Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

There are no discussions yet regarding the abolishment of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said on Friday.

These remarks came after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla said in an earlier interview that the super body may have only a month or two left before it concludes its investigation into anomalous infrastructure projects.

‘Right now, I can’t answer that, and we haven’t discussed it yet,’ she said, referring to the former Justice chief’s statement.

‘But since the Ombudsman is also there and they are very active regarding the issue of anomalous flood control projects, it could be like that. But as of now, we don’t have any details or any updates regarding that,’ Castro continued.

During an Unang Balita interview, Remulla said the ICI will turn over its referrals to the Office of the Ombudsman once it stops its probe.

‘I think some of them, it’s only two months away and they can turn over their jobs to us,’ Remulla said in an interview on Unang Balita.

”That’s the direction, because the ICI is not forever, and there is a law that created the Office of the Ombudsman, which we are now very active in,’ he also said

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday raised a code white alert ahead of the expected landfall of Tropical Depression Wilma and to ensure immediate emergency response in affected areas.

A code white alert is raised to ensure that all assigned medical personnel, medical equipment, and facilities will be ready to respond to emergencies.

‘Itinaas na ng Department of Health (DOH) ang Code White Alert bilang paghahanda para sa inaaahang pagtama ng bagyong #WilmaPH sa bansa partikular sa Eastern Visayas o Dinagat Islands ngayong Biyernes ng gabi o Sabado ng umaga,’ the DOH said in a Facebook post.

(The Department of Health raised Code White Alert to prepare for the expected landfall of Tropical Depression Vilma in the country, particularly in the Eastern Visayas or Dinagat Islands on Friday night or Saturday morning.)

According to the 8 p.m. bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Wilma wast spotted some 170 kilometers east of Borongan City in Eastern Samar, with a maximum wind speed of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 55 kph.

Pagasa also said that the center of Wilma is forecast to make landfall over Eastern Visayas on Saturday and will continue to traverse Visayas until Sunday.

Twenty-four areas are under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 as Tropical Depression Wilma moved closer to the country’s landmass on Friday, according to the state weather bureau.

In its 11 p.m. tropical cyclone bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Signal No. 1 was hoisted over the following areas:

The southern portion of Sorsogon (Matnog, Bulan, Irosin, Santa Magdalena, Bulusan, Barcelona, Magallanes, Juban, Casiguran, Gubat)

mainland Masbate including Ticao Island

the eastern portion of Romblon (San Fernando, Cajidiocan, Magdiwang)

Northern Samar

Eastern Samar

Samar

Biliran

Leyte

Southern Leyte

Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands

Bohol

the northern and central portions of Negros Occidental ( Sagay City, City of Escalante, Toboso, Calatrava, Enrique B. Magalona, City of Victorias, Manapla, Cadiz City, Bacolod City, City of Talisay, Silay City, Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos City, Murcia, Bago City, La Carlota City, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Valladolid, Pulupandan, San Enrique, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Isabela, Binalbagan, City of Himamaylan, City of Kabankalan, Ilog, Cauayan, Candoni)

Siquijor

the northern and central portions of Negros Oriental (City of Guihulngan, Canlaon City, Vallehermoso, La Libertad, Jimalalud, Tayasan, Ayungon, Bindoy, Manjuyod, Bais City, Pamplona, City of Tanjay, Amlan, San Jose, Dumaguete City, Valencia, Sibulan, Bacong, Mabinay)

Guimaras

Iloilo

Capiz

Aklan

Antique

Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands

Dinagat Islands

the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza)

the northern portion of Agusan del Norte (Kitcharao, Jabonga, Santiago, Tubay, City of Cabadbaran, Remedios T. Romualdez, Magallanes)

Camiguin

Areas under TCWS No. 1 can expect winds from 39 and 61 kilometers per hour (kph) in the next 36 hours, posing minimal to minor threat to life and property.

Wilma was last spotted some 135 kilometers (km) east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar.

The tropical depression was moving westward slowly and packing maximum sustained winds of up to 45 kph and gusts of up to 55 kph.

Earlier, Pagasa said Wilma may make landfall over Eastern Visayas on Saturday

Justice Undersecretary Jose ‘Jojo’ Ragus Cadiz Jr., alleged bagman of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has resigned from his post following allegations of involvement in corruption linked to anomalous flood-control projects.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed the resignation at a briefing on Friday, citing information from the Department of Justice.

‘As far as we know, he has already submitted his resignation,’ she said in Filipino.

This information was announced after Castro was asked for Malacañang’s reaction to a media report saying that Cadiz has alleged ties to a major construction company that was only incorporated in 2023.

The construction company, named JSJ Builders Incorporated, was named after Cadiz’s then 19-year-old son and was found to have more than P200 million in projects in Ilocos Norte.

Castro and the DOJ have yet to provide details on whether the resignation has been officially accepted.

Resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co mentioned Cadiz in his series of video statements.

The ex-lawmaker said he received orders from former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to deliver kickbacks from the flood control projects to Cadiz.

Just last November 25, Acting Justice Secretary Frederick Vida said Cadiz went on leave and was scheduled to return to office last December 1.

While Vida did not elaborate on the whereabouts of Cadiz, he said the latter did not apply for a travel authority.

Meanwhile, at Friday’s briefing, Castro said the public should be glad that the personalities close to Marcos, who are being dragged into the corruption scandal, left their posts.

‘Shouldn’t the people be happy if there are people who are allies of the President and when they get involved, even if there is no decision or judgment yet, they leave? Isn’t that a better way to look at it? That’s better because it means the President does not tolerate people who might be involved,’ she explained.

Aside from Cadiz, former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and former Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman also left their posts after their names were implicated in the P100 billion insertions in the 2025 national budget.

She has yet to provide details on whether the resignation has been officially accepted.

A new bill filed in the House of Representatives may give the public an opportunity to take a more active role in recovering stolen money from corrupt public officials.

If enacted, House Bill No. 6619, filed by Akbayan Reps. Chel Diokno, Perci Cendana, and Dadah Ismula, as well as Dinagat Islands Rep. Arlene Bag-ao, would allow private citizens to directly initiate cases to recover ill-gotten wealth.

If passed, the bill would amend Republic Act No. 1379, the country’s 65-year-old Forfeiture Law, to allow private individuals, civil society organizations, or corporations, among others, to fully initiate and participate in civil forfeiture proceedings at the regional trial court.

‘Unfortunately, our current civil forfeiture system remains rigid in its application,’ the authors said in their explanatory note. ‘The antiquated civil forfeiture law is ripe for amendments and updating to our current justice system.’

The spirit of HB 6619 borrows from the writ of qui tam, a legal concept from old English law where a private person can sue on behalf of the government for violations-usually fraud-by companies and individuals and receive a share of the money recovered.

Former Justice and constitutional framer Adolfo Azcuna first proposed this last August when President Marcos Jr. declared his anti-corruption crusade and encouraged the Supreme Court to look into the writ.

Under the Akbayan bill, amendments would also provide a mechanism where the complainant could receive at least 10% of the total amount recovered, while the remainder would be allocated toward education, health, socialized housing, and social security.

The bill also centralizes the prosecution of forfeiture cases in the Office of the Ombudsman and empowers the Department of Justice or the Ombudsman to grant immunity from prosecution to any potential whistleblower in a forfeiture case.

The measure extends the application of the prima facie presumption to all ownership showing beneficial interest, including corporations and other arrangements.

The authors said the passage of this bill ‘has the potential to expedite accountability from errant and corrupt public officers. In refining this legislation, we aim to strengthen the mandated trust between our public officials and the Filipino people.’

No fare increase will be implemented yet for traditional and modern jeepneys, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced, citing that the country has yet to recover from recent calamities.

Last week, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) submitted its recommendations to the DOTr regarding petitions from transport groups seeking to increase the minimum fare from P13 to P14 for traditional units and from P15 to P16 for modern units.

However, in a statement on Friday, the DOTr said, ‘The LTFRB will not yet implement an additional P1 to P2 fare increase for traditional and modern jeepneys after the big-time rollback in the price of diesel the other day.’

Diesel prices were cut by P2.90 per liter last Monday.

DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez added in the statement, ‘The effect of a fare increase on the economy and in general will be big, especially since some provinces affected by intense calamities like earthquakes and typhoons are still recovering.’

The DOTr further cited a finding from a Department of Economy, Planning and Development study that a fare increase may further raise inflation rates in the next two years.

Anti-colorum ops instead

So, the DOTr said it and the LTFRB were searching for ‘alternative ways’ to ease drivers’ and operators’ burdens, saying, ‘One of the ways we see is to strengthen the campaign against colorum.’

‘The DOTr and the LTFRB will establish an Anti-Colorum Task Force, alongside the Department of Justice and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, to dismantle the protectors and syndicates behind these illegal operations,’ the department explained.

The DOTr claimed at least public utility vehicles lose 30 percent of their income to colorum (providing transport services without permits) operations.

The department further urged colorum operations to take advantage of at least 17,000 slots available for transport network vehicle services

Two municipal councilors of Maguindanao del Sur province survived an ambush that killed their companion, police said.

Lt. Col. Jopy Ventura, spokesperson of Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), said the ambush happened around 3:45 p.m. on Thursday in front of the Barangay Hall of Tuka village in Mamasapano town.

Ventura identified the fatality as Samsudin Manib, 25, while those hurt were Sultan sa Barongis municipal councilors Montasir Dimalido and Abdulmanap Biang.

Ventura said the three were going home from Cotabato City on board a Toyota Innova (license plate NCA 3240) driven by Dimalido when they were ambushed by still unidentified gunmen.

Dimalido and Biang are now recuperating in a local hospital under heavy security while the remains of the lone fatality was turned over to his family.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack as police, backed by soldiers, continue their follow-up operation

Tropical Depression Wilma may make its initial landfall or pass close to eastern Visayas or Dinagat Islands on Friday evening or Saturday morning, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, Pagasa said Wilma is forecast to move west-southwestward until Saturday.

‘Afterwards, it will continue to traverse Visayas until Sunday (December 7). It will then emerge over the Sulu Sea and may pass over northern Palawan by Monday (December 8) morning,’ Pagasa said.

The state weather bureau said Wilma will likely remain a tropical depression throughout the forecast period.

As of 10 a.m., the tropical depression was located 235 km east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar. It has maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, gusts of up to 55 kph, and is moving west-southwestward at 15 kph.

Due to Wilma, tropical cyclone wind signal number one remains hoisted in the following areas:

The southern portion of Sorsogon (Matnog, Bulan, Irosin, Santa Magdalena, Bulusan, Barcelona, Magallanes, Juban, Casiguran, Gubat)

Mainland Masbate, including Ticao Island

Northern Samar

Eastern Samar

Samar

Biliran

Leyte

Southern Leyte

Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands

Bohol

The northern and central portions of Negros Occidental (Sagay City, City of Escalante, Toboso, Calatrava, Enrique B. Magalona, City of Victorias, Manapla, Cadiz City, Bacolod City, City of Talisay, Silay City, Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos City, Murcia, Bago City, La Carlota City, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Valladolid, Pulupandan, San Enrique, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Isabela, Binalbagan, City of Himamaylan, City of Kabankalan)

Siquijor

The northern and central portions of Negros Oriental (City of Guihulngan, Canlaon City, Vallehermoso, La Libertad, Jimalalud, Tayasan, Ayungon, Bindoy, Manjuyod, Bais City, Pamplona, City of Tanjay, Amlan, San Jose, Dumaguete City, Valencia, Sibulan, Bacong, Mabinay)

The eastern portion of Iloilo (San Dionisio, Estancia, Batad, Carles, Concepcion, Ajuy, Sara, Balasan, Lemery, Barotac Viejo, San Rafael, City of Passi, San Enrique, Anilao, Banate, Dingle, Barotac Nuevo, Mina, Pototan, New Lucena, Santa Barbara, Pavia, Iloilo City, Leganes, Zarraga, Dumangas, Dueñas)

The eastern portion of Capiz (Pilar, President Roxas, Panay, Pontevedra, Ma-Ayon, Cuartero, Dumarao, Dao, Panitan, Roxas City)

Guimaras

Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Dinagat Islands, the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza), the northern portion of Agusan del Norte (Kitcharao, Jabonga, Santiago, Tubay, City of Cabadbaran, Remedios T. Romualdez, Magallanes)

The Supreme Court order to return the P60 billion in excess funds back to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) was a ‘victory for the right to health,’ former party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares said in a statement on Friday.

Earlier in the day, the court ruled in favor of returning funds from the National Treasury to PhilHealth.

‘It is a significant development that the Court upheld the right to health of the people. We have long argued that the right to health is self-executing and does not need an implementing law to be a source of right. We can use this decision in cases where the right to health is violated,’ Colmenares, who is the Bayan Muna chairperson, said.

‘The funds for PhilHealth were returned, and they cannot do that again for future budgets. This is a significant victory not just in recovering the funds but in preventing similar illegal transfers in the future,’ he added in Filipino.

Colmenares was among the petitioners asking the SC to block the transfer of PhilHealth’s excess funds to the National Treasury.

The SC ruling declared void Special Provision 1(d) in the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which authorized the return of the ‘fund balance’ or excess reserve funds of government-owned or controlled corporations like PhilHealth to the National Treasury.

The high court found Special Provision 1(d) ambiguous for the concept of ‘fund balance,’ which is not defined in the 2024 GAA.

It also declared the provision void since it impliedly repealed Section 11 of the UHCA and Sin Tax Laws.

‘Sa susunod na budget, mas magiging mahigpit pa ang pagbabantay sa bicam dahil sa kasong ito,’ Colmenares maintained.

‘In the next budget, our vigilance will be greater for the bicam because of this case. We must remain watchful to ensure this does not happen again,’ Colmenares said. /atm

San Miguel Beer put on a blistering third quarter to continue its mastery of TNT, 110-95, on Friday to book a quarterfinals berth in the PBA Philippine Cup at Ynares Center here.

CJ Perez sizzled for 33 points, 17 in that telling third that saw the Beermen buck a four-point halftime deficit and turn the game wide open in their favor.

His lead role enabled San Miguel to create a four-way tie for the lead at 6-2 with Converge, NLEX and Rain or Shine while also cementing its place in the last eight.

The win came after the two teams squared off for the first time since the title series of the same conference last July which ended with San Miguel taking down TNT in six games.

June Mar Fajardo had 12 points and 17 rebounds, Don Trollano scored 12 while Jericho Cruz pumped in 11 for the Beermen.

Perez, Fajardo and Cruz were back as teammates after the latter met Gilas Pilipinas twice in the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers as a member of Guam.

Jordan Heading scored 18 points while Calvin Oftana added 16 in his return from injury, but TNT fell to 5-3, tied with Magnolia for fifth in the standings.

It was TNT’s second straight loss which started with an 18-point collapse against Rain or Shine in Cagayan de Oro before the Fiba break.