Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Police are investigating the death of a 56-year-old bank department manager whose body was found inside a parked vehicle along Kennon Road between Barangays Camp 3 and Twinpeaks in the Benguet town of Tuba on Tuesday.

Responding police officers, Scene of the Crime Operatives, and barangay health workers found the victim seated in the front passenger seat with a gunshot wound to the head.

An unnumbered .22-caliber revolver was recovered at the scene.

The victim was declared dead on arrival due to traumatic brain injury from the gunshot wound. His body was brought to a funeral parlor in Baguio City.

A resident reported the vehicle to barangay officials in Twinpeaks, who relayed the report to Barangay Camp 3 before authorities were notified.

Police said the area is a common stopover for motorists, but vehicles are rarely left parked there for extended periods.

According to the victim’s wife, her husband left their residence alone at about 7 p.m. on Sept. 28, intending to travel to Manila for an award ceremony scheduled at 3 p.m. the following day.

When his colleagues could not reach him by phone and learned that he had not arrived in Manila, they notified his wife, who reported him missing to the Baguio City Police Office Station 6.

The Tuba Municipal Police Station is coordinating with the victim’s family and reviewing CCTV footage along the route as part of the investigation.

The Tuba police chief and the Benguet Police Provincial Office have also met to coordinate the investigation.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) bestowed its ‘highest honors’ on a top-ranking New People’s Army (NPA) leader killed during fierce military encounters in Agusan del Sur recently.

In a tribute on Tuesday, the CPP Central Committee extolled Julia Cagadas-Lastimosa, 66, known as ‘Ka Rida,’ as a ‘revolutionary hero.’

Cagadas-Lastimosa, who served as the secretary of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee, died in combat in Barangay Bakingking, Esperanza, on September 12, alongside three other NPA rebels.

‘For having dedicated their lives to the cause of national liberation and true democracy, they are all heroes of the Filipino people,’ the CPP said in a statement. ‘Their names are now forever etched in the walls of the people’s pantheon.’

Military accounts indicate the four NPA members were killed after days of operations that began on September 10, following tips from concerned residents about the presence of armed groups. Troops from the 26th Infantry Battalion initially engaged the rebels near Palili Creek in Barangay Bakingking.

The clashes escalated two days later when the 1st Special Forces Battalion and blocking forces from the 8th Infantry Battalion intercepted the fleeing guerrillas. The running gun battles resulted in the deaths of the four rebels, while three others surrendered and yielded their firearms.

The military credited the successful operations to community cooperation, noting the offensive prevented the armed group from re-establishing a stronghold in the region.

Before joining the NPA, Cagadas-Lastimosa was a leftist organizer involving the youth, workers, urban poor communities, and farmers.

‘The sacrifice of Ka Rida and other revolutionary fighters will only strengthen the resolve of the Filipino people to wage a just war in defense of their land and the country’s patrimony, and to attain their aspiration for genuine national freedom and democracy,’ the CPP statement read.

A native of Barangay Bugo in Cagayan de Oro City, Cagadas-Lastimosa joined the revolutionary movement in 1979 at age 19.

She was imprisoned twice – notably escaping in 1989 by swimming across the Cagayan River – before being elected to the CPP’s Central Committee in 2016 and elevated to its Political Bureau in 2024.

Following the encounters, the military transported the bodies to a funeral home in Esperanza before releasing them to their families.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has issued new rules to protect electricity consumers against double charging.

In Resolution No. 30, Series of 2026, it imposed uniform rates on ‘Other Charges’ that distribution utilities (DUs) may collect from customers.

According to the ERC, ‘Other Charges’ may generally be imposed only for specific customer-requested or account-related activities that create additional costs for DUs, such as certain connection, disconnection, and reconnection services.

It said that aside from ensuring a notice of disconnection is properly served, the late payment fee slapped on consumers should not exceed two percent of the current month’s bill or the unpaid amount, whichever is lower. The fee should appear as a separate line item and be charged only once per bill.

However, charging these extra costs would still need approval from regulators.

In addition, the regulatory body said that costs recovered through ERC-approved distribution, supply and metering rates cannot be collected again under ‘Other Charges.’

