Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Police seized 33 grams of suspected shabu worth P224,400 and arrested a man during a search warrant operation in Bolinao, Pangasinan, on Saturday, Oct. 3.

The suspect, a single and unemployed resident of Bolinao, was reportedly on the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s Regional Watch List for illegal drugs in Pangasinan.

The Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group Special Operations Unit 1, along with other police units, implemented Search Warrant No. 41-2026 against the suspect.

According to the police, the operation resulted in the seizure of seven heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu, with a total estimated street value of P224,400. Police also confiscated a black coin purse reportedly used to store the suspected drugs.

The seized items were inventoried and marked at the scene in the presence of the suspect, two barangay kagawads and a representative of the National Prosecution Service.

Police said the suspect was brought to the Lingayen Municipal Police Station, while the seized drug evidence was turned over to the Urdaneta City Satellite Forensic Office for examination and proper disposition.

Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro on Sunday said the prosecution team will formally state its position before the Senate impeachment court following the prosecution panel’s reported plan to drop an impeachment charge against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Manila Rep. Joel Chua bared early Sunday that prosecutors will no longer present the bribery charge hinged on the testimony of former Department of Education (DepEd) officials who said they received cash envelopes through Duterte’s subordinate.

‘Our responsibility remains clear: to follow the evidence and bring a focused, well-supported case to its conclusion,’ Luistro said in a statement.

‘That responsibility guides every decision we make.’

In September, prosecutors said they were studying whether to pursue the allegation that the vice president bribed officials to persuade DepEd officials to bypass procurement rules in her stint as education secretary.

Luistro said the prosecution is committed to finish presenting its case ‘without unnecessary delay,’ adding that prosecutors intend to avoid needlessly prolonging the trial

‘We are confident in the evidence we have laid out and continue to present before the Senate impeachment court,’ she said.

The prosecution team had already presented two impeachment articles: that Duterte allegedly threatened President Ferdinand R.Marcos, Jr., the First Lady and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and that she misused P612.5 million in confidential funds.

‘The evidence on confidential funds and grave threats is already before our court. Our presentation on unexplained wealth is ongoing, and we will see it through with the rigor and resolve that this case demands,’ Luistro said.

She said the public has the right to see with clarity the allegations against Duterte, assuring that prosecutors remain steadfast in delivering that by presenting evidence of alleged wrongdoing against the vice president.

‘It is our duty to present the evidence and complete our case, and we will fulfill that responsibility to the very end,’ Luistro said in Filipino.

The No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) should not penalize motorists for circumstances ‘beyond their control,’ such as poor road conditions, unclear signage and defective infrastructure, 1-Rider party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez said Sunday.

Gutierrez said the party echoed motorists’ concerns over the system’s readiness for reimplementation, adding that it should be applied fairly and consistently while protecting the rights and safety of all road users, particularly motorcycle riders.

‘We will closely monitor the same, to the end that it is applied fairly, consistently, and with due regard for the rights and safety of all road users, particularly motorcycle riders,’ he added.

He said a camera-based enforcement system should not function as an ‘automatic penalty machine’ without mechanisms to account for circumstances beyond motorists’ control.

Gutierrez recalled concerns when the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) resumed NCAP on major Metro Manila roads in May 2025, particularly the lack of accessible mechanisms to contest violations, delayed notices and other due process issues.

‘We recognize and thank the MMDA for the substantial improvements it has since made in these areas,’ he said.

‘We hope local government units will apply the same standard of responsiveness and accountability to their own systems,’ he added.

Gutierrez called on motorcycle riders and other motorists to report their experiences with the renewed implementation, including issues involving violation notices, the circumstances surrounding alleged offenses, the clarity of evidence and difficulties in contesting charges.

He said the feedback would help the MMDA, local governments and other agencies gauge how the policy is working in practice.

‘NCAP should help address traffic problems, not add to the burden of motorists and riders who depend on driving for their livelihood,’ he added.

The Diocese of Calapan has endorsed the effort to legislate a law against political dynasties through people’s initiative as provided for in the country’s basic charter.

This is mirrored by the diocese’s decision to have the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) pastoral statement supporting the People’s Initiative Against Political Dynasty read in all parishes across the province on Sunday, Oct. 4.

The call to action urges Filipinos to sign the petition and join the movement to end political dynasties in the country.

‘Let us sign, work together, and put an end to political dynasties in our nation!’ the appeal reads.

The CBCP has issued the pastoral statement to inform the public and encourage widespread participation in the People’s Initiative, which includes QR codes and information materials explaining the goals, process, and steps required to sign the petition.

‘We therefore call on all Filipinos to journey together in this undertaking, with courage and firm resolve, strengthened by hope, and united in our duty for the common good,’ the CBCP said.

Fr. Edu Gariguez, Executive Director of the Diocesan Social Action Center of the Diocese of Calapan, confirmed on Saturday, Oct. 3, that the pastoral letter will be read in all parishes throughout Oriental Mindoro.

In addition, Gariguez said that the Diocesan Youth Ministry will convene a public forum on the issue in the coming days.

