Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Dasmariñas City Mayor Jenny Barzaga was sworn in as Cavite 4th District representative on Tuesday, replacing her son, Francisco ‘Kiko’ Barzaga, who was expelled from the House of Representatives for unruly behavior.

House Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III administered the elder Barzaga’s oath of office at the chamber’s plenary session, two days after she won the special election to fill her expelled son’s seat in a landslide.

Barzaga’s victory extended their family’s dominance in Dasmariñas since their patriarch, lawmaker Elpidio ‘Pidi’ Barzaga Jr., first became mayor in 1998.

The younger Barzaga, 27, was elected to Congress in 2025 but was then suspended twice over accusations leveled on social media posts against fellow lawmakers and top government officials.

Barzaga was expelled by the House last June

Lyann De Guzman remains a reliable hitter off the bench, helping Nxled deliver the team’s first win in the PVL Invitational Conference.

With the Chameleons looking for a spark less than 24 hours after losing to the Jaja Santiago-Minowa-led Creamline, De Guzman stepped up and nailed the clutch hits in the third to complete a 25-19, 25-22, 25-20 sweep of defending champion PLDT.

‘Coach told us to always be ready because Ate Chiara (Permentilla) and Ate Brooke (Van Sickle) won’t be playing. So whenever an opportunity comes, I have to grab it and give everything I have to help the team,’ said De Guzman in Filipino on Tuesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

De Guzman, who started in the last two sets, connected with MJ Phillips’ superb service to help Nxled recover from a 14-16 deficit in the third and unleash an 8-0 run en route to their first win.

Last year’s fourth overall pick was inspired by her teammates’ mentality this conference, as they are all eager to make the most of the opportunity to play in the Invitational against the top three teams in the All-Filipino Conference and a pair of guest teams.

‘Everyone is really willing to step up. Even when the score is far apart, whoever comes in tries to do everything they can to help the team. I’m happy because everyone is willing to embrace the opportunity, no matter what position they play,’ said the former Ateneo captain.

De Guzman and the Chameleons hope their victory over the High Speed Hitters is a sign of bigger things to come as they look to make it to the finals.

They face Thailand’s EST Cola on Thursday before wrapping up the elimination round against Ho Chi Minh City on Friday and Farm Fresh on Sunday.

‘We’re playing almost every day, so after each game, we really have to move on right away and focus on the next one. I think that’s good for our team,’ said De Guzman.

‘We lost yesterday, but we carried the good things from that game into today, especially our defense and how we committed fewer errors. Hopefully, that will give us even more confidence and motivation heading into our next games.’

Eleven antimining villagers arrested during a police dispersal of a human barricade in Kasibu in this province appealed for financial assistance to post bail after they were detained on Aug. 28.

Antimining leader Florentino Daynos made the appeal on behalf of the 11 villagers, one of whom was hospitalized after sustaining injuries during the dispersal in Barangay Paquet.

The protesters had set up a human barricade to oppose the entry of mining company vehicles carrying crude oil for exploration activities.

Daynos said residents were opposing the mining exploration because of what they claimed was a lack of adequate consultation and necessary permits.

‘The residents are opposing mining exploration due to the alleged lack of adequate consultation and the necessary permit process, but they were violently dispersed and arrested,’ he said in a statement.

Daynos himself and six others were arrested on Jan. 23 for defying a court order and forming a human barricade to block access to the mining exploration site of Woggle Corporation in Nueva Vizcaya.

He thanked residents who gathered at the site and showed solidarity and moral support for those opposing mining activities in defense of the environment and their livelihoods.

Kasibu police said the protesters came from the villages of Paquet, Dine and Catarawan. Police said those at the frontline of the blockade put up the strongest resistance as vehicles carrying oil products attempted to enter the mining site.

The protesters were facing charges of grave coercion; resistance and disobedience to a person in authority and their agents.

Brutality?

The arrests and dispersal drew condemnation from residents and other groups online, with some describing the police action as brutality.

Loreta Ramel-Galima, a former government official, said the protesters were peacefully exercising their rights.

