Philippines rejects ICC probe, to bar examiners

September 16, 2021 | 9:32 pm

ICC — INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT FB PAGE

THE PHILIPPINES on Thursday said it would not cooperate with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s war on drugs.

“Our position concerning the proceedings before the ICC remains,” Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo said in a statement. “The foreign institution has no — as it never had — jurisdiction over the affairs of the Republic of the Philippines and its people.”

The ICC decision to investigate Mr. Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity “neither bothers nor troubles the President and his administration,” he added.

Mr. Panelo separately told reporters ICC investigators would be barred from entering the Philippines during Mr. Duterte’s term.

The tough-talking leader, who has less than a year before his six-year term ends, prefers to die rather than face the international court, his spokesman Herminio “Harry” L. Roque, Jr. said.

Cases should be filed before domestic courts, which are fully functioning, Mr. Roque told a televised news briefing.

The ICC’s pre-trial chamber has formally opened a probe of alleged human rights violations committed in Mr. Duterte’s bloody drug war.

The Hague-based tribunal said the government’s drug war “cannot be seen as a legitimate law enforcement operation, and the killings neither as legitimate nor as mere excesses in an otherwise legitimate operation.”

The ICC, which investigates and tries people charged with genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression, will also probe vigilante-style killings in Davao City when Mr. Duterte was still its vice-mayor and mayor.

Mr. Roque said the Philippines would not cooperate with the ICC probe because it lost jurisdiction of the case after the country broke ties with the tribunal in 2019.

Tens of thousands of drug suspects have died in police anti-drug operations, many of them allegedly killed after resisting arrest, according to the United Nations.

Human Rights Watch lauded the court’s decision, saying it gives survivors and victims’ families “reason to hope” for justice.

The investigation “offers a much-needed check on President Rodrigo Duterte and his deadly war on drugs,” Carlos Conde, the group’s senior Philippines researcher, said in an e-mailed statement.

At least 122 children were killed in the government’s deadly drug war between July 2016 and Dec. 2019, according to the World Organization Against Torture.

The Philippine Commission on Human Rights said that it would consider cooperating with the ICC. “Should we receive a formal request from the ICC, we will take whatever they present to us in that formal request under consideration at the appropriate time,” Chairman Jose Luis Martin C. Gascon told a House of Representatives budget hearing on Thursday.

Detained Senator Leila M. de Lima said it was only a matter of time before the ICC orders the arrest of Mr. Duterte, his former police chief and now Senator Ronald M. de la Rosa and the so-called Davao Death Squad.

The senator, one of Mr. Duterte’s staunchest critics, is on trial for allegedly abetting illegal drug trade inside the country’s jails when she was still Justice secretary. She has denied any wrongdoing.

“Duterte reminds me of the dictator who refuses to acknowledge the existence of an international community of nations that chose to live within contemporary standards of human rights and civilized polity,” Ms. De Lima said.

“The ICC decision to specifically investigate him for crimes against humanity is the proverbial hangman’s noose closing around the neck of the sociopathic serial killer,” she added.

The government’s refusal to cooperate could hurt Philippine relations with the international community, human rights lawyer and former congressman Neri J. Colmenares said by telephone.

“It will seriously weaken the credibility of the Philippines in the international community,” he said, adding that the country could be considered a “rogue state.”

The ICC does not normally take on a case if a member state can do the probe on its own, human rights lawyer Jose Manuel I. Diokno said by telephone. “The fact that ICC has gone this far is an indication that it would be difficult for victims to take justice in our country.”

In 2018, Mr. Duterte said extrajudicial murders happened under his administration’s drug war. The Commission on Human Rights has said the state was violating human rights for failing to stop police abuse.

Judges Peter Kovacs, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou and María del Socorro Flores Liera signed the ICC order to investigate Mr. Duterte. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Bianca Angelica D. Añago

DoH says 21,261 more people got COVID-19; 277 more patients die

September 16, 2021 | 9:31 pm

vaccination — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DoH) reported 21,261 coronavirus infections on Thursday, bringing the total to more than 2.3 million.

The death toll rose to 36,018 after 277 patients died, while recoveries increased by 13,644 to more than two million, it said in a bulletin.

There were 177,946 active cases, 86.1% of which were mild, 9.2% did not show symptoms, 1.4% were severe, 2.65% were moderate and 0.6% were critical.

