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Palace confirms standing order to arrest Bato, probe fake news By Katrina Manubay and Vince Lopez MALACAÑANG has ordered its Anti-Fake News Desk to investigate those behind false reports claiming fugitive Senator Bato dela Rosa had
been arrested, even as it reiterated that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued a standing arrest order against him. At a Palace briefing, Undersecretary Claire Castro said PCO Secretary Dave Gomez directed the Anti-Fake
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VOL. XL • NO. 174 • 3 SECTIONS 18 PAGES • P20 •FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2026 •
US asks PH to extradite Quiboloy on sex crimes Formal request received by DFA, transmitted to DOJ
4 die in earthslides in Benguet, Rizal in Maymay’s wake By Rio N. Araja and Rex Espiritu AT LEAST four people died in landslide and rockslide incidents in Benguet and Rizal provinces due to the combined impacts of typhoons “Luis” and “Maymay,” aggravated by the southwest monsoon (habagat), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said Next page yesterday.
By Katrina Manubay, Pot Chavez and Joel Zurbano
T
HE United States has formally requested the extradition of Filipino televangelist Apollo Quiboloy to face multiple charges, including child sex trafficking, engaging in sex with minors, fraud, and money laundering, the country’s ambassador to Washington said on Thursday.
Quiboloy, a self-proclaimed "Appointed Son of God" and ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested in 2024 after a two-week standoff at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao City. Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez confirmed Washington has formally asked for the pastor to be handed over.
DEATH BY EARTH SLIDES. Storm Maymay’s rains trigger
separate land and rock slides killing four people yesterday in Benguet, upper photo, and Rizal, bottom left photo. While Maymay is moving away from Luzon, at right, it continues to enhance the southwest monsoon. Manny Palmero, PNP-PIO, PAGASA
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Palace hits senator-judges for grilling witnesses By Maricel V. Cruz FEELING THE LOVE.
Alexandra Eala of the Philippines celebrates her win against Alycia Parks of the United States during day four of the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers at Sobeys Stadium on August 05, 2026, in Toronto, Ontario. Story on A8 (AFP)
MALACAÑANG on Thursday criticized some senator-judges in Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial, saying they seemed to be "crossexamining" witnesses rather than sticking to clarificatory questions as the rules require. Meanwhile, the House prosecution panel said the Supreme Court’s (SC) dismissal of petitions questioning the House impeachment proceedings re-
VP Sara dares Gibo to name China backers By Rex Espiritu VICE President Sara Duterte on Thursday challenged Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. to identify the public officials he was referring to as “defending China” in the West Philippine Sea dispute. In a chance interview, Duterte said Teodoro should clarify the officials' identities for the Filipino people. “You cannot make statements like that if you're not going to identify the officials you're referring to,” she said.
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moved the requested restraint against a process they had already completed, leaving the Senate Impeachment Court to hear and decide the charges. In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro emphasized that senator-judges should stay impartial and base their decisions solely on law and evidence, without attempting to obscure the truth or engage in witness debates. She, however, did not specify which senator-judges she was referring to..
According to the PCO, many of those involved in the impeachment proceedings are acting like lawyers— which they shouldn't be doing as senator-judges are required to remain impartial and unbiased. “It is not their mandate to sweep away the truth; so, they shouldn't be bringing a broom into the Senate,” Castro said. She added that hearings reveal a misrepresentation of procedures, with some Next page
OMB calls out Sandiganbayan for disregarding evidence vs. Revilla By Rex Espiritu THE Office of the Ombudsman asserted that the Sandiganbayan disregarded the prosecution's evidence linking former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. to the alleged illegal disbursement of public funds for the purported “ghost” P92.8-million flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan. The Ombudsman made the assertion in its motion for reconsideration of the Sandiganbayan's resolution granting bail to Revilla, who is facing a malversation case in connection with the Pandi project. “With all due respect, the resolu-
tion being assailed is tainted with serious error when it failed to consider prosecution evidence showing accused Revilla's active participation in the conspiracy that resulted in the illegal disbursement and diversion of public funds,” the Ombudsman's appeal read. “In the present case, accused Revilla's act of requesting a list of DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) projects for funding and demanding a corresponding ‘commitment’ indubitably demonstrated that he was not only an active participant in the conspiracy, but also a beneficiary in the diversion of public funds, with Next page