Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has invited the five senior associate justices of the Supreme Court (SC) to apply for the position of chief justice ahead of Alexander Gesmundo’s compulsory retirement on November 6.

In a statement on Tuesday, the JBC said it invited the following senior associate justices to submit their application:

Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen

Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa

Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando

Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting

Associate Justice Rodil V. Zalameda

On Saturday, the JBC opened applications and nominations for the next Supreme Court chief justice.

It also set a deadline for the applications, along with the necessary documentary requirements, on October 13 at 4:30 p.m.

The JBC is a constitutional body that has a mandate to vet nominees to the president for vacant posts in the judiciary, the Office of the Ombudsman, and members of the Legal Education Board.

Since the early 2000s, the body has been practicing inviting the five most senior SC associate justices to apply for the chief justice post ‘as a matter of courtesy and in recognition of their seniority.’

The municipal government of Lubang in Occidental Mindoro has launched a research and documentation project aimed at preserving the history, movements, music, costumes and cultural significance of the Balsehan ng Lubang, a traditional cultural practice closely associated with the island town’s Mayohan Festival.

The project is being undertaken by the Lubang Municipal Tourism Office and the Municipal Tourism, Culture and the Arts Council (MTCAC), which are seeking the participation of residents, cultural practitioners and community elders who can provide information and historical materials about the tradition.

The local government said the Balsehan is more than a traditional dance or festival performance. It reflects the town’s history, faith, identity, music, traditions and collective memory.

However, much of the knowledge about the Balsehan has yet to be recorded and remains preserved largely through the memories and experiences of elders and cultural bearers, according to the tourism office.

The research team is collecting old photographs, videos, audio recordings, musical instruments, costumes, festival programs, newspaper clippings and other documents related to the Balsehan and Mayohan Festival.

It is also seeking information about former Balsehan dancers, choreographers, musicians, trainers, cultural bearers and elders who may provide accounts about the tradition’s origins, development and continued practice.

As part of the project, researchers conducted interviews and gathered information from residents of Barangay Maliig on Aug. 31.

The fieldwork focused on collecting community narratives, knowledge and personal experiences that could help establish the history and origins of the Balsehan and document how the tradition has evolved over the years.

The tourism office said every story, recollection and piece of information contributed by community members forms part of the effort to preserve and strengthen the Balsehan as an important part of Lubang’s cultural heritage and identity.

Residents who have old photographs, recordings, documents, memorabilia or other materials related to the Balsehan are encouraged to share them with the research team for documentation.

The tourism office said original materials may be brought or submitted temporarily for documentation.

Those who wish to contribute may contact the Lubang Tourism, Culture and Arts Office or email lubangtourism@gmail.com. They may also contact Tourism Officer Gina Tabor-Julaton through 0998-996-2878 or Facebook Messenger.

The municipal government appealed particularly to senior citizens, former Balsehan performers, musicians, choreographers, cultural practitioners and people who witnessed or participated in the tradition to share their memories.

It said their firsthand accounts are vital to building a more accurate and community-based record of the Balsehan ng Lubang for future generations.

At least P3.713 billion in public funds may have been wasted on flood control and multipurpose projects in reclamation areas of Laguna Lake in Taguig City, according to Sen. Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson.

Also on Monday, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano welcomed the scrutiny of land titles in his bailiwick, noting that his wife, Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, had long wanted these properties examined.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has ordered a halt to reclamation projects in Taguig, saying it would soon ‘determine a way forward’ on this matter after consulting with ‘different stakeholders.’

Posting on X on Monday, Lacson said: ‘WASTED PUBLIC FUNDS DUE TO MISUSE: Based on official records and our investigation, the total cost of Identified completed, ongoing (and suspended) DPWH Flood Control and Multi-Purpose Projects along the ‘illegal’ Laguna Lakeshore Reclamation Areas in Taguig City has so far reached P3.713 billion.’

‘These do not include other anomalous Slope Protection and Flood Mitigation projects along Taguig River involving double appropriations and ‘ghost’ projects using recycled photographs in different ‘completed’ projects, for billing purposes,’ he added.

Lacson’s latest disclosure came following Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon’s announcement of cease-and-desist orders issued on the said projects, in line with a directive from the Office of the President through the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA).

Lacson said earlier that an investigation by his team has found reclamation activities on Taguig City’s side of Laguna Lake covering at least 85 hectares of land.

He said their latest findings would be among the evidence to be sent to the Office of the Ombudsman’s fact-finding team ‘for proper disposition.’

Contractors

In his post on X, Lacson also cited official records as well as his office’s investigation identifying the top five contractors involved in projects covering P2.372 billion:

Dahl Construction: P858.22 million covering five solo projects worth P571.5 million and four joint ventures totaling P286.7 million

JC Uyecio: P483.1 million covering four joint ventures

ToughBuilt: P434.2 million covering three solo projects

Topnotch: P329.9 million covering two joint ventures with Core Check and one with Beam Team

GR Fervidal: P266.6 million covering five solo multipurpose building projects

Lacson said all of the multipurpose building projects of GR Fervidal were suspended due to a ‘revision of plans’ involving soil reinvestigation.

He said the DPWH issued the cease-and-desist orders ‘to prevent further waste of government funds on contractors carrying out unauthorized or illegal activities.’

Lacson also said earlier he was told by PRA officials that all unpermitted reclaimed areas in Taguig City, whether belonging to the local government or to private individuals, are subject to forfeiture in favor of the national government.

On Saturday, he disclosed that at least four parcels of illegally reclaimed land in Taguig City had been initially identified as covered by ‘fraudulently’ issued land titles, while at least four other parcels have no plotted title lots in the digital file of the Land Registration Authority (LRA).

‘Digging further’

In a statement on Monday, Cayetano said the government stands to gain if allegations of illegally titled properties along Laguna Lake in Taguig are proven true.

‘Yesterday, there was something in the newspaper saying that there is a 181,000-square-meter, or 18-hectare, property that was supposedly ‘illegally titled.’ On one hand, we are also hoping that’s true. Why? Because if it is indeed illegal, it would go to the government. Then we would have 18 hectares now for the government,’ said Cayetano, referring to one of the parcels identified by Lacson.

In another post on X, Lacson reacted to that statement by Cayetano.

‘Maybe so, except that those titles (38.83 hectares total, so far) are registered to private individuals. We have their names as well as the OCT (original certificate of title) and TCT (transfer certificate of title) numbers. We are digging further deep into it,’ said Lacson.

‘What if it wasn’t exposed?’ he added.

A fire triggered by an explosion aboard a motor tanker at GGC Port in Barangay Punta, Ormoc City, Leyte, was quickly brought under control Tuesday morning with no injuries or fatalities reported among the vessel’s crew.

The incident involving MTKR Matipuno occurred around 10:05 a.m. on Tuesday, prompting personnel from the Coast Guard Station Western Leyte (CGSWL), Coast Guard Sub-Station Ormoc (CGSS Ormoc), and other concerned units to respond immediately.

Coast Guard personnel who were in the area noticed the explosion and established communication with the tanker to assess the situation. The responding team also coordinated the deployment of MBCA KCQ 3 to proceed to the vessel.

Upon reaching the tanker, the response team conducted an initial inspection and assessment.

According to the vessel’s master, the explosion may have originated from faulty electrical wiring involving the port and starboard windlass funnel board. Authorities have not determined the cause of the explosion as they continue their investigation.

The tanker’s firefighting team immediately took action and successfully extinguished the fire, preventing the incident from escalating.

No crew member was reported injured or killed, according to the initial assessment.

The Coast Guard is continuing its investigation and assessment to determine the exact cause of the explosion and establish any damage to the vessel or its equipment

A 22-year-old motorcycle rider died on Monday after he crashed into an unattended parked jeepney in Gumaca town, Quezon province.

The Quezon police, in a Tuesday report, said the rider was traveling along the Maharlika Highway in Barangay Bamban at around 4 p.m. when he reportedly lost control of his motorcycle while overtaking another vehicle.

The wayward motorcycle subsequently veered toward the roadside and crashed into the parked jeepney.

Marvin sustained serious injuries and was rushed by rescuers to a hospital in the town proper, but he died while undergoing treatment.

The police report did not indicate whether the parked jeepney had an early warning device to alert approaching motorists. It also did not state whether Marvin was wearing a protective helmet, as required under Republic Act 10054, or the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009.

For the first time since the Senate Impeachment Court issued a ruling for a stricter sub judice rule implementation last Aug. 26, a member of the prosecution team – Manila Rep. Joel Chua – appeared before an official press conference.

However, during the briefing after Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial on Tuesday, Chua’s answers seemed to be measured and calculated – often pausing several times before replying to questions, earning laughs from the crowd.

