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DOJ probes 20 DPWH execs over Cebu Infra projects

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday said it is investigating 20 individuals, including a district engineer and other officials and employees of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Cebu province, for alleged graft and malversation in connection with two flood control projects in Balamban town that are suspected of being tainted by irregularities.

At a press conference, DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez said the National Bureau of Investigation district office in Cebu filed two separate complaints last week against Suzette Nwanaka, district engineer of Cebu’s Third District Engineering Office, and 19 others over their alleged involvement in the bidding and implementation of the projects.

The projects flagged by the NBI are located in Barangay Singsing, Balamban town, Martinez said.

Both complaints alleged violations of Sections 3(e) and 3(g) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; malversation of public funds; illegal use of public funds or property; perjury; falsification by private individuals and use of falsified documents; falsification of documents by public officers; and violation of Section 65(b) of Republic Act No. 9184, or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

‘These two complaints form part of the broader inquiry into flood control-related anomalies in the country,’ Martinez said.

Aside from Nwanaka, the respondents include DPWH Third District officials Reynaldo Navales and Dhalie Almirol, both assistant district engineers; Jose Clemente Jr., project engineer; Eva Acosta, materials engineer; Alex Manayon, accountant; Fritzie Ortega, chief of planning and design; and Romeo Golle, chair of the bids and awards committee.

The complaints also named private contractors Wilhelm Tiu Go and Winiza Zhiene Baguio.

The DOJ declined to disclose further details.

FRSC uncovers plot to re-register suspected stolen vehicle, recovers missing car

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra State Sector Command, said on Wednesday that it had recovered a suspected stolen Toyota Camry in the industrial and commercial town of Nnewi.

The recovery was made through the Corps’ National Vehicle Identification Scheme (NVIS), which uncovered an alleged attempt to re-register the vehicle using questionable documentation.

It was learnt that the vigilance of the FRSC NVIS Desk Officer at the Driver’s Licence Centre, Nnewi, aided the recovery during the processing of the vehicle registration documents.

The Sector Public Education Officer, Margaret Onabe, said the investigation began on July 31, 2026, when processed vehicle licence documents were presented for upload to the NVIS portal.

According to her, during a routine verification, the officer discovered that the vehicle had already been profiled on the FRSC NVIS database with an existing registered owner.

She said the registered owner, Mr Ndem John Okori, a serving police officer attached to the 55 Squadron Police Mobile Force, Aba, confirmed that the vehicle had been stolen on June 23, 2023, from his residence at Umuajiji Isi-Eke Village, Ibeku Umuahia, Abia State.

She explained that the vehicle was quietly driven out of his compound around midnight during a heavy downpour.

Despite reporting the theft to the police in Umuahia, all efforts to recover the vehicle had proved unsuccessful.

Following the confirmation, the FRSC NVIS Desk Officer alerted the Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force, Nnewi Area Command, who directed the State Investigation Bureau (SIB) to commence an investigation.

The Motor Licensing Authority (MLA) subsequently invited the agent who submitted the vehicle documents for questioning. Investigators later invited the applicant claiming ownership of the vehicle, who was immediately arrested.

During interrogation, the suspect reportedly led investigators to his residence, where the Toyota Camry was recovered at about 5:06 p.m. on August 4, 2026.

Further investigations revealed that the vehicle bore the registration number FGG851AH, which is not assigned in the FRSC NVIS database, raising strong suspicion that the vehicle had been illegally re-registered or cloned to conceal its true identity.

The recovered vehicle has since been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Area Command, Nnewi, for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Commending the professionalism of the NVIS personnel, the Anambra State Sector Commander, Corps Commander Bridget Asekhauno, said the successful recovery underscored the effectiveness of the National Vehicle Identification Scheme in combating vehicle theft, identity cloning and related crimes.

She urged members of the public to ensure that all vehicle registration and ownership documents are properly verified through the FRSC NVIS platform.

The command also reminded road users to always call the FRSC toll-free emergency number, 122, in the event of an emergency.

OceanaGold allots P768 million for mine rehab

Australian-Canadian mining firm OceanaGold Philippines Inc. (OGPI) has allocated more than P700 million for the rehabilitation of its Didipio mine in Nueva Vizcaya.

In a statement yesterday, the company said it has earmarked P768.43 million under its Final Mine Rehabilitation and Decommissioning Plan (FMRDP), with about P551.4 million already deposited in a trust fund.

OGPI added that the fund would continue to grow in accordance with its required annual provisioning schedule.

‘As our operations continue in the years to come, we are already investing in rehabilitation and closure planning to help ensure positive and sustainable outcomes for the environment and our host communities well into the future,’ OGPI president Joan Adaci-Cattiling said.

The Didipio mine currently operates within 340-hectare out of the 975-hectare approved mining permit area under its Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement.

The company noted that about 100 hectares will be undergoing progressive rehabilitation during operations, while more than 55 hectares have already been rehabilitated as of last year.

It added that the remaining area will be rehabilitated in phases, while about 221 hectares will undergo final rehabilitation by the end of the mine’s operating life in 2037.

About 58 hectares, composed of the open pit and other mine cap facilities will be used for post-mining community use rather than revegetation.

The company said that the proposal will undergo technical assessment to ensure that they are safe and suitable for the specific area.

Its FMRDP is reviewed and updated every two years to reflect the company’s rehabilitation progress, mining plan updates, new technical information, inputs from stakeholders and other government requirements.

I inherited FHA with assets worth N10trn that couldn’t pay salaries -Oyetunde

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, on Wednesday said he inherited an agency with property assets valued at over N10 trillion but one that could not pay workers’ salaries due to a debt burden exceeding N12 billion.

Hon. Ojo made the disclosure in Abuja after receiving an Award of Excellence from the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), the research and training arm of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), for his contributions to institutional reforms and the fight against corruption.

According to him, the agency was in a dire financial situation when he assumed office two years ago alongside members of the executive management team, with accumulated debts backed by a Supreme Court judgment, as well as unpaid staff salaries and allowances.

‘We met over N12 billion deficit. We could not pay salary. That’s the truth. The first month, we didn’t even know where we were to pay salaries from,’ he said, adding that the management resolved to revive the organisation without relying on Federal Government subventions.

Hon. Ojo, who observed that the turning point came after the management embraced transparency, staff engagement, and digital reforms, said the reforms began yielding results within three months, leading to revenue surpluses that enabled the agency to clear the N12 billion debt within one year.

He added that the authority remitted N3 billion to the Federation Account in July and expects the figure to rise to N6 billion by December.

While speaking on the reforms initiated under his watch, Hon. Ojo said: ‘from 1977 to 2003, when we were de-listed from the budget revenue, I said over N500 billion have been invested into the Federal Housing Authority of Nigeria. I said, if it was your father’s business, and your father has put in N500 billion into an investment, will you watch it die? No.

‘Now, let’s go back and let’s see a situation where we will now be making profit for the Nigerian government and we say this is return on investment. Initially, it was like a joke. Even some of my Executive Directors did not believe me. But thank God I’ve been in politics, I’ve been in business, I’ve been in academics. So, I have a lot of combinations.

‘We realised the staff must be well taken care of. We decided there will be no department that will not function. When I came, SERVICOM, ACTU never existed. I said, for government to have created an agency or created a department, there must be a reason. I called on the former GM SERVICOM ACTU. I said, ACTU, you are the policeman of this organisation. This organisation has gone so down.

‘We will now start doing the police work. You and I will be moving from one office to another. Thank God I have the energy, files, everything. Because we’re about to now start digitalisation. Over a year before, it used to be the analogue style.

I said there’s wastage of revenue. We have to digitalise all our property files, both land and housing. And these are property files that are today in our custody, worth over N10 trillion. That’s the truth. Gwarinpa and Lugbe are enough for you to do the analysis.

‘We collect ground rents. We collect building approvals. And somebody who is in custody of over N10 trillion cannot pay salary? Something is wrong somewhere. We started digitalisation. We met with resistance, serious resistance. You know, when change is coming, that’s the most difficult thing. We stood our ground. So digitalisation process could not be achieved until we came.’

Hon. Ojo stressed that the administration adopted a zero-tolerance stance against corruption, arguing that responsive leadership and improved staff welfare are critical to eliminating unethical practices.

Presenting the award, the Provost of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, Professor Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, described Ojo as an intellectually sound administrator whose leadership had transformed the operational environment at the FHA while demonstrating a strong commitment to integrity and institutional reforms.

Ibrahim said the academy found the FHA chief deserving of the honour because of his resolve to partner with the ICPC and ACAN in strengthening ethics and accountability within the authority. ‘He has showcased a vibrant knowledge as well as resolve to partner with the ICPC and the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria to mitigate corrupt practices, especially within the Federal Housing Authority,’ he said.

He added that the recognition was also in appreciation of Ojo’s support for staff capacity building and his contribution to Nigeria’s anti-corruption strategy, national ethics, and integrity policy. ‘Today, we come to honour Honourable Oyetunde Ojo for his contributions, not only to ICPC and ACAN, but to Nigeria’s anti-corruption strategy, as well as national ethics and integrity policy, which advocates for human dignity, patriotism and professionalism,’ Ibrahim stated.

7 listed Philippines companies join Forbes’ Best Under $1 billion list

Seven publicly listed Philippine firms entered Forbes’ list of best Asian companies with sales of under $1 billion, showcasing their capability to sustain growth in a pressured environment.

In this year’s edition of Forbes Asia’s Best Under a Billion, seven listed Philippine companies joined a group of 200 small and mid-sized businesses that delivered notable financial performances in the face of economic and geopolitical challenges.

