Abbey M.

MANILA—President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. disclosed that he has been diagnosed with diverticulitis, which he attributed to extreme stress, but assured the public that his condition is stable.

In a video message, the President revealed his recent health issue while emphasizing that he is now feeling much better.

"I'm fine. I'm feeling very different from the way I was feeling before. The problem has been resolved. What happened was, apparently, I now have diverticulitis. It's a common complaint amongst, apparently, people who are heavily stressed and people who are, I have to admit, growing old," Marcos said.

The President also addressed his critics with a lighthearted message, downplaying concerns about the severity of his condition.

"Don't get too excited yet because it's not a life-threatening condition," Marcos said with a laugh.

When asked if there's anything to worry about, the President firmly responded: "Nothing. Don't worry. The rumors of my death are highly exaggerated."

Diverticulitis is an inflammatory condition affecting the digestive system, commonly linked to stress and aging. While it can cause discomfort, it is typically manageable with proper medical care.

The President's disclosure comes as he faces mounting political pressure, including two impeachment complaints and the ongoing flood control corruption scandal.

Despite his health concerns, Marcos reassured the public that he remains fit to carry out his duties as Chief Executive.

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With reports of Nel Maribojoc

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MANILA—Progressive group Bayan filed a second impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday, January 22, 2026 which Malacañang immediately dismissed as lacking solid evidence.

The complaint was endorsed by Makabayan bloc lawmakers and is expected to be mentioned on the House floor when Congress resumes session on Monday, January 26, 2026.

This accuses the President of large-scale plunder through alleged presidential and congressional allocations for pet projects in the national budget and abuse of unprogrammed appropriations to fund anomalous infrastructure projects.

This marks the second impeachment complaint against the President.

Palace rejects allegations

The Palace strongly maintained that President Marcos did not commit any impeachable offense and has not violated any laws.

"If these are going to be their accusations again, the President is confident that he has not violated any law and did not commit any impeachable offense," Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said.

["So, ganito lamang po ang kanilang mga magiging akusasyon, muli, malakas po ang loob ng ating Pangulo na wala po siyang nalabag na anumang batas at hindi po siya gumawa nang anumang impeachable offense."]

Castro challenged those filing the complaint to prove their allegations, particularly the so-called "BBM parametric formula" and claims of pork barrel.

"First of all, where is this BBM parametric formula they're talking about? They have to prove that. Second, regarding what you call pork barrel, we can prove through the President's actions that he took care of, we repeat, the President took care of the budget," Castro said.

She emphasized that accusations of abuse must be backed by concrete evidence.

"First of all, when they say abusive, they really need to prove it. If they cannot present any evidence in their complaint, they are simply making up stories, weaving narratives," Castro added.

["Unang-una po kasi kapag sinabi nilang abusive kailangan talagang i-prove ito. Kung wala naman po silang mailalagay na anumang pruweba sa kanilang complaint ay nagagawa lamang po sila ng kuwento, naghahabi ng istorya. “]

House proceedings

House Secretary General Atty. Cheloy Garafil confirmed that the first impeachment complaint has been transmitted to the office of House Speaker and Isabela 6th District Representative Faustino "Bojie" Dy III, signaling the start of the impeachment process under House rules.

House Assistant Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur 1st District Representative Zia Alonto Adiong said the impeachment complaint may be mentioned in the plenary once Congress resumes.

"I think the procedure would be that it would be calendared, meaning it will be mentioned in the open session once Congress resumes on the 26th," Adiong said.

Aside from Bayan, groups reportedly aligned with the Dutertes are also expected to file their own impeachment complaint.

The development comes as President Marcos faces mounting political pressure over the flood control corruption scandal and other governance issues.

With reports of Nel Maribojoc and Rosalie Coz

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MANILA—Former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co is reportedly signaling his intention to surrender according to Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

Secretary Remulla said the former lawmaker has been sending "surrender feelers" through priest acquaintances.

However, the secretary clarified that this information has not been verified.

"Not exactly, it's like he's trying to connect, he wants dialogue with us. But of course that's not verified. It's like someone just mentioned it, relayed by a friend of a friend," Remulla said.

[“Not exactly, parang nagpa-pakonekta, gusto ng dialogue sa amin pero of course that’s not verified, parang nagsabi pa lang, sinabi ng kaibigan ng kaibigan na pinaparating,”]

Despite the unconfirmed nature of the information, the secretary emphasized that the government is taking any indication of dialogue from the former legislator seriously.

Co was last monitored in Portugal, where he reportedly already has a Portuguese passport.

The former congressman has been implicated in the flood control corruption scandal and is among those facing charges related to anomalous infrastructure projects.

Authorities continue to monitor Co's whereabouts as legal proceedings move forward against individuals involved in the alleged multi-billion peso scheme.

MANILA—President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. spent the night under medical observation as a precautionary measure after experiencing discomfort, the Presidential Communications Office confirmed.

The PCO stated that the President's doctors advised rest and monitoring, and his condition remains stable.

"The President spent the night under medical observation as a precautionary measure after experiencing discomfort. His doctors advised rest and monitoring, and his condition remains stable," the office said in a statement.

Despite being under medical observation, President Marcos continued to carry out his responsibilities and has since returned to Malacañang.

The Palace has not disclosed further details about the nature of the discomfort or which medical facility the President was brought to.

This development comes as the President faces mounting challenges, including the ongoing flood control corruption scandal and the first impeachment complaint filed against him earlier this month.

The PCO assured the public that the President's condition is stable and he is resuming his duties at the presidential palace.

MANILA—Former Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. will receive no special treatment during his detention, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla clarified following his friend's surrender to authorities.

Secretary Remulla emphasized that the Sandiganbayan made the final decision on where Revilla should be detained, not the DILG.

Seven years after walking free from a four-year imprisonment over the pork barrel scam, Revilla returns to jail. However, this time he will not be held at the PNP Custodial Facility but at a different detention center.

Despite their decades-long friendship dating back to the 1980s in Cavite, Remulla stressed that duty takes precedence over personal relationships. Revilla's son currently serves as vice governor under Remulla's nephew, highlighting their deep political and personal ties.

“Matagal kaming magkasama ni Sen. Bong sa Cavite Ang anak niya ngayon ay vice governor ng pamangkin ko. We’ve been life-long friends ever since the 1980s matagal na kami magkaibgan but duty calls. There are not exceptions to the rule, kapag sinabi ng Sandigan to arrest him then ang best ko na magagawa is to advise him to surrender peacefully.” Remulla said.

["We've been together for a long time in Cavite. His son is now vice governor under my nephew. We've been lifelong friends ever since the 1980s, but duty calls. There are no exceptions to the rule. When the Sandiganbayan said to arrest him, the best I could do was advise him to surrender peacefully," ]

The Interior Secretary made it clear that while their friendship spans decades, the law applies equally to everyone regardless of personal connections.

Revilla surrendered following the issuance of an arrest warrant by the Sandiganbayan over his alleged involvement in a ghost flood control project in Bulacan. The case marks his return to detention facilities after being acquitted in 2018 of plunder charges related to the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam.

Remulla assured the public that all protocols and procedures are being followed strictly, with no preferential treatment extended to the former senator despite their personal relationship.

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