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The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued a show cause order directing Senator Francis Escudero to explain the P30-million donation he received from a government contractor for his 2022 campaign.

It is a potential case of election code violation against the former Senate president, one that has surfaced as an offshoot of the ongoing inquiries into public works anomalies.

Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia on Saturday confirmed that the order was already served to Escudero, who was asked to appear in a hearing of the poll body’s Political Finance and Affairs Department on Oct. 13. But Garcia said the senator can either make a personal appearance or submit an affidavit through a lawyer.

In a statement on Saturday, Escudero welcomed the show cause order.

‘We welcome the opportunity to prove that-like the others who are similarly situated in the PCIJ (Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism) report on the 2022 elections-no law has been violated,’ he said.

Prohibited contributions

Escudero was referring to the PCIJ report last month which also revealed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, among others, received millions of pesos in campaign contributions in 2022.

The Comelec hearing will determine whether the funds donated to Escudero by Lawrence Lubiano, president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc., violated Section 95 of the Omnibus Election Code. The provision prohibits contributions from any public or private institutions, including contractors, to any political candidate or political party.

The distinction between personal donation and corporate contribution will determine the Comelec’s decision, Garcia said.

‘The purpose of Section 95 [of the Omnibus Election Code] was to prohibit all contractors of the government from abusing the donation [to candidates and parties] so that they can secure more contracts from the government,’ he said in Filipino in an interview with dzBB radio.

The Comelec earlier issued an order against Lubiano to explain the P30 million donation. Garcia said Lubiano recently replied which prompted the poll body to issue another order to Escudero.

Complaint

Lubiano admitted during a hearing of the House of Representatives tri-committee, which probed anomalies surrounding the faulty infrastructure projects nationwide, that he donated to Escudero for his senatorial campaign in 2022.

Escudero himself confirmed that Centerways Construction donated P30 million, but insisted that the company did not secure any flood control projects with the government.

He was slapped with a complaint at the Senate ethics committee filed by private lawyer Marvin Aceron over this donation.

This issue was also seen as the tipping point for Escudero to step down as Senate president, with the majority of senators voting for Sen. Vicente Sotto III to replace him.

Aside from Escudero’s case, Garcia said the Comelec’s political finance and affairs department will also look into 55 other contractors that gave donations to various candidates.

Confirmation

He disclosed that the Comelec had sought confirmation from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on whether these contractors have existing contracts with the government.

The 55 contractors, Garcia revealed, donated to the President, Vice President, six senators, five district representatives, three party list representatives, two governors and two vice governors.

He, however, declined to provide names.

Austin Reaves scored 20 points and Bronny James added eight while the Los Angeles Lakers lost their preseason opener 103-81 to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night with LeBron James and Luka Doncic sitting out.

James is progressing deliberately in his return from a minor nerve injury to begin his record 23rd NBA season, while Doncic is also ramping up with caution after his busy summer playing for Slovenia at EuroBasket. Both superstars watched from courtside while the rest of the Lakers lost to the new-look Suns, who jumped to a 27-point lead in the third quarter.

Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game that Doncic will play at some point in the preseason, and he is hopeful LeBron James also will get at least one preseason game. Redick wants one preseason game with what he called ‘a dress rehearsal’ for the regular season with the Lakers’ full roster.

Bronny James hit a 3-pointer late in the third quarter for his only field goal. He went 1 for 7 on 3-point attempts.

Devin Booker scored 24 points and Dillon Brooks added 10 in his first game for Phoenix, which acquired the veteran agitator from Houston in the seven-team trade of Kevin Durant in July.

The Lakers opened their preseason in the same Coachella Valley arena where Bronny James first played alongside his famous father in Los Angeles’ two preseason games here one year ago. With 40-year-old LeBron watching from courtside this time, Bronny was in the Lakers’ first substitution group, and he played nearly 23 minutes. Bronny, who turns 21 years old on Monday, didn’t make a shot in the first half and occasionally got beat on defense, but he hit five free throws and worked to run the Lakers’ offense.

The University of the Philippines showed its trademark grit on Saturday-none more than Harold Alarcon.

Playing under the weather, Alarcon powered through sickness to help the Fighting Maroons gut out a 66-59 victory over National University at the Quadricentennial Pavilion, handing the Bulldogs their first loss of UAAP Season 88.

It wasn’t Alarcon’s scoring that stood out-he had only eight points-but he was all over the court during his short stints, finishing with four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

‘I want to commend Harold because I know he only had a few points, but he played 20 minutes and every time he had the ball, he was just big time,’ said assistant coach Christian Luanzon. ‘For him to fight through what he was feeling, that was big for us.’

After trailing by one at the end of the third, the Maroons clamped down on defense, holding NU to just 10 points in the final quarter. UP’s communication and collective effort on switches and coverages proved decisive.

‘What’s important was that everyone was involved in communication,’ Luanzon added. ‘Everybody was on the same page.’

Gani Stevens and Francis Nnoruka anchored the attack with 10 and 14 points, respectively, but Stevens said Alarcon’s toughness set the tone.

‘Harold’s one of the veterans in our team and he came through for us even if he was sick,’ Stevens said.

Fan favorite Alex Pereira dethroned Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320, taking the light heavyweight championship with a first-round stoppage Saturday night.

Pereira (13-3-0) floored Ankalaev (21-2-1) after hurting him with a huge right hand and quickly went to work using thunderous elbows during a ground-and-pound before referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the bout at the 1:20 mark. Pereira brought an end to Ankalaev’s 14-match unbeaten streak, while exacting revenge for a loss in the fighters’ first meeting in March.

‘I wasn’t well that night, but tonight I was very well,’ Pereira said through his translator.

Pereira lost to Ankalaev by unanimous decision on March 8, when the judges graded the fight on aggressiveness. This time, Pereira wasted no time in attacking Ankalaev with relentless pressure.

The 38-year-old Brazilian landed 28 of the 45 significant strike attempts, while Ankalaev, 33, was only able to land four of his nine attempts.

Pereira closed +200 at BetMGM Sportsbook, which means a $100 wager would have won $200. A Pereira by KO or TKO in under 2.5 rounds was +475. While Pereira entered the arena with the sold-out crowd standing and roaring in approval, Ankalaev was greeted by a chorus of boos.

The 19,081 in attendance, which included Golden State Warriors stars Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, went into a frenzy the moment Dean stepped in to stop the fight.

Earlier in the night, in what some might have considered a title eliminator bout in the light heavyweight division for the right to face Pereira, second-ranked contender Jiri Prochazka (32-5-1) delivered a brutal left hand at the 3:04 mark of the third round to knock out No. 4 Khalil Rountree Jr. (15-7-0) in what earned the fight of the night. Pereira had beaten Prochazka twice already, second-round knockouts at UFC 295 and 303.

After his victory, Pereira used his spotlight during the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan to call for a moment of silence in honor of Jon Jones’ older brother, Arthur, who died unexpectedly earlier this week. ‘He was such a great guy,’ UFC president Dana White said. ‘When somebody passes away so young in their sleep, it’s brutal. The conversations I’ve had with Jon, he’s handling it well.’

In the co-main event, champion Merab Dvalishvili (21-4-0) successfully defended his bantamweight title with a unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-46) over Cory Sandhagen (18-6-0). Dvalishvili, who strengthened his argument a Fighter of the Year contender, registered a UFC record for takedowns landed (20) with 37 attempts. His victory extended the division’s longest-ever win streak at 14 fights.

In their scheduled three-round featherweight bout, the stunned crowd watched No. 9 contender Youssef Zalal (18-5-1) top No. 8 Josh Emmett (19-6-0) by way of verbal submission at 1:38 of the first round with a wicked arm bar.

Teoscar Hernandez rallied the Dodgers with a three-run homer in the seventh inning that bailed out Shohei Ohtani, both on the mound and at the plate, and led Los Angeles to a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of their NL Division Series on Saturday night.

Ohtani struck out four straight times at the plate, the final time in the seventh with no outs and two runners on against Matt Strahm. No worries, at least for the reigning World Series champions.

Following a Mookie Betts popout, Hernández silenced a roaring Phillies crowd with an opposite-field drive to right off Strahm for a 5-3 lead. The veteran slugger gestured in wild celebration in his trot around the bases.

His hat off, Ohtani rose from his dugout seat to join in the fun, and exhale once he was on track for the win.

A three-time MVP, Ohtani recovered from a three-run second in his first career playoff pitching start to shut down the Phillies and finish with nine strikeouts over six innings.

Alex Vesia retired pinch-hitter Edmundo Sosa with the bases loaded in the eighth to preserve the lead. Roki Sasaki worked the ninth for his first career save. Ohtani had admitted to nerves about playing in front of a crowd that voraciously tried to live up to its four hours of hell moniker – he was jeered as he stepped on the field during warmups – and he never found his footing at the plate.

Ohtani walked in the ninth.

Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez struck out Ohtani three times, included a called strike three in the fifth inning that sent a towel-waving crowd into delirium.

Sánchez was even fired up on that one, and punched his fist in the air as he left the mound.

The Oh-4 became but a mere footnote – though Ohtani is the first player to strike out four times as a batter and strike out nine batters as a pitcher in the same postseason game – in an exhilarating comeback for a Dodgers team riding high after thumping the Reds in two games in the Wild Card Series. Sánchez was thrust into the ace role when Zack Wheeler was ruled out for the season in August with complications from a blood clot. Wheeler was in full uniform and received a roaring ovation in the pregame introductions.

Sánchez pitched early like a No. 1 starter.

He fanned Ohtani on three pitches to start the game and breezed through five scoreless innings.

Kiké Hernandez chased Sánchez in the sixth when he ripped a two-out, two-run double down the left-field line that made it 3-2. David Robertson retired pinch-hitter Max Muncy to end the threat.

Robertson, the 40-year-old late-season pickup, allowed a single and hit Will Smith with a pitch to open the seventh before yielding to Strahm.

While disaster struck late for the Phillies bullpen, Vesia saved Tyler Glasnow in the eighth. Glasnow, pitching out of the bullpen in a short series, loaded the bases before he got the hook. Vesia got Sosa, who hit three home runs in a game last month, to fly out to center field. The Phillies had only two hits after they scored three times in the third on J.T. Realmuto’s two-run triple and Harrison Bader’s sacrifice fly.

Up next

Jesús Luzardo will start for the Phillies on Monday in Game 2. Luzardo went 15-7 with a 3.92 ERA with a career-high 216 strikeouts in his first season with the Phillies after he was acquired from the Miami Marlins in an offseason trade. The Dodgers already had announced that two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell was expected to start Game 2, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the bump in Game 3.

Maynilad Water Services Inc. has secured the support of the United Kingdom for its upcoming stock market debut, signaling strong demand for what would be the country’s largest-and last-initial public offering (IPO) this year.

In its preliminary prospectus dated Oct. 3, Maynilad said it now had a cornerstone investment agreement with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office through its Mobilising Capital Through Listed Products (Mobilist) program. The concessionaire clarified, however, that the participation of Mobilist as a cornerstone investor would be finalized only if the IPO price does not exceed P15 per share.

This also goes for International Finance Corp. and Asian Development Bank, both of which are considering investing $100 million and $145 million, respectively.

The Mobilist program is an initiative by the British Investment Partnership that aims to support infrastructure development and green transition in Southeast Asia.

Last year, it chipped in $12.5 million into the IPO of Edgar Saavedra-led Citicore Renewable Energy Corp.

Since then, the UK government has committed to boost trade and investment flows to the Philippines, particularly looking at sustainability-related projects.

For its part, Maynilad recently received the Philippines’ first Green Equity label, which would allow it to attract more investors by tagging its shares as ‘green’ prior to its offer.

‘We are proud to reach this point in Maynilad’s story,’ Maynilad president Ramoncito Fernandez said in a statement on Sunday night.

‘Our journey has always been guided by a clear mission-to deliver safe, sustainable and reliable water and wastewater services to our customers,’ he added. ‘The submission of our preliminary prospectus marks another step in that mission, as we open the door for broader public participation while continuing to comply with all regulatory processes.’

Apart from Mobilist, asset management firm Robeco Switzerland Ltd. is also participating as a cornerstone investor for an investment size of up to $20 million.

Others are Maybank Asset Management Singapore Pte. Ltd., Maven Investment Partners Ltd. – Hong Kong Branch, abrdn Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. and QRT Master Fund SPC – Torus Fund SP.

Maynilad plans to raise up to P34.33 billion from its IPO. The offer period is scheduled from Oct. 23 to Oct. 29, with listing on the main board of the Philippine Stock Exchange set on Nov. 7.

The final price will be determined on Oct. 20.Maynilad, whose service area covers the West Zone of the Greater Metro Manila area, also recently confirmed it was ‘looking’ at a potential buyout of the Villar group’s PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp.

Three days shy of a year after Bronny James made his preseason debut with the Los Angeles Lakers in this desert arena, the NBA’s most famous son resumed his quest to show he belongs in the big leagues.

While his 1-for-12 shooting performance in the Lakers’ opener wasn’t ideal, James felt his effort Friday night was another step forward in a process that’s already showing results to coach JJ Redick. Bronny James scored eight points while LeBron James and Luka Doncic sat out of the Lakers’ 103-81 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Bronny’s 40-year-old father is progressing deliberately in his return from a minor nerve injury to begin his record 23rd NBA season, while Doncic is also ramping up with caution after his busy summer playing for Slovenia at EuroBasket.

That left plenty of playing time in the Coachella Valley for depth players like Bronny James, who hit a 3-pointer late in the third quarter for his only field goal. He missed his other seven 3-point attempts while struggling for buckets alongside fellow 2024 draft pick Dalton Knecht, who was 2 for 10 with 1-for-7 shooting from distance.

‘I felt like they were pretty good shots,’ said Bronny James, who turns 21 years old on Monday. ‘Not rushed, not forcing anything. Didn’t have my legs under me as much as I wanted to, so a lot of them were short, but most of them were on line. I felt like I could have made those. I felt like I took some good shots.’

Bronny’s confidence was undiminished by those misses after the Lakers opened their preseason in the same arena where Bronny James first played alongside his famous father in October 2024. The Palm Springs-area fans who rumbled with anticipation whenever Bronny touched the ball a year ago didn’t react much this time around. The novelty of Bronny’s presence has faded while he continues to grow into something much more than a sideshow.

Bronny was in the Lakers’ first substitution group, and he played nearly 23 minutes. He gave a consistent defensive effort with intermittent effectiveness as he works to become the impact defender that Redick believes he can become with more growth.

‘Definitely felt like I was more comfortable, especially with the ball in my hands, and with the defensive and offensive schemes,’ Bronny said. ‘But I’m just trying to feel it out. Feeling my way still and just continuing to grow.’

Bronny appeared in 27 games for the Lakers during his rookie season, even making basketball history by playing alongside his father in the opener. But he accomplished much of his growth in the G League, where he averaged 21.9 points and 5.5 assists for the Lakers’ affiliate.

After a summer of hard work, Bronny is demonstrating progress to Redick. ‘He is so much more comfortable and confident as a player,’ Redick said of Bronny. ‘Skill-wise, read-wise, all of those things have improved, but there’s a big difference between improving those things in individual workouts and small group settings, and doing it 5-on-5. . He’s a totally different player than he was a year ago. I thought the stuff that he did down in the G League last year was huge for him in developing a comfort level in playing at this level.’

Austin Reaves scored 20 points to lead the Lakers’ starters, which included newcomers Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia with Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt.

Bronny James wasn’t the only Lakers player trying to stand out on defense. Ayton had eight rebounds and just one point while taking only two shots in 18 minutes, but he also blocked two shots while demonstrating his commitment to protecting the rim.

The Lakers’ preseason continues Sunday against the Golden State Warriors. Redick said Doncic also will sit out that game in San Francisco, as will LeBron James.

That means Bronny James will have more chances, and he remains determined to seize them. ‘I’m just trying to feel it out, trying to get some reps in with the guys,’ Bronny said. ‘There’s probably not going to be as many opportunities during the season, so I’m just coming out and defending hard, playing my game, doing the non-negotiables. So if JJ sees that, maybe he’ll give me an opportunity.’

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has warned that aftershocks from the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that jolted northern Cebu on Sept. 30 could persist for weeks.

As of 2 p.m. on Saturday, the number of aftershocks it recorded had reached 5,336, Phivolcs said in a Viber message to reporters. Of these, 22 were felt, while 1,038 were plotted. Their magnitude ranged from 1.0 to 5.1.

It advised the public to stay vigilant ‘for strong aftershocks, secure their homes, know evacuation routes, and rely only on official sources for updates and safety instructions.’

Fault line

Phivolcs has also located the ‘onland extension of the newly-named Bogo Bay Fault’ that generated the earthquake in Sitio Looc, Brgy. Nailon, Bogo City.

‘The team observed fault scarps, open cracks, and small pressure mounds within a 2-meter-wide deformation zone,’ it said in a statement on Friday. ‘Initial field mapping recorded about 200 meters of surface rupture, while drone surveys revealed the fault may extend up to 1.5 kilometers, showing signs of right-lateral movement,’ it added.

It said its response team continues to conduct field verification to determine the full extent of the rupture.

Many residents in Bogo City, the epicenter of the quake, have opted to remain outdoors due to the aftershocks, prompting the provincial government to provide tents for them.

Rescue workers from the Philippine National Police, Philippine Red Cross and the Department of Public Works and Highways worked through Friday night to set up 30 tents that were completed by early Saturday.

Death toll

The death toll from the quake was again adjusted and pegged at 70, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported on Saturday.

OCD Deputy Spokesperson Diego Agustin Mariano told reporters via correspondence that Bogo City recorded the highest number of fatalities with 32, followed by San Remigio (15), Medellin (14), Tabogon (six), and one each in Sogod, Tabuelan and Borbon.

According to the latest situational report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), at least 559 people were injured.

Mariano said the highest numbers were reported in Bogo (180) and Tabogon (150), followed by San Remigio (86), Medellin (66), Tabuelan (20), Daanbantayan (29), San Francisco (14), Borbon (8), Catmon (4), and Carmen (2).

The NDRRMC said the quake affected 128,294 families, or 457,554 individuals, across Cebu. Of these, 407 families or 1,347 individuals were staying in four evacuation centers, while 7,942 families or 25,291 individuals were being assisted outside shelters.

Authorities also reported 18,154 damaged houses and 533 affected infrastructure facilities, although the total cost of damage was still being assessed. Seven road sections and 14 bridges were affected, with three roads and six bridges remaining impassable.

A total of 53 cities and municipalities have declared a state of calamity, enabling local governments to access emergency funds for relief and recovery.

Government agencies and humanitarian partners have provided P36.1 million worth of assistance to affected families, the NDRRMC said.

Airlifted

Aid has begun to reach some of the remote areas and islets in northern Cebu amid growing frustration among residents that not enough food and water were getting to them.

On Tuesday, 700 relief packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development were airlifted to Carnaza Island, Daanbantayan, on the northern tip of the province. Close to 700 families live on the island.

Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro asked for understanding from residents of the stricken areas, acknowledging there were delays in delivering much sought assistance mainly because of the traffic congestion involving long lines of vehicles bound for northern Cebu.

Overwhelming trauma

Cebu Rep. Sun Shimura said families in affected towns remained in dire need of immediate relief, particularly food and clean water.

‘If the houses are not destroyed, our emotions are-the trauma people are experiencing is overwhelming. Trauma cannot be easily addressed,’ Shimura said.

He added that families and children should not be left to beg for survival, reacting to news reports and social media posts about survivors lining the roads begging for help.

