Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who recently resigned as special adviser to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), believes that the commission tasked to look into anomalous flood control projects remains credible.

‘Yes, yes. I still believe that the investigation by ICI will still be fine. Secretary (Rogelio) Babes (Singson), (retired Supreme Court Associate Justice) Chairman (Andres) Reyes (Jr.) are still there. (Former Philippine National Police chief) General (Rodolfo) Azurin (Jr.) is coming in,’ he said in a chance interview at the sidelines of the Budget Blockchain hearing in the Senate on Thursday.

‘I believe that as long as the investigation continues, just don’t reign over it, it will remain credible,’ Magalong added.

He said that prior to his resignation from ICI, its investigation had not received ‘pressure’ from outside forces.

‘When I was still there, there was no pressure,’ he said, adding that the ICI probe should be transparent and open.

‘It should be open so there would be no doubts. But I myself could say that I didn’t see anything being covered up there. I was attending its hearings. I go around but I also attend hearings. Is there any anomaly? Nothing, I would know,’ the Baguio mayor said.

Magalong’s role as special adviser to the ICI was placed in jeopardy over a tennis court project built by the Discaya-owned St. Gerrard Construction Company in Baguio City.

At a recent Palace briefing, Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a review to determine whether Magalong should remain as special adviser to the super body currently investigating anomalous public works projects in the country.

‘The President said that his case will be referred to the legal team to determine where he may be included, or where he should be properly inserted, so that the independence of the ICI will not be compromised and there will be no violation of any law,’ Castro said.

The issue stemmed from a P110-million tennis court project in Baguio City awarded in 2022 to St. Gerrard Construction Company, one of nine firms owned by contractor couple Cezarah ‘Sarah’ and Pacifico ‘Curlee’ Discaya.

The couple is under investigation for alleged involvement in problematic flood-control projects and for cornering a large share of these projects across the country.

Labor groups have recently questioned Magalong’s role in the ICI, stressing that he cannot wear two hats-as Baguio City mayor and as special adviser to the commission.

‘The mere fact that it was mentioned ‘you’re not an investigator, you’re just a legal adviser’. it simply means they didn’t want. stop investigating. That’s the message behind that. That message was simple. Don’t investigate. What’s my purpose then? Then I’ll just resign,’ said Magalong.

Magalong said he has not received any further instruction from the President since his resignation .

Senator Mark Villar broke his silence on Thursday, saying that he welcomes any investigations on his alleged involvement in anomalous flood control projects, maintaining that he has ‘nothing to hide.’

In a statement, the former Public Works and Highways chief turned senator categorically stated that he has neither direct nor indirect ownership nor controlling interest in any company participating in DPWH projects.

‘The official record will confirm that none of my relatives acquired any contracts from 2016 to 2021, during my tenure as Secretary,’ said Villar.

According to him, his focus at that time was solely to implement ‘deep-seated reforms and rebuild public trust.’

‘I have full faith that my service record in those years bears witness to this focus and commitment. To build upon that work, I fully support the investigation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure,’ said Villar.

‘Furthermore, to institutionalize these practices, we will be filing a bill to mandate universal drone monitoring for all major government projects,’ he added.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure earlier bared its plan to summon Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, former Ako Bicol Party-list Zaldy Co, and Villar on its probe into the multi-billion peso anomalous flood control projects in the country.

The Senate has sought to modernize budget transparency and accountability through the use of ‘blockchain technology,’ in a bid to make the national budget publicly available, ensuring accessibility, ease of understanding, and openness to citizen engagement.

During Thursday’s hearing of the Committee on Science and Technology, Aquino said the proposed Senate Bill No. 1330, or the Philippine National Budget Blockchain Act, will strengthen collaboration across the executive and legislative branches of the government, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders who play a vital role in sustaining and deepening democracy.

‘By no means this is the only solution, but many of us here believe that this can be one of the major solutions to our problems. Putting the budget on the blockchain is a way to ensure that every peso of the people’s money is monitored,’ Aquino stressed.

‘The bill is a possible solution so that every Filipino knows how the country’s money is being spent. Blockchain was also made a priority because it is transparent, honest, and secure,’ he added.

