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Senator Jose 'Jinggoy' Estrada on Monday maintained his innocence in the plunder charges filed against him, alleging that the case is part of a political effort to weaken the Senate bloc aligned with Vice President Sara Duterte. Estrada claimed he had received several offers to have the plunder and graft cases dropped if he agreed to leave the new Senate majority coalition but rejected them. Estrada said he cannot sacrifice the independence of the Senate to improve my personal circumstances. The beleaguered lawmaker framed the plunder case as an assault on the autonomy of the Senate, which “must remain free from political coercion, free from undue influence, and free from any scheme designed to weaken its constitutional role as a co-equal and independent branch of government.”

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said he led the police on Monday to arrest Senator Jose 'Jinggoy' Estrada at the Senate following the issuance of an arrest warrant in a plunder case, despite objections from Senate leaders. Remulla said authorities moved swiftly to enforce the warrant to avoid a repeat of the escape of Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa. He noted that the Sandiganbayan did not recommend bail for Estrada and four co-accused. Former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan has surrendered to authorities but was taken to a hospital for medical treatment, Remulla added.

The Department of Energy (DOE) confirmed this week will see broad price rollbacks, with reductions starting at P4.76 per liter for gasoline, P9.26 for diesel, and P10.86 for kerosene.

AC Health has launched the first St. Joseph Drug Powered by Sugi store at One Ayala in Manila, blending local healthcare knowledge with Japan’s wellness expertise.

Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday formally answered the impeachment charges filed by the House of Representatives, with her legal team submitting a 50-page response before the Senate that seeks the case’s immediate dismissal. According to spokesperson Michael Poa, the filing challenges the impeachment proceedings on several grounds, including alleged defects and constitutional infirmities in House procedures, deficiencies in the substance of the complaint, and questions over the admissibility of evidence. The House earlier impeached Duterte over allegations of unexplained wealth, high crimes, and misuse of public funds, accusations she has consistently denied.