‘Ang mahal ng penalty (The penalty is expensive),’ Chua said after being asked about the testimonies of Col. Manaros Boransing II and Col. Magtanggol Panopio, two Philippine Army (PA) officials who issued certifications on Army-funded youth summits which were used by Vice President Sara Duterte’s office used to justify confidential expenses.

It appears this will be the way forward for the prosecution, as Chua said no one will resign and be appointed as a full-time spokesperson, contrary to the panel’s initial plans.’Well we have decided na wala na lang munang magre-resign and kasi no’ng una isa ‘yan sa mga naging discussions kung ganoon ang mangyayari, kaya nga po nasabi ni Congressman Zia (Alonto Adiong), kasi ‘yon ang talagang unang option,’ Chua said.

(Well we have decided that no one will resign, because one of the initial considerations was that we will adopt such a measure, which is why Congressman Zia (Alonto Adiong) mentioned this because it was one of the first options.)

‘In fact may mga sinasabi, suggestions ‘yong mga private prosecutor at public prosecutor na may ilan na pagre-resignin para maging spokesperson. Pero after considering everything – tutal, isang buwan na lang kung masusunod ‘yong ating target, eh siguro susubukan na lang namin to explain in a way na hindi tayo magta-touch sa merit,’ he added.

(In fact, there were suggestions that some of the private prosecutors and public prosecutors will resign to become spokespersons. But after considering everything – since we have a few months left on our target, maybe we will just try to explain in a way that we will not touch on the merit.)

The prosecution’s setup, Chua said, is that they will have a member of the prosecution panel to sit during press briefings and another spokesperson or House member to explain matters that may be considered sub judice.

After all, Chua said that not every question asked during press briefings are related to the merits of the case.

‘Kaya kung makikita ninyo may isang public (prosecutor) at may isang spokes(person) […] kasi too late na kung magbabawas tayo tapos magdadagdag pa, sino pa ba naman ang idadagdag natin to maintain ‘yon 11(-person) prosecution team?’ he said.

(If you will see our setup now, there is a public (prosecutor) and one spokes(person) […] because it is too late already, if we will cut and add prosecutors, who will we add now to maintain that 11(-person) prosecution team?)

‘Well hindi naman sa comfortable pero baka mamaya may magtatanong tungkol sa procedure aspect outside the merit of the case, so I can answer that. Kasi hindi naman lahat puro merito ang tanong, so may mga iba tinatanong – kagaya po ng tinanong kanina, na ano na ‘yong susunod,’ he added.

(Well it’s not a state of being comfortable but we were anticipating that some people may ask about the procedural aspect outside the merit of the case, so I can answer that. Because not all questions are about merits, so there may be other questions – like what was asked earlier, as to what is the next issue.)

Discussions on the sub judice rule came after a manifestation from lead counsel for respondent Sheila Sison last August 12, when she questioned counsel for prosecution Amando Virgil Ligutan over a Facebook post where he said that a ‘principle all lawyers and law students know by heart’ is that ‘misleading questions are not allowed even on cross-examination.’

Sison said Ligutan did not name anyone, but he was clearly referring to counsel for respondent Kristine Ferrer – particularly the exchange between her and another prosecution counsel. Atty. Lorna Kapunan.

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Sison was pointing to a tense moment during the cross-examination of state auditor Xylene Mae del Campo, where Kapunan strongly objected to Ferrer’s habit of cutting the witness off before she was even able to provide an answer to the questions.

As she insisted that Ferrer is mistaken in stating that she can throw questions answerable by yes or no only, Kapunan said that ‘misleading questions are not allowed.’ After this, Ferrer responded by saying that ‘it is allowed.’

But Sison said that Ferrer’s ‘it is allowed’ quip was not a reply to Kapunan’s ‘misleading questions are not allowed’ even on cross-examination statement – making Ligutan’s social media post as something done in ‘bad faith.’

In response to this manifestation, Presiding Officer and Senator-judge Francis Escudero said last Wednesday that while they would no longer punish previous violations, the ruling will apply to all parties moving forward.

For senator-judges, Escudero clarified that they may still ask questions during trial where they usually do their interjections but must do so with ‘cold neutrality’. Escudero reminded them that they must not only be impartial but must also appear impartial.

