Megawide loses OPS for NAIA rehab project

December 16, 2020 | 12:02 am

MEGAWIDE Construction Corp. announced on Tuesday that the government had revoked its original proponent status (OPS) for the proposed P109-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) rehabilitation project.

“Today, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) announced the revocation of the partnership of Megawide and GMR Infrastructure’s original proponent status,” Megawide said in a statement via Viber.

Megawide said it would “immediately file a motion for reconsideration” for the proposed project.

“At all stages, Megawide has complied with all requirements and interpretations of the government for its unsolicited proposal. There are no justifiable grounds to deny the Filipino people a transformed NAIA,” it said.

No reason for the revocation of the OPS was mentioned in Megawide’s news release.

Last month, Megawide said the National Economic and Development Authority-Investment Coordination Committee had asked for the full submission of the requirements from the consortium “to demonstrate capabilities to deliver a first-world NAIA.”

Megawide said it submitted on Nov. 20 additional documents to prove its financial capability to undertake the project. — Arjay L. Balinbin

FWD Life gains market share on digitization efforts

December 16, 2020 | 12:01 am

FWD Life Insurance Corp. has cornered a higher market share in the country and is bullish their digitization efforts will continue to help them reach more clients in 2021, said its president and chief executive officer Li Hao Zhuang.

The firm on Tuesday launched a financial literacy app to help educate more Filipinos about the necessity of having an insurance plan.

“In the second quarter, we know that we increased our market share by 50% from 5% to almost 8% market share,” Mr. Zhuang said in a briefing on Tuesday, citing figures from the Insurance Commission (IC).

The official said this was because they were able to do remote operations since the start of the lockdown.

“On the agency side, actually, we saw a 20% increase in the number of policies,” he added.

FWD Life inked a partnership deal with the Medical City over the weekend, Mr. Zhuang said. Earlier this year, the company also tied up with players from different industries, including Cebuana Lhuillier Pawnshop, Asalus Corp. (which operates under brand name Intellicare), and Lazada.

It also launched an app called FWD Affiliate PH where users can earn points and freebies whenever they share financial literacy contents from the app to their social media and via messenger apps.

“We see this to help us reach as many Filipinos as possible, to educate them, to help them consider insurance,” Mr. Zhuang said.

The insurer’s total premium income climbed 25% to P9.55 billion in 2019 from P7.65 billion in 2018, data from the IC showed. — LWTN

Converge ICT gives free speed upgrades as subscribers hit 1 million

December 16, 2020 | 12:01 am

FIBER internet provider Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. announced on Tuesday its existing and new users would be given free speed increases of up to 300 megabits per second (Mbps), after it hit one million subscribers.

“Converge ICT celebrates this milestone, and in the spirit of Christmas, by giving free speed increases to its customers of up to 300 Mbps,” the listed company said in a statement.

The company said the plans of its old and new customers would be permanently upgraded for free starting Dec. 15.

“New subscribers can also enjoy their first month completely free when they apply for any Converge plan from December 12, 2020 to January 31, 2021,” it added.

Converge Founder and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Anthony H. Uy said, “We want to ensure they receive uninterrupted reliable Internet that will allow them to stay connected to their loved ones this Christmas.”

“This offering is exclusive for existing Plan 1500 Subs who only need to pay an additional P99 per month to enjoy 10Mbps on top of their plan,” Converge said. — Arjay L. Balinbin

PHL finishes in lower half of rankings for digital readiness

December 16, 2020 | 12:01 am

THE PHILIPPINES was ranked towards the lower half of a 90-country study on digital infrastructure quality, according to a study conducted by Tufts University in Massachusetts and Mastercard, Inc.

The study, Digital in the Time of COVID, classified the Philippines as among those countries that need to “reduce its infrastructure friction for better digitalization.” It ranked the country 64^th on a metric called “digital evolution” and 52^nd in terms of “digital momentum.”

On the other hand, the Philippines placed 28^th in terms of fostering digital trust, and was 10^th in terms of digital user experience.

The ranks were determined based on the study’s Digital Intelligence Index, which weighed more than 350 indicators.

The study described the Philippine economy as being in the “watch out” category, signifying “significant challenges with its relatively lower state of digitalization and momentum.”

The study also found that the younger segments of the Philippine population are highly engaged and enthusiastic about the digital shift.

“High levels of engagement are seen through social media and technology use, a potential bright spot for technologists, policymakers, and business leaders to convert this demand into future growth,” it said.

This year’s Digital Intelligence Index builds upon earlier editions in 2014 and 2017. In a separate statement, the report’s authors said the index presents a snapshot of global digital development, and what key factors are driving the shift in the new normal.

Mastercard President of Cyber & Intelligence Ajay Bhalla said it was crucial to understand the factors driving digitalization and digital trust.

“With that knowledge, businesses and governments can work together to help all 7.6 billion people around the world benefit from the vast opportunities a digitally advanced economy can bring. While much remains uncertain today, it is clear that digital success will be a key building block in our collective recovery,” he said in a statement. — Angelica Y. Yang

Arts & Culture (12/16/20)

December 16, 2020 | 12:01 am

CCP’s Simbang Gabi goes digital

FOR the last 15 years, it has been a tradition at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) to hold Simbang Gabi when the Christmas season comes. For the Center, holding the novena (nine) masses is no ordinary program, but a special event that needs careful and meticulous planning. The dawn masses would be held at the CCP Main Ramp, while the Misa de Aguinaldo (Christmas Eve Mass) at the Main Theater, with performances from resident companies, would draw a capacity crowd, spilling over to the Main Theater Lobby. But as the pandemic made such large gatherings impossible, the CCP Simbang Gabi 2020 migrates to the digital platform. The virtual Simbang Gabi runs from Dec. 15 to 23, 9 p.m. (anticipated masses), and Dec. 16 to 24, 5 a.m. (dawn masses), and is streamed via the official CCP Facebook page and YouTube Channel. It will also be broadcast on CNN Philippines Channel. For the masses, the Center has partnered with parishes all over the country — Our Lady of Sorrows in Pasay City; St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Loboc, Bohol; Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Redemptorist) Church in San Miguel, Iligan City; Holy Cross Parish (Margot) in Sapang Bato, Pampanga; Our Lady of Montserrat Parish in Jaro, Iloilo City; San Pedro Cathedral in Davao City, Davao; Our Lady of Piat Basilica in Piat, Cagayan; Sto. Niño de Tacloban Parish in Tacloban City; and St. Francis Xavier Parish in Pueblo de Oro, Cagayan de Oro City. On Dec. 24, 9 p.m., the Misa de Aguinaldo will be celebrated from St. Gregory the Great Cathedral Parish (Albay Cathedral) in Legazpi City. The CCP Simbang Gabi will culminate with a special Christmas Day Mass (Dec. 25, 10 a.m.) with Cardinal Luis Tagle celebrating from Rome, Italy. As a pre-mass event, there will be a 10 to 15-minute video clip of the past Simbang Gabi activities (i.e. performances of the Philippine Madrigal Singers and other groups, Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, Tanghalang Pilipino, Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, among others).

Webinar on art community challenges

THE METROPOLITAN Museum of Manila and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) through the Philippine Arts in Venice Biennale present the webinar “Taking Care of Ourselves: Art & Community,” on Dec. 19, 4-6 p.m. The event will bring together artists, art managers, and gallerists — Rocky Cajigan, Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan, Charlie Co, Kublai Millan, and Isa Lorenzo, moderated by Patrick Flores — to discuss the relationships between various stakeholders in the artworld in different places in the Philippines, and examine the strengths and potentials of the the current systems of collaborations, as well as the challenges that stem from competing interests, structures, and forces that we encounter. “Taking Care of Ourselves” is the first installment of “Art and Community,” a series of dialogues that examine and explore the ecology of relationships within the Philippine art world and its ties to society. Free and open to the public, This webinar will be hosted on Zoom with Facebook Live.

