Category: Philippine Star

The Philippines rode on Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna’s endgame brilliance as it pulled off a 2-2 draw with 23rd seed Romania to stay in the top 20 after eight rounds of the 46th World Chess Olympiad at the Silk Road International Exhibition Centre in Samarkand, Uzbekistan Thursday night.

Frayna outmaneuvered and outplayed Woman International Master Miruna-Daria Lehaci in 67 moves of a French Defense to help the Filipinas escape with the standoff and jump into a 15-country logjam at 18th spot with 11 match points apiece.

WIM Ruelle Canino, in deep time trouble, could have made it a shock win had she converted a two-pawn advantage into victory instead of a draw with WGM Elena-Luminita Cosma, who claimed one via three-fold repetition (same position), on board three.

The defense team of former President Rodrigo Duterte has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to limit the prosecution’s evidence to 10,000 items, saying the case record has ballooned to more than 62,000 items ahead of his trial.

Defense counsel Peter Haynes filed the motion before ICC Trial Chamber III on Friday, September 25, citing the volume and quality of the evidence disclosed by the prosecution.

The defense said the prosecution initially disclosed 5,275 evidence items during the confirmation phase but later expanded the list to 62,130, a 978% increase.

The prosecution’s current List of Evidence contains 19,238 items, according to the defense.

‘The Defence has no ability to read this volume of evidence prior to trial. However, even a cursory review demonstrates that much of the disclosed material is of extremely limited or no relevance to the charges in this case,’ Haynes said.

The defense said the disclosure includes more than 320,000 pages of documents and 1,000 audio-visual materials.

‘The sheer volume of material, disclosed to the Defence three months before the start of trial, undermines Mr Duterte’s right to adequate time for the preparation of his defence pursuant to Article 67(1)(b),’ Haynes said.

The defense estimated that reviewing all the documentary evidence just once would take about 16,000 person-hours.

‘On a conservative estimate of three minutes per page, it would take 16,000 person hours to review every disclosed item of documentary evidence just once,’ Haynes said.

The defense also flagged problems with the evidence, including incorrect descriptions, dates and metadata, detached pages, illegible or blank items, duplicate documents, and untranslated or untranscribed audio and video files.

They said proceeding with the case under the current disclosure would also affect Duterte’s right to a timely trial.

‘Proceeding to trial on this basis would undermine the efficiency of proceedings and, by consequence, Mr Duterte’s right to trial without undue delay,’ Haynes said.

Defense asks for 10,000-item case record

Instead of seeking to postpone the trial, the defense proposed that the prosecution sort through the evidence and create a new case record containing a maximum of 10,000 items.

The proposed record would include exculpatory evidence, as well as duly reviewed and triaged Rule 77 and incriminating evidence.

‘A reduction from 62,130 to 10,000 is significant,’ the defense said.

They said the remaining evidence would still be accessible to Duterte’s lawyers, who would have to ‘read, watch, listen to, review and tag’ the original case record.

Haynes asked the chamber to order the prosecution to work with the ICC Registry to create the new case record by October 7.

The defense said this would allow the trial to proceed as scheduled on November 30.

Duterte’s defense team is due to file its pre-trial brief on October 30.

Duterte remains detained

Duterte remains detained at the ICC in The Hague, where he faces crimes against humanity charges over killings linked to his war on drugs.

The 81-year-old former president appeared in person before the ICC on September 16 during the third status conference.

Trial Chamber III later ruled that he should remain detained, citing the likelihood that he could abscond or obstruct or endanger the investigation or court proceedings.

His trial is scheduled to begin on Nov. 30, 2026.

Credibility is the most important asset the impeachment process needs to conserve. Yet it is the asset to casually expended in the process so far.

By its nature, the impeachment process is distasteful. It involves removing an official installed by popular vote. In the case of Sara Duterte, the electoral vote is enormous. The Vice President also enjoys the highest approval ratings among all senior government officials. If elections for the presidency were held today, she would win handily.

Sara’s base of political support is geographically defined. She enjoys overwhelming support among Mindanao voters and holds a commanding lead among voters in the Visayas according to voter preference surveys conducted. She enjoys respectable support among Luzon voters, particularly in the Mega Manila area.

