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PHL pitches healthcare information services investment in Taiwan conference

REUTERS

THE Philippines is seeking to attract more investors from Taiwan to the healthcare information management services (HIMS) industry, a Taipei-based diplomat said.

Anthony B. Rivera, Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) – Taipei director for commercial affairs, told participants at the recent BIO Asia Taiwan International Conference and Exhibition in Taipei of “a great opportunity” in investing in Philippine healthcare services to bring the industry to a more prominent role in the Asian healthcare value chain.

“The Philippines is known globally as a significant source of quality and innovative healthcare-related services. We look forward to developing engagements with the Taiwan market as it connects to other global markets engaged in HIMS,” Mr. Rivera said.

The Philippine delegation to the conference, which consisted of representatives from the PTIC, the Department of Trade and Industry’s Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), the Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines (HIMAP), and the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, met with their Taiwan counterparts to explore potential partnerships.

Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual has identified HIMS as a priority industry within health and life sciences, with the industry’s revenue projected to grow between 7.3% and 10% to about $5 billion in 2022.

HIMAP, represented by Pointwest Innovation Corp. and Pi Health, Inc. — PiVOT CRO, showcased healthcare solutions and services during the conference. Their services include clinical trial management for drugs and medical services, revenue cycle management, end-to-end pharmacovigilance services, clinical data management, cloud migration, and robotic process automation services. Potential clients include the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and contract research industries.

EMB Director Christopher Lawrence S. Arnuco said that the Philippines wants to be a top destination for integrated services within the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry, including the healthcare segment.

“Our IT-BPM sector is expanding to life sciences, robotics, big data, etc. to support a proactive and world-class end-to-end customer service experience. Philippine service providers showcase an innate culture of care that complement their strong human resource capabilities, and we aim to venture into new markets starting with Taiwan,” Mr. Arnuco said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

PHL to participate in ASEAN program to jointly manage large marine ecosystems

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said it is preparing to participate in an ASEAN collaborative project on large marine ecosystems (LMEs), which is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

“The project is expected to complement our existing efforts in the Philippines towards productive partnerships with the neighboring countries in terms of scaling up management under the regional marine protected area network approach,” DENR Foreign-Assisted and Special Projects Service Director Al O. Orolfo said.

According to the DENR, ASEAN coastal and marine areas are home to 20% of the world’s seagrass beds, a third of worlds mangrove forests with 45 to 75 true species, and a third of the world’s coral reefs, with more than 75% of coral species and 40% of fish species.

The project aims to manage networks of marine protected areas in LMEs, which are a source of livelihood for fishermen. LMEs are marine areas extending beyond national boundaries.

“It aims to develop and improve the management of networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) and marine corridors within selected LMEs in the ASEAN region for the conservation of globally significant biodiversity.  It will support sustainable fisheries and other ecosystem goods and services,” the DENR added.

The collaboration will involve the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand, with ultimate participation targeted at least five ASEAN members.

Mr. Orolfo said the collaborative management approach hopes to address climate change, marine pollution and biodiversity loss.

The GEF tallies about 66 LMEs worldwide, with the program supporting the sustainable governance of 23. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Duterte to block ICC probe of drug war — lawyer

RODRIGO DUTERTE — PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO/ ROBINSON NIÑAL

FORMER Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte would try to block an International Criminal Court (ICC) probe of his deadly drug war and would not allow foreign interference, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

“He has made his position very clear: Now that he is no longer president, he no longer has immunity from suit,” his lawyer and former spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. told the ABS-CBN News Channel. “All those who have grievances or complaints against him should file a criminal case before a Philippine prosecutor.”

Mr. Roque said the ex-president would rather undergo trial before a local court and serve time in a Philippine jail if found guilty of violating the law.

Mr. Duterte earlier met with Mr. Roque, Salvador C. Medialdea who was his executive secretary and Menardo I. Guevarra, his Justice chief who is now the solicitor general of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to discuss the potential reopening of the ICC investigation.

“Under no circumstance will he allow a foreign prosecutor, any foreign judge or court to exercise jurisdiction over him,” Mr. Roque said.

The tough-talking Philippine leader would ask a local court to block the ICC probe and stop the police from arresting him, he said. The ICC was never intended to substitute for domestic legal systems, he added.

Political analysts have said the ICC would probably prosecute Mr. Duterte and his agents as soon as it resumes its investigation of the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign.

The Hague-based international court on July 14 gave the Philippines until Sept. 8 to comment on the ICC Office of the Prosecutor’s request to resume the investigation into alleged crimes against humanity by Mr. Duterte and his officials. It also allowed victims to make written submissions through their lawyers.

Mr. Marcos, Jr., a close political ally of the Dutertes, on Monday said the Philippines would not rejoin the ICC. “This ICC is a very different kind of court, which is why we are carefully studying first the procedure so that our actions won’t be misinterpreted,” he told a press briefing on Monday.

Mr. Duterte had told police officers to shoot drug suspects if their lives were at risk. When he was president, he often defended the campaign by saying it had saved Filipino families from the drug menace and prevented the country from turning into a “narco-politics state.”

Mr. Duterte canceled Philippine membership in the international tribunal in 2018.

Arjan P. Aguirre, a political science professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, has said Mr. Marcos is probably trying to shield his predecessor from prosecution. 

Mr. Marcos ran with presidential daughter and Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio in the May 9 election, which both won by a landslide.

The ICC, which tries people charged with crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes and aggression, suspended its probe of Mr. Duterte’s deadly war on drugs last year upon the Philippine government’s request.

Senator Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel on Monday said Mr. Marcos should not block any investigations of the drug war that started even before the Philippines withdrew from the ICC.

Former national police chief Ronald M. dela Rosa, the main enforcer of the drug war and now a senator, has said the probe is an insult to the Philippine Justice system, adding that he would not cooperate with the investigation.

Filipino lawyers have been calling on the ICC to resume its probe of the anti-drug campaign, saying the Department of Justice (DoJ) was only looking at 52 deaths out of the tens of thousands killed.

The Justice department had only brought five of the 52 cases involving 150 police officers to court since it started its own probe last year.

In a 53-page request to the international court’s pre-trial chamber, ICC Prosecutor Karim Ahmad A. Khan said the Philippines had failed to show it investigated crimes related to the campaign.

He said the chamber should issue an order on an “expedited basis.” It should “receive any further observations it considers appropriate from victims and the government of the Philippines,” he added.

Data from the Philippine government released in June 2021 showed that at least 6,117 suspected drug dealers had been killed in police operations as of April 2021. Human rights groups estimate that as many as 30,000 suspects died.

Carlos H. Conde, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, said the ICC would likely proceed with its investigation of the drug war even if the Philippines does not cooperate.

“Mr. Marcos and his advisers can spin this all they want, but this is definitely going to happen, and this is a decision the ICC is keen to take,” he told ONE News on Monday evening. – John Victor D. Ordoñez

Philippines posts first two cases of Centaurus variant

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE PHILIPPINES has detected its first two cases of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.75, according to the Department of Health.

The two patients infected with the variant called Centaurus came from the Western Visayas, Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario S. Vergeire told a news briefing on Tuesday. Both have recovered, she added.

“The exposure of individuals, travel histories and health status are being verified,” she said, adding that one of the two patients was unvaccinated while the other had been partially inoculated.

The highly infectious BA.2.75 has been detected in several countries. Scientists still do not know how severe it is, Ms. Vergeire said.

She said the Philippine infection rate for COVID-19 had risen to 16.7%, way above the World Health Organization’s ideal threshold of 5%.

Still, the country remains at low risk from the coronavirus, she said. “Nationally, we are still at low-risk classification with a daily average attack rate of 2.9 cases per 100,000 population.”

The capital region remains at moderate risk from the virus, with a daily average daily attack rate of 8.16 cases per 100,000 population.

Ms. Vergeire said 1,015 more BA.5 cases had also been detected in all regions except in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Northern Mindanao. Three returning overseas Filipinos also tested for the subvariant, she added.

Of the new BA.5 cases, 883 have recovered, while 84 were still in isolation. The status of the remaining 48 cases were still being verified.

Ms. Vergeire said there were also 26 new BA.4 patients, six of whom came from Metro Manila, four from Cagayan Valley, three from Western Visayas, two each from Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Davao, Soccsksargen and the Cordillera Administrative Region, and one from the Ilocos region.

Twenty-one of the BA.4 patients have been recovered, while two were still in isolation, Ms. Vergeire said.

Meanwhile, 18 more patients have been infected with the BA.2.12.1 subvariant, five of whom came from Metro Manila, three each from the Ilocos and Cordillera regions, two each from Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Calabarzon and one from Cagayan Valley.

Thirteen of the new BA.2.12.1 patients have already recovered, while four were still in isolation.

The exposures and travel histories of all the newly detected cases of Omicron subvariants were still being verified, Ms. Vergeire said.

Aside from COVID-19, the country is also facing threats from dengue, Ms. Vergeire said, with cases having more than doubled to 82,597 as of July 16. She said 20,261 cases were recorded from June 19 to July 16.

Most dengue cases were recorded in Central Luzon at 13,449, Central Visayas at 8,905 and the National Capital Region at 6,884, Ms. Vergeire said.

She said 10 of 17 regions have exceeded the epidemic threshold in the past four weeks, with Cagayan Valley, the Cordillera Administrative Region and Mimaropa having experienced an increase in cases.

In a statement, the DoH said 319 dengue-related deaths nationwide have been reported so far, 32 of which occurred in July and 72 in June.

The agency said hospitals and clinics have fast lanes for dengue patients in their emergency areas “for prompt diagnosis and management of cases.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

PHL teams rout Angola, Monaco

GM Banjo Barcenilla — PHILIPPINE STAR FILE PHOTO

Women’s team zooms to top 12, men’s climbs to 18th place

WOMAN Grandmaster (WGM) Janelle Mae Frayna leaned on her endgame creativity in clawing her way out of trouble and into a victory and powered the Philippines to a 3.5-0.5 rout of Angola on Monday night and into the top 12 after four rounds of the 44th World Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India.

After an opening misstep that blew away her early positional edge, Ms. Frayna gave up the exchange and then watched Esperanca Caxita implode in the endgame to carve out a 71-move win of an English Opening that sealed the one-sided win.

Jan Jodilyn Fronda and Marie Antoinette San Diego were quick to hammer out victories on boards two and three while WGM candidate Kylen Joy Mordido couldn’t cash in on her winning chances by splitting the point with Renelsa Taiane Antonio on last board.

The emphatic triumph catapulted the Filipinas, whose participation is sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, into 34-country tie for 12th place with six match points to show.

Seeded 39th, they could ram their way into the top 10 if they could sustain their spectacular form and shock the Netherlands, seeded 17th who were smashed by the Poles, 3.5-0.5, in the fifth round at press time.

National women’s team coach and non-playing captain GM Jayson Gonzales could stick with Mses. Frayna, Fronda and San Diego and possibly send in Shania Mae Mendoza in the 19-year-old Ms. Mordido’s place as they go all out for nothing less than a win against the mighty Dutch.

MEN’S SQUAD
Equally impressive were the Filipinos, who slammed Monaco, 3.5-0.5, on a win that was sealed by GM Banjo Barcenilla escaping defeat with a marathon 80-move standoff of a King’s Indian Attack with Ukrainian-born WGM Tatiana Dornbusch on top board.

GMs John Paul Gomez and Darwin Laylo and International Master Paulo Bersamina all had easier paths in outclassing their respective opponents from boards two to four to lift the country to a 23-nation logjam at 18th spot also with six points.

The GM Eugene Torre-mentored 52nd-seeded squad was clashing with 31st pick Sweden at press time with GM Mark Paragua back on board one in Barcenilla’s place. — Joey Villar

Rookie swimmer Alegarbes splashes to record-breaking golden double in Para Games

ARIEL Joseph Alegarbes proudly displays the two gold medals he won in the swimming competition of the 11th ASEAN Para Games on Monday at the Jatadiri Sports Complex pool in Semarang, Indonesia.

SURAKARTA, Indonesia — Ariel Joseph Alegarbes made a splashing debut in the 11th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Para Games on Monday, capturing two gold medals in record-breaking style at the Jatidiri Sports Complex pool in Semarang.

In front of a lean yet animated Filipino crowd, among them his father Abner, Mr. Alegarbes had an unforgettable outing in ruling the men’s 100-meter backstroke S14 event in thrilling fashion, surging in the last 10 meter to win the race by a touch in one minute and .03.01 seconds.

He nipped Malaysia’s Muhammad Imaan Aiman, who had wrested the lead at the 75-meter mark but lost team and settled for silver in 1:03.20, while Thailand’s Mrjirachot Chuvong was a distant third and took the bronze medal (1:11.68).

Barely taking a breather, the 18-year-old Victoria, Negros Oriental pride was back at the pool, but this time led from start to finish in handily winning the men’s 50-butterfly S14 in 26.43 seconds, completing a golden double in his rookie stint in the biennial meet.

On top of being the country’s first double gold medalist in the meet, Mr. Alegarbes established new meet records in both events, first smashing the five-year-old mark of 1:03.60 in the 100-meter backstroke set by Indonesia’s Muhammad in the 2017 Kuala Lumpur ASEAN Para Games.

He also bested by nearly four seconds the joint record of 30.01 seconds held by Malaysian W.Y. Chung and Indonesian D. Nugruho also set in the same Games held in the Malaysian capital.

“I feel like I am about to explode because I was not expecting this. This is for my father who led me into swimming. Without him, I wouldn’t be here,” said Mr. Alegarbes, who suffers from ADHD with learning disability with dyslexia, while handing both mints to his delighted father.

Mr. Alegarbes’s success was a brilliant follow-up to his winning one gold and one silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly S14 and 100-meter backstroke S14, respectively, in the Asian Youth Para Games held in Manama, Bahrain last December.

Veteran Ernie Gawilan, who won the men’s 400-meter freestyle S7 event last Monday, settled for silver in the men’s 100-meter backstroke S7 in 1:21.13 for the other swimming medal of the day in the stint supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

The country’s track and field team likewise continued to have a productive campaign on Tuesday morning at the Manahan Stadium with runner and newcomer King James Reyes and veteran thrower Jesebel Tordecilla in boosting the athletic haul to four golds and counting.

Mr. Reyes topped the men’s 5,000-meter race T46 event, his time pending confirmation from meet officials, while Ms. Tordecilla took the gold with her heave of 14.21 meters on her third attempt.

A gold medalist in the women’s javelin throw T54 last Monday, Cendy Asusano added a bronze to her collection in the women’s discus throw, which was the same medals won by Ron Russel Mitra and Evaristo Carbonel in the men’s long jump T20 and men’s discus throw F11-13, respectively.

With the production of swimming and athletics combined for the day, the PH para-athletes had nine gold, six silver and 15 bronze medals as they pressed to eclipse the tally of 20 golds, 20 silvers and 29 bronzes in winding up fifth overall in 2017.

There might be more golds in the offing later in the day in athletics as well as chess where FIDE Master Sander Severino winning their fifth and penultimate round matches to virtually ensure the country of at least four mints in the P1 and B2-B3 classes.

Mr. Severino, who bagged four golds in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Para Games, bested fellow FIDE Master Maksum Firdaus of Indonesia while rookie Darry Bernardo repulsed Vietnam’s Duong Hien Vuong to seize top spot in their respective classes with 4.5 points apiece.

Mr. Severino was up against National Master Henry Lopez while Mr. Bernardo was taking on teammate Arman Subaste in the final round scheduled in the afternoon.

Let the PBA semifinals hostilities begin

JUNE Mar Fajardo (second from left) and Chris Newsome (third from left) lead their respected team. — PBA MEDIA

A CHAMPION out to extend its reign. A bridesmaid raring to go all the way. An old ruler intent on regaining lost glory. A contender bent on scoring a breakthrough.

All hungry and determined, holder TnT, last season’s runner-up Magnolia, former five-peat king San Miguel Beer (SMB) and titlist-wannabe Meralco crank up their bids as the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) blasts off its Philippine Cup semifinals on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Tropang Giga and the Hotshots fire the opening salvo at 3 p.m. in a livewire best-of-seven series pitting the victors of the All-Filipino finale in Bacolor, Pampanga against their vanquished opponent.

The Beermen and the Bolts battle for a 1-0 head start in their own race-to-four affair at 6 p.m.

“It’s going to be a dogfight,” said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero.

Though the Tropang Giga dominated their last title confrontation, 4-1, and prevailed in their lone encounter in the tournament, 78-72, coach Chot Reyes reiterated this Final Four is a whole different ball game.

“They’re the hottest team right now; they’ve won nine of their last 10 games. It will take our best to be competitive against them,” said Mr. Reyes.

TnT vanguards Mikey Williams, Jayson Castro, RR Pogoy, Troy Rosario and Kelly Williams are up against Magnolia counterparts Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, Ian Sangalang, Calvin Abueva and Jio Jalalon in this marquee matchup.

Meanwhile, SMB, with its high-powered roster, takes the next step in its journey to reclaim the jewel it last held in 2019.

On the other side are the charging Bolts, who are gunning for SMB’s scalp after giving old tormentor Barangay Ginebra the boot in the quarterfinals in their continuing quest for a historic PBA crown.

“San Miguel’s the No. 1 (seeded) team. They’re a different animal altogether with June Mar Fajardo, Mo Tautuaa, Vic Manuel, CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross; they’re going to be a handful,” said Luigi Trillo, who is pinch-hitting for on-leave coach Norman Black.

“But I’m confident our guys can put up a good fight. We have guys all around who can chip in,” he added, referring to the likes of Chris Newsome, Aaron Black, Cliff Hodge, Allein Maliksi and Raymond Almazan. — Olmin Leyba

UP battles CSB; Adamson faces Perpetual Help

UNDEFEATED University of the Philippines (UP) and Adamson University aim to firm up grip on Pool A leadership when they go separate ways against gritty counterparts in the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

At 3-0, the Fighting Maroons aim to widen their gap from the Group A pack against College of St. Benilde (CSB) (1-1) at 5 p.m., while the Soaring Falcons (2-0) seek to stay within striking distance versus University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (1-1) at 3 p.m.

Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), meanwhile, shoots for a solo lead in Group B against Santo Tomas (1-0) at 9 a.m. followed by the clash of winless University of the East (UE) (0-3) and Arellano University (0-3) at 11 a.m.

In the middle of the loaded five-game schedule is San Beda’s bid to hand newly-minted mentor Yuri Escueta his first coaching debut against Far Eastern University (FEU) (1-2) at 1 p.m.

The spotlight, however, is on reigning University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) champion UP that has stamped its class in the 17-team preseason tilt with an unblemished campaign so far against Mapua, Perpetual Help and UE.

Led by Gilas Pilipinas stalwart Carl Tamayo, the Fighting Maroons took care of their first three assignments by an average winning margin of 19.3 points for a rousing start in their UAAP title defense buildup. — John Bryan Ulanday

Red Bull crowns winner of Dance Your Style Philippines

THE Filipino dancing community saw an incredible display of moves and passion with every battle between the country’s best dancers on July 23rd at the Bonifacio High Street Amphitheater during the National Finals of Red Bull Dance Your Style. Out of the Top 16 dancers, Mickey Yatar came out on top and will represent the Philippines at the World Finals.

Living up to the hype, each and every one of the 16 competitors left it all on the dance floor during the National Finals. In the end, Mr. Yatar and Carlos “Taz” Naval, Jr. were the two dancers left standing. Following two intense rounds of pure skill and adaptability, Mr. Yatar won the hearts of the crowd and was crowned the champion and the representative of the Philippines.

PGA Tour announces record prize money for upcoming season

NEW YORK — The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour announced record prize money for the 2022-2023 season on Monday, with eight invitationals offering “elevated” purses between $15 million and $25 million.

The move comes as the circuit is fighting back against the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series, which has led to the defection of several high-profile players on multimillion dollar deals, including six-times major winner Phil Mickelson.

The total value of the purses for the 43 non-majors is $428.6 million, an increase of $68.3 million from the previous season, according to the tour.

“We’ve heard from our fans and the overwhelming sentiment was that they wanted more consequences for both the FedExCup Regular Season and the Playoffs, and to further strengthen events that traditionally feature top players competing head-to-head,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement.

Just 70 players will earn a start to the first FedExCup Playoffs event, with the Tour Championship set to begin Aug. 21 in Atlanta. The tour moves to a calendar-year season in 2024.

Last month, the PGA Tour sent a memo to players outlining a new ranking called the “FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List” that omits players who have been suspended but not resigned from the circuit.

The move ensured those who joined the LIV Golf Invitational Series do not negatively impact others’ eligibility.

The 2022-23 PGA Tour season will include 47 tournaments and begins September 12 with the Fortinet Championship in Napa, California. — Reuters

Free agency violations

There was a time when the start of free agency in the National Basketball Association coincided with significant announcements on the status of marquee players. Social media would be abuzz with signings left and right as soon as the minute hand reached 12 on the clock. It was supposed to be the moment team officials could begin reaching out to talents they wished to keep or add to their stable. Instead, it became the signal for deals to be announced, in direct contravention of existing policy on the matter. Rules were being followed in the breach, and no one batted an eyelash because, well, everyone crossed the line. Not doing so was tantamount to accepting a significant handicap; truancy meant just keeping up.

In 2019, the front office had enough. In yet another instance of the league highlighting the importance of regulations, it announced that it would be cracking down on free agency violations. Not long after, its probes led to penalties being imposed on such notables as the Bucks and Heat. Fast forward to 2022, and investigations are again under way.

For the Sixers, on tap are agreements they forged with veterans P.J. Tucker and Danuel House that could not have been possible without resident All-Star James Harden taking a pay cut. Which was all well and good, except that the latter hadn’t done so yet at the time his former Rockets teammates were welcomed into the fold. Meanwhile, the Knicks find themselves needing to explain the manner in which they were able to secure the services of erstwhile Maverick Jalen Brunson, who just so happened to be a former client of president Leon Rose, and who just so happened to be the son of newly minted assistant coach Rick Brunson.

There is, to be sure, something to be said about the NBA being selective in its exercise of control. After all, other examples of infringements abound. Take the Nuggets, who announced that they inked bench fodder DeAndre Jordan to a contract in no time at all. Not that de facto flouting of the law excuses the action; the fact that everybody’s guilty does not exonerate those who were caught. Needless to say, the intent of the league is to send a message.

In this regard, commissioner Adam Silver’s intent is not to be punitive; his aim is to curb the practice through prevention, and making examples of a handful should be enough for the purpose. It’s why the penalties look good on paper, but are meted with caution. That said, the efficacy of docking offending parties with second-round draft picks as opposed to going full tilt with $10-million fines and suspensions of executives remains to be seen.

Interestingly, affected protagonists don’t seem to be crying foul — at least not publicly. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, for instance, characterized Brunson’s change of address as “perfect. I saw nothing wrong at all. That’s just the business. That’s just the way it works.” The NBA is contending that it shouldn’t be, and time will tell if it will win the argument in the end.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Election watchdog questions choice of Comelec chief amid credibility issues 

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

THE APPOINTMENT of George Erwin M. Garcia, a former election lawyer of the President, as chair of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) does not temper credibility issues faced by the agency, an election watchdog convenor said on Tuesday. 

“His appointment is a little surprising and alarming since we know the Comelec has trust and credibility issues due to the documented cases of fraud and other irregularities, and this recycled appointment does not help,” Danilo A. Arao, lead convenor of election watchdog Kontra Daya, told ABS-CBN TeleRadyo in mixed English and Filipino.

Mr. Arao also questioned why a shortlist of candidates was not released to the public as a transparency measure in the appointment process. 

Mr. Garcia previously lawyered for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr, who faced several lawsuits seeking to disqualify him from the presidential race.

During his brief stint as election commissioner in March to April, he had inhibited himself from deliberations involving his former clients.

Mr. Arao added that Comelec should be led by a person with a proven track record of independence. 

“Inhibiting yourself is not a sign of independence, well at the most is a sign of prudence, which is commendable,” he said. 

“What we need at this point is for Comelec not to compromise its image, especially since we came from an election with a result that is generally in doubt.” 

Sought for comment, Mr. Garcia said in a Viber message to BusinessWorld: “From the point of view of law and jurisprudence, there is no conflict of interest. But I do give due respect to this argument. 

 In a statement on Monday evening following the announcement of his appointment, he said Comelec under his watch “will aim for meaningful reforms that will resolve issues identified by stakeholders and the voting public.” 

“Rest assured that I will remain impartial and independent as a Comelec Chairman. The will of the people will be the supreme law.”  

Last month, the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) said the May national and local elections did not meet the standards of free, honest, and fair voting due to various reports of human rights violations pointing to fraud.  

ICHRP also urged the election body and lawmakers to review the automated election system and introduce reforms that would discourage political dynasties from being elected.  

Acting Comelec Spokesperson John Rex C. Laudiangco disagreed with the group’s report, citing a lower number of election-related violent incidents. He asserted that Comelec did everything “according to the law and in fact above and beyond the call of the law.”  

Meanwhile, Mr. Garcia on Tuesday inspected the Comelec Information Technology department office in Manila, which caught fire on Sunday evening, Mr. Laudiangco said in a statement.  

The agency spokesperson noted that the Comelec chief said he would work on enhancing the health and occupational standards of the Comelec departments.  

Comelec earlier said election and voter registration data remained intact despite the fire that took place on the 7th floor of Palacio del Gobernador in Manila. — John Victor D. Ordoñez 

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