Senate postpones impeachment sched

May 29, 2025 | 9:06 pm

SENATE PRESIDENT Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero moved the readings of the articles of impeachment against Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio to June 11 to give way for the Senate to tackle priority legislation.

“With only six session days before the sine die adjournment, it is imperative for the Senate and the House of Representatives to prioritize the passage of these measures, consistent also with the administration’s thrust to align our government with the people’s needs and expectations,” Mr. Escudero said in a statement on Thursday.

The presentation for the Articles of Impeachment was originally scheduled for June 2.

The Senate chief said that it would also allow the upper house to act on more than 200 presidential appointments, including the three cabinet secretaries, four officials of constitutional commissions, 39 foreign service officers, and 277 officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

A letter of the rescheduled date had also been sent to the Speaker of the House and the Office of the Vice-President. — Adrian H. Halili

Teves arrives in Manila after arrest

May 29, 2025 | 9:05 pm

Teves-photo — Timor-Leste government representatives turned over former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. to Philippine government officials led by National Bureau of Investigation at the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport in Dili on Thursday afternoon.

A former lawmaker accused of killing his political rival and 12 others arrived in Manila after staying in Timor Leste for months, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. confirmed on Thursday night.

In a video message posted across his social media accounts, Mr. Marcos confirmed that former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo A. Teves, Jr. returned to the country in a chartered plane.

“I was informed by Prime Minister [Kay Rala Xanana] Gusmão in the [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] meeting that I just returned from in Kuala Lumpur, that Timor Leste was ready to send Teves back to the Philippines so this would not have happened without the assistance of President [José Ramos-Horta] and Prime Minister Gusmão,” Mr. Marcos said.

He assured Filipinos that lawlessness will not go unpunished.

This comes after the Timorese government on Wednesday, a day after the ASEAN Summit concluded in the Malaysian capital, ordered Mr. Teves’ deportation for being an undocumented alien.

Mr. Teves will face multiple charges upon his return, including those related to the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel R. Degamo, as well as accusations of orchestrating several other killings in the province.

He has denied any wrongdoings. His camp filed a habeas corpus plea against his arrest yesterday as a last-ditch effort to prevent his return in the Philippines.

He left the country shortly after Mr. Degamo’s murder in 2023 and remained overseas despite the cancellation of his passport.

Timor Leste is seeking membership in the ten-member regional bloc, which the Philippines will chair in 2026. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Motorists covering plates to be fined

May 29, 2025 | 9:04 pm

Edsa-vehicle-road — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said motorists covering their plate numbers using objects like face masks and masking tape would face a P5,000 penalty amid the implementation of the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP).

“I am warning them that the penalty for this is P5,000. They might be surprised,” MMDA Traffic Enforcement Director Victor Maria D. Nuñez said in Filipino during a Palace briefing on Thursday. “We monitored in many of our CCTV cameras, [people] covered [their plate numbers] with electrical tape, covered with masking tape.”

The memo, he said, was promulgated early Thursday.

The NCAP is among the government’s traffic enforcement solutions as it plans to rehabilitate the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), the capital’s major highway, by mid-June.

MMDA started enforcing the policy again on Monday after the Supreme Court partially lifted its 2022 order that stopped its implementation.

The NCAP covers EDSA, C5, Buendia, Roxas Boulevard, Marcos Highway, Katipunan, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon Avenue and West Avenue.

It monitors and penalizes traffic violations with surveillance cameras and other digital monitoring systems to encourage driver discipline, reduce traffic congestion, and minimize corruption. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

3,000 balikbayan boxes sent to DMW

May 29, 2025 | 9:04 pm

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) on Thursday said it handed over nearly 3,000 abandoned balikbayan boxes to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) for distribution to respective owners.

In a statement on Thursday, Customs said it turned over 2,954 balikbayan boxes to the DMW in a ceremonial event held on May 29 in Davao City.

