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The murder trial of the man accused of kidnapping and killing Filipino-American nurse Melissa Jubane has been delayed yet again, pushing the case to September 7, 2027 — nearly three years after her death. Bryce Schubert, Jubane’s former neighbor in Beaverton, faces charges of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and second-degree abuse of a corpse. He has pleaded not guilty and remains presumed innocent. The latest postponement marks another major setback in the long-

American rising star Iva Jovic ended Alexandra “Alex” Eala’s US Open campaign after surviving a dramatic three-set battle, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The highly anticipated third-round showdown lived up to the hype as the two friends traded momentum before Jovic pulled off a late comeback to reach the fourth round. Eala refused to go quietly after dropping the opening set, storming back to take the second, 6-3, and force a deciding set. The Filipi

NEW YORK - The highly anticipated US Open showdown between Filipino tennis star Alexandra “Alex” Eala and American rising star Iva Jovic will be played on the sport’s biggest stage Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, September 5. The third-round match had been expected to draw another huge crowd following the massive fan support surrounding Eala at Flushing Meadows. Arthur Ashe Stadium, which seats more than 23,000 spectators, is the largest tennis stadium in the world. The move

An alleged immigration fraud scheme involving a fake Philippine birth certificate has landed a Filipino-born U.S. citizen and her U.S. Air Force nephew in federal custody, with prosecutors claiming the bogus document helped pave the way for the nephew to obtain American citizenship. Federal prosecutors charged Myra Paule Schulenburg, 46, and her nephew, John Paule Rivera, 30, with conspiracy to commit immigration fraud. Rivera faces additional charges, including making false

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have arrested a 55-year-old Philippine national in Las Vegas who authorities say remained in the United States for more than two decades after his authorized stay expired. ICE identified the man as Jaime Tan Francisco, 55, who was taken into custody by officers with ICE Salt Lake City on Aug. 2. According to ICE, Francisco entered the United States through Detroit in April 2000 and was authorized to remain in the country until

The U.S. Embassy in Manila has authorized an autopsy on 72-year-old American citizen Mark Duell, who was shot dead along with his 71-year-old Filipina wife, Elsie Duell, inside their rented home in Barangay Bajumpandan, Dumaguete City, as police investigate robbery with homicide as a possible motive. Capt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson for the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, said the embassy issued the necessary certification after Duell's brother consented to the p

An American national and his Filipina wife were shot dead inside their rented residence in Barangay Bajumpandan, Dumaguete City, in an early-morning attack that police are investigating amid reports that cash, jewelry and other valuables were taken from the house. The couple’s caretaker identified the victims as Mark Duell, 72, an American citizen, and his 71-year-old Filipina wife, Elsie Duell. The two were found with multiple gunshot wounds inside the living room of their r

Bureau of Immigration Photo A 74-year-old American fugitive wanted in the United States over a case involving criminal sexual conduct was arrested by Philippine immigration authorities in Tanza, Cavite. The Bureau of Immigration said William Joseph Sullivan, 74, was captured during an early morning operation on August 19 in a residential area in Barangay Paradahan I. Sullivan is wanted in the U.S. for allegedly violating the conditions of his supervised release, stemming from

A growing debate over court assignments at the 2026 US Open has sparked outrage among tennis fans, with questions being raised about whether popularity and commercial appeal are beginning to influence who receives the tournament’s biggest stages. At the center of the controversy is rising Filipina star Alexandra “Alex” Eala, who was scheduled to play on the major stage of Louis Armstrong Stadium, while World No. 2 Elena Rybakina, a Grand Slam champion and one of the leading c

Bureau of Immigration Photo An American fugitive wanted in California was arrested by Philippine immigration authorities in Negros Oriental after allegedly hiding in the country while facing a parole violation tied to a dangerous drugs case. The Bureau of Immigration said its Fugitive Search Unit arrested Jason Michael Hill, 45, on August 11 at Purok St. John, Barangay Calindagan in Dumaguete City. BI agents carried out the operation with U.S. law enforcement authorities, the

A 21-year-old man has pleaded guilty to the execution-style killings of four people, including Filipino-American siblings Christine Aca-ac, 25, and Janvi Maquindang, 21, inside a Lancaster, California, home before setting the house ablaze in a revenge attack, prosecutors said. Miguel Diego Sandoval admitted to the Nov. 16, 2024 murders of Aca-ac and Maquindang, along with Edwin Garcia, 24, and Matthew Montebello, 21. Prosecutors said Sandoval launched the deadly attack after

Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez has renewed a stark warning to Filipinos whose immigration status may be on shaky ground: consider leaving the country voluntarily before you end up in detention. Romualdez issued the warning as the Trump administration intensifies its immigration crackdown and tightens visa policies across the United States. Speaking in a radio interview Friday, the ambassador said Filipinos who have a legitimate legal basis to

A Filipino green-card holder who spent more than two decades in the United States has been deported to the Philippines after a manslaughter conviction tied to the deadly shooting of a 21-year-old U.S. Navy sailor who stopped on a San Diego freeway to help what he thought were stranded motorists. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Harvey Elias Liberato was removed to the Philippines on August 18, 2026, following a final deportation order issued by an immigration jud

Nine Filipino nationals were among 11 foreign nationals arrested by U.S. federal authorities during “Operation Tidal Wave,” a crackdown targeting suspected child sexual abuse and exploitation material aboard cruise ships. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the arrests were carried out between Friday and Sunday after federal agents boarded Holland America Line’s Volendam and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Breakaway in Boston. Of the 11 people taken into custody, nine a

A former restaurant employee has been sentenced to 179 days behind bars in a disturbing hidden-camera case involving adults and children who were secretly recorded inside a Virginia restaurant restroom. Joshua Hombrebueno, 20, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, was employed at Gustave Boulangerie & Brasserie in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood when the secret recordings were discovered. The case came to light on Sept. 20, 2025, after a mother and her 3-year-old daughter found an active

NEW YORK - Filipino American tennis player Andre Ilagan is getting his shot at the US Open after receiving a wild card into the men’s qualifying tournament following the strongest stretch of his professional career. The 25-year-old Honolulu native, whose parents immigrated to Hawaii from the Philippines, will compete at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens, as he attempts to earn a place in the main draw of one of tennis’ four Grand Slam tourna

A leadership crisis within the Knights of Rizal’s Eastern USA Region has deepened, with a growing number of senior officers resigning amid allegations that New York State Area Commander Rely Manacay used or caused the use of Regional Commander Dr. Emmanuel Malasig’s digital signature without his authorization on a controversial promotion recommendation. The disputed signature has emerged as the central issue behind a widening wave of resignations involving top officers of the

A Filipino national wanted by the FBI in connection with an alleged $650 million investment fraud scheme is recovering from a severe stroke that has left him partially paralyzed and with significant physical and cognitive limitations, according to his family. Rey E. Grabato II, who was recently added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list, remains under continuing medical care, his younger brother Christopher Grabato said in a family statement. The family said Grabato’s med

A Filipina who spent three months in immigration detention despite holding a green card has become a naturalized U.S. citizen, marking a dramatic turn in an immigration case that drew attention in Washington state. Lewelyn Dixon, 66, known to family and friends as “Aunty Lynn,” took the oath of allegiance in July after living in the United States for more than five decades. Originally from the Philippines, Dixon came to the United States when she was 14 and has worked as a la

The leadership fallout within the Knights of Rizal’s Eastern USA Region has widened, with Sir Vicente Gesmundo, KCR, the younger brother of Philippine Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, and Sir Mariano F. Aquino Jr., KGOR, LM, resigning from their regional posts following the controversy that earlier triggered the resignation of Eastern USA Regional Commander Dr. Emmanuel Malasig. Gesmundo resigned as Eastern USA Regional Deputy Pursuivant, while Aquino stepped down, effect

The Association of Filipino Teachers in America (AFTA) has expressed grief over the deadly school shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University, calling the tragedy a reminder of the shared responsibility of schools, families and communities to protect young people. Two students, including the suspected shooter, died in the August 18 attack at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University High School campus in Zamboanga City. Two other people were wounded, according to the latest reports.

A Filipino national believed to be residing in the Philippines is being sought by the FBI on federal charges involving the alleged sexual exploitation of minors, with authorities offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction. The FBI identified the fugitive as Austin Jan Sy Yatco, who was born in San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines. The FBI lists his nationality as Filipino and says he has ties to Plano, Texas, and the Philippines, where h

NEW YORK - A leadership dispute inside the Knights of Rizal has escalated following the resignation of Eastern USA Regional Commander Dr. Emmanuel Malasig, who alleges that his digital signature was used without authorization in connection with a controversial promotion recommendation. Malasig, MD, KGOR, LM, resigned from his leadership post while remaining a member of the Order, saying he could no longer effectively exercise the authority of his office after what he describe

A 66-year-old dual citizen of the United States and the Philippines has agreed to plead guilty to a federal wire fraud charge after prosecutors accused him of stealing more than $7.1 million from his employer over more than a decade. Ricardo Fontanilla, of Fairfax, Virginia, was charged with wire fraud and has agreed to plead guilty, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. He was arrested at his home in May 2026 and was later ordered detaine