Abbey M.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to depart for Canada from July 1 to July 4, 2026 for an official visit.

During the visit, President Marcos Jr. will hold a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Joseph Carney to discuss various areas of cooperation, including defense and security, and trade and investments.

President Marcos will also promote various opportunities in the Philippines during his engagement with Canadian business leaders and investors.

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Senator Jinggoy Estrada's salary and other Senate benefits have been temporarily suspended in connection with his 90-day preventive suspension imposed by the Sandiganbayan.

Senate Secretary Atty. Renato Bantug Jr. confirmed that the suspension of the senator's compensation runs concurrent with his preventive suspension, though the operations of Estrada's office will continue during this period.

The resolution issued by the Sandiganbayan Second Division has already taken effect.

"The Senate President officially notified the office of Senator Estrada that the suspension order issued by the Sandiganbayan will be implemented, or was implemented, beginning Monday, June 22. The salaries and benefits will have to be suspended because you are not allowed to perform your functions in office," Bantug said.

(Opisyal na ipinaalam ng Senate President sa tanggapan ni Senator Estrada na ang kautusan ng suspension na inilabas ng Sandiganbayan ay ipapatupad, o ipinatupad na, simula Lunes, Hunyo 22. Ang mga sahod at benepisyo ay kailangang suspindihin dahil hindi ka pinahihintulutang gampanan ang iyong mga tungkulin sa opisina.)

Estrada was placed under suspension by the Sandiganbayan in connection with a graft case stemming from a flood control scandal. The court ordered his suspension from his current position as a legislator and from any other public position he may hold.

Bantug Jr. clarified, however, that the operations of the senator's office will not be halted during the suspension period.

"The suspension is automatically lifted after 90 days, so the office is still there. The staff can still continue to function because at a certain point the suspension will be lifted. I'll be submitting my recommendation to the Senate President regarding those matters," Bantug added.

(Awtomatikong maaangat ang suspension pagkatapos ng 90 araw, kaya naman nandoon pa rin ang opisina. Maaari pa ring magpatuloy ang mga kawani dahil sa isang punto ay maaangat na ang suspension. Isusumite ko ang aking rekomendasyon sa Senate President tungkol sa mga bagay na iyon.)

It is worth noting that even before his arrest and suspension, Estrada had already put his salary as a legislator on hold while he was reportedly clearing his name in the case, citing this as proof that he had no intention of benefiting from public funds.

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Calls for tighter oversight of social media platforms have renewed following a violent incident at a school in Tacloban City, Leyte.

House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability Chairperson and Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua urged the government to regulate social media platforms to protect the moral values of the youth.

Chua said the root of growing youth violence is not merely a matter of law or the age of accountability, but the gradual erosion of moral values and moral compass in society.

He noted that social media has a significant influence on young people, where exposure to profanity, threats, and inappropriate behavior has become normalized.

"Sa akin pong paniniwala, hindi problema ang batas. Ang problema ay yung ating nawawalang moral values. Dapat yung pag-aralan natin, i-regulate na rin yan. Ito actually concerted effort ito ng gobyerno, at saka ng private sector lalong-lalo na yung mga Kabataan, yung mga magulang, ang eskwelahan, Malaki ang magiging papel ng bawat isa."

(In my belief, the problem is not the law. The problem is our eroding moral values. We should study how to regulate that as well. This is actually a concerted effort of the government, the private sector, especially the youth, the parents, the schools. Each one will play a big role.)

Chua clarified that he does not seek to suppress access to the internet, but rather to push for oversight of content that is harmful to the character and behavior of Filipinos.

Among his proposals is requiring a franchise for social media platforms operating in the country.

"Hindi naman natin isu-suppress yung social media. Ang isusupress natin yung laman. Panahon na. Dahil kung wala, nakikita natin. Dahil ito hindi lang usapin dito, hindi lamang yung sa gobyerno, ang usapin na rin dito yung moralidad na naidudulot na ito sa mga kabataan, yung mga values na dapat."

(We will not suppress social media. What we will suppress is the content. The time has come. Because if there is none, we can see what happens. Because this is not just a government issue — it is also about the morality being imparted to the youth, the values that they should have.)

Chua reiterated his call for a concerted effort from the government, private sector, schools, and most especially parents to correct the harmful behavior children are learning online.

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The pre-trial conference of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte was formally concluded on the evening of June 25.

However, the box from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) containing the tax records of Vice President Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases Carpio, remained sealed and unmarked.

Senate Secretary and Clerk of Court Atty. Renato Bantug Jr. declared the conference closed after the marking of evidence related to the Articles of Impeachment was completed.

"There are being no further matters at this stage, this pre-trial conference is hereby concluded," Bantug said.

Lead House Public Prosecutor and Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro said the prosecution had wanted the box opened to determine its exact contents.

"This is very relevant because we will be able to know to present before the impeachment court the lawful personal income of the respondent and the spouse, no, and by knowing their lawful income, eh, baka ma-justify nila yung mga acquisitions which will be seen also in the other documents of the prosecution, noh," Luistro said.

(This is very relevant because we will be able to know to present before the impeachment court the lawful personal income of the respondent and the spouse, and by knowing their lawful income, they might be able to justify their acquisitions which will be seen also in the other documents of the prosecution.)

However, the defense reportedly objected strongly to both the opening and the marking of the sealed box, invoking due process.

Luistro pushed back on the objection, saying no rights were being violated by the mere act of marking.

"But nevertheless, the defense registered their vehement objection to the opening. They invoke due process, kahit wala namang nalalabag na karapatan dito, because this is just a marking of exhibit. Ako nagtataka kung ano kayang nakakatakot sa pagmamarka ng seal box. Silyado nga ang pinamamarkahan ng prosecution because they do not want to open the box," she said.

(But nevertheless, the defense registered their vehement objection to the opening. They invoke due process, even though no right is being violated here, because this is just a marking of an exhibit. I wonder what is so frightening about marking a sealed box. It is the sealed box that the prosecution is marking, because they do not want to open the box.)

With the defense's objections on record, Luistro said the question of whether or not to open the BIR box will now be left to the impeachment court to decide.

"Ang pinamamarkahan na lang is yung sealed box, so that we will just be submitting to the impeachment court the issue of whether to open or not the BIR box. But sadly, they oppose the opening of the BIR box. They opposed as well the marking of the sealed BIR box," Luistro added.

(What is being marked now is just the sealed box, so that we will just be submitting to the impeachment court the issue of whether to open or not the BIR box. But sadly, they oppose the opening of the BIR box. They opposed as well the marking of the sealed BIR box.)

For the prosecutors, the contents of the box are considered crucial as these may contain information relevant to the allegations in the impeachment, including VP Duterte's alleged unexplained wealth.

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The court sheriff who was allegedly punched by Vice President Sara Duterte when she was still mayor of Davao City has been named as one of the prosecution's witnesses in her impeachment trial.

According to a copy of the prosecution team's pre-trial brief, Abe Andres is among the witnesses for the article involving serious threats against the lives of the President, the First Lady, and former House Speaker.

Andres is identified as the court sheriff who was allegedly punched by VP Duterte during a demolition operation in Davao City. His testimony is intended to establish that the respondent has a tendency to use violence.

A psychiatrist and a relative of the victim of the alleged threats have also been listed as reserve witnesses for the prosecution under the same article.

On documentary evidence, the prosecution has included as reserve evidence the list of firearms registered to VP Duterte with the Philippine National Police. This aims to prove that the respondent owns several firearms, including high-caliber ones, and has the capability and capacity to carry out the threats.

House lead impeachment prosecutor and Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro declined to elaborate on the details of the prosecution's witnesses, saying the public should wait for the senate impeachment court to issue its pre-trial order.

"All possible witnesses of the prosecution were listed already in our Pre-Trial Brief as who these witnesses are, let us all wait for the issuance of the Pre-Trial Order sapagkat kahit nalista yan sa PTB, kung hindi naman incorporate sa Pre-Trial Order then that will not be binding." (because even if it is listed in the PTB, if it is not incorporated in the Pre-Trial Order, then that will not be binding.)

Luistro also reiterated the importance of VP Duterte appearing before the senate impeachment court once the trial begins.

"Appearing before the impeachment court is likewise a constitutional duty which public officials must comply. This is what we meant by public office is a public trust and public officials must be accountable to the people at all times."

Should the vice president fail to appear, this would result in a not guilty plea being entered on her behalf in the impeachment case.

VP Duterte's defense counsel, Atty. Michael Poa, had previously maintained that they themselves would advise their client to appear in court when necessary.

"Kasi parati nating sinasabi na hindi humaharap si Vice President. But what we're doing now is pagharap sa mga alegasyon. What they're pushing for is a physical appearance. So, ang sa atin, kung dumating yung circumstance na kailangan niya humarap, we will be the ones who advise the clients na kailangan niya humarap. At doon natin malalaman kung haharap siya o hindi physically." (Because we always say that the Vice President is not appearing. But what we are doing now is addressing the allegations. What they are pushing for is a physical appearance. So, for our part, if the circumstance arises that she needs to appear, we will be the ones to advise the client that she needs to appear. And that is when we will know whether she will appear physically or not.)

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