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Comelec moves local absentee voting deadline

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) postponed the deadline of local absentee voting (LAV) to March 17 ahead of the 2025 midterm elections.

In a resolution sent to reporters by Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia, the poll body moved the deadline of receiving LAV applications to March 17 from March 10.

The verification of registration of applicants for LAV was moved to April 11 from April 8, while the transmittal of list of qualified local absentee voters, local absentee ballots, and other election forms and supplies was postponed to April 27 from April 21.

The 2025 Philippine midterm elections on May 12 will see about 68 million Filipinos voting to elect over 18,000 officials, including 12 senators, 254 district representatives, 63 party-list representatives, and local government positions. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Penalties sought vs BI personnel in Korean fugitive escape

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

A SENATOR called on the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to impose strict penalties on personnel involved in the escape of South Korean fugitives.

“Commissioner (Joel Anthony M.) Viado should ensure that BI officials involved in this shameful incident be imposed the strictest penalties, including criminal liability under Article 223 of the Revised Penal Code,” Senator Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel said in a statement on Monday.

She added that CCTV footage showed that BI officials were involved in the escape of the fugitive from custody.

“CCTV confirmed: the Korean fugitive didn’t just escape from the Bureau of Immigration, he was deliberately let go,” she said in Filipino.

On Sunday, BI authorities rearrested two Korean fugitives wanted for estafa and fraud in South Korea after their escape on March 4.

Mr. Viado, in a media briefing on Sunday, said that the personnel involved in assisting the escape of the two South Koreans have been terminated.

“This is symptomatic of the failures and offenses of the BI in handling erring foreign nationals. It seems that the culture of corruption in the agency will not go away,” Ms. Hontiveros added.

The senator added that she will seek a subpoena on the CCTV footage and pursue the case in the next subcommittee hearing. — Adrian H. Halili

Digital literacy bill passage pushed

PIXABAY

THE Commission on Human Rights called for immediate action on Senate Bill No. 2934, highlighting the growing necessity of equipping students with digital safety skills.

“A child’s right to safety should not be confined to the physical world — it must extend to the digital landscape where they learn, interact, and grow,” it said in a statement on Monday.

It also underscored the urgency of enacting stronger safeguards as children increasingly engage in digital platforms for education and social interaction.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child mandates that governments ensure access to safe and informative online spaces while protecting minors from digital harm.

The legislation seeks to equip students with digital literacy skills and bolster protections against online threats, aligning with global child welfare standards.

It builds on Republic Act No. 11930, the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act.

It also aligns with a 2017 United Nations Children’s Fund study that found Filipino children are among the most vulnerable to online risks, with eight in ten exposed to cyberbullying or online exploitation.

If passed, the legislation would institutionalize a nationwide framework for internet safety education, empowering young Filipinos with the tools to navigate online spaces responsibly. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Bill sets up legal framework for certifying religious groups

TPB/ANGEL ERAN

A BILL seeking to create a framework for the certification of Philippine religious groups as legitimate groups was filed at the House of Representatives last week.

House Bill (HB) No. 11477 seeks to mandate sects to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Philippine Statistics Agency, putting in place minimum validation requirements before being recognized by the government as a legitimate religious group.

“It is therefore proposed under this act that a system for the recognition and certification of religious organizations or groups be established in order to protect the public from unscrupulous individuals who prey on unsuspecting believers,” Party-list Rep. Ron P. Salo said in the measure, which was filed on March 6.

“The lack of regulation has led to the exploitation of religious institutions, where unscrupulous individuals have taken advantage of people’s trust and generosity under the guise of religious leadership,” he said in a statement.

The Southeast Asian nation adheres to the principle of separation of church and state, which is enshrined in its 1987 Constitution. Religious groups are generally exempt from taxes in the Philippines.

“Long-established” religions exempt from the proposed law include the Roman Catholic Church, Islam, Seventh-Day Adventist, Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Iglesia ni Cristo, among others.

About 80% of the country are Catholic, followed by Muslims (6.4%) and home-grown church Iglesia ni Cristo (2.6%), according to 2020 government data.

“Churches, sects, religious groups, or organizations, in order to obtain legal personality for purposes of tax exemption, property transactions, and marriage solemnization authority, shall comply with the prescribed procedure for the registration of non-stock and non-profit organizations with the Securities and Exchange Commission,” the bill stated.

