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Philippine Muslim Peace Process Set to Clear Key Hurdle

A self-rule bill for the Philippines' Muslim minority will likely reach Congress next week, the government said Tuesday, clearing a key hurdle in efforts to end one of Asia's longest rebellions.

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Gov't: Philippines Foils 'Anti-China' Bombing Plot

Three men arrested over a foiled attempt to bomb the Philippine capital's airport were also planning to attack the Chinese embassy and one of Manila's biggest malls, authorities said Tuesday.

The men, who were detained on Monday at the airport with an van containing petrol bombs and firecrackers, had planned a series of consecutive attacks, apparently to publicize their anti-China grievances, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima told reporters.

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Car Bomb Found at Philippines' Main Airport

Three people were arrested after a bomb was found in a van parked at Manila's international airport, but there was no ongoing safety threat for travelers, authorities said Monday.

A utility vehicle containing an "improvised explosive device" was found at the airport's terminal three car park about 1:45 am (1745 GMT) Monday, said a short report released by the National Bureau of Investigation.

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Philippine U.N. Peacekeepers Safe after 'Greatest Escape'

All 75 Filipino troops serving as U.N. peacekeepers in the Golan Heights are safe after the last batch slipped away under cover of night from besieging Syrian rebels, military spokesmen said Sunday.

Military chief General Gregorio Catapang called it "the greatest escape," and praised the soldiers.

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32 Filipino Peacekeepers Evacuated in Golan, Other under Attack

Thirty-two Filipino United Nations peacekeepers have been evacuated after being caught up in heavy fighting on the Golan Heights while others remain under fire, the U.N. confirmed Saturday.

The group was part of a 72-member contingent situated in two different locations in the area.

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Three Dead in Foiled Philippines Jailbreak

Three people were killed and eight others wounded after a jailbreak attempt in the southern Philippines turned into a deadly firefight, police said Saturday.

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75 Philippine U.N. Peacekeepers Defy Syria Rebels

Dozens of heavily armed Philippine peacekeepers defied Syrian rebels on Friday in a Golan Heights standoff, hours after the fighters took hostage 43 Fijian soldiers there, the Filipinos' commander said.

Seventy-five Filipino troops were defending two fortified posts in the U.N.-patrolled zone after armed groups surrounded them on Thursday and demanded they give up their weapons, Colonel Roberto Ancan told reporters in Manila.

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U.S. Commander who Transformed Special Forces Steps Down

The U.S. commander who helped place special operation forces at the forefront of the American military hung up his uniform on Thursday, hailing a "golden age" for the elite commandos.

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Communist Rebels Raid Two Philippine Plantations in One Day

Communist insurgents raided two banana plantations in one day in the southern Philippines in some of their most brazen attacks for months in the face of recent setbacks, authorities said Sunday.

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Philippines to Repatriate U.N. Troops in Golan, Liberia

The Philippines said Saturday it will repatriate over 400 of its troops serving as U.N. peacekeepers in the Golan Heights and Liberia amid security threats and concerns over the Ebola virus.

"To ensure the safety and security of the Philippine military troops deployed to conflict-affected areas, the country’s contingents in the Golan Heights and Liberia are scheduled to be repatriated within the year," a Defense Department statement said.

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