Category: Philippine Star

As multiple witnesses accused him of being a principal player in budget insertions and flood control anomalies, Elizaldy Co resigned from Congress yesterday.

All is not lost for his Ako Bicol party list, which will get to have someone else fill the seat he vacated in the House of Representatives.

Resignation was Co’s response to the order from new Speaker Faustino Dy III, to return to the Philippines by Sept. 29. Yesterday’s deadline lapsed with Co still a no-show, still maintaining his innocence, claiming threats to his safety and that of his family and decrying that he has been deprived of due process.

Dy said the resignation spared Co from facing the House ethics committee and likely expulsion from the chamber.

Now without government responsibilities, Co can focus on addressing the serious allegations against him, hurled at congressional hearings and before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure.

The ICI released yesterday its first major report on the flood control mess, recommending to the Office of the Ombudsman the filing of criminal and administrative complaints where applicable against Co, 12 officials and personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways along with five officials of Sunwest Inc., the construction firm founded by Co that bagged a P289.5-million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

Among the preliminary findings of the ICI was that ‘grossly substandard’ materials were used in the construction of a road dike along the Mag-asawang Tubig River in Naujan.

The ICI found ‘reasonable ground’ to recommend pursuing charges of graft, malversation, falsification of public documents and violations of the procurement law against Co and the others, apart from administrative cases.

If Co truly wants due process, the best way to get it is to come home and face the accusations against him. He has not adequately explained the reason for his absence since the joint opening of the current 20th Congress. He won’t even disclose where he is exactly, prompting the government to request the Interpol to monitor his movements under a blue notice.

Even with his resignation, Co has a responsibility to explain to the people what happened during the House deliberations on the 2024 and 2025 General Appropriations Act, when he chaired the appropriations committee.

His refusal to return home is tarnishing even his Ako Bicol party list, and inevitably former House speaker Martin Romualdez. Co’s prolonged stay outside the country is being seen as flight, which is usually associated with guilt.

Bagong Henerasyon party-list Rep. Robert Nazal has urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to exclude the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) from remitting cash balances and trust funds to the National Treasury.

During plenary deliberations on CHED’s proposed 2026 budget, Nazal pointed out that the Higher Education Development Fund (HEDF) still holds a balance of P11.7 billion, which he said should be used to support new grantees under the Tertiary Education Subsidy program.

While Executive Order 338, issued in 1996, requires government agencies – including state universities and colleges (SUCs) – to transfer their cash balances and trust funds to the National Treasury, Nazal argued that the HEDF is an exception.

Created by law to expand access to higher education, he said the fund was specifically intended to be maintained in a government financial institution, not the treasury.

‘There are numerous students awaiting scholarship, and we cannot afford that these funds lay idle there without any purpose because thousands of our youth are still dreaming of reaching college in their education,’ he said.

Nazal revealed that CHED owes about P12.3 billion to SUCs under the Free Tuition Fee Law, including P1.1 billion to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

He argued that the P11.7-billion HEDF should be tapped to finance new scholarships, while the P12.3-billion arrears must be settled immediately.

‘The law is clear: these funds should be placed in a government financial institution, nor locked in the National Treasury,’ he said.

The HEDF, with a standing balance of P11 billion, earns around P2 billion annually. If invested at five percent interest, it could yield at least P550 million a year for additional scholarships, according to Nazal.

‘If DBM insists on controlling the fund, even the interest should be spent exclusively for college scholarships,’ he added. ‘But once it is commingled with the general fund, the money is moved around and no longer serves the very students it was intended for.’

Funding demands

Meanwhile, the DBM and a group of health workers have urged Congress to act swiftly on the proposed 2026 national budget, raising concerns over rising enrollment in SUCs and underfunding in the health sector.

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman reiterated the Marcos administration’s commitment to increasing education spending, particularly for SUCs, and called on lawmakers to expedite the approval process.

The proposed 2026 national budget allocates P1.224 trillion to basic and higher education – equivalent to four percent of gross domestic product (GDP) – with P134.99 billion earmarked for SUCs.

However, with SUC enrollment projected to rise from 1.97 million to 2.27 million in 2026, lawmakers warned of a potential shortfall of P3.29 billion in the Free Higher Education program.

In response, Pangandaman assured Congress that the DBM is open to adjusting allocations to ensure funding matches projected enrollment figures.

She also emphasized the government’s use of Program Convergence Budgeting to consolidate overlapping programs, maximize resources and maintain transparency.

Despite the reallocation of P255.5 billion from the Department of Public Works and Highways’ flood control budget to education and health, Pangandaman said that critical infrastructure projects, such as school buildings, hospitals and agricultural facilities, would not be affected.

Simultaneously, the Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) criticized the proposed P320.5-billion health budget, which amounts to only 1.23 percent of GDP – well below the World Health Organization’s recommended five percent.

The group called for an increase to at least P1.3 trillion to fulfill the government’s promise of free and quality health care.

HEAD also condemned the current budget process, citing systemic corruption tied to unprogrammed appropriations and congressional insertions allegedly benefiting political allies.

The group demanded full transparency and accountability in budget proceedings, warning that leadership changes in Congress should not be used as political cover but should lead to genuine reforms.

HEAD further called for a comprehensive public health system that guarantees free, progressive and quality services without patients having to rely on political favors or programs like the medical assistance for indigent and financially incapable patients.

‘Replacements in the Senate presidency, Congress speakership and the creation of an Independent Commission for Infrastructure should not be mere political tools to placate the growing rage and eroding public trust of the people,’ it said.

‘Actions must lead to systemic change to restore integrity, uphold accountability and genuinely serve the people,’ it added.

Schedule

The House of Representatives, under Speaker Faustino Dy III, is set to conclude plenary deliberations on the proposed 2026 national budget this week.

Oct. 10 has been designated for the period of amendments before the bill is transmitted to the Senate for further review.

Deliberations on the proposed budgets of the Office of the Vice President, along with the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Migrant Workers, Information and Communications Technology, Labor and Employment, Interior and Local Government, Civil Service Commission and the Career Executive Service Board, are scheduled for today, Sept. 30.

On Oct. 1, the House will tackle the 2026 budget proposals of the Office of the President, the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Science and Technology and Transportation.

The same day will also cover discussions on the budgets for the Congress of the Philippines, support for government-owned and controlled corporations, lump sum funds and the turno en contra.

During yesterday’s session, the House reviewed the proposed budgets of the Departments of Public Works and Highways, Agriculture, Health and other executive offices.

Once approved by the House, the General Appropriations Bill will be sent to the Senate.

This will be followed by a bicameral conference committee to reconcile any differences before submission to the President for signing.

Lawmakers are targeting enactment before the end of the fiscal year to avoid a reenacted budget, as outlined under Paragraph 7, Section 25, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution. – Keisha Ta-asan, Rhodina Villanueva

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said the city will act on the results of an independent assessment that engineering and architecture groups did regarding the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) project, which may lead to a realignment of its civil works.

The City Council commissioned the experts’ assessment of the CCMC project, after Councilor Nyza Archival raised concerns about transparency and accountability on the long-delayed project. The assessment findings report is expected in the first week of October.

Nyza earlier delivered a privilege speech highlighting the importance of transparency and accountability in what she described as a critical and long-overdue infrastructure project of the city.

Without preempting the experts’ report, Mayor Archival revealed he was told of discrepancies between official completion reports and the actual status of the building, noting that some phases were listed as finished on paper but remain incomplete on-site.

‘The first, second, third, fourth (phases), mura’g ang ilang gitan-aw, kung sa paper human na pero wala pa,’ said the mayor, adding that civil works may possibly be realigned, and the project constructed gradually.

Mayor Archival added that the ?700-million contract with Dakay Construction for the hospital’s remaining floors is still under review, aligned with the City Council’s move, especially since the Department of Engineering and Public Works earlier found the project lacked as-built plans.

‘Kay ang mga nahuman nga Phase 1, Phase 2 nga mga contractors, wala may as-built plans, wala man ta’y plano nga nagsulti nga mao ‘ni ang nahuman namo,’ the mayor previously said.

In response, Councilor Archival, with the Council’s approval, sought the assistance of experts from leading organizations of engineering, architecture, and related disciplines to conduct a thorough audit of the existing documents related to the CCMC project.

Specifically, the councilor called for the involvement of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines, the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the United Architects of the Philippines, among others.

The objectives of the audit are to scrutinize all original plans, sketches, and designs; verify architectural and engineering documents; check for irregularities, discrepancies, or post-construction alterations that may have led to misappropriation of funds; and facilitate a comprehensive review for the city’s reference in making informed decisions.

It can be recalled that, following his long-awaited review of the CCMC contract for the third to sixth floors, Mayor Archival bared that the DEPW had not located the primary construction plan for the project, prompting him to stop the construction until the missing plan is provided.

When Archival assumed office as Cebu City’s mayor, one of his campaign promises was to finish the long-delayed CCMC building.

He said that, before his administration took over the city government, the contract to complete the third to sixth floors had already been awarded to a contractor, along with the corresponding Notice to Proceed (NTP). Currently, the contractor is requesting a down payment.

However, although the Programs of Work and Estimates (POWE) were already in place, the detailed plans on which construction should be based are missing. This has raised red flags among the engineers involved in the contract review.

Going back to the time of his predecessor, then-mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, before leaving office, named Dakay Construction as the winning bidder for the controversial CCMC project, despite an unfinished City Council investigation into the project’s delays and issues.

Garcia signed the contract with Dakay, which allows for a 240-calendar-day construction period, equivalent to eight months. He clarified that the agreement covers only the third to seventh floors, and that completing the remaining upper floors would require a separate contract-one he intended to leave to the incoming administration, Archival’s for that matter.

The project’s budget is approximately ?700 million, an amount left over from the previous construction before it was halted. Garcia also clarified that the inclusion of the seventh floor involves applying the final touches.

Six police officers in Batangas were relieved from their posts for allegedly firing their guns during a birthday celebration of their fellow police officer in Barangay San Benito, Lipa City last week.

Col. Ruel Ferrer, internal affairs service regional director, said the six officers are being investigated for grave misconduct, adding that they could face sanctions that include suspension or dismissal from service.

Brig. Gen. Paul Kenneth Lucas, Calabarzon police director, assured the public that the case would be handled with transparency, fairness and firmness, noting that five of the six officers are already under the personnel holding and accounting section of the Batangas Police Provincial Office.

‘We will not allow the alleged misconduct of a few to overshadow the dedication and hard work of the majority of our police officers who continue to serve and protect the people of Calabarzon with honor and commitment,’ Lucas said in a statement.

The country’s leading automotive firm Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMP) was recognized as the top revenue contributor by the local government of Santa Rosa in Laguna for 2024.

In a statement, TMP said it remitted taxes and fees amounting to P1.16 billion to the city government of Santa Rosa last year, boosting the local government’s fiscal performance.

Given its significant contribution, TMP received multiple distinctions, including the coveted Hall of Famer Award among the Top Business Taxpayers, as well as the Top Manufacturer Award and a Top Real Property Taxpayer – Company Category Award during the Lion Awards.

TMP’s wholly owned logistics arm, Toyota Motor Philippines Logistics Inc. and its franchised dealership, Toyota Santa Rosa Laguna Inc. were also recognized in the same event, underscoring Toyota network’s contribution to the city’s economy.

For Santa Rosa City Mayor Arlene Arcillas, businesses like TMP play a crucial role in sustaining the city’s contribution to the national economy.

Santa Rosa is one of the biggest contributors to the country’s gross domestic product.

‘This recognition is not only for our company, but for the entire Toyota community here in Santa Rosa, including our customers, team members, suppliers, dealer, business partners, immediate community and all the families whose lives we share and touch every day,’ TMP senior vice president for Treasury and Comptrollership Dennis Ben-Hur Escuro said.

Beyond its economic contributions, Toyota was also recognized and named Sustainable Development Partner and Earth Hour Advocate during the 2025 Green Awards for its strong commitment to responsible business practices, environmental stewardship and social development.

TMP produces the Vios, Innova and next generation Tamaraw at its plant located inside the Toyota Special Economic Zone in Santa Rosa.

At present, it has over 4,000 employees and accounts for about 29 percent of the country’s total annual exports of original equipment manufacturer parts and components.

It also promotes skills development through the Toyota Motor Philippines School of Technology.

Cebuana Lhuillier continues to champion financial inclusion by joining the government-led Lab for All caravans, a nationwide initiative that brings both healthcare and community empowerment to underserved Filipinos.

Guided by its vision of financial inclusion and empowerment for every Filipino, the company integrates its business expertise and Corporate Social Responsibility advocacies to ensure that communities gain not only access to medical services but also the financial tools needed to build better futures.

‘At Cebuana Lhuillier, we believe in empowering Filipinos to build better futures for themselves and their families,’ says president and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier.

‘Our participation in the Lab for All caravan aligns with our mission to bring financial services and opportunities directly to the communities that need them most.’

Lab for All is the flagship healthcare initiative of First Lady Louise ‘Liza’ Araneta-Marcos, supported by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Beyond providing healthcare through free medicines, consultations and mobile laboratory services, the program also emphasizes entrepreneurship and innovation, linking local talents with experts and investors for lasting community impact.

Since the launch of the first caravan in Batangas City in May 2023, Cebuana Lhuillier has been a consistent partner in 47 Lab for All events-from Tacloban and Sorsogon to Quezon City and General Santos.

At each stop, the company’s Kanegosyo Centers have offered invaluable resources: Cebuana Micro Savings accounts paired with complimentary Ipon Boxes that transform saving into a rewarding habit, ProtectMax Insurance plans that shield families from financial shocks and hands-on workshops guiding aspiring entrepreneurs toward sustainable businesses.

These initiatives uplift communities and strengthen family resilience by addressing every stage of the financial journey-saving, protecting and building.

The success of Lab for All demonstrates the extraordinary progress that can be achieved when public and private sectors unite with a shared purpose. Just as Lab for All delivers much-needed healthcare to underserved communities, Cebuana Lhuillier brings the promise of financial inclusion, accessibility and livelihood support-ensuring that every Filipino not only survives, but thrives.

“Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition” alum Shuvee Etrata made it clear she had no ill intentions in videos of her that resurfaced online, pointing out she is improving as a person.

The Kapuso artist sat down for an interview ABS-CBN entertainment reporter MJ Felipe regarding past videos of her circulating on social media.

“I was really against the shutdown of ABS-CBN kasi I was a fan. I even tweeted that ABS-CBN is a culture… and growing up I always watched,” Shuvee said, even echoing supportive words by GMA executive Annette Gozon for the network.

Annette recently released a statement backing Shuvee, saying she was being “unfairly attacked” and pointed out she “is not ‘die-hard’ for any politician.”

While no political names were mentioned, the latter portion is likely a reference to a viral video of Shuvee appearing to be in favor of the “war on drugs” by former President Rodrigo Duterte, whose supporters are called “Die-Hard Duterte Supporters” or “DDS” for short.

“Rather than spread hate and attack each other, we should unite against our common goals such as searching for the truth, and ending corruption,” Annette said. “Let’s join forces to cancel corruption, not people who work hard for their family.”

Shuvee also addressed a supposed riff with “It’s Showtime” host Vice Ganda, explaining that she enjoys sharing memes featuring the comedian.

She said such posts were taken out of context especially a “jojowain or totropahin” clip where Shuvee reacted “eww” to Vice, pointing out she and Vice are both attracted to men. MJ asked if Shuvee would return to “It’s Showtime” following the controversies, to which the Kapuso artist said it was only a matter of schedule availability.

“I really love ‘It’s Showtime,’ I’m really grateful for Meme for giving me that opportunity to be on the show, dati pinapanood ko lang,” Shuvee said.

Shuvee added that she sent Vice a message addressing posts involving the host-comedian, making it clear she was honest with Vice.

The two both star in the upcoming Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Call Me Mother” headlined by Vice and actress-singer Nadine Lustre.

Shuvee confirmed that she temporarily deactivated her X account for mental health reasons.

“I always take constructive criticism, but if it’s really hate[ful]? ‘Yan ang di ko mage-gets,” Shuvee said. “Masakit kapag sobra sila nagju-judge at di ko nasasabi ‘yung saloobin ko, parang pinagtutulungan ako ng lahat.”

“Ano bang maling nagawa ko? May tinapakan ba akong tao, may ninakaw ba ako? May ginawa ba talaga akong kamuhi-muhi?” Shuvee added.

Shuvee ended by acknowledging past decisions but is now a better version of herself, “One who decides things for the betterment of others.”

Glowing skin isn’t just about looking radiant: it’s about feeling confident in your own skin. That’s the idea behind Galderma’s Journey of Glow, which has been making its way across Asia and has finally arrived in the Philippines, in partnership with The Icon Clinic.

More than an event, the Journey of Glow is designed as an immersive beauty experience, one that encourages you to see skincare and treatments not just as vanity, but as self-care. ‘Glow isn’t just about radiant and refreshed skin; it’s having that healthy and renewed skin from inside out. Giving you the confidence to celebrate beauty,’ shares Michelle De Jesus, business unit head of Galderma Aesthetics, at the Journey of Glow launch.

At the center of the experience is the Icon Glow On treatment, a combination of Restylane Skinboosters and Sculptra, two innovations that work synergistically to deliver both instant and long-lasting results.

Restylane Skinboosters works like water for the skin, delivering deep hydration that smooths texture, refines pores and restores that dewy, lit-from-within look constantly craved for. It is the original and long-lasting injectable designed to improve skin quality with results lasting up to 15 months, thanks to its use of hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally occurring molecule that binds water, keeping skin soft, hydrated and glowing.

Restylane Skinboosters delivers micro-droplets of stabilized HA beneath the skin, creating reservoirs of long-term hydration and restoring skin’s natural composition.

Meanwhile, Sculptra is the first and original FDA-approved regenerative biostimulator injectable that helps replenish age-related collagen and elastin loss. Sculptra injects PLLA-SCA (poly-l-lactic acid) deep into the skin, it induces the stimulation of collagen and elastin production to help our body boost its own collagen and elastin production, to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and correct of shallow to deep nasolabial fold.

Sculptra reaches places no topical creams can touch, and it’s the only proven regenerative biostimulator that can stimulate skin’s natural elastin production. The effect? Skin that looks fresh today and stays youthful for years to come.

‘What I love most about Icon Glow On is that it doesn’t change how you look: it enhances what’s already there,’ says Dr. Eric Yapjuangco, also known as Dr. Yappy.

Rona Tai, The Icon Clinic’s ambassador who obtained of the treatment, says that she likes the way it seamlessly intenerates with her life: ‘Usually when I wake up, I’ve only had five or six hours of sleep, but with this treatment, I look like I’ve had eight.’

As a busy woman, Tai has no time for a high-maintenance skin routine, which is why she loves the Glow On Treatment because it allows her to be low-maintenance.

‘I don’t always have to worry about a super long skincare routine just to look moisturized and hydrated, glowing. Now I just obviously must brush my teeth and wash my face. So, I think for me that’s the biggest advantage.’ Tai also shared that she loves the boost of confidence it gives her: ‘It also improves over time, it’s skin deep. That’s why I think Glow On is a game changer. It shortens my prep time and boosts my confidence.’

But the glow doesn’t stop at the clinic-it’s only the beginning. To truly lock in and extend the benefits of your treatment, aftercare is essential.

Galderma recommends Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance as the perfect partner for post-treatment skin. The Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Day Protection Cream and Night Comfort Cream not only brighten but also help restore and strengthen the skin barrier through GentleBright Technology-a proprietary blend of niacinamide and sea daffodil.

‘Aftercare is just as important as the treatment itself. It’s what transforms a one-time glow into lasting radiance, day after day,’ says Rhizza Mae Concepcion, Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance brand manager.

With Journey of Glow, Galderma reveals that true beauty isn’t found in quick fixes-it’s rooted in science, trusted products and lasting confidence. Glowing skin is more than appearance; it’s a reflection of how you feel, how you connect with yourself and the journey you embrace. Your glow begins here.

In the eerily quiet and refrigerator-cold Constabulary morgue in Camp Crame, the mother of Rolando Galman, the accused killer of Benigno S. Aquino Jr., ‘wept hysterically’ as she identified her son’s bullet-riddled body.

This was according to The New York Times, in a Nov. 4, 1983 article about the first public hearing of the Agrava Commission held the previous day.

Ferdinand Marcos Sr. formed the body to investigate the assassination of Ninoy Aquino on Aug. 21, 1983, a shocking and bloody Sunday that would later change the course of the country’s history.

The Agrava Commission was led by retired Court of Appeals Justice Corazon Agrava as chair, with lawyer Luciano Salazar, entrepreneur Dante Santos, labor leader Ernesto Herrera and educator Amado Dizon as members.

The hearing ‘opened in an auditorium at Camp Crame and focused on testimony about an erasure in the logbook of the Philippine Constabulary Crime Laboratory, where an autopsy was performed on the body of Mr. Galman about 10 hours after the shooting. His name was entered in a space where something else had been erased. All-civilian commission,’ the article said.

Clearly, the article shows that the public had access to the hearings, whether broadcast daily or open to everyone who wanted to be there.

Another New York Times article, published on Oct. 24, 1984, narrates:

‘At the beginning, the Agrava Commission raised some doubts as to its impartiality. The first session began with the five members singing the national anthem, hands over hearts, in front of a picture of the President.

‘But once the investigation got into full swing, it became clear that the board members were going about their task without restraint.

‘Soon, the hearings were broadcast daily on the radio, and the 400-seat auditorium in the government’s social security building in Manila, where the sessions were held, was often filled and sometimes overflowing.

‘In the 11-month investigation, the panel took testimony from 194 witnesses at 146 public hearings in Manila, Tokyo and Los Angeles. More than 1,400 photographic exhibits were examined.

‘The board’s efforts caught the imagination of the public and won the faith of many. One Communist witness said he had chosen to appear ‘because of what I have observed here – that justice still prevails in this small world.”

Credibility

I could barely read or write at the time Ninoy Aquino was assassinated or when the Agrava Commission was formed.

But now, decades later, I am able to go back to this period in our country’s history because the hearings were open to the public as captured in these newspaper records – The New York Times, Mr. and Ms. and many other publications.

I am writing about this now because the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has announced – and has not changed its position as of this writing – that its hearings on the unprecedented flood control corruption scandal would not be livestreamed.

And here lies the big puzzle. An independent commission wants to conduct the hearings behind closed doors. But why?

This should not be the case. Keeping the proceedings away from the public eye diminishes the ICI’s credibility and goes against the principle of truth and accountability.

And in an angry nation seeking for answers, credibility is vital, now more than ever.

Trial by publicity, at this point, is already water under the bridge – ghost or not (oops, pun intended) – because the congressional inquiries are already aired live and social media is on overdrive, posting and reposting signs of ostentatious wealth of those implicated.

But it is exactly when the ICI hearings are made public that the respondents can refute the allegations against them and dish out their narratives. Anyway, they have all the best lawyers money can afford by their side.

On the other hand, it is when proceedings are shrouded in secrecy that suspicions abound.

Benjamin Magalong’s resignation

As it is now, the rumor mill is already abuzz with questions on why anti-corruption crusader and Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong resigned as special adviser to the ICI.

A source divulged that Magalong went to Laoag and talked to contractors. The next day, he resigned. Another tale alleges that the ICI was told to spare sacred cows.

For sure, his sudden departure from the ICI is already a big blow to the commission’s credibility.

In his resignation letter, Magalong said we must stand together for transparency, accountability and good governance and not allow corruption to steal our future.

Opening the hearings to the public, just as the Agrava Commission did, is precisely the first step needed to show that the ICI is indeed independent, sincere and transparent.

Anything less will surely lead to turmoil.

We must heed the lessons of history.

As reported by The STAR on Aug. 28, 2002, the Agrava Commission issued two different reports.

Agrava’s own report did not blame Ver for the death of Aquino, while the members’ report found him liable.

The then Tanodbayan court, the former name of the Office of the Ombudsman, acquitted Ver but convicted Gen. Luther Custodio and 15 other soldiers for the Aquino assassination.

‘The political turmoil that accompanied the Ver acquittal, the decision of Marcos to hold a snap presidential election, the claim of Aquino’s widow – Corazon – that she was robbed of the presidency were among the elements that culminated in the February 1986 people power revolt that ousted the strongman and propelled him into exile in Hawaii.’

The Betwagan tribe of Sadanga, Mountain Province and the Butbut tribe of Tinglayan, Kalinga have agreed to a truce, a step meant to end two decades of conflict over land and water in their shared boundary area.

The long-standing dispute has cost lives and posed dangers to businesses and school children of both tribes.

In the agreement signed by tribal leaders and witnessed by police and military officers over the weekend, the tribes promised to avoid fighting, issuing threats and other acts meant to intimidate the other side.