Category: Philippine Star

Defending individual champion Sean Granada carded a three-over 75 to pace the men’s division while Phoebe Bucay led the women’s side at the second ICTSI Intercollegiate Tournament at Tagaytay Midlands yesterday.

Granada, representing St. Benilde-1, was the only player to break 80 in the opening round of the four-day tournament organized by ICTSI and the Philippine Golf Foundation.

The reigning champion, who edged La Salle’s Zachary Castro in a sudden-death playoff to win the inaugural event last year, opened a two-stroke cushion over La Salle-1’s Lucas Aldeguer, who carded a 77.

Bucay scrambled for a 101 and a four-shot lead in the women’s division over Enderun College’s Kristyanna Herrera, who shot a 105.

Meanwhile, golf officially debuted in the UAAP, reigniting the fierce Ateneo-La Salle rivalry at Tagaytay Midlands yesterday.

Ateneo’s Monique Mendoza salvaged an 81 to seize the lead in the women’s individual competition as University of the Philippines’ Annika Gozum slipped from a share of the lead to solo second with an 82.

In the men’s division, La Salle’s Perry Bucay finished with a 72 and edged teammate Zachary Castro, who shot a 73.

The pair of Joey Arenas and Mario Capinianes won the low gross honors with a 69, while the tandem of Yuri Allado and Tonichi Bautista took the lowest net with a 66 in the 1st HATAW NA! Gary Valenciano Invitational Golf Tournament at the Forest Hills Golf and Country Club Nicklaus course Monday.

Also taking the spotlight as champs were the Lucas Lorenzo-Chito Tobias pair in Class A with a net 66, the Joey Recto-Joji Henares in Class B with a 69, Mel Felix-Tristan Ampil in Class C with a 70 and Sean Harley-Karen Ibasco in women’s/mixed division with a 69.

Sports editors Nelson Beltran of The STAR and Ramon Bonilla of the Manila Bulletin (3rd from left) also took medal honors. For fun holes, Magic Ante was No. 1 in the longest drive (283 yards), Bong Gonzales nearest the pain and Jose Arinas most accurate drive.

Hataw Na! was a gathering of friends, family and partners. Present were ABS-CBN President and CEO Carlo Katigbak, Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali, Martin Nievera, Dingdong Avanzado, Hannah Pangilinan, Andi Manzano Reyes, GP Reyes and Randy Santiago. Among those who provided support were Philippine Airlines, Ideal Vision, HSBC, Okada Manila, Reyes Haircutters, Dri+ by Burlington, Belo Medical Group, Wheeltek, San Miguel Corporation, Wilbros Live, Newport World Resorts, Toyota Otic, JB Music and Sports, Grafix Advertising, Shakey’s, Adspin, Tasha and Bella Tanjutco, Tayo PH, Cell Boy, Asialink, Rudy Project Accessories, Ricky Vargas, Toni and Guy, Prime Beef, Squalene, Freshko, Lipton and Soundcheck Inc.

The tournament was a milestone event celebrating Manila Genesis Entertainment Management, Inc.’s 40th year in the entertainment industry. It’s also a fund-raiser for the beneficiaries of the Shining Light Foundation, supporting its mission to uplift lives.

Shining Light is a non-stock, non-profit organization established in 1989 to provide financial, educational, medical, and humanitarian assistance to disadvantaged individuals and communities. It supports poor families, pregnant women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, students through scholarship programs, and individuals needing medical care.

A group of law deans and professors warned senators that refusing to convene as an impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte is “not a constitutional option” and may amount to a criminal offense.

In a statement hours after the Senate powergrab on Monday, May 11, the legal scholars said the Senate must proceed with the trial once the House of Represenatives has decided to impeach Duterte.

The trial, they argued, should proceed “as a matter of course.”

A refusal by public officers to perform a duty imposed by law, “particularly by the Constitution,” may constitute dereliction of duty that is administratively actionable, they said.

They also warned that conferring “an undue advantage and benefit on a person not entitled to it” may be an indictable offense under Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Tuesday said the Senate should heed the statement not only because it came from some of the country’s foremost legal minds, but because proceeding with a possible impeachment trial is a constitutional mandate.

“Not only this a powerful statement coming from powerful legal minds of the country which the Senate should take seriously, but more importantly, it is what the Constitution unequivocally provides,” Lacson said in a statement.

Turn of events

The statement came after the House voted Monday, May 11, to impeach Duterte, sending the case to the Senate for trial. A landslide vote from 257 lawmakers backed the complaint, while 25 voted against and nine abstained.

Duterte faces allegations of misusing public funds, accumulating unexplained wealth and threatening President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, all of which she denies.

The law deans and professors said they were alarmed by what they called attempts by some senators to “forestall the impeachment trial,” including the change in Senate leadership on the eve of the transmittal of the articles of impeachment.

Shortly before the House vote, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who had said the Senate should immediately take up the case once transmitted, was ousted and replaced by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. Thirteen of the 24 senators who voted to remove Sotto, included close allies of Duterte and her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Cayetano, a former running mate of Rodrigo Duterte, would preside over the impeachment trial.

Rejecting Escudero’s ‘forthwith’

The scholars also rejected what they called the “Escudero definition” of “forthwith,” which they described as meaning “when it pleased the Senate President.”

The Supreme Court, in an April 29 press briefer, clarified that “forthwith” in impeachment proceedings means within a reasonable time, depending on the circumstances, to allow the Senate to make the necessary preparations to convene as an impeachment court.

The court also said the Senate must avoid undue delay to uphold the principle that public officers are accountable to the people.

The law deans and professors argued that once at least one-third of House members either vote to affirm the committee report or file an impeachment complaint, the complaint constitutes the articles of impeachment and the trial proceeds “forthwith.”

“Refusing to sit as a Court of Impeachment is not a constitutional option,” they said.

Cayetano said Tuesday in an ambush interview that the Senate would convene the impeachment court “forthwith” for the articles of impeachment against Duterte

The statement was signed by legal scholars including retired Supreme Court Justice Adolfo Azcuna, San Beda Graduate School of Law professor Antonio La Viña, San Beda Graduate School of Law dean Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, Adamson University College of Law dean Anna Maria Abad, Lyceum of the Philippines University College of Law dean Ma. Soledad Margarita Deriquito-Mawis and De La Salle University Tañada-Diokno School of Law dean Virgilio de los Reyes.

The same statement also urged law enforcers to cooperate with international legal processes involving Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa under Republic Act 9851, should the state decide to do so.

A tech-enabled HMO company has partnered with a medical laboratory clinic in a move to further improve the healthcare experience for its members.

Through the partnership, PhilCare members can now enjoy more convenient access to a wide range of diagnostic and laboratory services across Hi-Precision Diagnostics’ over 70 branches nationwide. These services include routine blood tests, diagnostic screenings and specialized medical examinations.

According to PhilCare president and CEO Jaeger Tanco, the collaboration supports the growing need for accessible, high-quality healthcare services among Filipinos.

‘Healthcare today is not only about treatment, it’s about early detection, prevention, and empowering people to take control of their health,’ Tanco said. ‘By partnering with Hi-Precision Diagnostics, we are expanding the healthcare ecosystem available to our members, making quality diagnostic services more accessible and convenient.’

The HMO company members can now access diagnostic services through participating laboratories’ branches, enabling them to complete required medical tests efficiently as part of their overall healthcare management.

The partnership reflects the company’s continued commitment to strengthening its provider network and enhancing the value of its healthcare plans by connecting members with top-tier medical institutions. Both organizations are also exploring initiatives that will further streamline the healthcare experience.

PhilCare is part of the Philippines First Insurance Group (PFI Group), a complete ecosystem of protection, wellness, and financial solutions that also includes PhilFirst, PhilLife and PhilPlans.

Through its partnerships and services, the Group continues to support Filipino families in achieving better health, financial security and peace of mind.

Trial judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have granted the request of lawyer Nicholas Kaufman to withdraw as lead defense counsel of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

In a five-page decision released yesterday, the Trial Chamber III said it is ‘of the view that no prejudice arises or inconvenience is caused by accepting Mr. Kaufman’s withdrawal.’

Last Friday, Kaufman informed the judges of Duterte’s decision to hire a replacement counsel, whose identity has yet to be made public.

Kaufman said he was originally engaged to represent Duterte only for the period of one year, with this engagement terminated on March 31.

In its ruling, the trial judges reminded Kaufman ‘of his continuing obligations under the Code of Professional Conduct for counsel, as well as any confidentiality obligations under the Rome Statute and the Rules of Procedure and Evidence.’

Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez has withdrawn his call for a congressional inquiry into the April 19 encounter in Toboso, Negros Occidental that left 19 people dead.

Benitez said the ongoing investigations by government agencies, including that of the Commission on Human Rights, should be allowed to proceed.

‘The right course is to let these processes run the full course without political interference,’ Benitez said.

‘Justice is best served by institutions doing their work, not by Congress getting ahead of them,’ he added.

He explained that he filed the resolution seeking an inquiry in aid of legislation as a fact-finding measure, but decided not to pursue it after multiple investigations were initiated.

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) earlier called on the public to refrain from drawing premature conclusions on the incident, stressing that a full forensic and operational investigation is still ongoing.

Ernesto Torres Jr., NTF-ELCAC executive director, said the preliminary observations of forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun should be treated with respect but viewed within the broader context of a comprehensive investigation into the incident.

Torres emphasized that mass-casualty investigations require extensive procedures, including crime scene processing, cadaver recovery, autopsy examinations, ballistic analysis, witness interviews and chain-of-custody verifications before any definitive conclusions can be reached.

A police officer assigned in Malolos City, Bulacan has been relieved from duty, disarmed and placed under restrictive custody following the circulation of closed-circuit television footage showing him engaged in domestic abuse.

The relief came after the wife of the policeman posted online on Sunday a video showing him throwing punches at her during a heated argument.

In a statement, the Philippine National Police said administrative and criminal proceedings were initiated against the PNP officer.

‘The concerned personnel has already been relieved from post, placed under restrictive custody and disarmed while the investigation is ongoing,’ the PNP said.

It added that the PNP ‘remains committed to accountability, professionalism and the fair and impartial application of due process in addressing the incident.’

The Malolos City Police Station said the policeman is at the station’s holding unit while probers conduct a ‘thorough investigation.’

‘We strongly condemn any form of violence against any person, especially women,’ the Malolos police said in Filipino.

National Police Commission chief Rafael Calinisan said the Napolcom would investigate the administrative aspect of the case.

‘We will not allow any form of violence against any woman, or any person for that matter. We will make sure that justice is served,’ he said.

Calinisan described the incident as an ‘open-and-shut case’ and directed Napolcom regional officials to talk to the victim and expedite the investigation.

Streaming platform Prime Video has confirmed a release date for the third season of its fantasy series “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.”

The streamer announced during parent company Amazon’s annual Upfront Presentation that the show’s third season will premiere on November 11.

Amazon MGM Studios’ Head of Global Television Peter Friedlander said in a statement that the series, from the very beginning, “embodied the scale, ambition, and cinematic storytelling” to define the platform’s biggest global show.

“The extraordinary response from millions of fans around the world has made it clear that this journey through Middle-earth continues to resonate, and that momentum has only grown heading into Season Three,” Friedlander added.

The fantasy series takes place during the Second Age of Middle-earth as depicted in the books by J.R.R. Tolkien, thousands of years before the events of author’s popular “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” books.

The second season ended with Saruon taking the nine rings from Galadriel, who escapes with Gil-galad, Elrond, and Arondir to a valley north of Eregion to plan their stand against the Dark Lord.

Several years have passed once the third season begins, landing viewers in the War of the Elves and Sauron, who is seeking the craft the One Ring to bind all to his will.

J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay remain as showrunners and executive produce with Lindsey Weber, Justin Doble, Kate Hazell, and Charlotte Brandstrom, the latter a director on the series.

Amazon MGM Studios and Matthew Penry-Davey are credited producers, with Ally O’Leary, Tim Keene and Andrew Lee are co-producing.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows rebounded to a three-month high in February as foreign capital continued to flow into the country despite lingering global uncertainties.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed FDI net inflows rose by 33.2 percent to $590 million in February from $443 million in January. It was the highest level in three months or since the $894 million recorded in November last year.

However, the latest figure was still down by 31 percent from the $855 million inflows posted in February 2025 as rising inflation, high borrowing costs and geopolitical tensions continued to weigh on investor sentiment.

FDI refers to investments by foreign investors that own at least 10 percent of a local enterprise. The BSP tracks actual inflows, unlike approved foreign investments reported by investment promotion agencies, which cover commitments that may not be fully realized.

The month-on-month increase was driven mainly by higher net investments in debt instruments, which rose by 29.4 percent to $414 million in February from $320 million in January.

Debt instruments, which consist largely of borrowings between foreign investors and their Philippine subsidiaries, accounted for about 70 percent of total FDI inflows during the month.

Equity capital other than reinvestment of earnings also increased by 44.3 percent to $101 million from $70 million a month earlier, as equity placements rose by 19.4 percent to $111 million while withdrawals fell by 54.5 percent to $10 million.

Reinvestment of earnings climbed by 41.5 percent to $75 million in February from $53 million in January.

