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Healing starts when infra loot is returned—ICI chair By Joel E. Zurbano and Maricel V. Cruz
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 241 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2025 •
INDEPENDENT Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) Chairman Andres Reyes has called for the return of illegally acquired wealth, even as the
Ombudsman, DPWH eye Discayas-Go link heading heading head Go denies hand in Discaya joint venture with dad’s firm
Ombudsman Boying Remulla
Sen. Bong Go
fact-finding body forges ahead with its investigations into anomalous flood control projects involving corrupt government officials and their private sector cohorts. Reyes stated that justice alone is Next page
Clear conscience reason for PBBM’s confidence–Palace By Charles Dantes and Katrina Manubay PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos’ confidence amid attempts to drag his name in the ongoing corruption probe only shows that he has nothing to hide, according to Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Next page Castro.
DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon
By Pot Chavez, Vito Barcelo and Ram Superable
HE Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Public Works and Highways are looking into the alleged links between contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya and CLTG Builders, a company owned by Senator Bong Go's father.
T
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said it appears the Discayas are protecting Go following the couple's decision to no longer cooperate with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure. “I think they’ve been protecting Bong Go, the joint venture they had with CLTG with the family of Bong Go. That’s one of the people they’ve been protecting, to be blunt about it,"
the Ombudsman said. He said it was during the term of Go as then Special Adviser of President Rodrigo Duterte that Discaya-owned companies grew big with their joint ventures with CLTG. DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon confirmed his office is investigating the connection between the Discayas and CLTG. Next page
Nine contractors donated funds to 2025 candidates — Comelec THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has identified nine government contractors who allegedly donated to the campaign of some candidates in the latest polls, Comelec chairman George Garcia said on Thursday. Garcia also said the Comelec may
come up soon with its report on the P30-million contribution by a government contractor to Senator Francis Escudero’s campaign in the 2022 elections. Garcia made the remark as the poll body starts examining statements of Next page
MARCOS LAUNCHES WGP E-VOUCHERS NEWS/ A3 FOOD CREDITS. President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos, Jr. hands out food packages to beneficiaries of the Walang Gutom: Reducing Food Insecurity and Undernutrition with Electronic Vouchers (REFUEL) Project at the Kumustahan in Malate, Manila. Story on A3. PCO
PBBM, Sara ratings slide in latest Pulse Asia poll By Katrina Manubay The ratings of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte slid in the latest Ulat ng Bay-
an survey by Pulse Asia. Forty-four percent of Filipino adults gave President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. a negative performance rating, which also showed his overall approval score
dropping by nine percentage points between June and September 2025. The survey found that no geographic or socio-economic group Next page
Court asks DFA to revoke Garma, Leonardo p’ports SINKHOLE. A sinkhole was discovered in sitio Manaybanay, Tabogon following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Cebu. The site has been assessed by the Tabogon MDRRMO and confirmed as unsafe for entry, though it is located far from residential areas. #BangonTabogon
SC intersex ruling gets solon’s backing By Maricel V. Cruz AKBAYAN party-list lawmakers have sought to translate the landmark Supreme Court ruling on intersex Filipinos (Republic vs. Cagandahan) into law, allowing them to easily
change their names and gender markers in government documents. In a statement, Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña said he filed House Bill 5474 or the “Cagandahan Bill” to simplify the process of changing the entries in Next page
THE Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court (RTC) has ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs to (DFA) revoke the passports of retired police colonel Royina Garma and former National Police Commission commissioner Edilberto Leonardo in connection with the murder of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office board secretary Wesley Barayuga. Meanwhile, the Philippine government can ask International Police (Interpol) to help repatriate Garma to face murder and attempted murder cases over the Barayuga killing. The Mandaluyong RTC Branch 279 also issued a hold departure order against Garma, Leonardo and their Next page
PREPAREDNESS. Grade school pupils of Rafael Palma Elementary School in Manila yesterday take cover under their desks during an earthquake drill and preparedness orientation. 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. Norman Cruz