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Confiscated Discaya cars now 30

BW FILE PHOTO

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) now has custody of 30 luxury vehicles owned by the Discaya family, Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno said on Tuesday.

In a statement on Tuesday, Mr. Nepomuceno said the number of vehicles in the possession of corruption-tied contractors, Cezarah Rowena “Sarah” Discaya and Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II, has risen to 30, up from the initial 28 count on Sept. 4.

“We are establishing the corresponding tax liabilities to ensure that the Filipino people are not deprived of revenues rightfully due to the government. Those who may have violated anti-smuggling laws will also be held accountable,” he said.

The Discayas recently implicated officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways and lawmakers in anomalous flood control contracts in separate House and Senate probes.

The Omega & Alpha Construction and St. Timothy Construction, allegedly owned by the Discayas were among the top 15 flood-control contractors that cornered P100 billion worth of projects since 2022.

Meanwhile, the BoC has mandated all officials, employees, and personnel to submit affidavits disclosing any familial ties involved in the customs brokerage industry.

Under Memorandum No. 39-2025, Customs has ordered all personnel to file a verified affidavit declaring either the absence of any business or familial ties in the customs brokerage industry, or full disclosure of such interests where applicable.

The order, signed on Sept. 9, requires submissions to be made within 10 days from publication of the directive, upon assumption of office, transfer of ownership or equity in customs brokerage firms, marriage with a party engaged in customs brokerage, or other similar circumstances.

“This directive is meant to protect the integrity of our service and ensure that our officials and personnel remain free from any conflict of interest in the performance of their duties,” he said. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Top banks warn vs AI-driven fraud 

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Rawpixel.Com from Freepik

SOME of the country’s top banks warned of a growing number of increasingly convincing online fraud schemes, using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI).   

“The barriers to entry have gone down. GenAI and no-code capabilities bring broad tools to low-level, unskilled actors,” Gabby Tomas, senior vice-president and group head for operations of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), said during a webinar of Fintech Fireside Asia on Tuesday.

“While we aren’t yet seeing deepfakes and voice fakes, we are seeing a relentless increase in the volume of attacks — more contextual, more convincing, and highly targeted toward vulnerable segments of the market.”

Mr. Tomas added that fraudsters are now doing their homework by analyzing data to pinpoint victims where they are more likely to succeed.

GoTyme Chief Information Security Officer Albert P. Dela Cruz said that AI has enabled deepfake impersonation attacks, high-level leadership team management scams, and AI-assisted social engineering that can dynamically adapt during conversations.

“If there’s one major thing AI has done to change the game for fraudsters, it’s that AI has essentially industrialized fraud,” Mr. Dela Cruz said during the webinar.

According to a report from Fintech News Philippines, potential fraud losses due to GenAI could reach around $40 billion by 2027 in the United States alone.

In 2024, scammers siphoned off over $1.03 trillion globally, and with the rise of AI, scam tactics pose a greater concern, according to the Global Anti-Scam Alliance.

The Short Message Service (SMS) phishing specifically has seen a rise in the Philippines in the past couple of months, Mr. Dela Cruz said.

He added fraudsters are using IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) catchers, devices that impersonate cell towers, to intercept SMS messages, including from wealthy neighborhoods and malls. The device can also mimic phone numbers to make phishing attempts more convincing.

Mr. Tomas said that the reality is that even the so-called educated online can still fall victim to these fraudsters, as they exploit structural, emotional, and psychological vulnerabilities.

So, being digitally aware and tech-savvy is necessary to recognize current fraud schemes, Mr. Tomas said. He added that regulations, such as the recently enacted Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act, also play a crucial role in protecting consumers. — Edg Adrian A. Eva

BI nabs 3 Chinese nationals in Davao

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday said three Chinese nationals found to be illegally staying and working in the Philippines were arrested.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado said, “fake Filipinos do not have a place in the Philippines,” a move that follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s directive to prevent the entry and stay of illegal aliens in the country.

The arrests, conducted on Sept. 5 in a commercial building in Bangoy, Davao City, involved a Chinese national who was misrepresenting himself as a Filipino and using a Filipino name in business dealings, despite holding a working visa for a Manila-based company.

