00:00Today on Rappler
00:06The Philippine government has asked Interpol for a blue notice to track Ako Biko representative Zaldi Ko overseas.
00:20Senator Ping Lakson wants a full background check on witness Orly Guteza,
00:24who testified delivering money to former Speaker Martin Romualdez's house.
00:28The Manila Prosecutor's Office orders the release of some protesters arrested during the September 21 riots.
00:36Downgraded to a severe tropical storm, Opong wreaks havoc in eastern Visayas and southern Luzon.
00:43And Filipino tennis star Alex Ayala continues to lord it over the competition in the Jingshan Open.
00:50The Department of Justice confirms an Interpol blue notice is being requested to track the whereabouts
00:56of Ako Biko representative Zaldi Ko overseas.
01:00Interpol notices are international requests that allow police forces in member states to share crime-related information.
01:06The Philippines is an Interpol member state.
01:09Meantime, Zaldi Ko vows to return to the Philippines but is noncommittal on whether he will do so
01:14before the deadline given by the House of Representatives.
01:17In a letter to House Speaker Bo G. D., he says he is, quote,
01:22very much apprehensive about what awaits me should I return to the Philippines,
01:26given that the public and your good office have prejudged me.
01:30D. earlier revoked the travel clearance issued to Ko by the House under the leadership of Martin Romualdez.
01:36Ko expresses, quote-unquote,
01:37grave concern that the House is supposedly depriving him of time needed for medical care.
01:43It is unclear what health issue he is facing.
01:46Ko also acknowledges he has until Monday, September 29, to come home.
01:51Failure to do so puts him at risk of disciplinary action by the House.
01:55His political rival, Navotas Representative Toby Tiyanko,
01:59already filed a complaint against him with the Ethics Committee.
02:01Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lakson says a full background check is necessary
02:08on the witness presented by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, or Lee Guteza.
02:14This, after lawyer Pecci Rose Espera wrote a letter to ABS-CBN News
02:18denying that she notarized, signed, or helped prepare Guteza's affidavit.
02:22She adds, details were falsified and unauthorized.
02:26According to Senate rules, witnesses are required to file written statements
02:30at least three days before the hearing.
02:33Guteza was presented as a witness by Marcoleta,
02:35whom Lakson succeeded as chair of the panel.
02:38Marcoleta said Guteza was referred to him by former Congressman Michael Defensor.
02:43Guteza, a former security consultant of a Co-Bicol representative, Zaldi Ko,
02:47testified before the Senate on Thursday, September 25.
02:50He claimed he regularly delivered luggage filled with cash
02:53to the residence of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez in Makati City
02:57since he began working for Co.
02:58Romualdez, meantime, describes Guteza's testimony as complete fabrication.
03:06The Manila Prosecutor's Office on Thursday, September 25,
03:10orders the release of some protesters arrested during the September 21 riots
03:14due to delays in the preparation of cases against them.
03:17If arrested without a warrant like these protesters,
03:20individuals undergo what is called an inquest proceeding.
03:22Under Article 125 of the Revised Penal Code,
03:26a person arrested without a warrant should be brought to court within 36 hours.
03:31Inquest proceedings for the arrested only started past 1 p.m. Tuesday, September 23,
03:36beyond the 36-hour deadline, and went on until Wednesday, September 24.
03:41Those who underwent inquest proceedings only on Wednesday, September 24,
03:44were ordered released.
03:47The September 21 protests condemned widespread corruption in the government's flood control projects.
03:52In Manila, protests turned violent after attendees clashed with the police,
03:56leading to the arrest of at least 216 people.
04:01Still reeling from super-typhoon Nando,
04:03the Philippines faces yet another tropical cyclone.
04:06Opong, a typhoon at its peak,
04:08first slammed into eastern Samar with torrential rain and fierce winds.
04:13After that initial landfall, it was downgraded to a severe tropical storm.
04:17But Opong still wreaked havoc,
04:19making landfall five more times as it crossed Masbate, Romblon, and Oriental Mindoro.
04:25Worst-hit areas are grappling with floods,
04:27damaged homes, power outages, and loss of communication signals.
04:31The national government says more than 430,000 people evacuated across regions.
04:38President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier ordered government agencies
04:41to mobilize all resources for swift disaster response.
04:45Follow Rappler for more updates.
04:49Filipino tennis star Alex Ayala continues to lord over the competition
04:52in the 2025 WTA 125 Jing Shan Open.
04:56She wins against veteran Chinese home bet Lu Jiajing 6-4 and 6-1
05:01to reach the semi-final round on Friday, September 26.
05:06Undeterred by a rain delay and a surprise early deficit,
05:09world number 58 Ayala rose from a 4-2 hole in the first set
05:12with four straight games to take command.
05:15World number 349 Lu lost steam from that point onwards.
05:19The standard remains high for Ayala in Jing Shan
05:21as the only WTA top 100 player in the entire tournament.
05:25Ayala is set to face a familiar and formidable foe in the semi-final.
05:30Former world number 39 Lulu's son of New Zealand,
05:33now ranked number 146.
05:37And that's today's wrap.
05:39I'm JC Gutinga.
05:42Click the link below for the full story.
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05:47Thanks for watching.
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