For the 2025 midterm polls, Miru will provide the Commission on Elections (Comelec) with over 100,000 voting machines and other election equipment.

This change is consequential, as Filipinos have been used to the machines provided by Smartmatic, the country’s only poll tech provider since the country began automating elections in 2010. The company’s recent controversies ultimately resulted in its disqualification from future election bidding processes in the country.

Rappler looks back at the road that Miru traversed to win the multi-billion-peso deal.

2014

Records show that Miru showed interest in the Philippine election scene as early as November 2014, when it bought bidding documents for the lease of automated election systems for the 2016 elections.

It later decides not to submit a bid proposal, citing time constraints in finalizing its documents.

Smartmatic wins the contract for that project, just like it did in 2010 and 2013.

March 2023

Miru is among the attendees of the Comelec’s national election summit in March 2023, an event that allowed companies to showcase their technology to the poll body.

July 2023

Miru is among the firms that pitched their internet voting technology to the Comelec, which has been seeking to make voting more convenient for overseas Filipinos.

September 2023

The US government sues former Comelec chairman Andres Bautista for money laundering and conspiracy. He allegedly received bribe money from top executives of a poll tech firm and its subsidiaries in exchange for assistance in their bid to secure multi-million-dollar election contracts.

Smartmatic is not named in the filing, but descriptions match the company. It denies wrongdoing. Bautista also denies receiving bribe money from Smartmatic.

November 2023

The Comelec decides to bar Smartmatic from participating in future Philippine elections, saying the allegations pose an “imminent threat to the strength and integrity” of the country’s democratic processes.

December 2023

On December 14, 2023, the poll body kicks off the bidding for the full automation system with transparency audit count (FASTrAC) project, which has a maximum budget of P18.8 billion. The winner bidder would supply the Comelec with 110,000 new automated counting machines; 104,345 ballot boxes; 2,200 canvassing system laptops and printers; and ballot papers, among others.

Smartmatic still tries to tender a bid but is denied by the Comelec. Because of that, only Miru is recognized as a bidder.

Things do not go in Miru’s favor during the first round of bidding though. The Comelec declares a failure because Miru fails to fully comply with the documentary requirements.

Must Read

FAST FACTS: Miru Systems, the lone bidder for the costliest 2025 election contract

January 2024

During the second round of bidding on January 8, the Comelec finally accepts Miru’s bid of P17.9 billion for the contract, after the latter is deemed compliant with the documentary requirements.

Miru is again the lone bidder after the Comelec closes the door on Smartmatic, and after four other firms which earlier bought bidding documents decide not to push forward.

The post-qualification evaluation starts thereafter, with the poll body testing Miru’s machine prototypes and ballot boxes, among others.

During this time, some election watchdogs begin raising concerns about the capability of Miru to provide reliable election technology to the Philippines in light of its complicated history overseas.

Supposed election discrepancies are reported in Iraq and Democractic Republic of Congo, countries that had Miru as poll tech provider. Miru disputes the allegations, providing the media with copies of certifications and/or statements of support from the governments of DR Congo and Iraq.

February 2024

The Comelec, on February 21, finally issues the notice of award to Miru and its local partners Integrated Computer Systems, St. Timothy Construction Corporation, and Centerpoint Solutions Technologies Incorporated.

“We are committed to further proving the quality of our machines and manufacturing processes as the Comelec continues to inspect the mass production of our systems according to the poll body’s specifications and needs,” Miru says in a statement on February 22.

The group Democracy Watch, however, remains unconvinced, saying issues raised by third-party groups in Iraq and DR Congo remain unaddressed.

“We cannot risk having a faulty and unreliable automated election system that can lead to political instability in our country,” Democracy Watch Philippines convenor Lloyd Zaragoza insists on February 23.

March 2024

Comelec Chairman George Garcia and Miru president Jinbok Chung sign the contract on March 11, formalizing a partnership that could make or break the 2025 elections.

– Rappler.com

As of March 7, 2024, the Metro Manila Subway will have 17 stations, which will stretch from East Valenzuela in the north to Bicutan in the south. (READ: FAST FACTS: What’s the Metro Manila Subway?)

The 33-kilometer subway will also have spur line that connects to NAIA Terminal 3, meaning the country’s main airport will finally be connected to a railway.

Here is the map showing all the planned stations:

Here is a list of all the subway’s stations and the approximate locations where they will be constructed:

Full operations for the subway is targeted for 2029. Once it opens, commuters will be able to travel end to end – from Valenzuela to Bicutan – in just 46 minutes. – Rappler.com

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WATCH: What’s the progress on the Metro Manila Subway?

“Sa ngayon po, ‘yong mga private citizens po na nagmamay-ari po ng riple, particulary po ‘yong 7.62 pababa po, at ‘yong kanilang mga baril po ay klasipikasyon po ng semi-automatic, ay pupuwede na po itong palisensiyahan ng sibilyan po,” PNP spokesperson and Public Information Office chief Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said in a press conference on Monday.

(Now, private citizens who own rifles, particularly 7.62 and lower, along with guns classified as semi-automatic, can be entitled to civilian licenses.)

A slight amendment in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act made the new rules possible, Fajardo said. A study by a technical working group suggested the said amendment. The PNP spokesperson added that the suggested changes were already sent to the University of the Philippines Law Center for publication.

What do the rules say?

