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Afghan security forces kill senior al Qaeda leader

KABUL — Afghan security forces have killed Abu Muhsin al-Masri, a senior al Qaeda leader who was on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Most Wanted Terrorists list, Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) said in a tweet late on Saturday.

The head of the US National Counter-Terrorism Center, Chris Miller, confirmed al-Masri’s death in a statement, saying his “removal… from the battlefield is a major setback to a terrorist organization that is consistently experiencing strategic losses facilitated by the United States and its partners.”

Al Qaeda’s loss of al-Masri, Miller continued, “highlights the diminishing effectiveness of the terrorist organization.”

Al-Masri has been charged in the United States with having provided material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization, and conspiracy to kill US nationals.

Al-Masri, believed to be al Qaeda’s second-in-command, was killed during a special operation in Ghazni province, the NDS said.

The FBI declined to comment.

The al Qaeda operative, who also went by the name Husam Abd-al-Ra’uf, was an Egyptian national, according to the FBI.

Last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said fewer than 200 al Qaeda operatives remain in Afghanistan.

This month marks 19 years since the United States invaded Afghanistan to topple the Taliban rulers, who had harboured al Qaeda militants who attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.

The United States has been gradually drawing down its troops from Afghanistan after striking a landmark deal with the Taliban in February.

That deal is set to see foreign forces leave Afghanistan by May 2021 in exchange for counterterrorism guarantees from the Taliban, which agreed to negotiate a permanent ceasefire and a power sharing formula with the Afghan government.

The intra-Afghan peace process kicked off in Doha last month. Despite the talks, fighting between Taliban and Afghan government forces has raged in recent weeks.

Last week, US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said the Taliban had agreed to “re-set” their commitments under a troop withdrawal deal and reduce the number of casualties in the country. — Reuters

Philippines evacuates nearly 1,800 as tropical storm Molave approaches

The Philippines evacuated nearly 1,800 people and suspended sea travel as tropical storm Molave was expected to bring widespread rains over two regions on the southern part of the main island of Luzon on Sunday.

Tropical cyclone wind alerts were issued for several provinces in the Bicol and Calabarzon regions with storm Molave expected to make landfall later in the day while traversing the southern Luzon area, the national weather bureau said.

“Further intensification prior to landfall over Bicol region remains likely,” it warned in a bulletin.

Molave follows tropical storm Saudel, which last week caused widespread flooding in Quezon province in the Calabarzon region, southeast of the capital Manila.

After crossing the Philippine archipelago, Molave was expected to continue intensifying over the South China Sea, possibly reaching typhoon category by Tuesday evening, it said.

Sea travel operations were canceled in the Calabarzon region, with 662 people reportedly stranded at ports due to strong winds, according to the disaster monitoring agency.

In the Bicol provinces, a total of 532 families, or 1,789 people, were preemptively evacuated to temporary shelters, it said. — Reuters

Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, head of S.Korea’s biggest conglomerate, dies at 78

SEOUL – Lee Kun-hee, charismatic leader of Samsung Group, South Korea’s biggest conglomerate, died on Sunday, the company said, six years after he was hospitalised for a heart attack.

Lee, who was 78, helped grow his father Lee Byung-chull’s noodle trading business into a powerhouse, with dozens of affiliates stretching from electronics and insurance to shipbuilding and construction.

He died with his family by his side, including his son, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee, the conglomerate said.

Lee is the latest second-generation leader of a South Korean’s family-controlled conglomerates to die, leaving thorny succession issues for the third generation.

“Chairman Lee was a true visionary who transformed Samsung into the world-leading innovator and industrial powerhouse from a local business. His 1993 declaration of ‘New Management’ was the motivating driver of the company’s vision to deliver the best technology to help advance global society,” Samsung said in a statement.

During his lifetime, Samsung Electronics developed from a second-tier TV maker to the world’s biggest technology firm by revenue – seeing off Japanese brands Sony, Sharp Corp and Panasonic Corp in chips, TVs and displays; ending Nokia Oyj’s handset supremacy and beating Apple Inc in smartphones.

“His legacy will be everlasting,” Samsung said. – Reuters

Budget deficit narrows in September

The national government’s (NG) budget gap in September narrowed by 22% to P138.5 billion in September as revenue collection and state spending both declined, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said on Friday.

