Author: gqSbgCfmna

Since being appointed as Blackwater’s interim coach, Pat Aquino has given Sedrick Barefield all the green light he needed to shine.

On Wednesday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, that trust finally paid off with a 126-120 win over San Miguel Beer in the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

Barefield led all locals in the scoring column with 29 points to help the Bossing improve to a 2-6 card and more importantly, give Aquino his first dub as Blackwater’s tactician.

‘Coach Pat gives me the ultimate confidence but at the same time, he tells me how to be smart or when I need to be doing something better,’ said Barefield, who also had eight assists, seven rebounds and a steal.

‘I wasn’t necessarily shooting the ball well so it means a lot to me that he believed in me.’

Barefield struggled a bit, going 11-for-23 from the field, but import Robert Upshaw III was present to make up for it with a double-double of 35 points and 17 rebounds.

In three games under Aquino’s tutelage, Barefield wreaked havoc on offense with averages of 22.6 points, 4.6 assists and 4.0 rebounds per outing.

‘His message was to believe, be confident and we kept fighting,’ Barefield said.

Aquino looks to see Barefield flourish even more under his system on Friday when the Bossing take on Barangay Ginebra at Araneta Coliseum.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the rank promotion of 17 senior Philippine National Police (PNP) officers, according to a memorandum from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The appointment papers had been signed by Marcos and transmitted to the DILG by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, according to a memorandum dated April 20 from Special Police Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Col. Christopher Olazo and addressed to PNP Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr.

According to the memo, promoted to major general were Brig. Gen. Wilson Asueta, the Anti-Cybercrime Group director, and Brig. Gen. Jay Cumigad, the director for plans.

Promoted to brigadier general were Col. Madeline Cacao, chief of the Center for Police Strategy Management; Col. Rodel Pastor, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office Staff; and Col. Dominic Baccay, executive officer of the Directorate for Plans.

The memo added that the following police lieutenant colonels were promoted to police colonels:

Kenneth Mission

Manolo Salvatierra

George Marca

Jonathan Lee Chy

Richard Bogoy Gumboc

Tyrone Razon Dotimas

Arnold Acosta

Sam Andarino

Romeo Villalobos Jr.

Ariel Bait

Damaso Burgos Jr.

Casan Ali

Section 31 of Republic Act No. 6975, or the DILG Act, which reorganized the PNP, states that only the president can appoint police officers to the rank of police colonel or higher.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. does not feel alluded to by the video statement of his cousin, former Speaker Martin Romualdez, that the buck stops with the executive branch over the 2025 budget mess and the infrastructure corruption scandal.

Romualdez is facing cases of plunder, graft, indirect bribery, and money laundering before the Sandiganbayan in relation to the national budget insertions tied to anomalous flood control projects when he headed the House of Representatives.

‘Whatever defense will be made against the possible accusations against former Speaker Romualdez – that is his defense,’ Palace press officer Claire Castro said in a briefing on Thursday, with Malacañang distancing itself from the official and his statements.

‘And if he is saying that the executive has command responsibility, that is precisely why the president gave orders: the matter was not ignored, there was no cover-up, and he initiated an investigation. So that if there are any anomalies and whoever should be held accountable, they must indeed be held accountable,’ she added.

In a video statement on Tuesday, Romualdez denied he was involved in the insertions in the 2025 national budget linked to the anomalous flood control projects when he was the speaker during the 19th Congress until the early 20th Congress when he resigned last year.

Instead, he said the ‘command responsibility’ on these issues ‘is far more logically relevant in the executive branch, where there is actual supervision, operational control, and implementation on the ground, than in a collegial legislative body whose constitutional role is deliberation and appropriation.’

Romualdez did not name Marcos, and rather pointed his fingers at former Senate President Francis Escudero and former House appropriations committee chair Elizaldy ‘Zaldy’ Co.

Castro said Marcos did not feel Romualdez was blaming him, noting that the executive branch does not only include the president.

‘When the president found out about the anomalous flood control projects in 2025, he himself ordered the investigation. He created an independent investigating body to ensure that there will be no cover-up, especially about the actions and inactions of the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways),’ she added.

Castro noted that some DPWH officials have been investigated, including former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, and are now facing cases before the courts.

Then-Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and then-Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman were also forced to resign after their names were tagged in the corruption scandal last year.

However, under the doctrine of qualified political agency, acts of Cabinet secretaries, as his alter egos, are deemed to be the acts of the president unless rejected or altered by him.

‘As the Chief Executive, what is the mandate of the president? Isn’t it to clean up anomalies in the government, even if it affects his own administration?’ Castro said.

‘So this means that when he saw it, as president, he had the obligation to have it investigated and to clean up any mess happening within his administration, if there is any,’ he added.

Castro said he could not answer the state of the relationship between Marcos and Romualdez, following Romualdez’s resignation from the speakership in September last year.

