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Solons set to ask Ombudsman to probe claims Duterte got ‘suitcases of cash’

THE House of Representatives impeachment prosecution panel is set to seek an investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman into allegations that Vice President Sara Duterte received more than P2 billion in cash-filled suitcases

Impeachment trial spokesperson and adviser Ace Barbers said the allegations should be examined by the proper government agency, even if they may no longer be included as part of the ongoing impeachment trial against Duterte.

‘We will probably seek the intervention of the appropriate agency. In this case, this is the Ombudsman, who has to conduct the investigation and file the charges if it merits the filing of such charges against the respondent,’ Barbers said in an interview over the weekend.

The House prosecution panel official said the allegations require serious scrutiny and that an investigation would also provide an opportunity for those accused to respond and clear their names.

‘This should not be ignored. It should be thoroughly investigated so that the truth will come out,’ Barbers said.

The allegation was raised by police Cpl. Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., who claimed that he served as the former security head of then-Speaker Lord Allan Velasco. Gracioso alleged that he delivered cash-filled suitcases to Duterte more than 20 times on Velasco’s orders, with the total amount exceeding P2 billion.

Gracioso also claimed that he delivered money to former President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is currently reviewing his sworn affidavit and other information submitted to investigators.

Vice President Duterte has denied knowing Gracioso or receiving money from him. Her lawyers said they are waiting for an official copy of his affidavit from the NBI before pursuing possible legal action.

Barbers said Gracioso’s claim that he had ties to a former House leader known to be close to the Duterte family was among the reasons the allegation should be investigated.

‘The information came from someone who was reportedly trusted by the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, who is known by the public to have been very close to the Duterte family,’ Barbers said.

He also denied that the House prosecution panel had any involvement in Gracioso’s disclosure, saying the information would have been included earlier in the impeachment proceedings if it had been available.

‘We have nothing to do with this. If we had known about this earlier, it should have already been released and included among the Articles of Impeachment or among the issues being pursued,’ Barbers said.

He added that the allegation only surfaced recently because a witness may have decided to come forward and request an investigation.

Barbers acknowledged that the allegation may no longer be introduced as evidence in the impeachment trial because the issues to be discussed were already defined during the pre-trial conference and included in the impeachment court’s trial order.

‘The impeachment court is discussing the matters agreed upon during the pre-trial conference, and the trial order issued by the clerk of court guides the proceedings,’ Barbers said.

Despite this, Barbers maintained that government agencies should still investigate the allegation because of its significance.

Barbers rejected claims from Duterte’s allies that the timing of Gracioso’s disclosure was meant to influence the impeachment proceedings, saying witnesses should be allowed to come forward when they decide to reveal information.

BIR extends suspension of tax on LPG, kerosene

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has issued a circular implementing the renewed suspension of excise taxes on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and kerosene.

The BIR said in a statement the Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) 100-2026 it issued last Monday was after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued last Friday Executive Order (EO) 125 (series of 2026).

BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin R. Mendoza explained that this new round of temporary suspension follows the Department of Energy’s (DOE) certification that the one-month average Dubai crude oil price based on the Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS) reached $99.41 per barrel from August 13 to September 11,2026, exceeding the $80 per barrel threshold prescribed under Republic Act 12316. The law signed on March 25, 2026, authorizes the President to temporarily suspend or reduce excise taxes on petroleum products.

Under EO 125, the BIR said the excise taxes on LPG are fully suspended, except when used as raw material for the production of petrochemical products or for motive power, while the excise tax on kerosene is fully suspended, except when used as aviation fuel.

‘The regular excise tax rates shall automatically revert, without need of further issuance, one week after the one-month average Dubai crude oil price falls below US$80 per barrel, as certified by the DOE, or three months from the effectivity of the EO, whichever comes first,’ the BIR noted.

The BIR previously implemented a similar suspension under EO No. 114, series of 2026, beginning April 17, 2026. The suspension was lifted effective July 8, 2026, after the DOE certification that the one-month average Dubai crude oil price had fallen below the applicable $80 threshold.

Marcos issued EO 125 on the recommendation of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC). It will take effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or in newspapers of general circulation.

The Department of Finance (DOF) and the DOE were allowed to issue rules, regulations and guidelines for the implementation of the suspension.

Both agencies were directed to conduct an inventory of existing stocks of LPG and kerosene once EO 125 takes effect.

DOF’s Bureau of Customs and Bureau of Internal Revenue were mandated to submit to the House of Representatives monthly information on the declared value and volume of petroleum products covered by EO 125.

Within 15 days from the issuance of EO 125, the DBCC in coordination with DOE will review the implementation of the new issuance to the House of Representatives and the Senate. It may also recommend to the President the continuation, modification, extension, or termination of the said suspension.

’Lanterns’: A fantastic show that hates its protagonist

Let’s imagine you are not a comic book fan or never picked up a comic book in your life, nor watched an animated show, or ever heard of comic book characters like in this case, Green Lantern. Let’s have a quick lesson.

The Green Lanterns are an elite interstellar police force recruited from across the universe based on their willpower and ability to conquer fear. Every officer carries a Power Ring that turns their imagination into solid green energy constructs, basically an ability to create anything they can imagine.

The ring is recharged using a lantern. A different corp in that universe are represented by different colour which plays into their purpose and to wrap it all up they have a cool oath.

Before the Lanterns though, there were the Manhunters, the original, emotionless android police force. Built to maintain order, these robots malfunctioned and decided the only logical way to eliminate crime was to wipe out all organic life.

After committing cosmic genocide, they were shut down and replaced by the much more logical Green Lanterns, turning the surviving robots into the bad guys.

Calm down, we are not going to be talking exclusively about comic books, our focus is a series based on comic book characters.

Lanterns

This is an American superhero TV series created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King for HBO.

Serving as the third series in James Gunn’s rebooted DC Universe, the show features Green Lanterns starting with Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler, and recruit John Stewart, played by Aaron Pierre, with Guy Gardner popping up played by Nathan Fillion.

Showrunner Chris Mundy made it clear early on that this would be a grounded, gritty, True Detective-style murder mystery rather than a cosmic space opera. The story follows Jordan and Stewart as they investigate a mysterious murder in the small town of Rushville, Nebraska, which unravels into a far wider conspiracy.

I really like episode 7 and thought it brought a lot of what was set up in the previous episode together well, It was so good that I had talk about it, bring your attention to the show before the season finale.

Spoiler free

If you prefer linear storytelling, you might struggle with the show because it jumps around a lot. The showrunners play around with the timeline, jumping across different periods, intentionally drip-feeding you with information and character backstories, which lets you piece together the story as you go.

Initially, throwing all these ideas at the viewer without immediate context feels chaotic, but that hook at the end of Episode 1 is sharp enough to keep you glued. As the series progresses, those scattered pieces slot into place. By the time you get to episodes 3, 5, and especially episode 7, you get those cathartic moments where earlier reveals come together perfectly.

The non-linear structure builds an intriguing mystery where understanding John Stewart’s strict upbringing or Hal Jordan’s past gives the investigation and story weight.

It is slow but rewarding.

Perfomances

Aaron Pierre is perfectly cast as John Stewart. Stewart is the new recruit stepping up to take over from Hal, and Pierre embodies the stoic, disciplined nature of a military man who was raised with a very specific, conditioned relationship to fear. His character arc grows naturally across the episodes.

Some episodes complicate the plot and force Stewart through a rollercoaster of emotions following his relationship with Hal and the people of Rushville, Pierre handles those heavy dramatic beats brilliantly. He brings real depth to a character who is learning on the job, making him the centre of the series.

Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan is interesting in this, without spoiling it, we follow two distinct versions of Hal, and Kyle is able to bring out those two personalities perfectly. However, I really do not like the primary version of Hal Jordan.

As someone who has a substantial understanding of Hal thanks to DC Animated Universe from the mid-2000s to the late 2010s, this characterisation feels like it’s coming from a dark place.

The writing almost feels as if it was coming from a psychiatrist who dislikes Hal Jordan. In an effort to ground the character, the creators turned him into a tired, depressed, worn-out man who is far past his prime. They stripped away the kind, loyal and Maverick-like charm that defines Hal Jordan for comic fans. Instead of rooting for him, you end up pitying him.

He feels less like the iconic Green Lantern and more like a generic, grumpy old man who happens to carry a power ring. It might have been the intention, but I found it distasteful even when it makes for some of the most entertaining interactions with Stewart.

Guy Gardner pops up briefly, roping James Gunn’s universe into the story. Poorna Jagannathan turns in a compelling performance as Zoe, and Sinestro makes a brief, intriguing appearance that hints at huge potential for future storylines.

That push for realism extends to the visual design and sci-fi elements. Instead of bright, luminous green constructs, the show uses a darker, muted emerald tone.

Other small details I enjoyed include Hal taking off into flight in a quick, understated way that feels second nature to him. The action set-pieces are okay, and the overall cinematography is cinematic and grand.

However, the grounded aesthetic hurts the Manhunters. In the comics, these androids are imposing, iconic killing machines with a distinct, cool design. Here, while the show establishes them as a threat, their physical look is stripped back to human form to fit a small-town and grounded setting.

With the premise, the whole setting in Rushville and the grounded take on these characters is fantastic, in that even with the time jumps its easy to follow and undestand who is who. But I must admit I kept thinking of Peacemaker Season 1 from James Gunn just darker and a better mystery.

Jump in

But even with all that, Lanterns is an awesome show and if you haven’t jumped in, you have a week before the finale. If Episode 1 is a shock, or you struggle to piece things together, give it two more episodes. I was personally impressed by Episode 3 and Episode 5; Episode 6 has a weighty moment especially having followed these characters, and of course episode 7.

Right now, Lanterns sits in third place on my list of favourite comic book shows, just behind What If…? and my top pick, The Penguin.

Depending on how next week’s finale fares, it might move higher up the ranks.

Farage: IRGC sending operatives on migrant boats

Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage claimed on Sunday that he received intelligence information that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is sending its operatives to the United Kingdom via immigrant boats.

Farage reacted to the RAF Fairford air base terror plot on X, praising United States President Donald Trump for being wary of the terror threats posed by the IRGC through immigration. “We were allowing people to come in who may well end up killing many of our own people,” he said in a video message.

Farage accused the Labour Party of caring more about international opinion and the decisions of international courts than national security, claiming that there has never been a government in the UK that cared less for the security of its citizens.

Nigeria cannot achieve $1tn economy with current budget size, budget minister says

Nigeria cannot achieve its ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy without significantly expanding its national budget, Atiku Bagudu, minister of Budget and Economic Planning, has said.

Bagudu said Nigeria’s budget remained one of the smallest among the world’s 10 most populous countries, raising questions about how the country could finance the infrastructure, human capital and other investments required to achieve the target within the next four years.

He made the submission in Abuja at the 2026 Capacity-Building Workshop of the Senate Press Corps, organised with the theme, ‘Leveraging Legislative Oversight and Media Collaboration to Safeguard the National Budget from Unlawful Insertions.’

According to the minister, the starting point of the national budget conversation should not simply be how much money the government currently has, but how much is required to achieve its development objectives.

His comments come at a time when the National Assembly is expecting both the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), Nigeria’s statutory multi-year economic blueprint that sets macro-fiscal projections, revenue targets, and spending limits before the presentation of the annual national budget.

‘Perhaps the starting point for this discussion should be: What should the national budget be? Because without starting from there, maybe we will not reach the right conclusion,’ Bagudu said.

He said Nigeria’s budgetary limitations were particularly significant when compared with other populous countries.

‘I don’t have one definitive answer, but I would say that of the 10 most populous countries in the world, Nigeria has the smallest national budget,’ he said.

Bagudu said the issue was particularly important in view of the Federal Government’s ambition under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the long-term Agenda 2050.

He asked how Nigeria could grow into a $1 trillion economy within the next four years while ensuring that the benefits of such growth were widely shared.

‘How can we, as a step towards that wider dream, generate a $1 trillion economy in the next four years? And not just a $1 trillion economy, but a $1 trillion economy that includes everyone?’ he asked.

The minister cautioned against a budgeting approach that simply limits government’s ambitions to its current revenue position.

Using the analogy of making clothes according to one’s present size, Bagudu said such an approach could prevent Nigeria from creating the fiscal capacity required for future growth.

‘If I decide to cut my coat according to my size, then I should remain in the same shape. Maybe I will not even have the spare capacity to sew a cloth for another person,’ he said.

He consequently urged the media to help drive a wider national conversation around revenue mobilisation and the appropriate size of the national budget.

‘Should we continue with a budget that gives our populace one of the smallest budgets among comparable countries? Or should we imagine how we can mobilise more resources?’ Bagudu asked.

Bagudu pointed to Brazil as an example of the disparity in fiscal capacity between Nigeria and another large federal country.

He said Brazil’s 2025 budget was at least 25 times larger than Nigeria’s, raising questions about whether Nigeria could expect similar development outcomes with significantly fewer resources.

‘But Brazil’s 2025 budget is at least 25 times the size of Nigeria’s budget. So do I expect to achieve the same outcomes as Brazil? Is it that these needs do not exist in Nigeria? I believe they do,’ he said.

The minister also defended the constitutional role of the National Assembly in the appropriation process, saying legislative participation in budget-making should not automatically be regarded as improper.

‘We chose constitutional democracy, and under constitutional democracy, the National Assembly has a critical role,’ he said.

Bagudu said some projects that might appear unnecessary to observers in Abuja could represent genuine needs identified by lawmakers from their constituencies.

He cited cases where communities lacked basic amenities, including access to water, saying such realities could explain why particular interventions found their way into appropriation bills.

‘So you see something in the budget, and because it is not a priority in your own area, you wonder why it is in the budget.

‘But to that member of the House of Representatives or Senate who was elected from that community, it represents what their constituents consider a priority,’ Bagudu said.

He also recalled the controversy over the provision of freezers in an earlier budget, explaining that the equipment was intended for women in fishing communities who lacked facilities to preserve their catch.

‘The women there needed freezers because they did not have a way of preserving their fish,’ he said.

Addressing allegations of unlawful insertions into the national budget, Bagudu said it was necessary to distinguish between legitimate amendments by lawmakers and genuinely irregular provisions.

He acknowledged that the complexity of the budget process, which involves several institutions and individuals, could create room for mistakes.

‘We are dealing with processes, human beings and human errors. Therefore, vigilance is important. The media and legislative oversight should continue to be vigilant,’ he said.

Bagudu, however, urged stakeholders to balance the demand for transparency with legitimate national security considerations.

He argued that full disclosure of certain government policies or expenditures could compromise strategic objectives, particularly in security operations.

‘I may be fighting a war in the area of security, but how much of my security policy should I make public? Not because I am doing something wrong, but because there are legitimate strategic considerations,’ he said.

The minister also challenged the conventional assumption that capital expenditure was automatically more important than recurrent spending.

Using security personnel as an example, he questioned the consequences of failing to fund the personnel responsible for protecting the country.

‘If I am fighting a war and I don’t pay security personnel, what happens? So which one is more important?’ he asked.

He said the quality of government spending should ultimately be measured by what it delivers to citizens rather than merely by whether an allocation was classified as recurrent or capital expenditure.

‘The conversation should be about what we are trying to achieve, what resources are required to achieve it, how we mobilise those resources, and how we maintain public confidence while ensuring accountability and transparency,’ Bagudu said.

Godswill Akpabio, president of the Senate, called for stronger collaboration between the National Assembly, the media and civil society organisations to improve scrutiny of the national budget.

Represented by Yemi Adaramodu, chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Akpabio urged journalists covering the legislature to deepen their understanding of parliamentary procedures to improve the quality and accuracy of budget reporting.

Adaramodu, who served as chief host of the workshop, said the media remained an important accountability mechanism in monitoring budget implementation.

He urged journalists to investigate public expenditure, expose waste and ensure that reports on budgetary provisions reflected the circumstances surrounding the projects and programmes involved.

Taiye Odewale, Chairman of the Senate Press Corps, said the controversy surrounding an alleged N1.3 billion provision for a purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council demonstrated the need for stronger scrutiny of budget documents.

Odewale said investigations by the Senate Press Corps showed that the controversial provision was not part of the N9.853 trillion added by the National Assembly to the N58.47 trillion executive proposal, which brought the 2026 Appropriation Act to N68.32 trillion.

He said the controversy reinforced the need for closer cooperation between journalists and legislative oversight bodies in scrutinising appropriation documents.

According to him, the workshop was also designed to expose journalists to emerging tools, including artificial intelligence, that could assist in examining complex budget documents.

Representing Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Centre, Ebu Emmanuel said every budget provision should be justified, properly costed, measurable and linked to identifiable beneficiaries.

He cited findings attributed to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission that 4,508 inserted or padded projects valued at N434.5 billion, as well as 66 duplicated projects worth N6.43 billion, were identified in the 2022 budget.

Emmanuel urged lawmakers to interrogate proposed projects by examining their locations, beneficiaries, costs, purposes and expected outcomes before approving them.

Vahyala Kwaga, country director of BudgIT, representing the organisation’s Director, Oluseun Onigbinde, said public discussion of the budget often focused more on allocations than on the outcomes expected from them.

