00:00Today on Rappler
00:07President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. forms an independent ad hoc fact-finding commission to investigate flood control projects.
00:20The Public Works Department files criminal complaints against its former engineers and contractors, among them Sara Diskaya, Mark Arevalo, Sally Santos, and Robert Imperio.
00:31Senate President Tito Soto refuses to sign the request of Senator Rodante Marcoleta asking that the Diskayas be put under witness protection.
00:39Right-wing activist and Donald Trump ally Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in the neck.
00:44And Filipina tennis ace Alex Ayala reaches the Sao Paulo Open quarterfinals.
00:50President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. forms a three-member independent ad hoc fact-finding commission to investigate flood control projects and other infrastructure projects.
01:00Marcos created the Independent Commission for Infrastructure through Executive Order No. 94, issued Thursday, September 11.
01:07The ICI will prioritize the investigation of flood control and other infrastructure projects within the last 10 years.
01:13Marcos earlier said, the Independent Commission will act as his administration's investigative arm that will look into information or tips the government receives related to flood control projects.
01:23The body will make recommendations regarding complaints that can be filed before the Office of the Ombudsman or the Department of Justice.
01:30Malacanang has yet to announce the members of the ICI as of posting time, but Marcos says it would only include, quote, investigators and accountants.
01:38Meantime, Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chair Ping Laxon says his office staff checked out the allegations of ex-DPWH engineer Bryce Hernandez that he delivered kickbacks to Senator Jinggoy Estrada.
01:49Hernandez claimed that Estrada funneled 355 million pesos worth of projects to Hagonoy and Malolos for 2025, allegedly with a 30% SOP or kickback.
01:59Laxon's staff confirmed that there was indeed an insertion amounting to 355 million pesos in the General Appropriations Act or GAA.
02:07Estrada had categorically and vehemently denied the claims made by Hernandez.
02:14The Department of Public Works and Highways files a criminal complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman against former public works officials and contractors involved in the flood control scandal.
02:24The complaint falls under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or Republic Act 3019.
02:29The names in the complaint include Sara Discaia and Maria Roma Angeline Rimando of St. Timothy Construction, Mark Arevalo of Wawao Builders, Sally Santos of Sims Construction Trading, and Robert Imperio of IAM Construction Corporation.
02:43Also included are former Bulacan 1st District Engineer Henry Alcantara, former District Engineer Bryce Hernandez, and former Assistant District Engineer JP Mendoza.
02:51Meantime, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon has asked the Department of Justice to issue an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order for former DPWH Chief Manuel Bonoan, Mayor Rene Maglange of Candaba, Pampanga, and the Corporate Officers of MBB Global Properties Corporation.
03:09This a day after Senator Ping Laxon said the company co-owned by the daughters of the two officials had bagged multi-billion peso contracts from the DPWH while both their fathers were in office.
03:19Senate President Tito Soto refuses to sign the request of Senator Rodante Marcoleta to place contractors Sara and Curly Discaia under the Witness Protection Program of the Department of Justice.
03:32Marcoleta's request was addressed to Justice Secretary Boying Remulia.
03:36In his letter, he says the Discaia couple, quote,
03:39Testified and will continue to testify with more relevant information in the committee's probe into anomalous government flood control projects.
03:46Reporters asked Soto why he didn't sign the letter, but he has yet to reply.
03:50In a statement on Monday, Remulia said the Discaias must first return the money they obtained from the government through anomalous and substandard flood control projects before they can be considered for immunity.
04:01During Monday's Senate hearing, the Discaia couple named politicians, engineers, and brokers who allegedly demanded commissions from them.
04:08One of the key qualifications for becoming a state witness is that the person must not be the most guilty.
04:14Anitlim Napoles, a central player in the pork barrel scam, failed to meet this qualification.
04:21United States right-wing activist and commentator Charlie Kirk, an influential ally of President Donald Trump, was fatally shot in the neck Wednesday, September 10.
04:30The incident happened at an event at Utah Valley University.
04:33Cell phone video clips showing Kirk addressing a large outdoor crowd at the school's campus around 12.20pm MT when a gunshot rang out.
04:42Kirk moved his hand toward his neck as he fell off his chair, sending the attendees running.
04:46Governor Spencer Cox and Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Cash Pattle earlier said the subject for the horrific shooting was in custody.
04:54But Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bo Mason claims the suspect remains at large.
04:58Later, Pattle says, the person who was in custody was released after being interrogated.
05:04The killing was the latest in a series of attacks on U.S. political figures.
05:09Alex Ayala continues her strong run as she moves closer to winning her second straight title, reaching the quarterfinals of the WTA 250 Sao Paulo Open in Brazil.
05:18She defeats Argentina's Julia Riera 6-1, 6-4 in their Round of 16 match at Villalobos State Park on Thursday, September 11, Manila time.
05:27Ayala will face fellow history maker Janice Jen of Indonesia, ranked world number 130, in the quarterfinals.
05:33Both made headlines at the U.S. Open weeks ago.
05:36Ayala became the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam main draw match in the Open era,
05:40while Jen became the first Indonesian in 22 years to win a match in a major tournament.
05:44If Ayala wins, she will move on to the semifinals to face either second seed Solana Sierra of Argentina or sixth seed Francesca Jones of Great Britain.
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