CHR wants gov’t to renew UN human rights program

April 8, 2024 | 8:16 pm

Police-drug raid — PHILIPPINE STAR/JOHN FELIX M. UNSON

THE PHILIPPINE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Monday pushed the renewal of the United Nations Joint Program (UNJP) to put pressure on the government to improve the country’s human rights situation.

“We would prefer a continuation of the partnership by extending the UNJP,” Director of CHR Human Rights Policy Advisory Office Gemma Parojinog said in a Viber message.

The program will end in July.

The CHR wants to take advantage of the program’s technical capacity-building efforts to address extrajudicial killings that stemmed from ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s deadly the war on drugs. Human Rights Council resolution 45/33 approved in 2020 cleared the way for a more active United Nations (UN) presence in the Philippines through and human rights-related capacity-building initiatives.

“The strategic framework of the UNJP envisions to broaden the human rights-based approaches amongst duty-bearers, strengthen domestic accountability mechanisms which address human rights violations and abuses, and ensure that rights holders, especially victims, are able to be afforded better means to claim their rights,” the CHR said in a statement.

The Philippines and the UN established the UNJP on human rights in 2021 to promote national initiatives and institutional frameworks in six areas through capacity-building and technical cooperation, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs website.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) and UN resident coordinator headed a multi-stakeholder steering committee that brought together representatives from donor nations, the CHR, various Philippine agencies, civil society groups and UN agencies to oversee the program.

Carlos D. Sorreta, the Philippine permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, on April 5 said they would establish a human rights coordinating council to sustain and broaden achievements under the UNJP.

“We will continue to work with our international partners bilaterally, as we had done even before the UNJP, in order to maximize resources and ensure efficiency,” he said. “We will continue to actively engage civil society, in line with the Filipino people’s established tradition of civic participation and activism.” — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

House may recommend importing onions

April 8, 2024 | 8:15 pm

THE HOUSE of Representatives may be poised to recommend the importation of onions in a bid to lower domestic prices of the essential cooking bulbs, a congressman said on Monday.

In a statement, Party-list Rep. Erwin T. Tulfo said importing onions would foil the potential hoarding of onion supplies by local traders who want to artificially inflate market prices of the produce.

“We are closely monitoring the situation of local onion farmers, who are being exploited by traders in their wholesale buying of produce at unjustifiably low prices,” Mr. Tulfo said in Filipino.

Farmers are reportedly forced to sell their onion harvests at a loss of P20 per kilo, P5 short of its original cost of production.

Raul Q. Montemayor, national manager of the Federation of Free Farmers, said the government should also go after onion hoarders as they intentionally cause price spikes.

“Also look into hoarding because a large portion of newly harvested stocks are put into cold storages and sometimes deliberately withheld from the market to create artificial shortages and price spikes,” he told BusinessWorld in a Viber message.

“It seems like hoarders are just looking to let the issue die down first before they start buying and stockpiling onions again, just for them to sell at a higher price point later on,” Mr. Tulfo said.

“We have no problem importing onion produce, as long as it doesn’t enter while we still have enough local stocks,” Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura Executive Director Jayson H. Cainglet told BusinessWorld in Filipino through a Viber message.

But he said the government should deplete the country’s onion stocks first before letting imported onion enter the market.

Commenting on low farmgate prices, Mr. Cainglet said: “The farmgate price for onions is low because there are a lot of smuggled onions in the market.”

Smuggled onions are often sold cheaper, forcing farmers to lower farmgate prices to be competitive.

Mr. Cainglet recommended that the government address smuggling to offer local farmers relief. “Next harvest (season), it is important to ensure that there are no imported or smuggled products in the market,” he said in Filipino.

The average retail price of onions ranges from P80 to P93 pesos per kilo, according to the latest price monitoring bulletin by the Department of Agriculture. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

DoST employees’ data compromised

April 8, 2024 | 8:14 pm

computer coding — BENJAMIN DAVIES-UNSPLASH

THE NATIONAL Privacy Commission (NPC) said that its initial investigation into the data breach concerning the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) included the personal data of 597 employees.

“Preliminary assessments reveal that the breach potentially exposed personal information and sensitive personal information, such as names, gender, civil status, and addresses of DoST’s employees,” the NPC said in a statement on Monday.

The NPC also said that the data uploaded by the “threat actor” or hacker included resumés of individual applicants to the DoST.

Ronald C. Gustilo, national campaigner of Digital Pinoys, said that the DoST officials should also be held liable and charged for the data breach.

“It’s unacceptable that in just a span of a few months, they were involved in two data breaches. When they should have learned and adjusted from the first time that it happened last December 2023,” Mr. Gustilo said in a Viber message.

Citing the leak of the DoST OneExpert system last year, Mr. Gustilo said that the agency has been unable to properly prepare for another cyberattack, which allowed this second breach.

“The NPC-Complaints and Investigation Division is currently engaged in a thorough analysis of the data dump to fully determine the extent of the breach and assess associated risks,” the NPC said.

The agency conducted an on-site investigation at the DoST Central Office a day prior to when it received a breach notification from the DoST on April 5. “The NPC remains committed to keeping the public informed of the progress of this investigation as it unfolds,” the agency said.

Mr. Gustilo said the DoST should immediately notify the affected individuals and assist them in taking steps to ensure their safety.

“The leaked data may be used for a variety of purposes against the legitimate owners of the information. This must be prevented at all costs,” he added.

In a separate release, the NPC said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) aimed at strengthening cooperation in data privacy last week in the United States.

Under the partnership, the two entities will engage in joint investigations for personal data breachers, provide training, and promote international certification systems and cross-judicial sandboxes.

“This partnership is an opportunity for both our data privacy authorities to foster a culture of privacy within our respective jurisdictions amidst the forefront of accelerated digitalization in both the public and private sectors,” NPC Commissioner John Henry D. Naga said.

Through the collaboration, Mr. Naga said both parties will be able to leverage each other’s expertise, experience, and best practices on a regional and global scale.

DIFC Commissioner of Data Protection Jacques John Visser said that the partnership between the two entities builds on the relationship the two parties had for years.

“We are very happy to continue collaborating, for example, with respect to enforcement cooperation or exploring options for data sharing with trust between our jurisdictions,” Mr. Visser said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

BIR raids cigarette warehouses

April 8, 2024 | 8:13 pm

THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) said on Monday that it had raided three cigarette warehouses in Cavite that operated illegally and evaded P5.4 billion in taxes.

In a statement the BIR said the raid last March 21 led to the confiscation of “master cases of cigarettes, machines, sacks of raw tobacco, and fake internal revenue stamps” and the filing of criminal and civil cases against the operators.

“The BIR will continue targeting these large-scale illicit cigarette traders. We advise everyone to register their cigarette operations with the BIR and to pay proper excise taxes on those products,” BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui, Jr. said.

“The BIR aims to protect legitimate businesses so if you register and pay your proper taxes, your businesses will be compliant. We want a level playing field, so we protect registered businesses and raid illicit trade,” he added. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Senator calls out Quiboloy anew

April 8, 2024 | 8:13 pm

SENATOR Ana Theresia “Risa” N. Hontiveros-Baraquel has for the n^th time challenged televangelist Apollo C. Quiboloy to come out, face his accusers, and subject himself to questioning by the Senate instead of defending himself through vloggers.

“Pastor Quiboloy, come out of your hiding place. Since you’re already granting interviews to vloggers, why don’t you also grant us an interview at the Senate?” Ms. Hontiveros-Baraquel said in a statement on Monday.

She was referring to Mr. Quiboloy’s interview aired over DZAR Sonshine Radio last Saturday in which he claimed that witnesses presented by the senator in previous hearings were paid to speak against him.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla guaranteed the safety of the pastor but warned that he is not above the law and is no position set conditions for his surrender.

“Quiboloy cannot impose any conditions. He must surrender not according to his terms but according to the terms of the law. The law applies to all, without exception,” Mr. Remulla said.

