Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Ai-Ai delas Alas marked the first year since she and her estranged husband Gerald Sibayan separated, calling it her ‘freedom anniversary.’

The actress-comedian spent the occasion in Las Vegas, United States, as seen in the video she shared on her Instagram page on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

‘Happy Freedom Anniversary. One year wiser, one year stronger, one year freer,’ she captioned her post.

‘Here’s to the woman who rose when she could’ve [been] broken. Pain was my teacher. Healing is my revolution,’ she added. ‘To GOD [be] all the glory and honor.’

In the clip, Delas Alas showed herself going to a church to attend a mass.

‘Magpapasalamat ako sa Diyos dahil ako ay buhay,’ she said, adding that she would afterwards enjoy her company. (I will thank God because I am alive.) Delas Alas and Sibayan got married in 2017 then parted ways in October 2024. The actress disclosed that the latter broke up with her through an online messaging application.

Delas Alas later alluded to a cheater and confessed that she considers their marriage a ‘wrong decision.’ She further admitted that she only wanted to prove back then that age does not matter.

‘But it matters,’ she said. ‘Obvious ba? Wala na [kami] (Isn’t it obvious? We already broke up).’

The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has frozen an estimated P5 billion in assets with regard to the flood control anomalies, according to Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) executive director Brian Keith Hosaka.

Hosaka said this in a press conference on Thursday after the ICI met with the AMLC and other government agencies in connection with the bid to recover stolen assets from allegedly anomalous infrastructure projects.

ICI chair: ‘Justice is not enough; we need restitution’

Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) chair Andres Reyes has emphasized that justice is not enough on the issue of flood control project anomalies, saying that ‘restitution’ of corrupted assets must be secured.

Reyes, who is a retired Supreme Court Associate Justice, said this during the ICI’s meeting with 18 government agencies for the asset retrieval from the flood control mess on Thursday.

Dizon: I trust my team, but I’ll still investigate contractor claims

None of the undersecretaries of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is connected to any contractors linked to the flood control controversy, Secretary Vince Dizon said Thursday, responding to earlier allegations by Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste.

Dizon thanked Leviste for his candor and straightforwardness and said he would personally investigate the claims.

Sara Duterte: Why is Marcos confident flood probe won’t lead to him?

Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday was asking how could President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. be so confident at this point that the ongoing investigations into the flood control scandal won’t eventually lead to him.

Duterte said the president should not be too sure that the flood control probes will not eventually point to him, saying investigations – which she was also questioning – were still ongoing.

From Miss Japan’s cartwheeling antics to Miss Philippines’ shoulder rolls, the preliminary competition of this year’s iteration of the Miss Grand International did not disappoint in terms of providing viewers with amusing entertainment on the run-up to its grand finals on Oct. 18.

The Miss Grand International 2025 preliminary competition was held at the MGI Hall in Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday evening, Oct. 15, where 76 candidates from all over the world strutted their stuff in the swimsuit and evening gown events.

The Miss Grand International pageant has positioned itself as a platform for entertainment, and has encouraged the participants to conduct themselves differently from the other contests where the ladies are expected to be more demure.

Because of this, the candidates in the international and national affiliate competitions perform outrageous and outlandish stage routines, with extra movements, daring spin turns, and other antics. Even the gowns and costumes have become over-the-top.

Erika Ishibashi of Japan first showcased her cartwheeling prowess on the swimsuit contest. She upped the ante at the preliminary competition when she did multiple cartwheels, but slipped when she attempted a flip. She, however, recovered gracefully and playfully posed on the floor before standing again.

Thailand’s Sarunrat Puagpipat opened her routine sitting on the heel of one of her feet, with one leg crossed over the other. She trained under reigning queen, CJ Opiaza for her national contest.

Ghana’s Faith Porter, meanwhile, took advantage of her pipes during her introduction in her Ryan Uson-designed gown and delivered her country’s name as a song, enchanting the crowd with her angelic voice.

The Philippines’ Emma Tiglao did her signature hair-tussling move and also glided on the runway, with exaggerated hip movements and shoulder rolls in both the swimsuit and gown segments. The evening gown competition became a showcase of capes and long flowy skirts, similar to what Opiaza wore during the preliminary and final competitions of last year’s pageant.

Opiaza is set to relinquish her Miss Grand International title to her successor on Saturday, Oct. 18, at the same venue of the preliminary competition.

The refusal of the Discaya couple to cooperate with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) does not mean the fact-finding body is ‘toothless,’ given that the right to self-incrimination can be invoked even in other investigations.

ICI executive director Brian Keith Hosaka made the remark in response to a statement by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan chair Teddy Casiño, who said on Thursday that the decision of Pacifico ‘Curlee’ and Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya ‘exposed the toothlessness’ of the commission.

Casiño had argued that the fact-finding body had ‘no power or authority’ to compel those who may be involved in anomalous government projects to ‘testify and tell and truth,’ after the Dicayas said they will no longer appear before the ICI.

However, Hosaka told reporters on Thursday that the Discaya couple had invoked their right to self-incrimination, which can be used even during other investigations, not just with the ICI.

‘Fortunately or unfortunately, that’s their right. In fact, even in the Senate and the Congress, if a person invokes that right against self-incrimination, they have to respect it,’ he said.

‘Anyway, I don’t think that will label the ICI as toothless, because that right is also invoked in other investigative [processes],’ he addedHosaka assured the public that the ICI will find other sources of information regarding anomalous government projects given the withdrawal of the Discayas.

He had also earlier said the commission will still use evidence, testimonies, and affidavits that were previously gathered from the contractor couple.

‘It doesn’t expose any weakness on the part of the Commission because as I said we were able to get information regardless, from which source it may be,’ Hosaka said.

‘They invoke their right for whatever reason based on the advice of their lawyers, but as I said earlier or yesterday, we will find means. We have other sources of information to get to the truth and to find out who is really responsible for these anomalous projects,’ he added

The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has frozen an estimated P5 billion in assets with regard to the flood control anomalies, according to Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) executive director Brian Keith Hosaka.

Hosaka said this in a press conference on Thursday after the ICI met with the AMLC and other government agencies in connection with the bid to recover stolen assets from allegedly anomalous infrastructure projectsAccording to Hosaka, the AMLC shared during their meeting that the P5 billion in frozen assets is comprised of approximately 2,800 accounts.

Hosaka, meanwhile, said he does not have any data yet on the number of people linked to the frozen assets.

When asked about the target amount of assets that the government would freeze in connection to the flood control anomalies, the ICI executive director said, ‘What we want to take back, we can’t say because it’s a moving target right now.’

This Thursday morning, the ICI met with officials from 18 government agencies in connection with its bid to freeze assets. These are as follows:

Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC)

Bureau of Customs (BOC)

Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)

Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP)

Civil Service Commission (CSC)

Commission on Audit (COA)

Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC)

Department of Justice (DOJ)

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)

Insurance Commission (IC)

Land Registration Authority (LRA)

Land Transportation Office (LTO)

Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)

Office of the Solicitor General (OSG)

Philippine Competition Commission (PCC)

Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG)

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

The representatives of the government agencies assured the ICI that they will cooperate and use their expertise in retrieving the money of the Filipino people from allegedly being lost to corruption due to anomalous infrastructure project.

Aljur Abrenica admitted that he is not ready to address the reports of him having two children with his girlfriend AJ Raval, saying he is ‘not yet comfortable’ discussing it publicly.

Last August, AJ’s father, veteran action star Jeric Raval, unintentionally revealed that he is a grandfather to the couple’s kids, a boy and a girl, during a media event for the film ‘Mamay: A Journey to Greatness.’ This led to Jeric apologizing for his slip of the tongue weeks later in a ‘Fast Talk’ interview.

Months later, Abrenica was asked about his reported children with Raval in an interview with the entertainment press, including Bandera, at a recent furniture-launch event.

‘Pasensya na, I cannot talk about it personally because I’m not yet comfortable, and yeah para sa akin wag muna,’ he said. ‘As an individual, I prayed for it. Nakita ko, huwag muna. Everything will be revealed sa mga susunod [na araw].’

(I’m sorry, I cannot talk about it personally because I’m not yet comfortable. And yeah, for me, not now. As an individual, I prayed for it. After looking at things, I realized not now. Everything will be revealed in the coming days.)

The actor was also asked about Jeric’s unintentional reveal, after which he clarified that he has a lot of respect for the action star.

‘Alam ninyo kasi tatay din ‘yun, so, si Tatay Jeric malaki ang respeto ko sa kanya. Alam n’yo ‘yung kumplikasyon sa mag-ama minsan kasi hindi ninyo nakikita,’ he said.

‘Sometimes kasi mga tatay na ‘to mas matanda sa atin, they see things that we don’t see, na gets n’yo? Then eventually you’ll see, so that’s how I see it,’ he continued. (You know that he’s a dad. I have a lot of respect for Tatay Jeric. You know the complications of dads that others don’t see at times. Sometimes dads who are older than us see things that we don’t see. I hope you understand what I’m trying to say. Then eventually you’ll see, so that’s how I see it.)

Abrenica and AJ went public with their relationship in 2023, although it remains unknown when they started dating. The actor was married to Kylie Padilla, and they are currently in the process of annulling their marriage.

The Discaya couple’s recent refusal to cooperate with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is concerning, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Chair Teddy Casiño expressed on Thursday.

Casiño told the media that this development is proof that the ICI is ‘toothless’ and has no power to get individuals to testify about the alleged flood-control anomalies.

‘The Discayas exposed the toothlessness of the ICI. It turns out that it really has no power or authority to compel those involved in corruption to testify and tell the truth,’ Casiño said in Filipino. Casiño also highlighted that the ICI investigation is worse compared to the Senate and House hearings on the flood-control projects.

He cited that the two legislative courts had the ability to hold witnesses in contempt, and push them to tell the truth, and the hearings were all publicized.

Meanwhile, he pointed out that the ICI is not only ‘secretive in its processes,’ but it also doesn’t have contempt powers. ‘Where is this ICI headed? The process is already secret, very untransparent, and it turns out now that they can’t force anyone to testify in their investigation,’ Casiño continued.

Meanwhile, Taumbayan Ayaw sa Magnanakaw at Abusado Network Alliance convenor Prof. David San Juan renewed the calls for an independent investigative body composed of private citizens and representatives from different sectors.

The same call was made by the anti-corruption network Artikulo Onse before the establishment of the ICI.

Progressive groups are also concerned about a ‘whitewashing’ or a cover-up during the investigation, adding that this is the reason why protests against corruption must continue. ICI Executive Director Brian Hosaka announced yesterday that the Discaya couple ‘invoked their right to self-incrimination and manifested that they will no longer cooperate with the investigation being conducted by the ICI.’

Local government units in Western Visayas are preparing for the wide-scale conduct of earthquake evacuation drills following the recent string of strong tremors in Davao and Cebu. Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) chairperson Raul Fernandez, in an interview on Thursday, underscored the importance of holding evacuation drills, noting that the number of participants in the quarterly national simultaneous earthquake drills is dwindling.

He said there is a need to emphasize the proper response protocol.

Based on various postings on social media sites, affected individuals panicked and ran in several directions instead of doing the ‘duck, cover, and hold’ method.

‘It means they are not aware of what to do,’ Fernandez said.

The first batch will be a simultaneous drill for Antique and the province and city of Iloilo, scheduled for October 23, and Aklan, Capiz, and Guimaras on October 24. ‘We will integrate the possible tsunami scenario in case the Negros trench will move and generate a tsunami,’ he said.

On Thursday afternoon, RDRRMC and the Office of the Civil Defense convened the local DRRMCs to discuss the specifics of the drill.

Fernandez noted that Western Visayas has its own ‘Big One’ to prepare due to the presence of a major fault system, the West Panay Fault.

The fault system passes through the municipalities of Libacao, Madalag, and Malinao in Aklan; Jamindan and Tapaz in Capiz; Sibalom, San Remegio, Valderrama, and Pandan; and San Joaquin, Miagao, Igbaras, Tubungan Leon, Alimodian, Janiuay, and Lambunao in Iloilo.

The last time it moved was in 1948, or over 70 years ago, causing a magnitude 8.2 quake.

It was the second biggest earthquake recorded in the country and caused widespread damage in Panay.

With the series of movements in other fault systems in the country, Fernandez said it would not be discounted that the Panay fault might move at any time.

He said part of the preparations is a massive information drive to raise public awareness.

‘They must be properly informed. The source of their information must be reliable sources. They also have to take this seriously; they have to learn the proper response,’ he said.

Reliable sources include the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, and local DRRM councils.

Fernandez also urged households to be prepared with their Go Bags so that they will have provisions in case of massive destruction and essential services are disrupted.

Go Bags contain basic survival kits that include food and water, medicines, clothing, documents, a radio monitor, a flashlight, and a whistle, among others.

Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday finally disclosed where her controversial confidential funds in the Department of Education (DepEd) went. They were spent on investigations of alleged corruption in the agency she used to head.

That included the alleged anomalous laptop deal with the construction firm owned by former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co.

Speaking at the Pandesal Forum at the Kamuning Bakery in Quezon City, Duterte said the DepEd under her conducted its own investigation into the scandals in the agency and utilized the confidential funds granted to her. This was despite the DepEd’s own claim last year that it was unaware of how the vice president spent the P112.5 million worth of confidential funds in 2023. Duterte was also mum on how the secret funds were used in the DepEd, pointing to the Commission on Audit being the proper agency authorized to disclose where the funds went.

