Vico files election case vs DiscayaMANILA, Philippines — Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto has filed an election complaint against former mayoral candidate Sarah Discaya for allegedly violating the campaign spending rules in the 2025 elections. Accompanied by his counsel Romulo Macalintal, Sotto filed the case with the Commission on Elections-Political Finance and Affairs Department. Sotto said he filed the complaint to uphold compliance with election laws, particularly the requirement for candidates to properly declare campaign expenses. According to Sotto, Discaya declared only P895,000 in campaign spending, an amount he said appeared inconsistent with the scale of campaign activities launched by the contractor in 2025. Sotto said a separate complaint for perjury was filed against Discaya before the Pasig prosecutor’s office over her citizenship.

Palawan airport exec shot deadThe Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) condemned the killing of PPIA acting manager Joanna Jonson-Infante and urged authorities to investigate the incident immediately and thoroughly. MANILA, Philippines — An official of the Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPIA) in Palawan was shot dead by an unidentified assailant on Wednesday afternoon. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) condemned the killing of PPIA acting manager Joanna Jonson-Infante and urged authorities to investigate the incident immediately and thoroughly. The CAAP said it is coordinating with local law enforcement agencies and ready to cooperate with and support the investigation. We trust that law enforcement authorities will pursue this case with urgency and ensure that justice is served,” CAAP Director General Raul del Rosario said.

2 Manila cops sacked for blocking motoristsErmita police station 5 commander Alfonso Saligumba III said the incident, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon, remains under investigation as authorities are reviewing closed-circuit television footage (CCTV) and the explanation of the police officers involved. MANILA, Philippines — Two members of the Manila Police District (MPD) have been relieved from their posts after a viral video showed them in a patrol car blocking motorists at a traffic light along Taft Avenue. The investigation and validation of CCTV footage as well as the statement of witnesses are ongoing to determine what really happened,” Saligumba said at a press briefing at Camp Crame. The license of the driver was confiscated by the Land Transportation Office, while the police car is undergoing mechanical inspection. The MPD, in a statement, said it does not tolerate violations of traffic laws or police operational procedures and assured the public of transparency and accountability.

Supreme Court: 'True intent' key in voluntary surrenderThe logo of the Supreme Court at the Supreme Court Building in Manila. MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court ruled that the appreciation of "voluntary surrender" as a mitigating circumstance must be based on an offender’s true intent and the totality of circumstances rather than a rigid, technical timeline. This prompted the man to appeal the lower court’s decision to the Supreme Court. It explained that the mere issuance of an arrest warrant does not automatically negate a surrender, nor does a significant lapse of time between the crime and the surrender. The high court also cautioned judges against acting as "cold-hearted automatons" or "soulless supercomputers."

DOTr eyes MRT-7 partial operationsMRT-7 train coaches were seen along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon Cit. MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is eyeing a partial launching of the six stations of the Metro Rail Transit 7 (MRT-7) from Sacred Heart in Caloocan to Tandang Sora, Quezon City. Now 83 percent complete, the DOTr expects the MRT-7 to be fully operational in the second quarter of 2027. Lopez said the DOTr is coordinating with the Light Rail Manila Corp. to finalize proposals to prioritize system integrations and improvement works between the MRT-7, MRT-3 and the Light Rail Transit Line-1. “In the event na hindi matapos yung signaling in time for the partial operations of MRT-7, the DOTr will build a structure for the commuters to feel safe and convenient in riding the LRT-1 and MRT-3,” Lopez said.

MANILA, Philippines — The mobility arm of the Ayala Group has rolled out a digital wallet to simplify charging for businesses’ electric vehicle (EV) fleets. In a statement, ACMobility said it is making available a shareable digital wallet that would allow fleet managers to allocate and monitor charging credits through a single platform, ChargeFleet. Once integrated into ChargeFleet, ACMobility will assign charging credits to fleet managers, who will be responsible for the distribution to multiple drivers. To better serve customers, ACMobility plans to introduce enhancements to ChargeFleet in the future, including exclusive value-added perks integrated through the partner app Evro and the mobile EV charging station Power on Wheels. The Ayala Group has been investing in the development of EV charging stations in line with its push for a sustainable ecosystem.

MANILA, Philippines — Australian-Canadian miner OceanaGold Philippines Inc. (OGPI) struck strong results last year, with earnings more than doubled amid soaring gold prices. OGPI saw copper production rise by 8.1 percent to 13,300 tons from 12,300 tons, even as gold output dipped by six percent to 90,700 ounces from 97,000 ounces. The decline in full-year gold output was mainly due to severe weather in late 2024, which restricted access to the mine’s lower levels throughout most of 2025. Despite this, the company posted higher gold and copper production in the three months ending December 2025. Gold production in the fourth quarter rose to 23,800 ounces from 19,700 ounces a year earlier, while copper output edged up to 3,200 tons from 3,100 tons.