The initiative forms part of the church’s broader effort to engage the faithful in governance reforms and transparent leadership across the country.

The Northern Mindanao police seized at least P5.17 million worth of suspected shabu and arrested six high-value targets in a series of operations across two provinces and two highly urbanized cities during a regional anti-drug crackdown.

Last Thursday, PRO-10 operatives intercepted at least P3.2 million worth of suspected shabu, arresting four individuals in back-to-back operations in this city and Camiguin Island.

This followed another buy-bust operation on Friday that yielded P1.97 million worth of alleged shabu and two arrests.

In Iligan City’s Barangay Santiago, a multi-unit task force arrested a 42-year-old jobless suspect identified as alias ‘Brad.’ Confiscated from him were 133 grams of suspected shabu valued at P904,400.

Hours later, operatives from the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) nabbed a 26-year-old suspect, alias ‘Nonoy,’ in Barangay Carmen. Authorities seized 157.32 grams of suspected shabu from the suspect, valued at P1,069,776.

All six suspects are currently under police custody and face charges for alleged violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Authorities are conducting follow-up investigations to trace the supply chain and identify other individuals linked to the seized narcotics.

Brig. Gen. Nestor Babagay Jr., Police Regional Office-10 (PRO-10) director, said Sunday the crackdown demonstrated the regional force’s sustained, intelligence-driven offensive against the illegal drug trade.

‘Our message is clear: drug syndicates have no place in Northern Mindanao. We will continue to dismantle their supply chains, strengthen our intelligence operations, and hold those involved fully accountable under the law,’ he added.

Maj. Joann Navarro, PRO-10 spokesperson, told the Inquirer on Sunday that the consecutive arrests should serve as a stern warning to drug rings operating in the region.

‘We will not allow illegal drugs to gain a foothold in our communities. We are alert, we are taking decisive action, and we will remain relentless in keeping dangerous drugs away from our people,’ Navarro said.

President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. is set to open up about life beyond the presidency when he sits down with singer and host Gary Valenciano for the season finale of ‘Unshaken With Gary V.’

The episode, which premieres on Monday, Oct. 5 at noon on YouTube and major podcast platforms, features Marcos in a more personal conversation with Valenciano.

The two-hour-plus episode was recorded inside Valenciano’s private music studio, a roughly 20-square-meter space where the singer has worked on music over the years.

Valenciano said the conversation explores the person behind the public figure instead of focusing on Marcos’ work as president.

‘There’s no agenda in this. It’s just stories from the person and not the politician,’ Valenciano said in a press release. ‘Most people know the name before they know the man. Behind every public figure is a private story.’

Marcos is the 20th and final guest of the first season of ‘Unshaken,’ a podcast that has previously featured Kim Atienza, Martin Nievera, Coco Martin and Julia Montes, Michael V, James Reid, Toni Gonzaga, Ice Seguerra, Gloc-9, Gab Valenciano, Kiana Valenciano, Rep. Chel Diokno, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan and former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

The episode marks a different kind of appearance for Marcos, who has largely been seen in official events and public engagements in his capacity as president.

‘Unshaken With Gary V’ premiered as an iHeartPodcasts original and has gained more than 30,000 subscribers in its first 19 weeks.

Meanwhile, Valenciano earlier opened his 10-show concert series at the Music Museum on Oct. 1. His ‘Back at the Museum’ show will run on Thursdays and Saturdays through Oct. 31.

Face-to-face classes are suspended in several areas on Monday, October 5, for the celebration of National Teachers’ Day.

Republic Act No. 10743 declares every fifth day of October each year as National Teachers’ Day in recognition of the role of educators in shaping the nation.

In-person classes are suspended in the following:

Luzon

Province of Abra: all levels, public and private schools

San Carlos City, Pangasinan: all levels, public and private schools

Burgos, La Union: all levels

Sta. Rita, Pampanga: all levels, public and private schools

Victoria, Tarlac: all levels, public and private schools

Moncada, Tarlac: all levels, public and private schools

Province of Laguna: for public schools

Legazpi, Albay: public schools; shift to alternative learning modes

Polangui, Albay: all levels, public and private schools

Tabaco, Albay: all levels, public and private schools

Malino, Albay: public schools; shift to modular learning modes

Visayas

Negros Oriental: all levels, public and private schools

New Washington, Aklan: all levels, public and private schools

Palapag, Northern Samar: all levels, public and private schools

Ibajay, Aklan: all levels, public and private schools

San Joaquin, Iloilo: all levels, public and private schools

Dulag, Leyte: all levels, public and private schools

Mindanao

Parang, Maguindanao del Norte: all levels, public and private schools

Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental: all levels, public and private schools

Salay, Misamis Oriental: all levels, public and private schools

Gitagum, Misamis Oriental: all levels, public and private schools

Three children, including an eight-year-old boy, and an 85-year-old woman died, while two other minors were wounded when an unidentified explosive device went off in Sitio Raniag, Barangay Sinamar, Roxas, Isabela, at around 9 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4, police said.

