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Honda Cars dealership soon to open in Las Piñas

HONDA CARS Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) Honda’s automobile business unit in the Philippines, is pleased to announce the groundbreaking of its 40th dealership last April 12. Honda Cars Las Piñas (HCLP) will have full sales and service operations and will be located at KM 17 Real St. Alabang Zapote Road, Talon 2, Las Piñas City.

Located along the main highway and nearby commercial area of Las Piñas, Honda brings its products and services closer and accessible to residents of the south. HCLP will offer Honda’s latest product line-up and complete vehicle service facilities for General Repair, Preventive Maintenance and Body-and-Paint.

HCPI and HCLP celebrated their partnership during the groundbreaking event last April 12, with the presence of HCPI President and General Manager, Noriyuki Takakura, HCPI Dealer Business Division Head Noel Barachina and Sales Division Head and Spokesperson Atty. Louie Soriano, and LICA principals Rene Limcaoco and Tey Sornet. HCLP will be managed by Rizal Autozone, Inc.’s Group General Manager, Annee Pili.

“We are truly honored to be given the chance to extend HCPI’s commitment of providing outstanding customer satisfaction through delivering innovative products and services for every Filipino family.” said Atty. Louie Soriano, Sales Division Head and spokesperson of Honda Cars Philippines, Inc.

Honda Cars Las Piñas is set to open by the 2nd quarter of 2020.

For more information on Honda Cars Las Piñas (HCLP) and other Honda products, visit the Honda Cars Philippines, Inc.’s official website at www.hondaphil.com.

Labeling caused China to suspend two Canada pork shippers

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA/OTTAWA — China’s suspension of two Canadian pork exporters’ permits was due to a labeling problem, Canada’s agriculture minister said, adding that she was hopeful of it being resolved.

China’s action against two Canadian pork companies, announced by Ag Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Wednesday, widened a diplomatic rift between the countries.

On Thursday, Gary Stordy, spokesman for the Canadian Pork Council industry group said the problem centered on labels that contain information about a shipment’s contents, weight and place of origin.

Bibeau confirmed that the labels were the problem.

“So it’s an administrative issue and I am confident that we will be able to solve this situation,” she told reporters in Ottawa.

Tensions have grown between Ottawa and Beijing since the December arrest in Canada of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd’s chief financial officer, on a US warrant. Asked about a link between Meng’s arrest and China’s trade actions against Canada, Bibeau told legislators on a committee that she would not make that connection.

Stordy of the pork council, which represents hog farmers, could not say what the specific problem was with the labels on shipments from Olymel LP and Drummond Export, the two suspended Canadian companies.

“All of our industry has to make sure it’s meeting China’s import requirements,” Stordy said. “There’s extra scrutiny, and the information needs to be correct and accurate.”

Since Meng’s arrest in December, China has arrested two Canadians and halted canola imports from two other Canadian companies. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government on Wednesday offered financial assistance to Canadian canola farmers who have been harmed by China’s ban.

Although Trudeau’s government is under increasing pressure from opposition legislators to retaliate over China’s various actions, Bibeau told the House of Commons’ agriculture committee on Thursday the situation was “very delicate,” and that Ottawa did not support the idea of escalation.

A federal government source, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation, described the pork export suspensions as things that happen “in the normal course of events.”

“I wouldn’t want necessarily to put that in the same category as canola, which is obviously a very serious issue,” the source added.

All other Canadian pork processing facilities remain eligible to ship to China, said Katie Hawkins, a spokeswoman for Bibeau.

But Canada’s Global Affairs department has warned exporters of the need to meet all of China’s export requirements, Stordy noted.

Drummond Export, which operates a single meat plant in Quebec, received notification this week of its suspension, said Bruno Mussely, the company’s international development director. It is still waiting for a clear explanation.

“We’re just waiting here to find out the reasons why,” he said. “It’s unpleasant for sure.”

Drummond sells pig feet to China, one of the company’s key markets. In over 20 years of shipping to China, Mussely said Drummond has never been suspended.

The other Quebec-based company targeted by the suspensions was Olymel LP, whose Red Deer, Alberta pork plant had its export permit suspended. Company spokesman Richard Vigneault said Olymel was assessing the situation and had no further comment.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency last week said some Canadian pork shipments to China had been delayed because exporters used outdated forms that certify the cargoes meet Chinese requirements.

The agency could not immediately comment on Thursday.

Stordy said the suspended companies now need to correct the labeling on shipments of their pork products and explain to authorities in China as to what preventative actions they are taking to see their export permits restored. — Reuters

Shares to move sideways ahead of economic data

SHARES MAY continue trading sideways albeit with an upward bias as investors watch out for April inflation data, the central bank’s policy meeting, and first-quarter earnings reports this week.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) dropped 0.42% or 33.59 points to close at 7,967.98 on Friday, but was up by 1.3% on a weekly basis after breaching the 8,000 level on Thursday.

Counters for industrials, services, and financials supported the main index’s ascent, after they jumped 3.8%, 1.8%, and 1.76% last week, respectively.

Net foreign inflows, however, slipped by 64% to P149 million, amid positive market breadth at 99 advancers to 91 losers last week.

“The market may continue within this range (7,800-8,000) for a few more weeks but I am still inclined to believe that this market is going to go higher,” Eagle Equities, Inc. Research Head Christopher John Mangun said in a market report.

“Economic fundamentals are just incredibly good right now and even corporate earnings are expected to perform better than what we saw in 2018.”

Online brokerage 2TradeAsia.com expects investors to take cues from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) policy meeting on May 9. With the BSP research department projecting inflation to be within a 2.7-3.5% range, the Monetary Board may move toward policy easing or cut the reserve requirement ratio (RRR).

“Any rate cut or RRR adjustment might still be countered by higher oil prices, prolonged El Niño’s impact on water and agri resources, as well as increased power rates. Overall, local equities might take heart if easing is supported,” 2TradeAsia.com said in a weekly market note.

The Philippine Statistics Authority will also release key economic indicators this week, namely April inflation data on May 7 and the first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) report on May 9.

2TradeAsia.com noted how sentiment is skewed towards slower first-quarter GDP growth, citing downward revisions in estimates from the International Monetary Fund at 6.5% from 6.6% and Asian Development Bank at 6.4% from 6.7%, among others.

“World Bank estimates were unchanged at 6.4%. Forward valuation on equities may get the lift, in case growth expectations improve for succeeding quarters,” the online brokerage said.

Aside from the release of economic figures, this week will also see the release of first-quarter earnings results of companies that comprise 40% of the PSEi and 30% of the all-shares index.

These include Globe Telecom, Inc., Ayala Land, Inc., SM Investments, Inc., LT Group, Inc, Ayala Corp., International Container Terminal Services, Inc., San Miguel Corp., and Puregold Price Club, Inc.

Eagle Equities’ Mr. Mangun placed the main index’s support level at 7,800 to 7,900, with resistance from 8,000 to 8,140. — Arra B. Francia

How PSEi member stocks performed — May 3, 2019

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Friday, May 3, 2019.

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Central bank sees rate cut impetus from S&P rating upgrade

Benjamin Diokno
BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin E. Diokno has said that easing monetary policy — in terms of cutting both banks’ reserve requirement ratio and benchmark interest rates — is just a matter of time.

THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) sees room to “move faster” in easing monetary policy following the sovereign debt rating upgrade last April from S&P Global Ratings, the central bank chief said in an ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) interview, noting that the domestic economy likely grew “slightly higher” than six percent in the first quarter of the year.

On the sidelines of Asian Development Bank’s annual meeting in Nadi, Fiji on Friday, BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said the recent credit rating upgrade is “another factor” that will be considered during the Monetary Board’s (MB) May 9 policy meeting — its third for 2019. “I think the (credit upgrade) is another factor that we can now move faster this time,” he said.

S&P Global Ratings raised the country’s credit rating to “BBB+” from “BBB” — just a notch away from “A”-level rating and the first upgrade since 2013 when the country first bagged successive investment-grade ratings — citing above-average growth and strong external and fiscal position which have boosted the country’s economic profile.