The resolution also limits the charges to specific components such as direct labor, deployment and fuel, and replacement materials used for the service.

90 days for adjustments

The ERC likewise barred utility firms from including administrative and overhead expenses under ‘Other Charges’ since they are already factored into the approved rates.

DUs have 90 days to make the necessary adjustments, particularly on their billing systems, IT infrastructure, and accounting records.

‘With uniform and transparent Other Charges, consumers will have a clearer basis for understanding what they are being charged and why. DUs may recover legitimate costs for specific services, but consumers should not be made to pay twice for costs already covered by their electricity rates,’ ERC Chair and CEO Francis Saturnino Juan said on Tuesday.

‘This is part of the ERC’s continuing effort to ensure fair, transparent, and accountable electricity service,’ he added.

The New York Liberty are peaking at the right time and were able to complete a historic sweep of the Minnesota Lynx to advance to the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs.

Jonquel Jones had 21 points and 13 rebounds and the No. 8 seed Liberty beat the top-seeded Lynx 87-71 in Game 2 of their WNBA playoff series Tuesday night. New York became the first No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1 seed in the league’s 30-year history.

The WNBA has undergone a number of different playoff formats. And in many of the formats, it wasn’t possible for those seeds to match up. However, in 2022 the league changed to the current format in which the top eight teams play in the quarterfinals.

‘It feels good, we understand who we are as a team,’ Jones said. ‘We’re not listening to outside noise, we understand that we can do a lot of great things. We feel like we can play with anybody and beat anybody. That’s the mindset we have moving forward. It feels good to make history. It had to be done for us to advance. It’s nice to say it’s been accomplished, but we have a lot of work to do.’

Breanna Stewart added 21 points and Sabrina Ionescu had 18 for the Liberty, who await the winner of the Atlanta-Washington series. The Dream are up 1-0 and play at Washington on Wednesday night. The semifinals begin Sunday.

A year after losing in the first round to Phoenix after going up 1-0 in that series, New York was determined not to have that happen again.

The Liberty were up five points after one quarter and led 40-35 with 2:39 left in the half. New York scored nine of the final 11 points in the second quarter to go up 49-37 at the break.

New York was up 52-39 with 6:26 left in the third when Stewart drove to the basket and was hit in the face by Olivia Miles as she tried to block the shot. Stewart was down for a minute as the officials reviewed the play and upgraded the play to a Flagrant-1 foul.

As Stewart walked off the court, she raised her hands to the sellout crowd of 17,593, who serenaded her with M-V-P! chants. Stewart hit both free throws.

Minnesota couldn’t get closer than seven points the rest of the way.

‘New York is a great basketball team,’ said Courtney Williams, who led Minnesota with 18 points. ‘You dig a hole for yourself and try to get out of it. We wanted to go on a run, but they had answers for everything.’

The Lynx’s season ended in disappointment again. The Lynx had the best regular-season record, but just couldn’t put it together against New York. On Monday, Cheryl Reeve won the league’s Coach of the Year and Miles was a unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year.

Miles struggled in both games against New York. She had five points, missing seven of her eight shots in 17 minutes, on Tuesday night. The Liberty’s size and ability to protect the rim bothered the stellar first-year player.

Reeve said she offered encouragement to her star rookie after the game.

‘As I told her. When was the last time a rookie led the first place team? Never happened before,’ Reeve said. ‘That’s what we shared with her. This hurts for her.’

Gwen Zamora surprised fans after she revealed her pregnancy with her third child with her husband, basketball player David Semerad.

Zamora announced that they are expecting anew by showing a video of herself flaunting her baby bump while at the gym, through her Instagram page on Tuesday, Sept. 29.

‘Busog lusog. Let’s go round 3!’ the caption reads.

In the pilot episode of their reality series ‘The Semerads: Halfie Together!’, the couple opened up about the pregnancy, admitting ‘it was not supposed to happen for another one to two years.’

‘I just got sexy,’ Zamora quipped.

Zamora and Semerad nonetheless looked forward to meeting the new addition to their family, revealing they have already prepared names for their baby No. 3.

