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Olympic dream continues for Philippine Volcanoes

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THEIR quest to book a spot in the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, this year may be over but the Philippine Volcanoes are not losing hope that they would make their way eventually to the quadrennial sporting spectacle some day.

Fell short in the Asia Rugby Sevens Olympic qualifiers held in November in South Korea, the Volcanoes admitted that it was a disappointing turn of events, especially since they were solidly in the mix.

“Our Olympic dream ended in November. We lost in the semifinals which practically shut us out of the next qualifying process. We were one win away and sure it was disappointing looking back at it,” said Jake Letts, former player and now general manager of the Philippine Rugby Football Union, Inc., in a recent interview.

“We have to make adjustments to our program. There are some things we could have done better. But overall you cannot fault the players’ efforts. Rugby Sevens is such a competitive sport. And so we move on,” he added.

The Philippine men’s rugby went as far as the semifinals of the 2019 Asia Rugby Sevens Olympic Qualifying Tournament but bowed to Hong Kong, 26-0, relegating it to the battle for third where it also lost, 19-14, to China.

The Volcanoes finished fourth in the regional qualifying tournament, a rung short of advancing to the next phase.

The women’s team was also not fortunate to advance.

But despite failing to qualify, the men’s and women’s teams still ended last year on a positive note, winning gold and silver medals, respectively, in the 30th Southeast Asian Games which the country hosted in December.

It is something they hope to build on and use as motivation as they prepare for tournaments ahead, including the Asian Games in 2022, Mr. Letts said.

“The SEA Games was positive both for the men and women’s teams. Moving forward we will continue with our programs. In 2020 we have four tournaments both men and women and we are going to prepare for the Asian Games with the SEA Games as a stepping stone,” the rugby federation official said.

Mr. Letts went on to say that they are happy with the direction that the sport of rugby is taking in the country

“For us putting the sport in a better place than we found it is important. It’s a new sport here and we’re going to have difficulties. The people before us did a good job in elevating the status of the sport in the country and now it is our job to add on to it and generate further interest in it. Hopefully we get to develop homegrown talents because rugby is one of the most played sports in the world. We want to show that rugby is continuing to grow in the country,” he said.

As to their Olympic dreams, Mr. Letts reiterated that they are not losing sight of it.

“The Olympic dream continues for us for sure. We are still a young nation as far as rugby is concerned. The teams we are playing against are playing it for 30 to 50 years already,” he said.

“So we really wanted to compete in 2020 but looking back maybe it is not yet our time. Maybe in the next four years will be more ready. In this sport, teams win or lose at any given day. In the qualifiers it was not our day. So we go back to the drawing board and find out what works and what doesn’t and use them to prepare better,” Mr. Letts added.

Forced evacuation of Filipinos in Iraq sought

THE country’s special envoy to the Middle East has recommended the forced evacuation of Filipino workers in Iraq amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran.

“Yes, it is really a forced evacuation,” envoy Roy A. Cimatu said at a briefing on Tuesday, referring to his recommendation at Monday night’s Cabinet meeting.

He said he planned to move Filipinos to an “Arabian area in one of the countries there.” He also wanted to first evacuate Filipinos living in the border of Libya and Tunisia in the next 24 to 48 hours.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte also created a committee to help the mission, which is expected to leave within 48 hours at the latest.

Mr. Cimatu, a former Armed Forces chief, compared the mandatory evacuation to what happened during the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. He also said he had proposed to raise the alert level in Iraq from 3 or voluntary repatriation, to 4 or mandatory evacuation.

The Philippine Embassy in Iraq on Sunday advised Filipino workers there to go on leave after a US strike killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad’s international airport on Friday.

The Pentagon said Mr. Trump had ordered the killing after a pro-Iran mob laid siege on the US embassy.

Mr. Trump on Saturday threatened to hit 52 Iranian sites “very hard” if Iran attacks Americans or US assets in retaliation.

