Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 5222

Monitoring team cites socio-economic programs, 4 other key measures for future of Bangsamoro peace

BANGSAMORO.GOV.PH

THE ROLLOUT of socio-economic programs in sync with the decommissioning of former armed combatants is one of five key measures to sustain gains in the new Bangsamoro region, the independent Third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT) said in its latest report released on Thursday. 

“Decommissioning is perhaps the most challenging part of the normalization process,” the TPMT said in its 7th Public Report covering the period Nov. 2020 to Jan. 2022.

Under the decommissioning process, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that signed a peace deal with the government in 2014 committed to turn over weapons in phases, to be complemented by development and social service programs for rebel camps and communities. 

“All these (socio-economic support projects) have been rather slow in coming… this is something which really should be addressed,” TPMT Chair Heino Marius said at the report launch and press briefing held in Pasig City and virtually.

TPMT said “little progress” was made in these areas of the normalization track, citing the “absence of agreed policing, lack of clarity on socio-economic packages for decommissioned combatants, and slow progress on camps transformation.” 

The MILF pledged to decommission 40,000 combatants. As of end-2021, about 12,000 or about 30% have been decommissioned with another 14,000 already listed. Of those listed, 7,200 were scheduled to be disarmed in 2021 and 6,800 this year.  

The Joint Normalization Committee (JNC), in a meeting on Feb. 24, approved a framework proposed by the United Nations Development Programme for the development of MILF communities outside of the six identified MILF camps.

“This is not the first time that we are including MILF communities outside the six previously acknowledged MILF camps,” said Wendell Orbeso, director of the JNC Secretariat Heads Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity. 

“As a matter of fact, the Task Force for Decommissioned Combatants and their Communities, for example, has been implementing livelihood programs and projects in MILF communities within and outside the six previously acknowledged camps and BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) core territory,” said Mr. Orbeso. 

OTHER MEASURES
The other measures underscored by the TPMT are:  

● Immediate passage of pending priority legislations, which include the Bangsamoro codes on revenue, elections, local government, and indigenous peoples;

● Fully utilize the National Government–Bangsamoro Government Intergovernmental Relations Body, which is tasked to strengthen coordination between the national and regional administrations; 

● Swift and efficient implementation of the amnesty program through the National Amnesty Commission; 

● Strengthen security systems to prevent violent incidents arising from clan wars, land and other resource conflicts, and violent extremism. 

“With the extension now in place, the Bangsamoro Transitional Authority has more time to accomplish its priority tasks,” TPMT said.

“The decision to extend the transition phase is also an opportunity for the Parties to jointly reflect on what has been achieved to this point, and to adjust and refine the way the (peace) process is implemented.” — Marifi S. Jara

DoT reports over 47,000 tourist arrivals since border reopening

BOHOL.GOV.PH

OVER 47,000 tourists arrived in the Philippines since the reopening of borders on Feb. 10, with foreigners comprising more than half, according to the Department of Tourism (DoT).

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said in a briefing on Thursday that 47,715 international visitors were recorded to have entered the country as of Feb. 28.

Of the total, 45% or 21,409 were balikbayans or returning Filipinos, and 55% or 26,306 were foreign tourists. 

“We didn’t expect that there would be (foreign) tourist arrivals because normally, the tourists would arrive during the winter months or school break in their countries,” Ms. Puyat said. 

Americans topped the list, followed by nationals from Canada, United Kingdom, South Korea, Australia, Vietnam, and Germany. 

The tourism chief added that many hotels are already fully-booked and have been rehiring former employees who were laid off due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. 

“We talked with different hotels and local government units of various tourist destinations. They said that many employees are being rehired because many tourists are already going to the destinations or the hotels. Many hotels are fully-booked already. This is a good sign, and they are rehiring,” Ms. Puyat said. 

Since Feb. 10, the Philippines has allowed the entry of fully-vaccinated foreign travelers from visa-free countries. They are also no longer required to undergo quarantine as long as they present a negative RT-PCR test within 48 hours prior to departure from the country of origin. 

The tourism sector contributed 12.7% to the country’s economy in 2019, and an uptrend was expected prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

SC to pilot test digital payment system in 20 courts with Unionbank as partner

SUPREME COURT PIO

A DIGITAL payment system for court and other legal fees will be pilot-tested by the Supreme Court (SC) in 20 first-level courts nationwide with Aboitiz-led UNIONBANK of the Philippines, Inc. as partner financial institution.

In a circular signed by Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva, the High Court directed the pilot sites to post instructions on the cashless payment system on their respective court bulletins using English and the local language in their area.

The Supreme Court entered into an agreement last year with Unionbank to develop an electronic payment system for the judiciary. It was launched last year, initially covering small claims cases.

The e-payment system will be open to account holders of any bank.

“It (ePayment) is aimed at streamlining the processes of assessment and payment of court fees, increasing accessibility of the public to judicial services, increasing transparency and accountability, and providing the Supreme Court with efficient accounting and auditing mechanisms,” it said. 

The Supreme Court has fast-tracked the adoption of digital systems during the coronavirus pandemic, including online filings and hearings as well as the Bar Examinations. 

In another bulletin on Thursday, Associate Justice Alfredo S. Caguioa announced that the 2022 Bar exams will return to a four-day schedule. It was done over two days last year.

“The Court, in a move towards some level of normalcy, has decided that the 2022 Bar Examinations will revert to being taken on four non-consecutive days, but within a two-week period of the month to be announced in a separate bar bulletin,” he said.

Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo last week said the high court plans on digitalizing future exams to take full advantage of technological advancements.

Meanwhile, the High Court on Wednesday released new rules on expediting criminal and civil actions before first-level courts, which amended the 1991 Revised Rule on Summary Procedure and 2016 Revised Rules on Small Claims Cases.

“The new Rules recalibrates, reconciles, and harmonizes the coverage of the Revised Rule on Summary Procedure and Small Claims cases following the enactment of Republic Act (RA) No. 11576, which expanded the jurisdictional amount cognizable by the first level courts to ₱2,000,000.00 for civil actions monetary claims,” the court said in a statement posted on its website. — John Victor D. Ordoñez 

Pacquiao woos barangay leaders with standardized pay; local politicians express support in Marcos, Robredo sorties

PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Senator Emmanuel D. Pacquiao, Sr. on Thursday said he will seek the standardization and regularization of the salary of village-level  officials and personnel if he wins as the country’s next leader.

Mr. Pacquiao also promised set benefits for workers and officials of barangays, the smallest administrative cluster under the Philippine political system.

Barangay officials, composed of a chairman and council members, are elected. Other barangay-level workers such as those in health teams work on a contractual basis or as volunteers who are given an allowance at varying rates.

Under the Local Government Code of 1991, barangay officials are compensated in the form of an honorarium of at least P1,000 per month for the chairman and P600 for others.

The senator’s proposal is based on a bill he authored, Senate Bill 1956 or the Barangay Officials Salary 2 Standardization Act of 2020, which seeks to amend the Local Government Code.

The bill remains pending at the committee level.

Under the proposed measure, barangay officials will be declared as regular government employees, making them entitled to a 13th-month pay and other regular benefits. 

There are 42,044 barangays nationwide, based on Philippine Statistics Authority data. 

FRONTRUNNERS
Meanwhile, the two leading presidential candidates separately visited two big provinces in southern Luzon on Thursday, with local politicians attending their campaign rallies to express support.

The late dictator’s son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr., and his running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio visited the western towns of vote-rich Batangas province and held a main rally in Balayan town. 

Batangas Gov. Hermilando I. Mandanas and Vice Governor Jose Antonio “Mark” Leviste II endorsed the tandem at the campaign rally in Balayan.

In his message at the rally, Mr. Mandanas parroted the tandem’s unity call. “We shouldn’t fight against each other. We should be united.”

There are about 1.8 million registered voters in Batangas.

Mr. Marcos’ main rival, Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo, won in Batangas in the 2016 vice-presidential race.

Also on Thursday, Ms. Robredo visited two big towns in Oriental Mindoro. 

She and her running mate Sen. Francis “Kiko” N. Pangilinan were welcomed in Pinamalayan City by youth supporters wearing her signature color, pink. 

Ms. Robredo also visited a fisherfolk community that is a beneficiary of her office’s livelihood programs. 

The opposition candidate’s team held a people’s rally in Calapan City, the province’s capital. The slate was welcomed by district representative and House Deputy Speaker Antonio “Doy” C. Leachon, a known ally of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Mr. Leachon was named as spokesman of the PDP-Laban faction headed by presidential candidate Senator Emmanuel D. Pacquiao last year.

Colmenares
In the Senate race, human rights lawyer Neri J. Colmenares said on Thursday that if he wins a seat in the upper chamber, he will prioritize measures that seek to remove the value-added tax (VAT) on oil, water, and electricity.

“The Makabayan Bloc has long pushed to declare as VAT-exempt oil, water, and electricity through different Congresses, with House Bill (HB) Numbers 245, 249, 256, and 481 as their most recent versions in the 18th Congress,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino. 

Mr. Colmenares previously served as a representative of Bayan Muna, one of the party-lists under the Makabayan bloc. 

He added that he welcomes the move of private concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water to cancel the VAT on water bills, but hopes that it will be institutionalized in other areas as well as the oil and electricity sectors. 

“These taxes drive up the prices of goods and services, making them harder to obtain, lowering incomes and stunting the growth of the economy. We cannot spur economic activity when costs are prohibitive due to taxes like VAT,” he said. 

Mr. Colmenares is running under the 1Sambayan opposition coalition, which supports the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan, Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, and Jaspearl Emerald G. Tan

Party-list system continues to be hijacked by political clans, big businesses — election watchdog

ABOUT seven out of every 10 party-list groups participating in this year’s elections have been hijacked by big businesses and political clans, election watchdog Kontra Daya said on Thursday.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the group said it has flagged at least 120 out of 177 accredited party-list groups for “being identified with political clans and big businesses, as well as for having incumbent local officials, connections with the government and military, unknown or unclear advocacies and representations; and pending court cases and criminal charges (included being implicated in pork-barrel scams).” 

Kontra Daya, which translates to ‘against fraud’, conducted a study where it found at least 44 party-list groups controlled by political clans; 21 with ties to big businesses; 34 represented vague advocacies; 32 have ties with the government or the military; 26 have incumbent local officials among their nominees; and at least 19 have pending criminal charges and court cases.

Kontra Daya conducted a similar study in the 2019 party-list elections, where about 50% of the groups were flagged under the same categories.

“As in the past election cycles, Kontra Daya’s team of researchers analyzed the profiles of the 177 party-list groups, focusing on their declared advocacies, track record in public service and background of their party-list nominees,” it said. 

The Party-List System Act provides that elected officials from these groups must belong to “marginalized and underrepresented sectors, organizations and parties and who lack well-defined political constituencies but who could contribute to the formulation and enactment of appropriate legislation that will benefit the nation as a whole.” 

Party-list nominees constitute 20% of the total number of members of the House of Representatives.

The election watchdog urged the Commission on Elections to explain why the party-list system has become dominated by questionable groups. 

Comelec has yet to issue a response to these findings. — John Victor D. Ordoñez 

EU turns over P27-M IT equipment to Bangsamoro gov’t

BARMM

THE BANGSAMORO Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) recently received P27 million worth of computers and other equipment through a European Union (EU)-supported program for improving the regional government’s day-to-day operations and delivery of public services.

“We recognize the importance of evidence-based planning, decision-making, and strategic communication in this crucial stage of the transition period in BARMM,” Christoph Wagner, Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to the Philippines, said in a statement released on Thursday.

The equipment, including computers, laptops, printers, and other peripherals, were funded under the Support Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA) Programme, which is intended to strengthen institutional capacities within the new region.

“As we develop the capacities of our workforce with support from SUBATRA, we also equip them with tools that enable them to deliver their tasks efficiently and contribute to the success of the transition period,” said SUBATRA Programme Director Mohajirin Ali, who is also director-general of the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority.

Abramovich puts Chelsea soccer club up for sale as clamor for sanctions grows

LONDON — Russian businessman Roman Abramovich said on Wednesday he would sell Chelsea Football Club, 19 years after buying it and setting the team on a path to sporting glory, and promised to donate money from the sale to help victims of the war in Ukraine.

Amid growing calls for Abramovich to be hit by sanctions after Russia’s invasion of its neighbor, the metals magnate said in a statement that a sale was in the best interests of the reigning European and world soccer champions.

“In the current situation, I have therefore taken the decision to sell the club, as I believe this is in the best interest of the club, the fans, the employees, as well as the club’s sponsors and partners,” he said.

Abramovich said he would not ask for loans he has made to the Premier League club — reported to total £1.5 billion ($2.0 billion) — to be repaid to him and the sale would not be fast-tracked.

He has told his aides to set up a charitable foundation which would receive all net proceeds from the sale.

“The foundation will be for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine,” Abramovich said in a statement.

“This includes providing critical funds towards the urgent and immediate needs of victims, as well as supporting the long-term work of recovery.”

Swiss business tycoon Hansjoerg Wyss told a newspaper that he was considering buying Chelsea from Abramovich who over the weekend said he was stepping back from running the club but made no mention of any plans to change its ownership.

“Abramovich is currently trying to sell all his villas in England. He also wants to get rid of Chelsea quickly now. I, along with three other people, received an offer on Tuesday to buy Chelsea from Abramovich,” Blick quoted Wyss as saying in an interview published on Wednesday.

TROPHY HAUL
Abramovich bought the West London club in 2003 for a reported £140 million and his investment contributed hugely to the most successful era in the team’s history as they won five Premier League titles, five FA Cups and the Champions League twice.

His purchase of the club helped transform the landscape of English football with Chelsea breaking the stranglehold of Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool.

They beat Brazilian side Palmeiras last month to become FIFA Club World Cup champions for the first time, having defeated Manchester City to become European champions last season.

“A seismic moment” was how BBC presenter and former England striker Gary Lineker described the announcement ahead of coverage of Chelsea’s FA Cup fifth-round tie at Luton Town.

Chelsea fans at Kenilworth Road chanted the Russian’s name before kickoff.

The 55-year-old, who has Israeli and Portuguese citizenship, became one of Russia’s most powerful businessmen by earning fabulous fortunes after the 1991 break-up of the Soviet Union. Forbes has put his net worth at $13.3 billion.

Since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Britain has imposed sanctions on 12 members of the Russian and Belarusian elite, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, and at least 12 banks and companies.

British opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer asked Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday why there had not been sanctions against the Chelsea owner. Johnson, speaking in parliament, said he could not go into details on specific cases.

But Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has warned that she has drawn up a “hit list” of Russian oligarchs, and said the government would impose new sanctions on them every few weeks.

The Financial Times said the government was also making plans to seize property owned by Russian oligarchs.

David Davis, a veteran lawmaker in Johnson’s ruling Conservative Party, said the sale should be blocked however until Abramovich can prove the source of his wealth.

“We should do everything to prevent him selling off his UK assets,” Davis said on Twitter.

Abramovich said the decision to sell had been incredibly difficult.

“I hope that I will be able to visit Stamford Bridge one last time to say goodbye to all of you in person,” he said.

Abramovich turned his back on life in London in 2018 when the British government delayed renewing his visa following the attempted assassination of a former Russian double-agent in England, which it blamed on Moscow.

“It has been a privilege of a lifetime to be part of Chelsea FC and I am proud of all our joint achievements,” he said.

“Chelsea Football Club and its supporters will always be in my heart.” — Reuters

Lukaku seals FA Cup win on seismic day for Chelsea

LUTON, England — On a seismic day in the history of Chelsea Football Club it was perhaps fitting that Romelu Lukaku, their record signing, scored the winning goal in a 3-2 FA Cup fifth-round victory at second-tier Luton Town on Wednesday.

For most of a damp evening at Kenilworth Road it seemed the European and world champions were going to suffer a humiliating exit, hours after Russian businessman Roman Abramovich announced he was putting the club up for sale.

But Lukaku, the epitome of Chelsea’s spending power in the 19 years of Abramovich ownership, slid in to convert Timo Werner’s low cross in the 78th minute.

News of Abramovich’s decision, amid growing calls for him to be hit by sanctions after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, had the packed crowd abuzz before kickoff.

The Chelsea fans chanting his name were silenced after two minutes when Luton defender Reece Burke planted a textbook glancing header into the corner from a corner.

Saul Niguez leveled after 27 minutes, but an intrepid Luton side restored their lead before half time as Harry Cornick beat Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Luton looked capable of holding on for a giant-killing but Werner equalized in the 67th minute after being picked out by a lofted pass from Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Chelsea dominated the second half and Lukaku, out of favor of late despite his near 100 million-pound ($134 million) price tag, had the final say as the London side rebounded from losing on Sunday’s League Cup final tomove into the last eight.

Luton’s squad has a combined value of less than 20 million pounds, according to website transfermarkt, compared to Chelsea’s near one billion and Chelsea’s three scorers alone were signed for a total of around 160 million pounds.

Lukaku was bought twice with Abramovich’s money. He was sold for 28 million pounds to Everton in 2014 and bought back for more than three times that figure.

Such eye-watering figures are why Abramovich’s announcement on Wednesday sent shockwaves through English football.

Manager Thomas Tuchel, who just over a year ago became the 11th full-time manager in the Abramovich era, said he had found out the news not long before the kickoff.

“We heard the rumors throughout the day and the TV is on in the hotel and the guys talk about it, so yeah it is big news,” the German told the BBC.

Asked if it was the right decision, Tuchel added: “I think every decision he takes is the right decision. It’s his choice, it’s his club, and it’s not on me to comment.”

Despite all the distractions, the game itself was a classic Cup tie with Luton, a club on the up again after tough times, giving Chelsea a mighty scare. — Reuters

Minamino double sends Liverpool into FA Cup last eight

LIVERPOOL, England — Liverpool booked their spot in the FA Cup quarterfinals as a first-half double from Japanese forward Takumi Minamino secured a 2-1 win over Norwich City at Anfield on Wednesday.

Three days after they won the League Cup to clinch the first major trophy of the season, Liverpool dominated Premier League strugglers Norwich in the early stages.

Minamino’s first goal ended a fine Liverpool move, with Divock Origi, given a rare start by manager Jürgen Klopp, setting up his teammate in the 29th minute.

A powerful finish from Minamino eight minutes later put Liverpool in command and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain almost added a third midway through the second half.

However, Norwich refused to give in and Lukas Rupp gave them hope with an arrowing strike 14 minutes from time.

That ensured a nervy finish at Anfield, with home goalkeeper Alisson forced to deny Norwich substitute Jonathan Rowe, but the hosts held on to stay in the hunt for three more trophies this season.

“We have never been in an FA Cup quarterfinal (under the German),” Klopp told ITV. “We made 10 changes to the team and we were always going to find it tough against a good team, but we played really good football and scored some really good goals.

“Takumi is an incredible player and tonight was the best game he had for us. He was a constant threat throughout.”

Southampton joined Liverpool in the quarterfinals as they continued their fine form with a 3-1 win over West Ham United.

The home side took the lead in the first half through French full back Romain Perraud, who hammered a stunning strike into the net from distance, before West Ham leveled through Michail Antonio.

James Ward-Prowse’s penalty put Southampton back in front in the 69th minute and Armando Broja added a stoppage-time third to ensure his team have now lost only one of their last 13 games in all competitions. — Reuters

Nantes wins on penalties to book French Cup final place

NANTES, France — Nantes edged past Monaco 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in their semifinal on Wednesday to win a place in the final of the French Cup.

Moses Simon converted the decisive kick after Monaco’s captain Wissam Ben Yedder had their first effort saved and Aurelien Tchouameni hit his penalty over the bar as Nantes advanced to the final for the first time since they won the cup in 2000.

They will meet Nice in the final at the Stade de France in Paris on May 8.

Monaco took a 12th-minute lead at the Stade de la Beaujoire as defender Guillermo Maripan got a decisive touch off the top of his head to a fierce in-swinging free kick from Caio Henrique.

But the visitors’ lead lasted only nine minutes before Randal Kolo Muani’s surging counter attack led to an own goal from defender Djibril Sidibe.

Kolo Muani’s pass inside was intercepted by Sidibe, but he only served to steer it into his own net.

Nantes went ahead in the 74th minute when Simon’s initial effort on goal was blocked by Sidibe, but the ball squirted out to Samuel Moutoussamy, who converted from close range.

But parity was restored within 120 seconds as Monaco substitute Myron Boadu got a touch to a searching cross from Vanderson to make it 2-2 after 90 minutes and take the game to a penalty shootout.

Nice booked their berth in the final with a 2-0 home victory on Tuesday over fourth-tier club Versailles. — Reuters

Woods wins inaugural Player Impact Program, collects $8 million

TIGER Woods has not competed in any official tournament for over a year but he still beat Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour big hitters Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm to win the inaugural Player Impact Program and its $8-million first prize, the US-based circuit said on Wednesday.

The concept, which awarded a combined $40 million to the top 10 finishers, was implemented in 2021 as a way to reward players who positively “move the needle” and generate the most positive interest in the PGA Tour.

Woods suffered career-threatening leg injuries in a car crash last February and spent a sizeable portion of the year out of the spotlight before competing with his 12-year-old son in an unofficial 36-hole tournament last December.

A month earlier Woods lit up social media when he posted a video of him swinging a club beside a half-full bucket of balls, along with the caption “making progress.”

Mickelson, who became golf’s oldest major champion at last year’s PGA Championship and is currently taking a break from the sport amid fallout from comments he made about the Saudi-funded golf league, collected $6 million as the runner-up.

Mickelson claimed in a tweet posted in late December that he won the PGA Tour’s $8 million. Woods, after being announced as the winner on Wednesday, took a shot at Mickelson on Twitter as he posted a copy of the six-time major champion’s original post along with the caption “whoops.”

McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas finished third to sixth, respectively, and each received $3.5 million.

Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Rahm, and Bubba Watson rounded out the list and each received $3 million.

An individual’s impact score was determined through five metrics: popularity in internet searches; unique news articles that include a player’s name; a player’s reach on social media; Nielsen Brand Exposure rating and their general awareness among broad US population.

Results were certified by an independent auditor.

The PGA Tour said the bonus pool for the 2022 Player Impact Program will increase to $50 million total. — Reuters

76ers handle Knicks, unbeaten with James Harden in lineup

JOEL Embiid had 27 points and 12 rebounds, Tyrese Maxey scored 25 points and the host Philadelphia 76ers defeated the New York Knicks 123-108 on Wednesday.

James Harden added 26 points, nine assists and nine rebounds in his home debut. The Sixers are 3-0 with Harden in the lineup.

Tobias Harris scored 14 points and Matisse Thybulle contributed 10 for the Sixers, who won their fourth consecutive game.

RJ Barrett led the Knicks with 30 points, while Julius Randle added 24 and Immanuel Quickley 11. Mitchell Robinson chipped in 10 for the Knicks, who lost their sixth in a row.

The Knicks bolted to a 44-28 lead early in the second quarter after a thunderous two-handed dunk by Barrett.

Embiid’s frustration bubbled over as he was whistled for a technical foul with 5:11 remaining for arguing about a non-call.

Harris scored with 0.5 seconds left and the Sixers trailed 62-55 at halftime. Harden led the way with 19 points.

Barrett paced the Knicks with 19 and Randle added 16 for the Knicks.

Embiid converted a three-point play and hit a 3-pointer on the Sixers’ opening two possessions of the third to quickly close within one.

Alec Burks produced a three-point play with 8:42 to go, and the Knicks went ahead 70-64.

The Sixers then ripped off a 23-7 run, capped by a trey from Maxey with 1:41 left in the third, for an 87-77 advantage.

Obi Toppin dropped in a 3-pointer to halt the momentum.

Philadelphia led 93-81 at the end of the third.

New York scored the first six points in the fourth to get within six.

Harris halted the spurt with a 12-foot jumper.

But Barrett responded with a three-point play to cut the deficit to 95-90 with 9:46 remaining.

Maxey soon hit a difficult 3-pointer and added a pair of free throws for a 107-92 advantage with 7:24 left.

When Barrett hit a layup with 5:19 left, the Knicks closed within 107-99.

The Sixers tightened defensively and cruised to the win. — Reuters

1...5,2215,2225,223...12,735Page 5,222 of 12,735
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube