalised communities, following in the footsteps of Bishop Julio Xavier Labayen, who was born exactly a hundred years ago.
Several civilians, including two minors, are among the 19 people killed in the province of Negros Occidental during an operation by the 79th Infantry Battalion. The carnage highlights how activists and community workers are caught up in the war against the communist New People's Army. This comes at the time the Philippines holds the rotating presidency of Association of Southeast Asian Nations. For the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, the latest incident “violates international humanitarian law”.
