00:00Today on Rappler
00:06Former Justice Secretary Boying Remulya is appointed ombudsman.
00:17The Quezon City government terminates four Diskaya-linked infrastructure projects.
00:22An expert warns Eastern Visayas is at high risk of strong quakes and tsunamis.
00:27Delegates from Israel and Hamas hold their first day of indirect negotiations on U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza.
00:35And Filipino tennis star Alex Ayala now ranks world number 54.
00:42President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appoints former Justice Secretary Boying Remulya as the new ombudsman.
00:47He will serve until 2032.
00:50Remulya bested six other candidates in the shortlist including Philippine Competition Commission Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo.
00:56As the new ombudsman, the former DOJ chief wields considerable power.
01:00He will lead the body empowered by the 1987 constitution to prosecute, suspend, fire and even file criminal cases against erring government officials.
01:10His appointment comes at a time when the government is in the middle of a crackdown against corruption in flood control projects.
01:15Senator Aimee Marcos filed criminal and administrative complaints against Remulya and he had to get clearance before he was shortlisted for the position.
01:24Remulya served as Cavite's 7th District Representative before his DOJ appointment.
01:28He also served as Cavite Governor.
01:30The Quezon City government terminates four Discaia-linked infrastructure projects last September 19.
01:38The terminated projects are as follows.
01:40This comes a month after top floodworks contractors Sara and Curly Discaia named representatives who allegedly received kickbacks from them.
01:51The named Quezon City representatives are Arjo Atayde from the 1st District, 5th District Representative Patrick Michael Vargas,
01:58Marivico Pilar of the 6th District, and former 4th District Representative Marvin Rilio.
02:04Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte told the press last August most of the flood control projects in Quezon City bypassed the local government.
02:12In September, the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board revoked licenses of nine Discaia firms, including Alpha and Omega and St. Timothy Construction Corporation.
02:21Eastern Visayas, known for its proximity to major fault lines, remains one of the most earthquake and tsunami-prone regions in the country.
02:30Many towns lie close to the Philippine Trench or above active faults.
02:34Science research analyst Mayra Dolina tells Rappler, the region is seismically active and is one of the most at-risk areas in the country.
02:42Dolina warns residents in these coastal zones,
02:44If a major earthquake strikes offshore, we may have less than 10 minutes before the first wave arrives.
02:49There is no time to hesitate. Every second counts.
02:53For experts and residents, the question is no longer if a major earthquake will happen, but when.
02:59The warning follows a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit Cebu province in the central Visayas on September 30.
03:04As of October 5, authorities reported 71 dead, 592 injured, with about 209,972 families affected, 26,140 displaced, and three people still missing.
03:20Delegates from Israel and Hamas hold their first day of indirect negotiations on U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza.
03:26Both parties endorse the overall principles behind the plan, under which fighting would cease, hostages are set free, and aid is poured into Gaza.
03:35Washington claims this is the closest both sides have come to ending the two-year-old conflict.
03:40Trump tells White House reporters that, quote,
03:42We have a really good chance of making a deal, and it'll be a lasting deal.
03:46However, key sticking points remain.
03:48Israel demands Hamas to disarm, but the Islamist group insists that the former must first withdraw from their occupation.
03:54Meanwhile, the Israeli Defense Forces continues to bombard Gaza City while the talks are happening.
04:00Negotiations are currently being held in Egypt with the United States and Qatar as intermediaries.
04:08Filipina tennis star Alex Ayala notches a new career-high ranking as she climbed to world number 54.
04:14This milestone comes after impressive deep runs in two WTA 125 tournaments in China.
04:19The 20-year-old rose two spots from her previous career-high ranking of number 56, which she reached in June.
04:26This after making her first WTA final appearance at the Eastburn Open in the United Kingdom.
04:31After winning her first WTA challenger title at the Guadalajara Open in Mexico last September,
04:36Ayala quickly shifted focus to the Asian Swing.
04:39She played in three tournaments over two weeks, the Jingshan Tennis Open, Suju Open, and the Wuhan Open.
04:45Ayala is now set to compete in the Japan Open starting October 13.
04:51And that's today's wrap. I'm JC Gotinga. Thank you for watching.
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