UN rights council votes to probe Philippine drug killings

July 12, 2019 | 8:06 pm

THE United Nations has approved a resolution to investigate President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s war on drugs that has killed thousands.

The UN Human Rights Council on July 11 ordered the human rights office to present a comprehensive report as it expressed concerns about human rights violations in the Philippines. The body adopted a resolution that Iceland proposed and 17 other nations supported.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. rejected the resolution that he said “does not represent the will of the council, much less that of the developing countries who are always the target of such resolutions.’’

“We will not accept a politically partisan and one-sided resolution, so detached from the truth on the ground,’’ Mr. Locsin said in a statement. “It comes straight from the mouth of the Queen in Alice in Wonderland, ‘First the judgment, then the proof.’”

The council urged the government to cooperate with UN offices by allowing visits by its officials and by “refraining from all acts of intimidation or retaliation.”

The resolution also called on the Philippines “take all necessary measures to prevent extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, to carry out impartial investigations and to hold perpetrators accountable.”

Philippine police have said they have killed more than 6,000 people in illegal drug raids, many of them resisting arrest. Some local nongovernmental organizations and the national Commission on Human Rights have placed the death toll at more than 27,000.

“Should it proceed impartially, we are certain that its result will only lead to the humiliation of the investigators,” presidential spokesman Salvador S. Panelo said in a statement. He added that “there never have been == nor will there ever be — state-sponsored killings in this part of the world.”

The council’s resolution “signals the start of accountability for thousands of drug war-related killings and other abuses, and will provide hope to countless survivors and families of victims,” Laila Matar, deputy Geneva director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. “The challenge now is to ensure that the process moves quickly to compel the Philippine government to stop the killings and prosecute those responsible.” — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Nation should assert South China Sea rights — SWS poll

July 12, 2019 | 8:06 pm

MAJORITY of Filipinos think that the Philippines should assert its right to disputed islets in the South China Sea and arrest Chinese fishermen who destroy marine resources in the area, according to a poll by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The polling company said 87 percent of Filipinos shared these sentiments based on a poll conducted last month, it said in a statement.

Meanwhile, President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s plan to discuss in his yearly address to Congress a verbal deal with China allowing its nationals to fish in the waters would make it a binding legal agreement, Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio said on Friday.

“The moment that he makes that statement in the state of the nation address is a final confirmation that that verbal agreement is now a legal agreement,” the magistrate said at a briefing in Taguig City.

“We are terribly at the losing end of that agreement because we are opening the entire West Philippine Sea to China’s fishing fleet, in exchange for our fishermen to fish in the periphery of Scarborough Shoal,” he said

Mr. Duterte on Monday said he would educate Filipinos during his annual speech on the deal with China, which some critics said was illegal.

Mr. Duterte has sought closer investment and trade ties with Beijing, including over resources in the South China Sea, since taking power in 2016.

His predecessor, Benigno S. Aquino III, sued China before an international arbitration tribunal over its territorial claims, and won. He also strengthened Philippine alliance with the US to try to check China’s expansion in the South China Sea. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Ex-solon refuses to enter plea in graft case

July 12, 2019 | 8:06 pm

FORMER Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando G. Andaya, Jr. on Friday declined to enter his plea in a P900 million corruption case at the Sandiganbayan.

The anti-graft court instead entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. The ex-congressman faces 97 counts of graft involving an alleged scam at the Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power project. A pre-trial was scheduled for August 9.

Mr. Andaya, a former Budget secretary, was accused of allowing the Malamapaya fund to be illegally used for agrarian reform purposes. His lawyers have asked the Supreme Court to stop the proceedings at the anti-graft court. — Vince Angelo c. Ferreras

JBC shortlists 6 high court nominees

July 12, 2019 | 7:58 pm

THE Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has shortlisted six nominees for the Supreme Court after considering 23 applicants for the job, according to the high court’s social media page.

The shortlist is made up of five justices from the Court of Appeals and a court administrator. These are Justices Apolinario D. Bruselas, Jr., Japar B. Dimaampao, Ramon R. Garcia, Jhosep Y. Lopez, and Rodil V. Zalameda and Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez

A seat will be opened when Associate Justice Mariano C. del Castillo, an appointee of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, retires later this month. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Parañaque terminal eyes more routes, services

July 12, 2019 | 7:58 pm

A MODERN intermodal terminal in Parañaque City that will serve commuters between Metro Manila and nearby provinces plans to add more routes and services by year-end, according to Jason Torres, assistant vice president at Megawide Construction Corp., part of a consortium that won the project.

The Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) will start a point-to-point bus service between the terminal and Baguio City on July 15. Long-haul routes to Visayas and Mindanao are also planned as well as connecting the terminal to the Light Rail Transit line 1, Torres told reporters on Friday.

Provincial buses at the terminal as of June have increased to 462 from 64 in December, while 23 more city buses were added from 715. Traditional jeepneys at the terminal have increased to 347 from 172, while there are now 205 modern jeepneys from 111. The number of vans at the terminal have more than doubled to 56.

Mr. Torres said most of the commercial stores will start operating by year-end.

“We want PITX to be more than just a transport hub,” he said. “We want PITX to be maximized for the people that’s why we have thought of other partnerships,” he added.

The company is planning to set up government offices at the terminal including offices of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Social Security System. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

GOCC dividends hit record P61.3 billion year to date

July 12, 2019 | 7:55 pm

GOVERNMENT-OWNED and controlled corporations (GOCC) remitted a record P61.3 billion to the Treasury in the year to date, the Department of Finance (DoF) said Friday.

“The dividends collected by the national government help offset the subsidies given out to state enterprises performing crucial social functions. They will go a long way in helping us hold down deficits and continue funding the infrastructure and social programs of President Duterte,” Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said in a statement.

The DoF said the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) had the top contribution of P16.17 billion, followed by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) with P4.583 billion.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas remitted dividends of P4 billion, followed by Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), P3.515 billion; and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), P3.509 billion.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) remitted P3.424 billion; Land Bank of the Philippines, P1.96 billion; and the National Power Corp., P1.437 billion.

“Because each GOCC has a unique mission, they have different management requirements and financial performances. Regardless of their unique features, we expect our GOCCs to be all competently managed and efficiently run,” Mr. Dominguez said.

GOCCs are required by law to return half their profits to the government in the form of dividends.

The DoF noted that just past the midyear mark, the latest total beats the P51.2 billion worth of dividends in 2018. The 2018 total, collected from 56 GOCCs, itself was a 41% improvement from a year earlier.

The DoF has said that between July 2016 — the first month of the current administration — to December 2018, GOCC dividends have amounted to P70.9 billion. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

Customs on track to raise P10 billion from rice tariffa

July 12, 2019 | 7:55 pm

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) said that it is on track to achieve the P10 billion revenue target for rice import tariffs to fund the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), after more liberalized rice imports started in March.

RCEF is a P10 billion-a-year component of the Rice Tariffication Law, to be funded by tariffs on imports shipped in by private parties, in order to fund mechanization, credit, seed and training programs for rice farmers.

In a statement Friday, the BoC said privately-imported rice totaled 966,690 metric tons (MT) in the March to June period, up 422.25% from a year earlier.

“The Bureau is on track to meet the P10 billion target tariff collection set under law,” the BoC said.

According to BoC, monthly rice imports averaged 256,445 MT a month, up 454.18% from the average prior to the implementation of Republic Act (RA) No. 11203, or the Rice Tariffication Law.

The Department of Finance (DoF) has said that the BoC was able to collect P5.9 billion in tariffs from 1.43 million metric tons (MT) of rice imported by private traders following the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law.

The BoC did not explain why it totals diverge from the DoF’s. The DoF was citing preliminary Customs data.

According to the DoF, the Port of Manila recorded the highest tariff collections from rice imports, generating P978.51 million, followed by the Manila International Container Port with P942.76 million, then by the Port of Cagayan de Oro with P754.13 million.

The Port of Davao, meanwhile, collected P703.93 million.

“The steady volume of rice importation is a strong indication that the BoC will be able to meet the target of P10 billion pesos in tariff collections for the year for remittance to the RCEF as well as other concerned agencies in connection to RA 11203,” the BoC said.

Collections in excess of P10 billion will be used to help rice farmers diversify into other crops. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

Rice inventory rises 10.1% in early June

July 12, 2019 | 7:55 pm

THE national rice inventory was estimated at 2.598 million metric tons (MMT) on June 1, up 10.1% from a year earlier, but fell 11.8% month-on-month, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

The estimate was contained in the PSA’s Rice and Corn Stocks Inventory report, and is sufficient for about 81 days’ consumption.

Some 40.4% of the rice inventory were held by households, 38.4% by commercial warehouses, and 21.2% by the National Food Authority (NFA), with 66.5% of the total accounted for by imported rice.

The Rice Tariffication law, which opened up rice imports to private firms who will need to pay tariffs of 35% on most Southeast Asian grain, took effect on March 5.

According to initial estimates from the Bureau of Customs (BoC), it has collected P5.9 billion from imports of 1.43 million metric tons (MMT) of rice since the law was implemented.

The NFA’s mission has been redefined to procuring palay, or unmilled rice, from domestic farmers. In the first half, it reported procurement of 5.4 million bags of palay.

Inventory held by households and commercial warehouses fell 4.2% and 21% year-on-year, respectively. Meanwhile, NFA stocks surged 26,444.2% from a year earlier, when supplies held by the NFA drew down to close to zero, helping trigger the inflation crisis of 2018 and providing momentum for efforts to restructure the rice import market.

On a month-on-month basis, all three posted declines in inventory. Household stocks declined 17.1%; commercial warehouse inventory fell 11.2%; and NFA stocks declined 1.3%.

The corn inventory was 859,770 MT, up 45.2% year-on-year, and up 3.7% from a month earlier. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

Senate bill to allow microgrids to be developed without franchise holders’ consent

July 12, 2019 | 7:55 pm

A SENATE bill aims to speed up rural electrification by boosting the development of microgrid systems by accredited developers, imposing sanctions on bureaucratic delays and lifting the requirement of securing waivers from franchise-holding utilities.

In a statement Friday, Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said Senate Bill No. 175 or the “Microgrid Systems Act” creates a streamlined process for microgrid service providers (MSPs). The bill aims to provide reliable electric services to households and accelerate total electrification in areas with no electricity access, no distribution system lines, no home power systems, or no connection to any microgrid.

“The government has stated that total electrification in unserved areas cannot be done by traditional grid extension alone and that non-traditional means — such as microgrid systems — are needed. The problem of energy access is also a concern even in ‘electrified’ areas with limited electricity service, or what we call underserved areas,” he said.

Mr. Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, said the bill will also level the playing field for system providers.

“The government has tapped the private sector as partner in delivering electricity and improving the quality service in unserved and underserved areas. However, there are significant barriers to entry because of tedious bureaucratic processes, lack of information on prospective areas for electrification, and difficulties obtaining waivers from incumbent utility franchise holders,” he said.

He said generation companies, distribution utilities, retail electricity suppliers, or their respective subsidiaries or affiliates may engage in the business of MSPs, provided that a separate account is maintained for the business undertaking.

He cited figures from the Energy department that as of 2018, up to 2,779,530 households, or 11.7% of the total number of households nationwide, have no access to electricity.

He vowed to prioritize the passage of the bill in the 18^th Congress to help the government achieve its goal of 100% household electrification by 2022. The bill is one of 10 priority bills filed by the senator early this month. — Victor V. Saulon

MARINA expects EO to boost efforts in passing shipping-industry audit

July 12, 2019 | 7:55 pm

THE Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) said it expects an Executive Order (EO) to help prepare the industry hurdle an international compliance audit and met the standards of the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The regulator said the July 2 EO No. 84 directed the creation of an inter-Agency Council on the IMSAS will strengthen compliance efforts ahead of the audit.

Executive Order No. 84 is known as “Creation of an inter-agency council on the International Maritime Organization Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS).”

The council will “ensure that its member-agencies… implement and comply with all the policies, laws and issuances pertaining to the implementation of the IMO instruments in an integrated manner.”

MARINA said in a statement Friday that “EO 84 serves as the legal framework of the IMSAS Council to fulfill its functions… as well as mechanisms to certify that the Philippines fully satisfies its responsibilities as a flag, port, and coastal State.”

The IMSAS audit, which will take place in 2021 and every seven years thereafter, will look into how member states implement and enforce IMO rules to ensure maritime safety and marine environment protection.

EO No. 84 appoints the Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary as chairperson and MARINA administrator as vice chairperson of the council. Its members include representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and Cebu Port Authority (CPA).

A technical working group (TWG) will also assist the council, headed by the DoTr’s Assistant Secretary for Maritime as Chairperson and MARINA’s Deputy Administrator for Operations as vice chairperson. The members of the TWG are representatives from DFA, PCG, PPA, CPA, the Commission on Higher Education, National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, the Environmental Management Bureau, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Office for Transportation Security and the Philippine National Police Maritime Group.

MARINA is in the process of preparing for IMSAS by conducting an internal audit of its own to anticipate the possible issues that may arise in the audit proper. — Katrina T. Mina

ERC issues refund order to 12 power distributors

July 12, 2019 | 7:55 pm

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has issued orders to privately-owned power distribution utilities (DUs) directing them to refund customers on the unused “regulatory reset cost” including any remaining amount from the previous regulatory period plus interest.

“The Commission has ruled that regulation should be at the cost of the government, and we will consider the same ruling in our current review of the regulatory reset process,” said ERC Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Agnes VST Devanadera in a statement on Friday.

Under the commission’s performance-based regulation (PBR) methodology, privately owned DUs are allowed to charge regulatory reset cost in their revenue requirement. The regulatory reset cost represents expenses incurred in engaging regulatory experts or consultants when setting and updating the DU’s electricity rates.

“We enjoin the privately-owned DUs to submit a report to the Commission on their compliance with our refund directive on or before 15 August 2019,” Ms. Devanadera said.

The private DUs that were ordered to refund and their corresponding refund amount plus interest are as follows:

1. Cabanatuan Electric Corp. — P602,070 or P0.0309 per kilowatt-hour (kWh)

2. Clark Electric Distribution Corp. — P583,434 or P0.0133/kWh

3. Dagupan Electric Power Corp. — P1,277,538 or P0.0422/kWh

4. La Union Electric Co. — P85,038 or P0.0058/kWh

5. San Fernando Electric Light and Power Co. — P1,395,821 or P0.0252/kWh

6. Tarlac Electric, Inc. — P897,685 or P0.0258/kWh

7. Bohol Light Company, Inc. — P277,684 or P0.0264/kWh

8. Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co. — P5,098,534 or P0.0556/kWh

9. Cotabato Light and Power Co. — P949,743 or P0.0694/kWh

10. Davao Light and Power Co. — P262,640 pr P0.0013/kWh

11. Iligan Light and Power Co. — P558,830 or P0.0274/kWh

12. Visayan Electric Company — P8,885,965 or P0.0447/kWh

The ERC earlier computed the regulatory reset cost to be refunded by Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the country’s largest DU, at P0.0731 per kWh in July.

Based on ERC’s calculation, the regulatory reset cost refund ranges from P0.04 to P0.08 per kWh.

The commission said distribution utilities will be directed to submit a report on their compliance with the ERC’s particular refund directive, which is subject to audit and review in the next regulatory reset to determine if further refunds are needed.

Ms. Devanadera has said that the amount collected as regulatory reset cost for the past regulatory period remained unused since the 17^th Congress appropriated funds for purposes of regulatory reset.

The commission thus deemed it prudent to refund the amounts collected by DUs for this purpose, she said.

The ERC has advised power consumers of private DUs to check their electricity bills next month and find out if the regulatory reset cost refund has been effected, including any relevant interest earned thereon. — Victor V. Saulon

PAL, Cebu Pacific on-time performance improves in July

July 12, 2019 | 7:54 pm

PHILIPPINE Airlines, Inc. (PAL) and Cebu Pacific showed significant improvements in their on-time performance (OTP) in July, two weeks after they signed signed pledges to improve with the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

In a statement on Friday, PAL had a running average OTP of 82% from 80% in June. It was under 60% in April.

Cebu Pacific improved to 77% from 60% in June.

OTP is based on the number of departures and arrivals within 15 minutes of the scheduled time, counting flight cancellations.

Both airlines said the improvements came after five airlines signed the pledge on June 26, signifying their support for improving the air sector’s performance and aid in the decongestion of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) “through improved on-time flight performance, supporting the development of other gateways including Sangley Airport in Cavite, and improving the travel experience of air passengers.”

The pledge was signed with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).

“I can confirm that our participation in the (pledge) really helped improve our OTP. At the same time, we will continue to improve our internal processes and collaborate with CAAP, MIAA and CAB to make sure that our passengers will have a better experience when traveling to the Philippines,” Stanley Ng, vice president for flight operations of PAL, said in a statement.

On the other hand, Michael Ivan Shau, chief operations officer of Cebu Pacific, said, “Coordinated and concerted efforts from all stakeholders resulted in OTP improvement at the NAIA, and we will remain in cooperation with the government under the (pledge) to ease the travel of the public.”

They also noted that the daily release of OTP, which started May, has helped them improve their performance.

Both the DoTr and MIAA acknowledged the efforts of both airlines to improve their quality of service, and hoped that this spreads to other airlines, as well.

“I thank PAL and Cebu Pacific for their efforts to improve OTP. It is my hope that this be increased, and that more and more airlines follow suit,” Transport Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said.

“I laud the airline operators for doing their part to give Filipinos a comfortable life through improved on-time flight performance. We shall continue in this direction as we work on a number of solutions to decongest the NAIA,” MIAA General Mananger Ed V. Monreal said. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang