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Trillanes files cyber-libel cases

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

FORMER Senator Antonio F. Trillanes, IV on Tuesday filed cyber-libel charges against former presidential spokesperson Herminio “Harry” L. Roque Jr., among others, before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.

Mr. Trillanes filed separate lawsuits for alleged violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 against anchors of Swara Sug Media Corporation’s Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), a vlogger, and a Davao-based businessman.

In his complaint, the former senator pointed out Mr. Roque’s “defamatory” Facebook videos against him regarding Manila’s alleged “gentleman’s agreement” with Beijing.

In a Viber message to BusinessWorld, Mr. Roque said that filing these cases, the former senator has “proven himself to be an enemy [of] freedom of expression.”

Vlogger Banat By, through Messenger chat, seemed unfazed, saying: “People like Trillanes should not be given attention because he is already irrelevant in society.”

Mr. Trillanes said he will also file complaints before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against several social media users spreading disinformation and libelous statements about him.

“Despite my repeated explanations on what transpired during my backchannel talks, including official statements from incumbent government officials during Senate hearings conducted that we did not lose Scarborough, these pro-Duterte personalities continue to harp on this fake news to deflect blame from the Duterte administration,” he said in a statement.

Mr. Roque insisted: “He [Trillanes] has never made public what in fact he negotiated with China. This is a fact. Then-Senate President [Juan Ponce] Enrile threatened to expose his deeds. The latter desisted because of national security concerns.”

He also accused Mr. Trillanes of filing “this frivolous suit” to seek attention for his next electoral campaign. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Fast-track power dev’t — lawmakers

EVENING_TAO-FREEPIK

SENATOR Francis G. Escudero on Tuesday said the Department of Energy (DoE) and the Energy Regulation Commission (ERC) should fast-track building new power plants to address constant power outages nationwide.

Facing the Senate hearing, Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevarra said more than 4,000 megawatts of power may be added to the country’s energy generation capacity by the end of this year. Mr. Escudero had said that about “1800 to 2250 megawatts are supposed to be online late this year or early next year.”

In a separate hearing at the House of Representatives, DoE Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella underscored that the timely completion of transmission and distribution energy facilities “is equally important to putting up power plants” in order to solve the country’s power woes. 

The Philippines has faced repeated issuances of yellow and red alerts since April due to thinning power supply as the grid is unable to meet electric demand.

The DoE cited the need to transition towards sustainable energy sources and create renewable energy facilities to meet electricity demand, DoE Undersecretary Sharon S. Garin told the same panel.

“Our power plants are aging and we need to transition so we really need new plants not just to increase (energy output) but also to make it efficient (in power transmission and distribution),” she said in Filipino.

“We are pushing for energy transition, we need a healthier energy mix,” Ms. Garin added, as the DoE issued a moratorium on the development of coal-fired power plants in 2020.

Ms. Garin said the energy department expects the creation of renewable, battery storage, and baseload energy facilities capable of generating 1100 megawatts of power supply this year.

Given the country’s potential in harnessing power from the wind, Ms. Garin said offshore wind energy developers are looking to establish operational wind facilities by 2028.

At the Senate hearing, Ms. Guevarra confirmed the DoE’s progress in developing renewable energy sources. “With the plants are supposed to come in this year, 2,000 (MW of the power coming in) are conventional; 1,900 (MW) plus is renewable,” she said.

“There are still some plants that are falling behind in the application, but they are actually ready to come in,” the energy official said in Filipino.

Mr. Escudero had remarked, “If that comes in on time, we will not experience the red or yellow alerts.”

Last month, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the main island of Luzon and the Visayas under yellow alerts after their power supply fell below the safety threshold. — — John Victor D. Ordoñez and Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

LTO setting up license deliveries

THE LAND Transportation Office (LTO) said on Tuesday that it would soon launch a courier system for the delivery of license cards to drivers, as it seeks to cut backlogs it inherited from the previous administration.

LTO Chief Vigor D. Mendoza II, at a Palace briefing, said President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. had ordered the agency to fast track the release of all pending driver’s licenses and vehicle plates to achieve zero-backlog by June next year.

Mr. Mendoza said the agency has already secured 13.4 million plastic cards for licenses. “What has been delivered already is 9.7 million. The balance to be delivered is 3.6 million. Our current inventory is 5.2 million,” he said.

“We will launch a website where you can choose whatever courier you [want] that is accredited by the government,” he added

The LTO has been addressing an 11.4-million backlog for motorcycle plates that it had acquired from the previous administration, according to a press release from Malacañang.

It said the LTO had already produced one million motorcycle plates, “leaving around 10.3 million in backlog as of June 2022.”

Through LTO’s latest efforts, Mr. Mendoza said those who bought vehicles in 2022 to 2024 should already have their license plates by July 1.