Moderate explosive eruption recorded in KanlaonThe eruption, which occurred at the summit crater at 4:38 p.m., lasted two minutes. BACOLOD CITY Philippines — State volcanologists yesterday recorded what they described as a moderate explosive eruption at Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island. The eruption, which occurred at the summit crater at 4:38 p.m., lasted two minutes. The volcanic activity was recorded by IP cameras of the Kanlaon Volcano Network. As of last night, residents of Barangay Ara-al in La Carlota City were being evacuated to prevent casualties or injuries should the volcanic activity escalate.

Manchurian candidate Sara declares presidential bid: Filipinos bewareWoe to Filipinos. Manchurian candidate Sara Duterte will seek the presidency in 2028. A President Sara will likely restore her father’s pro-Beijing stance. Follow me on Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/Jarius-Bondochttp://Gotcha JARIUS BONDOC Manchurian candidate Sara declares presidential bid: Filipinos beware Woe to Filipinos. Manchurian candidate Sara Duterte will seek the presidency in 2028.

Top Line opens 8 fuel stations in CebuMANILA, Philippines — Top Line Business Development Corp. has launched eight retail fuel stations in northern Cebu catering to two-wheeled vehicles, aiming to tap into the growing motorcycle market. “This cluster-based rollout allows us to scale systematically and capture demand in high-growth markets like northern Cebu,” Lim said. In northern Cebu, Top Line estimates that around 80 percent of the fuel market consists of two-wheeled vehicles. In particular, Light Fuel Express stations feature automated motor wash systems capable of cleaning light vehicles in just three minutes, providing a convenient service for on-the-go customers. Last year, Top Line acquired a gas station in Cebu from Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. of Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy.

BSP rate cut lifts PSEi to another winThe bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index grew by 0.19 percent or 12.38 points, settling at 6,407.15. MANILA, Philippines — The local stock market continued its winning ways following the latest rate cut from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) yesterday. The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index grew by 0.19 percent or 12.38 points, settling at 6,407.15. The broader All Shares index likewise inched up by 0.15 percent or 5.27 points to end the session at 3,547.32. Luis Limlingan of Regina Capital, for his part, said investors continued to assess the impact of the latest rate cut from the BSP, weighing its potential to support liquidity and market sentiment.

SM Prime to spend P1 billion for Cebu office expansionMANILA, Philippines — The Sy family’s SM Prime Holdings Inc. is pouring in more than P1 billion to expand its office portfolio in the country’s fastest-growing regional office market outside Metro Manila. SM Offices, the office leasing arm of SM Prime, will add more than 60,000 square meters of leasable space in Cebu City by the fourth quarter of 2026. In fact, the Cebu office market was only second to BGC in terms of growth. SM City Cebu Towers sits within the redeveloped SM City Cebu North Wing complex, which integrates retail facilities and a National University (NU) campus. “We believe that it offers great value for its location and its integration with the SM City Cebu mall and NU Cebu.

Arca South – just about readyIt has been almost 14 years since Ayala Land Inc. successfully bid and acquired in 2012 ownership of 74 hectares of the Marcos-era created Food Terminal Inc. or FTI, which originally covered an expansive 120 hectares at the outskirts of Metro Manila going south to Laguna and Batangas. It was formally known in 1968 as the Greater Manila Terminal Food Market or GMTFM under the administration of the elder president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Today, going south to Laguna or Tagaytay is a quick half-day trip for lunch and back with our three to four lane expressways. Early on, ALI had posted banners announcing the birth of Arca South, attracting early investors for its planned mixed-used commercial and business community. Just as quietly, several companies have been operating in Arca South and residential mid-rise towers have been completed and are now being turned over to early buyers.

ALI unit breaks ground on luxury Makati projectAyala Land said the groundbreaking moves the development into its execution phase, noting that demand for well-located and design-driven residences in established central business districts remains resilient within the premium segment. MANILA, Philippines — Ayala Land Premier is strengthening its pipeline of high-end residential developments in Makati as it kicked off the construction of its newest luxury development called Laurean Residences. “Laurean Residences was envisioned as an urban sanctuary in the heart of Makati. Today, we’re not just breaking ground — we’re opening a bold new chapter in refined urban living,” Ayala Land Premiere president Mike Jugo said. The 65-story tower project has a P28 billion value and will have 388 units.

All 4 impeach raps vs Sara transmitted to SpeakerMANILA, Philippines — The four impeachment complaints filed separately before the House of Representatives against Vice President Sara Duterte are now all under the custody of Speaker Faustino Dy III following the transmittal of the records from the secretary-general’s office. The House is expected to refer all the four impeachment complaints to the justice committee. ‘Demand impeach scrutiny’The “serious and disturbing” allegations of unexplained wealth and omissions in Vice President Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) compelled Ortega to endorse the fourth impeachment complaint against her. Ortega nevertheless stressed that endorsing the complaint does not prejudge the Vice President. “If Vice President Sara Duterte wins as president and she is told by her vice president that he/she talked to people ready to kill her, I will sign the impeachment complaint again whoever he/she is,” Defensor said.