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12 OFWs from Myanmar return

DMW FACEBOOK PAGE

TWELVE FILIPINOS, who were victims of illegal recruitment and human trafficking in Myanmar, were repatriated on Feb. 19, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed on Thursday.   

In a statement, it said the group arrived safely at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 late on Wednesday aboard a Cebu Pacific Flight.

“The victims were recruited through Facebook by a Filipino who offered jobs as customer sales representatives in Myanmar, only to be exploited to work as online scammers without pay or rest days,” the DMW said.

“They were physically abused, beaten with PVC (polyvinyl chloride) sticks, and subjected to electric shocks. Sometimes, they were forced to do the duck walk, frog walk, jump, and squat for hours,” it added. 

Facing an exploitative situation, the workers attempted to secure permission to leave, but their employer demanded a $15,000 payment for their release.

Unable to meet the demand, they fled and sought assistance from Myanmar’s military.

The twelve Filipinos were among the 250 individuals rescued from a scam center and later released in Phop Phra, Tak Province, Thailand, near the Myanmar border.

Upon their arrival at NAIA, a whole-of-government team, comprising the DMW, Bureau of Immigration, Department of Social Welfare and Development, National Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice, and NAIA Task Force Against Trafficking, immediately extended assistance to the group.

This support included psychosocial services, legal aid, and financial assistance.

The DMW strongly urged overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and job seekers to exercise extreme caution when considering job offers, particularly those advertised on social media. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Catholic schools to push through with People Power commemoration

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

AN ORGANIZATION of Philippine Catholic schools on Thursday said it will mark the 39th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution by suspending classes and holding commemorations of the historic event.

The Palace declared February 25 a special working holiday for this year, diverging from past administrations’ practice of observing it as a special non-working holiday to commemorate the popular street uprising that toppled late former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, father and namesake of the current Philippine president.

“The 1986 EDSA People Power revolution shall always be a constitutive dimension of learning of our students. Philippine and Catholic education shall never be without it,” the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) said in a statement.

“CEAP shall push back all attempts to deny, distort, downgrade, and devalue it in our schools, in our communities, and in our life as a nation,” it added.

They would likely hold alternative class setups to perform community outreach events and eucharistic celebrations of the holiday.

CEAP also urged Filipinos to revive the “spirit” of the People Power Revolution for the upcoming midterm elections in May.

“We urgently need to re-ignite this spirit today, especially in the upcoming May elections, and in our daily exercise of our rights, freedoms, and responsibilities,” it said. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Customs seizes P1.37-M high-grade marijuana

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) on Thursday said it seized P1.37 million worth of illegal drugs in a concealed package from Thailand.

In a statement, the BoC said it foiled 914 grams of marijuana concealed within assorted items from Bangkok declared, as “food spices, condiments, and groceries.”

“The shipment contained 26 packages with a powdery substance and four packages with dried leaves and fruiting tops,” it said.

The BoC attributed the operation to the Port of Clark – Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force, the Philippine National Police – Aviation Security Group, the National Bureau of Investigation-Pampanga District Office, the Department of Justice, and local officials of Brgy. Dau, City of Mabalacat. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Hasten POGO workers’ deportation, gov’t told

Police raided a suspected Philippine offshore gaming operator hub in a building in Parañaque City. — PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

A PHILIPPINE Senator called on the Bureau of Immigration and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to hasten the deportation of foreign nationals previously engaged with Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).

“Government agencies must work together to deport foreign POGO workers quickly so that law enforcement can focus on tracking down those who still defy the President’s ban,” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said in a statement on Thursday.

Illegal financial activities and scam hubs have persisted despite moves to outlaw POGOs, according to a Senate Committee report. The report also said that public officials were also involved in facilitating crimes, from human trafficking to money laundering.

Last year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed an executive order, banning POGOs due to their links to organized crime, such as human trafficking. This is in line with his policy directives during his third State of the Nation Address to shut down POGOs by the end of 2024.

Mr. Gatchalian added that both agencies should use fingerprint records as another option in identifying potential deportees, in the absence of a passport.

According to the investigation bureau, deportees can only get NBI clearances by submitting their passports.

“Most of them had their passports taken by their previous POGO employers, leading to a significant delay in their deportation,” Mr. Gatchalian said.

About 3,024 foreign POGO workers have been deported out of 30,144, according to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. — Adrian H. Halili

Mt. Pulag campsites on temporary shutdown for clean-up

BAGUIO CITY — The management of Mt. Pulag National Park in Kabayan, Benguet announced in a public advisory that it is temporarily closing two campsites for rehabilitation and clean-up.

This comes after the Protected Area Management Office noticed mounds of garbage suspected to have been left by trekkers at Campsites 1 and 2.

“Due to this, Campsite 1&2 will be temporarily closed to allow for rehabilitation and to instill discipline among visitors,” the advisory said.

Mt. Pulag Protected Landscape Protected Area Superintendent Emerita B. Albas confirmed they will be imposing penalties on campers found to have left their trash at the site. The reopening of the campsites will be announced once it is deemed suitable for use again.

The management is requiring campers to carry their trash with them when leaving Mt. Pulag, urging the use of reusable water containers to prevent littering and a heavy environmental impact.

The Mt. Pulag National Park advisory reiterated that all visitors should practice the Leave No Trace Principle.

Mt. Pulag National Park is the highest peak in Luzon and is the second-highest mountain in the Philippines with an elevation of 2,922 meters above sea level. — Artemio A. Dumlao

Over P12-M cannabis torched

CRYSTALWEED CANNABIS-UNSPLASH

BAGUIO CITY — Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agents torched down 34,000 fully grown marijuana shrubs and 45,000 grams of dried marijuana leaves, reaching a total of P12.2 million in value in a remote sitio in Tacadang, Kibungan, Benguet on Wednesday.

The cannabis came from four different plantations that spanned a total of around 4,300 square meters via a four-day eradication operation, said PDEA-Cordillera director Derrick Carreon.

According to the PDEA-Cordillera chief, the first plantation bore nearly 9,000 fully grown cannabis shrubs with approximately 5,000 grams of already dried marijuana leaves worth P2.4 million; followed by 1,000 shrubs and 1,500 grams of dried marijuana leaves worth P2 million at the second site 2; 25,000 grams of dried marijuana worth P3 million discovered in site 3, and 24,000 pieces of plants valued at P4.8 million at the fourth plantation.

No cultivators were caught, admitted Mr. Carreon. — Artemio A. Dumlao

Engineer killed, 2 hurt in gun attacks in Cotabato City

STOCK PHOTO | Shooting gun photo created by senivpetro - www.freepik.com

COTABATO CITY — An engineer was killed while a construction worker and a security guard were wounded in separate gun attacks just two hours apart in two adjoining areas in Cotabato City on Wednesday afternoon.

Engineer Roland M. Daguan, who was shot thrice with a .45 caliber pistol by a subordinate worker inside a mall building being constructed for three years now, died in a hospital where emergency responders brought him for treatment.

Col. Jibin M. Bongcayao, Cotabato City police director, told reporters on Thursday that the policemen who responded to the incident had arrested a suspect in the daring daytime murder of Mr. Daguan, now undergoing interrogation.

The suspect had wounded a co-worker, Reno S. Delos Santos, who was hit by a stray bullet when he repeatedly shot Mr. Daguan with a pistol.

Laborers working in the still unfinished four-story building covering about seven hectares of land in Cotabato City’s main commercial hub panicked as gunshots reverberated through the scene.

Construction workers who had witnessed the atrocity said Mr. Daguan and his assailant had a misunderstanding over work issues.

About two hours later, two gunmen riding a motorcycle together wounded a security guard at a pawnshop, only about 500 meters away from where Mr. Daguan was killed.

Dominic J. Villar, then on duty, sustained bullet wounds in the abdomen, arm, and leg.

Mr. Bongcayao said Mr. Villar was at the entrance to the establishment he was guarding when his attackers pulled over close to him, opened fire, and immediately left.

The wounded Mr. Villar is now confined at the Cotabato Regional Medical Center.

