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Baguio City lass crowned Bb. Pilipinas International 2026 By Eton Concepcion GWENDOLINE Meliz Soriano of Baguio City was crowned Binibining Pilipinas International 2026 during the 62nd Binibining Pilipinas Grand Coronation Night held at the Araneta Coliseum late Saturday evening.
Sasha-Juli Belle Lacuna of Tarlac bagged the other title as Binibining Pilipinas Globe 2026. Soriano, a 27-year-old graduate of Mass Communication from Saint Louis University and Trinity University of Asia, also claimed several special awards, including Best in Long
Gown, Best in Swimsuit, and Bb. Philippine Airlines. She will represent the country at the 65th Miss International pageant in Tokyo, Japan. Lacuna, a 22-year-old Information Technology student at Southville Next page
VOL. XL • NO. 156 • 3 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P20 • MONDAY, JULY 20, 2026 •
NEW QUEEN. Gwendoline Meliz Soriano of Baguio is crowned Binibining Pilipinas International 2026 during the 62nd Binibining Pilipinas Grand Coronation Night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. Inset photo shows Soriano (2nd from left) with her court (from left) First runner-up Julianne Antonio, Binibining Pilipinas Globe 2026 Sasha-Juli Lacuna, and Second runner-up Tracy Sunio. Edd Castro
Religious groups urge Senate court to grant subpoena plea for VP records By Rio Araja
INSIDE PH’S SCHOOL FOR EXORCISTS NEWS / A3
HERBULARYO BLENDS SCIENCE, FOLKLORE NEWS / A4
A COALITION of Catholic, Evangelical and mainline Protestant groups on Sunday urged the Senate impeachment court to grant the House prosecution
panel's request to subpoena the bank records, tax records and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) documents of Vice President Sara Duterte. Meanwhile, prosecutors expressed confidence that the request would be
approved when the court takes it up on Monday. The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, is expected to rule on the prosecution's motion to subpoena the records in connection with Article II of
the Articles of Impeachment, which alleges unexplained wealth, false Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), and continued business interests. Next page
Cayetano’s brother Lino flags Taguig ‘ghost’ infra
Ex-Speaker ready Tulfo: Blue Ribbon probe on flood control scheme resumes July 27 By Ram Superable to face any OMB ENATE Minorcomplaint—lawyer ity Leader Alan Peter FORMER Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez is ready to face any complaint the Office of the Ombudsman may file against him in connection with the flood control scam, his legal counsel, Ade Fajardo, said Sunday. Fajardo maintained there is no evidence against his client. “Former Speaker Romualdez is prepared to face the process. However, there is absolutely no proof or evidence linking him to the flood-control anomalies. There is no preliminary investigation yet; the matter is currently in the case build-up stage,” he said. He said the former House leader had no participation in flood control project funding and implementation. “It’s actually very simple. If you didn't participate, you can naturally expect that there wouldn't be any evidence,” Fajardo said. Romualdez earlier squarely denied the allegations against him, adding that he will not be a scapegoat in the flood control controversy. The former Speaker said he had no part in the bicameral conference committee and the small committee budget deliberations, where insertions into the Next page
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Cayetano' brother Lino weighed in on allegations of "ghost projects" in Taguig City and asked the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to include these in its hearings as it resumes its probe into anomalous flood control projects on July 27.
Lino Cayetano
Alan Cayetano
Ping Lacson
Blue Ribbon chairman Senator Erwin Tulfo said the committee would invite People's Television Network president Lino Cayetano after the latter sought an investigation into Taguig flood control projects undertaken from 2022 to 2025. "Senator Cayetano is now in a more difficult position because there are allegations involving flood control projects in Taguig. His younger brother is willing to testify," Tulfo said. "He should probably prepare for that because it is his own brother who is calling for an investigation," Tulfo added. Senator Cayetano on Sunday denied the allegations of ghost projects in his
hometown. "There are no ghost projects in Taguig, and if you can show any, someone will be held accountable," Cayetano said, adding that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) should visually document flood control projects nationwide. Gathering witnesses Senator Panfilo Lacson, for his part, said he is gathering informants and witnesses who could provide evidence against Senator Cayetano after the latter questioned the increase in the senator's declared wealth and accused him of compromising his integrity. "My integrity is my first and last line of defense and I will fight to de-
fend it with all my might. Sen. Cayetano has crossed the line by attacking it," Lacson said in a post on X. "As of this morning, I'm still counting informants and witnesses, directly or through intermediaries, willing to provide information and evidence to put him in his proper place—the Payatas, QC jail," he added. The exchange stemmed from Cayetano's Facebook Live broadcasts over the weekend, during which he questioned the increase in Lacson's net worth between his 2022 and 2025 Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs). Cayetano also questioned the SALN of Tulfo.
Lacson denied any wrongdoing, saying his wealth increased only after he left government service in 2022 through legitimate private business activities reflected in his income tax returns. "I've tasted power and I know how to handle power through personal experience. Hindi ako abusado at hindi ako corrupt na government official (I am neither abusive nor corrupt)," he said. He also accused Cayetano of securing P6.79 billion in budget insertions under the 2025 General Appropriations Act and alleged the existence of ghost flood control projects in Taguig.
World Cup moments: Viking row, minnows sparkle
PBBM trust rating slips to 34% in Q2, VP Sara steady at 57%—SWS survey By Rex Espiritu and Vince Lopez
See result of World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina online at manilastandard.net Spain’s Lamine Yamal
THE first 48-team World Cup has provided a thrilling spectacle and a string of compelling storylines. Here are some key talking points after more than five weeks of action in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Hotshots The race for the Golden Boot caught fire early and has remained absorbing until the final weekend. The names at the top of the charts are a who's who of the world's top marksmen – including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane. Mbappe, who scored twice in France's 6-4 defeat by England in Saturday's third-place playoff, leads Messi by two goals with just Sunday's final to come. Next page
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AS PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. prepares to deliver his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), his public trust rating continued to decline in the second quarter of 2026, while Vice
Argentina’s Lionel Messi
President Sara Duterte maintained a stronger level of public confidence. This was according to a recent Stratbase Group-commissioned survey conducted by pollster Social Weather Stations (SWS), which showed that 34 percent of Filipinos said they had Next page
Gibo rejects Beijing disclaimer on AI-generated monkey video By Rex Espiritu DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. dismissed as “unbelievable” attempts by the Chinese government to disassociate from the controversial artificial intelligence-generated video depicting Filipinos as monkeys.
Meanwhile, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Admiral Jay Tarriela pushed back anew on Senator Robinhood Padilla, saying the lawmaker was directing his criticism at the wrong person by blaming him Next page