Discaya’s denial should end baseless claims vs. ex-Speaker — Acidre A HOUSE member yesterday welcomed the denial of contractor Pacifico Discaya that he acted as a “front” for former Speaker Martin Romualdez in the alleged purchase of a high-end property in Makati City. This after Discaya, in a newspaper interview, said he had only seen Romualdez once during an event and had never spoken to him. “Mr. Discaya’s denial is a welcome development,” said Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre.
“ This may finally temper the spread of baseless allegations against those being named without proof,” Acidre added. “I have only seen the former Speaker in person once, and we didn’t even talk because he was talking to someone else,” said Discaya, who remains detained at the Senate over his alleged links to questionable flood control projects. To put an end to the speculations, Discaya said he is even willing to have
the Makati property listed as part of his restitution. “Even if my lawyers do not agree with restitution, I will personally allow the property in Makati to be used for restitution to return it to the public,” Discaya said. Earlier, the lawyer of Romualdez said the former Speaker has “no knowledge nor involvement in the purported transaction,” for the Makati property. “Rep. Romualdez has not met
the Discayas and has only heard of them based on what is being said in media reports. As such, the claim in the report about using the Discayas as a front in a property purchase is outright baseless,” said Ade Fajardo, lawyer and spokesperson of Romualdez. The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is set to resume its inquiry on Jan. 19, which Fajardo said makes it crucial to put on record what has already been stated “clearly and unequivo-
‘More flood control cases for resolution next week’ S
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OME of the flood control projects cases – including those involving contractors SYMS Construction and Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc. – will be out for resolution “next week,” Prosecutor-General Richard Anthony Fadullon said. “There are cases which would be out for resolution by early next week and then we have the Bureau of Internal Revenue cases which are already ongoing preliminary investigation,” he said. SYMS Construction Trading owner Sally Santos was earlier named a state witness by the Department of Justice, along with former DPWH Un-
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NLEX toll rates hike to take effect Jan. 20 NEWS / A3
Large protests expected for ‘Hands off Greenland’
DOJ: Subpoenas to be issued to Estrada, Revilla for plunder cases
By Charles Dantes and Pot Chavez
cally” under oath. He pointed to sworn testimony given before the House of Representatives in September 2025 by Curlee Discaya, who categorically denied any dealings with Romualdez. Fajardo said Discaya further explained under oath that the Speaker’s name had merely been used or “name-dropped” by others — without any personal knowledge, meeting, or transaction on his part.
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dersecretary Roberto Bernardo, former DPWH Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara, former DPWH-NCR Regional Director Gerard Opulencia. As this developed, Fadullon said the DOJ will issue subpoenas next week to Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. as it begins the preliminary investigation into plunder cases against the two over allegedly anomalous flood control projects.
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VIVA STO. NIÑO. Hundreds of boats and sea vessels participate in the Fluvial Procession of the 461st Fiesta Señor in Cebu. After several hours on the water, the procession concluded at Pier 1, where thousands of devotees awaited for the final foot procession back to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. In Manila, thousands of devotees dance as they carry their images of the Sto. Niño during the ‘Lakbayaw’ 2026 procession. Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu Facebook page and Norman Cruz
2 dead in Sorsogon as ‘Ada’ causes landslide, floods Atong Ang may already be out of the country—whistleblower By Rex Espiritu A WHISTLEBLOWER in the missing “sabungeros” case said he believes businessman Atong Ang may already be out of the country as early as December last year. Whistleblower Julie “Dondon” Patidongan said Ang, who is facing an arrest warrant for kidnapping with homicide in connection with the missing “sabungeros” case, will not submit himself to authorities. “He is not an ordinary person…His network is international,”Patidongan said. A regional trial court in Sta. Cruz,
Laguna on Wednesday issued a warrant of arrest against Ang and 17 other individuals for the non-bailable case. On Thursday the PNP-CIDG said it has requested the issuance of an Interpol red notice against Ang but the Department of Justice said it believes the businessman is still in the country “based on all available records.” Patidongan said if Ang is indeed still in the country, he could be hiding in one of his many properties. A P10 million reward has already been put up for information leading to the arrest of Ang.
By Rex Espiritu and Maricel Cruz TWO people were killed after heavy rains caused by Tropical Storm “Ada” triggered a landslide in Matnog, Sorsogon yesterday, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said. “It took nearly five hours to retrieve the two bodies, which were buried beneath a large boulder following the landslide,” the MDRRMO said on its Facebook page. Authorities said the victims were asleep when the landslide happened. In its 6 p.m. bulletin yesterday,
state weather bureau PAGASA said stormy conditions still prevail over most of the Bicol region as Ada moves northwestward over the coastal waters of Catanduanes. Wind Signal No. 2 was raised over the eastern portion of Camarines Norte (Vinzons, San Lorenzo Ruiz, San Vicente, Talisay, Basud, Mercedes, Daet, Paracale), the eastern and central portions of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Ocampo, Goa, Lagonoy, Milaor, Nabua, Buhi, Caramoan, Baao, Cabusao, Bato, Camaligan, Pili, Sipocot, Tigaon, Pamplona, Garchitorena, Iriga City, San Fernando, Magarao, Minala-
bac, Balatan, Libmanan, Naga City, Calabanga, Bombon, Bula, Canaman, Pasacao, Sagñay, San Jose, Presentacion, Gainza, Lupi), Albay, and Catanduanes. Several parts of Luzon also remained under Wind Signal No. 1. “Since further intensification to severe tropical storm is not ruled out, raising of Wind Signal No. 3 is possible,” PAGASA said. From Sunday onwards, it is forecast to move slowly over the sea east of Southern Luzon before weakening into a tropical depression by Tuesday because of the surge of the northeast monsoon.
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Binaliw landslide death toll climbs to 35, one still missing By Rex Espiritu THE death toll from the landslide at the Binaliw landfill in Cebu City has climbed to 35, local officials confirmed on Saturday. This left only one missing sanitation worker, Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak said. He said the number of fatalities increased yesterday after three more
cadavers were recovered from the landslide site. All three cadavers have yet to be identified, Tumulak said. The operator of the landfill said the garbage collapse on Jan. 8 was likely triggered by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in September 2025 as well as extreme rainfall from Typhoon Tino, based on the initial assessment of city officials and experts. Turn to A4
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LANDSLIDE FATALITIES. Two people are killed in a landslide amid heavy rains caused by Tropical Storm ‘Ada’ in Matnog,
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Sorsogon, on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said. BFP Matnog Fire Station Facebook page
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