The pastor had repeatedly accused the United States government of interference in going after him and demanded that the DoJ, the police, the National Bureau of Investigation and even the Philippine President make a written guarantee of non-interference by American agencies.

Mr. Quiboloy is wanted in the US for labor trafficking, among others, while charges of child abuse, sexual abuse, and qualified human trafficking are leveled against him before courts in Pasig and Davao Cities.

Five of Mr. Quiboloy’s co-accused either surrendered or were arrested last week and have already posted bail. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

BI bars entry of 220 foreigners

April 8, 2024 | 8:13 pm

THE BUREAU of Immigration (BI) has barred entry to 220 foreigners last month due suspicion of criminal activity and violation of various immigration laws.

The BI said Monday that its Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) has denied entry to 150 Vietnamese, 30 Chinese, and 14 Indonesians, many of whom work for illegal online gaming hubs.

BI Commissioner Norman G. Tansingco said they base their arrests on “meticulous scrutiny of travel patterns and activities of individuals.”

“We leverage available data on past arrests and interceptions to identify individuals exhibiting similar travel behaviors,” he said.

Last month, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) raided a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Bamban, Tarlac, rescuing about 900 individuals.

“We are being talked about outside [the country] because of these illegal scammers. The law enforcement in the Philippines is more serious in tracking down POGOs,” PAOCC Undersecretary and Executive Director Gilbert D. Cruz said in Filipino. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

LLDA increases fines by 10%

April 8, 2024 | 8:12 pm

THE LAGUNA Lake Development Authority (LLDA) has mandated a 10% increase in daily penalties for water pollution cases within Laguna Lake.

In a Board Resolution, the LLDA said that a 10% increase in penalties, or P11,000 daily, will be implemented every two years.

It said that the move was to “compensate for inflation and to maintain the deterrent function of such fines and penalties.

The LLDA added that a daily penalty of P10,000 will be given to pending water pollution cases from June 17, 2011 to Oct. 31, 2023.

It added that all cases already resolved and having become “final and executory” would no longer be reopened.

Republic Act (RA) No. 9275, or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004, aims to protect the country’s water bodies from pollution from land-based sources.

“RA 9275 likewise recognizes that water pollution cases involving acts of omission committed within the Laguna Lake Region shall be dealt with under the procedures under Republic Act 4850,” it added.

RA 4850 mandated the development and growth of Laguna Lake and created the LLDA. — Adrian H. Halili

Congressman urges gov’t to upgrade cybersecurity systems

April 8, 2024 | 8:12 pm

THE GOVERNMENT should urgently address cybersecurity inadequacies in the network systems of various agencies to thwart any more data breaches in the future, a congressman said on Monday.

House Deputy Minority Leader and Party-list Rep. France L. Castro urged the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to strengthen the government’s data systems to prevent further attacks that could compromise the personal details and other data of the public.

The lawmaker issued the statement after Sunday’s cyberattack that breached the Bureau of Customs (BoC) servers.

The data breach affected the “help desk ticketing systems and data analytics and reporting modules” of BoC, DICT Infostructure Management, Cybersecurity and Upskilling Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian C. Dy told BusinessWorld in a phone call.

“The perpetrators successfully infiltrated the Bureau of Customs’ computer systems, compromising sensitive data repositories and exposing the personal details of over 2,200 employees and approximately 80,000 customers, both private and public,” Ms. Castro had said earlier.

The cyberattack on the BoC happened just days after the Department of Science and Technology’s network systems were infiltrated by hackers, compromising about two terabytes of data.

Ms. Castro said the government must “prioritize cybersecurity measures” and improvements to “ensure the protection of citizens’ data against cyber threats.”

Commenting on the issue, National Campaigner of digital advocacy group Digital Pinoys Ronald B. Gustilo said the recent cyberattacks expose the government’s cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

He added that the government’s protective measures are not enough to stop hackers from attacking state agencies.

“The recent attacks only prove that the government’s capability to protect the public from cyberattacks is not enough,” he told BusinessWorld in a Viber message. “These incidents are a glaring reminder that the government needs to allocate more funds to acquire or develop the latest tools to boost our cybersecurity infrastructure.”

Mr. Gustilo said the personal information of individuals can be used by impostors in transacting with financial institutions and in committing crimes.

Ms. Castro said the DICT should implement cybersecurity guidelines to prevent hacking incidents in the future. “It is crucial to invest in secure systems to safeguard sensitive information and protect the privacy of Filipino citizens,” she said.

ELECTION CONCERNS
The lawmaker also called on the government to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities to prevent potential manipulation of the automated polls set next year.

“The Marcos administration… must act swiftly to address these cybersecurity threats,” she said.

The lawmaker said that the vulnerabilities could erode the integrity of the elections as well as cast doubt on the validity of the electrical process if left unaddressed.

“It is imperative that measures are put in place to protect our systems from cyberattacks, ensuring the integrity of our electoral process and safeguarding our votes,” Ms. Castro added. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

SC affirms Comelec decision junking Tulfo’s disqualification case

April 8, 2024 | 8:11 pm

THE SUPREME Court (SC) has affirmed a Commission on Elections (COMELEC) decision junking a petition to disqualify Senator Rafael “Raffy” T. Tulfo when he ran for election in 2022.

In its decision dated April 4, the SC en banc ruled that it is only the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) that has jurisdiction over such cases of disqualification in which the subject is a winning candidate “who has been proclaimed, taken oath, and assumed office.”
The petition to disqualify Mr. Tulfo from the senatorial race was anchored on his libel conviction and alleged election offense of advertising his candidacy on his television program.

The Comelec First Division ruled to dismiss the petition for “failure to attach the required proof of service.”
Subsequently, the petitioner in the case and alleged wife of the senator, Julie L. Pearson, filed a motion for reconsideration that was denied by the Comelec for lack of jurisdiction.

In her petition for certiorari filed with the SC, Ms. Pearson sought to have the Comelec decision reversed.

But the SC decided: “[The petitioner] failed to timely file the appropriate case before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) and cannot remedy this failure by invoking the Court’s certiorari powers.” – Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Teener Canino leads Far Eastern University team at Bangkok Open

April 8, 2024 | 7:34 pm

TEEN chess wonder Reulle Canino tries to reach new heights as she spearheads the Far Eastern University (FEU) team in the Bangkok Open set April 13 to 21 at the Sheraton Hua Hin Resort and Spa in Phetchaburi, Thailand.

Fresh from defying overwhelming odds by topping the National Women’s Championships in Malolos City, Bulacan last month, the 15-year-old prodigy from Cagayan de Oro will pursue the Woman International Master (WIM) title and eventually the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title just like her idol and mentor — FEU alumna Janelle Mae Frayna.

Ms. Canino earned a spot as the national women’s team’s youngest member in the FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary this September.

But first, Ms. Canino said she has to continue competing and Bangkok will be the first of many she will participate in to achieve her goals.

There, she will be joined by FEU teammates Vic Glysen Derotas, Mary Joy Tan, Mhage Gerriahlou Sebastian, Bea Mendoza, Jasmine Rizalyn Tejada, Shaina Magne Romanillos, Franklin Lloyd Andes, Jerish John Velarde, Oscar Joseph Cantela, Lemuel Jay Adena, Ritchie James Abeleda, Zeus Paglinawan, Samantha Umayan, April Joy Claros, Kate Nicole Ordizo and Arleah Cassandra Sapuan.

“This is part of the advocacy FEU and I are trying to do, produce future champions,” said FEU and national women’s team coach GM Jayson Gonzales, whose trip is backed by FEU Chair Aurelio “Gigi” Montinola, President Juan Miguel Montinola, Manila athletics director Mark Molina and Diliman executive director Dr. Armi Cunanan-Yabut.

Apart from Ms. Canino, FEU has also produced national champions and Grandmasters like Mr. Gonzales himself, Bong Villamayor and WGM Janelle Mae Frayna. — Joey Villar

PBA balance of power: The fall of perennial forces and rise of promising ones

April 8, 2024 | 7:33 pm

THE BALANCE of power in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has tilted — at least for now.

But instead of just one or two teams, the command has spread to almost every team with now a surprising equilibrium among the 12 houses midway through the Philippine Cup with the fall of perennial forces and rise of promising ones. “I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, all of the teams have upgraded,” said Chot Reyes, whose mighty TNT Tropang Giga now just lurks in the middle pack with a 3-3 slate.

“For TNT, we’re no longer the mighty TNT. The sooner we accept that fact, the better it is going to be for us. We cannot win games on talent alone. We have to outwork and outhustle every team we play,” he said after bowing to Blackwater and NorthPort before beating Meralco, 92-90.

As expected, reigning champion San Miguel sits on top of the echelon with a perfect 4-0 slate but the teams chasing behind are suddenly the unheralded ones.

Blazing NLEX (5-1) and NorthPort (4-1), with its franchise-best longest streak in the Philippine Cup at four wins, lurk at second and third while the usual lottery squad Terrafirma, on the heels of a 91-85 win over superpower Ginebra, is at No. 4 with a 4-3 slate.

That’s only the second win of Terrafirma over Ginebra in 23 meetings since PBA entry in 2014 to already equal its most number of wins under coach Johnedel Cardel while previous cellar-dweller Blackwater (3-3) that rode on a historic 3-0 start before losing three straight is at No. 5.

Trailing behind are regular contenders TNT (3-3), Ginebra (3-3), Meralco (3-4) and Rain or Shine (3-4) as Commissioner’s Cup finalist Magnolia (1-2) and semifinalist Phoenix (1-4) plunged to the bottom with winless Converge (0-6).

It’s a free-for-all jungle and no team is already a pushover. All teams want the smoke and are out for blood, according to Rain or Shine mentor Yeng Guiao amidst their three-game winning streak in a similar run like last year from a 0-5 start.

And the journey is about to get tougher from here on. — John Bryan Ulanday

FEU Lady Tamaraws shoot for spot at UAAP Final 4 against AdU Lady Falcons

April 8, 2024 | 7:31 pm

Games Tuesday
(Smart-Araneta Coliseum)
10 a.m. — AdU vs FEU (men)
12 noon — DLSU vs UE (men)
2 p.m. — AdU vs FEU (women)
4 p.m. — DLSU vs UE (women)

FAR Eastern University (FEU) tries to widen its gap from multiple chasers for the coveted fourth spot while Adamson University (AdU) wants to stay in the thick of the race when they figure in a crucial duel in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) women’s volleyball tournament Tuesday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

The Lady Tamaraws hold an inside track to the last Final Four slot by a favorable margin with a 5-4 slate and they are not keen on allowing others to get closer, starting against the Lady Falcons (2-7).

Game time is at 2 p.m. before defending champion and semifinal-bound De La Salle University (DLSU), possibly without reigning MVP Angel Canino, beefs up its twice-to-beat bid against another Final Four hopeful University of the East (2-7) at 4 p.m.

DLSU (8-1) and National University (8-2) along with pacer University of Santo Tomas (9-1) have booked the first three Final Four tickets, leaving one final slot up for grabs among FEU and three other contenders including UE and Ateneo de Manila University (2-7).

The magic number to the Final Four is with seven wins, not leaving FEU out of the woods just yet even if it manages to squeak past AdU for a potential 6-4 slate.

That would mean Adamson, UE and Ateneo still sporting slim chances to get to six wins as well, given FEU’s shutout the rest of the way.

But a win now would push the Lady Tamaraws closer. And it’s here for the taking.

“That’s the goal,” said FEU mentor Manolo Refugia.

Good thing for the Lady Tamaraws, they will have a 25-13, 25-22, 25-17 win over the Lady Falcons in the first-round meeting to bank on to complete the head-to-head sweep. — John Bryan Ulanday