THE LONG road to peace takes a short detour to Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, this weekend as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) holds what it calls the “Bangsamoro General Assembly” at its center of gravity in Central Mindanao.

MAINSTREAM MEDIA have oft portrayed them as belligerent, intransigent, even war-mongering. But when the negotiating panel of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) faced the Manila media recently, Islamic scholars, historians, and academics confronted reporters. MILF negotiating panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal broke the ice with an appeal to members of the media who had gathered that day for the dialogue in Quezon City.

TODAY, May 29, marks the first time that the Senate as an impeachment court will vote to convict or acquit a high government official. It should mark as well the day we all commit to focus on our unfinished business – transparency, accountability, and good governance in all agencies and by all public officials, without exception and across all branches and political parties.

“I’M NOT hearing this,” the procurement expert recalls himself saying as he tried to cover his ears. He was recounting an interesting incident that happened sometime last year, while he was helping oversee a public bidding for civil-works contractors to build roads in a southern Philippines province.