Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, police officers arrested a man who has been wanted for rape, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The police arrested a 41-year-old man tagged as most wanted person for rape in Muntinlupa on April 23.
Personnel from the District Mobile Force Battalion of the Southern Police District (SPD) arrested the accused, identified as alias Goryo, at about 6:40 p.m. in Carzo Compound, San Roque in Barangay Alabang.
Goryo, a driver, was nabbed based on a non-bailable warrant of arrest for two counts of rape issued by Presiding Judge Wehrly Gutierrez-Mendez of the Muntinlupa City Family Court Branch 8 on April 22.
He is detained at the Muntinlupa police’s custodial facility pending the return of the warrant to the court.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you concerned that there could be wanted criminals living within your local community? Do you consider rape a serious problem within the city?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 20th century pop culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 to take a close look at one of the tales of the Reign of the Supermen storyline told through an issue of Action Comics.
When Adventures of Superman #500 (1993) was released, it launched the Reign of the Supermen storyline (which focused on the tales of the Eradicator, Steel, Superboy and Cyborg Superman) and the comic book creators working on Superman comic books came up with lots of new concepts and storytelling ideas to sell to fans of the Man of Steel. Along the way, there was some suspense regarding the state of the supposedly dead Superman.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Action Comics #689, published in 1993 by DC Comics with a story written by Roger Stern and drawn by Jackson Guice.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins in Metropolis when a major infrastructure of the city got heavily damaged leaving both Supergirl and Superboy (the lone teenager among the Supermen who emerged mysteriously after the death and funeral of Superman) no choice but to prevent the loss of human lives.
As the struggle in Metropolis continues, the Regeneration Matrix inside the Fortress of Solitude suddenly overloads with energy and breaks open. A man in Kryptonian garb wakes up feeling disoriented in the presence of several robots of the fortress. The man commands the robots to tell them what has been going on.
A short time later, the man uses the Kryptonian technologies of the fortress to examine simultaneous videos while receiving verbal updates from one of the robots. He gets informed that all individuals operating under the name of Superman have been monitored before he woke up. Carefully the man the captured footage of Superboy, the Eradicator, Steel and Cyborg Superman.
He is convinced that things have gotten completely out of hand and the name of Superman will not be turned into a franchise. He decides that something must be done and he has to get to Metropolis…
Quality
Steel and the Eradicator fought each other.
This chapter of the Reign of the Supermen storyline has a lot of developments moving simultaneously with the spotlight being shared among Superboy, Supergirl, Lex Luthor, Jonathan Kent, Martha Kent, Steel and the Eradicator plus the traditional supporting characters of Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. To say the least, it will take an effort for any reader to grasp the many plot developments and all the details crammed into this single comic book.
By looking at the plot developments, Superboy’s plot does not have much depth. Apart from seeing him and Supergirl helping the people affected by the disaster, you will see his interactions with (and his perception of) her and Lex Luthor getting frustrated because Superboy rejected his offer to work for Lexcorp. Superboy is not so interesting here.
The other plots such as Jonathan Kent expressing his strong belief that Clark Kent is the true and the definitive Superman, the conflict between Steel and the Eradicator, and the mysterious man (Superman actually) inside Fortress of Solitude are the more engaging ones to follow. It was only right that the cover of this comic book focused on the newly returned Superman monitoring the other Supermen while inside the fortress.
What made this comic book interesting was the creative team’s exploration of the actual meaning of heroism, people’s fear and confusion while dealing with the existence of four Supermen, and humanity’s exploitation of the presence of powerful beings for financial gain or greater influence over the people.
Conclusion
The mysterious man inside the Fortress of Solitude monitors recent events and who the Supermen are.
Action Comics #689 (1993) is crammed and had a lot of plots dramatized. This was intentionally done because DC Comics at the time had momentum with the Reign of the Supermen storyline and it was inevitable that they started building up for the next stage that eventually became the return of the iconic Superman and re-establishing his prominence within the shared post-Crisis universe.
Overall, Action Comics #689 (1993) is satisfactory.
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, mayoral candidate Carlo Aguilar highlighted his proposal of creating a local pension fund to support the senior citizens of the city, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. For the newcomers reading this, Carlo Aguilar previously served as a City Councilor and is running for the city’s top opposition against incumbent Vice Mayor April Aguilar along with some other candidates.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Las Piñas City mayoral candidate Carlo Aguilar is proposing the creation of a local pension fund that will provide monthly financial support to the city’s senior citizens.