For the January to September period, the fiscal deficit stood at P879.2 billion, 194% higher compared with the P299-billion deficit logged a year ago, the BTr’s latest cash operations report showed.

In September, government spending dropped by 15.45% to P350.9 billion, a reversal from the 0.38% uptick seen in August. The lower expenditures were attributed to the base effect of higher infrastructure spending a year ago as well as the timing of subsidy releases, BTr said.

Primary expenditures contracted by 17.32% to P307.6 billion in September, while interest payments were flat at P43.4 billion.

The September figures show the slower state spending could be the government’s “strategy to limit the budget deficit,” said ING Bank-NV Manila Senior Economist Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa.

However, he warned a continued drop in government expenditure might slow down recovery.

“Government spending alongside the net exports account were the lone bright spots for GDP (gross domestic product) in the first half of 2020 and the projected decline in fiscal expenditures does not bode well for the GDP outlook in both 2020 and 2021,” Mr. Mapa said in an e-mail.

On the other hand,​ the economic slowdown continued to affect government revenues which declined 10.19% to P212.4 billion in September, as tax revenues slumped by 8.51% to P193 billion.

Broken down, tax collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) fell 6.56% to P140.6 billion in September, while collections by the Bureau of Customs (BoC) slipped 13.69% to P50.8 billion.

Meanwhile, non-tax revenues, which consists of privatization proceeds and fees and charges generated, decreased 24.13% to P19.4 billion.

The BTr’s income slid 19.35% to P8.6 billion due as the national government’s share in the income from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. plunged by 87.4%. The Treasury also attributed the lower income to “the timing of remittance of interest on advances from GOCCs (government-owned and controlled corporations) offsetting the higher dividend collection from NG shares of stocks.”

Non-tax revenues from other offices also fell 27.57% to P10.8 billion for the month.

“We observe that revenue collections were lower as mobility, businesses and activities slowly recover after being hampered by renewed community quarantine restrictions from the previous month,” Security Bank Corp. Chief Economist Robert Dan J. Roces said in a text message.

The budget shortfall widened in the January to September period, as expenditures rose 15.07% to P3.022 trillion due to the government’s pandemic response. However, this was still 7.53% lower than the revised P3.269 trillion expenditure program for the year.

“The lag is attributed mainly to measures under RA No. 11494 or the ‘Bayanihan to Recover as One Act’ which are still to be implemented following the approval of the law last Sept. 11,” the BTr said.

The nine-month tally showed revenues dropped 7.92% to P2.143 trillion as tax collections fell 11.28% to P1.854 trillion. The BIR’s collections decreased 9.91% to P1.443 trillion, while BoC’s tax take went down by 15.32% to P398 billion.

The cumulative tax revenues from the BIR was 10.19% higher than the revised P1.31 trillion target. Meanwhile, the BoC’s nine-month collections also surpassed the P372.2 billion revised program.

For his part, Mr. Roces is expecting the fiscal deficit to widen further in the remaining months of 2020 due to Bayanihan II. The law provides a P165.5-billion additional boost to the country’s pandemic response. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

Philippines to allow foreign investors to enter in November

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) will allow foreign investors to enter the Philippines starting from Nov. 1.

Under Resolution No. 80 dated Oct. 22, foreign nationals with investment visas will be allowed to enter the Philippines, which has implemented travel curbs starting February to stem the rise in coronavirus infections.

Foreign nationals should have visas issued by the Bureau of Immigration pursuant to Executive Order No. 226 or the Omnibus Investments Code; Department of Justice; or Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority, and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

The entry of foreign investors will still be subject to conditions, such as the validity of the visa and pre-booking of accredited quarantine facilities.

The Bureau of Immigration will coordinate with airlines for the proper implementation of the resolution.

The Philippines has seen a slump in foreign investments as it implemented one of the world’s longest and strictest lockdowns earlier this year. Lockdown restrictions have since been eased as part of the government’s efforts to revive the economy, which entered a recession in the second quarter.

At the same time, the IATF-EID lifted the pre-boarding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing requirement for outbound Filipino travellers.