Usapang MaArte: webinar on marketing to Filipinos

THE MUSEUM Foundation of the Philippines presents the webinar “Usapang MaArte: Marketing the Filipino Way” on Dec. 19, 1-2:30 p.m., via Zoom and Facebook Live. Admission is free but limited slots are available. To register go to https://bit.ly/UsapangMaArteMarketing. Dr. Felipe M. de Leon, Jr.’s lecture will enumerate essential conditions that can attract and persuade Filipinos to buy. Dr. De Leon, Jr., is a professor, writer, and composer who is active in promoting and preserving Philippine indigenous cultural heritage and specializes in aesthetics, music theory, and culture and human development issues.

Gateway Gallery holds a webinar on Rizal

THE GATEWAY Gallery will air its fifth KulturaSerye webinar “Rizal Kritikal: Mga Aral sa Sibika, mga Isyung Panlipunan, at Pagbubuo ng Bansa,” on Dec. 19, 2 p.m. It will be live-streamed from Gateway Gallery’s Facebook page GatewayGalleryPH. The free webinar is open to the public and does not require pre-registration. The KulturaSerye webinar will be delivered by historian John Ray Ramos, a History lecturer at Ateneo de Manila University and author of the book Bayani Biographies: José Rizal. The talk gives an overview of Rizal’s critical ideas as seen from his novels Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo as well as his political and social writings. Games and prizes await the viewers during the KulturaSerye talk. For inquiries on KulturaSerye webinar, contact Gateway Gallery at gatewaygallery@aranetagroup.com, 8588-4000 local 8300, or via its social media at Facebook (GatewayGalleryPh), Instagram (gateway.gallery), Twitter (gateway_gallery), and YouTube (Gateway Gallery).

Tuloy ang Pasko at MOA

FOR a unique drive-in experience, visit the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds on Dec. 19 and 20, where two dance films — The Nutcracker Ballet Act 2 and Tuloy Ang Pasko — will be screened back to back at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. An added treat, behind-the-scenes footage documenting the making of these dance films will be shown in between the two productions. This treat offers audiences a rare opportunity to enjoy a twin-bill of one classic Christmas ballet and a contemporary work by the artists of the CCP Dance Workshop, and have a fun outdoor movie experience while staying safe amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a presentation of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, in cooperation with SM Mall of Asia and the support of Century Tuna Premium Red. Both dance films are directed by Carlos Siguion Reyna, and were filmed at the CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo without a live audience. For tickets, log on at smtickets.com or call 8470-2222 for inquiries.

Ballet Philippines’ Christmas treat

IN CELEBRATION of Christmas, Ballet Philippines (BP) presents the world premiere of Fantasy on Christmas Eve and Maligayang Pasko. In honor of the 180^th anniversary of P.I. Tchaikovsky, Fantasy on Christmas Eve is a heartwarming story celebrating the Christmas Season. It centers around a girl who experiences a fantasy she wakes up to on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, Maligayang Pasko features a coterie of dancers, set to Christmas classics performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. Aside from the performance videos, BP OnStream Centerstage, which focuses on dancers who live and breathe the art of dance, presents this month’s feature: Mark Balucay – Pursuing his dreams amidst uncertainty. All the videos can be viewed on ballet.ph.

Muni-Muni Stories focuses on church songs

FILIPINAS Heritage Library and the OPM (Original Pilipino Music) Archive present Episode 6 of MUNI-MUNI STORIES: A Podcast on Filipino Music. The episode focuses on Jesuit priest and composer, Fr. Manoling Francisco, who reflects on music as a form of praise to God. The podcast also highlights his song “Tanging Yaman.” The episode will be released on Dec. 18, 6 p.m., on Spotify. Muni-Muni Stories podcast is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. For updates regarding the episode upload schedules, visit Filipinas Heritage Library and the OPM Archive.

Comics tackle Maria Clara

WHAT is the essence of a modern Filipina? This was the question raised by 23-year-old graphic artist and illustrator Marian Hukom in her comics Nagmamahal, Maria Clara, which explores the concept of family, community, and what makes a Filipino woman in the 21^st century. In this series, Maria Clara, the embodiment of the traditional dalagang Filipina archetype, finds herself literally and figuratively lost in the chaotic city swarming with liberal values completely alien to her. Hukom, together with classmate Riza Malolos, initially created this concept as a thesis film requirement to complete their Multimedia Arts degrees in the School of Design and Arts of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. Nagmamahal, Maria Clara currently has four issues, all currently available on view on local online comic hub penlab.ink.

Regular hours back at BenCab Museum

THE BENCAB Museum and Cafe Sabel in Baguio are back to regular hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last entry at 5:30 p.m.). They will be open on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 (Christmas eve and New Year’s eve) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (last entry at 3:30 p.m.). They are closed on Mondays, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. In light of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, safety measures are implemented to safeguard visitors and staff. Upon entry visitors must wear face masks, have their temperature taken, complete health declaration forms or present QR codes, and practice safe distancing. A “by appointment only” visiting system is also put in place. To book an appointment, send an e-mail to bencabartfoundation@gmail.com. The museum is located at K. 6 Asin Road, Tuba, Metro Baguio.

How competitive is the Philippines’ digital economy compared with other economies?

December 16, 2020 | 12:00 am

THE PHILIPPINES was ranked towards the lower half of a 90-country study on digital infrastructure quality, according to a study conducted by Tufts University in Massachusetts and Mastercard, Inc. Read the full story.

How PSEi member stocks performed — December 15, 2020

December 16, 2020 | 12:00 am

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Tuesday, December 15, 2020.

Peso down ahead of Fed, BSP meetings

December 15, 2020 | 9:00 pm

THE PESO depreciated against the dollar on Tuesday due to cautious investor sentiment ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s policy meeting.

The local unit finished trading at P48.063 versus the dollar yesterday, weakening by 1.30 centavo from its P48.05 close on Monday, data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines showed.

The peso opened the session at P48.06 per dollar. Its weakest showing was at P48.08 while its strongest was at P48.05 against the greenback.

Dollars exchanged amounted to $490.65 from $358.8 million on Monday.

A trader said in an email that the peso weakened versus the dollar as investors were treading with caution ahead of the policy meetings of the Fed and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas this week.

The Federal Open Market Committee will have its last meeting for the year from Wednesday to Thursday where it is widely expected to keep the key policy rate.

Meanwhile, the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will also have its final policy setting on Thursday, Dec. 17. All 15 analysts polled by BusinessWorld last week said rates may be unchanged due to the recent uptick in inflation and to give time for previous moves to be fully absorbed by the financial system.

The central bank has already slashed rates by a total of 200 basis points this year, bringing the reverse repurchase, lending, and deposit facilities to record lows of 2%, 2.5%, and 1.5%, respectively.

Another downside risk to market sentiment on Tuesday was the continued rise of coronavirus disease 2019 infections and mortalities in the US, said Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort.

This Wednesday, Mr. Ricafort expects the peso to move within the P48.01 to P48.11 per dollar band while the trader expects the local unit to play around the P48.00 to P48.10 range. — L.W.T. Noble

Shares decline as coronavirus cases surge anew

December 15, 2020 | 9:00 pm

By Revin Mikhael D. Ochave, Reporter

STOCKS ended their three-day rally, finishing in red territory on Tuesday, as market sentiment was affected by rising coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases globally.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) dropped 53.62 points or 0.73% to end at 7,227.73, while the broader all shares index fell 17.5 points or 0.4% to close at 4,321.01.

Timson Securities, Inc. Head of Online Trading Darren Blaine T. Pangan said in a mobile phone message that the local bourse fell as investors were “spooked” by the sudden increase of COVID-19 cases around the world.

More than 71.69 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1,617,065 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

“Locally, market participants may be expressing some concern that the COVID-19 transmission rate may increase over the upcoming holidays,” Mr. Pangan said. The Health department reported that as of Monday, the country’s total COVID-19 case count was at 450,733.

Philstocks Financial, Inc. Senior Research Analyst Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco said the local market was affected by the return of other countries to firmer lockdown measures.

“The negative sentiment caused by the surging COVID-19 cases around the world and the return to strict lockdowns primarily in the US and in England have also contributed to Tuesday’s decline,” Mr. Tantiagco said in a mobile phone message.

