Author: user user

OIL PRICE WATCH as of August 3, 2026

Motorists may expect some relief this week as oil companies will implement price roll back on Tuesday, Aug. 4, following lower global oil prices despite persistent supply concerns linked to the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran.

Based on fuel price movements, diesel prices are expected to reduce by P0.50 to P1.00 per liter, while gasoline prices may decrease by P1.00 to P1.50 per liter. The projected reductions come after this week’s hefty pump price hikes of as much as P7.30 per liter.

Below are the oil prices monitored and gathered by Inquirer team as of Monday, Aug. 3, 2026. /dp

Katsina under siege: Bandits kill one, abduct 31 in fresh attack

Armed bandits have intensified attacks on communities in Katsina State, killing one resident, injuring at least seven others and abducting 31 people in the latest assault on Shuwaki community in Bakori Local Government Area, raising fresh concerns over worsening insecurity and mass displacement.

The attack, which occurred on Saturday night, according to Premium Times, is the latest in a string of raids targeting communities in Bakori, where residents have faced repeated killings, kidnappings and livestock theft in recent weeks.

Former Chairman of Bakori Local Government Area, Aminu Magaji, said the attackers invaded Shuwaki between 9 p.m. and 9:45 p.m., operating for nearly two hours. He said the gunmen killed one person, wounded at least seven others, rustled cattle and sheep, and abducted 32 residents.

According to him, the attackers later released one of the abducted women near Doma village after she became too ill to continue the trek into the forest, leaving 31 people still in captivity. Most of the remaining hostages are women, some reportedly carrying infants.

Magaji said security agencies were alerted while the attack was underway. He explained that police officers, soldiers and members of the Katsina Community Watch Corps mobilised in an attempt to intercept the attackers but failed to rescue the victims or prevent their escape.

He added that the assailants also stole residents’ mobile phones and devices from charging centres, while no ransom demand or communication had been received from the kidnappers as of the time of his interview.

The latest raid followed attacks on Unguwar Dogo and Alhazawa communities, where residents were injured and livestock stolen. Local sources said repeated attacks since late July have forced many families to flee their homes for safer areas, while others remain gripped by fear.

The renewed violence comes days after a major confrontation between suspected bandits and security forces in Guga community, where the Katsina State Government said more than 40 suspected bandits were killed during a reprisal attack involving over 200 assailants.

Community leaders warned that the persistent attacks are threatening farming activities during the rainy season, as repeated cattle rustling has deprived many farmers of the animals used for cultivation.

They called on the Federal Government, Katsina State Government and security agencies to strengthen security across the affected communities, warning that continued attacks could trigger further displacement and deepen the humanitarian and economic crisis in the area.

The Katsina State Police Command had yet to officially comment on the latest attack or provide an update on efforts to rescue the abducted victims as of the time of filing this report.

Magnitude 4 quake jolts Southern Leyte town

A magnitude 4 earthquake jolted the Southern Leyte town on Monday morning, the state seismologists reported.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the earthquake, which was tectonic of origin, occurred around 6:22 a.m.

Its epicenter was located 14 kilometers southeast of Sogod, Southern Leyte, with a depth of 10 kilometers.

Instrumental intensities were recorded in the following areas:

Intensity III – Sogod, Southern Leyte

Intensity II – Mahaplag, Leyte; Malitbog, San Francisco, Southern Leyte

Intensity I – Hilongos, Abuyog, LeyteNo aftershocks or damage to properties is expected from the tremor. /apl

Andy Lim, Pikit? OVP secret fund recipients emerge at impeachment trial

Private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan appeared to poke fun at the unusual names signed on acknowledgment receipts (ARs) for the confidential fund (CF) expenditures made by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) during Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Monday.

During the resumption of the trial, Kapunan went through some of the ARs for the OVP’s confidential expenditures attached to its 2022 audit report, including those bearing the names Andy Lim and Alejandro Pikit.

Kapunan said she could not initially read the names because it was ‘ang dilim’ (it’s dark) and because someone’s eyes were closed, or ‘pikit.’ ‘P-1-8-545, in the name of Andy C. Lim, for P50,000. Ah, Andy Lim, that’s why I couldn’t read it because it’s dark. If there’s an Andy Lim, maybe it’s because of Pikit?’ she said in Filipino.

Defense counsel Michael Poa objected to Kapunan’s line of questioning.

‘Objection, Your Honor. I’m sorry, but I’ve been giving leeway to opposing counsel, but I think she’s been coloring, you know, the contents of the documents more than what is shown in the documentary (evidence),’ Poa said.

Kapunan countered, saying she was merely stating the Filipino meaning of the names mentioned.

Poa fired back: ‘No, I think you know my point, Your Honor.’

Kapunan joked again.

‘It’s like Patty Ting, it’s the way it’s spelled, and the next one, maybe you will object again; it’s Alejandro A. Pikit. I was going to say maybe the reason why it’s dark is because someone’s eyes are closed,’ she said in Filipino.

Presiding Officer Francis Escudero asked Kapunan to move forward ‘accordingly.’

Kapunan’s questioning brought a light moment to the 11th day of the impeachment trial, but the prosecution also flagged serious issues with the OVP’s ARs.

Aside from Andy Lim and Alejandro Pikit, the name Mary Grace Piattos also surfaced. Lawmakers previously believed Piattos was a fictitious personality who used the names of a well-known coffee shop and potato chip brand.

It seems Piattos has a relative who also received CF payouts from the OVP, although their surnames differ slightly. Kapunan also presented an AR signed by a certain Renan Piatos.

‘I will show you another document, marked for the prosecution, P-1-8-619, another Piatos, named Renan Piatos. The amount is P110,000 and the date is 12-27-2023 […] What observation can you make or have you made as regards this acknowledgment receipt?’ Kapunan asked prosecution witness and Commission on Audit (COA) auditor Roderick Wamil.

Wamil explained the AR signed by Renan Piatos was not allowed because the document showed the payment was made on Dec. 27, 2023. Since the ARs were attached to the OVP’s confidential expenditures for the fourth quarter of 2022, Wamil said the payment should have been made between Dec. 21 and Dec. 31, 2022.

‘I cannot determine the correct date based on this document, but the right thing was that it should have been paid within the coverage of their cash advance based on the documents submitted to ICFAO (Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office),’ he added.

Escudero clarified with Wamil whether he meant that everything attached to the CF expenditures for the fourth quarter of 2022 that was supposedly paid after Dec. 31, 2022, was not allowed.

Wamil then confirmed this before Kapunan presented more ARs with unusual names.

Regarding Mary Grace Piattos, Wamil said the P70,000 worth of medicines provided by the OVP as a reward was not allowed because there was no attached document evidencing success in information-gathering.

According to Wamil, the payments to Andy Lim and Alejandro Pikit were also not allowed because they were made outside the cash advance coverage, similar to Renan Piatos’ case.

The following AR recipients and their corresponding rewards and issues were also mentioned:

Nova Santos (P85,000) – lack of document evidencing success in information-gathering

Mico Harina (P295,000) – lack of document evidencing success in information-gathering/payment outside coverage of cash advance

Janice Marie Revilla (P70,000) – no observation

Patty Ting (P150,000) – no observation

Feonna Biong (P80,000) – no observation

Sisfrunio Balsac (P70,000) – no observation

Gabriel Bisaya (P70,000) – payment outside coverage of cash advance

Early on the 11th day of the trial, Wamil said the OVP used P40 million in CF to buy medicines, but COA disallowed the expense because it was not among the purposes specified in Joint Circular No. 2015-01, issued by the Commission on Audit, Department of Budget and Management, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Governance Commission for GOCCs, and Department of National Defense.

Under Joint Circular No. 2015-01, CFs may be used only for the following purposes:

Purchase of information necessary for the formulation and implementation of program, activities and projects relevant to the national security and peace and order

Rental of transport vehicle related to confidential activities

Rentals and the incidental expenses related to the maintenance of safehouses

Purchase or rental of supplies, materials and equipment for confidential operations that cannot be done through regular procedures without compromising the information gathering activity concerned

Payment of rewards to informers (non-employee of concerned government agency) subject to the following conditions

Uncover/Prevent illegal activities that pose a clear and present danger to agency personnel/property, or other facilities and resources under the agency protection, done in coordination with the appropriate law enforcement agencies

Others that may be authorized by the GAA or other special law/s

Nigerian girls detained in Mauritius freed

Nigerian girls detained at an airport in Mauritius have regained their freedom, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission has confirmed.

NiDCOM said the girls were released on Monday and were on their way back to Nairobi, Kenya.

Their detention attracted public attention after a video showing them in custody circulated on social media.

The woman who shared the footage said the girls had been held at the Mauritius airport since July 31 and called on Nigerian authorities to intervene.

‘The Nigerian girls who were previously detained have been released,’ NiDCOM said.

‘They are currently on their way back to Nairobi.’

The commission added that its Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, was working with the relevant Nigerian diplomatic mission to address the incident.

According to NiDCOM, the mission has formally contacted the authorities concerned to establish what happened and prevent a recurrence.

The commission reiterated its commitment to protecting the welfare of Nigerians living or travelling abroad.

NiDCOM did not disclose the identities of the girls or the circumstances that led to their detention.

Mauritian authorities have also not publicly explained why the Nigerians were held at the airport.

Jonathan’s candidacy will guarantee PDP victory in 2027 – Agbedi

The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Fred Agbedi, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has a strong chance of returning to power in the 2027 general election if former President Goodluck Jonathan agrees to contest on the party’s platform.

Agbedi made the statement on Monday during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he discussed the PDP’s preparations for the next general election and the party’s ongoing internal challenges.

According to him, despite the leadership crisis and divisions within the PDP, the party remains one of Nigeria’s strongest political parties and still enjoys widespread support across the country. He expressed confidence that the PDP would be able to overcome its internal disagreements before the election.

Agbedi said Jonathan has not officially declared his intention to run for president, but he has also not ruled out the possibility of contesting in 2027. He believes Jonathan’s popularity, political experience and national appeal would give the PDP a major advantage if he eventually joins the race.

He also spoke about the leadership dispute within the party, noting that the court is yet to decide which faction has the legal right to present the PDP’s presidential candidate. Agbedi said he is confident the judgment will favour his faction, allowing the party to move forward with its plans.

He said, ‘If former President Goodluck Jonathan is on the ballot, the PDP will win in 2027. Although he has not said he will contest, he has also not said he will not. We are confident the court’s decision will go our way.’

Agbedi urged party members to remain united and focused, saying unity would be important if the PDP hopes to defeat its opponents in the next election. He stressed that resolving internal disputes quickly would strengthen the party ahead of the campaign season.

His comments come after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rejected Jonathan’s nomination for the 2027 election, which had been submitted by the Taminu Turaki-led faction of the PDP.

INEC explained that the nomination could not be accepted because it was not submitted through the commission’s official online nomination portal, as required by the Electoral Act and its guidelines. The commission maintained that all political parties must follow the approved procedure when submitting the names of their candidates for any election.

The developments have continued to fuel debate over Jonathan’s political future and the PDP’s strategy ahead of the 2027 presidential election, although the former president has yet to publicly announce whether he intends to seek another term in office.

Signal No. 1 up in 10 Luzon areas as TD Luis maintains strength

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 has been raised over 10 areas in Luzon as Tropical Depression Luis maintained its strength, according to the state weather bureau on Monday.

In its 5 a.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the following areas are currently under TCWS No. 1: The central and eastern portions of Cagayan (Enrile, Tuguegarao City, Peñablanca, Piat, Santo Niño, Camalaniugan, Tuao, Lal-Lo, Gonzaga, Alcala, Amulung, Santa Teresita, Baggao, Buguey, Solana, Rizal, Santa Ana, Gattaran, Iguig, Lasam, Aparri, Ballesteros, Abulug, Allacapan, Pamplona)

Isabela

Quirino

The eastern and southern portions of Apayao (Flora, Santa Marcela, Conner, Pudtol, Luna)

The eastern portion of Kalinga (City of Tabuk, Tanudan, Pinukpuk, Rizal)

The eastern portion of Mountain Province (Paracelis, Natonin)

The eastern portion of Ifugao (Aguinaldo, Alfonso Lista)

The northern portion of Aurora (Dinalungan, Casiguran, Dilasag, Dipaculao, Baler)

Polillo Islands

The northern portion of Camarines Norte (Daet, Talisay, Paracale, Jose Panganiban, Capalonga, Vinzons)

Last located at 130 kilometers east-southeast of Casiguran, Aurora, Luis maintained its strength, packing a maximum sustained wind speed of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 70 kph.

The tropical depression moves almost stationary, Pagasa said.

Luis is forecast to move generally northwestward and may make landfall or pass close to Northern Luzon this Monday evening or early morning on Tuesday.

Afterwards, the tropical depression would then ‘sharply turn east-northeastward while moving away from the Philippine landmass.’

Pagasa also said Luis is forecast to remain a tropical depression over the majority of the forecast period and may be downgraded into a remnant low-pressure area by Wednesday ‘before becoming fully assimilated into the circulation of Tropical Cyclone Dolphin.’

Meanwhile, Typhoon Dolphin was last located 2,850 kilometers east-northeast of extreme northern Luzon outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).

It has a maximum sustained wind speed of 155 kph and gusts of 190 kph, moving west-northwestward at 25 kph.

Pagasa said Dolphin remains far from the landmass, thus, still having no direct effect on any part of the country.

The weather bureau said there is still a low chance that the typhoon will enter the PAR. /apl

Labor groups press court to lift TRO on P85 Metro Manila wage hike

Labor groups on Monday renewed calls to lift the temporary restraining order (TRO) suspending the P85 daily minimum wage increase in Metro Manila, saying it has delayed the wage adjustment for millions of minimum wage earners.

