𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗔: "Discaya, umapela ng 'not guilty' plea sa graft at malversation case" ni Jhaebilyn B. Pallorina

 Disenyo ni: Erelah Janika Geniza

Inilathala ni: Shaina Pajarillo 

Petsang Inilathala: Pebrero 4, 2026

Oras na Inilathala: 10:20 AM

Nagpasok ng ‘not guilty’ plea ang kontratistang si Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, kasama ang siyam na iba pang akusado, sa kasong graft at malversation na may kaugnayan sa umano’y ₱96.5-milyong “ghost” flood control project sa Davao Occidental ngayong Martes, Enero 13, 2026.

Sa arraignment sa Regional Trial Court Branch 27 ng Lapu-Lapu City sa Cebu, naghain ng not guilty plea sina Discaya, ang St. Timothy Construction Corp. executive Maria Roma Angeline Rimando, at walong opisyal ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) sa harap ni Presiding Judge Nelson Leyco.

Si Discaya at ang kanyang mga kasama ay inakusahan ng pakikipagsabwatan para sa pagpapalabas ng ₱96.5 milyon para sa pagtatayo ng isang proyektong revetment sa Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental, na diumano’y “hindi kailanman naisagawa.”

Matapos ang kusang pagsuko ni Discaya sa National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) noong Disyembre 9, 2025, at ang kanyang paglilipat sa Mactan, Cebu upang harapin ang pormal na pagdinig sa kaso matapos mapasailalim sa kustodiya ng NBI, nagpatuloy ang legal na proseso sa korte.

Bago tuluyang umusad ang paglilitis, sinikap ng grupo ng mga akusado na muling ihain ang kanilang mga mosyon, iginiit na huli nilang natanggap ang resolusyon ng korte na nagbabasura sa kanilang mosyon na ipawalang-bisa ang kaso.

Humiling naman si Atty. Paul Sato, abogado ng mga opisyal ng DPWH, ng karagdagang panahon upang pag-aralan ang iba pang legal na opsyon na maaaring isagawa ng depensa. 

Gayunman, muling iginiit ng korte na maaari pa ring makinabang ang depensa sa mga umiiral na legal na remedyo sa kabila ng patuloy na pagdinig ng kaso.

Kasalukuyang pinag-aaralan ng defense team ang paghahain ng petisyon para sa certiorari o pag-akyat ng kaso sa mas mataas na hukuman, gayundin ang paghahain ng motion for reconsideration.

Samantala, umapela si Atty. Cornelio Samaniego III, abogado ni Rimando, para sa isang ocular inspection sa proyekto sa Davao Occidental upang mapatunayan na totoong naipatupad ang flood control project.

“The project was there, it was erected, it was built. So there’s no ghost project as alleged in the criminal information. Might as well have the ocular inspection para makita, kasi nagsasayang tayo ng oras dito kung nandoon naman talaga ang proyekto,” ani Samaniego.

Sa kabilang banda, iniutos ni Judge Leyco ang 90-araw na suspensyon ng mga opisyal ng DPWH na sangkot sa kaso, maliban sa isa na napaulat na nagretiro na sa serbisyo.

Nakatakda ang pre-trial hearing ng kaso sa Pebrero 3, 2026, alas-10 ng umaga.

MGA SANGGUNIAN:

[1] Gabinete, J. (2025, December 9). Sarah Discaya surrenders to NBI amid looming arrest warrant. PEP.ph. https://www.pep.ph/news/local/190035/sarah-discaya-surrenders-to-nbi-a734-20251209

[2] Peralta-Malonzo, T. ( 2025, December 19). Sarah Discaya now a detainee. sunstar.com.ph. https://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/sarah-discaya-now-a-detainee

[3] Perez, A. & Andales, V. (2026, January 13). Sarah Discaya pleads 'not guilty' to graft, malversation in 'ghost project' case. ABS-CBN.https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/1/13/sarah-discaya-arraignment-0953?fbclid=IwdGRjcAPS0RtjbGNrA9LQomV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHkRCr1Yn5j7POq6wiU3zpIUirQBRVhcFljoNYY6tJU2fb7bQ-INtmETgmrWi_aem_Ijdum9FbRVmOE0VImM4nJg

[4] Cordova, C. (2026, January 13). Sarah Discaya pleads not guilty to graft, malversation raps. Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2026/01/13/sarah-discaya-pleads-not-guilty-to-graft-malversation-raps

𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗦 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦: “Aurora Philippines Sweeps Alter Ego Esports, Seizes M7 Crown” By Dennise Ubalde

 

Layout by: Monique Baban

Published by: Shaina Pajarillo 

Date Published: February 2, 2026

Time Published: 2:10 PM

Aurora Philippines (RORA PH) delivered a historic performance on the world stage, sweeping hometown favorite Alter Ego Esports (AE), 4–0, to capture the M7 World Championship in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) at Jakarta, Indonesia on Sunday, January 25.

