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LOCAL700 AMLCFIVE FREEZES HOLIDAYS IN OCT. BANK ACCOUNTS BUSINESS / B1 NEWS / A3

ISRAEL CONTINUES EALA BARGES INTO TO POUND HEZBOLLAH JINGSHAN SEMIS SPORTS WORLD//A8 A6

VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 227• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 • VOL. XXXIX • NO. 222 • 6 SECTIONS 28 PAGES • P20 • SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2025 •

PNP resurrecting probe NBI endorses charges vs. Co, three Senators heading heading head into PCSO official's slay

DOJ says 17 others to face prosecution Speaker grateful for PMA Class '83 vote of confidence in Quad Comm By Pot Chavez By Rio N. Araja

HE National HE Philippine Bureau of National Police Investigation (NBI) (PNP) is reopening has recommended the its investigation into prosecution of Ako Bicol the 2020 murder of Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Philippine Charity Co, Senators Francis Sweepstakes Escudero, JoelOffice Villanueva, (PCSO) board Jinggoy Estrada,secretary and 17 Wesley Barayuga. others with the National Prosecution (NPS), On Sunday, Service PNP Chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marthe Department of Justice bil said he ordered the reopening of announced the cold case yesterday. after whistleblower Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza told it Quad be clear: inclusionthat in the the “Let House Committee he NBI’s recommendation is not a helped carry out the killing atmatter the of speculation or rumor. It is manager the result behest of ex-PCSO general of swornGarma. testimony under oath. If names Royina have circulatednarrated outside before of these conaffiMendoza davits, those are not recognized by the gressmen how Garma allegedly faDOJ or the untilofficial’s such timeroadside that they cilitated theNBI PCSO are sworn to under proceedings,” assassination on proper July 30, 2020 by the DOJ said a statement.information providing theinnecessary Thehis Bureau's recommendation about schedule, details about his stemmed from swornnecessary testimonies vehicle and the the funding to Next page carry it out. The whistleblower also implicated incumbent National Police Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo in the planning of the murder. Barayuga was a retired police general and lawyer who supposedly threatened to expose corruption withBy Pot Chavez in the PCSO shortly before he was anddead Maricel V. CruzCity. shot in Mandaluyong Garma, herself an ex-police Lt. Colonel, allegedly ofgained top THE Department Justicethe(DOJ) spot the PCSO because of for herAko inwill at request a ‘Blue Notice’ Next page Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy ‘Zaldy’ Co who remains out of the country ostensibly for medical treatment, Assistant Secretary and spokesman Mico Clavano said on Friday. This as Speaker Faustino Dy III

COMFORTING PRESENCE. President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. comforts an elderly woman during his visit

yesterday to typhoon-affected families affected by super typhoon ‘Nando’ in San Fernando City, La Union. PCO A WEB OF CRIME? House leaders Aurelio Gonzales and David Suarez presented this matrix during the last QUAD Comm hearing which shows the operations of a criminal syndicate allegedly led by fugitive Michael Yang, then economic adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte, that controlled the illegal activities of the POGOs and was involved in the drug trade and extrajudicial killings.

PBBM moves P195b DOJ seeks Interpol help in monitoring Zaldy Co flood control funds Yang's lawyer mocks probers amid for heated inquiry disaster needs

DOTr’s Bautista says online news report‘unfounded'

said Co has informed him of his desire to return to the Philippines to answer and disprove “false and baseless accusations” him, of emphasizing THE legalagainst counsel Chinese that he has nothing to hidesought and will businessman Tony Yang to face his critics in the proper forum. disparage lawmakers’ conclusions Meanwhile, Dy also said he gave about his client’s supposedly Co until past Monday, 29, to come sketchy and Sept. his alleged ties home Philippine and face theOverseas allegationsGaming against with him, warning (POGOs) that failure and to comply Operators even “shall be crime. construed as a refusal to organized subject yourselfRaymond to the lawful proLawyer Fortun questioned the House Quad Committee’s impartiality and its ability to pin Chinese national Yang down for ay wrongdoing in a real criminal court. “I am very interested in how they [Quad Comm members] can prove this criminal network in court. In Congress, lawmakers act as both prosecutor and judge,” he said. Yang, who already admitted having a fake Philippine birth certificate, is the brother of Michael Yang, a presidential economic

cesses of the House and will result in the initiation of appropriate disciplinary and legal actions.” Clavano said DOJ Secretary Jesus adviser of former President Rodrigo Crispin Remulla already gave instrucDuterte. tions to submit an application the Fortun, a lawyer who oftenfor finds Blue Notice International Crimihimself at to thethecenter high-profile nal Police Organization (Interpol). cases, apparently sought to mock “This is based on the their investigation congressmen, calling probe of the Blue Ribbon Committee, as “unacceptable.” well as the NBI recommendation to However, House members argued Next page prosecute,” said. they did not he come by their suspicions about Yang recklessly. On Friday, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga and Deputy Speaker David Suarez of Quezon presented a matrix showing Yang’s first appearance and his subsequent activities at the Quad Comm hearing. “We saw a pattern, and we tracked it to the top of these corporations... we stripped it of its layers , to get to the top and through it all, we have discovered and identified at least two main actors or players in the issue

Navy spokes debunks China claim of military exercises in Scarborough shoal

BAUTISTA

Rex Espiritu ‘OPONG’S’ WRATH. A statue ofBy the Virgin Mary, right By Darwin Amojelar photo, remains standing amid the ruins of the Sta. Teresa de

THE Philippine Navy debunked Calcutta church in Masbate City. Residents bring their dogs to on Sunday the recent announceTRANSPORTATION Secretary Jaime safety on styrofoam boards as they flee to escape chest-deep ment by China that it conducted Bautista denied an online news report floods in barangay Libertad, Ormoc City. Fr. Raymond Rhys military exercises off Bajo de Garrucho, PCG claiming that Malacañang was angry with the increase in airport fees without the approval of the Cabinet members. “The Bilyonaryo article is malicious and unfounded,” Bautista said in a Viber message, referring to the By Rex Espiritutheand website that published said story. “Bilyonaryo is Charles inconsistent,” Dantes he added. Bilyonaryo reported online that “Bautista and his protege in A TOTAL of long-time 120,888 families, or Philippine Airlines, Undersecretary for nearly 433,000 individual,ls, were Aviation and Airports Bobby to Lim, are preemptively evacuated reduce at the center of the storm after it was casualties from Severe Tropical

Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). China reportedly made the announcement coinciding with the fourth Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity between the Philippines, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States within Manila’s exclusive NEWS(EEZ) / A2 in the reeconomic zone gional waters over the weekend. Storm ‘‘Opong,’’ the Office of Civil Philippine Navy Spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vin-

cent Trinidad told reporters that Manila troops did not monitor any such activity, adding that Beijing’s statement was meant only for its internal audience. “Our troops did not observe any exercise, we have to understand that sometimes, China is doing this for their internal audience, right? For them not to look weak and embarrassed,” Trinidad Defense said. (OCD) reported on Friday. OCD Deputy warships AdministraTwo Chinese were tor Assistantat Secretary monitored a distanceBernarranging do Rafaelito IV said from eight toAlejandro 14 nautical miles. most evacuees came from Bicol, One of these went up to 1,000 Eastern and site Mimaropa, yards atVisayas, the MMCA but evenwhere stormaway. had passed. tually the went “It was not Nextaccordpage threatening, just normal,”

433k persons flee homes to escape ‘Opong’s’ fury

List of no classes today

A 14-PAGE TECH SECTION 9TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE PAGASA SECTIONS C,D, E & F

Gov’t readies Senateaid probing P1.48b as of 'background Julian' strengthens ‘surprise witness’

THE government has readied P1.48 billion worth of aid for communities be hit hard by typhoon By that Potmay Chavez, ‘Julian’ which PAGASA says could Maricel Cruz, turn into a V. supertyphoon. and Superable As Ram of 5:00 PM on Sunday, PAGASA raised Tropical Cyclone SENATE President Tempore PanWind Signal No. Pro 3 over Batanes filo “Ping” Lacson said portion his officeof would and the northeastern Baundertake a full record check and backbuyan Islands. ground investigation of Guteza as he “’Julian’ is forecast to continue questioned hisover surprise at intensifying the appearance next 24-36 the Blue hearing. hours asRibbon it moves towards Batanes “Without the courtesy of notice and/or Babuyan Islands. Witheven the to the committee chairman, a totally current trend in its intensification, surprise witness of in yesterday’s Blue the possibility reaching super Ribbon hearing, typhoon categoryaiscomplete not ruledrecord out,” check and background investigation on PAGASA said in its advisory. Orly Regala Guteza in orderDisasowing Meanwhile, the is National to theRisk gravity and seriousness of his tester Reduction and ManagetimonyCouncil yesterday,” Lacson wrote in a ment (NDRRMC) said that on X Twitter). apost total of(formerly 1.9 million family food To recall, packs worthSenator P1.48 Rodante billion,Marcoother leta presented Guteza the Senate food items worth P276tomillion, and NextP919 page non-food items (NFIs) worth million were already prepared by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Some P171 million in standby fund is also available for utilization by the DSWD, including P123 million which can be allotted as Quick Response Fund (QRF) in the central office of the DSWD. In Batanes, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) advised residents to secure their roofs and install window shutters as Typhoon Julian is expected to make landfall Next page

PH lobbies UN CONTESTED. for Security Council seat

A copy of the affidavit of ex-Marine Orly Guzeta which lawyer Petchie Rose Espera denies having notarized. ABS-CBN grab

of illegal drugs and illegal activities associated withDantes POGOs,” Suarez said By Charles in a mixture of Filipino and English. The solons Ferdinand explained Marcos how the PRESIDENT Jr. matrix to said ondetails FridayYang’s that he connections has reallocated other individuals involved in illicit more than P195 billion, originally inactivities, operations of tended forincluding the floodthe control projects illegal of the POGOs. Department of Public Works the companies implicated andAmong Highways (DPWH), to augment are Brickhartz Technology the budget for disaster response Inc. and and Xionwei efforts. Technology Co. Ltd., rehabilitation which beingmade linked alleged Mr. are Marcos the toannouncekidnapping. ment during his visit to storm-hit The two in La firms supposedly communities Union, where he have connections the farmers Baofu distributed aid. Hewith assured Compound Bamban, and families in across northern Tarlac, Luzon which, in turn, can be directly traced that the government is mobilizing to disgracedresources ex-mayortoAlice substantial help Guo. them reDuring Friday’s Quad Comm cover from recent typhoons. hearing, lawmakers cited that Tonydid Yang “There were projects not in contempt for “lying” to were about suphis address the problems they businesses and business posed to solve, includingpartners. some ghost projects,” President Marcos said. “We Next page stopped them to ensure that public funds are used properly. This money is not the government’s, it’s the people’s money.” Of the reallocated amount, about P36 billion will go to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for emergency programs such as the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), which provides financial support for medical needs, hospitalization, and

THE Philippine government on Sunday publicly called for the United Nations (UN) to give it a seat on the UN Security Council, highlighting the country’s strong record and dedication to upholding the rule of law. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo in a speech delivered at the UN General New York said the ByAssembly CharlesinDantes Philippines continues to emphasize the “importance of on upholding MALACAÑANG Friday the said rule of lawMarcos and thehas integrity President directedofhisthelemultilateral in the of togal team to system review the roleface of Baguio day’s City global Mayorchallenges.” Benjamin Magalong by reports, also in Quoted the newly formedManalo Independent said: “The Philippines has consisCommission for Infrastructure (ICI), tently pursued peace, about the sovereign following questions possible equality the rights andpanel’s digconflictsofofstates, interest and the nity of all persons.” impartiality. He added that the country isMayor also “The President recognizes recognized the “first Asian Magalong’sascontributions, butRehis appointment is strictly as a special Next page adviser. He has no investigative powers and no authority over the PNP (Philippine National Police) or CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) which remain under the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government),” Presidential Communications Office Claire Castro said during a Palace press briefing. Concerns have been raised over Magalong’s dual role as mayor and

Palace reviewing Magalong’s role as ICI adviser

Marcos extends rice import ban PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Press Officer Claire Castro said during hasAWARD. ordered theHans extension of the rice ima Palace pressofbriefing onHoldings, Friday. Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee SM Prime port ban, whichbycovers the period from Association “Sa(PRA) ilalim ngits direktiba ng Pangulo, was honored the Philippine Retailers with Outstanding Filipino Retailers President2,Award for his visionary leadership retail development. September 1 to November to support pahahabain painang two-month import (From farmers left to right): PRA Director and Director suspension of SM Retail Jorge T. Mendiola, PRA Filipino and stabilize rice prices. na magtatapos dapat sa Vice President and sa President and COO ABC, Inc.2,” (The Penshoppe "Bilang suporta ating mga mag-of Golden, November Castro added.Group) Alice T. mas Liu, SM Prime Holdings Committee Hans T. Press Sy, Ofsasaka, mahabang rice Chairman import of the Executive According to the Palace PRA President and Chairman of Quorum International, Inc. (Toby’s Sports) Roberto ban isinusulong ni Pangulong Marcos ficer, the President’s order aims to S. Claudio, and PRA Director and President of Sportshouse Int’l. Leisure, Inc. and Jr.," Presidential Communications Ofpromote the welfare of farmers who proponent of PRA OFR President’s Award Mars C. Chua fice (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Next page