He identified delayed submission of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper as a recurring concern and proposed that the budget should be submitted to the National Assembly at least 90 days before the end of the financial year.

PiggyVest shifts focus from saving to helping Nigerians make more money

PiggyVest, Nigeria’s digital savings and investment platform, is shifting its strategy beyond encouraging Nigerians to save and invest, with the fintech now seeking to help users increase their earning capacity amid rising living costs.

Joshua Chibueze, co-founder and chief marketing officer of PiggyTech Global, told BusinessDay at the company’s 2026 Open House in Lagos that the next phase of the business would focus on connecting users to opportunities to make more money.

‘Right now, we tell our users to save and invest, but we’re also now going to be focused on how our users can make more money,’ Chibueze said.

He said that although PiggyVest’s user base continues to grow, the rate at which customers save has declined as inflation puts pressure on disposable incomes.

‘People can no longer afford to save. Even though our numbers are growing rapidly, we understand that the rate at which people are saving has reduced just because they can no longer afford to save,’ he said.

The strategic shift was unveiled at the company’s 2026 Open House, held at the National Theatre in Lagos under the theme **’The Future of Wealth is Here.’

The event marked PiggyVest’s 10th year and featured the launch of a redesigned app, alongside new products including joint accounts and children’s accounts.

Somtochukwu Ifezue, co-founder and CEO, said the company had rebuilt the app to support customers through different stages of their financial journey.

The joint account allows families to save collectively while retaining individual accounts, while the children’s account enables parents to begin saving and investing for their children before they turn 18.

Ifezue said users can start saving with as little as N100 and investing from N5,000.

Odunayo Eweniyi, co-founder and CEO, said the company’s savings report showed the growing difficulty Nigerians face in maintaining financial stability.

She urged Nigerians to prioritise financial planning and consistently put money aside, regardless of the amount.

PiggyVest is also expanding partnerships that allow customers to save towards specific financial goals. Syam Abdulkadir, head of operations at Mikano Motors, said the partnership was designed to make vehicle ownership more seamless for PiggyVest’s large user base.

He said users purchasing vehicles through the partnership would receive nationwide after-sales coverage and up to six years or 200,000 kilometres warranty, while eligible customers would receive a N2 million cashback after completing their savings and taking delivery of a vehicle.

PiggyVest has also partnered with Shutters to allow customers to save towards transportation needs, including weddings, trips and end-of-year travel.

Kenneth Emezi, head of rental sales at Shutters, said customers would be able to save towards discounted vehicle rental services, with options ranging from buses and cars to premium SUVs and electric vehicles.

Terry Kanu, co-founder and chief product officer of PiggyTech Global, said the Open House remains an important channel for the company to receive direct feedback from its users and communicate new products and features.

He said the company’s large and predominantly young user base makes financial education and access to information increasingly important.

‘The more information you have, the more power you get and the more things that you can do,’ Kanu said.

The Open House concluded with a N10 million PiggyVest Business Grant awarded to three Nigerian businesses in fashion, beauty and hospitality.

The beneficiaries were EsteBare Ltd, Backel Food Services Ltd and Pemnia Wellness.

Learn. Innovate. Lead: Amb. Kojo Bonsu Launches China-Ghana Youth AI Programme

What if the next big AI solution for Ghanaian agriculture or healthcare is built by a young Ghanaian trained in China? That is the future Ghana’s Ambassador to China, His Excellency Ambassador Kojo Bonsu, is building.

In Zhoukou, Henan Province, His Excellency the Ambassador launched the China-Ghana Youth AI Talent Development Programme, an initiative born from His Excellency’s GenZ AI Club.

In partnership with APUS Technology Co., Ltd., an Artificial Intelligence technology company in Beijing, and Zhoukou Normal University, the programme will train young Ghanaians in Artificial Intelligence and data science, with full scholarship opportunities for students in China and Ghanaian students at home. Members of His Excellency’s GenZ AI Club in China will have onsite classes, while students in Ghana will join online to learn together.

Performing students will be given internships with APUS Technology Co., Ltd. for practical job experience to build and grow their careers.

For His Excellency Ambassador Kojo Bonsu, this is personal. His Excellency believes Ghana’s youth must not be left behind in the AI revolution.

‘We want to create a growing network of young Ghanaian professionals capable of developing solutions to challenges in agriculture, healthcare, education and finance,’ His Excellency said.

His Excellency urged participants to become multipliers, returning home to share knowledge with other students, universities and tech communities across Ghana.

