Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Friday, January 16, 2026. Today’s episode is brought to you by Wilcon Depot, The Philippines’ leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer—your Trusted Building Partner. READ: P10M bounty offered for Atong Ang's arrest THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has offered a P10-million bounty for whoever can provide information leading to the arrest of gaming tycoon Charlie “Atong” Ang, who has been charged as the mastermind behind the kidnapping and murder of several cockfight enthusiasts, or “sabungeros,” in 2021. The Santa Cruz, Laguna Regional Trial Court Branch 26 on Wednesday released a warrant for the arrest of Ang and 17 others who are facing three counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention, and kidnapping with homicide. Apart from that, Ang is also facing similar cases in San Pablo, also in Laguna and in Lipa, Batangas. The Philippine National Police (PNP) has set up tracker teams to locate and serve the order in all identified locations of Ang’s whereabouts. It has also tightened its watch on all ports and possible exit points to prevent Ang from leaving the country. READ: Philippines, Japan sign new defense pact THE Philippines and Japan signed a defense pact on Thursday that would allow the tax-free provision of ammunition, fuel, food and other necessities when their forces stage joint training to boost deterrence against China’s growing aggression in the region and to bolster their preparation for natural disasters. Japan has faced increasing political, trade and security tensions with China, which was angered by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark that potential Chinese action against Taiwan could spark Japanese intervention. Japan and the Philippines have also had separate territorial conflicts with Beijing in the East China Sea and South China Sea that have continued to flare and threaten to draw in the United States, a treaty ally of the two Asian nations. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi signed the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement with Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro in Manila. READ: Demystifying the 'little president' -- Bersamin reflects on his past role THE designation “little president” that has often been attached to the Office of the Executive Secretary is not one that Lucas Bersamin finds particularly appropriate. “That has been used every now and then in the Philippine setting,” Bersamin said. “But that is a very vague description. It’s a misnomer.” The former chief justice, who served as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s executive secretary from September 2022 until his departure in November 2025, sat down for an exclusive interview with The Manila Times on Jan. 13. The position of executive secretary (ES) is paradoxically one of the most high-profile positions in government while being the one of the least-understood by the public, and evidently even by other government officials. It has its legal basis in the 1987 Administrative Code of the Philippines, which provides a very detailed description of the authority and duties of the executive secretary. But in listening to Bersamin describe his time in office, it became apparent that the work of the ES is determined as much by the idiosyncrasies of the sitting president as it is by the law. READ: Palace: Resigned Cabinet execs not off the hook for flood control mess MALACAÑANG on Thursday said all Cabinet officials implicated in the flood control controversy who resigned and left the country were not yet off the hook and might still be held liable. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro issued the statement after Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson revealed that former Public Works secretary Manuel Bonoan, who is currently abroad, deliberately submitted wrong grid coordinates of flood control projects to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. READ: Recto, Ledesma sued over P60 billion PhilHealth fund transfer A GROUP of lawyers, doctors and health advocates filed a case before the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday against Executive Secretary and former Finance secretary Ralph Recto, and Emmanuel Ledesma Jr., former president of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), over the transfer of P60 billion to the national treasury. The complainants accused Recto and Ledesma of graft, alleging “immense injury” was caused to the Filipino people since the P60 billion “could have instead been used for the betterment of health services or increase the scope of the Program’s benefits and to decrease the amount of members’ contributions.” They also accused the respondents of technical malversation, and that they were “liable for grave misconduct.” BUSINESS: Nov remittances lowest in six months MONEY sent home by Filipinos overseas hit a six-month low of $3.23 billion in November, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data showed on Thursday. Personal remittances, which include cash sent through banks and informal channels, rose by 3.6 percent from $3.12 billion a year earlier but dropped 8.0 percent from the $3.52 billion recorded in October. The result was the lowest since May 2025’s $2.97 billion. Cash remittances alone totaled $2.91 billion, also 3.6 percent higher than the year-ago $2.81 billion but 8.3 percent lower compared to October’s $3.17 billion.It was also the lowest since May’s $2.66 billion. SPORTS: San Miguel guns for series clincher versus Ginebra DEFENDING champion San Miguel Beer tries to finish off Barangay Ginebra in Game 6 of their semifinal clash and make a return trip to the PBA Philippine Cup Finals on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Beermen took a 3-2 series lead following a 115-109 win last Wednesday to move within the cusp of barging into the best-of-seven title series. TNT already secured the first spot in the Finals after a 99-96 victory against Meralco on Wednesday, en route to clinching their semifinal series, 4-1. READ: Opinion and editorial Rigoberto Tiglao and Francisco Tatad are today’s front page columnists. Tiglao talks about the Atong Ang saga, while Tatad asks if an impeachment against the President is possible. Today’s editorial talks about stabilizing the global labor market. Read the full version in the paper’s opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times. For more news and information, read The Manila Times on print, subscribe to its digital edition or log on to www.manilatimes.net. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and LinkedIn; and be part of our communities on Viber, Telegram, and Mastodon.