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Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Arrey Perez, whom Secretary Vince Dizon had personally brought to his team, has resigned after a lawmaker accused him of ties with contractors.

Dizon described Perez as a “good worker” and urged fairness in the investigation process as he announced the official’s irrevocable resignation on Friday, October 17.

This was after Rep. Leandro Leviste (Batangas 1st District) accused a DPWH official of conflict of interest in having connections with contractors.

In a dzRH interview earlier on Friday, Leviste made public Perez’s name, whom he accused of conflict of interest, saying he received information that the undersecretary is poised to oversee procurement for major infrastructure projects for the department.

While he has yet to provide evidence on the accusation, Leviste said he would leave it to Dizon to conduct the probe.

“My focus is that we should reform the system, and not think that simply changing the people handling the bidding would eliminate corruption,” Leviste said.

At a separate press conference, Dizon said he informed Perez of Leviste’s accusation against him and said that this will be investigated.

Perez has since handed in his resignation.

‘Anang-unang wina-welcome niya yun pero ayaw niyang makasagabal at ayaw niyang maging distraction ito dahil alam niya na napaka-bigat ng kailangan natin gawin at siya ay mag-tender ng irrevocable resignation. At ito siyempre ay tinanggap ko na. So as of today, hindi na po parte si Undersecretary Perez sa DPWH,’ Dizon said at a press conference in Subic.

(First of all, he welcomed this but he said he does not want to be a nuisance and distraction because he knows how heavy their work is so he had tendered his irrevocable resignation. And of course I accepted this. So as of today, Undersecretary Perez is no longer part of the DPWH.)

Dizon urges due process

Despite accepting Perez’s resignation, Dizon said the investigation into alleged contractor links will continue but stressed the need for due process and factual basis before assigning blame.

Dizon also pointed out that it was the DPWH’s job to talk to contractors in order to build more infrastructure. A DPWH official speaking to a contractor is normal, Dizon said.

What would be anomalous is if the contractor starts asking the DPWH for favors, he said.

While Dizon said he understood the environment of information these days, with many wanting immediate results from the investigations, there was a process to be followed. If anyone was to be held accountable, it should be based on facts, he stressed.

The DPWH secretary said he knew Perez to be a good worker, with Dizon himself seeking him out from the private sector. Prior to his appointment to the DPWH, Perez was president and chief executive officer of Clark International Airport Corp. He also served as chief regulatory officer of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp.

The DPWH is being treated as a ‘ground zero’ of sorts for corruption in the government, with the agency being tied to kickback schemes involving billions of pesos. Several officials in the DPWH are already being investigated for corruption schemes.

The Magnolia Hotshots remained unscathed in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup after keeping the gritty Titan Ultra Giant Risers at bay, 127-119, Friday evening at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

LA Tenorio thus remained undefeated in his PBA head coaching career, as Magnolia rose to 2-0.

Titan Ultra, meanwhile, limped to 1-2.

Zav Lucero powered the Hotshots with a monster double-double of 23 points and 17 rebounds to go with four assists in 36 minutes of play. Ian Sangalang chipped in 21 markers and five boards.

Magnolia was clinging to a four-point lead at the end of the third, 92-88, after a late jumper by Jeo Ambohot.

But 13 straight points by the Hotshots broke the game wide open, 105-88, with Mark Barroca and Sangalang leading the way.

A layup by Cade Flores finally put the Giant Risers on the board, 90-105, but the onslaught did not stop there.

The lead grew to as much as 21 points, 119-98, following a deuce by Javi Gomez-de Liano with 2:54 remaining.

While it looked like the game was all but over, Joshua Munzon and Von Pessumal tried to bring Titan out of the hole as they sliced the deficit to 12, 108-120, with 1:49 left.

But a dagger triple by Gomez-de Liano iced the game, as the eight-point spread at the end of the game was the closest the Giant Risers got to.

Barroca and Russell Escoto finished with 16 points apiece for Magnolia, while Gomez-de Liano and Jerom Lastimosa chipped in 14 and 13 points, respectively.

Munzon paced Titan with 28 points, six assists, three steals and two rebounds. Ato Ular backstopped with 17 points.

After just five games, Jamie Malonzo has been released by Japan B.League team Kyoto Hannaryz, the team announced Friday.

Malonzo, who left Barangay Ginebra and the PBA in July, has been cut by Kyoto.