The programme also symbolizes a new kind of diplomacy, one that puts youth at the centre. It is not just about embassies and agreements; it is about giving a young person from Kumasi, Tamale or Accra a chance to sit in a Chinese AI lab and dream of what they can build for Ghana.

With the scholarship window now open, His Excellency the Ambassador’s initiative is set to create a lasting educational and technological bridge between Ghana and China.

Beyond training, APUS Technology Co., Ltd. will be offering outstanding students both in China and Ghana, during the one-year programme, internships and job contracts tailored to AI solutions for Ghana’s economic development.

’Brazil ban has little impact on DigiPlus’

Online gaming firm DigiPlus Interactive Corp. on Monday said it is closely monitoring recent regulatory developments in Brazil and is taking all necessary steps to comply with Brasilia’s directive.

Over the weekend, Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, issued a Medida Provisória, or a provisional measure, that bans the operation, offering, intermediation and advertising of fixed-odds betting and online gaming activities in Brazil.

The provisional measure took effect immediately upon publication and is subject to approval by the Brazilian Congress within the constitutionally prescribed period, which may extend to 120 days.

DigiPlus, however, said the situation remains fluid and is not final, as the relevant legislative and legal processes continue to develop.

‘Our immediate priority is to ensure an orderly response, including the timely processing of customer withdrawals and the return of customer funds within the prescribed period,’ the company said in a statement.

‘Based on our assessment, these developments are not expected to have a material impact on DigiPlus’ overall financial or operating position,’ it said.

Abacus Securities said Brazil’s move, done ahead of the presidential election, was to address rising household debt and online gaming addiction.

There had been no discussions of regulating the market for online gaming and instead, an outright ban was imposed.

It said the biggest hit here would be on DigiPlus, as it has been positioning itself to compete in the South American market.

The company already launched its online gaming platform last year but this has not gained traction against the biggest names in the online gaming space around the world, Abacus said.

‘However, the company has shown optimism in continuing its venture indicating that more investments in marketing and in its platform would occur. The recent move would be a negative for PLUS but at the same time, could stop the bleeding for its venture in Brazil.’

DigiPlus has already allocated some P660 million, and has likely to have spent more for its Brazilian venture, the broker said.

‘This could further re-test new lows for PLUS and we reiterate our recommendation to avoid the stock,’ Abacus said.

Meanwhile, retail stock broker COL Financial said the issue would have limited impact on its fair value (FV) estimate on the stock.

‘We see limited near-term impact on our earnings and FV estimate, as our current forecasts do not account for PLUS’ potential expansion into Brazil,’ it said.

The broker currently has a buy rating on the stock, with fair value estimate of P15.07 per share.

DigiPlus said it has started to generate revenues from its gaming operations in Brazil.

Erick Su, DigiPlus chief global growth officer, said the tweaks they have made to their online gaming platform has resulted in better revenues compared on how it fared during the soft launch in the third quarter last year.

The Digiplus platform ran for about three weeks starting in September last year before the company took a strategic pause on October 10, 2025 to retool the platform for better cultural alignment with Brazilian players.

‘I think it’s going okay. We improved the revenue we have and you probably can see some of the reports in the third quarter when we have a financial release,’ Su said at the sidelines of the Inside Asian Gaming Expo.

‘Obviously, it’s still relatively low compared to what we have in the Philippines…We are still progressing and see if we can expand the business, increase the revenue… So, our international market is still in exploration stage,’ he said.

Su also noted that they are also facing challenges in Brazil. Aside from its being a very competitive market, he said recently there’s a lot of turbulence about the policy and the President talked about banning online gambling.

Two more bronze; gold chances rise

-Sepak takraw and esports added two more bronzes to Team Philippines’ haul, Olympic medalist Carlo Paalam was left as the lone hopeful in boxing and Alex Eala did what she does best in the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games on Monday.

Filipino-American Victoria Bossong made a strong case as gold medal threat at the rain-drenched Paloma Mizuho Stadium track-she topped the women’s 800 meters heats in two minutes and 2.34 seconds, surpassing by almost four seconds the Philippine record set by fellow national Naomi Cesar only last June at the Portland Track Festival in Oregon. Jason Huerte and Jom Lerry Rafael gave Malaysia’s Mohd Rosdi and Abd Razak a scare but couldn’t keep up in a 15-10, 11-15, 7-15 semifinal loss in men’s Regu to settle for a bronze medal in sepak takraw.