The other two were caught working in Davao despite holding a tourist visa and a working visa for a company in Manila.

All three were taken into custody for violating Philippine immigration laws.

The operation was carried out by the BI intelligence division in Mindanao and the BI regional intelligence operating unit 11, in coordination with the Philippine Army, Air Force, Philippine National Police (PNP) Sta. Ana Police Station, PNP Davao City Police Office, and other government intelligence units.

“One of them was using a Filipino name in business dealings, misrepresenting himself as a Filipino,” Mr. Viado said. “We will not allow illegal aliens to use the said scheme to remain in the country.”

Meanwhile, the bureau also confirmed the receipt of a deportation-related court order for another Chinese national.

The order, signed on Sept. 4 by Presiding Judge Esperanza M. Cortes of the Taguig City Regional Trial Court, grants his habeas corpus petition and directs his release from BI custody due to lack of jurisdiction.

Mr. Viado said the bureau respects the court’s decision but noted that “fingerprints do not lie,” emphasizing that biometric evidence strongly supports their case against him.

The Bureau has filed an appeal with the Court of Appeals. The Chinese national will remain in BI custody until the case is resolved.

“This case is very much similar to that of Alice Guo,” Mr. Viado added. “We trust that the courts will continue to review and resolve this case with utmost diligence and integrity, to ensure the protection of national security and the rule of law.” — Erika Mae P. Sinaking

DBM OKs P19B for school improvements

Students help teachers clean the classroom at a school in Marikina. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ WALTER BOLLOZOS

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the release of P19.06 billion to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for school improvements.

In a statement on Tuesday, the fund aimed to build and renovate public school classrooms and other facilities throughout the country.

Out of the total, P15.52 billion will be charged under the Basic Education Facilities Fund (BEFF), P2.61 billion for the Last Mile Schools Program, and P925 million for the Conservation and Restoration of Gabaldon and Other Heritage School Buildings.

“This is to help decongest classrooms and bring better, safer, and conducive learning environments to students in high-need areas, which is aligned with the directive of President Bongbong Marcos to further strengthen our education sector,” she said.

This initiative is part of the P28.06 billion total allocation under the BEFF in the Agency-Specific Budget of the Department of Education under 2025 budget, where P23.84 billion was transferred to the DPWH.

“From the recent SARO (Special Allotment Release Order) releases, P2.969 billion covers the construction of 939 new classrooms in 235 sites all over the Philippines,” it said.

The DBM said P4.887 billion will go to the repair and rehabilitation of 6,275 classrooms in 546 sites, while P498.75 million will go to the installation and upgrading of water systems, toilets, hand washing stations, and other health and sanitation facilities in 176 schools.

It added that P2.61 billion has been released for the Last Mile Schools Program and P925 million for the conservation and restoration of 404 heritage schools like the Gabaldon buildings.

The Public Works department is currently facing public scrutiny for the anomalous flood control budgets that prompted the DBM and the DPWH to overhaul its budget and launch widespread investigations. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

US imposes sanctions on scam networks in Myanmar, Cambodia

STOCK PHOTO | Image from Freepik

THE United States imposed sanctions on cyber scam operators in Myanmar and Cambodia on Tuesday, a booming industry the US says stole tens of billions from Americans last year, according to a Treasury department statement.

Criminal networks have trafficked hundreds of thousands of people into Southeast Asian scam compounds, especially along the Thai-Myanmar border, where they are forced into debt bondage and defrauding strangers online.

“Southeast Asia’s cyber scam industry not only threatens the well-being and financial security of Americans, but also subjects thousands of people to modern slavery,” Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley said in the statement.

The Myanmar junta’s spokesman did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment, and neither did a Cambodia government spokesman.

The scams include money laundering, illegal gambling and persuading victims to make fraudulent investments, and the operators tend to be people — usually foreigners — who have been trafficked and coerced into working in scam compounds.

Sanctioned entities included nine companies and individuals in Shwe Kokko, a town in Karen State on the Thai border.

The US sanctions aim to choke off funds to the criminal networks, which have flourished in regions controlled both by militias and Myanmar’s junta.

COERCION AND VIOLENCE
At Shwe Kokko, operators lured people from across the globe with deceptive offers, then confined, mistreated and coerced them into carrying out online fraud for criminal networks, the Treasury department said.

The criminals often use debt bondage, violence, and the threat of forced prostitution as part of their coercion tactics, it said.

The department also sanctioned 10 entities in Cambodia, where centers run by Chinese criminal networks were focused on digital currency fraud. Some compounds in Cambodia resembled prisons, according to Amnesty International, which accused the country of ignoring the industry, allegations it denies.

Since a 2021 military coup, scam centers have expanded rapidly in Myanmar, spreading from militia-controlled areas into those under junta control, a report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said.

Shwe Kokko was established in 2017 by Hong Kong-registered Yatai International Holdings Group and the Karen National Army (KNA), an armed group allied with Myanmar’s military, according to the United States Institute of Peace. Yatai group is sanctioned and KNA has been previously sanctioned. — Reuters

South Korea to send chartered plane to Atlanta to bring back workers

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Vitamin from Pixabay

SEOUL — South Korea will send a chartered plane to Atlanta as early as Wednesday to bring back workers detained during a huge immigration raid last week on a car battery plant in the US state of Georgia, a Korean Air spokesperson said on Tuesday.

A Korean Air Boeing 747-8i plane with 368 seats will fly from South Korea’s Incheon to Atlanta, according to the spokesperson.

During the US immigration raid, about 300 South Koreans were among 475 people arrested at the site of a $4.3-billion project by Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution to build batteries for electric cars.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is traveling to Washington to negotiate on issues such as seeking assurances that the detained Koreans will be allowed re-entry to the United States.

South Korean officials had kicked off the process of bringing the detained workers back home, a senior diplomatic official told reporters in Georgia after meeting with the workers in custody.

The raid was the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the Department of Homeland Security’s investigative operations, and sent shockwaves through South Korea, a US ally that has been trying to finalize a trade deal agreed with Washington in July. — Reuters

EU envoy in Washington for talks on Russia sanctions — Commission

REUTERS

BRUSSELS — The European Union’s (EU) sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan was in Washington with a team of experts to discuss further sanctions against Russia with US counterparts, the European Commission said on Monday.

On Sunday, US President Donald J. Trump said he was ready to move to a second phase of restrictions, the closest he has come to suggesting he is on the verge of boosting sanctions against Moscow over its war in Ukraine.

EU Council President Antonio Costa said new sanctions were being closely coordinated with the US, and EU officials are hopeful of better cooperation after several disappointments early in the year as Mr. Trump pursued his own peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin instead.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said late on Monday that he had met with Mr. O’Sullivan and that all options were on the table as part of Mr. Trump’s “strategy to support peace negotiations.”

“We are willing to take strong measures against Russia, but our European partners must fully join us in this to be successful,” Mr. Bessent said on X.

The United States has not joined other Group of Seven nations in lowering the price cap on Russian crude oil before sanctions are levied to $47.60 a barrel. However, Mr. Trump has announced steep tariffs on US imports from India in part due to its major Russian energy purchases.

The EU is currently drafting a 19th package of Russia sanctions, which EU diplomats said was likely to include more listings of Chinese companies, Russian banks and vessels in Moscow’s sanctions-evading “shadow fleet,” as well as a transaction ban on Russian oil.

The Kremlin said on Monday that no sanctions would ever force Russia to change course. — Reuters

Thai ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra jailed as court rules hospital stay unlawful

FORMER Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra — REUTERS

BANGKOK — Thailand’s influential former Prime Minister (PM) Thaksin Shinawatra was sent to prison on Tuesday after the Supreme Court ruled his time in hospital detention was an attempt to avoid jail, a major blow for a powerful family that has dominated politics for two decades.

The polarizing billionaire had spent only a few hours in prison upon his return from 15 years of self-exile in August 2023 before he was hospitalized after complaining of heart trouble and chest pains, prompting widespread skepticism and public outrage.

His eight-year sentence for conflicts of interest and abuse of power while premier from 2001-2006 was commuted to one year by the King and Mr. Thaksin was released on parole after just six months of detention, the entirety of which he had spent in the VIP wing of a hospital.

The judges on Tuesday said Mr. Thaksin had no severe illness and could have been treated in jail, adding both he and his doctors had intentionally prolonged his hospital stay.

“The defendant knew the facts or was aware the situation was not a critical emergency. The defendant only had a chronic condition that could be treated as an outpatient and did not require hospitalization,” it said.

A corrections department vehicle carrying Mr. Thaksin was seen arriving at a Bangkok jail less than an hour after a ruling that has gripped the country, the latest drama in two weeks of political chaos that saw the fall of another Thaksin-backed populist government.

The 76-year-old powerbroker is experiencing a period of political reckoning after his daughter and protégé Paetongtarn Shinawatra was sacked as prime minister by a court on Aug. 29 — the sixth premier from or backed by the Shinawatra family to be removed by the judiciary or military.

Ms. Paetongtarn’s government fell on Friday, outmaneuvered by challenger Anutin Charnvirakul, who was elected premier by parliament in a humiliating defeat for Mr. Thaksin’s once unstoppable Pheu Thai party, which won five of the past six elections.

Mr. Thaksin, who has loomed large over Thai politics throughout a quarter of a century of turmoil, is Thailand’s first former premier to be sent to prison.

‘HISTORIC DAY’
He accepted the verdict and said he would remain strong.

“Today, I may no longer have freedom, but have freedom of thought to create benefit for the country and people,” Mr. Thaksin said in a statement on social media.

Mr. Thaksin’s immediate family attended the verdict with him. An emotional Ms. Paetongtarn said she was concerned about her father, but also proud.

“My dad has created history for the country, including useful policies that benefited the people,” she told reporters.

“Today is another historic day where he is the first prime minister to go to jail. This is quite heavy.”

Kokaew Pikulthong, a Pheu Thai party lawmaker who was in the courtroom, said Mr. Thaksin took the verdict well.

“He still has the fighting spirit,” he added.

Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political science professor at Ubon Ratchathani University, said that despite the jailing and Shinawatra family’s declining influence, the indomitable Thaksin would still attempt to call the shots in politics.

“Even with the one-year sentence, it doesn’t mean that he would completely withdraw from politics. He’ll still likely play a role within Pheu Thai,” he said.

“I still have doubts that he would spend the whole year in jail, as there are still legal ways to cut his sentence. And we have seen that he did try everything to stay out of jail.” — Reuters

Fighting Maroons open UAAP title defense against host UST

UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES FIGHTING MAROONS — FACEBOOK.COM/WEARETHEUAAP

REIGNING champion University of the Philippines (UP) opens its title defense in the centerpiece men’s basketball tournament of the UAAP Season 88 against host University of Santo Tomas (UST) on Sept. 21 at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

Game time is at 4:30 p.m. with the Fighting Maroons eyeing a flying start for back-to-back title bid with the debuting Rey Remogat after the first match between the National University (NU) and the University of the East (UE) at 2 p.m. 

UP beat De La Salle University, 2-1, in last year’s finals for its second title in four straight finals appearances under coach Goldwin Monteverde.

The first salvo of the back-to-back opening weekend features Far Eastern University (FEU) against Ateneo de Manila University at 2 p.m. then La Salle against Adamson University at 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 20.

Before that, Santo Tomas will usher in the new season with a theme or “Strength in Motion, Hope in Action” in grand ceremony on Sept. 19 at the UST Grandstand and Open Field featuring a mass, a program then a finale concert.

The same theme will be introduced as the official UAAP theme song written by assistant professor Louell Baldoza of UST Institute of Religion and interpreted by Santo Tomas alumnus, OPM singer-songwriter and Callalily band frontman Kean Cipriano.

Around 30,000 people are expected to watch the UAAP opening, a number similar to the annual “Paskuhan” concert in December. — John Bryan Ulanday

Eala jumps to WTA rank No. 61 after Guadalajara Open win

ALEX EALA — FACEBOOK.COM/GDLOPEN

ALEXANDRA “ALEX” EALA inched closer to her previous-career best ranking in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) after a breakthrough feat in the WTA125 Guadalajara Open in Mexico over the weekend.

The 20-year-old Filipina pride officially improved to No. 61 as per the updated WTA rankings ahead of her first-round duel in the WTA250 Sao Paulo Open in Brazil.

Ms. Eala, seeded No. 3, is up against qualifier and WTA No. 380 Yasmine Mansouri of France in the opener tentatively set at 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

From No. 75, the lefty sensation climbed 14 rungs in the world rankings after winning her and the country’s first WTA in Mexico with a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 comeback triumph against Hungary’s Panna Udvardy in the finale.

Her first-ever main draw win the US Open against world No. 15 Clara Tauson of Denmark, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11), also played a factor in her rise after being stuck around the Top 70 rankings for months.

Ms. Eala’s previous high was at No. 56, following a runner-up finish in the Eastbourne Open last June.

With an improved ranking and high seed at No. 3 in Sao Paulo, Ms. Eala is projected to reset that career-best in a continuous WTA Tour rise after playing in all four Grand Slams this season.

After Brazil, Ms. Eala is expected to play more tournaments closer to home in Asia leading to a possible Philippine team return for the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand in December.

She won three bronze medals in the 2022 SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam but did not see action the next edition in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. — John Bryan Ulanday

Boatwright naturalization still on in present Congress

BENNIE BOATWRIGHT — PBA

THE bid to get Bennie Boatwright naturalized and join Gilas Pilipinas Men is still on.

Stalled in the previous Congress, the naturalization process of Mr. Boatwright has been revived in the 20th Congress through HB 04401 principally authored by Isabela Rep. Faustino Dy III.

“It (bill) has already been re-filed in this Congress when it opened and we’re just waiting for the Committee of Justice to call the first hearings,” Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Erika Dy said during Tuesday’s PSA Forum.

“So scheduled process na lang siya. But as we know, our Congress has a lot of other things to take care of, before the hearing. So we’re trying to be as patient as we can about it, understanding there are other national concerns that come ahead of this,” she added.

Mr. Boatwright, who powered San Miguel Beer to the PBA Commissioner’s Cup title in 2024, is being eyed to bolster the Gilas’ naturalized players’ pool or even potentially take over from Justin Brownlee, now 37, further down the road. Mr. Boatwright stands at 6-foot-10, giving the squad extra ceiling, and at 29 years old, has a lot of playing years ahead of him.

It’s a different situation for Nigerian Favor Onoh, 6-foot-4 naturalization prospect for Gilas Women. Former UP star Mr. Onoh has already left the country as she accepted a scholarship from the University of Oklahoma in the US NCAA.

“We’re still trying to keep in touch with her but we actually haven’t decided yet if we would move forward with her naturalization,” said Ms. Dy, who appeared with Norman Black, coach of the Gilas team to the Southeast Asian Games, in the forum. — Olmin Leyba

Coach Norman Black braces for import beef up at upcoming Southeast Asian Games

SEA GAMES head coach Norman Black — PBA

COACH Norman Black vowed to assemble the “strongest and most balanced” Philippine squad as he braces for rivals beefed up by imports in the coming Southeast Asian Games (SEAG).

“The goal will definitely be to win the gold medal and we’ll do our best to try to get the best players and give us the best chance to win,” Mr. Black said during Tuesday’s PSA Forum with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Erika Dy.

So far, Mr. Black said Justin Brownlee, Ange Kouame, Ray Parks, Matthew Wright, Remy Martin, Dave Ildefonso, Jason Brickman and Veejay Pre have committed to the SEAG campaign.

The veteran mentor, who previously steered the Philippines to SEAG glory in 2011, is looking at securing the services of big men from the collegiate leagues and possibly the pros to complete his crew to Thailand.

Mr. Black is also preparing to fend off a potential ambush from the challengers, recalling how previous host Cambodia fielded five American-born naturalized players and placed second to Gilas two years ago.

“We’re thinking that might happen again where teams may just hire imports to play for their country so we have to prepare for that. That’s why we need the strongest possible team and most balanced possible team,” he said.

Mr. Black said the actual prep time will be short, around eight to 10 solid days, so they will have to depend on the cagers’ adaptability.

“We have to get guys who can play together very quickly and play together very well because we won’t really have much time,” he said.

But he’s confident of getting his charges battle-ready.

“A lot of work to be done as far as organizing the team and preparations are concerned but by the time we get around to the SEA Games, we will be ready,” he said. — Olmin Leyba

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