Under RA No. 10591’s IRR, an ordinary citizen can own and possess firearms if he/she meets qualifications such as being Filipino citizen, at least 21 years old at the time of application, has an occupation, business, or had filed a tax return as proof of income. Aside from these qualifications, applicants should also complete or satisfy the following requirements:

• Clearance from a court showing “that he/she has not been convicted by final judgment of a crime involving moral turpitude or that he/she has not been convicted or is currently an accused in any pending criminal case before any court of law for a crime that is punishable with a penalty of more than two (2) years”
• Neuropsychiatric clearance from the PNP Health Service or its accredited psychiatrist or psychologist
• Drug test clearance
• Certificate proving that the applicant passed the required gun safety and responsible gun ownership seminar
• The following documents: PNP police clearance, birth certificate, proof of latest billing, two valid identification cards, income tax return, certificate of employment, or business permit

The law and the 2018 IRR say that only small arms may be acquired and owned by private citizens, whereas light weapons are exclusive to police, military and other law enforcement. 

The IRR defined small arms as “firearms intended to be or primarily designed for individual use or that which [are] generally considered to mean a weapon intended to be fired from the hand or shoulder, which are not capable of fully automatic bursts of discharge and does not exceed a caliber of a Light Weapon.”

The amendment removes the phrase “and does not exceed a caliber of a light weapon,” based on the rationale that the power of a firearm does not depend on the size or caliber, but on the firing mode: whether it’s fully automatic or semi-automatic. Among the criteria for classification as a light weapon, which is exclusive to law enforcement, is being fully automatic.

By removing that phrase, the practical effect, according to Fajardo, will be that semi-automatic rifles of caliber 7.62 mm and below are considered small arms and may be acquired and owned by private citizens.

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Reservations

In the range of firing modes, fully-automatic firearms are considered most powerful because they can fire in bursts. As a gun enthusiast told Rappler, fully-automatic rifles like MP5s fire 1,000 rounds per minute, while the M4s fire 800 rounds per minute. (Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story interpreted the source’s information as referring to a semi-automatic firearm, when the guns used as examples were fully-automatic ones. This has been corrected.)


Semi-automatic rifles are in the middle for being able to automatically load the next bullet per fire. Considered the least powerful are firearms which do not reload automatically, and require different types of methods to reload. 

Still, for gun-control policy advocate and former lawmaker Carlos Isagani Zarate, the new policy is headed in the “wrong direction” because, he said, it will only further promote a gun culture in the country, “especially among the elite who have the wherewithal to purchase these expensive ‘toys.’”

“It will also further embolden the warlords and the trapos who relied on the 4Gs (guns, goons, gold, and gimmick) during elections to expand and level up the inventory of their armory. This policy should be seriously reviewed, even scrapped,” Zarate told Rappler.

Fajardo said there were safeguards put in place to ensure that the new policy will not be abused.

A Rappler investigation revealed that the Duterte family has at least 477 guns collectively – 101 of which are rifles. Former president Rodrigo Duterte has the highest number of rifles at 73 (READ: Duterte got licenses for over 300 guns 2 weeks before his term ended).

Cornell University defines a semi-automatic rifle as a firearm that “utilizes a portion of the energy of a firing cartridge to extract the fired cartridge case and chamber the next round, and which requires a separate pull of the trigger to fire each cartridge.”

In using semi-automatic rifles, the shooter needs to pull the trigger to fire a bullet, but the succeeding bullet will be automatically loaded, according to a report by US-based Northeastern Global News. An automatic gun, meanwhile, continues to fire without the shooter having to pull the trigger again.

Semi-automatic rifles, when compared to handguns, can cause even greater damage. A report by ABC7 New York said gunshot wounds caused by semi-automatic rifles can be much worse.

“The degree of tissue destruction will be considerably greater, so rather than a bullet simply passing through an organ, it may inflict a more destructive wound to the organ itself,” Dr. Michael Shapiro, chief of trauma and critical care surgery at Northwestern Medicine in Illinois, told ABC7 in the report.

In some of the mass shootings in the US, the perpetrators used semi-automatic rifles, like in the New York mass shooting in 2022, where at least 10 people were killed. These shootings opened debates in the Western country on whether 18-year-olds should be allowed to purchase semi-automatic rifles. – Rappler.com

MMDA Regulation No. 24-022 prohibits e-bikes, e-trikes, tricycles, pedicabs, pushcasts, and kuligligs from traveling on national roads, circumferential roads, and radial roads in all cities of NCR starting April 2024.

Here is the list of roads where these vehicles are banned:

1. C1: Recto Avenue
2. C2: Pres. Quirino Avenue
3. C3: Araneta Avenue
4. C4: EDSA
5. C5: Katipunan/CP Garcia
6. C6: Southeast Metro Manila Expressway
7. R1: Roxas Boulevard
8. R2: Taft Avenue
9. R3: Osmeña Highway
10. R4: Shaw Boulevard
11. R5: Ortigas Avenue
12. R6: Magsaysay Blvd./Aurora Blvd.
13. R7: Quezon Ave./Commonwealth Ave.
14. R8: A. Bonifacio Ave.
15. R9: Rizal Ave.
16. R10: Del Pan/Marcos Highway/McArthur Highway
17. Elliptical Road
18. Mindanao Avenue
19. Marcos Highway
20. Boni Avenue (Mandaluyong)
21. España Blvd.

Those caught violating the ban will face fines of up to P2,500. Motorists driving “electric-powered motor vehicles and tricycles” will also be required to have a driver’s license. Those apprehended without a license will have their vehicles impounded.

“Due to the proliferation of e-vehicles, the MMC deemed it imperative to regulate and penalize those who will traverse the national roads using such means of transportation,” MMDA Acting Chairman Don Artes said in a press conference on Wednesday, February 28.

Each local government unit within Metro Manila may also issue their own ordinances for secondary and other inner roads in their area.

Previously, the MMDA admitted that it lacked unified guidelines regarding the use of e-trikes and e-bikes. Before the MMDA resolution, the most commonly cited regulation for e-vehicles was an administrative order by the Land Transportation Office that categorized electric vehicles and outlined where they could travel based on their maximum speed. 

Is a ban necessary?

Artes said that this was not a total ban on e-vehicles. Instead, the resolution is meant to set clearer guidelines around e-bikes and e-trikes, which were “a common cause of traffic and road crash incidents.”

There were 554 road crash incidents involving electric vehicles in 2023, according to MMDA’s data.

However, the Move as One Coalition (MAOC) has questioned the move by the Metro Manila Council to ban the light e-vehicles on the basis of safety risks, saying “MMDA’s sweeping statement lacks context.”

MAOC pointed out that based on MMDA’s 2022 data, fatalities from bike, e-bike, and pedicab accidents only accounted for 33 of the 681 total fatalities, or 4.84%. Bikes, e-bikes, and pedicabs also only accounted for a similarly low 5.88% of total non-fatal injuries and 2.05% of total road crashes.

“For added context, MMDA should release the 2023 data on road crashes involving cars and the number of fatalities and non-fatal injuries. Cars have consistently accounted for the highest percentage of vehicles involved in a road crash since the [Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis System] began in 2005,” MAOC said in a statement. – Rappler.com

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Hontiveros made the call just one week before the fourth hearing set by her committee regarding the alleged abuses committed by the Davao-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) against its former workers and members.

The senator earlier warned that she would cite Quiboloy in contempt and have him arrested unless he showed up at the March 5 hearing of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Hontiveros said the committee, as it investigates matters in aid of legislation, “has the power to compel the attendance of witnesses, no matter how well-connected they are.”

Play Video

She said Quiboloy, who styles himself as the “appointed son of God,” is not above the law and the country’s institutions.

“In the past, Cabinet officials, lawmakers, an incumbent Senate president, and even a former president have submitted to Senate subpoenas and appeared as witnesses. His (Quiboloy’s) constitutional rights, like all witnesses, are respected. Pero hindi siya mataas pa sa presidente, sa Senado, at sa batas (But he is not higher than the President, the Senate, and the law),” she said in a statement recorded on video.

Quiboloy has wielded much influence as a religious figure in the country. He has maintained a close friendship and unwavering support for former president Rodrigo Duterte, with their ties dating back to Duterte’s time as mayor of Davao City. Throughout Duterte’s presidency, Quiboloy served as his “spiritual adviser,” cementing their long-standing relationship.

Hontiveros also noted that Quiboloy and his followers called the witnesses who appeared before the Senate committee as cowards for not showing their faces in public, yet the KOJC leader himself declared his intention to disregard the Senate subpoena.

She pointed out that Quiboloy’s accusers have executed affidavits against the preacher and his church associates.

Addressing Quiboloy, Hontiveros said, “Bukas po ang Senado para sa panig ‘nyo. Hinihintay namin kayo (The Senate is open to your side. We are waiting for you).”

Why is Quiboloy being summoned? 

The Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Office served the subpoena to Quiboloy, through his lawyer Marie Dinah Tolentino-Fuentes, on February 22, after the preacher ignored invitations to attend three previous hearings at the Senate.

Hontiveros’ committee has been tasked by the Senate to look into allegations of human trafficking, sexual abuse, violence, and other misconduct involving the preacher and his organization.

Can Hontiveros compel Quiboloy to attend the hearing?

She can, according to Section 17 of the Senate rules governing the conduct of committee investigations. The authority of Senate committees includes the “power to summon witnesses and take their testimony and to issue subpoena and subpoena duces tecum, signed by its Chairman, or in his absence by the Acting Chairman, and approved by the President.”

“Within Metro Manila, such process shall be served by the Sergeant-at-Arms or his assistant. Outside of Metro Manila, service may be made by the police of a municipality or city, upon request of the Secretary,” reads a clause in the Senate rules. 

Can the committee cite Quiboloy in contempt and order him arrested?

Section 18 of the Senate rules on panel investigations provides that a “contempt of the Committee shall be deemed a contempt of the Senate.”

The rules also provide that “such witness may be ordered by the Committee to be detained in such place as it may designate under the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms until he/she agrees to produce the required documents, or to be sworn or to testify, or otherwise purge himself/herself of that contempt.”

How are the accusations before the Senate connected to Quiboloy’s cases in the US? 

Former KOJC members have testified on the alleged abuses of Quiboloy and his church associates before Hontiveros’ committee since the panel started the hearings on January 23. 

Their narratives – including that of two Ukrainian women who alleged that Quiboloy sexually abused them in the name of religion – have been consistent with and corroborated by the allegations made also by former KOJC members in the United States against the Davao-based preacher.

Quiboloy and eight of his associates were indicted by a federal grand jury in a US District Court in Santa Ana, California, in 2021.

What are the pending cases against Quiboloy in the US?

The 74-page indictment document shows that the preacher and the other accused have been charged with the following crimes:

• Sex trafficking by force
• Fraud and coercion
• Sex trafficking of children
• Marriage fraud
• Fraud and misuse of visas
• Bulk cash smuggling
• Promotional money laundering
• Concealment money laundering
• International promotional money laundering

The indictment papers enumerate 94 overt acts of the preacher and his associates.

Why is the FBI after Quiboloy?

The US court ordered Quiboloy and his associates arrested on November 10, 2021. Except for Quiboloy and two others, Teresita Dandan and Helen Panilag, the others either surrendered or were arrested by US authorities, and subsequently bailed out.

The others who have been indicted along with Quiboloy are the following:

• Guia Cabactulan
• Marissa Duenas
• Amanda Estopare
• Felina Salinas
• Bettina Roces
• Maria de Leon

At least one of those accused has subsequently agreed to turn state witness against Quiboloy’s group.

On January 31, 2022, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) included Quiboloy, Dandan, and Panilag, among several other fugitives from Mexico and China, in its most wanted list, and published their separate wanted posters on its website.

The FBI’s “most wanted” poster on the KOJC leader reads, “Apollo Carreon Quiboloy, the founder of a Philippines-based church, is wanted for his alleged participation in a labor trafficking scheme that brought church members to the United States, via fraudulently obtained visas, and forced the members to solicit donations for a bogus charity, donations that actually were used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders.”

When will the US trial begin?

On November 3, 2022, Judge Terry Hatter Jr. of the US District Court-Central District of California reset the trial of Quiboloy and his co-accused in Los Angeles from March 21, 2023, to March 19, 2024. Subsequently, in late 2023, the trial was again moved to November 2024.

In the 2022 order, Hatter granted the request of five of the defendants – Salinas, Cabactulan, Duenas, Estopare, and Roces – to be given more time to prepare their defense, based on the US Speedy Trial Act.

What about extradition?

Based on the US-Philippines extradition treaty, an extradition request must be made through diplomatic channels.

But nearly three years after the indictment of Quiboloy and his associates, the US has yet to submit a formal extradition request for the preacher, Dandan, and Panilag, according to the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ).

What sanctions have the US imposed on Quiboloy so far?

In late 2022, the US announced sanctions against the KOJC leader through its treasury and state departments, a move that coincided with International Anti-Corruption Day and on the eve of International Human Rights Day.

The sanctions include the following:

• Freezing of all of Quiboloy’s assets and holdings within the US or held by individuals based in the US
• Freezing of entities owned, directly or indirectly, by Quiboloy by 50% or more
• Ban on all transactions by people in the US, in transit or otherwise, involving Quiboloy’s assets or interests within the US
• Ban on giving or receiving contributions, funds, goods, or services for Quiboloy’s benefit.

– Rappler.com

The first trip will be a state visit, while the second one will be for his participation in a special summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Here’s what you need to know.

Canberra, February 28 to 29

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Teresita Daza said on Tuesday, February 27, that Marcos will be in Canberra from Wednesday to Thursday, February 28 to 29, as a guest of the Australian government, upon the invitation of Australian Governor-General David Hurley.

He will deliver a speech before the Australian Parliament during his time there, joining other heads of state who have addressed the country’s legislative body in the past – the United States’ Barack Obama and George W. Bush, China’s Xi Jinping, Britain’s Tony Blair, Japan’s Shinzo Abe, and Indonesia’s Joko Widodo.

“He is expected to convey a shared vision and future with Australia under the ambit of the strategic partnership and informed by common history, long-standing people-to-people ties, and mutual adherence to the rules-based order and international law,” Daza said.

Marcos will also sit down with senior Australian officials to discuss defense and security, trade and investments, multilateral cooperation, and regional issues, according to a press release of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Saturday, February 24.

“Similarly, the visit will witness the signing of new agreements in areas of common interest to complement the already robust cooperation with Australia and expand engagements for mutual capacity-building,” the PCO release also read.

Marcos will fly home to the Philippines after his two-day state visit.

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Melbourne, March 4 to 6

Four days later, Marcos will again be back in Australia, but in a different city.

Marcos will mingle with other Southeast Asian leaders in Melbourne for the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, an event that will commemorate 50 years since the regional bloc established formal relations with its oldest dialogue partner.

His schedule is as follows:

• March 4, 6 pm: Marcos will be the keynote speaker at the Lowy Institute. He will “highlight the Philippines’ role as an active participant in world affairs and a contributor to the rules-based regional security architecture,” according to DFA Assistant Secretary Daniel Epiritu.
• March 4, 7:40 pm: Marcos will grace a Filipino community event.
• March 5: He will speak before an audience at the Victoria International Container Terminal.
• March 6: Marcos will attend the leaders’ plenary during the summit proper, which according to Espiritu will see leaders “review ASEAN-Australia cooperation through the years and propose ways forward to further bolster relations.”
• March 6: During the summit proper, Marcos will also attend a leaders’ retreat, where the leaders will, as per Espiritu, “exchange views on key geopolitical developments and issues affecting our region and the world.”

The South China Sea dispute is also expected to be raised during the summit. According to the DFA, the President himself may thank the Australian government for continuously recognizing the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral award that ruled in favor of the Philippines and against China’s all-encompassing claim over the vast waterway.

The DFA said documents that are expected to be produced from the summit include:

• ASEAN-Australia leaders’ vision statement on peace and prosperity, on the 50th anniversary of their relations
• Melbourne Declaration, which Espiritu described as a “more specific outline of areas of cooperation” compared to the vision statement, which will contain only basic instructions

The Philippines will also hold bilateral talks with Cambodia and New Zealand.

Manila will take part in these organized working-level events as well:

• maritime forum, in which DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo will deliver a keynote speech alongside Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong
• working-level discussions on climate and clean energy, to be attended by representatives from the Department of Energy and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
• emerging leaders’ track, to be attended by young Filipino chief executives

There are 408,000 Filipinos in Australia as of 2022, making the migrant community the fifth largest in the Land Down Under.

Play Video

– Rappler.com

Due to the arrest of Castro and his companions, the film and entertainment industry – from directors to actors and actresses – mobilized to question their detention and called for their release.

