PH Politics

The House Committee on Justice said fugitive former congressman Zaldy Co may testify in the impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. only if he returns to the Philippines, appears in person, and takes his oath before the panel in Quezon City, as the committee continues hearings on multiple impeachment complaints and evaluates potential witnesses under existing House rules.

Health experts in the Philippines on Friday warned the public about a rise in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other influenza-like illnesses amid cooler weather, noting increased consultations for cough, colds, and flu-like symptoms. The Department of Health urged families, schools, and high-risk groups to observe strict hygiene, improve ventilation, practice respiratory etiquette, and seek early medical care for warning signs such as fast breathing and persistent fever. Authorities said they continue to monitor RSV trends nationwide through hospitals and surveillance units.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways to complete all pending projects nationwide by 2026. Dizon said the DPWH is finalizing an inventory of unfinished infrastructure works and will use it to prioritize and allocate resources under a reduced 2026 budget of P529.6 billion, down from the P881 billion originally requested. He said the department will coordinate with regional offices, local governments, and other agencies to address bottlenecks and implement the completion directive.

House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos said on Friday that the House of Representatives will not block any impeachment complaint filed against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and will process such complaints in line with constitutional procedures. He explained that any impeachment complaint must be formally filed with the Office of the House Secretary General, transmitted to the Office of the Speaker, included in the Order of Business by the committee on rules, and then referred to the committee on justice. Marcos emphasized that the House is duty-bound under the 1987 Constitution to act on any properly filed impeachment complaint against the President.

The Office of the Prosecutor General in the Philippines announced plans to file two or three plunder cases against Senator Jinggoy Estrada and detained ex-senator Bong Revilla over an alleged flood control project scandal. Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said more cases will be filed against officials of the 1st Bulacan District Engineering Office and that subpoenas will be issued to Estrada and Revilla. Fadullon and DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon reported ongoing evidence gathering and appealed to the public to allow the legal process to proceed.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Wednesday detailed the strict security measures he enforces to prevent information leaks in the ongoing manhunt for gaming tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang. Speaking at Camp Crame in Quezon City, Remulla said he deploys small, cellphone-free teams, keeps operational plans highly compartmentalized, and personally issues instructions to limit the risk of sensitive details reaching unauthorized parties. He coordinates closely with the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement units while refusing to disclose specific locations, timelines, or manpower figures, as authorities continue to validate intelligence reports and conduct targeted operations to locate Ang.

Authorities from the National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group on Tuesday inspected the AA beach house of gaming operator Charlie “Atong” Ang in Barangay San Miguel, San Antonio, Zambales, but did not find him there, Mayor Arvin Antipolo said, as the nationwide manhunt for Ang—identified by police as the only remaining fugitive among 22 suspects in the “sabungeros” disappearance cases—continued with coordinated operations, surveillance of his known properties, and joint enforcement efforts by national law enforcement agencies.