Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Voting 15 affirmative, 3 negative, and two abstentions, the Senate adopted on Wednesday a resolution requesting the International Criminal Court (ICC) to place former President Rodrigo Duterte under house arrest for humanitarian reasons.

Proposed Senate Resolution No. 144, signed by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, emphasized that in view of the advanced age and deteriorating health of Duterte, the ICC should designate a physician or medical doctor to examine the former President and ascertain that he is fit to withstand regular detention – and should the medical findings prove that his detention will further worsen his medical condition, allow the former president to be detained under house arrest.

‘Such house arrest, or a similar appropriate arrangement, will be subject to conditions restricting liberty to be imposed by the ICC, presenting no risk to the integrity of the ongoing trial,’ the resolution reads.

In the same measure, the senators argued that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provided that all persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity o fthe human person.

‘The Rules of Procedure and Evidence of the ICC allows persons being tried there in interim release, subject to conditions restricting liberty, including staying at a particular address, not contacting directly or indirectly victims or witnesses, and responding when summoned b y an authority o r qualified person designated b y the ICC,’ it adds.

Meanwhile, in his sponsorship speech, Cayetano said the wheels of justice are already moving at present – may it be in the country or the ICC.

‘It is not against the tenet of human rights to allow any person, especially a former president, to be under house arrest or to be under a country supervised under ICI, especially in the condition of president Duterte who is 80 years old,’ said Cayetano.

Zubiri, for his part, said his personal stand on the issue does not have anything to do with politics. He said it is only based on his point of view as a son to a father who is now 85 years old and ailing.

Aside from Zubiri and Cayetano, the other senators who voted in favor of the resolution were Imee Marcos, Robinhood Padilla, Rodante Marcoleta, Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, Jinggoy Estrada, Christopher ‘Bong’ Go, Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero, Sherwin Gatchalian, Loren Legarda, Erwin Tulfo, JV Ejercito, Panfilo Lacson and Mark Villar.

Those who opposed the resolution were Senators Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino and Francis Pangilinan.

Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III and Sen. Raffy Tulfo abstained.

‘I am faced with two equally important issues affecting life and liberty,’ Sotto said.

‘To afford PRRD with the optimal condition of his detention that will be beneficial for his physical and mental health, while taking into consideration the plight of the families who are seeking justice for the alleged crimes against humanity. I am supportive of any efforts to bring home PRRD and to uplift his well-being during this crucial time,’ the Senate president said.

‘However, my choice or decision, in conscience, in my conscience, might even help in further dividing the nation. Therefore, I register an abstention,’ Sotto explained.

In explaining his vote, Sotto said he faced two equally important issues affecting life and liberty.

‘To afford [former president Duterte] with the optimal condition of his detention that will be beneficial for his physical and mental health, while taking into consideration the plight of the families who are seeking justice for the alleged crimes against humanity,’ said Sotto.

The Senate president said he is supportive of any efforts to bring home the ex-chief executive and ‘uplift his well-being during this crucial time.’

He, however, noted that his choice ‘in [his] conscience might even help in further dividing the nation.’

This, according to Sotto, is why he abstained.

Meanwhile, Hontiveros – who was among the three senators who voted against the measure – emphasized that there are no indications that the ICC is neglecting the health and well-being of the people in their custody.

She then proceeded to emphasize that the drug war’s atrocities are not mere hallucinations.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Tuesday it rescued 10 Chinese after their tugboat lost engine power off Palawan.

The vessel identified as M/Tug Virgo was reported adrift about 43 nautical miles off Coron on Monday.

Coast Guard District Palawan dispatched BRP Malapascua (MRRV-4403), which located the tugboat the following day near Linapacan town. According to the PCG, all 10 crew members were declared to be in good condition after undergoing medical checks.

The vessel’s master told authorities they had departed Malaysia and were bound for China when the engine failed.

To prevent further risk, the Coast Guard vessel began towing the tugboat on Monday toward El Nido, Palawan, where it is awaiting assistance from its shipping company, which has arranged repairs and a rescue tug.

‘This successful operation highlights the Coast Guard’s unwavering commitment to safeguard lives and vessels at sea, whether foreign or domestic, within the Philippine maritime jurisdiction,’ the PCG said in a statement.

The incident adds to a series of maritime emergencies in Philippine waters this year, with the Coast Guard noting it routinely responds to vessels in distress regardless of flag or nationality.

The low-pressure area (LPA) inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) intensified into Tropical Depression Paolo at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, the state weather bureau said.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) announced it will begin issuing bulletins on the tropical cyclone at 11 a.m.

In its 5 a.m. forecast, it said the then-LPA (designated as 09g) was last spotted 1,080 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon.

The LPA entered the PAR on Tuesday night.

The House of Representatives is coordinating with local government units and authorities from areas affected by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu, Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III said on Wednesday.

Dy, in a statement, said the House leadership is also asking district representatives about how best to assist residents in quake-stricken areas.

‘We are currently conducting coordination talks with agencies and local government units to ensure that the assistance needed would be immediately provided, particularly quick medical service and basic needs for areas hard hit by the earthquake,’ Dy said in Filipino.

‘We are currently coordinating with the representatives of affected districts to support their goal of bringing help to their constituent[s],’ he added.

Dy said the House extends its sympathies to the families of those who died.

As of posting time, the Office of Civil Defense said the death toll could reach at least 60, while the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said that the death toll has risen to 61.

‘Congress sends its heartfelt sympathies to the families who lost their loved ones and to all those affected by the earthquake in Cebu and nearby provinces,’ Dy said, speaking in Filipino.

‘Your Congress is ready to be a partner in crafting the needed programs to respond to those affected by this calamity, and to ensure that the country is ready for similar incidents in the future,’ he added.

Late Tuesday night, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off the waters northeast of Bogo, Cebu, damaging heritage churches and other structures and knocking out power in parts of the central Philippines.

In Bogo alone, at least 27 people were confirmed dead, according to the PDRRMO.

Initially, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) measured the quake at magnitude 6.7 before upgrading it to 6.9. The tectonic tremor was recorded at a shallow depth of five kilometers.

Phivolcs warned of a possible ‘minor sea-level disturbance’ and urged residents of Leyte, Cebu, and Biliran to avoid coastal areas. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no tsunami threat.

‘Our people are not alone in this tragedy. The people and the entire House of Representatives are with you in helping you recover,’ Dy noted.

Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia will officially square off in the PBA’s 50th season opener on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The league released the full schedule of the Philippine Cup eliminations on Wednesday during a press conference held at Shangri-La The Fort in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

But the faceoff between Ginebra and Magnolia had long been an open secret, with both teams actually made aware of the anticipated faceoff.

LA Tenorio is set for his Magnolia coaching debut against his former team, but there’s also the possibility of seeing action for the Hotshots after being placed on the injured/reserve list.

Ginebra will start the season reeling from the departure of Jamie Malonzo to Japan but will also parade new players in rookie Sonny Estil and veteran Norbert Torres.

The game is set at 7:30 p.m. after the Leo Awards at 3 p.m. at nearby Novotel Manila and the opening ceremonies at 5 p.m.

The opener is one of four playdates at the Big Dome, with the majority of the eliminations to be held at the two Ynares Centers in Antipolo and Montalban.

Also part of the schedule are the games in Dubai in late-October and Bahrain in mid-December.

Action will take a break from Nov. 17 until Dec. 4 due to Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the first window of the Fiba World Cup Qualifiers. The eliminations conclude on Dec. 19.

The Visayas grid is placed on ‘yellow’ alert this Wednesday, Oct. 1, as several power plants went on forced outage following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that had shaken Cebu Tuesday night.

In an advisory, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said the Visayas grid would be under yellow alert from 1 p.m. to 12 a.m.

In a yellow alert, the power supply can still meet demand, but it will serve as a warning that when a plant breaks down one way or another, it will result in brownouts.

The grid operator said a total of 27 power plants had tripped due to the earthquake, leading to 1,444.1 megawatt (MW) capacity loss from the grid. At least 10 transmission lines are also on outage.

Sixteen more power plants were not operational even prior to the incident.

The current available capacity is at 1,888 MW, while the peak demand is 1,839 MW.

