Hernel Tocmo

Regional Correspondent for ABS-CBN News, DZMM Radyo Patrol 630, and PRTV

[Hernel Tocmo @HernelTocmo]

SAFELY LANDED

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) confirmed that the aircraft reportedly involved in a crash in Davao del Sur had safely landed in Butuan City.

CAAP Davao Airport Manager Engr. Rex Obcena said all passengers were safe but did not provide further details.

“Safely landed at Butuan, time 12:31 PM. Accounted for ang aircraft,” Obcena told ABS-CBN News.

Earlier, several responders launched search operations in Sitio Boribad, Barangay Tibolo, in the municipality of Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur, following reports of an alleged aircraft crash.

Digos City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Chief Operations and Warning Officer Philip June Caminade said initial verification efforts had yielded negative results.

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[Hernel Tocmo @HernelTocmo]

TULONG SA MGA NASUNUGAN SA DAVAO CITY

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian and Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos visited fire-affected areas in Davao City on Friday and led the distribution of P10,000 in cash assistance to 1,153 affected families.

The officials visited evacuees at Leon Garcia National High School, where a fire razed the homes of 1,074 families in Barangay Leon Garcia, Agdao District, and at Kasilak Gym, where another fire affected 79 families in Kasilak, Barangay 76-A, Bucana.

Aside from the cash assistance, the DSWD also provided affected residents with food and non-food items, including family food packs, ready-to-eat food, hot meals, family clothing kits, kitchen kits, hygiene kits, and sleeping kits.

📸 DSWD XI
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Vice President Sara Duterte joined the celebration of the 69th fiesta of Sr. San Isidro Labrador in the town of Pangantucan, Bukidnon, on Friday.

📸 Valiente News
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Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte filed libel and cyber libel complaints against executives, news anchors, and a reporter of GMA News, as well as National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag, dismissed police officer Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., and other personalities, before the Office of the City Prosecutor in Ecoland, Davao City, on Friday, October 23.

Aside from Matibag and Gracioso, the respondents named in the complaint-affidavit include Felipe Gozon, Gilberto Duavit Jr., Mel Tiangco, Vicki Morales, Emil Sumangil, Darlene Cay, Marvin Parado, Joel San Luis, and others.

The filing came after Gracioso claimed that he had delivered suitcases of cash to Vice President Sara Duterte and her relatives, a claim denied by the Duterte camp.

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US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton visited Davao City on Thursday and met with Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte at Davao City Hall, where he was warmly welcomed by government employees and residents waving American and Philippine flags.

Lipton attended an executive luncheon with Duterte, Senator Robin Padilla, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, and local officials before visiting the city hall.

"Beneath the canopy of the ancient forest, the white-headed ghost of the West rests within the crown of the Great Monkey-Eating King,” Padilla said in a social media post.

📸 Sen. Robin Padilla, Vice Mayor Rigo Duterte
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The Digos City government in Davao del Sur announced on Tuesday the suspension of face-to-face classes due to the high heat index forecast by weather bureau PAGASA.

Executive Order No. 50, series of 2026, mandates the implementation of blended learning in public and private schools, as well as work-from-home arrangements for teaching personnel, division office staff, and school-based non-teaching personnel on October 20.

The local government based the decision on PAGASA’s projected peak heat index of 43 degrees Celsius for the day, which falls under the “Danger” category.

“It is necessary to ensure the continued safety, health, and well-being of our students, teachers and non-teaching personnel,” the EO stated.

📸 Digos City Gov't
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Mahigit 1,000 na pamilya ang nawalan ng tirahan sa malaking sunog na sumiklab sa Brgy. Leon Garcia, Agdao, Davao City, na nagsimula Huwebes ng hapon.

Umabot sa Task Force Alpha ang sunog, kung saan 24 na firetrucks ang rumesponde at nagtulungan sa pag-apula ng apoy.

Bagama't malakas ang buhos ng ulan kagabi, kumalat pa rin ang apoy dahil sa lakas ng hangin at halos magkakatabi rin mga bahay sa lugar.

Inaalam pa ng Bureau of Fire Protection ang sanhi ng sunog na nagtagal ng walong oras, habang nag-abot na ng paunang tulong ang lokal na pamahalaan sa mga nasunugan.

