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Volume 24 - No. 42 • 12 Pages
T h e F i l i p i n o A m e r i ca n C o m mu n i t y N e ws pa p e r
Volume 18 - No. 17 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
October 17-23, 2025
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Supreme Court orders Marcos, others to DATELINE USA Judge halts federal respond to flood control writ of kalikasan layoffs as shutdown from the AJPress NEWS TEAM across America
by Cristina Chi
enters third week
Philstar.com
WASHINGTON — A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from firing thousands of federal employees during the ongoing government shutdown, delivering a setback to its effort to shrink agencies while pressuring Democrats to reach a budget deal. The order, issued late Tuesday, October 15, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco, requires the administration to pause all ongoing and planned layoffs until legal challenges from employee unions are resolved. The decision halts more than 4,100 reduction-in-force notices that had already been issued since the shutdown began on October 1, according to filings cited by Reuters and PBS NewsHour. Judge Illston criticized the speed and scope of the layoffs and warned that the actions could violate statutory and constitutional safeguards. She directed federal agencies to provide detailed records of all planned personnel cuts before taking any further steps. The temporary restraining order marks u PAGE 4
MANILA — The Supreme Court has ordered government officials to respond to the petition for a writ of kalikasan over the government’s flood control projects. Among the officials required to comment on the petition are President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., for-
• Department of the Interior and Local Governmer House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Senate President Vicente Sotto III, according to the ment • Metro Manila Development Authority high court’s order dated October 15. • River Basin Control Office The following government agencies are also implicated as respondents: An order to comment is part of the high court's • Department of Budget and Management procedures in handling cases or petitions. • Department of Public Works and Highways The petition was filed on September 11 by • Department of Environment and Natural Re- lawyers and environmentalists against governsources u PAGE 2
Filipinos demand accountability amid corruption probe, expressing anger and outrage —survey by Camille Santiago Philstar.com
US Supreme Court lets stand rule allowing H-1B spouses to work The U.S. Supreme Court declines to review a challenge to the H-4 work authorization rule, preserving the Obama-era policy that allows certain spouses of H-1B visa holders to work legally in the U.S. WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review a long-running legal challenge to a rule that allows certain spouses of H-1B visa holders to work in the United States—effectively preserving an Obama-era policy that has helped tens of thousands of immigrant families maintain dual incomes and economic stability. The Court’s decision, announced this week, leaves intact a lower-court ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, u PAGE 4
IT’S A DRILL. Grade school pupils of the Rafael Palma Elementary School in Manila participate in an earthquake drill and preparedness orientation on Thursday, October 16. The students learned about the use of safety gear, such as hard hats, the “drop, cover, and hold” protocol, and the importance of listening to their teacher’s instructions during emergencies. PNA photo by Yancy Lim
Escudero responds to Comelec show cause order, maintains campaign donation from contractor was legal by Cecile Baltasar Philstar.com
Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero, on Tuesday, October 14, has submitted his response to the Commission on Election's show cause order asking him to clarify the circumstances surrounding the P30 million campaign donation he received from a contractor prior to the 2022 national
elections. Comelec served Escudero the show cause order on October 4, giving him the choice of appearing in front of the commission himself or having his lawyer submit his affidavit on his behalf. Prior to serving Escudero's show cause order, Comelec had issued another to Lawrence Lubiano, who made the campaign u PAGE 2
Erik Spoelstra named head coach of Senate names Erwin Tulfo US men’s national basketball team acting Blue Ribbon chair by AJPress
Erik Spoelstra, newly appointed head coach of the U.S. men’s national basketball team, stands in a USA Basketball training shirt ahead of the 2027 FIBA World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Photo courtesy of USA Basketball
A recent survey showed that most Filipinos are outraged over the corruption involving government infrastructure projects in the country. Data released by the OCTA Research group on Tuesday shows the primary emotional response to the alleged corruption. The survey had 1,200 respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus three percent. In the survey, conducted between Sept. 25 and 30, 60% of respondents cited anger or outrage as the emotion that best described their reaction. Other responses included fear or anxiety (30%) and sadness or sorrow (9%), while only 1% admitted to feeling hope or optimism amid the ongoing probe. Additionally, 83% said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s decision to expose corrupt officials was the right thing to do, while 3% disagreed, and 13% were undecided. Regarding which body should lead the inquiry, 46% of the respondents believe it should be an independent group, such as the Independent Commission u PAGE 2
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — USA Basketball has officially appointed Erik Spoelstra, longtime Miami Heat mentor and two-time NBA champion, as head coach of the U.S. men’s national basketball team through 2028. The appointment, confirmed on USA Basketball’s official website and approved by the organization’s Board of Directors, makes Spoelstra the first coach of Filipino descent to lead Team USA and among the most prominent Asian American coaches in basketball. He succeeds Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, u PAGE 4
Former President Rodrigo Duterte
Presidential Communications Office file photo
ICC disqualifies prosecutor after Lacson’s resignation Khan from Duterte case over ‘appearance of bias’ by AJPress
MANILA — The Senate has named Senator Erwin Tulfo as acting chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee following Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s decision to step down from the post, which he described as final. Senate President Pro Tempore Tito Sotto confirmed the designation on Wednesday, saying the majority bloc agreed to let Tulfo temporarily lead the chamber’s main investigative body while it deliberates on a permanent re-
placement. “This is part of the internal adjustment process,” Sotto said, adding that the committee’s work would continue even as the Senate reviews its leadership lineup. Tulfo, who previously served as the committee’s vice chair, said he intends to continue ongoing inquiries once sessions resume. “We will pursue the hearings when the proper documents are ready and invite those who need to appear,” Tulfo told reporters, referring to former House u PAGE 3
by Cristina Chi Philstar.com
MANILA — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has disqualified Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from the case of former President Rodrigo Duterte, citing a number of factors that may give an "appearance of bias” arising from his past legal ties to a potential witness in the
case. In a ruling made public Wednesday, October 15, the ICC Appeals Chamber granted the request of the defense to disqualify Khan after it ruled that his prior work created "an objectively reasonable appearance of bias" that compromised his required impartiality. The decision cited the fact that u PAGE 3