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Coal-fired power plants facing higher insurance costs — DoE

COAL-FIRED power plants are experiencing difficulties in obtaining insurance cover as the transition to green energy moves forward, according to the Department of Energy (DoE).

“The general observation is that the insurance premiums have significantly increased since several years ago. And not only that they have increased, but that insurers are reluctant to renew when it is a coal-fired power plant,” Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said at a briefing on Thursday.

Mr. Lotilla said insurers “have shown reluctance in providing reasonable rates of insurance for the power sector,” even for coal-fired power plants that are up and running.

“We still have coal-fired power plants that are not covered by the coal moratorium,” he said. “And we have the challenge of getting not only financing for those that are still to be built, but also the insurance premiums that are being charged especially for these power plants.”

In 2020, the DoE issued a moratorium on the development of greenfield coal-fired power plants.

The Philippines has around 7,000 megawatts of coal-fired power plants that are 10 years or younger, Mr. Lotilla said.

He met with some representatives of the insurance industry on Wednesday.

“We want to make sure (we can) convince them that the risks that they associate with the Philippines are actually much less than what they are (pricing into) their premiums,” he said.

He said insurance companies are currently reviewing their exposure in the face of the changing global environment.

The government is seeking to increase the share of renewable energy in the power generation mix to 35% by 2030 and to 50% by 2040.

In 2023, the power generation mix consisted of 63% coal-fired and 22% renewable energy. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Agri budget for 2026 to feature bigger allocations for coconut, coffee, sugar

PHILIPPINE STAR/JESSE BUSTOS

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it will seek to move away from its current rice-centric focus by funding more high-value crops like coconut and coffee in 2026.

“Bago ako pumasok, actually rice-centric na. (Before I took office, the Department was already rice-centric) But right now, for our proposed 2026 budget, we are putting more money into coconut, calamansi, coffee, sugar, (and other) high-value crops,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. told reporters.

In the first quarter, the value of production of palay (unmilled rice) at constant 2018 prices grew 0.3% to 4.7 million metric tons.

Corn production declined 5.1% in the quarter, reversing the year-earlier 0.5% growth.

Coconut output slipped 0.3%, against the 3.3% decline a year earlier.

Crops that posted double-digit increases in the value of production included tobacco (80.4%), cacao (23.6%), sugarcane (19%), rubber (13.6%), coffee (10.7%) and mung bean (10.1%). — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Xinyx Design seeking to tap Visayan talent

XINYXDESIGN.COM

INTEGRATED CIRCUIT (IC) design solutions company Xinyx Design said it is looking to open an office in the Visayas to broaden the pool of IC designers.

“We need to work on the foundation and make sure the ecosystem is present and visible for companies around the world to say, ‘Okay, the Philippines is good to invest in,’” Christine Gojar, corporate communications executive at Xinyx Design, told BusinessWorld.

“We’re planning to expand in Visayas, but we’re not sure when because we’re still focused on curriculum development with the schools,” she said. “We’re looking at Cebu and Iloilo.”

Xinyx Design was established in 2009 with 10 engineers. The company is one of the biggest fabless IC design houses in Southeast Asia with about 400 engineers.

“We’ve really been growing exponentially just because of the demand, and we’re (running out of) people to hire, and that’s why we’ve been focusing on going to the schools and trying to get students interested in microelectronics,” Ms. Gojar said.

However, she said finding interested prospects requires a clearing up of misconceptions about the semiconductor industry.

“When (students) hear about semiconductors, they think they’re going to work at a factory,” Ms. Gojar said.

Last week, the company teamed up with Colegio de Muntinlupa to launch LABS by Xinyx, the first flexible learning platform catering to IC design and microelectronics.

The company is looking to train 1,000 students annually through LABS by Xinyx.

The Campus Connect Program, which Xinyx launched in 2018, aims to help students enter the microelectronics industry through internships and scholarships.

The company has worked with schools such as the Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, Colegio de Muntinlupa, De La Salle University, Technological University of the Philippines – Manila, and Batangas State University.

“The target really is to convince the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) high school students to take up electronics engineering or computer engineering when they get to college, and to get the undergraduates interested in IC design and take up a microelectronics specialization,” Ms. Gojar said.

Electronic products were the Philippines’ top commodity export last year, accounting for 53.4% of the total. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

UBS sees pickup in PHL gold investments

FREEPIK

UBS INVESTMENT BANK said gold investments in the Philippines are expected to pick up this year, driven by the US Federal Reserve’s easing cycle and a weakening dollar.

“If you look at physical investment demand, it was positive in the first quarter, and that’s helped offset the weakness in jewelry demand. So I would expect that trend to continue,” UBS Investment Bank Precious Metals Strategist Joni Teves said in a briefing on Thursday.

UBS sees gold prices ending the year at $3,500 an ounce, but could hit a low of $3,100 if the Fed turns hawkish.

“Our expectation is that the Fed continues to ease policy rates, given the downside risks to economic growth. That is the key to our bullish gold outlook. The weaker dollar view that we have as well is a factor and that is long-term supportive for gold,” Ms. Teves said.

UBS expects gold to continue to rally this year in the face of uncertainty generated by the Trump administration’s tariffs.

“We have been bullish for some time, and we remain bullish on gold here. We think that the market can continue to rally in this environment where there’s a lot of uncertainty, particularly around tariffs, but also broader macro uncertainty, and persistent geopolitical risks,” she said.

Ms. Teves added that gold prices could be dragged down in Asia by demand for jewelry.

“In general, our view this year would be for jewelry demand to continue being under pressure because of the high prices of gold especially given our bullish outlook but for physical investment in gold to continue to be strong,” she said.

Recent policy changes in China supportive of gold could also boost demand as it improves market sentiment, but Ms. Teves noted the volume of investments coming from that country will not be substantial.

“The announcement earlier this year on insurance companies being allowed to invest up to 1% of their assets in gold, we think is a positive factor or a positive development for the long term in gold. Currently, we don’t think that there’s going to be large volumes coming out of this, but what we think this has done is fueled positive sentiment onshore and there has been strong retail and institutional investor demand for gold in China as evidenced by the sharp rise in Shanghai Gold Exchange trading volumes, high premiums onshore, and large inflows into Chinese gold ETFs,” she said. — Aaron Michael C. Sy

Working children tallied at 2.7% of child population

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

WORKING CHILDREN as a percentage of the overall child population fell to 2.7% in 2024 from 3.5% a year earlier, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.

The number of working children last year was estimated at 863,000, down from 1.09 million in 2023.

The PSA defines working children as those between five and 17 years and engaged in a family business, or any job, regardless of pay, for at least one hour per week.

The services sector had the biggest share of working children, accounting for 50.3% of the total, against 50% in 2023.

Agriculture accounted for 40.8%.

Boys accounted for 61.8% of working children.

In 2024, 73.8% of working children logged 20 hours or less of work each week, little changed from a year earlier.

Federation of Free Workers (FFW) Vice-President Julius H. Cainglet said that the reduced number of child workers is a good start, but the efforts to reduce child labor will go to waste if the educational system is not improved.

“After all the reason why we want to remove them from work is to get them back to education,” he said via Viber.

Meanwhile, the number of working children involved in “child labor” — those engaged in hazardous work or log more than 40 hours a week — was estimated at about 513,000 in 2024, down from about 678,000 a year earlier.

The PSA estimated that 59.4% of working children in 2024 were engaged in child labor, down from 62% in 2023. The child laborers consisted of 69.1% boys and 30.9% girls.

Agriculture had the highest share of child laborers at 64.2%, followed by services (28.9%) and industry (6.9%).

“We need agro-industrial development so there will be more decent jobs available for the members of the family of working age. We need more funds for education to possibly cover warm and healthy meals for elementary school pupils,” Mr. Cainglet said. — John Phoebus G. Villanueva

PSEi drops to 6,400 level as investors book profits

BW FILE PHOTO

PHILIPPINE STOCKS dropped further on Thursday, pulling the main index back to the 6,400 level, as investors continued to pocket their gains from the market’s US-China truce-driven rally earlier this week.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) retreated by 1.29% or 84.95 points to close at 6,466.86, while the broader all shares index dropped by 0.8% or 30.44 points to 3,768.44.

“The local market declined further as investors continued with their profit taking while waiting for strong positive catalysts,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Senior Research Analyst Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco said in a Viber message. “Investors are also trading cautiously while going through the first quarter corporate results.”

“Foreigners were net sellers for the day, adding to the market’s decline,” Mr. Tantiangco said.

Net foreign selling stood at P218.23 million on Thursday, a reversal of the P356.25 million worth of net buying recorded on Wednesday.

Mixed earnings results of listed companies caused the market to drop on Thursday, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

Almost all sectoral indices closed lower. Mining and oil dropped by 3.34% or 307.68 points to 8,903.61; financials went down by 2.97% or 74.19 points to 2,421.43; property shed 2.46% or 57.4 points to end at 2,272.20; services sank by 0.4% or 8.65 points to 2,131.22; and industrials declined by 0.28% or 26.37 points to 9,164.25.

Meanwhile, holding firms rose by 0.53% or 29.38 points to 5,478.70.

Value turnover dropped to P6.49 billion on Thursday with 1.54 billion shares traded from the P9.5 billion with 1.56 billion issues exchanged on Wednesday.

Market breadth was negative as decliners outnumbered advancers, 108 versus 77, while 61 names were unchanged.

Mr. Ricafort said the PSEi’s immediate minor support is at 6,275-6,385 and resistance is at 6,591.94.

Global stocks fell on Thursday while the dollar stumbled as the euphoria from market tailwinds earlier in the week fizzled out, with traders looking to US data later in the day for further catalysts, Reuters reported.

Investors were greeted with a plethora of good news earlier this week from a US-China trade-war truce to a raft of headline-grabbing investment deals from the Middle East during US President Donald J. Trump’s Gulf tour, in moves that breathed new life into battered global stocks.

But most of the optimism died down by Thursday, leaving MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan down 0.15% and Wall Street futures slightly lower after notching marginal gains during the overnight cash session.

While the trade deal between the US and China gave markets some reason to cheer, the absence of clarity over Mr. Trump’s trade policies has left markets with a sense of lingering uncertainty over the global economic outlook. — R.M.D. Ochave with Reuters

Peso rebounds as dollar rally loses steam

BW FILE PHOTO

THE PESO strengthened on Thursday as the dollar fell before the release of US retail sales data overnight.

The local unit closed at P55.746 per dollar on Thursday, strengthening by 10.9 centavos from its P55.855 finish on Wednesday, Bankers Association of the Philippines data showed.

The peso opened Thursday’s session slightly up at P55.80 against the dollar. Its worst showing was at P55.84, while its intraday best was at P55.71 versus the greenback.

Dollars traded went down to $1.87 billion on Thursday from $1.92 billion on Wednesday.

“The peso appreciated in anticipation of a likely contraction in US retail sales for April,” a trader said in an e-mail.

The dollar was also dragged by lower global crude oil prices on Thursday, as well as a surge in the major Asian currencies, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

For Friday, the trader expects the peso to move between P55.60 and P55.85 per dollar, while Mr. Ricafort sees it ranging from P55.65 to P55.85.

The US dollar lost its footing against major peers on Thursday ahead of retail sales later in the day that could offer clues on US consumer strength in the face of tariff risks, while excitement over a Sino-US trade deal faded, Reuters reported.

The greenback has given up most of its gains from Monday after the United States and China announced a 90-day pause on most of the tariffs imposed on each other’s goods since early April, easing fears of a global recession.

Safe-haven currencies gained, with the Japanese yen strengthening 0.6% to 145.88 per dollar after having touched a one-month low of 148.65 earlier this week. The Swiss franc firmed 0.6% to 0.8376 versus the dollar.

The euro tacked on 0.2% to $1.12.

Most Asian currencies advanced versus the dollar too, led by a surge in the South Korean won for the second day after news on Wednesday that officials from South Korea and the US met last week to discuss the dollar/won exchange rate led to a bout of dollar selling.

The won surged 0.7% at 1,397.68 per dollar. The sudden lurch in the won was reminiscent of an unprecedented two-day surge in Taiwan’s currency at the start of May, which also coincided with the end of US-Taiwan trade talks in Washington.

The Taiwan dollar was 0.5% stronger to the dollar on Thursday.

A Bloomberg report on Wednesday, however, said the US is not negotiating for a weaker dollar as part of tariff talks, which has helped calm some of the nervousness in the markets.

The dollar index, which measures the US unit against six other currencies, was 0.2% lower at 100.81, but on course to eke out a 0.4% gain for the week. Even so, the index is down nearly 7% in 2025.

US President Donald J. Trump’s aggressive and erratic trade policies have rattled investors’ confidence in the dollar, leading to a sharp fall in US assets. While stock markets have recouped April losses, the dollar remains under pressure.

A major market focus on Thursday will be US retail sales data, and investors are also going to be looking out for more details on possible trade deals after the US-China tariff truce. — A.M.C. Sy with Reuters

Philippines, Germany sign defense pact

PHILIPPINE Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. and German counterpart Boris Pistorius signed a defense agreement on Wednesday in Berlin. — DND

GERMANY and the Philippines have agreed to enhance defense ties and boost joint activities as Manila builds up a range of alliances to strengthen its position in a longstanding dispute with China in the contested South China Sea.

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. and German counterpart Boris Pistorius signed an “arrangement concerning defense cooperation” in Berlin on Wednesday, agreeing to expand cooperation to include cybersecurity, defense armament and logistics, and United Nations (UN) peacekeeping, the Philippine Department on National Defense (DND) announced on Thursday.

Defense officials from both nations are set to review proposed joint activities for potential implementation under the agreed arrangement next year, it added.

“The arrangement builds on the 1974 Administrative Agreement concerning training of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel in Germany, one of the longest defense cooperation frameworks of the Philippines with another country,” it said in a statement.

The deal follows a visit by Mr. Pistorius to Manila last year where he and Mr. Teodoro committed to boosting long-term relations between their militaries.

The Philippines’ defense cooperation arrangement with Berlin adds to a growing list of defense deals beyond its traditional ally the United States.

Last month, the Philippines signed a defense agreement with New Zealand for expanded military cooperation, and a similar deal with Canada is expected to be signed soon.

A reciprocal access deal with Japan was ratified in December, and President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has approved the start of negotiations with France for a visiting forces agreement.

The Philippines and China have repeatedly locked horns over contested features in the South China Sea — such as Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Islands, leading to maritime confrontations that involve the use of water cannons and repeated sideswipes by Chinese vessels against Philippine ships.

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, a vital trade artery, despite overlapping maritime claims by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, angering its neighbors.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague said Beijing’s claims had no legal basis. China rejects that decision.

Mr. Pistorius said in Manila last August that the “ruling remains valid, without any exceptions.”

In September last year, two German warships went on a rare transit in the Indo-Pacific to demonstrate Berlin’s commitment to freedom of navigation.

Also in Berlin, Mr. Teodoro said the Philippines pledged to deploy more Filipino troops as part of the UN peacekeeping force, adding a light infantry battalion from the Philippine military and a police unit.

Manila will also continue deploying military observers and police officers to safeguard support staff offices of UN missions in other countries, the DND said in a separate statement.

“The Philippines stands ready to contribute to a safer and more secure world as a trusted partner, pathfinder and peacemaker in the pursuit of lasting and sustainable peace,” Mr. Teodoro said. The Southeast Asian nation is currently bidding for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council.

Meanwhile, the Philippines’ army chief stressed the need for smaller nations to expand alliances and engage in strategic partnerships with allies to help boost the land-fighting capabilities of their militaries. “Small states could multiply their land power exponentially by continuously building a network of partnerships and alliances involving reliable and like-minded arms for a more… integrated response,” Lieutenant General Roy M. Galido, commanding general of the Philippine Army, said based on a statement by the US Army Pacific. 

“Caught in the middle of this geopolitical maelstrom are not only major global and regional players, but also small states struggling to survive and protect their interests,” he added. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio with Reuters

Senate chief wants to keep impeachment rules

BW FILE PHOTO

SENATE President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero on Thursday said that he is looking to retain the Senate’s Rules of Impeachment for the upcoming trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Mr. Escudero said there were proposals from the legal team and various senators during the congressional recess to change the rules.

“The direction I am personally taking right now is to suggest to the impeachment court not to change the rules because the Senate and the institution of the Senate might be accused of changing the rules in the middle of the game to favor one side or the other,” the Senate chief said in a media briefing, in mixed Filipino and English.

Mr. Escudero added that he will propose that any changes in the impeachment rules should be applied to future impeachment cases.

He said that his proposal is still subject to the approval of the Senator Judges that will be sworn-in once Congress resumes in June.

“We can still discuss them, but they will be prospectively applicable to future impeachment complaints that will be discussed by the Senate and not to the current impeachment that we are facing right now,” he added.

Mr. Escudero also called on newly elected and re-elected Senators to refrain from giving out their positions regarding the upcoming impeachment trial.

“According to the rules, they should avoid giving out their categorical position regarding this until the trial has begun and they have not seen any evidence in favor or against the defendant,” he added.

Congress, which went on a nearly four-month long break on Feb. 8 for the midterm elections, is set to resume on June 2-13.

Asked on how Duterte-backed candidates will affect the impeachment trial, Mr. Escudero said that endorsed candidates are still likely to turn their backs on those that have endorsed them.

“If I base it on history, and not just in a specific senator but on the political history of our country, we have seen that alliances change,” he added.

Unofficial election tallies showed that only six senatorial candidates backed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. secured seats during the May 12 elections.

“The level of readiness of the Senate is higher, including the invitations, the ID, the security preparations, the holding areas of the prosecution, the defense panel, even down to the details of their parking, we have prepared, and we are ready,” he added.

Senator Judges are expected to take oath in June where they are expected to discuss Ms. Duterte’s charges and the Rules of Impeachment. The Vice-President is expected to face the Senate as an impeachment court once her trial commences in July.

Newly elected lawmakers will take their oaths once the 20th congress begins in July, coinciding with the President’s State of the Nation Address.

The House impeached the Vice-President on Feb. 5, alleging secret fund misuse, unexplained wealth, acts of destabilization and plotting the assassination of Mr. Marcos, his family, and the Speaker of the House. Ms. Duterte has denied any wrongdoing.

The impeachment complaint was filed and signed by more than 200 congressmen, meeting more than the one-third legal requirement before it could be sent to the Senate.

NEW PROSECUTORS
Meanwhile, a congressman on Thursday said the inclusion of two newly minted lawmakers in the House of Representatives’ prosecution team for Ms. Duterte’s impeachment trial could bolster the case against her.

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Wednesday confirmed the addition of ex-Senator Leila M. de Lima and human rights lawyer Jose Manuel Tadeo “Chel” I. Diokno in the prosecution team that will argue for Ms. Duterte’s ouster at the Senate.

“It’s not just about adding members to the team; we’ve gained two voices that have long fought for human rights and the rule of law,” House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union Rep. Francisco Paolo P. Ortega V. said in a statement.

“Their presence assures the public that the proceedings will be grounded in legal merit and Constitutional fidelity,” he added.

A former Justice secretary, Ms. de Lima has secured a seat as the representative of the Mamamayang Liberal party-list in the May 12 elections, marking her return to public office after a series of political and legal challenges during the Duterte administration.

Meanwhile, Mr. Diokno ran as a nominee of Akbayan party-list, which is expected to have three seats in the 20th Congress. He is chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group and served as dean of the De La Salle University’s college of law.

“They are true icons of justice, so their decision to join the House prosecution is significant,” said Mr. Ortega. “This reflects the kind of leaders we want at the forefront — those who have dedicated their lives to defending the Constitution.”

The Marcoses are currently entangled in a deepening political feud with the Dutertes that culminated in the Vice-President’s impeachment at the House. Ms. Duterte had emerged as a frontrunner for the 2028 presidential election, but her trial before the impeachment court could possibly bar her from holding public office permanently. — Adrian H. Halili and Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Warrant issued vs Roque, businesswoman for alleged POGO-linked human trafficking

HERMINIO “HARRY” L. ROQUE — PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter

A REGIONAL Trial Court in Angeles City issued an arrest warrant against a former spokesman of Rodrigo R. Duterte, and Filipino-Chinese businesswoman among others over their alleged involvement in illegal activities linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in Porac, Pampanga.

Ex-Spokesman Herminio “Harry” L. Roque and Katherine Cassandra Li Ong were slapped with a non-bailable trafficking charge in a May 8 order signed by Presiding Judge Rene E. Reyes.

“After careful evaluation of the 11 separate informations, the resolution, and the supporting documents attached to each and every case record, this Court finds probable cause to hold all the aforenamed accused for trial for the offenses for which they are respectively charged,” the order read.

The Court ordered the arrest of the so-called “godfather” and “big boss,” Duanren Wu, who has been in hiding since congressional hearings began.

The charges arise from a raid on a POGO hub in Porac last year, which prosecutors alleged to have been operating as a large-scale scam farm involved in human trafficking.

Mr. Roque admitted to representing real estate firm Whirlwind, the company had leased property to the Lucky South 99 POGO, in an ejectment case.

He also acknowledged assisting his client, Ms. Ong, in arranging meetings with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to facilitate the renewal of the POGO license. However, he insisted that these actions did not constitute involvement in human trafficking.

In a statement on Thursday, Mr. Roque said he will cite the arrest orders in his application for asylum in the Netherlands.   

“The issuance of a warrant of arrest forms part of the unjust prosecution, which I will include to my application for asylum in the Netherlands as a victim of political persecution owing to my loyalty to the Dutertes,” he said.

“I will seek all available legal remedies to secure my life and liberty which are currently under threat.”

In a statement on Thursday evening, Ferdinand S. Topacio, a lawyer for Ms. Ong said he has no information with regards to the location of his client. 

“I can neither confirm nor deny whether or not Ms. Katherine Cassandra Li Ong is still in the country due to lack of knowledge or information,” he said in a Viber message.

“I also cannot give any statements regarding the warrant for her arrest pending verification and study of the same.”

Comelec receives all certificates of canvass for Senate, party-list races

BW FILE PHOTO

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday said it has received all local Certificates of Canvass (CoCs) for the senatorial and party-list races as the midterm polls near conclusion.

In a message to reporters via Viber, Comelec spokesman John Rex C. Laudiangco said that while all domestic CoCs have been accounted for, the poll body is still awaiting the transmission of seven more overseas CoCs.

These remaining documents are from Philippine posts in Portugal, Pakistan, Egypt, Iran, Russia, South Africa, and Poland.

Once these are transmitted and canvassed, the vote tallying for the senatorial and party-list contests will be complete.

The last local CoCs it received were from special geographic areas (SGAs) or the 63 villages in the province of Cotabato in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

According to initial and unofficial figures from the Comelec, voter turnout for the 2025 midterm polls reached an estimated 81.65%, as of 2:30 p.m. on May 15.

This translates to approximately 55.88 million voters participating out of the 68.43 million registered voters nationwide.

This is in comparison to the 84.20% turnout recorded in the 2022 presidential elections, where over 55.43 million voters out of 65.83 million registered cast their votes.

Comelec is targeting to complete the canvassing of all CoCs by Thursday evening. Once completed, the poll body plans to proclaim the winners.

Barring any delays, the commission aims to officially proclaim the twelve newly elected senators and the party-list representatives by Sunday, a timeline it touted as the earliest proclamation of national candidates in Philippine election history.

Comelec earlier noted that improved transmission systems, streamlined procedures, and increased coordination with electoral boards and field personnel contributed to the faster processing of results this year.

The 2025 midterm elections were widely seen as a referendum on the current administration’s performance, with key legislative seats at stake.

Aside from the 12 Senate seats, over 60 party-list groups are vying for representation in the House of Representatives. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

CA declares de Lima’s 2023 acquittal ‘null and void’

PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE Court of Appeals (CA) declared the 2023 acquittal of former senator Leila M. de Lima in one of her drug-related cases as “null and void,” just days after she secured a seat in Congress.

The CA Eighth Division granted the petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General, which challenged the ruling and subsequent order issued by Judge Abraham Joseph B. Alcantara of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court, Branch 204.

The court found that the acquittal was based “solely” on the recantation of former Bureau of Corrections Director General and ex-National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Deputy Director Rafael Z. Ragos, a key prosecution witness, without adequately assessing its impact on other evidence or clarifying which elements of the alleged crime remained unproven. 

The ruling deemed the trial court’s decision “void” for lacking the constitutionally required discussion of facts and legal basis.

In a statement on Thursday evening, Ms. De Lima said they will appeal the CA decision, noting that it did not nullify her acquittal which is “final and unappealable.” She added they will appeal the decision, up to the Supreme Court if necessary.

She also dismissed the CA decision as an issue of clarification, rather than a reversal of her acquittal.

“I also want to clarify that the CA did not reverse my acquittal, rather the court wants us to put the content of the decision in order, which in our opinion, is not necessary because the RTC’s decision is clear,” she said in Filipino.

“The way we see it: this is an issue of clarifying and explaining to the CA questions raised in the decision.”

The CA division held that while a judgment of acquittal is generally final, it may be assailed through a petition for certiorari, to review if the court acted without jurisdiction or with grave abuse of discretion. It defined grave abuse of discretion as a capricious and whimsical exercise of judgment amounting to an evasion of positive duty.

“The presence of grave abuse of discretion effectively nullifies the public respondent’s jurisdiction, thereby negating the second requisite of double jeopardy,” the ruling penned by Justice Eleuterio L. Bathan read.

“To this, therefore, an acquittal rendered through a judgment marred by grave abuse of discretion cannot be considered an acquittal entitled to the protection against double jeopardy,” it added.

The CA noted that the RTC Decision and Order failed to meet the constitutional and procedural standards for a valid judgment.

It pointed out that the RTC judge acquitted the private respondents solely based on Mr. Ragos’ recantation but failed to state the particular statements that witness Mr. Ragos specifically retracted. It also failed to state the effects of the retracted statements on the facts proven by the prosecution, and state which particular element of the crime charged was not proven.

The case sought to nullify the Muntinlupa RTC’s ruling that cleared Ms. De Lima and her former aide, Ronnie P. Dayan.

It involved allegations that Ms. De Lima received P10 million in drug proceeds from inmates at the national penitentiary in 2012 during her tenure as justice secretary.

The assailed RTC Decision, dated May 12, 2023, acquitted Ms. De Lima and Mr. Dayan of violating Section 26(b) in relation to Section 5, Section 3(jj), and Section 28 of Republic Act No. 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana with Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

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