Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

NLEX dedicated its come-from-behind 85-84 victory over defending champion San Miguel Beer in the PBA Philippine Cup to ace scorer Robert Bolick, who is mourning the loss of his father.

Bolick was not around for Wednesday’s thrilling contest at Ynares Center here after he flew to the United States to visit the wake of Robert Lee Bolick Sr., a former United States serviceman.

The elder Bolick was 82 years old, according to an obituary page found online.

‘Kuya Berto, be strong,’ Jonnel Policarpio said after helping the Road Warriors overcome a double-digit deficit in the second half.

NLEX said Bolick left the country on the eve of the team’s opening assignment in the season-opening conference.

Even without Bolick, NLEX was able to withstand the challenge of starting the conference facing San Miguel, which ruled the centerpiece conference last July.

Coach Jong Uichico opted to spread the minutes to Matt Nieto, Enoch Valdez, Baser Amer and Kevin Alas, who had 12 points and five rebounds for the Road Warriors, in Bolick’s absence.

But the biggest factors were Policarpio and Brandon Ramirez with 16 points each plus JB Bahio with 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Road Warriors.

Was there any surprise that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would, in the end, appoint Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla as the new Ombudsman?

Remulla comes from a political clan that has long been allied with the Marcoses. The man has also proven to be one of the administration’s wiliest and brawniest operators outfoxing the Duterte camp, for instance, by pulling off without a hitch the once-thought-impossible task of arresting former President Rodrigo Duterte and sending him off to The Hague for his crimes against humanity case before the International Criminal Court.

Under Remulla’s stint as Justice Secretary, Duterte’s ‘spiritual adviser,’ the televangelist Apollo Quiboloy who faces a string of criminal raps in the US, was also successfully flushed out of his hiding place in Davao and clapped in jail on nonbailable charges.

But for the very same reasons, Remulla now comes to his new job freighted with political baggage and bitter opposition from those who feel aggrieved by him. Last week, Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte filed a disbarment case against Remulla for the purported ‘kidnapping’ of his father obviously a last-ditch ploy to keep him out of the Ombudsman’s seat.

Not to be outdone, Sen. Imee Marcos waxed melodramatic in a statement on Sunday opposing a Remulla appointment. ‘Black is indeed the color of the nation mournful, anxious, and without hope,’ she said. That’s because ‘the last pillar of accountability is being destroyed by politics in violation of the Constitution.’

Guardrails of accountability

That is, of course, quite ironic given that Imee Marcos had nothing to say when her brother’s predecessor made Samuel Martires the Ombudsman, and Martires then turned the erstwhile independent body into an extension of Duterte’s brand of governance: opaque, erratic, authoritarian, trashing its mandate as a bastion of transparency and integrity in government by, first and most outrageous of all, severely limiting the public’s access to the SALNs (statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth) of public officials.

Duterte himself was the exemplar in refusing to disclose his SALN. Martires, meanwhile, not only barred requests for the President’s SALN, but even proposed that those who made ‘commentaries’ on the SALNs of government officials be penalized with up to five years’ imprisonment.

It can be argued that the morass of corruption and impunity the country finds itself in with trillions of pesos lost to plunder by thieving officials and their henchmen in and out of the bureaucracy was aggravated, made patently worse, by the past administration’s bent for dismantling the guardrails of accountability and good governance, from appointing a compliant Ombudsman to threatening independent oversight agencies such as the Commission on Audit.

Consequential gesture

That is the dark, disreputable backdrop that Remulla must now tear down as he steps into his fixed seven-year term as the new Ombudsman. And he has no time to lose the country, fed up with unending corruption, is in no mood for more delay and distraction.

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) has said the right words so far about his appointment: ‘As Ombudsman, Remulla is expected to uphold transparency, strengthen anticorruption measures, and ensure that justice is administered fairly and efficiently.’

Loud and clear. And while he faces significant skepticism at this point, Remulla can quash such doubts with one simple but consequential gesture: Release the SALNs of all public officials.

By demolishing, on his first days in office, the Martires-era firewall that shielded government functionaries from basic accountability, Remulla will bring back sanity to the Office of the Ombudsman. More importantly, he will help begin the necessary task of restoring the public’s trust in government institutions.

Explosive case

That’s only for a start. The staggering revelations of government abuse and malfeasance will all eventually end up with the Ombudsman, given that the findings of the congressional hearings and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure will only be recommendatory.

It is up to Remulla’s office to provide teeth to the investigations, by meting out just and timely punishment against every single government official found to have defrauded the people.