A gold medal, however, could be added to that sepak takraw bronze if team captain Abegail Sinogbuhan, Jean Marie Sucalit and substitute Nelly Jay Salon beat Vietnam in the final Tuesday of women’s doubles.

Sinogbuhan and company advance to the final at the expense of Laos, 15-12, 15-10, on Monday with a victory counting as the third gold medal for the Philippines after gymnast Carlos Yulo’s in vault and floor exercise for Team Philippines.

Sibol-composed of Kim Rey Salazar, Michael Vaughn Ocio, Lance David and head coach Albert Camp-clinched the Honor of Kings bronze medal after losing to powerhouse China, 0-2, in the semifinals on Monday at the Aichi-Sky Expo Hall.

Eala? Her debut at the Hogashiyama Park Tennis Center mirrored her flight in this city that is hosting the games for the first time.

The world No. 18 had two flight delays on Sunday-she was supposed to arrive at noon but landed at 7 p.m. instead-and on Monday, her singles match against Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandrej had to be transferred indoor because of rain.

The court change didn’t matter at all for the global tennis sensation as she made mincemeat of Cheapchandrej, 6-1, 6-0, in a match that looked like a mere workout lasting only 55 minutes.

‘I’m happy with how I performed today, under difficult conditions,’ said Eala, adding she’s gotten better than she was three years ago as a 17-year-old athlete at the Hangzhou 2023 games where she bagged a bronze medal.

‘Seventeen to 21 are quite formative years for me, especially as I account what I’ve been through in those four years. A lot of experience professionally and a lot of growing,’ she added.

The center court seats 3,000 but the hosts added another 501 seats in anticipation for the ‘Eala Mania’ in Nagoya, but unfortunately for her fans who wanted to watch on Monday, they could no longer get ticket refunds.

Paalam, meanwhile, kept the Philippines’ gold medal hopes alive in boxing after punching a ticket to the men’s 55-kg semifinals after scoring a hard-fought split decision (3-2) win over China’s Zhang Jiamao at the Nishio Gymnasium.

‘I was prepared for the games and I followed to the letter all the plans we had in training,’ Paalam said. ‘It was a tough fight and I’m happy I gave a victory for our country.’

The 28-year-old Paalam landed cleaner and his counterpunches hit their mark against Zhang, who rallied in vain in the final round by aggressively attacking the Filipino.

Paalam’s fellow silver medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Nesthy Petecio, however, fell out of the medals race in her third Asian Games since Jakarta 2018 and Hangzhou.

Petecio was teary-eyed after absorbing a unanimous decision loss to China’s Yang Chengyu in the women’s 60-kg quarterfinals.

‘I’m sorry, if the country wanted me to win, how much more me? This Asian Games gold medal is the only medal that I have yet to win,’ she said.

On Tuesday, attention will be on reigning men’s pole vault champion and record holder EJ Obiena and Bossong who are expected to add gold medals to the Team Philippines campaign in the athletics finals on Tuesday.

Obiena is again a favorite with his personal best 6.0 meters and season best 5.91m.

‘I feel good for the season for being consistent at 5.80-meter. I hope the weather is nice so I can jump high. I am ready,’ Obiena said.

He was dominating in Hangzhou at 5.90 meters but this time around, he’ll be hounded by rising stars of Asia-23-year-old Li Chenyang of China and 21-year-old Seifeldin Abdelsalam of Qatar.

Li’s personal best is 5.86m while Abdelsalam has cleared 5.90m.

The Philippines has a 2-2-10 gold-silver-bronze haul and needs two gold medals to match its haul in Hangzhou, while China is relentless at the top of the medal tally with 129 gold medals, Japan a far second with 41 and South Korea with 21.

Puripol’s golden double act

Thailand’s sprint sensation Puripol Boonson set the Nagoya track ablaze once more, scorching to men’s 200m gold at the 2026 Asian Games in a continental record-equalling 19.88 seconds on Sunday.

Puripol was imperious yet again on Sunday, delivering Thailand’s third athletics gold of the Games with a performance that left the rest of Asia trailing in his slipstream.

It capped a golden weekend for the Thai athletics team, coming a day after Joshua Atkinson produced a sensational late surge to claim the men’s 400m title on Saturday night.

Puripol seized top spot on the podium at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, powering clear of China’s Huang Youwen (20.45) and Japan’s Soshi Mizukubo (20.56) to make the field look ordinary.

