Assassinated Businessmen October to December, 2025

This is a list of businessmen who have been assassinated or survived an assassination attempt or who were kidnapped or who were the victim of a crime in the fourth quarter of 2025.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/10/05/businessman-mauled-to-death-in-pangasinan

A businessman was allegedly beaten to death by three brothers in Barangay Magtaquing, Bugallon, Pangasinan Saturday night.

Police identified the suspects as Robin, Rubie, and Leo. 

Initial investigation said a neighbor and the victim Alfredo were having conversation at the gate of the victim’s when the suspects arrived allegedly under the influence of liquor.

The suspects shouted at the victim to get out. The victim was attacked as he was approaching them. Alfredo slumped  to the ground and he was stabbed by two of the suspects.

The suspects were pacified and the victim was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.

Alfredo and the suspects had a misunderstanding in a wake before the incident.

The suspects fled but were arrested in a follow-up operation.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/10/17/sawmill-owner-hurt-in-shooting

Gunmen shot and wounded a sawmill owner here on Thursday, Oct. 16. 

Police identified the victim as Melvin Bonifacio. 

Investigation said two men on a motorcycle appeared when Bonifacio arrived at his sawmill. 

The back rider drew a short firearm and shot the victim at close range. 

The suspects fled and the victim was taken to a hospital. 

Police noted the crime scene had been contaminated by residents who rushed to the area.

Follow-up investigation is ongoing.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/10/17/money-lender-robbed-stabbed-to-death

A 79-year-old businesswoman was robbed and stabbed to death inside her house in Barangay Vitali here on Thursday, Oct. 16. 

Police identified the victim as Asuncion Pajarito. 

Initial investigation showed that the suspects forcibly entered the victim's residence and robbed her of cash and valuables. 

She was stabbed 17 times and declared dead on arrival in a local medical facility. 

The victim was reportedly engaged in money lending. 

Police are conducting follow-up operations.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/businessman-wounded-in-minglanilla-shooting

A BUSINESSMAN was injured after being shot by motorcycle-riding assailants around 8 p.m. Sunday, October 19, 2025, at the new market in Barangay Poblacion Ward 1, Minglanilla town.

The victim was identified as Jerwin Lauron Bacaro, 38, a resident of Sitio Tabay, Barangay Tunghaan, Minglanilla, who sustained a gunshot wound to the left side of his neck that exited through his right cheek, caused by an unidentified firearm caliber.

He was first brought to the Minglanilla District Hospital but was later transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City, where he is now in stable condition.

Based on police investigation, before the shooting occurred, two men on amotorcycle were seen by witnesses loitering near the victim’s chicken lechon stall in the market.

When the victim arrived and was sitting outside his store, the assailants approached on their motorcycle. One of them got off and immediately shot the victim.

The assailants then fled toward Talisay City while the victim was rushed to Minglanilla District Hospital and later transferred to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

However, reports said the assailants figured in two separate road accidents along the national highway in Barangay Linao-Lipata.

First, they collided with a vehicle, and shortly after, they hit and ran over a pedestrian. Despite these accidents, they managed to speed away toward Maghaway in Talisay City.

A manhunt operation is ongoing by the Minglanilla Police Station to track down the two men.

Investigators recovered one empty shell from a .45 caliber firearm at the crime scene, which will be subjected to ballistic examination by the PNP Forensic Unit 7.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, chief of the Minglanilla Municipal Police Station, confirmed that the victim is now in stable condition.

As of Monday afternoon, October 20, Macatangay said they have yet to determine the motive behind the attack and are waiting for the victim’s full recovery so he can provide a statement.

The Minglanilla Police are now coordinating with the Talisay City Police Station to identify the gunmen, who are believed to be hiding in one of the barangays in Talisay City.

“Gabie pa lang when it happened, nag flash alarma na ta. Nag coordinate na ta with the kasikbit police stations through our TOC and everyone is on look already sa atoang gipangita nga personalities and vehicle base sa descriptions nga nakuha nato,” said Macatangay.

(Right after it happened, we issued a flash alarm and coordinated with nearby police stations through our Tactical Operations Center. Everyone is now on the lookout for the personalities and the motorcycle based on the descriptions we gathered.)

She also urged witnesses to the hit-and-run incident to cooperate with authorities to help gather more evidence and identify the motorcycle-riding gunmen responsible for the crime.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/11/09/businessman-gunned-down-in-bacolod

A 54-year-old businessman was shot dead in Barangay 23 here on Saturday night, Nov. 8.

