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ICI recommends filing of graft and plunder cases in flood-control program Major union urges Congress to pass clean DATELINE
USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
bill and end shutdown
Federal employees’ union renews appeal for immediate reopening as shutdown nears five weeks; workers miss paychecks and the economy loses billions
by AJPress
MANILA — The Philippines’ Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against several current and former government officials allegedly involved in irregularities in the government’s multibillion-peso flood-control program.
In its interim report released on October 29, 2025, the ICI said its investigation found sufficient grounds to pursue plunder, graft, malversation, bribery, and falsification of public documents, citing procurement records, audit reports, and sworn testimonies. The Commission’s findings pointed to contract concentration among a few favored firms and questionable billingsacross multiple regional projects.
Ombudsman releases reversal of dismissal order vs Joel Villanueva
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the nation’s largest federal employee union, has renewed its call for Congress to pass a “clean” continuing resolution (CR) to end the ongoing government shutdown, now approaching its fifth week. The union is urging lawmakers to restore operations and guarantee full back pay for the hundreds of thousands of federal employees affected. AFGE National President Everett Kelley said the focus should be on “helping the American people, not assigning blame.” The union, which represents over 800,000 u PAGE 4
26 states and DC sue Trump administration to restore food aid during shutdown States move to keep food aid flowing
TWENTY-six states, together with the District of Columbia, have sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under President Donald Trump’s administration to restore Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits that were halted amid the ongoing federal government shutdown. Filed on October 28, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, the lawsuit seeks an emergency order requiring the USDA to release contingency funds for November SNAP payments that provide food aid to more than 42 million Americans. A coalition across the nation The case is led by California Attorney u PAGE 4
Ombudsman to review evidence before filing The ICI has forwarded its report to the Office of the Ombudsman, which will evaluate the evidence and determine which cases to pursue before the Sandiganbayan. The Ombudsman said the first batch of complaints will be filed by November 25, 2025, but plunu PAGE 2
by Dempsey Reyes Inquirer.net
BLOOMS BEFORE UNDAS. A delivery rider buys flowers for an online customer, at the Dangwa Flower Market in Sta. Cruz, Manila on Tuesday (Oct. 28, 2025). Flower prices are expected to spike anew ahead of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. PNA photo by Yancy Lim
MANILA — The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday publicized the highly anticipated reversal of the dismissal order against Sen. Joel Villanueva over the alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in 2008 when he was still a member of the House of Representatives. The reversal of the dismissal was contained in a 10page order signed in 2019 by then-Ombudsman Samuel Martires, who critics called out for not making it available to the public back then. The current Ombudsman, Jesus Crispin Remulla, vowed to release the reversal of the dismissal order against Villanueva and even questioned the veracity of the screenshot of documents shown by the senator to the media to counter the earlier plan to enforce the dismissal order against him. In the order, Martires said there was “no adequate evidence on record” showing that Villanueva was actually involved in the alleged embezzlement of the P9.7 u PAGE 2
Palace: ICI probe on Liza Marcos based on hearsay Malacañang dismissed as hearsay a citizen’s request for the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to investigate First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos over alleged ties to flood-control projects, calling the complaint a “fishing expedition” lacking evidence by AJPress MANILA — Malacañang has rejected calls to include First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos in the ongoing flood-control investigation, describing the request before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) as a “fishing expedition based on hearsay.”
Press Secretary Atty. Claire Castro said during a Palace briefing that the complaint submitted to the ICI lacked any proof linking the first lady to alleged irregularities in government infrastructure contracts. “The attachments do not show any link between the first lady and any anomalous u PAGE 2
Composite photo shows the facade of the International Criminal Court and former President Rodrigo Duterte. Facebook /International Criminal Court; House of Representatives/Release
Senate achieves full compliance Philippines assumes ASEAN ICC urged: Start Duterte trial now on wealth disclosure chairship for 2026: A strategic All 24 senators release latest Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth by AJPress
MANILA — The Senate of the Philippines, acting after a key policy shift by the Office of the Ombudsman, has achieved full compliance with the constitutional mandate on wealth disclosure. All 24 senators of the 20th Congress have released their latest Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) - a landmark for transparency that continues to test enforcement and verification mechanisms. The milestone fulfills the directive under Article XI, Section
17 of the 1987 Constitution and Republic Act No. 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. Earlier this month, the Ombudsman reaffirmed that SALNs are public records accessible for reasonable inspection, restoring transparency after several years of restricted access. A renewed commitment to open government Public disclosure of wealth declarations is more than a procedural duty, it is a safeguard against corruption and a meau PAGE 4
pivot for Manila and the region by AJPress
MANILA — The Philippines has formally assumed the chairship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2026, marking a milestone in the country’s regional leadership and its commitment to promote unity, stability, and inclusive growth across Southeast Asia. The ceremonial handover took place at the closing of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur on October 28, 2025, where Malaysian
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim symbolically handed the gavel to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. The Philippines’ term as ASEAN chair formally takes effect on January 1, 2026, under the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together.” A new chapter in ASEAN leadership President Marcos Jr. described the chairship as an opportunity to deepen partnerships and reaffirm ASEAN’s central role in a rapidly changing world. The Philu PAGE 3
by Jose Rodel Clapano Philstar.com
MANILA — Victims of Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs have called for the former president’s immediate trial on charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC). “At last, the Pre-Trial Chamber has decided that the ICC has jurisdiction in the pending case against President Rodrigo Duterte for crime against humanity. Let the trial begin,” lawyer Neri Colmenares, co-counsel for the families of victims of extrajudicial killings, said in a statement. Colmenares also called for the
immediate issuance of a warrant of arrest for Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, the chief of police when Duterte was mayor of Davao City and later president. “The next step is the issuance of arrest warrants for Duterte subordinates like Ronald dela Rosa. We are glad that the ICC has finally laid to rest this oft repeated issue of jurisdiction. The fundamental principle of the Rome Statute of the ICC is that criminals who committed crimes at the time that his country is a member of the ICC must be made accountable,” Colmenares said. “It’s the simple implementation of the rule that, you did the crime, u PAGE 4