It will be an understatement to say she is a major force in our politics. This explains the tremendous effort and resources needed to undermine her public standing. The impeachment process is only a part of a more comprehensive political project to erode her political standing.

This is not the first time such a political project has been mounted. Nor is it the first time a vice president has become the subject of unremitting political attack.

When Jejomar Binay was vice president, he also led in the voter preference surveys far ahead of the electoral season. He became the target of a brutal demolition campaign, His political standing suffered. He did manage to run for president but lost. A Duterte emerged from the wings and captured the public imagination.

Demolishing Binay was easy. It was entirely a propaganda campaign – not always truthful but emphatic enough.

Destroying Sara as an electoral player requires ousting her from office, banning her from any public post for life and, ultimately, smashing the Duterte political bases of support. This requires the participation of much of the political class, the mobilization of government assets such as its investigative agencies and, presumably, the provision of a vast amount of money. The operatives in this campaign do not come cheap.

It took all of two years to get the articles of impeachment through the House. That alone doubled the amount of political gravy needed to convince a majority of legislators that this was worth doing despite the peril to their own political futures.

The Senate trial, by one estimate, costs taxpayers P25 million per day. This trial could go on until the new year – notwithstanding the prosecution panel’s decision to junk some of its witnesses to speed up the process.

From the very beginning, this trial suffered from lack of public interest. Despite the prosecution panel’s overeager platoon of spokesmen, the proceedings have been a strain on the public’s attention span. Two prosecution spokesmen have been taken to task by the impeachment court for violating prudential rules. This restrains their effort to win the propaganda game by fabricating drama.

The trial itself has been tedious and droning. That will not do to build public enthusiasm for the prospect of the vice president’s removal. Every trial day that passes show increasing signs of exhaustion among the senators and the lawyers.

Ironically, it was the Senate majority’s efforts to bend the law, to alter the Constitution by the meager means of a floor resolution, that aroused some public interest in the proceedings. The majority senators, following linear thinking, imagined reducing the denominator in the final vote might improve their chances of convicting Sara.

The medium is the message. The effort to bend the law in order to reduce the denominator convince the public that the prosecution could not win its case on the basis of evidence. They need to manipulate the voting.

Two senators are already in jail in what many perceive to be an attempt to deflate the denominator. One is in hiding because government will not protect him from an ICC warrant that no one has seen. Another in abroad, ostensibly for medical treatment.

The Ombudsman opened graft investigations against the Villar family, which has two senators in the minority. The same agency also announced investigations into the solar power franchise involving one senator and her son, a congressman. A prosecution spokesman described all these as a ‘coincidence.’ The public does not share that view. All those who have run into legal trouble ‘coincidentally’ belong to the minority.

All the drama over reducing the denominator to compute a two-thirds vote to convict is not idle academic discussion over that the Constitution really means. It is obviously and effort to bring voting thresholds closer to volume of votes the anti-Sara bloc presently controls.

Impeachment is a political process. That is different from saying it should also be a partisan process – although it often is that too. What we are witnessing is an effort to make the procedures conform of the existing partisan lines.

Should the prosecution continue to fail in convincing the public Sara’s guilt approaches impeachable proportions, the lines could change. Some senators currently in the majority could decide to exercise ‘independence’ – which uncannily coincides with political practicality – and vote to acquit.

If this happens, the messy effort to knock Sara off the electoral stage does not only implode. It could backfire so disastrously it tears apart alliances and breaks allegiances built on convenience.

The pro-Marcos majority, it seems, is sitting on a political time bomb that ticks slowly but relentlessly. The ‘bloodbath’ she warned about could be this.

The 1,200-megawatt Ilijan power plant in Batangas is once again running on indigenous natural gas from the country’s Malampaya deep water gas-to-power project.

The resumption of indigenous gas supply follows the rehabilitation and restoration of the Ilijan natural gas receiving facility, which achieved operational readiness in December last year.

Supply is covered by a six-month interim natural gas supply agreement between Malampaya operator Prime Energy Resources Development B.V. and South Premiere Power Corp. (SPPC), effective Sept. 1.

Ilijan was among the facilities that helped establish the country’s first indigenous gas-to-power value chain following the development of the Malampaya field. Its original gas supply agreement with Malampaya expired in June 2022.