Aguilar said the creation of a local pension fund will help ease the everyday burden being faced by thousands of elderly residents who rely on limited government assistance.
He said currently, only around 11,000 seniors in Las Piñas receive the ₱1,000 monthly social pension from the national government.
Aguilar said the proposed local pension fund seeks to expand the assistance coverage to the city’s estimated 60,000 senior residents. It will begin with the most vulnerable sectors or those without access to a pension from the SSS or GSIS.
“No lolo or lola should be left behind. Our elderly should not have to choose between buying medicine and buying food because a thousand pesos is simply not enough in today’s economy,” Aguilar said.
Aguilar said the monthly amount will be determined through reviews and consultations with senior groups and other stakeholders. He explained that the fund will be made possible through budget realignment, partnership with the private sector, and elimination of wasteful spending.
“There needs to be a full review of the city’s existing expenditure program to identify non-essential items that can be redirected toward the pension fund. Tapping the corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs of big companies is also part of the proposed financing strategy for the fund,” Aguilar said.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do you believe that a high number of Las Piñas senior citizens don’t have access to financial support from the local and national governments? Do you think the establishment of a local pension fund for senior citizens makes a lot of sense? Are many voters in your local community planning to vote for Carlo Aguilar for Mayor on May 12?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
The Alabang Hills Village Association (AHVA) has officially released the 2025-2026 edition of its vehicular stickers for non-resident motorists and they are continuing to accept new applications for them. The availability schedule of non-resident stickers is good until June 15, 2025.
While applying for the non-resident sticker online, applicants will have to download the application form, prepare to pay P2,500 for the non-resident AHVA sticker (to be paid on the applicant’s booking day), and then select the time and date for an appointment with the association. The applicant must also prepare to declare the number of vehicles, email address, first name, last name and contact number online.
Applicants must also have copies of the vehicle official receipt (OR) as well as the certificate of registration (CR) prepared for submission to AHVA.
Non-resident motorists who have the old 2024-2025 AHVA stickers are advised that the expiration date is June 30, 2025.
Other types of AHVA stickers for 2025-2026 include the Commercial & Don Manolo Boulevard (DMB) stickers scheduled to be released on May 16, 2025. The stickers for resident, bicycle and motorcycles will be released on June 17, 2025.
For further updates from the AHVA, visit https://alabanghillsvillage.com/ or call them at 88508254. You can visit their office at 1 Don Jesus Boulevard inside Alabang Hills Village from Monday to Friday, 8AM to 5PM. Always remember to follow their rules and speed limits whenever you are in the village.
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, local law enforcers apprehended a 23-year-old Japanese national who has been wanted for a series of criminal acts that happened in Japan, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. The suspect was described to be a member of a notorious gang and has overstayed in the Philippines for some time now.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…
Another member of the infamous “Luffy” gang, which is being linked to theft, fraud, extortion, and violent crimes in Japan, has been arrested in the Philippines.
Takuya Hoshino, 23, was arrested inside his residence in a subdivision in Las Piñas City on Tuesday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said in a news release on Wednesday.
Hoshino was the latest member of the notorious criminal gang arrested by the BI since last year, after their presence in the country was reported by the Japanese government.
“Like his colleagues in the syndicate whom we have earlier arrested, he, too, will be deported, blacklisted, and banned from re-entering the Philippines,” Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said.
Hoshino was detained at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending implementation of the deportation order that the bureau’s Board of Commissioners issued against him for being an undesirable alien.
According to BI Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) chief Rendel Ryan Sy, Hoshino is subject of an outstanding arrest warrant issued by the Tokyo Summary Court on Sept. 15, 2022 after he was charged with theft in violation of the Japanese penal code.
The suspect and his cohorts allegedly stole ATM cards from unsuspecting elderly victims by impersonating law enforcement officers.
They were also accused of staging fake police investigations to dupe their victims into surrendering their bank cards.
Over 20 million yen, or more than USD141,000, in cash were reportedly siphoned off by the suspects through unauthorized withdrawals from the stolen cards.
A check on his travel record showed that Hoshino overstayed in the country for more than five years, as his last arrival was recorded on Oct. 30, 2019.
