Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Two people were killed while 35 others were injured after a Manila-bound passenger bus plunged into a 32-foot-deep ravine on Monday night in Pagbilao, Quezon, police said.

The fatalities were identified only as ‘Sonny,’ 34, of Mercedes, Camarines Norte, and ‘Ian,’ 31, of Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte.

Police said the DLTB bus, driven by a 54-year-old man identified as ‘Noel,’ had come from Daet, Camarines Norte, and was en route to Metro Manila when the accident occurred around 8 p.m.

Initial investigation showed that the bus was traversing a descending curve on a diversion road in Barangay Silangang Malicboy when it reportedly experienced brake failure. The driver lost control, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and plunge into the ravine.

The impact threw passengers forward, leaving dozens with varying injuries. They were rushed to two hospitals in Lucena City.

The two fatalities were declared dead on arrival at the Quezon Medical Center (QMC).

At least eight of the injured remained under treatment at MMG Hospital, while the rest were brought to QMC. Most were expected to be discharged.

The bus was carrying 41 passengers, including a second driver and a conductor. Two passengers had transferred to another bus earlier, while two others had already disembarked before the crash.

Police said the bus company has expressed willingness to reach an amicable settlement with the victims.

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International Philippines (AIPh) warned that the country stands at a ‘critical crossroad,’ calling on the government to act with urgency amid mounting concerns over shrinking civic space, persistent red-tagging, arrests of protesters, and the killing of journalists.

‘The Philippines stands at a critical crossroad. Democratic institutions are being eroded, civic spaces are shrinking, and millions of Filipinos, especially those on the margins, are bearing the cost of impunity, corruption, and authoritarian practices,’ said Ritz Lee Santos, III, section director of the AIPh at a press conference in Quezon City.

On Tuesday, the human rights organization officially launched ‘The State of the World’s Human Rights 2025/26’, also citing the detention of former president Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court over murder as a crime against humanity.On April 22, the Appeals Chamber of the ICC will issue its ruling on former President Duterte’s challenge to the court’s jurisdiction, which will determine whether the trial for crimes against humanity may move forward.

While Santos described Duterte’s arrest by the ICC as a ‘historic step toward accountability,’ he also said it ‘also exposes the failure of domestic mechanisms to deliver justice.’

‘Justice cannot be outsourced. It must be delivered at home,’ he emphasized.

Santos said they remain hopeful that the charges against Duterte will not be dismissed, given the evidence presented, adding that families of drug war victims continue to seek justice in the Philippines.

In the report, Amnesty also cited the September 21 arrest of over 200 protesters, including children, in Manila during anti-corruption protests.

The report included the deaths of press freedom advocate and former politician Juan Dayang, human rights defender and former broadcaster Ali Macalintal, and radio broadcasters Erwin Segovia and Noel Bellen Samar.

‘Beyond civil and political rights, millions of Filipinos continue to be denied economic, social, and cultural rights,’ said Santos, citing housing insecurity, inadequate healthcare, stagnant wages, and underfunded education systems.

Santos said corruption worsens inequality by redirecting resources intended to protect the most vulnerable sectors, particularly during climate-related disasters.

‘Civil society, human rights defenders, and grassroots movements remain at the forefront of the struggle for justice,’ said Santos.

‘At this critical moment, Amnesty International calls on the Philippine government and all governments to act with urgency and courage,’ he said, adding they must investigate all past and present human rights violations.

The Amnesty International Annual Report, available on their website, outlines the human rights situation in 144 countries worldwide.During the launch of the organization’s annual report in London, Secretary General Agnes Callamard denounced US President Donald Trump, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu as ‘predators.’

The report said these leaders have turned away from the multilateral system established after World War II in favor of a direction ‘without moral compass,’ where conflict prevails over diplomacy.

In response to the ongoing Middle East conflict, Santos said, ‘Sadly, just to secure power and control over resources, government leaders would turn to authoritarian practices.’

‘Human rights are not an illusion. They are not optional, and they are not negotiable,’ Santos concluded.

PetroGreen Energy Corp. (PGEC) has begun injecting electricity to the power grid with the commissioning of its 25-megawatt (MW) solar park in Pangasinan.

The Yuchengco-led company said on Wednesday that the testing and commissioning of the Bugallon Solar Power Project started on April 18. This, after PGEC secured the necessary permits.

‘As important, the facility’s milestone meets the administration’s urgent imperative to bring more indigenous and renewable energy capacity online, especially during this period of energy supply instability,’ PGEC assistant vice president Dave Gadiano said in a statement.

The facility is part of a 111.6-MW line up of four utility-scale solar projects under Rizal Green Energy Corp. It is a joint venture of PGEC with Japan-based Taisei Corp.

Once the preoperational testing with the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) is done, the solar park will operate under a fixed 20-year tariff. This followed a win at the second round of the government’s green energy auction program.

In another development, PGEC said its 13.2-MW Nabas-2 Wind project in Aklan had obtained from NGCP last week the final certificate of approval to connect to the grid.

