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Arellano Lady Chiefs grab on opportunity to make school history

Arellano Chiefs
FOR the third straight year the Arellano Lady Chiefs are the champions in women’s volleyball of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, a product, the team said, of just grabbing every opportunity that were presented to them.
In Game Three of the finals against the lower-seeded Perpetual Help System Dalta Lady Altas, the Lady Chiefs avoided an upset and stayed at the summit of women’s NCAA volleyball by winning in four sets, 22-25, 25-15, 25-18 and 25-18, en route to another title.
The win completed for the Legarda-based team a comeback from going 0-1 down in the best-of-three finals series against Perpetual Help, which was one win away from completing a fairy-tale run in NCAA Season 94.
And that stiff challenge from the Lady Altas played a huge role in the Lady Chiefs’ push, saying it made them wanted it more.
“Perpetual Help challenged us. Because of that we realized what we needed to do and it brought the best out of us,” said Arellano coach Obet Javier in the vernacular as he described how the series was for them following Game Three.
“We just grabbed on every opportunity that was presented to us to set history for the school. All these hard work and accomplishments is for the school,” he added.
In Game Three on Tuesday at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan, Regine Anne Arocha fired a match-best 16 points including five on service aces to help power the Lady Chiefs. It was an effort that also won for Arocha her second straight Finals MVP award.
Princess Bello scattered 12 hits for Arellano while the power-spiking Nicole Ebuen, the newly-crowned season MVP, drilled in 11 points, all coming on kills.
Dominant anew with a third straight title, fourth in the last five seasons, the Lady Chiefs said they are determined to keep it going, more so with the kind of support they have been getting from the school.
“Because of the tremendous support from management we were able to achieve all these. We will try to keep holding on to it and stay on top. Not because we won a three-peat we will stop learning. No. We will continue working hard. We still need to improve on certain things to stay consistent,” Mr. Javier said.
Despite falling short in its title quest, Perpetual Help, for its part, still had a fruitful Season 94 that saw it making it to the Final Four as the fourth seed and bucking a twice-to-beat disadvantage to upset top-seeds College of Saint Benilde Lady Blazers in the semifinals.
The Lady Altas stole the finals series opener from the Lady Chiefs on Feb. 1, 21-25, 25-17, 25-21 and 25-20, to gain the early series lead that led to the rubber match last Tuesday. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

MPBL: Bataan stays on top, Valenzuela moves up

IT SEEMS that the Bataan Risers will not settle for anything less and they’ve shown their desire to stay on top Tuesday night by dealing the Mandaluyong El Tigre a sound beating, 109-65, in the MPBL Datu Cup at the Valenzuela Astrodome.
In notching their 20th win in 22 matches, the Zetapro-backed Risers dealt the El Tigre a career-tying most lopsided setback in history.
More importantly, Bataan was able to keep a hold of the solo lead in the tough northern division of the tournament.
Gab Dagangon played yet another productive game for the Risers, scoring 15 points, the same output tallied by Richard Escoto. Pamboy Raymundo and Byron Villarias added 12 apiece for the Risers, who moved at least two games ahead of closest pursuer Manila.
The Risers shot a steady 77% from the field (44-of-57) and asserted their domination against the El Tigre all game long, 60 of their points came from inside the shaded lane, compared to only 38 for their rivals.
But Bataan was also active crashing the boards as it outrebounded its counterpart, 58-34.
Following its latest loss, Mandaluyong dropped to 11th spot as it fell to 8-14.
That allowed Valenzuela to move a notch higher as the Classic defeated the Bulacan Kuyas, 84-75, in the other game. Valenzuela, however, will be praying that none among Quezon City, Navotas and Pampanga exceed the 10-win mark.
Chris de Chavez finished with 17 points while Hans Thiele played his most productive game, contributing 16 markers. — Rey Joble

Marlon ‘Marvelous Captain’ Manalo to compete in US Open 9-Ball in Las Vegas

INTERNATIONAL snooker/billiards champion Marlon “Marvelous Captain” Manalo will showcase his talent in the money-rich 43rd US Open 9-Ball Championship on April 21 to 26, 2019 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
He will make his return to the pool world after a long hiatus when he competes in this year’s $300,000 total pot prize tournament, the US Open 9-Ball, the longest-running pool tournament in the United States.
The affable cue artist and chairman of Barangay Malamig in Mandaluyong City, who is also the League of Barangays of the Philippines Press Relation Officer and ABC president, captivated the billiard circuit by clustering victories against noted pool sharks Yang Ching-shun of Taiwan and countrymen Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante in the knockout stage of the World Pool Championship in 2004.
“I hope to do well in the upcoming 43rd US Open 9-Ball Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada,” said the Jose Rizal University AB Economics graduate Manalo, a many-time winner in the US Pool Circuit and runner-up to Mr. Reyes in the 2004 World 8-Ball Championship.
“I will pour all that I know in the cue sports,” added Mr. Manalo, who settled for a silver medal in the snooker event by placing second to Bjorn Haneveer of Belgium in the 2001 Akita, Japan World Games.
The following year, the 2000 Asian Snooker Champion and 2008 National Champion Manalo went all the way to the semifinals of the same event before bowing to eventual champion Wu Chia-ching (Wu Jia-qing).
Although he’s been away from big competition the past few years, Mr. Manalo kept himself in shape by practicing daily in his own pool hall in Talumpung, Mandaluyong and famous Star Billiards Center in Grace Village, Quezon City, hosted by long-time sports patron Sebastian “Baste” Chua.
At this point, Mr. Manalo’s quest for honor and glory received a needed shot in the arm from his long-time benefactors Solar Sports head Ronald Tieng, Mr. Chua and Mandaluyong City mayor Carmelita “Menchie” Aguilar Abalos. — Marlon Bernardino

Games from Tata Steel Masters

81st Tata Steel Masters
Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands
Jan. 22-31, 2019

Final Standings (all GMs)

1. Magnus Carlsen NOR 2835, 9.0/13

2. Anish Giri NED 2783, 8.5/13

3-5. Ian Nepomniachtchi RUS 2763, Ding Liren CHN 2813, Viswanathan Anand IND 2773, 7.5/13

6. Vidit Santosh Gujrathi IND 2695, 7.0/13

7-9. Teimour Radjabov AZE 2757, Samuel Shankland USA 2725, Richard Rapport HUN 2731, 6.5/13

10. Jan-Krzysztof Duda POL 2738, 5.5/13

11-12. Vladimir Fedoseev RUS 2724, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov AZE 2817, 5.0/13

13-14. Jorden Van Foreest NED 2612, Vladimir Kramnik RUS 2777, 4.5/13

Average Rating 2753 Category 21
Time Control: 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 50 minutes for the next 20 moves, followed by 15 minutes for the rest of the game with 30 seconds added to your time after every move starting move 1
GM Teimour Radjabov (born March 12, 1987 in Baku, Azerbaijan) was a child prodigy he attained the international grandmaster title in 2001 at the age of 14, making him the second youngest grandmaster in history at the time. This record has since been broken multiple times, but is rise to the top was faster than anybody with perhaps the sole exception of Magnus Carlsen.
In 2013 he was already competing for the world title in the Candidates Tournament in London. He single-handedly revived the popularity of the King’s Indian Defense for Black and his play became known for creative and imaginative play.
Radjabov has not been very active in recent years but every once in a while gives us a glimpse of his wonderful attacking instinct.