“Whenever required by the country of destination or the airline, a negative COVID-19 test taken in accordance with the health and safety protocols of such destination country or airline,” the IATF-EID said.

Those travelling on tourist or short-term visas should submit confirmed round trip tickets and adequate travel and health insurance “to cover travel disruptions and hospitalization” in case they are infected with the coronavirus.

They also have to execute a Bureau of Immigration declaration acknowledging the risks in their travel.

Outbound travellers shall follow guidelines for returning Filipinos upon their return, requiring them to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival, the IATF said.

The task force allowed non-essential outbound travels starting October 21.

The task force also eased the mass gatherings for religious activities in areas under general community quarantine, now allowing 30% of the seating or venue capacity. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

BSP approves nearly $4B in gov’t foreign loans

The central bank has approved $3.919 billion in government’s foreign loans in the third quarter, with most of the funds going to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic response and massive infrastructure projects.

The amount of national government foreign borrowings approved was 49% higher than the $2.654 billion in foreign debt greenlit in the same period of 2019, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said in a statement on Friday.

The policy-setting Monetary Board has the mandate to give prior approval for all foreign loans to be contracted or guaranteed by the government under the 1987 Constitution.

Broken down, $1.458 billion in borrowings will be used for infrastructure development while $1.247 billion will fund the government’s efforts to contain the pandemic.

The rest of the borrowings will be utilized for agrarian reform and agriculture development ($770 million), financial inclusion ($417.42 million), and local governance reforms ($26.53 million).

The country’s total external debt stock as a share of the gross domestic product stood at 23.7% as of end-June, rising from the 21.4% as foreign debt increased to support the government’s crisis response.

BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno has said the country’s external debt indicators remain at prudent levels.

The government expects to borrow P3 trillion this year from both foreign and local sources. This is seen to plug the budget deficit which is expected to balloon to 9.6% of gross domestic product this year as state revenues decline amid the economic slowdown.

So far, foreign borrowings surged 85% year on year to P509.69 billion in the January to August this year, data from the Bureau of the Treasury showed. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

DOT suspends issuance of retiree’s visa, orders review of PRA policies

The Department of Tourism (DoT) has ordered the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) to suspend the issuance of Special Retirement Residence Visas (SRRV) pending the review and amendments of the policies on age and visa deposit requirements.

Senators earlier questioned the PRA for allowing foreigners as young as 35 years old to reside in the country as retirees, saying that it is a form of “soft invasion.”

During the PRA Board of Trustees meeting on Friday, the agency was directed by the DoT to review its policies on age bracket, dollar deposit requirements, and the conversion of these deposits into allowable investments.

According to the DoT, the acceptance and processing of applications to join the SRRV program and issuance of SRRV will remain suspended pending the PRA’s compliance with the above-cited directives.

The PRA was also directed to implement an enhanced program to regularly monitor the profile and activities of active SRRV holders in coordination with other government agencies, such as the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Department of Justice (DoJ), and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The PRA was likewise ordered to coordinate with the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) for the formulation and review of its marketing and product development plans, and its retirement programs with other countries.

Meanwhile, a lawmaker on Friday said the surge in the entry of Chinese and other foreign nationals into the Philippines will boost the country’s economic growth amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“With all due respect to the opinion of our esteemed senators in the Upper Chamber of Congress, I believe that the entry of foreign nationals who wish to retire and consider our country as their second home is a welcome development,” Partylist Rep. Enrico A. Pineda said in a statement. “Our country is still reeling from the impact of the pandemic. These retirees from other countries are willing to invest in our country by bringing business here.”

The SRRV program requires those aged 50 years old and above to have a time deposit of $10,000 to $20,000 for its issuance; $50,000, on the other hand, is required for those who are aged 35 to 49.

“On the other hand, I agree with the sentiment of our counterparts in the Senate that the minimum retiree age must be reconsidered and reviewed by the Department of Tourism and the (PRA),” Mr Pineda said, saying that it would be better if the age requirement would be adjusted from 35-14 to 40-49 years old.

“However, we have to be very cautious in the review of our retirement visa policies for us not to be misconstrued to be shooing away retirees. Most of these foreign nationals are investing in their tourist destinations, creating more jobs for the locals and giving income to the government in terms of taxes,” he said. “For as long as they follow proper procedures as required by our laws, they are welcome to retire and invest in our country.”

