Latest news with #Calinisan
GMA Network
10-07-2025
- GMA Network
Potential witness in missing sabungeros case sends feelers to Napolcom
Another potential witness in the disappearance of cockfighting enthusiasts or sabuneros has sent feelers to the National Police Commission (Napolcom), its official said on Thursday. Napolcom vice chairperson and executive officer Atty. Rafael Vicente Calinisan said the individual, who was not identified, was able to give additional information on the case. 'Importante ito dahil mayroon ding dagdag detalye na lumulutang. Suffice it to say, welcome na welcome ang kahit na sinong tao na maaaring magbigay pa ng ibang detalye o susi sa ikalulutas nitong kaso,' Calinisan told GTV's Balitanghali in an interview. (This is important because there are also additional details surfacing. Suffice it to say, anyone who can provide other details or a key to solving this case is very welcome.) According to him, the potential witness has a connection with whistleblower and co-accused Julie 'Dondon' Patidongan. Calinisan said authorities are willing to provide security for the potential witness. 'If he wants for us to secure him, of course, welcome. But I think mukhang safe pa naman siya sa kanyang kinalalagyan. Wala naman akong ganoon vibe na nakuha,' he said. (If he wants us to secure him, of course, it's welcome. But I think he still looks safe where he is. I didn't get that vibe.) 'Very creative kasi ang paraan ng pagpapabanggit sa akin ng detalye. Di ko rin maikuwento. Pero sabihin na lang natin na happy ako kung anumang creative means 'yan because at least people now are trying to give the truth and bring the truth out,' he added. (The way the details were told to me was very creative. I can't even tell you. But let's just say that I'm happy whatever that creative means are because at least people now are trying to give the truth and bring the truth out.) Calinisan noted that the decision to make the person a state witness depends on the decision of the Department of Justice (DOJ). Napolcom has been investigating cops who were linked to the disappearance of the sabungeros for the administrative aspect of the case. A total of 15 cops are under restrictive custody at Camp Crame, Quezon City for their alleged involvement in the abduction of the sabungeros as claimed by Patidongan. The concerned police officers were assigned in support and regional units as well as in area police commands. One of them is due for retirement, while three have been dismissed. As early as January 2023, seven cops allegedly involved in the crime were initially dismissed from the service. Some of the 15 cops in restrictive custody were included in the alleged up to P2 million monthly payola from Atong Ang, who was among the supposed masterminds in the disappearances, as claimed by Patidongan. A total of 34 cockfighting enthusiasts have been reported missing from 2021 to 2022. According to the police, the missing personalities were kidnapped allegedly due to match fixing or cheating in the cockfighting games. Patidongan claimed that the victims were already buried in Taal Lake. He named businessman Atong Ang as a mastermind in the case and also linked actress Gretchen Barretto to the disappearances. Both have denied the allegations. —GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
27-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Napolcom begins probe on cops allegedly linked to missing sabungeros
The National Police Commission (Napolcom) has started its own probe into the "missing sabungero case" amid claims that some police officers are allegedly involved in their disappearance. "Dahil kaliwa't kanan na yung report na merong involved na pulis na kailangan na naming mag-imbestiga... We instructed our Inspection Monitoring Investigation Service para mag-imbestiga na sa mga nawawalang sabungero," said Napolcom Vice Chair and Executive Officer Atty. Rafael Calinisan in an interview on Unang Balita on Friday. (Because of several reports that there are policemen involved, we need to investigate. We have instructed our Inspection Monitoring Investigation Service to investigate the missing sabangeros case.) The Napolcom probe comes after alias 'Totoy,' one of the accused, said that 20 police officers are involved in the kidnapping case of the cockfight enthusiasts. Totoy also said that he will name the involved persons in his affidavit. Napolcom, meanwhile, said they will coordinate with law enforcement agencies in their investigation. "We will coordinate with them, and nakikiusap nga po ako na mag-usap-usap tayong lahat," Calinisan said. (We will coordinate with them, and I urge all of us to talk.) He also explained that while other law enforcement agencies will focus on the criminal aspect of the case, Napolcom will look into filing administrative cases against the cops who may be involved. "Pero 'yung aspetong administratibo, wala pang tumitingin doon eh. Eh, 'yung administratibo, yung sa Tagalog, fit ka ba maging pulis? So yun ang trabaho ng Napolcom, kami ang pulis ng pulis," Calinisan explained. (But the administrative aspect, no one has looked into that yet. The administrative aspect, we will if see if they are fit to be a police officer. So that's the job of Napolcom; we are the police of the police.) "Bibilisan namin yung hearing sa kaso na eto, at pinapangako natin sa taumbayan that we will leave no stone unturned, kahit sino pang pulis yan, kahit ano pang ranggo niyan," added Calinisan. (We will expedite the hearing in this case, and we promise the people that we will leave no stone unturned, no matter who the police officer is, no matter what their rank.) The Napolcom vice chair also said that if proven guilty, the involved cops may ultimately be dismissed. "Kung talagang may pulis na involved, assuming meron, 'di tayo magdadalawang isip to impose the highest penalty of dismissal sa mga taong eto." (If there are really police involved, assuming there are, we will not hesitate to impose the highest penalty of dismissal on these people.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Business Insider
24-04-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
With tariffs on the horizon, is your boba habit at risk?
Jeren Calinisan and Dominique Nguyen are worried about the price of one of their favorite indulgences: boba tea, a popular Taiwanese sweet beverage, chock-full of chewy tapioca balls. "$8 already is the most I've ever paid for a boba drink," Nguyen said as she sipped her champion milk tea with jasmine silk boba. It was mid-April, and the two friends had made a pit stop at Odd One Out, a tea shop in Pasadena, California, two weeks after President Donald Trump announced 32% tariffs on Taiwan, which he later paused for 90 days. Tariffs on China, a major source of other boba supplies, are also still in flux. The tea shops, producers, and boba lovers Business Insider spoke to are already preparing for price hikes. "As someone who drinks boba a lot, it's already kind of expensive living here in Los Angeles to get boba. So this is a new concern," said Calinisan, 29, who drinks boba around twice a month. Calinisan is Filipino American, and Nguyen is Vietnamese American — for both of them, drinking boba was a popular pastime growing up in the Bay Area. The Taiwanese treat has grown in popularity in the US, as brands like Starbucks and Jack in the Box have attempted to cash in on the boba craze. The US imported 38 million pounds of tapioca for consumption from Taiwan in 2024, up 927% from 2004, per the United States International Trade Commission. Odd One Out specializes in its own unique creation of silk boba, a mixture of tapioca and jelly. As a smaller franchise with two stores in Taiwan and three in the US, it's trying to delay the impact of future tariffs for as long as possible. "We're probably going to try to stockpile as much as we can," said cofounder Patrick Sun. Many of its botanical ingredients are imported from Taiwan, and Sun said it's difficult to find equivalents in the US. "We're not willing to really yield on quality. So for us, it's just going to impact our bottom line." Selling boba requires importing nearly everything The gummy consistency of boba comes from the tapioca starch made of cassava plants, a starchy root vegetable predominantly grown in hot tropical climates of Southeast Asia, said David Fan, one of the cofounders of US Boba Company, which produces boba for over 2,000 stores nationwide. Cassava is not as widely grown in the US, and the US Boba Company is one of the few domestic boba manufacturers. A lot of components that go into selling boba, like machinery, tea leaves, and drinkware, could be hit by tariffs. Even the cups are atypical of US-made cups, due to their rims and sizes, and boba requires wide straws to fit the little balls. Fan said the company imports tools and tea from China and other parts of Asia. "It's going to increase our cost as much as 20% to 30% overall, across the board." Right now, a pound of boba sold by the US Boba Company makes 10 servings and costs $11.99. Fan said that customer prices under tariffs could increase by as much as a dollar more per drink. Meanwhile, Sun said he expects the tariffs to increase the company's cost of goods by between 8% and 15%. He added that he doesn't plan to raise prices, and that profits could take a 5% hit. CoCo Bubble Tea, a major boba tea franchise with several thousand stores around the world, stocked up on three months of inventory at its stores, said Kody Wong, its director of business development. He added that he doesn't anticipate the company increasing prices in the next three to four months if tariffs are implemented. Wong is also anticipating that the company's menus might look different down the line. "We will find more local resources, like a different-flavor juice," he added. But Fan said the plan to keep prices the same for customers isn't realistic in the long term if tariffs do come into effect. "No one is going to be able to just eat the cost for a long time," Fan said. "Business people in the long haul are going to have to make a profit." Just a few blocks down the road from Odd One Out, Julianna Martinez and her coworker were sharing boba drinks at a local arcade café. Martinez said she's already feeling the brunt of inflation in her boba spending habits and is nervous about the tariffs. "I remember when boba used to be $0.50 extra," said Martinez, 23. Now she's been forgoing the tapioca toppings in her drinks to save money. "I sacrifice my preferences for the price." But Calinisan isn't ready to completely give up one of her favorite drinks. If prices go up, she'll have to buy boba less frequently. "There's also the fact that I can't make boba myself," Calinisan said. "That's another reason why I'm willing to spend so much." Do you have a story to share about how tariffs could impact your life? Contact this reporter at jdeng@