Radjabov, Teimour (2757) — Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi (2695) [D38]
Tata Steel Masters 2019 Wijk aan Zee (7.6), 19.01.2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qa4+ Nc6
If you are still relying on your old Fred Reinfeld or Al Horowitz opening books you will say that Black has a bad position because the c6–knight blocks his own c-pawn. But the openings have evolved and this particular formation is part of Ragozin System. Black will go for a pawn break on e5.
6.e3 0–0 7.Qc2
For example, after 7.Bd2 Black will go 7…dxc4! 8.Bxc4 Bd6 9.0–0 e5 and there is nothing wrong with his position. In fact, Black scores well with this in actual tournament play.
7…Re8 8.Bd2 Bd6 9.h3
Can’t White play 9.c5 forcing back the bishop? Yes, but that’s the point of Black’s earlier …Re8. Now, after 9…Bf8 White cannot prevent …e6–e5.
9…a6 10.a3 Bd7 11.Be2 dxc4 12.Bxc4 h6 13.g4!
Previously White had automatically castled here. Radjabov has a different idea.
13…e5
Yup! That’s what they teach us, right? A flank attack is met by a central advance.
14.g5 b5 15.Ba2 exd4
Looks like Black has refuted White’s rash attacking attempts. But …
16.gxh6!
Take note that White is threatening to follow-up with Qg6!
16…dxc3 17.Bxc3 Be6 18.Bxe6 Rxe6 19.Rg1 Ne8 20.Bxg7 Nxg7 21.Rxg7+ Kf8 22.Qh7
With the idea of Qg8+ followed by Rxf7 mate.
22…Qf6
[22…Rf6 23.Rg8+ Ke7 24.Rxd8]
23.Ng5 Rxe3+! 24.Kf1!
Not 24.fxe3?? which allows Black to draw with 24…Bg3+ 25.Kd1 Qf1+ 26.Kc2 Qc4+ 27.Kb1 Qf1+ with perpetual check.
24…Nd8 25.Qg8+ Ke7 26.h7 Bg3 27.Ne4!
The fact that Radjabov had to see this beautiful counter several moves ahead is what is impressive.
27…Rxe4 28.Rxg3 Rh4 29.Rd1 Rxh7 30.Re3+ Ne6 31.Qxa8 Rh8 32.Qc6 Kf8
White is not yet done sacrificing.
33.Rxe6! Qxe6
[Or 33…fxe6 34.Rd7 followed by Qa8+]
34.Rd8+ Kg7 35.Qc3+ f6 36.Qxc7+ 1–0
A beautiful game.
Now we look at another fighter — Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev (born Feb. 16, 1995) learned chess from his father at the age of seven and rapidly gained in strength, soon becoming a Russian and European Under 18 champion. His big year was 2017, at the age of 22, when he won the super-strong Aeroflot Open, which qualified him for the Dortmund super-tournament later that year. He went on to cross 2700 for the first time and surprised the chess world even more when he finished 2nd in Dortmund.
In June of that year he tied for first in the European Championship. Later on in that same month Fedoseev won the silver medal with the Russian team in the World Team Championship. He was not yet done. In September 2017 he reached the quarterfinals of the Tbilisi World Cup in the process knocking out Hikaru Nakamura before being eliminated by Wesley So.
Fedoseev wasn’t able to keep up that pace in 2018, sometimes his hyper-aggressive play and unwillingness to take a draw backfired on him, but, as GM Alex Yermolinsky noted, only he could have won the following game against Radjabov. You can jump straight to the diagram after move 41.

Radjabov, Teimour (2757) — Fedoseev, Vladimir (2724) [D15]
Tata Steel Masters 2019 Wijk aan Zee (9.7), 22.01.2019

1.c4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.e3 Bf5 6.Qb3 Ra7 7.Nh4 Bc8 8.Bd2 e6 9.c5 Nbd7
GM (Grandmaster) Daniel Fernandez pointed out here that 9…e5 is already possible and if 10.dxe5 Nfd7. However, instead of taking the e5-pawn White can play 10.Nf3 e4 11.Ne5 Be7 12.0-0-0 where both sides have chances but White’s pieces are more aggressively placed. Fedoseev prefers to be the one to do the attacking.
10.Nf3 e5!? 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Nd7 13.Na4 Bxc5 14.Nxc5 Nxc5 15.Qc2 Ne4 16.Bd3 Nxd2 17.Qxd2 0–0 18.0–0 f6 19.exf6 Qxf6 20.e4 dxe4 21.Bxe4 Be6 22.b3 Raa8 23.Qc2 g6 24.Rad1 Rad8 25.Rfe1 Kg7 26.Rd2 Rxd2 27.Qxd2 Rd8 28.Qc2 Qd4 29.h3 Qb4 30.Re2 Bf7 31.Bf3 Rd4 32.g3 Qd6 33.Kg2 Kg8 34.h4 a5 35.Qb2 b6 36.Qc3 c5 37.Qe3 Qf6 38.Qc3 Qd8 39.Qe3 Qd6 40.Qg5 Kg7 41.Qe7 <D>
Position after 41.Qe7
Time to shake hands? Fedoseev wants to keep on playing.]
41…Rd3 42.Qb7 Qf6
[42…Rxf3 43.Qxf3 Bd5 44.Re7+ Kh6 45.Re4!= the position is equal]
43.Bc6 Kf8 44.Qb8+
[44.Qxb6?? Bd5+ wins the bishop]
44…Rd8 45.Qb7 Rd6 46.Bf3 h5 47.Qa8+ Kg7 48.Qb7 Kf8 49.Qa8+ Qd8 50.Qb7 Rd7 51.Qc6 Kg7 52.Qe4 Rd3 53.Qb7 Qd7
Radjabov still cannot take the b6–pawn. There will follow 54.Qxb6? Rxf3! 55.Kxf3 Qg4+ 56.Ke3 Qd4+ 57.Kf3 Bd5+ and then there is checkmate.
54.Re7 Qxb7 55.Rxb7 Rd6 56.Be4
Time to shake hands? Fedoseev does not agree.
56…Kf6 57.Kf3 c4 58.bxc4 Bxc4 59.a3 Ke5 60.Ke3 Bd5 61.f4+!
Radjabov will be exchanging bishops but if he does so now Black will have a more active king. He maneuvers it so that after the exchange his own king is in position.
61…Ke6 62.Rb8 Bxe4 63.Kxe4
Go back to my comment on move 61. It is small things like this which distinguish a grandmaster from a master.
63…Rc6 64.a4 Rc4+ 65.Kf3 Rc3+ 66.Ke4 Rb3 67.Rg8 Kf7 68.Rb8 Kf6 69.Rf8+ Ke7 70.Rg8 Rxg3 71.Ke5 Re3+ 72.Kd4 Rg3 73.Ke5 Kf7 74.Rb8 Re3+ 75.Kd4 Re6 76.Kd5 Ke7 77.Rg8 Rd6+ 78.Ke5 Kd7 79.Rg7+?
The mistake. 79.Rb8 Kc7 80.Re8 Black cannot make any headway, if he tries to go after White’s a-pawn then 80…Kc6 81.Rc8+ forces the king back.
79…Kc6
See? Fedoseev goes after the a4–pawn and White does not have any backrank checks.
80.Rg8 Kc5! 81.Rc8+ Rc6 82.Rxc6+ Kxc6 83.Kf6
It’s still a draw, right? After 83…b5 84.axb5+ Kxb5 85.Kxg6 a4 86.f5 a3 87.f6 a2 88.f7 a1Q 89.f8Q Black is the one who has to be careful here, but anyway 89…Qe5 90.Qf5 Qxf5+ 91.Kxf5 Kc5 92.Kg5 Kd6 93.Kxh5 Ke7 94.Kg6 Kf8 is a clear book draw.
Wrong!
83…b5 84.axb5+ Kd6!! 0–1
Radjabov resigns. The point is that after 84…Kd6 85.Kxg6 a4 86.f5 a3 87.f6 a2 88.f7 Ke7! 89.Kg7 a1Q+ is with check and Black wins.
 
