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ICC junks move to bar drug war victims’lawyers
SENATE MAY CUT BATO’S SALARIES NEWS / A2
RISA CALLS OUT FAKE MEDS ONLINE NEWS/ A7
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 346 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2026
15 senators, 10 solons slam China aggression
Tulfo: Leave if you don’t like how democracy works in PH
THE International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected an attempt of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s camp to thwart the appointment of lawyers for the victims of the drug war, whom they claim accused them of “judicial trolling.” In a 15-page decision dated Jan. 26, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I said majority of the victim-applicants wished to be represented by ICC-accredited lawyers Joel Butuyan and Gilbert Andres, or the Office of Public Counsel for Victims (OPCV). Both Butuyan and Andres are eligible to be appointed as legal representatives of the victims, the pre-trial chamber noted. However, Duterte’s camp argued that it will object to the involvement of any common legal representative who has accused Mr. Duterte’s Next page
By Maricel V. Cruz, Ram Superable and Rex Espiritu
S
OME 15 senators and 10 House lawmakers have crossed party lines in pushing back against what they described as increasingly aggressive and undiplomatic public statements by the Chinese Embassy in Manila.
Under Senate Resolution No. 256, the senators slammed the language used by a Chinese embassy official against lawmakers and other Philippine officials as “contrary to accepted standards of diplomatic conduct and mutual respect between states.” The resolution also called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to take the necessary diplomatic measures to ensure that relations with other states are conducted in accordance with international law and established principles of state relations. It was signed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Francis Pangilinan, Panfilo Lacson, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Erwin Tulfo, Risa Hontiveros, Raffy Tulfo, Sherwin Gatchalian, Loren Legarda, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Bam Aquino, Camille Villar, Mark Villar, Jinggoy Estrada, and Lito Lapid. In the House of Representatives, minority lawmakers filed House Resolution 680 on Tuesday, calling on the Executive Branch, particularly the DFA, to adopt stronger measures in response to Chinese embassy remarks. Next page
PH, US navies conduct first maritime war games for 2026 By Rex Espiritu THE naval forces of the Philippines and the United States conducted their first bilateral maritime war games for 2026 in the West Philippine Sea from January 25 to 26, aimed at enhancing interoperability and joint maritime patrol capabilities. For the 11th bilateral maritime cooperative activity (MCA), the Philippine Navy sent one of its newest warships, the guided-missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) as well as the Philippine Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301). Next page
Tito Sotto
Camille Villar
Jinggoy Estrada
JV Ejercito
Risa Hontiveros
Panfilo Lacson
Loren Legarda
Mark Villar
Kiko Pangilinan
Erwin Tulfo
Raffy Tulfo
Sherwin Gatchalian
Miguel Zubiri
Bam Aquino
Lito Lapid
Baste meets with Chinese envoy to enhance bilateral, econ ties CHINESE Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan met with Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte on Monday to discuss enhancing bilateral ties and economic cooperation. In a social media post, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said Jing, who stayed in Davao City for two days, also met with members of the Filipino-Chinese community. “Ambassador Jing had a fruitful meeting with Mayor Sebastian
Duterte and City Councilors of Davao, exchanging views on enhancing bilateral ties and exploring cooperation in economic, high-tech, cultural, educational fields and so on,” the embassy said. Before he flew to Davao Monday, Ambassador Jing first met with Cebu Governor Pam Baricuatro and Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival where they discussed boosting economic co Next page
Aleson ships grounded; PBBM orders thorough probe into sinking TRANSPORTATION Secretary Giovanni Lopez on Tuesday grounded all passenger ships of Aleson Shipping Lines until a thorough and comprehensive maritime safety inspection and audit of its fleet and crew are completed. This action follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.‚‘s directive to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to conduct a full-scale investigation
into the tragedy. Lopez‚‘s directive to the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to ground all Aleson vessels comes after the sinking of the MV Trisha Kerstin 3. While en route to Jolo, Sulu, from Zamboanga City, the vessel sank, leaving 18 people dead and 10 others missing, including the ship‚‘s captain, Next page
COURTESY CALL. Davao City Mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte poses with new China envoy Jing Quan during a courtesy call in his office on Monday. Duterte said in his FB page that the discussion with Quan focused on bilateral relations and local-level cooperation in Davao City. Mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte/FB
Return $1b first, Jonvic tells Zaldy before negotiations can begin By Vince Lopez “RETURN $1 billion, then we can talk.” This was the curt message of Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla of the Department of the Interior and Local Government to former Ako Bicol
party-list congressman-turned fugitive Elizaldy Co who had been a central figure in the multibillion-peso flood control scandal. Meanwhile, Remulla also brushed aside as a mere “suspicion” the Next page
DOJ issues subpoenas vs. Estrada, Bonoan, and Revilla
FIRST FOR 2026. The Philippine and US militaries conduct the first Maritime Cooperative Activity for this year in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal). AFP
THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued subpoenas to Senator Jinggoy Estrada, former Public Works secretary Manuel Bonoan, and former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. regarding plunder complaints filed against them, Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said Tuesday.The preliminary investigations for the complaints are scheduled for Monday, February 2, and Thursday, February 12. ‚ÄúSubpoenas have been issued, and we are waiting to complete the service of copies to the respondents,‚Äù Martinez said in a message to reporters. Estrada and Bonoan are co-respondents in one of three plunder complaints filed with the Justice Department. Other respondents in the complaint include former Next page