Author: Nouman Ali

Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday said that she will ask for a new travel request as her plans have changed due to uncertainty whether she would be allowed to travel abroad.

‘Thank you for the last-minute issuance of the travel authority,’ Duterte said in a statement addressed to the Office of the President (OP).

Executive Secretary Ralph Recto on Wednesday said that the OP granted the travel authority, allowing Duterte to travel to the Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom from April 23 to May 15.

Screenshot of the letter of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Screenshot of the letter of Vice President Sara Duterte to the Office of the President.

‘I regret to inform you that the plans have changed due to uncertainty as to whether I will be permitted to depart,’ Duterte said.

With this, she said that the OP will receive a new request ‘soon.’

She then asked the OP to ensure prompt processing and issuance of necessary documents ‘allowing sufficient time for travel preparations rather than only a few hours before the intended departure.’

‘Additionally, ensuring the confidentiality and proper handling of sensitive documents would greatly contribute to maintaining effective security arrangements,’ Duterte added.

The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR) has activated a Special Investigation Task Group to establish the identities of bodies recovered following a series of ‘encounters’ in Toboso, Negros Occidental, on Sunday.

Through forensic examination, documentation, and coordination with local government units and relatives, the task group aims to provide a formal accounting of the deceased, said the PRO NIR statement.

The Philippine Army earlier said that 19 alleged New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed during a series of encounters with soldiers of the 79th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, on April 19.

On Wednesday, PRO NIR confirmed that six of the 19 fatalities have been positively identified and claimed by their respective families. They were Rene Villarin Sr., alias Kumader Pikot, 58, of Sitio Huwebisan, Barangay Marcelo, Calatrava; Roger Fabillar Tapang, alias Jhong or Arnel, 36, of Sitio Malig-on, Barangay Bandila, Toboso; Ruel Sabillo, 19, of Sitio Singiton, Barangay Tabun-ak, Toboso; Sonny Boy Manayon Caramihan, 28, of Sitio Batbataw, Barangay Bagonbon, San Carlos City; Pedro Agustin Bonghanoy, 32, of Barangay Libertad, Escalante City; and Arnel Mahilum Javoc, 32, of Sitio Labay-ao, Barangay Lalong, Calatrava.

Brig. Gen. Arnold Thomas C. Ibay, PRO NIR Director, said that the successful identification and release of the remains reflect their commitment to professionalism and humanitarian considerations.

He noted that while the police are carrying out lawful duties, they remain dedicated to showing compassion to the families involved.

Meanwhile, Altermidya Network had said its NIR coordinator. RJ Nichole Ledesma was among those killed, while the UP Diliman University Student Council confirmed the death of Alyssa Alano in Sunday’s incident.

Continuing efforts are now focused on identifying the other fatalities, the PRO NIR said.

Police authorities are currently validating submitted information, reviewing available records, and conducting further medico-legal and forensic documentation, it added.

The PRO NIR said they are facilitating the orderly release of all confirmed cadavers once the necessary documentary and legal requirements are fully completed.

The Sandiganbayan on Wednesday issued a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) against former Speaker Martin Romualdez, a travel restriction sought by the Ombudsman in connection with the case it is preparing against the lawmaker and several others being linked to the flood control corruption scandal.

The anti-graft court’s Seventh Division granted a petition filed earlier that day by the Office of the Ombudsman through a special panel of investigators, who said Romualdez ‘presents an exceptionally high probability of flight.’

The investigators, led by Deputy Special Prosecutor Omar Sagadal, said they had already made a preliminary finding of probable cause against Romualdez for plunder, direct and indirect bribery, and money laundering.

‘Evade arrest’

‘The complaint-affidavit involves the alleged kickback scheme tied to flood control projects, purportedly masterminded by the respondent (Romualdez), with the total amount of such kickbacks reaching approximately [P56 billion],’ they said in their petition dated April 20.

In the PHDO it issued, the Seventh Division said it found probable cause ‘to believe that respondent will depart from the Philippines to evade arrest and prosecution of crime/s being charged against him.’

The court ordered the Bureau of Immigration to include Romualdez in its hold-departure list.

