Abbey M.

United States President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to Iran, saying the country is running out of time.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared that Iran must act, warning that there would be nothing left of the country if it fails to do so.

The U.S. leader had earlier signaled his willingness to accept a 20-year suspension of Tehran's nuclear program in place of a complete halt.

"They fully agreed no nuclear and if they have any nuclear of any form, I don't read the rest of the 20 years is not enough for you. It's got to be a No, 20 years is enough. But the level of guarantee from them is uh in other words, it's got to be a real 20 years," Trump said.

Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano defended his leadership amid growing calls for him to step down following the shooting incident at the Senate.

Cayetano maintained that the Senate cannot be made "submissive" or controlled under his leadership, rejecting the calls for his resignation as politically motivated.

According to the Senate leader, the moves to oust him are driven by those who want someone they can control at the helm of the chamber.

He stressed that the Senate, as an institution, will not be shaken by these pressures.

"Hindi niyo matitibag ang Senado," Cayetano told the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

("The Senate cannot be brought down.")

Cayetano assumed the Senate presidency on May 11 after replacing Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III. He has since faced mounting criticism over the May 13 shooting incident inside the Senate building and over the Senate's protective custody of Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, who is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) does not consider as a failure the missed opportunity to arrest Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa who is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

NBI Director Melvin Matibag said the bureau is aware of the processes and laws that must be followed before carrying out its mission.

He noted that Sen. Dela Rosa also has a pending petition before the Supreme Court against the ICC arrest warrant issued against him.

"We all know there is an ongoing case at the Supreme Court, and although there is no TRO yet, from the point of view of lawyers like those at the DOJ, a three-day or 72-hour period was given for the camp of the government and of Sen. Bato to respond. We believe the Supreme Court will issue a swift resolution, and it is better for us not to act in a manner that does not align with the direction the court will take," Matibag said.

The NBI chief added that the bureau holds the Senate in high regard as an institution, which is why its agents cannot simply enter its premises without proper coordination.

"And when the Senate declared protective custody over Sen. Bato, we thought it best to respect what the Senate said because our respect for our co-equal branch is there," he said.

After Sen. Dela Rosa leaves the Senate, the NBI will coordinate with other agencies and with the Senate itself to determine its next steps.

"There will be inter-agency collaboration with the PNP, NBI, and the law enforcement agencies. The DOJ, PCTC, of course always in coordination with the Office of the President, before we can issue a statement on what will surely be done," Matibag said.

The Senate is preparing to convene as an impeachment court on May 18, 2026, following the formal acceptance of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano said.

To ensure that the legislature's regular work is not disrupted, the chamber is considering a "marathon hearing" schedule for the impeachment trial or extending session hours into the evening.

Cayetano emphasized that the majority bloc intends to stick to the established rules in order to maintain objectivity and avoid delays.

"Once you convene and issue the summons, it will proceed straight. You just follow the number of days. So there will be no delay. Whatever is in the rules, whatever is in the constitution, that's it. Trial proper maybe in June? I don't want to preempt the calendar. But if it's 15 days, so we will follow. Actually, what we're doing now after the meeting, then seeing you, we're going to make a draft calendar. So the calendar will not be based on anything that is discretionary. It will be based on objectivity. So if it's stated in the rules,  this number of days to answer, this number of days to respond,  then trial immediately," Cayetano said.

The Senate President clarified that no changes to the impeachment rules will come from the majority bloc, citing a meeting they held the previous night.

"I'm saying it won't come from the majority because we had a meeting last night. We are happy with the former rules. Whatever good rules were used in past impeachments are good for us now. However, I cannot remove the right of each senator to stand. The problem is, it will be delayed if we still change the rules because they would need to be published again. But from the majority — that's why in the letter, I just wanted to be safe," he added.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief PGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has approved the dismissal from service of seven police officers allegedly involved in the theft of evidence money confiscated during an operation against an illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Bagac, Bataan in 2024.

The seven officers, formerly assigned to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), were removed from service after some P13 million worth of evidence money went missing.

Among those dismissed is then cash evidence custodian Police Lt. Col. Joey Arandia, along with six others.

The dismissal stems from administrative cases for grave misconduct, grave dishonesty, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.

According to the report, the incident took place in October 2024 when the CIDG conducted an operation against a POGO at the One Bataan Compound in the town of Bagac. The operation yielded P141 million in cash.

More than a year later, the court issued an omnibus order for the return of the money. On November 20, 2025, CIDG operatives returned the funds, but the amount was short by more than P13 million. The missing amount was allegedly replaced with boodle money.

The police investigation revealed that the dismissed officers divided the missing P13 million among themselves.