Here are today's headlines – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world: - Ex-DPWH engineer Brice Hernandez turns over P12-million luxury car to gov’t - Speaker Bojie Dy orders Zaldy Co to come home, revokes travel clearance - Ombudsman orders preventive suspension of 16 Bulacan DPWH officials - EJ Obiena excited to give Filipino fans world-class pole vault experience - Alas vet Kim Malabunga apologizes after huge net touch call vs Iran
00:06Former Public Works Engineer Bryce Hernandez hands over one of his luxury cars to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure.
00:20House Speaker Bo GD orders Ako Bicol Representative Zaldi Ko to return to the Philippines within 10 days.
00:26The Ombudsman suspends 16 Public Works officials tagged in anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan.
00:34E.J. Obiena is set to compete with eight other elite pole vaulters in a pole vault challenge in Makati City.
00:41And Alas Pilipinas loses to Iran, crushing its bid to reach the knockout round of the 2025 FIVB World Championship.
00:49Former DPWH Bulacan Assistant District Engineer Bryce Hernandez hands over one of his luxury cars to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure Friday, September 19.
01:02Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Andres Reyes, the ICI chairperson, says in a statement,
01:07Hernandez voluntarily surrendered the vehicle to the government as a sign of good faith and his willingness.
01:13The black GMC Yukon Denali SUV is estimated to be worth 12 million pesos.
01:20Hernandez is also expected to turn over a Ferrari and a Lamborghini.
01:24The vehicles will be placed under the custody of the ICI and will eventually be auctioned.
01:29Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who is also part of the commission as special advisor, adds,
01:34Hernandez provided information he has yet to disclose in other forums.
01:38Hernandez has been under investigation by both the House of Representatives and the Senate for his role in anomalous flood control projects.
01:47House Speaker Boji D revokes the travel clearance issued by the House under the leadership of his predecessor Martin Romualdez to Ako Bicol Representative Zaldi Ko.
01:57He orders Ko to return to the Philippines within 10 days.
02:01Ko has been in the U.S. supposedly for medical treatment and is facing allegations of mangling the national budget.
02:07The order comes two days after Majority Leader Sandro Marcos urged Ko to come home and face the music.
02:14If Ko does not come home, Marcos says the party list lawmaker might have to face the ethics committee.
02:20Ko has not attended any plenary session since the 20th Congress convened in July.
02:25Navota City Rep. Toby Tiangco accuses Ko of culpability in budget insertions at the BICAM level involving billions of pesos.
02:33But in a statement, September 8, Ko says he, quote, vehemently denies all baseless and irresponsible accusations made against him.
02:43The Office of the Ombudsman suspends 16 public works and highways officials tagged in anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan.
02:51These officials are preventively suspended starting Thursday, September 18.
02:55They are the subject of a criminal complaint filed by the DPWH last September 11.
03:02The complaint cites violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act,
03:07malversation through falsification of public documents, and the Government Procurement Act.
03:12Five anomalous flood control projects in Malolos, Hagonoy, Bulacan, and Baliwag, Bulacan were the basis of the complaint.
03:18Also named in the complaint are other former DPWH officials Henry Alcantara, Bryce Hernandez, JP Mendoza, and Juanito Mendoza, who had been dismissed earlier.
03:31Ranked No. 7 in the world, EJ Obiena is set to compete with eight other elite pole vaulters in the Top 30
03:37at the Atletang Ayala World Pole Vault Challenge in Makati City on Saturday, September 20, and Sunday, September 21.
03:44Obiena hopes to put on a show at home, just like he did when he captured the first of his three Southeast Asian Games gold medals in 2019.
03:53He is set to face World No. 5 Erso Sasma of Turkey, World No. 6 Men of Loon of the Netherlands, and World No. 12 Thibaut Colet of France, among others.
04:03He says,
04:03The Filipino pole vaulter eyes a bounce-back performance in his last event of 2025, after he failed to reach the men's pole vault final of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
04:24The two-day meet, which is sanctioned by World Athletics, also puts the spotlight on the Philippines' up-and-coming pole vaulters.
04:34Alas Pilipinas loses to Iran in its bid to reach the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship Knockout Round of 16.
04:42This, after World No. 16 Iran proved to be correct when it called a net-touch violation against Alas veteran Kim Malabunga.
04:49The team's clash at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Thursday, September 18.
04:55Instant frame-by-frame playback showed Malabunga's hand grazing the net milliseconds before the ball touched the ground.
05:02This shaved off Alas Pilipinas' lead and prompted a 19-all reset, which Iran then parlayed to a 22-20 victory.
05:10Malabunga apologized profusely after the game, telling reporters he fell out of balance at the moment of what could have been the team's winning shot.
05:17He says he's, quote, happy but regretful.
05:21Alas Pilipinas, after all, made history on Tuesday, September 16, when it defeated World No. 21, Egypt.
05:27Malabunga says Alas Pilipinas' run at this year's FIVB Championship, hosted by the Philippines, proves that Filipinos can't compete on the world stage.
05:35And that's today's wrap. I'm JC Gotinga. Thank you for watching.
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