Bobby Ang is a founding member of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and its first Executive Director. A Certified Public Accountant, he taught accounting in the University of Santo Tomas for 25 years and is currently Chief Audit Executive of the Equicom Group of Companies.
bobby@cpamd.net

Celtics potential

“I guess it just kind of snowballs on you,” reserve Gordon Hayward said in the aftermath of the Celtics’ loss to the Clippers over the weekend. “It’s the NBA, man. It’s how it works.” He was, of course, referring to the way the match swung all the way to the opposite end after they appeared to have it in hand against competition that just traded away five key players. They led by 28 at one point in the first half and started the third quarter 21 up, but ultimately could not survive the sidelining of top scorer and playmaker Kyrie Irving.
Still, the outcome could not have been anything but a disappointment to fans who rightly figured the decimated Clippers were ripe for the picking. And having been party to a last-second heartbreaker against the hated Lakers in the previous outing, they had Casey to believe that the Celtics would be our for blood. Instead, they were treated to an up-and-down performance that reflected the confounding nature of their favorites. At any given set-to and, even more tellingly, within any given set-to, the green and white would prove susceptible to showing a debilitating Hyde side.
To be sure, Hayward’s quote can be viewed the other way as well. Yesterday, the Celtics took the measure of the vaunted Sixers, who had run roughshod over the Nuggets and Lakers following the arrival of erstwhile Clippers top dog Tobias Harris. It didn’t matter that Irving remained decommissioned due to a bum knee. Never mind that the hosts sported a heady 23-6 slate at the Wells Fargo Center. They were engaged from the get-go, and, in the crunch, proved their capacity to deliver on both ends of the court.
Perhaps it was no coincidence that Hayward, who was celebrated last year as a vital free-agent pickup but who then suffered a freak injury that stunted his ascent as an All-Star, came up big under pressure. Nonetheless, it bears noting that the Celtics displayed much of the joy and esprit de corps that characterized their run to the 2018 East Finals, and that starter Marcus Morris declared to be missing of late. Moving forward, the hope is that they can finally summon the consistency to stay true to potential. They are, after all, the Celtics. Nothing less is expected, and nothing less will suffice.
 
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

Reelectionist senators band together for campaign

REELECTIONIST SENATORS belonging to different political affiliations have banded together and held a proclamation rally in Tondo, Manila City on the second day of the campaign period for the 2019 midterm elections on May 13.
The gathering was organized by independent candidate Senator Grace S. Poe-Llamanzares, who did not secure an endorsement from the administration.
Her fellow reelectionist senators — Nancy S. Binay-Angeles, Aquilino L. Pimentel III, Cynthia A. Villar, Juan Edgardo M. Angara, and Joseph Victor G. Ejercito — attended the event.
Senator Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV, who was in Camarines Sur for the opposition slate’s proclamation rally, was not present.
In a statement, Ms. Binay-Angeles said the gathering showed a “testament of unity in diversity in the Senate.”
“One thing notable with our group is that we the reelectionists have established good rapport and have helped each other during debates and in times of differences of opinion. From an institutional perspective, we find an acceptable balance between unity and diversity, instead of dwelling on irreconcilable principles,” she said.
“I’m asking for your support. We have worked very well in the Senate. Opposition or administration, my colleagues will pass many laws that will benefit you,” Ms. Poe-Llamanzares said in Filipino during the televised rally.
Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, along with Senators Sherwin T. Gatchalian and Francis G. Escudero, were also present during the rally to campaign for their fellow lawmakers.
“I am standing here today because it’s elections time. We need to maintain the independence of the Senate and to find ways on how the legislature can help the country,“ Mr. Sotto said at the rally.
“We have a high approval rating, the high trust rating in the Senate because of my colleagues,” he added.
The reelectionist senators cited the laws they have passed during their six-year term.
Ms. Poe-Llamanares noted the school-based National Feeding Law, Mr. Angara mentioned the discounts granted to students and senior citizens, while Mr. Ejercito cited the universal health program.
Ms. Villar said she has created livelihood projects which provided jobs to many Filipinos. Ms. Binay-Angeles, meanwhile, recalled that her father, former Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, Sr., announced his vice presidential bid in Tondo, Manila City.
Mr. Pimentel said he helped pass the laws extending the validity of passports and driver’s license as well as the free tuition law during his stint as Senate President.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has cleared the way for Mr. Pimentel’s candidacy after it announced on Wednesday that it has dismissed all disqualification cases filed against him.
The first and second congressional districts of Manila City cover Tondo with a combined 344,000 registered voters, based on the 2016 Comelec data.
Ms. Binay-Angeles is from the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), Mr. Pimentel is from the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban), Ms. Villar is from the Nacionalista Party (NP), Mr. Angara is from the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), and Mr. Ejercito is from the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).
Meanwhile, senatorial candidates under the opposition slate Otso Diretso trooped to Camarines Sur, the hometown of Liberal Party ally and chairman Vice President Leni G. Robredo.
As of 2016, the province has about one million registered voters, according to Comelec.
Senatorial candidates endorsed by Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) held its second-day rally in Mariveles, Bataan, which has about 494,000 registered voters.
SOCIAL MEDIA
In another development, the recent guidelines issued by the Comelec on the regulation of social media for campaigning during elections are legally debatable, according to election lawyer George Erwin M. Garcia.
Mr. said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum on Wednesday that while he applauds the Comelec’s attempt to include social media in outlets they will regulate during the campaign period, there is still no legal basis for this.
“(Our) Fair Election Acts or Republic Act No. 9006 provided that the Comelec can regulate television, radio, newspapers and other means and such other ways. The problem is wala tayong (we don’t have) specific na law which regulates social media,” Mr. Garcia said.
He added, “The Comelec would like to punish violators of their rules on social media but can the Comelec punish something which the law does not mention? It’s highly questionable.”
Comelec released Resolution 10488 last Jan. 30, containing social media guidelines for the election campaign period.
Section 9-C of the resolution states that internet, mobile, and social media propaganda are already considered part of mass media.
Comelec Spokesperson James B. Jimenez said in the same forum, “Mass media is a technical term. The definition of mass media includes social media.” — Camille A. Aguinaldo and Gillian M. Cortez

DoH sees drop in measles cases by next month

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DoH) foresees that measles cases will begin to decrease by next month as they further strengthen their vaccination programs in partnership with other government agencies as a response to the outbreak.
In a statement on Wednesday, DoH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said they are working with various other departments and local government units (LGU) for measles prevention.
“The Department of Health is working side by side with other government agencies in quickly responding to mitigate the Measles outbreak. This government is conducting a massive information dissemination and immunization campaign to encourage Filipinos to get vaccinated,” he said.
Mr. Duque also said that the vaccination activities are targeted to be completed by next month, and “cases will start to decrease by that time as the number of susceptibles will have already been vaccinated come March.”
Earlier this week, DoH reported that there were 4,302 measles cases nationwide from Jan. 1 to Feb. 9 of this year, with 70 deaths.
The National Capital Region (NCR) had the highest number of measles cases out of all the regions with 1,296.
Some government agencies aiding in the DoH’s efforts to aid measles immunization are the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Transportation (DoTr), Department of Education (DepEd) Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
In another statement on Wednesday, DoH said they will sign an agreement with DepEd to formalize their collaboration in immunizing school-aged children.
REGIONS
In Western Visayas, the DoH-Center for Health Development regional office (DoH-CHD 6) said 359 suspected measles cases have been recorded since the declaration of the nationwide outbreak.
“Out of the 359 suspected cases, ten are confirmed measles cases with three deaths from Negros Occidental and Antique,” Mary Jane R. Juanico, medical officer III and Child Health team leader of DoH-CHD 6, said in a press conference late Tuesday.
Based on the DoH data, Negros Occidental has the highest number of measles cases with 144, followed by Antique with 101. The rest are in Bacolod City (53), Iloilo province (20), Capiz (15), Aklan (15), and Iloilo City (8).
Ms. Juanico said they are doing their best to combat the spike in measles cases in the region through supplemental immunization program.
In an earlier press conference, DoH-CHD Regional Director Marlyn W. Convocar emphasized the role of parents in getting their children vaccinated.
“Now is the best time for the parents to have their children immunized. It is the parents’ obligation to have their children vaccinated and it is the right of the child to be protected from diseases. They should not be deprived of it,” she said.
In the Davao Region, the DoH recorded one death due to measles with at least 140 cases reported.
DoH Regional Director Anabelle P. Yumang noted that this number was “75% lower compared with the same period of last year.”
“Reported measles cases spiked on the first quarter (of 2018) that prompted the agency to conduct Outbreak Response Immunization (ORI) that year,” she said.
Nonetheless, Ms. Yumang echoed calls for parents to have their children vaccinated to protect them from measles and other illnesses. — Gillian M. Cortez with reports from Emme Rose S. Santiagudo and Carmelito Q. Francisco

