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The Department of Justice announced that former DPWH-NCR regional director Engineer Gerard Opulencia returned P40 million as part of a pledged P150 million linked to alleged flood control project kickbacks. DOJ OIC Fredderick Vida said the money turnover, witnessed by Treasury officials, will undergo verification by Land Bank. Opulencia, provisionally under the Witness Protection Program, provided testimony deemed material by prosecutors in an ongoing probe involving projects in Bulacan and related transactions. He faces a pending preliminary investigation before the Office of the Ombudsman while DOJ continues to review financial records and witness statements.

The Bureau of Immigration has asked the Department of Foreign Affairs to cancel the passport of mining executive Joseph Sy and has initiated deportation proceedings against him over alleged identity falsification. Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the bureau requested verification of Sy’s passport records, placed him on the immigration lookout list, and coordinated with law enforcement agencies to gather supporting documents and testimonies. The DFA will decide on the passport cancellation request, while the BI Board of Commissioners will hear the deportation case and evaluate evidence from both the bureau and Sy.

The Department of Health (DOH) announces a plan to expand its zero-balance billing program to local government unit (LGU) hospitals across the Philippines, aiming to reduce out-of-pocket costs for patients. The DOH will coordinate with LGUs, align the program with PhilHealth and other health financing mechanisms, and issue detailed guidelines on eligibility, coverage and billing procedures. The agency will phase in implementation based on hospital readiness and available resources and will monitor compliance and impact through reporting and audits.

Vice President Sara Duterte rejects revived plunder and graft complaints filed against her and several officials of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, calling the cases a “fishing expedition” meant to justify investigations and divert attention from alleged corruption. Duterte says she and the other respondents are ready to answer the allegations before proper forums and maintains that all transactions under her watch complied with the law. She adds that the OVP and DepEd will continue their programs while the complaints undergo legal review.

Civic and church groups filed plunder and graft complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte before the Office of the Ombudsman, alleging misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds through parallel funding schemes involving the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education. The complainants asked the Ombudsman to investigate the source, release, and use of the funds, subpoena budget and audit records, and pursue criminal charges if warranted. The Ombudsman docketed the case for evaluation and has yet to announce further investigative actions or a timetable.

The Sandiganbayan has declared former lawmaker Zaldy Co and three other individuals as fugitives from justice in connection with a flood control project case. The anti-graft court issued the declaration after law enforcers failed to arrest the accused on outstanding warrants. The case involves alleged irregularities in the implementation of a government-funded flood control project. The court directed authorities to intensify efforts to locate and arrest Co and his co-accused and ordered that their fugitive status be reflected in official records while proceedings in the case continue.

Philippine embassies worldwide have been urged by Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco to locate former Ako Bicol representative Zaldy Co and help bring him back to the country after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the cancellation of Co’s passport. Tiangco said he had long pressed the Department of Foreign Affairs to revoke Co’s passport following the filing of charges linked to an alleged flood control corruption scandal. He vowed to monitor the investigation and emphasized the role of foreign posts and concerned agencies in enforcing the implications of the passport cancellation.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on December 9, 2024, that an arrest warrant for controversial contractor Sarah Discaya will be issued within the week. Marcos said authorities have completed the requirements for the warrant and will implement it once the court releases the document. Officials did not immediately disclose the specific charges, the issuing court, or Discaya’s whereabouts. The administration said it will allow the justice system to address the case and determine Discaya’s legal accountability.

The Philippine National Police acting chief, Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, said on Monday that foreign nationals continue to attempt to revive underground Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) hubs despite a nationwide ban. He reported that police units conduct surveillance, raids, and joint operations with other agencies to track and shut down suspected illegal Pogo facilities, verify the status of foreign nationals involved, and investigate related cyber-enabled crimes. Authorities monitor former Pogo sites, business districts, and economic zones to prevent the resurgence of offshore gaming operations.

Philippine authorities transferred dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo and two co-accused to the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City on Friday night after their conviction for qualified human trafficking. A Mittimus Order from Regional Trial Court Branch 167 mandated the move from Pasig City Jail. The three women, each sentenced to life imprisonment and fined P2 million, will undergo a 60-day reception, quarantine, and diagnostic process at the CIW before placement in the Maximum Security Camp, according to Bureau of Corrections and CIW officials.