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A public works engineer who admitted to collecting and counting alleged kickbacks from Bulacan flood control projects said on Tuesday that former House Speaker Martin Romualdez was not among the recipients.

Engineer John Carlo Rivera, who worked under former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) District Engineer Henry Alcantara, testified to this before the anti-graft court during Romualdez’s bail hearing over alleged kickbacks worth P7.44 billion.

During the cross-examination of Romualdez’s counsel, Ronald Solis, Rivera said Romualdez was not mentioned anywhere in his written judicial affidavit.

Rivera also said he has not mentioned Romualdez in his previous testimonies before the Sandiganbayan. He testified before in the malversation case hearing of former Sen. Bong Revilla.

Rivera also confirmed that the alleged commitments he mentioned in his judicial affidavit were associated with projects in Bulacan, not Leyte, the province represented by Romualdez in Congress.

Rivera said around P35 billion worth of projects yielded around P5 billion in kickbacks.

According to Rivera, the biggest amount of projects is at P14.190 billion in 2024, followed by P12.930 billion (2023), P7.385 billion (2025), and P519 million (2022).

Rivera said the commitments from these Bulacan projects were allegedly delivered to proponents including former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, also a co-accused in this plunder case; former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, Revilla, and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.

Rivera said Alcantara relayed the identity of the proponents to him.

The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the Bureau of Customs (BOC) over a mismatch in records of confiscated assets, including 52 seized vehicles in Port of Manila (POM) worth over a billion pesos.

In its 2025 audit report for BOC uploaded to COA website on Oct. 21, the state auditor said the vehicles were listed as seized, but the records are either incomplete or the corresponding report was not submitted.

‘Included in the noted discrepancies are 52 confiscated vehicles under the POM with an estimated value of P1.292 billion,’ the COA said.

The 52 missing vehicles are part of 1,954 ‘difference’ or missing entries between the reports of the port’s Auction and Cargo Disposal Division (ACDD) and the Auction and Cargo Disposal Management Division (ACDMD).

COA said the port’s ACDD logged 4,803 cases or entries, but the ACDMD and Accounting Division (AD) only recorded 2,849.

The ACDMD told COA that several memoranda and reminders had already been issued to all ports, directing the submission of monthly reports, including those without seized or abandoned cargoes, to ensure timely monitoring, reconciliation, and record updating.

‘Despite these directives, full compliance has not yet been achieved, which management attributed primarily to the large volume of confiscated assets being handled and maintained by the ports concerned,’ COA said.

COA said such discrepancies expose the confiscated goods ‘to risks of loss, pilferage, or unauthorized disposal.’

To address this, COA said the ports should submit the monthly report of confiscated assets to the ACDMD for consolidation and monitoring and then to the AD for proper recognition and recording of such goods.

Theater actress Shiela Valderrama will play Intergalactic Queen Femina Suarestellar Baroux in the 20th-anniversary staging of the Filipino musical ‘Zsazsa Zaturnnah Ze Parteeeh!’ in April 2027.

Queen Femina, the ruler of Planet XXX and leader of the Amazonistas, is one of the musical’s central antagonists, known for her flamboyant personality.

Composer, lyricist and musical director Vincent A. DeJesus said Valderrama’s musical theater experience makes her a fitting choice for the role.

‘Ang Zsazsa Zaturnnah ay isang hyper camp universe, at si Queen Femina ay larger than life! She is commanding, theatrical and totally a loose cannon,’ DeJesus said in a statement sent to Inquirer Entertainment.

Valderrama joins a roster of performers who have portrayed Queen Femina in previous productions. Agot Isidro and Kalila Aguilos shared the role in the original 2006 staging, followed by Meliza Reyes-Uy in 2009 and Pinky Amador in 2011. Kakki Teodoro later played the character in the 2023 student production ‘Zsazsa Zaturnnah the Musical… ‘Yun Lang!’

With a career spanning 35 years, Valderrama has appeared in theater productions as Diana Goodman in ‘Next to Normal,’ Fosca in Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Passion’ and Erzulie in ‘Once on This Island.’ She won the 2025 Aliw Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for her performance in ‘Next to Normal.’