The Leyte congressman, who is also a cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., earlier sought clearance from the House leadership to be in Singapore from April 20 to May 4 ‘for a long overdue follow-up on my angioplasty surgery.’

Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III granted his predecessor’s request for a travel clearance on Tuesday.

‘Other people’s corruption’

On the same day, however, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla held a press conference to say he was blocking Romualdez’s overseas trip.

Remulla also disclosed that his office had taken initial steps to secure a freeze order on the former Speaker’s assets, and that a plunder complaint may be filed against him in May.

Later in the day, Romualdez released a video defending himself against allegations implicating him in the public works mess and in the controversial insertions made in the 2025 national budget.

‘I will not be the fall guy for other people’s corruption,’ said Romualdez, who stepped down two months into his second term as speaker in the current 20th Congress, after he was dragged into the corruption scandal.

He stressed that he was not part of the bicameral conference committee or the ‘small committee’ that introduced changes to the budget bill.

The insertions, he said, were decided by Sen. Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero, then Senate President, and former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy ‘Zaldy’ Co, then House appropriations chair.

Also on Wednesday, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Romualdez should have appeared before the Senate during its inquiry into the flood control projects.

Lacson, who heads the Senate blue ribbon committee, said the former House leader should have ‘heeded [our] invitations’ to attend the panel’s hearings, especially after Co, in a series of video recordings in November last year, claimed that Romualdez took part in ‘mangling’ the 2025 budget.

No ‘modus’ in Senate

Sen. JV Ejercito also on Wednesday noted that the ‘modus of selling [infrastructure] projects’ was prevalent among ‘contractors’ – a portmanteau of congressmen and contractors.

There is no way the Senate could ‘gain’ from this scheme, Ejercito said. ‘It’s not that I’m defending the Senate, but you’ll never hear about that here [in this chamber].’

‘I hope those involved will be held accountable,’ the senator said.

A former member of the chamber, Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr., is currently detained over graft and malversation charges in connection with the flood works mess. The former senator and two others had also been implicated in the 2013 pork barrel scandal.

BINI composed of Jhoanna, Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha and Sheena – has once again made a strong impression on the international stage after their guest appearance at the Grammy Museum’s Global Spin Live event.

The P-pop powerhouse was the guest of honor at the Global Spin Live gathering on Tuesday, April 21 (April 22 in the Philippines), where they spoke about their latest EP, ‘Signals,’ and treated the audience to a capella- and dance-themed performances.

Some of the songs that were performed in their set were ‘Blush’ and ‘Unang Kilig,’ per clips from Billboard.

Fresh off their Coachella debut, BINI perform new single ‘Blush’ at the GRAMMY Museum in LA pic.twitter.com/FYOswbV0j4

Aside from new music, BINI also shared how their five-year career has shaped them for the better and how the members have learned to navigate their journey as a P-pop act and as female artists.

‘Blushing, smiling, and still feeling the kilig after our @GRAMMYMuseum performance! Thank you for sharing this special moment with us. Huge thanks to @grammymuseum for the opportunity to share our music on your stage,’ they wrote after their latest appearance.

As we filled our tanks early this week to take advantage of the second consecutive fuel price rollback, a sense of optimism emerged-perhaps things are finally returning to normal.

By ‘normal,’ we imagined oil prices at the pump reverting to pre-Iran war levels-before Feb. 28, 2026-when diesel, for example, hovered around P48 to P65 per liter and Brent crude traded at $60 to $70 per barrel.

This week, while the most common price remains below P100 per liter, it soared above P153 (from April 7 to 13), with the average that week ranging from P120 to P160. Notably, prices reached a record high of P170 to P172 in remote rural areas and at premium stations in Metro Manila.

The double-digit rollback this week was not a voluntary act by oil companies-nor did it result from a sudden resurgence of conscience among their owners, assuming they possess any at all.

The price reductions, though significant, remain far from adequate and were mandated by the government. Aware that major oil companies are unmoved by appeals or pleas, the Marcos administration has finally threatened legal action if they fail to comply more than seven weeks into the Middle East crisis that saw these companies greedily raising prices on oil stocks purchased long before the conflict in Iran.