Mexican drug dealer sentenced to life in prison by PHL court

A PHILIPPINE court has convicted Mexican Horacio Hernandez Herrera, an alleged member of the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel, for the sale of illegal drugs in 2015.
In a seven-page decision, Acting Presiding Judge Selma Palacio Alaras of the Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 63 sentenced Mr. Herrera to life imprisonment and fined P500,000 to P10 million for violation of Section 5, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Mr. Herrera was arrested during a buy-bust operation last Jan. 11, 2015 at the parking area of a restaurant along Makati Ave., where he was caught selling 2,560.7 grams of cocaine with an estimated street value of around P12 million.
The Mexican national is allegedly a “mid-level” member of the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel. Mr. Herrera was said to have supplied cocaine, ecstasy, and methamphetamine hydrochloride (locally known as shabu) in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
The judge said the prosecution established the legality of Mr. Herrera’s arrest as the evidence proved all the elements of the crime of sale of dangerous drugs.
Ms. Alaras also said that Herrera “merely denied the accusation against him” and there were no eyewitnesses to support his claim.
“The court cannot give credence to his testimony as his defense was unsubstantiated with evidence,” the judge ruled.
Department of Justice Undersecretary and Spokesperson Markk L. Perete hailed the decision, saying, “The Department welcomes the conviction handed down by Judge Alaras and congratulates its prosecutors for their able handling of this case. It is through their efforts, as well as that of our law enforcers, that we are able to keep safe our communities.” — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Rappler’s Ressa arrested for cyber libel

JOURNALIST MARIA A. Ressa, chief executive officer and executive editor of online news site Rappler, was served an arrest warrant on Wednesday by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for cyber libel.
In a Twitter post, Rappler said the arrest warrant was “served by the NBI Cybercrime Division” at the company’s headquarters in Pasig City.
The NBI served the Feb. 12 warrant of arrest issued by Judge Rainelda H. Estacio-Montesa of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 for violation of Section 4(c)(4) of Republic Act No 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The arrest warrant also included former Rappler reporter Reynaldo Santos, Jr.
The Department of Justice (DoJ) on Jan. 10 indicted Rappler, Inc., Ms. Ressa and Mr. Santos over an article it published on May 29, 2012 titled “CJ Using SUVs of Controversial Businessman,” which reported that businessman Wilfredo D. Keng is involved in various illegal activities.
The DoJ dismissed the claim of Rappler that they cannot be charged with cyber libel as RA 10175 was signed into law on Sept. 12, 2012, four months after the publication of the article.
DoJ cited the 2014 revision of the article, which it said constitutes the “multiple publication rule” stating that “a single defamatory statement, if published several times, gives rise to as many offenses as there are publications.”
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra told reporters late Wednesday that the department had “no info(rmation) as of this time” on the arrest.
“In all likelihood, the warrant is in relation to the cyber libel case. This is simply procedural. Ms. Ressa may post bail anytime, even before the warrant is served,” Mr. Guevarra said.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo, sought for comment, said in a phone message to BusinessWorld, “We do not interfere on cases pending before the courts.”
He added that the arrest order is based on the determination of “probable cause.”
“[We] reiterate our previous statement [that it has] nothing to [do] with freedom of expression. Ressa is given the opportunity to defend herself. Whatever the outcome of [the investigation is] must be respected by everyone. That is that rule of law….” he said further.
For its part, the National Union of Journalists (NUJP) said in a statement, “The arrest of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa on the clearly manipulated charge of cyber libel is a shameless act of persecution by a bully government.”
“This government, led by a man who has proven averse to criticism and dissent, now proves it will go to ridiculous lengths to forcibly silence a critical media and stifle free expression and thought,” the group said, referring to President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
In the same case, charges against respondents Manuel I. Ayala, Nico Jose Nolledo, Glenda M. Gloria, James Bitanga, Felicia Atienza, Dan Albert De Padua, and Jose Maria G. Holifeña were dismissed earlier as they had no participation in the writing and publication of the report. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas and Arjay L. Balinbin

Sison says Philippine court summons ‘worthless’

COMMUNIST PARTY of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria C. Sison, who has been living in exile in The Netherlands, said on Wednesday that a Philippine court’s summons against him is “worthless and ineffective” because he is protected by international law. The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 19, through the Department of Justice (DoJ), has summoned Mr. Sison and Antonio Cabanatan, secretary of the Mindanao Commission, for their supposed “unassailable links” to the CPP and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA). “I pity Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and Manila Judge Marlo Madoza-Malagar for collaborating to have me summoned to Manila and for appearing stupid and grossly ignorant of international law pertaining to my status and my decades-long legal history just to comply with the truly stupid order of their boss (President Rodrigo R.) Duterte to target me in the proscription case against the CPP and the NPA,” Mr. Sison said in a social media post. The DoJ filed a petition before the Manila Regional Trial Court in Feb. 2018 to formally declare the CPP and the NPA as terrorists following the President’s order. Mr. Sison said the legal protection he enjoys “is well tested and proven valid and effective by the legal and judicial processes” that he has undergone to have his name removed from the European Union’s list of terrorists and to cause the dismissal of the “false charge of committing the alleged murder of certain individuals in the Philippines by ordering from Dutch territory alleged accomplices to commit the crime directly.” Malacañang has yet to issue a comment as of this reporting. — Arjay L. Balinbin and Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

SC dismisses quo warranto petition vs Duterte

THE SUPREME Court (SC) dismissed, for lack of legal standing and untimely filing, the 2018 quo warranto petition of a suspended lawyer against President Rodrigo R. Duterte. In a seven-page notice, the SC en banc on Jan. 22 said Elly L. Pamatong failed to substantiate his personal claim for presidency as he did not run against Mr. Duterte during the May 2016 national elections. “Other than his bare declaration that he ‘took an oath as caretaker President of the Republic of the Philippines, and assumed the Presidency on June 30, 2016,’ petitioner failed to corroborates such claims which nonetheless, are demonstrably belied by the results of the 2016 elections,” the SC ruled. According to the Rules of Court, only the solicitor-general, state prosecutor, or a claimant for a usurped position can file a quo warranto petition. The SC noted that although Mr. Pamatong filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for presidential post in the May 2016 elections, it was disapproved by the Commission on Elections as he was declared a nuisance candidate.— Vann Marlo M. Villegas

PHL to present commitments to UN WGEID

A PHILIPPINE delegation headed by Presidential Human Rights Committee Undersecretary Severo S. Catura will present before the United Nations Work Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UN WGEID) this week the country’s commitments and obligations in the cases of enforced and involuntary disappearances that occurred between 1975 to 2012. In a statement issued Tuesday evening, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Philippines will “reassure the United Nations of its commitment to respect, protect, and fulfill its human rights obligations” before the UN panel. The UN WGEID will hold its 117th session in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina from Feb. 11 to 15 to examine more than 760 cases from 37 countries. Permanent Representative to the UN Evan P. Garcia said the Philippine delegation will present the Duterte administration’s domestic policies in addressing enforced or involuntary disappearances. They will also discuss Manila’s engagement to other UN panels as well as raise the country’s concern for UN human rights monitoring mechanisms to “exercise due diligence in reviewing cases received in light of contentious and flawed information surrounding these cases.” — Camille A. Aguinaldo

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