Police investigators and relatives of Mr. Villar are convinced that the attempt to kill him could be related to a dispute with a neighbor from whom he had borrowed a big amount of cash several months ago that he has not yet settled. — John Felix M. Unson

AJ Edu’s comeback continues in third window of AC Qualifiers

AJ EDU — FIBA

Game on Sunday
(Spark Arena, Auckland)
3 p.m. (10 a.m. Manila time)
New Zealand vs Philippines

AJ EDU relishes the opportunity of donning the Philippine colors again after his last Gilas Pilipinas stint in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Mr. Edu dealt with knee issues after his breakout performance of 8.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in the global meet in Manila and was forced to sit out a number of Gilas campaigns since then.

He was supposed to suit up last November for the second window of the FIBA Asia Cup (AC) Qualifiers but an unfortunate knee injury sustained while playing in Japan days before the two home matches forced a delay in his national team comeback.

Now back in the pink of health, the 6-foot-10 Mr. Edu finally reconnected with his Gilas mates and made his debut for the Tim Cone-coached squad in the four-nation Doha Invitational Cup in Qatar.

The former Toledo standout had 10 rebounds, six points, two assists and one block in nearly 24 minutes of play to help the National open the campaign with a 74-71 victory over host Qatar. He then posted a 6-6 statline with one block in 16 minutes in their 54-75 loss to Lebanon and produced six points, three boards, two steals and two blocks in an extended 27-minute duty in their 55-86 defeat to Egypt.

Mr. Edu’s whirlwind Gilas return slate continues in the third window of AC Qualifiers, where the Pinoy dribblers are booked for away assignments against Chinese-Taipei in Taipei last night and New Zealand in Auckland on Sunday.

“It’s been a good experience. Definitely tough, (traveling to) three, four countries in a matter of days but at the end of the day, it’s a blessing to be able to travel and to represent the country,” Mr. Edu said on One Sports.

“And for me, it’s been a long time coming. So as tough as it was, despite the games (in Doha) not going our way, the biggest thing I got out of it was just the joy of being able to play again for the country and all glory to God for that.”

The return of Mr. Edu, along with ace winger Jamie Malonzo who also missed some of Gilas’ 2024 gigs due to calf injury, served as a breath of fresh air after 7-foot-3 Kai Sotto went down with an ACL.

The Justin Brownlee-led Nationals are looking forward to making the trip to Taiwan one of redemption after their disappointing showing in Qatar.

“I’m excited, I’m sure everybody else is excited to get back on the court and try to get a win against Taiwan, especially having lost the past two games we played in Doha,” said Mr. Brownlee in expressing Gilas’ mindset. — Olmin Leyba

My Daily Collagen Subic triathlon kicks off March 9

HUNDREDS OF NATIONAL, amateur, pro and aspiring swim-bike-run enthusiasts here and abroad are expected to troop up North as the My Daily Collagen ushers in its fifth triathlon next month in Subic.

Sporting a theme of “Where Stars Are Born,” the upstart triathlon firing off on March 9 anticipates its biggest edition to date from a 400-strong participation last year with delegates from the United States and across Asia.

Local participation includes seasoned and first-time triathletes all the way from Zamboanga with three categories on board for different preferences and capabilities as My Daily Collagen levels it up in other sports after also backing volleyball club PLDT in the PVL.

These are the standard distance of 1.5-kilometer (km) swim, 40-km bike and 10-km run and sprint distance of 750-meter swim, 20-km bike and 5-km run with an age requirement of 16 years old and up.

Among the innovations in the My Daily Collagen, however, is the team relay for standard distance category with each club designating different players for 1.5-km swim, 40-km bike and 10-km run. — John Bryan Ulanday

CSB Lady Blazers open NCAA four-peat bid with win against Arellano University

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

Games on Friday
(SSC-R Gym)
9 a.m. – Letran vs JRU (men/women)
1 p.m. – SSC-R vs Mapua (women/men)

COLLEGE of St. Benilde (CSB) turned back Arellano University (AU), 25-18, 25-12, 24-26, 25-17, on Thursday to launch its four-peat feat bid in NCAA Season 100 women’s volleyball at the San Sebastian College Gym.

It was the Lady Blazers’ first victory of the year that they hoped would end up in another championship after reigning supreme the last three seasons when they never absorbed a single defeat.

More impressively, it was CSB’s 41st straight win in a magnificent stretch that included victories in the pandemic-shortened 2021 season.

But the belles from Taft knew it would be tougher this year as they will miss four key cogs from their three-peat reign in Cloanne Mondonedo, Michelle Gamit, Gayle Pascual and Jade Gentapa, who have all turned pro.

Taking the cudgels this time were Mycah Go, Mary Grace Borromeo and Zam Nolasco, who fired 17, 11 and 10 points, respectively.

CSB had a chance to essay a straight set win when it handily took the first two sets and was up, 24-22, in the third but lost concentration after allowing AU to turn the tables around and seize the last four points in snatching the frame and forcing another one.

In men’s play, CSB likewise downed AU, 25-22, 27-25, 27-29, 25-19. — Joey Villar

Mystics’ Napheesa Collier claims Unrivaled one-on-one tourney

NAPHEESA COLLIER clinched the Unrivaled one-on-one tournament in a most fitting fashion.

The forward, who is the reigning WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, shut out Washington Mystics forward Aaliyah Edwards 8-0 in the deciding game of the best-of-three final on Friday night in Medley, Florida.

Collier, of the Minnesota Lynx, lost the first game 9-6 but took the second game 9-4. Collier defeated the Los Angeles Sparks’ Azura Stevens 11-2 in one semifinal, which also was played on Friday. By the same score, Edwards knocked off Arike Ogunbowale of the Dallas Wings in the other semifinal.

Collier won the $200,000 first prize, and her Lunar Owls teammates (Courtney Williams, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Allisha Gray, Cameron Brink and Shakira Austin) each got $10,000. On her path to the title, Collier defeated Williams in the quarterfinals.

Edwards claimed $50,000 as runner-up.

It wasn’t all about the money, said Collier, an Unrivaled co-founder who will receive $214,284 this season for the Lynx.

“Of course we want to win the prize money, but we want to further the culture (of the sport),” she said. “It feels great to win that money, I’m not going to lie. But it makes it better we get to share it with our team. I’m excited for that.” — Reuters

LaMelo Ball delivers 27 points as Hornets fend off LA Lakers

LAMELO BALL scored 27 points, including a driving layup with 14.2 seconds remaining, as the visiting Charlotte Hornets pulled off a 100-97 victory in a make-up game on Wednesday over the Los Angeles (LA) Lakers.

Miles Bridges scored 29 points, Nick Smith Jr. had 12 and Mark Williams added 10 points with nine rebounds as the Hornets won in the NBA’s first game following the All-Star break. Charlotte, which snapped a three-game skid, was in the Los Angeles area in early January when it had two games postponed because of deadly wildfires.

Ball, a Los Angeles-area native, added six assists with five rebounds while helping to fuel a 23-3 run between the third and fourth quarters. The Hornets won while shooting just 36.3% from the floor.

LeBron James scored 26 points with 11 assists and Rui Hachimura had 17 points with eight rebounds as the Lakers lost consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 5-7. James missed a pair of 3-point attempts in the closing seconds that would have tied the game.

Luka Dončić had 14 points with 11 rebounds and eight assists in his third game since he was acquired from the Dallas Mavericks at the trade deadline. Dončić shot 5 of 18 from the floor and 1 of 9 from 3-point range.

Dorian Finney-Smith had 12 points off the bench for Los Angeles, which was without Austin Reaves (eight points) after he was ejected for arguing a non-call in the third quarter. The Lakers led by as many as 13 in the third quarter.

The Lakers led 63-52 with 4:34 remaining in the third before the Hornets went on a 14-2 run to take a 66-65 lead with 1:46 remaining in the period. Included in the stretch was Reaves’ ejection.

Charlotte extended the run to 23-3 for a 75-66 lead with 10:53 remaining before Los Angeles fashioned its own rally.

The Lakers led 88-85 with 4:44 remaining before Bridges tied it on a 3-pointer with 4:19 left. The Hornets were up 96-94 when Hachimura missed a pair of free throws for the Lakers with 37 seconds remaining.

Ball’s layup with 14 seconds remaining put Charlotte up 98-94 before James made it a one-point game on a 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds left. Ball made two free throws with six seconds left for the final margin. — Reuters

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