Clear message. On Saturday, President Marcos himself announced fuel price rollbacks of P24.94 per liter for diesel, P3.41 per liter for gasoline, and P2 per liter for kerosene. He asked oil companies to fully implement these rollbacks (see ‘Marcos: ‘Big’ price rollback for diesel at P24.94 per liter,’ 4/19/26).

‘This is bigger than the rollback a week ago, and this sends a clear message for everyone: there is relief coming,’ Mr. Marcos said in Filipino. Directly addressing oil companies, the President said: ‘My request is clear: Fully implement the rollback, do it right, and with no delays. Give the Filipinos what they deserve.’

Since oil prices spiked after Feb. 28, Mr. Marcos has prioritized diesel subsidies for the transport and food delivery sectors, alongside cash aid for tricycle and jeepney drivers, delivery riders, ride-hailing service operators, and motorcycle taxi drivers.

But even if oil companies were to sell oil at prewar prices today, consumers understand that any rollback would barely compensate for the billions in profits amassed since the war in Iran began. With the Philippines maintaining a 50- to 60-day buffer stock, the older, cheaper oil supplies are only now running out. Unless companies offer their new stock at discounted rates-a highly unlikely scenario-the public will continue to be shortchanged.

Ibon Foundation estimated that oil firms raked in a staggering P46.5 billion in windfall profits in March alone-equivalent to P1.5 billion per day. Oil companies defend their price hikes on old stock by citing ‘replacement cost pricing,’ a practice in which pump prices are set based on oil futures that determine the cost of the next batch of oil.

Price caps. So when Energy Secretary Sharon Garin warned oil firms on Monday of hefty fines should they fail to implement the substantial price rollback, it seemed the Department of Energy (DOE) had finally found its voice, mustering the courage to stand up to big oil firms and local traders.

Citing the national energy emergency declared by Mr. Marcos under Executive Order No. 110, Garin stated that the government can now limit fuel price increases or mandate minimum rollbacks at the pump. In short, the DOE is now required to prescribe fuel prices-not just monitor them-to provide relief to the public and help stabilize the economy amid volatile global oil supplies.

This announcement from the DOE is welcome news, as it promises to end the oil firms’ and traders’ unchecked control over pump prices since the passage of the oil deregulation law.

However, Garin should have moved to control or limit price adjustments at the outset of this crisis, rather than waiting seven weeks to act.

There’s more than meets the eye in the energy secretary’s latest statement that could potentially curb oil firms’ windfall profits. Previously, she cited replacement-cost pricing and other landed costs to justify the surge in oil prices, and at the April 8 House committee on ways and means hearing, she denied that pump prices were overpriced.

Now, however, she strikes a different tone: ‘So that’s our new rule now. That’s because of the issuance of the executive order, which triggered the additional powers of government to prescribe the price during these times of emergency,’ Garin said at Monday’s press conference.

Yet EO 110 was issued nearly a month ago (March 24). She had also claimed the government could not impose limits due to the oil deregulation law (see ‘DOE: Hefty fine awaits oil firms defying price orders,’ 4/21/26).

The question on everyone’s mind remains: Why only now, and what really changed?

China Banking Corp. reported a P6.8-billion net income in the first quarter, up 4 percent, driven by core business growth.

The Sy family-led bank said on Thursday that it posted a return on equity of 14.2 percent and return on assets of 1.5 percent, among the highest in the industry.

Total assets reached P1.9 trillion, up 12 percent, while gross loans climbed 16 percent to P1.1 trillion on broad-based demand.

Deposits rose 13 percent to P1.5 trillion, lifting liquidity. Meanwhile, total equity increased 10 percent to P192.3 billion, with book value per share at P71.42.

The Senate’s preparations for a possible impeachment trial would help ensure the smooth handling of the case against Vice President Sara Duterte, allowing proceedings to move in an orderly manner and without delay should it be elevated, House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin said on Thursday.She welcomed the Senate’s readiness and the arrangements being made to tackle the potential trial as the House committee on justice is set to conclude its proceedings on April 29.