Valderrama was also part of the opening team of Hong Kong Disneyland, where she played Bebe in ‘The Golden Mickeys’ and became the first Asian performer to portray Nala in ‘Festival of the Lion King.’ She also joined Broadway Asia’s Asian tour of ‘Cinderella’ as an alternate for the title role.

Her other recognitions include awards and nominations from the Awit Awards, Philstage Gawad Buhay, LEAF and the Aliw Awards. PeopleAsia also named her one of its Women of Style and Substance for 2026.

The revival marks 20 years since ‘Zsazsa Zaturnnah’ first reached the stage in 2006. The musical is based on Carlo Vergara’s graphic novel about Ada, a gay beautician who transforms into the superheroine Zsazsa Zaturnnah after swallowing a mysterious stone.

Further announcements about the April 2027 production are expected in the coming months.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara welcomed on Monday the Department of Budget and Management’s approval of the creation of 3,627 teaching and teaching-related positions for the newly established Schools Division Office (SDO) of Sulu. – a major development for public school teachers and personnel across Sulu,

‘We know that there’s some worry about such a big change in the work situation. So our message to our teachers and workers in Sulu: You are part of the DepEd family, you are protected, and we won’t neglect your livelihood,’ Angara said in Filipino in a statement issued on Tuesday.

‘It’s our obligation to recognize the sacrifices of our teachers, and fulfill what President Bongbong Marcos has said – that nobody will be left behind as we transfer to DepEd the education system in Sulu,’ he added.

The milestone follows the recent visit of Marcos and Angara to Kawmpang Elementary School in Patikul, Sulu, where the president personally assured educators of a smooth and secure administrative transition as the province moves from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to the Zamboanga Peninsula under Executive Order No. 91, s. 2025.

During the visit, Marcos affirmed that the national government was working to safeguard job security, noting that existing personnel would be absorbed and supported through newly created plantilla positions.

Under the DBM-approved breakdown, the 3,627 newly created positions include 3,618 teaching items spanning Teacher I to Master Teacher II for kindergarten, elementary, and junior high school levels, alongside nine teaching-related positions, including Head Teacher I and School Principal I and II.

These come on top of the DBM’s earlier approval of 84 administrative and division positions to staff the SDO Sulu headquarters. Of these 84 positions, 40 are currently held by incumbent personnel from the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTEBARMM) deployed in Sulu, who are prioritized for absorption under Civil Service Commission rules.

‘I’m impressed by the dedication of our teachers in Sulu because, despite the challenges, they continue to teach. So we ensured that this transition will be quick and orderly for them so that all they would have to think about is guiding and teaching our youth,’ Angara said.

DepEd is coordinating with the DBM, the Zamboanga Peninsula regional office, and local government partners in fast-tracking the deployment and appointment protocols to ensure that salaries, benefits, and operational support continue without interruption.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said that it seized P62.8 million worth of suspected illegal drugs and arrested five individuals in three separate operations.

Its joint operation with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and National Bureau of Investigation blocked alleged major drug shipments in Lanao del Sur, Pasay City and Pampanga on Monday, Oct. 26 in a one-day haul.

Among those intercepted are approximately 10,089 grams of suspected ketamine packed inside a parcel at FedEx Cargo Area in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga.

It has a standard drug price of P50.44 million pesos.

About 7,335 grams of dried leaves, suspected as high-grade marijuana, worth more than P11 million was also seized at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City.

The operation in Pasay City led to the arrest of two suspects.

The PNP further reported that a drug raid at Barangay Matling, Malabang in Lanao del Sur led to the recovery of around 200 grams of suspected shabu.

Its standard drug price is at P1.36 million.

Three persons were also nabbed in Lanao del Sur.

‘The results show that when we share information and act on it properly, we can prevent illegal drugs from reaching their intended destinations,’ PNP Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement.

‘Let’s go on – with good coordination, correct process and rapid action,’ he told law enforcers.

If you have been reading my entertainment column since the beginning, you know that I am a firm believer in the power of a single, culture-shifting riff. There are songs that define an era, and then there are songs that completely re-engineer the musical landscape. When Metallica released ‘Enter Sandman’ in the summer of 1991, they did not just unleash a monster track. They fundamentally shifted the tectonic plates of heavy metal, bridging the gap between the underground thrash scene and absolute global mainstream dominance.

The birth of a sonic restraint

Let us take a trip down memory lane. Before the self-titled ‘Black Album’ dropped, Metallica was already respected as the undisputed kings of the underground. Albums like ‘Master of Puppets’ and ‘…And Justice for All’ were clinical, complex, and unyielding masterpieces of speed and aggression. But ‘Enter Sandman’ was different. It was a masterclass in sonic restraint and heavy-groove architecture. The legendary clean guitar intro, dripping with an eerie, cinematic dread, builds tension like a classic horror movie before Lars Ulrich’s thunderous drums come crashing in. It is a slow burn that explodes into one of the most recognizable guitar riffs in human history.

Lyrical darkness under broad daylight

James Hetfield’s vocal delivery here is nothing short of iconic. Moving away from the raw, high-speed bark of their early thrash days, Hetfield tapped into a deeper, more sinister, and infinitely more melodic register. By utilizing a child’s bedtime prayer as a central lyrical motif, he turned a universal childhood fear into an anthem that can fill stadiums. It is pure, unfiltered dark imagery disguised as a radio-friendly rock song.

A masterclass in the wah-wah pedal

We also cannot talk about ‘Enter Sandman’ without giving Kirk Hammett his flowers. The guitar solo in this track is a textbook example of how to construct a solo that is both technically impressive and incredibly catchy. Utilizing his signature wah-wah pedal to maximum effect, Hammett creates a soaring, blistering sequence that sings just as loudly as the vocal choruses.

An undisputed global heavy metal legacy

Over thirty years later, the impact of ‘Enter Sandman’ shows absolutely no signs of fading. It has been covered by countless artists across every genre imaginable, and it still serves as the ultimate gateway song for teenagers discovering the world of heavy metal for the very first time. It is a timeless capsule of heavy metal perfection, a song that proved you did not have to sacrifice your edge to conquer the world.

Say your prayers, little one. ‘Enter Sandman’ remains an undisputed, heavy metal masterpiece.

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has partnered with Southstar Drug to expand access to free medicines and educate Filipinos on the proper use of generic drugs.

The ‘Kasama sa Pag-Galing’ campaign, launched last month, aims to educate communities about generic medicines, prescription reading, proper over-the-counter medication use, and refill planning.

Southstar Drug was formally accredited as a partner pharmacy under PhilHealth’s Gamot (Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment) benefit package under the Yaman ng Kalusugan (Yakap) program.

Launched in August 2025, the PhilHealth Gamot package expanded the initial list of 21 free medicines to 75, with an annual limit of P20,000 at select clinics and pharmacies.

The program covers medicines for common conditions, including infections, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart conditions and nervous system disorders, as well as other supportive therapies.

To avail of the Gamot package, beneficiaries must first register for the Yakap program through the eGovPH app, the PhilHealth member online portal, or PhilHealth offices.

They must obtain a prescription from a Yakap or PhilHealth-certified physician and present it, along with a government-issued ID, at any Gamot facility to receive free medicines.

Through the partnership, Southstar Drug stores will also assist Yakap beneficiaries in understanding their Gamot privileges and connecting with Yakap-accredited doctors and facilities.

Nearly 3,000 police officers will be deployed across Mimaropa to secure cemeteries, transport hubs and other public areas during All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2).

The MIMAROPA police are implementing security measures in more than 200 cemeteries, memorial parks and columbaria, as well as churches, major roads, tourist destinations and transportation terminals.

‘Our priority is to ensure that families can pay their respects to their departed loved ones in a safe and peaceful environment,’ said Police Brig. Gen. Christopher R. Dela Cruz, MIMAROPA regional police director.

He urged the public to remain vigilant, follow safety regulations, and cooperate with authorities, noting that keeping the observance safe was a shared responsibility.

Police advised families visiting cemeteries to keep children within sight, establish a meeting point in case family members become separated, secure valuables, and follow cemetery rules and police instructions.

Motorists were also urged to inspect their vehicles before traveling, plan their routes, allow extra travel time and avoid distracted or impaired driving.

Residents leaving their homes for cemetery visits or travel were advised to lock doors and windows, switch off unnecessary electrical appliances, and take precautions to protect their properties.

The deployment aims to maintain peace and order and help families commemorate their departed loved ones safely in Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas expects Bennie Boatwright to be available for his much-awaited Gilas Pilipinas debut next month in the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers after completing the process of his naturalization.

Executive director Erika Dy said during Tuesday’s SBP Congress that Boatwright is ‘most likely’ for the fifth window of qualification after being told that his Philippine passport has already been processed.

‘He already got his passport application last Friday and we were told earlier that [the passport] is ready for claiming,’ Dy said during the Congress held at Crowne Plaza.

Boatwright secured Filipino citizenship after a naturalization bill lapsed into law last August. But the San Miguel Beer import during the 2023-24 Commissioner’s Cup and this season’s Commissioner’s Cup also had to take an oath of allegiance at the Philippine consulate in China, where he is currently playing, before submitting his passport application.

The 30-year-old is set to provide a big boost for Gilas in the upcoming window where Gilas takes on Syria and Iran in Seremban, Malaysia.

Dy said Boatwright was actually measured for his playing uniforms in anticipation of being included in the next window.

‘It’s really a big boost because aside from his outside shooting, he has height also,’ said Dy. ‘He’s a versatile player which we really need. Coach Tim Cone is very excited and even Bennie is excited so we’re really looking forward to having him very soon.’

As a small-town lawyer accustomed to boundary line disputes between neighbors, I step into public international law with no small measure of trepidation. Maritime geopolitics lies far beyond my modest jurisdiction. Yet, watching armed foreign vessels encircle our offshore reefs, one needs no diploma in diplomacy to recognize ancient wisdom: when clear boundaries are erased by force, a minor spark can ignite a massive blaze.

China’s immediate protest against a United States naval passage near Escoda (Sabina) Shoal-claiming an ‘illegal intrusion’ into its territory-presents a legal impossibility. Escoda lies roughly 110 nautical miles off Palawan, squarely within the 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Philippines under Unclos. The 2016 arbitral award permanently invalidated historic claims across these waters, affirming that feature-by-feature assertions cannot override a nation’s lawful EEZ. Under settled law, one cannot suffer an infringement on rights one does not legitimately possess.

What causes me, a provincial practitioner, genuine alarm, however, is not just the physical maneuvering at sea, but the sharp escalation in rhetoric on land. The ongoing public ‘word war’ between the Chinese diplomatic mission and key Philippine figures-most notably Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Philippine Coast Guard Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela-has grown dangerously personal and contentious. When diplomatic discourse devolves from policy debate into coercive posturing and veiled warnings, the diplomatic shock absorbers meant to prevent armed conflict begin to fail.

Our own history provides a tragic reminder of how fast a localized misunderstanding can spiral. On the night of Feb. 4, 1899, along the dark boundary lines of Sta. Mesa, Manila, an American sentry named Private William Grayson spotted a few Filipino soldiers crossing near Blockhouse 7. He shouted ‘Halt!’ heard a response he did not understand, and pulled the trigger. That single rifle shot exploded into the Philippine-American War, consuming our country in years of bitter conflict.

History shows that major wars rarely start with grand declarations; they begin when nervous men with guns stand face-to-face across disputed lines. Today’s world is littered with fragile tinderboxes-from the Taiwan Strait and the Strait of Hormuz to regional flash points in South America and the Horn of Africa. Modern warlords turn these minor friction points into major battlegrounds. With the recent deliberate ramming of a Philippine resupply vessel near Escoda Shoal, our margin for error is shrinking dangerously.

Operational transits supporting international freedom of navigation do not destabilize sea lanes; unilateral aggression and coercive rhetoric do. Beijing must understand that repetitive claims and sharp words do not create legal entitlement. But as a nation, we must also remain vigilant about who holds our own steering wheel. In a sea crowded with warships, miscalculations, and short tempers, the doctrine of ‘have gun, will shoot’ is a death sentence. It takes only one trigger-happy leader on either side to turn an impoverished reef in our backyard into the spark that burns down the house.