Yet another explosive case that will test Remulla’s mettle: the charges against Vice President Sara Duterte for the alleged misuse of public funds. The truth about the funds’ fate having been smothered by the Senate’s refusal to tackle Duterte’s impeachment, the Ombudsman now has the task of looking into the allegations anew and rendering judgment on Duterte’s culpability.

”There will be no sacred cows, no exemptions, and no excuses. Public office is a public trust, and those who betray it will be held accountable,” said the PCO in its statement announcing Remulla’s designation as Ombudsman.

The people, long-thwarted in their quest for justice, will hold Remulla and ultimately the Marcos administration to that grave promise.

Rey Remogat’s hot shooting night for University of the Philippines ended abruptly after being whistled for a flagrant foul penalty two during a UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament clash on Wednesday.

In the dying seconds of the Fighting Maroons’ 83-69 win over Ateneo, Remogat was ejected for a hard foul on Ateneo swingman Ian Espinosa during a fast-break play.

The former University of the East guard, though, said there wasn’t any malice in his attempt to stop a runaway bucket.

‘I just wanted the play to stop for a dead ball because I thought they weren’t going to shoot. I just really went for the ball,’ he explained at Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday.

Before getting thrown out, Remogat was balling out with 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

Based on UAAP house rules, Remogat would automatically be dealt a suspension and a disqualification from winning any awards.

But with new rules introduced this season, all unsportsmanlike fouls now reviewable by the league board, giving Remogat a chance to appeal.

Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin also came to Remogat’s defense and shrugged the foul off as just another ‘tough and physical’ play.

‘UP is tough and physical, they have been since Goldwin (Monteverde) has been there. Nobody in our dugout is crying about that,’ the veteran tactician said.

‘I didn’t watch the replay but I believe Rey. I believe it was a hard foul with purpose to stop the fast break but I seriously doubt that there was malice,’ he added.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong suspended classes from kindergarten to senior high school on Thursday after a magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck nearby Pugo town, La Union, prompting parents to rush to schools and fetch their children.

The evacuation of students from the schools caused mild traffic congestion across the city.

Students at St. Louis University-Maryheights Campus in Baguio City gather in an open field after a magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck La Union at 10:30 a.m. on October 9. The tremor was felt at Intensity V in Baguio City. (Contributed photo)

One university in the city continued its graduation rites, although the ceremony was briefly interrupted when the building swayed during the tremor.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded Intensity 5 in Baguio City, but no significant damage has been reported so far.

As part of standard safety protocols, students were evacuated from classrooms in several grade schools shortly after the quake struck.

Phivolcs said the tremor was also felt in La Union, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, and Bontoc, the capital of Mountain Province.

Thursday’s earthquake in La Union came just over a week after the deadly magnitude 6.9 temblor in Cebu, which served as a reminder of Baguio’s vulnerability, having been devastated by the July 16, 1990, earthquake, which required the city to rebuild almost entirely from the ground up.

A House lawmaker on Thursday called out Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Francis Lim for making ‘bombastic statements based on wrong information’ after he claimed in a public forum that P1.7 trillion in market value was wiped out in just three weeks due to the flood control scandal.

House infrastructure committee chair and Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon said Lim must explain the source of his claim, ‘as it does not accurately reflect current and historical conditions of the Philippine capital market.’

This came after Lim, during the 57th annual Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (Finex) Conference on Oct. 7, claimed that P1.7 trillion in the market value of companies listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange was wiped out from Aug. 11 to Aug. 29 amid mounting allegations of corruption involving high-ranking officials in government infrastructure projects.

‘Investors aren’t fleeing because of weak fundamentals; they’re fleeing because of weak integrity. It’s a stark reminder that corruption is a weapon of mass wealth destruction. When trust breaks down, capital dries up, and everyone-government, business, and the public-pays the price,’ Lim said. A decline in market value essentially means that the share prices of companies are going down due to investors choosing to sell their stocks.

However, Ridon, a lawyer, said that market data showed the decline in the Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) began months before the controversy.

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On a six-month view (April 10-October 9), the PSEi had already reached 6,077.82 as early as April 11, 2025, he said.

‘Although a short recovery followed, the broader decline began after July 14, or two weeks before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. exposed the flood control corruption scandal in his State of the Nation Address,’ Ridon said.

Ridon said Lim’s statement ‘appeared even less accurate’ when using a one-year view, noting that the index plunged from a high of 7,456.31 in October to 5,822.85 in April,’ amounting to a 21.9-percent decline three months before the scandal.

These figures, Ridon said, showed that the ongoing corruption scandal ‘was a convenient but inaccurate explanation for the market’s weakness and for the broader slowdown in the economy.’

Separately, Ridon told the Inquirer that regardless of the actual and fake data, ‘the weakening of the stock market is independent of the flood control corruption scandal.’

‘It may have compounded it, but it certainly is not the sole reason for the weakening stock market,’ he added.

On Thursday, Special Adviser to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go also debunked Lim’s claims, saying that the chair was ‘quoting off a confirmed fake news post designed to catch attention and falsely sensationalize.’

‘The attributed source confirmed that this was fake news. The fact is, the drop wasn’t 12 percent. You may confirm this with the Philippine Stock Exchange or your favorite stockbroker,’ Go added.

A previous Inquirer Biz Buzz column last Sept. 5 already debunked a viral post claiming that’Philippines’ Corruption Scandal Triggers P1.7 Trillion Market Meltdown,’ supposedly quoting SandP Global Market Intelligence.

Andres Muhlach will lead a mix of rising stars who will breathe new life to the characters of Adie and Topee in the musical adaptation of ‘Bagets.’

The original ‘Bagets’ was a coming-of-age movie that sealed Andres’ celebrity dad, Aga’s status as a matinee idol. With Aga at the hem as ‘Adie,’ the 1984 movie was a star-studded cast with JC Bonnin as Topee, William Martinez, Raymond Lauchengco, Herbert Bautista, Eula Valdez and Yayo Aguila.

Casting Andres in the musical is a passing of the torch of sorts, and that it had played a huge part of his childhood.

‘To be part of it, let alone play my dad’s role, feels surreal. When we first found out that I got his breakthrough portrayal, [my dad] was super happy for me. He was also excited to see how I’m going to approach the character,’ Andres said.

The pressure to live up to his father’s legacy as a ‘Bagets’ icon is real, but Andres said he will make sure to give the role his own best interpretation. ‘I want this to be my own path. At the end of the day, the hard work is on us, the new ‘Bagets’ cast. What we put out isn’t because of what the original actors did, but because we want to create something worthy for today’s fans.’

‘Playing Adie now is a completely new experience. He’s still the charismatic, charming boy-next-door type, but his story feels more mature because of his love interest,’ he continued. ‘Atasha (his twin sister) and I studied abroad, but I enjoyed my time here more because I was with my best friends. Nothing beats being close to the people who made student life bearable. That’s really at the heart of ‘Bagets The Musical.”

Relatable character

Meanwhile, Mico (who will alternate with Andres) said he realized that he is ‘a lot more alike’ with Adie than he originally thought.

‘I think many can relate when I say we’ve all had that time in our lives when we were young, naive, and just letting our emotions get the best of us,’ he said, ‘I’ve had those encounters before – stealing glances at your crush and all. But it’s all in the past now. I think I’ve matured since then.’

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On the other hand, Jeff and Sam said they are aware of the emotional weight of Topee throughout the musical’s storyline, with Jeff sharing that he shares the character’s Hiligaynon roots.

‘Let’s go home to Bacolod. That’s what he often tells his mother. Ako ramdam ko ‘yung bigat nu’n kasi tuwing holidays na lang din ako nakakauwi sa’min. (I can really feel the weight of that because I only get to go home during the holidays),’ Jeff said. ‘Topee is kind, mature, and treats his friends like family. Pero deep inside, may tinatagong vulnerability.’

Agreeing with his co-actor, Sam said the musical is a story about everyone, except that it takes place in a different timeline.

‘I see a lot of similarities between me and Topee. Most teenagers, or even adults, have felt emotions that are hard to explain. These feelings are at the heart of ‘Bagets The Musical.’ The story is about us. Just a different timeline, different variables, but the same plot,’ he said.

Last September, it was announced that Milo Cruz and Migo Valid will star as Tonton; Noel Comia Jr. and Tomas Rodriguez were cast as Gilbert; and KD Estrada and Ethan David will portray Arnel.

The Senate has received a petition for a writ of habeas corpus from detained contractor Pacifico ‘Curlee’ Discaya, who cited alleged irregularities in his detention under contempt.

In a hearing before the Regional Trial Court of Pasay City, Branch 298, presided over by Judge Melvin Cydrick Bughao, the court ordered that Discaya remain under the safekeeping of the Senate sergeant-at-arms.

Earlier, Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III said the Blue Ribbon Committee hearings on the anomalous flood control projects will continue amid the change in leadership in the powerful panel. Lawyers representing Discaya argued the legality of his continued detention, while the respondents were represented by the Senate legal counsel. The case is scheduled to resume Monday at 9 a.m., after which it will be turned over to the Office of the Solicitor General for succeeding hearings.

The Senate remains firm in its decision, asserting that the contempt order against Discaya was issued within its constitutional authority.

New Petro Gazz coach Gary Van Sickle relished his first win with the Angels and the warm reception he’s received in the Premier Volleyball League.

The head of the Van Sickle family made a winning start as the Angels coach after his daughter Brooke conspired with import Lindsey Vander Weide to sweep Galeries, 25-21, 25-19, 25-14, in the 2025 Reinforced Conference on Thursday at Dasmariñas Arena here. More than the victory itself, with Brooke executing his system and wife Lisa serving as assistant coach, Gary was thrilled to experience the league’s energy firsthand.

‘It’s been positive, not just because we won, but everyone’s friendly, the environment is electric, so that makes it fun to coach. The competition is pretty good. Coaches on the other side are tough, so we’re making adjustments as we go,’ said Gary. Gary admitted that the team is still adjusting to his coaching style, but he’s pleased how the Angels worked as one unit to dominate their first game.

‘We’re trying to implement little things here and there, but overall, the team is pretty well balanced,’ he said. ‘We’re just coming in, trying to make a little adjustments here and there, and we’ll go as, by mid-season, I think we’ll have adjusted what we want to do. But overall, I think the coaching staff has done a great job with that.’ Brooke, the two-time All-Filipino MVP, believes her experience from her parents coaching her for 10 years before college made it easier for them to call the shots for the Angels.

‘They taught me all my fundamentals, everything about volleyball, my volleyball IQ and everything. So it’s like picking up where we left off. I don’t feel anything weird about it. It’s actually nice to have the feedback right away because they watch every single game. They know the team very well,’ said Brooke.

Brooke is grateful to have her parents on her side and get instant feedback from them about the game.

‘I’m the type of volleyball player who breaks things down and really analyzes games. So I feel like it’s nice to finally have them right then and there versus having to wait until they wake up and watch the game and then get feedback on what I can improve on and stuff in the moment. So it’s really helpful,’ she said.

Gary faces a big test against defending champion Creamline on Tuesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. ‘At least we have one runner in the belt, but Creamline’s going to be tough. That’s like a rival for us, so we’re going to practice tough the next couple of days. We have tomorrow off, and then we’ll get ready for Creamline, and hopefully we play a good match,’ the new Petro Gazz said.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) acquired on Thursday the right-of-way in six areas from Bulacan to Pampanga to complete the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Project.

The six properties or areas cleared for construction are as follows:

Clark International Airport

SM Clark

Brgy. Pulungbulo in Angeles, Pampanga

Barangay Sto. Nino in San Fernando, Pampanga

Brgy. San Vicente in Apalit, Pampanga

Brgy. Iba Este in Calumpit, Bulacan

‘We extend our gratitude to the local government units in these critical areas where we will construct the NSCR, particularly those in Angeles City, Mabalacat City, City of San Fernando, Apalit, Minalin, Sto. Tomas, Calumpit, Malolos, and the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan, for their invaluable support and cooperation in making this project possible,’ DOTr Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez said. Following the development, Lopez expressed confidence that right-of-way acquisitions for the northern section of the NSCR from Malolos to Clark will be completed by mid-2026.

Lopez also noted that the Malolos station is almost completed.

The DOTr is also aiming to secure right-of-way for nine stations for the southern section of the NSCR by December 2025, particularly the stations in the areas listed below:

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Biñan, Laguna

Cabuyao, Laguna

Sta. Rosa, Laguna

Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, Makati

Sucat, Parañaque

Muntinlupa

Food Terminal Junction, Taguig

Blumentritt, Manila

Sta. Mesa, Manila With the right-of-way already 98 percent acquired along Banlic Depot in Laguna, the DOTr is also targeting completion of the utility relocation for the NSCR southern segment by December 2025.

The completion of the NSCR was previously delayed for two years due to right-of-way issues.

With its current progress, the DOTr expects the 190-kilometer railway to be completed by 2032, promising a 45-minute travel time from Manila to Clark Airport.

A 12-year-old boy went missing on Wednesday, Oct. 8, while crossing a river near San Miguel Beach in San Antonio town.

According to an initial report from the Philippine Coast Guard, the boy, a resident of Barangay Antipolo, allegedly drowned around 4:30 p.m. in the Pamatawan River.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing, assisted by local residents, personnel from the San Antonio Coast Guard sub-station, and the Philippine National Police Maritime.