ICI resets Romualdez hearing due to his medical procedure Thousands flee as ‘Ramil’ hits land NEWS / A2
By Joel E. Zurbano THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Saturday announced that it has postponed its October 22 hearing at the request of former House speaker
and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez. The ICI explained that Romualdez “requested to postpone the hearing...as he is scheduled to undergo a medical procedure.” “The Commission will issue an
advisory once a date for the next hearing has been determined,” the ICI said. Romualdez first appeared before the commission on October 14, when he testified and personally submitted an affidavit concerning
More heads to roll in DPWH purge
China, US to hold trade talks WORLD / A4
SEARCH AND SEIZURE.
A combined team from the Philippine and US Marines boarded a boat off Balabac, Palawan during a search and seizure exercise as part of the Maritime Aviation Support Activity 2025 (MASA 25), an annual bilateral exercise between the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) and United States Marine Corp Forces Pacific (USMARFORPAC). ASN JDL Gania PCG/CGPAS
Dizon to revive cadet program to get new recruits VOL. XXXIX • NO. 243 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES OCTOBER 19, 2025
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MANILAO
By Rex Espiritu
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Eduardo Ermita, 90
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Leviste does volte face, says he did name Usec. Arrey Perez By Maricel V. Cruz BATANGAS First District Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste did a volte face again yesterday, denying that he admitted not naming former Usec. Arrey Perez as having links with contractors. The Batangas solon told reporters on Friday that he was not referring to Perez, but rather another undersecretary whom he still refused to name.
“I did not ask for the resignation of any DPWH official, I only named USec Perez after Secretary Dizon asked me to give an example,” he said. Leviste also mentioned Perez’ name in an interview with DZRH. He said he has received credible information from multiple sources indicating that some of the newly appointed officials under DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon maintain links with contractors — raising
By Rex Espiritu
INTRAMUROS FOREST PARK. President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Jr. met with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno in Malacañang on Friday to listen to proposals on legacy infrastructure and urban renewal projects in the nation’s capital. Among these was turning the Intramuros Golf Course into a Forest Park.
PBBM hears out Isko on Manila renewal By Charles Dantes
Eduardo Ermita
concerns about potential conflicts of interest in upcoming infrastructure biddings. He added that the media could conduct background checks on the officials in question, particularly on Usec. Perez, to verify these reports. “Meron akong information tungkol sa history ni Usec. Arrey Perez na kung malaman ng publiko ay baka sasabihin ng iba hindi siya tamang humawak ng bidding ng central office ng DPWH,” Leviste told Dos
Por Dos. Manila Standard sought Perez’s comments on Leviste’s clarification, but a reply was unavailable as of this writing. In a statement to the Manila Standard, Leviste said he did not deny that Perez has links with contractors. “People have asked if it’s true that I denied that USec Perez has links with contractors – I did not. Turn to Page 4
PCG eyes Chinese flotilla off Panatag
THE family of former Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita confirmed his passing on Saturday morning at the age of 90. “It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we, the Ermita family, announce the passing of our beloved father, General Eduardo Ramos Ermita (Retired), a dedicated public servant and our guiding light,” Balayan Mayor Lisa Ermita-Abad posted on social media. According to the mayor, her father passed away peacefully at around 8 a.m. today, surrounded by his loving family. Turn to Page 4
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ANY people in the Department of Public Works and Highways would lose their jobs as the government continues its probe into anomalous flood control projects, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said Saturday. Dizon said this would happen as reforms are being implemented in the agency. “First of all, it’s not ‘many might lose their jobs’, many really will lose their jobs, “ Dizon told reporters. He said that “at the rate we are going”, DPWH would let go many people “from top to bottom” and will need to find a way to replace those who will be sacked. He announced plans to revive DPWH’ cadet engineering program to produce the best and the brightest civil engineers in the country during his meeting with former DPWH secretaries Rogelio “Babes” Singson and Ping de Jesus. The former DPWH secretaries were invited to speak at the strategic planning workshop of key department officials in Clark, Pampanga. Dizon said reviving the program is one way to “boost the morale” of those doing their jobs efficiently in the agency.
AFP eyes pension cut for seditious retired officers RETIRED members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) may lose their monthly pensions if found guilty of spreading false information against the military or making statements that incite sedition. During a news forum on Saturday, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla revealed that the military is reviewing its pension system and studying the possibility of subjecting retirees to court-martial proceedings. “Civilian is their category, but this is what we say. Since they are receiving a pension, we will study how this will fall into play,” Padilla said in a mix of English and Filipino.
his role in the budget process of the House of Representatives. The ICI stated that Romualdez’s initial testimony “has somewhat clarified his role and the actions of his colleagues in the budget preparation.”
PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday sat down with Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso in Malacañang to explore
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closer coordination on infrastructure, urban renewal, and social service efforts in the capital. The meeting covered major initiatives affecting Manila, including the
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TWO Chinese Navy warships and four China Coast Guard (CCG) ships, along with several Chinese maritime militia vessels were spotted by a Philippine Coast Guard plane at the Scarborough Shoal. A Chinese Navy vessel—a tanker with bow number 885—appeared to be conducting a replenishment operation with a CCG ship. “We’re not certain whether this is part of the military training exercise they are doing between the PLA Navy and the CCG,” Tarriela noted. Despite the illegal activities of Chinese ships and aircraft within the Philippines’ EEZ, the PCG said it will continue regular patrols to assert the country’s sovereign rights and protect Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea. “I don’t think that this illegal declaration or conduct of illegal exercises would be able to deter and stop the Philippine government in supporting the livelihood of the Filipino fisher-
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men,” Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, told reporters in an interview. He then continued, “There is no amount of declaration from the PLA Navy as to what activities they are going to do ang magpapahinto sa ating mga operasyon dito.” Tariella said the PCG conducted a maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight to confirm reports that China is holding military drills in Bajo de Masinloc, an area well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). “According to the information that we got from the Chinese Maritime Safety Administration, the PLA Navy will be conducting military training near Bajo de Masinloc at a distance of 26 nautical miles from southwest of BDM,” he said. “The main reason why we decided to conduct an MDA flight is to verify their activities and to challenge such unlawful declaration of a military exercise within the EEZ of the Philippines,” Tarriella added. Turn to Page 4
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