NEWS BRIEFS | 23 April 2025

Passage of Islamic Burial Act lauded

Lanao del Sur officials lauded the passage of Republic Act 12160 or the Philippine Islamic Burial Act, a measure that mandated prompt and proper burial of deceased Muslims, with or without a death certificate from the authorities.

Rep. Yasser Balindong (2nd District, Lanao del Sur), said the new law requires the prompt burial of deceased Muslims to be buried within 24 hours, in accordance with Islamic rites and practices.

He said the law requires hospitals to release the remains even if the hospital bills are still unpaid.

PBBM inaugurates coconut plant, port expansion in Misamis Oriental

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., made a brief visit to Misamis Oriental on Tuesday where he inaugurated a ₱350-million integrated coconut facility and a ₱430 million port expansion in the municipality of Balingoan.

Later in the afternoon, Marcos went to Don Gregorio Pelaez Sports Center where he distributed 91 patient transport vehicles to local government officials in Northern Mindanao.

Estrella Luz Peñaloza, officer in charge of the National Economic Development Authority in Region 10, said the expanded Balingoan port and the coconut processing plant in Balingasag would “significantly stimulate economic growth in the province.

3 nabbed, ₱408,000 worth of shabu seized in Maguindanao

Drug enforcement agents arrested three persons and seized P408,000 worth of shabu in a buy-bust operation in Maguindanao del Norte on Tuesday.

Gil Cesario Castro, chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said the three suspects yielded 60 grams of shabu worth ₱408,000, buy-bust money, two mobile phones, and a motorcycle.

Castro said PDEA operatives arrested the suspects in Sitio Kurbada, Awang Village in Datu Odin Sinsuat town