PNP files charges vs 15-year-old in Tacloban school shooting

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has filed complaints against the 15-year-old suspect in the June 22 shooting in Tacloban City.

In an interview with GMA News on Wednesday, June 24, Police Regional Office 8 Public Information Office chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Analiza Armeza said the complaints were filed on the evening of June 23.

“We already filed the criminal complaint against the CICL (child in conflict with the law) who is above 15 years old last night with the Prosecutor’s Office,’ Armeza said.

Other media reports, citing PNP Public Information Office chief Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo, said the complaints filed were for multiple counts of frustrated murder and physical injuries.

The 15-year-old CICL, along with another 14-year-old, allegedly opened fire inside San Jose National High School on the morning of June 22.

The shooting left three people dead and 20 others injured.

Republic Act No. 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, states that children aged over 15 but below 18 may be held criminally liable if they acted with discernment.

However, because they are minors, they may be entitled to a suspended sentence upon conviction, which means they will not be immediately committed to prison.

Under Section 39 of the law, the court may dismiss the case and grant a final discharge to a child who was given a suspended sentence if a social worker certifies that all rehabilitation goals have been successfully completed.

However, if the CICL fails to meet the objectives of the intervention program or willfully violates its conditions, the child may be returned to court for the execution of the judgment.

According to initial police findings, the minor suspects played the game ‘GoreBox,’ which authorities described as promoting ‘maximum destruction.’

In response, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center has ordered a temporary ban on the game.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice said on June 23 that it is looking into the incident not as a simple case of bullying but as a possible manifestation of nihilistic violent extremism.

400-plus-strong Philippine contingent to vie in Asian Games

The Philippines will field a full delegation in the 20th Asian Games scheduled September 19 to October 4 in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, with hopes of posting its best finish in more than half a century.

‘We’ve closed at 419,’ said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino referring to the number of athletes that will comprise the national team bound for the quadrennial meet.

‘There’s (a possibility) we’ll remove two or three or we’ll add one or two more, but the final number could be 420,’ he added.

The number is the second highest Team Philippines would field in the continental event, next to the 524 in the 1994 Hiroshima Games.

And Tolentino is wishing it could also translate into more gold medals.

‘We’ll see if we can break our performance in Palembang and Hangzhou,’ he said.

Of course, he was referring to the 4-2-15 (gold-silver-bronze) haul in Palembang in 2018 and a 4-2-12 harvest in Hangzhou in 2022.

If the Nationals end up eclipsing both, it would also be their best effort since pocketing seven mints in the 1962 Jakarta edition.

Their best finish there was 14 in 1954 in Manila.

Between Manila and Jakarta, the Filipinos snared eight in Tokyo in 1958 and just went down from there as they haven’t exceeded four golds ever since.

But Tolentino is optimistic that the frustration ends in Japan.

‘We’ll be sending our Olympians and world champions,’ he said, referring to the likes of Carlos Yulo in gymnastics and those from boxing, swimming, jiu-jitsu, esports and golf among others.

‘Remember, all these athletes went through the qualifying process and qualified,’ he added.

Bus firm sanctioned after Isabela accident

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said on Tuesday it has issued a show cause order to the operator of Pangasinan Five Star Bus Inc. after one of its buses was involved in an accident that killed a pedestrian.

Eight other buses were also slapped a 30-day suspension as the bus company was directed to explain why its franchise should not be suspended or revoked.

Citing a police report, the LTFRB said one of the company’s buses hit a woman in front of Santiago City Medical Center in Isabela after the driver supposedly lost control of the vehicle. The victim was killed while two bus passengers were injured.

UN rapporteur should also talk to ex-rebels, says NTF-Elcac

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Conflict (NTF-Elcac) has urged a United Nations special rapporteur to hear the testimonies of former rebels after she flagged the use of counterterrorism laws to prosecute journalists and human rights advocates.

NTF-Elcac executive director Ernesto Torres said Irene Khan, the UN special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, should also speak with former members and combatants of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) to gain a ‘comprehensive understanding’ of insurgency in the Philippines.

‘Far from being abstractions in a policy debate, they are Filipinos who lived inside the movement. They understood its structures, carried out its political and organizational work, and later chose to leave because they saw, firsthand, the deception, coercion, violence, and exploitation that sustained it,’ Torres said in a statement on Tuesday.

