Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

A fire that destroyed 13 houses and displaced 19 families in Catbalogan City, Samar along with a smaller cemetery fire in Tanauan and a structurally damaged mausoleum in Jaro, both in Leyte, were among the incidents reported in Eastern Visayas during the observance of Undas.

In Catbalogan City, a fire hit Barangay Canlapwas at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, destroying 13 houses and damaging another before it was declared out at 1:50 p.m.

An initial Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis conducted by the City Engineering Office and the City Social Welfare and Development Office, in coordination with the barangay government, recorded 19 affected families.

Of these, 13 were homeowners whose houses were totally destroyed, four were families sharing homes with the owners, one was renting a destroyed house, and one owned the partially damaged house.

Mayor Dexter Uy personally led the distribution of initial relief packs to affected residents, together with social welfare personnel. Families needing temporary shelter were evacuated to the Payao Evacuation Center.

The city government, in coordination with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, mobilized emergency responders and relief teams to assist the displaced families.

Meanwhile, a small fire broke out at the Tanauan Catholic Cemetery in Tanauan, Leyte, on Nov. 1, amid the influx of visitors observing All Saints’ Day.

Personnel from the Tanauan Fire Station immediately responded and contained the fire. No injuries were reported.

FO2 Crisley Leonido, an investigator at the Tanauan Fire Station, attributed the incident to accumulated candle wax and strong winds.

Leonido said the buildup of melted candle wax, combined with the strong winds, contributed to the fire.

Fire personnel reminded cemetery visitors to exercise caution when lighting candles, avoid leaving them unattended, and properly dispose of used candles to prevent similar incidents.

In another cemetery-related incident, the Jaro municipal government in Leyte cordoned off a mausoleum at the Jaro Catholic Cemetery after it developed cracks and was in danger of collapsing beside an irrigation canal.

The local government placed caution tape around the structure as an immediate safety measure to prevent visitors from approaching or entering the hazardous area.

Authorities also reminded those visiting the cemetery for All Souls’ Day to stay away from the damaged mausoleum, avoid touching or stepping on it, and refrain from crossing or entering the restricted area.

Japanese businesses have raised concerns over a controversial asset-surrender provision introduced ahead of the planned coal mine site bidding, warning that the rule may spoil investor confidence in the Philippine market.

In a position paper dated Oct. 30 submitted to the Department of Energy (DOE), Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines Inc. (JCCIPI) said many firms continue to explore possible investment opportunities in the Philippines, including artificial intelligence, mineral processing and semiconductors.

However, the recent joint administrative order issued by the DOE and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) posed legal questions as well as further uncertainty in the business environment.

JCCIPI noted that the recovery, amortization or even depreciation of operational assets should not be the basis for the eventual transfer of ownership to the government. Doing so could threaten the financial position of the companies, as this would lead to a drop in their asset value.

‘The scope and legal basis of the turnover requirement therefore require clarification, particularly where assets were acquired using private capital and remain privately owned,’ the group said.

JCCIPI also said that some of its members had joined in previous bidding rounds without the government demanding them to surrender their assets.

The sudden shift in the rules would create regulatory instability, it said.

‘Bidding rules should be clear, transparent and applied equally to all qualified participants,’ the business group said.

‘Mining and resource development require substantial, long-term capital commitments. Uncertainty over the ownership and treatment of operational assets at contract expiration can affect corporate valuation, financing arrangements and decisions on future investments,’ it added.

The deal earlier struck by sovereign wealth fund Maharlika Investment Corp. to buy into National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), the country’s privatized electricity superhighway, hasn’t been consummated more than a year after document signing.

And most likely, President Marcos will finish his term without the state getting a foothold in this much-coveted energy infrastructure.

‘They didn’t come back to us. Pataas ng pataas presyo (Share prices have been rising) but they didn’t come back anymore,’ said Henry Sy Jr., chair of NGCP parent firm Synergy Grid and Development Phils. Inc.

When Maharlika signed the agreement to acquire 20 percent of NGCP-purportedly to give the government greater influence in a critical infrastructure where a Chinese entity is a part-owner-Synergy (under the ticker GSP) was trading at just P10.98 per share at the stock market. To date, its share price has surged to P25.50 per share, which means the value of the stake committed to the government would have more than doubled in value.