Also on Tuesday, Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri asked Mr. Duterte to use available contingency fund of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration before asking Congress to approve a supplemental budget for the workers’ repatriation. “Those funds are readily available for these emergencies.”

Still, the Senate was ready to act on any request for a supplemental budget, Mr. Zubiri, who is also the majority leader, told reporters.

Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III said Senate action would depend on the outcome of Tuesday evening’s command conference.

Senator Richard J. Gordon said Mr. Duterte should first consult his security advisers before calling for a special session.

The government must also come up with a concrete plan on how to appropriate the additional funds.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives was ready to hold a special session with the Senate to allocate the supplemental funds, Leyte Rep. and Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said at a separate briefing.

“We agree with the president’s pronouncement that the rising tension in the Middle East is a major concern that needs urgent legislative attention,” he said. “We are ready to clothe the Executive with all the powers needed to make sure that every Filipino is safe and secure in these trying times.”

There are 1,190 documented Filipinos in Iraq and 450 undocumented ones, according to the Foreign Affairs department.

Out of 2.3 Filipino workers overseas, 1.2 million are in the Middle East.

Congress is on recess and will resume sessions on Jan. 20. — Charmaine A. Tadalan, Vincent Mariel P. Galang and Genshen L. Espedido

DeRozan, Mills power Spurs’ rout of Bucks

SAN ANTONIO — DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points, and Patty Mills added 21 off the bench as the San Antonio Spurs waltzed past the visiting Milwaukee Bucks 126-104 on Monday in the Alamo City, snapping a two-game losing streak.

The game was the second in a home-and-away, back-to-back, two-game set between the two teams. Milwaukee won the first game, on Saturday, 127-118.

The Spurs (15-20) led by 10 points after three quarters and ran their advantage to 16 points early in the final period. Milwaukee closed to within 100-89 with 8:12 to play but never made a serious run down the stretch.

It was DeRozan’s eighth straight game with 20 or more points.

LaMarcus Aldridge and Rudy Gay scored 17 points each for the Spurs, with Dejounte Murray scoring 13 points and Trey Lyles pulling down 12 rebounds. San Antonio set its season-high with 19 3-pointers (on 35 attempts) in the win.

The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for Milwaukee (32-6). It was the first time this season the Bucks have dropped a game to a team with a record below .500 and their biggest losing margin of the year.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 24 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists but missed all five 3-point attempts. Donte DiVincenzo added 16 points, George Hill and Khris Middleton had 15 apiece, and Wesley Matthews had 12 points for the Bucks.

San Antonio led for the majority of the first half and by as many as 18 points before assuming a 65-52 lead at halftime.

The Spurs had four players in double-figure-scoring in the first half, led by DeRozan’s 15 points. Mills added 12 points off the bench, while Murray and Aldridge had 10 each over the first two quarters.

San Antonio outshot the Bucks 52.3 percent to 38 percent in the first half, and went 12 of 20 (60 percent) from beyond the arc compared to 9 of 26 (34.6 percent) for Milwaukee.

DiVincenzo led the Bucks with 11 points over the first 24 minutes, with Antetokounmpo adding 10 in the first half.

The Bucks climbed back to within 81-76 on Hill’s 3-pointer with 2:35 to play in the third quarter, but Mills canned two 3-pointers in the final two minutes to build a 91-81 lead heading into the final quarter.

76ERS OUTLAST THUNDER
Josh Richardson scored 23 points and Ben Simmons added 17 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists as the host Philadelphia 76ers held off the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-113 on Monday.

Tobias Harris scored 18 points and Joel Embiid had 18 points, nine rebounds and a season-high eight assists for the Sixers, who improved to 17-2 at home and also snapped a four-game losing streak.

Al Horford scored 13 points.

Steven Adams led the Thunder with a season-best 24 points to go along with 15 rebounds while Dennis Schroeder added 21 points.

Chris Paul and Danilo Gallinari had 18 points each for the Thunder, who had their five-game winning streak broken.