‘Preparations at this stage help ensure that our institutions are ready to carry out their respective roles under the Constitution,’ Garin said in a statement.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said on Tuesday that the Senate may convene as an impeachment court as early as May 4, when Congress resumes from its six-week break, should the articles of impeachment against Duterte be sent to the chamber.

On Wednesday, the House committee on justice held its third session to assess whether the complaints against Duterte have merit and whether probable cause has been established based on the accusations.

‘The House is doing the work of building the record, carefully and within the rules,’ Garin said.

Disclosures by the AMLC and the Office of the Ombudsman during Wednesday’s hearing may add pressure on Duterte, who faces impeachment efforts over allegations of misusing P612.5 million in confidential funds and amassing wealth beyond what her income would have allowed.

Also included are accusations that Duterte plotted to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, while also alleging she conspired to destabilize the government.

‘We are confident that the next stage, should it be reached, will likewise be guided by the Constitution and by the shared responsibility to ensure that the process remains fair, transparent, and credible,’ Garin said.

She said the proceedings are not aimed at presuming that Duterte’s guilty of the impeachment charges.

‘The goal is not to prejudge any party, but to allow the process to unfold in the proper forum where facts can be tested and clarified,’ Garin said.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has ordered police officers conducting checkpoint operations to speed up inspections of trucks transporting essential goods.

‘Amid the challenging situations that our country is experiencing, our personnel on the ground stationed at checkpoints will ensure that the flow of goods remains unhampered and uninterrupted,’ Nartatez said in a statement on Thursday.

He also said the new directive will not affect the police force’s crackdown on smuggled goods.

‘Checkpoint operations will continue to support law enforcement objectives without compromising the movement of legitimate cargo,’ the PNP chief said.

The top cop added that the police force will coordinate with local government units (LGUs) and other agencies to ensure that regulations are still enforced without disrupting essential transport.

Nartatez’ statement came after Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said ‘unnecessary and unreasonable’ checks and inspections of food trucks conducted by the police and LGUs at checkpoints delayed travel and wasted fuel.

Recto made the pronouncement on Tuesday, appealing to government agencies to help farmers and traders take advantage of reduced toll and port fees to soften the impact of high fuel prices on food.

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.

Angge Poyos admitted that blowing a two-set lead hurt for the University of Santo Tomas as they missed the outright chance to clinch a berth to the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball stepladder semifinals.

But the Tigresses have no time to dwell on the loss, shifting their focus to their Playoff for No.4 against the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

‘The loss hurts, but we have to move on right away. We’ll come in more confident on Saturday because our fate is in our hands. That’s what we’ll hold on to, giving our best no matter what,’ said Poyos after pouring in 24 points, 15 receptions, and nine digs.

Poyos kept UST afloat in the decider, but her attack error sent NU to match point before Vange Alinsug nailed the game-winning kill to clinch the No.2 spot with a come-from-behind 19-25, 23-25, 25-18, 25-18, 15-13 win on Wednesday.

‘One factor was miscommunication, especially in crucial moments like when it was tied 13-all. There was a miscommunication with Ate Cassie (Carballo), so communication really played a big role,’ she said. ‘We struggled to close out the game. We were up 2-0 but couldn’t finish it in the third or fourth set.’

Poyos urged her teammates to keep their heads up with their final chance to keep their semifinal streak going.

‘It’s frustrating because we were already close, but still couldn’t get it. For now, our focus is recovery, rest tomorrow, then prepare for Saturday since that’s the most important game for us to make the semis,’ said the former league Rookie of the Year. ‘We just have to stay patient and move on quickly from what happened. We played well, but it still wasn’t enough to get the win.’

Although UST swept FEU in the elimination round, Poyos has no room for complacency in a do-or-die game for the right to face Adamson in the stepladder semis.

‘We just have to give everything, our 101%, and not doubt ourselves. It’s a do-or-die game this Saturday, and we know FEU will come back strong. We won’t just let this slip. We really want to make the Final Four. We’ll stay patient and just perform at our best,’ said Poyos.