A higher credit rating can enable the government and private companies in the country to borrow funds abroad at cheaper cost.

Reiterating pronouncements after he assumed his post in early-March, Mr. Diokno added that reductions in policy rates and banks’ reserve requirement ratio (RRR) are “inevitable.”

“It is inevitable that we will have to cut both the reserve requirement ratio and the interest rate,” he said. “We’re starting from the previous year’s 175-point increase. That’s not normal,”

The MB kept benchmark rates steady in its first and second policy reviews on Feb. 7 and March 21 at a 4.25-5.25% range, coming from a 175-basis-pointl cumulative hike in interest rates through five consecutive meetings last year, in an effort to quell inflation.

Headline inflation slowed for a fifth consecutive month to a 15-month-low of 3.3% in March from a nine-year-high 6.7% in September and October last year and a 5.2% average in 2018.

The BSP expects inflation for the month of April to have settled within a 2.7-3.5% range, as a continued decline in rice prices and the peso’s appreciation offset upward pressures from higher fuel and electricity costs. It expects inflation to average three percent this year. The Philippine Statistics Authority will report April inflation data on May 7.

The central bank also held off cutting banks’ reserve requirement ratio (RRR), even as Mr. Diokno has described the already-reduced 18% RRR as still “very high”, citing “room for… one percentage point [cut] every quarter for the next four quarters.”

Mr. Diokno also told ANC on Friday that gross domestic product (GDP) likely grew “slightly higher” than six percent in the first three months of the year, propelled by election spending, construction, investments and manufacturing. The PSA will report first-quarter GDP data on May 9.

“It’s an election year. (Also), even if there’s not much construction, there’s what we call accounts payable or the payment for things we’ve done before. Private investment is quite active,” Mr. Diokno explained.

GDP growth has been hovering around six percent since the fourth quarter of 2017 (6.6%), clocking in at 6.5%, 6.2%, six percent and 6.3% in last year’s first to fourth quarters, respectively.

The government last March reduced its 2019 GDP growth target to 6-7% from 7-8% originally in the face of delayed enactment of the 2019 national budget, which was slashed by P95.3 billion to P3.662 trillion when it was signed into law four months late in mid-April.

The delay in the 2019 budget prevented the government from front-loading investments in big-ticket infrastructure projects during the best time of the year to construct: the first quarter. Public works spending has been on hold for a 45-day period starting March 29 ahead of the May 13 legislative and local mid-term elections.

Mr. Diokno’s estimate mirrored projections made by two state economic managers earlier this week. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said he expects first-quarter GDP at “above six percent,” while Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez gave a 6.2-6.4% range. — Karl Angelo N. Vidal

NAMFREL withdraws accreditation to assist in midterm polls

By Charmaine A. Tadalan, Reporter

THE National Citizen’s Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) has withdrawn its accreditation to assist in the May 13, 2019, midterm elections.

The election watchdog said its withdrawal was prompted by the Commission on Elections’ limiting NAMFREL’s operation to the conduct of the Random Manual Audit (RMA).

“The Commission declined to grant Petitioner’s prayers related to open access and data,” NAMFREL saidits manifestation, filed before the Comelec on April 30.

NAMFREL, among others, will not have access to voter’s list, project of precincts and related precinct statistics. It will also not have direct access to the transmitted election turnover from the main server, and audit logs.

“Without open access to information and data, Petitioner is unable to participate in the RMA because the inaccessibility diminishes the verifiability of data separately provided during the RMA,” NAMFREL said.

NAMFREL National Council Member Lito Averia said the restriction had to do with threats to the security of the data and the risk of possible exploitation for other intent.

“Security (of) data and what if the data goes to the wrong hands (are a concern)…. (There are many ways) to secure the data. We can use a technique called hash coding,…through (which, if you change something, we can detect that change) after the hash code has been generated. (If there is) personal information,…we can always encrypt the personal information,” Mr. Averia told BusinessWorld in an interview Friday.

“The second question is what if the data goes to the wrong hands. It is best that we process it immediately, so whoever has an intent of exploiting the data and coming up with their own story, negative story, we can easily refute with our analysis,” Mr. Averia added.

Despite its withdrawal, NAMFREL said it will continue to monitor the election through other sources that may have access to the same data.

Mr. Averia said “one way of vetting it is to compare the data we will get from source one to the data we will get from source two.”

Also among the watchdogs accredited by the Comelec to assist in the May polls is the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting.

NAMFREL’s track record of election monitoring dates back to the postwar era. Led, among others, by businessman and Marcos-era political detainee Jose S. Concepcion, Jr., the group also played a crucial role in the twilight of the Marcos dictatorship, particularly the 1984 parliamentary election and the 1986 snap presidential election. Mr. Concepcion is currently chairman of the group.

Sought for comment, lawyer and Ateneo Policy Center research fellow Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco said via email, Friday, that “the very existence of NAMFREL undermines the credibility of the Comelec. Remember that NAMFREL was organized precisely because Comelec could not be trusted to ensure fair and honest elections.”

He added: “Understandably, from the perspective of the Comelec, the continued existence of NAMFREL can be seen as an indictment on their capacity now to fulfil their constitutional mandate to ensure fair and honest elections. It is not surprising therefore that the present Comelec would treat NAMFREL at arms length. The incentive for Comelec ultimately is for the public to openly appreciate the conduct of elections even without the hovering presence of NAMFREL.”

BAYAN MUNA STILL LEADING AMONG PARTY-LIST GROUPS
Still on the elections, Pulse Asia’s April 2019 Pulso ng Bayan Survey found the number of party-lists to likely secure seats in the House of Representatives now at 13, from the 14 reported in March.

Out of the 134 party-list groups accredited by the Comelec, 13 are seen to garner more than 2.0% of the total votes cast for the party-list elections, Pulse Asia reported.

Bayan Muna maintained its lead with a 7.94% voters preference, followed by Ako Bicol party-list with 6.65%, up from 4.72% last March.

Magsasaka dropped from second to third place, while ACT-CIS and APEC ranked fourth and fifth, a huge leap from their previous ranking at 15th and 18th, respectively.

Pulse Asia noted that the high voter preference for Bayan Muna, Ako Bicol, Magsasaka and ACT-CIS partylists translates to three seats in the chamber, the highest number of seat a group can win.

Other groups that will likely have a seat in the chamber are AGAP, CIBAC, Senior Citizen, AMIN, Probinsyano Ako, ANAC-IP, Ang Probinsyano and COOP-NATCCO.

Pulse Asia reported higher awareness among those living in Metro Manila (88%) and the rest of Luzon (82%), compared to those in Visayas (57%).

Higher level of awareness had also been recorded in socio-economic class ABC with 93% against Class D and E, each with 75% and 72%.

NGCP: Rotational brownouts in NCR, parts of Luzon possible

GRID operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) warned of possible rotational brownouts in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon on Friday, a day after the Energy department once again assured Congress that power supply is sufficient with the addition of new sources.

In an advisory early in the day, NGCP placed the Luzon grid on yellow alert on several intervals during the day, starting at 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., with the last interval at 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

It also placed Luzon, which has the country’s biggest power grid, on red alert from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m.

The projected peak power demand during the day was at 11,046 megawatts (MW) as against available capacity of 11,054 MW.

Privately owned NGCP said it might implement “manual load dropping” or rotational brownouts in parts of areas served by Manila Electric Co. and some electric cooperatives in Luzon “to maintain the integrity of the power system.”

“Schedule may be cancelled if system condition improves, such as if actual demand falls below projections,” the company said. “NGCP encourages everyone to exercise prudence in using electricity.”

A yellow alert notice is issued when the dispatchable power reserve is fully spent and the system is already tapping into its contingency reserve. A red alert notice means both dispatchable and contingency reserves are gone.

Both reserves are equivalent to the biggest operating plant online — the two identical units of the power plant in Sual, Pangasinan each with a capacity of 647 MW.

Without dispatchable and contingency reserves, the system is running on its regulating reserve, which is equivalent to 4% of the peak demand for the day.

A few days before the mid-term elections, areas in Luzon were warned of possible rotational brownouts, with the earliest in parts of Ilocos Sur and Metro Manila.

At 12:00-1:00 p.m., the warning was announced in parts of Albay, Quezon, and in Metro Manila. At 1:00-2:00 p.m., it covered parts of Baguio City and Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Angeles City in Pampanga, Batangas, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay and Metro Manila.

At 3:00-4:00 p.m., a brownout warning was announced in parts of Ilocos Norte, Cagayan and Apayao, Pampanga, Bataan, Quezon, Camarines Sur, and Metro Manila.

Department of Energy (DoE) Assistant Secretary Redentor E. Delola told a hearing by the Joint Congressional Power Commission (JCPC) on Thursday that the Luzon grid has sufficient power on May 13, election day. He said power demand is traditionally low on election days, which are usually public holidays.

“There is a sufficient supply,” DoE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi told the hearing, but he said the problem arose when 1,500 MW of power was lost, with several generation plants going on an unscheduled outage at the same time.

Mr. Cusi said 470 MW were added to the system when three power plants were energized.

On May 4, Sem-Calaca Power Corp.’s unit 2 in Calaca will be back online, bringing in 200 MW in dependable capacity. On May 6, TeaM Energy Corp.’s unit 1 in Pagbilao will also be back with 382 MW.

Mr. Cusi also said demand of about 250 MW could help ease the power requirement with the activation of Meralco’s interruptible loan program, or a scheme where private entities run their own generator sets.

However, Mr. Delola said there would still be a problem during the election period if unscheduled power plant outages result in the loss of 1,500 MW.

“[On] election day wala tayong problema (we don’t have a problem], but after the election day, the demand level is higher than what we had [in] April. With that and the same amount of outage, we can really expect that there will be a problem,” he said.

“On the issue of the outages, the worst case that will happen is just it’s an hour outage per area, so that’s how the rotational outages are being implemented. I cannot speak for Comelec (Commission on Elections), but I think the machines are able to run on emergency supply for one hour,” he said.

“The worst [case] scenario if we experience again what happened last April 10, 11 and 12, we expect that there will still be outages much more now because the demand is higher,” he added.

Separately, Philippine Independent Power Producers, Inc. (PIPPA) said in a statement on Friday that the grid needs to address demand spikes that happen around 2% of the time in the entire year.

“This means that peaking capacity is needed, not more baseload capacities that will not be used 98% of the time. We already have capacities at present in addition to new and increased capacities, which continue to be added in the coming years. What we need to do is to fill in the gaps in the energy system,” it said, referring to the provision of forwards and reserves market, energy storage solutions, improved grid function, among others.

“By properly addressing this need we will avoid falling into reactionary approaches to a temporary and highly seasonal incident, which in the long run, will be costly to the entire industry,” it said.

The group describes itself as an association of 28 companies engaged in power generation that account for 82.8% or 13,549.4 MW of the grid installed capacity. Its members have power plants all over the Philippines.

ZAMCELCO
The power supplier of Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) has signed a compromise deal with the distribution utility’s investor-manager on Friday, ending the rotating brownouts that hit the city in recent months.

In separate statements, Western Mindanao Power Corp. (WMPC) on one side and the Crowninvestments Holdings Inc. on the other said they had signed the agreement, ensuring the resumption of power in Zamboanga City.

The signing comes a day after the DoE told reporters that the two sides had yet to sign a compromise deal after the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) heard the squabbling parties on April 25 to urge them to amicably settle their dispute.

“We are glad to restore power and normalcy to Zamboanga City,” said Joseph C. Nocos, vice-president for business development of WMPC and the Alsons Power Group.

“By signing the compromise agreement, we reaffirm our commitment to be Zamboanga’s partner for growth in the long term,” he added.

WMPC is running its power plant again, providing immediate relief to residents and businesses that have suffered from the effects of power outages reaching up to six hours, the Alcantara’s energy company said.

“We have been trying to settle with WMPC for three months now. We are glad that WMPC finally accepted this compromise. With this, we can stop rotational brownouts and stabilize electricity in the city,” said Joseph Omar A. Castillo, lawyer and authorized spokesperson of Crowninvestments.

“As the new investor-manager, we are looking out for Zamboangueños after years of mismanagement of the city’s power co-op. Zamboangueños were made to pay more than what they should have. We want to return their money to them,” he added.

In September last year, the joint venture of Crowninvestments and Desco, Inc. announced that they had won the investor-management contract for Zamcelco with a P2.5-billion bid. The capital infusion allowed the cooperative to settle P1.2 billion of its outstanding debts, and invest in upgrades.

The dispute between WMPC and Zamcelco’s investor-manager started on Jan. 4, 2019, when the new management of the cooperative took over, Mr. Nocos had said.

He said the new management refused to pay its obligation, amounting to P467 million, which represents around four months of power delivered by WMPC from October 2018 to January 2019.

However, Mr. Castillo said WMPC had over-billed Zamcelco by P411 million, saying the terms of their power supply contract were not met to warrant the amount being claimed by the power generation company.

On April 26, the ERC announced that it had resolved the dispute between the two parties by encouraging them to amicably settle, thus averting power outages and further damage on Zamboangueños.

ERC Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Agnes VST Devanadera said Zamcelco and WMPC had reached a compromise agreement, and the electric cooperative had agreed that the amount of P220 million would no longer be disputed and would be paid on April 29.

She said WMPC is to deliver the contracted capacity upon receipt of the said payment for a period of 60 days based on the provisionally approved power supply agreement (PSA) rate granted to power generation company.

The parties were scheduled to meet again on April 29 to further discuss Zamcelco’s balance of P247 million and execute a compromise agreement to be given imprimatur by the ERC.

On May 2, Mr. Delola said reports reaching the agency said the two had yet to sign a compromise deal.

SC issues writ of kalikasan on West Philippine Sea

THE Supreme Court granted a petition last month by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) and fisherfolk groups, issuing a Writ of Kalikasan for the protection and preservation of three shoals within the country’s territory in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

“The Supreme Court, in a special En Banc session held on Friday, issued a writ of kalikasan to protect, preserve, rehabilitate, and to restore the marine environment in Scarborough Shoal (also known as Panatag Shoal), Ayungin Shoal, and Panganiban Reef (also known as Mischief Reef),” the SC said in a press release.

In their April 16 petition, the IBP and the fisherfolks groups asked the high court to direct the government to enforce laws which protect the environment within the country’s territories.

The respondents in the petition include, among others, Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol, Philippine Coast Guard Admiral Elson E. Hermogino, Philippine Navy Flage Officer-in-Command Vadm Robert A. Empredrad, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources National Director Eduardo B. Gongona, among others.

“Respondents have failed to perform their duties as mandated in the above-mentioned environmental laws and regulations. Petitioners have no other plain, speedy and adequate remedy as Petitioners are complaining of acts by the government agencies themselves who are supposed to be upholding Philippine environmental laws and protecting the environment and resources in Philippine territory,” petitioners said.

The petitioners noted in the petition the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998. They also emphasized the July 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal ruling won by the Philippines in the territorial dispute with China, wherein it was found that Chinese fishing vessels are involved in harvesting endangered species in Panatag and Ayungin Shoals.

They also said that in May 2013, there were two Chinese fishing vessels along with two Chinese Marine Surveillancce ships near Ayungin Shoals allegedly gathering corals and clams and dredging the shoal. — VMMV

SC issues writ of amparo and habeas data for NUPL

THE Supreme Court (SC) granted the petition of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), issuing a writ of amparo and habeas data for the protection of its members against “red-tagging” and alleged attacks by the government.

The SC, in a special en banc session held Friday, referred to the Court of Appeals NUPL’s petition as well as the writ of amparo and habeas data.

“The CA was further directed to hear the petition on May 14, 2019 and to decide the case within 10 days after submission of the case for decision,” the SC said in a press release.

The Court also ordered the respondents in the petition, including President Rodrigo R. Duterte and National Security Adviser Gen. Hermogenes C. Esperon, Jr., among others, to make a “verified return” of the writ of amparo and habeas data on or before May 8, 2019 and comment to the NUPL petition.

The NUPL members on April 15 asked the SC to issue a temporary protection order to prohibit the government from threatening them and the conduct of surveillance of its members, following “red-tagging” incidents of its members.

NUPL members, including its President Edre U. Olalia and senatorial candidate and Chairperson Neri J. Colmenares, asked the SC to order the state agents to disclose all the information gathered about them and have them destroyed.

They cited, among others, the accusation of Brig. Gen. Antonio G. Parlade, Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines deputy chief of staff for operations, in April that their group is associated with the Communist Party of the Philippines and New Peoples’ Army.

“In the instant case, the pattern is crystal clear: Petitioners are harassed not for their individual actions as lawyers per se, but for being members of the NUPL and the cases, clients and issues they take on,” they stated in the petition.

They also raised the tagging of the organization in the alleged ouster plot of the President.

In a statement, Mr. Olalia said the decision sends a “strong signal” to the military and the government that “there are certain well-defined rules of evidence not incompatible with basic fairness, decency, common sense and logic that must be observed.”

“While this is just a start of an intense judicial battle and tedious procedure, we are grateful that the Court heeded our supplication to be given judicial shield and a potential relief from reckless accusations, malicious labelling and vicious attacks in different forms and guises,” he said.

“Its subtext is as unequivocal — incessant red-tagging, personal mudslinging and contrived narratives will be subjected to judicial restraint and accountability,” he added. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Atenean tops Bar, top 10 dominated by University of San Carlos

A total of 1,800 law graduates out of the 8,155 takers passed the 2018 Bar Examinations, led by Ateneo de Manila University graduate Sean James B. Borja as topnotcher.

Mr. Borja had an 89.3060% rating in last year’s exams which in turn posted a passing rate of 22.07%.

The top 10 was dominated by graduates of the University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu as well as the Ateneo de Manila. Mr. Borja is followed by Marcley Augustus D. Natu-el (87.53%) and Mark Lawrence C. Badayos (85.8420%) both from USC and Daniel John A. Fordan (85.4430%) and Katrina Monica C. Gaw (85.4210%) from Ateneo.

University of the Philippines’ Nadaine P. Tongco (85.0320%) and Patricia O. Sevilla (84.8590%) ranked 6th and 7th, respectively, followed by Katherine T. Ting from the De La Salle University (84.8570%) and USC’s Jebb Lynus Q. Cane (84.8050%) and Alen Joel R. Pita (84.6930%).

In a radio interview with DZMM Teleradyo, Mr. Borja said he wanted to speak up for people who don’t have the courage to speak for their rights.

“Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a detective like a dream. And eventually, that transformed into criminal law. And then now, I am seeing my options. I think it’s being able to provide a voice for people who don’t necessarily have that, in the sense that not everybody might have the courage to speak up for their rights are. So, I thought that I could be that voice,” he said.

Associate Justice Mariano C. Del Castillo, chairperson of the Bar Committee, said the successful examiners will take their oath on June 13 at the Philippine International Convention Center.

Mr. Del Castillo also said in the announcement that the highest grade recorded in this year’s exam is 98% in Legal Ethics, with 5,436 out of 8,155 examinees passed or 66.6585%.

The subject which had the least number of passers was Taxation where only 1,532 takers passed or a passing rate of 18.7837%.

Initially, the SC said 8,158 law graduates took the exam but three of them dropped out during the exams held at the University of Santo Tomas during the four Sundays of November 2018.

The 2018 passing rate is lower compared to the previous year where 1,724 out of 6,748 or 25.5% of examiners passed the Bar Examinations. In 2016, 59.06% passing rate was recorded as 3,747 out of 6,344 examiners passed the exam.

In a statement, Solicitor-General Jose C. Calida called on the soon-to-be lawyers to serve the public.