Her confidential funds in DepEd, along with the P500 million granted to her for the Office of the Vice President, were used as the basis for her impeachment complaint for allegedly misusing the secret funds, which she repeatedly avoided discussing with the media.

For Duterte, however, she said that the confidential funds were primarily used to start a probe into the corruption that she claimed was rampant within the agency. ‘There were many reports of corruption inside the Department of Education, not just in the central office, but also the regional offices,’ she told reporters.

‘So, whenever there are reports, we will investigate, and one of those we investigated was the laptop [deal],’ she also said.

This was in reference to the P2.4 billion laptop procurement during the time of her predecessor in the DepEd, former Education Secretary Leonor Briones, who was among the officials charged at the Office of the Ombudsman over the alleged anomalous deal. This also involves the Sunwest Construction and Development Corp. founded by Co, one of the lawmakers at the center of the flood control scandal.

But according to Duterte, she claimed that their investigation found that the procurement of the alleged overpriced laptops ‘did not happen’ inside the DepEd, but within the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

‘So, not all the procurement documents are in the DepEd,’ Duterte said. ‘What we could only do back then was to blacklist [companies].’

However, she said they also did not succeed in blacklisting the companies, which led to ‘our hands being tied’ and would only rely on the fraud audit reports conducted by the Commission on Audit and the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the matter ‘to determine the personnel involved.’

Whether she reported this to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. when she was still part of the Cabinet, Duterte responded: ‘My God! Have you ever considered that our President was even working? He never asked that, at all!’ ‘I swear to the flag. Haven’t you noticed that the governance has no direction at all? He doesn’t command, he doesn’t ask,’ Duterte said.

The magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck northern Cebu on Sept. 30 caused extensive damage to livestock and veterinary facilities, with total losses estimated at P170,955,100, according to a report from the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO). Field assessments indicated moderate to significant impacts on the livestock and poultry sector in several local government units (LGUs), particularly in Bogo City, San Remigio, Tabuelan, Sogod, Borbon, Tabogon, Medellin, and Daanbantayan.

Animal shelters, slaughterhouses, feed storage areas, and backyard pens were damaged, resulting in livestock deaths and disruptions in feed and water supply. The quake also affected power and water systems that are vital to veterinary operations.

The municipality of Tabogon sustained the most severe losses, amounting to P154 million, after a large sinkhole destroyed livestock structures and disrupted agricultural activities.

Other areas in northern Cebu also reported significant losses following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake. Bogo City sustained an estimated P6.27 million in damages to its livestock and slaughterhouse facilities, while San Remigio recorded P5.93 million in losses affecting livestock, poultry, slaughterhouses, and farm housing. Daanbantayan suffered P1.51 million in damages to livestock, poultry, and slaughterhouses, and Borbon incurred P1.42 million in losses, mostly involving livestock and pig housing.

In Medellin, damage to the municipal slaughterhouse was placed at P560,000, while Sogod reported P107,870 in losses to livestock and poultry housing. Madrilejos recorded P315,000 in damage to pig housing, Catmon P750,000 to its slaughterhouse, and Tabuelan P39,000 in livestock losses. In total, the affected LGUs reported 470,387 heads of livestock and poultry-including 41,195 swine, 13,598 cattle, 3,304 carabaos, 30,410 goats, and 381,880 poultry.

To address the crisis, the Provincial Veterinary Earthquake Response and Recovery Framework was immediately activated, focusing on the rescue and evacuation of animals, emergency feed and water provision, and veterinary medical assistance.

During the emergency response phase (0-72 hours), the PVO coordinated with the DRRMOs, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine National Police, and local government units to rescue trapped animals and establish temporary holding areas for livestock. Carcass retrieval and safe disposal were also prioritized to prevent outbreaks of diseases.

During the early recovery phase (72 hours to two weeks), teams conducted damage and needs assessments, administered vaccinations and deworming, distributed antibiotics and vitamins, and provided psychosocial support to affected farmers.

Beginning Oct. 16, focus has shifted to rehabilitation and long-term recovery, which includes restocking and dispersal programs for cattle, swine, goats, and poultry, rehabilitation of municipal and city veterinary facilities, slaughterhouses, and animal shelters, training for livestock aides and farmers on Disaster Risk Reduction in Animal Health, and integration of veterinary DRRM strategies into local disaster plans

The PVO emphasized a ‘One Health Approach’, linking animal, human, and environmental health interventions to strengthen resilience against future disasters. The earthquake, which struck near Bogo City, was followed by multiple aftershocks and subsequent tremors recorded on Oct. 13 and 15. The province remains under a State of Calamity, as declared on Oct. 1.