The dominant victory sealed the Philippines’ sixth consecutive M-series world title, further extending the country’s reign in international MLBB competition since Bren Esports’ breakthrough championship run at M2 in 2021.

Backed by disciplined execution and sharp in-game reads, Rora PH controlled the grand finals from the opening minute, silencing the Indonesian crowd and denying AE any momentum throughout the series.

Game 1 set the tone early as Rora PH absorbed AE’s aggressive openings and punished overextensions through crisp target control. With timely turtle takes and coordinated rotations, the Filipinos slowly choked the map, winning decisive mid-game team fights to claim the opener.

Momentum carried into Game 2, where Rora PH showcased superior draft preparation. Their lane matchups neutralized Alter Ego’s comfort picks, allowing Aurora’s core to scale freely. Every major engagement favored the Filipinos, who executed intact zoning and peel to double their series lead.

Rora’s championship composure shone brightest in Game 3. Rather than forcing early clashes, RORA PH opted for patience strategy, maintaining vision and continuously applying pressure across all lanes. Each attempted comeback by AE was pull apart by disciplined positioning and calculated counter engages.

The sweep was sealed in Game 4, where Rora PH fully unleashed its offensive rhythm. After winning a pivotal lord fight, the Filipinos marched down the midlane, to take apart Alter Ego’s remaining defenses and shattered the crystal to clinch the M7 crown in emphatic fashion.

Head coach Aniel “Master the Basics” Jiandani credited the victory to months of preparation and detailed opponent analysis, particularly Aurora’s study of Alter Ego’s lower bracket run.

“We were able to predict what Alter Ego was going to do because of what we saw from their matches in the lower bracket especially in draft and execution,” Jiandani said.

Beyond the championship itself, the triumph marked major milestones for several RORA PH players. Edward “Edward” Dapadap etched his name deeper into MLBB history, becoming only the fourth player to secure two M-series titles, a testament to his term and peak-performance.

Meanwhile, Jonard “Demonkite” Caranto and Dylan “Light” Catipon completed their championship collections. Both had previously tasted international success after winning MPL Philippines and the MSC 2022 title with Selangor Red Giants (SRG) Philippines, making the M7 crown the final piece in their decorated careers.

Aurora PH’s victory further reinforced the Philippines’ reputation as the world’s premier MLBB region not only in mechanical skill, but in strategy planning, drafting discipline and late game composure.

From Bren Esports’ M2 breakthrough to Fnatic ONIC Philippines’ flawless M6 campaign, Filipino teams have consistently defined the global meta, setting standards that other regions continue to chase.

As the M7 season concludes, Rora PH now turns its attention to the next competitive cycle with the goal of refining its strategies, sustaining excellence, and defending the country’s long-standing rule over the MLBB world stage.

REFERENCES :

[1] ABS-CBN Sports. (2026, January 25). Aurora Gaming extends PH dominance in MLBB, blanks Alter Ego to claim M7 crown. https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/esports/2026/1/25/aurora-gaming-extends-ph-dominance-in-mlbb-blanks-alter-ego-to-claim-m7-crown-2211

[2] Philstar.com. (2026, January 26). Aurora Gaming PH stuns home bet to rule M7 World Championship in Indonesia. https://www.philstar.com/sports/2026/01/26/2503607/aurora-gaming-ph-stuns-home-bet-rule-m7-world-championship-indonesia

𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗞𝗔𝗡: “Buntong Hininga" ni Lyn Axzel G. Ganaba

 

Inilathala ni: Jellyssa Boniza

Petsang Inilathala: Pebrero 2, 2026

Oras na Inilathala: 1:53 PM

Kategorya: Tula

Tema: Ang hangganang espasyo kung saan nananatili ang mga alaala.

 

Ayon sa siyensya, 

may munting espasyo raw sa pagitan ng utak at bungo—

isang manipis na espasyong, tila buntong-hiningang

hindi matukoy ng kahit ano. 

Sa munting puwang na ito,

dito raw nagmumula ang balintataw ng ating mga alaala, 

mga larawang dumadaan sa isip,

parang aninong sumasalamin sa mata,

mga sandaling nakikita ngunit hindi nahahawakan,

at mga ngiting hindi kailanman makukuha ng litrato.

