PRESS DIGEST - Philippine newspapers - Nov 13

MANILA, Nov 13 (Reuters) - These are the leading stories in Manila newspapers on Friday. Reuters has not verified these stories.

- Irish Catholic priest Michael Sinnott cleared the Moro Islamic Liberation Front of involvement in his abduction, saying a "lost command" and the "original lumad" (indigenous tribes) of Mindanao were responsible. (PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER)

- A government task force monitoring the energy sector has recommended the lifting of a presidential order freezing the prices of petroleum products. (PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER, MANILA STANDARD TODAY, THE MANILA TIMES, MALAYA, BUSINESSWORLD )

- United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reaffirmed Washington's commitment to extend security assistance to the Philippines. (ALL PAPERS)

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BUSINESS

- The Philippines' 2010 rice imports could reach as high as 2.6 million tonnes due to the damage caused by two strong typhoons in major rice producing areas, the United States Department of Agriculture's grain experts said. (BUSINESSMIRROR)

- Metro Pacific Investments Corp (MPIC) (MPI.PS) has struck a deal with an Indonesian conglomerate to raise its stake in Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp to 13 percent from 2 percent. (PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER, BUSINESSMIRROR, THE PHILIPPINE STAR)

- State pension fund Government Service Insurance System has formally demanded Metro Pacific Investments Corp make a tender offer after the latter raised its stake in Manila Electric Co (MER.PS), threatening to exhaust all legal remedies should MPIC fail to comply with the rule. (THE PHILIPPINE STAR)