On a year-on-year basis, however, the decline in FDI was due mainly to lower net investments in debt instruments, which fell by 39.1 percent from $680 million in February 2025. Net equity capital also slipped by 6.4 percent from $108 million a year ago.

For the first two months, FDI inflows dropped by 34.8 percent to $1.03 billion from $1.58 billion in the same period last year.

The BSP said the United States was the leading source of FDI in February, while firms engaged in financial and insurance activities were the biggest recipients.

Equity capital placements came mainly from Japan, the US and Singapore. These were channeled largely into manufacturing, financial and insurance as well as real estate activities.

SM Investments Corp. group economist Robert Dan Roces said the year-on-year decline showed that global investors have become more cautious amid wars, high borrowing costs and uncertainty overseas.

However, Roces said the rebound from January suggests that capital has not left the Philippines, but has become ‘more selective and timing-sensitive.’

‘What matters actually is less the headline size of FDI and more whether the country continues attracting investments tied to long-term demand such as infrastructure, digital services, manufacturing and supply chain shifts,’ Roces said.

PIDS senior research fellow John Paolo Rivera said the February rebound shows that foreign capital continues to enter the country, but the weaker year-to-date level points to a still-challenging investment environment.

‘Investors tend to become more cautious when growth prospects soften and financing conditions remain tight,’ Rivera said.

Higher inflation and slower economic growth could temper FDI inflows in the coming months as these raise operating costs and reduce expectations of market expansion, he added.

Sen. Robin Padilla on May 12 said that he is set to file an ethics complaint against Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan after he allegedly shouted at him during a plenary session.

During the session, Pangilinan responded to Padilla’s speech concerning the arrest of Sen. Bato dela Rosa, comparing it to the cases of former senators Leila de Lima and Antonio Trillanes IV.

In response, Pangilinan said that the matters raised by Padilla should be tackled in the committee instead of in the plenary in order to discuss other matters.

Padilla responded in Filipino: “Paano natin pag-uusapan yung mga-”

To which Pangilinan responded, raising his voice: “For the record, Mr. President, I still have the floor!”

Following Pangilinan’s speech was Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who also raised matters on the arrest of Dela Rosa.

Padilla then told the plenary that he is set to file an ethics complaint against Pangilinan.

“Gusto ko po sana ireklamo si Senator Pangilinan sa pagsigaw. Meron po ba sa rules natin na pwede mong sigawan ang kapwa senador?” Padilla said.

(I would like to file a complaint against Senator Pangilinan for shouting. Is there anything in our rules that allows one to shout at a fellow senator?)

Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, who was presiding over the plenary, suspended the session after Padilla raised his concern.

“Narinig ko ang malakas na boses ni Sen. Kiko Pangilinan. Alam kong si Senator Pangilinan ay galing sa broadcasting, baka nagmo-modulate. Maari ba tayong mag-suspend muna para pag-usapan ang malakas na boses at wari pagsigaw ni Senator Pangilinan,” Legarda said.

(I heard the loud voice of Senator Kiko Pangilinan. I know Senator Pangilinan has a background in broadcasting, so perhaps he was just modulating. Can we suspend the session for a moment to discuss Senator Pangilinan’s loud voice and apparent shouting?)

The Senate was expected to discuss the filling of chairmanships of Senate committees after the Senate on May 11 declared all leadership positions in Senate committees vacant, following the ouster of former Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

What happened during the suspension?

During the suspension of the session, members of the Senate huddled in the plenary.

Pangilinan attempted to reach out to Padilla for reconciliation, but Padilla refused to shake his hand.

In an interview with reporters, Padilla said that he and Pangilinan are “okay.”

“Eh sa akin talaga, hindi ako sanay na sinisigawan. Sinasabi nila na natural ‘yan dito, sa akin hindi,” Padilla said.

(Personally, I’m not used to being shouted at. They say that’s just how things are here, but for me, it isn’t.)

“Ngayon, kung saan makakarating ang reklamo ko, bahala na magdesisyon kung sino man ang magiging chairman ng committee on ethics,” he added.

(Now, as for where my complaint goes, I’ll leave it to whoever becomes the chairman of the committee on ethics to decide.)

However, he said that Pangilinan should apologize to him in the plenary, as he shouted at him in the chamber.

“Mag-apologize ka muna doon. Kailangan sa plenary mo gawin,” Padilla said.

(You should apologize there first. You need to do it in the plenary.)

When asked if Pangilinan would not apologize, Padilla said: “Edi, ethics.” (Then, ethics it is.)