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15 Chinese nabbed for illegal online operations

THE NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested in two separate operations last week 15 Chinese nationals for illegal online activities.
Arrested last Nov. 22 in three condominium units in Manila were Pan Jianbei, Pan Taiyuan, Jie Lu, Shengbo Zhang, and Jian Lou Zhou.
The following day, the NBI nabbed another 10 in a residence in Angeles City, Pampanga. They were identified as Yu Shize, Lin Hai Yan, Li Jun Qin, Yu Wen Quian, Xiao Wen Lao, Cai Shui Rong, LinJingming, Ju Shi Lin, Qiu Zai Wei, and Xiao Jian Ze.
Those arrested in Manila were involved in online payment and banking transactions, and lottery game betting, while those in Pampanga were operating online gambling sites with administrative functions, fictitious We Chat account profiles and emails used to “entice male victims,” among others.
Those in Manila were charged for violation of Presidential Decree 1602 or Anti-Illegal Gambling Act in relation to Republic Act (RA) No. 10175 or Cybercrime Prevention Act, while those in Pampanga were charged for violation of the Anti-Gambling Act and RA No. 8484 or the act regulating the issuance and use of access devices in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
The NBI said all those arrested were holding tourist visas.
“This is the one were looking at na bago pumunta ‘yan dito (before they came here), they were already briefed there. They would come in as tourist but they would do their job dito (here) as part of online gambling,” the NBI said in a statement.
On Nov. 26, the Senate held an inquiry on the influx of Chinese workers in the Philippines. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Mayon, Kanlaon volcanoes under alert level 2

TWO of the most active volcanoes in the country — Mayon in Albay and Kanlaon in Negros — have been placed under alert level 2, which means a moderate level of unrest with volcanic earthquakes and emissions recorded. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), in its Nov. 27 bulletins, warned that entry to the respective permanent danger zones (PDZ) of these two volcanoes are “strictly prohibited” and asked civil aviation authorities to advise pilots to avoid flying close to the summits “as airborne ash and ballistic fragments from sudden explosions and PDCs (pyroclastic density currents) may pose hazards to aircrafts.” For Mayon, Phivolcs said four volcanic earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, two of which were related to phreatic eruptions that generated “grayish to grayish white ash plumes.” Mayon Kanlaon, meanwhile, had two volcanic earthquakes and “wispy to weak emission of white steam-laden plumes.”

Modern jeepneys begin plying Cebu City streets

AT least 40 modern jeepneys will start plying Cebu City’s roads today, Nov. 28, with two initial routes at a base fare of P8 for the first four kilometers (km) and an additional P1 for every succeeding km. The two routes are: Cebu City Hall-Asia Town I.T. Park via Robinsons Galleria Cebu-Cebu Business Park, and R. Duterte St.-Sykes via Happy Valley-Fuente Osmeña-Ramos St.-D. Jakosalem St.-Cebu Business Park. The Department of Transportation (DoTr)and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board launched the jeepneys last Monday in partnership with Persano Corp.
BUS
Meanwhile, civil works for the city’s bus rapid transit (BRT) system is targeted to start by the second quarter next year, according to DoTr Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark Richmund M. de Leon. He said he was scheduled to meet Monday night with the Technical Support Consultants (TSC) after they were mobilized last month. “I am meeting them to get details on how to fast-track the implementation of the project of the BRT and the intermodal and integrated solution for Metro Cebu,” Mr. de Leon said during the modern jeepney launch. He added that he would be asking the consultants to identify portions of the system that can be operated as soon as possible. — The Freeman

Cop, 2 others arrested for selling explosives to illegal miners

THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested three individuals, including a police officer, for illegally selling high explosives used by unlicensed miners in Mt. Diwalwal in Compostela Valley. The suspects were identified as Feliz P. Aleria and Mark A. Aleria, who were arrested in an entrapment operation in Tagum City, and Police Officer 2 Glenn O. Magalso, who was nabbed in a separate operation after constant calls to the two others asking for the proceeds of the explosives sale. Ferdinand M. Lavin, Forensic Investigation Service deputy director, said the explosives were also reportedly being sold to insurgent groups, including the New People’s Army and the Abu Sayyaf Group. “There is, I believe, an ongoing investigation being conducted… to further identify the other culprits in the wide-scale distribution and sale of explosives. Remember that these explosives were made available not only to miners… but we have information that this has reached the hands also of the insurgents,” he said. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

24/7 Davao public library open by April 2019

A PUBLIC library in Davao City that will be open 24/7 is now under construction and is expected to be operational by April 2019. The P40-million Davao City Library and Information Center, which is being built from Trust Fund 2017 sources, is a collaboration between the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation and the city government. It will be located along C. Bangoy Street, on the former Central 911 site across the Davao Light and Power Co. office. Vice-Mayor Bernard E. Alag said the four-storey building will replace the existing library currently housed at the third floor of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Building. Davao City Library head Pedrita M. Badar said the new library will have facilities for persons with disabilities. Gawad Kalinga Executive Director Jose Luis M. Oquiñena said the Davao project is one of the community libraries they have been building around the country. “So far, we have completed four, including one in Cebu and in Marawi,” Mr. Oquiñena said, adding that they are working on three more in Mindanao and two in the Visayas. Gawad Kalinga, which has recently partnered with the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale, is a recipient of part of the company’s book sale proceeds. Big Bad Wolf Book Sales turned over early this month P5 million for Gawad Kalinga’s community projects. — Carmencita A. Carillo

More than 50 petitions submitted for BARMM inclusion

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is now reviewing more than 50 petitions filed for inclusion in the Bangsomoro Autonomous Region in Mindanao (BARMM) and the approved list is targeted for release “within December,” according to Comelec Chairman Sheriff M. Abas. Hearings and presentation of evidence are ongoing, he said, after which the petitions will be raffled off to the Comelec commissioners for decision. The Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), which provides the setting up of the BARMM to replace the existing ARMM, will be subject to a referendum on Jan 21, 2019. Last month, the Comelec issued guidelines for areas contiguous to the territorial jurisdiction of BARMM that want to be part of the plebiscite. On the P857 million proposed budget for the plebiscite, Mr. Abas said they are scheduled to meet with the Senate next month for the final plenary on sourcing the fund. — Gillian M. Cortez

NHA chief takes over HUDCC sec-gen functions

By Arjay L. Balinbin
Reporter
MALACAÑANG on Tuesday announced that National Housing Authority (NHA) Acting General Manager Marcelino P. Escalada, Jr. has been designated Secretary-General of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
In his memorandum to Mr. Escalada on Nov. 22, Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea said: “In compliance with the instructions of the President, and to ensure the continuous and effective delivery of public service, you are hereby tasked to perform the functions of the Secretary-General of HUDCC, in addition to your current functions, effective immediately.”
President Rodrigo R. Duterte announced last week the firing of Falconi V. Millar, then HUDCC’s secretary-general.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said Mr. Millar was fired due to allegations of corruption.
For its part, the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) assured the public that the dismissal of Mr. Millar will “not distract” the ongoing reconstruction of Marawi City.
“We will not let this issue distract our continuing efforts to rehabilitate the city of Marawi. Debris management in the most affected area has been ongoing since the groundbreaking at the end of October, with the developer, FINMAT International Resources, Inc. already on board,” the task force said in its statement on Nov. 22.
“We are also preparing for the fourth Kawiyagan set for Nov. 29 — the livelihood convergence initiative of TFBM member agencies. The unwavering commitment of member agencies and stakeholders in this work continues to be the nucleus of government effort in bringing affected families and communities back on its feet and the battered city to normalcy.”

Imelda Marcos to bring graft case to SC

REPRESENTATIVE Imelda R. Marcos of the 2nd district of Ilocos Norte has informed the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division she will be appealing her graft cases before the Supreme Court (SC).
Mrs. Marcos, in a Notice of Appeal, dated Nov. 26, requested the anti-graft court to transmit her records to the High Court, as she asserted her conviction is “contrary to facts, laws and jurisprudence.”
“Accused Imeda R. Marcos hereby files this Notice of Appeal, and requests that the records of the instant case be forwarded to the Supreme Court for further proceedings,” the Notice read.
The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division, however, ruled the Notice was “premature,” as the Court has yet to resolve the Marcos matriarch’s Motion for Leave to Avail of Post-Conviction Remedies.
Mrs. Marcos had earlier filed the motion to challenge the Court’s Nov. 9 decision, which found her guilty of seven counts of graft, stemming from the $200 million worth of public funds transferred to Swiss foundations during the rule of her husband, the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos.
On Nov. 16, Mrs. Marcos appeared before the Court to justify her absence during the promulgation, which resulted in the forfeiture of her bail. She was also further questioned after attending the birthday party of her daughter Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee R. Marcos on the night of the promulgation.
The Sandiganbayan later allowed her to post bail anew, which amounted to P150,000. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

KMU files complaint vs Duterte before ILO

A LABOR GROUP is calling on the International Labor Organization (ILO) to file a case against President Rodrigo R. Duterte for violating civil and labor rights.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) said it has written a letter to the labor arm of the United Nations (UN) stating that “trade union rights and civil liberties of Filipino workers and trade union activists were severely abused and violated” under the Duterte administration.
KMU Chairperson Elmer Labog said, “The Philippine government is violating workers’ freedom of association and the right to organize, through red-tagging, vilification, threats and harassment; the illegal arrest and detention of trade union organizations and trade union leaders(…)and even encouraging violent attacks against strikes and workers’ picketlines.”
“Workers are now seeking dialogues with international institutions,” the KMU chair added.
KMU said it attached in its letter a complaint stating that the Philippine government is violating ILO labor standards, specifically ILO Convention 87 Freedom of Association and Right to Organize and ILO Convention 98 Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining.
“Unionists are not terrorists. Organizing workers into union, bargaining collectively, and holding strikes are rights enshrined in the Philippine Constitution and in international conventions,” Mr. Labog said. — G.M. Cortez

UP and Adamson make another go at finals slot

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons and Adamson Soaring Falcons make one last go at a spot in the finals of University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 81 when they clash in a do-or-die Final Four match today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Set for 3:30 p.m., the Maroons and Falcons battle it out for the right to face defending champions Ateneo Blue Eagles in the best-of-three championship series which is scheduled to begin later this week.
The sudden death was forced by lower-seeded UP after it overcame the first hurdle in a twice-to-win handicap with a 73-71 victory last Saturday off a game-winner by about-to-be-named league most valuable player Bright Akhuetie.
With the score knotted at 71-all with 3.7 seconds remaining after Adamson’s Sean Manganti tied things with two pressure-packed free throws, UP then set up a play off a time out which had erstwhile struggling Akhuetie receiving the ball under the basket and connecting for the eventual game-winner.
Adamson tried to salvage the win but Jonathan Espeleta’s desperation heave from midcourt failed to hit the mark as time expired.
The victory kept UP’s season alive and extended a win streak that now stands at four and has given their playoff push a major boost.
Given an opportunity to go deeper in the tournament, a position they have not been to in two decades, the Maroons are now more determined to seize it.
“I kept telling the players that no matter what happens we have to go through this. We may win or lose but it’s a matter of learning from it all. But since either way we would learn, we might as well win this,” said Maroons coach Bo Perasol following their hard-earned win at the weekend.
They recognize, however, that they have to take it away from the Falcons, who they expect to come back with the necessary adjustments come today’s game.
ADAMSON NOT WORRIED
Despite falling short of disposing UP at the first instance, Adamson still remains upbeat of eventually getting the job done.
“There is more one more game to be played,” Falcons coach Franz Pumaren was quoted as saying following their tough loss last time around.
He admitted though that they have to play far better in the next game, with top guns Jerrick Ahanmisi and Manganti, in particular, in their element right from the get-go.
Last Saturday, both Ahanmisi and Manganti struggled for the most part of the contest, only getting their groove late in the game.
Their slow start, the team acknowledged, had an adverse effect on its attack, something it hopes to be able to address in the sudden death.
UP looks to enter the finals for the first time since 1986 while Adamson shoots for a spot it has not been to since 1992.

Wizards top Rockets in OT despite Harden’s 54

LOS ANGELES — John Wall had 36 points and 11 assists, Bradley Beal added 32 points, and the Washington Wizards rallied from an early 17-point deficit to defeat the visiting Houston Rockets 135-131 in overtime Monday.
The Wizards overcame a season-high 54 points from Rockets guard James Harden.
Washington started the overtime with an 8-1 run capped when Otto Porter Jr. picked up a steal and fed Beal for a dunk with 1:50 left, and the Rockets got no closer than within three points the rest of the way.
Houston shot two of seven in overtime with four turnovers.
Harden missed three consecutive shots and turned the ball over twice in the final minutes of regulation but fed Clint Capela for an alley-oop that tied it, 125-125, with 9.8 seconds left. Wall had the ball knocked away on a jumper attempt with 1.2 seconds left, and he then blocked Eric Gordon’s jumper at the buzzer.
Markief Morris had 22 points and 10 rebounds as the Wizards’ bench outscored the Rockets’ reserves 45-9.
Gordon scored 36 points, and Capela had 17 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks for Houston, which has lost three games in a row.
Harden had 11 assists, eight rebounds and 13 turnovers in 47 minutes.
The Rockets were without guard Chris Paul (strained hamstring) for a second consecutive game. Backup guard Gerald Green (sore right ankle) was also out.
Washington center Dwight Howard (gluteal soreness) remains out.
Harden scored 21 points in the third quarter as the Rockets went on an 18-4 run late in the period to take an eight-point lead that was trimmed to four by the end of the frame.
The Rockets jumped out to a 17-point, first-quarter lead behind Gordon and Harden, who combined for 25 points in the period. A 15-4 run pulled Washington within 34-28, but the Rockets pushed their lead to 42-30 by the end of the quarter as they hit seven 3-pointers.
It was the third time this season that the Wizards gave up 40 or more points in a quarter.
The Wizards rallied again in the second quarter, and they led 67-65 at intermission.
PACERS PUMMEL JAZZ, 121-88
Doug McDermott scored a season-high 21 points off the bench while Myles Turner added 16 points in his first game back from an ankle injury to lift the Indiana Pacers to a 121-88 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night in Salt Lake City.
Bojan Bogdanovic chipped in 15 points and Tyreke Evans added 14 for Indiana, which had seven players score in double figures. The Pacers ended a two-game losing streak.
Derrick Favors scored 13 points and Rudy Gobert added 12 to lead Utah. The Jazz, who allowed Indiana to shoot 58.3 percent from the field, lost for the sixth time in eight games.
Both teams played without their leading scorers. Utah’s Donovan Mitchell sat out a second straight game due to a rib contusion. Indiana’s Victor Oladipo was sidelined with a right sore knee for a fourth consecutive game.
The Pacers seemed to handle their star’s absence a little better. Indiana trailed just once, at 2-0, taking control on both ends of the floor. It started on offense with 52% shooting from the field. On defense, the Pacers forced nine turnovers and limited Utah to 23% shooting from the perimeter in the first two quarters.
Indiana scored on nine of its first 11 possessions, ending in back-to-back driving layups from Bogdanovic that gave the Pacers a 20-12 lead. The Jazz eventually cut the deficit to a basket when Alec Burks buried a 3-pointer to make it 24-22.
Indiana answered with a 7-0 run fueled by a pair of baskets from Cory Joseph to push the lead to 31-22. The Pacers created a double-digit cushion before halftime. They led by as many as 14 points in the second quarter, going up 53-39 on a jumper from Turner.
Utah cut the deficit to nine points on back-to-back 3-pointers from Jae Crowder in the third quarter before things got totally out of hand. Crowder’s second basket cut Indiana’s lead to 69-60. From that point on, the Pacers ran away from the Jazz.
Indiana used a 16-1 run to push its lead to 85-61 with 2:15 left in the third quarter. Thaddeus Young sank a pair of floaters to spark the run, and Darren Collison fueled it further with a pair of steals and a pair of baskets.
WALKER, LAMB SCORE 21 EACH AS HORNETS TOP BUCKS
Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb scored 21 points each, and the Charlotte Hornets held on for perhaps their most impressive win of the season with a 110-107 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.
The Hornets trailed by 14 midway through the first quarter, but they dominated the second quarter, led by 13 at halftime, and then pushed the lead to as many as 25 in the second half. The Bucks got to within a point in the final minute and trailed by three with the ball with 7.1 seconds remaining, but Eric Bledsoe missed the potential tying 3-pointer at the buzzer.
The Hornets (10-10) snapped a two-game losing streak and got some revenge after losing 113-112 to the Bucks on opening night, Oct. 17, in Charlotte. The Hornets have not lost more than two straight this season.
The Bucks (14-6) have now lost two of their last three.
Walker hit four free throws in the final 30 seconds, including the two with 7.1 seconds that pushed the one-point lead to three. The Hornets also got 16 points from Marvin Williams and 15 from Tony Parker. Parker returned to action after missing the previous two games with a rib injury, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist returned after missing six games with a sprained ankle.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Bledsoe scored 17. Brook Lopez and Pat Connaughton scored 15 each, Khris Middleton scored 14 and Malcolm Brogdon 11.
Milwaukee came out hot, hitting eight 3-pointers in the first six minutes of the game for a 28-14 lead, but Charlotte closed to within 35-32 at the end of the first. Then came the Hornets’ domination, as they outscored Milwaukee 33-17 in the second quarter for a 65-52 halftime lead. Charlotte then scored the first 12 points of the third quarter to stretch it to 77-52. Milwaukee sliced the lead to 93-80 after three quarters and got as close as 108-107 in the final minute.
The Hornets opened a four-game home stand and will host Atlanta on Wednesday. The Bucks will return to Milwaukee to take on Chicago on Wednesday. — Reuters

Gilas Pilipinas grinding it out in lead-up to fifth window assignment

THE Philippine men’s national basketball team is deep in its preparation for the fifth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, trying to cover all bases to allow it to get a favorable result come the two-game stretch beginning later this week.
Gilas Pilipinas, now under coach Yeng Guiao, is coming off a series of tune-up games last week against international teams to get it ready for the next window of the qualifiers.
The nationals went 1-3 in matches against teams from Jordan and Lebanon.
But while the record was not as impressive as hoped, Mr. Guiao said they are really not worried as much, viewing the tune-up games as a way of preparing them to have the best possible team in the games that really matter.
“We wanted to win more matches but what’s more important is the learnings we had in the series. That is the luxury of having tune-ups as we can see what needs to be done,” said Mr. Guiao, which is now tasked to lead Gilas for the rest of the World Cup Qualifiers, taking over from erstwhile coach Chot Reyes.
“We have a lot of work to do in the next coming days in the lead-up to our first game. We have to put together all the learnings in this series of tune-up games and try to incorporate them in the games that matter against Kazakhstan and Iran,” he added.
Mr. Guiao said the series of tune-up matches had allowed the coaching staff to have an idea on who will make up the final 12, which he said will be announced either Wednesday or Thursday.
“We have already an idea on who will make up the final 12 but we will not announce it yet,” said Mr. Guiao, who also underscored the need for his team to get used to the physicality of the games in the qualifiers, especially the big men.
For the fifth window, Gilas Pilipinas assembled a pool of 20 players, mostly from the Philippine Basketball Association, to choose from.
The players are June Mar Fajardo, Greg Slaughter, Christian Standhardinger, Stanley Pringle, Scottie Thompson, Matthew Wright, Troy Rosario, Jayson Castro, Marcio Lassiter, Alex Cabagnot, JP Erram, Gabe Norwood, Paul Lee, Ian Sangalang, Beau Belga, Japeth Aguilar, Arwind Santos, LA Tenorio, Ricci Rivero, and Kai Sotto.
The Philippines is currently at third place in the merged Group F of the qualifiers with a 5-3 record, behind group leader Australia (7-1) and Iran (6-2).
Gilas Pilipinas battles Kazakhstan on Friday, Nov. 30, and then Iran on Dec. 3. Both matches are to be held at the Mall of Asia Arena. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

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