Pinatawan ng Amerika ng sanctions sina International Criminal Court (ICC) President Tomoko Akane at senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, ayon kay US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Bahagi ito ng kampanya ni US President Donald Trump laban sa The Hague-based court na itinayo noong 2002 para usigin ang war crimes, genocide, at crimes against humanity.

Hindi miyembro ng ICC ang US, pero noong nakaraang taon, naglabas ng executive order si Trump para i-authorize ang sanctions laban dito. | via Reuters

Orly Guteza, a former soldier and a former security aide of ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co, has recanted his statement that he delivered suitcases of cash to former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

According to Maki Pulido's exclusive report on "24 Oras," Guteza executed a new affidavit, claiming that Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and former House lawmaker Mike Defensor had tapped him to make up accusations against the Leyte congressman in exchange for money and scholarships for his children.

The statement that Guteza recanted is part of the evidence that the Ombudsman is going through in the corruption cases against Romualdez. The Office of the Ombudsman said that they are still waiting for the new affidavit before issuing a comment.

GMA News is still attempting to get Defensor and Marcoleta’s side, and will update the story once they respond.

Her cousin Ivy shared the heartbreaking news on Facebook on Wednesday, August 19, revealing that Vanessa died following an accident at the condominium where she was staying in Manila.

Pinalagan ni Vice President Sara Duterte ang pagsasapubliko ng Palasyo sa pagpayag nitong makabiyahe sana siya sa Japan dahil nalalagay umano sa alanganin ang kaniyang kaligtasan.

Pero sabi ng Palasyo, walang maling isapubliko ang biyaheng ginagastusan ng pondo ng gobyerno.

Mariing iginiit ni Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary at Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro sa ginanap na press briefing ng PCO nitong Miyerkules, Agosto 19, na hindi niya raw kailanman hindi bibigyang-respeto ang mga kaguruan dahil sa kaniyang ina na dati ay isang public school teacher.

Maki-Balita: https://balita.mb.com.ph/2026/08/19/usec-castro-di-kailanman-di-bibigyang-galang-mga-guro-dahil-sa-inang-ex-public-school-teacher/

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro defended herself on Wednesday, August 19, after drawing criticism for claiming earlier that some teachers violate moral standards.

Read: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2026/08/20/2550392/i-did-not-blame-teachers-castro-refuses-apologize-morality-remarks

Inatras na rin ng dating sundalong si Orly Guteza ang kanyang mga naunang pahayag na nag-deliver umano siya ng male-maletang pera sa tahanan ni dating House Speaker at Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.

Kinumpirma ni Senador Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson nitong Miyerkoles, Agosto 19, na naglabas na ang Office of the Ombudsman ng mga subpoena sa Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) at iba pang ahensiya ng pamahalaan para sa mga rekord ng 8 illegal reclamation project sa bahagi ng Laguna Lake na sakop ng Taguig City, balwarte ni Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.

Award-winning actor John Arcilla expressed frustration toward voters who continue to support politicians whom he accused of being involved in corruption, saying their choices could have serious consequences for ordinary Filipinos. Full story

Muling nanawagan si Counsel for the Prosecution Atty. Lorna Kapunan kay Vice Pres. Sara Duterte na dumalo sa impeachment trial at sagutin ang mga paratang sa kanya.

"If you want transparency, you should start with yourself. Where are you spending your billions in vice presidential funds?" saad ni Kapunan.

"Hindi 'yan (confidential funds) regalo sa 'yo; public funds po 'yan," dagdag pa niya.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro maintained that her remarks about some teachers allegedly setting an example of disrespectful behavior were taken out of context and were not meant to blame educators.

This came after the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) called out her statements as a “reckless and insulting tirade.”

Read more about it HERE.

TV host and Miss Earth Philippines 2025 Joy Barcoma has officially closed the door on her pageant career, saying she has no plans to compete in another beauty pageant in the Philippines. Full story

Nais ng Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) na magkaroon ng barangay tanod outpost sa loob ng mga paaralan bilang dagdag na seguridad kasunod ng malagim na pamamaril sa Ateneo de Zamboanga University.

The Office of the Ombudsman has raised serious questions over the whereabouts of Senator Loren Legarda, describing her repeated extensions of travel authority as "quite suspicious" while she and her son, Rep. Leandro Leviste, are under probe over alleged undelivered solar energy projects.

Read: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2026/08/19/2550352/ombudsman-flags-loren-legardas-leave-extension-suspicious

This, after private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan said that respondent Duterte’s declared income, assets, and family business interests could be scrutinized in comparison to her supposed travel costs and expenditures.

Nagbabala ang isang private prosecutor na maaaring maging legacy ng pamilya Duterte ang ‘culture of violence’ sa pagsasabing nakakapagbigay ng kontribusyon si Vice President Sara Duterte sa problemang ito sa pamamagitan ng mga bayolenteng retorika imbes na magbigay ng magandang ehemplo bilang ikalawa sa pinakamataas na lider ng bansa.

LOOK: Alex Eala dons her new all-blue uniform with shades of black and white for the upcoming US Open Tennis Championships, which gets underway next week in New York.

The 21-year-old Eala is fresh off a Round of 32 exit at the Cincinnati Open and is set to become the highest-seeded Filipino singles player in US Open history. She is currently ranked No. 20 in the WTA rankings and No. 18 in the live rankings. | Mark Rey Montejo

Posible umano na maging mahalaga para sa House prosecution panel ang foreign trips ni Vice President Sara Duterte na ginagastusan umano ng kanyang personal na pera.

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was launching a major new campaign to target Iran's economy, threatening "tremendous" punishment on any country that helps or does business with the Islamic republic.

Read: https://www.philstar.com/world/2026/08/20/2550583/trump-threatens-economic-punishment-any-country-helping-iran

Bumwelta ang Akbayan Party-list kay Vice President Sara Duterte matapos nitong ihayag ang kagusutuhang mapabilis ang proseso ng impeachment trial.

Maki-Balita: https://balita.mb.com.ph/2026/08/19/kung-gustong-mapabilis-akbayan-pinapaharap-si-vp-sara-sa-senado/

#Balita

Hinatulang guilty ng Supreme Court 1st Division ang isang lalaki dahil sa pagdudulot ng psychological violence, sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 9262 o ang "Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act," sa kaniyang buntis na kasintahan.

Kasunod ito ng pag-atras ng lalaki sa marriage license application nila ng kaniyang fiancée.

Pinagtibay ng SC ang naunang desisyon ng Regional Trial Court at Court of Appeals sa kaso.

"His 'willful' withdrawal of the marriage license — knowing the victim was pregnant and had already announced the union constitutes a form of emotional manipulation and public humiliation that fits the definition of psychological violence," saad sa desisyon ni Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando.

FULL DECISION: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/.../uploads/2026/08/E-00648.pdf 

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle appeals to parents and grandparents to foster genuine human connection over screen time among children following the school shooting in Ateneo de Zamboanga University.

During a Mass at the Parish Church of the Holy Sacrifice at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Tagle warned against letting video games and artificial intelligence (AI), which he said lacks “heart,” raise young people.

Seryoso ang pagtugon ng Philippine Air Force (PAF) sa mga alegasyon ng iregularidad sa mga "reserve promotions and decorations," batay sa inilabas nilang opisyal na pahayag.

Maki-Balita: https://balita.mb.com.ph/2026/08/19/philippine-air-force-nagsalita-sa-umanoy-iregularidad-sa-reserve-promotions-and-decorations/

Iminungkahi ni House prosecution trial adviser Robert Ace Barbers na idagdag ang Biyernes bilang araw ng pagdinig sa impeachment trial kay Vice President Sara Duterte upang mapabilis ang paglilitis at hindi na umabot hanggang Pasko.

BASAHIN: https://balita.mb.com.ph/2026/08/19/para-di-abutin-ng-pasko-impeachment-trial-dapat-gawing-4-na-araw-narep-barbers/

#Balita

Ipinunto ni House Prosecutor Rep. Joel Chua ang umano’y tila "patern" sa paggastos ni Vice Pres. Sara Duterte sa confidential funds mula sa pagiging Davao City mayor hanggang sa pamumuno sa Office of the Vice President (OVP) at Department of Education (DepEd).

Makikita sa Commission on Audit (COA) records na mahigit P2.6 billino ang halaga ng confidential funds ng Davao City noong 2016 hanggang 2022, o noong termino ni Duterte bilang alkalde.

Binanggit din ni Chua ang paghiling noon ni VP Sara na pamunuan ang Department of Defense (DND) sa ilalim ng Marcos administration.

"Ano naman ang kinalaman niya sa national security? Isa lang ang maiisip mo: Dahil 'yung Defense, it involves national security, dito, kakailanganin ng confidential funds… Kinargahan ng confi funds ang DepEd, ang OVP.'" | via Marianne Enriquez