The masterminds of the Philippines' worst political massacre were found guilty Thursday of murder a decade after they led the killings of 58 people, rare convictions of powerful figures in a country notorious for its culture of impunity.However, with dozens of other accused gunmen acquitted, and 80 suspects never having been caught, relatives of the victims as well as rights groups gave a mixed response to the verdicts.Leaders of the powerful Ampatuan family dynasty orchestrated the 23 N

Rescuers in the southern Philippines used heavy equipment and their bare hands on Monday in hopes of finding several people feared trapped beneath a building toppled by a powerful earthquake that claimed at least three lives.Sunday's tremor cracked schools, toppled homes and injured dozens but largely spared big cities on the island of Mindanao, which is still recovering from a string of deadly quakes in October.Searchers have pulled survivors from the collapsed market building in the to

Philippine journalist Maria Ressa said Monday she would not be silenced as she launched her defence against a libel charge that press advocates call an attempt to curb her news site's critical coverage of President Rodrigo Duterte.Her site Rappler has written extensively and often critically on Duterte's policies, including his deadly drugs war that rights groups say may amount to crimes against humanity."I can go to jail for 12 years for this (case), that is the maximum senten

A powerful earthquake hit the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Sunday, killing a child, injuring dozens and damaging buildings in an area still recovering from a string of deadly quakes in October.Police said a rescue operation had been launched at a heavily damaged market building in Padada near the 6.8 magnitude quake's epicentre, which is about 90 kilometres south of the major city of Davao.Patients were evacuated from hospitals as a precaution and nervous crowds massed outsi

U2 frontman Bono said Tuesday there must be no compromise on human rights, in a rebuke of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ahead of the Irish rockers' first Manila concert.The Philippine leader has waged a deadly war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives.Overwhelmingly backed by Filipinos but condemned by critics who say it is a war crime, the killings by police as well as unknown suspects are the subject of a preliminary inquiry by the International Criminal Court prosecutor.

E-sports took a step into the sporting mainstream on Thursday as it made its debut at the Southeast Asian Games, becoming a medal event for the first time at an Olympic-recognised multi-sport competition.As the typhoon-hit Games, spread across dozens of venues in the northern Philippines, neared the halfway stage, e-sports made its grand entrance at a darkened arena in Manila.It represents progress for video gaming, which was a demonstration sport at last year's Asian Games but has been

Typhoon Kammuri killed at least two people in the Philippines on Tuesday as it tore roofs off houses and forced the international airport in Manila to shut down.The storm roared ashore late Monday and passed south of Manila - home to 13 million people - and thousands of athletes at the regional Southeast Asian Games.Just before it exited into the South China Sea, the typhoon killed two people in the central island of Mindoro, where one man was crushed by a falling tree and another killed by a

Typhoon Kammuri on Tuesday lashed the Philippines with fierce winds and heavy rain, as hundreds of thousands took refuge in shelters and the capital Manila prepared to shut down its international airport over safety concerns.The powerful storm, which blew in windows and sheared off roofs, roared ashore late Monday and was due to pass south of Manila - home to some 13 million people - and thousands of athletes at the regional Southeast Asian Games.Forecasters said Kammuri remained strong, with

The Philippines has begun evacuating thousands of people, local officials said Sunday, as a powerful typhoon rumbling in from the Pacific forced Southeast Asian Games organisers to cancel or reschedule some events.The storm entered Philippine territory Saturday evening, shortly before President Rodrigo Duterte and boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao launched the Games with a colourful opening ceremony.Forecasters expect Typhoon Kammuri to make landfall Monday evening or Tuesday morning, packing g

It is going to take a flawless next couple of weeks for the Philippines’ bruised reputation to recover from all the negative press surrounding the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.While this year’s edition of the biennial meet is the biggest in terms of sports, events and number of medals, it will now also be remembered as the biggest failure to prepare.Scheduled to run until 11 December, the region’s largest multi-sport event officially kicks off today but has already been overwhelmed by a t