She also was not privy to when the cousins last met.

Fans were quick to react after Kaila Estrada’s half-brother, Luigi Muhlach, casually referred to Daniel Padilla as his ‘bayaw’ (brother-in-law), sparking buzz among supporters of the actress and actor, collectively known as ‘KaiNiel.’

In an Instagram post on April 21, Muhlach shared photos and videos from his 39th birthday celebration. Padilla left a friendly greeting in the comments, writing, ‘Happy kaarawan, tol!!! FORE!!!’ Luigi then replied, ‘Maraming salamat, bayaw! April boys, let’s go!!’

Social media users, particularly the supporters of Padilla and Estrada, flooded the comments with reactions, many saying they were ‘kilig’ (excited) and surprised by the exchange.

Luigi is the son of actors Aga Muhlach and Janice de Belen, making him the half-brother of Kaila, who is Janice’s daughter with former partner John Estrada.

While Padilla and Kaila have yet to directly confirm their relationship, the pair have been seen together on several occasions. The actor attended and delivered a song performance at the actress’ recent 30th birthday party.

Padilla also attended the recent family event of the Estradas and De Belens. The actor’s youngest sister, Leila Ford, also expressed her support for her brother and Kaila’s growing romance.

‘Masaya lang po talaga ako for them. I’m so happy that she makes my brother happy,’ Ford said at the time.

Kaila’s mother, Janice, and Padilla’s mother, Karla Estrada, likewise showed support for the pair’s relationship.

Padilla was previously in an 11-year relationship with actress Kathryn Bernardo, who is now rumored to be dating Lucena Mayor Mark Alcala.

The testimony of the lead witness and former Public Works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo is needed to block the bid for temporary freedom of former Senator Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr.

Associate Justice Karl Miranda, the chairman of the anti-graft court’s Third Division, stressed the importance of Bernardo’s testimony during the bail hearing for Revilla’s malversation case and those of several co-accused.

Previous witness testimonies cited Bernardo as the one who informed them that Revilla allegedly received a 30-percent ‘commitment’ for the P92.8 million flood control project in this case, which was found to have no visible structures.

Bernardo was supposed to take the witness stand this Thursday, but he skipped today’s proceeding as prosecutors informed the court that he was hospitalized on Wednesday.

Revilla already posted P90,000 bail on the graft charge, but he remains in jail due to malversation, which is non-bailable. In such cases, the accused may be granted bail only if, after a hearing, the prosecution fails to prove that the evidence of guilt is strong.

Miranda said that without Bernardo’s testimony, ‘there will now be a question as to the strength of your evidence.’

‘If we are going to establish that the evidence of guilt is strong, we need to present Undersecretary Bernardo,’ Deputy Special Prosecutor Omar Sagadal told the court.

‘He will be presented to prove that the evidence of guilt is strong,’ Sagadal also said.

On Wednesday, the Third Division ordered Dr. Warlin Basuel, Medical Officer IV of the Sandiganbayan, to verify Bernardo’s condition.

The medical certificate states that Bernardo ‘is suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis, follicular pharyngitis, and acute bronchitis and is currently being treated at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center’ and that he would need bed rest for five days.

Reporting his findings in court, Basuel said Bernardo had a cough, while noting that he had sinus surgery in December last year.

‘You’re saying that he’s not malingering, he’s not feigning physical symptoms of illness?’ Miranda asked.

‘In my observation, he’s really suffering from a cough,’ Basuel said.

However, Basuel noted that Bernardo expressed willingness to testify on Friday.

Basuel was ordered by the court to issue a final recommendation regarding Bernardo’s condition by the end of the day.

This recommendation will be used as a basis for the court to determine whether it will allow Bernardo to skip Friday’s proceeding, which is the final hearing on the bail petition.

When Creamline flushed Cignal with a heavy dose of championship experience to take Game 1 of the PVL All-Filipino Conference finals, the Cool Smashers did so in such an authoritative manner that even their foes couldn’t help but notice.

‘It’s about how they (Creamline) stay composed and enjoy every situation. For us, it felt different,’ said Super Spikers coach Shaq Delos Santos. ‘The biggest lesson for us, especially since it’s our first time [in the All-Filipino finals], is to embrace the moment.’

Cignal, which owns runner-up finishes in the 2022 Reinforced and 2024 Invitational, has one shot to embrace the moment.

Creamline guns for the crown on Thursday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, intent on reclaiming its crown but very much aware of how much its gritty foe has to offer as it fights for survival.

‘Cignal is the type of team that doesn’t stick to just one lineup. They make a lot of changes. So we need to stay patient and be ready for whatever adjustments they make in Game 2,’ said Jema Galanza, who had 17 points in Game 1, aside from collecting 13 excellent receptions from 18 tries.