For lawyers representing the prosecution and defense, public reprimand with admonition awaits sub judice rule violators on their first strike, while a monetary fine of P30,000 with the possibility of being restricted from speaking, objecting, or examining witnesses on the floor may be imposed upon them on their subsequent violations.

The ruling prompted the prosecution to reconsider sending out prosecutors to press briefings. Alonto Adiong, a spokesperson for the panel, said there are still ongoing discussions on whether there will be changes to the composition of the prosecution panel.

Last Friday, prosecution member and Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon clarified that none of the public and private prosecutors for Duterte’s impeachment trial will resign, as the panel is moving towards adding more spokespersons who will not be bound by the court’s sub judice rule.

Atty. Michael Poa has temporarily set aside his role as counsel and spokesperson for Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team as he is set to take the witness stand before the Senate impeachment court.

Atty. Justin Nicol Gular, who serves as the deputy spokesperson for Duterte’s defense team in her impeachment trial, said Poa himself opted to temporarily step away out of respect to the impeachment court.

‘I think for the defense team, it’s just proper that considering that Atty. Michael Poa ay isasalang po sa impeachment court, common etiquette and property quorum dictates that we respect the impeachment court, and he needs to at the moment, step aside from serving as the defense team spokesperson,’ said Gular in a press conference.

In fact, Gular said he and the other defense lawyers last spoke with Poa on Aug. 26, after which both sides opted not to meet to avoid accusations of witness tampering following the prosecution’s decision to call him as a witness.

‘That’s the reason why, if you notice, Atty. Michael Poa is not in court, meaning wala siya sa side ng defense,’ said Gular.

‘And he is also not in our holding room, the one that the public does not see. Nasa ano po siya, kung saan po yung regular witness (he is where regular witnesses are held),’ he added.

However, Gular clarified that Poa’s absence is not permanent, stating that he will be back after taking the witness stand.

New spokesperson? No decision yet

‘I think this is still being considered and talked about between the defense team and of course the client, the vice president,’ said Gular when asked if the defense has already found a separate spokesperson outside the legal team itself.

‘But I’m pretty sure naman, if may mapipili na kami o may makikita na kami (once we pick someone), if that time comes, Atty. Michael Poa or the vice president herself will inform the media of this matter,’ he added.

Talks of having a new spokesperson began after presiding officer and Senator-Judge Francis Escudero implemented a stricter application of the court’s sub judice rules.

The Civil Service Commission (CRS) on Tuesday said that caps of employees under Job Order (JO) and Contract of Service (COS) in government agencies must be studied after lawmakers raised concern of its rising number.

During the House committee on appropriations’ briefing on the CSC’s proposed budget in 2027, Commissioner Ryan Alvin Acosta said that the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) should assess the relevance of the Personal Services (PS) limitations on local government units (LGUs) to regulate workers under JO and COS.

‘And they should coordinate with DBM (Department of Budget Management) on how to use this PS cap to administer or to regulate the number of COS in LGUs. Each LGU has unique needs and unique capacities,’ Acosta added.

(‘And they should coordinate with DBM (Department of Budget Management) on how to use this PS cap to administer or to regulate the number of COS in LGUs. Each LGU has unique needs and unique capacities,’)

Acosta’s remarks are in response to the concern raised by Kamanggagawa party-list Rep. Elijah San Fernando on the increasing number of government non-permanent contractual workers.

The lawmaker further said that some government employees who work for more than five years remained contractual.

‘It is high time po, maganda na meron pong mga nailatag na mga proposals ang Civil Service Commission para matugunan itong problema sa patuloy na paglaki ng bilang ng mga job orders and contract of service workers natin,’ San Fernando stressed.

(‘It is high time-and it is good-that the Civil Service Commission has laid out proposals to address the problem of the continuously rising number of job orders and contract-of-service workers,’)

According to the CSC, the Department of Public Works and Highways has the largest number of non-permanent contractual workers with more than 44,000.

Also included in the government agencies with the highest number of contractual workers employed are the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Department of Education.

Acosta noted that the common ground of these agencies are involved in social welfare programs and projects.

He said that a factor in the rising number of contractual low-rank workers is because of mandatory department head positions that are beyond the LGUs capacity.

‘So, dahil may mga mandatory na matataas na position na hindi kaya sa budget ng LGU na mag-create ng mga ganitong position, hindi nagagawan ng plantilla positions ng ibang LGUs ‘yong mga utility nila na ang tagal nang nagtatrabaho sa kanila,’ he explained.