Mr. Mendoza said the agency has expanded its production capacity by acquiring eight manual machines and two “robotic machines” that can produce 48,000 plates per day, or almost two times higher than the previous daily production of around 28,000 plates. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Water cut off in parts of CdO

BW FILE PHOTO

CAGAYAN de Oro City’s (CdO) east and west areas are now without water since Tuesday morning.

In a statement, Rio Verde Water Consortium, Inc. and Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Inc. (COBI) announced cutting off their service to these areas at 10 a.m. Tuesday due to unsettled payments by the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD). COBI said that the water district has not formally responded to the outstanding payables, including arrears for the March 2024 bulk water bill.

“Due to the current circumstances, we are forced to temporarily cut water services until the situation is rectified,” it said, adding that COBI is committed to working with the COWD to find a swift solution. — Nate C. Barretto

72 NFA officers’ suspension lifted

REUTERS

THE OMBUDSMAN lifted on Tuesday the preventive suspension of 72 National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse supervisors implicated in the alleged irregular sale of rice buffer stocks.

“There is insufficient ground to believe that their continued stay in office may prejudice the investigation of the case filed against them,” the Ombudsman said in its order.

Covered by the order are the NFA warehouse supervisors in Regions 3, 4-A, 4-B, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. 

Their suspension came from charges of Grave Misconduct, Gross Neglect of Duty, and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service on selling NFA rice to select sellers at a low price and without public bidding or authorization from the NFA Council.

Last March 1, the Ombudsman placed 139 NFA supervisors under a six-month preventive suspension for allegedly being involved in the irregular sale of rice buffer stocks to specific traders. The order has since been lifted for 23 of them. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

LP’s Aquino jumps to fresh party ahead of midterm polls

SENATE PRIB

FORMER senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino, IV has left the Liberal Party (LP) to lead a political group founded in 2022 as part of his preparations for the midterm polls next year.

Centrist Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KANP) said it has named Mr. Aquino, cousin of the late president Benigno S. Aquino, III, as its new chairman in preparation for the polls in 2025.

The party said in a press release his chairmanship is a significant step as the party boosts its membership ahead of the senatorial elections in 2025.

Mr. Aquino said the party will present itself as “a viable alternative for Filipinos weary of traditional politics and politicians.”

The former senator was able to pass 50 laws, including a free education law, during his six-year term in Congress.

Mr. Aquino, who was advising the party prior to his new post, served as campaign manager of 2022 presidential candidate Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo, who lost to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. by a landslide.

The nephew of the late senator and democracy icon Benigno Simeon Aquino, Jr., failed in his reelection bid in 2019. None of the opposition candidates won at that time.

Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno failed in his bid as the only senatorial bet of KANP. Only Senator Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros-Baraquel was able to secure a Senate seat among oppositionists at that time.

Mr. Aquino’s partymates from the LP welcomed his decision to lead a young political group, with LP spokesperson and former senator Leila M. de Lima expressing confidence that he would be able to turn KANP “into a political party to reckon with and carry it to even greater heights amid an uncertain political landscape and other challenges.”

LP President and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman and Albay Rep. Edcel said Mr. Aquino will lead a party of “young bloods who have emerged as the faces of good governance in Philippine politics.”

Ms. De Lima recently welcomed Mr. Marcos’ creation of a human rights coordinating body, saying it is “a step in the right direction” and “shows that his administration is prioritizing human rights and intends to engage the issue at a higher and more focused level.”

In February, she described the administration as a “breathing room” after former President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s war on drugs that had killed thousands mostly in poverty-stricken communities and his policies that had vilified critics and activists.

She said LP is willing to work with Mr. Marcos on key programs, especially on good governance, if it means holding his predecessor to account. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

DoST opens P5-M green bio-hydrogen-to-energy lab

THE DEPARTMENT of Science and Technology (DoST) announced on Tuesday that it opened a Green Bio-Hydrogen to Energy Laboratory in Cagayan de Oro to address the need for sustainable energy solutions in Northern Mindanao.

The project received a P4.99-million grant from the DoST Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DoST PCIEERD) under the Institution Development Program (IDP), according to a DoST press release.

“Located at the Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, the research facility will convert low-value municipal and industrial wastes into energy carriers for distributed power generation,” it said.

The project aims to produce energy-sufficient and independent communities, to cut the country’s dependence on external fuel sources.

Under the guidance of University President Mars P. Tan, and project leader Shierlyn S. Paclijan, Xavier University sees the facility as a hub for advancing cutting-edge, clean, and non-mass burn technologies derived from municipal and industrial wastes.

The DoST said it will also attest to the viability of hydrogen-to-energy technologies in converting waste into power and heat generation.

“This evidence and demonstration-driven approach is expected to facilitate broader adoption of sustainable practices in the region,” it added.

In addition, the facility will provide tailored end-to-end recycling solutions to local governments and industries in the region.

DoST PCIEERD Executive Director Enrico Paringit noted the collaborative efforts to address energy challenges and promote sustainable development in Northern Mindanao.

“As we work together to become a nexus of innovation in the Philippines, we will continue our endeavor to provide support, not only to ground-breaking R&D and introducing innovation, but also to make an impact,” Mr. Paringit said.

The project is in support of Sustainable Development Goal 7 on Affordable and Clean Energy.

The DoST said the project gained endorsement from the DoST Region 10 (DoST X) and the Northern Mindanao Consortium for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Transport groups urge SC to block modernization program

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

TRANSPORT groups asked the Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday for a speedy issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the modernization program as the grace period of 15 days for its full implementation ends Wednesday, May 15.

The Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) and Manibela called on the High Court to “immediately block” the public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP).

On May 16, Thursday, authorities under the Department of Transportation (DoTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) would start impounding unconsolidated public utility jeepneys.

“We have long been waiting for the TRO to be issued, so that we can return to our livelihood,” said Manibela president Mario “Mar” S. Valbuena to reporters in Filipino.

PISTON said imposing “arbitrary deadlines” on public transport transition endangers jobs and livelihoods.

“The poorly designed program will lead to higher fares for commuters, worse or no services on less profitable or costlier routes, and further disruptions on transport worker livelihoods as private firms profit-maximize,” think tank IBON Foundation executive director Jose Enrique “Sonny” A. Africa told BusinessWorld in a Viber message.

“We stand by our expectation that minimum fares will be some Php15-25 for the next 3-5 years at most but then head towards Php45-50 or more after this — not immediately but, certainly, in that general direction,” he said.

Ruben G. Baylon, deputy secretary-general of PISTON, in a text message to BusinessWorld, said that about 20,000 unconsolidated entities in the capital region did not join the PUVMP.

He added that over 100,000 jeepneys nationwide are pending in the consolidation process. The LTFRB is still in the process of approving these applications.

“Even if a TRO is approved months or years from now, it will not undo the damage caused by the DoTr and LTFRB’s actions in the coming days,” PISTON said in a statement.

SC Spokesperson Camille Sue Mae L. Ting, in a separate Viber message, said the High Court asked for the DoTr and LTFRB to submit a comment within 10 days from May 14.

The tribunal is specifically seeking comments from the respondents on the status of the consolidation progress, the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP), the Route Rationalization Plan, and the Status of the hearings before the House of Representatives.

Last April 29, LTFRB Chairman Teofilo E. Guadiz III said consolidated vehicles are identified through their windshield stickers issued by the LTFRB.

However, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) told BusinessWorld that the DoTr has not released any guidelines on the apprehension for unconsolidated vehicles.

Protesting jeepney drivers bewailed the costs of joining a cooperative and not being able to own new imported modern jeepneys, which cost about P2 million per unit. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

NFA does not need more power — Imee

IMELDA “IMEE” R. MARCOS — SENATE PRIB

PRESIDENT Marcos’ sister in the Senate opposed on Tuesday a proposal to give the National Food Authority (NFA) power to directly import and sell rice, saying it has not been able to fulfill its mandate of ensuring a buffer stock of rice for 60-90 days.

“Until the NFA can fulfill its mandate to maintain buffer stocks of up to 60-90 days, let us not talk about giving it more power, the Department of Agriculture should handle these warehouses,” Senator Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos, speaking in Filipino, said at the Senate hearing on the matter.

“It is up to you (DA) to take up the cudgels for all who attempt to cartelize and otherwise limit the use of warehouses.”

At the same hearing, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said allowing NFA to intervene in the rice market would help correct price disparities of agricultural products.

He also pushed for the extension of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) under the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), to support farmers’ livelihoods through modern farming technology.

“The RTL has leveraged tariff revenues to fund critical initiatives that have brought transformative changes to our agricultural landscape,” he said. “Notably the provision of high-quality seeds and modern machinery through the RCEF has led to a remarkable increase in rice yields and a reduction in production costs.”

The law, which was enacted in 2019, deregulated rice imports, allowing private parties to import a tariff of 25% on grain brought in from Southeast Asia.

It also established the RCEF, which is intended to modernize the rice industry and is funded by import tariffs generated from the RTL.

Rosendo O. So, chairman of the Samahang Industiya ng Agrikultura (SINAG), said at the same hearing that the NFA does not need additional power or the authority to import rice.

“Last year, the NFA did not use its P8 billion palay procurement budget, so they have a budget of P17 billion this year,” he said.

SINAG is also pushing for RCEF to have a budget of P30 billion, which would support the supply of inbred rice seed, rice farm machineries, rice milling industry development fund, rice credit assistance, rice extension services, and cash assistance to farmers tilling three hectares and below.

The House Committee on Agriculture and Food and Ways and Means last week approved proposals to allow the NFA to sell rice to retailers and to increase the funding of RCEF to P15 billion from P 10 yearly. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

SSS to give Taguig LGU workers memberships

BW FILE PHOTO

THE SOCIAL Security System (SSS) on Tuesday signed an agreement with the Taguig City local government units (LGUs) to ensure security coverage for its members and officials.

The SSS will facilitate the issuance of social security (SS) numbers for 3,800 Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officers and members from the 38 barangays of Taguig City to initiate their SSS membership, SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Rolando L. Macasaet said in a statement.

SK officials and members can begin paying their monthly contributions and receive social security coverage from SSS once they have received their SS numbers.

“By starting to save for retirement at a young age, these youth leaders are taking control of their financial future. The earlier they begin, the more time they have to grow their retirement fund,” Mr. Macasaet said.

The SSS will also sign a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to implement the KaSSSangga Collect Program, providing social security protection to 70 job order (JO) workers of the Science Education Institute, a service institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DoST), and 60 barangay workers of Barangay North Signal Village in Taguig City and Barangay Pinagkaisahan in Makati City.

It will also sign a deal with officials of Barangays South Signal Village, Upper Bicutan, and Napindan in Taguig, Barangay Pinagkaisahan in Makati, and Barangay Don Bosco in Parañaque to establish localized SSS e-centers in their barangay offices.

They will also set up SSS e-centers in TCGI Engineers and Medical Doctors, Inc.

The SSS E-Center sa Barangay is a partnership between SSS and the LGUs which sets up localized E-Centers in barangays which will be manned by barangay personnel trained to assist their kabarangay in using the My.SSS Portal, SSS Senior Vice President for National Capital Region (NCR) Maria Rita S. Aguja said.

The program helps barangay officials assist people in their respective communities in accessing SSS’ online services more conveniently without having to physically visit SSS offices.

Ms. Aguja added that the SSS will partner with the  Makati Development Corporation (MDC) as the newest partner under the Contribution Subsidy Provider Program (CSPP), with MDC subsidizing SSS contributions of spouses of its 10 foremen for six months. — Aaron Michael C. Sy

Lightning kills 2 soldiers hunting down guerrillas

BAGUIO CITY — Two soldiers hunting down communist guerrillas along the border of Pasil and Lubuagan towns in Kalinga were killed by a lightning strike on Sunday.

“My heart bleeds for them,” Major General Audrey Pasia, commander of the Philippine Army’s 5th Infantry Division (ID), said of fatalities Corporal Andrew Monterubio of Gamu, Isabela, and Private 1st Class Inmongog Aronchay of Sadanga, Mountain Province.

The two were traveling on foot with other members of their when lightning struck their path.

Four other soldiers identified by Mr. Pasia as Sergeant Dennis Bananao of Tanudan, Kalinga; PFC Melvin Danggalan of Paracelis, Mountain Province; PFC Abegil Awingan of Pinukpuk, Kalinga; and PFC Riel Angya of Pasil, Kalinga were also injured from the incident. — Artemio A. Dumlao

Agents monitor BARMM ports for 9 escapees from PDEA-Zamboanga

COTABATO CITY — Bangsamoro police have been deployed to seaports in Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi in a bid to recapture seven escapees from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s (PDEA) detention facility in Zamboanga City.

Brig. Gen. Prexy D. Tanggawohn, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), said on Tuesday that plainclothes agents have been positioned at seaports in efforts to intercept the seven individuals charged with trading illegal drugs.

Radio reports here quoted Maharani Gadaoni-Tosoc, director of PDEA Region 9, as saying that they have forwarded photos of the seven escapees to different units in the Bangsamoro region now helping track them down.

“Our efforts to prevent them from possibly getting into Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are coordinated closely with the provincial governments in these three provinces,” said Mr. Tanggawohn.

He identified the seven as Wilson I. Sahiban of Indanan, Sulu; Junjimar H. Aiyob of Upper Patibulan in Panamao, Sulu; Albadir M. Ajijul of Isabela City in Basilan; and four others from different barangays in Zamboanga City — Muhajiran R. Jumlah, Amil Khan M. Abubasar, Jimmy A. Sahibol, and Kerwin M. Abdilla.

They were arrested in separate entrapment operations in recent weeks and have each been charged with violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Ms. Gadaoni-Tosoc said the detainees allegedly escaped by breaking through the ceiling. — John Felix M. Unson

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