Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Miss Earth Thailand president Dr. Sirikan Onsonkran seemingly threw shade at Miss Universe VP for Asiana Nawat Itsaragrisil, who recently found himself in hot water after publicly calling out Mexican beauty queen Fatima Bosch at a sashing event.

Itsaragrisil has been making headlines after confronting Bosch at the Miss Universe 2025 sashing ceremony in Thailand, which prompted her and some of her fellow beauty queens to walk out on him during the event. This incident was called out by Miss Universe Organization (MUO) president Raul Rocha and former titleholders, as it was said to be ‘disrespectful’ toward women.

The Thai mogul eventually apologized for the incident, claiming that some Miss Universe candidates allegedly didn’t participate in filming videos for the global tilt’s sponsors.

Amid the ongoing Miss Universe drama, Onsonkran caught the attention of eagle-eyed netizens after she seemingly made a piercing remark against Itsaragrisil in a Facebook post on Wednesday, November 5.

‘Arriving in the Philippines yesterday, we, Miss Earth Thailand team had received a warm welcome and hospitality from Filipino friends at the Miss Earth organization and those from our fanclub in Manila,’ she began. ‘This year marks the 25th anniversary, a silver jubilee year of the establishment of Miss Earth, a stage created for promoting environmental conservation awareness.’

Onsonkran spoke about the pageant promoting ‘environmental conservation awareness’ and warmth among the candidates, pageant directors, and everyone involved in her post, saying the global tilt was ‘stage of love, unity, and friendship.’

The Miss Earth Thailand president then called out a certain individual who ‘committed such ugly behavior’ and set a ‘stage that is so humiliating for the nation.’

‘This is a warm moment of mankind since Miss Earth has grown as one family. The time when we meet once a year, we all embrace each other with warm hugs. That has been the charm of the Miss Earth stage since it was created to be a stage of love, unity, and friendship,’ she said. ‘Because up there, everyone is a friend, a sister, a sisterhood of earthlings who are all equal. Unlike some stage that is so humiliating for the nation. We are begging to whom it may concern, please refrain from committing such an ugly behavior,’ she continued, without mentioning Itsaragrisil’s name.

Onsonkran also expressed her gratitude for the Philippine-led pageant for welcoming delegates and their teams with ‘joy, excitement, and pleasure.’

‘Everyone were together to welcome us with joy, excitement, and pleasure to meet us again. It’s once a year that we have a chance to meet each other during the Miss Earth pageant,’ she said.

Itsaragrisil has yet to respond to Onsonkran’s remarks, as of this writing.

The Miss Earth 2025 coronation will take place on Wednesday, November 5 at Okada Manila in Parañaque, with the reigning elemental queens set to pass their titles to their successors. Meanwhile, reigning Miss Universe Victoria Theilvig will crown her successor at the Miss Universe 2025 coronation on Nov. 21 at the Impact Challenger Hall in Nothaburi, Thailand.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has suspended the license of a driver who was captured on video manning a vehicle with an unauthorized light bar attached to its roof, which impeded the vision of other motorists.

According to a statement by the DOTr on Wednesday, the driver being implicated was manning a Toyota Land Cruiser along a public road at the time of the incident. Another driver had posted a video showing that the Land Cruiser had a large rear light on its roof, complaining that it was too blinding for him.

The DOTr agreed that the use of a large rear light was dangerous and would serve as a nuisance to other drivers. As a response, the agency said it has suspended the license of the vehicle owner for 90 days, and the Land Transportation Office has also issued a show cause order against the said driver.

Based on a copy of the order posted on Facebook, the driver is being asked to explain why he or she should not be charged for reckless driving, operating with unauthorized accessories, and improper person to operate a motor vehicle.

Given the incident, the transportation acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez reminded motorists to follow traffic rules, warning that the DOTr and the LTO will continue to penalize erring drivers.

‘We will not let these kinds of actions pass because the safety of road users rests on this, and we should take utmost care,’ said Lopez. ‘Motorists should remember that when they disobey traffic rules, there is an appropriate punishment waiting for them.’

Police and drug enforcement agents have seized more than P127 million worth of suspected cocaine in Palawan, the latest in a series of maritime drug recoveries in local waters.

The Philippine National Police said Tuesday that roughly 24 kilograms of cocaine were recovered during a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

The drugs, found along the Palawan coastline, were secured and turned over to the PNP’s provincial forensic unit for testing before being forwarded to PDEA for proper disposition.