The Cool Smashers looked untouchable in that 25-22, 25-18, 25-16 victory two days ago, but even coach Sherwin Meneses admitted that his squad can’t expect to run through their rivals in the same easy manner.

‘The series isn’t over,’ Meneses said, adding there is much to clean up heading into the 5:30 p.m. Game 2 tussle. ‘We’ll continue to work on our lapses in practice and go back to square one. Cignal won’t back down. That’s why they’re in the finals. So we can’t relax.’

Jia de Guzman, who returned to the finals for the first time in three years, is optimistic heading to Game 2, but said her teammates will have to be careful against a team that beat them twice in three previous meetings this conference.

No surrender

‘We have to do our best to close out as much as possible because we know Cignal is a good team. They gave us a hard time the whole conference,’ said De Guzman, who had 22 excellent sets and scored four points.

‘We’re optimistic. We’re thankful that the team is slowly coming together. We’re peaking at the right time. But Game 2 will be a different kind of fight,’ she added.

It is a fight that Cignal hasn’t surrendered just yet.

‘There’s still a Game 2. The championship isn’t decided in Game 1. We still have the opportunity to bounce back, reset, and perform better in the next game. We’ll fight until the end,’ said Delos Santos in Filipino.

‘It’s tougher for us since we didn’t get Game 1. Personally, I need to trust the team and our system more. We just have to play our game. I told them not to pressure themselves too much. I want us to show what we’ve built and prepared for, because that’s why we got here. We just need to bring out our real game, and that’s it, no regrets,’ he added.

The Super Spikers will again rely on Vanie Gandler, who finished with 17 points and 10 receptions in Game 1, and will hope that Erika Santos can rebound from a 9-of-39 attacking clip that netted 10 points. Gel Cayuna was limited to 14 excellent sets but scored six points-the third-best scorer of the team.

PLDT, meanwhile, looks to clinch bronze in Game 2 against Farm Fresh at 3 p.m.

Suspected drugs worth a total of P3.4 million were confiscated, and four individuals were arrested in buy-bust operations in Quezon City and Pasay City on Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.

In a statement on Thursday, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said it entrapped two suspects in front of a restaurant at the corner of Tomas Morato Avenue and Scout Limbaga Street on Wednesday night.

‘A police officer acted as poseur buyer and bought P451,000 worth of shabu from suspect Ronnie, and at the given pre-arranged signal, he was arrested along with his cohort, [John],’ the police explained.

Operatives recovered an additional P913,538 worth of suspected shabu from the two suspects, according to the QCPD.

Police said the suspect, identified by the alias Ronnie, has a previous case for violating Presidential Decree No. 1602, which prescribes stiffer penalties for illegal gambling.

Meanwhile, the Southern Police District (SPD) said it had apprehended two more suspects in front of a fast-food restaurant at the corner of Libertad Avenue and Taft Avenue in Barangay 92 early Thursday morning.

The SPD identified the suspects by the aliases ‘Chong,’ 33; and ‘John,’ 26, noting that they were both ‘high-value’ individuals.

‘Seized during the operation were approximately 300 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated standard drug price value of P2,040,000, along with buy-bust money, a mobile phone and other drug paraphernalia,’ the police explained.

All four suspects were taken into their respective police’s custody, awaiting charges for violating Republic Act No. 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) may start using artificial intelligence (AI) cameras to flag improper waste disposal under the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) in Metro Manila next week, General Manager Nicolas Torre II said on Thursday.

This came a day after Torre said that the NCAP will soon cover littering through monitoring of closed-circuit television cameras. The NCAP currently flags traffic violations in major roads in Metro Manila.

‘After one week, we may start implementing this using cameras and we will send notice of violation to erring individuals,’ Torre told reporters in an interview.

While Torre said that many local government units (LGUs) already implement policies on proper waste disposal, he noted that this is the agency’s initiative in instilling discipline to the public through the use of AI cameras.

Torre said that there will still be implementation of first, second, and third offense, with the amount of fines depending on the policies of every LGU.

‘Just because there are no enforcers, you can do what is wrong. We will just want to make sure that we are implementing laws uniform and consistent using the technology,’ Torre noted.

He explained that AI cameras are programmed to detect if an individual will dispose of their trash elsewhere. If the incident happens along the Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, the cameras will flag the vehicle details to identify the violator.

He also said that with AI cameras being concentrated near creeks, the cameras will capture the individual for the agency to send to their respective barangays to identify them.

‘We are not doing this for surveillance purposes. We want to equally implement the law so if you did not do anything wrong, you have nothing to be scared of. If you did something bad, there is a consequence,’ he expressed.

With this, Torre said that they expect this initiative to help in mitigating flooding during the rainy season as they collect around 7,000 tons of garbage from creeks every year.

Globe Telecom Inc. bought back $426.42 million worth of its dollar-denominated perpetual capital securities following its tender offer, which formed part of its liability management program.