Ngunit kung tunay ngang may puwang

sa pagitan ng isip at bungo,

bakit tila lalong sumisikip ito?

na kung saan doon mismo nakaipit ang mga sandaling gusto nang isuko.

At kung sakaling ipinanganak tayong 

mas malaki ang pagitan ng isip at bungo, 

mas maluwag kaya ang daraanan ng mga alaala—

pauwi sa pintuan ng kahapon? 

O baka kahit gaano kalawak ang espasyo, 

may mga alaala pa ring mananatiling nakabitin— 

mga ngiting minsang naging atin,

at kahit pilitin,

hindi na ito kailanman mahahawakan.

𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗥𝗬: “The Privilege of Not Knowing” by Gee Anne Robles

 

Published by: Jadelynn Arnigo

Date Published: February 2, 2026

Time Published: 8:49 AM

Category: Prose

Theme: Loss of Innocence and the Burden of Harsh Reality

There was a time when the world felt gentle—when mornings smelled like hope and the days stretched endlessly without reason to rush. Back then, my biggest worry was finishing homework before sunset, not whether the future would be kind to me. I thought adulthood meant freedom; staying out late, choosing my own path, having control. But I was wrong. What I thought was freedom was really a burden disguised as choice—a constant cycle of decisions that cost too much, emotionally and otherwise. I miss the privilege of not knowing how the world truly works, of believing that life was fair, that hard work was enough, that the good always triumphed.

Ignorance, I now realize, was a kind of peace. It wasn’t stupidity—it was innocence. A soft place to rest, untouched by reality’s harsh edges. I didn’t understand what it meant to work endlessly and still not get ahead. I didn’t know that people could smile while plotting your downfall. I thought justice was blind, that kindness was its own reward, that dreams only required effort. But now I see the world for what it is—a place where systems favor the loud, where silence is mistaken for weakness, and where survival too often replaces living.

Growing up feels like slowly losing the color in everything. You start to see behind the curtain—the way money bends morality, how exhaustion becomes routine, and how so many people wear masks just to get through the day. The magic you once saw in people fades when you realize how easily they can choose convenience over compassion. You learn that apologies don’t always mean change, and that promises, no matter how sincere, can still break without reason.

Sometimes, I envy the child I once was—the one who could still look at the sky and believe it meant something, who thought home would always feel safe, who didn’t question whether people meant their words. That version of me lived lightly, unafraid of what tomorrow might bring, untouched by the ache of understanding. I miss that kind of blindness, the bliss of not having to see the cracks beneath the surface of everything.

Now, I wake up and feel the weight of knowing—the headlines, the bills, the quiet fears about the future. The world no longer feels big and full of wonder; it feels heavy and uncertain. I still laugh, still hope, but it’s a different kind of hope now—one that exists not because I believe everything will be okay, but because I need to believe it just to keep going.

I miss not knowing how cruel the world can be. I miss believing that good things always come to good people. I miss thinking love could fix what’s broken. But most of all, I miss that younger version of me—the one who didn’t carry the weight of understanding, the one who found peace in simply not knowing.

And sometimes, as the world presses harder, I wish I could return to that old innocence—like stepping back into a warm room after years of standing in the cold, even just long enough to remember what warmth felt like.

𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗥𝗬: "Strangers by Time" by Kyla Joy Pontiga

 

Layout by: Mark Louie Pocot

Published by: Keshia Gwyneth Esposa

Date Published: January 30, 2026

Time Published: 5:19 PM

Category: Poetry

Theme: Lost love and the pain of wrong timing.

Staring at the pale white ceiling, 

Drowning in thoughts and wishful thinking. 

The sun slips in with softest gleaming—

It finds my heart still longing of us. 

Your eyes once filled with light sincere, 

Now glimmer softly when they ache.

Your smile that used to warm my days,

Has slowly learned how to fade away. 

Time kept moving; so are we. 

Losing rhythm where our heartbeat lies. 

Like the rain falls when the flowers have died, 

or playing the right song when silence replied.

Footsteps echo where we once stood, 

Paths that crossed, through hearts once understood.

Had fate been gentler, with just a sign 

Perhaps our souls would still entwine.

Now, all that remains are trembling strings

Pretending it's you who sings. 

May this melody of regret and pain, 

Fade with the night and not remain.

𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗞𝗔𝗡: “Ang Paninindigan ng Isang Tinig” ni Hayden Jam R. Recto

 

               

Inilathala ni: Kyla Shane Recullo

Petsang inilathala: Enero 30, 2026

Oras na inilathala: 3:56 PM

Kategorya: Tula 

Tema: Tinig ng Kabataan bilang Katalista ng Pagbabago

Sa Gitna ng Ingay, May Tinig

Naglalakad ako sa kalye

kung saan ang bitak ng semento

ay tila mapa ng mga pangakong napako.

Sa bawat hakbang, may sigaw ang hangin—

hindi galit, kundi pag-asang

matagal nang naghihintay ng makikinig.

May mga plakard na mas mabigat

kaysa sa karton na bumubuhat dito,

sapagkat karga nila ang gutom,

ang pagod,

ang tanong kung hanggang kailan

kami mananatiling tahimik.

Sa gitna ng rally,

ang aking tinig ay nagiging paninindigan—

hindi para manakot.

Sapagkat kahit paulit-ulit ang maling ikot,

may kabataang humahawak sa paniniwalang

maaari itong maputol.

Sa social media,

kami’y tinatawag na maingay,

padalos-dalos,

ngunit hindi nila naririnig

ang katahimikang aming nilunok

bago kami natutong magsalita.

Lumaban ako nang may takot,

ngunit mas lumakas ang pag-asa.

Dahil sa kabila ng dilim ng balita

at bigat ng kasaysayan,

patuloy kaming naghahanap ng hustisya—

hindi lang para sa amin,

kundi para sa mga susunod pang tatahak sa kalyeng ito.

Kaya makinig ka.

Ito ang tinig ng kabataang may paninindigan.

Hindi kami perpekto,

ngunit kami’y gising.

At hangga’t may mali,

kami’y kikilos—

dahil ang pag-asa,

kapag pinagsama-sama,

ay nagiging pagbabago.

𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗦 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦: “Liquid PH Shows Composure After SRG Loss as M7 Playoffs Heat Up”by Dennise Ubalde

 

Published by: Rich Antonette Pescasiosa 

Date Published: January 30, 2026

Time Published: 7:59 AM

Team Liquid Philippines showed composure in defeat after absorbing a tough loss to Selangor Red Giants (SRG) in the upper bracket of the Swiss Stage of the M7 World Championship, an international Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) tournament, and later kept its title hopes alive by defeating ONIC Indonesia in a lower bracket match as the competition intensifies in Jakarta, Indonesia on Wednesday, Jan 22.

Liquid’s campaign through the Swiss Stage tested the Filipino squad against some of the world’s best, with early games marked by disciplined rotations, controlled engagements, and solid map awareness. Despite those strengths, SRG capitalized on key objectives and late-game teamfight execution to secure a series victory. Rather than letting the result define their tournament, Team Liquid treated the match as a benchmark to sharpen strategy and execution for the rounds that followed.

After regrouping from the SRG setback, Team Liquid PH responded with a confident performance in the lower bracket against ONIC Indonesia, notching a 3–1 series win. Throughout the matchup, Liquid’s improved objective control, communication, and tempo management kept the Indonesian squad on the defensive and extended Liquid’s run deeper into the playoffs, showing resilience and adaptability under pressure.

Coaches and players emphasized trust and consistency as hallmarks of the team’s identity, noting that the ability to remain calM even after tough losses has helped the squad stay competitive on the world stage. Veteran leadership played a key role in keeping the lineup steady in high-stakes situations, and the adjustments made after the Swiss Stage loss appeared to pay dividends against ONIC.

While Team Liquid PH continues its lower bracket journey, fellow Filipino squad Aurora Gaming PH has already secured a spot in the upper bracket finals and clinched a place in the M7 grand finals, reaffirming the Philippines’ strong presence at the tournament. Aurora’s gritty performance and late-game fight wins have energized Filipino fans and added further spotlight to the country’s esports scene.

As the M7 World Championship approaches its final stages, Team Liquid PH remains focused on improving objective control, late-game decision-making, and strategic adaptability. With lessons drawn from both loss and victory, the team aims to deepen its playoff run and prove that it belongs among the elite of international Mobile Legends competition.

 References:

[1] Ambat, P. (2026, January 22). M7: Team Liquid PH eliminates ONIC Indonesia, advances to upper bracket QF. OneSports.PH. https://www.onesports.ph/esports/article/40404/m7-team-liquid-ph-dominates-onic‑indonesia‑advances‑to‑lower‑bracket‑qf 

[2] Ubaldo, J. E. (2026, January 22). Team Liquid survives ONIC, advances to M7 lower bracket quarters. Tiebreaker Times. https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/team-liquid-survives-onic-advances-to-m7-lower-bracket-quarters/363080 

[3] Saldajeno, I. (2026, January 22). Liquid ousts ONIC ID from M7 with dominant performance. Dugout Philippines. https://www.dugout.ph/2026/01/liquid-ousts-onic-id-from-m7-with.html