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Duterte tells police: Do not talk to UN rapporteur

By Arjay L. Balinbin

President Rodrigo R. Duterte has instructed the police to ignore any special rapporteur tasked by the United Nations (UN) to investigate the alleged large-scale violations of human rights that stem from his administration’s nationwide crackdown against illegal drug trafficking.

“So, I would like to announce…when a human rights [team] arrives or whoever the rapporteur is, my order is do not answer. Do not bother,” Mr. Duterte said during the opening ceremonies of the National Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) Challenge held at Team Davao Firing Range in Davao City on Thursday evening, March 1.

The President added that it is pointless for his administration to provide information on the matter.

“Why would we be answering? Who are they? And who are you to interfere in the way I would run my country? You know very well that we are being swallowed by drugs…If we give inputs, well of course, there would be a lot of [speculations]. They would say he’s dictator and he doesn’t like elections,” he said.

“That is my order. Do not talk to people who will produce lies out of your statements, and who can twist it forever to the angle that they would like it to,” the President stressed.

For his part, Presidential Spokesperson Herminio Harry L. Roque, Jr. said in an interview with ANC on Thursday morning that a state, like the Philippines, cannot be compelled to allow an investigation by a special rapporteur as stated “under the Special Rapporteur System of the UN Human Rights Council.”

“The whole system is built around sovereignty and decisions made by sovereign states,” the spokesman added.

Mr. Roque pointed out that there are specific qualifications for a special rapporteur who may be allowed to conduct an investigation in the country.

“Number one, a rapporteur that you can trust. How do you trust a Rapporteur: that he is really an authority in the specific area that he will be investigating; that he is a person of integrity; that he will be objective; and that he is not partisan?”

“Now, under these criteria — I mean Agnes Callamard — flunks all of it. She is not really an expert on extra-legal killings; she is a freedom of expression person; she cut the objectives; she has prejudged us; she is not neutral and she’s even glared partisan, because she works closely with the Soro’s Open Society Institute.”

Asked what the government plans to do next, Mr. Roque said: “Let’s just wait. We are considering other rapporteurs to come.”

Global stocks slide, treasuries rise before Powell

European shares dropped the most since a global rout three weeks ago following sharp declines in the U.S. and Asia. Treasury yields fell to a two-week low as traders awaited a second appearance from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, whose comments riled markets earlier this week.

S&P 500 Index futures signaled the underlying gauge will extend its worst monthly loss in two years at the open. Retailers and media companies were among the biggest losers in the Stocks Europe 600 Index as some earnings missed estimates and manufacturing data showed mounting signs growth momentum may have peaked. Spot gold headed for the lowest close this year and the dollar advanced.

Traders are on edge ahead of Powell’s second day of testimony after he painted an upbeat picture of the U.S. economy on Tuesday. His comments opened the door to speculation that the central bank plans to quicken the pace of monetary tightening, a move investors like Bridgewater Associates Inc. President Ray Dalio warn could hamper growth.

Elsewhere, the U.K. pound extended a decline after the European Union published a draft Brexit treaty, squaring off with Prime Minister Theresa May. The Australian dollar dropped after business investment unexpectedly fell in the final three months of last year.

Aluminum headed lower with President Donald Trump set to announce steep import tariffs on Thursday. West Texas Intermediate crude retreated for a third day.

Here are some key events scheduled for this week:

Fed’s Powell testifies before the Senate Banking Committee Thursday. Other Fed speakers this week are Bill Dudley. Russian President Vladimir Putin is giving a pre-election address in Moscow. U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a speech Friday on Britain’s relationship with the European Union.
These are the main moves in markets:

Stocks

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 1.1 percent as of 10:23 a.m. London time, the lowest in more than two weeks on the biggest fall in almost three weeks. The MSCI All-Country World Index fell 0.4 percent to the lowest in more than two weeks. Futures on the S&P 500 Index declined 0.4 percent to the lowest in more than a week. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 Index decreased 0.6 percent to the lowest in more than two weeks.