‘If the international community is serious about human rights, then the testimonies of those who suffered inside the CPP-NPA-NDF system must be heard with the same seriousness given to those who accuse the State,’ he added.

According to Torres, Khan and all international watchdogs examining the counterinsurgency policies of the government should also listen ‘with an open mind’ to former members of underground mass organizations, former student and youth organizers, former combatants, indigenous peoples’ leaders, grieving parents, and their communities.

‘Their stories are essential to any honest and comprehensive understanding of the insurgency, especially in grasping how the CPP-NPA-NDF continues to use legal and democratic spaces to agitate, organize, and recruit marginalized and vulnerable communities toward armed violence,’ he said. In her 18-page final report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council earlier this month, Khan noted that Philippine laws have been ‘weaponized’ against rights advocates and press freedom, citing the case of Tacloban-based journalist Frenchie Mae who has been detained since 2020.

‘In the Philippines, ‘terrorism financing’ laws have been used against many journalists and human rights defenders, in one case dragging out legal proceedings for five years on dubious evidence while the journalist languished in pretrial detention and eventually received a disproportionately severe punishment,’ Khan said.

Meanwhile, Torres said law enforcement against ‘terrorism financing, recruitment, exploitation of minors, extortion, and material support to armed violence’ is not a weaponization of the law.

‘It is the duty of a democratic State to protect its people. It only becomes a weapon when law is used without evidence, without due process, and without accountability,’ he said.

Khan received 347 complaints alleging violations of human rights, according to her 2025 report.

Of the 27 allegedly murdered, at least eight were red-tagged before the killing, the same report said.

NTF-Elcac, meanwhile, has logged 50 alleged killings of former rebels and civilians linked to alleged ‘spy-tagging’ by CPP-NPA-NDF across the country, Torres said.

‘We do not wish to silence dissent, but we do wish to draw the line between legitimate criticism and the exploitation of grievances to justify violence,’ Torres said.

‘The Philippines can protect press freedom and human rights while also protecting communities from terrorism, recruitment, and exploitation,’ he added.

CIPM seeks partnership to advance HR in state’s public service

The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), Ondo State Branch, has sought a strategic partnership with the Ondo State government to advance human resource excellence within the state’s public service.

A statement by CIPM said the institute made the appeal during a recent courtesy visit to the newly appointed Head of Service in Ondo State, Chief Segun Odusanya.

Delivering her address, the leader of the delegation and chairman of the Ondo State Branch of CIPM, Mrs. Pamela Elekwachi, congratulated the new Head of Service on his appointment, describing his elevation as a testament to his dedication, commitment, and years of hard work in the public service.

She emphasised CIPM’s statutory role as the apex regulatory body for human resource management in Nigeria and highlighted a recent Federal Civil Service circular designating the institute as the sole recognised body for the certification of human resource practitioners in the country.

‘We understand that there is a moratorium period and that state governments are yet to fully domesticate this federal directive.

‘However, it is our earnest desire and prayer that Ondo State will lead the way in adopting this framework to empower and professionalise our members within the state civil service,’ she said.

Responding, the Head of Service, Chief Odusanya, expressed profound appreciation to the delegation for the visit.

The head of service, who is also an associate member of the institute, described administration and human resource personnel as the vital bedrock of any institution, characterising them as indispensable change agents and problem solvers.

Odusanya said: ‘Administration is a strict professional discipline; it is not a role meant for just anyone.

‘We are fully prepared to collaborate with the CIPM on the professionalisation of both the Administrative Officers Cadre and the Executive Officers Cadre. We are also deeply committed to upgrading our digital capabilities across the service.’

The silent stone assembly of Èsìè: Nigeria’s most enduring cultural mystery

Tucked away in the sleepy, historic Ìgbómìnà-Yorùbá town of Èsìè in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State lies a secret carved in stone. Long before our contemporary borders were drawn, and even before Western archaeologists arrived with their measuring tapes, a silent assembly of over one thousand human-shaped figures sat hidden in a forested grove.

Today, they rest inside the Èsìè Museum-established in 1945 as Nigeria’s very first museum. Yet, despite holding the record for the largest collection of soapstone images in the entire world, the true story behind the ere Èsìè remains one of Africa’s greatest archaeological mysteries. Who carved them? Where did they come from? And why have we allowed such a profound treasure to fly under the global radar?

