Nearly 60 kilos of marijuana seized in Tawi-TawiThe 58 kilos of marijuana seized from cohort Filipino and Malaysian dealers entrapped in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi are now in the custody of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Members of the Bangsamoro parliament are to set up anti-narcotics measures for regional application in support of efforts of the police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in preventing the trafficking of illegal drugs in all five provinces and three cities in the autonomous region. Yacob, who had studied Sharia jurisprudence at the International Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia, said addiction to illegal drugs is “haram,” or forbidden in Islam. Recites said local executives, among them Gov. Ysmael Sali, officials of different units in Tawi-Tawi of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, and the Navy’s 4th Marine Battalion supported the operation that resulted in the detention of the duo and confiscation of P79.8 million worth of marijuana from them.

Marcos free to attend or forgo House impeachment hearingsMANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. may or may not attend the House justice committee hearings on the impeachment complaints filed against him. Should the justice committee find the complaints sufficient in form and substance, then the panel will submit a committee report to the plenary for voting. If the panel recommends impeaching Marcos, a one-third vote of all House members is required for it to proceed to trial. Since the complaints were already referred to the justice committee, the impeachment proceedings are deemed initiated, and the one-year bar rule has been triggered. This means no other impeachment complaints against the president will be entertained for a year.

Countdown to CNY: New Year prospects for people born in the Year of the Horse

"The service enables applicants to complete the entire visa submission process without leaving the comfort of their home or their location." Most notably, the " Visa at Your Doorstep " service registered a 62% increase in demand. According to Atul Lall, regional head of VFS Global North Asia, the landscape of visa applications in the Philippines is shifting rapidly toward personalized solutions. Visa at Your Doorstep allows applicants to submit their visa application, including biometrics, from their home or any location. "Visa applicants have been more receptive to services such as Premium Lounge and Prime Time, which offer flexibility and personalization to submit their visas with ease," Lall said.

Countdown to CNY: New Year prospects for people born in the Year of the Horse

Photo by ZAIN JAAFAR / AFP Commuters walk past members of Israeli security forces during a military raid in the neighbourhood of Kafr Aqab near Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on January 26, 2026.

Military verifying Ukraine report of Filipino killed fighting for RussiaUkrainian priests stand as mourners light flares during the funeral ceremony of Artur Vilchynskyi, a Ukrainian soldier of the "Barracuda" air reconnaissance unit who was recently killed in action in the Chernihiv region, at the National Military Memorial Cemetery near Kyiv on November 28, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines is trying to confirm reports that a Filipino was killed while fighting for Russia in Ukraine. The report says Patrick was serving in Russia's 283rd Regiment when he was killed during an assault near Novoselivka village. Ukraine's Defense Intelligence says data from Patrick's devices showed he got one week of training before being sent to fight. Ukrainian officials have said Russia is recruiting thousands of foreign nationals to fight in Ukraine, often through deception.

Aleson Shipping Lines' fleet grounded after Basilan RoRo sinkingMANILA, Philippines — The operations of Aleson Shipping Lines has been suspended following the sinking of the MV Trisha Kerstin 3, which left at least 18 people dead, including a 6-month-old baby. The Aleson's MV Trisha Kerstin 3 was en route to Jolo, Sulu when it sank in the waters off Basilan. Pending the investigation, Aleson Shipping Lines is not allowed to operate passenger vessels. "We are grounding the entire passenger fleet of Aleson Shipping Lines," Lopez said. Aleson Shipping Lines has been involved in at least 32 maritime incidents since 2019, Lopez added.

Countdown to CNY: New Year prospects for people born in the Year of the Horse

Meta, TikTok and YouTube face landmark trial over youth addiction claimsFILE - Attendees visit the Meta booth at the Game Developers Conference 2023 in San Francisco on March 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Countdown to CNY: New Year prospects for people born in the Year of the Horse

Oil sheen found near MV Trisha Kerstin 3Oil sheen seen in the waters near where MV Trisha Kerstin was sunk during an aerial surveillance done by the Philippine Coast Guard on Jan. 27, 2026. MANILA, Philippines — An oil sheen has been spotted in the waters near where the MV Trisha Kerstin sank. In a message to reporters on Tuesday, January 27, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Spokesperson Noemi Cyabyab said that the PCG observed an oil sheen during its aerial surveillance. Earlier, the Department of Transportation grounded the shipping lines of the MV Trisha Kerstin’s operator, Aleson Shipping Lines, while the PCG and the Maritime Industry Authority are investigating the incident. On January 26, Aleson’s MV Trisha Kerstin 3 was en route to Jolo, Sulu, when it sank in the waters off Basilan.

Countdown to CNY: New Year prospects for people born in the Year of the Horse

At Yiwu International Trade City, China’s largest wholesale market, customers crowd into a small shop searching for an unlikely bestseller ahead of the Lunar New Year. They are looking for a red plush horse with a downturned mouth, a gold bell around its neck, and eyes that appear to shy away from a viewer’s gaze. The toy has gone viral on Chinese social media ahead of the Spring Festival holiday, which this year marks the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac. Called the “crying horse” by online users, the toy was designed as a happy-faced Lunar New Year decoration, but a manufacturing mistake turned its smile into a frown. “A worker sewed the mouth on upside down by accident,” said Zhang Huoqing, owner of the Yiwu-based shop Happy Sister.

FDA: No one jailed yet over unregistered health productsSen. Raffy Tulfo slams the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) during Tuesday’s public hearing, January 27, 2026, of the Committee on Health and Demography. MANILA, Philippines — Senators on Tuesday slammed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over their failure to imprison bad actors who sell fake or unregistered medical products. During the hearing of the Committee on Health and Demography, Sen. Erwin Tulfo questioned FDA officials if they have been able to file cases and imprison the sellers of fake or unregistered products. FDA Director General Paolo Teston said that the FDA has been able to file around 3,000 administrative cases. Meanwhile, Sen. Raffy Tulfo slammed the FDA for allowing the proliferation of fake and unregistered goods online and in physical stores.