Viado said the arrest forms part of the government’s broader effort to protect national security and public safety, in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen border control and crack down on transnational crimes.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you concerned that there could be a lot more foreign gang members or fugitives who could be living in your local community?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following videos I found.
#1 A look back at the 1998 showdown between Reggie Miller and Michael Jordan – Remember way back in 1998 when Reggie Miller pushed Michael Jordan out of the way to free himself and score the crucial 3-point shot during an Eastern Conference Finals game between the Indiana Pacers and the Chicago Bulls? There was a lot of build-up between the Pacers and the Bulls before that memorable play happened, and many other players were factors as well. Watch and learn from the Secret Base video below.
#2 Looking back at Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – Among all the many Star Wars video games I played in the 1990s, it was Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) that I enjoyed the most (read my retro review by clicking here). That was the 2nd of three side-scrolling Star Wars games released on the SNES based on the original Star Wars trilogy of films. In today’s gaming landscape, I can only wish that the SNES Super Star Wars games would someday get re-released for modern consoles. To understand what Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is about, watch the videos below.
#3 PatmanQC examines Sega’s Star Wars arcade games – Still on the topics of Star Wars and retro gaming, I enjoyed watching another video from YouTuber PatmanQC focused on the Star Wars arcade games released by Sega. For the newcomers reading this, a lot of licensed video games of Star Wars got released from varied companies through the decades. The Sega-produced Star Wars arcade games of the 1990s were notably of high quality and a lot of fun to play with. To learn more, watch PatmanQC’s video below.
#4 Christine Grace Smith reacts to video of average men competing with really fit women – Here is another analytical video by Christine Grace Smith. This time, she’s reacting to a video about a few average men competing with really fit women in a series of physical contests. Watch and learn, and pay close attention to the details.
#5 The truth about Dwayne Johnson – You might not have seen him in professional wrestling and you most likely saw him in the movies. I’m talking about Dwayne Johnson and there are lots of things about him that turned off people. He had some commercial success as an actor but after seeing It’s Blanko video of him, your perception of Johnson will be impacted. Watch the video below and pay close attention to the details.
#6 Minty Comedic Arts examines the lost scenes of Cobra – Way back in 1986, the action film Cobra was released in cinemas and it had Sylvester Stallone as a cop who has to protect a woman from a gang of killers who targeted her. The film was a commercial success mainly due to big ticket sales outside of America. For decades, it was speculated that the film that was released was a shortened version and there were lots of footage that ended up being deleted. Minty Comedic Arts’ video below confirms that there are indeed lost scenes and had they been used, they would have altered the overall tone of the movie. Watch the video below.
#7 You, Me and the Movies reacts to Commando – Commando of 1985 is an action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and it had absolutely nothing to do with the 1985 video game of the same name. Not only was Schwarzenegger younger, you get to see him play a soldier completely different from his role in Predator. The video reaction of You, Me and the Movies is enjoyable to watch.
Recently in Parañaque City, elements of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested two wanted foreigners in BF Homes subdivision who allegedly were involved in fraud overseas, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. One of the suspects has been tagged by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) with a red notice since 2018.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
Two South Korean “fugitives,” who are wanted in their country for their alleged involvement in investment scams, have been arrested by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Paranaque City.
The BI identified them as Kim Young Sam, 58, and Weon Cheolyong, 59, who were arrested at the BF Homes Village in Paranaque City last April 22.
“Both aliens will remain at the BI custodial facility inside Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City until their deportation,” the bureau said. The arrest of Kim was ordered Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado, it said.
During the operation, the BI said “the arresting agents discovered the presence of another Korean fugitive later identified as 59-year-old Weon Cheolyong.”
It said that “Kim will be deported immediately as he was already ordered expelled by the BI board of commissioners in December 2021 for being an undesirable alien.”
“Kim is also subject of an Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) red notice that was issued in 2018 after a warrant for his arrest was issued by the Seoul central district court where he was charged with fund raising for a business without government permit,” the BI said.
“Authorities alleged that as manager of a Seoul-based company, Kim and his accomplices engaged in fraudulent operations by soliciting investments for the development of an alleged cryptocurrency business,” it also said.
It added that since 2015 “the said company has defrauded over 3 billion worth of investments from 253 victims.”
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you think there are still a lot of wanted foreigners hiding within the local communities of the city? Has your local community been communicating lately with the Bureau of Immigration lately?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) announced that it has seized more than P147 million worth of illegal drugs during operations held from April 11 to 18, 2025, resulting in the arrest of almost eighty drug personalities, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Around P147.25 million worth of illegal drugs was seized following the arrest of 79 alleged drug personalities during the nationwide anti-narcotics operations from April 11 to 18, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) stated.
In a statement, the PDEA highlighted the agency’s sustained and resolute campaign against illegal drugs across the country with the “remarkable 69 anti-drug operations conducted in just one week.’’
The PDEA noted that the week-long illegal drug haul includes 19,281.62 grams of shabu; 11,000 grams of dried marijuana leaves; 49,460 marijuana plants; 984 grams of ketamine; 8,760 milliliters of ephedrine and 1.37 grams of marijuana kush.
The PDEA assured that it will continue to strike in the whole country with its operatives working in close coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other law enforcement agencies.
Among the most significant operations were the 1,000 grams of shabu in Barangay Minuyan, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan during a buy-bust operation by PDEA Region III and PNP DEG; the staggering 16,000 grams of shabu seized by the Highway Patrol Group Samar, Samar Police Provincial Office- Police Drug Enforcement Unit and PDEA Samar Provincial Office in Barangay New Mahayag, City of Catbalogan, Western Samar, which marked the largest single-week seizure in the region.
The other confiscations are the 300 grams of shabu in Guizo, Mandaue City by PDEA Regional Office VII during a series of well-coordinated drug stings; 984 grams of ketamine intercepted at Port Area, Manila by PDEA-National Capital Region-Seaport Interdiction Unit, PDEA K9 Unit, Bureau of Customs and PDEA RO NCR Manila District Office, successful eradication of 13,200 marijuana plants in Benguet, followed by the similar operations in Kalinga and Ifugao, “collectively uprooting over 49,000 marijuana plants.’’
“These results are the product of relentless intelligence work, surveillance, and inter-agency coordination,” PDEA Director General Isagani R. Nerez pointed out.
“Every arrest made and every gram seized represents a community made safer. But more importantly, these numbers are a clear reminder that we must remain vigilant and unwavering in our efforts,” he added.
The PDEA also commended the efforts of its regional offices, “including PDEA-CAR for its massive marijuana eradication campaigns in the Cordillera region, PDEA 4B – MIMAROPA for intercepting illegal drugs in Puerto Princesa and Calapan, and PDEA Region IV-A for dismantling syndicates operating in Cavite and Rizal.’’
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you satisfied with PDEA’s constant efforts against illegal drugs?
If you are interested to learn swimming during the summer season, be aware that the Summer Swimming Lessons 2025 program at Tropical Palace Resort Hotel in BF International, Las Piñas City will begin on April 30, 2025 and already enrollment is ongoing.
Coach Alec Dequiña will lead the teaching of the swimming lessons. Inside Tropical Palace Resort Hotel are the main swimming pool (rectangular) and the small pool (for younger and smaller swimmers).
The sign outside of Tropical Palace Resort Hotel in BF International, Las Piñas City.
Courses offered are as follows: Basic (6-years-old and above) for P6,000 with lessons taking place 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM. Advance (6-years-old and above) for P6,000 with lessons taking place 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM. Toddlers (3 to 5-years-old) for P7,000 with lessons taking place 8:45 AM to 9:45 AM.
The main swimming pool.
The smaller pool.
The flyer for this year’s swimming lessons program.
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
If you are traveling through an airport operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), prepare yourself as the passenger service charge has officially been raised since April 21, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
A higher passenger service charge (PSC) has been imposed in all airports operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) starting April 21.
“The increase, primarily adjusted based solely on inflation from 2015 to present, underwent the required public hearing with various stakeholders, as well as the necessary publication,” the aviation authority said in a news release late Monday.
It added that the adjustment supports CAAP’s efforts to enhance passenger experience and improve airport facilities and operations.
In Memorandum Circular 019-2025 signed on April 4, the PSC for international flights rose to PHP900 from PHP550.
From the PHP200 PSC for domestic flights, the rate will be PHP350 for international airports; PHP300 for principal class 1 airports; PHP200 for principal class 2 airports; and PHP100 for community airports. CAAP operates 44 commercial airports.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the hike of the passenger service charge at CAAP airports has been justified? How much did you pay recently at a CAAP-operated airport?
Author Carlo Carrasco 