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Majority Leader Sotto heads Senate

THE SENATE on Monday unanimously elected Senate Majority Leader Vicente C. Sotto III as the 24th Senate President of the Philippines, replacing Senator Aquilino Martin L. Pimentel III.
“Senator Vicente C. Sotto III is hereby elected to the Senate presidency,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto who presided over Monday’s plenary session.
Meanwhile, Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri was elected the next Senate Majority Leader and chairman of the Senate committee on rules, a position he previously held in 2008.
In his speech, Mr. Sotto pledged to continue helping the passage of laws that would benefit the country and Filipinos, banking on the lessons he learned serving nine Senate presidents in his 20 years at the Senate.
“The knowledge learned from whatever university in the world cannot be matched (with) the experience and wisdom I learned from Senate Presidents Neptali Gonzales, Ed Angara, Ernie Maceda, Marcelo Fernan, Blas Ople, Frank Drilon, Nene Pimentel, Juan Ponce Enrile, and Koko Pimentel,” he said.
In an interview with reporters, Mr. Sotto said there would be no changes in the Senate’s legislative agenda despite the change in leadership.
“There are priorities even during the time of Senate President Pimentel. We are pushing for it and we will continue. There will be no change. Definitely, we will work for the BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law). We will be working for the approval of the occupational safety law, and then the universal health package law, and the public service act. All these must be approved by the Senate hopefully by next week,” he said.
For his part, Mr. Zubiri said the Senate would prioritize the proposed BBL, the “endo” (end of contractualization) bill, amendments to the retail trade law, and the bill on foreign equity.
“We will continue to prioritize the BBL to achieve long-lasting peace in Mindanao, end the ‘endo,’ amendments to the retail trade to allow more investments; and the Public Services Act to allow competition on people’s basic needs such as telecommunications and transportation,” he said in a statement.
Also on Monday’s session, Mr. Pimentel was designated chairman of the Senate committee on trade, commerce and entrepreneurship and Senate panel chairman of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee (JCOC) on the Automated Election System.
Mr. Pimentel stepped down as Senate President early Monday and nominated Mr. Sotto to the top Senate position before holding a caucus with the Senate majority bloc to discuss the changes in Senate leadership.
“I am together with my colleagues in the Senate majority in this reorganization of the Senate leadership and announce that I will be the one to nominate Senator Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III as the new Senate President today,” he said at a press briefing.
“I step down knowing that I tried my best to do this. I wish my successor Senator Sotto good health and godspeed and pledged to help the new leadership pass pro-people legislation consistent with the legislative agenda of the President,” he added.
Mr. Pimentel said he plans to go around the country to campaign for federalism, the advocacy of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban). And as the ruling party’s president, he also said it was his duty to prepare his party for the upcoming 2019 midterm polls.
He said the change in Senate leadership at this time would allow Mr. Sotto more time to achieve the passage of laws in the Senate.
He cited the free irrigation law, the free tuition fee act, and the measure increasing the base bay of soldiers and police as among the landmark legislation that the Senate passed under his leadership.

BCDA invites bidders for New Clark City access road services concession deal

THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said it is inviting interested parties to bid for the contract for construction management and supervision services covering the first phase of the access road between the New Clark City and Clark International Airport.
In a newspaper advertisement, BCDA said the contract budget is P117 million — including taxes and fees.
The construction period was set at 18 months with a post-construction period of three months.
Eligibility documents for interested parties are required by June 4. The requirements for bidders include online registration with the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System as legitimate service providers to the government.
Applicants must be “reputable firms” with at least 10 years of experience in construction management and supervision.
Applicants should also have undertaken at least one supervised the construction of a road and/or bridge project in the last 10 years worth half the approved budget of the Clark contract.
To be eliminated from consideration are applicants awarded construction management and supervision services contracts for the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway Access Road.
Applicants will be narrowed down to a shortlist of five.
The BCDA has scheduled a pre-bid conference for May 28. — Janina C. Lim

Duterte fires DoTr assistant secretary

By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has fired Department of Transportation (DoTr) Assistant Secretary Mark Kristopher G. Tolentino for allegedly having “dealings with a presidential sister,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. announced on Monday.
“The President has terminated the services of Assistant Secretary Mark Tolentino for having dealings with a presidential relative, a sister,” Mr. Roque said in a special announcement at the Palace following his press briefing.
The spokesman said this should serve as a “reminder of the President that no one in government should entertain any relative of the President that has to do with government.”
In a press statement, the DoTr said it “welcomes and strongly supports the decision of the President to terminate the services of Mr. Tolentino as Assistant Secretary for Railways due to questionable dealings and unfairly involving the first family with matters regarding the Mindanao Railway Project.”
“The DoTr, under the leadership of Secretary Arthur P. Tugade, does not and will not tolerate such acts by its officials or employees. Name-dropping and seeking the assistance of the President, his family, or any other influential individual, either for government projects or for personal gain, will never be tolerated,” the DoTr also said.
The transportation department also assured the public that the “Mindanao Railway, a priority project under the Build, Build, Build Infrastructure program of the Duterte administration, is on track and on schedule. Phase 1 (Tagum-Davao-Digos) will be completed in 2021, without delays and without corruption.”
In a press briefing last Friday, May 18, Mr. Tolentino said there is a “derailing in the Mindanao Railway Project caused by higher-ups in the DoTr.” For its part, the DoTr said Mr. Tolentino’s allegations were “false and malicious.”
The Spokesman also disclosed that the current partner of a presidential son’s ex-wife has been using the name of Mr. Duterte’s grandchild to influence some judges in the judiciary.
“Now, we are also warning the public, including judges and justices. Meron pong umiikot ito naman ay asawa naman ng ex-wife ng anak ng ating presidente. Ginagamit po ang pangalan ng apo ng ating presidente para sa pag-fi-fix ng mga kaso. Sa mga mahistrado po, mga judges and justices, huwag niyo po entertain-in itong mga fixer na ito. Hindi po talaga ‘yan kamag-anak ng President,” Mr. Roque said.
(There’s a [story] going around that a partner of the Presidential son’s ex-wife is using the name the President’s grandchild in fixing cases. To the magistrates, judges, and justices, do not entertain this fixer. He is not a relative of the President.)
Mr. Roque also said the President is “very pleased” with new Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat’s handling of alleged irregularities in her department.
“She was appointed with the express mandate to do good and to fight corruption and she is doing just that. The President is very pleased,” Mr. Roque said.
The new tourism chief has asked for the courtesy resignation of all DoT executives, including undersecretaries and assistant secretaries.
Mr. Roque, when sought for comment, said the Palace is “very supportive” of Ms. Puyat’s decision. — with Denise A. Valdez

Marawi rehab on track to start next month

FUND-RAISING for the rehabilitation of Marawi City has raised about a fifth of the amount needed over four years but works are expected to begin in June as scheduled, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said.
NEDA Undersecretary Adoracion M. Navarro said the updated total cost of repairs outside ground zero is estimated at P53.42 billion until 2022, covering a total of 892 projects.
This year, the government needs P26.16 billion and half of it will be sourced from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund.
So far, the government has accessed about P10 billion from the calamity fund under the 2018 budget, and about P3 billion in firm official development assistance (ODA) commitments from the Japanese, Chinese, and Australian governments.
“I don’t think any delays will be due to the insufficiency of funds. I believe that even before the project is signed for implementation, implementation-ready funds will be available. The economic managers will be able to anticipate it,” Ms. Navarro said yesterday during a media briefing, noting the projects can start even when partial amounts are available.
She said that other national government agencies and local government units have funds in their budgets that can be tapped for Marawi.
She added that the government is awaiting more pledges from multilateral institutions.
Ms. Navarro also noted a special provision in the 2018 budget allows the government to draw an additional P5 billion from the unprogrammed funds that can be used if the tax bureaus exceed their targets for the year. So far in the first quarter, the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs have beaten their goals.
According to the list provided by NEDA, funding sources for the 2018-2022 rehabilitation program include P24.87 billion from the calamity fund, P16.32 billion from nongovernment entities, P4.99 billion from various agencies’ budgets, P3.34 billion from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, P3.26 billion from cost-sharing among the government, private sector, and lending institutions, P78 million from local government units, and P569 million “to be determined.”
The government is also planning to float retail Treasury bonds, and conduct a pledging session to firm up commitments made by local and foreign donor institutions.
Meanwhile, the rehabilitation of ground zero will be taken up by a consortium of five Chinese and four domestic firms which submitted a P20-billion unsolicited proposal.
The Swiss challenge period for the proposal starts on May 26 and will run for three weeks. The government will then entertain rival offers, which the group making the original proposal has the right to match.
Task Force Bangon Marawi aims to start groundbreaking on the rehabilitation projects next month.
However, she said government agencies in the affected region are facing challenges in implementing the projects.
“The implementing agencies are rushing to comply with the requirements,” Ms. Navarro said.
From experience, she said, the main obstacles to speedy implementation are procurement issues and right of way. “I’m anticipating that those factors will also cause delays, and not the availability of funds.” — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

Palay prices increase 9% year on year in early May

FARMGATE prices for palay, or unmilled rice, rose 9.05% year on year in the first week of May to P20.96 per kilogram (kg), the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.
The PSA said in its “Updates on Palay, Rice and Corn Prices” report that compared with the previous week, prices rose 1.21%.
It said the wholesale price of well-milled rice rose 6.91% year-on-year to P41.14 per kg in the first week of May.
Against the previous week, prices fell 0.05%.
The average retail price of well-milled rice rose 5.48% year on year to P43.86 per kg, the PSA said.
On a week on week basis, prices rose 0.21%.
The average wholesale price for regular milled rice rose 8.49% year on year to P37.70 per kg and was up 0.27% week on week.
At retail, the average price of regular milled rice rose 7.29% year on year to P40.04 per kg and was up 0.02% week on week.
The average farmgate price for yellow corn grain rose 21.83% year on year to P14.01 per kg in the first week of May.
Week on week, the price fell 0.92%.
The average price for white corn grain was P17.34 per kg, up 30.67% from a year earlier.
Week on week, the average farmgate price rose 0.46%.
At wholesale level, the average price for yellow corn grain rose 11.28% year on year to P20.12 per kg and fell 0.35% decline from the preceding week.
The average retail price in the first week of May rose 6.01% year on year to P23.82 per kg and was up 0.29% from a week earlier.
The average wholesale price of white corn grain rose 18.17% year on year to P20.03 per kg and fell 0.25% from a week earlier.
At retail level, the average price rose 0.34% year on year to P29.92 per kg and fell 0.13% week on week. — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

DFA says ‘diplomatic action’ pursued on Chinese deployment

By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter
and Camille A. Aguinaldo
“DIPLOMATIC ACTION” is being carried out to protect Philippine territories in the South China Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday, following reports of the deployment of Chinese bombers in the area.
“We are taking the appropriate diplomatic action necessary to protect our claims and will continue to do so in the future,” the DFA said in a statement, adding that it was “closely monitoring” the developments in the South China Sea.
“We reiterate our commitment to protect every single inch of our territory and areas which we have sovereign rights over,” it added.
State-run Chinese newspaper People’s Daily earlier reported that the People’s Liberation Army Air Force landed its H-6K bomber aircraft last week in one of China’s airports stationed in the South China Sea.
The DFA pointed out that it was not in their policy to publicize its actions in response to the reported activities in South China Sea.
It also intends to achieve more than its gains from the United Nations arbitral tribunal ruling, such as the formulation of the Code of Conduct in the disputed waters.
“Moving forward, we are taking a different approach to avoid any drawbacks and challenges. In professionally and prudently advancing our interests in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, we will always be guided by our patriotic duty to protect the Filipino people and defend our sovereignty,” DFA said.
For his part, President Rodrigo R. Duterte does not consider China a security threat, citing its “newfound friendship” with the Philippines, Malacañang said.
“Right now, the President does not see any immediate threat. As I said, we do not consider China to be a threat to our security right now because of our newfound friendship with China,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. told reporters on Monday.
The spokesman also said Mr. Duterte’s administration has been addressing the South China Sea issue in a “diplomatic” manner.
He likewise assured the public that the issue will be brought up again in the next meeting by the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM).
“We will bring this issue again in the bilateral mechanism that we have agreed upon with China. This bilateral mechanism meets twice a year and I was told that there would be a scheduled meeting for the second quarter, possibly in June but not yet confirmed,” Mr. Roque said.
As for the previous meeting of the Philippines with the United States of America (USA) in Hawaii, Mr. Roque said: “I do not know who initiated that [meeting]. All I know is: from the Middle East, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs flew to Hawaii where he was expected to be joined by the Executive Secretary, the Defense Secretary and that they were going to meet with the Admiral of the Asia-Pacific fleet. And, of course, the United States has stationed almost the entirety of its overseas fleet to Asia now. It is (the) so-called pivot to Asia.”
The purpose of the Hawaii meeting, according to Mr. Roque, was “to reassure the United States that while the Philippines is pursuing an independent foreign policy, it has not actually abandoned its traditional ally, the United States.”
“(This is) (t)o reassure that we value the continued friendship and security cooperation that we have had with the United States throughout the years,” he added.
When asked if the recent visit of National Security Adviser Hermogenes C. Esperon, Jr. to Russia could also be related to the South China Sea issue, Mr. Roque said:
“Well, malinaw naman po ang ating bagong polisiya, ‘di ba? (the new policy is clear, right?) An independent foreign policy means we want to be friends with all the states, with all the stakeholders. We will not take sides, but the recent step perhaps taken to meet with US officials was only to highlight that the independent foreign policy does not mean we are abandoning our traditional friendship and alliance with the United States. We have not.”

Debt service falls over 16% in Q1 on reduced principal as interest rises

THE government’s debt service bill fell over 16% year on year in the first quarter, after a decline in foreign and domestic principal settlements, which offset the increase in interest payments, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said.
The national government paid out P208.27 billion in the first three months of the year, down 16.24% from a year earlier.
Of the total, P107.23 billion consisted of interest payments, up 9.58% from a year earlier.
It paid down principal worth P101.04 billion during the period, down 33% from a year earlier.
Some P60.33 billion of the interest payments during the period were associated with maturing Treasury bills, Treasury bonds, and Retail Treasury bonds, up 1% from a year earlier. Some P46.89 billion was paid to foreign holders of these bills and bonds, up 22.94%.
Some P39.46 billion, meanwhile, went towards settling domestic principal obligations while the corresponding foreign payment was P61.58 billion, down 29.08% and 35.29%, respectively.
In March, the government made P33.91 billion in debt service payments, down 63.17% from a year earlier.
During that month, P27.54 billion went to interest, down 11.93% year on year, while principal repayments amounted to P6.36 billion, down 89.54%.
The government borrows to pay for projects and refinance maturing debt, among others. It plans to drastically raise spending, particularly on infrastructure, and plans to incur a deficit of up to 3% of gross domestic product (GDP).
This year, it has a P888.227-billion financing program, with a 65-35% borrowing mix in favor of domestic creditors. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

Local fuel prices at highest increase this year

OIL COMPANIES will impose this week the biggest price increase for gasoline products so far this year at P1.60 per liter (/L), with the prices of diesel and kerosene also going up by at least P1.00/L.
“These reflect the movements in the international oil market,” said Petron Corp. on Monday.
All the companies that sent their advisories as of late afternoon yesterday said they would be raising prices at 6:00 a.m. today, May 22.
Diesel products will increase by P1.15/L and kerosene by P1.00/L.
Sought for comment, the Department of Energy (DoE) said a number of world events had “directly” affected oil prices, citing US sanctions on Iran, and that oil importers had been advised to look for alternative supply.
The DoE pointed out that Iran owns 12% of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) supply, amounting to 32 million barrels a year.
It also cited a crude production decline in Venezuela “due to the ongoing economic and political crisis.”
DoE also said OPEC “is deepening the supply cut led by Saudi Arabia,” which wants the price of crude to be at least $80 per barrel to balance its budget.
Last week, oil companies raised the per liter price of gasoline, diesel and kerosene by P1.10, P1.20 and P0.95, respectively. — Victor V. Saulon

BBL tops House agenda

By Charmaine A. Tadalan
The proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and other measures will top the legislative agenda of the House of Representatives, with Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez set to recommend to President Rodrigo R. Duterte that he certify this measure as urgent.
“(If we have to finish it by) May 30, the Speaker will request to the President to certify it as urgent para ma-approve na natin ‘yan ng second at third reading, then papunta sa Senate. (so we can have it approved on second and third reading, then transmit it to the Senate),” Majority Leader Rodolfo C. Fariñas told reporters in a press briefing, Monday.
House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez has met with the chairpersons of the Committees on Muslim Affairs, on Local Government, and on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity. He is also set to meet on Tuesday with representatives of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission.
Bukas mag-uusap pa kami with BTC and then, tingnan namin ‘yung mga na-raise na concerns… kung paano i-aaddress, so kinakailangan kasama rin sila para hindi masyadong maging problema sa plenary. (Tomorrow, we will talk with the BTC and then, we’ll look into concerns that have been raised…how to address them, so we need them to join us to avoid problems during the plenary.)” Mr. Alvarez said.
The House of Representatives targets passing the BBL on third reading ahead of Mr. Duterte’s State of the Nation Address in July.
The joint panels on May 15 approved the committee report adopting House Bill (HB) 6475, principally authored by Mr. Alvarez, for the proposed BBL without amendments.

Prima facie correctness of a tax assessment: When does it not apply?

Tax assessments by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for alleged tax deficiencies are, in most cases, presumed correct; the taxpayer always bears the burden of proving that the correct taxes have been paid and that the BIR’s assessment is incorrect.
This presumption has to do with the established rule in taxation that assessments for alleged tax deficiencies are prima facie presumed correct and made in good faith or accepted as correct until disproved. This essentially signifies that, once a tax assessment is made, the taxpayer has to pay the tax deficiencies, unless they prove otherwise.
In contrast with the norm established in courts that one who alleges must prove their assertions, once a final assessment notice is presented as evidence with the presumption of correctness attached to it such is sufficient to prove that a taxpayer owed taxes to the government. To invalidate the presumption and to avoid a decision in favor of the BIR, the taxpayer must prove that the assessment was issued blatantly without any factual and legal basis.
The presumption of correctness was coined to balance the self-assessing system of internal revenue taxes in the Philippines. Logic dictates that, if a taxpayer has the control to determine his tax liability, it follows that they have all the means to prove that their computation is correct.
Lately, however, the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has appeared to depart from this approach and require the BIR to present sufficient evidence as basis for its assessment. The CTA has compelled the BIR to provide evidence to show that its assessment is founded on facts and law. It seems the CTA, in a sense, is relieving the taxpayer of the burden of proof and shifting to the BIR the initial burden of proving the existence of undeclared taxable income.
Taking the case of Commissioner of Internal Revenue (CIR) vs. G&W Architects, Engineers and Project Consultants, Co., (CTA EB Case No. 1572, Feb. 23, 2018), wherein the CTA pronounced that the assessment was being based on unverified information, it could not recklessly take it hook, line, and sinker, absent of any substantiation. The CTA continued that the reliability of the CIR’s assessment is questionable, on account of the CIR’s failure to show that he complied with the guidelines set forth in RMO No. 46-04, which requires the execution and presentation of sworn statements from third-party informants to attest to the veracity of the schedules and data on which the assessment is based. Finally, the CTA held that a presumption that under-declared purchases translated and would automatically result in profit, undeclared income, or additional taxable sales that would, in turn, increase taxpayer’s income tax.
Furthermore, VAT liability is not adequate to uphold the correctness of an assessment. An assessment must be based on facts. The presumption of the correctness of the assessment being a mere presumption cannot be made to rest on another presumption, no matter how reasonable or logical the said presumptions may be.
In another recent CTA case of Keansburg Marketing Corp. vs. Commissioner of Internal Revenue (CTA Case No. 9076, Jan. 5, 2018), the CTA elaborating on a case decided by the Supreme Court had the occasion to explain that, while as a rule, assessments by tax examiners are presumed correct and made in good faith, prima facie correctness of a tax assessment does not apply upon proof that an assessment is utterly without foundation, meaning that it is arbitrarily and capriciously made. The CTA held that, if the BIR has come out with a “naked assessment” or an assessment without any foundation in character, the determination of the tax due is without rational basis. Accordingly, the assessment on the alleged undeclared sales cannot be sustained, since it was based on admittedly unverified amounts extracted from BIR’s own database.
A taxpayer has a remedy when confronted with a tax assessment. If the taxpayer produces sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the assessment is either utterly without foundation or established from another presumption, the presumption of correctness vanishes and the burden of proof shifts to the BIR. It is then incumbent upon the BIR to produce evidence tending to show that the taxpayer has not accurately reported all its income, resulting in reduced tax liabilities. The presumption of the correctness of the tax assessment is not always true.
Although the CTA has provided the taxpayer an antidote to disprove tax assessments, this does not mean that a taxpayer should be complacent. The situations discussed earlier are mere exceptions to the general rule that tax assessments are presumed correct. Taxpayers should always maintain their records and documents to ensure that, once an assessment is made, they can easily retrieve their records and disprove the assessments.
 
Francis B. Rebuldela, Jr. is an associate of the Tax Advisory and Compliance of P&A Grant Thornton. P&A Grant Thornton is one of the leading audit, tax, advisory, and outsourcing services firms in the Philippines.

ConCom proposes three supreme courts

By Gillian M. Cortez
THE Consultative Committee to Review the 1987 Constitution (ConCom) has proposed three supreme courts under a federal system being pushed by the Duterte adminstration.
ConCom Senior Technical and Media Officer Conrado I. Generoso cited the three proposed high courts as follows: the Federal Supreme Court, the Federal Administrative Court, and the Federal Constitution Court. “The highest court of the land will no longer be just one, no longer just the Supreme court. There will be two more additional high courts to be created under the proposed federal constitution,” he said on Monday’s media briefing.
The Federal Supreme Court will consist of a chief justice and eight associate justices. The chief justice and two other justices will be appointed by the president. Three other associate justices will be appointed by Congress and the remaining three will be appointed by Federal Constitutional court.
Former chief justice and ConCom head Reynato S. Puno said the present system of presidential appointments in the judiciary “is too much politicized” and “proves to be a very unsatisfactory system.”
The Federal Supreme Court will have jurisdiction over cases involving federal branches and agencies, the federal government and federated regions.
They will also be tasked with reviewing judgments and orders by the lower courts, as well as with criminal cases in which the possible sentence is capital punishment or life imprisonment.
The Federal Constitutional Court will tackle legislative and constitutional matters. This court will consist of nine members: three law experts appointed by the president, three justices appointed by the Federal Administrative Court, and three appointed by Congress.
This court will also handle impeachment cases, as initiated by Congress as a whole. “Impeachment cases will no longer be tried in the Senate but it will be in the jurisdiction of the federal constitutional court,” Mr. Generoso said.
He added: “The impeachment process for all impeachable officials will become a joint jurisdiction of Congress and (the) judiciary. So hindi naman tatanggalin sa kongreso. Hati lang ang trabaho (So this won’t be taken out from Congress, but this will just be delegated).”
The third high court will be the Federal Administrative Court, which will also be made up of nine members: one presiding justice and eight other associates.
The presiding justice and two justices will be appointed by the president. Three justices will be appointed by the Federal Supreme Court and the last three will be appointed by Congress.
This court will be to review appeals and certiorari cases by quasi-judicial agencies.
Mr. Puno said there will be a “special court” on election cases involving the president, vice-president and members of the House of Representatives.” But he said “appointment of these members still hasn’t been discussed.”

OFW in Saudi Arabia stabbed

By Camille A. Aguinaldo
A FILIPINO nurse in Saudi Arabia was stabbed multiple times by a Saudi national for still unknown reasons, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said late Sunday.
Consul-General in Jeddah Edgar Badajos said Rolando Mina, 29, was on duty when he was suddenly attacked by a 22-year-old Saudi national who was arrested shortly after the incident. Mr. Mina sustained multiple stab wounds on his arms.
The DFA said Mr. Mina is now in stable condition while the suspect remains in police custody.
Mr. Badajos said the case has already been endorsed to the Saudi Public Prosecutor for further investigation as authorities have yet to determine the motive for the attack.
The hospital management has provided Mr. Mina with a security guard to ensure his safety and assured him the payment of his salary during his recovery.