The Luzon and Mindanao grids, meanwhile, are under normal operations. /dda

For older residents of low-lying, centuries-old Pampanga towns of Macabebe and Masantol, they had accepted floods as a way life and floodwaters were used to irrigate rice fields, refresh rivers, and flush out saltwater.

But over the past two decades, flooding has become more frequent and persistent-often taking months to subside and residents adapted without protest.

But that silence will finally break on Thursday.

The Saingsing People’s Rally (Lament of the People’s Rally) on that day will mark the first collective protest by Macabebe and Masantol residents against corruption, said Rey Yumang, one of the organizers, along with leaders from local religious and civic groups.

A march from Sta. Lucia Bridge in Masantol to Macabebe Plaza is scheduled for 12:30 p.m., while another from San Gabriel Chapel in Macabebe will begin at 1:30 p.m. Both groups will walk through flooded roads and converge at San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish in Macabebe.

In an invitation posted online, the organizers declared: ‘The national government failed us! The system has been corrupted! We are slowly being killed by drowning! We are gradually losing our future!’

Affected communities

They condemned widespread corruption-particularly in flood control projects-and demanded long-term, concrete solutions and the prosecution of those responsible.

As of Sept. 27, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported 82 flooded barangays across 14 towns and cities in Pampanga.

Macabebe had 19 flooded barangays, and Masantol, 26. Floodwaters-rising from 0.3 meters to 1.5 meters (1 feet to 5 feet)-were caused by high tides, monsoon rains, Supertyphoon ‘Nando’ (international name: Ragasa) and Severe Tropical Storm ‘Opong (Bualoi).

The floods have affected 52,056 families, or 169,405 people, most of them in Macabebe (54,586) and Masantol (80,524).

‘Since July, ali na melangi (the villages haven’t dried),’ said Jomel Cruz, head of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

Around 10,000 families in both towns have been displaced since 1992, when the government widened the mouth of Pampanga River from 250 meters to 750 meters using Japanese loans, as part of the Pampanga Delta Development Project. Nearly 300 chapels and schools were relocated.

According to Masantol former Vice Mayor Bajun Lacap, over 2,000 families-whose livelihoods depend on fishing and aquaculture-chose to remain in seven villages along the widened channel, building homes on high-risk areas despite being paid for their land.

A P600-million bridge project connecting Masantol’s left bank to Calumpit, Bulacan, has been delayed for five years, despite the funding awarded to Eddmari Construction and Trading Co.

In August 2022, President Marcos Jr. inaugurated the Korean-funded Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Project-Stage 1 in Masantol. However, locals said rising sea levels have rendered the project’s check gates almost ineffective

National University clamped down on Collins Akowe to outlast University of Santo Tomas, 76-69, at UST Quadricentennial Pavilion on Wednesday and remain unbeaten in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament.

The Bulldogs limited Akowe, their former high school standout at NU Nazareth School, to a season-low five points on 1-of-7 shooting and eight rebounds.

Coming into the game, Akowe had averaged 24.5 points and 18 rebounds in UST’s 2-0 start, highlighted by big wins over UP and La Salle. ‘The players really worked hard to get this. I’m happy for our guys because they followed the game plan. They were disciplined and the effort was there,’ said NU head coach Jeff Napa.

Jake Figueroa delivered the dagger shots in the closing minutes. With UST leading by one, Gelo Santiago put NU ahead with a layup before Figueroa drilled a jumper for a 70-67 cushion. Nic Cabañero answered for UST to cut the gap to one, but Figueroa struck again-this time with a three-pointer in the final 38 seconds-to seal the win after a Tigers turnover.

‘I just took advantage of the responsibility coach gave me. I had to own it, and it worked out,’ said Figueroa, who finished with 22 points, nine rebounds, and nine of his points in the fourth quarter.

Omar John also starred in the paint for NU, outplaying Akowe with 10 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks, three assists, and two steals.

UST fell to 2-1 after its hot start. Cabañero led with 19 points on 8-of-19 shooting, Amiel Acido posted a career-high 18, while Mark Llemit and Forthsky Padrigao chipped in 12 and 10, respectively.

NU (3-0) is tied with Ateneo atop the standings. The Bulldogs face UP on Saturday at 4:30 p.m., while the Growling Tigers try to rebound earlier at 1:30 p.m. against winless UE.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday said two supposed employees of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) were arrested over an alleged scheme to solicit a kickback from a corporation.

According to NBI Director Jaime Santiago, the two BIR employees tried to solicit a kickback from the taxes they claimed the corporation owed the government.

Santiago said the two first presented a letter of authority to assess the corporation they supposedly determined owed the bureau P36 million in taxes.

‘They lowered it to P6 million and later on it suddenly became P800,000,’ said Santiago in Filipino during a press conference.

‘But the agreement was that the government would only receive P200,000, while the remaining P600,000 would go to them,’ he added.

Asked if the BIR has confirmed that the two individuals were really its employees, the NBI agent in charge of the case only said both suspects did not deny that they were officers of the agency.

‘As a matter of fact, the entrapment occurred at the BIR office,’ the agent said, speaking in Filipino.

A tech-billionaire who eventually became a government envoy, Maynard Ngu is now in the middle of a scandal regarding irregularities in flood control and other infrastructure projects.

Ngu, a businessman, has been linked to the issue last week, Sept. 25, with former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo alleging that he is the ‘bagman’ of Sen. Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero, who was ousted as Senate President on Sept. 8.

As Bernardo pointed out in his testimony and affidavit, Ngu had asked him to submit a list of projects, which are to be funded through insertions in the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Bernardo also testified under oath at the Senate blue ribbon committee that he personally met with Escudero twice at Cork, a high end wine bar in BGC.

At the first meeting with Escudero, Bernardo said the senator told him in Filipino: ‘I know the goings on in your department, tell your boss (the DPWH chief) to give me projects. (Alam ko ang kalakaran sa departmento mo sabihin mo kay sec na magbaba sa akin).’

The second meeting, also in Cork, with Escudero, Bernardo testified, came after the delivery of the supposed kickback from the projects that were inserted in the GAA. ‘Thank you,’ Bernardo quoted Escudero as telling him while shaking his hands.

The former official of the Department of Public Works and Highways said he had given Ngu the list and asked how they would proceed, revealing that they eventually agreed on a 20 percent kickback.

Bernardo stated that after the inclusion of the projects in the GAA, he delivered 20 percent of an estimated P800 million, or about P160 million, to Ngu, claiming that it was meant for Escudero.

Escudero denied the allegation.

‘I vehemently deny the malicious allegations and innuendos made by former DPWH Usec. Roberto Bernardo in today’s Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. By his own admission, he never had any contact with me directly regarding this matter – and I will prove that he is lying about my alleged involvement,’ he said.

Escudero did not mention Bernardo’s testimony about meeting him in person in Cork.

Ngu had donated P30 million to Escudero’s campaign in 2022, becoming the second government contractor who made a donation for Escudero.

Based on the investigation conducted by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), Ngu is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Cosmic Technologies Inc., a contractor of the Department of Education.

This, even when campaign donations from ‘natural and juridical persons who hold contracts or subcontracts to supply the government [.] with goods or services or to perform construction or other works’ are prohibited by law.

As the CEO of the company behind the local cellphone brand Cherry Mobile, Ngu likewise donated cellphones worth P1 million to the campaign of Sen. Robin Padilla in 2022, the PCIJ said in a report published on Sept. 18.

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He is also a co-owner of Cork Wine Bar and Shop, where Escudero and his wife, actress Heart Evangelista celebrated their marriage renewal last year.

Based on the account of Bernardo, it was at the bar where he met with Escudero in 2023, as instructed by Ngu.

‘I met with the latter (Escudero) in a private room at the said establishment. While we were drinking wine, he told me: ‘Alam ko naman ang galawan niyo diyan sa DPWH. Okay naman ako. Sabihin mo kay Sec (Manuel Bonoan) magbaba sa akin,’ he said.

Another meeting in Cork came where Escudero said ‘thank you,’ according to Bernarfo’s testimony.

It was in the same year when Ngu was appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as special envoy to China for trade, investment and tourism.

Ngu, on Monday, Sept. 29, resigned from his post as independent director at Altus Property Ventures Inc.