Shimura represents the fourth district, composed of Bogo City and the adjacent municipalities of Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Madridejos, Medellin, San Remigio, Santa Fe, Tabogon and Tabuelan.

Among those who have responded to the provincial government’s call for assistance was the One Negros Response Team, which arrived in Cebu on Friday night.

It brought essential supplies, including mobile water filtration systems, two water tankers, two ambulances, a rescue truck and medical aid, Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said.

Those who arrived were responders from the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the cities of Sipalay, San Carlos and Silay, according to Irene Bel Ploteña, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office head.

Venezuelan beauty Andrea Rubio is making history for the Miss International pageant two years after she won her country’s ninth title in the competition.

The 2023 winner will return to the pageant stage, this time as a host, marking three straight years of appearing in the global tilt – first as a winning delegate, second as a reigning queen, and this time as a presenter.

She also becomes the first non-Japanese host for the international pageant in a long time. She will be joined by a yet-to-be-named former Miss International Japan onstage, the organizers said.

The Miss International pageant had earlier teased the return of a former titleholder to the pageant, and later revealed that it was Rubio, but did not yet mention that she was to host the finale show.

‘Miss International 2023 Andrea Rubio will be hosting the 63rd Miss International Beauty Pageant to be held on November 27th, 2025, with a live telecast starting at 6:00 PM Tokyo time,’ the pageant said on social media.

‘Andrea will be reporting the daily activities live from Japan through her channel, and will also help in sharing the inside information and tidbits leading to the final night!’ the Miss International pageant added.

Around 80 delegates are expected to compete this year, which also marks the Miss International pageant’s 65th anniversary.

Changes will also be made to how the winner will be chosen this year, something the Miss International pageant has repeatedly shared with the public. A Miss International theme song will also be introduced this year.

‘More details about this year’s pageant will be revealed in our social media accounts, so stay tuned for more updates!’ the organizers said.

The delegates are expected to arrive on Nov. 12, with the national costume competition scheduled on Nov. 16. The Miss International pageant will also ‘reformat’ its preliminary judging on Nov. 24.

The 2025 Miss International final ceremonies will be held at the Yoyogi National Stadium’s 2nd Gymnasium in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward on Nov. 27.

Manila-based Aika Events and Productions will mount the final competition show, the same team responsible for staging the three recent grand coronation ceremonies of the Binibining Pilipinas pageant.

It’s the second of the ‘Ber’ months, with the cold air slowly creeping into the season.

And for University of Santo Tomas, it’s never too early to talk Christmas.

‘We have a term around here that says our [stat sheet] looks like a Christmas tree. That’s what we’re really after with our 25 assists,’ said UST assistant coach Juben Ledesma, after a 111-99 victory over University of the East on Saturday.

‘That’s a good indication that our offense is really flowing.’

That flowing offense on display at UST’s Quadricentennial Pavilion helped the Tigers become the first team to hit 100 points in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament, a mark they crossed halfway through the fourth on a Nic Cabañero triple.

Going into the game, UST was averaging around 29 made field goals on 14.7 assists and they were going at the same assists-field goal rate against UE-except that the Tigers were doing it at full speed.

They wound up shooting slightly over 50 percent from the floor, making 38 field goals off their assists output.

‘Offensively, we’ve been a very fluid team since last year and with the addition of Collins (Akowe), our confidence skyrocketed,’ Ledesma added. ‘It really helps us big time. Add that with coach’s (Pido Jarencio) confidence with our boys.’

Cabañero played Santa Claus to his teammates with eight assists to go with his 22 points, three rebounds and two steals.

‘It’s my fifth year here in the UAAP, I already know our approaches with different teams and I just stick to the system given to me,’ he said after UST improved to 3-1 (win-loss).

‘Without my teammates, I wouldn’t score this much. They just give me confidence,’ the muscled guard added.

And to keep up with the holiday spirit, Akowe was the hard-nosed reindeer with 18 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks, bouncing back from an off-night against his high school squad, National University, which dealt UST its lone loss so far this season.