‘The facility’s impending commercial operation not only takes advantage of the DOE’s (Department of Energy) and NGCP’s ongoing reinforcement of the Boracay-Caticlan-Nabas transmission line where Nabas-2 is connected, but also ensures that tourism and business establishments in Boracay and Aklan get more clean power from our Nabas wind farm,’ Gadiano added.

The DOE said last week that visitors to tourist haven Boracay Island can soon expect ‘a more reliable and resilient’ electricity supply as the new P5.27-billion transmission project nears completion.

The DOE said the project, once operational, would help address rising demand for power, boost system reliability and entice private players to keep building renewable energy assets.

The project is among the seven developments NGCP targets to complete within the year.

Palace press officer Claire Castro on Tuesday said she was grateful that the public could see who was truly working and who was merely taking vacations, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s recent trust and performance ratings.

Based on OCTA Research’s Tugon ng Masa survey for the first quarter of 2026, 54 percent of respondents expressed trust in Marcos, and 55 percent expressed satisfaction with his performance.

‘The citizens can clearly see and feel what the government is doing for them. However, we will say it again: whether the president’s approval rating rises or falls, the president will continue to work,’ Castro said.

She also said, ‘He will not be affected by negative or positive approval ratings. But we are also thankful because people can see who is really working and who is just on vacation.’

Based on the survey, Marcos’ highest trust rating was recorded in Balance Luzon at 59 percent, while the lowest was in Mindanao at 45 percent.

Meanwhile, across major areas, Marcos’ performance ratings reached majority levels in all regions, highest in Balance Luzon at 57 percent and Visayas at 56 percent, and lowest in NCR at 53 percent and Mindanao at 51 percent.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has suspended for 90 days the license of the bus driver involved in a fatal road crash in Pagbilao, Quezon on Monday night.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, LTO-Region IV-A said the preventive suspension was imposed ‘as an initial measure to ensure public safety while the investigation is ongoing.’

The LTO said the driver has been ordered to surrender his license during the scheduled hearing.

It added that the bus involved in the incident has been placed under alarm status, prohibiting its use, sale, or transfer without LTO authorization.

Police earlier reported that two male passengers died while 35 others were injured after athe Manila-bound passenger bus plunged into a 32-foot-deep ravine on April 20.

Initial investigation showed the bus was navigating a descending curve along a diversion road in Barangay Silangang Malicboy when it reportedly experienced brake failure.

The driver lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road and plunged into the ravine.

The impact hurled passengers forward, leaving dozens with varying injuries. The victims were rushed to hospitals in Lucena City.

The two fatalities were declared dead on arrival at Quezon Medical Center.

LTO-Region IV-A Director Elmer Decena said the agency is coordinating with police and other concerned offices to ensure a swift, fair, and thorough investigation.

He stressed that the LTO will not tolerate reckless driving, especially when it results in loss of life and endangers the public.

‘We will not hesitate to enforce the full extent of the law against motorists who put lives at risk,’ Decena said. ‘The LTO will intensify monitoring and enforcement, particularly on public utility vehicles, to safeguard commuters,’ he said.

Senate ethics committee chairperson Sen. JV Ejercito on Tuesday urged Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, who has been absent from Senate sessions since November 2025, to voluntarily decline his salaries and allowances.

‘We are appealing to Sen. Bato dela Rosa to voluntarily decline his salaries and allowances in the Senate,’ Ejercito said in Filipino in a statement.

In the first 58 session days of the 20th Congress, dela Rosa was absent for 31 days. He had the most absences among the 24 senators.

Dela Rosa has not attended a Senate session since reports surfaced that an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court will be served against him for his alleged involvement in drug war killings during the Duterte administration.

The Senate, however, does not have a ‘no work, no pay’ rule.

‘As stated before, even by Senate President Sotto, the Senate has yet to establish rules that can compel attendance. Any formal action will take time, as it must go through amendments and proper deliberation,’ Ejercito added.

Still, dela Rosa is facing an ethics complaint for his absenteeism.

Ejercito then reminded his colleague: ‘The no work, no pay policy is imposed on ordinary Filipinos. It should also apply to those in public service.’

Authorities are investigating a robbery incident involving nearly P34,000 in church funds reported missing from a parish in Sogod town, Southern Leyte, police said.

A parish finance officer, identified as alias ‘Marie,’ 53, reported to the Sogod Municipal Police Station that a total of P33,950 in collected church offerings had been stolen from the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Barangay San Roque.

Police said the incident was discovered at around 5 a.m. on Monday when the complainant entered a room where the funds had been secured and found that a table drawer and a yellow box containing the money had been forcibly opened, with their padlocks destroyed.

Initial investigation revealed that the funds were counted the night before, April 19, at around 10 p.m., by the complainant and two other individuals. Of the total amount, P14,770 was placed inside a yellow box, while P19,180 was stored in a table drawer.

Responding officers conducted a site inspection and interviews upon receiving the report at around 6:30 p.m. on Monday.

Police have yet to identify the suspect or suspects, and further investigation is ongoing to determine responsibility and possible leads in the case.

‘We respect her decision even as we disagree with it.’

This was the statement of Sen. Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan on Tuesday after former vice president and incumbent Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo announced that she will not run for national position in the upcoming 2028 elections

‘We respect her decision even as we disagree with it and believe that the national interest will be best served if at some future time she changes her mind and heeds the growing clamor of the people for her to lead the nation’s fight for genuine service and good governance,’ Pangilinan said in a statement.

‘I believe that Leni is in the best position to build the broadest and strongest unity not just amongst the ranks of the Liberal Party and our allies but to include all other groups and personalities outside our allied forces,’ he added, citing Robredo’s poll numbers.

Pangilinan stressed that with Robredo’s poll numbers on the rise, more ‘political colors,’ civil society and private sector groups would likely rally behind her.

‘A snowballing of support behind her bid is quite possible,’ Pangilinan added.

He also highlighted that Robredo’s poll numbers are much higher going into 2028, compared to that of 2022, adding that should she change her mind, ‘a formidable coalition, far broader er, more inclusive than the one we forged in 2022, can be cobbled together and lead us to victory in 2028.’

At the same time, he warned that Robredo’s abstention from running for a higher position ‘may create a leadership vacuum’ that may not be filled by others and could ‘lead to disunity,’ in the Liberal Party and its allies.

‘The net effect willl be the fielding of various political parties and groups of their respective presidential bets, further weakening our chances and delivering victory to our adversaries,’ he continued.

Despite declining a re-run for the national elections, Robredo declared her plan seek reelection as Naga City mayor.

Following her term as vice president from 2016 to 2022, Robredo made a bid for president in 2022 with Pangilinan as her running mate.

They, however, lost to now President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte.

Robredo in 2025 became the first elected female mayor of Naga City, Camarines Sur.

Some P1.43 million worth of suspected shabu was seized from an elderly man in a buy-bust operation conducted on Monday, April 20, in Butuan City.

The suspect, identified as alias ‘Angkol,’ 63, of Barangay Maon, is classified as a high-value individual.

Seized during the operation were approximately 210 grams of suspected shabu along with P10,000 in marked money, a cellular phone, a sling bag, a coin purse, and an identification card belonging to the suspect.

The arrested individual and the confiscated pieces of evidence are now under the custody of the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) of the Butuan City Police Office for proper documentation and disposition.

Charges are set to be filed against the suspect.

The operation was carried out by operatives of the CDEU in coordination with the Butuan City Mobile Force Company (BCMFC) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Regional Office 13.

Brig. Gen. Marcial Magistrado reiterated the police’s commitment to intensifying its campaign against illegal drugs in the region.

‘We will not rest until these illegal drug traders are put behind bars. PRO13 will not allow them to roam freely on the streets, destroying lives and threatening peace and order in the region,’ he said.

Jema Galanza’s Finals form was in full display for Creamline, putting her team a win closer to title redemption in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference.

Galanza delivered 17 points and an efficient defensive game of 13 excellent receptions out of 18 attempts in Creamline’s 25-22, 25-18, 25-16 sweep of Cignal in Game 1 of the best-of-three Finals on Tuesday before 8,183 fans at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The 2024 All-Filipino Finals MVP seized the moment, drawing from her experience in nine All-Filipino and 15 overall Finals appearances.

‘These kinds of games don’t happen all the time, so we make sure to grab the opportunity and give our best. This is basically the last stretch of the season, so you think about all the hard work and sacrifices,’ said Galanza in Filipino. ‘

‘At this point, we give 200 percent and become even more eager to help each other, reminding ourselves to take it one point at a time until we finish it together.’

The former league MVP credited her performance to Creamline’s core, which has been intact since she joined the team in 2019.

‘I think what really helps is having teammates who support and trust in me, plus coaches who trust me too. They’re a big part of my life. In games like this, you just have to enjoy it and embrace it because these moments don’t come often. I’m really thankful to have teammates who boost my energy and morale.’

Galanza said the team’s toughest conference yet served as motivation, having survived do-or-die games in the Play-In and semifinals to reach the Finals.

‘This season has been really tough for us. In my time with Creamline, this is one of the hardest because other teams have really leveled up,’ said Galanza. ‘They’ve built strong lineups, and there were times we even questioned if we’d make it to the end. That’s why we’re more driven to win now. If we win this, it will really feel like we earned it.’

Despite taking Game 1, Galanza won’t rest on her laurels as Creamline goes for a title-clincher against Cignal on Thursday.

‘Cignal is the type of team that doesn’t stick to just one lineup. They make a lot of changes. So we need to stay patient and be ready for whatever adjustments they make in Game 2,’ said Galanza. ‘With only one day to prepare, we just have to recover well tonight, eat properly, rest, then go back to training before Game 2.’