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Nationwide Round-Up

Authorities assert Philippines is safer with anti-drug campaign

By Minde Nyl R. dela Cruz, Reporter
THE DEPARTMENT of National Defense (DND) shrugged off the Philippines’ one-rank drop in the Global Peace Index, saying that the Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drugs has made the country safer.
“I cannot believe that [because] a lot of people can go around naman very peacefully. I think they are using some parameters that are not present in the Philippines. Just because there is war on drugs is least peaceful. In fact, a lot of people are saying that their lives are more peaceful now because of the war on drugs,” DND Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana said.
For his part, Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Oscar D. Albayalde said that the low ranking is just “all perception,” adding that comments on human rights violations and news about killings may have contributed to the country’s low score in the index.
“We want these people perhaps to go to our country and see for themselves how the peace and order goes in our country. Then, probably, they will see how peaceful it is here,” he added.
NO MARTIAL LAW
Meanwhile, Mr. Albayalde said there are no indications that there will be a declaration of nationwide martial law or national emergency following President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s statements that there will be “radical” changes “in the coming days” because “there are simply too many crimes.”
“We do not want to second guess the President on that, in his statement, but as of this time, there is no indication whatsoever on our President’s statements that we are headed to a [martial law or national emergency],” Mr. Albayalde said.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque Jr. likewise clarified that Mr. Duterte’s statements were only “hyperbole” or exaggerations and that he only meant a more intensified crusade against corruption and criminality.
“So ang state of national emergency lang po, kung meron pong (only if there is a) threat of lawless violence,” Mr. Roque said, adding that the President is simply trying to highlight that the government will do everything in its power to go against criminals.

Freight company, three others slapped with tax evasion raps

THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed on Thursday five separate tax evasion complaints against a freight company, construction firm, a consultancy, and a retailer, along with their respective officers, according to BIR spokesperson Marissa O. Cabreros.
The complaints, filed before the Department of Justice (DoJ), accused the respondents of willful failure to pay taxes under the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.
Largest in terms of tax liability was that against Valenzuela City-based Arrow Freight Corporation and its president, Ike A. Eslao, and treasurer, Lina G. Fernandez, with an aggregate deficiency of more than P27.69 million for taxable years 2016-2017, according to a statement from the BIR.
“Initial investigation showed that respondent Arrow Freight filed its Expanded Withholding Tax Returns, and Value-Added Tax Returns online but failed to remit taxes withheld and/or pay on time, at the times required by law, the corresponding withholding taxes and VAT due thereon, whether electronically or manually,” the statement read.
Also charged was retailer Makati-based Salritsu International Trading Corp. and its officers Salvador M. Cabrera (president), Josephine D. Cabrera (vice president), and Michelle D. Cabrera (chief financial officer) for a total deficiency for taxable year 2006 amounting to over P20.11 million.
Brightways Labor Contractor Services, based in Taguig City, and its sole proprietor Stephen Ignacio Panadero is charged for a liability of over P6.85 million.
Charged as well was consultancy HSI Philippines, Inc. and its officers Daniel Kendrick Tumangan (chairman and president), Fernando C. (treasurer), and country manager Tan Ch’eng Seong for a total tax deficiency of P4.84 million.
The respondents were sought for comment but some did not have publicly listed numbers while others did not respond to calls. — Dane Angelo M. Enerio

Online trading scam group busted inside Clark Freeport Zone

THE PHILIPPINE National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) has dismantled a multi-million online stocks trading scam operating inside the Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga. The PNP presented on Thursday eight Israeli nationals who were caught “in the act of managing” and 474 Filipino employees who worked as call center agents for International Branding Development Marketing, Inc. (IBD). The raid also yielded digital evidences from the company’s computers. The scam, which targeted international clients from Europe, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Russia, enticed its victims by trading in stocks for AU$250 and eventually taking hold of their bank accounts to transfer money online, according to PNP-ACG Director PCSupt. Marni C. Marcos Jr. The police is currently investigating how the company was able to operate inside the freeport zone with apparent lack of permits for more than two years. —Minde Nyl R. dela Cruz

TRLEI wants DoJ head prosecutor to inhibit from Okada estafa case

TIGER RESORT Leisure and Entertainment, Inc. (TRLEI) has sought the recusal of Acting Prosecutor General Jorge G. Catalan Jr. from the two separate estafa cases it filed against Japanese gambling mogul Kazuo Okada, citing previous involvement in a related case. According to TRLEI’s 9-page motion for inhibition filed before the Department of Justice (DoJ) on May 24 and released to media on Thursday, Mr. Catalan “as concurrent City Prosecutor of Makati City, has previously and erroneously dismissed a criminal complaint for perjury filed by complainant TRLEI against Kazuo Okada and Takahiro Usui, same respondents in the captioned cases… Thus, complainant TRLEI seriously doubts that Prosecutor Catalan, if made to act in the captioned cases likewise involving the same parties and related issues, can act with the required objectivity and impartiality.” Sought for comment, Mr. Catalan told BusinessWorld, “pag-aaralan lang muna (I will first study)” the petition. TRLEI is the owner of casino resort and hotel Okada Manila, where Mr. Okada was chief executive officer until June 2017 when he was sacked for allegedly embezzling up to $10 million. — Dane Angelo M. Enerio

Flood season

Children wade at a flooded street in Balintawak, Quezon City after tropical depression Domeng dumped rains in various parts of the country. Weather bureau PAGASA Thursday, June 7, said more rain is expected until the weekend in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon due to Domeng and the southwest monsoon.

19th Philippine Eagle Week: 8 nesting sites in Davao Oriental identified

THE DEPARTMENT of Environment and Natural Resources-Davao (DENR-11) has identified eight nesting sites of the endangered Philippine Eagle in Davao Oriental, and initiatives are being undertaken to ensure that these areas are protected as “critical habitats.” “DENR already identified eight nesting sites in Davao Oriental, which is in Boston, Caraga, Manay, Tarragona, and City of Mati.” DENR-11 Protected Area Management and Biodiversity Conservation Chief Marigelaine V. Arguillas announced as the DENR, in partnership with the Philippine Eagle Foundation, led this week’s celebration of the 19th Philippine Eagle Week. Nesting sites have also been pinpointed in Maragusan, Compostela Valley as well as around the Mt. Apo area covering Davao del Sur and Davao City. Ms. Arguillas said “the sites in Tarragona and Sibulan already have existing conservation plans and all these will eventually become critical habitats.” “These efforts are all possible with the help from different sectors in the community,” she added. The celebration of Philippine Eagle Week is mandated through Presidential Proclamation no. 79 of 1999.

Balamban town gets waste management facility


THE TOWN of Balamban now has a material recovery facility (MRF), not far from where it used to have an eight-hectare dumpsite, which has been closed last year. The MRF in Barangay Lamesa, built at a cost of P500,000 with funding from the Cebu provincial government, was turned over to the municipal government last June 5. In a statement from the provincial government, Balamban Environment and Natural Resources Office head Merlita Milan said the municipal government is also putting up a composting facility in front of the MRF. The town already has a central MRF where segregation is undertaken with decaying solid waste materials processed in a shredding machine and used for composting, while residual plastics go to a pulverizing machine and mixed with other materials used for construction. Ms. Milan said reusable and recyclable materials are sold to buyers. Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 requires all local governments to close all open dumpsites and establish a waste management system.

DPWH cracks down on Iloilo City contractors behind schedule

THE DEPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Iloilo City District Engineering Office has given notice to contractors who are behind schedule in road projects, with two recommended for contract termination. Engr. Rodney A. Gustilo, head of DPWH-Iloilo City, reported during a multi-stakeholder dialogue on June 6 that of the 71 national and local road projects being implemented in the city, 16 have incurred delays due to contractor’s fault as of May 31. The two contractors recommended for termination are: JHJ Construction, which was awarded two projects — Iloilo Airport Direct Road with a -62.87% slippage, and the reconstruction of the Timawa Avenue road with a -69.7% slippage; and Legacy Construction Corp. for San Juan road with a -43.77% slippage. Mr. Gustilo said he has already submitted his recommendation to the DPWH-Western Visayas regional office after the contractors failed to justify the delays by citing challenges that were also faced by other contractors. “I don’t believe in their reasons… For those contractors which we perceived to have been negligent, we will not hesitate to recommend (the termination),” he said. The dialogue was held to address public outcry over the worsening traffic congestion caused by the protracted infrastructure works. — Louine Hope U. Conserva

Nation at a Glance — (06/08/18)

News stories from across the nation. Visit www.bworldonline.com (section: The Nation) to read more national and regional news from the Philippines.

FIBA 3×3 World Cup fires off at PHL Arena

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
TOP streetball action takes front and center starting today as the FIBA 3×3 World Cup begins at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
Forty teams, 20 each for the men’s and women’s division, take part in the tournament happening until June 12 for the right to be called world champions.
In the tournament, competing teams are divided into four pools of five based on the 3×3 Federation Ranking.
Each team plays the other four in their respective pools. The top two teams from each pool qualify for the quarterfinals and then play knockout games all the way to the final.
Leading the participants in the men’s division of the World Cup is defending champion and top seed Serbia, which will play in Pool A along with the Netherlands (8), Romania (9), New Zealand (16) and Kyrgyzstan (17).
Host Philippines (19), to be represented by Philippine Basketball Association stars Stanley Pringle, Christian Standhardinger, Roger Pogoy and Troy Rosario, is in Pool C along with Russia (3), Brazil (6), Mongolia (11) and Canada (14).
Pool B has Slovenia (2), Poland (7), Estonia (10), Japan (15) and Indonesia (18) while Pool D has Latvia (4), Ukraine (5), Croatia (12), Jordan (13) and Nigeria (20).
In the women’s division, the Philippine (20) team of Jack Animam, Afril Bernardino, Gemma Miranda and Janine Pontejos begins its campaign in Pool D along with Hungary (3), the Netherlands (4), Germany (11) and Spain (12).
Pool A has Czech Republic (7), Italy (8), Indonesia (15), Malaysia (16) and Turkmenistan (17).
In Pool B are top seed China (1), France (6), Kazakhstan (9), Switzerland (14) and Argentina (18) while in Pool C are Andorra (2), defending champion Russia (5), Iran (10), United States (13) and Uganda (19).
EXCITED BUT REALISTIC
Having the chance to represent the country, PBA rookie Standhardinger of the San Miguel Beermen said he is excited for the opportunity given to him but was quick to say that he and the rest of the Ronnie Magsanoc-coached Philippine team are keeping it real of their chances knowing they are up against the top 3×3 teams in the world.
“I’m always confident on our team’s chances but we can’t forget that this is the first time we play 3-on-3 [together] and we play with elite competition right there and there is an adjustment period obviously. We cannot forget about those things but I’m always confident with our teammates and us as a team,” said Mr. Standhardinger after the Beermen’s victory on Wednesday night over Columbian Dyip in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, a game the Filipino-German sat out to rest his knee.
He went on to say that barring his knee limiting him, he will enjoy the tournament and will do everything he can to help the team go deep as possible.
“If my knee doesn’t hold me back, I enjoy it very much. It’s very high pace and conditioning that is a problem. I have not been playing for the last five days. I need to try to work out so I would not be out of shape when I play. I can’t put too much stress on the knee yet. We need to recover as soon as possible on the tournament days. What I’m trying to do, it’s not easy but I do everything in my power to play with Gilas, to play 3-on-3 and represent the country,” he said.
The fifth edition of the World Cup starts with the women’s game between France and Argentina at 11:30 a.m. today.
The first four days of competition will be dedicated to pool play while the fifth and final day will see the knockout rounds.
The Philippine women’s team first takes the court against the Netherlands at 2:50 p.m. today and versus Germany in the last game at 6:40 p.m.
The men’s team, meanwhile, begins its campaign on Saturday, June 9, versus Brazil at 3:10 p.m. and Mongolia at 6:40 p.m.
Apart from the main team events, also on tap in the World Cup are the dunk contest for men, skills contest for women and mixed shootout contest.
It will also feature nonstop music, dancers, MCs and DJs and fan engagement.

Durant lifts Warriors to brink of NBA title

CLEVELAND — Defending champion Golden State Warriors, powered by 43 points from Kevin Durant, moved to the brink of a third NBA title in four seasons Wednesday by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers, 110-102.
The Warriors seized a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals and by winning Game Four Friday can complete the first championship series sweep since Cleveland was blanked by San Antonio in 2007.
No team has ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series, but the Cavaliers made the best comeback in NBA Finals history in 2016 from 3-1 down to swipe a title from Golden State.
Durant added 12 rebounds and seven assists to his career-high playoff scoring total, but it was not until his 3-pointer with 49 seconds remaining to give the Warriors a 106-100 lead that Cleveland’s fate was sealed.
“That was amazing what he did out there,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “Some of those shots, I don’t think anybody in the world but him could have made those shots.”
Durant’s last basket was eerily like a 3-pointer he made late in game three last year against the Cavs that clinched a Golden State victory.
It was another dagger in the title hopes of Cleveland star LeBron James, who had 33 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists while Kevin Love added 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers had been 8-1 at home in the playoffs with eight wins in a row since losing their first-round opener to Indiana.
But the Warriors improved to 10-2 against the Cavaliers since Durant joined Golden State before last season.
James landed badly going for a rebound early in the second quarter and limped on his right ankle, but the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player kept playing and helped keep the Cavaliers in contention in the second half.
Warriors forward Andre Iguodala, the 2015 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, returned to Golden State’s lineup after being sidelined by a left leg bone bruise. He suffered a bruised right leg in the second quarter but returned in the fourth quarter.
Durant scored nine points in a 15-8 run to close the second quarter that pulled Golden State within 58-52 at halftime after trailing by as many as 13 points.
JaVale McGee scored six points and Durant added five in a 15-3 Golden State run early in the third quarter that produced the Warriors’ first lead and saw it grow to a team-best 69-64.
The Cavaliers, sparked by reserve Rodney Hood, closed to 83-81 entering the fourth quarter and battled the Warriors into the final seconds.
Stephen Curry, who missed 13 of his first 14 shots, connected on a layup and 3-pointer back-to-back to give Golden State the lead for good.
Curry had 11 points while McGee, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Jordan Bell all had 10 for the Warriors.
Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert tweeted an image of the half-time box score noting the fact the Cavs didn’t attempt a free throw in the first half, deleting it shortly after.
Durant had 24 points and eight rebounds in the first half while the Warriors’ other four starters made a combined five-of-20 from the floor for only 13 first-half points and Cleveland enjoyed a 28-16 first-half rebounding edge.
Cleveland opened the game with a 16-4 run but the Warriors closed the first quarter with a 16-7 spurt to pull within 29-28 entering the second quarter.
Durant had 11 points in the run and grabbed all seven Golden State rebounds in the opening quarter.
The Cavs began the second quarter with an 21-9 run, James scoring eight points and Love netting the final eight for Cleveland to produce their biggest lead at 50-37. — AFP

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters shoot for solo tournament leadership

CURRENTLY in joint leadership in the standings in the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters look to break away from the logjam and take solo first place when they collide with the Blackwater Elite in the curtain-raiser at 4:30 p.m. today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Holding a 6-1 record, tied with the TNT KaTropa, the Elasto Painters shoot for their fourth straight win to book their seventh win and fortify their hold of a top-two finish in the elimination round of the midseason PBA tournament and earn the twice-to-beat advantage that goes with it in the quarterfinals.
Rain or Shine enters the contest fresh from a 99-96 overtime victory over the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok on June 2.
The Elasto Painters had to collectively dig deep to survive the Hotshots, getting solid contributions from their key stalwarts down the stretch.
Had a break at the end of regulation, Rain or Shine did not waste much time in extra period to gain some headway, thanks to triples from Gabe Norwood and Beau Belga, and never looked back after for the win.
Import Reggie Johnson paced Rain or Shine with 23 points and 19 rebounds followed by Raymond Almazan who had 19 points and nine boards.
Mr. Norwood and Chris Tiu also finished in double digits with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
While they are happy where they are at right now, Mr. Johnson said they cannot afford to just be satisfied with it if they are to achieve their goal of winning the championship.
“We got our work cut out for us, work is still to be done but we’re definitely angling for the top two. Our goal is to win the championship, I’m not afraid to say it,” said Mr. Johnson following their victory.
TWO IN A ROW
Standing in the way of Rain or Shine is Blackwater, which finally broke through the win column with an 86-84 victory also over Magnolia on Wednesday.
The Elite showed grit and determination to stay in the game despite moves by the Hotshots to pull away and were rewarded accordingly with the win.
Import Henry Walker provided the game-winning play when he dunked over the Magnolia defense with three seconds remaining in the game.
Big man JP Erram led the way for Blackwater with 19 points and 15 rebounds with Mr. Walker and guard Mike DiGregorio adding 11 points each.
“The team is slowly but surely improving each game. I just told the players that the work continues for us even if we are already eliminated and good thing they are responding accordingly. It’s a process for us,” said Blackwater coach Bong Ramos in the postgame press conference.
Meanwhile, playing in the 7 p.m. main game are the Meralco Bolts (4-2) against the Phoenix Fuel Masters (3-3). — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

World No. 1 Halep targets fourth Slam final


PARIS — Simona Halep insists she feels “no pressure, no expectation” as she looks to reach a fourth Grand Slam final at the French Open on Thursday.
The 26-year-old Romanian tackles 2016 Roland Garros winner and reigning Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza for a place in Saturday’s final.
World number one Halep was runner-up in Paris in 2014, where she was beaten by Maria Sharapova, and last year, going down to Jelena Ostapenko after squandering a set and 3-0 lead.
Her Slam misery continued at the Australian Open in January where she lost in three sets to Caroline Wozniacki.
“I have no expectations, no pressure,” said Halep after seeing off German 12th seed Angelique Kerber 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 6-2 in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
“I just want to play as I did today, and as I did every day. If I do that, I will be okay after the match, no matter the result.”
On Wednesday, Halep looked anything but the top seed, slipping 4-0 down in the first set before she rallied to defeat Kerber, a two-time major winner who had exited in the first round in Paris in the last two years.
It was also a match which witnessed a colossal 99 unforced errors.
Halep is aware she cannot afford another poor start on Thursday against 24-year-old Muguruza who has been tested just once in Paris and that was in the first round where fellow former winner Svetlana Kuznetsova pushed her to a tiebreak in the first set.
The Spanish third seed thrashed Sharapova 6-2, 6-1 in the quarterfinals, condemning the Russian to her worst Grand Slam defeat in more than six years.
NO. 1 SPOT ON LINE
The winner of Thursday’s semi-final will also decide the world number one spot which Muguruza held for four weeks last year.
“It’s not that important, because it’s constantly this thing going on,” said Muguruza.
Muguruza holds a 3-1 career edge over Halep in head-to-head meetings but the Romanian won their only clash on clay in Stuttgart in 2015.
Sharapova, playing at Roland Garros for the first time since 2015, suffered her most one-sided defeat at the Slams since a 6-3, 6-0 loss to Victoria Azarenka in the 2012 Australian Open final.
The 2012 and 2014 Paris champion, who missed the 2016 tournament because of a doping ban and last year when she was refused a wild card, was broken six times, committed 27 unforced errors and won just five points on her own serve in the second set.
It was just her fifth loss in 25 Grand Slam quarterfinals.
In Thursday’s other semi-final, US Open champion Sloane Stephens will take on fellow American and close friend Madison Keys who she beat 6-3, 6-0 in the final in New York last September.
“When we get on the court, it’s time to compete. But before that, we are not going to be weird and awkward and make it, like, weird for each other,” said Stephens, who was close to going out in the third round to Camila Giorgi before winning 8-6 in a deciding set.
It is the first time that two American women have reached the last four at Roland Garros since 2002, when Serena Williams beat sister Venus in the final, after a semifinal win over Jennifer Capriati.
Stephens, who is now into the semifinals of a major for the third time, leads Keys 2-0 in head-to-heads but they have never met on clay.
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal will resume his fight back in his quarterfinal against Diego Schwartzman on Thursday after rain brought an early halt on Wednesday.
Top seed Nadal, chasing an 11th title in Paris, dropped the first set 6-4 to his Argentine opponent, the first time he lost a set at the tournament since 2015.
But he was 5-3 and 30-15 to the good when rain sent the players off for good.
On Court Suzanne Lenglen, Marin Cilic and Juan Martin del Potro were locked in a first-set tiebreak when play was called off. — AFP

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