‘With Malampaya gas flowing again to the Ilijan power plant, the renewed use of indigenous natural gas supports reliable baseload power for the Luzon grid while strengthening the country’s energy security,’ the Department of Energy said.

The milestone was made possible through the collaboration of the government, Prime Energy and SPPC to restore the Tabangao-Ilijan pipeline.

SPPC is a corporate unit of LNGPH, the multibillion-dollar gas venture of tycoons Manuel V. Pangilinan, Ramon Ang and Sabin Aboitiz.

For LNGPH president and CEO Yari Miralao, bringing Malampaya gas back to Ilijan represents more than simply restoring fuel supply.

‘By reconnecting indigenous gas to a major power generation facility through LNGPH, we are helping translate local energy resources into dependable electricity for Filipino consumers and greater resilience for the Luzon grid,’ Miralao said.

The Ilijan gas deal with Malampaya is estimated to reduce generation charges by around P0.36 per kilowatt-hour beginning September, potentially providing relief to consumers.

‘Price stability, affordability, reliability and energy security – these are among the benefits of using our own Malampaya gas,’ Prime Energy president and CEO Donnabel Kuizon Cruz said.

Located in offshore Palawan, the Malampaya project is the country’s first and only indigenous gas resource, supplying about 13 percent of Luzon’s electricity requirements.

PNB Holdings Corp. made its stock market debut yesterday through a listing by way of introduction, opening its shares to public trading as the real estate company prepares to redevelop prime properties in Makati and Pasay.

The company listed 46.93 billion common shares on the main board of the Philippine Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol LTL.

A listing by way of introduction allows existing shares of a company to begin trading on the stock exchange without a public offering of new shares. Unlike a traditional initial public offering, the transaction does not raise fresh capital for the company.

‘The listing also fulfills our commitment to provide an orderly and transparent avenue for liquidity and price discovery for our long-standing shareholders, while offering new investors the opportunity to participate in the company’s next chapter of growth,’ PNB Holdings president Karlu Say said.

The P1.20 initial listing price was supported by an independent valuation and fairness opinion that estimated the company’s fair value at around P1.18 to P1.89 per share.

The company said its property portfolio carries an independently appraised value of about P88.8 billion, substantially higher than its carrying value on its books.

PNB Holdings owns and manages commercial properties in Metro Manila, including the PNB Financial Center in Pasay, the PNB Makati Center along Ayala Avenue and the Buendia property in Makati.

The company plans to pursue a phased redevelopment of selected assets, beginning with its Buendia property, which it envisions as a high-end mixed-use development.

Over time, other sites in Makati and Pasay may also be transformed into mixed-use developments as the company seeks to unlock more value from its real estate holdings.

PNB Holdings said its long-term plans include commercial, office, retail, hospitality and lifestyle components, subject to market conditions and regulatory approvals.

The company’s listing also provides a clearer picture of its ownership structure.

Philippine National Bank remains PNB Holdings’ largest shareholder with a 49.75-percent stake, equivalent to 23.35 billion shares.

PNB Holdings reported a public ownership level of 15.39 percent as of listing day, representing about 7.22 billion shares. Some 39.71 billion shares were classified as non-public.

Several other shareholders are majority-owned and controlled by LT Group Inc., which gained indirect ownership of PNB Holdings following the distribution of shares previously held by PNB.

The rules-based international order is under growing strain as authoritarian states seek to weaken its safeguards and reshape international rule to serve their own interests. Even the fundamental principles of peaceful settlement of disputes and prohibition against the threat or use of force, which are enshrined in the United Nations Charter, have been openly challenged and flagrantly flaunted.

Today, the international community stands at a critical juncture. Either we act together to uphold justice, defend the rule of law and maintain peace and security, or we watch the world order steadily crumble away, taking freedom, self-determination and democracy with it.

There are few places where this choice is more starkly presented than in the first island chain of the Indo-Pacific. The region’s security has come under growing pressure from China, which continues to deploy gray-zone tactics – including military intimidation, cyber intrusions and economic coercion – in an attempt to unilaterally reshape the existing rules and norms.

Standing on the front line of defense of freedom and democracy, Taiwan will continue to firmly uphold the status quo. However, preserving peace and stability in the region is not just in Taiwan’s interests. It is a shared concern of the international community.

The Taiwan Strait is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and a major artery for international supply chains. Its significance to global security and prosperity is reflected in statements from the G7 and other summits and ministerial-level meetings between Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and other countries. They make up a growing chorus of voices worldwide that underline the importance of cross-strait peace and stability.

The integrity of the rules-based order is also being undermined by China’s deliberate misrepresentation of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758. Adopted in 1971, the resolution covers the question of China’s representation at the UN. The text does not mention Taiwan, determine its political status or address its participation in the UN system. Yet China has conspired to conflate UNGA 2758 with the so-called ‘one China principle’ and use the resolution to block Taiwan’s participation in the UN and other international organizations. If left unchecked, this distortion could set a dangerous legal precedent and serve as a pretext for future military action across the Taiwan Strait.

Despite its exclusion from the UN, Taiwan is determined to act as a force for good. The strengths that Taiwan possesses in advanced manufacturing, disaster preparedness and public health could contribute to the international community in many ways.

Taiwan has pursued an integrated and value-added foreign policy based on strengthening democratic alliances, promoting collective security and building economic resilience. Working with like-minded partners, Taiwan advances democracy, human rights and freedom worldwide. As a leader in semiconductors, artificial intelligence and technology, Taiwan is committed to building supply chains that are secure, resilient and free from dependence on authoritarian regimes.

Through its Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, Taiwan fosters co-prosperity with its partners. Taiwan contributes its expertise and resources to technology-driven projects in cooperation with its diplomatic allies to address development challenges and enhance local capacities. Concrete examples include collaboration on an integrated health care information system with Paraguay, the construction of a strategic oil reserve facility in Eswatini and collaboration with Palau National Hospital on smart health care. These initiatives have strengthened data management and efficiency, bolstered energy security, fostered industrial growth and advanced sustainable development.

Khalilur Rahman, president-elect of the upcoming 81st UN General Assembly, has made restoring trust and managing institutional transformation the overarching themes of his presidency. Taiwan shares these objectives and stands ready to help realize them.

Restoring confidence in the UN must begin with treating every member of the international community in a fair and just way. Transformation cannot be complete while a constructive and trustworthy member remains unjustly excluded.

We are calling on the international community to uphold the principles of inclusiveness, leaving no one behind, settling disputes peacefully and neither threatening nor using force. These imperatives underpin the rules-based international order and should be applied consistently and without exception.

The free world needs Taiwan – and a stronger, more credible United Nations needs Taiwan’s meaningful participation. Working hand in hand with Taiwan will strengthen collective security, enhance economic and technological resilience and build our shared capacity to withstand authoritarian pressure. Ensuring Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the United Nations is therefore essential to building a more inclusive, secure, resilient and rules-based international order.

The International Finance Corp. (IFC) has approved its P4.4-billion investment in the initial public offering (IPO) of GCash operator Mynt Inc.

In its updated disclosure, the IFC said the investment in Mynt as a cornerstone investor was approved on Sept. 18.

IFC also said that the investment is now ‘pending signing.’

A project with a ‘pending signing’ status means that the IFC’s board of directors has approved the investment, but has not yet signed the legal agreements with the client.

IFC’s investment in Mynt will come from its own account.

IFC is among the cornerstone investors that have agreed to buy P36.5 billion of Mynt’s offer shares.

The cornerstone shares are expected to represent 59.8 percent of the offer shares, assuming the full exercise of overallotment option.

Cornerstone investors are those who commit to purchase shares before the IPO opens to the general public.

Apart from the World Bank’s private sector arm, other international cornerstone investors include BlackRock Inc., Capital Research and Management Co., Albizia Capital Pte. Ltd., Amundsen Investment Management, Citadel Multi-Strategy Equities Master Fund Ltd, FIL Investment Management (Hong Kong) Limited, HSBC Global Asset Management (UK) Limited, Lazard Asset Management LLC, Ninety One North America Inc., Ninety One UK Limited, NS Partners Ltd, RWC Asset Advisors (US) LLC, RWC Asset Management LLP, Schroder Investment Management Limited and T. Rowe Price International Ltd.

Meanwhile, the domestic cornerstone investors are ATRAM Trust Corp., BPI Asset Management and Trust Corp., China Bank Capital Corp.,

Vice President Sara Duterte denied knowing Police Corporal Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. and receiving money from him, after the former security aide of ex-House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco alleged that he delivered more than P2 billion in cash to her.

‘I do not know Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., nor have I ever received any money from him,’ Duterte said in a statement posted on Facebook on September 26.

Gracioso, who claimed to have served as Velasco’s head of security from 2018 until the latter’s speakership from 2020 to 2022, alleged that he delivered suitcases containing cash to Duterte, former President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte on Velasco’s instructions.

He estimated that he delivered more than P2 billion to the vice president on more than 20 occasions. His sworn affidavit, a copy of which the National Bureau of Investigation gave to GMA News, detailed alleged deliveries of P20 million to P50 million in cash to various locations in Metro Manila, Davao and other areas.

The NBI is investigating Gracioso’s claims. NBI Director Melvin Matibag said the agency conducted a polygraph test on Gracioso and validated some of his statements through other means.

Duterte said her lawyers are waiting for an official copy of Gracioso’s affidavit from the NBI so they can begin preparing cases against him.

‘Once we are done dismantling the lies contained in his testimony, it will end up in the trash bin-just like the one from Ramil Madriaga,’ she said.

Madriaga has previously been described by Gracioso as Duterte’s alleged bagman and aide, a connection Duterte has denied.

Duterte also described Gracioso’s allegations as ‘another media stunt’ and an attempt to revive what she called a ‘faltering impeachment case.’

‘This is nothing more than another media stunt, an attempt to breathe life into a faltering impeachment case,’ Duterte said.

She accused the administration of seeking to bring her down, push for Charter Change, prevent the 2028 elections and remain in power.

‘The desperation of the administration to bring me down, push for Charter Change, prevent the 2028 elections, and cling to power is becoming increasingly diabolical,’ she said.

Duterte also called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to undergo a public drug test and answer for the flood control scandal, saying that Filipinos want change.

‘The people want Marcos to take a public drug test. The people want Marcos to answer for the flood control scandal. The people want change,’ she said.

‘No amount of political maneuvering, propaganda, or manufactured distractions can ultimately silence the Filipino people,’ Duterte added.

Complete dominance for Nesthy Petecio.

Petecio punched her ticket to the quarterfinal round of the Asian Games’ women’s 60 kilogram boxing competition after forcing a referee stoppage against Jordan’s Mays Alreem Abukhadiah Saturday at the Nishio Gymnasium in Japan.

The Olympic medalist dominated right from the get-go, landing crisp shots in the first round as she picked her opponent’s defense apart.

Come the second round, Petecio kept the barrage on, knocking down her opponent twice en route to the referee’s stoppage at the 1:51 mark of the second round.

Petecio thus kept her medal aspirations alive.

The quarterfinal round is set to kick off on Monday.

New coach, same result.

Far Eastern University gave UE interim head coach Paulo Hubalde a harsh welcome to the UAAP as the Tamaraws trampled the Red Warriors, 93-70, in their Season 89 duel Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

UE, whose head coach Chris Gavina reportedly stepped down, dropped its 23rd straight defeat in the UAAP stretching to UAAP Season 87.

Mo Konateh dominated inside with 15 points, nine rebounds and a block, while Kirby Mongcopa and Jorick Bautista had 13 markers apiece. Janrey Pasaol and Jedric Daa produced points 12 each.

The Red Warriors were able to keep in step with FEU early on, trailing by just six, 17-23, early on in the second quarter.

But FEU charged to a 15-3 run capped by a Marc Burgos deuce to give them a 38-20 lead.

This set the tone the rest of the way, as UE could not cut the deficit to single digits.

The lead grew to as much as 29 points, 86-57, after a Pasaol jumper, as the Tamaraws breezed through to the finish line.

Cabs Cabonilas added six points, 11 rebounds and three assists for the Tamaraws, while Burgos and Elias Gish had five each.

Toper Lagat produced 20 points for UE. Mo Tanedo added 16 markers while Gene Carillo chipped in 13.

FEU rose to a level 1-1 win-loss record while the Red Warriors dropped to 0-3.