Magnitude 6.8 earthquake in Mindanao triggers 120 aftershocks

November 23, 2023 | 8:14 pm

Philippine Army-Mindanao earthquake — 73^RD INFANTRY NEUTRALIZER BATTALION FACEBOOK PAGE

A MAGNITUDE 6.8 earthquake that struck the southern Philippine Island of Mindanao last week has set off at least 120 aftershocks, the local volcanology institute said on Thursday.

Only six of the aftershocks were felt, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Director Teresito Bacolcol told ABS-CBN News TeleRadyo.

“It would probably take several days to several weeks before it dissipates,” he said in mixed English and Filipino. “The number of quakes goes down and the magnitude weakens as the days go by.”

The earthquake struck off Southern Mindanao on Friday and killed at least nine people and hurt 17 others, the local disaster agency said.

The Philippines lies along the typhoon belt in the Pacific and experiences about 20 storms each year. It also lies in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a belt of volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes strike.

Agricultural damage from the earthquake that hit Sarangani, Davao Occidental has reached P7.25 million, the Department of Agriculture said.

In a bulletin, the agency said more than a hundred farmers and fishermen had reported damage to crops, with volume loss of 168 metric tons (MT) spanning 81 hectares of farmland.

The affected commodities included corn, high-value crops, livestock and poultry, and fisheries, it said.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. visited General Santos City on Thursday, where he promised aid to quake victims.

He said rebuilding had yet to start due to aftershocks.

Mr. Marcos also ordered agencies to fast-track the repair of damaged infrastructure in Samar in central Philippines to ensure unhampered relief operations for flood victims. Many areas were still flooded due to incessant rains caused by the so-called shear line — the convergence of cold and warm winds that cause heavy rains and thunderstorms.

He was initially set to land in Catarman town in northern Samar but bad weather prompted him to stay in Tacloban City where he was briefed by local officials.

The country’s disaster agency said about 721,000 people from 180,788 families have been affected by the combined effects of shear line and low pressure area. It said 139 areas in Eastern Visayas and 41 areas in Western Visayas remained flooded. A total of 80,358 people have been displaced in the two regions, 40,454 of whom were staying in 170 evacuation centers.

More than 100 houses have been damaged.

Also on Thursday, the Budget department said P12.21 billion or 52.6% of the government’s P23.21-billion calamity fund had been released as of end-October.

National Government agencies received most of it at P10.74 billion.

The Public Works department received the biggest allocation of P6.01 billion, followed by the Social Welfare department (P3.15 billion), Agriculture department (P1 billion), Transportation department (P342.47 million), Defense department (P207.64 million) and Department of Science and Technology (P35.18 million). — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Adrian H. Halili and Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Substitute bill on Philippine maritime zones sets fines

November 23, 2023 | 8:14 pm

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

PHILIPPINE senators have filed a substitute bill that consolidates eight proposed measures setting the country’s maritime zones — including Benham Rise in the West Pacific (Philippine Sea) and territories claimed by the Philippines in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).

A main feature of the bill seeks penalties against erring foreign actors in these maritime zones with fines of at least $600,000 (P33.30 million) payable to the Philippine Government.

“The Philippines exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction over its archipelago waters and the airspace over it as well as its seabed and subsoil in accordance with UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and other existing laws and treaties,)” read part of Senate Bill (SB) No. 2492, which is uploaded on the Senate website.

The bill is a priority measure as agreed upon by the Senate Special Committee on Maritime and Admiralty Zones, which tackled the eight separate Senate maritime zones bills.

Under SB 2492, foreign actors that would build artificial islands, marine scientific research and destroy Philippine marine environments would be fined not less than $600,000 (P33.30 million) but not more than $1 million (P55.96 million).

The bill would also include Benham Rise, locally known as the Philippine Rise in the Pacific side of the country and cited to be abundant in marine species, untapped mineral resources, and gas deposits.

The zones would also be defined in accordance with arbitral awards rendered in favor of the Philippines by a United Nations-backed tribunal.

Senator Francis T. Tolentino earlier cited the need to fast-track the measure amid tensions with China in the South China Sea.

The Senate plans to pass the measure after it approves the 2024 national budget by the end of November.

Lawmakers would also craft a Philippine map to assert the country’s claim in the South China Sea in response to China’s so-called 10-dash line map, Mr. Tolentino earlier said.

China’s 2023 map of the 10-dash line map has been criticized for covering regions beyond China’s borders and calming most of the South China Sea.

The National Mapping and Resource Information Authority has said it would finish mapping Philippine territories in the waterway by 2028.

Ampatuan convicted of graft

November 23, 2023 | 8:12 pm

THE SANDIGANBAYAN Sixth Division on Thursday declared former Maguindanao Mayor Datu Andal Ampatuan, Jr. — one of the convicted masterminds of the 2009 Maguindanao Massacre — guilty of 21 counts of graft and imposed on him a prison sentence of up to 210 years.

The ruling was handed down on the 14^th anniversary of the massacre, with the anti-graft court sentencing Mr. Ampatuan to imprisonment of between six years and one month to 10 years for each of the 21 counts of graft over the supply of fuel to the Maguindanao provincial government from a petroleum station he owned without a bidding.

The court found him guilty of conspiring with his late father and governor, Andal Ampatuan, Sr., and other government officials over the procurement of fuel for the provincial government. The ruling also perpetually bans Mr. Ampatuan from holding public office.

“The Shariff Aguak Petron Station charged the Provincial Government of Maguindanao for the purported deliveries of a total of 1,141,539 liters of Petro Diesel in 2008. However, it could not have delivered the said quantity of fuel products because in the same year, Petron Corporation delivered only 618,000 liters of diesel fuel to accused Ampatuan, Jr.’s Petron station. Even assuming that Shariff Aguak Petron Station still had fuel left from year 2007, it could have delivered only 649,000 liters at most,” the court said.

The court characterized the scheme as executed with “evident bad faith” leading to the “unwarranted benefits” granted to Ampatuan’s petroleum station.

Aside from Mr. Ampatuan, his co-accused Omar Camsa and Samsudin Sema were directed to pay amounts totaling P1.6 million and P9.12 million, respectively, representing the value of the undelivered fuel.

Mr. Camsa, convicted of a single count of falsification of a public document, received a sentence of 6 to 7 years imprisonment and a fine of P5,000. Mr. Sema, found guilty on three counts of the same charge, was sentenced to a cumulative 18 to 21 years in prison and fined P15,000.

Mr. Ampatuan, together with his brother Zaldy Ampatuan, were handed 40-year sentences for the massacre of over 50 people a decade ago, characterized by a global media watchdog as the single deadliest attack on journalists.

Mr. Ampatuan, incarcerated, attended the Sandiganbayan promulgation via videoconference. — Jomel R. Paguian

Korean funding eyed for e-justice

November 23, 2023 | 8:08 pm

THE PHILIPPINE government may need to tap the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) for the proposed digitalization of the country’s justice system, which is expected to be funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), according to a special envoy focusing on digital projects.

In a memorandum to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. dated Nov. 13, Dennis Anthony H. Uy, the country’s special envoy to South Korea for digital transformation, said the grant from KOIJICA will not be enough to “fully fund all operations including the maintenance of the systems after project completion.”

“Hence, additional funding may be required from the Export-Import Bank of Korea for the government-to-government projects,” he said. “Assistance from the Department of Finance is thus requested to commence discussions with the counterparts in Korea.”

Mr. Uy said the Philippine government also needs to come up with a five-year roadmap for the proposed digitalization of the Philippine justice system since the South Korean e-justice system effectively took decades to be refined and developed.

Mr. Uy, who is the founder and chief executive officer of Converge ICT Solutions, Inc., also recommended the hiring of a consulting firm to clearly define the requirements to modernize the Philippine Supreme Court.

He stressed the need to clearly understand South Korea’s judicial system and find similarities that may be applied to modernization efforts for the Philippine court system.

“Learning from the Vietnam case study, after completion of the project there should be a minimum of three years of maintenance and consultation to follow in order to ensure the projects are sustainable for the long-term,” he said.

Mr. Uy visited Seoul from Nov. 5 to 9 to get the support of South Korea’s Supreme Court and the Presidential Adviser on Judicial Affairs, among other agencies, for the modernization program of the Philippine Supreme Court. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

4 activists challenge terrorist tag

November 23, 2023 | 8:08 pm

BAGUIO CITY — Four Cordilleran activists, tagged as terrorists by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC), petitioned the Baguio Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Thursday to void their being labeled as such, citing infringement of their constitutional rights.

In their petition, Windel Bolinget, Sarah Abellon-Alikes, Jennifer Awingan-Taggaoa, and Stephen Tauli, all of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA), told the court that their rights as Filipinos have been violated when the ATC tagged them as terrorists last June 7 and consequently had the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) freeze their bank accounts.

Even as leaders of the CPA, they told the court that their group is “not a legal front of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army or any terrorist organization.”

Mr. Bolinget, who chairs the CPA, said the ATC resolution was “an assault to their basic rights” and “deprived them of fully practicing their work and advocacy and ultimately subjected them to further harassment, humiliation, and threats.”

Their petition before the court now adds to the pressure against the Anti-Terror Law (ATL) amid 37 petitions filed before the Supreme Court since 2020 by various groups and individuals.

It was crafted by a team of lawyers that included Tony La Viña, Carlos Zarate, Ayangwa Claver, Marben Panlasigui, and Baguio City Councilor Jose Molintas as well as the National Union of Peoples Lawyers (NUPL).

“We knew from the start that this law would only be weaponized in silencing dissent. They try to make us falter; we, indigenous peoples and human rights defenders. But we will never deter. This legal action is a testament to our unwavering resolve and unity in standing up for our civil liberties,” Mr. Bolinget said. — Artemio A. Dumlao

Dike saves corn farms from floods

November 23, 2023 | 8:07 pm

COTABATO CITY — Residents of an upland barangay in Cabanglasan town, the top producer of corn in Bukidnon province, can now propagate short-term crops and vegetables without fear of their farms getting inundated during the rainy season.

Cabanglasan Mayor Lolita O. Bullecer and her constituent-leaders in Barangay Cabulohan cited on Thursday the Department of Public Works and Highways in Region 10 for having constructed a flood control structure that can prevent rampaging waters from flooding their cornfields.

The mayor explained that when it rains, water from the hinterlands flows downstream through the Bobonawan River and overflows, swelling into their town’s cornfields.

Zenaida T. Tan, director of DPWH-10, said the flood control structure — which is a six-meter-tall, 340-meter riverside concrete dike with railings — was constructed using a P57.2-million grant from the 2023 General Appropriations Act.

“We are thankful to the DPWH-10 for this project,” said Samuel C. Dada, who sustains his family with earnings from corn and vegetable farming.

Ms. Tan said the DPWH is keen on implementing flood-control projects in low-lying areas to protect villages from destructive floods. — John Felix M. Unson

Shari’ah court power affirmed

November 23, 2023 | 8:07 pm

THE SUPREME COURT (SC) on Thursday reaffirmed that Shari’ah district courts (SDCs) — Muslim judicial courts equivalent in rank to regional trial courts — are autonomous bodies that are equipped with the same capabilities as other civil courts.

In a ruling dated July 11 and made public on Thursday, the SC granted a consolidated petition aimed at overturning an SDC decision that dismissed complaints related to loan contracts with interest. The SDC claimed a lack of jurisdiction over the case since the substance of the complaint concerned laws on interest rates.

The High Tribunal ordered the petition cases to be remanded to the SDC, citing Article 143 of Presidential Decree No. 1083 (Code of Muslim Personal Laws of the Philippines or the Muslim Code) which mandates that SDCs have exclusive original jurisdiction over, among others, all actions arising from customary contracts where the parties are Muslims.

“By including a catch-all provision on all personal and real actions, the law clearly intended the SDCs to be self-sufficient adjudicatory bodies able to effectively resolve any dispute between and among Muslims,” read part of the decision penned by Associate Justice Rodil V. Zalameda.

The consolidated cases stemmed from complaints filed by one Annielyn Dela Cruz Maliga regarding her alleged interest payments more than double the principal amount she borrowed from creditors. — Jomel R. Paguian

A fitting swan song for Lastimosa’s collegiate career

November 23, 2023 | 6:42 pm

ADAMSON University may have bowed out of the race but the proud school still gave its injured son Jerom Lastimosa a fitting swan song to his remarkable collegiate career.

Albeit nursing an ACL injury that cut short his final playing year, Mr. Lastimosa suited up and had his well-deserved moment in the final two minutes highlighted by a poetic triple at the buzzer made possible by Ateneo de Manila University’s gesture, with the possession, to hand him the game ball in the homestretch.

Limping and all, Mr. Lastimosa — who was already inserted in the game by coach Nash Racela in the first half — missed his first three attempts before witnessing his last try go in as the crowd, including Ateneo fans, erupted in euphoria.

The Soaring Falcons succumbed to the Blue Eagles, 70-48, in the playoff for the last seat in the UAAP Season 86 Final Four, signaling the end to their commendable run — and Mr. Lastimosa’s.

“We just wanted to field in Jerom (Lastimosa) and our seniors. So regardless of the score, we wanted the Adamson community to see them one last time before they leave the university,” said Mr. Racela, also referring to Jed Colonia, Vince and Wilfrey Magbuhos.

For Mr. Lastimosa, him braving on through a gruesome injury for a final act was only his way of paying it back to the Adamson community, including all the UAAP schools which had embraced him as an unheralded kid from Dumaguete through the years.

In fact, Mr. Lastimosa delayed his surgery since sustaining the injury at the start of the second round to be with the Soaring Falcons until the last match as they made a valiant Final Four stand up to the end.

Adamson made its last Final Four appearance in Mr. Lastimosa’s first year back in Season 81, when he was still a backup point guard. Last year with him at the helm, he steered the Soaring Falcons back to the semis with a string of clutch performances to rise as the UAAP PSBankable Player of the Year capped by a knockout win over De La Salle University.

He may be signing off but an ACL injury could not dent Mr. Lastimosa’s Adamson legacy, paired with a Southeast Asian Games gold medalist with Gilas Pilipinas, up to the extent that he had his No. 7 jersey retired midseason — all while shunning multiple overseas offers to stay with the Soaring Falcons.

“He chose to stay with Adamson this year. Despite his injury, he still chose to play for Adamson. Other people don’t see that as something admirable, but it is something that we really appreciate, not just us, but the whole Adamson community,” beamed Mr. Racela. — John Bryan Ulanday

San Beda battles rival Letran in non-bearing showdown

November 23, 2023 | 6:42 pm

Games Friday
(Filoil EcoOil Arena)
1:30 p.m. — SSC-R vs AU
3:30 p.m. — San Beda vs Letran

SAN BEDA University will try to formalize its top three seeding in the Final Four as it tackles decades long rival Colegio San Juan de Letran at the conclusion of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 99 elimination round today at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

The Red Lions (11-6) have actually sealed the No. 3 seed the day before even if they lose to the Knights in their 3:30 p.m. duel and fall into joint third with the College of St. Benilde (CSB) Blazers (11-7) as the former swept the latter in two games in the elimination round. But it would surely be nice plunging into the Final Four fresh from a morale-boosting win that came against its bitterest of all rivals. “It’s always a challenge playing Letran because of the rivalry,” said San Beda coach Yuri Escueta.

San Beda battles top seed Mapua University (15-3) while CSB tackles No. 2 Lyceum of the Philippines University or LPU (13-5) in Tuesday’s start of the semis with the top two teams needing just one win to advance.

The Knights, of course, have nothing to lose but everything to gain as they were already out of the running long before with a 2-15 slate.

In another non-bearing showdown were San Sebastian College-Recoletos (5-12) and Arellano University or AU (2-15) at 1:30 p.m. — Joey Villar

Gin Kings attempt bounceback against upset-conscious ROS

November 23, 2023 | 6:41 pm

Games Today
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. — Phoenix vs Blackwater
8 p.m. — Rain or Shine vs Ginebra

That recent “Manila Clasico” loss certainly stings for Barangay Ginebra.

Uncharacteristically, the Gin Kings suffered a big-time meltdown after going up by 26. Making things worse, the endgame breaks didn’t go their way as they tried to salvage the victory, allowing rival Magnolia to steal a 93-91 win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

The challenge for the defending champions now is to quickly leave this episode behind and get back on track. This, the charges of Tim Cone (1-1) look to accomplish in their next game today against upset-conscious Rain or Shine or ROS (0-3) at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. “We’ve got to move forward from it. It’s early in the season. We’re not going to feel too bad about it,” said Mr. Cone ahead of their bounceback attempt at 8 p.m. “Let’s just move on, learn a few things from it. We played out of character in that season half so we got to get back into character.”

The Gin Kings thoroughly dominated the Hotshots in the first 24 minutes, seizing a high 51-25 tear before settling for a 60-35 margin.

But the Hotshots reversed everything in the second half with a 58-31 exchange. With Magnolia holding a 92-91 cushion, Ginebra went for the go-ahead through Scottie Thompson, who drew contact from Marc Barroca but referees let it go to the latter’s vehement reaction.

The PBA later admitted Mr. Barroca should have been whistled for a foul and suspended the crew that officiated the game.

But it would not have gone down-to-the-wire had Ginebra kept up its fine play.

“I felt that in the first half we showed how good we can be as a team. We really played to our absolute potential and in the second half, we showed how bad we could be as a team,” said Mr. Cone.

If Ginebra shows its bad side again, expect the Elasto Painters to pounce hard as they shoot for that elusive win.

Meanwhile, Phoenix (2-1) guns for solo second behind unbeaten Magnolia (4-0) as it duels with skidding Blackwater (1-2) in the 4 p.m. curtain raiser.

Notes: The PBA is investigating the heated in-game verbal altercation involving NorthPort team manager Pido Jarencio and NLEX import Thomas Robinson that spilled over to the tunnel near the dugouts post-game. Commissioner Willie Marcial said Mr. Jarencio gave his side yesterday, apologized and promised to make peace with Mr. Robinson. The NLEX reinforcement is currently on vacation in Palawan and will appear before Mr. Marcial’s office before their next game on Dec. 1 to explain his action. — Olmin Leyba

Paris 2024 sells 7.2 million tickets

November 23, 2023 | 6:36 pm

PARIS — Some 400,000 tickets for the Paris 2024 Olympics will go on sale at the end of the month, organizers said on Wednesday.

Paris 2024 is hoping to sell 10 million tickets for the July 26-Aug. 11 Summer Games and has already sold 7.2 million, chief operating officer Michael Aloisio said.

Paris 2024 has come under fire for the prices of some tickets. — Reuters

MMA bouts, kickboxing tilts highlight Team Lakay “Benguet Explosion” tourney

November 23, 2023 | 6:36 pm

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Ten mixed martial arts bouts and three kickboxing matches will headline the much-anticipated Team Lakay’s “Benguet Explosion Martial Arts Tournament,” presented by Benguet province and Benguet lawmaker Eric Go Yap at the Benguet Sports Complex in La Trinidad, Benguet on Dec. 9.

Leading the charge is the decorated Jean Claude Saclag, a multi-gold medalist at the Southeast Asian Games, headlining the event in a high-stakes bantamweight clash against the formidable Ronald Regaldao.

Adding to the excitement, ONE Warrior Series — Philippines champion Adonis Sevilleno will go toe-to-toe with Reden Manguiat, while Nahuel Gandolfi takes on Rone Deliu in what promises to be a clash of titans.

Joris Jonker and Mark Obrero meanwhile engage in a thrilling catchweight bout with Conan Dela Peña facing off against Neptali Ticar in the event supported by Fairtex, Infini Tea, Cowboy Town La Trinidad, Lepatisserie Cafe, Talamas, Kabayan Mayor Junjun Bantales, Ajhi’s Rage Room, SalveoWell, and Baguio Country Sounds La Trinidad.

The undercard features equally compelling matchups, including John Ira Barrinetos versus Duane Pascua, Ezra Saclag against Wilmer Salpad, Firoz Khan squaring off against Eugene Tabinga, and a featherweight battle between Jed Sayud and Daryle Wadasen.

Adding a kickboxing flair to the night, Gamebar Angcaway faces Christian Gutierrez, and lady fighters Jerlyn Kingad and Jhen Buzon showcase their skills, along with Jyrisce Gean Legaspi taking on Judah Paul Saingan.

Opening the event with a burst of energy are Elvester Gaspar and Rueben Sawang, setting the stage for an unforgettable night of martial arts.

The “Benguet Explosion Martial Arts” is proudly supported by Standford Korean Language Center – Cordillera, Sinner or Saint Cafe, Community Diagnostics, DarJane’s, Aim Fighter, and Jacks.

Coach Mark Sangiao said ‘Benguet Explosion’ is not just an MMA event but a testament to the dedication, resilience, and skill of the fighters from Team Lakay and a platform for fighters to showcase their hard work and commitment to their craft while giving opportunity for fight fans to witness the embodiment of discipline, athleticism, and the unyielding spirit of these warriors. — Artemio A. Dumlao