DND Philippines Integrated News

29/05/2026

: Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday announced that the Senate will resume its investigation into the alleged flood control scam on June 4 through a newly formed Blue Ribbon subcommittee.

Cayetano said Senator Rodante Marcoleta was designated to lead the subcommittee that will handle the inquiry into the alleged irregularities involving billions of pesos in flood control projects nationwide.

According to Cayetano, notices for the continuation of the hearings will be issued on June 1, with the Senate prioritizing the flood control controversy alongside the economic crisis and the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.

The investigation was previously suspended after the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee failed to secure enough signatures for a partial committee report on the controversy.

29/05/2026

TAN-AWA: Disgrasya nahitabo sa barangay Camp Downes ning siyudad sa Ormoc, Mayo 29, 2026.

Padayon ang pagsusi karon sa kapulisan.

29/05/2026

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday clarified that his controversial remark, “It’s the rules, stupid,” was not meant as a personal insult against fellow lawmakers amid debates over Senate procedures.

Lacson earlier came to the defense of Risa Hontiveros after a colleague questioned her supposed lack of legal background during discussions on Senate rules. In a social media post, Lacson said his message was directed at the importance of following parliamentary rules rather than attacking an individual.

He later explained that the phrase was an idiomatic expression and “not intended to be meant literally,” adding that it should not be taken as a personal insult. Lacson also said the focus of the discussion should remain on the rules governing Senate proceedings.

The exchange stemmed from heated discussions within the Senate over procedural issues involving the minority bloc and ongoing debates on chamber rules.

29/05/2026

Visayas grid under red alert anew

: The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Visayas grid under red alert on Thursday evening due to insufficient power supply amid multiple plant outages and rising electricity demand. The red alert was set from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., while yellow alert status was raised from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and again from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

NGCP said available capacity in the Visayas stood at 2,562 megawatts against a peak demand of 2,542 MW. A total of 11 power plants have remained on forced outage since May 2026, while several others continued operating on derated capacity, resulting in 952.4 MW unavailable to the grid. The grid operator cited the unavailability of major coal plants TVI 1, TVI 2, PEDC 3 and KSPC 2, along with high system demand forecast, as factors behind the alert declaration.

28/05/2026

: SM Center Ormoc formally launched its electric vehicle (EV) charging station on Thursday as part of the company’s campaign aimed at promoting sustainable and environment-friendly transportation in the city. Acting Vice Mayor Ari Larrazabal attended the event along with City Administrator Vincent Emnas, OIC-ENRO Ingrid Macabare, and SM Center Ormoc Mall Manager Mary Jane Losaria.

The newly opened facility is expected to support the growing number of EV users in Ormoc while encouraging cleaner mobility options among residents. SM Supermalls has been expanding its nationwide EV charging network as part of its sustainability initiatives, with charging stations now available in several malls across the country. | VAW

27/05/2026

: The International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III has set the next status conferences for the crimes against humanity case against former President Rodrigo Duterte on June 23 and July 14, 2026.

This follows the first-ever status conference held today, Wednesday, May 27, which focused on mapping out the direction and procedural timeline of the upcoming trial.

27/05/2026

: International Criminal Court Trial Chamber I!I scheduled the opening of the trial in the case of The Prosecutor v. Rodrigo Roa Duterte for November, 30 2026.

27/05/2026

Content creator praises ‘spotless’ Ormoc City public restroom, challenges local standard

A public restroom at Ormoc City Superdome has earned rare, high praise from an online content creator, sparking viral attention for challenging the often-criticized state of public sanitation in the Philippines.

​Dimos Rock Jr., an online personality, took to social media to commend the local government unit (LGU) of Ormoc for maintaining what he described as "one of the cleanest public bathrooms in all of the Philippines."

​In a post published on Tuesday, May 26, Rock shared his experience after being stranded in the city due to inclement weather.

​"I was trying to catch a fastcraft to Cebu and I got stuck, there was a storm. So, I stayed awhile in the hotel and went to a gym by the coliseum [Ormoc City Superdome]," Rock said.

Upon using the public facility at the Ormoc City Superdome, Rock expressed surprise at its pristine condition, noting that it deviated heavily from the usual standard of public restrooms across the country.

"I can’t deny guys. It is one [of the] cleanest bathroom[s] in all of the Philippines. I was really impressed, and it’s public," Rock stated, adding in a mix of Cebuano and Tagalog: "Limpyo. Sobrang linis." (Clean. Very clean.)

Video shared alongside his post showed well-lit, modern interiors featuring stainless-steel bidet attachments, polished sinks, and spotlessly maintained cubicles.

Rock emphasized that Ormoc’s approach should serve as a standard for other cities. "They maintained it really clean and it should be like that," he said.

27/05/2026

LEGAL BACKLASH

Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros and Senator Rodante Marcoleta clash over parliamentary procedures during a Senate session on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

Hontiveros asserted that a motion being pushed by Marcoleta and distributed by the Senate President was a "new motion," a claim Marcoleta quickly dismissed by attributing her stance to a lack of a "legal background."

The exchange drew a sharp rebuke from former senator, now Senator Ping Lacson, who criticized the condescending tone used against Hontiveros, reminding his colleague: "it's the rules, stupid."

27/05/2026

LIVE: Former President Rodrigo Duterte Update in The Hague, May 27, 2026.

27/05/2026

: A storm of high-profile legal battles and sharp political division gripped the upper chamber on Tuesday, May 26, as the anti-graft court restricted a lawmaker’s movement, state authorities hunted down another, and a fierce plenary debate triggered a mass walkout of opposition lawmakers.

Published on May 27, 2026 | 12:00 PM PHT