The death toll from Typhoon Mitag has risen to 12 in the Philippines, as search operations continue for a missing air force jet and a fishing vessel with 27 people aboard.

Eight people died and two others are missing after Typhoon Mitag slammed into the Philippines, local media said on Monday.

A powerful typhoon in the Philippines veered from its course and swirled towards the northern part f the country. Government evacuates citizens.

Philippines authorities raced to evacuate up to one million people as Typhoon Mitag bore down on eastern areas devastated by storms last year.

Philippine police suspect a bomb at the House of Representatives that killed a congressman and two other people Tuesday night may have been triggered by a cell phone. In the aftermath of the explosion, the entire security force at the Philippine Congress has been changed.

Philippine legislator Wahab Akbar was killed in a bomb attack at the House of Representatives, raising the death toll to two with at least 10 injured, hospital staff and radio reports said.

Twenty-three people have been killed in the run-up to Monday's elections in the Philippines to choose tens of thousands of village chiefs and their youth representatives, police say.

Former Philippine President Joseph Estrada was released on Friday after six and a half years in detention, the PNA news agency said.

Former Philippine president Joseph Estrada was given a full pardon, just weeks after he was jailed for life on charges of stealing tens of millions of dollars from the nation's coffers.

Eight peolple were killed and scores of others seriously injured as a result of explosion in a shopping mall. The blast broke through three floors of the mall in Manila's financial district Friday. Police and troops are on alert.

Philippine police are looking at either terrorism or extortion as possible motives behind two bomb explosions in the southern city of Kidapawan, on Mindanao island.

The Nissan Design Forum & Exhibition, jointly organized by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd, Nissan Motor Philippines Inc., and Universal Motors Corporation, kicks off today at Esplanade1 in Manila. Held from September 21-23, the exhibition will be opened to the public from September 22- 23 2007.