Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) has ordered the dismissal of a Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) instructor found guilty of grave misconduct over a sexual assault complaint filed by a cadet.

Police Maj. Anthony France Ramos was dismissed after the commission found him liable for grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer, Napolcom said in a decision released Thursday.

The case arose from a July 31 incident inside Ramos’ quarters at the PNPA in Silang, Cavite.

The cadet accused Ramos of forcing him to perform oral sex. Responding officers, Police Maj. Jay Zamora and Police Capt. Mark Daniel Maraquilla said they found the cadet visibly distressed at the scene.

‘Despicable’

The commission said Ramos abused his authority to obtain sexual gratification, violating Article 336 of the Revised Penal Code on acts of lasciviousness and breaching police ethical standards.

‘The Napolcom will never condone any act of sexual misconduct by anyone in the police force, regardless of rank,’ Napolcom Commissioner Rafael Vicente Calinisan said in a statement.

‘Major Ramos’ acts are despicable and should be strongly condemned and punished. He is unfit to continue wearing the police uniform,’ he added.

Calinisan said the ruling underscores the commission’s zero-tolerance policy for immorality and abuse of power in the police service.

The PNPA, which trains future officers of the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and Bureau of Fire Protection, has faced scrutiny in recent years over misconduct cases involving cadets and instructors.

Napolcom said it would continue enforcing strict accountability within the academy.

Mayor Maila Rosario Ting-Que has ordered the suspension of all in-person and online classes at all levels – both in public and private schools – on Nov. 10, as preparations intensify for the expected impact of Severe Tropical Storm Uwan (international name: Fung-Wong) across Cagayan Valley and northern Luzon.

Que said the suspension also covers law, medicine, and graduate Studies.

She advised that schools may adopt alternative learning delivery modes, such as modular or asynchronous distance learning, ‘to ensure the continuity of the students’ learning experience despite the weather conditions.’

However, the mayor noted that ‘the safety of learners remains the top priority,’ given possible disruptions such as power outages, flooding, and poor internet connectivity.

Likewise, government work has been suspended, except for medical personnel, disaster responders, and other essential frontliners.

Meanwhile, the Magat Dam in Isabela continued releasing water on Friday, discharging 372 cubic meters per second through one spill gate raised to a three-meter-high opening, starting at 9 a.m.

The dam’s reservoir water level was recorded at 187.60 meters above sea level, with an inflow of 431.15 cubic meters per second and an outflow of 758.28 cubic meters per second.

Engineer Carlo Ablan, division manager of the National Irrigation Administration-Magat River Integrated Irrigation System, urged residents living near rivers and other waterways to stay alert and evacuate preemptively if advised by their local governments

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed on Thursday before the Department of Justice criminal cases against the so-called BGC Boys (for Bulacan Group of Contractors), in connection with P1.6 billion in unreported income and related tax deficiencies from 2020 to 2024.

Named in the complaint are former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara, former assistant district engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, and former construction section chief Jaypee Mendoza.

The three have been charged with tax evasion and willful failure to file and to supply correct and accurate information in their income tax returns.

Alcantara, Hernandez and Mendoza also face criminal charges for their alleged involvement in allegedly fraudulent flood control projects.

BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said their cases are the second batch related to that issue.

The BIR earlier filed a P7.1-billion tax evasion case against contractor-couple Pacifico ‘Curlee’ and Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya in connection with their liabilities from 2018 to 2021.

SALN mismatch

Lumagui said three separate cases were also filed against the couple for unpaid individual income taxes, excise on their nine luxury vehicles, and documentary stamp taxes linked to their supposed divestment from four construction firms.

‘We conducted a lifestyle check on Alcantara, Hernandez, and Mendoza. These three ex-DPWH officials had lavish lifestyles. We discovered P1.6 billion in income tax deficiencies alone after investigating the financial transactions, properties, business interests and tax returns of the aforementioned individuals. This is a clear case of tax evasion,’ Lumagui told reporters.

He said in filing the cases, they used the DPWH officials’ statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) as well as the findings at the Senate hearings.

‘In the SALN, we can see how much they declared, or how much assets or what properties they have. That’s why we saw that these properties do not match their income based on our records,’ he said in Filipino.

Lumagui cited as an example the luxury vehicles that the former DPWH engineers owned.

‘The vehicles are a different case. Those are included in the assets we also saw. So we included that in the tax liabilities because they were able to buy those. Based on their income tax or the taxes they paid, they had no capacity to buy these kinds of expensive vehicles,’ Lumagui said.