London is set to move into England’s highest tier of COVID-19 restrictions, while Canada began its inoculation drive to become the third nation to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine after the UK and the United States (US), Reuters reported.

Daily new cases in South Korea also continued to hover at unprecedented levels, with the country’s prime minister pleading with residents to abide by social distancing rules to avoid greater restrictions.

Back home, among sectoral indices, financials was the only gainer on Tuesday, rising 0.72 point or 0.04% to close at 1,511.02.

Meanwhile, holding firms went down 84.79 points or 1.13% to 7,408.52; services declined 13.74 points or 0.89% to 1,528.56; industrials shrank 62.82 points or 0.66% to 9,459.14; property retreated 13 points or 0.35% to 3,677.96; and mining and oil decreased 8.84 points or 0.09% to 9,402.09.

Decliners outpaced advancers, 128 versus 95, while 49 names ended unchanged.

Value turnover on Tuesday reached P10.13 billion with 63.91 billion switching hands, higher than the P8.93 billion with 46.02 billion issues during the previous session.

Net foreign selling amounted to P615.94 million on Tuesday, down from the P816.66 million in net outflows seen in the previous session.

“Immediate resistance may still be drawn at 7,500, while nearest support is pegged at 6,700,” Timson Securities’ Mr. Pangan said.

ICC cites crimes against humanity in drug war

December 15, 2020 | 8:24 pm

THERE IS reasonable basis to believe that crimes against humanity had been committed in connection with President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s deadly war on drugs, according to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) chief prosecutor.

Those crimes including murder, torture, infliction of serious physical injury and mental harm took place between July 1, 2016 and March 16, 2019, Fatou Bensouda’s office said in its annual report released on Tuesday.

The ICC prosecutor started a preliminary probe into the killings of thousands of suspected drug users and peddlers in the Philippines in February 2018. Some of these were killed by police for allegedly resisting arrest or gunned down by law enforcers disguised as vigilantes.

A final decision on a formal ICC probe could come in the first half of next year, according to the report.

The presidential palace dismissed the report, saying the ICC does not have jurisdiction over the Philippines after it withdrew from the body last year.

“We don’t recognize the jurisdiction and decision of the ICC,” presidential spokesman Harry L. Roque told an online news briefing in Filipino.

He also said the ICC won’t waste the time of its officials on cases that won’t prosper because there is no cooperation from the country being investigated.

The report cited allegations that some people had been subject to “serious ill-treatment and abuses” before being killed by authorities and other unidentified assailants.

Most of the victims of the alleged crimes had been suspected drug pushers from poor neighborhoods, it said.

The ICC said there had been a “limited number” of investigations and prosecutions initiated in connection to the war on drugs. The prosecutor noted that one case had led to the conviction of three police officers in connection to the killing of a minor in 2018.

Progressive groups welcomed the ICC report.

‘RAY OF HOPE’
“With the recent intensified red-tagging, arrests and extrajudicial killings of critics of the administration and the political opposition, we are relieved that the ICC has voiced its concern on the issue,” BayanMuna Party-list said in a statement.

“To the violators of human rights, you have been forewarned. Nothing is forever, not even impunity,” it added.

Mr. Duterte, who assumed office in 2016, had promised a relentless war against drugs, making it a major campaign platform.

In 2017, he told police officers to “shoot and kill” drug suspects. “I will kill more if only to get rid of drugs,” he said at that time.

The Commission on Human Rights in 2019 placed the death toll from the drug war at more than 27,000.

Human Rights Watch earlier said killings in police anti-drug operations rose by 50% during the coronavirus pandemic. Police killed 155 people from April to July 2020, compared with 103 people from December 2019 to March 2020, it said in a report.

As the ICC moves to an investigation phase, human rights group Karapatan said the day of reckoning is “coming nearer for Duterte’s reign of terror.”

“As we await the decision of the Office of the Prosecutor, we press our calls for justice for the Duterte administration’s brutal crimes against the Filipino people,” it said in a statement.

Karapatan called on other human rights bodies such as the United Nations Human Rights Council to pursue its investigation of the human rights crisis in the Philippines. “We strongly hope that accountability can be achieved as soon as possible.”