PRA officials earlier revealed at a budget hearing at the Senate that there are currently 27,678 Chinese retirees in the Philippines. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

1,900 new COVID-19 cases recorded

The Department of Health reported 1,923 new coronavirus infections, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 365,799.

The death toll rose by 132 to 6,915 while the number of recoveries increased by 424 to 312,691, the health department said in a bulletin.

There are 46,193 active cases, the health department said, 83.6% of which were mild, 11.3% which did not show symptoms, 1.8% which were severe, and 3.2% were critical.

Davao City reported the highest number of new cases with 99, followed by Cavite and the City of Manila with 94 each, Quezon City with 92, and Negros Occidental with 89.

Metro Manila has the highest number of newly reported deaths with 47, followed by Central Luzon with 33, Calabarzon with 23, Western Visayas with 10, Central Visayas with eight, the Bicol region with three, and Caraga with two.

The Ilocos region, Davao, Soccsksargen, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the Cordillera Administrative Region all reported one death each. There was also one death among returning overseas Filipinos.

More than 4.2 million Filipinos have been tested for coronavirus, the agency said. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

SC to consolidate 30 petitions against anti-terror law

he Supreme Court will consolidate the issues in the more than 30 petitions questioning the anti-terror law in the country before setting oral arguments.

Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta, speaking at the “Chief Justice Meets the Press” briefing on Friday, said the justice-in-charge will consolidate all the common issues in the 37 petitions and list down the issues that are different.

“We cannot proceed to an oral argument if we have not yet determined what actually are the issues, kaya ang suggestion namin sa (so our suggestion to the) member in charge, and she accepted our suggestion to come up with common issues,” Mr. Peralta said in the online briefing.

He said that he hopes the issues will be ready to be submitted at their regular session on Nov. 3.

The chief justice said they also have to set a preliminary conference to consult with the parties involved on the conduct of oral arguments so petitioners can send one lawyer to argue on the common issues.

“Sa tingin ko (I believe that) by, before the middle of November, we can already agree on the date of the oral argument,” Mr. Peralta said. 

The Anti-Terrorism Act, which took effect on July 18, considers attacks that cause death or serious injury, extensive damage to property, and manufacture, possession, acquisition, transport and supply of weapons or explosives as acts of terrorism.

The law allows the government to detain a suspect in jail for 14 days, even without a warrant of arrest, from three days previously.

It also forms the Anti-Terrorism Council, made up of Cabinet officials, which can perform acts reserved for courts, including ordering the arrest of suspected terrorists.

The Office of the Solicitor General previously said that the law can be implemented even as the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) are still pending, as it is not a condition for the law to take effect.

More than 30 petitions were filed at the Supreme Court questioning the validity of the Anti-Terrorism Act, mostly citing the warrantless arrest and violation of the principle of separation of powers, among others.

The IRR of the assailed law was approved last week. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Gov’t to pay its obligation to Philippine Red Cross – Roque

The government will pay its obligation to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) for conducting coronavirus tests, Malacanang said Friday.

Presidential Spokesman Harry L. Roque said the Department of Justice has already given its legal opinion that the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has to provide partial payment to the PRC while the memorandum of agreement between the two parties is undergoing review.

Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III on Wednesday said around 6,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have been stranded in quarantine hotels as the PRC has stopped conducting Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests chargeable to PhilHealth as the latter’s bill for unpaid tests has ballooned to P930 million.

“Having said this, we call on the PRC to resume its testing services. We likewise ask the public, including our stranded OFWs, for their patience and understanding as we resolve this matter at the soonest possible time,” Mr. Roque said, adding that the President has already asked various government agencies and private laboratories to assist OFWs with their RT-PCR testing. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Focus on ‘human rights aspects’ of same-sex civil union, Roman tells Sotto

The country’s legislature, which is composed of a significant number of Catholics, should now abandon its conservative views on marriage as the head of the Catholic Church has already endorsed same-sex civil union, a lawmaker said Friday.

Pope Francis was quoted this week in a documentary film as saying that homosexuals are “children of God and have a right to a family,” and that there must be civil union laws for them to be legally covered. The Pope’s landmark endorsement has been described as “a breath of fresh air” by civil society organizations and even some religious groups.

Bataan Rep. Geraldine B. Roman said lawmakers, including Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, should focus on the human rights and legal aspects of same-sex civil union instead of dwelling on traditional views on marriage.

Ms. Roman, the first and only transwoman to join the Philippine Congress, made the statement after Mr. Sotto said that Pope Francis’ landmark endorsement has no bearing on the validity of pending bills legalizing the union of same-sex couples.

“Same-sex union is already being practiced here and there is nothing we can do about it. It’s just tolerated but not in the legal sense. We should leave it at that,” Mr. Sotto, a known critic of policies concerning the welfare of the LGBTQ+, told reporters Thursday.

“He cannot speak for other lawmakers, he is not a good mind-reader,” Ms. Roman told BusinessWorld, saying that those who oppose the measures recognizing the civil partnership of homosexual couples would not be obliged to have a same sex relationship.

“We should not be stuck in middle ages, let us have some progress,” she said.

Ms. Roman said House Bill No. 2264 or the “Civil Partnership Act,” which remains pending at the House committee on women and gender equality, should be passed to protect the civil rights of same sex couples who, until now, are being discrimiinated against.

“The society has to face the reality that there are LGBTQ+ couples, and their rights must be protected,” she said.

Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera, author of HB No. 1357, or “An Act Recognizing the Civil Partnership of Couples, Providing their Rights and Obligations,” hopes that pending bills recognizing the validity of same sex unions will “finally move forward after being dormant for so long.”

Meanwhile, Bahaghari National Spokesperson Rey Valmores-Salinas said the Pope’s remark is a manifestation of a society “that is beginning to awaken to the need for empathy and respect for the incredible diversity of human sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions.”

“The Pope’s landmark remark is not just the opinion of a single man. It is a reflection of a society slowly but inevitably recognizing the value of love across all genders, something that not even a rabidly backward-minded Senator like Tito Sotto cannot stop,” she told BusinessWorld on Friday. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

IATF allows motorcycle taxis to resume operations amid pandemic

The government’s task force on pandemic response has allowed the operations of motorcycle taxis, as the country gradually re-opens its economy to bounce back from a record contraction of 16.5% in the second quarter of the year which affected millions of jobs.

Presidential Spokesman Harry L. Roque on Friday announced that the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has allowed Angkas and JoyRide to operate in order to augment the limited public transportation in Metro Manila due to the health crisis.

According to Mr. Roque, the decision came after the House of Representatives approved the extension of the motorcycle taxi pilot study.

Following this, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Friday said it will comply with the decision of the government to allow the resumption of operations of the bike-hailing firms.

“DOTr will comply with the decision of the Cabinet, Congress, and IATF. In fact, Secretary Tugade earlier expressed his support on the resumption of MC Taxi Operation,” Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope Libiran said in a statement.

Ms. Libiran said that the transportation department will implement the IATF decision once it receives the guidelines from the National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19.

“There is already an existing guideline in place, but considering that we are in a pandemic, we will have to rely on the expert recommendation of the NTF as to the minimum health standards that shall be put in place to ensure that the program will not be a transmission vector of the virus,” she said. “Its primordial task is to ensure the safety of the riding passengers, which will also be the basis of the continuing recommendation to congress for drafting the appropriate legislation,” Libiran explained.

Ms. Libiran also announced that an inter-agency task force overseeing motorcycle taxis will be reconvened to regulate and monitor their operations.

Metro Manila mayors had earlier asked the DOTr to continue the pilot study of motorcycle taxis. The IATF, for its part, endorsed the request of local chiefs to the lower chamber. The House transportation committee had also expressed its support to legitimize the operations of motorcycle taxis.

During the first half of the year, riding pillion on motorcycles — called “back-riding” locally — was not allowed by the government in a bid to contain the lethal COVID-19 virus.

But the government, after multiple appeals from the public, eventually allowed couples living under the same roof to ride a motorcycle as long as a divider was installed. The policy requiring a barrier, however, was scrapped in August after experts criticized its effectiveness

Government’s policy concerning transportation had been one of the most debated issues at the height of the longest and most stringent lockdown in South East Asia. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

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