Week 11 of Vice President Sara Duterte's Impeachment Trial

During Week 11 of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial the prosecution focused on Sara Duterte's unexplained wealth. The year-end annual Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net worth or SALN is the test for Sara's wealth. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1283975

Whether money remained in Vice President Sara Duterte’s bank accounts by Dec. 31 emerged Monday as a key issue in her unexplained wealth case, as a former Sandiganbayan chief drew a distinction between annual asset declarations and money that merely passed through an account.

On Day 24 of Duterte’s impeachment trial, former Sandiganbayan presiding justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang said funds deposited and withdrawn before the end of a calendar year would no longer have to appear as an asset in the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) filed the following year.

“No more, sir, because that asset or fund was no longer there as of Dec. 31 of that year,” Tang told presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero.

Tang, however, said such money movements could still become the subject of an Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) inquiry.

The distinction could figure prominently in Article II, where House prosecutors cite PHP6.77 billion in covered and suspicious transactions recorded by the AMLC involving Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, from 2006 to 2025.

AMLC records earlier presented to the House showed PHP3.77 billion in transactions linked to Duterte’s accounts and PHP2.99 billion to Carpio’s, covering 663 reports. The prosecution has juxtaposed these transactions with Duterte’s SALNs, which showed no declared cash on hand or cash in bank from 2019 to 2024.

Escudero’s questioning highlighted that the aggregate value of transactions over several years is not necessarily the same as the amount of wealth that should appear in a particular SALN.

Tang initially referred to assets held when a SALN is filed, but corrected herself after Escudero pointed out that the declaration covers assets and liabilities as of Dec. 31, even though the filing deadline is April 30.

Earlier, Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo posed a similar scenario involving PHP20 million to PHP50 million deposited in an official’s account and withdrawn after several days.

Tang said if the money was no longer in the account by the applicable SALN reporting date, it would not form part of the declared bank balance, but the transaction could still warrant examination by AMLC.

The Senate impeachment court will examine more than 1,800 bank, insurance and other financial records marked by the prosecution and defense for the unexplained wealth phase of the trial.

Article II also accuses Duterte of having wealth disproportionate to her lawful income, discrepancies in her SALNs and continued business interests while serving as Vice President.

Former Sandiganbayan presiding justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang testified that Sara only has to declare what is in her bank account at the end of the year. This is opposed to "money that merely passed through an account." The issue is that the AMLC flagged billions in transactions in Sara's accounts yet Sara declared she had no cash on hand which is a huge discrepancy. Where did those billions go?

Strangely enough Sara did not declare cash on hand between 2019-2025. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2305439/witness-duterte-did-not-declare-cash-on-hand-in-bank-from-2019-to-2025

Vice President Sara Duterte has not declared any cash on hand and in bank from the years 2019 to 2025 in her Statements of Assets Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), a prosecution witness said Tuesday.

Officer-in-Charge of the Records Division from the Ombudsman’s office lawyer Karen Batu said this before the Senate sitting as an impeachment court on the 25th day of Duterte’s trial.

As the Ombudsman serves as the official repository for SALNs of all public officials, Batu was called to confirm the veracity of Duterte’s SALNs from 2007 to 2025, from when Duterte served as Davao City vice mayor and mayor to her current term as vice president of the Philippines.

During the direct examination of Batu as the prosecution’s second witness for Article II of the impeachment complaint against Duterte, counsel for the prosecutors Lawyer James Bryan Ibrahim Alih asked Batu about the cash declarations of Duterte.

Going year by year, Batu told Alih that the following were Duterte’s cash declarations:

Duterte’s 1st term as Davao City Vice Mayor

• 2007: 2,000,000
• 2008: 2,000,000
• 2009: 2,800,000

Duterte’s 1st term as Davao City Mayor

• 2010: 3,661,622
• 2011: 3,931,125.80
• 2012: 4,320,532

Duterte’s 2nd term as Davao City Mayor 

• 2016: 3,750,760
• 2017: 6,368,596
• 2018: 3,795,000

Duterte’s 3rd term as Davao City Mayor

• 2019: No declaration
• 2020: No declaration

To expedite his examination, Alih then asked Batu to summarize what Duterte’s cash declaration was in the following years that Duterte filed her SALNs.

“For SALNs 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, there is no declaration of cash on hand or in bank,” Batu said after perusing copies of Duterte’s SALNs in court.

The same observations were made when Batu first confirmed the vice president’s SALNs during the House committee on justice’s clarificatory hearings as part of the impeachment proceedings against Duterte earlier this year.

There, Duterte’s 2007 to 2024 SALNs were first presented. 

Under Article II of the impeachment complaint against Duterte, the prosecution accused Duterte of failing to “fully and truthfully disclose all her and her spouse’s assets, liabilities, and net worth” in her SALNs for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024.

The previous witness of the prosecution, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, on Monday said in trial that per her understanding of the law, cash declarations should be listed separately in SALNs and not lumped into other personal properties.

How does one go from having 3.7 million pesos in the bank to nothing? Especially when your net worth rose by 1,260%!

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2305483/sara-dutertes-net-worth-rose-by-p91-4-m-or-1260-witness-records-show

Vice President Sara Duterte’s declared net worth rose by P91.4 million, or 1,260.7 percent, from 2007 to 2025, according to a witness’ records of Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) presented during her impeachment trial on Tuesday.