But with the Marcos administration getting preoccupied with so many other concerns since then, including the flood-control corruption scandal and the political headwinds from the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte and the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, it seems that closing the NGCP deal has now become the least of Malacanang’s priorities.

The deal would have been the crown jewel of Maharlika, which was incepted in 2023 and soft-launched during Mr. Marcos’ trip to Davos, Switzerland on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.

After all, it’s a solid, high dividend-yielding infrastructure that would have set the tone for Maharlika’s investing activities.

From what we hear, the last time that Maharlika officials had spoken to NGCP counterparts was last year.

Like a groom ghosting a bride who was reluctant in the first place? It sounds like the deal is dead in the water. -Doris Dumlao-Abadilla

No done deal yet for VistaREIT

VistaREIT Inc. has no new asset deal to put in its shopping bag-at least, no definitive one.

The Villar-led real estate investment trust responded to reports concerning Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc.’s property plans, saying there was no definitive transaction involving the transfer or infusion of such assets into VistaREIT.

In a Thursday disclosure, the company said it was ‘not in a position to comment’ on reported transfers of properties owned by Vista Land or its subsidiaries to other parties.

‘Additionally, there is no definitive transaction involving the transfer or infusion of such assets into VREIT. The company will make the appropriate disclosures to the exchange in accordance with applicable disclosure requirements,’ the company said.

The clarification followed reports about a possible sale of Vista Mall Santa Rosa for P8 billion and potential transfers of commercial properties into the listed REIT.

VistaREIT issued its response after the Philippine Stock Exchange sought confirmation of the reported information.

The company said it would make the appropriate disclosures to the exchange in accordance with applicable requirements.

For investors awaiting additions to VistaREIT’s property basket, the operative word remains ‘definitive.’ -Emmanuel John B. Abris

Acevedo fills Virata seat at RCBC

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) named a successor to the late Cesar Virata, filling a post the former prime minister had held for more than a quarter of a century.

Retired RCBC president and CEO Eugene Acevedo was appointed vice chair of the bank, following approval by its board on Oct. 26. His appointment took effect the same day.

Acevedo, 62, already knows his way around the Yuchengco-led bank’s boardroom, having served as its director since July 2019. He retired as president and CEO of RCBC after a six-year tenure in 2025, and was succeeded by Reginaldo Cariaso.

Acevedo’s banking career spans 35 years, with senior positions at Union Bank of the Philippines, CitySavings Bank, Philippine National Bank and Citibank. His assignments have taken him to the Philippines, Singapore and Hong Kong.

The appointment follows Virata’s death on Oct. 2.

For Acevedo, the seat comes with a considerable legacy. -Emmanuel John B. Abris

Golden arrows, familiar targets

Some companies collect trophies. This batch is counting arrows-and keeping track of winning streaks.

PNB, Ayala Corp., DandL Industries, Century Pacific Food, Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures and three DMCI group companies earned recognition at the Institute of Corporate Directors’ Golden Arrow Awards on Oct. 23.

The awards use the Asean Corporate Governance Scorecard to assess shareholder rights, transparency, stakeholder engagement and board responsibilities.

PNB received four Golden Arrows for the fifth consecutive year.

Ayala, meanwhile, secured five Golden Arrows, the highest distinction, for the second straight year.

Nine other group companies also received awards, including BPI and Globe Telecom, which each earned five arrows.

Globe added a bigger milestone: five consecutive years of five-arrow recognition landed it in the Golden Arrow Hall of Fame.

DandL had its own streak to protect. The food ingredients and specialty chemicals manufacturer received three Golden Arrows for the second straight year, extending its run of governance recognition to seven consecutive years.

Over at Century Pacific Group, both Century Pacific Food and Shakey’s moved up to three Golden Arrows each from two last year.

Century Pacific Food, whose brands include Century Tuna and Argentina, cited board oversight of investments in dairy, coconut and pet food.

The DMCI contingent also brought home a haul: two arrows for DMCI Holdings, three for Semirara Mining and Power Corp. and two for Concreat Holdings Philippines. For Concreat, this marked its sixth overall governance recognition.