Authorities are investigating the source and intended destination of the drugs, which they believe may be tied to transnational narcotics networks using local coastal routes as drop-off points.

The latest recovery came as acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered the Maritime Group to strengthen patrols in coastal areas following the recovery of P19.2 million worth of drugs in the West Philippine Sea.

On Oct. 22, Nartatez said in a statement that he had instructed police units to intensify patrols after authorities found 16 kilograms of suspected high-grade marijuana in the waters off Escoda (Sabina) Shoal.

He was referring to a series of recoveries in June, when about P8.8 billion worth of illegal drugs were found in packages floating off Central Luzon and the Ilocos Region.

PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said the seizure underscores the importance of coordination between law enforcement agencies in intercepting drug shipments before they reach local communities.

‘Every successful operation like this shows that teamwork works,’ Tuaño said in a statement. ‘The PNP will not let up in protecting our coastal borders and keeping our communities safe from illegal drugs.’

The PNP said it will maintain heightened surveillance and joint patrols in coastal and high-risk smuggling areas as part of broader efforts to prevent the entry of illegal drugs into the country.

The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has obtained its seventh freeze order from the Court of Appeals, expanding the scope of assets immobilized under its sweeping investigation into the alleged misuse of public infrastructure funds.

The latest order covers 45 additional real estate properties and 81 vehicles-including high-end sports cars, SUVs, and luxury motorcycles-reportedly owned by former government officials.

With the new directive, the AMLC has now frozen a total of 2,129 assets: 1,671 bank accounts, 58 insurance policies, 244 motor vehicles, 144 real properties and 12 e-wallet accounts related to the flood control probe.

‘We continue to pursue every lead, secure every necessary order, and hold accountable those who misuse public funds,’ AMLC Executive Director Matthew David said in a statement.

In most parliaments around the world, ‘disorderly behavior’ is a narrow concept. It refers to acts that disturb proceedings-shouting, defying the presiding officer, using offensive language, or staging walkouts. It is not a catchall term for corruption, abuse of power, or violations of criminal law.

In the Philippines, however, the Senate has stretched that term to shield its members from accountability. When the Office of the Ombudsman under Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the dismissal of Sen. Joel Villanueva in 2016 for the misuse of P10 million in Priority Development Assistance Fund, the Senate refused to enforce the order. Its justification: only the Senate may discipline its members for ‘disorderly behavior’ under Article VI Section 16 (3) of the 1987 Constitution. The Senate’s legal counsel even invoked Section 21 of Republic Act No. 6770 (The Ombudsman Act of 1989) to argue that the Ombudsman’s decision had no binding effect on the chamber-a provision that, upon closer inspection, is constitutionally infirm.

This was not an assertion of legislative independence but a misapplication of parliamentary privilege. The Senate redefined disorderly behavior to cover even acts of corruption, thereby insulating itself from a constitutional mechanism of accountability. The irony is stark: the body that should exemplify obedience to law invoked its own rule to evade it.

Under Article XI of the 1987 Constitution, the Office of the Ombudsman was established as the protector of the people, empowered to investigate and discipline all public officials and employees except those removable only by impeachment. That exception list is short and explicit-the president, vice president, members of the Supreme Court, the constitutional commissions, and the Ombudsman. Members of Congress are not among them. The Constitution thus draws a clear line: while each chamber may punish its members for internal misconduct, crimes such as graft or malversation fall squarely within the Ombudsman’s investigatory and disciplinary jurisdiction.

A violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act is not, and can never be, an ‘internal affair.’ It is a criminal act against the state, not a breach of parliamentary decorum. The Senate may censure a member for unruly speech or contempt of its rules, but it cannot, in the name of autonomy, override a lawful dismissal or prosecution for corruption. To do so is to invert Article XI’s command that public office is a public trust.

Yet through Section 21 of RA 6770, Congress quietly rewrote the constitutional design. It declared that the Ombudsman’s disciplinary authority does not extend to ‘Members of Congress.’ By passing this clause, legislators effectively exempted themselves from the Ombudsman’s reach-a move that contradicts both the text and spirit of Article XI.

This self-serving exemption came to life in the Villanueva case. The Senate’s refusal to implement the Ombudsman’s dismissal order-citing its supposed exclusive authority to punish ‘disorderly behavior’-was the direct result of RA 6770’s constitutional defect. In doing so, the Senate conflated two very different concepts: internal discipline and public accountability. The Supreme Court has long clarified in Sanchez v. Ombudsman (1996) and Pimentel v. Aguirre (2000) that autonomy and separation of powers do not shield legislators from investigation or prosecution under general law. The Ombudsman’s reach extends to all public officials, regardless of branch.

In the United States, whose constitutional framework closely mirrors ours, each chamber of Congress also has the power to punish members for disorderly behavior and to expel them with a two-thirds vote. Yet this authority has always been confined to parliamentary misconduct-breaches of decorum, abuse of privilege, or conflicts of interest-not to corruption or criminal acts.

By contrast, the Philippine Senate’s invocation of ‘disorderly behavior’ to defy a lawful dismissal order from the Ombudsman has no parallel in the US system. This distortion is not harmless. If the Senate can simply reinterpret ‘disorderly behavior’ to shield its members from dismissal, and if RA 6770’s exemption remains unchallenged, the Ombudsman’s constitutional mandate is hollow. The legislature, in effect, becomes the judge of its own corruption-a mockery of the principle that no one should be above the law.

The Constitution never intended that. The Ombudsman was created as a check on all branches, independent of political influence. Congress cannot amend that by stealth. The Supreme Court, should it be called upon, must confront this constitutional defect directly: the exemption of members of Congress in RA 6770 is void for being repugnant to Article XI.

Until that infirmity is struck down, ‘disorderly behavior’ will remain what the Senate has turned it into-a shield for the disorder of impunity.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has urged all government agencies to celebrate Christmas and the New Year simply, in solidarity with Filipinos devastated by recent calamities that hit the country.

The reminder came from Palace press officer Claire Castro as Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) continues to batter Cebu and nearby provinces.

‘This is part of the solidarity of the administration of President Marcos Jr. with the people who are experiencing many trials caused by a series of disasters in the country, from the earthquake that shook the Visayas and Mindanao to the typhoons that hit several parts of the country,’ she said at a briefing.

‘Reminder to government employees: it is important to celebrate Christmas with remembrance of our neighbors who continue to recover and start anew from the numerous calamities that have hit the country,’ Castro also said.

The death toll from Typhoon Tino has reached 52 as of 6 a.m. Wednesday, based on data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Of this number, 50 are from Central Visayas and two are from Eastern Visayas.

Meanwhile, 10 persons were reported injured, while 13 others in Central Visayas were reported missing.

Due to the effects of Tino, Central Visayas has declared a region-wide state of calamity.

As of 10 a.m. Typhoon Tino slightly intensified as it moved away from northern Palawan. It may re-intensify in the next 12 hours over the West Philippine Sea before it exits the Philippine area of responsibility Wednesday evening or Thursday morning.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio has called for an investigation into the flood control projects in Davao City’s first district, citing alleged ‘red flags’ discovered by his team in 80 out of 121 projects.

These allegedly anomalous public works cost P4 billion.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, Tinio reported the findings of his team’s analysis of projects within Davao’s first district – under Rep. Paolo Duterte – after checking documents requested from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the agency’s website, and the National Expenditures Program and General Appropriations Act from 2019 to 2022.

The analysis spanned flood control projects along the Davao River and the Matina River.

According to Tinio, his team found a pattern of irregularities – like overpricing, duplication of projects, and even ghost projects – that merit an investigation.

‘Our analysis reveals a pattern of irregularities that demands explanation and accountability. There are indicators that point to ghost projects, double funding, location changes, gross overpricing, and contracts awarded without clear specifications,’ Tinio said.

Tinio gave five categories for classifying the red-flagged projects:

Total Overlap: Two contracts worth P135.14 million funded construction on identical river sections, with one 2019 project covering a section of the Davao River, while a 2020 project covered the same section plus additional areas.

Double Funding: Two contracts worth P115.09 million were awarded to different contractors for the exact same project location (‘revetment [facing of barriers like stones or concrete slope to protect a wall] Davao River at the Davao River Bridge upstream section’)

Changed Location and Shortchanging: Nine contracts worth P484 million were implemented at different locations than specified in the General Appropriations Act (GAA), often with significantly reduced coverage.

For example, one GAA item allocated P30 million for 375 meters of revetment , but the actual contract covered only 120 meters-a shortfall of 255 meters while charging P161,250 per meter, instead of the budgeted P80,000.

Awarded Contracts Without Details: A staggering 62 contracts worth P3.4 billion were awarded without proper specifications (such as exact location and length) in official records, making verification and accountability difficult.

Awarded Contracts Not in GAA: Ten contracts worth P622.5 million were implemented despite having no corresponding line items in the approved national budget.

Tinio said the team flagged 54 of the 68 implemented projects along the Davao River, which was worth P2.6 billion, while 26 out of the 28 implemented projects near the Matina River worth P1.7 billion allegedly showed irregularities as well.

‘So basically, we saw through a scan of flood control projects in Davao – and this is just partial – that there are disturbing indications of irregularity. And there is a huge possibility of ghost projects [.] Clearly there is overpricing, and other indications of anomalies,’ Tinio said.

‘That’s why we need a deeper probe on these projects, especially since the people are calling for accountability for everyone, and this includes the Dutertes and their use of public funds, in this case, flood control and other infrastructure projects,’ he added.

Inquirer has reached out to the office of Rep. Duterte for his response regarding Tinio’s allegations, but it has not issued a statement as of posting time.

Dutertes vs Tinio

Aside from claims of irregularities, Tinio noted that some of the projects were constructed by companies linked to the controversial Discaya couple, while contracts were supposedly awarded to allies and relatives of Senator Bong Go and Vice President Sara Duterte.

Rep. Duterte and Vice President Duterte are the children of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who was a long-time Davao City mayor before his rise to national prominence.

Go, meanwhile, has been an aide of the older Duterte up to the first half of the latter’s presidency.

Tinio said he will file a resolution calling for a congressional investigation into these anomalies.

‘The Filipino people deserve answers about how P4.66 billion in public funds was spent-or misspent,’ he said.

‘This is about ensuring that every peso of public funds meant to protect our communities from flooding actually serves that purpose. Transparency and accountability must apply equally, whether in Bulacan, Davao, or anywhere else in our country,’ he added.

Tinio and Rep. Duterte have been engaged in a verbal feud since the ACT Teachers solon backed the House committee on public accounts’ looming investigation into the Manila Bay Dolomite Beach project.

Duterte on Monday night claimed that Tinio has been ironically silent on corruption within the current administration despite his calls for a probe on the controversial Manila Bay Dolomite Beach project – which was implemented during the term of former President Duterte.

According to Rep. Duterte, such silence shows that Tinio’s political bloc Makabayan is subservient to the current administration.

But Tinio on Tuesday said it appears Rep. Duterte is ignorant of what Makabayan has stood for, telling him that the use of Google as a search engine is free of charge – so that Rep. Duterte can check his group’s previous statements and initiatives against corruption.

A quick search on social media and search engines would show that Makabayan has called out the government, including both the House of Representatives and the Senate, over issues involving the 2025 budget – and even voted against the budget bills.

After claims of possible issues in the then-proposed 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), the former roster of Makabayan – former ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, former Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and former Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel – said that the bicameral conference committee should convene again to address alleged allocation issues.

In December 2024, Makabayan – particularly Castro and Tinio – said that the 2025 budget failed to give priority to the education sector, contradicting provisions in the 1987 Constitution.

Castro and Tinio said Marcos’ veto of P194 billion line items in the budget was just a ‘deceptive maneuver to create an illusion of constitutional compliance.’

Filipino-Australian singer Justin Vasquez opened up about wanting a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ kind of love that feels peaceful in his new single ‘Yours,’ which showcases his RandB roots.

‘Yours’ – which talks about the beauty of a love that endures – is meant to be the singer-songwriter’s way of ‘ending the year’ in a song that hits in an ‘intimate and universal way.’

”Yours’ is really special to me. It’s about that calm kind of love – the one that feels safe, certain, and forever. I wanted to end the year with something that feels intimate but still universal. I hope people find themselves in it,’ he said in a press statement.

The singer-songwriter also described ‘Yours’ as a song that captures his love for ‘old-school soul and modern RandB.’

‘With its gentle, sincere lyrics and classic RandB melody, ‘Yours’ feels like a late-night confession whispered to someone who means everything. Whether you’re on a slow drive, lost in a quiet dance, or just vibing alone, this song is for every moment you’ve ever thought, ‘I’m never leaving,” he said.

Prior to ‘Yours,’ Vasquez also released the songs ‘What U Need’ and ‘Home’ in November 2024 and July 2025, respectively.

Vasquez, who started his music career by posting covers, currently has 1.2 million followers on TikTok

After weeks of various activities, two delegates from Africa have clinched multiple distinctions in the 2025 Miss Earth pageant – Ghana’s Cherise Asher Ayisi and Reunion’s Marie-Laurie Juppin.

Since its inception in 2001, only one African woman has received the Miss Earth crown, Kenya’s Winfred Omwakwe who ascended to the throne after the dethronement of 2002 winner Dzejla Glavovic from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Will another African woman get crowned Miss Earth 23 years since Omwake’s ascension as queen? Ayisi and Juppin appear to be the two strongest bets from the continent this year.

Ayisi picked up her gold medal after getting the most votes in the ‘Media Top Picks’ poll during the presentation of delegates on Oct. 21. She then finished second in the talent competition of the ‘Eco’ group of delegates. She had also recently topped the online poll for ‘Best Bikini.’

Juppin topped the continent of Africa in the Terno competition, also during the presentation of delegates, then finished third in the ‘Air’ group’s talent contest.

The United States’ Haley Poe also picked up two accolades by being the leading delegate from the Americas in the terno competition, and topping the ‘Eco’ group’s talent competition.

Elizaveta Guryanova from Russia topped the ‘Air’ group’s talent contest, while Nepal’s Sony Ghale picked up the gold medal in the ‘Fire’ group’s showcase. Natalie Puskinova from the Czech Republic was the leader in the ‘Water’ group.

Scotland’s Grace McGregor, Colombia’s Valentina Collazos, and Hong Kong’s Shiyuan Luo finished second in the talent competition of the ‘Air,’ ‘Fire,’ and ‘Water’ groups, respectively.

England’s Sofia Mayers, Ecuador’s Smimova Peñafiel, and Armenia’s Anoushe Kalashyan picked up the bronze medals in the talent contest of the ‘Eco,’ ‘Fire,’ and ‘Water’ groups, respectively.

The Philippines’ Joy Barcoma topped the terno competition among the delegates from Asia and Oceania, while Sanne-Esmee Walstra from the Netherlands topped Europe.

But how much do these medals and early awards matter in the final outcome? Last year’s winner Jessica Lane, Australia’s first Miss Earth winner, topped only the ‘media picks” poll for Asia and Oceania

Her predecessor Drita Ziri, Albania’s first Miss Earth winner, did not even pick up any medals and only advanced to the Top 12 of the national costume contest.

But Mina-Sue Choi, who posted Korea’s first Miss Earth win in 2022, collected medals during her year. She topped the swimsuit, beach wear, and evening gown competitions of her group, and finished third in the resort wear contest.

Every year, the Miss Earth pageant conducts four important judging sessions, assessing the delegates intelligence and environmental awareness, beauty of face, fitness and form, and poise.

The organization also observes the delegates’ attitude, which will be taken into consideration in determining who will advance to the semifinals.

Fans will find out soon whether there will be a repeat of the 2022 scenario where a bemedalled beauty wins, or if another come-from-behind win similar to 2023 and 2024 will take place.

The 2025 Miss Earth pageant’s coronation show will be held at the Cove Manila club of Okada Manila in Parañaque City on Nov. 5. The ceremonies will be streamed live on the pageant’s Facebook page and YouTube channel

Four groups of business executives and justice advocates condemned the lack of transparency in the former Ombudsman’s ‘secret’ decision to reverse a 2018 dismissal of now-Senator Joel Villanueva from public service.

In a joint statement released Wednesday, the groups said that the 2019 decision by then Ombudsman Samuel Martires cast doubt on the integrity of the Philippine justice system and dampened public hopes for accountability.

‘In this case, public disclosure was clearly warranted. Not doing so deprived the public of access to vital information, and the parties involved of their lawful remedies,’ read the joint statement by the Makati Business Club, the Justice Reform Initiative, the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines and the Management Association of the Philippines.

‘Such secrecy undermines confidence in the justice system and sends a dangerous signal that decisions affecting public accountability may be quietly undone, and the people can be kept in the dark,’ it continued.

Call for action

To promote transparency within the government, the groups also pushed for the creation of a public registry of decisions and resolutions that involve public officials.

‘Democracy and public accountability can only work if there are consequences to violating the law. The Ombudsman, by standing by its sworn duty, can stop the impunity of corruption, be a champion of justice, and deliver on the promise of a government for the people,’ they said.

The dismissal that Martires had overturned pertained to Villanueva’s alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in 2008, when he was still a member of the House of Representatives.

The reversal was only made public when the new Ombudsman, Jesus Crispin Remulla, took office.