Category: Philippine Star

A construction worker from Tondo, Manila died from a gunshot during the Sept. 21 anti-corruption protests in Mendiola, according to forensic pathologist Raquel Fortun.

Fortun, in a medical certificate issued yesterday, confirmed that Eric Saber died due to a ‘perforating gunshot to the neck.’

The 35-year-old victim also suffered from a spinal cord injury, Fortun said.

Saber was allegedly shot by police during a violent dispersal of protesters, according to militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU).

However, Philippine National Police public information officer Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said there was no shooting during the unrest.

Tuaño said police recorded one fatality, a 15-year-old student who died from a stab wound.

‘There was no shooting connected to the protest. Based on the report, it was a stabbing incident, not a case of police firing,’ he said.

The KMU vowed justice for Saber, who was buried yesterday at the Manila North Cemetery.

A Quezon City court has issued warrants for the arrest of four people, including the alleged masterminds, in the murder of an official of the House of Representatives on June 15.

In a decision dated Sept. 24, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 91 ordered the arrest of Alexis Jesus Cuchapin Jr., Ma. Theresa Requerme, Ignicris Pios and Judy Rivera in connection with the killing of Mauricio Pulhin.

Police have identified Cuchapin and Requerme as the ones who allegedly masterminded Pulhin’s murder.

Pios worked as Cuchapin’s driver. Rivera reportedly drove one of the motorcycles used as getaway vehicles by the suspects.

Pulhin was the chief of technical staff of the House committee on ways and means before he was killed.

He was celebrating the birthday of his seven-year-old daughter at Don Jose Antonio Heights Subdivision in Barangay Commonwealth when he was shot dead.

Quezon City Police District director Col. Randy Glenn Silvio said yesterday the issuance of the warrants underscored the strength of the QCPD’s airtight investigation.

Silvio said manhunt operations are underway for the suspects’ arrest.

Anyone with information about the suspects’ whereabouts may report to the nearest police station or call E911, Quezon City Helpline 122 or 0917-8403925.

Police have arrested two other suspects in Pulhin’s murder.

Despite the halt on rice imports to the country, the Bureau of Customs (BOC)’s revenue collection remained unfazed, earning over P80 billion for the month of September.

Customs Assistant Commissioner Vincent Maronilla said that preliminary revenue data from the BOC indicated an increase of nearly eight percent in collections compared to the same month last year.

‘Our September was very challenging, and we are shocked by the decline in volume. Well, for the last day we are up by 7.73 percent,’ he told reporters. ‘The highest margin year-over-year for the entire 2025.’

In September 2024, the BOC collected P76.28 billion. This means that the BOC collected P82.18 billion for the month of September this year, reflecting an increase in revenue despite challenges brought by the importation halt.

‘We’re struggling because the volume has been down since late last week. And really, we’re a little bit struggling in that particular area. But the rate of assessment is up, and collections year over year are up. So, maybe we’re looking at just certain adjustments,’ Maronilla said.

For the nine-month period, the BOC has collected around P703.57 billion. This is still higher by nearly two percent from January to September last year, which only stood at P690.68 billion in revenue collection.

In terms of revenue leakage due to smuggling, Maronilla said it is hard to estimate because they cannot tell how many are being smuggled out of the country.

‘But given the relative closeness of our collection and our target despite the really substantial reduction in volume, I think it’s not that high. (It) could be, in terms of certain items in the southern part of the Philippines,’ he said.

The Cabinet-level Development Budget Coordination Committee reduced the BOC’s revenue target for this year to P990 billion from P1.06 trillion, citing lower tariffs and anticipated sluggish import growth.

Department of Finance Secretary Ralph Recto earlier mentioned that the BOC is expected to fall short of its 2025 revenue target by around P100 billion.

There will be a new feature in announcing the decision on a coach’s challenge in the PBA’s Golden Anniversary season that reels off at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday. The previous practice was the public address barker would simply announce the verdict without explaining why. This time, the calling referee will take to the microphone, announce the decision and explain why. While the announcement is being made, the large-screen video monitor in the venue will replay the contested action to show why the decision was made. The audio-visual connection may not be perfect at first but both PBA and broadcast coverer TV5/CignalTV will work closely to deliver the best possible synch for fans to appreciate the justification of the decision.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said it’ll be a challenge for referees to polish their communication skills. They’re not trained to be public speakers but with this innovation, they’ll get used to not just explaining a decision to the crowd but also communicating it to be understood. PBA head of operations Eric Castro said 23 referees are on the roster this season, one less from the starting lineup previously. Of the 23, three are rookies.

Marcial noted that another change is players on the court will now be allowed to huddle with their coach ‘on the bench area’ but will remain standing during a challenge review. The challengeable calls are act of shooting or sideline throw-in, traveling, flopping, eight-second violation, backcourt violation, 24-second shot clock remaining, blocking or charging, blocking or flopping and charging or flopping.

Still another innovation related to a challenge is in the course of a review, a violation is spotted and will be called ‘provided it took place in the same play phase.’ The situations where this will apply are third party contact, blocking or charging, foul on out-of-bounds or last touch call or all kinds of fouls, including charging and blocking. This follows the NBA practice. As an example, if a challenge is made on a last touch call and the review will spot a foul on the play, it will be called even without a challenge on the contact.

Marcial said in the last two minutes of the game, the referees may review a conversion, whether a two, three or four-pointer or free throw, on the immediate deadball. If the shot isn’t reviewed at that point, it may no longer be reviewed. This eliminates the controversy that happened during Game 1 of the Philippine Cup Finals last season where Mo Tautuaa’s shot with 56 seconds left was nullified on a table officials’ review with 6.2 ticks to go, creating confusion as it impacted the outcome.

The country’s external financial footprint expanded further in the second quarter, with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reporting that stronger inflows of foreign capital drove the Philippines’ net international investment position (IIP) deeper into deficit.

The IIP, which tracks the value of foreign financial assets and liabilities at a given point in time, showed the Philippines holding a net external liability of $68.3 billion as of end-June. This was up by 44.1 percent from $47.4 billion a year earlier and 9.8 percent higher than the $62.2 billion posted in March.

‘The increase was driven by inward foreign investments outpacing the country’s own investments abroad,’ the BSP said in a statement.

As of June, foreign investments in Philippine assets climbed by 2.7 percent quarter-on-quarter to $325.2 billion, while Philippine residents’ investments in overseas assets grew at a slower pace of 0.9 percent to $256.9 billion.

According to the BSP, the IIP is an important gauge of the economy’s financial ties with the rest of the world, serving as a measure of both external vulnerability and resilience.

By sector, general government borrowings accounted for $88.4 billion or 27.2 percent of total foreign investments in Philippine assets, while banks held $42.5 billion (13.1 percent).

Other sectors, including corporations and households, cornered the largest share at $190.4 billion (58.6 percent). The BSP itself carried $3.9 billion, or 1.2 percent.

Meanwhile, Philippine investments abroad were largely driven by the central bank, which held $111.2 billion or 43.3 percent of total foreign assets. This was a 0.2-percent decrease from the end-March level of $111.4 billion.

‘The moderation was driven by a 0.6 percent decline in reserve assets, which constitute the majority of the BSP’s external financial holdings,’ the BSP said.

The slight decrease in reserve assets was due to the government’s drawdowns on its deposits with the BSP to service external debt obligations and central bank’s net foreign exchange operations.

Other sectors followed with $105.5 billion (41.1 percent), while banks accounted for $40.2 billion (15.7 percent).

Two minor eruptions were detected at Taal Volcano in Batangas shortly after midnight yesterday, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Phivolcs said the eruptions had nothing to do with the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu approximately three hours earlier.

The eruptions generated ash plumes, but did not affect surrounding communities.

State volcanologists said the first eruption, described as phreatic or steam-driven, occurred between 12:57 a.m. and 1:02 a.m. The second, a stronger phreatomagmatic eruption, occurred from 2:02 a.m. to 2:15 a.m.

Phivolcs said the second eruption was recorded by a thermal camera installed at the Taal Volcano Observatory and by an IP camera at the Main Crater Observation Station.

‘A steam-driven eruption occurs when water came into contact with hot rocks, generating an explosion,’ Paolo Reniva, resident volcanologist at the Taal Volcano Observatory in Barangay Buco, Talisay town, said.

Meanwhile, a phreatomagmatic eruption occurs when magma comes into contact with water, causing explosions that eject steam, ash and volcanic debris. Such activity may produce plumes higher than the ones generated by a phreatic or steam-driven event.

Alert Level 1 or low-level unrest remained hoisted over Taal Volcano.

Entry into the Taal Volcano Island is strictly prohibited and residents in nearby areas have been advised to prepare and heed authorities during emergencies.

The University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu Fighting Maroons barged into the win column with a 73-69 upset of the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Season 25 basketball tournament on Tuesday, September 30, at the Cebu Coliseum.

Andrew Padilla shined the brightest with 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists while Brandon Sainz and Wenraye Sarol combined for 22 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists to help the Fighting Maroons of coach Rommel Rasmo snap a three-game jinx.

UP Cebu squandered a nine-point lead late in the third quarter as the Webmasters staged a spirited endgame fightback to seize a 65-60 edge at the last three-minute mark of the contest.

But the Fighting Maroons countered with a decisive 10-1 blitz to regain the upper hand, 70-66, in the final 64 seconds.

The Webmasters threatened one last time at 69-71 on a 3-pointer by Ricofer Sordilla as Sarol scored on a crucial layup with only five ticks left in the game clock to seal the deal for the Fighting Maroons.

Ray Charles Libatog bagged 20 points, six rebounds and one assist while Sordilla had 13 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal but their efforts went to waste as the Webmasters faltered for the first time after a rousing 2-0 start.

In high school division, Mart Justine Padilla fired 23 points with five rebounds, one assist and a spectacular six steals as the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Blue Dragons nailed their first victory with a 67-56 scorching of the University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue (UCLM) Baby Webmasters.

Kenneth Robert Fuller delivered a double-double of 16 and 12 rebounds with four assists and three steals for the Dragons, who sprinted to a 14-point advantage, 35-21, midway in the second quarter.

UCLM pulled within just two points, 49-51, in the final five minutes but the Dragons closed the match with a searing 16-7 run to secure a double-digit triumph.

Dan Mitchell Ferraren scattered 22 points, seven rebounds and two assists but to no avail as UCLM tasted its first defeat.

The Commission on Elections will start from scratch in preparing for the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections after the Supreme Court struck down two laws that redrew the region’s parliamentary districts.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said Thursday, October 2, the body must reprint ballots and reconfigure its automated election system following the high court’s decision declaring two Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) laws unconstitutional.

In a September 30 ruling, the Supreme Court nullified Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) 77 and 58, which redistributed the elective posts originally assigned to Sulu and created the parliamentary districts in the region. This means that there is now no actual law to enforce for the Bangsamoro polls, which had been initially set for October 13.

“The truth is the Comelec is now back to zero,” Garcia said in an interview on Radyo DZBB. “Bakit po back to zero? We will surely reprint ballots and have to redo our other activities.”

Garcia said, however, the ruling validated the Comelec’s decision to suspend election preparations when the court earlier issued a temporary restraining order.

The Supreme Court ruling means the Bangsamoro parliament must pass a new districting law. The Comelec also has until March 31, 2026, to hold the elections.

What Comelec had prepared

Comelec had based its preparations on BAA 58, the original districting law that included Sulu. The Supreme Court previously ruled Sulu was not part of BARMM, reducing the parliament from 80 to 73 members. The latest ruling says the parliament should have 80 members, not 73.

Before the suspension of preparations, Garcia said, the Comelec still needed to conduct voter education campaigns to explain which districts people would vote in and train electoral board members – the teachers who will staff polling places on election day. The poll body also had yet to deploy election equipment and train technical staff for the automated elections.

Garcia said voter registration will resume in the third week of October nationwide for the May 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

But those who registered from August 1 to 10 and those who register starting in October will not be able to vote in the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections if held before March 31, 2026.

“Why? Because the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections are a continuation of our national and local elections last May,” Garcia said.

The Bangsamoro parliamentary elections were supposed to be the region’s first since BARMM replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in 2019.

The Bangsamoro Organic Law set the first elections in 2022, but this was postponed to May 2025, and then to October 2025, and is now put off again pending a new law.

If it were up to PBA commissioner Willie Marcial, the 4-point line would stay in the league ‘forever.’

Marcial said that the 4-point line will be staying in the league for the PBA Season 50, and possibly for more seasons moving forward.

‘Siguro forever na yan, as ako [ang] commissioner,’ Marcial told reporters during the PBA preseason press conference Wednesday at the Shangri-La The Fort Manila in Taguig City.

”Di ko alam kung ibang commissioner na. Pero as ako commissioner, stay ang 4-point line,’ he added.

The PBA, last season, introduced the 4-point line, which had been set 27 feet away from the ring.

This added a new dimension to the game, as teams could go for the win despite being down three points.

“Pag gumagawa tayo ng bagong innovation, meron talagang di nasisiyahan, may nasisiyahan. Pero kumukuha na ang FIBA ng datos sa atin. So ‘di ko alam kung masisiyahan sila sa datos,’ Marcial said.

Other leagues, including those abroad, have also inquired about the 4-point shot, the executive bared.

‘So, nagtatanong sila, nagi-inquire. Tinatanong ko din sa kanila, ano ba sa palagay niyo? Yung iba okay, yung iba, hindi. Hindi mo masasabi,’ he added.

Before its implementation during last season, the PBA tested out the 4-point line in All-Star games.

Meralco guard Chris Banchero was the first player to sink a 4-pointer in an official game, during the season opener in August last year.

Rule changes

In the same press conference Wednesday, Marcial said that there will be nine rule changes for Season 50.

One of the rule changes is referees will now explain the ruling, live, whether a coach’s challenge is successful or unsuccessful.

During challenges, players can also form huddles with their coaches.

Teams reaching two fouls in the last two minutes of every quarter will also put them in penalty.

The referee may also review a made basket if it is a 2-, 3- or a 4-pointer, but if there will be no immediate review, the shot will no longer be reviewable. The same process will also be applied regarding basket interference in the last two minutes.

Other rule changes to be implemented this season are: throwing the ball at a player’s head with clear vision to save the ball from going out of bounds will lead to a flagrant foul penalty one infraction; a player who air-balled a legitimate shot may pick up the ball without being whistled for a travel violation; an excessive elbow from left to right will result in a technical foul; no extra time out will be allowed; and an offensive foul will count as a team foul.

Halfway through the Spring/Summer 2026 collection launches of Paris Fashion Week, Filipino celebrities relished their moments in the French capital.

Host-actress Anne Curtis and Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach-Jauncey are just a few of the Filipino personalities attending Paris Fashion Week, which runs until October 7.

Pia returned to the annual L’Oréal Paris Le Défilé runway, a year after becoming the first Filipina walk its show.

She was joined by fellow L’Oréal Paris ambassadors, including Kendall Jenner, Viola Davis, Jane Fonda, Simone Ashley, Eva Longoria, and Andie MacDowell.

The beauty queen wore a metallic red gown from Tony Ward’s Spring/Summer 2024 couture collection.

Saudi Arabia-born Filipina-Irish model Christina Nadin walked in a “Jackpot Dress” by Clara Daguin, while Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee was in the audience.

Anne was back in Paris two years after her first attendance, appearing at the shows of Lanvin and Courreges. The “It’s Showtime” host later met with Pia and Filipino content creator Bryanboy for the Asia 100 Dinner.

Actress Sarah Lahbati, meanwhile, attended shows for Ganni, Litkovska, and Caroline Hu. She was also spotted with Michelle, actress Max Collins, and former actress Maggie Wilson (who went to a Claudie Pierlot show) for an evening Maje event.