The bill mandates religious groups to have at least 12 legal-age members before being registered with the SEC, with each of them executing an affidavit containing when they became members. The religion should also provide a list of properties already owned and its by-laws. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

New BARMM chief gets support from local executives

@BANGSAMOROGOVT

COTABATO CITY — Local executives have expressed support for Abdulrauf A. Macacua, the newly appointed interim chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

According to radio reports on Monday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire A. Castro confirmed the appointment of Mr. Macacua, who was governor of Maguindanao del Norte, as the new chief minister of BARMM. He replaced Ahod B. Ebrahim, who was installed to the post in 2019.

Mr. Ebrahim is the chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), while Mr. Macacua is the chief of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces-MILF, which has groups in BARMM’s Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi provinces.

The front’s two compacts with the national government — the 2012 Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro and the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro — paved the way for the replacement in 2019 of the then 27-year Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with a more administratively and politically-empowered BARMM.

“We congratulate Chief Minister Macacua for his appointment as BARMM chief minister. We also thank his predecessor, former Chief Minister Ebrahim for the services he had extended to our people and for all the projects of the BARMM government in our province during his tenure,” Basilan Gov. Hadjiman H. Salliman told reporters in Cotabato City on Monday.

Mayor Rhoderick H. Furigay of Lamitan City in Basilan said he and his constituent Muslim and Christian leaders will support the peace, security and development initiatives of Mr. Macacua just as they supported the administration of Mr. Ebrahim.

Meanwhile, some skeptics, including civil society organizations and peace-advocacy groups, have expressed concern over a possible adverse impact on the unity of MILF leaders of Mr. Macacua’s assumption as chief minister, replacing Mr. Ebrahim.

Mayor Marshall I. Sinsuat of Datu Blah Sinsuat, touted as the most peaceful town in Maguindanao del Norte, said he is certain that top leaders of the MILF have given Mr. Macacua their “imprimatur” to replace Ebrahim as BARMM chief minister.

“Their central committee acts like a collegial bloc. I’m convinced there was a consensus about that. We in Datu Blah Sinsuat recognize the new chief minister. We too shall support his administration to the best we can,” Mr. Sinsuat said.

Mr. Salliman, Mr. Sinsuat and Mr. Furigay, who is seeking reelection as mayor of Lamitan City unopposed, are members of the MILF’s regional United Bangsamoro Justice Party.

An influential leader not aligned with them politically, the reelectionist Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamimtal A. Adiong, Jr., had urged Mr. Macacua to adhere to the “moral governance principle” that the MILF bloc in the 80-seat BARMM parliament has overtly been espousing as their main principle in managing the regional government.

“We wish to see a strong regional bureaucracy under your leadership of the regional government,” Mr. Adiong said

Mr. Adiong said they want Mr. Macacua’s peace and security and community development initiatives done in the context of transparency and accountability and for the utmost benefit of all constituents regardless of their religious and cultural identities. — John Felix M. Unson

Cignal and Chery Tiggo gun for quarter slots vs ZUS, Farm Fresh

CIGNAL HD SPIKERS — FACEBOOK.COM/PREMIERVOLLEYBALLLEAGUE

Games on Tuesday
(PhilSports Arena)
4 p.m. – Farm Fresh vs Chery Tiggo
6:30 p.m. – ZUS vs Cignal

CIGNAL and Chery Tiggo shoot to take the last bus to the quarterfinals while ZUS Coffee and Farm Fresh look to avert it as they face off on Tuesday in a pair of crucial play-in matches in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena.

The Cignal HD Spikers and the Chery Tiggo Crossovers will gun for a play-in sweep and outright quarters entry as they clash with the ZUS Thunderbelles at 6:30 p.m. and the Farm Fresh Foxies at 4 p.m., respectively.

Cignal turned back Capital1, 25-21, 22-25, 25-17, 25-15, while Chery Tiggo dumped Nxled, 25-22, 26-24, 25-12, on Thursday to move on the cusp of advancing to the best-of-three quarters.

If Cignal wins, it will battle No. 2 Petro Gazz while a Chery Tiggo triumph will forge a showdown with top-seeded and five-peat feat-seeking Creamline both on March 18 at the same Pasig venue.

Cignal coach Shaq delos Santos isn’t thinking that far though.

“Our sole focus is just for this game and nothing else,” said Mr. Delos Santos.

ZUS and Farm Fresh though will do everything they can to get the win that will bolster their chance of claiming the quarters berths themselves.

The Thunderbelles will play the Solar Spikers while the Foxies tangle with the Chameleons on Thursday for that golden chance of gatecrashing into the next phase. — Joey Villar

Gin Kings battle Castro-less Tropang Giga in PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Finals

BARANGAY GINEBRA GIN KINGS — FACEBOOK.COM/PBAOFFICIAL

ASKED how much Barangay Ginebra wants to win the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup crown against old tormentor TNT, star guard Scottie Thompson was emphatic in his response.