For Atos Margie Kidsolan, police should uphold their mandate to enforce the law, prevent and control crimes, maintain peace and order and ensure public safety.

Nueva Vizcaya police director Col. Paul Bometivo acknowledged the criticism and said police understood the frustration in the community following their response to a 911 emergency call in Kasibu.

‘We understand that emotions are high and that public trust feels fragile,’ Bometivo said, adding that police remained committed to protecting the community despite the backlash.

He said police were required to respond to the 911 call, regardless of who made it, because the road had been obstructed.

Bometivo said the road was a municipal road certified by the municipal government and was therefore open to the public.

He said barricades preventing passage were not allowed and that police had the authority to regulate access when necessary to maintain public safety and order.

‘Rights must coexist,’ Bometivo said, adding that the right to protest should coexist with the right of others to pass through and use a public road.

Bometivo said police officers involved in the dispersal were only performing their duty to uphold the law, maintain peace and prevent further harm.

Kasibu police chief Capt. Lloyd Guillermo also denied that officers had escorted the mining company’s vehicles through the barricade.

Guillermo said police responded solely to the emergency call because the vehicles had the right to use the municipal road.

The protesters’ lawyer, Fidel Santos, said the dispersal occurred before he could speak with them.

Antimining protests and community-led barricades have been held in Barangay Paquet, Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya, since May 2026 to block exploration and drilling activities of North Luzon Mineral Resources Corp. (NLMRC).

Local farmers, Indigenous communities and environmental groups have raised concerns over possible environmental damage, threats to livelihoods and water security and alleged lack of genuine consultation and Free, Prior and Informed Consent.

Three Indigenous leaders were arrested on Aug. 19 over alleged grave coercion and disobedience but later posted bail. On Aug. 28, tensions escalated when police moved to clear a blockade against fuel trucks, resulting in the arrest of 11 to 13 protesters.

Provincial and municipal officials, including Gov. Jose Gambito and Kasibu Vice Mayor Alberto Bumolo Jr., have since negotiated with protesters for a temporary agreement to keep NLMRC personnel and equipment out of the site while talks continue. Religious leaders have also called for dialogue.

NLMRC holds an exploration permit covering a 4,456-hectare gold and copper exploration area in Barangay Paquet, Kasibu, approved in 2025.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian sponsored a resolution on Tuesday creating a Senate ad hoc committee to respond to the country’s economic challenges.

Gatchalian, along with Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, introduced the bill creating the Reinvigorate Investment and Sustainable Economic Growth (RISE) Ad Hoc Committee.

‘The problems facing our economy are clear, broad, and interconnected. We are simultaneously feeling the impact of reduced infrastructure spending and the decline in Filipino family spending, the impact of rising oil prices and the decline in the value of our countrymen’s incomes,’ Gatchalian said in his sponsorship speech.

He continued: ‘Ito ang layunin ng Reinvigorate Investment and Sustainable Economic Growth o RISE ad hoc committee… It will craft recommendations that address the economic slow down and the economic effects of geopolitical events across the globe.’

(This is the purpose of the Reinvigorate Investment and Sustainable Economic Growth or RISE ad hoc committee… It will craft recommendations that address the economic slow down and the economic effects of geopolitical events across the globe.)

According to Gatchalian, upon adoption of the measure, the ad hoc panel will be composed of all senators, with Senate economic affairs panel head Risa Hontiveros serving as its chairperson.

The vice chairpersons will be Finance panel head JV Ejercito; Ways and Means Committee chairperson Panfilo Lacson; Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship panel head Bam Aquino; Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies panel head Mark Villar; Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development panel head Joel Villanueva; Public Works panel chairperson Tito Sotto III; and Energy Committee chairman Erwin Tulfo.

Under the resolution, the ad hoc committee is mandated to submit an interim report, including measures to add to the 2027 National Budget, before it is ratified by both chambers of Congress.

Then, after the full inquiry is completed, the committee will submit its final report to the Senate before sine die adjournment on June 4, 2027.

‘Changes in world events cannot be controlled or prevented, but we can control how we plan so that changes do not cripple our people’s lives in the short-term and derail the economic goals meant to benefit future generations,’ Gatchalian also said.

The low-pressure area (LPA) off Itbayat, Batanes has dissipated, while Tropical storm Pilandok (international name: Krovanh) maintained its strength inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday afternoon, the state weather bureau said.

In a weather advisory issued at 4 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) reported that Pilandok was estimated 1,015 kilometers (km) east of extreme Northern Luzon.

Pilandok has a maximum sustained wind speed of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph while moving west-northwest at 10 kph.

According to Pagasa, Pilandok may exit the country on Thursday, Sep. 3, while maintaining its strength.

The weather bureau previously reported that the weather disturbance will remain far from the Philippine landmass and is less likely to make landfall.

Pagasa also reported that it continues to monitor Tropical storm Saudel, formerly Obet west of Calayan, Cagayan, and another LPA off southeastern Luzon and outside the PAR.

The second LPA remained to have a medium chance of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours, Pagasa said

Malacañang on Tuesday said the backlash against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. over a viral video showing him singing during a post-birthday celebration for first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos was understandable but maintained that it was fueled by a ‘wrong narrative.’

In the video, Marcos was seen serenading his wife with Basil Valdez’s ‘You’ and The Beatles’ ‘And I Love Her’ during her birthday celebration at their home on Aug. 26.

Netizens, however, criticized the timing of the celebration as Metro Manila and other provinces grappled with severe flooding caused by heavy rains.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said there was nothing wrong with the celebration, noting that the president continued to monitor the country’s situation.

‘To those who were disappointed because they felt that it was-what do you call that-insensitive, we cannot blame them because that was the narrative that reached them,’ she said.

‘We understand you because a different story was portrayed. But we also hope that you can see that throughout the entire week, even yesterday, when there were no classes and it was a holiday, the president remained focused,’ she added.

According to Castro, Marcos did not neglect his duties to provide for the needs of Filipinos, particularly those affected by the flooding.

The Palace official also clarified that the celebration did not take place at the height of the heavy rains, contrary to what had been circulating online.

Based on the state weather bureau’s forecast for the evening of Aug. 26, the southwest monsoon was expected to bring cloudy skies with scattered rains over Luzon and Western Visayas.

A yellow rainfall warning was raised over Zambales, where 50 to 100 millimeters of rain was forecast.

Rescuers recovered on Aug. 31 the body of a 9-year-old boy who was swept away by strong currents in Guagua town three days earlier.

The Grade 2 student slipped from a concrete slope protection along a river in Barangay San Jose, Guagua, on Aug. 29 while accompanying a still-unidentified man who had gone fishing, according to the Guagua Information Office.

Strong currents carried the boy downstream to Barangay Santa Monica in neighboring Lubao town, where rescuers recovered his body on Monday.

The incident came amid heavy monsoon rains that caused widespread flooding in parts of Pampanga

Witnesses at Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial are prohibited from possessing or accessing earpieces, mobile phones, smartwatches, and similar communication devices while testifying, Sen. Francis Escudero, the impeachment court presiding officer, warned on Tuesday.

Escudero issued the directive after announcing the court’s finding that a viral image allegedly showing witness Lemuel Ortoni, Office of the Vice President assistant secretary and assistant chief of staff, wearing an earpiece was AI-generated and false.

On Day 20 of the trial, Escudero said he made the announcement, even before the testimony of the next witness, to correct misinformation about Ortonio and to establish a clear rule against coaching or outside influence during testimony.

‘After Mr. Ortonio testified before this court, an image of him allegedly wearing an earpiece was widely circulated on the internet,’ Escudero said.

‘We take this opportunity after verification that it was an AI-generated image and simply false,’ he added. ‘What he had was a front-fold helix, an ear piercing in the front-fold helix of his ear, not an earpiece.’

He did not identify who created or circulated the image but directed the finding to be put on the record to prevent the image from being used as proof of misconduct by Ortonio or any party in the trial.

The false image circulated on social media, suggesting that Ortonio might have been getting coached while on the witness stand.

At the same time, Escudero stressed that the incident required a uniform preventive rule for all succeeding witnesses.