“We encourage all bar passers to heed the call of public service and join the OSG in its pursuit of social justice as the Defender of the Republic and Tribune of the People,” Mr. Calida said.

“For those who unfortunately won’t make the cut, do not lose faith. Courage lies not in the number of times we fall, but, in every fall, we rise up from ashes ready to fight anew,” he added.

For his part, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said he hopes the new lawyers consider pursuing government careers and “help build a progressive and peaceful nation that will provide a comfortable life for all.”

“Their youth, idealism, academic competence and personal integrity are welcome under the present Administration, and should be in succeeding administrations as well,” he said in a statement.

NBI: Arrested netizen may turn state witness in video upload case

By Vann Marlo M. Villegas, Reporter

THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said the man arrested for being the owner of the website which shared the “Bikoy” videos may be considered as state witness, as the bureau verifies the identity of the uploader of the videos.

“That’s very possible. That’s why if you look at the strategy of the NBI, we have to file a case against him. Because later on if we intend to consider him as a state witness, he should be charged first,” NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand M. Lavin said in a press conference.

“Kung mapatunayan namin na hanggang doon lang siya sa paggawa ng (If we could prove that his involvement is only limited to the creation of the) website, then upon due application with the DoJ (Department of Justice) at kinonsider ito ng (and it is being considered by) DoJ, we could qualify him as state witness,” he added.

On May 2, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said Rodel Jayme was arrested by the NBI Cybercrime Division on April 30 after finding that he was the owner of the domain of the website Metro Balita which shared the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” (The Real Narcolist) videos linking members of the First Family to the illegal drugs activities.

The NBI has recommended to the DoJ that Mr. Jayme be charged with inciting to sedition in relation to Sec. 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

The complaint against him was submitted for resolution yesterday after inquest proceedings.

For his part, Mr. Jayme said he is willing to turn state witness, claiming that he was not the one who shared the videos on the website as he just created it and others had access to it.

“Opo handa po ako kasi po alam ko nga po…wala po akong direct alam at kaya ko pong ituro kung sino man po yung nagpagawa. Gaya nga po ng sabi ko, nakikipagtulungan po ako sa NBI patungkol po dito sa kasong it,” he said.

(Yes. I am ready because I know that I do not have direct knowledge [on the videos] and I can point at the one who asked me to create the website. Like what I said, I am cooperating with the NBI regarding this case.)

Gov’t urged to shift to PPP after credit upgrade

By Charmaine A. Tadalan, Reporter

THE Foundation for Economic Freedom on Friday called on the government to begin shifting from Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Public-Private Partnership (PPP), following its credit rating upgrade.

“Overall, PPP Projects will turn out to be cheaper than ODA projects because of the incentive of the private proponent to finish the projects on budget and on time, especially with the lower borrowing costs enabled by the higher S&P ratings,” the FEF said in a statement, Friday.

Standard and Poor’s (S&P) Global Ratings on Tuesday raised the Philippine government’s debt rating to BBB+ from BBB, which is expected to boost investments in the country.

The FEF also commended President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III for pushing economic reforms and fiscal policies, as also cited by S&P.

The government has so far legislated the Rice Tariffication Law, Amendments to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Charter and the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law.

The FEF urged the government to continue efforts to introduce more policy reforms, particularly in the agricultural sector.

“In particular, the administration should focus on agricultural growth, which had been lagging behind population growth. Its weak performance had been acting as a drag to manufacturing and the other sectors of the economy, making the country vulnerable to food price shocks,” it added.

The FEF also raised the need for immediate resolution of the ongoing water crises and the recent unplanned power outages that have prompted the National Grid Corporation to raise yellow and red alerts in the Luzon grid over the past weeks.

Moreover, the FEF flagged the need to improve export performance to contain the widening trade deficit. “The country cannot continue to rely on OFW (overseas Filipino workers) remittances to finance its negative external trade position.”

“In the meantime, the administration should also promote tourism and a stable mining policy regime in order to generate more dollars to finance the growing capital import requirements of its bold infrastructure program,” the FEF said.

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