In separate statements, the NAGKAISA! Labor Coalition, the Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO), and Anakpawis Party-list urged the Pasig Regional Trial Court to allow NCR Wage Order No. 27 to take effect while also calling for longer-term reforms to the country’s wage-setting system.

NAGKAISA! welcomed the Office of the Solicitor General’s (OSG) move to seek the immediate lifting of the TRO, while maintaining that the Pasig court has no jurisdiction over the petition and that challenges to the wage order should have first been brought before the National Wages and Productivity Commission.

The coalition also questioned the Department of Labor and Employment’s (Dole) response to the case, saying the agency should take a more active role in defending the wage order it issued.

‘Employers are not merely trying to stop an ?85 wage increase. They are asking the courts to strip the country’s wage-setting system, flawed as it is, of its ability to enforce the wage orders it issues. If employers can simply run to the courts every time they dislike a wage order, then workers are left with rights on paper but no wages in their pockets,’ said Josua Mata, SENTRO secretary general and NAGKAISA! co-convenor.

NAGKAISA! spokesperson Rene Magtubo said the continued implementation of the TRO affects workers awaiting the wage increase.

‘Every day the TRO remains in force is another day millions of minimum wage earners are denied even this modest wage increase. Workers need leadership, not silence,’ Magtubo said.

For SENTRO, workers should have been given the opportunity to participate in proceedings involving the wage order before the TRO was issued.

‘This case is no longer simply about an ?85 wage increase. It is about whether workers can be excluded from judicial proceedings that determine their livelihoods, and whether employers can use the courts to delay even the modest wage increases that workers have already won.’

The labor federation reiterated its support for a legislated national living wage but said the existing wage order should be implemented while broader reforms are being pursued.

‘The real solution is not to freeze workers’ wages-it is to legislate a national living wage,’ Mata said. ‘Until that happens, employers and the courts must respect the law as it stands. Workers cannot be denied even the limited protections they have today.’

Meanwhile, Anakpawis Party-list also criticized the TRO, arguing that the P85 wage increase remains insufficient to offset rising living costs and renewing its push for the proposed National Minimum Wage Act of 2025, which seeks a P1,200 across-the-board daily minimum wage.

The Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 152 earlier issued a 20-day TRO suspending the implementation of the P85 daily wage increase until Aug. 13 after two construction firms filed a petition questioning NCR Wage Order No. 27. The wage increase, approved by the National Capital Region Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, was originally scheduled to take effect on July 25, with the P85 adjustment to be implemented in two tranches.

The Office of the Solicitor General has since asked the court to lift the TRO, arguing that the petition should have first undergone the administrative remedies provided under the Labor Code.

Malacañang has also expressed support for lifting the restraining order, saying concerns over the wage order should have been brought before the proper wage-setting bodies.

Separately, several senators, including Senate labor committee chair Joel Villanueva, Vice Chair Raffy Tulfo, and Sen. Risa Hontiveros, questioned the issuance of the TRO, citing provisions of the Labor Code that prohibit courts from issuing restraining orders against proceedings before the National Wages and Productivity Commission and regional wage boards. /mcm

WATCH: COA witness says voucher with Duterte signature non-compliant

Former Commission on Audit Confidential Funds Unit auditor Roderick Wamil testifies on Day 11 of Vice President Sara Duterte impeachment trial that the disbursement voucher, which bears Vice President Sara Duterte’s signature, was non-compliant with the Joint Circular governing the use and liquidation of confidential funds. /dp

’I haven’t borrowed a dime since becoming governor’ – Soludo

Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo says his administration has not borrowed any money since he assumed office.

Soludo disclosed this on Monday while speaking at the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit.

The former Central Bank of Nigeria governor also argued that the Nigerian economy had stabilised and was beginning to recover.

‘Nigeria has stabilised and is on the rise. I haven’t borrowed a dime since I became governor,’ he said.

Soludo maintained that prudent management of public resources could help state governments deliver development without accumulating unsustainable debts.

He also urged Nigerians to patronise locally manufactured products, warning that the country could not create the desired number of jobs while depending heavily on imports.

‘We cannot create the kind of jobs we want with all of us using foreign or imported goods,’ Soludo said.

‘I look in this room, and I see suits from Europe, America and China.’

The governor estimated that Nigeria could create more than 10 million jobs if its population deliberately embraced locally produced clothing and other goods.

‘If all 247 million Nigerians wear only made-in-Nigeria, more than 10 million jobs will be created,’ he added.

Soludo has consistently promoted locally manufactured products, particularly textiles, as part of efforts to strengthen domestic industries and generate employment.