Currencies

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index increased 0.1 percent to the highest in almost seven weeks. The euro declined less than 0.05 percent to $1.2189, the weakest in six weeks. The Australian dollar dipped 0.6 percent to 0.772 per dollar, the weakest in almost 10 weeks. South Africa’s rand sank 0.9 percent to 11.9027 per dollar, the weakest in more than two weeks. The British pound fell 0.1 percent to $1.3745, the weakest in almost seven weeks.

Bonds

The yield on 10-year Treasuries decreased three basis points to 2.84 percent, the lowest in more than two weeks. Germany’s 10-year yield declined two basis points to 0.63 percent, the lowest in almost five weeks. Britain’s 10-year yield decreased four basis points to 1.501 percent, the lowest in a month.

Commodities

West Texas Intermediate crude dipped 0.6 percent to $61.28 a barrel, the lowest in two weeks. Gold fell 0.5 percent to $1,311.33 an ounce, the weakest in two months. LME aluminum declined 0.4 percent to $2,124.50 per metric ton, the lowest in almost three weeks. — Bloomberg

MWC’s gadget review: From a smart dog vest to 4G on the moon

After four days, thousands of stalls, 2,300 companies exhibiting, and more than 100,000 square meters of floor space to traverse, here are some of the more interesting gadgets from this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Smart Mirror

Even while you’re lifting weights and wearing two layers of clothing, this mirror tracks movements and measures your heartbeat, using technology that could soon be used in devices such as Amazon.com Inc.’s Echo or the Google Home speaker.

Using 3D cameras and radar chips by Germany’s Infineon Technologies AG, the mirror corrects you if you’re moving awkwardly (“keep your elbows straight”) and informs you that if your heart rate speeds up — rather rapidly — to 94 beats per minute.

Infineon hopes that radar sensors will improve the experience of talking to digital assistants in mobile phones or smart speakers.

The idea is that users will be able to move freely inside their apartment and still have a seamless conversation with their devices, with radar chips tracking you from room to room and microphones integrated into mirrors and kitchen cabinets picking up voice commands.

“Radar knows when you’re in the room and can then turn on the microphone,” said Andreas Urschitz, who heads Infineon’s power management and multimarket division. “It’s like adding a sixth sense.”

Pava the dog works as a model of Anaxeos, a smart vest for dogs created by Finnish company Sense of Intelligence Oy. — Bloomberg

Smart Dog Vest

Pava works as a model at Mobile World Congress — and is paid only in treats. The Parson Russell Terrier belongs to Toni Koutu, the founder of Sense of Intelligence Oy, the company behind Anaxeos. The Finnish startup has developed a smart vest for dogs that Pava shows off in a particularly fetching way.

Sensors in the vest measure Pava’s heart rate and temperature, record sounds (think barks, whimpers) and body temperature, and track its location. The vest comes with an e-sim that sends data to the cloud for analysis, with the info then fed into an app on the owner’s phone. The system will tell you to take your dog out of the car if it gets too hot, or alert you that your labrador may have knee problems because he takes too long to get up.

The vest will cost about 150 euros ($183) to 190 euros, with monthly subscriptions for the data analysis at about 5 euros to 8 euros. First products will reach customers before the end of the year, Koutu said. It’s a promising market because some 170 million households have at least one dog, he said.

“Our dogs are family members,” Koutu said, with Pava by his side. “This vest helps us better understand our dogs.”

A man demonstrates Samsung Galaxy S9’s real-life emojis that are based on people’s features and facial expressions. The S9 maps your face by taking your picture as a basis for building a digital avatar that looks like you. — Bloomberg

Emoji Yourself

After selfies and video chats, Samsung is betting you’ll want to show your friends and loved ones even more of your face. As a showcase to the upgraded camera on its new Galaxy S9 smartphone, unveiled in Barcelona, Samsung demoed real-life emojis that are based on people’s features and facial expressions.

The S9 maps your face by taking your picture as a basis for building a digital avatar that looks like you. The camera reads your facial expressions to build emojis that fit your exact mood. If you’re not feeling inspired, the phone will stick your avatar’s face onto basic emojis like happy or blowing a kiss.

Samsung executives demoed it on a square-shaped stage in front of some 1,500 people on Sunday at Mobile World Congress. Conference attendees over the next few days could be seen smiling, frowning and pulling out their tongues at the Galaxy S9 — a first test of the new emoji feature.

4G on the Moon

The moon will soon get a faster mobile network than parts of the U.K. and Germany.

Vodafone Group Plc is working with Nokia Bell Labs to set up a 4G base station on the natural satellite. This is to support a mission spearheaded by German company PTScientists, which are sending a lunar lander and two rovers to Apollo 17’s landing site — the last place humans set foot on the Moon more than 45 years ago.

The 4G network helps the solar-powered rovers, developed with Volkswagen AG’s Audi, save energy to transmit HD video, images and data back to a base station on the lunar lander (and then on to Earth) while driving.

“Using LTE to transmit data back to our lander means we can drive further and use the power we save to do even more science on the Moon,” said Robert Boehme, the chief executive officer of PTScientists. — Bloomberg

E-vehicle charging stations eyed in DENR offices in Cebu, Davao

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will be setting up electric vehicle (EV) quick charging stations in its Cebu and Davao offices after inaugurating its pioneer station in Quezon city.

DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs Jonas R. Leones in a statement released on Thursday, March 1, called the installation of the charging station “timely”, being in line with Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy A. Cimatu’s current campaign against air pollution in Metro Manila.

“This EV charging station will definitely be of great help in promoting the use of electric as well hybrid cars that are more environment-friendly option than gas-powered vehicles,” he added.

Mr. Leones said that the first charging station is the first step towards forming a network of EV charging stations nationwide, starting in highly-urbanized cities.

Last week, it was reported that DENR has joined the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic to address smoke belching in Metro Manila. Data from DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau showed that 80% of air pollution comes from motor vehicles, whiel the remaining 20% are sourced from stationary sources.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippine Corporation (MMPC) donated the electric charging station, which was built by Mserv, a Manila Electric Company subsidiary. This came after MMPC donated 10 EVs to DENR last June 2017. MMPC is also set to put up charing stations in the regional offices of the Department of Trade and Industry. — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

Golden Arches to spend up to P2 billion for store expansion this year

The exclusive franchisee of the McDonald’s brand in the Philippines plans to spend up to P2 billion for the rollout of at least 40 new stores this year, following the double-digit growth in sales the company booked in 2017.

In a statement issued Thursday, March 1, Golden Arches Development Corp. (GADC) said the capital spending will also cover other growth initiatives centered on customer experience, value, and convenience.

“We are confident that our expanded presence will also spur employment in our new areas of operations. By opening more new restaurants, we will be able to generate jobs and provide world-class training for thousands of young Filipinos. We also enhance economic activity in areas where we will be present,” GADC President and Chief Executive Officer Kenneth S. Yang said in a statement.

Last year, the company opened 52 new stores, piercing through new territories such as Antique, Sorsogon, Masbate, and San Francisco, Agusan del Sur. This brought the number of McDonald’s stores in the Philippines to more than 570, employing around 60,000 regular employees in the process.

The store openings pushed up the company’s system wide sales to P42.6 billion in 2017, 14% higher year-on-year. GADC further attributed the positive perfomance to innovations in its menu offerings and local store marketing activities.

The company noted that it also delivered a double-digit growth in earnings for the year, but did not disclose the actual figures. GADC previously reported that net income in 2016 stood at P1.2 billion, on the back of revenues worth P22.6 billion. — Arra B. Francia

Phinma Energy 2017 net income falls 75%

Phinma Energy Corp. recorded a 75% fall in consolidated net income to P347 million last year from P472 million a year earlier, when its bottomline included non-recurring income from the sale of an energy assets.

“Margins in the electricity supply business were challenged by continued low market prices due to the competitive supply environment,” the company told the stock exchange on Thursday.

The company said last year’s income figure included the P472 million non-recurring income from the sale of its 5% share in South Luzon Thermal Energy Corp. to Axia Power Holdings Philippines Corp.

It also said last year’s figure included the sale of transmission lines in Guimaras and La Union to grid operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, and around P830 million in non-recurring income from electricity supply and income generated from from independent power producers.

Phinma Energy also said last year’s income included P81 million in financial and other income.

The company said despite the lower margins, it ended the year as the second-largest single electricity supplier with a 12.2% share of the market.

On Thursday, shares in Phinma Energy slipped 0.65% to P1.53 each. — Victor V. Saulon

Peso climbs vs dollar on slower US GDP growth

THE PESO strengthened against the dollar Thursday following revised fourth-quarter US growth data, which showed that the world’s largest economy expanded at a slightly slower pace than previously thought.

The local currency ended Thursday’s session at P51.92 versus the greenback, 18 centavos stronger than its P52.10-per-dollar close on Wednesday.

The peso opened Thursday’s session slightly stronger at P52.07 versus the dollar, while its intraday high stood at P51.905. The peso’s worst showing, meanwhile, landed at P52.10 against the greenback.

Dollars traded rose to $863.5 million from the $652.1 million that changed hands in the previous session.

A trader said in an e-mail that the peso strengthened Thursday “due to profit taking amid slower US GDP (gross domestic product) growth data.”

The US Commerce Department said on Wednesday that the US economy grew at an annualized pace of 2.5%, slower than the 2.6% reading and the 3.2% pace logged in the third quarter of last year.

However, the 2.5% GDP growth was in line with the forecasts of economists.

“The deceleration in real GDP growth in the fourth quarter reflected a downturn in private inventory investment,” the report from Bureau of Economic Analysis read, adding that it was partially offset by personal consumption expenditures, exports as well as state and federal government spending among others.

On the other hand, the trader also attributed the peso’s strengthening to the “weaker home sales data.”

Pending home sales in the US, based on signed contracts, fell 4.7% in January month-on-month, its lowest in four year, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Meanwhile, another trader said in a phone interview that the market saw some “heavy selling” in the afternoon trading session as players reduced their long dollar positions.

“Come afternoon, we saw some heavy selling across the board. Everyone’s just selling. I think it’s more of reduction of positions that’s why we close at the [high].”

For Friday, the second trader sees the peso moving between P51.80 and P52.05, while the first trader gave a wider forecast range of P51.85 to P52.15.

Meanwhile, most other Asian currencies lost ground against the dollar on Thursday as Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell hinted that US borrowing costs might rise at a faster pace than expected in a blow to riskier markets. — Karl Angelo N. Vidal with Reuters

Regional court issues TRO vs Pagbilao’s bid to halt Aboitiz unit operations

Aboitiz Power Corp. told the stock exchange that its unit in Pagbilao, Quezon province was able to obtain a temporary restraining order (TRO) against a cease and desist order served by the town’s local government on its operations.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange, AboitizPower said the town officials’ order came during the course of subsidiary Pagbilao Energy Corp.’s (PEC) application for a business permit for calendar year 2018 from the municipality of Pagbilao.

It said Pagbilao required PEC to execute a memorandum of agreement (MoA) implementing its corporate social responsibility programs for an amount above the company’s approved budget.

AboitizPower said the municipality refused to issue the business permit without the executed memorandum, and instead issued the cease and desist order (CDO) against the operations of the company’s power plant in Pagbilao.

“PEC therefore filed the application for Injunction and obtained the TRO to prevent the municipality from implementing what PEC believes to be an unwarranted cease and desist order,” it said.

The TRO was issued by the Regional Trial Court of Lucena City, Branch 57 on Feb. 28, 2018, a day after the municipality’s order was served.

PEC maintains that the execution of the MoA is not part of the published and legal requirements for the issuance by the municipality of a local business permit, AboitizPower said.

The listed company said the PEC plant had received all the necessary endorsements required from the relevant local government units, namely: the Quezon provincial government, the municipality of Pagbilao, and the host barangay of Ibabang Polo. — Victor V. Saulon

Factory reading, inflation fears weigh on bourse

By Arra B. Francia, Reporter

LOCAL SHARE prices extended their decline on Thursday, keeping pace with some peers in the region in the face of a subdued monthly factory reading and the specter of beyond-target inflation in February.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gave up 0.11% or 9.52 points to close at 8,465.77, while the all-shares index also lost 0.10% or 5.31 points to 5,077.63.

“Philippine shares still sustained losses, albeit at a smaller pace compared to Wednesday’s selldown…” Regina Capital Development Corp. Managing Director Luis A. Limlingan said in a mobile phone message.

“It didn’t help that the Philippine PMI went down to 50.8, which is 90 basis points lower than last month’s 51.7 and last year’s 53,” he added, referring to the February Nikkei Philippines Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) that matched September 2017’s reading that was the second-lowest since the country survey began in January 2016.

Another analyst blamed expectations of even faster inflation in February, to be reported on Tuesday next week, which the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects at 4-4.8%, potentially the fastest in more than three years, piercing BSP’s 2-4% target range and 4.3% forecast average for full-year 2018.

“Optimism doesn’t look good in these early days of March, especially with February inflation results just around the corner next March 6, Tuesday,” Papa Securities Corp. trader Gabriel F. Perez said in an e-mail.

Some other Asian bourses joined in Wall Street’s sell-off, with Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average 225 and Topix Index, South Korea’s KOSPI and the Straits Times Index losing 1.56%, 1.59%, 1.17% and 0.48%, respectively, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index and the Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.65% and 0.44%, respectively.

Locally, two sectoral indices rose, with property picking up 1.54% or 57.65 points to end 3,779.35 and services edging up 0.09% or 1.68 points to 1,747.57.

The rest declined: mining and oil by 1.82% or 223.76 points to 12,030.06; financials by 1.04% or 23.25 points to 2,202.40; holding firms by 0.45% or 38.66 points to 8,546.40; and industrials by 0.03% or 3.44 points to 11,437.47.

Some 6.90 billion shares worth P7.56 billion changed hands, from Wednesday’s 16.91 billion issues worth P9.97 billion.

Foreigners remained predominantly bearish for the eighth straight trading day, with net selling down 40.67% to P557.18 million from Wednesday’s P939.04 million.

The list of the day’s 20 most active stocks showed seven that gained led by Easycall Communications Philippines, Inc.; Now Corp.; SM Investments Corp. and Ayala Land, Inc. that rose 10.05% to P52, 2.92% to P13.40, 2.77% to P966 and by 2.68% to P42.20, respectively. Those that weighed on the bourse included JG Summit Holdings, Inc., whose price dropped 5.42% to close P68.10.

Asia stocks extend losses as strong dollar hurts materials firms

Asian shares dropped for a third day, with materials companies tumbling, as the dollar rose ahead of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s second congressional appearance this week on Thursday.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index slid 0.7 percent to 176.08 as of 4:31 p.m. in Hong Kong, set to close at a two-week low. Japan’s Topix fell 1.6 percent, the most since February 9. Markets in South Korea and Thailand were closed for a holiday. Concern about a faster pace of U.S. rate hikes weighed on equities, providing a good opportunity to buy at lower prices, said Nader Naeimi, head of dynamic markets at AMP Capital Investors Ltd., who oversees about $120 billion.

“Markets seem to be keen to force Mr. Powell’s hand into the FOMC meeting,” which will happen later this month, Naeimi said. “Another leg down in equities would be a great entry point in EM” stocks.

The Asian benchmark’s material sub-gauge dropped 1.6 percent, the most among all industry groups. Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. slumped 4.4 percent in Tokyo, the most in three weeks. Australia’s Orica Ltd. lost 3.5 percent after the company said it expects impairment charges of A$300 million ($232 million).

Chinese property shares offset some of the region’s losses after research house CRIC forecast strong February home sales for large developers. Shimao Property Holdings Ltd. jumped 4.3 percent in Hong Kong. — Bloomberg

Oil trades below $62 as US stockpiles climb more than expected

Oil traded below $62 a barrel after falling the most in almost three weeks as U.S. data showed inventories and supplies both surged, amplifying investors’ concerns of a global glut.

Futures in New York were little changed, after losing 3.6 percent in the previous two sessions. U.S. crude stockpiles rose to the highest level since December, exceeding analysts’ forecasts, while gasoline reserves expanded at four times the predicted rate. Meanwhile, a shale boom sent U.S. production to a record high in November.

