The Knight Publication

𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 | Bulacan RTC orders arrest of Sarah and Curlee Discaya, other involved personalities in flood control scandal

The Bulacan Regional Trial Court Branch 20 on Friday has ordered the arrest of contractor Curlee Discaya for malversation in relation to the flood control project controversies.

The court also ordered the arrest of Sarah Discaya, former DPWH engineers Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza, and St. Timothy Construction executive Roma Rimando.

The case against the aforementioned individuals is non-bailable.

𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗯𝗼𝘄: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗼 𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧𝗤+ 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲’𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲

Pride Month in the Philippines is rooted in resistance, not just celebration. This year marks 32 years since the first Pride March in the country (1994's Stonewall Manila, the first in the Asia-Pacific). Yet, basic protections remain stalled, it has now been 26 years since the first version of the SOGIESC Equality Bill was filed with no progress. This delay proves that the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community cannot be separated from the struggles of the broader Filipino people.

Our history debunks the conservative claim that being q***r is a "modern Western construct". In pre-colonial times, cis and trans women held immense spiritual power as babaylan, catalonan, and asog. When Spanish colonizers demonized and slaughtered them, these q***r ancestors fled to the mountains and became among the first to take up arms against foreign rule.

This history of resistance repeated itself during Martial Law, when state forces directed intense vitriol against the community. Countless q***r Filipinos went underground to fight the fascist regime, including Melanie Santos, a bisexual woman who co-founded the anti-imperialist Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipino (KDP).

Today, this vulnerability to larger systems of oppression continues. We see it in the tragic 2014 murder of transgender woman Jennifer Laude by US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton and the absolute pardon later granted to him, showing how q***r lives are compromised by foreign military relations.

Against a patriarchal society and modern-day imperialist pressures from global superpowers like the US and China, the Filipino LGBTQ+ community stands firm. Pride is a continuation of the militant struggle of the babaylan. True q***r liberation will only be achieved when the entire nation is free.

Writeup by Ashley Kasilag
Illustration by Don Aliv Lubuguin

𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 | Senator Jinggoy Estrada Surrenders at Senate Over Flood Control Plunder Warrant

Senator Jinggoy Estrada surrendered to the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group at the Senate on Monday afternoon, June 1, 2026. His surrender followed a non-bailable plunder warrant issued by the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division over a multi-million peso flood control corruption scandal. The court also ordered the arrest of co-accused individuals, including former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan.

The Office of the Ombudsman accuses Estrada of amassing over 573 million pesos in kickbacks. Prosecutors allege he rigged budget allocations within the Department of Public Works and Highways, taking 25% to 30% commissions from contractors for anomalous flood control projects.

Before turning himself in, Estrada held a press briefing denying the charges, calling them baseless and politically motivated. He declined Senate protective custody and suspended his congressional salary. Police escorted Estrada from the building for booking before his turnover to the Sandiganbayan.

𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗦 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 | FIVB suspends PNVF "with immediate effect"

The Board of Administration of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) on late Friday night announced the official suspension of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) "with immediate effect". FIVB is the international governing body for all forms of volleyball.

The announcement was made following reports of serious governance concerns and multiple purported violations of the FIVB Code of Ethics. The reports are now under investigation by the independent FIVB Ethics Panel.

"Despite continued diplomatic efforts by the FIVB to find a sustainable path forward for Philippine volleyball, the suspension was deemed necessary to safeguard the sport, ensure athletes are prioritised, and uphold the long-term development commitments made for volleyball in the Philippines." the FIVB wrote on their official webpage.

Meanwhile, an Ad Hoc committee has been appointed during the course of the suspension to temporarily oversee the affairs of the PNVF.

"The FIVB remains fully committed to protecting the integrity of Philippine volleyball at all levels and supporting its sustainable long-term growth." the international federation concluded, assuring Filipino volleyball athletes and fans of continued support and assistance.