“These boxes, originally sent by Overseas Filipino Workers to their loved ones, were left unclaimed after being mishandled and abandoned by unscrupulous freight forwarders at the Port of Davao,” the BoC said.

The approval of the Department of Finance, the BoC declared the boxes forfeited and officially donated them to the DMW through a signed Deed of Donation.

In a separate statement on Thursday, Customs said it examined two 20-foot container vans from Thailand containing 1,000 sacks of refined sugar in its first operation on May 23.

Another shipment examined by BoC found two abandoned 20-foot containers at Warehouse 3 in Port of Manila. They found 1,040 bags labeled “sweet mixed powder.”

Both shipment of sugar are valued at approximately P9 million, the agency said.

During the same inspection activity, the team also assessed a 40-foot container misdeclared as fabric, which was found to contain 1,046 boxes or 52,300 reams of illicit cigarettes with an estimated value of P81.065 million. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

GSIS earmarks P22M for flood-hit members, pensioners in Agusan del Sur

May 29, 2025 | 9:03 pm

THE GOVERNMENT Service Insurance System (GSIS) has set aside more than P22 million in emergency loan for flood and prolonged rain-affected members and old-age and disability pensioners in La Paz, Agusan del Sur.

“Active members working or residing in the area are eligible to apply if they have no due and demandable GSIS loan, are not on unpaid leave, have paid premiums in the last six months before applying, have no pending administrative or criminal case, and have a net monthly take-home pay of at least P5,000,” the state pension fund said in a statement on Thursday.

It said qualified members and pensioners have until June 15 to apply for a loan. Proceeds will be electronically credited to the borrower’s eCard or Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID) card.

Under the facility, qualified members who have an existing emergency loan may borrow up to P40,000 to pay off their previous emergency loan balance and enable them to receive a maximum net amount of P20,000.

Meanwhile, those without an existing emergency loan balance may apply for a P20,000 loan.

“Pensioners may also apply, provided they are residing in La Paz and their net basic monthly pension is at least 25%,” GSIS said.

The loan carries an interest rate of 6% and is payable in 36 equal monthly installments.

“It is covered by a loan redemption insurance, which deems the loan fully paid, in case of the borrower’s demise, provided the loan payment is up to date.” — Aaron Michael C. Sy

BARMM execs want Galvez retained

May 29, 2025 | 9:03 pm

COTABATO CITY — Leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) are worried of a backlash in the government’s peace process with southern communities if President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. designates a new peace, unity and reconciliation adviser who has limited understanding of the Mindanao secessionist issue.

Bangsamoro Labor and Employment Minister Muslimin G. Sema, who is chairman of the MNLF, told reporters on Thursday that they want the President to reappoint the retired Army Officer Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. as his adviser on peace, reconciliation and unity, asserting that he has ample knowledge about the government’s separate peace accords with the MNLF and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The MNLF and the MILF oversee the operations of several ministries in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Both fronts also have representatives in BARMM’s 80-seat regional parliament.

Mr. Galvez complied with the President’s directive for all members of his cabinet to resign for him to have leeway in initiating a revamp.

He had served as commander of the Army’s 6^th Infantry Division covering Central Mindanao and as chief of the Western Mindanao Command before he retired from military service.

“We are appealing to the President to reappoint him. Only a soldier who had experienced the difficult, painful consequences of armed conflicts in Southern Mindanao would know what are the best solutions to the nagging security issues in the region,”Mr. Sema said, referring to Mr. Galvez.

MNLF officials in Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces, as well as in the island province of Basilan and in BARMM’s capital, Cotabato City, were quoted in radio reports on Thursday as saying that Mr. Galvez was a frequent visitor of their camps, now recognized as peace zones by the police and military.

“He had extensive military engagements in Mindanao as a soldier. That makes him a good presidential adviser on peace, reconciliation and unity,” Mr. Sema said. — John Felix M. Unson

Re-elected Benguet Rep. Yap eyeing counter charges

May 29, 2025 | 9:02 pm

BAGUIO CITY — Re-elected Benguet lawmaker Eric Go Yap said he is bent on filing charges against those involved in the disqualification charges filed against him before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Seven disqualification cases have so far been filed against Mr. Yap.

“Another disqualification case was filed against me today, it’s the seventh (time) already. Again, the petition questions my citizenship but with no proof to back up their claims,” Mr. Yap said.

Despite garnering 144,093 votes, Mr. Yap’s proclamation was put on hold earlier following an order from Comelec due to a disqualification case filed before the May 12 election.

“As mentioned previously, the petitioners will face serious charges. Our lawyers are drafting the charges already against every single one of them,” he said.

On May 27, Mr. Yap also received his sixth disqualification case filed, also questioning the citizenship of the re-elected solon.

“We know who’s behind all these but we will deal with that later. This needs to be addressed first, otherwise, we risk not having a sitting Benguet Representative come July 1^st. We will hurdle these, and the petitioners will have their day in the court after,” Mr. Yap said in mixed English and Filipino. — Artemio A. Dumlao

Peso weakens vs dollar after US trade court blocks Trump’s tariffs

May 29, 2025 | 9:00 pm

THE PESO fell against the dollar on Thursday after the US Court of International Trade blocked President Donald J. Trump’s sweeping reciprocal tariffs on trade partners.

It closed at P55.73 a dollar, weakening by 25.5 centavos from its P55.475 finish on Wednesday, according to Bankers Association of the Philippines data posted on its website.

The peso opened at P55.65, weakened to as much as P55.82 and appreciated to as much as P55.62 against the greenback. Dollars exchanged fell to $1.68 billion from $1.8 billion on Wednesday.

“The dollar-peso closed higher as the market reacted to the US court decision to block President Trump’s tariffs,” a trader said by telephone.

The dollar rose against its major peers after the court ruling, providing some relief for the currency that has struggled this year due to trade uncertainty.

The greenback gained a third of a percent against the yen and the Swiss franc but was off session highs after the trade court ruling that found Trump overstepped his authority by imposing across-the-board duties on imports from US trading partners.

The court ruling provided some relief for the greenback since hitting multi-year lows, Michael L. Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said in a Viber message.

“Trump’s global tariffs were deemed illegal and blocked by the US trade court, a major legal setback for a president who has been testing the limits of presidential power with his policies,” he said.

The Court of International Trade said the US Constitution gives Congress exclusive authority to regulate commerce with other countries that is not overridden by the president’s emergency powers to safeguard the US economy.

The trader expects the peso to trade from P55.50 to P55.90 a dollar on Friday, while Mr. Ricafort sees it at P55.60 to P55.85. — Aaron Michael C. Sy with Reuters

Philippine stocks slip as investors book gains

May 29, 2025 | 9:00 pm

PHILIPPINE STOCKS slightly fell on Thursday in the absence of a local catalyst, with investors choosing to book their gains at the last minute.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) dropped 0.2% or 12.99 points to 6,412.81, while the broader all-share index was unchanged at 3,753.1.

“The local market’s sideways movement ended in negative territory as investors decided to book gains in the final minutes of trading,” Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco, a senior research analyst at Philstocks Financial, Inc., said in a Viber message.

“Lack of positive local catalysts caused investors to exit the market. Global trade uncertainties also continued to weigh on market sentiment,” he added.

On Wednesday, the US Court of International Trade blocked most of President Donald J. Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, saying he had overstepped his authority by implementing across-the-board duties on imports from the country’s trading partners.

The court said the US Constitution grants exclusive authority to Congress to regulate commerce with other countries not overridden by the president’s emergency powers to protect the economy.

Mr. Trump had said that the tariffs would help bring back factory jobs to the US and help generate revenue to bring down federal budget deficits.

“The PSEi slipped as investor sentiment turned cautious amid fading optimism over United States-European Union trade talks and heightened geopolitical risks,” Luis A. Limlingan, head of sales at Regina Capital Development Corp., said in a Viber message.

Most sectoral indexes closed lower. Mining and oil fell 1.81% or 178.12 points to 9,612.65, while financials dropped 0.58% or 14.1 points to 2,413.77.

Holding firms retreated 0.4% or 22.11 points to 5,439.79, while property lost 0.32% or 7.36 points to 2,247.7.

On the other hand, industrials rose 0.55% or 49.22 points to 8,940.1, while services gained 0.49% or 10.66 points to 2,154.34.

Value turnover shrank to P4.84 billion covering 690.76 million shares from P6.3 billion covering 601.1 million shares on Wednesday.

Losers beat winners 92 to 89, while 61 stocks were unchanged.

Net foreign selling reached P179.92 million, a reversal of the P687.36 million worth of net foreign inflows on Wednesday. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

GOCC officials start quitting under orders from Palace

May 29, 2025 | 8:51 pm

PAGCOR — PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

By Aubrey Rose A. Inosante, Reporter

TOP OFFICIALS of state-run firms have started to submit courtesy resignations, Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin said on Thursday, giving the government a free hand to overhaul the leadership of government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) following a similar revamp of the Cabinet earlier.

The Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG) ordered all non ex-officio chairpersons, CEOs, and appointive board members to resign, in accordance with a May 21 Palace memorandum.

Mr. Bersamin said the GCG will process all the resignations, but the Office of the President will review the resignations of GOCC heads.

“Although that memorandum said that the GOCC resignation should come through us, we will make it clear to the GCG that only the resignations of the GOCC heads should be reviewed by us,” he said.

Those who have filed resignations include Lynette V. Ortiz, president and CEO of the Land Bank of the Philippines, Edwin M. Mercado, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. president and CEO, and Philippine Economic Zone Authority Director General Tereso O. Panga.

“I tendered my courtesy resignation Tuesday, as directed by the President to all heads of agencies to give the President a free hand,” Mr. Panga told BusinessWorld via Viber.

Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) Chairman Alexander T. Lopez told BusinessWorld, also via Viber:“In full respect and faithful support of the directive of our beloved President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., I have submitted my courtesy resignation as Chairman of the PRA.”

Mr. Lopez said the GOCC overhaul is an “essential step” to the realization of the goals of Bagong Pilipinas.

Government Service Insurance System President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo A. Veloso said he resigned to give the President full discretion in “determining the best path forward for his administration.”

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco and members of its board resigned last week, in advance of the GCG notice to resign dated May 26.

Joining Mr. Tengco were PAGCOR President and Operating Officer Wilma T. Eisma and directors Jose Maria C. Ortega, Francis Democrito C. Concordia and Gilbert Cesar C. Remulla.

Light Rail Transit Authority administrator Hernando T. Cabrera said he submitted his resignation to Malacañang shortly after receiving notice from the GCG.

Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Eric Jose C. Ines confirmed he has resigned.

The Development Bank of the Philippines has yet to issue a statement on the status of its affected officials.

The Department of Finance reported that GOCCs remitted P76 billion worth of dividends to the Treasury as of May and projects the full-year total to exceed the 2024 tally of P138.46 billion.

Mr. Bersamin said he does not expect any disruptions as officials are expected to remain in place until their replacements are appointed.

“The stability of policies will continue. The policy directions have been issued to these offices by the President and the governing or the supervising cabinet secretaries so there is a clear path for all of them to see, to follow and to traverse,” he said.

Maharlika Investment Fund President and Chief Executive Officer Rafael D. Consing, Jr. said the presidential order will not cause delay in operations and revenue generation.

“The directive for courtesy resignations explicitly requires officials to continue performing their duties, precisely to ensure no disruption to public service or revenue generation,” Mr. Consing, who has resigned, told BusinessWorld via Viber.