In a disclosure on Thursday, the Ayala-backed telco said the accepted tenders represented majority of the $600 million senior perpetual capital securities issued in 2021.

After the offer expired on April 22, about $173.58 million in principal amount of the securities would remain outstanding, Globe said.

Settlement of the accepted securities is expected by April 24.

This buyback comes as the company moves closer to redeeming the remaining balance of equity instruments, which carry an initial distribution rate of 4.2 percent.

PLDT captured the bronze in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference after completing a series sweep of Farm Fresh in another thrilling five-setter, 25-14, 21-25, 25-21, 21-25, 15-5, in Game 2 on Thursday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The High Speed Hitters were dragged into another decider, but from a 2-all tie in the fifth set, Savi Davsion caught fire to mount a 10-4 lead. Kiesha Bedonia scored three straight kills to reach match point, 14-5, before Kianna Dy nailed the game-winning block on Royse Tubino.

PLDT also needed five sets in Game 1, with Davison pouring 33 to turn back Farm Fresh, 22-25, 25-21, 27-25, 26-28, 15-11, on Tuesday.

BATTLE FOR BRONZE – PLDT vs Farm Fresh – Game 2

FINAL: PLDT captures the All-Filipino Conference bronze after surviving Farm Fresh in another five-set thriller, 25-14, 21-25, 25-21, 21-25, 15-5.

FINAL: PLDT captures the All-Filipino Conference bronze after surviving Farm Fresh in another five-set thriller, 25-14, 21-25, 25-21, 21-25, 15-5. OF SET 4: Farm Fresh 25, PLDT 21. The Foxies force a decider. OF SET 3: PLDT 25, Farm Fresh 21. The High Speed Hitters regain the lead, inching closer to a bronze medal finish. OF SET 2: Farm Fresh 25, PLDT 21. The Foxies tie the game to one set apiece. OF SET 1: PLDT 25, Farm Fresh 14.

PVL Finals: Creamline goes for clincher vs gritty Cignal

Creamline wary as it goes for clincher vs gritty Cignal

When Creamline flushed Cignal with a heavy dose of championship experience to take Game 1 of the PVL All-Filipino Conference finals, the Cool Smashers did so in such an authoritative manner that even their foes couldn’t help but notice.

‘It’s about how they (Creamline) stay composed and enjoy every situation. For us, it felt different,’ said Super Spikers coach Shaq Delos Santos. ‘The biggest lesson for us, especially since it’s our first time [in the All-Filipino finals], is to embrace the moment.’

Cignal, which owns runner-up finishes in the 2022 Reinforced and 2024 Invitational, has one shot to embrace the moment.

Creamline guns for the crown on Thursday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, intent on reclaiming its crown but very much aware of how much its gritty foe has to offer as it fights for survival.

‘Cignal is the type of team that doesn’t stick to just one lineup. They make a lot of changes. So we need to stay patient and be ready for whatever adjustments they make in Game 2,’ said Jema Galanza, who had 17 points in Game 1, aside from collecting 13 excellent receptions from 18 tries.

PVL Finals: Bernadeth Pons, Creamline remain wary ahead of Game 2

Bernadeth Pons and Creamline Cool Smashers during the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference Finals Game 1 vs Cignal Super Spikers.

Bernadeth Pons and Creamline Cool Smashers during the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference Finals Game 1 vs Cignal Super Spikers. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – Even with the 11th PVL title within reach for Creamline, Cool Smashers star Bernadeth Pons still refuses to look far ahead.

The Cool Smashers can close out the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference Finals after a 25-22, 25-18, 25-16 sweep of Cignal in Game 1 on Tuesday.

But Pons and Creamline are taking it one game at a time against a Cignal side eager to to extend the series to a decider.

‘We try not to think too much that we’re just one win away. We know nothing will be given to us. We have to earn it. Even with just one day of preparation, the most important thing is our mindset,’ Pons said in Filipino.

PVL Finals: Vanie Gandler, Cignal move forward after Game 1 loss

Cignal Super Spikers’ Vanie Gandler during a game against Creamline Cool Smashers in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference Finals.

Cignal Super Spikers’ Vanie Gandler during a game against Creamline Cool Smashers in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference Finals. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – Vanie Gandler and the Cignal Super Spikers shift their focus to Game 2 after getting swept by Creamline in their PVL All-Filipino Conference finals debut.

Gandler shone in Game 1 with 17 points and 10 excellent receptions but Cignal fell to Creamline, 25-22, 25-18, 25-16, in Game 1 of the best-of-three finals on Tuesday in front of a Cool Smashers-dominated 8,183 fans at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

‘It was a tough loss, but it’s Game 1, it’s a best-of-three series for a reason. We’re just going forward and do what we need to do to improve,’ said Gandler.