MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ Senate blue ribbon committee resumed its flood management probe on January 19. New eyewitnesses tagged contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya because the one tasked with renovating a house in Forbes Park that was supposedly bought by former Home speaker Martin Romualdez. Tech businessman Maynard Ngu — tagged because the alleged bagman of Senator Chiz Escudero — and former training undersecretary Trygve Olaivar denied involvement within the kickback scheme.
On January 20, the Sandiganbayan Third Division ordered the detention of former senator Bong Revilla, who’s charged over a P92.8-million ghost flood management venture in Bulacan, on the Quezon Metropolis Jail Male Dormitory in Payatas. Revilla is dealing with a non-bailable malversation case and a graft cost filed by the Workplace of the Ombudsman final week.
In the meantime, the Regional Trial Court docket Department 45 of Tacloban Metropolis, Leyte, on January 22, convicted 26-year-old journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and 28-year-old lay employee Marielle Domequil of their terrorism financing case however acquitted them of their unlawful possession of firearms and explosives case. Cumpio and Domequil have been in detention since 2020.
In Davos, US President Donald Trump on January 22 launched his Board of Peace, initially targeted on cementing Gaza’s ceasefire. Nevertheless, he stated it may take a wider function which will fear different world powers, though he added that it might work with the United Nations. Conventional Western US allies have balked at becoming a member of the board — which Trump stated everlasting members should assist fund with a fee of $1 billion every — both responding cautiously or declining the invitation.
Catch extra tales in these images from the week that was:
A whole bunch of boats escort the picture of the Santo Niño aboard the M/V Lite Ferry 10 throughout the Fiesta Señor fluvial procession, part of the Sinulog competition, in Cebu Metropolis on January 17, 2026. PHOTO BY JACQUELINE HERNANDEZ/RAPPLER
NASA’s next-generation moon rocket, the Area Launch System rocket with the Orion crew capsule, rolls from the Automobile Meeting Constructing to the launch pad on the Kennedy Area Heart in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on January 17, 2026. PHOTO BY JOE SKIPPER/REUTERS
Demonstrators forged shadows on a ‘Lion and Solar’ pre-Iranian Revolution nationwide flag throughout a rally in assist of protests in Iran, in Rome, Italy, on January 17, 2026. PHOTO BY MATTEO MINNELLA/REUTERS
Folks attend a protest towards US President Donald Trump’s demand that the Arctic island be ceded to the US, calling for it to be allowed to find out its personal future, in Nuuk, Greenland, on January 17, 2026. PHOTO BY MARKO DJURICA/REUTERS
Christian Orthodox worshippers take part in a ceremony re-enacting the baptism of Christ on the banks of the Jordan River, which is believed to be the positioning of Jesus’ baptism, to mark the eve of Epiphany close to Jericho, within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution, on January 18, 2026. PHOTO BY SHIR TOREM/REUTERS
Hundreds of Catholics increase their cherished photographs of the Little one Jesus to be blessed on the Minor Basilica and Archdiocesan Shrine of Santo Niño de Tondo in Manila because the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Santo Niño on January 18, 2026. PHOTO BY ANGIE DE SILVA/RAPPLER
Emergency companies at work on the website of a lethal practice derailment after a high-speed practice derailed and collided with one other oncoming practice close to Adamuz, in Cordoba province, Spain, on January 19, 2026. PHOTO BY LEONARDO BENASSATTO/REUTERS
Employees discuss inside a Valentino boutique after Italian clothier Valentino Garavani died, in Rome, Italy, on January 19, 2026. PHOTO BY VINCENZO LIVIERI/REUTERS
The aurora borealis, also called the ‘northern lights,’ illuminates the sky over Nijmegen, Netherlands, on January 19, 2026. PHOTO BY PIROSCHKA VAN DE WOUW/REUTERS
Marie (not her actual identify) identifies Pacifico ‘Curlee’ Discaya because the contractor who renovated a home in Forbes Park in Makati in 2023 for the supposed new proprietor, former Home speaker Martin Romualdez, throughout the resumption of the Senate blue ribbon committee probe on January 19, 2026. PHOTO FROM THE SENATE SOCIAL MEDIA UNIT
Japan’s Naomi Osaka arrives for her first spherical match towards Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic on the Australian Open in Melbourne Park, Australia, on January 20, 2026. PHOTO BY JAIMI JOY/REUTERS
ICE brokers stand subsequent to a boy, who a witness recognized as Liam Conejo Ramos, a 5-year-old who college officers stated was detained in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 20, 2026. PHOTO BY RACHEL JAMES VIA REUTERS
Staff stroll at a compound of a thermal energy plant broken by a number of Russian missile strikes in an undisclosed location in Ukraine on January 21, 2026. PHOTO BY ROMAN BALUK/REUTERS
Britain’s Prince Harry departs the Excessive Court docket throughout the first week of a nine-week trial lawsuit towards Related Newspapers, writer of the Each day Mail, which Britain’s Prince Harry and others are suing over allegations of privateness breaches relationship again 30 years, in London, Britain, on January 21, 2026. PHOTO BY HANNAH MCKAY/REUTERS
A protester rings a bell throughout a rally demanding the acquittal of journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and lay employee Marielle Domequil, in addition to the dismissal of expenses towards the ‘Tacloban 5,’ on the Division of Justice on January 21, 2026. PHOTO BY RAPPLER
US President Donald Trump holds a signed Constitution of the Board of Peace as he takes half in a constitution announcement for his Board of Peace initiative aimed toward resolving world conflicts, alongside the 56th annual World Financial Discussion board in Davos, Switzerland, on January 22, 2026. PHOTO BY DENIS BALIBOUSE/REUTERS
Mourners react throughout the funeral of Palestinians who, based on medics, have been killed by Israeli strikes, at Al-Shifa Hospital, in Gaza Metropolis, on January 22, 2026. PHOTO BY DAWOUD ABU ALKAS/REUTERS
A display exhibits the nominees for Finest Image for the 98th Academy Awards as actors Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman host the announcement occasion on the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California, on January 22, 2026. PHOTO BY MARIO ANZUONI/REUTERS
BJMP personnel escort former senator Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr. out of a jail van to attend the arraignment and pre-trial for the malversation case within the ghost flood management venture in Bulacan, on the Sandiganbayan on January 23, 2026. PHOTO BY JIRE CARREON/RAPPLER
– with stories from Reuters/Rappler.com