‘We are pleased to announce that we have mutually agreed to terminate the contract with Jamie Malonzo,’ the team announced on its website on Friday.

‘Malonzo will be listed on the B.League free agent list at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, October 17th,’ it added.

The wingman, a 6-foot-7 athletic forward, won a PBA championship with the Gin Kings in the PBA Season 47 Commissioner’s Cup.

In Japan, he only averaged 1.2 points, 1.0 rebound, 0.4 assists and 0.4 steals a contest.

He did not play more than 15 minutes in Japan.

It is now interesting to see where Malonzo will end up after being released by the Hannaryz, which has a 1-4 win-loss record.

The PBA, earlier in the year, enacted a new rule imposing a three-year ban on players who decline a PBA contract offer and jump ship to other leagues – local or foreign.

An off-duty soldier died on the spot, while his civilian companion was seriously injured, after the motorcycle they were riding rammed into an astray carabao in Barangay Manuel Roxas, Santo Niño, South Cotabato, before dawn on Thursday, October 16.

The accident fatality belonged to an Army unit based in the province, whose full name local executives and officials of the Santo Ñino Municipal Police Station withheld on the behest of the victim’s family.

Municipal police officials said the Honda Wave that figured in the accident is owned by Eden Pueden Clarin, a resident of Purok Tagumpay in Barangay San Isidro, Santo Niño.

The motorcycle was driven by Denice, 27, a member of the Philippine Army, who died instantly from injuries sustained in the incident that left his companion, the 28-year-old John, badly injured.

Local government officials and personnel of the Santo Ñino Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said the duo was on their way to the center of the municipality when they hit a female carabao along the route.

The carabao, which crippled by the accident, was lifted by emergency responders to one side of the highway, its two hind legs both broken, according to barangay officials.

Barangay officials in Manuel Roxas and policemen who responded to the incident said they will compel the owner of the astray carabao to help facilitate the burial of the soldier who died in the peculiar highway mishap.

The British Chamber of Commerce Philippines (BCCP) paid a courtesy visit to the Philippine Embassy in London and met with Ambassador of the Philippines to the United Kingdom Teodoro Locsin Jr. to discuss the growing investment opportunities for British companies across various sectors, including renewable energy, agriculture, cybersecurity and manufacturing.

In an interview, BCCP Executive Vice Chair Chris Nelson noted that, ‘The current government has put trade and investment at the forefront, which I think is very good – particularly for the UK and the Philippines.Let me just remind everyone, next year will be the 80th year of diplomatic relations between our two countries, and we continue to see growth in trade between the two areas.’

The meeting was also joined by Consul Emilio Lopue and Philippine Trade and Investment Center Counselor Celynne Layug to discuss other areas of cooperation. In the four quarters to the end of Q1 2025, the total trade in goods and services between the UK and Philippines reached £3.0 billion, marking a 6.0% increase from the same period of 2024.

The Philippines has remained as the UK’s 59th largest trading partner, to which Nelson expressed optimism in moving further towards noting the recent trade developments between the two countries such as the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO), Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) and the Philippines’ interest in joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty has previously noted that, ‘Actually, with the entry of the UK, it gave us more reason to join CPTPP because the UK is one of our biggest trading partners.’

Meanwhile, economic reforms in the Philippines also remain a key driver in advancing the UK-Philippine trade, particularly the CREATE MORE Act and recently signed laws such as the 99-year land lease law, E-Governance, and Konektadong Pinoy.

The country’s economic zones, according to Nelson, are also gaining momentum following an increasing presence of the British business community.

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has recognized the UK as the leading investor in January 2025 and has been identified as one of the top ecozone locator investments with British companies contributing to 6.89%, contributing a cumulative investments valued at P34.036 billion since 1994-2024.

Nelson also announced the upcoming meat trade mission with the UK Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) on November 18 to 20, signaling a continuous partnership since 2021 and the UK’s role in ensuring food security and managing inflation.

He further added that, “The UK has been a strong investor in the Philippines and most recently we have seen a lot of activities in renewable energy and other sectors. What we want to see is more opening of the economy, further discussion and focus on that, and to make sure priority legislation like cybersecurity gets passed.’

With some lawmakers tagged in alleged corruption schemes involving infrastructure projects, approval in the performance of both chambers of Congress has plunged by double digits in the third quarter of the year, a survey conducted by Pulse Asia showed.

