Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Mu Xinyue called it ‘the happiest moment of my life’ after she became the first woman to win an Asian Games gold medal in esports.

The 20-year-old played a pivotal role as China beat host Japan to win the final of horror survival game ‘Identity V’ in Nagoya.

‘When the national anthem was played and the gold medal was around my neck, I was so excited and happy,’ Xinhua news agency quoted her as saying. ‘I think this may be the happiest moment of my life.’

Mu is the only woman in China’s 23-strong esports squad at the Games.

Competitive gaming remains dominated by men.

At Asia’s biggest sporting spectacular there are 534 esports competitors. Just 14 of them, or less than three percent, are women.

For South Korea, another gaming heavyweight, Park So-yeon became the first woman to represent their national team when she competed in Nagoya.

Following her landmark gold medal on Wednesday, Mu said the only thing that mattered was ability.

‘As the first female player to win the gold medal I don’t think gender is something that should define us or be used as a benchmark,’ she said.

‘I think that whether you’re a man or a woman, everyone needs to have enough ability to compete at this level.

‘I think every player who makes it here has earned their place through their own ability.’

Competitive gaming made its full debut at the Asian Games in Hangzhou three years ago.

A nationwide campus tour is reaching out to young Filipinos to discuss the West Philippine Sea, government accountability and the 2028 elections, as organizers seek to encourage Gen Z voters to take a more active interest in national affairs.

Team Pinas brought its ‘GenZennial Tour’ to Mindanao State University-General Santos City on Wednesday, combining discussions on national issues with performances and activities designed for young audiences.

Cleve Arguelles, spokesperson for Team Pinas, said the tour focuses on the West Philippine Sea, government accountability, and issues young voters may consider as the country approaches the 2028 elections.

Among the topics were China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea, issues arising from the flood control controversy, and the impeachment proceedings involving Vice President Sara Duterte.

The program also features performances, lightsticks, photo booths and other activities patterned after events popular among young people.

Arguelles said the format was designed not only to attract Gen Z participants but also to find out which national issues matter most to them.

He said organizers initially wondered whether young people who spend much of their time online had become less interested in national affairs. Their experience during the tour, however, showed that students were also looking for information and face-to-face discussions.

According to Arguelles, such discussions allow students to ask questions and examine information amid the spread of fake news and disinformation online.

One session, titled ‘From TikTok to West Philippine Sea,’ connects young people’s use of social media with issues such as food security, the livelihood and safety of Filipino fishermen, and online disinformation.

The group also discusses the 2028 elections, including potential candidates and the performance of incumbent officials.

Arguelles stressed, however, that Team Pinas does not endorse candidates or tell participants whom to vote for.

‘We do not endorse candidates, and we also do not tell them whom they should vote for,’ he said.

Instead, Arguelles said, the group wants young voters to consider national issues when they eventually cast their ballots.

Team Pinas is a coalition of academics and community advocates from different universities and professions, including political scientists, public administration scholars, and lawyers.

Its activities also extend beyond campuses through ‘Baranggayan,’ or community-level discussions.

Arguelles maintained that the program is nonpartisan and focused on raising awareness among young people.

‘They are not merely the hope of the future. They are already the hope of today,’ he said.

Arguelles also urged young people not to lose interest in national affairs despite concerns over corruption and other problems confronting the country, saying Gen Z could use its collective voice to participate in discussions on issues that could shape its future

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV revealed that he asked lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro to remove his name from the list of witnesses to be presented by the prosecution panel in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.

In a statement on his Facebook page on Thursday, Trillanes said he asked Luistro to withdraw his name to relieve the prosecution panel of the ‘pressure it is going through.’

‘Earlier in the day, I requested the House prosecution under Chair Jinky Luistro to formally withdraw my name as a witness for the prosecution. This way, the prosecution panel would be relieved from the pressure it is going through,’ he said.

‘Having said that, I will hold a press conference tomorrow to present all the matters that I would have presented and released during the impeachment trial,’ he added.

Before the impeachment trial went on a lunch break, Luistro manifested before the Senate Impeachment Court that they had finally decided to refrain from presenting Trillanes as their witness for Article II of the Articles of Impeachment.

‘The prosecution has finally decided not to present former Senator Sonny Trillanes. We seek the kind indulgence of the honorable impeachment court for the belated final decision on this particular concern,’ Luistro said.

Article II contains allegations that Duterte has unexplained wealth and failed to declare this in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

It is not clear what pressure Trillanes was referring to, but several netizens, including vlogger and lawyer Jesus Falcis, claimed that individuals opposed the former senator’s presentation.

Trillanes has been seen as a crucial witness in establishing a case under Article II, as he has claimed for several years that Duterte and members of her family, including her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, hid bank accounts not stated in her SALN.

Last April 22, when the House of Representatives’ Committee on Justice held confirmatory hearings regarding the two impeachment complaints against Duterte, Trillanes was called as a resource person to shed light on his claims of hidden bank accounts.