There’s plenty of hardware for the display shelves. The next scorecard will show who keeps their aim. -Emmanuel John B. Abris

Hogs in the limelight

As local hog raisers rallied to protest an influx of pork imports, the Department of Agriculture (DA) echoed an emotional letter of support to local producers, who have been bleeding from what they deem as ‘unfair competition’ from imports.

‘Hindi makatarungang malugi ang ating mga producer dahil sa hindi patas na kompetisyon (It is unfair for our producers to suffer losses because of unfair competition),’ Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in an open letter read by DA Undersecretary Asis Perez during the rally.

For the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag), now is the right time to restore pork tariffs, stressing that the industry is running out of time.

‘Every day of delay gives imported pork an unfair price advantage, further depresses local farm-gate prices, and pushes Filipino hog raisers and the entire hog industry ecosystem closer to collapse,’ Sinag executive director Jayson Cainglet said.

‘The clock is ticking. Our hog raisers are losing money. The industry cannot wait,’ said Cainglet, noting that the ripple effect could also gnaw on feed suppliers, veterinary drugs and animal health industries. -Jordeene B. Lagare

New boss, same BPI playbook

Rising inflation and borrowing costs may be making life harder for borrowers, but Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) is not retreating from retail lending.

And that commitment is expected to survive the bank’s upcoming changing of the guard.

BPI may tighten its credit standards and step up collection efforts, but it has no plans to deliberately scale back its exposure to the higher yielding but riskier consumer segment.

‘We believe that the consumer is the growth area of this country,’ BPI president and CEO Jose Teodoro ‘TG’ Limcaoco told reporters on Monday on the sidelines of an event hosted by BPI Wealth.

‘An economy does not always go down. You go through cycles,’ he said. ‘And the consumer is powering this economy.’

That thinking is expected to carry over to BPI’s next chief, Maria Cristina ‘Ginbee’ Go, who will take over from Limcaoco next year.

Limcaoco, who has led the bank since 2021, acknowledged that Go would have her own way of running things, but he is betting she will keep the consumer banking business going strong.

‘And I don’t expect her to lead with my style. But I think she’ll do very well,’ he said. ‘I think she will continue to power the consumer banking.’ -Ian Nicolas P. Cigaral

Good news from new SSS chief

It’s official: Social Security System (SSS) members can keep their paychecks intact, for now.

At least that’s what newly appointed Social Security System (SSS) president and CEO Victor Limlingan is standing By:no ‘insensitive’ contribution hike on his watch.

To recall, SSS members were already hit with a contribution rate increase to 15 percent last year.

‘I have no plans of asking our lawmakers to increase contributions. Life is hard. A lot of our countrymen are barely earning enough to survive,’ Limlingan said in his first media briefing since his appointment last week.

‘There’s the war in Iran and there’s the Super El Niño. The central bank governor himself said that he expects inflation to be high. So, it’s very insensitive of us to try and increase contributions,’ he added.

For now, Limlingan is betting on SSS’ investments to keep the pension fund afloat as it heads toward its projected actuarial life until 2049, with its investment portfolio now at around P1.3 trillion.

As for another contribution hike? That can wait.

Limlingan said the SSS could revisit the issue in 2028 or 2030, hopefully when workers have a little more breathing room. -Nyah Genelle C. De Leon

Manila-Singapore express

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) is looking to give local companies and investors a wider runway-with Singapore as the next stop.

The PSE and Singapore Exchange (SGX) have signed their most extensive collaboration agreement yet, setting the stage for possible depositary receipts, cross-listings and easier access between the two markets.

Also being explored are exchange-traded funds based on themes shared by both countries, derivatives and other products that could expand investment choices.

The exchanges will work with regulators and market participants to clear the operational and regulatory hurdles.

For companies, the partnership could open another route to capital and regional investors.

For investors, it could provide more ways to participate in the growth of both markets.

PSE president Ramon Monzon said the initiative sought to attract more investors and deepen market liquidity.

SGX Group CEO Loh Boon Chye, meanwhile, said stronger market links could make Southeast Asia’s growth story more accessible globally.