“Hungry for glory,” Mr. Thompson said when the Gin Kings and the Tropang Giga faced the press for the traditional pre-finals gab on Sunday in Quezon City.

“Of course, we are well-motivated coming to the series. Hopefully we will get it.”

Though they’re victorious in their two previous duels with Ginebra for the Governors’ Cup diadem, TNT insists its hunger for glory remains strong going to the best-of-seven championship that kicks off on Friday.

The protagonists sat on different ends of the table with the coveted trophy in the middle.

TNT was represented by coach Chot Reyes, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Oftana, RR Pogoy, Kim Aurin and Rey Nambatac. Present for Ginebra were coach Tim Cone, Scottie Thompson, Maverick Ahanmisi, Jamie Malonzo, Japeth Aguilar and RJ Abarrientos. Justin Brownlee missed the presser as he’s getting treatment for asthma.

TNT governor and PBA Chairman Ricky Vargas, Ginebra counterpart and PBA Vice Chairman Alfrancis Chua and league commissioner Willie Marcial were also on hand and expressed excitement for the series.

Repeat or revenge will be the main theme here.

“We’re coming into this series with a lot more depth than we had in the last time we played them (Season 49 Governors’ Cup) and I think that’s going to be a big factor for us,” said Mr. Cone.

He was referring to the return of Jamie Malonzo and Jeremiah Gray from injury and the mid-season entry of Troy Rosario. Mr. Rosario, however, hasn’t joined practice yet, per Mr. Cone, as he’s undergoing rehab for the sprained ankle he sustained in Ginebra’s semifinal closeout of NorthPort.

With their rivals’ added ammo, TNT recognizes the need to dial up their games several notches. — Olmin Leyba

Thunder wallop Nuggets in showdown of West’s best

SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER scored 40 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to their seventh consecutive victory, a 127-103 rout over the visiting Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

It was the first of back-to-back games in Oklahoma City for the teams that entered the day in the top two spots in the Western Conference. The loss dropped the Nuggets into third place, percentage points behind the Los Angeles Lakers.

The West-leading Thunder have won 16 of their last 18 games and snapped the Nuggets’ two-game winning streak.

With just more than two minutes remaining and the Nuggets’ chances for a comeback already hanging by a thread, Gilgeous-Alexander pulled up from the top of the key and drained a 3-pointer to stretch Oklahoma City’s lead to 18 and virtually put the game away.

The bucket also gave Gilgeous-Alexander his NBA-best 11th 40-point game of the season.

Nikola Jokic, coming off an historic performance (31 points, 21 rebounds and 22 assists) in Friday’s overtime win over Phoenix, came up just short of his 30th triple-double of the season.

Jokic, who made just TWO of 10 3-point attempts, finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, along with three blocks.

Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t much better from distance, going two of 11 on 3-pointers, but was 15 of 32 overall. He added eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks.

The Nuggets got off to a quick start, scoring the game’s first 10 points and leading by 11 just more than four minutes in.

But Oklahoma City quickly cut into the lead and eventually trimmed the deficit to one to close the first quarter.

In the third quarter, it was Denver’s turn to fall behind by double figures and battle back.

The Thunder led by 11 about midway through the quarter before the Nuggets cut the margin to three entering the fourth.

With Gilgeous-Alexander on the bench, Oklahoma City reeled off a 14-3 run early in the fourth to take control for good.

That stretch was fueled largely by Jalen Williams, who scored seven of his 26 points during that stretch. He also grabbed nine rebounds and dished out eight assists.

After beating Portland on Friday without any of its usual starters, all five returned for Oklahoma City. Chet Holmgren contributed 14 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, while Isaiah Hartenstein had 10 points and 11 boards.

Denver’s Michael Porter Jr. had 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Christian Braun added 19 points and Jamal Murray scored 17. — Reuters

Swiatek, Rybakina serve up bagels en route to victories at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, California — Defending champion Iga Swiatek crushed Dayana Yastremska 6-0, 6-2 and 2023 champion Elena Rybakina powered past Britain’s Katie Boulter 6-0, 7-5 to reach the fourth round of Indian Wells on Sunday with displays of dominance.

Swiatek, seeded second, is aiming to become the first woman to win the tournament three times and the Polish player looked eager to do so in as little time on court as possible, reeling off 10 games in a row and needing just 65 minutes to see off her Ukrainian opponent.

“At the end I got a bit tired, it’s always hard to finish a match like that but I’m happy that I kept my intensity up in the last game to close it,” she said.

“I had control from the beginning so I’m happy with the performance for sure.”

It was Swiatek’s second bagel set of the tournament after she overwhelmed Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-0 in her first match.

The five-time major champion has not won a title since her triumph at Roland Garros in 2024, her longest drought since winning her first major title in 2020.

She served a one-month suspension in October for a failed drug test and has seen Aryna Sabalenka take her world number one ranking but said the California desert is an ideal setting to get back to winning ways.

“It’s amazing, I love coming here,” she said.

“I already have my routine so it feels like home. It’s for sure the place to be and a great place to play tennis.”

Swiatek will face 15th seed Karolina Muchova in the round of 16 after the Czech player beat her compatriot Katerina Siniakova in the afternoon.

After cruising through the first set, Rybakina fell behind 5-3 in the second before regrouping.

She stretched to hit a sensational defensive shot in a game where she broke back for 5-5 and broke again on match point to seal the win.

Rybakina, who missed last year’s tournament due to an illness, will play either ninth-seeded Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva or Dane Clara Tauson in the next round. 

Ukrainian Elina Svitolina upset 14th seed Danielle Collins 6-2, 6-4 and will face another American, fourth seed Jessica Pegula in the next round after she breezed past China’s Wang Xinyu 6-2, 6-1.

Svitolina’s countrywoman Marta Kostyuk beat American wildcard Caroline Dolehide 6-3, 6-3.

MEDVEDEV, TSITSIPAS ADVANCE
On the men’s side, Stefanos Tsitsipas showed off his impressive athleticism and defence, leaping for overheads and speeding around the court to beat Italy’s Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-3.

“I’m approaching these matches with determination and willingness to just leave it all out there on the court,” Tsitsipas said.

“I want to get out there on the court and be a gladiator, and that’s how I approach every single match I get to play.”

The Greek eighth seed will face battle-tested Holger Rune after the Danish player dug deep to outlast Frenchman Ugo Humbert 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 with the backing of the crowd on center court.

“I tried to be brave,” Rune said of his play over the final two games of the match.

“The energy on this court was truly amazing.”

Daniil Medvedev was on court for just 10 minutes before his American opponent Alex Michelsen was forced to retire due to illness after two games.

The Russian fifth seed has lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Indian Wells final the past two years, and the Spaniard is once again on the opposite side of the draw.

Medvedev will next face popular American Tommy Paul, who notched his 50th win at a Masters 1000 tournament with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Britain’s Cameron Norrie.

Tallon Griekspoor toppled 29th-seeded Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on Sunday after stunning top seed Alexander Zverev in the previous round.

Griekspoor pounded 10 aces and broke Mpetshi Perricard’s mighty serve twice en route to the win.

Southern California native Marcos Giron came from behind to beat Alexei Popyrin 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in a match where the struggling Australian converted just one of his 15 break point chances.

It is the 31-year-old Giron’s first time reaching the fourth round of the tournament. — Reuters

Balanced offense lets Cavs beat Bucks for 14th straight win

MAX STRUS had 17 points to lead eight Cavaliers who scored at least nine as Cleveland won 112-100 at the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday night.

It was the Cavaliers’ 14th consecutive victory, one shy of their season-best streak they started the season with. Donovan Mitchell scored 15, Evan Mobley and Darius Garland added 13 apiece and Jarrett Allen tallied 11. Strus also led the team with nine rebounds.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks, who lost their second in a row, with 30 points and nine rebounds. Damian Lillard added 22 while Kyle Kuzma scored 14.

Cleveland swept the four-game season series against the Bucks for the first time since the 2008-09 season and has won five in a row over Milwaukee overall.

Both teams came out firing, with Cleveland going into the second quarter up 34-32 thanks to 56.5% shooting from the floor.

They gained a bit of separation going into the halftime break as they led 62-52.

Strus had 14 of his points in the first half to lead Cleveland while Antetokounmpo had 18 for Milwaukee. The Cavs shot 10-for-26 from beyond the arc (38.5%) compared to just 29.4% for the Bucks.

Cleveland also won the turnover battle 18-15 and led by as many as 19. — Reuters

Philippines’ Duterte says he will accept arrest if ICC issues warrant

RODRIGO DUTERTE — PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO/ ROBINSON NIÑAL

HONG KONG/MANILA – Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said in Hong Kong that he was ready for possible arrest amid reports the International Criminal Court (ICC) was poised to issue a warrant over his years-long “war on drugs” that killed thousands.

The “war on drugs” was the signature campaign policy that swept Mr. Duterte to power in 2016 as a maverick, crime-busting mayor, who delivered on promises he made during vitriolic speeches to kill thousands of narcotics dealers.

The office of the current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Monday no official communication had been received from Interpol yet, but indicated Mr. Duterte could be handed over.

“Our law enforcers are ready to follow what law dictates, if the warrant of arrest needs to be served because of a request from Interpol,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told reporters.

It was not immediately clear how long Mr. Duterte would stay in China-ruled Hong Kong – which is not a party to the ICC. Mr. Duterte was in the city to speak at a campaign rally attended by thousands of Filipino workers, hoping to boost support for his senatorial candidates in upcoming Philippine midterm elections.

“Assuming it’s (warrant) true, why did I do it? For myself? For my family? For you and your children, and for our nation,” Mr. Duterte told the rally, justifying his brutal anti-narcotics campaign.

“If this is truly my fate in life, it’s okay, I will accept it. They can arrest me, imprison me,” Mr. Duterte said.q

“What is my sin? I did everything in my time for peace and a peaceful life for the Filipino people,” he told the cheering crowds in Hong Kong’s downtown Southorn Stadium, appearing with his daughter, the Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte.

An elite Hong Kong police unit for protecting VIPs was stationed in the vicinity of the hotel where Mr. Duterte is staying, according to a Reuters witness.
The Hong Kong government’s security bureau and police gave no immediate response to a request for comment.

The Philippines presidential office dismissed speculation that Mr. Duterte might evade the law by visiting Hong Kong, while appealing to Mr. Duterte’s supporters to allow the legal process to take its course.

During a congressional hearing last year into his bloody crackdown on drugs, Mr. Duterte said he was not scared of the ICC and told it to “hurry up” on its investigation.

The firebrand Mr. Duterte unilaterally withdrew the Philippines from the ICC’s founding treaty in 2019 when it started looking into allegations of systematic extrajudicial killings.

More recently, the Philippines has signaled it is ready to cooperate with the investigation in certain areas. — Reuters

Analysts raise exploitation concerns over EBET Law

STOCK IMAGE | Image by Merhan Saeed from Pixabay

by Almira Louise S. Martinez, Reporter

The Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) Framework Act can help address the job-skills mismatch but could also be a gateway for exploitation if not properly regulated, analysts said on Thursday.

“We’re all for equipping workers with future-ready skills, but let’s keep it fair, keep it ethical, and—most importantly—keep it from turning into an exploitative loophole,” Federation of Free Workers (FFW) President Jose Sonny G. Matula told BusinessWorld in a Viber chat.

Mr. Matula said that the EBET act allows longer apprenticeship programs, which, if not properly regulated, could turn into “glorified unpaid internships.”

“That’s not skills development; that’s just cheap labor with a fancy name,” he said.

National President of Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino Renecio “Luke” S. Espiritu said that “safeguards for security of tenure, non-diminution of benefits, and free-of-charge insurance in medium to high-risk industries” must be in place to protect the rights and welfare of trainees and apprentices under the programs.

Mr. Espiritu added that opportunities under EBET programs must be accompanied by “strong and robust” industries that will ensure that this law would be beneficial for national development and not just for “foreign benefit.”

“The job mismatch or underemployment has been both a persistent and prevalent problem for Filipino laborers for decades now and we welcome solutions to address this long overdue problem,” he said.

“But (we) must also be wary of the export-oriented nature of wanting to address the global workforce demand,” he added.

 

Linking educational institutions

Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) Executive Director Justine B. Raagas said in a press release that linking educational institutions with industries can help eliminate job mismatch and create a “future-ready” Filipino workforce.

“It is one thing to know which jobs are in demand, and another to ensure that the workforce has the necessary skills to meet those demands effectively,” Ms. Raagas said.

Under the Republic Act No.12063 or the EBET Framework Act, the State shall “promote full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all”.

It stated that workers could upskill and learn new skills through training programs that leads to a secured “quality employment and/or obtain entrepreneurial known-how”.

The training allowance for each trainee shall not be lower than seventy-five percent (75%) of the applicable minimum wage rate.

Trainees may undergo up to eight hours of training per day, subject to the enterprise’s discretion. For overtime cases, trainees are subject to an additional 25% of the hourly rate for every additional training hour, limited to two hours per day.

In November 2024, Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., during the law’s signing, said the training programs through public-private partnerships would help the current workforce cope with the rapidly changing, technology-driven job market.

“If we are successful in doing this, before a student or a trainee is finished with their training, there already is an available space in the labor market waiting for them,” he said in a speech.

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