Trillanes presented several bank accounts during the April 22 hearing. Later, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), through Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura, confirmed that several financial transactions mentioned by Trillanes were the same fund movements that the agency had flagged or monitored.

The confirmation came after Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima randomly picked 18 financial transactions listed in Trillanes’ annexes and asked the AMLC to check if these were part of its investigation.

Buenaventura confirmed that 18 out of 18 randomly picked transactions in Trillanes’ annexes matched the AMLC’s records.

On Thursday, Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo urged the prosecution to be strategic in presenting its witnesses, suggesting that Trillanes be presented first before going to the AMLC executive director.

Tulfo said this as he scolded the prosecution for instances in which they failed to pique the curiosity of senator-judges, as they supposedly fielded witnesses unnecessary to Duterte’s impeachment trial.

When Presiding Officer and Senator-judge Francis Escudero said Flores would give the answer after lunch, Tulfo said he was raising the suggestion because the prosecution seemed to have stumbled several times in presenting witnesses.

Trillanes was also seen at the Senate premises last Tuesday. When the prosecution presented Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte as a witness, Trillanes was present to monitor the proceedings.

Authorities seized about P1.7 million worth of suspected shabu and arrested a suspected drug peddler during a joint buy-bust operation in Poblacion 5 here on Tuesday, Sept. 29.

The operation was led by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Maguindanao del Norte Provincial Office (PDEA-MagNor), according to PDEA-BARMM Regional Director George Paul Alcovindas.

Joining the PDEA in the entrapment operation were operatives from Cotabato City Police Office, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency 17 (NICA 17), PNP Drug Enforcement Group-Special Operations Unit BAR (PDEG-SOU BAR).

Arrested was alias ‘Ivan/Jehad,’ 22, a farmer, of Barangay Kuden, Talitay, Maguindanao del Norte.

Recovered from the suspect were five heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing about 250 grams, with an estimated street value of P1.7 million.

Authorities also recovered a mobile phone, the buy-bust money, a black belt bag, a white plastic bag, and a brown paper bag allegedly used in the transaction.

The suspect is currently under the custody of the PDEA BARMM jail facility pending the filing of appropriate charges.

He is set to face charges for violation of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

PDEA BARMM urged the public to support its campaign against illegal drugs by providing authorities with information on suspected drug activities

Seawater samples collected from Carigara Bay tested positive for Pyrodinium bahamense, a toxic microorganism associated with paralytic shellfish poisoning, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said in an advisory on Tuesday.

The positive samples were collected from waters covering parts of Babatngon, San Miguel, Capoocan, Barugo and Carigara, all in Leyte.

The detection of Pyrodinium bahamense, a dinoflagellate commonly associated with red tide events in Philippine waters, has prompted authorities to monitor the affected areas and remind coastal communities and consumers to observe existing shellfish safety advisories.

Red tide occurs when certain microscopic algae, including toxin-producing dinoflagellates, multiply rapidly in marine waters. Some species can produce toxins that accumulate in filter-feeding shellfish such as mussels, oysters, and clams.

Consuming contaminated shellfish can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), which may lead to symptoms ranging from numbness and vomiting to difficulty breathing and, in severe cases, death.

The presence of the microorganism in seawater does not necessarily mean that the water itself is poisonous to people. The main food-safety concern is the accumulation of toxins in shellfish and other marine organisms that may be consumed.

BFAR regularly collects and tests seawater and shellfish samples in areas where red tide organisms are detected.

Consumers are advised to follow official advisories from the BFAR before gathering or eating shellfish from affected waters.

Further monitoring will determine whether toxin levels in shellfish warrant a shellfish ban or other restrictions.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said it had sent invitations to Vice President Sara Duterte, former House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and other individuals whom former police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. linked to his ‘cash delivery’ allegations.

NBI Director Melvin Matibag said invitations were sent to their respective addresses Thursday.

These include siblings Sara Duterte and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, as well as Velasco and his wife, Rowena.

They are scheduled to appear before the NBI on Monday next week, Oct. 5.

Gracioso, Velasco’s former aide, alleged that he personally delivered suitcases filled with cash to the vice president, Paolo Duterte, and former President Rodrgo Duterte between 2018 and 2020.

The NBI earlier released the former cop’s polygraph examination results, where it showed ‘no deception indicated’ regarding his sworn affidavit.

‘So, there are still people we will invite and subpoena,’ Matibag said.

The vice president maintained that she does not know Gracioso, further denying his allegations in a statement

Far Eastern University coach Sean Chambers has called his deep rotation a good problem to have.

On Wednesday, the Tamaraws showed why.

FEU stunned defending champion La Salle, 90-78, at Mall of Asia Arena, riding a balanced attack to improve to 2-1 in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament.

Five Tamaraws scored in double figures as FEU controlled the game from start to finish and bounced back strongly from its first loss.

‘We got in the gym, we got better, we pushed each other and sometimes, pain becomes one of your greatest teachers,’ Chambers said.

Kirby Mongcopa led FEU with 20 points, while rookie Cabs Cabonilas provided a major lift off the bench with 17 points and six rebounds.

Jorick Bautista added 12 points, Mo Konateh had a double-double of 10 points and 14 rebounds, and Jedric Daa chipped in 10.

The victory put FEU at 2-1, joining Ateneo, National University, University of the Philippines and University of Santo Tomas in a five-way tie near the top of the standings.

Luis Pablo paced La Salle with 15 points, while Mason Amos and Doy Dungo scored 10 apiece as the Green Archers fell to 1-2.

Earlier, UST squandered most of a 23-point lead before holding off University of the East, 98-87. INQ

For the complete collegiate sports coverage including scores, schedules and stories, visit Inquirer Varsity.

Anti-narcotics operatives arrested a high-value target, seizing P3.4 million worth of suspected shabu from him during a drug buy-bust operation in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi on Wednesday night.

Abraham Solon Kalim, head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) Tawi-Tawi provincial office, identified the suspect as Mahadir Arabani Udja, 28, a resident of Barangay Silubog, Bongao.

A high-value target, Udja was immediately arrested after he handed over the alleged shabu to an undercover agent in Barangay Tubig Tanah during the entrapment operation at about 8 p.m.

Joint operatives from PDEA, Philippine Marines, and the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) recovered 10 sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride weighing 500 grams with a value of P3.4 million.

Kalim lauded the operational support from members of the 4th Marine Rifle Battalion under Lt. Colonel Richard Malabanan, Tawi-Tawi police provincial director Colonel Byron Alatog, and Bongao municipal police chief Colonel Roy Zantua.

The operation came two days after PDEA-Tawi-Tawi also seized P20.4 million worth of suspected shabu during a drug buy-bust in the waters off Bongao.

The previous operation led to the arrest of an alleged big-time drug peddler, identified as Sheik Sahid Basa Abdulla, who was injured when the drug deal turned violent after he and his cohorts opened fire on approaching lawmen

Carlo Paalam gets a chance to end the Philippines’ 16-year Asian Games boxing gold drought when he faces Japan’s 22-year-old hometown favorite Rui Yamaguchi in the men’s 55-kilogram final Friday at Nishio Gymnasium.

Paalam, 28, reached the gold medal round after beating Kazakhstan’s reigning world champion Makhmud Sabyrkhan by a 3-2 split decision Wednesday, assuring the Philippines of at least a silver medal.

A victory in the 12:15 p.m. bout (Philippine time) would give the Philippines its first Asian Games boxing gold since Rey Saludar won the 52-kilogram division at the 2010 Guangzhou Games.

It would also give Paalam his first Asian Games silver or gold after winning bronze in Jakarta in 2018 and falling in the quarterfinals at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.

‘You can’t say what will happen in the ring. I’ll just give my best,’ Paalam said in Filipino after beating Sabyrkhan, whom he previously defeated at the 2022 Asian Elite Boxing Championships.

Paalam, a Tokyo Olympic silver medalist, is coming off a long injury layoff entering the Asian Games.

Yamaguchi, meanwhile, switched from kickboxing to boxing in middle school and won Japan’s national championship at 51 kilograms in 2024 before moving up to 55 kilograms with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in mind.

The 2026 Asian champion at 55 kilograms also competed at last year’s World Boxing Championships and reached the final with three 5-0 victories.

Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines president Marcus Manalo said Paalam, the last boxer standing in Aichi-Nagoya, has the experience and speed advantage against the highly touted Japanese, who has the edge in height and reach.

‘It just really depends on who will be able to execute the competition plan,’ he also said. ‘But I’m sure Carlo will be up to the challenge.’

Paalam is one of several remaining chances for the Philippines to increase its gold medal haul with two full days of competition left before Sunday’s closing ceremonies.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is returning to the Christmas genre after 30 years, this time taking on the role of Santa Claus in the upcoming holiday heist film ‘The Man with the Bag.’

Schwarzenegger last starred in a Christmas genre film in 1996 with ‘Jingle All the Way,’ a Christmas family comedy.

In ‘The Man with the Bag,’ Schwarzenegger stars as Santa, whose iconic red bag is stolen by a rogue elf with a grudge, played by Awkwafina. With Christmas at risk, Santa turns to a thief from his ‘Naughty List,’ played by Alan Ritchson, to help recover the stolen bag.

Ritchson’s character assembles a crew of criminally skilled misfits, with assistance from elves and reindeer, to pull off the biggest heist of their lives and save Christmas.

‘The Man with the Bag’ also stars Berkeley James, Michael Cyril Creighton, Liza Koshy, Kyle Mooney and Jane Krakowski, with Ken Jeong and Awkwafina.

Adam Shankman directed the film from a screenplay by Allan Rice. Producers are Lawrence Grey, Ben Everard, Reg Tigerman, Dan Spilo and Ritchson.

The film is set to premiere globally on Prime Video on Dec. 2.