The deal was signed on the sidelines of the Asean Capital Markets Forum, as regional regulators push for more connected capital markets.

Business sentiment improved slightly in September, though companies remained pessimistic as stubbornly high inflation, a weakening peso and geopolitical tensions continued to weigh on confidence, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.

A nationwide survey of 515 companies showed the business confidence index rose to -8.4 percent from -10.9 percent in August. The negative reading, however, meant pessimists still outnumbered optimists.

Businesses cited persistent inflation, the peso’s depreciation, the prolonged conflict in the Middle East and weather-related disruptions to operations as reasons for their downbeat outlook.

Their expectation of future inflation also worsened. Companies now expect price growth to hit 5.7 percent over the next 12 months, up from their previous forecast of 5.4 percent.

Firms anticipating faster price increases pointed to continued oil price hikes, uncertainty over the outcome of the US-Iran conflict and further weakness in the peso.

The survey comes as the BSP steps up its fight against inflation. In October, the central bank surprised markets with a jumbo 50-basis-point interest rate increase, bringing its benchmark policy rate to 5.5 percent.

BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. cited risks from elevated oil prices, potentially sharp wage increases and food supply disruptions linked to the ongoing El Niño episode.

The central bank expects inflation to average 6.1 percent this year, well above its 3-percent target. It also raised its inflation forecast for 2027 to 6 percent from 5.4 percent, although it expects price growth to ease to 3.3 percent in 2028.

Despite the tighter monetary policy, businesses expect their overall cash position to improve, with fewer firms anticipating financial constraints. Access to credit, however, is expected to remain tight.

Hiring plans also became more cautious, as the share of companies intending to increase their workforce over the next 12 months declined. By contrast, more firms in the industry sector said they planned to expand operations.

Looking ahead, businesses were less optimistic about the near-term outlook. The confidence index for the next three months fell to 20.9 percent from 24.6 percent in the previous survey, reflecting diminished expectations for business conditions.

Sen. Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson has cautioned authorities against publicly disclosing operational details in the intensified search for Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, saying secrecy is essential when law enforcers pursue a high-profile target.

‘SSSHHH… : When pursuing a high-profile target or handling a sensitive live case, secrecy discipline is key, unless disinformation is necessary to flush the quarry into the open,’ Lacson said in a post on X on Sunday.

The Philippine National Police has stepped up its manhunt for Dela Rosa after a one-week ultimatum for the senator to surrender, issued by PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., expired on Friday. The search is unfolding amid a P50-million reward announced by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla for information leading to the senator’s arrest.

Lacson, who was PNP chief from 1999 to 2001 and Dela Rosa’s superior at the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, said authorities should not immediately publicize ‘solid’ information that could help solve a case until after the operation is completed.

He stressed that sensitive information should be disclosed ahead of time only as a deliberate strategy to flush out the quarry.

‘We’re just really quiet and only when the [target] was caught or neutralized that it would be telegraphed,’ Lacson said in an earlier interview. ‘For sure, Sen. Dela Rosa has been monitoring. And if he believes that his location has already been pinpointed, he’s not stupid to stay there.’

Lacson also acknowledged that releasing information could, in some circumstances, be a deliberate tactic to draw a wanted person out of hiding or avert bloodshed. But he said such a decision should be left to the police, which have wider access to intelligence.

‘We’ll just leave it to the PNP because they know better. They have broader access to intelligence information,’ he said.

Operational secrecy

The PNP announced on Oct. 28 the launch of round-the-clock hotlines for tips on Dela Rosa’s whereabouts. PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co presented five mobile numbers that the public may call or text with verified information. Co warned that people who deliberately submit false information or make prank calls could face criminal charges.

‘This is an official law enforcement resource, these are the numbers, and you can be criminally charged if you play with them,’ he said.

The PNP said it had received no new information on whether Dela Rosa intended to surrender. Co also said negotiations remained ongoing with a supposed armed group allegedly protecting the senator in Mindanao.

Nartatez issued the one-week surrender ultimatum on Oct. 23, saying police operations would proceed regardless of the reward or the deadline. The PNP has not publicly disclosed further operational details.

Dela Rosa is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with alleged crimes linked to the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs.

The senator has been in hiding since November 2025 after learning that an ICC warrant had been issued against him.

Legal challenge

In a manifestation dated Oct. 27, Dela Rosa’s lawyers renewed their plea for the Supreme Court to act urgently on a motion for reconsideration filed in June and issue a temporary restraining order against any attempt to arrest him for eventual surrender to the ICC.

The lawyers, from the firm of Israelito Torreon, argued that the P50-million bounty and Remulla’s description of Dela Rosa as ‘armed and dangerous’ heightened the threat to the senator’s constitutional rights, particularly his right to life.

‘No court has found petitioner Dela Rosa to be armed and dangerous,’ the lawyers told the high court. They argued that the label could signal to police operating units that armed resistance should be expected, creating circumstances in which lethal force was more likely to be used.

‘Coupled with a bounty and a declaration abandoning restraint, the designation places petitioner Dela Rosa’s right to life under Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution in present and serious danger,’ they said.

Dela Rosa left the Senate building in the early hours of May 14 after the ICC arrest warrant was unsealed.

He is accused of murder in connection with killings during the drug war while he was PNP chief from 2016 to 2018. He is also named as an alleged co-perpetrator in the ICC’s separate crimes against humanity case against Duterte, which concerns the former president’s anti-drug campaign.

Remulla had earlier said on Sept. 8 that authorities knew Dela Rosa’s location. On Oct. 19, he said the senator was in Mindanao under the protection of an armed group and warned that an arrest attempt could lead to 10,000 deaths. The PNP has not independently detailed those claims.

Dela Rosa appeared in the Senate on May 11 to vote in the chamber’s leadership election. He left the premises days later, after a shooting incident, and has not made a subsequent public appearance.

The New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) is anticipating at least 144,000 passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Monday, All Souls’ Day.

This is on top of the 868,423 passengers recorded from October 27 to November 1, which will push the total number of travelers using the country’s primary airport to over 1 million before the end of the Undas season.

‘Based on the projection of NNIC-AICCC (Airport Integrated Command and Control Center) passenger traffic is expected to reach at least 144,000 today,’ the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said in a text message to the media.

MIAA also said it is anticipating less passengers on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

‘Mas mataas po ang expected passenger volume namin today based on the projection, compared to November 3, we are expecting at least 139,000 passengers na lang po,’ MIAA told the Inquirer in a text message.

(The expected passenger volume today is higher based on projection compared to November 3, we are expecting at least 139,000 passengers.)

In 2025, NAIA handled 1,237,653 passengers from Oct. 27 to Nov. 4.

A 15-year-old boy has admitted killing his 46-year-old mother with a hammer following an argument at their home in Panglao, Bohol, before dragging her body to an abandoned septic tank, police said Sunday, Nov. 1.

Police Major Joseph Lopena, spokesperson for the Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO), said Panglao police initiated contact with the teenager, who eventually confessed to killing his mother.

Investigators said the boy allegedly attacked his mother after she reprimanded him for cutting classes. The argument reportedly escalated into a physical confrontation, prompting him to get a hammer and strike her on the head several times.

After the killing, he allegedly dragged her body about 30 meters from their house and dumped it inside an old septic tank, which he covered with stones.

Lopena said that investigators found out that the victim’s duster came off as her body was dragged to the septic tank, leaving her unclothed.

The hammer allegedly used in the killing was recovered by police after the teenager told investigators he had hidden it under the kitchen sink.

The victim’s body was discovered around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, after a neighbor and relative noticed blowflies hovering near the abandoned septic tank in Barangay Looc.

They checked the tank and found the woman’s body before reporting the discovery to their barangay captain.

According to the Panglao Municipal Police Station, it received the report at around 10:01 a.m. and dispatched personnel to the scene.

The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) team processed the area, completing its examination at around 5 p.m.

The municipal health officer initially estimated the victim died between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Oct. 31. Investigators also noted traumatic injuries to her head.

Police said the teenager initially told investigators that he last saw his mother on the evening of Oct. 30, when she told him she would travel to Tagbilaran City at around 9 p.m.

The suspect also claimed that the following morning, he just noticed that his mother had not returned home before he left for school.

Lopena said investigators learned that the teenager was reportedly a good student and an athlete, with no known vices and no known regular group of friends. Authorities also found that he had reached a high level in the online game Roblox.

John Arcilla has demanded justice for the 29 dogs and cats found dumped in a vacant lot in San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, as he called for a thorough investigation of pet crematoriums across the country following the incident.

In two social media posts over the weekend, Arcilla described the incident as a crime and accused questionable pet crematoriums of deceiving pet owners who pay for the proper cremation of their deceased animals.

‘Ito ay isang krimen,’ he said in his first post. ‘Kailangang panagutan at makulong ang mga may gawa nito. Ang may ari ng crematorium at ang mga staff na kasangkot.’

Arcilla also called for the closure of establishments that fail to comply with the necessary standards, saying it is a form of estafa toward pet owners or fur parents.

‘Ito ay panloloko at isang estafa. kumukubra ng pera pero walang produktong legal,’ the actor lamented. ‘Hindi ito makatarungan para sa mga nagbayad at nagtiwalang fur parents na ang mga abo na nasa kanila ay hindi naman abo ng kanilang mga fur babies.’

In a subsequent post, Arcilla shared his personal concerns as a pet owner, revealing that he had 11 dogs cremated after they died, mostly due to old age.

‘How can I confirm if all those urns contain the remains of my rightful furbabies?’ he said as he raised the possibility that some crematoriums could bury animal remains in their own properties while giving customers generic ashes instead.

Arcilla underscored that it is not an ‘overraction’ to demand accountability for cases like this.

‘Kailangan ma-investigate lahat ng pet crematoriums at ma-double-check ang kanilang facilities kung able and capable ba silang mag-operate. kung hindi at kahina-hinala ang kanilang operations, dapat ipa-close ito, at makulong ang mga may pananagutan, kasama ang staff na mga accomplice,’ he said.

‘Hindi ito overreaction. we pay a good sum for these services, out of love for our pets, whom we consider members of our families,’ added the veteran actor.

Arcilla’s remarks came after the remains of 29 dogs and cats were found inside sacks in a vacant lot in Barangay Minuyan Proper, San Jose del Monte, even though they were originally brought to Ahjay Paws Aftercare Pet Crematorium in Bacoor City, Cavite, for proper cremation.

Bacoor City Mayor Strike Revilla later ordered the closure of the crematorium involved in the incident.

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), meanwhile, urged the owners of the 29 animals to pursue legal action against the establishment, saying the incident may constitute estafa by means of deceit.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has monitored 9,643 passengers at ports across the Southern Tagalog provinces during a six-hour period on Monday, All Souls’ Day, as authorities maintained heightened security during the Undas season.

The Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog recorded 6,750 outbound passengers and 2,893 inbound passengers from 6 a.m. to noon on Monday.

During the same period, PCG personnel inspected 52 vessels, including 39 roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels, and 24 motorized bancas.

The monitoring was conducted under Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Undas 2026, the Department of Transportation’s initiative to ensure safe and orderly travel during the annual observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

The PCG placed its districts, stations and substations under heightened alert from Oct. 29 to Nov. 3 to strengthen maritime safety and security measures amid increased passenger movement.

Operatives arrested on Sunday Caraga region’s fifth most wanted person, who is facing a murder charge, in Agusan del Sur.

Police Col. Romeo Villalobos Jr., Agusan del Sur police provincial director, identified the suspect only by his alias, ‘Lando.’ He is 44 and a farmer residing in Barangay Bunawan Brook, Bunawan town.

Lando was cornered during a joint law enforcement operation in Barangay Poblacion, Rosario town, on Nov. 1.

The operation was led by the 1st Agusan del Sur Provincial Mobile Force Company, alongside the Regional Intelligence Division 13, the Regional Intelligence Unit 13-Provincial Intelligence Team, the provincial intelligence unit, and the municipal police station.

Judge Emily Zen Chua, executive judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 6 in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, issued the warrant of arrest for murder on Aug. 15, 2025.

No bail was recommended.

The suspect is currently detained at the Rosario Municipal Police Station, awaiting court disposition.