‘Maybe this is really in God’s time because we’re still young, and the kids will be closer in age,’ Zamora said.

Semerad added, ‘Syempre it’s a blessing.’

Zamora and Semerad welcomed their firstborn Cooper in 2019, and their second child Amber Mae in 2023.

The couple got married twice-the first wedding was held in France in 2021, then the second one was in Batangas in December 2022.

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) will open its solar energy loan to qualified pensioners today, expanding its financing programs for retirees as it observes National Pensioners’ Week.

The Ginhawa Solar Energy Loan (GSEL) program helps active government workers finance the purchase and installation of residential solar energy systems. It became available in March 2026.

Under the program, qualified pensioners may borrow up to P500,000, payable over five years at an annual interest rate of 5 percent. The loan does not carry a service fee or application fee.

Furthermore, the GSEL expansion forms part of several changes GSIS has made to its benefits and services for retirees.

Among these is the expansion of the annual Christmas Cash Gift, which now covers qualified pro-rata pensioners and pensioners covered by the Portability Law.

Consequently, eligible pensioners receive an amount equivalent to one month’s pension or P10,000, whichever is lower.

In addition, GSIS also recently raised its funeral benefit to P50,000 from P30,000 for qualified members and pensioners who died on or after July 13, 2026.

Moreover, it likewise removed the previous cap on survivorship pensions, allowing qualified surviving spouses to receive up to 50 percent of the deceased member or pensioner’s pension.

Furthermore, GSIS has also been providing financial relief through its Balik Ginhawa loan-refund program, which will accept applications until the end of October.

As of Sept. 21, the agency said it had returned nearly P20 billion to more than 700,000 qualified members and pensioners, covering nearly 1.6 million loan contracts.

SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. (SMHCC), the hospitality arm of SM Prime Holdings Inc., is expanding into the premium leisure tourism market with the development of a new Shangri-La resort in Hamilo Coast, south of Manila.

SMHCC is partnering with Shangri-La Group to develop Shangri-La Santelmo Cove, a coastal resort slated to open in 2031.

The resort will feature about 40 villas and 50 rooms and suites, set within a protected cove known for its coral reefs, sea turtles and marine biodiversity.

The project marks SMHCC’s entry into the premium island resort segment as it expands its hospitality portfolio beyond city hotels and convention facilities into leisure destinations.

‘Shangri-La Santelmo Cove marks an important milestone in SM Hotels’ portfolio as we venture further into the island and leisure tourism landscape,’ SMHCC Executive Vice President Peggy E. Angeles said.

Angeles said the partnership combines SMHCC’s experience in developing hospitality destinations in the Philippines with Shangri-La Group’s international experience in operating hotels and resorts.

‘For SM Hotels, this project represents more than the addition of a new property to our portfolio. It is an opportunity to help shape the next generation of Philippine leisure destinations,’ she said.

Shangri-La Group Chief Operating Officer Sunny Paw said the project would build on the hotel group’s more than two-decade presence in the Philippines, where it operates properties in Manila, Boracay and Cebu.

‘Shangri-La Santelmo Cove presents a unique opportunity to celebrate the Philippines’ natural and cultural treasures,’ Paw said.

The resort is expected to incorporate nature-focused design and sustainability measures, with the partners positioning the development as a destination that balances high-end hospitality with environmental stewardship.

For SMHCC, the project is also expected to support Hamilo Coast’s development as a leisure destination while creating long-term tourism value for the area.

‘We are proud to partner with Shangri-La in creating a resort that allows guests to experience the beauty of the Philippines in a way that is both exceptional and mindful of its surroundings,’ Angeles said.

Alas Pilipinas’ Sofiah Pagara and Khy Progella emerged as the last Filipino pair standing after the Philippines was denied an all-Filipino semifinals affair in the Asian Games women’s beach volleyball on Wednesday.

Pagara and Progella booked their fifth straight win, outlasting Japanese Ren and Non Matsumoto, 24-22, 22-20, on Wednesday at Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court.

However, Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons weren’t able to forge an all-Philippines showdown after falling short against Thailand’s Taravadee Naraphonapat and Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee, 17-21, 21-12, 13-15.

Pons and Rondina were two points away from completing an epic comeback, 13-11, but the Thais scored four straight points to get away with the victory and set up a semifinal clash with Progella and Pagara.

The tandem dubbed as SiPons couldn’t repeat their Pingtung Open semis victory against the Thais. Kongphopsarutawadee also exacted sweet revenge on the Filipinos after losing in the Southeast Asian Games final last December.

The unbeaten Filipino pair of Progrella and Pagara survived a neck-and-neck duel against the resilient home bets, squandering a 19-16 lead in the second.

The Matsumotos tied the set at 19 before Progella stopped the bleeding. Ren forced another deadlock, but Pagara took matters into her own hands, scoring off the block to regain match point, 21-20. She ended a long rally scoring off Japan’s overpass to advance to the semis.

Pagara and Progella carry the Philippines’ hopes to win a beach volleyball gold medal, as the first pair from the country to reach the Asian Games semis.

The other semis bracket features an all-Chinese duel, with Shuting Cao and Jie Dong taking on Xinyi Xia and Xu Yan.

The provincial government of Zamboanga Sibugay has warned against the proliferation of falsified mining permits, following the interception of an illegal mineral shipment bearing the forged signature of Governor Dulce Ann Hofer.

In an advisory on Tuesday, the provincial government clarified that consistent with existing regulatory frameworks on mineral transport, Hofer ‘has not issued and will not issue’ any Ore Transport Permit (OTP) or Mineral Ore Export Permit (MOEP) to any individual, group, or commercial entity.

‘Any individual, group, instrumentality, or company possessing, using, and/or claiming to operate under an OTP or MOEP allegedly issued by the Province of Zamboanga Sibugay is hereby considered unauthorized and shall be subject to investigation and appropriate legal action,’ the statement read.

The Zamboanga Sibugay provincial government urged citizens to immediately report suspicious mining transport activities.

The provincial warning came on the heels of a joint inter-agency operation on Sunday, September 28, at Pulawan Port in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte, where authorities arrested 52-year-old truck driver Ramil Tolibas after he presented a fraudulent OTP permit bearing Hofer’s falsified signature.

At around 1:00 p.m. Sunday, personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Maritime Police, and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) intercepted the wing van, with plate number AAV-4007 and owned by ‘UCHO,’ driven by Tolibas.

Engr. Grant Rey Prenala, of MGB-13), confirmed that the presented OTP was fake and carried a forged signature of Hofer.

He said only the MGB can issue mineral transport permits and not local government executive offices.

The wing van yielded 505 sacks of suspected high-grade mineral ores.

Tolibas admitted during questioning that the cargo was loaded in Siayan, Zamboanga del Norte, and was bound for Cebu City. The falsified permit listed FILI Dragons Mineral Trading, an enterprise based in Mandaue City, as the supposed owner of the shipment.

Following the seizure, Zamboanga del Norte Governor Darel Dexter Uy ordered intensified surveillance against illegal mining operations across the province to enforce environmental laws and protect local natural resources.

The appointments of Vince Dizon and Giovanni ‘Banoy’ Lopez as acting secretaries of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Department of Transportation (DOTr), respectively, have been extended, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto confirmed on Wednesday.

‘We’ve extended the appointment of Sec. Dizon and Sec. Banoy at the appropriate time. The president will submit for confirmation to the Commission on Appointments… But for now the president has extended the appointments of these two cabinet members,’ Recto said in an interview. Sen. Imee Marcos recently scrutinized Dizon’s position at the DPWH, flagging that his acting capacity at the agency had exceeded the one-year limit.

She grilled Dizon over his attendance at the DPWH’s budget hearing at the Senate on Sept. 25. She cited the Administrative Code, which states that appointed officers in an acting capacity may serve for only up to one year.

Dizon said he would confer with the senator’s brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., on the matter.

On Sept. 1, 2025, Dizon was appointed acting secretary of the DPWH after serving as head of the DOTr for only six months. He was replaced by Lopez at the DOTr on the same day.