Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

The Commission on Audit (COA) held former President Commission on Good Government (PCGG) chair Juan Andres Bautista and four other officials liable for selling three sequestered properties belonging to the Marcoses at prices below their estimated market value.

In a 16-page decision, the commission denied the former PCGG officials’ petition for lack of merit, upholding the 2015 notices of charge (NCs) against them totaling P190 million for the undervaluation of properties sold between 2012 and 2014.

These properties included the Banaue Inn Compound and JY Campos Compound, both in Baguio City, and the IRC Mapalad Property in Paranaque City.

Aside from Bautista, also implicated were then COA commissioners Nelson Acebo and Ronald Chua, bids and awards committee chair Richard Amurao, and Alfredo Dela Paz, director of the Asset Management Division.

The case dates back to 2014, when the PCGG was asked to submit an explanation after an audit team found that the three properties were sold at prices ranging from 2.6 percent to 37.3 percent below the minimum allowable limit set by the COA Technical Services Office (TSO) appraisal.

Dela Paz and Amurao explained that they referred to the market data approach, which was based on the sales and listings of comparable properties in the vicinity of the properties at the time of the appraisal.

Unsatisfied with the justification, the NCs were issued against the PCGG officials.

Based on the audit team’s computation, the estimated value of the properties was P607 million, but they were sold for P417 million in total-a P190-million difference.

In dismissing the petition for review, the COA disagreed with the PCGG officials’ argument that they were deprived of due process when the state auditors failed to attach a copy of the TSO appraisal reports to the letter before issuing the NCs.

According to the COA, the petitioners were given sufficient notice and all remedies to present their side from the time the NCs were issued until the filing of the petition.

‘Petitioners were the approving authority and the members of the BAC whose participation involved the evaluation of bids. They should have exercised due diligence in ensuring that there was no loss suffered by the government in the disposal of the said properties,’ the commission pointed out.

It added that the former PCGG officials cannot assert good faith and regularity in the performance of official functions, saying that ‘they should be held liable for the under-collection of said government revenues.’

The ruling did not explicitly indicate the enforcement or procedural steps after the COA’s findings, but based on the commission’s procedures, a charge is settled by paying the liability ‘or by such other applicable mode of extinguishment of obligation as provided by law.’

In its ruling, COA also noted the possible invalidity of the PCGG’s move to sell the assets sequestered from the Marcos family, saying that this ‘may not have prior approval of the Sandiganbayan.’

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has launched its inaugural service between Cebu and Calbayog, Samar, connecting more Visayas cities to the rest of the archipelago.

The new service will fly four times a week – Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday – with an estimated one-hour and 20 minutes flight duration.

Calbayog is popular as the ‘City of Waterfalls’ in the Philippines. It is also an educational and religious center and a port of call for inter-island ships. The city is known for its many waterfalls, vibrant festival culture and local industries like mat-making and fishing.

PAL’s Cebu-Calbayog flights can accommodate 86-seating capacity. For this route, the airline is deploying its De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft.

‘This new route between Cebu and Calbayog boosts leisure and business travel, promotes economic activity and strengthens Cebu’s role as a gateway to various parts of the Philippines and the rest of the world,’ said PAL express President Rabbi Vincent Ang.

In a statement, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said the route expansion would boost tourist and local development.

At least 27,500 firefighters will be deployed for this year’s commemoration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day or Undas, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) announced in a statement on Monday.

The bureau added that it will also set up first aid service team stations and motorist assistance desks in anticipation of an influx of travelers.

‘The BFP will be on Heightened Alert Status (Code Blue) starting October 28 to 29, and Full Alert Status (Code Red) from October 30 to November 02, 2025,’ the agency said.

‘This deployment aims to provide immediate emergency response and strengthen fire prevention efforts in cemeteries, transport terminals, and other places for public convergence,’ it explained.

The BFP further reminded the public to:

Place candles in stable, non-flammable holders and place them away from combustible materials like dried leaves, flowers and garbage;

Avoid electrical overloading, especially when using extension cords for multiple devices;

Dispose of waste properly and avoid burning dried leaves or trash; and

Turn off the main electrical circuit breaker, if no one will be left at home.

Packaging manufacturer Steniel Manufacturing Corp. has set the final price for its follow-on offering at P2 per share, as it hopes to raise about P315 million to finance expansion plans.

In a disclosure to the local bourse Monday, the firm said the proposed fund-raising activity would offer 157.64 million primary common shares.

This came just more than a week after the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) had authorized its application for the additional share issuance.

The offer period has been set for Nov. 3 to 7 this year.

The additional shares will be listed on the main board of the PSE on Nov. 17.

According to its preliminary prospectus, Steniel intends to tap a portion of the proceeds to expand its paper warehouse in Panabo, Davao del Norte.

The project, which will cover 1.9 hectares, is pegged to cost P250 million. It will also have additional new logistics and production capacities.

The proceeds will also help Steniel support its working capital requirements.

‘Note that the company’s operations are working capital-intensive, as [Steniel] must maintain a sufficient buffer stock of raw materials to ensure continuous production,’ Steniel said in its latest prospectus.

Re-IPO

This follow-on offering was floated since late last year, after the PSE had lifted Steniel’s nearly two-decade trading suspension in April 2024.

It was in 2006 when trading of Steniel shares got suspended due to liquidity issues and default on a P636-million loan deal with several banks.

The firm’s shareholders then approved the filing of borrower-initiated petitions for corporate rehabilitation.

Steniel also stressed at the time that it had enough assets to cover and settle its loans.Its negative stockholders’ equity was then addressed after the Securities and Exchange Commission had allowed its capital stock hike.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has instructed local government units (LGUs) to ready personnel and supplies in anticipation of unrest at Kanlaon and Taal volcanoes in Negros Island and Batangas, respectively.

Kanlaon experienced a minor explosive eruption last Thursday, while Taal recorded three minor phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions last Saturday.

‘LGUs are directed to activate their local disaster risk reduction and management councils, preposition emergency supplies, and ensure the readiness and safety of evacuation centers,’ the DILG said in a statement on Monday.

‘Continuous coordination with Phivolcs (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology) and concerned local authorities is strongly urged,’ it added.

The agency also urged the public to wear N95 masks and prepare emergency go bags.

The DILG reiterated that residents must stay away from the Taal Volcano Island as well as the four-kilometer permanent danger zone surrounding Kanlaon Volcano.

Kanlaon Volcano was still under Alert Level 2 (moderate level of volcanic unrest), while Taal Volcano was still under Alert Level 1 (low level of volcanic unrest), according to Phivolcs.

Jean Henri Lhuillier and partner Derrick Santos emerged victorious in the Men’s A1 Group A division of the season finale of the UTP Level-Based Tennis Challenge held in Hillsborough. The pair secured the championship with a convincing straight-sets win, 6-0, 6-3, 6-1.

Launched in 2018, the UTP Level-Based Tennis Challenge has become one of United Tennis Philippines’ (UTP) flagship events. Conceptualized by UTP President and Cebuana Lhuillier and President CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier, the tournament introduced a pioneering level-based format that transformed the landscape of recreational tennis in the Philippines. By matching players with opponents of similar ability, the system fosters fair play, inclusivity, and skill development across all levels.

Over the years, the Challenge has grown into a much-anticipated fixture on the local tennis calendar, attracting athletes from diverse clubs who share a love for the sport. It serves as a dynamic platform for honing skills, building camaraderie, and participating in competitive yet enjoyable matches.

Reflecting on this year’s event, Lhuillier said, ‘The Level-Based Tennis Challenge reflects our vision of making tennis not only more competitive but also more inclusive. By giving players from all levels a chance to participate, we nurture both talent and passion for the sport. Our goal is to keep expanding this platform so that more Filipinos can experience the joy and discipline that tennis brings.’

As the season concludes, UTP celebrates not only the champions but also all participants who showcased sportsmanship and skill throughout the competition. Congratulations as well to all winners from the other divisions for their outstanding performances.

Philippine National Police acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has ordered units nationwide, numbering about 31,200 cops, for the annual observance on Nov. 1 and 2.

But the total number of security forces is expected to reach 72,800 all over the country, with 11,700 uniformed personnel from the military and another 29,900 force multiplier from local government units.

‘We’ve instructed our personnel to maintain visible police presence and work closely with local government units and barangay officials to prevent burglary and other crimes while families are away visiting their [deceased] loved ones,’ he said in a statement on Sunday.

Nartatez also reminded the public to take extra precautions before leaving their homes, even if they expect the usual remembrance to be uneventful, as in previous years.

‘Make sure all doors and windows are locked, unplug appliances, and inform trusted neighbors or barangay officials if you’ll be away. If you notice any suspicious activity, report it immediately to the nearest police station or through our hotlines and social media channels,’ he said.

Around 31,200 officers will be deployed in 5,065 cemeteries, memorial parks, and columbaria, as well as major roads, from Oct. 29 to Nov. 3 as part of the PNP’s security operations for the ‘Undas’ observance.

They will be supplemented by 11,700 uniformed personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Philippine Coast Guard.

Another 29,900 force multipliers, such as barangay tanods, radio groups, and nongovernment organization volunteers, will also support the security operations.

The PNP has also established 5,169 Police Assistance Desks.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin previously said they would be on full alert starting Oct. 31.

Aberin said 8,575 personnel from the five police districts, regional headquarters, regional mobile force battalion, and support units would be stationed in cemeteries and columbaria, transportation hubs, places of worship, major thoroughfares, rally convergence points, and other areas of public congregation.

A Senate subpanel on finance has given the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) until Oct. 31 to verify whether the agency’s 2026 budget contains repeating line items or projects from the 2025 budget.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate subpanel on finance, asked Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon if the agency had detected any duplicate items in the 2026 budget.

According to Dizon, given the time provided by the committee, the DPWH was able to review 798 out of 946 projects that were earlier flagged as potential duplicates.

‘There were a total of 946 projects that were identified, amounting to P14.455 billion. We are here to report to the committee that as of yesterday, we were able to provide validation and justification of 798 out of the 946 projects roughly amounting to P11.656 billion out of the P14.455 billion,’ Dizon said during the Senate Subcommittee A’s Monday hearing on the DPWH’s budget for 2026.

The DPWH chief said the 798 projects reviewed were ‘continuation projects’ that required additional funding for completion.

‘We noticed that many of these are continuations of previously funded projects that did not receive enough allocation to be completed. Now, it is clear-based on the photos, geotags, and straight-line diagrams presented-that these are indeed continuation projects,’ Dizon explained in Filipino.

He added that the DPWH was unable to validate all 946 projects but would leave it to the committee’s discretion to remove any unverified items if necessary.

‘But if you give us more time, we will do our best to validate, justify, and provide details similar to what we have already submitted,’ Dizon said.

Gatchalian said the committee could allow the DPWH more time to finish its verification, provided the agency can confirm that none of the 798 validated projects are repeated items.

Dizon assured the panel that none of the verified projects were duplicates, but said he could not make the same assurance for the remaining 148 projects.

‘What I mean is, if your initial review found no actual repeated items-and in good faith these are all continuation projects-then we can give you until Friday to complete the validation,’ Gatchalian said in Filipino.

‘By Wednesday, our Technical Working Group will begin its sessions, so we’ll schedule the DPWH toward the end to give you more time, as long as there’s no indication of bad faith,’ he added.

Dizon thanked Gatchalian for granting the extension, saying he would instruct DPWH implementing units to continue the validation process.

While he could not yet confirm whether the remaining projects contain additional red flags, Dizon assured the subpanel that the DPWH would formally notify them if any repeating line items are found.

Two children drowned while swimming with a cousin in a river in Tayabas City, Quezon province, on Sunday, police said.

According to Quezon police, the victims – identified only as ‘Roberto,’ 11, and ‘Gabriel,’ 11 – were swimming with their cousin ‘Janel,’ 13, in the Mayao River, which lies along the boundary of Tayabas City and Pagbilao town, at 10:10 a.m.

The children had reportedly gone to the river without their guardians’ permission.

Investigators said that a strong current swept away Roberto and Gabriel into a deeper part of the river. Janel ran to seek help from relatives, but rescuers arrived too late.

Police said Roberto’s body was later recovered from a deep section of the river, while Gabriel’s was found along a rocky portion near the riverbank.

Authorities are conducting further investigation and will subject the bodies to post-mortem examinations to determine the exact cause of death.

For now, police have classified the case as an accidental drowning

Rita Daniela dedicated her recent court victory to women and men who ‘didn’t have the voice or platform to fight for their rights’ in the face of abuse, after Archie Alemania was sentenced to jail for acts of lasciviousness.

The Bacoor court found Alemania guilty of acts of lasciviousness against Daniela, sentencing the former to one month and one day to one year and one day imprisonment in its 21-page decision. It cited the actor’s apology message to his ‘Widows War’ co-star as a ‘voluntary admission’ of what he had done against her.

On her Instagram page on Sunday, Oct. 26, the singer-actress thanked God for blessing her with people who stood by her side throughout the ordeal.

‘Thank you God for everything. Thank you God for blessing me with people who have great hearts who have been helping me and still believing in me no matter what,’ she said.

Daniela added that her court victory is a celebration of justice, dedicating it to abuse victims.

‘The justice I received today is not just for me. This is also for the women and men who were abused, harassed, and molested that didn’t have the voice or platform to fight for their rights. So, I am celebrating this justice with you. Today, we all won. We won. God loves us,’ she said.

The ‘Popstar Kids’ alum filed a case against Alemania in October 2024, alleging that the latter offered her a ride home, to which she accepted, initially thinking that it was a friendly gesture.

She then alleged that Alemania had kissed her forcibly and inappropriately touched different parts of her body, and even made obscene remarks against her at a Thanksgiving Party in September of last year.

Following Alemania’s impending arrest, he was also ordered to pay ?20,000 in civil indemnity and another ?20,000 in moral damages, with a 6 percent annual interest from the date the decision becomes final until fully paid.

The actor, however, has yet to issue a statement on the court ruling, as of press time.