BARMM chief decries petition seeking removal of BTA membersCOTABATO CITY, Philippines — Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua delivered an emotional appeal for unity as he decried what he described as attempts to fracture the region at a critical point in its peace journey. “I am trying to unite the entire Bangsamoro, others want it divided,” Macacua said, referring to a petition filed before the Supreme Court seeking the removal of seven members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, including himself. The petition, filed as a mandamus case with prayers for declaratory relief and other remedies, questions the continued tenure of the seven BTA members and asks the High Court to compel their removal from office. Copies of the filing circulating online show it names Macacua and six other transition parliamentarians as respondents. He acknowledged that the Supreme Court, as the country’s highest tribunal, will ultimately decide on the merits of the petition.

ICC arrest orders vs Duterte ‘co-perpetrators’ pushedMANILA, Philippines — Human rights organizations are pushing for the immediate arrest of Senators Bong Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and other individuals identified as alleged co-perpetrators of former president Rodrigo Duterte in the crimes against humanity case filed against him at the International Criminal Court (ICC). ICC mum on arrest warrantsMeanwhile, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor declined to confirm if arrest warrants have been requested for Dela Rosa, Go and the other alleged co-perpetrators. “The ICC Office of the Prosecutor has an ongoing investigation in relation to the situation in the Philippines. ‘Lacking in truth’Duterte’s defense counsel Nicholas Kaufman said the allegations are “completely lacking in truth.”“None of these co-perpetrators are, in my opinion, currently subject to arrest warrants. The ICC has scheduled the confirmation of charges hearing in the Duterte case on Feb. 23.

Year of the Horse stamps releasedAs we welcome the Year of the Horse, discover what’s in store for your Chinese zodiac sign! MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Postal Corp. (PHLPost) has launched Year of the Horse commemorative stamps ahead of tomorrow’s Lunar New Year festivities. Designed by resident graphic artist Jose Antonio Jayme, the stamps captured movement and vitality, symbolizing courage, progress and promise of new beginnings, PHLPost said. “This special stamp release reflects our commitment to honoring cultural diversity and traditions that inspire unity and hope,” PHLPost said. As part of the celebration, PHLPost mounted a special stamp exhibition at Robinsons Manila, in partnership with the Philippine Philatelic Federation Inc.

4 ex-speakers pay tribute to JDVMANILA, Philippines — Speaker Faustino Dy III will lead today’s eulogy for the late speaker of the House of Representatives Jose de Venecia Jr.Four former speakers will also attend the memorial rites at the House, including former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Some of the eulogies will be delivered by Arroyo, with whom De Venecia had a falling-out in 2007, as well as Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, former Senate president Manuel Villar and Feliciano Belmonte Jr., who served as speaker from 2010 to 2016. De Venecia’s widow, Pangasinan Rep. Gina Vera Perez, will deliver a speech.

Lunar New Year activities set in Banawe ChinatownPeople flock to Binondo, Manila's Chinatown, for weekend shopping and dining on Sunday, as the Chinese New Year approaches. MANILA, Philippines — To celebrate the Lunar New Year tomorrow, a series of activities will be held at the Banawe Chinatown District in Quezon City. The celebrations started last week, with a food crawl featuring some of the must-visit Chinese and Filipino-Chinese restaurants in Banawe. The main celebration will be held from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. tomorrow along Banawe street, from Del Monte Avenue to N.S. Activities include bike ride Banawe loop, cultural workshops, drum and lyre competition as well as a bazaar and night market.

Soldier killed, another injured in Negros Oriental clashBACOLOD CITY, Philippines — A soldier was killed while another was injured during a firefight with members of the New People’s Army (NPA) yesterday in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental. According to the Army’s 11th Infantry Battalion, the soldiers were conducting security patrol in Barangay Santo Niño when they encountered seven members of the NPA’s South East Front-Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor. The two soldiers were rushed to the Bayawan District Hospital, where one was declared dead on arrival. Mayor Jose Orlino ordered the suspension of classes today in the upland Barangays of Santo Niño, Pal-ew, Bahian and Sta. Cruz Nuevo to ensure the safety and security of students, teachers and school personnel.

I responded by sending him a joke about an American president in the Holy Land, which I hope he appreciated. I’ve often wondered if our world can get much worse than it already is, knowing all the while that the answer can only be yes, yes, emphatically yes. Still, it comes as a rude shock every time fresh confirmation arrives of a new Marianas Trench in human greed, crassness and stupidity. But Trump isn’t even the issue here any longer; the man is irredeemably vain, vile and vicious. Now let’s wait for the MAGA backlash; I have lots of Trump jokes lined up to brighten their day, restore their sense of humor and maybe help bring about world peace.

I witnessed how all our material possessions were carted out of our home and sold to make ends meet. Yes, I finished Journalism in UP, but it was only to satisfy my father’s burden and expectations. But after graduation, most of the work I took on had nothing to do with journalism or broadcasting. Tuesday 6 p.m., I stood at the head of my dad’s coffin as I received and thanked people paying their respects. After about seven years, the “playground” no longer had the same kind of playmates, and I eventually opted to move on.

Lady Falcons in soaring season debutAdamson's super rookie Shaina Nitura (1) goes for the kill against the defense of the Ateneo Blue Eagles during their UAAP Season 87 women's volleyball tournament action Sunday at the MOA Arena. MANILA, Philippines — Adamson led by as big as 16-1 in the third set to highlight an overpowering performance leading to a rousing debut in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball with a 25-19, 25-18, 25-10 conquest of Ateneo yesterday at the MOA Arena. The Lady Falcons zoomed to an 8-0 start in the clincher followed by another 8-1 blast for a whopping 15-point set win and the straight-sets romp in only 79 minutes. So stick to the system, stick pa rin sa instructions,” said mentor JP Yude. Season 87 Rookie of the Year Shaina Nitura, who broke multiple records last year, picked up from where she left off, delivering 16 points on 15 hits.

Nearly 10,000 sign up for BARMM voteMANILA, Philippines — About 10,000 residents of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao participated during the first week of the BARMM voter registration, the Commission on Elections said. Maguindanao del Norte recorded the highest number of registrants with 2,819 applications, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the regional total. On Feb. 14 alone, the province processed 719 applications. Other provinces logged the following cumulative totals for the week: Maguindanao del Sur with 1,768; Lanao del Sur, 1,433; Basilan, 1,325; Special Geographic Area, 1,175; and Tawi-Tawi, 1,116. “Our fellow citizens in BARMM warmly welcomed the resumption of registration when Comelec reopened it on Feb. 9.

Landing gear problem forces plane to return to PalawanThe newly upgraded international airport in Puerto Princesa is seen to boost tourism in Palawan province, already one of the world's favorite vacation sites. MANILA, Philippines — A landing gear problem forced a Manila-bound Philippine Airlines flight to return to the Puerto Princesa International Airport in Palawan as a precautionary measure on Saturday, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said. According to CAAP, the Airbus 320 aircraft returned to Puerto Princesa minutes after taking off and landed safely at 7:12 p.m.After maintenance personnel cleared the aircraft for departure, the Airbus 320 took off at 12:19 a.m. and arrived in Manila at 1:15 a.m. yesterday. The CAAP assured the public that safety protocols were strictly observed following the incident, adding that the airline provided meals to passengers during the delay. Several passengers were accommodated on other flights, while 61 passengers and one infant continued their journey on the same aircraft.

DA: Imports not pulling down local red onion pricesOnion farmers in Nueva Ecija had raised the alarm that red onion prices had plunged. MANILA, Philippines — Imported stocks are not enough to pull down the prices of domestic red onions, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said yesterday. Onion farmers in Nueva Ecija had raised the alarm that red onion prices had plunged. In context, however, they tell a different story – one that anticipates the seasonal uptick in local harvests expected to peak between March and April,” it added. However, old stocks held by private cold storages must also be accounted for, if any,” the agency added.

Senate probe sought on DepEd’s trimester proposalMANILA, Philippines — The Senate needs to look into the Department of Education (DepEd)’s proposal to shift to a trimestral system for School Year 2026-2027, Sen. Bam Aquino said yesterday, as he warned against a rushed implementation of the policy. Aquino, chairperson of the Senate committee on basic education, emphasized that such a major adjustment in the academic calendar requires extensive consultation with stakeholders before it is rolled out. Senate Bill 1841, or the Private Education Voucher Expansion (PEVE) Act, filed on Feb. 11, aims to institutionalize a unified voucher-based framework for learners from kindergarten to senior high school. Pangilinan said the bill targets students who are forced to endure congested public classrooms or those residing in areas without nearby public schools. Beyond student aid, the measure also provides institutional support to private schools, including teacher development programs.

Infrastructure pricing rules issuedMANILA, Philippines — Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has issued new guidelines for the preparation of Detailed Unit Price Analysis (DUPA) of all infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways, as it moves to eradicate the built-in overprice of government infrastructure projects of the DPWH. In an order issued last Feb. 3, Dizon instituted the Guidelines and Procedures for the Preparation and Standardization of the Detailed Unit Price Analysis in line with his push to get the DPWH “to implement right projects at the right cost” and to uphold consistency, transparency, and accountability in cost estimation of DPWH infrastructure projects. “This Department Order shall apply to all Implementing Offices of the DPWH and shall govern the preparation, submission, evaluation, and standardization of DUPAs across all categories of public works, including, but not limited to, roads, bridges, flood control structures, drainage systems and other civil engineering works,” Dizon said in Department Order 12. Under the guidelines, Dizon has tasked the DPWH Bureau of Construction, through its Pre-Construction Division to come up with the DUPA report on all DPWH road, bridge, flood control structures, drainage systems and other civil engineering works. The move is corollary to the main effort of Dizon to put an end to the systemic corruption and built-in overprice of DPWH projects that was exposed by the ghost flood control projects scandal that erupted last year.

President Marcos hails power aid for poorMANILA, Philippines — President Marcos emphasized the need to make government assistance accessible to Filipinos as he hailed the giving of automatic lifeline subsidy for electricity users who are also recipients of the state’s cash transfer program. The subsidy is expected to lower the monthly electric bills of 4Ps beneficiaries and allow them to set aside more money for food, medicines and other needs, he added. The assistance should come to the Filipinos,” the President posted on Facebook yesterday. The resolution aims to streamline procedures, harmonize requirements and address administrative barriers that have prevented eligible households from joining the subsidy program. The 4Ps beneficiaries who are in the latest list certified by the DSWD will be automatically registered under the subsidy program, subject to data matching with customer records of distribution utilities.