More cases

He said the BIR is continuing its inquiry into other contractors and officials linked to the flood control anomalies.

Earlier, Lumagui said the BIR is coordinating with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and other government agencies in investigating government officials and contractors named in the flood control probe for possible tax evasion.

He said the amount involved will run to billions of pesos, noting that in one particular case, ‘in just one taxable year for a single taxpayer, we already found a billion in tax evasion.’

According to the tax chief, those found liable for tax evasion will face penalties, including payment of deficiency taxes, and may also face imprisonment.

‘First, we will collect the deficiency tax – the amount they were supposed to pay,’ Lumagui said in Filipino. ‘Second, if it is found that there was criminal intent, such as fraud, a criminal case for tax evasion will also be filed. So they will pay the deficiency tax and face a criminal complaint.’

Heeding the calls of the people, the Office of the Ombudsman’s special task force formed to oversee investigations into the anomalous flood control projects will prioritize areas affected by Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi), especially Cebu.

The ombudsman said it is one with the nation that mourns the fatalities and devastation caused by Tino.

Local and national officials, especially in Cebu, were called out over the massive flooding that killed 188 people across Visayas, and highlighted the failure of the multi-billion-peso flood control projects.

In particular, netizens recalled the hillside development project, The Rise at Monterezzas in Cebu City, of celebrity engineer Slater Young, who is now receiving backlash over the undertaking that people are pointing at as one of the main reasons for the massive flooding in Cebu.

‘To the families of all victims of the calamity – we hear you, and we have acted,’ the ombudsman said in a public statement.

‘A special task force previously designated to investigate flood control projects has been instructed to prioritize those projects meant to prevent the onslaught of Typhoon Tino,’ it pointed out. ‘Justice will be pursued with compassion, diligence, and resolve.’

Conglomerates in the Philippines and Vietnam are entering their most demanding investment cycle to date, which could test their funding flexibility, debt appetite and fiscal discipline more than any prior expansion, SandP Global Ratings said.

In a note to clients on Thursday, the debt watcher estimated that major companies in the two countries would invest about $185 billion in new ventures outside their core businesses over the next decade. This is roughly 2.5 times their capital spending in the past 10 years.

The analysis covered five Philippine conglomerates: Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., Ayala Corp., JG Summit Holdings Inc., San Miguel Corp. and SM Investments Corp.

It also covered four from Vietnam: FPT Corp., Hoa Phat Group Joint Stock Co., Masan Group Corp. and Vingroup Joint Stock Co.

Nearly two-thirds of the estimated outlay, SandP said, is earmarked for infrastructure and renewable energy projects.

The report said the four Vietnam conglomerates it studied would likely spend $80 billion in infrastructure over the next decade, with a particular focus on high-speed railways and fossil fueled power plants.

Renewable energy

Top Philippine companies, meanwhile, were projected to invest up to $28 billion in renewable energy-or about 20 percent of their total capital expenditure plans-supported by what SandP called ‘generally supportive’ government policies.

SandP said the region’s largest conglomerates are not starting from a weak position: mature core operations and access to deep funding pools give them a credible shot at expanding into high-barrier sectors.

‘Despite their diversification efforts, the conglomerates’ operational identity will remain largely defined by long-established core segments,’ SandP said.

‘In our view, the conglomerates will have to demonstrate competency outside of their core business and withstand competition,’ it added.

Still, the debt watcher said the scale and nature of these investments could push the conglomerates’ indebtedness beyond peer norms, raising questions about long-term capital structure and risk tolerance.

‘The risks are significant,’ SandP noted. ‘Venturing into less synergistic and technically complex sectors entails higher execution risks. The investment horizon is also likely to be long, and it remains uncertain when and whether operations will be profitable.’

Call for financial discipline

Looking ahead, SandP said Philippine conglomerates would benefit from robust cash flow and financial discipline, helping contain borrowing levels. However, it noted that debt-funded investments are driving a spike in leverage among Vietnamese peers.

To bankroll their expansion plans, conglomerates are expected to continue relying on domestic funding sources, with their scale and brand recognition supporting favorable access to local capital.

Even so, SandP said offshore funding-while inherently more volatile-remains a viable option for firms with strong operating track records, especially if interest rates fall and local currencies stabilize against the US dollar.

‘The challenge ahead is about diversifying funding access and building business models agile enough to support innovation through the next economic cycle,’ SandP said.

‘How conglomerates in the Philippines and Vietnam resolve today’s funding choices will not just shape their balance sheets but their capacity to invest in transformation, sustainability, and new markets,’ it added.

A house caught fire along Upper Amagis Street in Barangay Mabayuan, Olongapo City, on Friday morning, Nov. 7.

The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) reported that the fire, which began at 7:57 p.m., was extinguished 20 minutes later.

The Bureau of Fire Protection, together with the CDRRMO Fire-Search and Rescue Team, is conducting a thorough inspection of the area to prevent flare-ups and assess the damage.

No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Representing Alas Pilipinas here has been a whole new experience for Jhenica Sadia.

While carrying the flag in the 2nd AVC Asian Women’s U16 Volleyball Championship, Sadia is soaking up all the learnings in her first international stint.

‘Since it’s my first time, everything I see and experience here is new to me. I’m still learning about international play, so I need to calm myself down and stay focused,’ Sadia told the Inquirer in Filipino.

Through courage and trust the Gracel Christian College Foundation Taguig standout has been able to overcome jitters and be a steady and reliable middle blocker with Madele Gale.

‘It’s all about courage and believing in yourself,’ said Sadia. ‘We just have to trust ourselves, trust our teammates, and follow whatever the coaches instruct us to do.’

Sadia delivered six points to help Alas sweep Hong Kong, 25-20, 25-19, 25-10, to set a rematch against Thailand in their final game in Jordan.

After making her Alas debut, the 15-year-old middle blocker dreams big of representing the country in higher age groups as her young career continues to blossom.

‘This is our dream, so we’ll keep working hard to reach higher levels,’ she said.

For now, Sadia wants to capture the fifth place to cap the inspiring run of the high school players from different provinces, who only trained together for two weeks.

They cap their campaign in the battle for fifth on Saturday against Thailand.

‘We’re really preparing hard because tomorrow’s game is very important for us. If we win, we might qualify for another league, so we’ll give it our all,’ she said.

Clark Water Corporation, an operating unit of Manila Water Non-East Zone subsidiary Manila Water Philippine Ventures and the sole water and wastewater service provider of the Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ), recently celebrated its 25 years in service, highlighting major milestones and announcing plans to further enhance its services for customers and locators.

Since Manila Water assumed operations in 2011, Clark Water has invested approximately P6.6 billion to upgrade water and wastewater systems across the Freeport Zone. These improvements were made possible through strong collaboration with its regulator, the Clark Development Corporation (CDC), led by President and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera, and the continued support of locators within the zone.

As a result of these strategic investments, Clark Water consistently delivers 100 percent coverage for water and wastewater services, continuous service, full regulatory compliance, and industry-leading performance-solidifying its position as a benchmark in the Philippine water utility sector.

Clark Water upholds operational excellence through four strategic pillars: Efficiency, Environmental Protection, Customer Value, and People and Community. These guide its mission to deliver sustainable, high-quality water services in the Clark Freeport Zone.

Clark Water ensures competitive rates, 24/7 service, and full compliance with Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water. The Company maintains world-class Non-Revenue Water (NRW) levels at just 6 percent, supported by a 20 percent supply buffer for reliability. It has achieved 100 percent sewer network integration and operates a centralized, compliant wastewater treatment facility, meeting DENR standards (DAO 2016-08 and DAO 2021-19).

These achievements come amid growing demand, with locators increasing from 1,096 in 2021 to 1,213 in 2025, and total water service connections reaching 1,894.

‘Hindi pwedeng walang tubig, and we have lots of restaurants and hotels. We cannot afford to have water that is below standard. These are the challenges to Clark Water, and I am very proud to say that they have kept their commitment, their promise, and their performance,’ shared Devanadera.

Beyond its core operations, Clark Water champions a safe and inclusive workplace while promoting the well-being of employees and communities through responsible water resource management. The Company also extends its impact beyond the Freeport Zone by supporting water access initiatives in Pampanga, building vital water supply facilities, and installing refrigerated drinking fountains to encourage hydration and public health.

Clark Water continues to recognize the importance of continued investment in its facilities as the CFZ continues to thrive as one of the Philippines’ major tourism and investment hubs.

‘Continuous investment in water and wastewater infrastructure is critical to sustaining the growth of the Clark Freeport Zone as one of the Philippines’ premier tourism and investment destinations.

By upgrading our facilities and introducing innovative solutions, we ensure that locators and communities have access to reliable, high-quality, and sustainable services. These improvements not only support economic development but also reinforce our commitment to environmental stewardship and long-term resilience,’ said Lyn Zamora, General Manager of Clark Water.

As part of its long-term roadmap, Clark Water has developed the 2026 Service Improvement Plan, a strategic initiative focused on four key areas. Water Security prioritizes diversifying water sources to reduce reliance on groundwater, ensuring sustainability and resilience.

Service Quality drives facility upgrades to meet evolving water and wastewater standards, guaranteeing safe and efficient service delivery.

Service Accessibility and Continuity support service expansion and reliability to meet the growing needs of Clark Freeport Zone locators and maintain uninterrupted operations.

Finally, Regulatory Compliance reinforces Clark Water’s commitment to meeting all regulatory requirements while addressing the water and wastewater needs of its stakeholders.

Starting 2026 to 2040, Clark Water will invest a total of P17.3 billion for planned infrastructure upgrades and system enhancements.

‘As we celebrate 25 years of service, we reaffirm our commitment to world-class water and wastewater solutions for the Clark Freeport Zone. This milestone is a promise for the future-where sustainability, innovation, and excellence remain at our core. With the investment, we will continue supporting growth while protecting our environment and communities. Thank you to our partners and stakeholders for your trust as we build a stronger, more resilient Clark,’ Melvin Tan, COO of Manila Water Non-East Zone Operations, said.

In an interview over radio station dzBB with anchors Arnold Clavio and Connie Sison on the devastation left by typhoon Tino, geologist Mahar Lagmay asked a question lingering in the minds of many others: ‘Why did this happen despite all the warnings?’

Lagmay, executive director of Project NOAH or Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards, said there has been ample warnings from the government weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) and other disaster monitoring government agencies about the path, strength and dangers of Tino.

‘It seems like the warnings were not implemented,’ he said in Filipino.

Tino (Kalmagi) joined the list of storms that left the heaviest damage and most fatalities in Philippine history inckuding Supertyphoon Yolanda (Haiyan) which made landfall in the country as among the world’s most powerful storms in 2013 also in Novwmber.

As of Friday (Nov 7) the death toll from Tino is already 188 with at least 136 persons missing.

But the numbers cannot depict the actual tragedy, pain, fear, loss and agony of the people living in communities turned upside down by Tino.

One woman, interviewed by Clavio and Sison on dzBB, recounted the pain of helplessness as she watched her husband and three childen drown in rampaging floodwaters in Liloan, Cebu, the worst hit by Tino in the province.

‘We took shelter in a house but the flood rose so fast we did not have time to move to another safe place,’ the Liloan resident said in a mix of Cebuano and Filipino.

‘We lost our grip and in no time, my husband and three childen are already in the water. I saw they were already desd,’ the woman, who survived the tragedy, said.

Now, the waman said, she doesn’t know how to go on living but pins her hope that her mother and cousins, or what’s left of her family, are still alive.

‘I don’t know how to live anymore,’ rhe survivor said.

Multiple reports as of Nov 7 said at least 35 are desd in Liloan, a town known for its century-old lighthouse and famous for its brittle barquillos, a Spanish-era delicacy of rolled thin wafer made of egg whites, flour, sugar and butter.

That life is as fragile as barqulllos in Liloan showed itself to be true when Tino hammered the town.

One survivor also in Liloan, whose ordeal was recounted as told to Clavio and Sison, escaped the flooding that already filled her house by destroying the ceiling to use it as access to the roof.

On the roof, Clavio and Sison recounted the ordeal as told to them, the survivor saw her entire community turn into a lake with only roofs of houses as reminders that people lived there.

It was a reminder of the ordeal at the height of Yolanda in Tacloban of mayor Alfred Romualdez and his family which became one of the most illustrative of the horror brought by the catastrophic weather anomaly.

The ordeal was repeated many times over diring Tino in Liloan on people not as well known as the Tacloban mayor but just as drastically shaken as the mayor and his family were in the biggest climate disaster of 2013.

In an interview with multiple media outlets on Nov 6 as he inspected the damage in Cebu, Pubkic Works Secretary Vince Dizon said there was obviously a failure in the more than 400 flood control structures built in the province.

‘Someone should be held accountable,’ said Dizon. The investigation, he said, will proceed after the Departmrnt of Public Works amd Highways (DPWH) now reeling from a corruption scandal of an unprecedented scale, helps in recovery efforts.

In Cebu City, dozens of cars rested on top of each other when floodwaters receded, stuck on dirt-filled streets after the rush of water lifted them off like soda caps and carried them hundreds of meters from where their owners thought it safe to park them.

It reminded of typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) which barelled through Metro Manila in 2009 and brought historic flooding in the capital region. At least 464 people died during Ondoy.

The scenes of devastation around Cebu province during Tino were replications of the ones found all over Liloan town. The terror is as arresting as the grim images that unfolded in Liloan no matter the degree of severity.

In a coastal area of Cebu, news footage showed boulders as large as cars on top of the houses that they demolished, carried into the community by storm surge that some reports said reached more than five meters in height.

In many Cebuano comminities trampled upon by Tino. news footage showed people begging for food, some too dazed to speak or too weak to walk straight.

The horror spread out in other provinces and communities where Tino cut a swath of destruction and caused loss of lives.

In Dinagat Island, Inquirer correspondents Queenie Casio and Chris Panganiban reported toppled posts and trees, bridges unpassable, banana fields nearly wiped out, coconut farms severely damaged and power and xommunication lines cut off.

In Palawan, video clips and still photos posted by netizens showed trees flung to the air with roots still clinging to them. Entire houses were drifting in the wind like rags being blown off by an industrial fan. Toppled trees and electric posts blocked the roads.

On social media, memes with the words CORRUPTION KILLS are starting to trend, obviously referring to statements made by Cebu governor Pamela Baricuatro expressing anger at the failure of more than 400 flood control structires, built at a cost of more than 26 billion pesos, to protect communities and people.

The conclusion came quickly on soxial media-corruption made the flood structures fail.

Hashtag ‘corruption kills’ is likely to trend, too, as a reminder of the trillion-peso plunder of public funds through ghost, unfinished, substandard or duplicate flood control projects discovered in recent days:

In his interview over dzBB, Lagmay expressed disappointment over the priority being given to infrasticture-driven solutions to flooding.

More sensible solutions are based on the science of nature, he said. Trees, for example, can absorb huge volumes of rain that would otherwise end up as runoff water: Rain catchment basins help tremendously. Infrastructure should be just to complement the nature-based solutions, not as a first line of defense, Lagmay said.

There would be no blllions to steal in these projects, he added.

But as the nation debates and seeks answers to the devastation left by Tino, one could not help but be haunted by the anguished cry of one Liloan resident in a mix of Cebuano and Filipino: ‘We lost everything so fast, we don’t know where to start now.’

The Sandiganbayan has once again deferred and rescheduled the arraignment and pre-trial of former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and several others to January 16 next year in connection with the 2019 takeover of the Malampaya gas project.

The anti-graft court’s Third Division announced the deferment during a session Friday, citing three motions to quash the amended information filed by Cusi’s legal team and other respondents.

Their motion was filed in response to the prosecution’s urgent motion to amend the criminal information, which the court granted on Oct. 1 – the same day Cusi and others were first scheduled to be arraigned, but the proceeding was deferred.

Of all the respondents, only Cusi was absent from the courtroom. His lawyer initially explained that Cusi’s senior counsel, Atty. Ruy Rondain – who also serves as the legal counsel of former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co – had advised him not to attend, saying his presence was no longer necessary due to a pending motion to quash filed by his camp.

However, the lawyer later retracted her statement, prompting the court to order Cusi to explain his absence himself.

The charges against the former energy secretary stem from their alleged involvement in facilitating the sale of a 45-percent stake in the Malampaya gas project to a company owned by Davao businessman Dennis Uy.

Before the previous deferment on Oct. 1, Cusi and 10 other former and current Department of Energy (DOE) officials each posted bail of P90,000 for their graft charges Sept. 10.

Last August, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) confirmed that its then vice chairperson, Cusi, had been indicted by the Office of the Ombudsman over the Malampaya project.

PDP-Laban deputy spokesperson Ferdinand Topacio earlier said that one count of graft had been filed against Cusi and several others before the Sandiganbayan.

The Ombudsman’s investigation into DOE officials began in 2022, following a Senate committee on energy report on the sale of shares in the Malampaya project.

According to the report, the DOE allegedly expedited the approval of the $545-million sale of a 45-percent stake in Malampaya to UC Malampaya, despite the buyer’s failure to pass the financial capability test or submit audited financial statements.

While the Ombudsman initially dismissed the graft complaint in 2022 for lack of evidence, it reversed its decision in 2024 and found probable cause to indict Cusi and several DOE officials.

Cusi was also recently affirmed by the Supreme Court as the legitimate president of PDP-Laban, the political party of former President Rodrigo Duterte.