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PBBM, Leni to meet on flood mitigation Other topics on the table amid 2028 talks? ‘Abangan,’ says Palace By Charles Dantes, Ram Superable and Maricel Cruz
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RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will meet with former vice president and now Naga City mayor Leni Robredo on Saturday, days after Vice President Sara Duterte declared her intention to seek the highest position in the 2028 national elections. Officially, Mr. Marcos Erwin, Bam and Robredo not interested are scheduled to discuss the to run for VP administra tion’s “Oplan Kontra Baha” program, which aims to clear canals, esteros, and rivers to mitigate flooding, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said. Mr. Marcos and Robredo also met in 2024 in Sorsogon, which the President previously described as “a very important step toward political reconciliation.” Asked if other topics will be brought up during the meeting, Castro said: “Iyan ang abangan ninyo. (That is what you should watch for.)”
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SENATE ENDS ANTIDYNASTY HEARINGS NEWS/ A2
PBBM TO APPOINT MATIBAG NBI CHIEF NEWS/ A3
Legal eagles hit ‘chop suey’ SC impeach rulings By Pot Chavez
VOL. XL • NO. 10 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2026 •
KANLAON EXPLODES. Mt.
Kanlaon erupts anew yesterday, throwing ash 2,000 meters high, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. The last time the volcano exploded was on Oct. 25, 2025. Phivolcs
FORMER Supreme Court justices and law deans on Thursday questioned the consistency and long-term impact of the Supreme Court’s rulings on the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, warning that its recent decisions could reshape impeachment as a tool for public accountability. Speaking at a forum at the University of the Philippines Diliman, retired senior associate justice Antonio Carpio said the Court’s January 28, 2026 resolution — which upheld its earlier declaration that the articles of impeachment against Duterte were unconstitutional — was inconsistent with its July 25, 2025 decision. He noted that while he disagrees with the SC ruling, it is now binding and affects pending impeachment complaints, of which four have been filed against Duterte with Congress this year. Next page
China intensifying cyber attacks vs. PH — military
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Mt. Kanlaon blows ash 2,000 meters high—Phivolcs
By Rex Espiritu THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday warned that China is ramping up its cyber attacks the Philippines amid rising geopolitical tensions. Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said the biggest challenge in defending the country’s position in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) was no longer social media trolls, but politicians spreading fake news and disinformation. Speaking at a forum organized by Stratbase ADR Institute, AFP Cyber Command chief Brig. Gen. Joey Fontiveros said the Philippines continues to face persistent cyber attacks linked to ongoing territorial disputes over the West Philippine Sea (WPS). “The country’s cybersecurity landscape in 2026 is characterized by escalating threats driven by geopolitical tensions, rapid digital transformation
By Rex Espiritu KANLAON Volcano in Negros island erupted yesterday throwing out ash 2,000 meters up in the sky, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported. The eruption occurred at 4:38 p.m. and lasted two minutes based on seismic records. The event generated a dark gray plume that rose 2,000 meters above the crater before drifting southwest. Phivolcs said pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), locally known as “uson,” descended the southern and southwestern upper slopes within one kilometer of the summit crater.
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Bishop admonishes solons: Corruption a sin against God By Vito Barcelo A MEMBER of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) called on lawmakers to confront corruption, describing it as a form of “spiritual decay” that robs public funds meant for classrooms, hospitals and the poor.
Bishop Raul Dael of Tandag said corruption is not only a legal offense but a moral and spiritual failure that harms vulnerable citizens and weakens trust in government institutions. “Corruption is not only illegal; it is a spiritual decay, a sin against God,” Next page
‘YAKAP AT KALINGA’. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. poses for a groupie with teachers of the Minuyan Elementary School in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, where the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) and Kalinga caravan of the DepEd are providing free consultations, laboratory tests, and other health services to teachers and students.PCO
Eala assured of career-high ranking By Peter Atencio FILIPINA tennis standout Alexandra Eala finds herself on the verge of another career milestone as she prepares to face world No. 4 Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships late Thursday (Manila time). Already assured of a career-high
live ranking of No. 32 following her breakthrough run, the 20-year-old Filipina has delivered one of the most impressive performances of her young career, defeating a string of formidable opponents to reach the final eight in Dubai. Eala opened her campaign with a victory over American Hailey Baptiste, who was forced to retire due to Next page
Alex Eala
IN PRAYER. Women worshippers gather at Masjid Abdul-Aziz and Islamic Foundation in Quezon City to offer congregational prayers on the first day of Ramadan.Edd Castro