Facebook Instagram Linkedin X Youtube
Home Blog Page 11365

Standout trades

The recent player trade stretch in the National Basketball Association proved to be an active one with reports putting it at 57 players changing uniforms by the deadline on Feb. 8 (Manila time). The number beat out significantly the 35 from last year and the previous high of 53 players in 2015.
While the movements did not include what supposedly was the headlining departure of New Orleans All-Star Anthony Davis from the Bayou, still there were noteworthy trades consummated by the deadline that should alter the landscape of the NBA-dom moving forward.
One of the standout trades that happened, for this space, was that between the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers that saw the former get forwards Tobias Harris and Mike Scott and center Boban Marjanovic in exchange for Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala, Landry Shamet and a couple of future first and second-round picks.
The arrival of Harris fortifies the starting crew of the Sixers as he joins forces with All-Stars Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Jimmy Butler, along with shooter JJ Reddick.
Philadelphia gets a bona-fide 20-point scorer in Harris as well as an efficient three-point maker (62.5%) to give its attack more flexibility.
The Sixers gave away some serviceable players in the exchange but Marjanovic and Scott, along with other additions James Ennis III from Houston and Jonathon Simmons from Orlando, should help the team as backstoppers.
On the flipside, the Clippers get quality backcourt support in Wilson and Shamet plus picks that they could use to dangle in a deal to lure potential free agents in the offseason. They also got big men Jamychal Green (Memphis) and Ivica Zubac (LA Lakers) and wingman Garret Temple (Memphis) to work something on.
Another deal worth noting was that sending currently injured All-Star Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks from the New York Knicks.
Going along with Porzingis were Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee and Trey Burke vice Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews and two future first-round picks.
While Porzingis is not expected to play this season as he continues to recover from an ACL injury, the thought of him joining forces with rising Dallas star Luka Doncic has me in major anticipation.
Both gifted athletes in their respective positions and can do a lot, they could potentially revolutionize the NBA game further much like Dallas great Dirk Nowitzki has done in his Hall-of-Fame career.
It also helps the Mavericks that both Porzingis and Doncic seemingly welcome the linkup and willing to work together, something to look forward to if you are a Mavs fan.
For the Knicks, with the relationship between Porzingis and management turning south, the deal made sense even as it got further cap space to be a major player in free agency in the offseason (not saying it is you, KD) and a solid floor general for the future in Smith.
Milwaukee, Toronto, and Chicago, too, I think did well during trade week.
The Bucks got Nicola Mirotic; the Raptors have veteran Marc Gasol now; and the Bulls acquired do-it-all Otto Porter Jr.
Mirotic came to Milwaukee by way of a three-team deal, involving Detroit and New Orleans, and is expected to give the league-leading Bucks another steady offensive threat, especially from the outside, to make a serious push for at least a finals appearance.
Gasol for Jonas Valanciunas, on the other hand, gives the Raptors a playmaker in the center position, not to mention a proven winner and playoff performer to help “We The North” in its championship aspirations.
Chicago, meanwhile, got a stat-stuffer in Porter who should complement better the young Bulls core of Zach Lavine, Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen than Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis, whom the team traded in exchange.
Other trades that had my fancy were those of Harrison Barnes to Sacramento from Dallas, Markelle Fultz from Philadelphia to Orlando, and Markieff Morris to New Orleans from Washington.
There were no Anthony Davis deal consummated on trade deadline alright but still it was an eventful one for The Association. Many interesting deals went down, leaving us fans with a lot to keep tabs on.
 
Michael Angelo S. Murillo has been a columnist since 2003. He is a BusinessWorld reporter covering the Sports beat.
msmurillo@bworldonline.com

George leads Thunder

When Paul George opted to stay with the Thunder in the offseason, not a few quarters found cause to shake their heads. It wasn’t simply because he backed out of a plan to move to the hometown Lakers at the earliest possible opportunity. More importantly, it was because his decision meant he would continue his far-from-perfect partnership with far-from-perfect Russell Westbrook. He had just come off a campaign in which the Thunder failed to advance past the first round, with the Jazz, headlined by a rookie, showing in no uncertain terms their propensity to underwhelm when the going got tough.
Fast forward to the present, and George isn’t merely laying all the second-guessing to rest. He’s doing so emphatically, leading the Thunder to a heady 37-19 slate that has them third in the West and sporting a point differential only the powerhouse Warriors can trump. The operative word, to be sure, is “leading,” because it’s no easy feat given Westbrook’s ubiquitous presence. The former Most Valuable Player’s ball-dominant style of play has been both good and bad — and, as Kevin Durant’s departure in 2016 proved, frustrating — for fellow All-Stars. And yet he stayed, gladly.
In justifying the career move, George pointed to the Thunder’s commitment to winning and, significantly, to Westbrook’s giving nature. The triple-double machine, he argued, was misunderstood and miscast as a selfish headliner who sucked the air out of everybody else. In this regard, he expressed confidence that time would make the truth apparent. Which brings fans to the present, basking in the success the one-two punch has engendered and confidently eyeing more. And, yes, the pecking order has changed.
Perhaps George would have wrested alpha-dog status regardless of circumstance. His progression into a bona fide MVP contender has been so marked as to lend it an air of inevitability. Yet, it’s fair to contend that the changing of the guard would not have been as smooth were Westbrook unwilling to cede the reins. In any case, his is the head that wears the crown, the responsibility to produce in the crunch and, at the same time, stop the opposition’s best from doing the same. And, to his credit, he has delivered on his promise.
The numbers don’t lie. The Thunder have claimed 11 of their last 12 outings, with George putting up remarkable stat lines. Yesterday, they blitzed the Blazers, invariably rude hosts, on the road off triple-doubles from their two stalwarts. The Team Giannis starter’s output was highlighted by 47 points, upping to an astounding 36 his per-game norm during their run. Little wonder, then, that he’s all smiles when he says he’s right where he should be: on the red carpet that Westbrook rolled out, en route to the throne that bears his name.
 
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

Comebacking old guard:All-new Toyota RAV4 to target ‘niche’ market

Text and photos by Kap Maceda Aguila

TOYOTA Motor Philippines (TMP) continues to beef up its portfolio of sport-utility vehicles with the introduction of the all-new Toyota RAV4. Unveiled at the Bonifacio High Street Amphitheater in Taguig City on Feb. 8, the fifth generation of the compact SUV first seen in 1994 comes at a time when the global appetite for the ute continues to drive sales (one in every three vehicles sold worldwide is an SUV).
Meanwhile, TMP first vice president Ma. Cristina Fe N. Arevalo shared in a speech during the launch program that, as of the close of last year, commercial vehicle sales in the country accounted for almost 70% of total auto sales. In the Philippines, one in four vehicles sold in 2018 was an SUV (which belongs in the commercial vehicle segment).
Standing for “Recreational Activity Vehicle: 4-wheel drive,” the latest iteration of the RAV4 available in three variants locally is nonetheless bereft of an all-wheel drive option. But it is expected to appeal to car buyers familiar with the nameplate — and/or attracted to its new styling, which has been described as having an attention-grabbing “visual flair.”
Utilizing the so-called Toyota New Global Architecture gives the RAV4 improved agility, stability, and visibility, according to a TMP statement. The platform also leads to a lower center of gravity and a more rigid body.
“The wait is finally over,” declared TMP president Satoru Suzuki, who added that the RAV4 is “designed to defy expectations” while staying true to its “proud heritage as the world’s bestselling SUV.”
The RAV4 now touts a “lower belt line, repositioned outer mirrors now mounted on the door, and thinner, low-set instrument panel that has sleek horizontal lines flowing into the door panels [in aid of] driving visibility,” reported TMP.
Supplanting the RAV4’s old 2.5-liter dual VVTi engine is a similar-displacement yet newer proprietary Dynamic Force Engine with dual variable valve timing intelligent system controlled by an electric motor. This promises heightened performance for less fuel consumption. Horsepower output has grown to 203hp from 177hp, and torque climbs to 243Nm from 233Nm. Drivers can access the grunt through a familiar direct-shift eight-speed automatic transmission, which now features a multi-plate lock-up clutch “that provides a wider lock up range allowing shifting and acceleration to be smoother and faster.”
Toyota said the transmission allows more power and torque when accelerating from standstill while “suppressing engine speeds at high speed cruising for a quieter cabin.”
NICHE MODEL
Ranged against the entry-level Toyota Rush and the popular Toyota Fortuner SUV, TMP marketing officer for product planning Jovie M. Roqueza said in an interview with BusinessWorld that the RAV4 occupies a niche market.
“From a pricing point of the view, the one that clearly overlaps with the RAV4 is the Fortuner,” he shared. “We’re trying to cultivate the market for the RAV4 [as what] we’re seeing is that Fortuner buyers are ones with the big families. They have small children, and they want the practicality of a diesel. But we still feel that there are customers [who lean] more towards the emotional, [who] want the active lifestyle, [who] want the performance of a gasoline car, and these are the customers that we are appealing to with the RAV4.”
The five-seat model is well appointed with new technology and more upscale accoutrements — niceties that Mr. Roqueza insisted are appreciated by the vehicle’s target market. “All the small details that our customers appreciate, such as wireless charging, panoramic moonroof — these are exclusive to the RAV4. We don’t have these in any of our other SUVs.”
This primary target market, he continued, is composed of “young, tech-savvy people… a growing market that [the company can] continue to tap in the future as our economy continues to improve.”
The new RAV4 comes in six standard colors: white pearl, red mica metallic, silver metallic, gray metallic, Urban Khaki and cyan metallic. Three new colors are available on special order (with a three-month wait): super white, Attitude Black and dark blue mica metallic. Variants and pricing are as follows: LE (P1.638 million), XLE (P1.870 million) and LTD (P2.188 million).

New Suzuki Ertiga turns up the (cargo) volume

Text and photos by Aries B. Espinosa

JUST a week after the Jan. 23 introduction of the second-generation Suzuki Ertiga compact MPV, Suzuki Philippines, Inc. mounted a ride-and-drive activity using the new model.
This ride-and-drive program, held on Jan. 31, was primarily meant to highlight the upgrades to the new Ertiga inside and out, as well as underscore the ingenuity behind the details of these upgrades.
SMALL CHANGES, BIG DIFFERENCE
The route was comparatively short for a driving activity — just about 130 kilometers to and from the Suzuki Pasig dealership and Tagaytay ridge in Cavite province — but the conditions were enough to stress Suzuki Philippines’ point: Small adjustments and improvements do mean big in the long run.
Still defined as a seven-seat MPV, the new Ertiga’s engine has been upsized from the first-generation model’s K14B 1.4-liter mill to the K15B 1.5-liter gasoline power plant, which churns out more horsepower (103 vs. the previous model’s 94) and torque (138Nm against 130Nm). This bigger-displacement engine can be mated to either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission,
The engine upgrade could be seen as a way to manage a longer (by 130 millimeters), wider (by 40 millimeters) and taller (by five millimeters) Ertiga compared to the previous version. That said, the curb weight of the new Ertiga (on full specs) is 1,135 kilograms, which is 45 kilograms lighter than the curb weight of the first-generation model.
Most likely, what the upsized engine can actually compensate for would be the added rear cargo capacity of the new Ertiga, which can accommodate 153 liters (40 liters more than the previous model), for a total cargo space of 803 liters when the second- and third-row seats are folded down.
DESIGNED FOR SEVEN
Kenneth Adia, Suzuki Philippines product supervisor for Automobiles, explained that the new Ertiga innovates further on the design concept put forth by Suzuki chief engineer Satoshi Kasahara when he envisioned “a vehicle that can accommodate seven passengers in a compact dimension, and offers a smart combination of driving performance.”
“The all-new Ertiga presents the strong and elegant qualities of an MPV, with its enhanced styling and comfort,” he added.
For a compact seven-seat MPV, every millimeter of added interior space means more breathing room to enjoy the little things. In the new Ertiga, more room has been accorded passengers on the third-row seats without taking anything away from those sitting on the second-row ones. This was done by adding five millimeters of headroom and 10 millimeters of hip room in the rear. More room in the third row also means that the seats could now be reclined further — by up to 16 degrees.
To make it easier for the rearmost passengers to get in and out of the car, the middle-row seats can now slide 240 millimeters forward. Rear door opening has been widened to 925 millimeters to make passenger access and luggage loading and unloading easier.
Creature comforts have been added for the driver’s and front passenger’s pleasure, too. Ventilated cup holders beneath the center console help prevent cold beverages from getting warm, and the infotainment unit features a 10-inch multimedia touch screen that can be easily seen even from the rearmost seats.
And regardless of where one is seated in the new Ertiga, one can actually feel the car’s improved ride. Credit here goes to Suzuki’s Heartect lightweight design platform, which increases underbody stiffness and reduces noise, vibration and harshness.
Suzuki Philippines director and Automobile division general manager Keiichi Suzuki, who went along for the ride-and-drive event, explained that the new Ertiga was the Japanese car maker’s answer to the “increasingly diversified demands of the local auto industry and needs of end-users.”
He added; “All the upgrades on the new Ertiga are designed to give Filipino riders the confidence to enjoy every adventure, knowing they and their family are safe and comfortable. Beyond making technological improvements on our vehicles, our goal is to always ensure that our customers have an optimum driving experience.”
And like what the group experienced firsthand with the new Ertiga, future owners and passengers of this MPV will appreciate and put to good use the elegant beauty of having more space to themselves.
The new Ertiga is priced starting from P728,000.

Audi’s fast wagon RS 4 Avant now sold in PHL


IT made its world debut in September 2017 as a 2018 model, and now, this fourth version of the Audi RS 4 Avant is available in the Philippines. Avant is Audi-speak for its wagon variants while RS designates the high-performance renditions of Audi models. The RS 4 identifies the model generations of the Audi A4 — including a sedan and a cabriolet — which were given the high-performance treatment.
While the two preceding RS 4s came with V8 engines, the latest model, like the original, is propelled by a V6. But this new 2.9-liter, twin-turbo TFSI engine is more powerful than any of the previous engines, outputting 450hp and 600Nm, with torque available from as low as 1,900rpm all the way up to 5,000rpm. These ratings, Audi said, are enough to send the car from a standstill to 100kph in 4.1 seconds, and to a top speed is 250kph. If this isn’t enough, an optional RS dynamic package is offered as an option, which bumps top speed up to 280kph.
As a high-performance Audi, the power is sent to the car maker’s proprietary Quattro permanent all-wheel drive train via a sport-tuned eight-speed automatic transmission. A rear sport differential is an option.
The standard RS sport suspension makes the RS 4 Avant sit seven millimeters lower than the basic model that’s already kitted with sport suspension. Numerous equipment upgrades like the RS sport suspension plus with Dynamic Ride Control, ceramic brakes and RS-specific dynamic steering allow for individualized ride and handling tuning. The car’s 19-inch forged aluminum wheels help in this regard, too. The optional 20-inch wheels offer an even more focused setup.
Roof edge spoiler creates distinctive rear end
Though capable of sports car levels of performance, the RS 4 Avant — like all its previous renditions — remains subtle, with clues about its capabilities supplied by wheel arches 39 millimeters wider than stock, air inlets with the RS honeycomb pattern, and the matte-black Singleframe grille. At the rear, an RS-specific diffuser insert, the oval tailpipes of the RS exhaust system, and the RS roof edge spoiler set the RS 4 Avant from the regular variant.
The car’s cabin, though performance-oriented, is just as subdued. Rendered mostly in black, the interior furniture includes RS sport seats with optional honeycomb pattern, a flat-bottom, leather-wrapped multifunction sport steering wheel, and RS decals on the shift gate and the illuminated doorsill trim. The car also gets Audi’s virtual cockpit and head-up display, but adds in RS-specific displays for g-force levels, tire pressure and torque output. Trim packages offer a choice of gloss black, carbon with aluminum attachments, and carbon with black attachments. Of course, there’s an enormous cargo space aft of the backseat — this is a wagon, remember?
Just a really fast one. — BMA

Peso recovers against dollar on ‘slightly better’ trade data

peso bills
THE PESO is expected to trade between P51.90 and P52.10 today. — PHILSTAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

THE PESO recovered against the dollar on Tuesday following the resumption of trade talks between the United States and China as well as the country’s “slightly better” December trade data.
The local unit closed Tuesday’s session at P52.075 versus the greenback, stronger than the P52.11 finish last Monday.
The peso opened the session weaker at P52.185 per dollar, slipping to as low as P52.27 intraday. Meanwhile, it rebounded to close at its best showing for the day.
Trading volume picked up to $1.165 billion from the $1.14 billion that switched hands the previous day.
A foreign exchange trader said the peso traded mixed yesterday, as it weakened in the morning session only to bounce back.
“We saw some retracement for the dollar. It rallied overnight, but it retreated during Asia time,” the trader said in a phone interview.
Another trader said the peso said the local unit strengthened “on news of resumption of trade talks between the US and China.”
Negotiators from the US and China are meeting again in Beijing later this week to strike a trade deal before the March 1 deadline.
Preparatory talks were held ahead of the arrival Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
“The peso appreciated on… the upbeat Philippine trade report,” the trader noted in an e-mail.
The country’s trade deficit stood at $3.752 billion, narrowing from the $3.972 billion recorded a year ago, as imports and exports declined year-on-year by 9.4% and 12.3%, respectively.
For 2018, the trade balance posted a record-high $41.44 billion deficit, from the $27.38 billion in 2017 and $26.702 billion in 2016.
“We had a slightly better trade balance on the back of falling imports. We saw a positive peso after that, but when it came out, it was pretty much ignored,” the first trader added.
For today, the second trader expects the peso to trade between P51.90 and P52.10, while the other gave a P51.90-P52.30 range. — Karl Angelo N. Vidal

Bourse falls further towards 8,000 on profit taking

By Arra B. Francia, Reporter
THE BOURSE ended lower for the third straight trading day on Tuesday, falling below the 8,000 mark for the first time in seven sessions before clawing back just above that line as investors went on another round of profit taking, opting for second-liners instead of blue chips.
The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) retreated 0.64% or 51.62 points to close at 8,009.92 yesterday, while the broader all-shares index dropped 0.69% or 34.07 points to 4,858.41.
“The PSEi continues to trade sideways as second-liners and speculative issues take the spotlight and are heavily traded by investors,” Eagle Equities, Inc. Research Head Christopher John Mangun said in an e-mail.
“The main index was barely able to hang on to the 8,000 key level after trading below it earlier in the day,” Mr. Mangun added.
“Blue chips remain in the back seat while we saw several speculative issues ended the day at their respective ceiling prices.”
Papa Securities Corp. Sales Associate Gabriel Jose F. Perez noted that the index succumbed to another round of profit taking, as investors looked for new catalysts to prop up sentiment. “With the PSEi already showing signs of weakness with its intraday dip below the 8,000 mark in the afternoon, watch out if the level will continue to hold for the rest of the week,” Mr. Perez said via e-mail.
Services were the lone sectoral index that eked out gains, adding 0.16% or 2.59 points to 1,604.70.
The rest declined: industrials by 1.24% or 144.27 points to 11,474.13; mining and oil by 0.93% or 80.36 points to 8,527.97; holding firms by 0.74% or 60.19 points to 7,982.35; property by 0.63% or 25.71 points to 4,006.39; and financials by 0.26% or 4.88 points to 1,828.19.
Some 2.74 billion shares worth P7.24 billion switched hands, compared to Monday’s 3.37 billion worth P6 billion.
Investors abroad remained predominantly bullish for the 18th straight session, driving net foreign buying up threefold to P260.34 million from Monday’s P82.14 million.
Stocks that dropped swamped those that gained, 124 to 86, while 46 others ended flat.
Tuesday’s list of 20 most active stocks showed those that lost narrowly outnumbering those that gained.
Those that ended with gains include Asiabest Group International, Inc. (up 9.35%); Alliance Global Group, Inc. (up 2.44%); International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (up 1.92%) and Wilcon Depot, Inc. (up 1.78%). “Overseas funds picked up ICTSI (P348-million net foreign buying) the most as the counter benefited from a 1.52% upweight in the MSCI Philippines index,” RCBC Securities, Inc. said in a Stock Market Daily Recap attributed to analyst Fiorenzo D. de Jesus.
Those that lost included Xurpas, Inc. (down 11.74%); Premiere Horizon Alliance Corp. (down 4.76%); GT Capital Holdings, Inc. (down 1.83%); and SM Investments Corp. (down 1.4%).

Senatorial candidates kick off election campaign

SENATORIAL candidates under Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) kicked off their election campaign in Pampanga on Tuesday, while the opposition Liberal Party’s eight candidates under the Otso Diretso banner began their stumping in Caloocan City, a hotspot in President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s drug war.
Ms. Carpio herself led the caravan in Pampanga where President Duterte had a landslide victory in the 2016 presidential election, as cited by a representative of the province, Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“Noong nakaraang halalan, pinakamalaking landslide na nakuha ni Mayor Rodrigo Duterte sa labas ng kanyang baluarte, walang iba kundi sa probinsya ng Pampanga,” Ms. Arroyo said at the rally there, Tuesday. (In the last election, then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte won his biggest landslide in Pampanga).
Former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair Francis N. Tolentino and Kathrina Yu-Pimentel, representing her husband, reelectionist Senator Aquilino L. Pimentel III, spoke of needed reforms in behalf of labor.
Reelectionist Senator Cynthia A. Villar and journalist Jiggy Manicad pushed for agricultural development, while reelectionist Senator Joseph Victor G. Ejercito spoke about infrastructure and transportation development. Also seeking reelection is Senator Juan Edgardo M. Angara.
Deputy Speaker Pia S. Cayetano of the 2nd district of Taguig City spoke of vaccine hesitancy, amid the continuing Dengvaxia scare. Ilocos Norte Governor Imee R. Marcos said she will push for the suspension or reduction of the value-added tax, and Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence T. Go echoed President Duterte’s program of government.
“Galit si Pangulo sa droga, galit din po ako sa droga,” Mr. Go said. “Galit si Pangulo sa kriminal, galit din po ako sa kriminal.” (The President hates drugs, I also hate drugs. The President hates criminals, I also hate criminals).
Representative Zajid G. Mangudadatu of the 2nd district of Maguindanao and former Philippine National Police chief Ronald M. dela Rosa said they will push for peace and order as well as the welfare of the youth.
Former senators Ramon B. Revilla, Jr. and Jose “Jinggoy” E. Estrada, both tagged in the mutli-billion pork-barrel scam, recalled their bonding during their detention from that scandal.
ROXAS NO-SHOW
The LP’s Otso Diretso slate, on the other hand, is composed of reelectionist Senator Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV, former senator and interior secretary Manuel A. Roxas II, Magdalo Party-List Representative Gary C. Alejano, human rights lawyer Jose Manuel I. Diokno, civic leader Samira A. Gutoc, former solicitor-general Florin T. Hilbay, election lawyer Romulo B. Macalintal, and former Quezon representative Lorenzo R. Tañada III.
Senator Francis N. Pangilinan, the opposition slate’s campaign manager and LP president, said they chose to begin their campaign in Caloocan City because the cities in Metro Manila traditionally voted opposition candidates during the midterm elections. Caloocan City Rep. Edgar R. Erice is also an LP stalwart. Caloocan City has about 648,000 registered voters according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
The opposition’s slate is set to hold its proclamation rally on Wednesday in Naga City, the hometown of Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo.
Mr. Roxas was not present at the kick-off campaign in Caloocan City. Mr. Erice, his campaign manager, explained that it was Mr. Roxas’s tradition to start his campaign in Capiz, his hometown.
“It is important now that we have listened and we are informed of the real needs of the Filipino family, it’s time that we give back to the people, present to them our plans, and hopefully establish an independent Senate,” Mr. Aquino said.
Mr. Alejano said he will pursue security policies that will assert the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippine Sea as well as strengthen the country’s Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Mr. Diokno said he aims to reform the justice system as a legislator, adding that his past experiences to defend human rights before the courts were no longer enough because of the flawed justice system.
Ms. Gutoc said for her part, “The unexplained delayed Marawi rehabilitation, the unexplained distance of government in the provinces is what I’m bringing in my 21-year stay in Mindanao.”
Mr. Hilbay said he will bring to the Senate the perspective of ordinary Filipinos. Mr. Macalintal said he will push for policies that would expand the benefits of senior citizens.
In a statement, Mr. Tañada said he will continue to champion the rights of workers, farmers and fisherfolk.
The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) started its campaign in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. The party’s bets, reelectionist Senator Nancy S. Binay-Angeles and lawyer Dan Roleda, were joined by former senator Juan F. Ponce Enrile and reelectionist Senators Juan Edgardo M. Angara and Joseph Victor G. Ejercito. The province has around 1.6 million registered voters, according to the Comelec.
In a statement, Ms. Binay-Angeles said she would continue to pursue tourism development as well as her advocacy for women, children and senior citizens if reelected.
Meanwhile, Senator Grace S. Poe-Llamanzares, who is running as an independent candidate, started her campaign in Payatas, Quezon City, where she held a feeding program for children. Quezon City has around 1.1 million registered voters.
She told reporters that she chose to start her campaign through a school feeding program because the children served as her constant reminder of why she was seeking re-election. She said her legislative agenda would remain the passage of the freedom of information bill.
Ms. Poe has been alternating with Ms. Villar as front-runners in the senatorial polls.
LABOR ISSUES, HOTSPOTS
Also on Tuesday, Defend Jobs Philippines launched #LaborVote2019. “In the upcoming May 2019 senatorial and local elections, Filipino workers will be as empowered and more intelligent voters as ever,” Defend Jobs Spokesperson Christian Lloyd Magsoy said.
In a statement on Tuesday, Defend Jobs said by March, “they are set to release the result of their study on the track record and stance on 10 key labor issues including endo (end of contractualization), wage increase, occupational health and safety, right to self-organization, trade union repression, child labor, migration, tax and high prices, and poverty alleviation.”
The advocacy coalition is also set to release a list of “pro-labor candidates,” and will be holding a series of town hall-type assemblies.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has identified 701 election hotspots as campaign period starts for the midterm elections on May.
“[The] latest validated information of election watchlist of areas identified a total of 701 election hotspots that comprise 42.9% of the 1,634 cities and municipalities across the country,” PNP chief Director General Oscar D. Albayalde said in a press briefing at Camp Crame on Tuesday.
Of the 701 election hotspots, the data of PNP noted 223 election areas of concern (Yellow Category), 382 election areas of immediate concern (Orange Category), 94 election areas of grave concern (Red Category) and two election areas under the control of the Commission on Elections.
PNP said 27 areas of grave concern or under Red category were identified in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 19 in the Bicol Region, seven each in Calabarzon and Western Mindanao, six each in Mimaropa and Western Visayas, five in Northern Mindanao, four each in SOCCSKSARGEN and Cordillera, three in Eastern Visayas, two each in Central Luzon and Davao region, and one each in Caraga and Cagayan Valley region.
There are no Red Areas in NCR and the Ilocos region.
For his part, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Benjamin R. Madrigal Jr. said government troops will be on the lookout for rebels involved in a “permit to campaign fee” scheme.
“Inaano natin sa mga tropa, maging, on the lookout especially for extortionists. Ang maganda rito ngayon may mga areas na nag-declare na nga ng persona non grata ang NPA [New People’s Army], so itong mga lugar na ‘to, definitely hindi na talaga makapag-extort itong NPA terrorists na ito,” Mr. Madrigal told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday. (I’m reminding our troops to be on the lookout for extortionists. Fortunately, there were already areas which declared NPA members as persona non grata. With that, they cannot extort money anymore in those areas.) — reports by Charmaine A. Tadalan, Camille A. Aguinaldo, Vince Angelo C. Ferreras, and Gillian M. Cortez

Abu Sayyaf suspect arrested in Manila

AN ABU SAYYAF Group (ASG) member wanted for kidnapping and illegal detention was arrested by the police on Sunday morning at Ermita, Manila.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) presented on Tuesday Abdurahman Daiyung, alias Biznar Salabudin or Abu Talha, who was arrested at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday. The warrant for his arrest was issued by Presiding Judge Leo Jay T. Principe of the Regional Trial Court of Basilan, Ninth Judicial Region, Branch 1.
NCRPO chief Director Guillermo T. Eleazar said Mr. Daiyung had been in Manila for the past few months, keeping in touch with other alleged members of the terror group.
Mr. Eleazar said in a press briefing at Camp Crame on Tuesday, “Nagtatago siya and sa ngayon (Mr. Daiyung had been in hiding and for now), he’s been here for just few months. He is a welder at na-monitor natin na umiikot at pumupunta siya sa ibang mga kasamahan niya rito.” (We monitored him going around and visiting other [Abu Sayyaf] members here).
Mr. Daiyung was one of the ASG members, led by Isnilon Hapilon, behind the June 11, 2001, kidnapping of 15 employees of the Golden Harvest Plantation in Lantawan, Basilan. A hostage who had been freed positively identified the suspect and filed an affidavit against him.
The PNP also said Mr. Daiyung was involved in a bombing incident in Kidapawan City on Oct. 10, 2002. Seven were killed 24 were injured in that attack.
Mr. Eleazar said, “Probably merong supporters at sympathizers [Probably there are supporters and sympathizers of the Abu Sayyaf Group]. But we’d like to tell the public, kung itatanong natin kung meron na-imo-monitor na credible or validated info as to their plan of staging terror activities, wala tayong ganon (we are monitoring and there are no such plans).”
“Pero hindi natin pwedeng i-discount ‘yung possibility na nagpa-plano sila ng ganun,” the NCRPO chief added. (But we cannot discount the possibility of such a terror plot). — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

Jee Ick-Joo murder witness ordered freed

By Vann Marlo M. Villegas, Reporter
A PAMPANGA COURT granted a petition of a police officer who is a state witness in the October 2016 kidnap and murder of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo to be released from the restrictive custody of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Kidnapping Group.
In the two-page order dated Jan. 30, Judge Irin Zenaida S. Buan of Angeles City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 56 ruled that Senior Police Officer (SPO) 4 Roy L. Villegas has finished his testimony and fulfilled his duty as state witness.
“The testimony of state witness Villegas, there is no more valid reason to recall his discharge, thus effects of his discharge should be given effect,” the judge said.
Ms. Buan also junked the argument of accused SPO3 Ricky M. Sta. Isabel and Jerry A. Omlang who opposed the motion of Mr. Villegas, claiming that his discharge is not yet final due to a pending petition before the Court of Appeals against it.
The RTC cited the Section 7, Rule 65 of the Rules of Court which “clearly mandates that the pendency of a petition for certiorari will not interrupt the course of the main case unless a temporary restraining order or writ of preliminary injunction is issued by the appellate court.”
Mr. Jee was abducted along with his househelp Marisa Morquicho from his home in Angeles City on Oct. 18, 2016, in an alleged anti-drug operation. Ms. Morquicho was released but the Korean national was killed right at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, and his cremated remains were reportedly flushed in a toilet.
Mr. Villegas was initially charged with kidnapping along with Superintendent Rafael Dumlao III, Messrs. Sta. Isabel, and Omlang, and funeral homeowner Gerardo G. Santiago.
RTC Branch 58 in January 2018 granted the petition of the Department of Justice (DoJ) to turn Mr. Villegas state witness, saying that “while he directly participated in the execution stage, he had no direct participation in the actual killing of Jee Ick-joo.”
Mr. Villegas was the one who tagged Mr. Dumlao, former PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group head, as the mastermind in Mr. Jee’s murder, together with Messrs. Sta. Isabel and Omlang and several others.

Palace reviewing legality of 2 firms’ deal in passport production

MALACAÑANG ON Tuesday said it is currently reviewing the legality of the joint venture agreement between APO Production Unit, Inc. (APUI) and United Graphic Expression Corporation (UGEC) on passport production.
In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said his office has already received a copy of the joint venture contract.
“We are still evaluating whether it contravenes the intent of the law, because according to — there are some lawyers who are saying that the joint venture, puwede (is allowed),” he said.
He added that their assessment so far points to the need for the submission of other documents such as the “original contract between the foreign corporation that was handling it before it was taken over from it.”
In a social media post on Jan. 12, former Foreign Affairs secretary Perfecto R. Yasay, Jr. said that in 2015, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) awarded — “without bidding on condition that no part of the contract can be subcontracted or assigned to a private printer” — the operation of the electronic passport system to state-run APUI, an attached agency of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO).
“In stark violation of that condition, APUI engaged the services of the United Graphic Expression Corporation for the production of the new E-passports,” Mr. Yasay said, adding that the contract to APUI was awarded even amid a still “subsisting” contract from 2006 between the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and Francois-Charles Oberthur Fiduciare (FCOF).
Mr. Yasay also said that on Feb. 10, 2017, Mr. Panelo, as chief presidential legal counsel, “determined that the assignment of the passport printing services to UGEC was illegal and demanded that all rights over all the personal data, source code, data center and other information relating to the performance of the E-passports printing services unlawfully subcontracted to UGEC be reconveyed to the DFA or be acknowledged to be exclusively owned and controlled by the DFA.”
Mr. Panelo explained that his previous opinion on the matter was not conclusive because it was based on incomplete documents.
“The documents were incomplete, so I could not give a conclusive opinion on the matter…. So we’ve been asking them to give us all the documents relative to that matter,” he said in a briefing on Jan. 14. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Assault charge, deportation recommended vs Chinese who threw taho at cop

THE MANDALUYONG City Prosecutor’s Office has recommended the filing of a direct assault charge against a 23-year old Chinese national who threw a soy bean curd drink (taho) to a police officer last Feb. 9.
In the inquest resolution dated Feb. 11, Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Leynard O. Dumlao said the action of Zhang Jiale against complainant Police Officer 1 William L. Cristobal “is considered a deliberate and serious defiance to a police officer who was performing his duties at that time.”
“It is offensive both by legal and moral norm considering that there was no provocation on the part of the police officers. Simply put, respondent’s unwarranted act is an abrasive affront against officer in uniform representing a national institution,” the resolution read.
The complaint for disobedience to an agent of a person in authority was dismissed as it was considered a necessary consequence of an assault while the unjust vexation complaint was deemed absorbed in direct assault.
The resolution was approved by City Prosecutor Bernabe Augustus C. Solis.
DEPORTATION
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) Legal Division has also recommended the filing of a deportation case.
“Our Legal Team saw that there was probable cause to file a deportation case against her. The BI can file a case motu proprio, especially since there are photos showing what happened,” BI spokesperson Krizia Dana M. Sandoval.
BI Commissioner Jaime H. Morente for his part said, “This is an utter display of disobedience and arrogance against a person of authority. The Bureau will not tolerate such acts, as this shows disrespect to the country.”
Ms. Zhang threw a cup of taho at Mr. Cristobal at the MRT 3-Boni Station after being scolded for bringing the drink despite the ban on liquids at train stations.
She became viral online after photos, and later a video, of the incident circulated on social media.
Ms. Sandoval also said that Ms. Zhang, who reportedly arrived in Manila on October 2018 under a Special Resident Retiree’s Visa, will automatically be placed under the BI’s watchlist. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

1...11,36411,36511,366...14,238Page 11,365 of 14,238
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin X Youtube