During a meeting with the UN council in July, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Gueverra said the government had created an inter-agency panel to review more than 5,600 cases of killings during police-led operations. The panel, however, failed to release an initial report targeted for November.

Edre U. Olalia, president of the National Union of People’s Lawyers, said “rays of hope have peeked out of the pitch dark clouds of impunity” because of the ICC report.

“Our government and law enforcers must take this seriously and get the message loud and clear,” he said in a statement.

Data from Karapatan showed that at least 188 human rights defenders have been killed under the Duterte administration, while 426 activists and community organizers were arrested.

The Council of Global Unions (CGU) this week called on the UN Human Rights Council and International Labour Organization to consider as an emergency “the deteriorating human rights condition in the Philippines.”

A journalist and six union organizers were arrested in separate operations over alleged possession of firearms and explosives — the common charges against activists — on the commemoration of International Human Rights Day on Dec. 10.

The Philippines in March 2019 quit the ICC, but the world’s only permanent war crime tribunal pledged to pursue its investigation of illegal killings in Mr. Duterte’s anti-drug war. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas, Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Gillian M. Cortez

COVID-19 infections nearing 452,000, with 8,812 deaths

December 15, 2020 | 8:23 pm

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DoH) reported 1,135 coronavirus infections on Tuesday, bringing the total to 451,839.

The death toll rose by 56 to 8,812, while recoveries increased by 173 to 418,867, it said in a bulletin.

There were 24,160 active cases, 84.7% of which were mild, 6.4% did not show symptoms, 5.7% were critical, 2.9% were severe and 0.3% were moderate.

Rizal province reported the highest number of new cases at 117, Bulacan at 84, Quezon City at 71, Isabela at 39 and Laguna at 38.

DoH said 29 duplicates had been removed from the tally, while 20 cases tagged as recovered were reclassified as deaths. Thirteen laboratories failed to submit their data on Dec. 14.

The coronavirus has sickened about 73.2 million and killed 1.6 million people worldwide, according to the Worldometers website, citing various sources including data from the World Health Organization (WHO).

About 51.4 million people have recovered, it said.

Carlito Galvez, Jr., the chief enforcer of anti-COVID-19 efforts, this week said the government was expected to finalize this week a procurement deal for coronavirus vaccines with Chinese drug maker Sinovac Biotech Ltd. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Jailed Duterte critic again asks trial court to let her post bail

December 15, 2020 | 8:23 pm

SENATOR Leila M. de Lima on Monday asked a Muntinlupa trial court for the third time that she be allowed to post bail, citing weak evidence in her drug trafficking case.

In a 62-page motion, the lawmaker said “it remains unclear” when and how exactly she had conspired to commit drug trafficking.

Testimonies from prosecution witnesses only pointed that jail convicts had allegedly given money for Ms. de Lima’s senatorial campaign.

She also said the prosecution would want the case to fall under the law against illegal drugs without proving the existence of a single gram of illegal drugs in relation to the case.

Ms. de Lima, one of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s staunchest critics, said the testimonies “have questionable probative value and/or are irrelevant, incredible, biased, self-serving and based on hearsay.”

In the four years of trial, the prosecution had only presented five witnesses, she added. Ms. de Lima also said she was not a flight risk

The senator said her continued detention makes her unable to attend Senate sessions and other important meetings.

“This is a disservice to the Filipino people who gave her the mandate to represent them in the Senate, especially during these trying times.”

Ms. de Lima is on trial for allegedly abetting the illegal drug trade in the country’s jails when she was still Justice secretary. She was accused of extorting millions of pesos from a drug lord that she allegedly used to finance her senatorial campaign in 2016.

She has been jailed at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame since February 2017. Several witnesses against Ms. de Lima were drug convicts serving time at the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

The European Union (EU) Parliament earlier adopted a resolution urging the Philippines to free Ms. Lima and look at extrajudicial killings in Mr. Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.

The EU lawmakers also asked the European Commission to revoke tax perks enjoyed by the country if the state fails to address human rights violations.

An Anti-Money Laundering Council investigator also said investigations found no money flowed from the bank accounts of the senator and her co-accused. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas