Author: Nouman Ali

Community journalist RJ Nichole Ledesma was among 19 people killed in a clash between government soldiers and suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Negros Occidental province on Sunday, Altermidya Network confirmed on Wednesday.

The Philippine Army earlier reported that Sunday’s series of armed encounters with supposed NPA remnants resulted in 19 rebels slain, but it has yet to release the full list of fatalities.

Altermidya, in a statement on Wednesday, said it mourns the killing of Ledesma, writer and editor of Paghimutad Negros Island Alternative Media and its coordinator in the region, from Sunday’s incident.

Ledesma, 30, was killed in a supposed military operation at Barangay Salamanca in Toboso town, but he was in the area doing community work and immersion, reporting on the effects of renewable energy projects on farming communities, Altermidya said.

It identified Ledesma as a community journalist, editor and poet, a career path he chose after his stint as student leader and campus writer.

He served as editor in chief of Spectrum, the student publication of the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod, where he graduated with a degree in psychology. Since 2020, he led Paghimutad Negros, an alternative media outfit focused on human rights reporting and grassroots storytelling.

He later joined Altermidya as coordinator for the Negros Island Region.

‘Highest honor’

Ledesma’s recent work documented the struggles of communities facing displacement due to large-scale renewable energy projects, including the expansion of solar farms, windmill installations, and hydropower ventures, Altermidya said.

He also reported on reclamation projects in Bacolod City, the expansion of a palm oil plantation in Candoni, and the conditions of ‘sakada’ (farm laborers) and sugar farmworkers, it added.

Paghimutad Negros, the community media outfit that Ledesma led, had long been subjected to Red-tagging and vilification, the group said.

Human Rights Advocates Negros said Ledesma was not in the initial clash site at Sitio Sinugmawan in Barangay Salamanca. He was attacked in a separate community at Sitio Plariding during a pursuit operation by government troops also on Sunday.

‘We give the highest honor to our colleague RJ, who until his last breath served marginalized communities by immersing and reporting on their stories. Together with his family and colleagues, we demand justice for RJ Ledesma,’ Altermidya said.

Ledesma was the seventh nominee of the Kabataan party list in the 2022 elections.

The Inquirer on Wednesday reached out to the Army but had yet to receive a response.

In October 2022, the Facebook page of the Philippine Army’s 303rd Brigade called one of Paghimutad’s human rights reports as ‘propaganda’ and linked it to the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. The post circulated across police and military platforms, including the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in Western Visayas, Altermidya said.

Paghimutad also reported on coordinated attacks against the radio program ‘Kaling Kag Tugda,’ as well as cases of journalists in Negros being profiled or followed by suspected government intelligence agents. It stressed that these efforts aimed to hide from the public the worsening human rights violations in their communities, it added.

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 House of Representatives committee on justice is set to tackle one of the most explosive charges in the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte – her alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez – at what could be its final hearing on probable cause on April 29.

Justice committee chairperson Rep. Gerville Luistro of Batangas said Thursday that the next hearing will delve into the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) probe and documentary evidence on the alleged death threats Duterte made in November 2024.

‘We are inclined to proceed to the presentation of evidence in support of the allegations of threat. As a matter of fact, yesterday (Wednesday), we issued a subpoena to the NBI, as well as duces tecum to bring all digital and documentary evidence pertaining to the allegations of threat,’ Luistro told ANC Headstart.

‘That is because we are really intending to conduct a clarificatory hearing on the allegations of threat. This will be happening on April 29,’ she added.

Before suspending the April 22 hearing, the justice committee granted a motion to issue subpoenas for the NBI to present its findings on the vice president’s alleged threats.

Unlike the first two hearings, the April 29 session will only have the NBI as its sole resource person, Luistro said. Since there would be a less packed agenda, she mentioned that the committee is likely to vote that same day on whether probable cause exists for each allegation in the two impeachment complaints.

‘So we anticipate that at the end of the hearing on April 29, the justice members will proceed to vote on the determination of probable cause,’ Luistro said.

She further stressed that the grave threats allegation is the last of the charges in the impeachment complaints to be examined, noting that no justice committee member has so far requested additional hearing dates – which she believes suggests the panel is satisfied with the three sessions scheduled.

Before voting, however, Luistro also said that the committee will first need to decide whether to unseal the tax records of Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio, as submitted by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

‘We need to vote whether or not we will open [the sealed box] because we cannot terminate the proceedings of the Justice committee with a matter left pending,’ she said.

Should the committee vote to keep the BIR records sealed, Luistro said she would suggest transmitting them to the Senate as is, leaving it to the upper chamber to determine whether it has the jurisdiction and legal authority to open them as an impeachment court. This, she stressed, would only apply if the committee first votes in favor of probable cause.

‘But in the event that we will not open the sealed box, I think I will be suggesting to the committee that we just transmit it to the Senate even if it is sealed. So we will leave it up to the Senate what their position will be about that. That is on the assumption that the justice members will vote in favor of the probable cause,’ she said.

The committee on justice deferred on Wednesday the disclosure of Duterte and Carpio’s income tax returns after encountering a legal obstacle where the tax code specifically limits the release of such records to Congress only upon request during inquiries in aid of legislation and in executive session.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects the country’s inflation rate to breach its 4 percent target until next year due to consumer price shocks from the Middle East war.

‘The inflation outlook has deteriorated amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Higher global oil and fertilizer prices have begun feeding through to domestic fuel and food prices. At the same time, core inflation has continued to rise, pointing to a broadening of underlying price pressures,’ the BSP said on Thursday.

This was as the central bank announced a 25-basis point increase in its policy interest.

‘The latest BSP projections now indicate a higher inflation path. Average headline inflation is seen to breach the 4-percent tolerance ceiling in both 2026 and 2027,’ it said.

‘Inflation expectations have also risen further, heightening the risk of de-anchoring from the target due to more persistent inflationary pressures.’

In March, Philippine inflation already surged to 4.1 percent, from 2.4 percent in February, as the Middle East war caused oil price shocks and unprecedented local currency depreciation.

United Airlines has implemented broad-based fare hikes of 15 to 20 percent as it seeks to offset the surge in gasoline prices while protecting profits, executives said Wednesday.

The big US carrier, which has also trimmed its 2026 flying capacity by 5 percent, aims to recover 100 percent of the added costs from the jet fuel price spike due to the Middle East war.

Chief Executive Scott Kirby described oil prices as ‘incredibly volatile,’ but said the company’s plan is based on the assumption that ‘fuel may remain higher for longer.’

While the airline has yet to see pullback from customers due to high fares, United may cut back additional flights in 2027 if demand ebbs, Kirby said.

United on Tuesday reported higher first-quarter profits but lowered its full-year profit forecast due to jet fuel costs. United expects fuel prices to average $4.30 per gallon in the second quarter, up 55 percent from the average in the first quarter.

Other carriers too

Other airlines have also announced fare increases and capacity curtailments in response to the surge in oil prices since the US-Israel siege on Iran launched on Feb. 28.

The head of the International Air Transport Association on April 17 called on authorities to put ‘well-coordinated plans in place’ in case of jet fuel rationing.

Worries about jet fuel availability are more acute in Asia and Europe compared with the United States, said United Chief Financial Officer Michael Leskinen.

‘We don’t see a lack of availability being an issue at all in the US. It’s a price issue,’ Leskinen said.

‘However, even in Europe and Asia, as we sit here today, we think it’s a price issue not an availability issue,’ said Leskinen adding that ‘spot outages’ could happen in Europe and Asia if the conflict drags on.

Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC) is venturing into Kazakhstan by acquiring a 20-percent stake in a company with interest in a copper mine, seeking to expand its footprint across Asia.

The listed mining company signed an agreement with Silk Road Resources Ltd., a private entity incorporated under the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), a financial hub in Astana and East Copper Production LLP.

NAC did not disclose the acquisition cost when asked for additional information, but only said the deal involved acquiring a 20-percent stake in East Copper, the sole legal and beneficial owner of GRK MLD LLP.

GRK, in turn, holds subsoil use rights for the Karchiga copper mine in Kazakhstan. The copper deposit is situated within the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, a globally recognized highly mineralized metallogenic domain.

GRK has an annual production capacity of 8,500 tons of copper sulfide concentrate and 2,000 tons of copper cathode.

Robust industry

Data from the AIFC showed that Kazakhstan’s mining sector contributed more than 12 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, amounting to 16.1 million Kazakhstani Tenge. It accounted for one-third of exports.

AIFC also noted that Kazakhstan is one of the world’s top 10 copper producers, holding a market share of 3.2 percent.

NAC said the transaction supports a broader goal of diversifying its business and growing its presence across the region.

‘This investment supports the company’s strategy to expand market capitalization and earnings by evolving beyond nickel into a diversified natural resources development platform with a growing presence across Asia,’ the firm said in a disclosure on Wednesday.

Due diligence

The sale is subject to the completion of the due diligence on East Copper and GRK, along with other closing conditions and the necessary regulatory approvals.

NAC reported an attributable net income of P6.27 billion in 2025, a 312 percent surge from a year ago, due to strong export prices and higher sales.

Revenues from saprolite and limonite ore rose by 39 percent to P27.25 billion.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) released funds amounting to at least P92.8 million for a flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan, linked to former Sen. Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr. and several others, despite alleged irregularities in billing documents, an official told the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division on Wednesday.

Testifying at the hearing for the malversation case against Revilla and his coaccused, DPWH finance director Genevieve Cuaresma confirmed alleged irregularities in the monthly certificate of payment and Statement of Work Accomplished (Sowa) for the project.

Cuaresma said the documents were not signed by former DPWH assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez and district engineer Henry Alcantara.

Hernandez is among the coaccused in the case, while Alcantara is a state witness.

The lack of signatures, according to Cuaresma, made the documents ‘incomplete, illegal,’ adding that the payments should not have been released as a result.

The Sowa also declared the project ‘95.17 percent’ complete but when Third Division chair Associate Justice Karl Miranda inspected the site last week, there were no visible structures aside from several steel sheet piles.

Four vendors were arrested on Wednesday after authorities seized more than 66 kilograms of puffer fish being sold at the public market in Nabua town in Camarines Sur.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Bicol (BFAR-5), in coordination with the Nabua police, inspected the public market at 6 a.m. This led to the arrest of the vendors for violating Fisheries Administrative Order No. 249, series of 2014, which bans the sale and distribution of puffer fish.

Wheng Bricia-Briones, BFAR Bicol information officer, said violators can be penalized with imprisonment from two months to a year, and a fine of not less than P10,000.

She said seven kilograms of puffer fish were worth P1,400; another seven kilograms were worth P1,540; 7.02 kilograms were worth P1,404; and 45 kilograms were seized, valued at P45,000.

Administrative charges will be filed against the four suspects.

The confiscated fish were brought to the BFAR regional office for proper disposition.

The agency reiterated its warning against the sale, whether fresh or processed, and consumption of pufferfish, locally known as ‘butete,’ citing its potent toxin that can cause serious illness or, worse, may lead to death.

The national government’s budget deficit widened in March by nearly 2 percent from a year earlier to P349.7 billion, on higher energy spending amid the Middle East war.

According to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), the Marcos administration spent P654.8 billion during the month, up 5.23 percent year on year.

Spending was driven in part by allocations to the Department of Energy, which received P20 billion to fund measures aimed at cushioning the impact of the energy crisis.

Revenues, meanwhile, rose 9.25 percent to P305.1 billion, supported by gains in both tax and nontax collections.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs contributed P187.3 billion and P84.8 billion, respectively.

Nontax revenues surged 45.54 percent to P28.5 billion, boosted by the early remittance of dividends from government-owned and controlled corporations.

For the first quarter, the government’s budget deficit narrowed by 20.3 percent to P355.5 billion.

Joint operating troops from the Police Regional Office in Caraga (PRO-13) and the Philippine Army uncovered an arms cache believed to belong to the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Antongalon, Butuan City, on Monday.

Police Brig. Gen. Marcial Mariano P. Magistrado IV, director of PRO-13, said the discovery was made by personnel of Butuan City Police Station 4, the 29th Infantry Battalion, and the 25th Ordnance Explosive Disposal (EOD) Team of the Philippine Army after acting on a report from a concerned citizen.

Recovered from the site were five M76B rifle grenades, one M76C rifle grenade, one M76A-1 rifle grenade, two short plastic magazines for M16 rifles, four short alloy magazines for M16 rifles, one long magazine for an M16 rifle, two M60 barrels with defaced serial numbers, one handheld radio, and one Alcatel keypad cellular phone.

‘I commend our citizens for helping maintain peace and order in the region, particularly through their vigilance in reporting the presence of firearms and explosives. Our operatives are still conducting an investigation into the origin and intended use of the recovered items, as well as the individuals or groups responsible for storing them in the area,’ Magistrado said.

Authorities said the five M76B rifle grenades, one M76C rifle grenade, and one M76A-1 rifle grenade were deemed hazardous to handle and were immediately disposed of through controlled detonation at the site by the 25th EOD Team.

Meanwhile, the two recovered M60 barrels were turned over to the Butuan City Forensic Unit for ballistic examination.