According to Aquino’s proposed measure, blockchain technology provides a powerful tool for this transformation, and its design guarantees accountability.

‘Through blockchain, all budget transactions become transparent, immutable, auditable and accessible to citizens in real time,’ said Aquino.

While the national budget is one of the most important instruments of governance, Aquino said documents related to it have remained closed, highly technical and difficult to understand, making oversight almost impossible even for those who want to scrutinize them.

‘This ensures that every peso can be tracked by the public. No more ‘fly-by-night’ contractors. No more hidden projects unknown to local governments,’ he said, adding that prices of materials can be easily compared across contracts.

‘To put our national budget on the blockchain answers many concerns and issues with our current system, where there are insertions and ghost projects. The public can see how people’s money is spent,’ he said.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) deployed an 18-man contingent to Cebu on Wednesday night, Oct. 1, following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the province.

The team coordinated with the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to assess urgent needs on the ground.

MMDA Chairman Don Artes said the contingent is composed of personnel from the Public Safety Division and the Road Emergency Group. They are tasked with assisting affected residents and supporting relief and recovery efforts.

‘The team will clear debris on roads that impede mobility and accessibility,’ Artes said in an official statement posted on Facebook Thursday.

K-9 units trained for search and rescue were also deployed to help locate survivors trapped under debris.

The contingent carried solar-powered water purifiers, life locators, extrication tools, trauma kits, and clearing equipment such as chainsaws and dump trucks.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard deployed a K-9 unit and delivered medical equipment and relief packs by ship, including a portable water desalinator in Bogo City capable of producing up to 20,000 liters of drinking water daily after the city’s pipeline was damaged.

These efforts were carried out in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to mobilize resources and provide immediate aid.

Abono party-list is now officially a member of the House of Representatives in the 20th Congress after Rep. Robert Raymond Estrella took his oath of office on Thursday, following a Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclamation.

During the plenary session on Thursday, Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos moved to allow Estrella to take his oath before House Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III, pursuant to Comelec’s proclamation.

‘We are in receipt of the proclamation issued by the Commission on Elections declaring Abono party-list as winner under the party-list system in the national and local elections on the 12th of May 2025, and to entitle its nominee, Robert Raymond M. Estrella, to sit as its representative in the House of Representatives of the Congress of the Philippines,’ Marcos said.

‘Pursuant to the aforementioned proclamation, I move to allow Robert Raymond M. Estrella, representative of Abono party-list, to take oath in open session,’ he added.

Deputy Speaker Kristine Singson-Meehan, who was presiding over the session, approved the motion after no objections were heard.

Three party-list seats are open for distribution after the Comelec en banc upheld a decision canceling the registration of Duterte Youth party-list.

‘The clerk of this Commission just issued today a certificate of finality and entry of judgment on the decision of the en banc [regarding the cancellation of Duterte Youth’s registration],’ Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said on Tuesday in an online interview with reporters.

According to him, the poll body en banc will hold a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the effects of the issuance of the certificate, particularly which party list groups will benefit from the three House seats originally allotted to Duterte Youth.

Garcia said the Comelec came out with the certificate of finality after the Supreme Court did not issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) within 30 days after the en banc upheld the cancellation of the party list group’s registration on August 29.

Duterte Youth won three seats in the 2025 midterm elections, ranking second with 2.338 million votes. However, the group was disqualified by Comelec based on the following grounds:

Untruthful statements in its petition, particularly on the eligibility of its nominees

No bona fide intention to represent the sector for which the petition has been filed and thus, preventing a faithful determination of the true will of the electorate

It has advocated for violence or unlawful means to achieve its goal

It was established that it is an adjunct or an entity funded or assisted by the National Youth Commission

With one seat being given to Abono party-list, two more seats will be made available for other groups. According to Garcia, Comelec will proclaim on Thursday the three representatives who will replace the Duterte Youth.

Davao City acting Mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte is continuing his legal offensive against government officials responsible for sending his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

This time, Duterte, through his lawyer Israelito Torreon, filed a disbarment case against Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty and Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon.

According to Torreon, the four officials violated the Canons of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA), the rule that governs lawyers.

However, he refused to specify which canon was violated by Remulla, Teodoro, Ty, and Fadullon.

‘That, I cannot say anymore, but you know, the Canons of Professional Responsibility, Canons 1 to the rest of the Canons, and if I mention the same, I might be violating my oath,’ he explained.

The young Duterte earlier filed before the Office of the Ombudsman kidnapping, arbitrary detention, and violating the rights of persons arrested under Republic Act 7438 against the four lawyers and several other officials.

However, Remulla was already given a clearance by the Office of the Ombudsman that he no longer has a pending case which was submitted to the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).

The clearance is necessary to be considered in choosing the shortlist of applicants to the top Ombudsman post.

Torreon said they are hoping that the disbarment case will affect Remulla’s application to become the next Ombudsman.

‘Hopefully. I do not have any qualms on the matter. That is one of the aims that we, that Mayor Duterte filed this case,’ he said.

Sought for comment, Remulla said the case ‘that is already expected. They cannot hide their displeasure .I will just roll with the punches.’

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Thursday said that there are efforts from the camp of Sen. Mark Villar to set up a meeting, but added that he has yet to respond, saying that his preference for all official communications and proceedings to be handled ‘transparently, officially, across the board.’

‘I still don’t have a response, as I’d rather everything be done through official channels. This ensures it’s handled transparently, officially, and consistently across the board, leaving no room for accusations,’ Remulla told reporters.

Remulla said there is a necessity to thoroughly review documents related to whatever issues the senator’s camp wants to discuss.

‘We have to get all the records.You know we have a lot of work here, and we have to deal with each one of them carefully,’ Remulla said, stressing the need to exercise due diligence.

Remulla earlier stated that a preliminary probe is being conducted into Villar’s connection to the P18 billion infrastructure contracts awarded by the government to his cousin.

Villar already denied his link to the P18 billion contract.

‘Let me be unequivocal: I have no direct or indirect ownership or controlling interest in any company participating in DPWH projects. The official record will confirm that none of my relatives acquired any contracts from 2016 to 2021, during my tenure as Secretary,’ the senator said.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) continues its investigation into the anomalous flood control projects.

On Thursday, DPWH engineer Henry Alcantara returned to the DOJ for further interview.

With 15 voting in favor, 3 opposing it, and 2 abstaining, 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, which was signed by Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, emphasized that because 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 if he is fit to withstand regular detention.

But should the medical findings prove that detention will further worsen his medical condition, the court should allow the former president to be placed under house arrest.

According to the resolution, ‘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.’

Subject to conditions

The senators also argued in the resolution that under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, all persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the 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 by an authority or qualified person designated by the ICC,’ they said.

In his sponsorship speech, Cayetano said the wheels of justice were already moving, whether it be in the country or in The Hague, where the ICC is based.

‘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 ICC, especially in the condition of President Duterte, who is 80 years old,’ he added.

Duterte faces three counts of murder before the ICC for the thousands killed in his drug war.

Not about politics

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.

‘For me, this is not politics. This is not DDS (term used for Duterte supporters) or Marcos. I am speaking as a son to a father who has the same illnesses as the [former] president right now. Mine is more of a humanitarian, compassionate request,’ said Zubiri.

‘That’s why we toned down the resolution-just in view of his deteriorating health . we’re just appealing to the ICC to allow it within the rules,’ he added.

Aside from Zubiri and Cayetano, the other senators who voted in favor were Imee Marcos, Robinhood Padilla, Rodante Marcoleta, Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, Jinggoy Estrada, Christopher ‘Bong’ Go, Joel Villanueva, 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 from voting.

Looks like Sen. Jinggoy Estrada is not exactly safe with the Sandiganbayan on the alleged misuse of his discretionary public funds or pork barrel after the court rejected his plea to dismiss his remaining graft charges for lack of merit.

In a 22-page resolution dated Oct. 1, the anti-graft court’s Special Fifth Division said there was ‘no cogent reason’ to reverse its earlier resolution that denied Estrada’s plea for a demurrer to evidence, which would ultimately dismiss his remaining graft charges involving the alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) amounting to more than P200 million.

The funds were allegedly diverted to fictitious livelihood projects that were endorsed to non-government organizations allegedly owned by businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, who has had numerous convictions over the supposed misuse of the pork barrel funds.

Estrada, in his motion for reconsideration cited by the court, argued that there should not be any prosecution for graft since there was already a prosecution against him for plunder from the ‘same set of facts and the same set of transactions.’

His motion also took note of the ‘similarity’ between the two sets of indictments wherein the prosecution in both cases ‘presented essentially the same set of exhibits and the same set of witness testimonies to prove the same theory, albeit to prosecute separate sets of crimes.’

But the court rejected his argument, saying there was nothing in the Rules of Court or the laws allegedly violated that there was a directive to dismiss a separate case for graft ‘on account of the charge being a predicate act in a prior case for plunder.’

‘The only reason to sustain such an argument would be if the same places the accused in double jeopardy, which is not the case herein, as shall be discussed by the court later,’ read the resolution signed by Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeses, the division chair; and Associate Justices Maryann Corpus-Mañalac and Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega.

Defense evidence

The court then set the presentation of defense evidence on Thursday at 8:30 a.m., with Estrada being given a period of five days from receipt of the resolution to file a manifestation if he prefers to cross-examine the defense’s witnesses or adopt his co-accused’s testimony or evidence.

The court also rejected Estrada’s argument that the prosecution failed to prove the element of scienter, wherein an accused acted with the illegality of the acts or with reckless disregard for truth.

Estrada said in his motion that he never knew of the supposed criminal scheme of Napoles with her NGOs, that he met and conferred with any of the other accused regarding the PDAF projects or that he dealt with any of the whistleblowers.

‘While it would be premature at this stage to delve into the probative value of the evidence adduced by the prosecution, the court notes that the prosecution has formally offered, and the record contains, the explicit testimony of witness Ruby Tuason,’ the court said.

According to the Sandiganbayan, Tuason had testified that she met with Estrada and informed him of Napoles’ scheme as early as 2004 and that she personally ‘delivered amounts to him on various occasions’ at the Senate and his residence.

‘Estrada’s insistence on the innocuousness of his endorsements is belied by its repetition and deviation from the established procedure,’ the court pointed out. ‘Estrada’s endorsement letters directly implicate him for the crimes charged and there is no basis for his argument that his letters were merely recommendatory.’

Paolo has intensified into a tropical storm and may further strengthen into a severe tropical storm before making landfall in northern Luzon, the weather bureau said Thursday morning, Oct. 2.

As of 4 a.m., the center of Paolo was estimated at 705 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, gusts of up to 80 kph, and was moving west-northwest at 20 kph, Pagasa added.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 remains hoisted over several provinces in Northern and Central Luzon, including:

Mainland Cagayan

Isabela

Quirino

Nueva Vizcaya

Apayao

Abra

Kalinga

Mountain Province

Ifugao

Benguet

Ilocos Norte

Ilocos Sur

La Union

Pangasinan

The northern portion of Zambales (Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz)

Tarlac

Nueva Ecija

Aurora

The northern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel, San Ildefonso)

The northern portion of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba, Mabalacat City)

The northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar), including the Polillo Islands

The northern portion of Catanduanes (Pandan, Bagamanoc, Panganiban, Viga)

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and nearby provinces in Calabarzon, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, and Bulacan are expected to experience cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms due to the storm’s troughs.

Zambales and Bataan, meanwhile, are forecast to have partly cloudy skies with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms.

On its current path, Paolo is expected to make landfall over Isabela and northern Aurora on Friday morning, Oct. 3, before crossing Northern Luzon and emerging over the West Philippine Sea.

Pagasa said the storm could intensify into a typhoon after crossing land once it reemerges over the sea.

Heavy rainfall outlook

On Oct. 3, heavy rains of over 200 millimeters are expected in Cagayan and Isabela.

Quirino, Aurora, Apayao, Abra, Benguet, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan may receive 100-200 mm, while Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, and Bataan are forecast to get 50-100 mm.

By Oct. 4, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan are expected to receive 50-100 mm of rainfall.