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Gov’t harassment of activists goes on, says rights group

THE GOVERNMENT of President Rodrigo R. Duterte continues to commit atrocities with impunity, a human rights group said on Monday, a year after law enforcers killed nine activists in raids in the Calabarzon region.

Government prosecutors should probe the country’s anti-communist task force for the “bloody Sunday” raids that killed the activists and led to the arrest of four others, Karapatan Deputy Secretary-General Roneo Clamor said in a statement.

Government prosecutors should also probe Mr. Duterte, and his former police officers “if it wants to serve genuine justice and not merely punish a few scapegoats, he added.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), after a recommendation by a task force formed by the DoJ, filed murder charges against 17 policemen allegedly involved in the raids last year.

The killings and arrests during the operations were reminiscent of police executions of unarmed civilians who were sleeping during similar raids, Mr. Clamor said.

“Even when they pleaded for their lives, they were mercilessly murdered,” he said, noting that illegal weapons were later planted in their homes to make it appear like the victims had fought back. This had been used by police in Mr. Duterte’s anti-illegal drug campaign, he added.

Despite the charges filed by the NBI, Karapatan stressed that Mr. Duterte and officials of the country’s anti-communist task force should be held accountable for the “rampant impunity.”

The raids last year were dubbed as “bloody Sunday” and were based on 24 search warrants issued by trial courts in Manila and Quezon City.

An inter-agency task force of the Justice department last year formed 15 teams that probed extralegal killings and human rights violations, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said last week.

“The Philippines will remain positively engaged with the international community and all human rights mechanisms on all issues concerning rule of law and institutions in the country,” he said. “But we will draw the line between parties that engage in good faith, and those that abuse and exploit these mechanisms to make demands of accountability with little or no factual basis,” he said.

Last week, human rights lawyers asked the High Court to reconsider and review the anti-terror law passed in 2020 because it allegedly violates freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Candidates who snub Comelec debates will be banned from e-rallies

THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) will block candidates from electronic rallies on its Facebook page if they do not attend the debates organized by the poll body for the May 9 elections.

A candidate who will snub the series of debates will not be allowed to participate in the live-streamed e-rallies until the end of the period allotted for the platform, Comelec Spokesman James B. Jimenez said in a video streamed live on the Comelec Facebook page on Monday.

He earlier said that the e-rally platform, which started streaming last month, is meant to help candidates with fewer followers gain more exposure.

Comelec on Monday signed a deal with Impact Hub Manila to finalize the production of the first presidential debates on March 19, followed by the vice presidential debates on March 20. 

“We invite you (candidates) to join our debates, our only objective is to help other voters know where you stand on relevant issues our country faces today,” Acting Comelec Chairperson Socorro B. Inting said in Filipino at the event held at the Sofitel Hotel in Manila. 

“I am optimistic that these debates will fulfill its purpose of raising awareness among voters and for them to make informed choices,” she added. 

The March 19 debate will be three hours long and will have a single moderator format. It will not have a live audience to prevent a coronavirus outbreak, but will be streamed live on the Comelec Facebook page.

A second presidential debate is scheduled on April 3. There will also be town hall-style debates for presidential candidates on April 23 and vice-presidential aspirants on the 24th.

Presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. is the only one among the 10 aspirants who has yet to confirm attendance in the debates. 

Mr. Jimenez said the Comelec will release “general topics” for the candidates but specific questions will be crafted by a panel whose members will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Interest groups from different sectors are invited to send recommended questions and other suggestions to the election body. 

“I think intergenerational problems should be discussed in debates and forums as it will be a great test for the candidates, who tend to be biased towards programs with immediate and perceptible impact,” Michael Henry LI. Yusingco, a senior research fellow at the Ateneo de Manila University Policy Center, said in a Facebook Messenger chat last week. 

“Asking these kinds of questions in debates and forums will unravel the candidates that voters should not bother with,” he added. — John Victor D. Ordonez 

Robredo aims to make PHL a maritime hub

LENI ROBREDO MEDIA BUREAU

PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANT Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo on Monday said she wants the Philippines to become a maritime hub, with shipbuilding as a core industry for the country’s economy. 