The 20-year-old’s electrifying 19.88 matched the mark set by China’s Xie Zhenye in 2019, a time that places him among the very fastest men Asia has ever produced.

He had already served notice of what was to come in Saturday’s semi-final, exploding to a 20.10 clocking that shattered the previous Asian Games record of 20.14, set by Qatar’s Femi Ogunode at Incheon 2014.

It was Puripol’s second gold of Aichi-Nagoya 2026, following his blistering triumph in the men’s 100m final on Friday in a tournament-record 9.90sec — a victory that made him Thailand’s first men’s 100m Asian Games champion since the legendary Suchart Jairsuraparp struck gold in Bangkok back in 1978.

Meanwhile, Atkinson — the 23-year-old Thai-Australian — produced a heart-stopping finish of his own on Saturday, reeling in and overhauling the United Arab Emirates’ Suleiman Abdulrahman in the closing strides to snatch 400m gold in a national record and personal-best 44.90.

Abdulrahman had to settle for silver in 44.99, while Japan’s Joseph Nakajima completed the podium with bronze in 45.22.

Kunlavut makes history

Shuttler Kunlavut Vitidsarn battled his way into the men’s singles semi-finals to guarantee Thailand the first Asian Games badminton medal in the discipline in 56 years.

The Thai world No.2 fought back after dropping the first game to defeat Ng Ka Long Angus of Hong Kong 16-21, 21-10, 21-13 to progress to the last four, where he will face Indonesia’s world No.10 Alwi Farhan on Monday.

Kunlavut’s victory secured the first men’s singles medal since Sangob Rattanusorn at the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok. It is also the second medal for the badminton team in Nagoya following the men’s team bronze.

Meanwhile Ratchanok Intanon’s final Asian Games campaign came to an end with a 21-8, 21-9 loss against the reigning world and Olympic champion, An Se-Young of South Korea, in the women’s singles quarter-finals.

Mixed doubles pair Ruttanapak Oupthong and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat also bowed out on Sunday as they lost to Taiwan’s Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan 18-21, 14-21.

Bronze for Kurash star

The kurash team produced a first medal in Nagoya as Kunatip Yea-on matched his Hangzhou performance by winning a bronze medal in the men’s +90kg event.

Kunatip defeated Baek Du-San of South Korea 5-0 in the round of 16, then beat India’s Vishal by the same score in the quarter-finals to set up a last-four clash with Shakarmamad Mirmamadov.

But the Tajikistan athlete proved too strong as he powered to a 10-0 victory, leaving the Thai to contend for a bronze.

Meanwhile, boxer Natnicha Chongprongklang edged Nigina Uktamova of Uzbekistan to reach the semi-finals of the women’s 54kg event, guaranteeing herself at least a bronze medal in Nagoya.

The 22-year-old Thai fighter will face Japan’s Tsukimi Namiki in the semis on Tuesday.

Fellow Thai Janjaem Suwannapheng suffered a 5-0 loss against Taiwan’s Chen Nien-chin, ending her challenge in the last eight of the women’s 65kg category.

Sakda Ruamtham also bowed out as he lost to South Korea’s Jang Dong-Hwan in the men’s 60kg quarter-final.

Takraw eyes redemption

The sepak takraw squad began their bid for redemption with the men’s single regu competition on Sunday.

Two days after their heartbreaking loss against fierce rivals Malaysia in the men’s regu team event, which ended their bid for an eighth straight Asian Games title, the Thais returned for the men’s single team preliminary round.

And the team did not disappoint as they claimed two wins in Group A on Sunday, beating the Philippines 2-0 and Japan 2-1 to progress to the semi-finals.

The Thai sepak takraw squad has already won one gold medal from the women’s regu team event and a silver from the men’s regu team event.

Skateboarder Vareeraya Sukasem achieved a total score of 102.85 points and finished in seventh place in the women’s street final on Sunday.

Vareeraya, who at 12 years old was the youngest ever Thai Olympian at the 2024 Paris Games, recorded a best run score of 23.24 points and a trick section score of 79.61 points during Sunday’s competition.

In volleyball, the men’s team took two hours and 23 minutes to edge past Indonesia 3-2 (25-23, 20-25, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23) in the opening Pool B match on Sunday.

The Thais, who claimed fifth place at the recent AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship in Fukuoka, will face Iran in the second match on Monday before wrapping up the pool play with a tie against Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday.