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Court affirms De Lima acquittal

PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

A MUNTINLUPA court affirmed the acquittal of the third and last case against former senator Leila M. De Lima.

In a four-page order, the court noted the only way to vacate the judgment of acquittal is by showing the court committed “grave abuse of discretion.”

“The prosecution, in its Motion for Reconsideration did not even ascribe grave abuse of discretion on the part of the Court,” Judge Gener M. Gito wrote.

“It did not cite any instance in the Court’s Order that in having such kind of conclusion, the Court encroached into the area of grave abuse of discretion.”

Ms. De Lima was granted demurrer to evidence last June and was in effect acquitted in her third and last drug case perpetrated by ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

She was a staunch critic of Mr. Duterte’s infamous war on drugs that unjustly killed thousands of Filipinos, mostly urban poor. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

PHL, Indonesia hold war games

COTABATO CITY — Philippine Army officials and counterparts from Indonesia launched on Wednesday a week-long joint military exercise in Maguindanao del Norte province in the Bangsamoro region.

The bilateral activity, dubbed PHILINDO STRIKE IV-2024, is focused on public safety operations, anti-terror, emergency response and community peacebuilding maneuvers.

Major Gen. Antonio G. Nafarrete, commander of the 6th Infantry Division, told reporters on Thursday that the opening program for the exercise was facilitated by his subordinates, Col. Edgar L. Catu, and Col. Jose Ambrosio F. Rustia; while the Indonesian contingent was led by Col. Yoki Malinton Kurniafari of the 11th Infantry Brigade Badik Sakti of the Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat.

The exercise shall bolster security cooperation between Indonesia and the Philippines, Mr. Rustia said during Wednesday’s event at Camp Siongco in Barangay Awang in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte. — John Felix M. Unson

2025 Guadalupe bridge closure set

THE GUADALUPE bridge along the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue will be closed starting October 2025 for repairs, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said on Thursday.

In a virtual press briefing, Acting Chairman Romando S. Artes said a temporary bridge will be constructed starting January 2025 before the closure of the Guadalupe bridge.

A temporary bridge will take 10 months to build. While the construction of the new Guadalupe bridge will last 3 to 4 months, he added.

The retrofitting of the 60-year-old bridge is necessary after inspections show parts of it are vulnerable to seismic activity. Pasig River ferry operations won’t be affected by the closure, he added.

The Department of Public Works and Highways is expected to award the construction by December with the terms of reference indicating the bridge must be done within 17 months.

“In effect, it would take more or less 17 months to construct the outer lanes of the bridge,” Mr. Artes said in mixed English and Filipino. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

PHL gets vaccines vs pertussis

FREEPIK

THE PHILIPPINES has received 500,000 doses of a vaccine that protects against five diseases including pertussis or whooping cough.

The Pentavalent vaccine doses arrived in the country this month and have been kept in cold storage while paperwork for their distribution was being finalized, the Department of Health said in a statement.

It said another 750,000 doses of the Pentavalent vaccine are set to arrive next week.

The agency noted that pertussis cases in July declined to about 50 per week from 300 weekly in April.

There were 131 pertussis cases from July 7 to 20, 77 cases from July 21 to Aug. 3, and 19 cases from Aug. 4 to 17, it said.

Only four regions — Cagayan Valley, Metro Manila, Western Visayas, and Davao Region — reported an increase in the past six weeks from Aug. 17. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Long absence may void marriage

FREEPIK

THE SUPREME COURT (SC) ruled that decades-long unjustified absence from home may be deemed as a psychological incapacity.

In a Decision, penned by Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, the SC Second Division granted to void the marriage of the petitioner on the ground of psychological incapacity after finding the long absence from home of the respondent made him unable to fulfill his marital duties.

The respondent’s “infidelity, failure to give support to his wife and children, and unjustified absence from his family are all indicative that he is not cognizant of the duties and responsibilities of a husband and father,” the Decision read.

The ruling stemmed from a husband and wife who married in 1984 and separated 10 years later due to the husband’s changed behavior. The man then married two other women after their separation.

The respondent’s absence goes against Article 68 of the Family Code, which provided that spouses are obliged to live together, observe mutual love, respect, and fidelity, and render mutual help and support. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Smuggled oranges seized

THE BUREAU of Customs (BoC) on Wednesday seized 3,200 cartons of smuggled oranges valued at P8.42 million at the Manila port, it said on Thursday.

The shipments were confiscated after the Bureau of Plant and Industry (BPI), an agency attached to the Department of Agriculture (DA), reported that these did not have the required import clearance, the BoC said in a statement.

“The unlawful importation of shipment from Thailand, consisting of 3,200 cartons of fresh oranges valued at P8.422 million, was prevented in Manila International Container Port after finding that the same is not covered by the required import sanitary clearance from the BPI,” it said.

The smuggled fruits were deemed unsafe for human consumption and a threat to local ecology, the bureau said.

Drug enforcement personnel also reported that no dangerous drugs were found in the shipment.

The Customs bureau seized P3.46 billion worth of smuggled agricultural goods last year. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Senate to push EPIRA review

THE SENATE aims to review the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) to allow for the faster approval of power supply deals, a Philippine senator said on Thursday.

Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said there is a need to give the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) authority to speed up the approval of power supply deals amid constant blackouts in the country.

“We are also thinking of carving out a charter for the ERC, making it more efficient and giving it more powers in terms of regulating it,” Mr. Gatchalian told a forum at the Senate.

“One of the things we want to fine-tune, is the speed in which the ERC approves power supply contracts.”

He cited constant delays in these deals that often lead to a lack of power generation in the country.

In his third address to Congress, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. called for a review of the law to address issues hounding the energy sector, particularly on high prices.

Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevarra told senators in May that 4,000 megawatts of power may be added to the country’s power generation capacity by the end of the year.

She said some power plants that eye setting up shop this year are falling behind in the application process but are ready to start operations. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Senator bats for tourism security

Tourists enjoy the sight of Taal volcano while walking around Picnic Grove in Tagaytay City, Feb.17, 2024. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

A PHILIPPINE senator on Thursday cited the need for more medical facilities and police forces in the country’s tourist spots to develop the sector, complementing efforts to pass a tax refund system for tourists.

“In attracting tourists, there’s no single formula,” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian told a forum at the Senate.

“Tourist police in tourist areas, especially in our dive sites, putting up medical facilities, are needed so that the tourists would have confidence going to our beaches.”

Senators have started floor debates on Senate Bill No. 2415, which aims to provide non-resident tourists value-added tax refunds for purchases worth at least P3,000 to encourage more visitor spending.

Under the bill, the Secretary of Finance upon the recommendation of the Internal Revenue commissioner and the Tourism secretary, is authorized to adjust the P3,000 threshold based on inflation, administrative costs, and other market conditions.

The House of Representatives approved its version of the measure on third and final reading on March 6, 2023.

The Department of Tourism (DoT) is targeting 7.7 million international tourist arrivals this year. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

DILG installs Abra Acting Vice Governor

BAGUIO CITY — The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) installed on Tuesday Abra Sangguniang Panlalawigan member, lawyer Russel Bragas, as the acting vice governor of the province amid the 18-month suspension of Vice-Governor Joy Valera-Bernos.

Citing the rule of succession, Mr. Bragas was tasked to “discharge the powers and perform the duties and functions of a Vice-Governor as mandated by law,” the DILG said in a statement.

Mr. Bragas said his assumption as such is thus by operation of law which anyone in his position cannot evade without being charged with dereliction of duty.” — Artemio A. Dumlao

Cotabateños get cash aid

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

KIDAPAWAN CITY — Five thousand Cotabateños received P10,000 each during the distribution of the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolks and Families (PAFFF).

The assistance comes in time for the opening of the Kalivungan Festival held at The Basket, Capitol Compound, Amas, Kidapawan City with the distribution led by Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr. and Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza.

The beneficiaries were farmers, fisherfolks, and families from Kidapawan City and from the municipalities of Pigcawayan, Libungan, Alamada, Aleosan, Kabacan, M’lang, Tulunan, Carmen, Banisilan, Matalam, Magpet, President Roxas, Antipas, Arakan, and Makilala.

The financial assistance came from the P50 million funding, which is a part of the P210-million aid allocated to local government units (LGUs) and provinces in region 12, aiming to address the impact of the El Niño phenomenon particularly on the agriculture and fisheries sectors. — Maya M. Padillo

Shabu confiscated in Marawi

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

COTABATO CITY — Policemen in Marawi City foiled on Tuesday morning an attempt by a courier, reportedly connected with the Dawlah Islamiya, to deliver P408,000 worth of crystal meth (shabu) to a buyer in Molundo town in Lanao del Sur.

Brig. Gen. Prexy D. Tanggawohn, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, told reporters on Thursday that the motorcycle-riding suspect was arrested by policemen guarding a security roadblock in Barangay Patani in Marawi City.

The suspect, supposedly on his way to Molundo, first turned around and tried to escape when he saw a police team inspecting vehicles passing through a stretch of a barangay road in Patani. — John Felix M. Unson

Fegidero named Filipinas coach amid Saintfiet’s sudden departure

NORMAN FEGIDERO — PFF

PHILIPPINE football legend Norman Fegidero was appointed interim coach of the men’s team following the sudden departure of his boss Tom Saintfiet.

Belgian Mr. Saintfiet, who came on board last February and called the shots in four losing matches in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, asked for his release to move over to Mali.

Despite his long-term contract and the proximity to the side’s campaign in the Sept. 2 to 10 Merdeka bootfest in Malaysia, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) granted his wish.

The PFF handed the reins to Mr. Fegidero, one of Mr. Saintfiet’s assistants, yesterday. Filipinas coach Mark Torcaso and his staff will help Mr. Fegidero, who is best remembered for scoring the winning goal in the country’s 1-0 upset of Malaysia in the 1991 Southeast Asian Game in Manila, in the campaign in Kuala Lumpur.

“Given the circumstances, we needed to act quickly. Norman was the assistant coach in the last four games and was the obvious choice to take charge in the interim,” said Freddy Gonzalez, director of national teams.

Mr. Saintfiet will bring along his deputies to Mali and to fill the gap, at least for the Merdeka stint, the PFF asked Mr. Torcaso and his group for help.

“It’s unusual to see a crossover of staff from separate teams but it’s a situation that requires a novel solution. This temporary fix will give much-needed time to pin down a permanent head coach,” said Mr. Gonzalez.

Mr. Saintfiet left days before the Pinoy booters embark on the Merdeka competition and with the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Mitsubishi Electric Cup set to kick off Dec. 8 on the horizon.

“We had a long-term contract with Tom and had every intention of seeing it through. That he came to me about the Mali job just as we’re about to depart for the Merdeka Cup is obviously disappointing,” said  Mr. Gonzalez.

“But it made clear to me that his heart was already set elsewhere. I have no interest in holding on to anyone who’s not fully committed to the Philippines and our goals. We need people who are all in. It’s the only way we will succeed. That goes for the players, the staff, and most definitely our head coach.” — Olmin Leyba

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