In a virtual forum with the Filipino Shipowners’ Association (FSA), Ms. Robredo pledged to double the maritime sector’s size to 12% from 6% of the economy, saying it is “really” key to the country’s overall economic resilience. 

“Empowering and strengthening should be a national imperative. I have been very public about my desire to really focus on the maritime industry as the core industry,” she said. 

She said modernizing and integrating Philippine ports and harbors will boost both local and international trade. 

“This serves a purpose that permeates beyond the maritime sector — a stronger national link through an integrated intermodal national logistics system allows trade to grow at the community level, which feeds into our strategy of looping the grassroots into the economic ecosystem,” she said.

The vice president also acknowledged the inefficiencies in the existing regulatory framework for the maritime industry, particularly on the matter of ship registration.

She said the regulatory stumbling blocks could be fixed through genuine stakeholder engagement, stocktaking process, and a proper road map to introduce new policies.

“With such a Philippine-flagged fleet, we can maximize our waters: creating employment, lowering the cost of logistics, bringing goods and services faster and farther into our islands. We will become the maritime power we should be,” she said. 

The presidential hopeful also bared other aspects of her maritime industry plan, such as adding a course on maritime industry to the senior high school curriculum, increasing the ratio of officers to ratings among Filipino seafarers, encouraging ships to register as Philippine-flagged vessels, and making the country a logistics hub. 

CAVITE SUPPORTERS
Also on Monday, Ms. Robredo’s supporters in Cavite slammed a member of a local dynasty for claiming that those who attended a grand rally in the vote-rich province on Friday were either paid to join or were trained by communists. 

In a statement, Ms. Robredo’s support group in Cavite said the estimated 47,000 people who joined the campaign rally were prompted by volunteerism and clamor for change. 

“This is ‘volunteerism’ — without asking for any payment and favor except for pushing for an upright, excellent, and achievement-based governance,” the group said in Filipino.

They said such claims are an insult to the dignity of Caviteños and downplays the right of individuals to make their own choices for elective government officials. 

The Cavite-based support group issued the statement after Cavite Rep. Jesus Crispin “Boying” C. Remulla said there were politicians who gave P500 to participants of a rally in the province.

Mr. Remulla’s brother, incumbent Cavite Governor Juanito Victor “Jonvic” C. Remulla, Jr., has backed the presidential bid of the late dictator’s son Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza 

Parts of Mindanao flooded as rains, thunderstorms expected to continue

ILIGAN CITY DRRMO

PARTS of Mindanao in southern Philippines were flooded in the past two days following rains brought by a low pressure area (LPA) that is expected to linger until Wednesday, based on reports from local authorities.

State weather bureau PAGASA forecaster Aldzcar D. Aurelio said on Monday that the LPA is seen to remain within the Philippines for three days and continue to affect Mindanao, the Visayas and southern areas in Luzon. 

As of 11 a.m. Monday, the LPA was located 135 kilometers southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. 

“The LPA is keeping the possibility of becoming a Storm in 24-48 hours,” PAGASA said in its bulletin.

The local government of Iligan City in the Northern Mindanao Region suspended work and classes on Monday due to flooding and landslides that left some roads and bridges impassable. 

“Due to continuous heavy rains and upon initial assessment by the local DRRM (Disaster Risk Reduction and Management) Council, some major roads and bridges are currently not passable either due to landslide and flooding or had been severely damaged,” Iligan City Mayor Celso G. Regencia said in a memo.

All national roads within Northern Mindanao were already passable as of Monday morning, according to the regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways, but some sections were damaged or still being fully cleared of debris. 

Some areas in the Davao Region were also flooded. — MSJ

PAL to increase Manila-Antique flights by end-March

ANTIQUE PIO

FLIGHTS between Manila and Antique, serviced by flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL), will be increased to thrice weekly starting March 27, the provincial governor announced Monday. 

“The three flights per week will take effect on March 27 onwards. Every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, our passengers can look at additional information in the website,” said PAL Branch Manager Ricky Dela Cruz. 

He said the increase in flights for the Manila-Antique route is in response to higher market demand, especially during the summer months of April and May. 

Antique Gov. Rhodora J. Cadiao said with travel restrictions eased, they expect more people to visit their families in the province during the Holy Week from April 10-16. 

“For those who want to come home during Holy Week, more Antiqueños can be accommodated (with more flights),” she said. 

Ms. Cadiao said the additional flights will also help in the province’s economic recovery as there will be more options for investors and businesses. 

Antique, located on the western side of Panay Island, is a largely agricultural province. It is promoting its beaches, mountains and other eco-tourism sites as alternative destinations in Western Visayas. The province’s northern end is near Boracay while the south borders Iloilo City. — MSJ

Senators, presidential candidate assert excise tax suspension urgent to protect consumers

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

TWO SENATORS on Monday said lifting the excise tax imposed on oil products under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law is urgently needed to mitigate the impact of price hikes on consumers. 

“We have long borne the burden of the excise tax imposed on petroleum products under the TRAIN Law,” Senator Ana Theresia “Risa” N. Hontiveros-Baraquel, who is running for reelection, said in Filipino in a statement. 

“From P2.50 excise tax per liter (/L) of gasoline in 2018 to P10/L beginning last year. With every increase in its current price, there is also a corresponding increase in the tax charged,” she said. 

Oil companies on Monday announced the following price hikes effective March 8: P5.85/L for diesel, P3.60/L for gasoline, and P4.10/L for kerosene.

“It will have a huge impact on our countrymen — on our drivers, fishermen, small businesses, and even our electricity consumers, especially on off-grid islands that use diesel for power plants,” Ms. Hontiveros said. 

She also called on the government to provide assistance to those affected by the price hike through fuel subsidy for drivers, farmers, and fishermen. 

Senator Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva recommended temporarily removing or decreasing the excise tax on oil or increasing the fuel subsidy allocated to each beneficiary.

He also said the government should look into ways to decrease gasoline consumption. “Let us give a solution to Filipino workers so that they can work even with the presence of this crisis.” 

Manila Mayor and presidential aspirant Francisco “Isko” M. Domagoso said on Monday that if he wins in May, he will write to Congress to immediately approve bills that will reduce the taxes imposed on oil and electricity. 

“We can always, through a motion, suspend the rules in approving proposed laws or bills,” he said at a live-streamed interview held at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila.

“So through some initiative and sensitivity of our lawmakers, and through the leadership of the President, the President may ask the Congress for that matter, to pass the law immediately because there is a sense of urgency and state of emergency.” 

Meanwhile, Mr. Domagoso’s party, Aksyon Demokratiko, has written to Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay asking if the agency has sent a demand letter to the Marcos family regarding their unpaid estate taxes. 

“The BIR, which you now head, must renew written demands on the Marcos heirs to pay these tax liabilities once every five years, otherwise they prescribe and become uncollectable,” party chairperson Ernesto M. Ramel, Jr. said in the letter. 

“Past administrations under Presidents Ramos, Arroyo and Aquino have faithfully issued such written demands,” he said. 

“On behalf of all taxpayers and the citizens of the Philippines, I would like to seek a reply to the simple question: Did the BIR under your watch send a new written demand to the Marcos heirs regarding the P203 billion which they owe the Filipino people?” — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan and Jaspearl Emerald G. Tan

Philippines should go for renewable sources rather than nuclear energy — Diokno

PSALM.GOV.PH

THE PHILIPPINES should develop renewable energy sources rather than nuclear energy since these are safer options for a country prone to natural disasters, a senatorial candidate said on Monday.

Human rights lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” I. Diokno said in a statement that  “nuclear energy is not an option as it could put Filipinos in peril” given that the country is situated in earthquake and typhoon belts. 

President Rodrigo R. Duterte, who is stepping down by June 30, signed an executive order last week that includes nuclear power in the Philippines’ energy mix. 

“Look what happened to Japan. We cannot allow a disaster of such magnitude to happen here,” he said, referring to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear reactor accident. 

Mr. Diokno said the government should always prioritize the “safer, cleaner, and more affordable” option for Filipinos.

Citing the experience of developed economies, Mr. Duterte said nuclear power could be tapped as a viable alternative baseload source as the Philippines seeks to retire coal plants in line with its commitment to help limit climate change.

A sustainability think tank has said that the move is untimely as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shown the risks of relying on imported fuel as well as nuclear energy. 

“It’s not wise to turn our energy sector more vulnerable than it already is to global shocks when we have an abundant supply of renewable energy just waiting to be developed,” CEED Executive Director Gerry C. Arances said in a statement over the weekend. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan 

Duterte spokesman appointed as CSC chair

PHILSTAR

PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte has appointed Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles as chairman of the Civil Service Commission (CSC). 

CSC Commissioner Aileen Lourdes A. Lizada confirmed the appointment of Mr. Nograles, who is also the President’s spokesperson, in a Viber message to BusinessWorld. 

According to the appointment letter signed on March 4, Mr. Nograles has been named ad interim CSC chairman, which requires confirmation by legislators. 

Mr. Nograles replaced Alicia dela Rosa-Bala, who ended her seven-year term on Feb. 2. The Palace official’s term of service will end in Feb. 2029. 

Mr. Nograles was appointed as Cabinet Secretary in 2018. In November last year, he replaced a presidential spokesman who resigned to run for senator in the 2022 elections. 

Mr. Nograles also serves as co-chairperson of the government’s inter-agency pandemic task force. He is currently the executive vice president of the PDP-Laban party faction chaired by Mr. Duterte.

Before joining the Cabinet, Mr. Nograles was on his third and last term as the elected House representative for the 1st district of Davao City, Mr. Duterte’s hometown. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Palace approves P20-billion fertilizer subsidy

ATLASFERTILIZER.COM

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has approved a P20-billion fertilizer subsidy as part of a broader food security program, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

The overall food security program also provides for P1 billion in funding for urban and peri-urban agriculture, P1 billion to support local production of animal feed, P1 billion for aquaculture and mariculture, and P1 billion to “food mobilization.” The DA provided no further details to explain food mobilization.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said the funds will be raised by realigning the DA’s 2022 budget, as well as additional financing through the Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines. The financing will take the form of concessional loans extended to provincial governments to procure palay (unmilled rice) from farmers within their jurisdiction, in order to create a buffer stock of the staple grain.

Other approved recommendations include the transfer of control over the National Irrigation Authority back to the DA, to facilitate better coordination with the agriculture sector.

Mr. Duterte also approved the distribution of a P500-million fuel subsidy to corn farmers and fisherfolk, as authorized by law.

Rice farmers were excluded because they are due to receive another P5,000 tranche from the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance program, which is funded from rice tariff collections in 2021 in excess of P10 billion. The excess funds amounted to P8.9 billion. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Trade dep’t says not many requests to adjust SRP following Ukraine invasion

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it has not received many requests to raise prices of goods subject to the suggested retail price (SRP) scheme in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

“Sa ngayon, because we have not received a lot of requests naman… may isa lang that we received after the Ukraine-Russia conflict, hindi pa natin nakikita na mag-a-adjust tayo ng presyo sa ngayon (We have received only one request to raise prices after the Ukraine-Russia conflict, so there is reason to adjust prices as yet). We’ll communicate also with the manufacturers na medyo hinay-hinay lang din sa pag-request dahil kailangan nating magtulong-tulong (We have also told manufacturers to ease of price increase requests because we need to help each other),” Trade Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo said in a Laging Handa briefing on Monday.

“We calibrate talaga ’yung releases ng SRP bulletin kasi ’pag nag-publish tayo ng panibago, ibig sabihin i-increase ang presyo. Bihira ’yung nangyayari na nag-adjust tayo ng bulletin dahil binaba ng manufacturers ang presyo (We try to calibrate SRP bulletin releases because every time they come out, prices will rise. It almost never happens that price caps need to be adjusted because manufacturers are charging less)” she added.

Ms. Castelo said surging fuel prices should not affect the prices because much of the current goods inventories and fuel products were manufactured or ordered before the war broke out.

“Hindi po ’yan immediate. Hindi pa ’yan sa ngayon. We’re looking at the next three months bago mag-epekto ’yung nangyayari sa Europe dito sa ating bansa. We have enough supply. Hindi kailangan mag-panic ng mga tao (Price reactions should not be immediate. We’re looking at the next three months before the impact of the war in Europe shows up here. We have enough supply. There is no need to panic),” she added.

On Jan. 27, the DTI released a new SRP list for basic and prime commodities. Under the new SRP list, 73 stock keeping units (SKUs) out of 216 SKUs recorded price increases. Some of the products whose SRPs rose were bottled water, processed canned meat and canned beef, instant noodles, salt, and canned sardines. According to the DTI, the increase was caused by the surge in the global prices of raw materials and packaging used for the products. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Customs seizures as of Feb. 11 valued at nearly P770M

PHILSTAR

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) seized nearly P770 million in illicit shipments of cars, illegal drugs, and tobacco products over the first six weeks of the year, the Department of Finance (DoF) said.

As of Feb. 11, the Bureau seized P420 million worth of vehicles and their accessories, while cigarette and other tobacco product seizures accounted for P221.4 million. Illegal drug seizures amounted to P46 million, the DoF said in a statement on Monday.

Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said that the bureau also seized P44.8 million in currency, and confiscated over P30 million in personal protective equipment and medical supplies. He reported the apprehension of P6 million in agricultural products.

Other seized items including general merchandise, firearms, and wildlife worth P1.5 million.

The bureau over that period also filed 11 criminal cases against 30 respondents suspected of smuggling. It filed another three administrative cases against customs brokers before the Professional Regulation Commission.

“The BoC has also completed the inspection and investigation of Customs warehouses,” the DoF said.

Of 383 warehouses, 75 were issued closure orders.

The BoC in 2021 seized smuggled goods worth P28.43 billion, which included farm goods, general merchandise, vehicles, counterfeit goods and illegal drugs.

This was almost triple the P10.63 billion worth of goods seized in 2020.

The 2020 total was about half the P20.6 billion total in 2019 as the coronavirus pandemic disrupted operations.

Customs revenue collections in 2021 totaled P645.77 billion, up 20%. — Jenina P. Ibañez

BoI approves P9.6-M face mask production project in Caloocan

REUTERS

THE Board of Investments (BoI) said it approved for incentives a P9.6-million face mask production project run by Ipolymer Solutions Corp.

In a statement on Monday, the BoI said that the project is located in Caloocan City with annual capacity of 13.2 million KN95 face masks and 26.4 million surgical masks.

It added that the project will import 100% of the raw materials needed for production.

“The increasing production of medical-grade face masks entails additional imports of raw materials (non-woven fabric), which might help the National Government to promote investment in the production of these raw materials in the country,” the BoI said.

According to Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, the project will help meet rising local demand for face masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During these difficult times — be it natural calamities or global health crises — the local capability to supply critical and strategic products such as medical-grade face masks is crucial and serves as a reminder of the importance of developing our domestic manufacturing industry,” he added.

The BoI said the project was approved under the “All Qualified Activities Relating to the Fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic – Essential Goods” category of the 2020 Investment Priorities Plan, which serves as the transitional Strategic Investment Priorities Plan. The plan covers personal protective equipment (PPE) as authorized by Republic Act No. 11534 or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (CREATE) law.

BoI Managing Head Ceferino S. Rodolfo urged mask-producing firms to invest in the Philippines.

“This goes to show that we can make it happen in the Philippines, as the BoI has been the catalyst for a modern economy as we recover from the pandemic. Thus, we invite other mask-producing companies to invest here in the Philippines to further fill the gaps in providing more affordable critical PPE,” Mr. Rodolfo said.  

To date, the BoI said it has registered two projects in 2020 for face mask production: Sunwest Construction and Development Corp. in Marilao, Bulacan with an annual capacity of 15.6 million and Nagaland Development Corp. in Naga City, Camarines Sur, with a yearly capacity of 2.4 million. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

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