📸 JT Motovlog, Ry Llanes
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It was no ordinary spearfishing trip for a group of free divers and spear fishers who came face-to-face with a tiger shark while pursuing the same fish in the waters off Barangay Pangubatan in the Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte.

Davao local spearo “Deep Sea King,” together with members of Davao Freediving, was spearfishing when he spotted a king mackerel (tangigue), and struck it with a spear.

He then surfaced to reload his speargun for a second shot before returning underwater.

However, just as he was about to take another shot at the fish, a huge tiger shark suddenly appeared, seemingly pursuing the same catch.

The spearfisher retrieved the fish and noticed bite marks believed to have been left by the shark.

The group said they did not harm the shark, noting that it did not attack them.

They also said the presence of the tiger shark could indicate a healthy marine ecosystem around Samal Island.

📹 Deep Sea King/FB
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Suspendido ang trabaho sa mga government offices at klase sa lahat ng antas ng mga pampubliko at pribadong paaralan sa General Santos City, ayon sa lokal na pamahalaan, kasunod ng pagyanig ng magnitude 6.4 na lindol, nitong Huwebes, 4:07 PM.

Patuloy naman ang structural inspections at safety assessments sa lungsod habang inabisuhan ang publiko na manatiling kalmado, ngunit alerto sa mga aftershock.

📸 LGU GenSan/FB
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Nagsilabasan ang mga empleyado ng Sangguniang Panlungsod sa Davao City matapos yumanig ang magnitude 6.4 na lindol, Huwebes, PM.

Ayon sa Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, intensity 2 ang naramdaman sa lungsod, batay sa Philippine Earthquake Intensity Meter Network ng DOST-PHIVOLCS.

📹 Joel Ramirez
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Vice President Sara Duterte reads her statement, denying the accusations of Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. at a press conference in Davao City on Tuesday.

She said she would not discuss or answer questions regarding the ongoing impeachment trial or the accusations made by former Senator Antonio Trillanes, as she she had not yet watched the senator’s accusations.

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Vice President Sara Duterte is expected to hold a press conference at the Office of the Vice President Southern Mindanao satellite office in Davao City on Tuesday morning.

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DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said they are investigating irregularities in a 2022 project in Taguig City, where the coordinates of the geotagged photos were found to be located 600 kilometers away in Leyte Province.

He said this clearly indicates that something was wrong, but they do not want to jump to conclusions, hence the ongoing investigation.

Senator Panfilo Lacson questioned the DPWH on Sunday, citing the Taguig project with Contract ID 220B0106, which he said contradicted Dizon’s claim that there were no ghost projects in Taguig.

“Kaya nagpapasalamat din ako kay Sen. Ping, binring up niya. Mayroong nakita doon na in 3 cases, yung isang project noong 2022 sa Taguig na ang contractor ay St. Timothy, Discaya company yon. Mayroong tatlong case na ang coordinates ay yung coprdinates ay hindi sa Taguig, nasa Leyte,” he said in a media interview in Davao City.

“Yun ay finlag doon sa report. At yun ay kasama sa continuing investigation na nakikipagtulungan ang Ombudsman at DPWH. At yun ay na-submit na. So tuloy tuloy pa rin yon at hintayin natin ang final. Kasi kailangan yan i-validate, kailangan yan ibangga sa iba’t ibang dokumento at i-verify onsite,” he added.

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‘Anong ibig sabihin, manood ako sa kanilang sarsuela?’

Vice President Sara Duterte was asked about the possibility of attending her impeachment trial and said the presence of her lawyers would already mean her appearance and participation in the proceedings.

“Well depende. Wala pa namang pagpapatawag sa akin. Sabi ko nga, ang impeachment ay isang legal na process. At yung pagpunta ng aking mga abugado doon ay yun yung aking appearance at participation doon sa proseso na yon,” she said.

Duterte also said she has no information yet on whether her younger brother, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, will attend the impeachment trial after he was subpoenaed by the impeachment court.

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[Hernel Tocmo @HernelTocmo]

Vice President Sara Duterte said on Friday that she is leaving it to her defense team to comment on the lowering of the conviction threshold in her impeachment trial.

She also said she is aware of the petition filed by former Executive Secretary Atty. Vic Rodriguez before the Supreme Court questioning the decision of the Senate impeachment court.

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