Filomeno S. Sta. Ana III, coordinator of Action for Economic Reforms, dismissed the call for courtesy resignations as “simply a propaganda ploy.”

“It’s bizarre that he made a blanket statement calling for the resignation of all, instead of protecting those who have performed well and firing the incompetents,” he said.

Supreme Court rejects challenge to LRT-1 extension concession deal

May 29, 2025 | 8:51 pm

THE Supreme Court rejected a legal challenge to the fare-setting mechanism of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) extension project, which runs from Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite.

The ruling, written by Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, denied a petition filed by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Representative Neri J. Colmenares, the Train Riders Network, and others, who had contested the Concession Agreement for the Manila LRT-1 Extension.

The petitioners had claimed the periodic fare adjustments provided for in the concession agreement violated due process due to the absence of a procedure for giving notice and conducting hearings.

The High Court upheld the authority of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), one of the respondents, to fix fares.

The other respondents were the Department of Transportation, former Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya, former LRTA administrator Honorito D. Chaneco, and Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC).

The court found that the Concession Agreement does not violate due process rules of the Public Service Act and the Administrative Code of 1987, which require notice and hearings for rate-fixing.

It said Section 20.3.b of the agreement provides a mechanism for applying for a fare increase, which still requires the grantors’ approval and obtaining all legally mandated “relevant consents,” including consent of third parties (like the public) and publication in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Thus, any approval is subject to statutory notice and hearing requirements.

The plaintiffs also challenged the Transport department and LRTA’s assumption of real property tax liabilities for rail project assets.

The court found this arrangement valid and reasonable, citing the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law, which permits government assumption of taxes to entice private participation.

The LRT-1 Extension Project is a priority infrastructure project, and the revised implementing rules and regulations of the BOT Law explicitly permit direct government subsidies and other forms of support for solicited projects.

The LRT-1 Extension, Operations and Maintenance Project was approved by the National Economic and Development Authority Board on March 22, 2012. On Sept. 12, 2014, a Notice of Award was issued to LRMC. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Economic sabotage council to track food prices via daily index

May 29, 2025 | 8:50 pm

THE Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage (AAES) Council said on Thursday that it will be tracking the prices of farm goods by publishing a daily price index (DPI), which it said will aid in the crackdown against smugglers and market manipulators.

Secretary Frederick D. Go, who is President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s permanent representative to the council, said in a statement that the AAES Council agreed to “intensify the crackdown on major smugglers, hoarders, profiteers, and cartel operators.”

“Protecting consumers entails going after the root of the problem — large-scale economic saboteurs who distort our agricultural and fisheries markets,” according to Mr. Go, who is also special assistant to the President for investment and economic affairs.

“With the law now in effect and enforcement mechanisms operational, the council is well-equipped to pursue offenders aggressively in pursuit of stable food prices and a better quality of life for all,” he added.

At a meeting on Wednesday, the council approved the compilation of a DPI as well as the operational protocols presented by the Department of Justice, which will set the framework for “coordinated action against major market saboteurs.”

“The council committed to regular audits and public dissemination of the DPI to deter price manipulation,” the council said in the statement.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) also presented guidelines for declaring a market situation to be “abnormal,” which will trigger intervention from the council to counteract economic sabotage and supply chain disruptions.

The council also authorized the enforcement group, composed of the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Department of Finance (DoF), to run after smuggling and profiteering networks.

The council also promised expedited filing and resolution of charges for violating the AAES Act.

“In addition, the council directed relevant agencies to advance two critical components of its enforcement mechanism,” it said.

“These are the full implementation of the National Single Window system through the DoF, Department of Information and Communications Technology, and Bureau of Customs, and ensuring readiness of storage facilities for goods that will be seized to ensure proper handling and disposition,” it added.

Chaired by Mr. Go, the AAES Council was created through the AAES Act. It meets quarterly and may convene special sessions to address time-sensitive matters. — Justine Irish D. Tabile