MANILA, Philippines?James Kocher, a son-in-law of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, operates Port Irene?s vehicle yard that has attracted dozens of importers and converters of right-hand-drive vehicles from the Subic Freeport.

COTABATO CITY, Philippines?Officials in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) said they didn?t want to disappoint President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo nor displease the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), so they are leaving it to Congress to decide whether or not to postpone the elections.

MANILA, Philippines?Former Sen. Ralph Recto, the author of the controversial expanded value-added tax (VAT) law, has been appointed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as socioeconomic planning secretary and director general of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), effective immediately.

MANILA, Philippines?Before the MV Princess of the Stars sailed out of Manila on her doomed voyage to Cebu, PO1 Felix Sardan boarded the 23,800-ton ferry to do the usual pre-departure inspection.

MANILA, Philippines?Claiming that a Supreme Court ruling upholding a government ban on the importation of used cars was wrong, administration Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, also known by his initials JPE, Wednesday defended the entry of thousands of used vehicles into Port Irene in Cagayan, his home province.