The two other minors, all residents of the village, were brought to the Manuel A. Roxas District Hospital (MARDH) for treatment.

Witnesses said they heard a loud explosion and later saw the victims sprawled on the ground.

Police have yet to determine the type of explosive device involved. The Roxas-Mallig Plains Satellite Forensic Office and the Provincial EOD and Canine Unit were processing the blast site.

Witnesses said the boys had been playing with a metallic device, which they believed was an explosive, shortly before the blast.

The elderly woman, who was on her way to church, reportedly approached the children and warned them about playing with the device. She was also struck by shrapnel when it exploded.

The 76ers’ public address announcer ended a brief retirement over the summer in large part to get behind the mic and do what he did for the first time ahead of the team’s annual scrimmage.

Matt Cord introduced LeBron James in the Sixers’ starting lineup.

‘At 6-9, from St. Vincent-St. Mary’s, No. 23, LeBron James! James!’

file this under things we love to see: pic.twitter.com/jIvCXILCvl

Close to 10,000 fans who plunked down $10 a ticket on Saturday to essentially witness a glorified practice at the Sixers’ home arena went wild for James’ debut.

No, James didn’t wear No. 23. He historically wore No. 6 over his career in practice gear but with that number retired in Philadelphia because of Julius Erving, James went with No. 9.

No, the dunks and 3s and assists didn’t count in any official capacity. And no, James wasn’t even introduced last. That honor remained reserved for Joel Embiid.

What the new 41-year-old on the block did do was give – along with Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe – a sneak preview that maybe, just maybe, the long underperforming Sixers might finally rise to the moment this season and meet their championship expectations.

‘It was a great first step in a direction we’re trying to go,’ James said. ‘It was great to hear some cheers from our fans.’

Sixers fans who crammed aisles and stairways trying to catch a first glimpse or a snapshot of James were shooed back to their seats. Vendors hawked James merchandise outside the arena and told fans they could own the first pieces of his merchandise. Sixers fans that inched near the court screamed and outright begged James to stop and turn around and pose for pictures. They also crammed into team stores buying No. 23 jerseys.

The Sixers started the scrimmage early with what they hope is a familiar sight: Maxey in transition hit James for an alley-oop dunk. James hung and swung on the rim for a few seconds.

James made a nifty behind-the-back pass to Edgecombe (who missed a corner 3) and even squared up and buried a long 3 from about Caitlin Clark range.

James did it all – he even bounced Maxey’s baby daughter, Marvel, on his knee for a moment on the bench.

No word yet on James’ hourly babysitting rate.

Not a bad first week in Philadelphia for the NBA’s career scoring leader.

‘Everybody’s been super welcoming,’ James said. ‘I’ve been able to implement some things with my voice and just my command of how I play the game and my experience playing the game. I’m still getting more and more comfortable off the floor, with travel and without my family and things of that nature. That’s going to be a little bit of a challenge, but everything’s been good so far. Great first week.’

The Sixers traditionally hold the scrimmage in Delaware on the home court of their G League team. The Sixers donated 5,000 tickets to local community groups and Sixers Youth Foundation grantee partners and more than $80,000 was raised for the Sixers Youth Foundation.

The $10 tickets were a deal. They are hovering around $1,000 a ticket for the 100 level on the secondary market for the Sixers’ Oct. 22 home opener against Cleveland.

James was expected to play Monday in the first of four preseason games and mark the start of his record 24th NBA season.

‘It’d be good to get out there with some of our guys to just get a rhythm,’ James said. ‘At the same time, also not overdo it. We’re putting a lot into our practices right now. We’re fine-tuning what we want to do once the game comes. I think there will be opportunities once we get out there in the preseason.’

Philadelphia opens the season Oct. 20 in New York against the NBA champion Knicks.

James and the rest of the Sixers were encouraged that the oft-injured Embiid has been a full participant in camp and seems to be in leaner, lighter shape. Embiid pulled off a driving left-handed dunk in the scrimmage and later joked; it was ‘probably the last dunk of my career.’

Manila Rep. Joel Chua said on Sunday that the prosecution panel would no longer pursue the bribery charge against Vice President Sara Duterte, one of the articles of impeachment filed against her.

In an interview with DZMM Teleradyo, Chua, one of the House prosecutors, was asked to confirm whether the bribery case would no longer be discussed during the impeachment trial.

‘Yes, it’s confirmed,’ he said.

Asked whether the decision to drop the alleged bribery case was due to its weakness, Chua answered in the negative.

‘We believe that the evidence presented is already sufficient,’ he said.

Last September, House prosecutors said they were weighing whether to pursue Article III of the impeachment complaint, which accuses Duterte of bribing Department of Education officials to induce them to violate or circumvent procurement and other related laws during her tenure as education secretary.

On Sunday, prosecution panel spokesperson Benjamin Tolosa Jr. said prosecutors were targeting mid-October to finish presenting all evidence against Duterte, as the Senate is expected to prioritize deliberations on the 2027 national budget.

In a Viber message to the INQUIRER on Sunday, Chua said they ‘will make a manifestation tomorrow’ regarding the dropping of the bribery charge.