‘Every witness must testify solely from his or her own knowledge, free from coaching or influence from counsel or any other person,’ he said.

Basis of the directive

According to a House statement on Tuesday, Escudero anchored his directive by analogy to a provision in Supreme Court Administrative Matter No. 24-11-02-SC, which bans the use of cellphones, tablets, and similar gadgets or materials during virtual hearings to prevent coaching and disruption.

Escudero also cited a US Supreme Court case – Villarreal v. Texas – which discussed limits on attorney communications that could shape a witness’s ongoing testimony, including communication through an earpiece while the witness is testifying.

He further cited a 2010 Florida appellate case – Sky Development Inc. v. Vistaview Development Inc. – which involved attempts to influence a witness through a written note and text messages during deposition and trial.

Escudero then enumerated the devices covered by the new directive.

‘Accordingly, no witness while testifying shall possess, have access to, or use any earpiece, headset, cell phone, smartwatch, smart glasses, or any other similar device capable of transmitting or receiving information or communication,’ he ruled.

The order also applies to any effort to get help from another person while testimony remains unfinished.

‘Witnesses are also prohibited from receiving or attempting to receive any communication, suggestion, answer, signal, message, or prompt from any person, whether inside or outside this court, regardless of the means employed,’ Escudero said.

The prohibition shall remain in force during recesses and until the witness is formally discharged by the court,’ he added.

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division on Tuesday moved the arraignment of Tarlac Rep. Noel Rivera to October 7 in light of his motion to consolidate the cases against him.

Rivera, who represents the third district of Tarlac province, faces nine counts of violating Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act before the Sandiganbayan, two of which were raffled to the court’s Fifth Division.

At the hearing on Tuesday, Sandiganbayan Fifth Division Chairperson Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeses noted the motions for consolidation and to quash the information filed by Rivera through his legal counsel on August 11 and 24, respectively.

‘The arraignment is deferred, considering [the] pendency of the motion for consolidation and the motion to quash filed by the accused in both cases,’ Trespeses said.

He also acknowledged the omnibus consolidated comment-opposition filed by state prosecutors on August 28 in response to Rivera’s motions.

‘The same are now submitted for resolution,’ Trespeses noted.

The charges against Rivera stem from his and his wife’s alleged shareholdings in Tarlac 3-G Construction and Development Corporation, which obtained nine government infrastructure contracts during his term in office from 2022 to 2025.

State prosecutors indicted Rivera for violating Section 3(h) of RA No. 3019, which prohibits ‘directly or indirectly having financing or pecuniary interest in any business, contract or transaction in connection with which he intervenes or takes part in his official capacity, or in which he is prohibited by the Constitution or by any law from having any interest.’

Last Thursday, the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division, which also handles two of Rivera’s cases, denied his move to consolidate the nine counts of graft to a single court division.

The Sixth Division agreed with the prosecution’s argument that consolidating the cases ‘will only result in the muddling of facts and issues, which may cause confusion and delay

Office of the Vice President (OVP) Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio was not wearing an earpiece when he testified during Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero said on Tuesday.

Rather, it was his ear piercing that appeared in viral photos manipulated to look like an earpiece, the presiding officer said.

After Ortonio’s testimony as a prosecution witness ended on August 26, several photos of his ear decorated with a piece of small metal were spread online. The metal was speculated to be an earpiece.

‘After Mr. Ortonio testified before this court, an image of him allegedly wearing an earpiece was widely circulated on the internet… It was an AI generated image and simply false… What he had was an ear piercing at the front fold helix of his ear. Not an earpiece,’ Escudero told the court.

Still, Escudero reminded that witnesses’ testimonies must be free of influence.

‘Every witness must testify, nevertheless, solely from his or her own knowledge, free from coaching or influence from counsel or any other person,’ he said.

Escudero cited the case of a ruling by the United States Supreme Court which barred witnesses testifying from having access to earpieces, headset, mobile phone, smart watch, smart glasses, and any other gadget where information could be transmitted.

The same ruling also prohibits any form of signalling or suggestion to the witness while inside or outside of the courts.

He also cited the ruling of a court in Texas wherein no parties are allowed to influence the witness through a script by any interested