The survey, conducted from Sept. 27 to 30, found that only 42 percent of the respondents approved of the performance of the Senate. It went down by 11 points from 53 percent obtained in a similar survey in June.

Those who disapproved of the Senate’s performance increased by 10 points from 18 percent to 28 percent, while those who were undecided slightly increased from 28 percent to 30 percent.

The House of Representatives obtained even lower approval ratings, declining by 17 points from 47 percent in June to just 30 percent in the latest survey.

Those who disapproved of the lower chamber’s performance increased by 13 points, from 21 percent to 34 percent, while those who were undecided increased from 32 percent to 36 percent.

The survey, which had 1,200 respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus 2.8 percent, was conducted weeks after the leadership changes at both chambers.

The disqualification of International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan from participating in the case against former president Rodrigo Duterte will not stop the ongoing investigation into the situation in the Philippines, the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) said.

In a statement on Wednesday night, the OTP said the Appeals Chamber ruling that disqualified Khan does not affect the continuation of the proceedings in the case as it is being led by Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang.

‘The Office’s independent and impartial investigation into alleged Rome Statute crimes in relation to the Situation in the Philippines is ongoing,’ it said.

‘This investigation focuses on crimes allegedly committed on the territory of the Philippines between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019 in the context of the so-called ‘War on Drugs’ campaign,’ it added.

The OTP maintained that the investigative and prosecutorial activities, including the application for warrant against Duterte, were led by a multi-disciplinary team under Niang’s supervision.

‘The Office has been able to advance the case against Mr. Duterte solely on the strength of independently gathered evidence, and information collected from a wide range of sources, including interviews with witnesses, information from States, international partners and civil society, as well as publicly available information,’ it said.

‘The victims and survivors in the Philippines situation deserve justice and accountability. The Office’s activities in this case will continue, contributing to ensuring that justice is pursued impartially and independently,’ it added.

The ICC has released the public redacted version of the Appeals Chamber decision that disqualified Khan.

Defense lawyer Nicholas Kaufman earlier accused him of conflict of interest after it was discovered that he previously represented, in his private capacity, some drug war victims in filing a communication to then ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, Khan’s predecessor.

In the ruling, the Appeals Chamber maintained that the defense failed to demonstrate actual bias on the part of the prosecutor.

But it also noted that ‘a number of factors may give rise to an objectively reasonable appearance of bias in the eyes of a reasonable observer, such that they would conclude that the Prosecutor could be expected to have formed an opinion on the case against Mr. Duterte.’

‘Therefore, the Appeals Chamber grants the Request and disqualifies the Prosecutor from the case of The Prosecutor v. Rodrigo Roa Duterte,’ read the ruling.

Kaufman, in response to the decision, maintained that Khan’s ‘preconceived views as to Mr. Duterte’s guilt contaminated the investigation that he later supervised.’

But he did not disclose any future action in relation to the matter.

Meanwhile, Kristina Conti, an ICC-accredited assistant to counsel, said they do not anticipate a significant interruption in the work of the OTP even with this decision.

‘The disqualification of Khan, who assisted a group of victims prepare a communication in 2018 prior to his appointment as prosecutor, is intended to ensure fairness and preserve the integrity of the proceedings,’ she said.

‘With this matter resolved in a swift and precise manner, we hope that the court can also deal with the other issues pending in the same way. The two major issues are: whether Duterte is fit to stand trial, and whether the court has jurisdiction to hear the case. Victims, of course, are eagerly awaiting for trial to begin,’ she added.

Around 300 “super health centers” across the country that remain closed to patients despite being marked as complete have been brought to the attention of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa, appearing at the ICI on Friday, October 17, that many of these facilities lack basic utilities like electricity and water.

Herbosa’s meeting was upon the commission invitation to discuss the issue of the non-operational health centers. The DOH secretary said he has submitted documents on such facilities tagged as completed but are not ready for occupancy.

Super health centers are health facilities that are bigger and better equipped than regular health centers, but offering less complex services than hospitals. Since being introduced in 2021, the number of super health centers funded for construction has climbed to 818.

“The obstacles to operations are number one, there is no power, there is no water,” Herbosa told reporters during a press conference after meeting with the ICI.

Herbosa said all health facilities in 2024 are being implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) due to a provision in the 2025 General Appropriations Act requiring DPWH to handle construction of health facilities costing over P5 million that are not directly under DOH control.

“So, since DPWH in the is in the highlight, I decided to look at the things being implemented by either the DPWH or the LGU,” the DOH secretary said.

There are generally three ways health facilities are built, the DOH chief explained.

“It can be [the DOH] regional office, the local government unit, or the DPWH district engineer’s office. So that’s why I’m looking at the health facilities built through that methodology,” Herbosa added.

Local governments’ role

Of 878 super health centers funded since 2021 through the Health Facility Enhancement Program, preliminary DOH data shows only 196 are operational, with another 17 partially operational and 365 undergoing construction at various states, according to DOH’s preliminary data.

The 300 non-operational facilities represent more than a third of the 878 total centers funded.

While the infrastructure for the super health centers are under the DOH, Herbosa pointed to local government units as the main entities repsonsible for the facilities’ complete utilities and hire medical staff, including doctors, nurses, midwives and pharmacists.

“It is the LGU that will make sure that it is connected to the electricals, that is connected to water lines,” he said. “Kami, grant lang to build the infrastructure (We just give the grant to build the infrastructure).”

Next steps. The DOH, according to a statement following Herbosa’s meeting with the ICI, will continue case build up for the 300 problematic centers.

The facilities will also be personally inspected by DOH officials, Herbosa said.

“I will ask my regional directors to visit [all 300],” Herbosa said in mixed English and Filipino. “I will ask why they still cannot provide services.”

The department will also activate a “Citizens Participatory Audit” to gather public reports about the idle health facilities.

The ICI will also support the ongoing investigations by the DOH, the statement added.

Sen. Bong Go yesterday denied he was being protected by Curlee and Sarah Discaya, the contractor couple at the center of the investigation on anomalies in flood control projects.

Go was reacting to media interviews of Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla where he said that the Discayas were ‘protecting’ the senator because of their shared business interests in infrastructure projects.

The Discayas announced yesterday that they would no longer cooperate in the investigation on the flood control controversy by the

Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). They made the decision when it became apparent they won’t qualify as state witnesses.

‘Please do not make me a scapegoat after the Discayas backed out of cooperating supposedly because they were protecting someone,’ Go said at a press conference yesterday, calling Remulla’s allegation ‘unfair.’

Go said he is willing to be a complainant against his own kin, if necessary, as he also urged the Discayas and other contractors to tell the truth about the scale of corruption in flood control and other infrastructure projects.

‘Do not divert from the truth, not when we are close to getting to the real masterminds,’ Go said without naming anyone.

The Duterte camp has pinned the blame for the flood control mess on the President’s cousin former speaker Martin Romualdez and on resigned congressman Zaldy Co who was House appropriations committee chairman.

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) earlier reported that two Go family firms CLTG Builders and Alfrego Builders and Supply are the top contractors in the Duterte political turf, Davao City.

CLTG, the senator’s initials, entered into a joint venture with the Discaya firm St. Gerrard Construction for projects in Davao City. The PCIJ found that CLTG’s joint venture projects in 2017 failed to meet contract deadlines. CLTG is owned by Go’s father Deciderio.

Go claimed CLTG backed out of the joint venture with the Discayas and that the firm finished all pending projects in 2019 and ‘retired’ in 2022, or by the end of the Duterte administration.

Go said he never used his position to help his family curry favors from government. The PCIJ reported that CLTG saw its business boom during the Duterte administration.

‘I do not control the businesses of my relatives. This is a rehashed issue. My family has been into the construction business long before I was born. I never interfered to ask for favors for my relatives because I observe delicadeza,’ Go said.

‘I am a senator, not a businessman or contractor,’ he added. ‘Please do not hurl mud at me just to make yourself look clean.’

Go said he was wondering why the ombudsman is going after his family firm’s road projects in Davao when the issue is ghost or substandard flood control.

‘The issue is flood control ghost or substandard projects. Let us hold those behind it accountable. Why is it looking like a cover-up? Let us not divert from the real issue,’ Go said.

Ties that bind

Investigators, meanwhile, are looking into the ties that bind CLTG Builders and the companies linked to the Discaya couple.

Appearing at the office of the ICI yesterday for an asset recovery meeting with various agencies, Secretary Vince Dizon of the Department of Public Works and Highways said he spoke with Remulla after the Discayas announced their decision not to cooperate anymore with the ICI.

‘We will begin investigating CLTG and its links to the Discaya companies from 2016 because the couple admitted at a Senate Blue Ribbon hearing that their firms earned huge profits,’ Dizon said in Filipino.

ICI executive director Brian Keith Hosaka said the commission is prepared to invite Go and request for a lookout bulletin against him if evidence points to his involvement in any irregularities.

Remulla insinuated in an interview with ‘Storycon’ on One News on Wednesday that the Discayas appeared to be protecting Go when they appeared before the Department of Justice.

‘They told me that they never met Christopher Lawrence Tesoro Go,’ the ombudsman said, referring to the senator by his full name, which is abbreviated as CLTG – the name of the company his father owned.

‘Looking at their record, they have selfies and pictures with everybody they meet. Do you think that’s possible?’

Based on Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) documents, the Discayas’ business empire earned P1.3 billion in in 2017, up 942 percent from just P99 million the previous year. By 2018, their earnings soared by 1,065 percent to over P12 billion.

Sarah confirmed the joint venture with CLTG during her first Senate appearance on Sept. 1, but she did not elaborate. Go insisted he had nothing to do with his family’s business.

‘I have no involvement in its operations,’ he said during the hearing. ‘I was just 24 years old when I started working for former mayor Rodrigo Duterte.’

Dizon: No sacred cows

Dizon reiterated that the investigation on anomalous public works won’t be selective. ‘There won’t be any sacred cows in this investigation,’ the public works chief said.

‘Everyone who’s linked by the evidence should be held accountable; it’s as simple as that. It doesn’t matter if you belong to the previous or current administration,’ he added.

He said that with the Discayas’ refusal to cooperate in the ICI probe, they would just have to air their side in the courts. ‘These are non-bailable cases, so let’s just go face to face,’ Dizon said.

Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte yesterday said the Marcos administration is likely to also link her to the flood control scandal.

‘I am sure that the flood control scandal will not reach me because first of all, there are no flood control projects in the Office of the Vice President (OVP) or the Department of Education and the contractors and even (former DPWH) secretary (Manuel) Bonoan can say that I am not involved at all in the project of DPWH,’ she said at forum. ‘I think they will try to link me because of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s ally, Sen. Bong Go. I think that’s where they will make that story. The part where me, PRRD in the middle, and Sen. Bong Go on the other side,’ Duterte added.

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) posted a net income of P50.5 billion in the first nine months, up by 5.2 percent from P48 billion a year ago, as higher revenues offset the rise in expenses and loan-loss provisions.

The 174-year-old bank said its performance was anchored on sustained loan growth and stronger non-interest income streams, particularly from credit cards, wealth management and trading.

Total revenues rose by 13.2 percent year-on-year to P142.3 billion, supported by a 16.2-percent surge in net interest income to P109.1 billion. The improvement was driven by an 8.7-percent expansion in the average earning asset base and a 30-basis point rise in net interest margin to 4.6 percent.

Non-interest income also climbed by 4.2 percent to P33.3 billion, buoyed by the bank’s fee-based businesses and market-related gains.

Despite rising costs tied to business expansion, manpower and technology investments, BPI said it maintained operational efficiency.

Operating expenses grew by 10.3 percent to P65.5 billion, but the cost-to-income ratio improved by 118 basis points to 46 percent, supported by strong top-line growth.

The bank’s asset quality remained sound, with a non-performing loan ratio of 2.3 percent as of end-September. After booking P11.8 billion in provisions for potential credit losses, the NPL coverage ratio stood at 96.5 percent.

Total assets expanded by 9.3 percent year-on-year to P3.5 trillion, while gross loans climbed by 13.3 percent to P2.4 trillion, led by non-institutional borrowers.

Deposits also increased by 7.7 percent to P2.7 trillion, with current and savings accounts rising by 4.3 percent to P1.6 trillion, equivalent to a CASA ratio of 61 percent. The loan-to-deposit ratio stood at 90.3 percent.

BPI’s capital position remained strong, with total equity rising by 9.6 percent to P474.8 billion from a year earlier. The bank’s common equity tier 1 ratio was 14.9 percent, while its capital adequacy ratio reached 15.8 percent, both comfortably above regulatory requirements.

The Ayala-led lender also marked a milestone in October with the opening of BPI Wealth Singapore, a wholly owned subsidiary that signals the bank’s expansion in Asia.

‘The launch represents BPI’s continued expansion in Asia and its commitment to providing Filipino and regional clients access to one of the world’s most dynamic financial centers,’ the bank said.