Forbes recognized Asia United Bank Corp. (AUB) and Pryce Corp. for putting up sales of $505 million and $370 million, respectively, the highest on the list from the Philippines.

They are joined by Apex Mining Co. Inc. with $357 million, A. Soriano Corp. with $256 million and Vivant Corp. with $177 million. Completing the list for the Philippines are two educational institutions, namely, Far Eastern University (FEU) with $100 million and STI Education Systems Holdings Inc. with $97 million.

Both Pryce and STI made it to the Best Under A Billion list for the first time. The rest landed at least once in the past, such as A. Soriano and Apex in 2025; FEU in 2024; and AUB and Vivant in 2020.

Forbes said it has selected the Best Under A Billion firms from more than 19,000 entities across 17 economies in Asia-Pacific.

The list, although unranked, features the strongest expanders financially, with Forbes measuring their growth by debt, sales and earnings-per-share profiles.

Further, the metrics were evaluated based on both financial reports over the past three years and the strongest one- and five-year average returns.

Regionally, Forbes observed a shift toward businesses that supply to the global boom on artificial intelligence (AI). One in four companies on the list are involved in the manufacture of electronic and semiconductor components and software development, which are crucial to AI growth.

By country, China accounted for the largest number of entrants on the list with 28, followed by India’s 27 and Malaysia’s 19. Forbes also said 60 companies this year are returning from 2025.

To qualify for the Best Under A Billion list, a company must be a listed firm with sales of above $10 million but less than $1 billion.

The Best Under A Billion has seen some of its companies graduate to become global giants since its creation in 2002, such as the Philippines’ Jollibee Foods Corp. and Malaysia’s AirAsia Group.

Leyte’s Richard Gomez pushes bill making purple yam priority crop

Leyte Fourth District Rep. Richard Gomez has filed a bill seeking to declare ube a national agricultural priority.

Gomez said the measure is part of a broader effort to unlock the economic potential of ube, which he described as an underutilized but promising crop.

‘For a long time, ube was not given priority. We only recently realized that this is a golden crop,’ he said.

House Bill No. 10225, or the proposed Philippine Ube Industry Development Act, seeks to establish a comprehensive national framework for the development, promotion, and protection of the country’s ube industry.

The bill proposes declaring ube a national priority crop, creating a Philippine Ube Industry Council, and strengthening government support for research, seed production, processing, marketing, branding, and export promotion.

According to Gomez, the Philippines has suitable conditions for expanding ube production, particularly in Leyte, where vast idle lands can be planted with the crop.

‘Ube thrives in our soil, and we have many vacant areas that can be used for its production. This can be achieved with government support,’ he said.

He added that ube matures within several months, is relatively easy to cultivate, and is resilient to changing weather conditions, making it a viable alternative source of income for farmers.

‘It can be planted regardless of weather conditions and even in idle areas. It just needs a push,’ Gomez said.

He emphasized that the Department of Agriculture will play a key role in expanding the industry by ensuring the availability of quality planting materials and supporting large-scale propagation.

‘DA’s role is very, very important because it will help farmers secure tissue-cultured planting materials and expand ube production across the country,’ he said.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that Eastern Visayas produced about 2,800 metric tons of ube in 2025, with Leyte accounting for about 1,900 metric tons, making the province the region’s biggest producer.

Known for its vibrant violet flesh, ube is one of the Philippines’ most recognizable food crops and is widely used in traditional and modern food products, including ube halaya, halo-halo, cakes, pastries, bread, ice cream, and other desserts.

With growing international demand for ube-based products, advocates believe the crop has strong potential to become a major agricultural export while providing higher incomes for Filipino farmers

Delta Police foil kidnap plot, arrest two, recover guns, ammunition

The Delta State Police Command has foiled a planned kidnapping and arrested two suspects in separate operations across the state.

The command also recovered three locally made guns, 13 live cartridges and other exhibits.

The command said one of the suspects was allegedly involved in a plot to kidnap a pastor and a retired school principal in the Ughelli area of the state.

Police spokesman SP Bright Edafe said in a statement on Wednesday that operatives of the Ebrumede Division arrested a 28-year-old suspect, Benjamin Haruna, during a stop-and-search operation along Garki-Uti Road, Effurun, on August 4.

He said two other suspects, identified simply as Omelo and Alabanco, escaped on a motorcycle.

Edafe said a search of a bag in the suspects’ possession led to the recovery of two locally made double-barrelled guns, 11 live cartridges, one expended cartridge, an axe, two Android phones, two power banks, two wristwatches, a lighter and a military camouflage polo.

The spokesman said a preliminary investigation showed that the suspects were conveying the exhibits to their hideout along Sapele Road.

He added that Haruna remained in custody while efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects.

He added that in a separate operation, operatives of ‘A’ Division, Ughelli, acting on credible intelligence on July 31, 2026, foiled a planned kidnapping and arrested 26-year-old Jeremiah Kwane.

Edafe asserted that Kwane attempted to recruit another person into a kidnapping syndicate to abduct a pastor and a retired school principal in Ughelli.

He said the suspect was arrested at his duty post, noting that a search led to the recovery of a locally made single-barrelled gun and two live cartridges.

He said the suspect was undergoing further investigation.

Commissioner of Police Yemi Oyeniyi reaffirmed the command’s resolve to sustain the fight against kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes.

Oyeniyi urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to the police to enhance security across Delta State.

Sara Duterte visits Marcoleta, Estrada, Defensor at QC Jail, says BJMP

Vice President Sara Duterte visited the Quezon City Jail, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) confirmed on Wednesday.

In a statement, the BJMP said Duterte visited on Tuesday from 12 noon to 3:20 p.m.

‘During her visit, she met with Senator Rodante Dizon Marcoleta; Senator Jose Pimentel Ejercito Jr., known as Jinggoy E. Estrada; and former Congressman Michael Tan Defensor,’ the bureau further detailed.

Marcoleta and Defensor were committed to the Quezon City Jail last July over plunder charges in connection with P75 million in donations that the senator received from the former congressman and two businessmen in 2025.

Meanwhile, Estrada was committed to the Quezon City Jail last June in connection with a plunder charge related to the flood control corruption scandal

Sunday Igboho commends Ooni for N100m support to Iru Ekun Security Network

Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has commended the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, for supporting the Iru Ekun Security Network with N100 million and a brand-new Toyota Hilux van.

Igboho said the gesture demonstrated the monarch’s commitment to strengthening security in the South-West and supporting local security initiatives aimed at tackling criminality and other threats to peace and tranquillity in Yorubaland.

Igboho, who launched the Iru Ekun Security Network in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, on Tuesday, also stressed the importance of the traditional institution as a critical stakeholder in ensuring the safety of communities across the South-West.

In a statement issued by his media office, he said the support from the Ooni would encourage the security initiative to intensify its efforts towards creating a safer environment for residents of urban and rural communities.

The statement quoted Igboho as saying, ‘This immense support from the foremost traditional ruler in Yorubaland will spur us to further forge ahead in our resolve in enabling a safer environment for inhabitants of urban and rural communities.’

‘Though our task of ensuring effective security in collaboration with the Police, the military, Department of State Service (DSS) and other paramilitary agencies is daunting, this noble and encouraging support from the Ooni of Ife would go a long way in making our operations seamless and impactful.

‘The era of our farmers abandoning farms due to mindless killings perpetrated by hoodlums, abduction and sexual assault of their wives and daughters are over. We are going to sustain the current tempo of zero tolerance for criminalities within the ambit of the law.

‘Apart from the generous donation from the Ooni, we have received motivation from the elite, reverred judges and technocrats and other eminent Nigerians, who shared our ideology and philosophy of an egalitarian society where everyone can pursue his dreams without fear and hinderance.’

‘We are also planning to organise a summit for all traditional rulers in the South West to be hosted in Ile-Ife by the Ooni where issues relating to security, unity, and other crucial matters capable of protecting and promoting the collective interest of Yorubaland will discussed.’

Meanwhile, Oba Ogunwusi has described Igboho as an illustrious and courageous son of Oduduwa, who deserves the support of Nigerians in his quest for peace, safety and development of the South West and the country as a whole.

Speaking while hosting Igboho at palace in Ile-Ife, the monarch said ‘I commend Chief Sunday Igboho for taking a bold step towards strengthening community security. Protecting our people is a collective responsibility that transcends political, religious and ideological differences.

‘Every initiative genuinely designed to preserve lives and maintain peace deserves encouragement and support,’ the Ooni stated. I want to urge prominent Yoruba sons and daughters, traditional rulers, traditionalists, community leaders, business executives, professionals and all stakeholders across the globe to rally behind the Iru Ekun.’

Expiration of teachers’ poll service credits hit

The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) yesterday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to scrap a resolution mandating the expiration of election service credits for teachers.

Comelec Resolution 11212 fixes the service credit for teachers and other government personnel serving in national and local elections at 10 days, instead of the previous minimum of five days, the TDC said.

‘Credits earned through election service should remain available until lawfully exhausted under reasonable implementing rules, and not be extinguished by arbitrary deadlines that penalize teachers for faithfully performing their regular duties,’ it said.

The TDC urged the Comelec to talk with teachers’ organizations, the Department of Education and Civil Service Commission to address the issue, and create guidelines that uphold the intent of the Election Service Reform Act.

It said service credits earned during elections must be used within the same calendar year.

The expiration provision is impractical, unreasonable and ultimately confiscatory, the TDC said.