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ABS-CBN executive Lauren Dyogi revealed how the members of Nation’s Girl Group BINI were selected.

In an interview with Karmina Constantino on the latter’s “KC After Hours” YouTube channel, Dyogi said he began by looking at their heights which he was particular about.

“Director nga ako eh, so gusto ko rin visually, ‘yung symmetry at the same time, ‘yung hulma na halos magkakasing-katawan kasi if you see them dancing together synchronize, parang ang gandang tingnan di ba?,” the director explained.

Dyogi noted each member were only teenagers when the group was formed so there was need to measure their parents to see their literal potential for growth.

“There is a science to it. There is also science to the whole thing… Inaral namin ‘yun,” he added.

Dyogi continued by saying each member needed to have a core talent.

“The talent, dapat may basic ka man lang kasi we will train you eh. If you are going to follow the Korean template na sila nga di ba you don’t have to sing and dance, matuturuan ka nila, naniwala ako dun,” Dyogi went on.

“Kasi dati paniniwala ko dapat inborn ‘yung talent, ngayon hindi. ‘Pag inukulan mo ng panahon, inukulan mo ng pagtatiyaga, matutunan mo ‘yan.”

The ABS-CBN executive also said there was a need to form their chemistry.

“It doesn’t stop there kasi magkakasundo ba sila? ‘Yun ang hindi ko mapre-predict,” Dyogi explained, which was why members underwent a bootcamp and for a time were forced to live together because of the pandemic.

That situation led to the girls bonding, learning to care for one another and unite in a story.

“They came from the pandemic, and they came from a shutdown na talagang kinukwestiyon nila if matutuloy ba ‘to or hindi ba ‘to matutuloy? Paninidigan ko ba ‘to or hindi ko ito paninindigan? Because at that point nobody knew if it could be a success,” Dyogi ended.

Benjie Magalong is a dangerous man. All relentless people are.

When he starts something, he fully intends to complete it. When he begins investigating, he will not stop until he gets to the bottom of it all. When he finds the truth, he proclaims it with ardor.

When asked to investigate the massacre at Mamasapano, he refused to acquit a bungling administration. When asked to investigate the so-called ‘ninja cops,’ he did not care if he stepped on powerful toes. He did not become chief of the PNP because he cannot be cowed by the powers-that-be.

The House of Representatives did not dare summon him to the hearings on the flood control scam. The congressmen could not handle the truth spoken to their faces.

Magalong was competent, trained and courageous. The entrenched political elite fears such a man – especially one with an Igorot name. He is unlikely to play by the unwritten rules.

Because he had assiduously investigated the ‘kalakaran’ of our pork barrel politics – and was not hesitant to talk about his findings – Magalong had to somehow be coopted into the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI). Involving him somehow as a nebulously defined ‘special adviser’ would add credibility to the proceedings. His credibility was a gift to a beleaguered administration.

Except that he took his role too seriously and worked too hard. That was not supposed to happen. He visited the far-flung ghost projects and invited media attention to them. At the rate he was going, it was only a matter of time before he began looking at the infra projects done in Ilocos Norte and Leyte.

Magalong, the only functioning component of the ICI, cannot be tamed. It was hard to convince the relentless investigator that some political personalities were untouchable. They tried to rein him in. Crudely, as is characteristic of the corrupt bums responsible for this colossal mess.

Soon enough the Palace mouthpiece, the one with an overblown fashion sense, began talking about ‘conflict-of-interest’ issues. She was planting intrigue when there should be none. She was later joined by a chorus of leftist groups who prefer to talk about a parking lot in Baguio City than look closely at a criminal cabal that looted taxpayer money in the hundreds of billions linked the the highest echelons of the political establishment.

Magalong promptly resigned. He was too honorable a man to play the silly games those involved in a monumental cover-up prefer.

This is just the first kink in the huge, richly funded apparatus intended to cut this colossal scandal down to size and spare the most prominent suspects. Forcing Magalong out, however, is likely to backfire. Exclusion will not silence this man.

Immediately after Magalong resigned, the ICI informs us there will be no live coverage of the proceedings. This will only make the commission a sort of black hole where scandals go to die.

The ICI decision to keep the public out throws a shroud over the inquiry. The commissioners will become like gnomes cobbling inside a rabbit hole – or grifting tailors fashioning the emperor’s new clothes. In the end, the plan might be for this underfunded and understaffed ‘commission’ to produce a dense report destined for the archives.

This, after all, has been the way our corrupt political elite dealt with scandals involving the corruption that rots away at the nation’s core: appoint some powerless fact-finding body, buy some time for the public outrage to dissipate, spread the blame so thinly it disappears like melted butter on hot toast, throw up a lot of distractions, jail a few of the most notorious and bury the rest of the thing in the archives.

This is a strategy that, unfortunately, worked time and time again. It works especially well in a country notorious for having a short memory – and an even shorter attention span.

We are witnessing the greatest corruption scandal in our scandal-prone history. Reformists should never let a good scandal go to waste. Today, however, we are in peril of doing that.

Those who have somehow insinuated themselves into leadership roles over the civil society hordes seem perfectly content to let the big fish go. They fear tumult and fear the possible outcome of a political explosion. Their fears – not the possibility of meaningful reform – dictate their strategy.

The regime might find comfort in the thought that Filipinos never revolt before Christmas. The air is simply too thick with cheer. While there is outrage, there is little desire to rebel. There is still time to put this colossal scandal in a box and bury it.

Our two most recent risings happened in February and January, when the weather is agreeable. But the rustlings began long before that.

There is certainly some rustling happening. But there is no rallying point. There is hesitance to direct the rage at the untouchables.

But there is more to be revealed. The revelations will happen when those who hold the secrets find the heroism to speak the truth.

The war between the contending factions will not wait for those still mustering courage. For some major players facing the prospect of becoming scapegoats, this has become an existential question. If they must go down, they will drag their rivals with them.

We know wealth and power are never strangers. In this country, they are cousins.

In the eerily quiet and refrigerator-cold Constabulary morgue in Camp Crame, the mother of Rolando Galman, the accused killer of Benigno S. Aquino Jr., ‘wept hysterically’ as she identified her son’s bullet-riddled body.

This was according to The New York Times, in a Nov. 4, 1983 article about the first public hearing of the Agrava Commission held the previous day.

Ferdinand Marcos Sr. formed the body to investigate the assassination of Ninoy Aquino on Aug. 21, 1983, a shocking and bloody Sunday that would later change the course of the country’s history.

The Agrava Commission was led by retired Court of Appeals Justice Corazon Agrava as chair, with lawyer Luciano Salazar, entrepreneur Dante Santos, labor leader Ernesto Herrera and educator Amado Dizon as members.

The hearing ‘opened in an auditorium at Camp Crame and focused on testimony about an erasure in the logbook of the Philippine Constabulary Crime Laboratory, where an autopsy was performed on the body of Mr. Galman about 10 hours after the shooting. His name was entered in a space where something else had been erased. All-civilian commission,’ the article said.

Clearly, the article shows that the public had access to the hearings, whether broadcast daily or open to everyone who wanted to be there.

Another New York Times article, published on Oct. 24, 1984, narrates:

‘At the beginning, the Agrava Commission raised some doubts as to its impartiality. The first session began with the five members singing the national anthem, hands over hearts, in front of a picture of the President.

‘But once the investigation got into full swing, it became clear that the board members were going about their task without restraint.

‘Soon, the hearings were broadcast daily on the radio, and the 400-seat auditorium in the government’s social security building in Manila, where the sessions were held, was often filled and sometimes overflowing.