(‘So, because there are mandatory high-level positions that the LGU budget cannot accommodate, some LGUs are unable to create plantilla positions for their utility staff who have been working for them for a long time,’)

He added that the agency is currently studying positions that may be considered optional to lessen mandatory roles.

In this way, low-income LGUs may hire or create more plantilla positions for long-serving JO and CO employees, the commissioner said.

Acosta, moreover, suggested the establishment of an optimization committee to strengthen oversight in government agencies against the possible abuse in the employment of workers under COS and JO.

Creamline showed a preview of how dangerous an 11-time champion club could be when a towering and international player, Jaja Santiago-Minowa, joined their winning culture after winning their first two games in the PVL Invitational Conference.

With Minowa leading the balanced attack, Cool Smashers proved too much for Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City in the third set, leading as many as 18-1 and wrapping up the frame in just 12 minutes en route to a 25-18, 25-16, 25-6 sweep on Tuesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses has been enjoying the addition of the 6-foot-5 middle blocker on his ‘not-so-tall’ team, which has been the most successful club in the decade-old league.

‘Our team isn’t that big, so having Jaja in front is really intimidating for our opponents. Her presence alone makes it difficult when you’re playing against her,’ said Meneses in Filipino. ‘With her leadership and experience, our defense becomes much easier when she’s at the net.’

But the eight-time PVL champion and 2025 Coach of the Year believes that the best is yet to come.

‘We’ve only played two games with Jaja, so there’s still a lot more we can improve and hopefully we can keep getting better until the end. Of course, we also need to stay healthy every game. Having Jaja definitely makes things easier for Creamline,’ he said.

‘We’ll help each other every game because we won’t get the championship right away just by having Jaja. We still have to stay focused and work hard for it. All of us, especially Jaja, really want to win the championship, but it won’t be easy. We’ll have to work hard for it.’

Good thing for Meneses and the Cool Smashers, Minowa has been displaying not just her talent – honed in Japan since 2018 – but also her discipline, championship poise, and humility.

‘We knew we had the lead, but we couldn’t afford to become complacent because Vietnam can fight back at any time. We kept reminding everyone to stay focused and continue working hard on every ball,’ said Minowa in Filipino.

‘I think that’s the most important thing. No matter how big your lead is, or even if the opponent is ahead, we need to stay composed and focus on what we need to do.’

With four more days remaining in her limited time with Creamline before playing in the US next year, Minowa will continue to make the most out of her PVL homecoming.

‘For the first two games, my mindset has always been to contribute to the team, especially in attack and blocking. Whatever I can share with them-my experience, leadership and communication-I try to give consistently,’ Minowa said.

‘It’s not difficult because they’re doing the same thing. They’re also sharing their thoughts and experiences with me. Our connection and communication have been smooth so far.’

House Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ G. Dy III rallied members and employees of the lower chamber on Tuesday to continue working together to build a ‘Bagong Kongreso,’ a better Congress that would restore public trust in the institution.

Dy made the statement during a surprise birthday activity organized by House leaders, officials, and employees.

‘Mapalad po ako sapagkat ang mga naging kasama ko ay hindi tayo sumuko – lumaban tayo. Lumaban tayo ibangon ang Kongreso. Salamat sa tiwala,’ Dy said.

(‘I’m lucky for having you with me, and we did not surrender – we fought. We fought to lift Congress. Thank you for your trust.’)

The speaker, who turned 65 on Aug. 31, stressed that much work remained to be done and urged everyone in the House to remain committed to doing what is right and rebuilding confidence in Congress.

‘Mahaba pa ang laban natin. Nakakapag-umpisa pa lang tayo. Pero dapat lalo nating ipaglaban ang tama at ipaglaban natin na ibangon ang Kongreso sa tulong ng bawat isa,’ said the House chief.

(‘We have a long battle ahead. We have just started. But we have to fight more for what is right, and we have to help each other fight to raise Congress.’)

‘Palakasin pa natin yung ating paniniwala na kayang-kaya nating ibangon ang Bagong Kongreso,’ he said.

(‘Let’s strengthen our trust in each other that we can raise the New Congress.’)

Since assuming the speakership, Dy has pushed for a ‘Bagong Kongreso’ anchored on transparency, accountability, institutional reform, and concrete results for the Filipino people.

He has consistently stressed collective responsibility for strengthening Congress, calling for members and employees to put public service and the welfare of the people above political and personal differences.