Oil has erased most of the gains it had made since the start of the year as fears of swelling stockpiles bundled with record levels of production in the U.S. threatens efforts by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies to curb a global oversupply. While an OPEC committee concluded last month that the oil market re-balance was quickening, the group’s head will meet with American shale company executives for dinner on Monday in Houston.

“Traders are hypersensitive to crucial inventories data, especially top-side builds given the market’s refocusing on shale output,” Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trading at Oanda Corp. in Singapore, said in an emailed note. The U.S. remaining “on course to be the world’s largest oil producer has prices convincingly moving lower.”

West Texas Intermediate for April delivery added 9 cents, or 0.2 percent, to trade at $61.73 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 3:40 p.m. in Singapore. Prices slumped 2.2 percent on Wednesday for their biggest decline since Feb. 9. Total volume traded was about 46 percent above the 100-day average.

Brent for May settlement rose 17 cents to $64.90 on the London-based ICE Futures Europe Exchange. The contract fell 2.7 percent, or $1.79, on Wednesday. Front-month futures traded at a $3.32 premium to May WTI.

U.S. stockpiles of oil stored in tanks and terminals rose by 3.02 million barrels to about 423 million, the fourth increase in five weeks, according to the Energy Information Administration on Wednesday. That compares to a median estimate for a 3 million-barrel gain in an earlier Bloomberg survey. Gasoline inventories rose by 2.48 million barrels, versus an average estimate for an increase of 600,000 barrels.

As for production, U.S. output reached a record high in November, bypassing Saudi Arabia late last year to nip Russia, the world’s largest producer, at the heels. That’s helped boost American exports, with the combined shipments of crude, gasoline and distillates all expanding to total 7.3 million barrels a day in December, the largest volume ever in EIA data. — Bloomberg

Ginebra, GlobalPort shoot for outright passage to QF

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THE Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings and GlobalPort Batang Pier play their final game in the elimination round of the Philippine Cup today against separate opponents with an eye on notching a direct passage to the quarterfinals of the season-opening tournament of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Currently sporting identical 5-5 records, good for joint sixth place in the playoff race, both the Kings and Batang Pier are shooting for the magic number of six wins to formalize their entry into the next round of the competition.

Barangay Ginebra plays the already-qualified Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (6-4) in the 7 p.m. main game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum while GlobalPort takes on the still-fighting Phoenix Fuel Masters (4-6) in the curtain-raiser at 4:30 p.m.

The Kings lost to the Meralco Bolts, 84-82, on Feb. 18 which dealt a big blow to their playoff push and set up today’s “must-win” game against Rain or Shine.

Japeth Aguilar led the way for Barangay Ginebra in said game with 20 points while Scottie Thompson had all-around numbers of 17 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.

Barangay Ginebra will play a Rain or Shine team fresh from booking its quarterfinal seat on Wednesday with a 95-80 victory over league-leading and defending champions San Miguel Beermen.

Big men Beau Belga and Jewel Ponferrada paced the Elasto Painters with 19 and 17 points, respectively.

HIGH STAKES
GlobalPort and Phoenix, meanwhile, engage in a very high-stakes encounter that has a lot of playoff implications.

The Batang Pier are facing a team in Phoenix fighting for its tournament life for a loss by the latter means automatic exit.

GlobalPort won over Kia, 108-91, in its last game on Feb. 21 that padded their cause in trying to earn a spot in the next round.

Kelly Nabong and Sean Anthony showed the way for the Batang Pier with 21 points each while Stanley Pringle added 15.

“The players really want to enter the playoffs and we will try to achieve that in our next game,” said GlobaPort coach Pido Jarencio after notching win number five in their previous game.

Shooting to prevent GlobalPort in its quest while infusing life back in their slowly flickering playoff hopes are the Fuel Masters.

Outside looking in right now, Phoenix has to win if it is to continue to be in the mix for the quarterfinal picture; a loss means the end of the line for them in the tournament.

Phoenix lost in a key match against the Blackwater Elite, 83-78, on Feb. 21.

As per tournament, ties for the quarterfinals will be broken by quotient system with playoff games only to be held for the eighth seed.

Also still alive in the playoff hunt are the TNT KaTropa and Blackwater with 5-6 cards.

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