INQToday: VP Sara Duterte faces House panel hearing on OVP budget utilization

Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories:

Deaths due to Ferdie, Gener, habagat reach 20

A total of 20 people have died due to bad weather since Sept. 11 or in the past week, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in a report on Wednesday.

Tropical cyclones Ferdie and Gener, which also intensified the southwest monsoon or habagat, tore off roofs, uprooted trees and turned streets into rivers in several parts of the country.

Duterte faces House panel hearing on OVP budget utilization

Vice President Sara Duterte’s refusal to answer questions on the proposed budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for 2025 is only a “smokescreen” so that questions on her use of funds can be avoided.

Manila 2nd District Rep. Rolando Valeriano made the statement on Wednesday.

US role pushed to help PH missions, deter China reclamation

With the increasing Chinese presence at Escoda (Sabina) Shoal blocking supply missions to Filipino troops stationed in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine government should now accept the offer of the United States to escort its ships in the disputed waters, former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said on Tuesday.

“We should have regular joint patrols with the US and accept the US offer to escort our resupply ships,” Carpio told the Inquirer in a Viber message on Tuesday.

DOJ to hold all Guo’s lawyers accountable for counter-affidavit conflict

Not only Atty. Elmer Galicia, but also all lawyers from ex-mayor Alice Guo’s (real name: Guo Hua Ping) camp might face sanctions from the Department of Justice (DOJ) due to discrepancies in the counter affidavit signed by Guo before her departure from the Philippines, according to Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty.

Galicia notarized Guo’s counter affidavit for her human trafficking complaint and claimed to have seen her on the night of August 14.