‘In the 11-month investigation, the panel took testimony from 194 witnesses at 146 public hearings in Manila, Tokyo and Los Angeles. More than 1,400 photographic exhibits were examined.

‘The board’s efforts caught the imagination of the public and won the faith of many. One Communist witness said he had chosen to appear ‘because of what I have observed here – that justice still prevails in this small world.”

Credibility

I could barely read or write at the time Ninoy Aquino was assassinated or when the Agrava Commission was formed.

But now, decades later, I am able to go back to this period in our country’s history because the hearings were open to the public as captured in these newspaper records – The New York Times, Mr. and Ms. and many other publications.

I am writing about this now because the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has announced – and has not changed its position as of this writing – that its hearings on the unprecedented flood control corruption scandal would not be livestreamed.

And here lies the big puzzle. An independent commission wants to conduct the hearings behind closed doors. But why?

This should not be the case. Keeping the proceedings away from the public eye diminishes the ICI’s credibility and goes against the principle of truth and accountability.

And in an angry nation seeking for answers, credibility is vital, now more than ever.

Trial by publicity, at this point, is already water under the bridge – ghost or not (oops, pun intended) – because the congressional inquiries are already aired live and social media is on overdrive, posting and reposting signs of ostentatious wealth of those implicated.

But it is exactly when the ICI hearings are made public that the respondents can refute the allegations against them and dish out their narratives. Anyway, they have all the best lawyers money can afford by their side.

On the other hand, it is when proceedings are shrouded in secrecy that suspicions abound.

Benjamin Magalong’s resignation

As it is now, the rumor mill is already abuzz with questions on why anti-corruption crusader and Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong resigned as special adviser to the ICI.

A source divulged that Magalong went to Laoag and talked to contractors. The next day, he resigned. Another tale alleges that the ICI was told to spare sacred cows.

For sure, his sudden departure from the ICI is already a big blow to the commission’s credibility.

In his resignation letter, Magalong said we must stand together for transparency, accountability and good governance and not allow corruption to steal our future.

Opening the hearings to the public, just as the Agrava Commission did, is precisely the first step needed to show that the ICI is indeed independent, sincere and transparent.

Anything less will surely lead to turmoil.

We must heed the lessons of history.

As reported by The STAR on Aug. 28, 2002, the Agrava Commission issued two different reports.

Agrava’s own report did not blame Ver for the death of Aquino, while the members’ report found him liable.

The then Tanodbayan court, the former name of the Office of the Ombudsman, acquitted Ver but convicted Gen. Luther Custodio and 15 other soldiers for the Aquino assassination.

‘The political turmoil that accompanied the Ver acquittal, the decision of Marcos to hold a snap presidential election, the claim of Aquino’s widow – Corazon – that she was robbed of the presidency were among the elements that culminated in the February 1986 people power revolt that ousted the strongman and propelled him into exile in Hawaii.’

Six police officers in Batangas were relieved from their posts for allegedly firing their guns during a birthday celebration of their fellow police officer in Barangay San Benito, Lipa City last week.

Col. Ruel Ferrer, internal affairs service regional director, said the six officers are being investigated for grave misconduct, adding that they could face sanctions that include suspension or dismissal from service.

Brig. Gen. Paul Kenneth Lucas, Calabarzon police director, assured the public that the case would be handled with transparency, fairness and firmness, noting that five of the six officers are already under the personnel holding and accounting section of the Batangas Police Provincial Office.

‘We will not allow the alleged misconduct of a few to overshadow the dedication and hard work of the majority of our police officers who continue to serve and protect the people of Calabarzon with honor and commitment,’ Lucas said in a statement.

Philippine National Bank (PNB) is set to shut down its offshore branch in Bahrain and dissolve two domestic subsidiaries as part of a continuing effort to rationalize operations and focus on core businesses.

In a disclosure, the Lucio Tan-led lender said its board approved the closure of its Bahrain branch and the dissolution of its consumer finance and enterprise services sectors.

PNB has over 70 overseas branches, representative offices and remittance centers across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. It maintains correspondent relationships with more than 300 banks and financial institutions and over 90 overseas agents and tie-up partners worldwide.

PNB assured clients that the closure of the Bahrain office will follow regulatory procedures of both Philippine and Bahraini authorities to ensure smooth settlement of accounts.

‘On the closure of PNB Bahrain Representative Office, board approval is required before Notice of Closure is sent to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and before Letter of Intent is submitted to the Central Bank of Bahrain and Bahrain Ministry of Commerce,’ the bank said.

The filing also reported a slight reduction in PNB’s capital stock after the buyback of 47,402 common shares. The company’s authorized capital stock remains at 1.75 billion shares with a par value of P40 each.

PNB president and CEO Edwin Bautista earlier said the bank could sustain its earnings momentum in the second half, citing strong fundamentals, aggressive lending plans and ongoing digital transformation.

PNB earlier reported a 22-percent jump in net income in the first half to P12.5 billion. In the second quarter alone, the bank posted a 29-percent year-on-year increase to P6.4 billion.

Following allegations linking him to a kickback scheme involving Sen. Francis Escudero, tech executive Maynard Ngu has resigned from his position at a property firm.

In testimony from retired Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, Ngu was alleged to have received P160 million in kickback funds on behalf of Escudero.

Ngu is the Chief Executive Officer of Cosmic Technologies, the company behind the Cherry Mobile brand.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Altus Property Ventures, Inc. announced a change in its board of directors.

Ngu, aside from being a businessman, also serves as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Special Envoy to China for Trade, Investment, and Tourism.

‘Please be informed that the Board of Directors of Altus Property Ventures, Inc. (APVI) has duly accepted the resignation of Mr. Maynard S. Ngu as independent member of the Board of Directors of APVI effective September 29, 2025,’ the disclosure statement read.

Ngu cited ‘personal reasons’ for his resignation.

Based in Ilocos Norte, APVI is a stock corporation incorporated as a property firm. The board that Ngu stepped down from is chaired business mogul Faraday Go, the brother of Marcos’ economic and investment special assistant, Frederick Go.

Bernardo claimed he was friends with Ngu and alleged that Ngu received kickbacks on behalf of Escudero. Bernardo also claimed that Ngu was present when Escudero personally thanked him for the money.

Escudero has denied all allegations, calling them part of a scripted narrative being used against him. The former Senate president has since vowed to prove himself innocent.

The flood control issue has drawn national attention, as billions of pesos are suspected to have been lost through flood control kickback schemes allegedly involving lawmakers and officials from the DPWH.

The local stock market fell deeper in the red, opening the week below the 6,000 mark and extending its decline to a sixth consecutive day.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) slipped by 0.49 percent or 29.52 points to end at 5,997.60.

The broader All Shares index also inched down by 0.23 percent or 8.46 points, settling at 3,636.34.

‘The PSEi fell below the 6,000 mark as prices continued to decline despite last week’s all-red performance,’ Luis Limlingan of Regina Capital.

‘Selling pressure remains strong, with the market still lacking any positive catalyst,’ Limlingan said.

Limlingan said that adding to the bearish sentiment are the ongoing uncertainties in the country and the continued depreciation of the peso against the dollar, which is dampening confidence among both local and foreign investors.

Trading was anemic as total value turnover stood at P4.72 billion.

Sectors were dominated by those in positive territory, led by mining and oil with a 5.32-percent jump.

Services and financials, meanwhile, fell by 1.58 percent and 1.23 percent, respectively.

Decliners edged out advancers, 106 to 100, while 58 issues were unchanged.

BDO Unibank was yesterday’s top traded stock, plunging by 2.6 percent to P135 per share, followed by ICTSI with a 2.63-percent drop to P481.

