ORMOC CITY-A 50-year-old businesswoman lost more than half a million pesos to an unidentified woman who posed as a quack doctor in what police believe was a budol-budol (confidence scam) on Friday morning, August 1, in Barangay P.I. Garcia, Naval, Biliran.

Police identified the victim only as “Marie,” a married resident of the same barangay.

According to the Naval Municipal Police Station, the victim reported that the suspect arrived at her home around 11 a.m., introducing herself as a traditional healer from Siquijor. The woman allegedly claimed that the victim had been cursed by her husband’s mistress and needed a ritual to break the spell.

Initially skeptical, the victim eventually agreed to the suspect’s instructions, which included preparing a bundle of assorted fruits with needles stuck into them, a piece of her husband’s clothing, a spool of red thread, a sheet of paper with unknown markings, and cash amounting to P500,000.

To raise the amount, the victim said she borrowed P300,000 from a lending firm, pawned jewelry worth P167,000, and used P33,000 from her eatery’s earnings that day. She handed all items, including the cash, to the suspect, who then left and never returned.
The total amount lost was estimated at P500,000.

Police are reviewing nearby CCTV footage to help identify the suspect and continue to warn the public against similar fraudulent schemes.

(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY – Authorities apprehended Leyte’s No. 5 most wanted person at the provincial level on August 11, 2025, in connection with 46 counts of qualified theft.

The suspect, identified as Mary Joy Salera, 24, single, and unemployed, is a resident of Poblacion, Tabango, Leyte. She was arrested around 10:29 a.m. along F. Ablen Street, Barangay Cogon, Ormoc City.

The arrest was carried out by personnel from Police Station 1 of the Ormoc City Police Office (OCPO), with support from the City Intelligence Unit (CIU) and the San Isidro Municipal Police Station.

The warrant of arrest, issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 47 Presiding Judge Hon. Maria Corazon Vergara-Naraja, carries a total recommended bail of P1,156,000.

Salera is now in the custody of Police Station 1, OCPO, for proper disposition.

(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)

ORMOC CITY– A 10-year-old boy was rushed to the Biliran Provincial Hospital after being electrocuted while playing along the shoreline in Sitio Laca, Barangay Atipolo, Naval, Biliran on Sunday afternoon, August 10.

Police identified the victim only as “Ric,” a Grade 4 pupil and resident of the same barangay.

Based on the initial investigation, the boy was playing near an abandoned structure at around 5:40 p.m. when he accidentally stepped on an exposed live electric wire buried beneath the ground.

A concerned citizen reported the incident to the police at around 6:10 p.m., prompting authorities to respond and verify the report. Residents confirmed the occurrence of the electrocution, after which the boy’s family immediately brought him to the hospital for treatment.

Authorities are looking into how the live wire was left exposed in the area.

(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY– Police are investigating the reported loss of a gold Seiko watch and P1,000 in cash belonging to a student in Naval, Biliran on Sunday, August 3.
The incident occurred at around 12:30 p.m. at A&S Apartment along Caneja Street in Barangay P.I. Garcia, police said.

The victim, identified only as “Justine,” 24, single, and a native of Barangay Marvel, Culaba, Biliran, is currently residing in Barangay P.I. Garcia, Naval.

Authorities said “Justine” called the 911 hotline to report that the missing items were last seen on top of a table in the apartment’s living room.

Responding police immediately proceeded to the scene to verify the report and conduct an initial investigation. The victim told investigators that he was inside the apartment at the time and did not notice anyone entering the premises.

The Naval Municipal Police Station said a follow-up investigation is ongoing.

(ROBERT DEJON)

Globe Telecom posted P80.2 billion in consolidated gross service revenues for the first half of 2025, slightly down from P82.2 billion a year earlier but showing signs of recovery, with second-quarter revenues climbing 1% to P40.3 billion on stronger mobility and digital engagement.

Mobile services remained the company’s backbone, generating P57.1 billion in revenues despite a slight decline from last year’s P58.4 billion. Mobile data continued to grow, contributing P48.8 billion, up 2% year-on-year, as more Filipinos relied on apps for messaging, streaming, and digital payments. Data now accounts for 86% of mobile revenues, up from 82% a year earlier. Globe’s mobile subscriber base reached 62.5 million, 5% higher than the 59.5 million in mid-2024.

Home broadband revenues totaled P11.7 billion, down 3% year-on-year due to reduced fixed wireless usage, but the fiber segment strengthened its dominance, comprising over 90% of the business.

GFiber Prepaid (GFP) continued its rapid growth, with subscribers surging 37% in the second quarter to 544,000. This lifted Globe’s total broadband base to 1.9 million from 1.7 million last year, driven by growing demand for affordable and flexible fiber options.
Corporate data revenues slipped 2% to P9.6 billion, as a drop in core data services was partly offset by a 15% increase in ICT services, including cybersecurity, data center, and IoT solutions.

Net income for the first half reached P12.4 billion, down 14% from P14.5 billion in the same period last year, while core net income stood at P10.4 billion. Mynt, the operator of GCash, remained a bright spot, contributing P3.8 billion in equity earnings—a 78% jump from last year—now accounting for 26% of Globe’s pre-tax income.

Capital expenditures dropped 33% to P18.9 billion, reflecting more efficient spending while maintaining focus on network upgrades. Of the total, 91% was directed toward data-related projects.

In the first six months, Globe built 937 new cell sites, upgraded 4,512 to LTE, rolled out 35,821 new fiber-to-the-home lines, and added 444 new 5G sites. As of June 2025, 5G coverage reached 98.71% of Metro Manila and 98.19% of key Visayas and Mindanao cities.
Globe also accelerated its fiber migration program, fully transitioning over 600 towns from copper to fiber lines, enhancing broadband performance while reducing environmental impact.

President and CEO Carl Raymond R. Cruz said the second-quarter rebound, stronger contributions from Mynt, and continued fiber adoption reflect Globe’s operational resilience.
“These results show our strong execution and focus on delivering value to customers, even in a competitive market,” he said.(PR)