Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) will be reimplemented in the City of Manila, Muntinlupa, City, Parañaque City, Quezon City, San Juan City and Valenzuela City starting Monday, October 5.

Under the reimplementation, the standardized fines will apply under cities covered by the NCAP in line with the Metro Manila Traffic Code of 2023.

The NCAP provides for the digital recording of traffic violations through a closed-circuit television and high-speed cameras.

In August 2022, the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order against the implementation of the NCAP of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

The TRO was lifted in May 2025 for major thoroughfares covered by the NCAP of the MMDA and not the LGUs.

Last July, the Supreme Court (SC) announced that it lifted the TRO and dismissed consolidated petitions challenging the legality of the ordinances implemented by the five above-mentioned LGUs.

While the petitioners said that the NCAP violates due process and the Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, the SC noted that the Metro Manila Council introduced the Metro Manila Traffic Code of 2023 since the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) over the policy in August 2022.

The Metro Manila Traffic Code of 2023 institutionalizes a single-ticketing system across the National Capital Region

The municipality of Quezon rolled out the red carpet for its 9,538 registered senior citizens on Thursday, turning the Quezon Civic Arena into a vibrant gathering place for the town’s 10th Senior Citizens’ Day celebration.

Thousands of senior citizens from the town’s 31 barangays gathered for a day dedicated to kalipay (joy), wellness, and community fellowship.

The local government ensured accessibility by providing free transportation, with pick-up and drop-off arrangements for participants from remote areas.

During the program, Quezon Mayor Pablo Lorenzo III noted the growing number of senior citizens each year.

He urged them to avail themselves of PhilHealth health services and reminded them to take care of themselves, emphasizing that their guidance remains essential.

Bukidnon 3rd District Rep. Audrey Tan-Zubiri also attended the event as guest of honor, expressing her respect for senior citizens and acknowledging their vital contributions to the community and the country.

What began as a local initiative has since evolved into a legally institutionalized tradition.

October 1 officially became an annual celebration dedicated to senior citizens after the Sangguniang Bayan enacted a municipal ordinance.

The ordinance established a policy promoting senior welfare, recognizing older people as integral contributors to nation-building and mandating the annual organization of activities centered on their needs.

True to the ordinance, the event featured free wellness services, including medical checkups, haircuts, massages, and manicures.

Laughter echoed through the venue during parlor games and a raffle draw, while the ‘Seniors Got Talent’ competition showcased the participants’ rhythm and stage presence.

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake jolted Solsona town in Ilocos Norte at 2:42 pm on Thursday, with a depth of 10 km, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

The earthquake was felt in parts of Abra, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur

Phivolcs measured Intensity II in Batac City in Ilocos Norte, and Sinait, Ilocos Sur.

Intensity I was felt in Abra capital town Bangued and in Bacrra, San Nicolas town in Ilocos Norte.

Aftershocks are not expected, Phivolcs said. No damage or casualties have been reported

The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed three petitions seeking to invalidate the Senate impeachment court’s Sept. 23 decision to lower the number of votes needed to convict Vice President Sara Duterte, clearing the way for the trial to proceed under the revised voting rule.

The high court, sitting en banc, junked the petitions separately filed by former Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez, constitutional lawyer Ernesto Francisco Jr., and disbarred lawyer Berteni Causing on procedural grounds, including lack of standing and being premature.

The ruling was unanimous, with acting Chief Justice Marvic Leonen presiding, Supreme Court spokesperson Camille Ting told reporters.

The petitions challenged the Sept. 23 ruling, which interpreted the constitutional requirement of a two-thirds vote of ‘all the members of the Senate’ to mean senators legally and factually capable of participating in the proceedings when the judgment is made.

The impeachment court’s 13-1 vote effectively changed the denominator for determining the two-thirds threshold. If only 20 senator-judges are eligible to participate when judgment is rendered, 14 votes would be needed for conviction instead of 16.

Three senators have been unable to participate in the trial since it began on July 6: Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, who is in hiding while facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, and Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada, who are detained over separate nonbailable plunder charges. Loren Legarda, who is currently on extended medical leave, attended a few sessions before leaving the country on Aug. 2.

Six other senator-judges, all members of the minority, did not participate in the Sept. 23 vote.

The Sept. 23 ruling came after the impeachment court on Sept. 16 heard the views of four retired Supreme Court justices invited as amici curiae, or friends of the court, to guide the senator-judges on the matter.

Three of the four-retired Chief Justices Hilario Davide Jr., Artemio Panganiban and Reynato Puno-said the two-thirds requirement should not necessarily be fixed at 16 votes. Retired Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna maintained that the Constitution requires the full membership of the Senate to be used in computing the threshold.

Article XI, Section 3(6) of the Constitution provides that no person may be convicted in an impeachment case ‘without the concurrence of two-thirds of all the members of the Senate.’

SC leaves ruling intact

Rodriguez argued that the Senate court had effectively rewritten the Constitution, while Causing said senators should still be counted even if they are detained, in hiding or medically unable to attend. For Francisco, the Constitution provides for a 24-member Senate; hence, conviction requires at least 16 senator-judges.

The Supreme Court did not rule on the substance of those arguments but dismissed the petitions because the petitioners lacked legal standing and the issue raised was premature.

Legal experts earlier questioned whether the petitions were ripe for judicial review since no judgment had yet been rendered by the impeachment court.

‘Let trial proceed’

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said the Supreme Court ruling meant that Duterte’s trial could proceed as scheduled.

He said the decision showed that the impeachment court acted ‘within its bounds and its constitutional allowance.’

‘It also goes to show that the Supreme Court respects the decision of the impeachment court,’ Gatchalian added.

Senator-Judge JV Ejercito shared Gatchalian’s view, saying he believed the ruling showed that the high court was giving importance to the impeachment court.

Senator-Judge Joel Villanueva said he saw no remaining stumbling block to the proceedings.

The ruling was also welcomed by Reginald Tongol, spokesperson for the impeachment court, saying the ‘prompt dismissal of the [petitions] on procedural grounds-specifically lack of standing and prematurity-effectively confirms that the interpretations and proceedings of the Senate impeachment court are constitutionally bulletproof.’

‘By junking these challenges, the highest court has drawn a definitive firewall around the independence of the Senate as an impeachment court, confirming that its proceedings cannot be held hostage by premature judicial meddling or collateral litigation,’ he added.

Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, a member of the House prosecution panel, said: ‘We believe that the Senate impeachment court itself should be the one to decide this.’

Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, prosecution spokesperson, said the ruling allowed the trial to remain focused on the evidence.

‘The duty of the prosecution in an impeachment trial is clear: to present evidence, examine witnesses, and prove the allegations in the articles of impeachment so the impeachment court may determine whether the respondent remains fit to hold public office,’ Adiong said.

Defense keeps options open

The defense had placed on record Duterte’s reservations over the Sept. 23 ruling and said she would continue participating in the proceedings ad cautelam, while reserving all legal remedies available under the Constitution and law.

Defense counsel Michael Poa has maintained that any disagreement with the impeachment court should be raised through the proper legal process.

‘I’ve always maintained… respect for the court. If we have a disagreement with the decision of the court, I think the best way to do it is not through the media, not through gossip but through our petition if we have a petition,’ Poa said.

Poa also distanced himself from Vice President Duterte’s spokesperson Paolo Panelo’s characterization of the proceedings as ‘lokohan,’ saying he had not agreed with that description.

The defense had not indicated whether it would pursue another Supreme Court challenge after Wednesday’s dismissal. Rodriguez had also not responded to an Inquirer inquiry on whether he would seek reconsideration of the ruling.

The impeachment trial resumes on Thursday, Oct. 1, after the Senate court canceled Wednesday’s hearing for what it called a ‘strategic procedural pause.’

Gatchalian said both the prosecution and defense panels had requested the one-day break to prepare for 11 straight trial days from Oct. 1 to 15, except on weekends.

The marathon schedule gives the panels little time to prepare between hearings and could result in the court running out of witnesses before the end of a trial day, he said.

Tongol said the trial was ‘aggressively ahead of schedule’ and described Wednesday’s cancellation as a pause to clear the way for whole-day hearings.

Next prosecution witnesses

Ridon said the prosecution had witnesses lined up for Thursday and Friday, including Land Registration Authority officials, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura and former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

‘I think we will not be under delay, like what the Senate impeachment court spokesperson mentioned. In fact, we are on a fast pace in terms of our witness presentation,’ he said.

The prosecution is still finalizing the sequence of witnesses, particularly whether Trillanes or Buenaventura should testify first.

Ridon said the panel was taking ‘under strict advisement’ the impeachment court’s suggestion that Buenaventura testify first to provide a baseline for Trillanes’ testimony on bank accounts.

The prosecution had initially planned to call Trillanes first because he would also discuss matters not taken up during the House justice committee hearings.

The testimonies of Trillanes and Buenaventura are expected to form a key part of the prosecution’s Article 2 case involving Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth and failure to declare assets in her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth.

The AMLC chief testified before the House justice committee that covered and suspicious transactions involving Duterte and her relatives totaled P6.7 billion, including P4.4 billion in inflows and P1.5 billion in outflows. He also confirmed that 18 transactions randomly selected from Trillanes’ annexes matched AMLC records.

The Senate impeachment court is scheduled to hold whole-day proceedings on Oct. 1 and 2, Oct. 5 to 9, and Oct. 12 to 15 before taking a break to accommodate deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has ordered on Thursday the start of a P31-million road redevelopment project for Naga City that will provide wider pedestrian walkways, bike lanes, and facilities for persons with disabilities (PWDs).

The project along Melchor T. Villanueva Avenue in Barangay Liboton is expected to be completed within six to seven months, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.

‘Our priority is pedestrians and their safety. Walkable streets are equally important as streets for vehicles,’ Dizon told reporters in an interview.

He said the DPWH is implementing similar projects in Metro Manila and other parts of the country, including expanding sidewalks and bike lanes and expanding PWD-friendly facilities.

No trees will be cut as part of the project, following Mayor Leni Robredo’s directive to preserve them and provide shade for pedestrians.

‘Shade is important so the public can freely enjoy walking,’ Dizon said, referring to the mayor’s directive.

The project will also include a proper drainage system to help address flooding in the area, Dizon said.

He said the DPWH was prioritizing pedestrian safety and walkability amid rising fuel prices.

‘Especially now, we are feeling the pain of very high gasoline prices,’ he said.

Mayor Robredo said the project was important for everyone’s safety, considering that it is a four-lane national highway.

‘It is very beneficial. The three big schools are here, with many vulnerable pedestrians. It is a four-lane national highway, and vehicles tend to speed up, so it is very dangerous,’ Robredo said.

She added that the construction work would be carried out in the morning to minimize noise and disturbance to nearby residents.

Calapan City is prioritizing social services, with more funds earmarked for education, housing, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, farmers, fisherfolk, and informal settlers, Mayor Paulino Salvador Leachon said in his State of the City Address on Thursday, Oct. 1.

The mayor announced that more funds would go directly to sectors that matter most to residents: education, housing, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, farmers, fisherfolk, and informal settlers.

Leachon also reported substantial increases in education funding, including expanded scholarship programs, school facility upgrades, and direct financial aid to students from low-income households.

For the agriculture and fisheries sectors, which he described as the backbone of the city’s economy, the mayor highlighted expanded livelihood assistance, modernized post-harvest facilities, and the continued distribution of high-yield seeds and fishing gear to small-scale producers.

‘Our farmers and fisherfolk feed this city. It is only right that we prioritize their progress alongside everyone else’s,’ he added.

Among his key announcements was the comprehensive relocation of informal settlers living along danger-prone riverbanks, as well as farmers displaced by infrastructure and development projects in Barangay Guinobatan.

The city government has secured a two-hectare government-owned parcel in Barangay Guinobatan to serve as the new community site.

The city will fully fund the development and site preparation, including road access, drainage, water supply, and power connections, at no cost to the relocated families.

A separate livelihood and resettlement grant will be distributed to affected farming households to help them establish new sources of income immediately after relocation.

The mayor also reported the completion and upgrading of 12 kilometers of farm-to-market roads across seven barangays and the operational launch of the Calapan City 911 Emergency Hotline, the first in the entire Mimaropa region, to ensure faster responses to medical, fire, and police emergencies.

He also reported the expansion of the city’s socialized housing program, with four new housing sites in various stages of development, as well as the cleanup and rehabilitation of major waterways, coupled with strict enforcement of anti-dumping ordinances to reduce flood risks.

Leachon said the city government had also streamlined business permit processing and digitized frontline services to cut red tape.

He stressed that the administration’s approach was rooted in inclusive growth, ensuring that progress reaches marginalized communities, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and indigenous groups within the city.

‘Development means nothing if it leaves anyone behind. Every Calapan resident – regardless of where they live or what they do – deserves a safe home, decent opportunities, and a government that stands with them,’ Leachon declared.

The city is also allocating bigger budgets to departments that directly serve these sectors to ensure that assistance reaches people faster

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Thursday said it summoned 19 ride-hailing platform providers after they allegedly failed to implement the required fare adjustments.

According to the LTFRB, it issued a show-cause order to at least 19 Transport Network Companies (TNCs) for failing to implement the approved fare increase, which took effect on Monday, Sept. 28.

Acting LTFRB Chairman Atty. Greg G. Pua, Jr. said Thursday that it received complaints from ride-hailing drivers about some TNCs’ failure to implement the new fare rates for Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS).

They allegedly continued the old fare system despite the Department of Transportation’s newly implemented fare adjustments for public utility vehicles.

‘Para sa kaalaman ng lahat, ang TNVS partner po ang gumagastos sa gasolina at diesel, at hindi ang mga TNCs. Kaya kapag hindi na-implement ang fare increase para sa kanila, sila po ang maaapektuhan at hindi ang mga TNCs,’ Pua explained in the same press release.

(‘For everyone’s information, it is the TNVS partner who shoulders the cost of gasoline and diesel, not the TNCs. Therefore, if the fare increase for them is not implemented, they are the ones who will be affected, not the TNCs.’)

Under the approved fare hikes, the base fare for TNVS sedan increased to P65 from P45, while rates for AUVs climbed to P75 from P55. Hatchback rates also increased to P55 from P35, while premium TNVS fares were adjusted to P165 from P145.

Their alleged ‘defiance’ resulted in unfair charges that did not align with the newly authorized fare adjustments, which the agency said violates applicable LTFRB rules and regulations.

The 19 platform providers were tasked to explain in writing within three working days upon receipt why their respective accreditations should not be suspended or canceled.

Meanwhile, their hearing was set on Oct. 7, Wednesday.

‘Failure on the part of the respondent to appear before the Hearing Officer and file an Answer, shall be considered as a waiver on its part to be heard and shall cause the imposition of a penalty,’ as stated in the order

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said he was open to a dialogue with representatives of the True Brown Style (TBS) gang but stressed that any talks should include a commitment to stop what he described as the group’s criminal activities.

‘A dialogue must be with a commitment to stopping their nefarious activities,’ Remulla said in an ambush interview on Thursday.

He also stressed that law enforcement agencies would continue enforcing the law against TBS members, saying reconciliation could not happen without justice and truth.

Remulla said authorities already had a list of TBS members and would proceed with efforts to arrest them.

The DILG chief said TBS’ charitable activities could not conceal or offset its alleged criminal activities in communities.

He described the group’s charitable initiatives as efforts to create a favorable image, saying these would not prevent law enforcement authorities from pursuing its members.

‘That’s their version of the truth, and we have our version. They know what they are doing,’ Remulla said.

‘HUWAG LAHATIN. Hindi lahat ng may TBS sa pangalan, kulay, o affiliation ay kriminal. Hindi lahat ng TBS members pare-pareho ang ginagawa,’ TBS Worldwide wrote in a Facebook post.

(DO NOT GENERALIZE. Not everyone with TBS in their name, color, or affiliation is a criminal. Not all TBS members do the same thing.)

‘Marami sa amin ay professionals, workers, parents, business owners, at ordinaryong mamamayang sumusunod sa batas,’ it added.

(Many of us are professionals, workers, parents, business owners, and ordinary law-abiding citizens

Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial ended early on Thursday due to concerns raised by her defense team, including the confidentiality of documents submitted by a prosecution witness.

Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Atty. Ronel Buenaventura was scheduled to testify for the prosecution on Thursday in connection with allegations that Duterte had amassed unexplained wealth and failed to declare it in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

However, Duterte’s lead defense counsel, Shiela Sison, informed the court that they had received the AMLC summaries only on Thursday morning.

‘We just noticed that this document consists of the summaries, including the cover letter submitted by the Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Anti-Money Laundering Council, Atty. Ronel Buenaventura, consisting of 11 pages, actually has on each and every page of this document a strictly confidential mark,’ Sison said. ‘And this repeats in the entire submission, including the accompanying summaries identified as Annex A and so on and so forth.’

‘There is also a portion in the cover letter dated October 1, 2026 of the Executive Director of AMLC addressed to the lead of the panel of the prosecutors explicitly saying that the AMLC is not waiving the confidentiality of AMLC records,’ she added.

House prosecutor Chel Diokno disputed Sison’s claim, saying that the AMLC documents were provided to the defense team on Sept. 2.

‘That is, I believe, enough time for them to have produced the documents and prepared for the presentation of the witness from the AMLC,’ Diokno said.

Senator-judge Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III expressed strong reservations about postponing the proceedings.

‘I am not aware of what the presiding officer’s ruling would be, but I have very strong reservations about postponing any proceedings this afternoon because all this time, I thought that the prosecution and the defense have been ready with this since July, since the time we took the oath. And they already know what’s coming, right?’ Sotto said.

‘So I don’t think many would enjoy a postponement only because they were not given proper time. This was since July, and I understand September too, the defense was given,’ he added.

In the end, the Senate Impeachment Court granted the defense team’s request for ample time to prepare for the direct and cross-examinations of the AMLC witness.

‘On the requested time of the respondent or counsel for respondent to prepare adequately for the AMLC, I believe this is only the first time that this is being done in excess of the day,’ Presiding Officer and Sen. Francis Escudero said.

‘So, ex comitate, ex aequo, out of courtesy and equity, the chair grants the time requested by the counsel for respondent for time to prepare for the direct and cross-examination of the AMLC witness on Monday,’ he added.

The 32nd day of the trial on Thursday was supposed to be the first full day of proceedings, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. However, the court adjourned the session at 3:30 p.m.

The court also canceled Friday’s trial and decided to resume proceedings next week to hear the testimonies of officials from financial institutions.

The Philippine Blu Girls saw their three-game winning streak snapped by unbeaten China with a 7-0 defeat in five innings on Thursday in women’s softball of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

The Blu Girls could only produce two hits even as the Chinese bats went on a tear, capping things off with a four-run fifth that forced a quick end to the contest held at Anjo Softball Ground.

With the loss, the Blu Girls dropped to a 3-3 win-loss slate to share fourth spot with South Korea going into the final day of the preliminary round.

They finish the preliminaries against Hong Kong, hoping to secure their place in Saturday’s bronze-medal match.

Pitchers Glory Alonzo, Sydney Vitangcol and Royevel Palma were rocked by China’s eight hits in the game that ended after five because of a seven-run mercy rule.

China got on the board in the bottom half of the second when Kailin Xi scored from third after Mengrun Wang grounded out.

Min Reng made it 3-0 for the Chinese in the third, drilling a two-run homer past the right-center fence off Alonzo.

Jiaxin Xie gave China its second home run of the game, a three-run shot in the fifth off Vitangcol. Palma came in relief and walked the first two batters she faced before she hit Yujuan Sang with the bases-loaded that allowed another run and the abbreviated win for China.