A Philippine house panel votes on the impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as lacking in substance, at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Philippines, February 4, 2026. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David

Law enforcement stand guard while people protest outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, after the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 30, 2026.

Lacson confirms recommending charges vs Escudero, Estrada and VillanuevaMANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson on Wednesday, February 4, confirmed that a draft report from the Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC) recommended charges against three sitting senators: Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva and Chiz Escudero. A draft of the BRC report was initially leaked to the public on Tuesday. For the document to become the actual BRC report, it needs to be signed and approved. “We are recommending them to undergo preliminary investigation, so why would we go against what is already happening?” Lacson told reporters. Other people that the BRC recommended charges against were:Former congressman Zaldy CoFormer congresswoman Mitch CajayonFormer senator Bong RevillaFormer House Speaker Martin Romualdez was recommended for further inquiry, Lacson said.

House suspends Kiko Barzaga for another 60 daysMANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has imposed another 60-day suspension on Rep. Kiko Barzaga (Cavite, 4th District) for continued disorderly behavior, adopting the recommendation of the ethics committee. After the ethics committee presented its findings on Wednesday, February 4, the plenary voted 238 in favor of the suspension, 10 against and nine abstained. The decision came after the ethics committee reviewed Barzaga's conduct and social media posts during his suspension, which began on Dec. 1, 2025. "While serving his suspension, however, the committee took note that Rep. Barzaga committed similar acts for which he was sanctioned," Ethics Committee Chair Rep. JC Abalos (4Ps Party-list) told the plenary. "The committee condemns Rep. Barzaga's brazen disrespect for its authority.

Photo by PEDRO PARDO / AFP Zhang Youxia, first-ranked vice chairman of the CMC, attends the opening ceremony of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 4, 2025.

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Edvic Yap resigns from House of RepresentativesMANILA, Philippines — Rep. Edvic Yap (ACT-CIS Partylist) has resigned from the House of Representatives. Yap is one of the lawmakers under investigation for his alleged ties to anomalous flood control projects. Ombudsman Boying Remulla named him as one of three lawmakers linked to the unfinished P275.9-million La Union flood control project, whose contractor, Silverwolves Construction Corp., faces malversation and graft complaints. Edvic's brother, Rep. Eric Yap (Benguet, Lone District), reportedly holds an indirect and beneficial stake in Silverwolves Construction Corp., which had over P16 billion worth of transactions from 2022 to 2024, mostly in relation to flood control projects. In December, President Bongbong Marcos said the personal accounts of the Yap brothers were included in the freeze order covering the assets and accounts of Silverwolves Construction Corp. and Sky Yard Aviation Corp.

Marcos survives first impeachment attempt as justice panel kills complaintsMANILA, Philippines (Updated 4:29 p.m.) — Both impeachment complaints filed against President Bongbong Marcos failed to pass the initial stage after the House Committee on Justice found them insufficient in substance, effectively dismissing the case. In a 42-1-3 vote, the justice committee found the first impeachment complaint against Marcos insufficient in substance. Erice agreed with De Lima, saying the second complaint laid out verifiable facts alleging the president allowed budget manipulation, insertions and diversions to proceed unchecked. What the ruling meansWith both impeachment complaints dismissed, the justice committee will conduct no further proceedings, including hearings, affidavits, or evidence presentation. If the plenary chooses to do so, the justice committee will be "constrained to come up with articles of impeachment in view of that reversal."

Ford and Geely in talks for manufacturing, technology partnership, sources sayThe blue Ford oval logo is displayed on the new Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, US November 16, 2025. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo

Photo by HANDOUT / VARIOUS SOURCES / AFP This handout photo taken on January 13, 2026 and released from Japan's Government Public Relations Office via Jiji Press shows South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung (L) and Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi playing drums, in Nara, Nara Prefecture.

Impeachment against Marcos had no merit — MalacañangPresident Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met with overseas Filipino workers based in Singapore during his state visit on September 6, 2022. MANILA, Philippines — The Palace on Wednesday, February 4, welcomed the House of Representatives’ junking of the impeachment charges filed against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the committee level, saying they held no merit from the start. In a media interview, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that Marcos was pleased that the process was followed properly. The Palace executive denied that Marcos held influence over the House of Representatives, even if his son Sandro Marcos was the Majority Leader. The House Committee on Justice deliberated on the two impeachment complaints filed against Marcos.

1 raised in eastern Mindanao due to 'Basyang'MANILA, Philippines — Signal No. In a weather bulletin, PAGASA said that Basyang was last monitored 735 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. 1 over Surigao del Sur and the eastern portion of Surigao del Norte (Claver, Gigaquit, Bacuag), including the Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands. Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Davao Oriental can expect rainfall of up to 100 mm. An initial landfall is expected over eastern Mindanao by Thursday or Friday.

Over 400,000 kids in BARMM vaccinated vs measles, rubellaCOTABATO CITY, Philippines — Health workers in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have vaccinated 400,740 children against measles and rubella in the past two weeks, regional officials and local executives announced on Wednesday, February 4. Jet Lim, spokesperson of the BARMM parliament, said the feat was achieved with the support of Muslim religious leaders who helped disprove fallacies and superstitions about vaccines via lectures on Islamic teachings on health care and obligatory cross-sectional disease prevention efforts. “That was achieved with the help of local government units in the autonomous region and with the active involvement of the office of our chief minister in that health initiative,” Sinolinding said. Sinolinding said the MoH-BARMM is also grateful to all physicians managing the Integrated Provincial Health Offices in Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and their personnel for actively pushing forward the measles and rubella vaccination thrusts in all towns in the five provinces. He said the mayors in BARMM's three cities, Lamitan, Marawi and Cotabato are also in the forefront of the measles and rubella vaccination campaign, to last until February 13.

Seaside Tawi-Tawi village razed by fireAlmost all of the houses destroyed by the fire that hit Barangay Lamion in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi were made only of semi-permanent materials. COTABATO CITY, Philippines — A fire of still undetermined origin razed no fewer than a thousand stilt houses in the seaside Barangay Lamion in Bongao island town in Tawi-Tawi in the Bangsamoro region on Tuesday night, February 3. Bongao is the capital town of Tawi-Tawi, one of the five provinces in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, whose regional capitol is in uptown area in Cotabato City. BFP regional officials and Brig. “Our units in Tawi-Tawi are helping in relief works for the residents who are now in evacuation sites,” De Guzman said.

US hosts countries for talks to weaken China's grip on critical mineralsA sample of bastnaesite ore, a mineral used in the rare earth industry to extract elements such as cerium, lanthanum, and neodymium, is displayed at the Geological Museum of China in Beijing, China, October 14, 2025. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov