Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Tuesday, September 15, 2025.
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READ: DOJ confirms P300M ghost projects in Bulacan, launches special task force
JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday confirmed the discovery of at least three ghost flood control projects in Bulacan worth nearly P300 million and announced the creation of a special task force under his department to investigate systemic corruption in infrastructure spending. At a press briefing, Remulla said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) validated the existence of the anomalies using coordinates submitted through the Isumbong Mo Kay Pangulo website, an online platform that allows citizens to report irregularities in government projects. The NBI’s on-site validation confirmed that the supposed flood control works were nonexistent, each project package valued at between P95 million and P100 million.
READ: Marcos vows no kin, allies are safe in anti-corruption drive
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said no one, not even members of his family or political allies, will be spared once the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) starts its probe into anomalous flood control and other infrastructure projects. He added that no one will believe in the government’s efforts to get rid of corruption unless those behind the systemic problem are unmasked and made accountable. The President’s cousin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co are among the lawmakers who have been linked to the massive corruption surrounding anomalous and ghost flood control projects.
READ: Duterte son files kidnapping and abduction charges against Remulla, others
SEBASTIAN Duterte, acting mayor of Davao City and son of former president Rodrigo Duterte, filed criminal and administrative complaints on Monday before the Office of the Ombudsman in Mindanao, accusing top government officials of kidnapping, arbitrary detention, and unlawful expulsion in connection with his father’s arrest and transfer to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in March. The complaint names Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Rommel Francisco Marbil, and former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director Nicolas Torre III, and others. Remulla characterized the filing as a politically motivated attempt to derail his application for the position of Ombudsman.
READ: Bulacan officials fired, banned for life from public office over alleged graft
PUBLIC Works Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday ordered the perpetual disqualification from office of three department officials, all formerly assigned at the Bulacan First Engineering Office, for their alleged involvement in anomalous flood control projects. In a decision dated Sept. 15, Dizon dismissed from service former assistant district engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, construction section chief Jaypee Mendoza, and accountant Juanito Mendoza after they were found guilty of administrative charges. The charges are for disloyalty to the Republic of the Philippines and to the Filipino people, grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
BUSINESS: Overseas Filipinos send home $3.53 billion in July, highest so far for 2025
MONEY sent home to the Philippines by Filipinos overseas hit a year high of $3.53 billion in July, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data showed on Monday. Personal remittances, which include cash sent through banks and informal channels, rose 3.1 percent from the year-earlier $3.43 billion and gained 6.1 percent compared to the $3.33 billion recorded in June. Cash remittances alone totaled $3.18 billion, also 3.1 percent higher than the $3.08 billion in July last year and 6.4 percent up from June’s $2.99 billion. The sustained growth, the BSP said in a statement, came as remittances from sea-based overseas Filipinos rose slightly faster compared to funds from land-based workers. Land-based overseas Filipinos accounted for $2.59 billion, up 3.0 percent year on year, while the share of sea-based workers rose 3.1 percent to $585 million.
SPORTS: Alas battles African champ Egypt in FIVB Worlds
WILL Team Philippines hover and take down the pyramids? Alas Pilipinas looks to pull a trick under its sleeves when it faces the well-experienced, long-stretch players of Egypt in the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship on Tuesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. The world-ranked No. 86 Philippines aims to be dauntless and keep its ambitious campaign alive when it faces the world No. 21 Egypt at 5:30 p.m. Alas, which made a historic debut in the FIVB Worlds last Sept. 12, was stunned by Tunisia in straight sets, 13-25, 17-25, 25-23, with the first two sets showing that the host team had its first-game jitters.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras and Orlando Mercado. Contreras’ column is about the death of Charlie Kirk while Mercado talks about the unified 911.
Today’s editorial is about making healthy food accessible to all.
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