The myth: A rebellion frozen in time

According to local oral tradition (Ìtàn), the figures were not carved by human hands at all. Legend has it that around 1775, a prince named Baragbon discovered the statues arranged in a semi-circle under a palm tree.

The story goes that a large group of foreign settlers or travellers arrived in Èsìè but were slighted by the local king, the Elesie of Èsìè. Alternatively, some versions say they committed a grave sacrilege against the gods. In a swift act of divine retribution, the heavens opened up, and the thunder deity Sàngó (or a local equivalent) struck the entire community, instantly petrifying them into soapstone (steatite).

To this day, local lore views the statues not as inanimate art but as a frozen, ancestral community. Local priests still offer prayers and sacrifices to them, believing that moving a figure from its original position can bring misfortune. The statues depict a complex social hierarchy: kings sitting on stools, noblewomen with intricate, towering hairstyles, warriors clutching weapons, musicians holding instruments, and commoners performing daily tasks. Both male and female forms are present, with women often shown carrying children or displaying elaborate coiffures that signify status.

The science: Hand of an unknown master

While the spiritual weight of the myth continues to protect the grove, modern scientists and archaeologists offer a different narrative. The figures are carved from steatite, a soft metamorphic rock high in talc – commonly known as soapstone – which is easy to carve but fragile over centuries.

Looking closely at the figures, the skill of the craftsmanship is undeniable:

The facial features: They possess large, heavy-lidded almond eyes, ears set far back, and heavy facial scarifications (tribal marks) that bear an eerie, yet distinct, stylistic cousinship to the masterpieces of ancient Ife.

The details: The elaborate hairstyles are deeply textured, and the figures are heavily adorned with beaded necklaces and bracelets, signifying wealth and high socio-political status.

Yet, despite extensive research, archaeologists have been unable to conclusively link the artistic style to any known living culture in the region. The original sculptors seemed to have vanished into the pages of history, leaving behind only their silent stone masterpieces, dated roughly between the 11th and 15th centuries AD.

When Western archaeologists first documented the figures in the 1930s – notably H. G. Ramshaw and later Bernard Fagg – they expected to find a nearby quarry or discarded carving tools. Astonishingly, no quarry, no workshop, and no tool marks have ever been found near Èsìè. This deepens the mystery: were the statues carved elsewhere and transported? Or did the sculptors use techniques that left no trace? Unlike the Nok terracotta tradition or the bronze and stone heads of Ife, the Èsìè soapstone figures stand alone in sub-Saharan Africa for their sheer scale – over 1,000 known fragments and complete statues – though smaller soapstone carving traditions exist in Cameroon and Sierra Leone.

A call to reclaim our heritage:

The tragedy of the Èsìè figures is not their mysterious origin, but our modern amnesia. In any other country, a site holding the world’s largest collection of ancient soapstone statues would be a bustling UNESCO World Heritage site, drawing hundreds of thousands of international tourists, historians, and revenue annually. Nigeria has placed Èsìè on its tentative list for UNESCO recognition, but political neglect, incomplete documentation, and site management challenges have kept it from full inscription.

Instead, Nigeria’s first museum struggles for funding. The soft steatite continues to weather; some figures have been stolen and sold abroad; the museum relies heavily on the dedication of local caretakers and the annual Èsìè Monument Festival in April to keep its memory alive. Theft, vandalism, and lack of climate control remain constant threats.

As we look toward redefining Nigeria’s economy and cultural identity, we must look backward to places like Èsìè. Our history did not begin with colonisation, nor does it end with our current economic struggles. It is written in the resilient, unyielding soapstone of Kwara State. It is time for the government, corporate bodies, and local travel enthusiasts to invest in, promote, and protect the silent people of Èsìè. They have been waiting centuries for us to finally tell their story.

Conclusion: The Èsìè soapstone figures are a living ancestral site. If you visit, respect local customs – and remember: you are standing before the largest frozen assembly of stone humanity on Earth, still waiting to be heard.

Onyike is Chief Museum Education Officer, National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.

MyTalent Stage debuts in this year’s ‘Fete de la Musique’

Fete de la Musique is one of the most keenly awaited global music events every year, and this 2026 will be the 32nd time it will be celebrated in the Philippines, with music played across 34 locations nationwide, with 40 pocket stages (23 in the National Capital Region) alone.

One of the new stages will be the MyTalent.com Invasion Stage that will be held in Café Lupe, Antipolo, on June 27.

MyTalent.com is a European-based networking application for artists and creators, producers, athletes, and event organizers to showcase their skills, get discovered, and earn rewards.

The MyTalent.com Invasion Stage is in some ways a soft launch for the application, as well as emerging artists such as indie pop band Venice that hails from Quezon City, Goth pop band Selestin, and humor rock band Hoodlum, among many others.

Said MyTalent Philippines’ Mark Piad, ‘We feel that Fete de la Musique is a good way to get the ball rolling for this talent-centric networking platform and to introduce these exciting bands. And that fits in with Fete de la Musique’s goal, which is for music to be played in public spaces for free, just like the MyTalent app.’

‘We invite music fans to join us at the MyTalent Invasion Stage to celebrate the spirit of Fête de la Musique, where music transcends boundaries, inspires communities, and creates lasting connections. Discover emerging artists, experience incredible live performances, and witness the next generation of talent take center stage.

Admission to all the Fete de la Musique stages is free. The gate at Cafe Lupe Antipolo opens at 12 noon on June 27.

NMDPRA blames marketers for cooking gas price hike

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has accused wholesalers and retailers of charging non-cost reflective prices, pushing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices as high as N2,100 per kilogram despite significantly lower indicative prices issued by the regulator.

The authority disclosed this in a presentation delivered by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rabiu Umar, during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources over rising LPG prices in the country.

According to NMDPRA, consumers across the country are paying far above the regulator’s indicative pricing benchmarks due to marketer profiteering and distribution bottlenecks.

The NMDPRA said cooking gas sells for between N1,600/kg and N2,100/kg in the south-west despite an indicative price range of N1,018/kg to N1,177/kg.

In the north-central, LPG prices range from N1,550/kg to N1,950/kg against an indicative benchmark of N1,066/kg to N1,224/kg, while consumers in the south-south pay between N1,400/kg and N2,000/kg compared with an official guide of N1,021/kg to N1,179/kg.

Umar attributed the disparity to ‘non-cost reflective pricing’ by wholesalers and retailers as well as infrastructure constraints affecting product distribution.

Cooking gas price had risen in May to N2,000/kg in Lagos and N1,600 in Abuja.

Chevron exported LPG produced between January and May

The regulator also raised concerns over domestic supply shortages, saying a significant portion of locally produced LPG is being exported instead of being supplied to the domestic market.

According to the presentation, Chevron Nigeria Limited produced 148,222 metric tonnes of LPG between January and May 2026 but exported the entire volume.

The authority said Chevron accounted for 22.93 per cent of total LPG production during the period.

NMDPRA said engagements would be required with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the ministry of petroleum resources to address the situation and secure additional volumes for the domestic market.

The report showed that Nigeria LNG (NLNG) remained the largest producer during the period with 187,559 metric tons, representing 29.01 percent of total output, followed by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery with 105,127 metric tons or 16.26 percent.

The authority further said Nigeria recorded a year-to-date LPG supply deficit of 91,966 metric tons between January 1 and June 18, 2026.

According to the report, total supply during the period stood at 565,106 metric tons, compared with a benchmark requirement of 657,072 metric tons.

The deficit reduced market coverage efficiency to 86 percent, down from 88.4 percent recorded in 2025.

NMDPRA attributed part of the shortfall to poor import performance by oil marketing companies (OMCs).

It said marketers allocated import quotas totaling 390,000 metric tons for the second quarter achieved only 4.2 percent of the approved volume.

The NMDPRA added that Nigeria could face a supply gap of 165,000 metric tons in the third quarter if current supply challenges persist.

The authority also identified middlemen as a major contributor to rising prices.

According to the regulator, traders rather than terminal operators are now the dominant off-takers of LPG from producers, forcing operators with storage and distribution infrastructure to buy products through intermediaries.

NMDPRA said it has commenced audits and enforcement actions aimed at increasing the number of terminal operators that can purchase products directly from producers.

The regulator added that recent interventions have improved LPG stock sufficiency from 11 days to 22 days.

As of June 21, Nigeria’s LPG stock stood at 85.87 million kilograms, while average daily supply increased to 5,040 metric tons in June from 4,262 metric tons recorded in May.

The authority said it is also working to improve foreign exchange access for imports, deploy technology-driven product tracking systems and expand gas infrastructure through the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF).

NMDPRA also said the Anoh Gas Processing Plant is expected to contribute additional volumes to the domestic market from July 2026.

APC sweeps councillorship bye-elections in Lagos

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won all three councillorship seats contested in the bye-elections conducted by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government, Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and Somolu Local Government Area.

The bye-elections were held to fill vacancies created by the deaths of lawmakers representing Orimedu I Ward C in Ibeju-Lekki, Kayode/Fadeyi Ward H in Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA and Bajulaiye/Fola Agoro Ward F in Somolu.

Results released by LASIEC showed that APC candidate Rufai Kafayat Abosede emerged victorious in Orimedu I Ward C, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government, polling 8,386 votes to defeat NDP candidate Sanusi Samsideen Adeleke, who secured 27 votes.

In Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA, APC candidate Shotayo Samiat Adebisi won the Kayode/Fadeyi Ward H seat with 3,820 votes, defeating ADC candidate Onwenu Ifeanyi Abidemi, who polled 260 votes, and National Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Omobolanle Shotayo, who scored 28 votes.

Similarly, APC’s Kehinde Halimat Jolaosho clinched the Bajulaiye/Fola Agoro Ward F seat in Somolu Local Government after polling 2,546 votes, while African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Anyamebechi Ifeanyi Theophilus and NDP candidate Abalokun Joseph scored 157 and 23 votes respectively.

The elections were conducted peacefully across the affected wards, with voters turning out to elect new representatives for their communities.

Speaking during a monitoring tour of polling units, LASIEC Chairman, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (rtd.), expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise, describing it as peaceful, transparent and inclusive.

She said reports from officials deployed to the three councils indicated that voting commenced smoothly and that residents participated in the process without disruption.

‘We have been to quite a number of polling units in Odi-Olowo and Somolu, while some officials are monitoring the exercise in Ibeju-Lekki. We have received positive reports from the field and people have been coming out to vote.

‘It is a bye-election involving only one ward in each council, so it cannot be compared with a general election. Nevertheless, participation has been impressive and the process has been peaceful,’ she said.

The LASIEC chairman noted that party agents were present at polling units visited by the commission and commended residents, political parties, security agencies and members of the media for their roles in ensuring a credible exercise.

According to her, security personnel were deployed across the polling centres, while collation and announcement of results were conducted in line with electoral guidelines.

At polling units monitored by The Nation in Somolu, voter turnout was moderate.

Chairman of Somolu Local Government, Lateef Ashimi, described the bye-election as a constitutional process aimed at ensuring that residents of the ward continued to enjoy representation at the grassroots level.

Ashimi, who monitored the exercise across parts of the council area, said the atmosphere remained peaceful throughout the voting period.

‘I have moved around to ensure maximum security and everywhere has been peaceful. The electorate have also conducted themselves properly and the process has been orderly,’ he said.

One of the voters, Bashir Ayinla, said participation in the election was necessary to ensure that residents were adequately represented in local governance.

‘If I don’t vote, I am disenfranchising myself. This election concerns my ward and my community. Whoever emerges should put the people first and work with the council to bring development to the area,’ he said.

Taskforce arrests 2 over alleged illegal levies collections

The Edo State Taskforce on Revenue Collection has arrested two persons for allegedly extorting money from motorists around the Third Junction axis of Benin City.

The suspects, identified as Osasere Amadin and Irahbor Destiny, were arrested on June 22, 2026, during an operation by the taskforce.

Parading the suspects, the taskforce’s Station Officer, Rufus Johnbull, said they were apprehended while allegedly collecting illegal levies from motorists.

According to him, the taskforce acted on intelligence reports about illegal revenue collection activities in the area and subsequently mounted surveillance that led to the arrests.

‘This morning, acting on an intelligent report, the Taskforce Commander mobilised his men to the Third Junction in Benin City. The report indicates that illegal collection is ongoing in the area as drivers are being extorted.

‘We got there and mapped out surveillance and we were able to arrest some of the suspects engaged in the illegal act,’ he said.

Johnbull assured residents that anyone involved in illegal revenue collection would be arrested and prosecuted.

One of the suspects, Irahbor Destiny, allegedly confessed to the act, claiming that he worked for a Chief Security Officer (CSO) of a vigilante group.

‘Sometimes, drivers willingly give us money which we share among ourselves and vigilante members around the location. The sharing formula is directed by the CSO who I worked for,’ he said.

However, the second suspect, Osasere Amadin, denied involvement in the alleged extortion.