Police Major Joeil Reclamado, head of Police Station 4, identified the victim as Mick, a resident of Barangay Estefania here.

Reclamado said the victim, who is engaged in the car rental business, and the suspect were  talking and arguing when gunshots rang out.

The suspect fled on board a car.

The victim sustained multiple bullet wounds and was declared dead in a hospital.

Recovered from the crime scene were five spent shells of a 9mm pistol.

Police are looking into business as possible motive in the incident.

Reclamado said they are gathering closed circuit television (CCTV) camera footages to track the suspect.

He added they already have a person of interest and coordinating with the victim’s family.

 

https://mb.com.ph/2025/11/10/lady-bar-owner-shot-dead

A karaoke bar owner here was shot dead on Saturday night, Nov. 8.

Police identified the victim as Marian Dinglasa Luna, 47.

Investigation said Luna had just emerged from the bar kitchen when a masked gunman appeared and shot her.

Luna was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.

Police are conducting follow-up investigation.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/11/13/businessman-shot-dead-in-quezon-restaurant

A businessman was gunned down in his restaurant in Barangay Sampaloc 2, Sariaya town, Quezon province, on Wednesday night, Nov. 12.

Police said the victim Rosidillo, 58, was working when the suspect appeared and shot him.

Rosidillo died on the spot.

Police said the suspect fled on foot.

Lawmen are conducting follow-up investigation and backtracking of closed-circuit television footages.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/12/08/vendor-killed-in-gun-attack

A vendor was killed and two children were injured in a gun attack on Sunday night, Dec. 7, in Barangay Butucan here. 

Police identified the victim as Tomas. 

Investigation said Tomas, Jhon, 17; Ellaine, 6, and Lester, 7, were on their way home when a man armed with a caliber .45 pistol and an M16 rifle driving a motorcycle appeared and shot them. 

Tomas died on the spot and Jhon and Ellaine were wounded. Lester was unhurt. The wounded were taken to hospitals. 

The suspect fled. He faces murder and frustrated murder cases. 

Follow-up investigation is ongoing.

Insurgency: Admit Failure And Defeat

The NTF-ELCAC says its time for the CPP and allies groups to admit failure and defeat. Not only have they not delivered on their promises but their whole paradigm is an ancient relic from the Cold War. The world has moved on.  

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1265938

Despite its decades-long existence, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), together with its allied groups, has failed in its mission to establish a communist state in the Philippines supposedly focused on the needs of the masses, a government task force official said Monday.

"After 57 years of bloodshed, the CPP, including its armed wing, NPA, and legal shield, NDF should finally do what it has stubbornly refused to do for more than half a century: admit failure and defeat," Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., executive director of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), said in a statement.

NPA refers to the New People's Army, while the NDF stands for the National Democratic Front.

The CPP was formally established on Dec. 26, 1968 by Jose Maria "Joma" Sison, who died in exile in the Netherlands in December 2022.

Torres said the CPP's "violent strategy" to seize political power has collapsed under the weight of its own failures.

"None — not a single one — of the grand promises made to the first generations of cadres ever came true," he said.

"What the movement did achieve is grim and undeniable: it sent tens of thousands of Filipinos — mostly poor, rural, and indigenous — into early graves."

Torres described the CPP as an organization "frozen in time — an ancient relic trapped in the vacuum of a Cold War that ended decades ago."

"Its language, enemies, and slogans belong to a world that no longer exists," he said. "What it parades today as strength is little more than rhetoric about a phantom army, punctuated by sporadic acts of terror that wreak havoc while accelerating its own decimation."

The NTF-ELCAC has pegged the number of NPA rebels to about 780, down from the estimated 25,000 during the group's peak in the 1980s.

Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. earlier said the Marcos administration is committed to improving the lives of former rebels who willingly choose the path to peace.

Under the peace agenda of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., former communist insurgents can avail of the national government’s socio-economic projects, as well as its amnesty program to address their legal concerns, enabling them to complete their transformative journey and successfully return to mainstream society.

In 2023, Marcos issued Proclamation 404, granting amnesty to former CPP, NPA and NDF members who have committed crimes punishable under the Revised Penal Code and Special Penal laws in furtherance of their political beliefs, among other offenses.

Perhaps the CPP would point to North Korea, China, Cuba, Vietnam, and Laos as fully functioning communist countries. China is even more advanced than the Philippines in terms of infrastrucutre. The Philippine government reduced good governance and road building to a counterinsurgency program. The truth is both the CPP and the Philippine government have failed to deliver their promises. 

The NTF-ELCAC also says the NPA has no legitimate mass support. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1266014

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Wednesday refuted claims made by the New People's Army (NPA) that it still enjoys support from communities.

In a statement, NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said NPA rebels would not be hiding and extorting from civilian communities if they still enjoy genuine mass support.

Torres issued the statement in response to claims made by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) that communities "do not welcome NPA only because of military force."

According to Torres, such claim "ignores a simple reality that if the NPA still enjoyed genuine mass support, it would not need to hide, extort, or punish civilians to survive."

He added that the presence of AFP units in former conflict areas is not evidence of NPA strength but merely the State exercising its responsibility to protect communities from residual violence and coercion coming from the remnants of the communist insurgents.

Torres also blasted the CPP for labelling former members and witnesses as "traitors."

"This ad hominem attack does not invalidate the sworn testimonies, judicial findings, and community accounts," he said. "These Filipinos did not leave the CPP’s tyranny because they were coerced; they left because they saw, from the inside, the moral, political, and strategic bankruptcy of the CPP-NPA armed violence." 

If that is the case then how is it thousands of mass supporters continue to surrender? 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1264830

Close to 2,000 New People's Army (NPA) rebels and their sympathizers have been neutralized since the start of the year until Dec. 4, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported on Tuesday.

Of the 1,928 total number of neutralized communist rebels and supporters, 1,729 have surrendered to authorities, 93 were arrested and 106 were killed in combat operations, the military said.

Those numbers are not broken down but there is now way the majority of those surrenders are actual rebels and not supporters. How many more mass supporters are out there?

The NTF-ELCAC says they remain committed to sustain peace gains in 2026. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1266077

A ranking official of the National Task Force to End Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Friday reiterated the body's commitment to sustaining the government's peace gains and preventing the resurgence of communist armed violence.

In a statement, NTF-ELCAC Executive Director, Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., said that preserving and maintaining peace is a "daily responsibility" of all Filipinos.

“Lasting peace and genuine development are possible, but they are never automatic,” he said.

While noting the tangible gains of the anti-insurgency body, Torres said complacency has no place in the work ahead.

"Peace must be defended, strengthened, and renewed every day," he said.

The NTF-ELCAC's mandate, he said, remains firmly rooted in addressing the roots of conflict through good governance, inclusive development, and protection of communities from deception and violence.

Its work is not about suppressing dissent or narrowing democratic space, but about safeguarding democracy itself by clearly distinguishing legitimate criticism from the exploitation of grievances to justify armed violence, Torres added.

This distinction, he said, has become even more crucial as groups linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front continue to test democratic boundaries, particularly in schools, sectoral organizations, and electoral spaces.

“Democracy thrives on debate, but it cannot tolerate the grooming of the youth, the manipulation of communities, or the normalization of terror under political language,” Torres said.

The NTF-ELCAC official also underscored the central role of former rebels and conflict-affected communities, describing them not as passive recipients of policy but as active partners in peacebuilding.

He said the decision of thousands of former combatants to abandon armed struggle and help rebuild their communities stands as one of the strongest repudiations of violence in recent Philippine history.

“Reintegration, amnesty, and community development are not acts of charity. They are investments in a future where no Filipino is forced to choose between ideology and survival,” he further said.

He noted that protecting the youth and other vulnerable sectors remains a key priority in 2026, emphasizing that schools must remain sanctuaries of learning rather than recruitment grounds, and that activism should build rather than destroy.

“Democracy is strengthened when truth is spoken plainly. The future belongs not to those who glorify violence, but to those who choose the harder work of building," Torres said.

"The NTF-ELCAC's mandate, he said, remains firmly rooted in addressing the roots of conflict through good governance, inclusive development, and protection of communities from deception and violence." The only  people who can address the subject of good governance are the politicians and bureaucrats who govern the nation. Can the NTF-ELCAC really stamp out corruption? Of course not. All they can do is determine which areas receive funds to building roads. 

The Army and PNP recovered an arms cache in Masbate.   

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1266001

Soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Battalion of the 9th Infantry Division (9ID) of the Philippine Army, in coordination with the Philippine National Police, seized a cache of New People’s Army (NPA) explosives in Barangay Libas, Placer, Masbate on Tuesday.  

In an information released by the 9ID, government troops were acting on information from local residents, uncovered an NPA arms cache containing 42 anti-personnel mines, and 119 improvised hand grenades.  

In a statement, Maj. Gen. Aldwine Almase, commander of the 9th Infantry Division said the development underscores that there are no longer safe places for terrorist groups, as even their former supporters are now providing information to authorities if not their whereabouts, the whereabouts of their arms cache.  

“The use, stockpiling, and emplacement of anti-personnel mines constitute a clear violation of International Humanitarian Law, particularly the principles of distinction and civilian protection. These indiscriminate weapons pose a grave threat to noncombatants and civilian communities,” he said.

The discovery recalls the NPA’s act of terrorism through the indiscriminate use of explosives in Masbate, which then led to the death of football player Kieth Absalon and his cousin, Nolven Absalon, following a roadside blast last June 6, 2021.  

The incident underscored the lethal impact of prohibited weapons on innocent civilians.  

Almase thanked the Masbateños for their continued cooperation to totally eliminate terrorism brought by the NPAs in the province.  

“We thank the Masbateños for their continued cooperation and support in order to completely suppress the insurgency in Masbate. To the remaining regular NPA, People's Militia (MB), and CTG supporters, let us not wait for a repeat of the violence that befell Keith Absalon due to explosives or APMs whose manufacture and use are clearly illegal. To prevent the continued toll on Filipino lives caused by more than five decades of futile armed struggle, your soldiers here in the Bicol Region wish you your conversion and return to normal life. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of us,” Almase added.

He said investigation and clearing operations continue to ensure public safety and to prevent further threats to the community. 

That is 42 landmines which won't blow anyone up. 

In Occidental Mindoro the Army clashed with the NPA.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2161775/army-troops-clash-with-communist-rebels-in-occidental-mindoro

Government troops clashed with suspected communist rebels on Thursday morning in Barangay Cabacao, Abra de Ilog town, Occidental Mindoro, the Philippine Army said.

In an initial statement released at 11 a.m., the 203rd Infantry “Bantay Kapayapaan” Brigade reported that soldiers from the 76th Infantry Battalion (Victrix), under the 2nd Infantry Division, encountered members of a Communist Terrorist Group in Sitio Mamara while conducting security operations in the area.

Authorities said information on casualties, damage, and the duration of the encounter has yet to be determined.

The CPP-NPA says they were observing a ceasefire and the AFP broke it. 

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/684351/we-are-observing-ceasefire-cpp-disputes-afp-report-on-mindoro-clash

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported a clash with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) members on Thursday in Sitio Mamara, Barangay Cabacao, Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro, amid their unilateral ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

In a social media post, the 203rd Infantry Brigade claimed that troops from the 76th Infantry Battalion and the 5th Scout Ranger Battalion encountered what it called a “Communist Terrorist Group” in the area. 

Residents reported the presence of armed NPA members who had allegedly gathered to mark the CPP anniversary and celebrate the New Year, according to the military.

According to the Army, a resident alerted soldiers about armed individuals carrying long firearms, prompting a strike operation that led to an armed encounter.

The military said it recovered ATM cards, identification cards, personal belongings, medical and hygiene kits, food supplies, and alleged subversive documents from the site. Photos of the items were posted on its social media page.

Authorities said they are coordinating with the local government and police to identify individuals entering the area under Abra de Ilog’s “Dayo Ordinance,” enacted in 2025. Residents were urged to report suspicious individuals.

In a statement on Thursday, CPP chief information officer Marco Valbuena said AFP troops attacked an NPA unit that was observing the CPP’s ceasefire from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1. He said the unit later withdrew and was in the area to provide medical and other services to local communities, mostly Mangyan residents.

Valbuena accused the AFP of disrupting peace in the area and claimed the military used heavy gunfire and helicopter gunships, causing fear among civilians.

Well, the AFP did warn the NPA they were not observing the ceasefire!

Christmas and New Year's Violence

The holidays are over and authorities say the festivities were generally peaceful. As always the PNP and the AFP warned their men against indiscriminate firing of their service weapons because the cops and the military are too stupid to realize they should never do such a thing. Here are some stories of Christmas and New Year's violence. 

https://mb.com.ph/2025/12/31/man-stabs-wife-to-death-on-christmas-day-police

A man allegedly stabbed his wife to death in Barangay Agbannawag here on Christmas Day, police said. 

Investigation said the suspect, Robert Sumalin, stabbed his wife, Janice Agpad-a, multiple times inside their home during a heated argument in front of their child. 

Sumalin was allegedly drunk and jealous and threatened to hit his wife. The suspect fled and the subject of a manhunt operation. 

Tabuk City Councilor Jayferson Bon-as condemned the crime. 

No one has the right to take another person’s life, he said. He called on the suspect to surrender and face the case.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/682627/liloan-man-arrested-for-punching-female-cousin-on-christmas

A 20-year-old man in Liloan is arrested for allegedly punching a female cousin during a drunken altercation on Christmas night.

According to the Liloan Municipal Police Station, the incident occurred at around 10:15 p.m., December 25, in Purok Kalubian, Barangay Poblacion, following a drinking session involving the suspect and his relatives.

Police identified the suspect as Vince Clark Cañete, 20, a resident of the same area.

In an interview on Saturday, December 27, Police Executive Master Sergeant Eutiquio Prosia Jr. of Liloan Municipal Police Station said that the suspect had been drinking with his cousins before the incident.

Prosia said the victim, a woman who is also the suspect’s cousin, was not part of the drinking session but was present at the scene.

According to police, the suspect, already heavily intoxicated, allegedly became aggressive and suddenly punched the victim three times on the head, particularly on the left side.

“Mao may iyahang nakita. Unya hubog na pud kaayo ang suspect. Unya akoang gipangutana ang suspect unsa gyuy hinungdan. Siya man kunoy naa diha mao iyahang napahimungtan. Gisumbag niya ang iyahang ulo katulo,” Prosia said.

Police said the suspect’s intoxicated state was a key factor in the assault.

The incident was reported to police at around 11:55 p.m. The man was immediately arrested and brought to the Liloan Police Station for investigation.

The victim sought medical treatment the following day, December 26, at the Rural Health Unit of Liloan. Police confirmed that a medical certificate has since been submitted.

As of December 27, the victim has expressed her intent to pursue a case. This prompted authorities to proceed with the filing of charges.

Police said Cañete remains detained at the custodial facility of the Liloan Municipal Police Station. They scheduled him to undergo inquest proceedings.

Authorities declined to disclose specific details about the victim’s injuries. However, the Liloan police confirmed that the drunk man will face an assault case under physical injury charges.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/12/26/man-shoots-2-neighbors-dead-on-christmas-day

Two men died in a gun attack that marred Christmas Day in Barangay Sawang Calero here.

Melber Alicabo, 40, and his half-brother, 36-year-old Romel Fernandez, were shot one after another by their neighbors on Thursday morning.

Merlinda Fernandez, Romel's mother, told police that the suspects, Eric and Aljun Espina, broke into their house looking for Alicabo. Once inside, Eric shot Alicabo.

Romel went down to check on the commotion but he too was shot.

Merlinda said the fatal shooting was doubly painful as she also celebrated her birth anniversary on Christmas Day.

The victim’s family believed that revenge was the motive of the attack. Alicabo was jailed for shooting one of the suspects' family members.

The suspects threatened to get back at Alicabo if he gets out of jail. Eric was arrested in a hot-pursuit operation four hours after the attack. Police said the firearm allegedly used in the attack was recovered.

Police Col. George Ylanan, chief of the Cebu City Police Office, commended the Sawang Calero Police Station for the gunman’s immediate arrest. Ylanan said charges are being readied against Eric while operations to arrest Aljun are ongoing.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/12/27/christmas-day-stabbing-suspects-arrested-in-muntinlupa

Police arrested two men accused of stabbing another man during a dispute over a loud motorcycle muffler in Muntinlupa on Dec. 25. 

The Muntinlupa police identified the suspects as alias Raymond, 26, and alias Jerome, 20. They were apprehended by responding officers from the Tunasan Police Substation after attacking the victim, identified as alias Jon Prix, 23. 

The incident happened in Barangay Tunasan in the early hours of Christmas Day. The victim, who sustained multiple stab wounds, was brought to the Ospital ng Muntinlupa. 

The two suspects in police custody and will face criminal charges. 

The use of open pipes and modified mufflers that produce loud noise is prohibited in Muntinlupa.

Brig. Gen. Randy Arceo, director of the Southern Police District, said investigators are coordinating with courts regarding the standing warrants discovered during the processing of the suspects. 

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/12/28/2497183/2-kids-lose-fingers-due-powerful-firecrackers

Two minors lost their fingers due to fireworks-related injuries (FWRI) yesterday, according to the Department of Health.

One victim’s thumb and index finger were cut off after suffering from blast injuries by a whistle bomb, while the other also lost two fingers from a lit 5-star.

The victims, aged eight and 16, are two of the 91 FWRI victims recorded by the DOH nationwide.

This is 34 percent lower than the 137 FWRI victims recorded in the same period in 2024.

The FWRI data were logged from Dec. 21 to early morning yesterday.

The DOH also noted that most of the victims were 10 to 14 years old.

The top causes of FWRI are 5-Star, boga, kwitis and pla-pla.

The health department reminded the public that children and those who are drunk should not be allowed to light fireworks or firecrackers.

“It is safer to watch community fireworks display being handled by professionals to prevent accidents at home,” the DOH said.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/12/27/woman-killed-by-stray-bullet-in-tondo-was-visiting-boyfriend-for-christmas

A woman visiting her boyfriend’s neighborhood to celebrate Christmas was killed after being hit by a stray bullet during a shooting incident in Barangay 120, Tondo, Manila, on Thursday, Dec. 25.

Police said a gunfight erupted in the area, causing panic among residents gathered outside their homes for a Christmas celebration.

Video footage from the scene showed people suddenly running for safety as gunfire broke out. The victim was among those who attempted to flee and was hit in the shoulder by a bullet that reportedly pierced her lung. 

According to individuals who were with the victim at the time, they initially believed that she had only been grazed. She was rushed to a hospital but was later pronounced dead.

The Manila Police District has declined to issue an official statement, citing the ongoing investigation.

Residents in the area said the gunfire was initially mistaken for loud firecrackers, but panic quickly set in when the shots continued in rapid succession, prompting people to run for cover.

Investigators later found bullet holes in a nearby wall and a tricycle, indicating indiscriminate firing in the area.

The National Capital Region Police Office said two individuals were involved in the exchange of gunfire and confirmed that the victim was struck by a stray bullet. It added that authorities already have persons of interest and are continuing efforts to identify and apprehend the suspects.

Police are urging anyone with information related to the incident to cooperate with authorities as the investigation continues.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1266040

Police authorities here have launched a province-wide manhunt for two men on a motorbike who lobbed a hand grenade at a roadside New Year’s Eve celebration, injuring at least 22 people.

The revelers who sustained shrapnel wounds are now receiving treatment in various hospitals.

Police said two men on a motorbike were seen tossing the explosive toward the roadside revelry in Barangay Dalapitan at past midnight while the people were welcoming the New Year.

The attackers then sped away in an unknown direction.

North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Mendoza strongly condemned the attack and directed the police to arrest the perpetrator.

“Violence has no place in the province. Those responsible should be brought before the bar of justice,” she said in a statement Thursday.

The provincial government is now attending to the victims' medical needs, as ordered by Mendoza.

https://mb.com.ph/2026/01/02/man-killed-by-brother-on-new-years-day

A 57-year-old man was gunned down by his younger brother at their residence in Sitio Nagtupacan, Barangay Bangbangar, Bangued, Abra on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1. 

Police Lt. Crismar Hib-aton, deputy chief of police of Bangued, identified the victim as Nelson Viste. 

The victim was sitting on a nylon swing while drinking liquor when the suspect, Rudy, 46, arrived. 

A heated argument erupted and the suspect drew a caliber .38 revolver and shot the victim in the chest. 

The victim was taken by relatives to the hospital where he was declared dead. 

The suspect fled but was arrested a few hours later during a police manhunt operation. 

The victim’s siblings are preparing to file murder charges against the suspect, who is now under police custody. 

Hib-aton said follow-up investigation is ongoing.

The God Culture: "Ilha de Fuego"

Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture is plunging ever deeper into examining the account of Fernando Pinto's shipwreck in the Ryukyu Islands. This time he is analyzing Pinto's "Ilha de Fuego." 

https://thegodculturephilippines.com/ilha-de-fuego-was-not-in-ryukyu-etymology-geography-pinto-s-real-island-of-fire/

Here are Tim's points on this topic.

SECTION 1: Colonial Invention — The Impossibility of “Ilha de Fuego” in Ryukyu

• “Ilha de Fuego” is a Portuguese term meaning “Island of Fire.” There was no native name or tradition of this in Ryukyu. The fact a 1554 propaganda map began labeling a Ryukyu after Pinto with a Portuguese name is fraud. 

• The Philippines, however, has: Apoy Island in Batanes. “Apoy” means “fire” in both Tagalog and Ivatan. Babuyan Islands, traditionally called the “Burning Isles.” Multiple active volcanoes within the corridor Pinto describes fit Batanes and Babuyan especially. The island size he heard fits Luzon. 

• Ryukyu’s Suwanosejima Island is too small (27.66 km²), has no horses, and no recorded historical gold trade.

SECTION 2: 🔥 A Laughable Assertion: Suwanosejima as Pinto’s “Island of Fire”?

• 🏝️ Uninhabited in Pinto’s Time [Perhaps he was imprisoned and put on trial by ghosts???]: Suwanosejima suffered a massive volcanic eruption in the 15th century and remained uninhabited until the 19th century, making it impossible for Pinto to have encountered a populated kingdom there in 1544–1545.

• 📜 Pinto Described a Thriving Civilization: Pinto’s own account details a functioning society—towns like Pungor and Gundexilau, horsemen, a legal system, a king, and courts. None of this matches an empty volcanic island.

There are a lot of things wrong here. First of all, in Portuguese it's Ilha de FOGO, not FUEGO. Tim is confusing Spanish and Portuguese. What a great start to an article involving etymology. 

Second of all, Tim claims the Portuguese designation Island of Fire is fraudulent because there is no native place in the Ryukyu Islands named Island of Fire. This is a horrible argument which ignores the way Europeans named places they discovered. Exonyms are common on European maps and in journals of the time period. The Philippines is an example of an exonym because that is not what the natives called these islands. If Tim wants to label exonyms as being fraudulent, the resulting absurdity would be enormous. It is also absurd that Tim claims to be able to correctly interpret 16th century maps and yet has no idea about exonyms. 

Declaring the place name Island of Fire fraudulent reflects a deep misunderstanding of how exploration and naming practices worked in the 16th century and once more reveals that Tim is a completely unreliable researcher. It is also more proof that either there is no God Culture research team or they are the worst and most unqualified research team in the world. 

Third of all, Tim claims Pinto could not have landed on the island of fire, Suwanosejima, because it was uninhabited until the 19th century due to a massive eruption. But Pinto DOESN'T claim to have landed on the island of fire. He claims to have landed on the Greater Lequios and knew this by espying the island of fire from afar off. This is the definition of a straw man argument. 

Here is Pinto's original text and a translation from Rebecca Catz.

Os poucos que escapamos deste miserável naufrágio, que não foram mais que vinte e quatro, fora algumas mulheres, logo que a manhã foi clara conhecemos que a terra em que estávamos era do Léquio grande, pelas mostras da ilha do fogo e a Serra de Taydacão,

https://fundar.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/peregrinacao-vol-ii.pdf pg. 29

There were only twenty-four of us, besides some women, who survived this miserable shipwreck. When day broke we could tell from the landmarks of Fire Island and the Tavdacéo Mountains that we were off the main island of the Ryukyus.

Travels of Mendes Pinto, p. 290, Rebecca Catz translator

At this point Tim is taking tiny pieces from Pinto's journal to bolster his claims but has he actually read it? Did he pay attention to this part where it says very clearly Pinto knew he had landed on Greater Lequios because he could see Fire Island and the Tavdacéo Mountains? Everything Tim says about what is and is not Fire Island is based on a false premise and must be rejected as unreliable claptrap. Did The God Culture Research Team approve this nonsense or is this all Tim's doing? Is it likely a whole team of researchers misread and misunderstood what Pinto wrote?

Here is challenge for Tim. Read the entire narrative of Pinto's shipwreck in the Lequios Islands. Then read it a few more times just to be sure you didn't miss anything. This narrative can be found between pages 289-301 in Rebecca Catz's translation. Next, find every instance of Ryukyu in her book and compare that to the first English edition where Lequios is used. Then attempt to reconcile Pinto's travels with your claim he actually landed in the Philippines taking the whole narrative, from leaving China to leaving the Lequios Islands, as well as every other mention of the Lequios, into account. 

Here is an interesting passage Tim has not yet considered.

We proceeded on our voyage in the battered condition we were in, and three days later we were struck by a storm that blew over the land with such fierce gusts of wind that that same night we were driven out of sight of the shore. And since by then we were unable to approach it again, we were forced to make with full sail for the island of the Ryukyus where this pirate was well known to both the king and the other people there. With this in view we sailed ahead through the islands of this archipelago, but since at this time we were without a pilot, ours having been killed in the recent battle, and the northeast winds were blowing head on and the currents were running strong against us, we went tacking with great effort from one board to the other for twenty-three days until finally, at the end of that time, our Lord brought us within sight of land. Coming in closer to see if it showed any sign of an inlet or harbor with good anchorage, we noticed a huge fire burning over to the south, almost at a level with the horizon. This led or to believe that it was probably inhabited and that them might be people there who would sell us water, which we were running short of. 

As we were anchoring opposite the island in seventy fathoms of water, two small canoes with six men on board came rowing our from shore. They came alongside, and after an exchange of greetings and courtesies in their fashion, they asked us whence the junk had come. Our answer was that we had come from China, bringing merchandise to trade with them, if they would give us leave to do so. One of them replied that as long as we paid the duties that were customarily charged in Japan, which was the name of that big land mass outlined ahead of us, the nantoquim, lord of that island of Tanegashima, would readily grant us permission. He followed this up by telling as everything else that we needed to know and showed us the port where we were supposed to anchor. 

Travels of Mendes Pinto, p. 274, Rebecca Catz translator

Pinto says they set sail for the Ryukyus, that is Lequios Islands, which he calls an archipelago and says they sailed through it for 23 days. When they arrive in the Lequios Islands they are told the "big land mass outlined ahead of" them is named Japan. In fact the title of this chapter is "The Discovery of Japan." If the Lequios Islands are Batanes or Luzon, how could Japan be "that big land mass outlined ahead" of them? I eagerly await what will no doubt be Tim's gymnastic answer.

Tim also employs his trademark fake Filipino etymology to prove that Pinto was actually in the Batanes. Here's one that's a real hoot. 

🏝️ Gundexilau Decoded: Ivatan and Tagalog Linguistic Echoes

• Gundes (Ivatan):
  Traditional stone houses in Batanes, uniquely engineered to withstand typhoons.
  ➔ "Gunde" = House.

• Ilaw (Tagalog):
  Means "light", as in guiding light (e.g., lighthouse or brightness).

• Gundexilau (as heard by Pinto):
  ➔ Likely a blending of "Gunde" (house) + "Ilaw" (light). Lighthouse!
  ➔ In a region where stone houses and guiding lights (natural high ground, beacon fires) were critical for navigation and survival.

⛯ Logical Reconstruction:

In a seafaring, typhoon-prone culture like the Ivatan, a town named "House of Light" (stronghold + guiding beacon) makes perfect sense.

• 📜 Pinto, a foreigner, may have slightly misheard or conflated the terms into "Gundexilau."

• 📜 This fits the pattern of Iberian transliterations of native words throughout the Age of Exploration. 

https://thegodculturephilippines.com/correcting-cortes%C3%A3o-lopo-homem-the-colonial-remapping-of-the-lequios-islands/

Gundexilau: A likely corruption of “Gundes Ilaw,” combining Ivatan terms for “houses of light.” "Ilaw" = "light" in Tagalog/Ivatan. Tayid Lighthouse sits near Mt. Matarem today.

https://thegodculturephilippines.com/ilha-de-fuego-was-not-in-ryukyu-etymology-geography-pinto-s-real-island-of-fire/

Tim says the town of Gundexilau mentioned in Pinto's journal is actually a solitary lighthouse!

Yet Pinto describes Gundexilau as a town complete with a prison equipped with an underground dungeon.

After taking us into custody with detailed documents drawn up by notaries public, they departed immediately. Late in the afternoon of the same day we reached a town called Gundexilau, where they put us into an underground dungeon, in which we spent the night, suffering unbearable hardship, in a pool of water swarming with leeches that left us all quite bloody.

Pinto, pg. 139

But according to Tim's brilliant etymological move of combining unrelated Tagalog and Ivasasy words, Gundexilau isn't a town at all. It's Tayid Lighthouse. Silly Fernando Pinto. Joke's on you!

https://wanderlog.com/place/details/10222443/tayid-lighthouse

Tayid Lighthouse, situated in Mahatao on Batan Island, is a captivating destination offering breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and the West Philippine Sea. This hexagonal-shaped lighthouse stands as a symbol of Batanes' dedication to maritime heritage and guiding seafarers. Originally built in 2002 to aid fishermen at night, it now attracts tourists seeking stunning vistas of the iconic Racuh-A-Payaman (Marlboro Country) and the picturesque Batanes landscape.

What!? Tayid Lighthouse, was constructed in 2002!? Looks like the joke's on Timothy Jay Schwab!

Contrary to what Tim says anyone is free to comment on any article on this blog as long as they have a Gmail account. 

It is important to note that the same anonymous blogger responsible for these daily defamatory attacks has blocked The God Culture and associated accounts from commenting on his blog, effectively preventing public rebuttal to his accusations. This deliberate censorship reveals an intent to control narrative and deceive readers by omission.

https://thegodculturephilippines.com/testing-pinto-s-accuracy-a-further-geographic-reassessment-of-lequios-lucones-and-latitude-drift/

That paragraph is a straight up lie. No one is blocked and anyone can comment as long as they have a Gmail account. 

Tim is free to post comments using whatever Gmail account he has. I look forward to his participation in the discussion.