Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday said it would be seeking the assistance of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to compel former Police Colonel and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma to come home and face charges of murder and frustrated murder over the 2020 killing of former PCSO Wesley Barayuga.

According to NBI Director Jaime Santiago, the investigating team has already reached out to Interpol agents in the country, who would relay the matter to counterparts in Malaysia, where Garma is presumed to be staying since leaving the Philippines on Sept. 7.

‘We will coordinate with Interpol. And Malaysia has been cooperative with us. we would let them know that Garma has a standing warrant of arrest against her,’ Santiago told a news briefing.

He noted that the Interpol agents in the Philippines would be the ones who would coordinate with various law enforcement agencies, including Interpol.

Branch 279 of Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court has issued a warrant of arrest against Garma, former National Police Commission (Napolcom) chair Edilberto Leonardo, Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza as well as former police officers Nelson Mariano and Jeremie Causapin for the killing of Barayuga on July 30, 2020.

On Wednesday, NBI presented Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza and former police officer Nelson Mariano, who are both in custody of the bureau after they surrendered to authorities last month and confessed their role in the killing.

The two served as ‘middlemen’ between the hitman and implicated Garma and former National Police Commission (Napolcom) chair Edilberto Leonardo as masterminds, NBI said

The local government of San Remegio, Cebu, confirmed that a 10-year-old child died during the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck at 10 p.m. on Tuesday.

In an interview with Inquirer, Maria Divina Nacionales of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) said the child was struck by a hollow block after their house in Barangay Looc collapsed during the quake.

According to initial information from the MDRRMO, the child’s entire family was asleep when the earthquake occurred, leaving the child inside.

‘There was also an elderly companion with them who was rescued first, and the child was left behind,’ Nacionales said.

She added that they have received up to four reports of casualties, but as of this writing, they could not yet confirm them due to difficulty reaching affected areas.

‘Our situation is very difficult right now. We cannot respond quickly because a bridge also collapsed, making those areas inaccessible,’ Nacionales said.

As of now, the San Remegio MDRRMO and the police are still verifying reports of other casualties in the town

The Philippine National Police (PNP) tasked the Police Regional Office Central Visayas (PRO 7) to activate its Disaster Incident Management Task Group.

‘[Acting PNP Chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr.] further instructed PRO7 to provide real-time updates to the National Headquarters, particularly on the extent of damage, affected communities, and the operational response being undertaken on the ground,’ the law enforcement agency said in a statement on Wednesday morning.

‘Additional resources from the National Headquarters and nearby regions are on standby to reinforce PRO 7 in safeguarding communities and restoring normalcy at the soonest possible time,’ the PNP added.

This came after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Cebu on Tuesday night.

At least 26 people were reported killed and 147 were reported injured as of 8 a.m. on Wednesday, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

San Remigio, Cebu, was placed under a state of calamity after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the province Tuesday evening.

In a Facebook advisory, the San Remigio local government said the quake caused ‘widespread damage and disruption to the lives of our constituents.’

Municipal Mayor Mariano Martinez said the local government aims to facilitate immediate response and relief efforts, including mobilizing resources, providing assistance to affected communities, and implementing measures to prevent further harm.

‘The Sangguniang Bayan will convene an emergency session as soon as possible to formalize this declaration through a resolution,’ he said.

‘In the meantime, the local government will work closely with national agencies and stakeholders to address the needs of our constituents,’ he added.

The mayor urged the public to ‘remain vigilant and cooperate with authorities in responding to this disaster.’

Based on the latest update from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the center of the magnitude 6.9 quake-initially reported as 6.7-was located 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, Cebu, at a depth of 5 kilometers.

Phivolcs said aftershocks are expected and property damage may occur.

The agency also issued an advisory for possible minor sea-level disturbances following Tuesday evening’s quake./mcm

Detained Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy has been in the hospital for nearly three weeks due to pneumonia, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said on Tuesday.

The BJMP told the Inquirer in a message that Quiboloy was taken out of the Pasig City Jail and rushed to a public hospital on Sept. 11 after he experienced difficulty in breathing.

‘He was later diagnosed with Community Acquired Pneumonia (Moderate Risk),’ BJMP spokesperson Jail Superintendent Jayrex Bustinera said.

The court in charge of Quiboloy’s case has already issued an order authorizing his hospital confinement after it was informed of the KOJC leader’s condition, Bustinera added.

‘As of 30 September 2025, he is stable and recovering in a public hospital, in line with BJMP policies on medical care for PDL (persons deprived of liberty),’ the BJMP spokesperson said.

Multiple charges

The televangelist leader and spiritual adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte-who is also detained in The Hague, the Netherlands over the thousands of killings under his drug war-has been charged with child abuse and human trafficking cases before courts in Quezon City and Pasig, respectively.

These are in addition to the criminal charges he is facing in the United States, which include conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.

On Nov. 8 last year, Quiboloy was taken to the Philippine Heart Center for a routine check, but it led to his confinement for an ‘irregular heartbeat.’

He was brought back to the detention center at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Quezon City on Nov. 16 after the Pasig court denied his request for hospital arrest.

Previous confinement

On Jan. 23, the KOJC leader, who calls himself the ‘Son of God,’ was hospitalized for pneumonia. He was transferred to the Pasig City Jail on Feb. 12.

Quiboloy was arrested in September 2024 after hiding for 16 days in the 30-hectare KOJC compound in Davao City as he tried to evade arrest by authorities.

The operation to take him in involved 4,500 police officers and cost the government P35 million, according to then Police Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, who led the hunt for the religious sect leader. At the time, Torre headed the Davao Police Regional Office. He later became acting director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and then PNP chief.

As CIDG chief, Torre also spearheaded the arrest of Duterte on Mar. 11 based on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity over his crackdown on drugs as Davao City mayor and then as president.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) has advised caretakers of movable historic objects in areas affected by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu to prioritize their safety and avoid entering structures ‘without prior coordination with authorities and after ensuring that aftershocks are no longer felt.’

In a statement, the NHCP expressed sympathy with the people of Cebu and nearby provinces affected by the strong earthquake that occurred Tuesday night.

‘Our prayers for the affected families. Please keep safe,’ it said.

‘Your personal safety is of utmost concern. Do not attempt to enter damaged buildings without consultation and coordination with site administrators and experts,’ it added.

The commission advised caretakers of movable historic objects in quake-hit areas to take the following precautions:

‘1. Secure the premises of the structure and protect entry and exit points to deter kibitzers and unnecessary people from entering. You can use barricades and caution ribbons for this.

2. Check the stability of the structure before doing any retrieval/salvage work. Wear protective clothing ( i.e. hard hats, appropriate gloves, brightly colored clothes) before entering the premises of damaged buildings.

3. Document/take photographs of damaged objects. Be wary of debris that might fall down on you.

4. With utmost care, retrieve and wrap the objects if possible with japanese tissue/clean cloth on sturdy boxes, taking as many broken parts as you can. If circumstances permit, label and group various broken parts together for easier identification later. It is IMPORTANT to retreive at the soonest time, the damaged objects as they are prone to further damages (should aftershocks occur, or heavy rains, etc.) and in the case of damaged and unguarded buildings, thieves and vandals.

5. If time and circumstances permit, it is recommended that other undamaged moveable objects be also retrieved for protection.

6. Bring the retrieved objects to a safe place identified by the heritage site administrator/s and away from the damaged structure. Take detailed photographs of damage incurred and label broken parts. Do create a quick inventory which contains the name of the object, measurements, component materials, present condition and damage/s observed.

7. Consult professionals and skilled artisans in the restoration of the damaged objects.’

The NHCP also cautioned people in earthquake-hit areas to be careful when uploading photos on social media, warning that ‘this can be used as a reference by looters, thieves, and unwanted persons.’

According to the latest update from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the center of the magnitude 6.9 quake, initially reported as magnitude 6.7, was located 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, Cebu, at a depth of 5 kilometers. Phivolcs said aftershocks are expected, and property damage may occur. The agency also issued an advisory for possible minor sea-level disturbances following the quake./mcm

With the meticulously planned release of Taylor Swift’s 12th album this Friday, the country singer-turned-pop star demonstrates again that she is as business savvy as she is musically adept.

From hints dropped during her last tour in 2024 to movie screenings this coming weekend to accompany the new album’s release, ‘Taylor Swift has perfected marketing as narrative art,’ said Robin Landa, a professor who studies advertising and branding at Kean University.

‘She doesn’t simply release an album-she orchestrates a cultural phenomenon.’

The massively hyped ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ album was inspired by Swift’s experiences during her record-breaking ‘Eras’ concert tour, which coincided with the singer’s romance with her now-fiance Travis Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl champion football star.

The 12-track record ‘comes from the most infectiously joyful, wild, dramatic place I was in in my life-and so that effervescence has come through,’ Swift herself promises.

That appears to signal a return to pop after her darker 11th album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ last year.

To call ‘The Life of a Showgirl,’ which features a duet with rising pop star Sabrina Carpenter, eagerly anticipated is an understatement

Swift, 35, has said to expect ‘bangers’-high-energy, dance-friendly songs-in the ilk of her fan favorite ’22’ and ‘Shake It Off,’ and created with the same Swedish production duo, Max Martin and Shellback.

To call ‘The Life of a Showgirl,’ which features a duet with rising pop star Sabrina Carpenter, eagerly anticipated is an understatement.

The album is the most pre-saved album ever on the Spotify streaming platform, breaking the record set last year by Swift’s last album.

Ownership

Accompanying the album, movie theaters in dozens of countries will host special screenings from Friday through Sunday of a music video, a making-of featurette, personal commentary by Swift about her songs, and a karaoke-style singalong.

The one-off movie event is estimated to gross between $30 million and $50 million, according to film industry website Deadline. Swift, who first announced the album on Kelce’s popular podcast last month, is ‘really taking ownership of the whole process, in every aspect of her music and her presentation to the public,’ said Toby Koenigsberg, a music professor at the University of Oregon.

Swift’s ‘Eras’ tour also spawned its own movie theater event, and underlined ‘the importance of having fan communities that interact in real life, not just on social media,’ he added.

One element that has long connected ‘Swifties’-the nickname for her die-hard fans-online is the frantic search for ‘easter eggs,’ or clues about Swift’s upcoming projects scattered through her album booklets, music videos, concerts and social media posts.

Easter eggs

Swifties noticed that, in a letter to her fans in May, Swift spelled the words ‘thiiiiiiiiiiiis’ with 12 ‘i’s – taken by some to indicate her 12th album was imminent.

Once the first album images of ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ were released, featuring cabaret-inspired outfits in orange and green tones, thrilled devotees rushed to social media to point out clues supposedly buried in Swift’s 2022 music videos as well as certain costumes from her latest tour.

‘Taylor’s Easter eggs are one of the most brilliant fan engagement tools in modern music,’ said Landa.

‘This strategy creates free marketing through fan theories and social media speculation-essentially turning her audience into her promotional team.’

‘Sometimes people talk about her business acumen, which is really remarkable. but at the core of what she does is her songwriting’

So, is Swift a musician or a businesswoman?

‘Sometimes people talk about her business acumen, which is really remarkable. but at the core of what she does is her songwriting,’ said Koenigsberg.

Swift is ‘able to consistently write good songs, year after year, album after album, in a way that almost nobody else can.’

Large sections of this city were plunged into darkness Tuesday night after a strong earthquake struck near Bogo City, Cebu, prompting unscheduled power interruptions across several districts.

In an advisory, distribution utility MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) said power went out at 10:01 p.m. on September 30, affecting the entire Molo Substation, Megaworld Feeder 6, and La Paz Feeders 1 and 3. Restoration work is ongoing as crews trace the cause of the outages as of 11:09 p.m.

The company apologized for the inconvenience and urged residents to remain safe as it works to restore electricity ‘as soon as possible.’

The blackout followed a magnitude 6.7 earthquake that jolted Cebu at 9:59 p.m., with its epicenter traced 17 kilometers northeast of Bogo City at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Phivolcs reported instrumental intensity VI in Cebu City and Villaba, Leyte; intensity III in San Fernando, Cebu; and intensity II in Laoang, Northern Samar. The tremor was also felt in parts of Iloilo.

As of press time, no major damage or casualties have been reported, though local governments in affected areas are conducting inspections.

Authorities reminded residents to brace for possible aftershocks

Jared Bahay is well aware of the many big shoes that he has to fill as far as crack guards ever to have come out of Ateneo under the revered Tab Baldwin go.

From the likes of Tyler Tio, Gian Mamuyac, SJ Belangel and Thirdy Ravena, Baldwin has given his Midas Touch on them that they not only led the Blue Eagles to glorious UAAP paths but have become established professional players here or elsewhere.

All four were in the undefeated Season 82 team that won the championship. And Bahay remembers seeing clips of that squad while he was still in high school.

‘It gives me motivation,’ Bahay told the Inquirer recently. ‘I believe in our saying that ‘in Tab we trust.’ I feel motivated that I’m under him. He can not only make me a great basketball player, but a good person in general.’

Jared has happy home

Fast forward to six years and Bahay has found a home in Katipunan.

‘I love coach Tab. He has a history and reputation of winning,’ Bahay said. ‘I remember watching them go 16-0 and I got so inspired. I worked so hard and told myself I want to be a part of [a] team [like that].

‘Dreams do come true,’ he said. ‘I’m here now and I’m so happy.’

Baldwin, meanwhile, knows that he has another rough talent he can whip into a gem along with Kymani Ladi, a dynamic 6-foot-8 forward who is also a big reason why the Blue Eagles are leading the pack with a 3-0 record.

‘He has a lot of information that he’s willing to share and we’re willing to take them,’ Ladi said. ‘He has a lot of knowledge that we definitely use.

Baldwin has so far won 101 games in his UAAP career, fourth on the all-time list where only La Salle’s Franz Pumaren, late Santo Tomas mentor Aric del Rosario and ex-Ateneo tactician Norman Black have more victories.

He is on track to unseat Black at No. 3 if his streak continues for the rest of the year.

But knowing Baldwin, he doesn’t really give a care on personal accomplishments. He is a team-first guy and rarely takes the credit. And the biggest thing about him is he wants his charges to become better men after being under him. INQ