The Sixers took advantage of a late 13-2 run to go ahead 62-52 at halftime. Oklahoma City led for a good portion of the half before suffering through a scoreless drought of more than three-and-a-half minutes.

There were some anxious moments for the Sixers as Embiid went to the locker room twice in the first quarter. The result was a dislocated finger on his left hand, which was taped by athletic trainer Kevin Johnson. Embiid was able to return to the game.

Schroeder paced the Thunder with 11 points while Adams was effective with 10 points and nine rebounds.

Harris led the Sixers with 13 points but was stuck on the bench at the end with three fouls.

Oklahoma City hung around and trailed 77-73 after Gallinari hit a pair of free throws with 4:54 remaining in the third to cap a 16-6 spurt.

Backup point guard Trey Burke knocked down a late 3-pointer and a jumper as the Sixers took a 90-86 advantage after the third.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drove to the basket and closed the Thunder within 101-99 with 6:18 left in the fourth.

Mike Scott responded with a 3-pointer on the next Philadelphia possession to expand the lead back to five.

After Embiid made a jumper, Gallinari came back with a trey to cut the Sixers’ lead to 106-104 with 3:58 remaining.

Harris later threw down a dunk for a 110-106 lead with 2:06 left. The Sixers then scored the next five points to seal the win. — Reuters

Marcos seeks vote review; Robredo wants case junked

PHILSTAR

THE son of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos has asked the Supreme Court to re-examine its vote recount for the 2016 vice presidential race after the results increased his rival’s lead.

In a 595-page memorandum dated Dec. 19, former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. said the court had erred in rejecting his objections for lack of evidence.

Mr. Marcos said the parties had not been given the chance to present their evidence. He also asked the tribunal to annul votes in three Mindanao provinces where massive cheating also allegedly occurred.

“It is unfair on the part of protestant Marcos that his objections against ballots for protestee Robredo were overruled by the preliminary appreciation committee for lack of evidence,” he said.

Vice President Maria Leonor G. Robredo in a separate Dec. 19 memo asked the tribunal to dismiss the election protest after Mr. Marcos allegedly failed to prove cheating in three pilot provinces he had identified.

In a 215-page memorandum, Ms. Robredo said the rules call for the dismissal of the protest once Mr. Marcos fails to make out his case.

Both parties released their pleadings yesterday.

The court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, said that after the ballot recount in the provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental, Ms. Robredo’s lead increased by 15,000 to 278,566.

The court also ordered the parties to comment on the recount results before it decides on whether to allow a recount in 27 other provinces.

“In turn, as can be glaringly seen, the result of the revision, recount and re-appreciation of the ballots showed that protestant Marcos failed to establish any substantial recovery,” Ms. Robredo said in her pleading.

“The revision, recount and re-appreciation of ballots merely confirmed that protestant Marcos lost during the May 9, 2016 National and Local Elections,” she said.

Justices Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa and retired Justice Antonio T. Carpio sided with Ms. Robredo in the Oct. 15 ruling, saying the case should have been dismissed.

Mr. Marcos filed his protest in June 2016 after narrowly losing to Ms. Robredo. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Derrick Pumaren returns as Green Archers coach

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

A FAMILIAR face returns at the coaching helm of the De La Salle University men’s basketball team as champion coach Derrick Pumaren has been named head coach.

The return of Mr. Pumaren, who steered the Green Archers to back-to-back titles in the late ‘80s, was made official on Tuesday by way of a statement from the school.

“The University welcomes back Coach Derrick to the Lasallian community as he maps out the new direction of the Green Archers,” the school statement read.

Mr. Pumaren assumes the head-coaching duties from coach Gian Nazario and consultant Jermaine Byrd immediately, the school said.

Under Mr. Pumaren the Archers hope to get back to the top echelon of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines after missing the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.

Messrs. Nazario and Byrd, however, were retained in the coaching staff, to be joined by Gabby Velasco and Mon Jose.

Mr. Pumaren’s return marks a reunion between the school and the Pumarens, with younger brothers Franz and Dindo also holding the Green Archers coaching position at different points in the past.

In 1989 and 1990, with teams bannered by the likes of Jun Limpot, Dindo and Joey Sta. Maria, Mr. Pumaren steered the Taft-based school to UAAP titles, starting what was going to be a solid showing by La Salle in the league in the next two decades.

Prior to returning to La Salle, Mr. Pumaren held the coaching posts in the University of the East in the UAAP and Centro Escolar University in both the Universities and Colleges Basketball League (UCBL) and in the Philippine Basketball Association Development League.

Dallas Cowboys appoint McCarthy as head coach

DALLAS — Mike McCarthy is the new head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

McCarthy confirmed to NFL Network on Monday he signed a contract and will officially be introduced as the replacement for Jason Garrett, who was officially informed his contract would not be renewed on Sunday.

McCarthy, 56, had also met with the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and Carolina Panthers.

He was fired by the Packers on Dec. 2, 2018, after the team dropped to 4-7-1 during his 13th season at the helm in Green Bay. He finished with a 125-77-2 regular-season record while going 10-8 in the postseason, including a victory in Super Bowl XLV in the 2010 season.

McCarthy’s Packers twice knocked Garrett’s Cowboys out of the playoffs, winning divisional-round games on Jan. 11, 2015 (26-21 at Lambeau Field) and Jan. 15, 2017 (34-31 at AT&T Stadium).

Garrett, 53, was head coach of the Cowboys for nine seasons and interim head coach for part of another season. He was 85-67 as head coach.

Garrett, whose contract would have expired on Jan. 14, was not expected to return after failing to reach the playoffs despite a 3-0 start and a 6-3 record through nine games.

“His tenure of leadership will be characterized by his ability to produce teams that always played with great effort, emotion and passion, and he represented our organization with great pride, loyalty and respect,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in the statement.

Multiple outlets previously reported that the Cowboys would prefer to let Garrett’s contract run out rather than fire the coach, who had been on the Dallas coaching staff since 2007 and spent seven years on their roster as a backup quarterback in the 1990s.

McCarthy interviewed with the Cowboys on Saturday and reportedly could consider former Bengals coach Marvin Lewis as defensive coordinator.

RAMS PART WAYS WITH DC PHILLIPS
The Los Angeles Rams announced Monday that they will not renew the contract of defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.

Phillips, 72, signed a three-year contract after the Rams hired head coach Sean McVay in January 2017.

A year after reaching the Super Bowl, Los Angeles went 9-7 and missed the playoffs this season. The Rams finished 13th in total defense (339.6 yards per game) and 17th in scoring defense (22.8 points per game).

“Coach Wade has been a veteran voice in heading our defense for the past three seasons,” McVay said in a statement. “His wealth of experience, sound advice, and helpful demeanor has been invaluable to our coaches and players, and also has set an example for me as a head coach and a leader of men.

“I thank Coach Phillips for his numerous contributions to the Los Angeles Rams and our community, and I wish he, his wife Laurie, and the rest of the Phillips family the best.” — Reuters

Patriots’ Kraft praying Brady won’t play elsewhere

NEW ENGLAND — A rare first-round loss in the playoffs has the New England Patriots entering the offseason surrounded by unprecedented levels of drama and uncertainty.

At the forefront of discussions about the future in New England for the next three months is whether quarterback Tom Brady will be back with the Patriots for a 21st season.

Brady said Saturday night in the aftermath of a pick-six that helped the Tennessee Titans close out the Patriots that he considered retirement unlikely.

Head coach Bill Belichick on Sunday said the Patriots weren’t ready to talk about the future 12 hours after the painful postseason loss.

But owner Robert Kraft opened up to Peter King in an interview regarding where Brady could play next season.

“Before the season started,” Kraft said, “it was very important to Tom that he be free to do whatever he wanted at the end of the year. You know what I said to myself? That any person who plays 20 years for this team and helps us get to six Super Bowls, and been really selfless, has earned that right. I love the young man like he’s part of my family. Blood family. Anyone who’s done that has earned the right to control his future after 20 years. And you know, my hope and prayer is No. 1, he play for the Patriots. Or No. 2, he retires. He has the freedom to decide what he wants to do and what’s in his own best personal interest.”

Brady said before the season he planned to explore all opportunities granted by a restructured contract. The Patriots have paid Brady below market value for the position while stockpiling Lombardi trophies. He was 19th among quarterbacks based in annual average value of his contract in 2019.

“If it’s the Patriots, great. If that doesn’t work, I don’t know,” Brady told King. “I just don’t know. I love playing football. I still want to play football. I think I still can play at a championship level. I’ve just got to go do it. I’m motivated to get back to work and training.”

When Kraft was reminded of the many Hall of Fame quarterbacks to wear multiple jerseys, from Brett Favre to Joe Montana to Dan Marino and Joe Namath, the Patriots’ owner said he’s not ready to see Brady play for another team.

“I’m thinking of all that, of all the quarterbacks who went elsewhere, and I just hope and believe that Tom … he is so special that he’s earned the right to do what’s best for him. But I just hope and pray we fit into his plans,” Kraft said. “He is unique in the kind of leader he is, his work ethic, his selfless nature, everything. Think about it: He’s been with us 20% of the life of the NFL.” — Reuters

What a decade it was (part 1)

As the Year 2019 dropped the curtain last week, so did the decade of the 2010s, a stretch that proved to be a solid one for Philippine sports with a number of feats and achievements notched as well as landmark events which enhanced the local sporting scene for the now and the future.

And the good thing about it all was that it was not only confined to certain sports as positive developments were spread out to more disciplines.

This space would like to look back a little as we start the 2020s and below are some of what it thinks were the standout moments in the decade that was.

Being a huge basketball fan, Gilas Pilipinas breaking the so-called Korean Curse in 2013 and earning a spot in the FIBA World Cup the following year was truly a memorable one.

Long frustrated by the Koreans in many high-stakes international competitions prior, Chot Reyes-coached Gilas changed the storyline in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship held here.

Facing off with the Koreans in the semifinals for a spot in the finals, the Philippines fell to a disadvantage early on as then-naturalized player Marcus Douthit suffered a calf injury in the first quarter that would render him unavailable for the rest of the contest.

Despite being undermanned, the rest of the Gilas squad were undeterred and instead stepped up collectively to take the challenge put up by the Koreans.

Jimmy Alapag, Jayson Castro, Mark Pingris, LA Tenorio, Japeth Aguilar, Gabe Norwood and Ranidel De Ocampo anchored their team throughout the second half, allowing Gilas to outlast the Philippines’ perennial basketball tormentors, 86-79.

The win earned for the Philippines a finals joust with Iran and assured it of a spot in the FIBA World Cup in 2014.

We lost to Iran in the finals, 85-71, but it hardly mattered by that time as the point was already made that the country was back with the big boys.

Following that breakthrough performance, the Philippines has competed in two World Cups (2014 and 2019), with the 2023 edition of the basketball tournament to be held here and Indonesia and Japan. The country also became a steady competitive presence in the Asian basketball after that.

Football also saw a renaissance in the last decade, boosted by the “Miracle in Hanoi” fashioned out by the Philippine Azkals in 2010.

Competing against defending champion Vietnam with a semifinal spot at stake in the AFF Suzuki Cup, the Azkals produced a major upset by blanking the host, 2-0, to advance to the next round of the tournament.

Chris Greatwich and Phil Younghusband provided the goals for the Azkals in the win, which pretty much pushed the national team, and football in general, to the national consciousness.

Football enjoyed a lot of attention in the immediate aftermath and brought the sport to the fore than at any time previously.

The Azkals had their ups and downs since then but they finished the decade with a first-ever appearance in the Asian Cup in January 2019.

The 2010s also saw Filipino boxing legend Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao solidify his standing as one of the best boxers in history.

While in the 2000s Pacman built his legend, the following decade had him building on it, including making his way as the only eight-division champion in boxing.

Sure he had telling losses at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez (2012) and Floyd Mayweather Jr. (2015), still convincing victories over the likes of Brandon Rios, Timothy Bradley, Chris Algieri and of late Lucas Matthysse, Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman while in his late 30s still showed how Pacquiao is a boxer all his own.

Mixer martial arts, too, saw taking further root in the country in the last decade.

ONE Championship descended on the country in 2012 and has done wonders in the local MMA scene since with a steady offering of world-class live events year in and year out.

Through the promotion, local fighters like Eduard Folayang, Honorio Banario, Kevin Belingon, Geje Eustaquio and Joshua Pacio became world champions, along with long-time MMA fighter Brandon Vera.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship also gave nod to the local MMA scene when it staged its first event in the country in 2015 which was headlined by the fight between Frankie Edgar and Urijah Faber. It was also made special by the farewell fight by Filipino-American fighter Mark Muñoz.

The UFC late in the decade put up local gyms in various parts of the country to bring the sport to more Filipinos.

Last year another international MMA promotion — Brave Combat Federation — made its Manila debut with Filipino champion Stephen Loman retaining his title.

National Basketball Association fans in the Philippines also had their fill in the 2010s, highlighted by the first-ever Global Game held in the country in 2013 that featured the James Harden and Dwight Howard-led Houston Rockets against Paul George and Danny Granger’s Indiana Pacers.

The Rockets beat the Pacers, 116-86.

League stars and legends came in steady stream here in the 2010s through the NBA’s various initiatives like the Jr. NBA/WNBA program, NBA Cares and NBA 3X, among others.

Unfortunately as the decade drew to a close the NBA saw itself sans a local TV partner for its games as its contract with long-time broadcaster Solar Entertainment Corp. was no longer renewed.

The league is still said to be in negotiations for a new TV partner here.

(To be continued)

 

Michael Angelo S. Murillo has been a columnist since 2003. He is a BusinessWorld reporter covering the Sports beat.

msmurillo@bworldonline.com

Rebooting Thunder

When resident All-Star Paul George scuttled offseason bliss in asking for a trade to the Clippers, Thunder general manager Sam Presti wasted no time pivoting towards a rebuild. Make no mistake; the request (more like a demand, really) was a shock to the senses, and not just because it came a mere year after the National Basketball Association’s second-leading scorer dramatically re-upped with the franchise. Nonetheless, he knew what he had to do, and proceeded to milk the prospective recipient for all that his departing asset was worth. The record haul of two starter-level players and a bevy of draft picks set him up for a future filled with hard work, but fueled by optimism.

The trade of erstwhile foundation Russell Westbrook soon followed as a matter of course. And even as the Rockets claimed the former league Most Valuable Player, not a few quarters believed the Thunder came out neutral in a worst-case scenario. True, Chris Paul was getting ahead in age and prone to injury, making his contract a $124.1-million albatross through 2022. On the other hand, there can be no undervaluing the importance of the deal as addition by subtraction. With two-fifths of the 2019–20 campaign now history, an ample body of work validates the argument that marked inefficiency at the point guard position has been replaced by foundational stability.

Admittedly, Paul has seen better days, and it would be foolhardy to continue viewing him as a transcendent star able to shepherd the Thunder deep into the playoffs. (He couldn’t do the same at his peak with the lob-city Clippers alongside Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan and under the tutelage of Doc Rivers, but that’s another discussion for another day). Still, he has been the best version of his 34-year-old self — which is to say a stabilizing presence on the court, and a much-needed mentor with tons of experience to impart off it. To the rebooting blue and yellow, his presence has been a decided boon.

Fans looking at league standings following yesterday’s action will find the Thunder at 20 and 16, down one game in the Loss column courtesy of the Sixers. The outcome wasn’t really a surprise given the disparity in talent between the protagonists. That said, they hung tough until the end. And, if nothing else, their gritty performance on the road against highly regarded opposition reflects their mindset under Paul’s guidance. They’re supposed to win no more than 35 games all told; instead, they’re already close to three-fifths of the number, seventh in conference standings, and exceeding all — yes, even their own — expectations.

Anything can happen between now and the middle of April, so the Thunder may yet fall prey to the law of averages. Nonetheless, they’re battling in ways they have no business doing — all because Paul refuses to yield, and because Presti understands that the upside is always better with players who want to stick around as opposed to stars who don’t.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Liberal Party says killings won’t solve PHL’s drug menace

THE Liberal Party on Tuesday called on the government of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to heed the advice of the country’s opposition leader about the drug war, saying the reckless killings of drug suspects will not solve the menace.

While it is true the country’s illegal drug problem won’t be solved by mere talk, “it also won’t be solved by the reckless killings and the rise of orphans, widows and parents who are robbed of their children,” Liberal Party Secretary General and Quezon City Rep. Jose Christopher Y. Belmonte said in a statement in Filipino.

Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go on Monday said he doubted Vice President Maria Leonor G. Robredo’s findings about the drug campaign that she briefly headed last year.

“Between one person using her own computation giving a grade of 1%, and 79% of Filipinos who said they are satisfied with our campaign, I will choose to believe the latter,” Mr. Go, Mr Duterte’s former aide, said in a statement.

Ms. Robredo, the opposition leader whom Mr. Duterte put in charge of his drug war in November — only to fire her weeks after because he said he didn’t trust her — this week said the campaign has failed, with only 1% of illegal drugs seized by police. She also cited inconsistencies in drug data released by different agencies.

“The truth can’t be changed by petty quarrels,” Mr. Belmonte said. “Only 1% of the drug supply was seized in the past three years, compared with the more than 6,000 who died.”

The congressman said this showed there’s something wrong with the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign.

Ms. Robredo correctly advised the government to go after big-time drug suppliers and focus on prevention, rehabilitation and reintegration, he said.

“If Senator Bong Go and the administration is serious about controlling illegal drugs, they will stop the reckless killings because it’s clear this is not the solution,” Mr. Belmonte said. — C.A. Tadalan

7 of 10 Filipinos think cops recycle illegal narcotics

MORE than seven of 10 Filipinos think some rogue cops recycle illegal drugs seized in legitimate police operations, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll.

SWS’s December poll showed 78% of Filipinos think there are so-called ninja cops who resell the narcotics for their own gain.

Government prosecutors are re-investigating the complaint against 13 rogue cops accused of recycling illegal drugs from police operations in 2013 after finding new evidence.

Former national police chief Oscar D. Albayalde resigned last year after a Senate probe showed he had tried to halt the dismissal of the rogue cops in 2016. An order for their dismissal was never implemented, according to the Senate investigation.

Mr. Albayalde has denied the allegations.

SWS said 5 of 10 Filipinos think of Mr. Albayalde as a protector of rogue cops.

The polling firm interviewed 1,200 adults last month for the poll, which had an error margin of ±3 points. — NPA

SC, lower courts in Manila closed Thursday

THE SUPREME Court has suspended work on Jan. 9 in consideration of the expected traffic congestion in Manila as Catholic devotees hold the annual procession of the Black Nazarene. The suspension, contained in a memorandum signed by Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta, also covers the Philippine Judicial Academy, Judicial and Bar Council, Court of Appeals, Regional Trial Courts, and Metropolitan Trial Courts in Manila. “The court employees who will render service on January 9, 2020 shall be entitled to one (1) day contemporary time-off,” the memorandum read. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso announced earlier this week the suspension of work in all departments, offices and bureaus under the city government, while those in national government and private companies are left to the discretion of office heads. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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