The week in photos: May 16-22, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate convened as an impeachment court on Monday, May 18, amid the Senate leadership shake-up rumors. The convening came after the Senate’s first session after the May 13 shooting incident and Senator Bato dela Rosa’s escape.

Wearing their red robes, the senators took their oath as senator-judges, while Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano assumed the role as the court’s presider.

On May 19, the House prosecution panel for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte faced the media as a group for the first time and announced the assigned impeachment article per lawmaker. Representatives Jinky Luistro, Terry Ridon, Joel Chua, and Lorenz Defensor are tasked to lead sub-teams of the prosecution panel.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court (SC) denied on May 20 Senator Bato dela Rosa‘s request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for his arrest.

Catch more stories in these photos from the week that was:

Protesters react as they sit during a ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally organized by British anti-immigration activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, in London, Britain, on May 16, 2026. PHOTO BY DYLAN MARTINEZ/REUTERS

Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee bows as he apologizes over Samsung’s labor dispute in his first public comments on the issue, in Seoul, South Korea, on May 16, 2026. PHOTO FROM YONHAP NEWS AGENCY VIA REUTERS

Relatives mourn during the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike, in Gaza City, on May 17, 2026. PHOTO BY DAWOUD ABU ALKAS/REUTERS

Senators in crimson robes huddle before the upper chamber convenes as an impeachment court for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, on May 18, 2026. SENATE SOCIAL MEDIA UNIT

Boxes related to Elon Musk’s lawsuit over OpenAI’s for-profit conversion trail are moved into the federal courthouse, as the trial continues, in Oakland, California, on May 18, 2026. PHOTO BY MANUEL OBREGOZO/REUTERS

A person wearing protective equipment throws a bag with waste next to the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was affected by a hantavirus outbreak, after it arrived at the Port of Rotterdam, where Dutch authorities are preparing quarantine arrangements, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on May 18, 2026. PHOTO BY YVES HERMAN/REUTERS

Workers cut large trees that provided shade to motorists and pedestrians along a section of Quirino Avenue in Malate, Manila, on May 18, 2026. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said tree-cutting and earth-balling permits were issued to make way for the construction of the Southern Access Link Expressway. PHOTO BY RAPPLER

People attend a vigil in a park, the day after a fatal shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, in San Diego, California, on May 19, 2026. PHOTO BY DANIEL COLE/REUTERS

People vote during the Pennsylvania primary election in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on May 19, 2026. PHOTO BY HANNAH BEIER/REUTERS

Pope Leo XIV greets orthodox priests during the weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, on May 20, 2026. PHOTO BY YARA NARDI/REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin is welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on May 20, 2026. PHOTO BY MAXIM SHEMETOV/POOL VIA REUTERS

A cosmetic make-up is applied to partially cover US President Donald Trump‘s hand as he arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, on May 20, 2026. PHOTO BY EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERS

Senator Pia Cayetano turns emotional as she protested Senator Risa Hontiveros’ remarks about what has been happening at the Senate, during the Senate plenary session on March 20, 2026. PHOTO BY ANGIE DE SILVA/RAPPLER

Britain’s Queen Camilla eats a wafer and an ice cream cone next to King Charles as they meet with stallholders and local traders in Conway Square, during a celebration of the town and its community in Newtownards, Northern Ireland, on May 21, 2026. PHOTO BY CATHAL MCNAUGHTON/REUTERS

The temporary artwork ‘La Caverne du Pont Neuf’ (The Pont Neuf Cave) conceived by French street artist JR as a tribute to Christo and Jeanne-Claude is revealed to the public after being inflated overnight on the Pont Neuf bridge, in Paris, France, on May 21, 2026. PHOTO BY BENOIT TESSIER/REUTERS

Red Cross workers carry the coffin with the body of a person who died of Ebola, as aid agencies intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain, at the Centre Medical Evangelique (CME) in Hoho commune of Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 21, 2026. PHOTO BY GRADEL MUYISA MUMBERE/REUTERS

Raheleh, an Iranian woman who lost two of her children in Minab school strike on February 28, walks next to pictures at Minab school in Minab, Iran, on May 21, 2026. PHOTO BY MAJID ASGARIPOUR/WANA VIA REUTERS

Muslim pilgrims reach out to touch the Kaaba’s door at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage, in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on May 22, 2026. PHOTO BY IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA/REUTERS

Members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces gather on the day of a pro-government rally called by Cuban authorities to protest US policies toward the island, including the indictment of former Cuban president Raul Castro, in Havana, Cuba, on May 22, 2026. PHOTO BY NORLYS PEREZ/REUTERS

TNT Tropang 5G import Bol Bol towers over Meralco Bolts reinforcement Marvin Jones, during the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semis at the Mall of Asia Arena on May 22, 2026. Bol, a former NBA player, suffered a suspected achilles injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the conference. PHOTO FROM PBA IMAGES

— with reports from Reuters/Rappler.com