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Brice shares ‘sensitive’ info with ICI probers—Magalong By Charles Dantes
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 215 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2025 •
DISMISSED engineer Brice Hernandez yesterday revealed very sensitive and useful information when he testified yesterday before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), according to ICI special adviser and Baguio City
‘Estrada, Villanueva Heading heading not yet off the hook’ heading heading head Lacson: Ex-DPWH engineer must produce ‘resibo’ of kickbacks given to 2 senators
Mayor Benjamin Magalong. "Mr. Hernandez's revelations are very relevant. And to cut it short, it's really a tell-all and he continued to cooperate with us in order to really further identify others involved," he told reporters. Hernandez was the first witness Next page
POISONED FRUIT. Dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st District Assistant Engineer Brice Hernandez yesterday surrenders to former Justice Andres Reyes, chair of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, the first of several luxury vehicles he acquired bought out of alleged kickbacks from anomalous flood control deals. Philippine News Agency/ Facebook
By Ram Superable
S
ENATORS Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada are not yet cleared on the issue of multi-million-peso insertions in the 2023 and 2025 budgets for floodcontrol infrastructure projects in Bulacan, Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson said. "By any measure, Senators Villanueva and Estrada have not been cleared, at least on the issue of budget insertions involving infrastructure projects in Bulacan worth P600 million and P355 million respectively, as alleged by (former DPWH District Engineer) Brice Hernandez," Lacson wrote on X. During Thursday's hearing of the Blue Ribbon Committee, Lacson said the P600 million supposedly for flood control projects in Bulacan was found in the Unprogrammed Fund under the 2023 GAA, which Hernandez earlier linked to Villanueva. He said his office found in the regular budget of the 2025 General Appropriations Act the P355 million in infrastructure projects in Bulacan that Hernandez linked to Estrada. Lacson said the P600 million linked to Villanueva was also culled from documents provided by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian. "There are seven to eight items worth P75 million each, exactly P600 million in total," he said. Next page
MILITARY ISSUES.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. met with members of the Association of General and Flag Officers (AGFO) to discuss several militaryrelated issues. Among the topics discussed were AFP modernization and the proposed salary standardization for military and uniformed personnel. AGFO, along with other organizations, also expressed support for the President and his anti-corruption campaign. PCO
Ombudsman suspends 16 DPWH-Bulacan officials By Rio Araja THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has ordered the immediate implementation of a sixmonth preventive suspension without pay imposed by the Office of the Om-
Ombudsman lifts GSIS chief’s suspension BUSINESS / B1
budsman against 16 officers and employees of the agency’s Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office involved in anomalous flood control projects. In a one-page memorandum dated Sept. 18 addressed to DPWH Central
CONTRACTORS Pacifico “Curlee” and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya yesterday met with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to discuss their application to the Witness Protection Program (WPP) even as two senators advised a more judicious review of whether the couple truly deserves such special treatment. Curlee, who was cited in contempt by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee
yesterday, was escorted by personnel from the Office of the Senate Sergeantat-Arms and Philippine National Police (PNP) Police Security and Protection Group. He arrived at the Department of Justice (DOJ) wearing a bulletproof vest at around 8:30 a.m. ahead of his wife who arrived at around 10:30 a.m. His wife Sarah arrived shortly after. The couple left the DOJ at around 12:30 p.m. without giving specifics of their conversation with the Justice Secretary. Next page
By Charles Dantes
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PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday unveiled a P61.7-million rice processing facility and distributed farm machineries in Pampanga as part of his administration’s drive to modernize agriculture and boost the income of more than 36,000 rice farmers in the province. The President also led the distribution of land titles and financial aid to thousands of farmers and residents, underscoring his administration’s commitment to improving land ownership and livelihood opportunities. The newly built Rice Processing System (RPS) II was designed to improve milling efficiency, cut farmers’ production costs by at least P2 per kilo, and reduce post-harvest losses by as much as five percent, according to the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Center
DOJ mulls witness protection program for Discaya couple By Pot Chavez and Ram Superable
PBBM opens rice facility; gives out land titles, funding
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POTENTIAL WHISTLEBLOWERS. Heavily-guarded spouses Sarah and Curlee Discaya arrived separately at the Department of Justice (DOJ) to apply for the government's Witness Protection Program (WPP). Norman Cruz CITIZEN ACTION. At least
1,800 Bagong Pilipinas Citizen’s Movement (BPCM) volunteers collect trash and clear esteros yesterday in five different locations across Metro Manila - Tullahan River in Quezon City (in photo), Pasig River along Pandacan, BASECO Compound and Dolomite Beach in Manila City and SM by the Bay in Pasay City. BPCM
Speaker Dy revokes Rep. Zaldy Co’s travel clearance By Maricel V. Cruz HOUSE Speaker Faustino Dy III formally revoked the travel clearance of Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co and ordered him to return to the Philippines within ten days upon receiving notice. In a letter dated September 18, Dy informed Co that his existing travel clearance for his personal trip is hereby revoked "effective immediately." "This revocation is issued in the paramount interest of the public and due to the existence of pressing national matters requiring your physical presence," the letter read. Next page
‘Nando’ to bring heavy rains this weekend By Rio N. Araja, Vince Lopez FILIPINOS who are planning to join massive rallies scheduled this Sunday, September 21, are advised to prepare for possible heavy rains as tropical storm ‘Nando’ continues to approach the Luzon islands, affecting several provinces in its path. Forecasters from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) confirmed that the gloomy weather Next page