MREIT Inc. is considering the infusion of mall and retail assets from its sponsor, Megaworld, to diversify its portfolio, which is targeted to reach one million square meters of gross leasable area (GLA) by 2027.

The infusion of mall assets seeks to capture the continued growth in consumer spending and the strong momentum in mall leasing, complementing MREIT’s established base of high-occupancy office assets.

‘Our goal is to diversify our portfolio and expand our revenue base. So while the country is experiencing an impressive growth in consumer activities, we want to tap into these opportunities. This will enable us to deliver both growth and diversification, keeping our portfolio resilient and relevant for the years ahead,’ MREIT chairman Kevin Tan said.

MREIT said that property giant Megaworld continues to hold a substantial portfolio of income-generating assets, including around one million square meters of office GLA and 500,000 square meters of retail GLA that may still be infused over time.

The company said that this deep pipeline provides flexibility and underscores the long-term growth runway as MREIT accelerates toward its one million square meter target.

In terms of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, foot traffic and sales across the country have already surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with strong leasing activities from both global and homegrown brands.

Mall occupancy has also reached a record 93 percent as of end-June.

‘This favorable environment underpins MREIT’s strategy to bring in more retail assets in the future, ensuring that its portfolio captures both the growth of business process outsourcing and the resurgence of Philippine consumer spending,’ the company said.

MREIT’s current portfolio spans across Megaworld’s key townships, particularly in Eastwood City, McKinley Hill, McKinley West, Iloilo Business Park and Davao Park District, with occupancy consistently among the highest in the industry.

The company remains focused on expanding its portfolio through accretive acquisitions, while maintaining strong dividend payouts to investors.

Spotlight back on local volley.

The Premier Volleyball League is kicking off its Reinforced Conference on Oct. 7 with the country still buzzing from the just concluded FIVB Men’s World Championship where the Philippines showcased its growing volleyball prowess on the global stage.

Eight of the 12 PVL teams including ‘On Tour’ and Invitational champion PLDT have acquired imports in preparation for the tourney.

The High Speed Hitters have enlisted 33-year-old Russian Anastasia Bavykina as early as two weeks ago. Bavykina has been blending well with the team that should be spearheaded by Savi Davison.

‘She fits well into the team and should provide stability and experience,’ said PLDT manager Bajjie del Rosario of the outside hitter who last suited up for Yenisey Krasnoyarsk back home in Russia.

League powerhouse Creamline was actually the first to tab an import in American spiker Courtney Schwan, who came in a week ahead of Bavykina.

The 29-year-old Schwan was from Auburn, Washington and came off a triumphant stint with the Orlando Valkyries in the Major League Volleyball championship in the United States and should play a pivotal role in the Cool Smashers’ quest for an 11th crown.

For Cignal, Greek outside hitter Eva Chantava is the reinforcement whom the team hopes to help them earn a shot at a breakthrough title.

Other reinforcements who have flown in are Cuban Yunieska Batista for Chery Tiggo, Belgian Helene Rousseaux for Farm Fresh, American Anna DeBeer for ZUS Coffee, Spaniard Paola Martinez Vela for Nxled and returnee Jelena Cvijovic of Montenegro for Galeries Tower.

A former Philippine National Police chief has been appointed investigator and special adviser to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), replacing Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong – also a retired PNP official – who resigned just two weeks after his appointment to the post.

Malacañang announced yesterday the appointment of retired Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., who served as PNP chief from August 2022 to April 2023.

‘The administration is confident that General Azurin’s experience and leadership will further strengthen the commission’s mandate to uphold accountability and transparency in the use of public funds,’ the Office of the President (OP) said in a statement.

Sought for reaction to his appointment, Azurin, who is abroad, told The STAR via Messenger, ‘I will be honored to help the administration in its ongoing investigation and to support the call of the President for better governance for a better Philippines.’

Azurin will assume his duties after concluding his personal and administrative arrangements, according to the OP statement.

A graduate of the Philippine Military Academy’s Makatao’ Class of 1989, Azurin served as commander of the Northern Luzon Police Area, which covers the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera regions.

Azurin was embroiled in the alleged cover-up of the P6.7-billion shabu haul involving high-ranking PNP officers, which the Senate had investigated.

He was later cleared in the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs’ investigation on the controversy.

President Marcos, meanwhile, expressed his gratitude to Magalong for his service and contributions to the administration’s anti-corruption efforts.

‘His efforts in safeguarding the integrity and credibility of the commission have been vital to the government’s campaign against corruption in infrastructure projects,’ the OP said.

In a letter to the President which circulated on Friday, Magalong said he resigned as special adviser to the ICI to spare it from doubts related to his appointment. ‘This was not an easy choice,’ Magalong said in a statement, ‘but one I believe is necessary.’

Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto meanwhile clarified that he had never been offered the job of IC advisor and investigator, contrary to a report on a news channel.

In a Facebook post, Sotto said he was misquoted by Bilyonaryo News Channel when asked if he would accept the ICI post following the resignation of Magalong, who is a co-convenor in the Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG).

Aside from Sotto and Magalong, the other convenors are Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and Isabela City Mayor Sitti Hataman.

‘I was quoted wrong. If you listen carefully, what I said was, ‘Nag-release na po kami ng statement.’ What I was referring to was our statement from M4GG in support of Mayor Benjie Magalong,’ he said.

After being called out for its decision not to livestream its proceedings, the ICI said it would make sure its probe on corruption in flood control projects would be insulated from political interference.

‘It’s important that we maintain the integrity of the commission,’ ICI executive director Brian Keith Hosaka said yesterday. ‘We don’t want the commission to be used for any political agenda.’

He maintained that the ICI’s investigation is a process that involves careful assessment of every piece of evidence laid out before the three-member body.

‘It’s hard to simply believe the statement of one witness, especially if his or her background is unknown,’ Hosaka said.

‘The commission needs to be prudent so that the cases filed would be supported by correct evidence and hold judicial scrutiny,’ he added.

Hosaka reiterated that the committee would not be beholden to any political party.

‘We will be independent,’ he said, adding, ‘We will not allow any group to use us for any political agenda or leverage because we want to seek the truth. We want to know who was really responsible for this mess. We owe that to the Filipino people.’

‘Currently, the ICI hearings are not livestreamed. This is the present policy of the commission. The initial hearings, so far, are for purposes of case build-up for criminal, civil and administrative action,’ He said in a statement.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan urged the fact-finding body to reevaluate its decision in the name of transparency. ‘Do not test the people’s desire to know the truth,’ he warned in a post on X.

Officials and members of the Minority Bloc in the House of Representatives have also expressed objection to limiting public access to ICI investigation.

‘ICI was created to seek for truth, justice and accountability. And transparency is an essential ingredient thereof, since its purpose would be defeated if its hearings are not accessible to the public,’ complained House Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima.

‘It also serves as a venue for those accused or implicated to clear their names. For the policy to come from ICI itself about the possibility of a trial by publicity, does it then mean that it cannot trust itself that it can handle such types of investigation?’ she asked.

‘This is very disappointing and frustrating – a body with limited powers to investigate anomalous flood control projects and which is merely a recommendatory board, is not fully accessible to the public,’ the former senator and justice secretary said.

Minority House members Marcelino Libanan (4Ps party-list) and Perci Cendaña of Akbayan party-list also voiced objection to ICI’s decision.

‘There’s no real accountability without transparency. Let the people in. The people have all the right to watch the ICI proceedings precisely because the funds that were stolen were the taxes that they have paid religiously,’ Libanan said.

‘To begin with, the corruption took place because the process was not transparent in the first place – from the bicameral conference committee up to the project implementation stage. And now, even the investigation itself does not have any transparency at all?’ Cendaña pointed out.