Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Wednesday, March 15, 2023.

READ: Teves secretary, 5 others indicted

COMPLAINTS have been filed against the secretary of Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. and five other individuals in connection with raids conducted by the police on March 10 on five houses owned by the embattled lawmaker. Seized by members of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) in one of the five houses in Basay town and Bayawan City in Negros Oriental that were raided during the serving of a search warrant were assorted firearms, explosives and ammunition. Complaints for infringement of Republic Act (RA) 10591 or the "Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act" were filed against Teves' secretary Hannah Mae Oray, Heracleo Sangasin Oray, Rodolfo Teves Maturan and Joseph Kyle Catan Maturan. Criminal complaints for violations of RA 10591 and the Law on Explosives (RA 9516) were filed against Jose Pablo Gimarangan and Roland Aguisanda Pablio. The complaints were filed before the Department of Justice (DoJ) on March 12, Sunday. All of the six respondents are currently detained at the CIDG National Capital Region Field Unit after undergoing inquest at the CIDG headquarters in Camp Crame in Quezon City.

READ: Bantag, 15 others charged

THE Department of Justice (DoJ) has found probable cause to indict suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag and 15 others in connection with the ambush-slay of hard-hitting radio broadcaster Percival "Percy Lapid" Mabasa and the killing of alleged middleman Jun Villamor. In a resolution dated March 9, state prosecutors also indicted Bantag's right-hand man, former BuCor security officer Ricardo Zulueta, as a principal by inducement for the murder of Lapid and Villamor. Others who will be charged are Joel Escorial, the self-confessed gunman, and brothers Israel Dimaculangan and Edmon Dimaculangan and an alias Orly as principal by direct participation in the Lapid killing. Named as principal by indispensable cooperation are persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) Denver Mayores, Alvin Labra, Aldrin Galicia and Alfie Peñaredonda and Christopher Bacoto. In the murder of Villamor, the alleged middleman who was found dead inside the National Bilibid Prison (NBP), Bantag, Zulueta, Labra and Galicia were indicted as principal by inducement. As principal by direct participation in Villamor's murder are PDLs Maria Alvarez, Joseph Georfo, Christian Ramac, Ricky Salgado, Ronnie dela Cruz and Joel Reyes.

READ: Empowered women share journeys at Times forum

FIVE empowered Filipinas who navigated different paths and have hurdled different obstacles to earn their rightful place under the sun gathered on Tuesday to share their inspiring stories in The Manila Times' "Women Making A Change For Women" forum. PBA party-list Rep. Margarita Nograles, Maria Victoria Españo, Nikki Tang, Jenny Lin Maaño-Ngai and Agnes Gervacio — women from different fields with different backgrounds — gave a glimpse of how they were able to show the world that they, too, can be achievers and power movers, and command as much authority as the men.

READ: Sunken tanker had no permit to operate

THE MT Princess Empress operated without the amended Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC), or the permit to operate issued by the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) to water transport providers. This surfaced on Tuesday in a public hearing by the Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change on the escalating oil spill from the sunken tanker that is now causing damage to the marine ecosystem and biodiversity in Oriental Mindoro and other areas. With this development, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) told the committee chaired by Sen. Cynthia Villar that it may recommend the filing of appropriate charges against the RDC Reield Marine Services, owner of the vessel.

BUSINESS: BAP: US bank failures to have minimal impact

Topping business, share prices of Philippine banks may have fallen but the domestic financial sector as a whole is expected to be minimally affected by the fallout from a US banking crisis, the Bankers Association of the Philippines said on Tuesday. The failures of two US regional banks — Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank — in just two days have reverberated across financial markets worldwide and raised concerns over the health of the global banking industry. Philippine banking shares have fallen since SVB collapsed on Friday with the financials sub-index down 1.86 percent on Tuesday. Among the biggest decliners for the day were BDO Unibank Inc., whose share price fell by 2.13 percent, or P2.60, to P119.40; Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. down 4.04 percent, or P2.40, to P57 per share; and Bank of the Philippine Islands, which saw a 1.24-percent, or P1.30 drop, to P103.80 per share. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index plunged by 2.31 percent.

SPORTS: SMB, NLEX clash in crucial tiff

Over to sports, as the euphoria of the PBA All-Star festivities faded into the background, San Miguel Beer returns from close to a month-long break from league competition as it takes on NLEX in a crucial match in the PBA Governors' Cup today, March 15, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City. A victory by the Beermen (7-2) will give them a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinal round. However, the job will not be easy since SMB, which is coming off a winless campaign in the East Asia Super League Champions Week in Japan, lost star center June Mar Fajardo to injury. The 33-year-old perennial PBA All-Star suffered an MCL sprain on his left knee in the team's game versus the Ryukyu Golden Kings in Japan. Fajardo lasted just 21 seconds and didn't finish the game and the tournament. SMB team manager Gee Abanilla said they expect the six-time PBA Most Valuable Player to miss about four to six weeks, depending on how he responds to the rehab. The Beermen will miss Fajardo's double-double conference output of 14.3 points and 12.8 rebounds per game as they go up against the Road Warriors (7-3) at 5:45 p.m.

READ: Opinion and editorial

Rigoberto Tiglao and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists. Tiglao opens a column series on the controversial Chinese Nine-Dash Line, while Tatad believes Filipinos must "prosper freely".

Today's editorial thinks the air sector reform plan is a step forward for the country. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.

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For The Manila Times, this is Kim Isabelle Dignadice.