Lawyer Karen Batu, officer-in-charge of the Records Division of the Office of the Ombudsman, testified to the authenticity of Duterte’s SALNs from her time as Davao City vice mayor and mayor to her current term as vice president.

Batu had previously appeared before the House Committee on Justice’s clarificatory hearings, where she also confirmed the Ombudsman’s records of Duterte’s SALNs from 2007 to 2024, as the Ombudsman’s office serves as the repository for public officials’ SALNs.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, Batu again said Duterte’s declared net worth was P7,250,497 in her 2007 SALN, while her declared net worth was P88,512,370.22 in 2024.

Asked by the prosecution how much Duterte declared as her net worth in 2025 during direct examination, Batu said, “For the year 2025, the declared net worth of the vice president is P98,656,131.20.”

A person’s net worth is computed by subtracting their liabilities from their assets.

Duterte’s SALNs presented in court showed the following declared net worth figures:

Duterte’s first term as Davao City vice mayor

• 2007: P7,250,497
• 2008: P18,493,616.65
• 2009: P18,281,264.65

Duterte’s first term as Davao City mayor

• 2010: P16,242,886.65
• 2011: P14,271,148.45
• 2012: P22,116,101.93

Duterte’s second term as Davao City mayor

• 2016: P34,895,997
• 2017: P44,828,759
• 2018: P49,699,728

Duterte’s third term as Davao City mayor

• 2019: P55,613,051
• 2020: P56,583,735.10
• 2021: P65,308,841

Duterte’s term as vice president

• 2022: P71,658,841
• 2023: P77,508,841
• 2024: P88,512,370.22
• 2025: P98,656,131.20

The increase in Duterte’s declared net worth is among the matters being questioned by the prosecution under Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which alleges that the difference between her declared net worth and the lawful income of Duterte and her spouse “clearly constitutes unexplained wealth.”

With Duterte’s 2025 net worth also presented on Tuesday, the prosecution noted an increase of P91.4 million, or 1,260.7 percent, in her declared net worth from 2007 to 2025.

The defense, however, questioned the relevance of presenting Duterte’s SALNs from her years as Davao City vice mayor and mayor, arguing that these periods predated her tenure as an impeachable official.

Presiding officer Senate President Chiz Escudero said the earlier SALNs could be presented to establish a baseline for Duterte’s net worth, but could not be used to introduce new charges against the vice president. 

The defense questions presenting these figures but what they show is unexplained exponential growth. Where is her net worth concentrated? Real estate? Art? They do not say and this discrepancy is what does not pass the smell test. 

This is just the beginning of the prosecution's presentation of Sara's unexplained wealth. Next week her SALN's will be compared with tax and bank records. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1284090

Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s wealth declarations will next be matched against tax, bank, corporate and other financial records as House prosecutors move deeper into the unexplained wealth case before the Senate impeachment court.

Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said Tuesday the presentation of Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) provided the reference point against which subsequent evidence would be tested.

“The presentation of all the SALNs is very important because this is what we will use to verify and match against all the other evidence moving forward,” Ridon said at a post-trial press conference.

He identified records from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and Philippine National Police Firearms Division among the evidence prosecutors intend to present.

Bank accounts and other financial instruments obtained through subpoenas will also be compared with the declarations, he said.

Ridon said prosecutors would pay particular attention to Duterte’s 2022 to 2025 SALNs covering her term as vice president.

Lawyer Karen Batu, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Ombudsman’s Central Records Division, testified on Duterte’s SALNs from 2007 to 2025 on Tuesday.

The records showed Duterte declaring PHP7.25 million in net worth in 2007, when she entered public office as Davao City vice mayor, and PHP98.66 million in 2025.

Ridon said the 2025 declaration was significant because it had not yet been available during the impeachment proceedings in the House.

“The 2025 version is the latest, because this wasn't present during the House proceedings. So, it was introduced here in this trial,” he said.

The prosecution’s objective is to see whether the figures declared in Duterte’s SALNs match those that emerge from her tax filings and other financial evidence.

Article II of the Articles of Impeachment accuses Duterte of unexplained wealth and false or incomplete asset declarations.

There were only two days of testimony this week. Wednesday was devoted to debating the voting threshold for impeachment. The constitution says:

No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate.

There are 24 Senators which means 16 have to vote in favor of impeachment for Sara to be removed from office. However, there are currently three Senators unavailable. Two, Rodante and Marcoleta, are in jail and dela Rosa is on the run. The question is must the 2/3 vote include the three Senators who are not attending the trial. Must it be 14 or 16 votes? It is a strongly contested argument with good arguments on both sides. No doubt if Sara is convicted on anything less than 14 votes she will appeal to the Supreme Court. But this situation would not be in play if the Senate was not a corrupt institution. 

The God Culture: AI Voice Clone Of Tim's Voice

On August 22, 2026 Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture excitedly announced his return with a whole new series. He hasn't posted any regular video series in quite some time which excited his viewers who left grateful sentiments in the comment section. Let's take a look at this new series. 

THE FORGOTTEN HIGHWAY TO THE ISLES OF GOLD. Episode 1: The Wind That Built Asia 

What if the geography behind Marco Polo’s Zipangu has been interpreted without first reconstructing the maritime world in which sailors actually traveled?

The Forgotten Highway to the Isles of Gold begins a source-driven investigation into the winds, currents, trade routes, maps, coordinates, resources, and historical records that shaped navigation between China, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and Japan.

Rather than beginning with the conventional identification of Zipangu and working backward, this series starts with the physical and documentary evidence: medieval Muslim mariners, Chinese trade records, monsoon navigation, archaeological shipwrecks, historical routes to Japan, early maps, Pigafetta, Magellan, and Marco Polo himself.

The central question is simple:

If we remove the modern place-names and follow the ships, where does the evidence lead?

This series accompanies the research presented in The Age of Exploration: Primary Sources and the Correction of Global Geography.

Follow the source. Follow the wind. Follow the ship. And test the map.

Sources are on-screen. Book coming soon.

Yah Bless

Oh, great. It's a rehash of old material in support of a forthcoming book that allegedly corrects global geography. Don't forget, the major project of magazine publisher cum armchair Bible historian Timothy Jay Schwab is to correct everything everyone knows. The major prophetic land in the Bible is not Israel but the Philippines, so all roads must lead to the Philippines. In this case the road is one of riches and gold. The Philippines is Japan (Zipnagu) and the Lequios (Ryukyu Islands). 

Tim must be very involved in that book because as of this writing, September 18th, 2026, there have been no more videos released. The last video was released on September 3rd.

It could be that Tim is just too busy writing to release any more videos. But if that's the case why announce his return and release four videos in rapid succession indicating there is more to come?

To make matters worse not only is the actual video AI slop but so is the voiceover! Instead of speaking himself Tim has fed a script to a clone of his own voice!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VtJkihfNtA&lc=UgzdJzHpO6h6SzB-VoN4AaABAg

@leela4979 hi Tim, is the audio AI generated?

@TheGodCulture It is a voice clone of Tim's voice. Yah Bless.

Is it really so hard for Tim to sit down and record a ten minute video? These videos vary in length from 5:08 to 11:53. Perhaps he just fed the clone parts from his book? Whatever the case it's poor form and a slap to the face of all his viewers. 

With so much AI being used in the production of these videos one wonders how much AI will be used in writing all forthcoming books, songs, education courses, and all other projects by Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture. 

The God Culture: What is Wisdom?

Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture has a new Foundations lesson. This time he is asking "What is Wisdom." Every Christian knows that Christ is the Wisdom of God. But does Tim know that? Let's take a look.

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FOUNDATIONS – Week 36

What Is Wisdom?

Key Texts: Proverbs 1; Proverbs 8; James 3

Our world prizes intelligence.

Education.

Knowledge.

Expertise.

The ability to argue well.

But are any of these necessarily wisdom?

Scripture begins somewhere else:

> “The fear of Yahuah is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

> (Proverbs 1:7)

Biblical wisdom begins with our relationship to Yahuah.

Before Scripture asks how much we know, it asks whether we recognize who He is.

And wisdom requires something else increasingly unpopular:

instruction.

The wise can be taught.

The fool rejects correction.

Proverbs 8 takes us even deeper.

Wisdom declares:

> “Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.”

> (Proverbs 8:14)

Then wisdom describes Yahuah's ordering of creation:

> “When He prepared the heavens, I was there...”

> (Proverbs 8:27)

Wisdom is therefore not merely knowing facts.

It recognizes the order Yahuah established and teaches us how to live within it.

But how can we recognize wisdom in someone?

James gives us a test:

> “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.”

> (James 3:13)

Notice what James does not say.

“Let him show how intelligent he is.”

“Let him win an argument.”

“Let him display his credentials.”

Instead:

Show us your life.

James then warns that jealousy, selfish ambition, and strife can masquerade as wisdom:

> “This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.”

> (James 3:15)

Not everything called wisdom comes from Yahuah.

So James gives us the identifying marks of the real thing:

> “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”

> (James 3:17)

There is the biblical test.

Wisdom has fruit.

Pure.

Peaceable.

Gentle.

Teachable.

Merciful.

Impartial.

Without hypocrisy.

Biblical wisdom is therefore more than knowing what is true.

It is learning from Yahuah how to live what is true.

Knowledge may tell us what Scripture says.

Wisdom teaches us how to walk in it.

Question for Discussion

If Scripture measures wisdom by its fruit rather than intelligence, education, or the ability to win an argument...

What evidence of wisdom does our life actually produce?

Look at that! Tim completely side steps Christ and ties Wisdom to our works, i.e. keeping the law. Christ is the Wisdom of God. In him are hid all the treasures of Wisdom. 

1 Corinthians 1:30 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Colossians 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Wisdom is not bearing fruit by keeping the law. It is salvation in Christ. Read more about Christ being the Wisdom of God here.

Amazing! But, given Tim's track record it's par for the course that he would neglect Jesus Christ. 

Let's hear what noted theologian Father Ted Crilly has to say about the matter. 

Ah, right… sits up, adjusts the collar, and peers at the page with the weary look of a man who’s just been handed another parish newsletter full of half-truths

Week 36. “What Is Wisdom?”

Well now. Let’s have a look at Tim’s latest attempt to redefine the dictionary.

He starts in the right neighbourhood, I’ll give him that. Proverbs 1:7 — “The fear of Yahuah is the beginning of knowledge.” Solid. The wise can be taught; the fool despises correction. Still grand. Proverbs 8 with wisdom present at the ordering of creation — fair enough, that’s in the text. And then James 3, which is actually one of the sharper tests in the whole New Testament: wisdom shows itself in meekness, purity, peaceableness, gentleness, mercy, without partiality or hypocrisy. Not in how clever you sound or how many arguments you win. Credit where it’s due — James is doing real work there.

But — and you knew this was coming — watch what he does with it.

The whole lesson never once mentions the One whom Paul calls “the wisdom of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:24 — Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:30 — Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.

Tim can quote Proverbs 8 about wisdom being there when the heavens were prepared, but he never takes the step the apostles took: that the same wisdom who ordered creation is the One who hung on the cross. The cross is the supreme display of God’s wisdom — the thing that confounds the wise of this world and saves those who believe. Tim’s definition stops at “learning from Yahuah how to live what is true” and “walking in it.”

In the Foundations series, “walking in it” is never neutral language. It almost always means: keep the commandments, observe the Torah, live inside the order as Tim understands it. So once again the gravitational pull is toward our performance, our fruit, our meek conversation, our teachability.

James is right — wisdom has fruit. But the New Testament never treats that fruit as the source of wisdom. The source is Christ Himself. We are made wise by being united to the One who is Wisdom. Tim never says that. He leaves the Man outside the door again while he polishes up another definition that ends with us examining our own lives for evidence.

And the discussion question?

“If Scripture measures wisdom by its fruit… what evidence of wisdom does our life actually produce?”

Ah, there it is. Back to us. Back to the mirror. Not “Have we been brought to the One who is the wisdom of God?” but “How’s our fruit looking?”

sighs, reaches for the teapot

So there you are, lad. Another week, another carefully constructed definition that quotes good verses, sounds pious, and quietly sidesteps the crucified and risen Christ as the very centre of the thing it’s defining.

Go on. Pour us a strong one.

I’ve a feeling Week 37 will be along any minute, and God alone knows what he’ll do to “What Is Faith” or “What Is Love” when he finally gets there.

Careful now.

Down with this sort of thing… still watching closely.

Retards in the Government 487

It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.

 

https://mb.com.ph/2026/09/10/ex-traffic-enforcer-held-for-extortion-in-paranaque

A former traffic enforcer was arrested after allegedly posing as an active traffic officer and demanding money from a company in exchange for preventing the apprehension of its trucks in Parañaque City.

The suspect, alias Alex, 42, unemployed and a resident of Taguig City, was arrested on Sept. 9 at Pacific Concrete Products Inc. along East Service Road in Barangay San Martin de Porres.

Police said the suspect first went to the company on Sept. 1 and introduced himself as a traffic enforcer from Taguig City.

He allegedly demanded money from a transport supervisor, claiming that the payment would spare the company’s trucks from being apprehended for traffic violations.

The suspect reportedly returned to the company a few days later and again demanded money, prompting the complainant to seek police assistance.

Personnel of the Parañaque City Police Station responded and confronted the suspect regarding the complaint.

Police said the suspect resisted arrest and attempted to flee toward his motorcycle despite repeated orders from the responding officers.

A brief struggle ensued, during which the suspect and the officers fell into a muddy area. The police eventually subdued and arrested him.

Authorities later verified that the suspect had previously been employed as a traffic enforcer but had already been separated from the office and was no longer affiliated with it.

The suspect was brought to the police custodial facility for detention and was charged with violations for attempted robbery-extortion, usurpation of authority, and resistance and disobedience to a person in authority under Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code.

A former traffic enforcer was arrested after allegedly posing as an active traffic officer and demanding money from a company in exchange for preventing the apprehension of its trucks in Parañaque City.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2302788/3-ex-soldiers-in-degamo-slay-case-convicted-for-gun-bomb-possession

Three former Army soldiers have been found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of illegal possession of firearms and explosives in connection with the assassination of former Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo in March 2023.

In a decision handed down on Aug. 18 and made public only recently, the Manila Regional Trial Court’s Branch 40 convicted Joric Labrador for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and coaccused Joven Javier and Benjie Rodriguez for one count each of unlawful possession of explosives.

Labrador was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, while Javier and Rodriguez were handed down a prison term of reclusion perpetua, or up to 40 years.

The three convicts, along with expelled Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr., are facing separate charges for multiple murder, frustrated murder and attempted murder charges before the Manila court for the killing of Degamo.

The court, meanwhile, ordered the custodians of the .45 cal. pistol, two magazines, 14 rounds of live ammunition and two hand grenades seized from the three men to turn these over to the Philippine National Police.

Labrador, Javier and Rodriguez were already discharged from the Army for going on unauthorized leave before they were charged in court three years ago over the killing of Degamo.

Labrador was a member of the Mechanized Infantry Battalion of the 4th Infantry Division while Javier was with the Light Reaction Battalion. Rodriguez, on the other hand, was assigned to the 35th Infantry Battalion of the 11th Infantry Division.

According to the Department of Justice, which transferred the case to the City of Manila, the court also upheld the validity of the accused’s warrantless arrests, noting that the seized pieces of evidence were properly identified and handled, as testified to by the police and other witnesses.

“Impunity should never triumph over justice. We shall hold accountable anyone who transgresses the rule of law,” Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said in a statement announcing the Manila court’s ruling.

Degamo and nine others, including his driver and bodyguard, were killed by armed men on March 4, 2023, during the distribution of aid at his house in Pamplona, Negros Oriental.

Three former Army soldiers have been found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of illegal possession of firearms and explosives in connection with the assassination of former Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo in March 2023.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2306156/bucor-orders-charges-vs-ciw-officials-over-trust-fund-irregularities

The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) ordered the filing of charges against two officials and five other personnel at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) over more than P6 million in missing funds and administrative irregularities.

In a statement on Wednesday, BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. approved the recommendation to initiate administrative proceedings against former superintendents Daisy Sevilla-Castillote and Marjorie Ann Sanidad.

The former superintendents were allegedly involved in handling funds entrusted to them by persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).

Castillote will face administrative proceedings for gross neglect of duty and grave misconduct for her tenure as CIW superintendent, according to a Directorate for Intelligence and Investigation (DII) report dated Aug. 30.

“According to the investigation, she failed to exercise the required diligence in supervising, monitoring, reconciling, and maintaining institutional control over the PDL Trust Fund,” the BuCor said.

Sanidad, who served as acting CIW superintendent before Castillote’s appointment, was also cited for authorizing a P300,000 fund advance to cover a reported remittance intended for PDLs that had not been properly transmitted.

“The transaction was likewise deemed inconsistent with existing policies governing the use and disposition of PDL Trust Fund resources,” the BuCor said.

Catapang also filed charges against correction officer Bianca Flor Ramos after the DII found discrepancies of over P5 million during her term as the CIW trust fund officer.

Meanwhile, the final audit report of BuCor’s parallel investigation conducted on Aug. 25 reflected an unaccounted amount of P6.4 million.

This figure does not include the more than P1.2 million accounted amount yet to be collected or listed as receivables.

Last month, Ramos promised to cooperate with the bureau’s investigation into the missing funds after suddenly reappearing following her absence without official leave on July 29.

CIW’s incoming trust fund officer Maryrose Abucay was also cited for deficiencies in the turnover of duties.

These included the lack of formal turnover documents and independent witnesses during the turnover of cash and other accountabilities, as well as inadequate documentation and verification of funds.

Catapang also ordered charges against three other trust fund personnel—Madel Figuerres, Gloria Lakisa, and Charlot Jennifer Carreon—over discrepancies found in their performance.

Their lapses included the recording, documentation, monitoring, reconciliation, maintenance, and verification of trust fund transactions and related records.

BuCor said the “personnel’s collective shortcomings contributed to weaknesses in the accuracy, reliability, and accountability of PDL Trust Fund documentation.”

The Bureau of Corrections ordered the filing of charges against two officials and five other personnel at the Correctional Institution for Women over more than P6 million in missing funds and administrative irregularities.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1283876

Eight individuals including Bayan Muna chairperson Teddy Casiño will face raps in connection with a lightning rally that happened in a premier hotel in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City on Thursday, the Southern Police District (SPD) said Friday.

In a press briefing held at SPD headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, SPD chief Brig. Gen. Rodel Pastor said: "Cases shall be filed against Teddy Casiño, the rally organizers and the ones arrested who were part of the demonstrations. Yung mga naaresto, undergoing sila ng (Those arrested are now undergoing) inquest proceedings sa Taguig."

"Direct Assault, physical Injuries, Batas Pambansa 880 under illegal assembly and other possible cases shall be filed against Casiño and others," he added.

Pastor also said they coordinated with the hotel management for security and safety deployment of police personnel as well as civil-disturbance management teams.

Based on the SPD report, the demonstration began at around 9:09 a.m. Thursday involving members of various sectoral groups.

Some protesters entered the hotel premises by allegedly presenting themselves as customers and initially appeared orderly, with no placards or immediate indication of disruptive conduct.

Police personnel were already deployed in the vicinity as part of the security coverage for the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA)-Luzon Economic Corridor Investment Forum being held in the hotel.

When a commotion developed and the activity began affecting traffic and normal operations in the area, responding officers immediately intervened to prevent further escalation and repeatedly directed the protesters to maintain order and peacefully disperse.

Despite repeated police instructions, some protesters allegedly resisted and physically assaulted responding personnel. Several police officers sustained bruises, scratches and other injuries, with some left bloodied during the confrontation.

Despite being subjected to physical resistance, police personnel continued to exercise restraint in managing the situation.

The SPD emphasizes that police intervention was necessary to restore order, protect the public and prevent further escalation. 

The SPD, which has territorial jurisdiction over the area, said 16 police officers and five activists were injured as lawmen and hotel security personnel moved to pacify the protesters, who at one point managed to briefly enter the hotel where the forum was being held.

In a separate press briefing held in Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson Col. Allen Rae Co said based on the report of the National Capital Region Police Office, their injuries included bruises, blunt wounds and lacerations.

"All affected personnel are currently receiving medical attention and treatment from the District Medical and Dental Unit (DMDU), NCRPO," he added.

The PNP spokesperson also said that it's up to the hotel management to file charges against the individuals or groups involved in the said demonstration which caused alarm and scandal.

For his part, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. said the police response was focused on keeping the situation under control and protecting the safety of everyone at the event.

“The PNP exercised maximum tolerance during the incident. Our officers acted to maintain order and protect the safety of all participants at the forum,” he said in a statement.

Eight individuals including Bayan Muna chairperson Teddy Casiño will face raps in connection with a lightning rally that happened in a premier hotel in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

Coronavirus Lockdown: Unemployment, Flag Football, and More!

More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government. 

The July 2026 unemployment rate of 6 percent marks the highest level recorded in the Philippines since the immediate post-pandemic period, matching the rate last seen in June 2022. This rebound underscores that the labor market recovery from COVID-19’s massive job losses remains incomplete and vulnerable to new pressures.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2301816/july-unemployment-leaps-to-6-percent-highest-in-postpandemic-era/amp

The country’s labor market showed fresh signs of strain in July as more fresh graduates struggled to find jobs, pushing unemployment to its highest level since the pandemic era.

According to data by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released on Tuesday, the unemployment rate surged to 6 percent in July from 4.9 percent in June. This was equivalent to 3.14 million jobless Filipinos, up from 2.59 million in June.

The latest figure marked the third straight month of increase and was the highest in four years, or since June 2022, when unemployment also stood at 6 percent.

This was also the first time unemployment reached the 6-percent level after staying between 4.7 percent and 5.8 percent since the start of the year.

Month-on-month, the labor force participation rate declined to 63.6 percent from 65.1 percent, translating to a labor force of 52.36 million from 53.25 million. But quarter-on-quarter, it increased from 62.7 percent, or 51.3 million.

Metro Manila had the highest unemployment rate at 8.2 percent.

National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said the sudden rise in unemployment was due to new participants estimated at 1.33 million who have joined the labor market but are not yet absorbed into the workforce.

The age group of these entrants was pegged at 15 to 24 years old.

The employment rate declined one percentage point in July from 95 percent in June, with the number of employed Filipinos falling to 49.21 million from 50.55 million.

The number of underemployed Filipinos, meanwhile, rose to 12.9 percent from 12.1 percent. This represented 6.33 million underemployed Filipinos, up from 6.11 million in June.

The Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DepDev) said the spike in unemployment is a challenge.

“More Filipinos are participating in the labor market, which means that we need to intensify efforts to attract investments, especially those that create quality jobs,” DepDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.

“The key is to continuously improve the ease of doing business in the country,” he said.

Economist Leonardo Lanzona of the Ateneo de Manila University said the increase in unemployment is no longer a short-term absorption lag, especially since it had been climbing steadily as the share of degree holders among the jobless rose from 26.9 percent in 2020 to the latest figure of 35.6 percent.

“If this were a short-run absorption lag, it would have been corrected already. We have a structural demographic mismanagement problem which means investment incentives are designed to reward capital size rather than job creation,” Lanzona said.

“The economy keeps attracting capital-intensive investment that can’t absorb a growing young workforce—a design flaw no amount of job-matching or reskilling programs can fix without reforming the incentive criteria themselves,” he added.

The surge was driven largely by 1.33 million new entrants—mostly young graduates aged 15–24—who joined the workforce but could not find employment, highlighting ongoing difficulties in absorbing post-pandemic cohorts into the formal economy. Economists and officials noted that the rise signals deeper structural problems rather than a temporary lag, as capital-intensive growth continues to fall short of generating enough quality jobs for a labor force still feeling the long-term effects of the pandemic disruption.

After the pandemic caused a noticeable decline in active flag football players in Cebu, organizers moved to revive the sport. CIFFA Chairman Siegfred Agraviador, drawing on his collegiate playing and tournament experience, helped restart local activity once restrictions eased

https://all-starmagazine.com/featured-stories/ciffa-flag-football-philippines/

Ever heard of flag football?

While it may still be unfamiliar to many Filipinos, the sport has quietly built a passionate and growing community across the country, attracting students, working professionals, and first-time athletes to a game built on speed, strategy, and teamwork.

In Cebu, the Cebu Integrated Flag Football Association (CIFFA) is helping push that movement forward.

For CIFFA Chairman Siegfred Agraviador, the journey began after the pandemic, when he and others in the community noticed a decline in active players. With experience playing collegiate flag football and organizing university tournaments, Agraviador was invited by his friend Miguel Callorina to help revive the sport in Cebu.

What began as an effort to bring players back to the field has since developed into a bigger mission.

“From day one, our main focus at CIFFA has been growing the sport at the rookie level,” Agraviador told ALL-STAR.

Through rookie cups, camps, and support for university teams, CIFFA has created more opportunities for newcomers to discover the sport. Agraviador has since seen flag football expand beyond Cebu City into different towns and provinces, with younger players—including athletes in the 17-and-under age group—starting to join the community.

“We still have plenty of work to do to build up that youth division, but the momentum is definitely there,” he said.

Agraviador is also quick to emphasize that CIFFA isn’t doing it alone. He credits organizations such as the Cebu Flag Football League (CFFL), Ultimate Blitz League (UBL), Punk Panda League, and Sugbo Flag Football Club (Sugbo FFC), alongside local coaches and players, for helping the sport grow.

“We’re super lucky to have an amazing community around us,” he said. “Everyone plays a huge part in keeping Cebu flag football alive and growing.”

That growing community will come together for the Cebu Festival Cup 2026, happening on September 12–13 at the Dynamic Herb Borromeo Sports Complex in Talisay, Cebu.

What began as a post-pandemic recovery has since grown into a wider community movement across Cebu and nearby areas.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted professional basketball in the Philippines and left Davon Potts’ contracts in limbo. Facing financial uncertainty despite owning property, he described himself as asset-rich but cash-poor during that period. 

https://fastbreak.com.ph/former-pba-player-davon-potts-reveals-reason-on-walking-away-from-basketball/sports-galore/

FORMER San Beda star Davon Potts has opened up on his decision to leave professional basketball while he was still in his prime, saying he chose to pursue entrepreneurship rather than spend the rest of his playing career without a clear path for life after basketball.

Potts, a Filipino-American from Los Angeles, arrived in the Philippines after earning his basketball opportunity through San Beda. He made an immediate impact with the Red Lions in the NCAA, becoming one of their key scorers and helping the school capture the NCAA Season 93 championship in 2017. He scored 15 points in his final collegiate game as San Beda swept Lyceum in the finals.

His time with San Beda also included a championship in the PBA D-League with Cignal, before he entered the PBA Rookie Draft. Alaska selected Potts with the 18th overall pick in 2017, giving him opportunity to play professionally.

Potts spent his first PBA season with the Alaska Aces before later moving to the Phoenix Fuel Masters. He played alongside established names including Calvin Abueva, Vic Manuel, Chris Banchero, Sonny Thoss and JVee Casio during his Alaska stint.

But despite reaching professional basketball, Potts eventually decided that remaining in the sport was not the future he wanted.

In a vlog, he explained that he believed he still had potentially a decade left to play, but staying in the Philippine basketball industry would have prevented him from chasing his bigger ambition.

“I still had at least 10 years left to play if I was still healthy. So why? The real answer: if I stayed longer playing professional basketball in the Philippines, I wouldn’t have been able to chase my ultimate dream. That’s being an entrepreneur,” Potts said.

He also described frustrations with the basketball environment, saying he wanted organizations to prioritize winning rather than relationships and popularity.

“I play to win. And if your organization is in the business of selling what’s cute to fans instead of what wins basketball games, I’m not with that,” he said.

The COVID-19 pandemic eventually became another turning point. With professional basketball disrupted and contracts placed in limbo, Potts said he was forced to reassess his finances and his long-term plans.

“I was asset-rich and cash-poor,” he said.

Potts said he had already invested in property in the Philippines, including condominiums and land, but the pandemic pushed him to seek greater financial independence.

“I went all in,” he said.

He moved deeper into business and finance, taking on a variety of jobs while learning different industries, including work at a sandwich shop, commission sales, management of adults with special needs and security at a major casino in the United States.

“I went from playing professional basketball to making sandwiches at a sandwich shop. Embarrassing, right? I didn’t think so,” Potts said.

Those experiences eventually led to the creation of his own financial education platform, The Wealth Curriculum.

Potts said his decision to leave basketball was misunderstood by people who saw it as a failure. For him, however, walking away was a calculated risk designed to give him control over his future.

“If you’d rather struggle for five years and be free for the next 30 or 40, that’s the life I chose,” he said.

The same competitive mentality that shaped his basketball career, he added, also shaped his approach to business. Potts said he was never afraid to challenge people in positions of authority when he believed there was room to improve.

“Most people with more authority than me saw me as a threat because they knew I challenged their expertise,” he said.

Potts ultimately chose to leave professional basketball because he did not want to reach retirement without a second career or financial foundation.

“So I quit playing professional basketball because I refused to retire later in life unprepared for what’s next,” he said.

“I left. I took the risk. I sat with the pain. And that pain became my greatest joy.”

From an NCAA champion and PBA rookie to an entrepreneur focused on financial education, Potts now considers basketball only one chapter of a much bigger journey.

“The ultimate dream I could have asked for: living on my own terms, answering only to myself, and teaching others how to do the same,” he said.

The disruption forced him to reassess his long-term plans and pushed him to pursue greater financial independence outside of basketball. This turning point led him to leave the sport and fully commit to entrepreneurship and financial education.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed major weaknesses in health systems worldwide, including the Philippines. Six years after the WHO lifted its global health warning, Philippine hospitals and clinics continue adapting lessons from the crisis by adopting digital systems, advanced diagnostics, AI, and robotic surgery. 

https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/09/11/supplements/hospitals-clinics-usher-in-technology-for-modern-health-care/2423134

THE Covid-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in health systems worldwide. Six years after the World Health Organization (WHO) took down the global health warning, the Philippine health care system still continues to evolve – from learnings after the pandemic, responding to the diversified needs of the public – as hospitals and clinics adopt digital systems, advanced diagnostic tools, artificial intelligence and robotic surgery.

So much around the world has changed that may affect a person’s health and well-being. For example, the onset of the stormy season and the rains brought by the southwest monsoon bring unpredictable weather conditions that may trigger seasonal illnesses. This weather has also caused massive floods, and some people are forced to cross these dirty waters and make them more susceptible to illness. This shows how as the world changes, the need to look after one’s health becomes even more critical and the need for health care to be modernized. 

Building the future of patient care

Local hospitals have stepped up to improve their services and bring health care better to the people. 

One of the hospitals at the forefront of this innovation is St. Lukes Medical Center, anchoring its culture of care with. St. Lukes has empowered nurses, doctors, and patients with its digital ecosystem such as the establishment of an Electronic Medical Records system and eHub. St. Lukes is also experimenting on piloting AI strategies.

For Centrale Medicale Internationale, patient care is at the forefront of its innovation. The hospital is redesigning its environments to make medical care more comfortable for patients. Patient care specialists are stationed in its outpatient centers to help coordinate consultations and diagnostics. 

The Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed) is pioneering new services and technology to better address diagnosis.. On Feb. 19, 2025, MakatiMed’s Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Center performed its first Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD). ESD is a minimally invasive procedure that removes cancerous lesions in the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract. The procedure is specialized for patients with early-stage cancers, which can help prevent this deadly disease from getting worse. 

Digitalization is care

Digitalization is one way to ensure that patients remain connected and services become accessible. Fe Del Mundo Medical Center has implemented this step, with a soft launch of its Patient Portal on June 4. This allows patients to view their dashboards, and scan the portal registry for easy access of its services.

The same way, Asian Hospital and Medical Center (AHMC) works to make medical technology and patient care harmonious for patients. Communication devices embedded in patient rooms enable efficient and speedy communication between patients and nurses or doctors, ensuring that emergencies are immediately addressed. AHMC also offers state-of-the-art technologies for radiotherapy such as the Saginova Brachytherapy – HDR and TomoTherapy HDA Series.

This year, AHMC won the Technology Innovation of the Year – Philippines at the Healthcare Asia Awards 2026 for its use of the Envision Radiology Information System. This system enables faster turnaround times in emergency cases and standardizing workflows among imaging systems, which enables timely decision-making and diagnoses. 

Some hospitals also devote technology and education to specialized patient health care. Fatima University Medical Center’s Eye Laser Center is not only home to some of the country’s expert Ophthalmologists, but it is also a recognized Carl Zeiss continuing medical education center for femtosecond laser refractive procedures — a blade-free laser vision correction procedure.

Inclusive technology

Regional hospitals are of utmost importance as well. At the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Cotabato Regional and Medical Center rolled-out its robotic surgery program; it is also the first public hospital to have this kind of program. The robot-assisted surgery platform is designed to help surgeons to conduct minimally invasive procedures with more control, precision, and flexibility.

Sparking international collaboration, Team Sweden and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center have launched a partnership aimed at advancing cancer care and supporting the digital transformation of healthcare delivery. 

The Swedish embassy says the partnership aims to foster innovation in the Philippine healthcare systems by adopting Swedish expertise and improving patient care for Filipinos.

Evolving health care access

The passage of the Universal Health Care (UHC) act of 2019 introduced a new era expanding healthcare access for all Filipinos. Under the new law, an opportunity for improved health system structures provided the Philippines shape accessible health services and improve healthcare efficiency. 

Among the most accessible options for Filipinos comes from health maintenance organizations (HMO). HMOs are prepaid and private health insurance provided by corporations to its employees. It offers individuals access to a network of accredited doctors, hospitals and medical services that can be availed in a specified period.

According to the Insurance Commission (IC), HMOs had a profit surge of 41 percent during the first quarter of this year. This reflects the support and reliance of many Filipinos towards strengthened healthcare services amid unstable economic situations and political climat .

Leading HMOs such as Maxicare, Intellicare, and MediCard provide healthcare coverage through extensive networks of medical providers and dedicated customer support. Their plans give members access to a range of inpatient and outpatient services, helping make essential medical care more accessible and convenient.

Public health

In the public healthcare sector, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) aims to expand access to primary care and strengthen financial protection through the nationwide implementation of its No Balance Billing (NBB) policy. NBB is a PhilHealth policy which entails qualified members to avail healthcare services in PhilHealth accredited hospitals and medical systems for free.  

The government has also strengthened its preventative care programs through the Yakap (Yaman ng Kalusugan Program), a primary preventative program helping Filipinos to disease free. The program seeks to encourage early diagnosis and treatment, helping prevent health conditions from worsening and reducing the need for hospitalization.

The program aims to make primary health care accessible to every Filipino through early diagnosis, medical consultations, laboratory and screening tests, and free medicines, helping prevent conditions from worsening and reducing the need for hospitalization.

These developments show that the modernization of Philippine health care is taking place on two fronts: improving the technology and services available inside hospitals while expanding access to basic and preventive care outside them.

For hospitals, modernization means faster diagnosis, more precise procedures and better coordination of patient care. For the broader health system, it means bringing primary care, preventive services and financial protection closer to more Filipinos.

The challenge is to ensure that advances in health care technology do not remain concentrated among those who can afford the most sophisticated facilities, but become part of a health system that delivers better care to Filipinos regardless of where they live or what they can afford.

The experience accelerated efforts to modernize patient care, improve coordination, and expand access through electronic records, patient portals, and better primary care programs. These changes reflect an ongoing push to build a more resilient health system that can better handle future public health threats.