By Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star)

More than 100 individuals, including five Supreme Court (SC) justices and journalists, are being eyed as prosecution witnesses in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

The prosecution panel, led by Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas, hopes to have the witnesses testify against Corona for culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.

By Jay Ruiz, RG Cruz, Danny Buenafe, ABS-CBN News

Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio "Iggy" Tuason Arroyo Jr.'s common-law wife, Grace Ibuna, may be sued by the late lawmaker's legal wife for allegedly giving the go-signal to pull the plug on their clinically-dead husband.

Alicia Arroyo's lawyer, Lorna Kapunan, said they are planning to file charges against Ibuna for declaring that he is the legal wife of Iggy.

By JVP, GMA News

Powerade thwarted Talk 'N Text's sweep bid in the 37th PBA Philippine Cup Finals, winning Friday night's Game Four, 100-97, at the Araneta Coliseum.

Sean Anthony buried a pressure-packed jumper with 39.8 seconds left to break the game's final deadlock and put the Tigers in front for good, 99-97.

By NICK GIONGCO, Manila Bulletin

Manny Pacquiao has narrowed down his choice to Miguel Cotto and Tim Bradley after being told that it’s becoming hopeless to aspire for a super showdown with Floyd Mayweather in the near future.

Pacquiao told the Bulletin that Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum is working hard to put a deal in place for a June 9 fight in Las Vegas and that while Cotto is the lead candidate to land the lucrative payday, Bradley is not far behind.

By InterAKTV

Gary David has finally arrived. The Powerade scoring dynamo was named the Best Player of the Conference for the PBA Philippine Cup on Friday, beating Petron Blaze’s all-around forward Arwind Santos in a tight race.

David bested Santos, the statistical points leader, to become just the third player from the Coca-Cola franchise to win the award after Jeffrey Cariaso (2002 All-Filipino Conference) and Rudy Hatfield (2003 Reinforced Conference).

By Abac Cordero (The Philippine Star)

Manny Pacquiao will fight anybody Bob Arum puts in front of him. “Kahit sino. Basta boxer (Anybody. As long as he’s a boxer),” said Pacquiao, who must have gotten sick and tired of all the talks surrounding a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Pacquiao had said a hundred times he wants the fight. But he can’t seem to understand why the undefeated American can’t agree to a 50-50 split of the purse.

By Agence France-Presse

The Philippines said Friday it would accept a greater US military presence on its territory to help defend its interests and ensure peace in the region, amid rising tensions with China.

As US and Philippine officials opened talks in Washington for expanded military cooperation that's seen to provide counter-balance to China's growing presence in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the Philippines wanted more joint exercises with its former colonial ruler and to have a greater number of US troops rotating through the Southeast Asian country.

By MARIO B. CASAYURAN, Manila Bulletin

Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo deserves to be treated with civility and dignity, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said Friday. Enrile was reacting to the demand of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that Mrs. Arroyo, if found physically fit by doctors, should be transferred from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City to an ordinary jail.

“We should respect the former President, whatever you may say about her or him. We must treat her with a certain degree of civility and dignity,” Enrile said.

By Carla P. Gomez, Jerome Aning, Inquirer Visayas

Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo has dispatched the daughter of his brother, Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo to London to take charge of the arrangements for the homecoming of his youngest brother, a spokesperson for the family on Friday said.

Ignacio, 61, had been staying in London the past year while being treated for cirrhosis of the liver at a private hospital. He was earlier declared clinically dead on Thursday after suffering a heart attack on Wednesday.

By ABS-CBNnews.com

Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello wants the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate Supreme Court Spokesman and Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez for alleged abuse of power.

In a 3-page letter addressed to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, Bello said: “Mr. Marquez’ position has given him a unique opportunity, one that he has squandered.

By KIMBERLY JAN TAN, GMA News

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Friday said that the impeachment cannot disqualify Senator Franklin Drilon from the proceedings, even if defense is accusing him pf bias against their client.

"Hindi puwede. He is an elected representative of the people. Under the Constitution, he is entitled to seat in all proceedings of the Senate unless he is removed in accordance with our rules on ethics," Enrile told reporters in an interview on Friday.

by William B. Depasupil, Manila Times

THE Department of National Defense (DND) has ticked off a total of 138 projects geared toward the acquisition of major defense materiel in accordance with the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Friday disclosed the listing in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City during the launch of the defense acquisition system in the presence of the military chief of staff and all the commanders of the three major commands—Army, Navy and Air Force—saying that he wanted all the projects sealed within the year.

By Jerome Aning, Philippine Daily Inquirer

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) on Friday said that after seven days of the impeachment trial, the prosecution still fell short in proving the alleged ill-gotten wealth of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

In a bulletin issued as part of its “independent” monitoring of the trial, the IBP said the prosecution’s comparison of Corona’s income tax returns (ITRs) with his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) would not suffice to show prima facie presumption of guilt that would warrant his conviction.

by Sammy Martin, Manila Times

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front cannot anymore engage the government in armed combat because of massive defection, Chairman Nur Misuari of the Moro National Liberation Front said on Friday.

Misuari claimed that thousands of combatants under the Islamic liberation front jumped to his group because of mistreatment and the leadership’s connivance with Malaysian government masquerading as peace broker.

By ROY C. MABASA, mb.com.ph

The Philippines is on top of the list of countries in the world in terms of the occurrence of natural disasters in 2011, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction said Friday.

In a press conference held in Pasig City, Margareta Wahlstrom, who heads the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, said a total of 33 natural disasters ravaged various parts of the country last year that resulted in the death of scores of people and the destruction of millions of pesos worth of agricultural produce, infrastructure projects, and properties.

By EARL VICTOR L. ROSERO, GMA News

At the sidelines of the Global Conference on Land-Ocean Connections, which ended Friday in Pasig City, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said the government will strive to make the coastal waters of the Manila Bay fit for swimming before President Benigno Aquino III leaves office in 2016.

Paje admitted the goal is “so difficult to attain” but to restore the waters of Manila Bay to “recreational water” quality levels is the mandate from the Supreme Court, which, Paje said, ruled in 2008 on a case originally filed by concerned bay residents.

By Nerisa Almo, PEP

Na-deport diumano ang singer na si Christian Bautista mula sa Indonesia dahil sa paglabag daw nito sa 30-day visa regulation ng bansa.

Ayon sa ulat ng Jakarta Globe kahapon, Enero 26, kinuwestiyon ng immigration officers ng Indonesia ang multi-awarded Pinoy singer dahil sa pagpe-perform nito sa Lippo Karawaci noong Miyerkules, Enero 25, kahit na free tourist visa lamang ang kanyang pinanghahawakan nang dumating siya sa bansa noong araw ring iyon.