Eighty duplicates had been removed from the tally, 65 of which were reclassified as recoveries and one as a death, while 174 recoveries were reclassified as deaths. Two laboratories failed to submit data on Sept. 14.

The agency said 111 of 121 provinces and cities in the country were at high risk for the coronavirus, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said at a taped Cabinet meeting aired on Thursday.

He said the country posted an average of 83 deaths daily in the first two weeks of September.

Meanwhile, President Rodrigo R. Duterte said DoH had requested P1.23 billion more funds from the Budget department to finance the special risk allowance of health workers. About P15.1 billion has been released for the allowance and other benefits, he added.

At the same meeting, Mr. Duterte said his government would seek more funds to hire more health workers during the pandemic.

“We will see what we can do,” Mr. Duterte said. “We will try to look for the money to have more recruits joining this fight against COVID.”

Mr. Duterte made the remark amid reports that the country’s hospitals continue to grapple with workforce shortage.

Earlier this week, Philippine General Hospital (PGH) spokesman Jonas D. del Rosario said manpower at the country’s main COVID-19 referral hospital was facing a workforce crisis.

Mr. Del Rosario said health workers at the state-run hospital were getting sick, while volunteer doctors have opted not to renew their contracts. PGH was planning to hire private practitioners.

Presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. said 77% of intensive care unit (ICU) beds in the country had been used as of Sept. 15, while 69% of isolation beds and 73% of ward beds were occupied.

He said 79% of ICU beds in Metro Manila had been occupied, while 66% of isolation beds and 73% of wards were used.

More than 40 million coronavirus vaccines had been given out as of Sept. 15, Mr. Roque told a televised news briefing.

He added that 17.7million people or 22.91% of the country’s adult population had been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The government on Sept. 16 started enforcing granular lockdowns with five alert levels in the National Capital Region (NCR). Metro Manila was placed under Alert Level 4, the second highest level, until Sept. 30.

The new lockdown strategy was enforced “at a time when we face the worst surge of COVID- 19 (coronavirus disease 2019) cases in the Philippines,” the Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against COVID-19 said in a statement.

“We now register more cases than at any other time since the pandemic started,” it said. “Health facilities are overwhelmed, resulting in patients dying unattended at home, in ambulances or in corridors.”

The group said the new lockdown scheme “does not reflect the true situation on the ground.” “We therefore strongly urge the government to acknowledge and address the inadequacies of our data reporting system that forms the basis for the alert levels.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Court asked to compel gov’t to allow ivermectin use

September 16, 2021 | 9:30 pm

THREE lawmakers and three doctors have asked the Supreme Court to order the government to allow the use of the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin to treat the coronavirus.

In a petition, Party-list Reps. Rodante D. Marcoleta and Michael T. Defensor and Senator Francis N. Tolentino asked the tribunal to compel the Health department and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue a certification of product registration for the drug.

Companies that manufacture, import and distribute ivermectin should also be issued a license to operate, they said, arguing that the disinformation campaign against ivermectin stemmed from “corporate greed.”

“The story of ivermectin shows that we, as the public, have misplaced our trust in the authorities and have underestimated the extent to which money and power corrupt,” they added.

Ivermectin has not been proven to be effective against the coronavirus, according to the US FDA. Clinical trials assessing ivermectin tablets for the prevention or treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in people are ongoing.

The World Health Organization advises that ivermectin be used only to treat COVID-19 within clinical trials. — BADA

Senate seeks details of over 1,400 contractual workers under Palace communications office

September 16, 2021 | 9:29 pm

THE SENATE has asked the Palace communications unit to submit details on the functions of over 1,400 contractual workers with a proposed budget of P76 million for 2022.

The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said at the budget hearing Thursday that it currently has 1,479 contractual hires.

Twelve senators had previously filed a resolution seeking an investigation into allegations that the PCOO uses government funds to run so-called “troll farms” with personnel tagged as “social media specialists.”

“We don’t have trolls. There are no trolls there,” said Undersecretary Kristian R. Ablan at the hearing.

Senators asked PCOO to submit information on the contractuals, including names, position, place of assignment, date of start and end of engagement period, functions, responsibilities, terms of reference, job description, address and daily time record.

“You are asking for the appropriation of public funds. We have the right to know how you use these public funds,” said Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon at the hearing.

“Part of our right to know is to make sure that these are not fictitious names, that the names are performing their jobs. Even if they are trolls we will accept them, as long as they are legitimate and existing,” he added.

Senator María Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos noted that the PCOO had no policy guidelines for hiring the workers. “Your contracts of work are very random. They don’t appear to have any semblance of uniformity or even the requisite Civil Service Commission Regional approval.”

“We know that you’ll never admit that you have a budget for trolls,” said Mr. Drilon, adding that senators will just examine the information themselves.

The Commission on Audit, in its 2020 report, questioned PCOO’s basis for hiring 375 contractual workers without written policy guidelines on availing their services. These workers comprised 71.7% of the total PCOO manpower.

Meanwhile, Mr. Drilon called the PCOO’s planned Visayas Media Hub, with a P200-million budget, a propaganda center, similar to the recently completed media hub in Mindanao. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

Tourism chief says sector ready to sustain gradual reopening as 50% of workers nationwide fully vaccinated

September 16, 2021 | 9:29 pm

THE TOURISM industry is on a gradual reopening as the Philippines eases lockdown policies and stakeholders are ready to sustain recovery with the vaccination of frontline workers, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.

“Vaccinating our tourism workers is the only way we can continue to sustain the recovery of domestic tourism, especially with the presence of a new virus variant,” Ms. Puyat said in a statement on Thursday.

She reported that as of Sept. 10 data from the department, 51.4% of the target 245,338 tourism workers nationwide have been fully inoculated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The capital region Metro Manila registered the highest coverage at 94%, followed by the Davao Region with 88% and the Cordillera Administrative Region with 80%.

“As we work to secure more vaccine doses… I am also encouraging our workers to submit themselves for vaccination especially with the presence of the Delta variant,” she said.

In Metro Manila, where the new granular lockdown system is being piloted, several tourism destinations reopened on Thursday.

These include Fort Santiago, Baluarte de San Diego, and Plaza San Luis, all within Intramuros, and Rizal Park. — MSJ

Duterte allows health, vaccine chiefs to attend Senate inquiries

September 16, 2021 | 9:28 pm

PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte on Wednesday night said he would allow his two pandemic officials to attend Senate hearings to clear themselves of corruption allegations.

Mr. Duterte made the statement a few days after he required Cabinet officials to seek his permission first before attending legislative inquiries.

In a televised Cabinet meeting aired on Thursday, the President said he would allow Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III “to complete his story” at the Senate since he already testified before the House of Representatives.

Mr. Duterte said he will also allow vaccine czar Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. to participate in Senate hearings.

The tough-talking leader said his decision would “allow (Senator Richard J.) Gordon to show his stupidity.”

“But for others, in the future, I’m sorry, I will be the one who will say go to Congress to testify or to the Senate or do not go to Congress,” Mr. Duterte said. He also gave assurance of protection to his appointees. “I will not allow anybody to arrest you. That is a guarantee.”

Mr. Gordon chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which is currently conducting an investigation into controversial pandemic contracts.

At the same meeting, Mr. Duterte directed the Office of the Solicitor General to ask the Commission on Audit to look into the financial records of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), which is chaired by Mr. Gordon.

Earlier this month, the President criticized Mr. Gordon for ordering PRC to halt its COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) testing services after collectibles from the state health insurer ballooned to billions. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Business sector-led group lobbies for swift passage of bill strengthening judicial security

September 16, 2021 | 9:27 pm

THE JUDICIAL Reform Initiative (JRI) appealed to Congress for the swift passage of a measure that will strengthen the security of judiciary members and all court proceedings.

In a letter to Congress dated Sept. 13 and released to reporters on Thursday, the JRI — composed of local business organizations, judicial advocacy groups, and foreign chambers of commerce — said the passage of a law creating the Judicial Marshal Service will “help deter” the killings and threats as well as “ensure that such threats and acts are more timely investigated, assessed and mitigated.”

The House version was approved on third and final reading on June 2 while the Senate version is still at the interpellation stage.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny T. Pimentel, author of the House version, said the marshals will operate “as an independent, professional, and organized security force under the direct control and supervision of the Supreme Court.”

“The service may have up to 2,800 marshals, assuming at least one is detailed to every trial judge and every justice,” Mr. Pimentel said in a statement.

JRI cited that since 1991, only 24 cases of killings of judiciary members have been prosecuted in court, of which only two were convicted and six were acquitted.

Since the start of the Duterte administration in 2016, at least 58 lawyers have been killed, according to Union of People’s Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) Chairman Antonio C. Azarcon.

The latest incident was the shooting of UPLM’s vice chair, Juan G. Macababbad, outside his home in Surallah, South Cotabato on Wednesday. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

Museum on martial law slams historical revisionism in interview of Marcos son

September 16, 2021 | 9:27 pm

martiallawmuseum-screenshot-MARTIALLAWMUSEUM.PH — MARTIALLAWMUSEUM.PH

THE ATENEO Martial Law Museum said late Wednesday that a recent interview of the son of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos by a popular entertainment personality was an “attempt to whitewash (the Marcos family’s) human rights violations and (their) proven historical record.”

“No amount of propaganda spewed by the Marcos family and their supporters can erase the factual and proven disastrous effects of the Marcos regime on our country,” the museum said in a statement.

Vlogger and actress Celestine “Toni” C. Gonzaga-Soriano uploaded on her YouTube channel, which has over four million subscribers, the interview with Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. tagged as “The Greatest Lesson Bongbong Marcos Learned From His Father.”

The museum said that Mr. Marcos is only interested in returning to power in order to clean his family’s “disastrous” legacy by continuing to push a message that “erodes efforts to exact justice” from atrocities committed during Martial Law.

It invited the popular vlogger to speak to surviving victims and families of Martial Law, adding that the museum will be open to organize these talks.

Mr. Marcos said on Sept. 8 that he will eye a national position in the 2022 polls.

Ms. Gonzaga-Soriano has yet to issue a statement on the controversy. BusinessWorld has also sought for her comment but has yet to receive a reply. — Russell Louis C. Ku

Water service disconnection activities banned only under Alert Level 5 or granular lockdown

September 16, 2021 | 9:26 pm

METRO MANILA’s water concessionaires can carry out disconnection activities unless a locality is placed under Alert Level 5, the strictest under the government’s new quarantine system, or an area is placed on granular lockdown, according to the regulator.

Patrick Lester N. Ty, chief regulator of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Regulatory Office, said they have given the directive to Manila Water Co., Inc. and Maynilad Water Services, Inc.

“This is in light of the implementation of Alert Levels system and granular lockdowns in certain areas of the National Capital Region (NCR) beginning Sept. 16,” Mr. Ty said in a statement on Thursday.

The new alert level system took effect on Sept. 16 with the pilot run in the capital region, which has been placed under Alert Level 4.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ty urged customers of Manila Water and Maynilad in areas not under Alert Level 5 or granular lockdown to pay their bills to ensure continuous water service.

“As the MWSS Regulatory Office has previously directed the concessionaires to provide economic relief and consideration for customers in this difficult time of the pandemic, customers who are not able to settle their water bills may contact their service provider for flexible payment terms,” he said.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which has a majority stake in Maynilad, is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Peso down on weak US factory production

September 16, 2021 | 9:00 pm

THE PESO declined against the greenback on Thursday on weak US industrial production and cautious trading ahead of the release of US jobless claims data.

The local unit closed at P49.97 per dollar on Thursday, down by 18 centavos from its P49.79 finish on Wednesday, data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines showed.

The peso opened Thursday’s session at P49.72 per dollar. Its weakest point was at P50.02, while its intraday best was at P49.70 versus the greenback.

Dollars exchanged rose to $1.273 billion on Thursday from $654.8 million on Wednesday.

The peso depreciated on data showing slower US factory production, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said.

The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday said manufacturing output inched up by 0.2% in August, Reuters reported, slower than the upwardly-revised 1.6% expansion in July.

Hurricane Ida likely reduced manufacturing output by 0.2 percentage point as it led to plant closures for petrochemicals, plastic resins and petroleum refining, the Fed said.

Meanwhile, a trader said investors were cautious ahead of the release of the weekly initial jobless claims report expected overnight.

For today, Mr. Ricafort expects the local unit to move from P49.85 to P50.05 per dollar, while the trader gave a forecast range of P49.90 to P50.10. — with Reuters

Stocks rise as remittances hit seven-month high

September 16, 2021 | 9:00 pm

PHILIPPINE shares snapped three days of decline on Thursday amid improved remittances and as the implementation of an alert level system in Metro Manila started.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 88.23 points or 1.28% on Thursday to close at 6,968.43, while the all shares index climbed 45.90 points or 1.07% to 4,323.53.

“Market went on bargain hunting after three days down at the start of localized or granular lockdown as NCR’s (National Capital Region)… and with remittances higher year on year,” Diversified Securities, Inc. Equity Trader Aniceto K. Pangan said in a text message.

Metro Manila is now under Alert Level 4 as the government shifted the capital to looser restrictions despite rising infections and hospitals remaining full.

The Health department reported 16,989 new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases on Wednesday, bringing active cases to 170,446.

The Health department’s COVID-19 vaccination dashboard showed the country has administered over 40.03 million jabs so far, with nearly 17.68 million fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, money sent home by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) reached a seven-month high in July, reflecting the improved employment situation in major economies that have begun recovering from the coronavirus pandemic.

Cash remittances rose 2.5% to $2.853 billion in July from $2.783 billion a year earlier, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Wednesday.

For the first seven months of 2021, cash remittances stood at $17.771 billion, up 5.8% from the $16.802 billion in the same period of 2020.

“Though still in trickles and inspired by the inoculation ramp-up and economic reopening, foreign investors are buying up the market in increasing frequency of late and at the higher range of the PSE trading band, which suggests the rally may have further to run,” First Metro Investment Corp. Head of Research Cristina S. Ulang said in a Viber message.

Foreigners turned buyers anew, recording P53.9 million in net purchases on Thursday from the P73.03 million in net outflows logged on Wednesday.

All sectoral indices posted gains on Thursday. Services went up by 44 points or 2.40% to end at 1,871.30; property gained 66.14 points or 2.19% to 3,075.79; industrials rose 150.05 points or 1.48% to 10,246.84; financials went up by 8.83 points or 0.62% to 1,432.53; holding firms improved by 40.13 points or 0.57% to 7,013.71; and mining and oil inched up by 6.25 points or 0.06% to 9,609.74.

Value turnover inched down to P7.37 billion with 1.07 billion shares traded on Thursday, lower than the P7.55 billion with 1.51 billion issues logged the previous day.

Advancers beat decliners, 103 versus 90, while 47 names closed unchanged. — K.C.G. Valmonte

Bolts mark return with win

September 16, 2021 | 7:57 pm

PBA-Images — THE Meralco Bolts marked their return to Philippine Basketball Association action with a victory, 95-83, over the Terrafirma Dyip on Thursday in Pampanga. — PBA IMAGES

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

THE Meralco Bolts marked their return to Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) action with a victory, 95-83, over the Terrafirma Dyip on Thursday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU) Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Held out as a team for two weeks over the league’s health and safety protocols, it took a while for Meralco to shrug off Terrafirma, but when it got the leverage it needed, the team was not to be denied en route to the win that saw the Bolts improve to 6-2 in the Philippine Cup.

The Bolts did it minus key cogs Chris Newsome and Cliff Hodge, who had yet to be cleared for play in accordance with the PBA’s health guidelines, and sophomore Aaron Black, who hurt his hand early in the contest and was taken to the hospital to be checked.

The teams played it back-and-forth for three quarters, fighting to a 73-70 count, with the Bolts ahead, after 36 minutes of play.

In the fourth quarter, Meralco got early traction on the lead by veteran Reynel Hugnatan and guard Anjo Caram.

The Bolts outscored the Dyip, 12-9, to build a six-point cushion, 85-79, by the 6:17 mark.

They extended their lead, 93-79, four minutes later and were never threatened after.

Bong Quinto led five Meralco players in double digits with 17 points, with Mr. Caram adding 13 and Allein Maliksi 12 points. Raymond Almazan finished with 11 while Mr. Hugnatan had 10.

“We we’re missing some key players so I just told them to play as a team, play for one another. Good thing some players stepped up,” said Meralco coach Norman Black after the game.

With the loss, Terrafirma is now on the brink of elimination with a 3-7 record.

Aldrech Ramos top-scored for the Dyip with 15 points, followed by Joseph Gabyani with 14. Juami Tiongson and Reden Celda each had 10 points.

ALASKA STARTS GRIND
Meanwhile, the Alaska Aces begin their grind of three straight matches on Friday with a clash against defending champions Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings.

Out for two weeks because of the league’s health and safety protocols, the Aces (2-4) look to get wind in their push for the playoffs although under tough conditions, playing three in a row, beginning with the Kings set for 6 p.m.

They then take on league-leading TnT Tropang Giga (9-1) on Saturday and Terrafirma on Sunday.

Against the Kings (4-5), Alaska will be facing a team fresh from a huge come-from-behind win in their previous game and are looking to sustain the momentum.

Despite the adversity they are set to face, the Aces remain hopeful, taking it “a game at a time.”