Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Injuries and three straight losses in warmups have not dimmed hopes for host team Germany at the Fiba Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin.

As a well-known German saying goes, ‘hope is the last to die.’

Germany is making just its second World Cup appearance. The first was when it previously hosted the quadrennial tournament in 1998. The German team reached the second group stage on that occasion and will be aiming for a medal this time, though the absence of star player Satou Sabally is a major blow.

The New York Liberty forward is still dealing with the effects of a concussion – her second of the year – sustained in a game against Las Vegas in June.

Sabally’s younger sister Nyara, who plays for the Toronto Tempo, is yet to make her comeback from a calf injury, while Liberty’s Leonie Fiebich, another key player, is just back from a foot injury.

Discouraging buildup

Germany’s preparations for the expanded 16-team 20th edition of the tournament haven’t been optimal with three straight defeats to Spain, Hungary and Turkey in warmup games.

‘Of course, we were hoping for a win but it was just a friendly,’ Luisa Geiselsöder said of the latest loss, 63-62 to Turkey in Cologne on Thursday.

Geiselsöder’s WNBA colleagues Sabally, Fiebich and her Portland Fire teammate Frieda Bhner missed the warmup games but their arrival should provide a boost.

‘We learned a lot today,’ Germany coach Olaf Lange said after the Turkey game. ‘But with the three (WNBA players yet to arrive) we’re a completely different team.’

Lange said he was confident Nyara Sabally will be able to play at the tournament based on the results of an MRI scan on her calf.

Germany will also be reliant on combo guard Alexis Peterson as the primary playmaker.

Team captain Marie Glich made her comeback from a serious knee injury in the 65-60 friendly loss to Spain.

Familiar foe

Germany starts Friday with another clash against Spain in the 14,000 capacity Berlin Arena, so-called for the tournament to avoid mentioning the venue’s frequently changing sponsor.

The Max-Schmeling-Halle, a multipurpose 9,000 seat venue named after Germany’s heavyweight champion from 1932, will also host games for the tournament.

Germany has never beaten Spain in seven competitive meetups. Spain won their last meeting 79-60 in the group stage of Eurobasket in Hamburg last year.

Germany then faces Japan in the Max-Schmeling-Halle on Saturday, before finishing Group A with a game it will be expected to win against Mali on Sept. 7.

Only the bottom team in each of the four groups is eliminated. The group winners advance directly to the quarterfinals, while the others face playoffs to advance to the last eight.

Big interest

Organizers announced that more than 200,000 tickets have been sold for the tournament already – more than for any of the previous editions. The final on Sept. 13 is sold out.

‘We’re witnessing an extraordinary evolution of our sport, and this World Cup in Berlin will mark another major milestone,’ German Basketball Federation president Ingo Weiss said. ‘200,000 tickets is a fantastic sign, and we’re far from finished yet.’

The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that an affidavit of desistance, or a sworn statement withdrawing a complaint, from a victim of exploitation is considered ‘highly suspect’ and cannot be used as a basis to dismiss a trafficking case.

In a decision promulgated on February 19, 2026, and made public on Tuesday, the high court’s Third Division affirmed the conviction of a woman involved in a qualified trafficking in persons involving a minor.

According to the SC, the woman recruited the minor, who was her neighbor, to provide sexual services to a man in exchange for money.

The minor received P15,000 from the man, but the recruiter later took the money, giving the victim only P3,000 and buying her a cellphone.

When the minor’s mother discovered the exploitation, she filed a complaint against the woman.

The victim testified before the court but later signed an affidavit of desistance to withdraw the charges.

Meanwhile, the minor admitted during the cross-examination that she only signed the affidavit of desistance prepared by the woman’s counsel because she was paid P30,000.

The Regional Trial Court convicted the woman of qualified trafficking in persons under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, as amended by the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.

The Court of Appeals affirmed the decision, and the SC sustained the recruiter’s conviction.

The woman was sentenced to life imprisonment, fined P2 million, and ordered to pay the victim P600,000 in damages.

According to the SC, human trafficking cases must not be dismissed based on the affidavits of desistance executed by the victims, their parents, or legal guardians.

It pointed out that once a criminal case has been filed in court, the complainant can no longer decide if it will proceed.

The High Court emphasized that affidavits of desistance by victims of exploitation ‘should be treated with caution, as they may have been made under coercion, pressure, or undue influence.’

Taal Volcano in Batangas recorded six volcanic earthquakes and a single prolonged tremor in the past 24 hours, indicating a decline in seismic activity, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported Tuesday, Sept. 1.

In its latest bulletin, Phivolcs said the volcanic tremor lasted 420 minutes. Despite its duration, the agency said there was no immediate cause for alarm, noting that volcanic tremors are a normal occurrence at Taal.

The latest seismic activity marked a notable decline from the previous nine days, from Aug. 20 to 28, when Taal recorded double-digit numbers of volcanic earthquakes daily, for a total of 229 earthquakes and 12 tremor episodes.

On Aug. 29, Taal recorded eight volcanic earthquakes, another eight the following day, and 13 on Aug. 31.

Phivolcs defines volcanic earthquakes as those ‘generated by magmatic processes or magma-related processes beneath or near an active volcano.’

‘Unlike tectonic earthquakes that are produced by faulting, volcanic earthquakes are directly produced by many processes and are, therefore, much more varied in characteristics,’ the agency explained.

Volcanic tremors, meanwhile, are continuous seismic signals with regular or irregular oscillations and low frequencies, typically ranging from 0.5 to 5 hertz, that can last for more than a minute.

Despite the decline in seismic activity, Taal continued to emit sulfur dioxide. Phivolcs recorded 381 metric tons of SO2, although the emission level remained classified as ‘weak.’

The agency also reported no observed upwelling of hot volcanic fluids in the Main Crater Lake and no volcanic smog, or ‘vog,’ during the monitoring period.

On Saturday (August 29), Phivolcs warned of possible lahar flows and volcanic debris around Taal and Mount Pinatubo amid prolonged heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon, or ‘habagat.’

Heavy rainfall may trigger muddy streamflows and volcanic debris flows around Taal Volcano, particularly along the western and northern slopes of Taal Lake.

These hazards could affect parts of Batangas, particularly the municipalities of Agoncillo, Laurel, and Talisay.

Phivolcs advised communities in potentially affected areas to closely monitor weather conditions and take necessary precautionary measures.

Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 1, indicating a low level of volcanic unrest.

Former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan explained that it was President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who asked him to resign from his post a year ago amid public outrage over the flood control corruption scandal.

Bonoan was testifying before the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division on Tuesday in the graft trial of former Sen. Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr. when Chairperson Associate Justice Michael Frederick Musngi noted the timing of the ex-secretary’s appearance and asked why he had resigned.

‘Your Honor, I was asked to submit a courtesy resignation,’ Bonoan answered.

Musngi pressed on who had made the request for the then-DPWH chief to leave his post.

‘It was relayed to me, Your Honor,’ Bonoan replied.

Asked by Musngi whether the request had come in the form of a ‘message from the president,’ Bonoan answered in the affirmative.

In August 2025, a month after Marcos launched the government’s anti-corruption drive in infrastructure projects, Bonoan maintained that he would remain at his post, saying to resign would be to ‘turn [his] back to the problem.’

Days later, Malacañang confirmed that Bonoan had resigned from his post, with Marcos explaining that it was due to ‘command responsibility.’

Bonoan was ultimately charged alongside Sen. Jinggoy Estrada over a purported scheme involving P573 million in kickbacks.

‘Nothing wrong with leadership fund’

The former DPWH was called to testify in the Revilla graft case.

Revilla is accused of involvement in a P76.91-million flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan, which state prosecutors claimed to be ‘non-existent.’

Bonoan previously testified in the malversation case against the former senator before the Sandiganbayan Third Division.

The ex-secretary claimed that his department created a ‘leadership fund’ availed by ‘all senators’ in 2024-including Revilla, who then chaired the chamber’s public works committee-in a bid to address budget cuts to the agency.

‘There’s nothing wrong for senators to avail of the leadership fund as long as they are consistent with the core programs of the department. It is actually embedded in the criteria for the selection of projects,’ Bonoan maintained.

‘In fact, all the projects submitted by the proponent senators are vetted and conform with the programs of the department,’ he added.

‘What would be wrong is actually in the implementation of the projects. That’s another area of concern,’ he further said.

He explained that, in implementing the projects between fiscal years 2023 and 2025, the DPWH had supposedly not been given the adequate budget to conduct feasibility studies and preliminary engineering.

Bonoan likewise confirmed that he had met with Revilla on several occasions but only to ‘discuss the status of pending bills pertaining to the DPWH,’ particularly on the declaration of national roads and additional engineering districts.

Further, upon cross-examination by Revilla’s legal counsel, Bonoan said he had no personal knowledge of Revilla’s requested projects since the list had been supplied to him via Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.

At the end of the hearing, the prosecution said it will present 20 more witnesses in the Revilla case, with DPWH Assistant Secretary Alex Bote up next on Sept. 8.

The proposed P7.2-trillion national government budget for 2027 is vulnerable to political manipulation ahead of the 2028 elections, with budget watchdogs warning that billions of pesos in discretionary and localized projects could be used for patronage despite shrinking fiscal space.

Kenneth Abante, coconvener of the People’s Budget Coalition, said the national expenditure program was not ‘people-centered,’ as the Marcos administration claims, but ‘more centered on politicians.’

‘We are worried that the 2027 budget will be politicized for the coming elections,’ Abante told the Inquirer in a text message.

He said about P735 billion in discretionary funds could be exposed to ‘waste, fraud, abuse and patronage.’

Among the programs flagged as susceptible to political meddling are the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s cash assistance, the Department of Labor and Employment’s program for displaced workers, and the Department of Health’s medical aid for indigent patients.

Also at risk are infrastructure programs such as farm-to-market roads, health facility improvements, and flood control projects.’It is striking that hyper-local, patronage-driven projects are prioritized,’ said public finance specialist Zy-Za Nadine Suzara.

The Department of Budget and Management submitted the record spending plan to Congress on Aug. 11, a 6-percent or P407-billion increase from this year. The administration has described it as focused on education, health, food and social protection.

But a Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department document shows substantial cuts in several agencies under these sectors. Education faces a P39.2-billion reduction; health, P33.6 billion; social welfare, P28.7 billion; agriculture, P13.5 billion; and labor, P9 billion.

‘It’s hard to characterize the 2027 proposed budget as a people-centered budget when funds for human capital development, livelihood support, agricultural productivity and commuter-centered transport programs suffered deep cuts,’ Suzara said.

P107.4B for flood control

The Department of Public Works and Highways gets P113.1 billion more, and the Department of Transportation gets P160.3 billion more. Debt interest payments rise by P164.3 billion, and the National Tax Allotment rises by P129.3 billion.

The budget also sets aside P107.4 billion for flood control, a major corruption flashpoint.

Suzara said debt servicing, local government shares and government operating costs consume about 84 percent of the budget, leaving only P1.15 trillion in ‘real funding space.’

Blockchain budgeting

Amid the concerns, Sen. Bam Aquino renewed his call for the passage of the Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability (Cadena) Act, or Senate Bill No. 1506, the bill on blockchaining the budget.

The Senate approved the measure in December 2025, but it remains pending in the House.

The bill would require agencies to upload contracts, project costs, bills of materials and procurement records to a public Digital Budget Platform, making records accessible, tamper-resistant, traceable and verifiable. Officials who fail to disclose required documents or submit fraudulent information could face penalties.

Aquino said Cadena had fallen to 41st from third among the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council’s (Ledac) priorities. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said he would raise the issue with Ledac leadership.

‘The best way to address corruption is to have full transparency,’ Aquino said, arguing that putting budget records on blockchain could help prevent misuse of public funds.

He said the measure was especially urgent amid renewed scrutiny of flood control spending and alleged misuse of public funds.

Several ferry trips were cancelled on Tuesday afternoon, September 1, because of rough sea conditions brought by the effects of the southwest monsoon or ‘habagat,’ the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) announced.

In an advisory issued at 12 p.m., the PPA listed the following Port Management Office (PMO) with cancelled trips on Tuesday afternoon:

Masbate PMO

All fast craft of Montenegro Shipping Lines, Inc.: Masbate City – Pilar, Sorsogon, V.V.

Mindoro PMO

Port of Puerto Galera: MV Island Biri (3:00 p.m.) Puerto Galera to Batangas

Western Leyte-Biliran PMO

Port of Maasin: Ocean Fast Ferries, Inc.: Maasin to Surigao route, and vice versa

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration issued a gale warning over the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon on Tuesday due to sustained strong winds and rough seas brought by the enhanced southwest monsoon.

Rescuers recovered on Aug. 31 the body of a 9-year-old boy who was swept away by strong currents in Guagua town three days earlier.

The Grade 2 student slipped from a concrete slope protection along a river in Barangay San Jose, Guagua, on Aug. 29 while accompanying a still-unidentified man who had gone fishing, according to the Guagua Information Office.

Strong currents carried the boy downstream to Barangay Santa Monica in neighboring Lubao town, where rescuers recovered his body on Monday.

The incident came amid heavy monsoon rains that caused widespread flooding in parts of Pampanga

Witnesses at Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial are prohibited from possessing or accessing earpieces, mobile phones, smartwatches, and similar communication devices while testifying, Sen. Francis Escudero, the impeachment court presiding officer, warned on Tuesday.

Escudero issued the directive after announcing the court’s finding that a viral image allegedly showing witness Lemuel Ortoni, Office of the Vice President assistant secretary and assistant chief of staff, wearing an earpiece was AI-generated and false.

On Day 20 of the trial, Escudero said he made the announcement, even before the testimony of the next witness, to correct misinformation about Ortonio and to establish a clear rule against coaching or outside influence during testimony.

‘After Mr. Ortonio testified before this court, an image of him allegedly wearing an earpiece was widely circulated on the internet,’ Escudero said.

‘We take this opportunity after verification that it was an AI-generated image and simply false,’ he added. ‘What he had was a front-fold helix, an ear piercing in the front-fold helix of his ear, not an earpiece.’

He did not identify who created or circulated the image but directed the finding to be put on the record to prevent the image from being used as proof of misconduct by Ortonio or any party in the trial.

The false image circulated on social media, suggesting that Ortonio might have been getting coached while on the witness stand.

At the same time, Escudero stressed that the incident required a uniform preventive rule for all succeeding witnesses.

‘Every witness must testify solely from his or her own knowledge, free from coaching or influence from counsel or any other person,’ he said.

Basis of the directive

According to a House statement on Tuesday, Escudero anchored his directive by analogy to a provision in Supreme Court Administrative Matter No. 24-11-02-SC, which bans the use of cellphones, tablets, and similar gadgets or materials during virtual hearings to prevent coaching and disruption.

Escudero also cited a US Supreme Court case – Villarreal v. Texas – which discussed limits on attorney communications that could shape a witness’s ongoing testimony, including communication through an earpiece while the witness is testifying.

He further cited a 2010 Florida appellate case – Sky Development Inc. v. Vistaview Development Inc. – which involved attempts to influence a witness through a written note and text messages during deposition and trial.

Escudero then enumerated the devices covered by the new directive.

‘Accordingly, no witness while testifying shall possess, have access to, or use any earpiece, headset, cell phone, smartwatch, smart glasses, or any other similar device capable of transmitting or receiving information or communication,’ he ruled.

The order also applies to any effort to get help from another person while testimony remains unfinished.

‘Witnesses are also prohibited from receiving or attempting to receive any communication, suggestion, answer, signal, message, or prompt from any person, whether inside or outside this court, regardless of the means employed,’ Escudero said.

The prohibition shall remain in force during recesses and until the witness is formally discharged by the court,’ he added.

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division on Tuesday moved the arraignment of Tarlac Rep. Noel Rivera to October 7 in light of his motion to consolidate the cases against him.

Rivera, who represents the third district of Tarlac province, faces nine counts of violating Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act before the Sandiganbayan, two of which were raffled to the court’s Fifth Division.

At the hearing on Tuesday, Sandiganbayan Fifth Division Chairperson Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeses noted the motions for consolidation and to quash the information filed by Rivera through his legal counsel on August 11 and 24, respectively.

‘The arraignment is deferred, considering [the] pendency of the motion for consolidation and the motion to quash filed by the accused in both cases,’ Trespeses said.

He also acknowledged the omnibus consolidated comment-opposition filed by state prosecutors on August 28 in response to Rivera’s motions.

‘The same are now submitted for resolution,’ Trespeses noted.

The charges against Rivera stem from his and his wife’s alleged shareholdings in Tarlac 3-G Construction and Development Corporation, which obtained nine government infrastructure contracts during his term in office from 2022 to 2025.

State prosecutors indicted Rivera for violating Section 3(h) of RA No. 3019, which prohibits ‘directly or indirectly having financing or pecuniary interest in any business, contract or transaction in connection with which he intervenes or takes part in his official capacity, or in which he is prohibited by the Constitution or by any law from having any interest.’

Last Thursday, the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division, which also handles two of Rivera’s cases, denied his move to consolidate the nine counts of graft to a single court division.

The Sixth Division agreed with the prosecution’s argument that consolidating the cases ‘will only result in the muddling of facts and issues, which may cause confusion and delay

A total of 12 developers wanting to explore geothermal opportunities in the Philippines may receive financial support through the government’s $170-million derisking facility, an official said.

Speaking to reporters last week, Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara said that about five more groups are waiting to see if they can be included in the list of initial parties.

She said that some of the companies have teamed up with foreign investors.

Guevara did not disclose the names of the applicants, but said the list was already provided to the Asian Development Bank, the Department of Finance and the Department of Economy, Planning and Development.

The Philippine geothermal resource derisking facility (PGRDF) seeks to address the challenge in shelling out massive investments to kick-start exploration activities by launching a cost-share exploration drilling scheme with qualified companies.

The exploration and drilling stage is considered the most risky part of the business, as players need to be ready and cough up about $10 million to $12 million per well, with no assurance of a commercial geothermal resource.

The Department of Energy and Land Bank of the Philippines signed in December an agreement for the rollout of the derisking facility.

‘Geothermal development requires significant investment long before a single kilowatt is delivered to consumers. Through the PGRDF, government is helping the exploration stage so that viable prospects can move faster from resource confirmation to project development,’ Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said in a previous statement.

Executing agency

Under the pact, the Department of Energy will act as the executing agency, tasked with policy direction and governance, as well as overall program oversight.

Landbank, meanwhile, is the facility administrator and manager, overseeing subloan applications.