Rappler lists down all the events and developments in the Jade Castro case. This story will be updated as more information comes in. 

JANUARY 31, 2024

Castro and friends – Ernesto Orcine, Noel Mariano, and Dominic Ramos – arrive in Mulanay, Quezon Province to attend the Cocolunay Festival. The said festival, held every February 4, pays “homage to the town’s origin, rooted in the humble coconut, and expresses deep gratitude to its Patron Saint Peter.”

As reported by ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol, a closed circuit television (CCTV) captures Castro and his friend’s car passing through a Mulanay road at around 7 pm. At around 7:25 pm, Castro alights from their vehicle and films the rehearsal of a local pageant in Mulanay town plaza.

Castro and his friends also spend the night with two Mulanay town officials.

Less than an hour away from Mulanay, in Catanauan town, four persons wearing bonnets burn down a modern jeepney owned by Gumaca Transport Service Cooperative. Witnesses say the perpetrators are also armed.

Carl Villanueva, the jeepney’s driver, says they were told by the suspects to leave the vehicle, and the burning of the jeepney follows.

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

Quezon Province police arrive at the resort where Castro and his friends are staying. The police say they acted on a tip that four men, who are persons of interest in the alleged arson, checked in, in the said resort.

The police talk to Castro and companions and leave. Six hours later, the same police officers invite the four to the police station to answer more questions. The four voluntarily go to the station. They are detained.

Castro and his companions are arrested without a warrant.

FEBRUARY 2, 2024

In his X account (formerly Twitter), Castro claims innocence and says they were arrested for an alleged crime that happened in Catanauan.

FEBRUARY 3, 2024

At past 5 am, Castro again posts on X. The director confirms they were nabbed without a warrant over alleged arson.

Various organizations issue statements in support of Castro and companions.

The Directors’ Guild of the Philippines Inc. (DGPI) says Castro is “an important voice of the Philippine Independent Cinema” and vouches for his good character. Another group, DAKILA, urges Philippine authorities to keep their probe into the case transparent.

“As an advocate for justice, we urge an immediate, fair, and transparent investigation by Philippine authorities, trusting in our legal system to protect the rights of those in custody,” DAKILA says.

FEBRUARY 7, 2024

Calabarzon regional police director Police Brigadier General Paul Kenneth Lucas tells Rappler that the probable cause in Castro’s arrest is the identification made by the driver and conductor of the burned vehicle.

“Well, ang basis natin doon is tama ‘yong pag-aresto ng pulis natin kasi within the prescribed period naman noong inaresto sila. ‘Di naman kami nag-lapse doon sa oras (Well, our basis was, our arresting police personnel did not err in the arrest because it happened within the prescribed period),” Lucas tells Rappler.

Under the Rules of Court, a person may be arrested without a warrant if he/she is caught in the act, if there’s a probable cause to believe that a crime was committed, or if the person is a fugitive. Hot pursuit is done under the second category, or when there is probable cause.

The validity period, or the time limit from when the crime was committed to arrest suspects, varies per circumstance, and depends on the court’s discretion on what is “immediate” in a given context.

Must Read

What is hot pursuit, and why is film director Jade Castro still in jail? 

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno pays a visit to the four detainees. Diokno also talks with Castro’s legal counsels.

FEBRUARY 9, 2024

Department of Justice spokesperson Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano says Castro and his friends waived their rights to undergo inquest proceedings under Article 125 of the Revised Penal Code “in order to submit a counter affidavit where the prosecutor will evaluate their defenses.” 

However, Castro’s lawyers tell Rappler that although Castro signed the waiver, it was not informed consent.

“By without ‘informed consent’ it means these tourists may not have been fully informed of the consequences or effects, or they may not have fully comprehended what the waiver of Art. 125 is,” Carmela Peña, one of Castro’s counsels, says. 

The film director’s present counsels are not yet involved in the preliminary investigation at this time, and get on board only on February 5. 

In an X post, Diokno announces his visit to Castro and companions, and questions the legality of the arrest. Peña confirms to Rappler that Diokno becomes part of Castro’s legal team.

FEBRUARY 13, 2024

Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros slams the arrest of Castro and his companions, particularly the police’s “aresto now, paliwanag later” (arrest now, explain later) practice.

Hontiveros announces she filed proposed Senate Resolution No. 928 to launch a probe into the four’s controversial arrest.

“Mismong mga LGU officials ng Mulanay, Quezon ang nagsabi na nasa kabilang bayan noon sila Direk Jade, at may CCTV na nagpapatunay diyan. Pero iginigiit ng PNP na hindi daw puwedeng pagkatiwalaan ang CCTV ng lokal na pamahalaan. Hindi lang nakaka-alarma ang pahayag na ‘yan mula sa mga tagapagpatupad ng batas, nakakabawas rin ito ng tiwala ng publiko,” the senator says.

FEBRUARY 16, 2024

The prosecution indicts Castro and friends for destructive arson.

Peña tells Rappler that the prosecution finds probable cause to indict the director and his companions over the allegations against them. The indictment means the case will proceed to court.

Jasper Castro, the director’s brother, issues a statement airing their family’s disappointment: “We were hoping that the prosecutor would dismiss the case and my brother and his friends could go home. But we are still optimistic that when this reaches the court, the judge will clearly see that my brother and his friends are innocent. We hope for continuous support from the public until Direk Jade and his friends are set free.”

Diokno, meanwhile, says that the filing of the case in court provides several avenues for the director to be released. This includes the immediate dismissal of the case due to lack of probable cause, temporary freedom through bail, or quashal (dismissal) of the case, Diokno explains.

FEBRUARY 19, 2024

The House of Representatives’ committee on public order and safety holds an inquiry into the arrest of Castro and his companions.

During the hearing, Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonjon Pordan and Police Captain Daniel dela Cruz of Catanauan, Quezon police say they did not retrieve any physical evidence from the crime scene that will link the four detainees to the alleged crime.

Pordan reiterates that the arrests were made only on the basis of the identification of the witnesses. – Rappler.com

In a study by business finance and lending research and information provider BusinessFinancing.co.uk, NAIA ranked as the fourth worst airport in Asia for business travelers, with an average rating of 2.78 over 10. Only Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz International Airport (2.72/10), Kazakhstan’s Almaty International Airport (2.62/10), and Kuwait International Airport (1.69/10) ranked worse.

The study used passenger reviews from aviation customer review site Skytrax. Ratings from reviewers tagged as “business travelers” were then averaged to produce a ranked list of airports around the world and specific regions.

NAIA has garnered a long list of bad titles – from one of the “most stressful” airports in Asia to being downright the world’s worst airport. Despite being the country’s main international gateway, NAIA has suffered from underinvestment and mismanagement. The result: delayed flights, long lines, power outages, and even cash-gobbling security personnel.

But there is hope. The Philippine airport’s much-needed rehab is finally happening. Behind it is a consortium that includes San Miguel and IIAC, the state-owned operator of South Korea’s main airport. IIAC has only a 10% ownership stake in the consortium, but it serves as its operations and maintenance partner.

And as it happens, Incheon Airport ranks as the 20th best airport in the world for business travelers, according to the same study.

So what can one of the worst airports learn from one of the best?

A partner in Incheon

To understand, let’s start with the South Korean airport’s beginnings.

Plans for a new international airport for Korea date back to the late 1980s, after the existing Gimpo International Airport had reached capacity. Like NAIA, the Gimpo International Airport was right in the country’s capital region, Seoul. But this convenient location in the city also left little room for expansion and created noise pollution for nearby residential areas.

When it became clear that South Korea needed another international airport, the government eventually settled on a site more than 50 kilometers away from Seoul’s center. Construction for Incheon International Airport began on November 1992 on reclaimed land.

The airport opened for business in March 2001 with a passenger capacity of about 30 million per year, similar to NAIA’s current annual capacity. Since then, the IIAC has turned it into one of the world’s busiest and biggest airports, turning a profit of more than 860 billion South Korean won in pre-pandemic 2019 and now boasting an annual passenger capacity of 77 million.

The key was continuous expansion and modernization. Since it opened in 2001, Incheon International Airport has undergone multiple construction phases, with each increasing the airport’s capacity. It’s currently wrapping up its fourth construction phase, which adds a fourth runway, expands the airport’s second terminal, and builds more car parking facilities.

Incheon Airport also leans heavily on technology. For instance, it’s expanding its baggage transport system to a whopping 184 kilometers in length and intends to use a camera-based automatic tag reader to recognize and sort baggage. The airport also has a “Smart Pass,” which allows passengers to use their phones to scan their passport, biometrics, and boarding pass in advance, speeding up the immigration process.

The Incheon International Airport Corporation is no stranger to foreign airport projects. The IIAC aided in the master plan of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and served as a construction project management consultant for the Puerto Princesa Airport in Palawan. The IIAC is also the operator of the Kuwait International Airport’s Terminal 4 and the Hang Nadim International Airport in Indonesia.

[Vantage Point] BDO lifts NAIA rehab

What improvements await NAIA?

In contrast to the Incheon International Airport, NAIA has invested pitifully little in upgrading its facilities over the years. From 2010 to 2023, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) allotted only a total capital outlay of P27.09 billion, or P2.08 billion per year. (READ: [Vantage Point] Underspending left NAIA to rot)

In fact, the failure to upgrade NAIA’s facilities was partly behind the continuous power outages that have plagued the airport. Since the latest outage on June 9, 2023, MIAA has sworn to improve passenger boarding bridges, air conditioning, electrical works, and taxiways, among others.

Now, how will San Miguel and IIAC go about the NAIA rehabilitation?

Although NAIA’s new operator will be responsible for upgrading the airport’s runways, four terminals, and other facilities, the government did not outline exactly what structures or improvements need to be made. Rather, the consortium is expected to meet certain benchmarks and performance indicators, such as raising airport capacity from 35 million passengers a year to 62 million, and speeding up air traffic movements per hour from 40 to 48.

“We have a performance indicator on availability of parking. So you should be able to find parking within X amount. When you enter the airport, you should line up within a certain amount. You go through immigration, you go through security; there’s also an amount of time that’s prescribed for that. When you’re arriving, there’s a prescribed amount of time when the first and last baggage from the plane to the conveyor should come up,” Transportation Undersecretary for Planning and Project Development TJ Batan explained in a press conference.

There are many ways to meet these targets. For instance, the Manila International Airport Consortium – which made an unsuccessful unsolicited proposal to rehabilitate NAIA – bared a three-phased plan that aims to make operations more efficient, rather than adding more runways to the already-cramped airport area.

The plan includes flexible self check-ins, automated boarding gates, dynamic wayfinding and flight info displays, upgrades to the airfield, cross-terminal transportation, renovations to the airport facade, the expansion of all four terminals, and the creation of more taxiways and waiting bays.

Meanwhile, we aren’t too sure yet what San Miguel and IIAC’s plans are. There have been no specifics shared publicly, and the consortium has yet to hold a press conference.

The question now is, can the Incheon International Airport Corporation bring the same technological and operational prowess that it showed in developing the South Korean airport to the Philippines’ ailing international gateway? – Rappler.com

Is there something fishy behind the San Miguel consortium poised to get NAIA?

“Matagal na natengga ang wage bills dito sa kamara (Wage bills have long been suspended in the House),” Gabriela Representative Arlene Brosas said in a press conference on Thursday, February 22.

“Ini-expect natin the current House will make moves kasi matagal na eh. Nakapasa na sa Senado, tayo na lang hinihintay (We expect the current House to make moves because it’s been a long time coming. The measure already passed in the Senate, they just are waiting for us to),” she added.

The Senate on Monday, February 19, unanimously approved on third and final reading the bill that seeks to give a P100-daily increase to minimum wage earners in the country. (READ: CONTEXT: Can a P100 daily wage increase hurt the poor?)

Some House lawmakers have raised concern that implementing salary increases would need further studies. Iloilo 1st District Representative Janette Garin noted that while the meager P100 daily increase would not be of a big help considering the rising prices of commodities, there might be smaller businesses that may not be able to afford the salary hike. (READ: Can the Philippines afford a P100 national minimum wage hike?)

Meanwhile, Marikina 2nd District Representative Stella Quimbo said that a P100-hike for workers nationwide may not be enough for some as the cost of living varies from area to area.

“We want the wage measure to be equitable and considerate of diverse economic conditions throughout the country,” Quimbo said on Wednesday.

Here’s a rundown of the bills that are on the agenda of the House labor and employment committee.

House Bills 514 and 7871

• Proposal: The bills seek a P150 across-the-board daily wage increase implemented for employees in the private sector.
• Filed by: HB 514 was filed by Cavite 1st District Representative Ramon Jolo Revilla III, while HB 7871 was filed by TUCP Representative Raymond Democrito Mendoza.
• Status: HB 514 has been pending with the committee since July 26, 2022, and HB 7871 since May 8, 2023.

House Bill 7568

• Proposal: The bill seeks a P750 across-the-board daily salary increase for all employees in the private sector “regardless of employment status and position of workers and regardless of the industry classification and location of the enterprise.”
• Filed by: It was filed by the Makabayan bloc – Gabriela Representative Arlene Brosas, ACT Teacher’s Representative France Castro, and Kabataan Partylist Representative Raoul Manuel.
• Status: HB 7568 has been pending with the committee since March 15, 2023.

House Bill 525

• Proposal: The bill is proposing a P750-minimum wage for all workers in the country, with “succeeding increases [to] be determined by the Secretary of Labor and Employment.” The rate applies to all workers, from those with regular employment, casual employees, and contractual workers.
• Filed by: The bill was filed by Kabayan Partylist Representatives Ron Salo.
• Status: HB 525 has been pending with the committee since July 26, 2022.

House Bills 1111, 3308, and 4898

• Proposal: The bills seek to implement a national minimum wage, with HB 1111 proposing that it be based on factors in Metro Manila, to ensure that workers get equal pay regardless of where they are in the country.
• Filed by: HB 1111 was filed by Pangasinan 5th District Representative Ramon Guico Jr., Cagayan 3rd District Representative Joseph Lara, and Abono Representative Robert Raymund Estrella. HB 3308 was filed by Camarines Norte 1st District Representative Josefine Tallado, while HB 4898 was filed by the Makabayan bloc.
• Status: HB 1111 has been pending with the committee since July 27, 2022, HB 3308 since August 10, 2022, and HB 4898 since September 20, 2022.

House Bill 4471

• Proposal: The bill is floating two rates – a P750-minimum daily wage for workers based in Metro Manila and P550 for employees working in other areas in the country. The rates apply to all employees in the private sector, regardless of employment status. Salary increases will be determined by the labor secretary.
• Filed by: Bukidnon 3rd District Jose Maria Zubiri Jr. filed the bill.
• Status: HB 4471 has been pending with the committee since September 12, 2022.

House Bill 1579

• Proposal: Instead of having a minimum wage set by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity boards (RTRPBs) based on factors in specific regions, the bill is proposing that salaries be determined “on a per industry basis.” This means that professionals working in the same sector will be paid equally, regardless of where they work in the Philippines. The bill is proposing to abolish the RTWPB and have the National Wages and Productivity Commission to determine rates instead.
• Filed by: Tingong representatives Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre
• Status: HB 1579 has been pending with the committee since August 2, 2022

– Rappler.com

From the Gokongweis and the Gotianuns to the Aboitizes and Lhuilliers, each of the families have made their mark in ventures that have contributed to the province’s economic development as well as the nation’s growth.

In 2023, Cebu was named the richest province in the country with P235.738 billion in declared assets based on the 2022 Commission on Audit (COA) Annual Financial Report. This was followed by the province of Rizal with P35.6 billion in declared assets for 2022.

But beyond the art of trade and profit, a majority of the clans’ front-runners like the late John Gokongwei Jr. attributed their success to their ancestors’ humble beginnings and the ports of Cebu.

Between 1830 to 1893, Cebu saw a huge expansion in international trade alongside a wave of Chinese immigration. These enterprising travelers grew their present-day empires from small retail stores and vessel ownership in Cebu’s “lutao” district.  

Among those clans that considered the Cebuano harbors their home were the Gothongs – one of Cebu’s biggest shipping tycoons.

Tradesman’s memories

For the Gothongs, it all started with a man called “Go Bon Tho,” or more popularly known locally as “Don Carlos A. Gothong Sr.”

Don Carlos was a Chinese immigrant from Fujian, a province located southeast of China. In 1910, he left Fujian for the Philippines with the help of his relatives who sponsored his travel.

“He took his first haven in Manila and later resettled in San Isidro, Leyte. The place was close to his heart because he was able to work immediately with Chinese residents who were always sympathetic and helpful to new arrivals,” the Gothong Southern Group website read.

During this period, Don Carlos worked as a salesman until he had amassed enough wealth to invest in abaca trading and general retail. By 1915, he was able to pursue business on his own and found home in Kawayan town, Leyte.

Don Carlos went back to China in 1924 and married Dee He Chiok, later known as Doña Rita Dee. After their marriage, the couple returned to the Philippines in 1925 and had 10 children.

Around the 1930s, Don Carlos founded Carlos A. Go Thong and bought the MV Ramses, a small vessel which he used to ship commodities and general merchandise to different islands in Visayas and Mindanao. 

While a tragic fire incident had struck their store in Leyte in 1935, Don Carlos immediately bounced back with the help of fellow Chinese businessmen and even went into baking and rice and corn milling.

When the Japanese invaded the Philippines in 1941, Don Carlos and his family fled to Daanbantayan town in Cebu fearing the accusations against him of supporting rebel groups and plans to use his resources against the Philippine government.

Family matters

Family was an important part of Don Carlos’ undertakings, especially at the end of the Japanese occupation in the country.

In 1946, Don Carlos moved out of Daanbantayan to settle in Cebu City. At the same time, he submitted documents to the Bureau of Commerce and Industry as part of his plans for a fresh start. 

After the papers were approved, Carlos A. Gothong & Co. officially began its operations. 

With him as general manager, his brother Sulpicio as manager, and son Alfredo as treasurer, the business grew to greater heights with their immersion into copra trading and acquisition of more freight ships.

“It was in the 1960s that the company spread its sails as it embarked on foreign cargo shipping and gave birth to Universal Shipping Lines. It covered the ports of Amsterdam, France, Italy, Singapore, Hongkong, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Taiwan, Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe, and the Philippine Islands among others,” the Gothong Southern Group website read.

However, the success that Don Carlos gained from his business was not enough for him. This manifested in his journey into philanthropy where he spent an ample amount of time on wealth-building and contributing to schools in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Don Carlos also spent time with his grandchildren, ensuring that they learned the most valuable lessons in commerce and economics.

“I remember how he would always place a 25-centavo coin on the dining table and whoever finished first amongst almost a dozen siblings and cousins would get the coin,” Roberto Gothong, CEO of the Gothong Southern Group of Companies, told Rappler.

In March 1996, Don Carlos passed away. According to the family, more than 5,000 families, including public servants and tycoons, sent flowers, letters, and beneficence during the wake. 

Alfredo and sons

After the founder’s death, Carlos A. Gothong & Co. also met its end in 1972. Shares were divided among the brothers, Sulpicio, Lorenzo, and Camilo, and also Don Carlos’ son Alfredo.

“Alfredo and Sulpicio got 32.5% each of the company’s shares, Lorenzo got 22.5% share and Camilo got 12.5%,” the company website read.

Sulpicio and Lorenzo went on to establish their own shipping companies, while Alfredo incorporated the original company into Carlos A. Gothong Lines, Incorporated (CAGLI) on April 6, 1973. 

By 1985, Alfredo’s sons who had finished their studies abroad, took over the family business and expanded it to now enter the fields of real estate, hospitality, and transport, among others.  

Roberto “Bob” Gothong, the second eldest, graduated from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in commerce, majoring in transportation and utilities and minor in finance. In 1988, Bob founded Ottawa Freight. 

Currently, he is the head of the Gothong Southern Group of Companies, which was born five years after Gothong Southern Shipping Lines was founded and began its freight cargo and passenger operations in 2005.

Bob’s daughter, Caroline Gothong Ong, is the deputy chief executive officer of Gothong Southern Shipping. His sons, Ceferino and Carlistito, also adopted roles as board members of the Gothong Southern Group of Companies. 

“My son Ceferino Gothong is with our Treasury…my youngest son Carlostito is also the managing director of Yello Hotel, and property management head at Gothong Southern Properties,” the Gothong patriarch told Rappler.

Hundred-year legacy

As a Gothong, Roberto takes pride in the clan’s role as nation builders.

“When Typhoon Yolanda devastated Tacloban, our M/V Don Alfredo Sr. was the first vessel to enter Tacloban with relief goods donated by various charitable institutions and ourselves,” Roberto told Rappler.

It was during this time that the Gothongs brought generator sets to light up port areas in Cebu and shipped relief goods from anywhere in the Philippines straight to Tacloban. 

“When Typhoon Odette damaged Cebu in 2021, we helped transport relief goods for free from all over the country. Our organization provided free water not only for our own people, but also for the surrounding neighborhood where we hold office,” Roberto said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gothongs also helped medical front-liners by providing them with free Yellow Care Bikes. 

According to Roberto, the family has its own constitution that “speaks of establishing a 100-year-old legacy and beyond.”

To perform such a feat, Roberto said, members of the family’s 4th generation – what the Gothongs refer to as “Gen C” – must undergo a mentorship program led by Enrique Soriano III, a family business advisor and Ateneo de Manila University professor.

By 2025, the family hopes to achieve its vision of becoming a top fifth-party logistics provider with a net worth of P5 billion.

“We do what we say, and we say what we do,” the Gothong’s palabra de honor (word of honor) read. – Rappler.com

Sources:

• Roberto D. Gothong, Gothong Southern
• Gothong Southern Group, Don Carlos, The Imagineer
• Resil Mojares, The Book of Go
• Jon Uy Saulog, Carlos Gothong and Sulpicio Go’s family tree