SEC files criminal raps vs. Villar Land
No Palace talk on Cha-cha PBBM aware of proposals, but focus is on strengthening economy
By Pot Chavez The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) yesterday confirmed the filing of a criminal complaint against Villar Land Holdings Corp. over alleged market manipulation and insider trading. “Building investor confidence in the Philippines is crucial in driving the inclusive and sustainable growth of our capital market and business sector for national development,” SEC Chairperson Francis Lim said in a statement. “In this light, the SEC is firm in addressing fraudulent and manipulative acts that mislead the investing public and distort our capital markets,” he added. Lim also reminded publicly listed companies to uphold the highest stan-
By Charles Dantes
M
ALACAÑANG on Saturday said proposals to amend the 1987 Constitution have not been discussed with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., citing the administration’s focus on strengthening the country’s economy. Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the issue of Charter change did not come up during the president’s
most recent meeting with his economic team earlier this week. “Hindi pa po iyan napag-uusapan sa ngayon. Naka-focus po kasi ang
Pangulo sa pag-angat sa ekonomiya ng bansa at hindi po iyan napag-usapan sa huling meeting ng Pangulo with his economic team nitong Biyernes, January 30, 2026,” Castro said in a message to Palace reporters. (That has not been discussed yet today. The President is focusing on lifting the country’s economy, and that was not discussed at the President’s last meeting with his economic team this Friday, January 30, 2026.) Castro added that while the Palace is aware of discussions among law-
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VOL. XXXIX • NO. 350 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES FEBRUARY 1, 2026
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A Philippine Coast Guard vessel, left photo, and a light plane, inset, keep Filipino fishermen company as they operate in the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough shoal) which remains occupied by Chinese ships. The deployment is in furtherance of the Kadiwa para sa Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda (KBBM) program of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., which aims to empower and sustain Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea. The fishing vessels come from the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Pangasinan, and Mindoro. PCG
House to uphold impeachment mandate despite SC ruling By Maricel Cruz THE House of Representatives said it will uphold its exclusive mandate to initiate impeachment proceedings despite the Supreme Court’s final ruling declaring unconstitutional the impeachment complaint transmitted to the Senate last year against Vice President Sara Duterte. “Despite the [decision on the] motion for reconsideration, we will insist on it. We will implement the exclusive power of the House, irre-
spective of whoever it is, whether it is the President or Vice President or [any] impeachable officer,” Bicol Saro party-list Representative Terry Ridon, chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, said at a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday. Earlier this week, the SC dismissed the motion for reconsideration filed by the House in connection with the Court’s July 2025 ruling that found the impeachment complaint unconstitutional for violating the one-year bar rule and the Vice President’s right
to due process. In a resolution, the SC affirmed that the House has the sole prerogative to initiate impeachment complaints and promulgate its rules. “However, the rules must be consistent with the provisions of our Constitution,” the SC said. In December 2024, the House received three impeachment complaints against Duterte, all related to the alleged misuse of confidential funds. In February 2025, over one-third of
House members endorsed a separate complaint, which was later transmitted to the Senate as the Articles of Impeachment. The House had argued that the archiving of the first three complaints was done after the transmittal of the fourth complaint, thus not initiating the one-year ban. In its ruling, the SC clarified that the first three impeachment complaints filed in accordance with the first mode were not placed in the
makers, no official position has been adopted at this time. “Ngunit kung may nagawa na silang hakbang patungkol dito, ito naman ay aaralin ng Pangulo,” she said. (But if they have already taken steps regarding this, the President will study that.) Asked whether President Marcos would support constitutional amendments at this time, Castro reiterated that the president’s priority remains economic growth, investment, and governance reforms. She said any formal proposal to amend the Constitution would undergo careful study before the president takes a position. The statement follows Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III’s announcement that he would support moves to amend the Constitution following the Supreme Court’s decision upholding its 2025 ruling that declared the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte unconstitutional. Sotto said the Senate and House of Representatives leadership should meet in the coming weeks to discuss the matter, stressing that the only solution he could see is to amend the Constitution. “Para nilang binago ‘yung mode ng pag-iimpeach. Mas mahirap, mas humirap na ngayon,” the Senate President said. (The SC seems to have changed the mode of impeachment. It’s more difficult now.) Several members of the House of Representatives led by Deputy House Speaker Antipolo Rep. Ronaldo Puno have also expressed openness to revisiting the Charter in light of the ruling. Puno in a statement said that any push for constitutional amendments will need the backing of the Senate, where the proposals usually stall. President Marcos has previously said it would consider Charter change only if it directly supports economic development and national interest, while avoiding measures that could distract from ongoing reforms. With Maricel Cruz and Ram Superable
AMLC freezes more accounts NEWS / A2
Russia holds off Kyiv attacks WORLD / A4
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Coast Guard deploys 3 ships, aircraft off Panatag even as PH-China ‘word war’ eases SEARCH.
By Rex Espiritu THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) deployed some of its air and water assets to provide security and support to around 40 to 50 Filipino fishing boats operating in the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal, or Bajo de Masinloc. The deployment follows an escalation of the ‘word war’ between Filipino and Chinese government officials which President Ferdinand Marcos
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‘Leviste’s fresh claims a waste of time’ By Charles Dantes MALACAÑANG on Friday dismissed as a waste of time fresh allegations raised by Batangas Representative Leandro Leviste, saying President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his administration remain focused on more pressing national concerns, particularly strengthening the economy. Her remarks came after Leviste claimed that he sought a five-month travel authority because of requests
Scene of the crime policemen comb the area for evidence in Pulilan, Bulacan where the body of Police Senior Master Sgt. Diane Marie Mollenido was found on January 25. Joan Bondoc
doused by rejecting proposals to declare the new Chinese ambassador as ‘persona non grata.’ Analysts and security experts said the acrimonious exchanges reflect only a small part of China’s larger strategy to expand its activities in the West Philippine Sea. “Ang aking personal opinion po dyan, tip of the iceberg. We should expect more of these types of activities.
from supposed administration representatives, whom he did not name, for him to go abroad and stop releasing evidence linking government officials to anomalous projects at the Department of Public Works and Highways. Castro said the Palace would not give weight to what she described as baseless statements, stressing that the President is preoccupied with governance and economic priorities.
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Dismissed cop, 2 others nabbed for killings of lady cop, son By Vince Lopez QUEZON City Police District (QCPD) officers arrested a dismissed cop and two others in Novaliches, Quezon City, in connection with the killing of Police Staff Master Sergeant Diane Marie Gabres Mollenido and her eight-year-old son, John Ysmael. The QCPD said the suspects were apprehended on the night of Janu-
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ary 30 in Brgy. San Agustin and Brgy. San Bartolome following a joint operation by police investigators and special units. The suspects were identified as rider Gil Valdemoro Dy Jr., car sales agent Pia Katrina Panganiban, and dismissed police officer Christian Suarez Panganiban, who is Pia’s husband. Investigators established that on January 16, Mollenido and her son
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left their residence in Brgy. Lower Bicutan, Taguig, onboard a sports utility vehicle intending to sell the said car. They were last seen alive at the Novaliches residence of Pia and Christian Panganiban. Further investigation revealed that Dy had conspired with the Panganiban couple in the disappearance and killing of the victims. Turn to A4
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