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TCS Clark Animo International Marathon 2020 moved to May

THE TCS Clark Animo International Marathon, a major international fitness event at Clark Global City, has moved its start date to May 10. Originally set for March 8, the race was reset by its organizers and stakeholders as a precautionary measure in view of the health and safety concerns surrounding the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

As the TCS Clark Animo International Marathon is a global sports tourism event, the need to undertake such steps to help protect the well-being of race participants from the health threat is more crucial than ever.

Organized annually by the De La Salle Alumni Association Pampanga chapter along with Clark Global City, the marathon, which has its courses certified by the International Association of Athletic Federations and the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (IAAF-AIMS), will be sponsored by leading technology company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for the fifth year in a row. TCS has sponsored other prestigious global running events such as the TCS New York City Marathon, TCS Amsterdam Marathon, and Tata Mumbai Marathon.

A help desk is now open to assist all racers who have been affected by the change in schedule. They can be reached at the following numbers: 09384798166, 09384798167, and 09666406420. Queries may also be e-mailed at TCSClarkAnimo@gmail.com or posted on their Facebook page, TCS Clark Animo International. Registered racers who cannot make it to the new race date will be automatically registered for next year’s race.

Fortified Mendiola FC out to make waves in new PFL season

WHEN the fourth season of the Philippines Football League (PFL) unfurls later this month, expect Mendiola FC 1991 out on the field better competing after undergoing a solid buildup in the offseason.

Joined the PFL last year where it finished fifth in the league before finishing the year with a third-place finish in the Copa Paulino Alcantara, Mendiola is angling to improve on its showing anchored on a roster it believes could get the job done.

“We have strengthened our lineup with a fine mix of standouts from the college tournaments, tough and experienced local players and strong foreign players,” said Erwin Guevarra Isla, Mendiola management team leader, at the team’s unveiling of its roster and kits last Saturday at Club Filipino in San Juan City.

The current team is composed of Season 2019 players Niño Datoy (goalkeeper), Souleyman Mbouombouo Ndepe (center back), Jay-R Sandoval (right back), PJ Fadrigalan (center back), Aljo Paul Zabala (left back), Paolo Javier (left back), Louie Joshua Polinag (right back), Aaron Altiche (midfielder), Nimrod Balatbat (midfielder), Jay Shaun Soberano (midfielder), Rey Franco Miguel De La Torre (midfielder), Hamed Hajimehdi (midfielder), and Jim Ashley Flores (forward).

Also part of the team are transferees Ray Joseph Joyel (goalkeeper), Marvin Bricencio (midfielder), John Celiz (midfielder), Apiah Tonaldo (forward), and John Nico Macapal (forward); and new players JRV Malayo (center back), Dave Deloso (midfielder), Sean Epili (midfielder), and Rederick Fornis (midfielder).

Former national team player and National University coach Dan Padernal is the head coach with San Beda University mentors Nhiboy Pedimonte and Jake Cuaycong as assistant coaches and Anton Albao as the goalkeeping coach.

Throwing its support to the team is Penson & Company Inc. (PCI), the firm of businessman and sports philanthropist Ricardo Penson, who is also a long-time supporter of the San Beda University Red Booters in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Focus Athletics is also on board, supporting the squad by providing gym facilities, physical therapy and medical services while FAT Indonesia created the team’s kits.

“We are hoping to be among the top three in the PFL and give the strong teams like Ceres FC and Kaya FC more intense games like the matches that we drew with them in 2019… Despite logistical challenges, Mendiola FC 1991 remains standing and proud. Our players, coaches and management are committed to investing our time and effort. At the end of the day, we fulfill our dreams to support the Filipino football community,” said Mr. Isla in further underscoring their vision and push.

The 2020 season of the PFL kicks off on March 21. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Firouzja in his biggest win

2nd Prague Masters
Prague, Czech Republic
Feb. 11–22, 2020

Final Standings

1–5 Vidit Santosh Gujrathi IND 2721, Alireza Firouzja FIDE 2726, Jan-Krzysztof Duda POL 2755, David Anton Guijarro ESP 2697, Samuel Shankland USA 2683, 5.0/9

6–7 Nikita Vitiugov RUS 2731, Penteala Harikrishna IND 2713, 4.5/9

8–9 Markus Ragger AUT 2670, David Navara CZE 2717, 4.0/9

10 Nils Grandelius SWE 2659, 3.0/9

Tie-Break for 1st Place

Alireza Firouzja defeated Vidit Santosh Gujrathi 2-0

Average Rating 2707 Category 19

Time Control: 90 minutes for 1st 40 moves followed by 30 minutes play-to-finish with a 30-second increment starting from move one.

The 16-year-old Alireza Firouzja scored his biggest win to date by taking the category 19 (Average Rating: 2707) Prague Masters after tying for 1st with four others and beating Vidit 2:0 in a blitz playoff.

Last December 2018 he was here in Makati playing in the 17th Asian Continental Chess Championship. His rating was 2607 and he was not even the top Iranian player here. Grandmaster M. Amin Tabatabaei tied for 1st with Wei Yi (China) and Le Quang Liem (Vietnam) and, together with Surya Shekhar Ganguly (India) and Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (Vietnam), qualified for the 2019 World Cup.

Another Iranian GM Parham Maghsoodloo tied for the last qualifying slot but was eliminated by his inferior tie breaks.

Firouzja tied for 12th place with 5.5/9 by winning 5 games, drawing 1 and losing 3 (to Wei Yi, IM Shamsiddin Vokhidov and GM Lalith Babu of India).

I witnessed the following game firsthand during the penultimate round when he lost to Babu:

Firouzja, Alireza (2607) — Lalith, Babu MR (2529) [C92]
17th Asian Continental
Makati PHI (8.8), 17.12.2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0–0 9.h3 Bb7 10.d4 Nd7 11.Nbd2 Na5 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 exd4 14.cxd4 c5 15.d5 Bf6 16.Rb1 Nc4 17.b3 Nce5 18.N3h2 c4 19.Ne3 Qc7 20.Nf5 Nc5 21.Bb2 Bc8 22.Ng3 g6 23.b4 Ncd7 24.Bc3 Bg7 25.Qd2 a5 26.bxa5 Nc5 27.Rxb5 Bd7 28.Rb6 Ncd3 29.Reb1 Qc5 30.a6 Bh6 31.Qxh6 Qxf2+ 32.Kh1 Nf4 33.Rg1 Qxg3 34.Be1 Qe3 35.Bh4?

It seems to me that Firouzja’s original plan was to go 35.Rxd6 but suddenly noticed that 35…Nxg2?! 36.Qxe3 Nxe3 when White is only slightly better. However, in reality, 35.Rxd6 Nxg2 36.Bd2! White gains two pieces for a rook with a very strong position, perhaps even winning.

35…Qxb6

Now 35…Nxg2 does not work because of 36.Bg5 Qxb6?? 37.Bf6 and mate.

36.Qxf4

Alas! 36.Bf6 Nh5 there is no mate.

36…f6 37.Bxf6 Rf8 38.Rf1 Rf7 39.Qc1 Raf8 40.Bxe5 Rxf1+ 41.Nxf1 dxe5 42.Ne3 Qxa6 43.Qa1 Qa3 44.Qe1 Qxa2 45.Qc3 Qa7 46.Kh2 Qc5 47.Bb3 Rf4 48.Bc2 Bb5 49.Ng4 Qd4 50.Qa5 h5 51.Nh6+ Kh7 52.Nf5 Qc5 53.Qd8 Rf1 54.h4 gxf5 55.exf5 Qg1+ 56.Kh3 Qe3+ 0–1

The leader of their delegation, GM Ghaem Maghami, could not contain himself and scolded Alireza for bungling the tactics.

That was in December 2018, and he has been on a tear since then. The next month, January 2019, Alireza Firouzja won the Iranian Chess Championship, the second time he has done so, finishing undefeated with 9/11 (+7−0=4).

In March, he competed in the World Team Chess Championship with Iran. He scored 7/9 points (+6−1=2) as Iran placed sixth out of 10. Later in March, he participated in the 3rd Sharjah Masters. He tied for 1st–7th on 7/9 (+5−0=4), placing fourth on tiebreak. Ernesto Inarkiev won the event.

In April, Firouzja placed second on tiebreak behind Constantin Lupulescu in the Reykjavik Open with 7/9 (+6−1=2). Next came the Grenke Chess Open, held from 18 to 22 April. He won his first two games but then, on orders of his Federation, refused to play against the Israeli FIDE Master Or Bronstein in the third round, thus forfeiting the game. This completely destroyed his momentum as he then lost in the fourth round to 1945-rated Antonia Ziegenfuss. He then won his remaining five games to place 27th with 7/9.

In June, Firouzja took part in the 18th edition of the Asian Chess Championship, held from 6–16 June in Xingtai. He finished the tournament in sixth place with 6/9 points (+5−2=2). Though only the top 5 were set to qualify for the Chess World Cup 2019, Firouzja qualified for a spot in the World Cup as 1st-placed Le Quang Liem and 5th-placed Rinat Jumabayev had already previously qualified.

He was getting stronger with each event and made a breakthrough in the Turkish Super League (July 17-28). He scored 11½/13 (+10–0=3) and increased his rating to 2702. This made Firouzja the first Iranian to reach a rating of 2700 or above. It also makes him currently the youngest super grandmaster in the world.

At the FIDE World Cup in September, Firouzja defeated Arman Pashikian and Daniil Dubov in rounds one and two, respectively. Another milestone here as this is the first time an Iranian player has reached the third round of a Chess World Cup. In round three, he faced the number-one seed Ding Liren. Firouzja drew with Ding in the two classical games but lost both of the rapid tiebreakers and was eliminated from the tournament.

In December of 2019 Firouzja was getting ready to play in the 2019 World Rapid and Blitz Championships when the Iran Chess Federation banned all of their players from participating to uphold their ban against Iranians playing against Israelis. This was the last straw and Firouzja instead withdrew from his own Federation and decided to compete as a FIDE-licensed competitor. He could do this since he is residing in France.

His participation in the championships was sensational. He finished the World Rapid Chess Championship (Dec. 26–28) as runner-up with 10½/15 (+8–2=5), one point short of the winner Carlsen. He is the first-ever Iranian-born grandmaster to be able to go on a podium in the history of this competition. At the World Blitz Chess Championship held immediately after Firouzja as again among the leaders and placed sixth with 13½/21 (+12–6=3).

More was to come. Firouzja participated in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in January, the first Iranian to compete in the Masters’ bracket of the tournament, and his first time to face the world elite in a classical round-robin tournament. He finished with 6½/13 (+4–4=5), placing ninth. The final score does not tell the whole tale as in the first half of the tournament he even got the sole lead before suffering in consecutive games against Carlsen, Caruana and Anand.

Which brings us to the Masters section of the Prague International Chess Fesrival, a 10-player category XIX round-robin event. Firouzja was not scheduled to take part he was called in by the organizers as a last-minute replacement of Wei Yi who could not attend due to the outbreak of the Wuhan coronavirus. And now he made history once again, tying for first with Vidit and becoming one of the youngest players to ever attain a supertournament victory.

Duda, Jan Krzysztof (2755) — Firouzja, Alireza (2726) [A11]
Prague Masters Prague (7.4), 19.02.2020

This game won the Chess.com Brilliancy Prize. The prize is awarded 50% by the choice of the Website chess.com content team, and 50% by the Chess.com members (taken from the poll on the chess.com site).

1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.b3 Bd6 6.Bb2 0–0

The “logical” 6…e5?! here is exactly what White’s formation is designed against. He will be putting pressure against the center with 7.cxd5 cxd5 8.Nb5 Nc6 9.Nxd6+ Qxd6 10.Bb5 (10.d4!? e4 11.Ne5 also looks OK for White) 10…e4 11.Nd4 0–0 and now GM Hracek recommends 12.Qc1! Nb4 (12…Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Rd8 14.Qb2 is likewise favorable for White) 13.a3 Na6 14.Be2 Nc7 15.h3 White is doing well with the two bishops getting ready to deploy.

7.Qc2 e5

With the King castled Black can now play this.

8.Be2

It might be a good idea to play 8.d3 to prevent 8…e4, but that is what Duda’s style is — provocative.

8…e4 9.Ng5 h6 10.h4!?

OK, here we go.

10…Re8

[10…hxg5? 11.hxg5 Nh7 12.f4 White has a strong attack coming up. Take note that 12…exf3?? 13.Qxh7#]

11.Nh3 Na6 12.a3 dxc4 13.Bxc4 b5 14.Be2 b4 15.Nd1 bxa3 16.Bxa3 Nb4 17.Bxb4 Bxb4 18.g3 Ng4

The idea is Qf6, Bf5, Rad8–d6, Re8–d8 with maximum pressure on the d2–pawn.

19.Ra2 Qf6 20.Kf1

White can castle but 20.0–0 g5 looks dangerous for him.

20…Bf5 21.Kg2 Rad8 22.Nc3 a5 23.Nf4 Qe5 24.Rc1 Rd6 25.Qd1 Nf6 26.h5 Red8 27.Nb1

Time remaining: 9 minutes for Duda and 15 minutes for Firouzja.

27…g5 28.hxg6 fxg6 29.Qh1 Kg7 30.Na3 Bxa3 31.Rxa3 g5 32.Nh5+ Nxh5 33.Bxh5 Rxd2 34.Rxc6? <D>

It looks like 34.Qe1 is the only move to prevent instant disaster. However, Black can still continue 34…Qb2 35.Rxa5 Rf8 and the pressure against f2 will win for him.

Diagram here!!

POSITION AFTER 34.RXC6

34…Bd7!

Preparation for Rf8 targeting f2. 34…Rxf2+? right away does not work because 35.Kxf2 Qb2+ would fail to 36.Be2! and h6 hangs.

35.Rg6+

[35.Rc1 Rf8 36.Rf1 Qb2 does not help]

35…Kh7 36.Qc1

[36.Ra6 Rxf2+ 37.Kxf2 Rf8+ 38.Kg2 Qb2+ 39.Kg1 Qf2#]

36…Be8 37.Rxa5 Qxa5 38.Qc4 Rxf2+ 39.Kxf2 Qf5+ 0–1

[39…Qf5+ 40.Ke2 Bxg6 41.Bxg6+ Kxg6 Black is a whole rook up]

Two years ago not yet even an International Grandmaster, and now, only 16 years old, playing at the elite level. Let’s see the next milestones he will attain in the coming months.

 

Bobby Ang is a founding member of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and its first Executive Director. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), he taught accounting in the University of Santo Tomas (UST) for 25 years and is currently Chief Audit Executive of the Equicom Group of Companies.

bobby@cpamd.net

Shepherding the Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo was on the left block, his back to the basket. He had the ball with 2:28 to go in the match, and he looked left to survey the court. The Hornets, whose buoyant play to that point had the 19,149-strong Spectrum Center crowd pumped, were just three down following a P.J. Washington dunk, and he needed to manufacture points to keep them at bay. Seeing tight coverage, he decided to go for the best option: himself. He dribbled once to get closer to the paint, and then made a quick pirouette to the baseline to set up an arching fadeaway. The nine-footer, launched high to clear the outstretched arms of Miles Bridges, was money. It hit the bottom of the net, giving the Bucks some much-needed cushion against the hosts.

The Bucks would go on to win yesterday’s set-to, but not before taking the full measure of the overachieving Hornets. Certainly, they needed every bit of the effort Antetokounmpo put up in 35 minutes of play. He didn’t post a game-high plus-22 rating for nothing, and his aggregate stat line was the first to top 40-20-5 for the franchise since living legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did it in 1974. Indeed, he was that special, and he needed to be in order for them to claim their sixth straight and 11th triumph of their last 12 outings. With fellow All-Star Khris Middleton still sidelined due to a neck injury, he gladly took on a more active role on offense, and he delivered.

Although the regular season still has a quarter’s worth of contests left to play, Antetokounmpo’s stellar showing has him way ahead of the competition for the Most Valuable Player award. It’s telling that he’s even better — make that much better — since he claimed it last year, and that the Bucks have approximated his dominance throughout. They’re on pace for 70 wins, running roughshod over any and all opposition. And so good have they been that the Lakers, who would have otherwise hogged headlines for pacing the West with All-World LeBron James at the helm, remain consigned to second-fiddle status.

At this point, there’s only one thing left for Antetokounmpo to prove: that he has the resolve to shepherd the Bucks to the championship. Thwarted by the Raptors in the East Finals last year, he claims he has learned from his lesson and will act accordingly. And, at the rate he’s going, who’s to say he’s wrong in his contention?

 

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.

Peso rebounds vs dollar on positive data, BSP bets

THE PESO rebounded against the dollar following consecutive days of weakness as markets priced in better local manufacturing data and the possibility of another rate cut.

The local unit ended trading at P50.63 on Monday, stronger by 34 centavos from its Friday close of P50.97, according to data from the website of the Bankers Association of the Philippines.

The peso opened Monday’s session at P51.02 per dollar. Its weakest showing for the day was at P51.095 while its strongest was at P50.62 against the greenback.

Dollars traded slipped to $1.468 billion yesterday from Friday’s $1.684 billion.

UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion attributed the appreciation of the local unit to “better-than-expected” local data released on Monday.

“The peso’s strength may have relied on the better-than-expected PMI (Purchasing Managers’ Index) reading for February,” he said in a text message.

“Amidst PMI declines of regional neighbors, this may describe robust manufacturing output for Q1 2020,” he added.

IHS Markit Philippines reported that Philippine manufacturing PMI inched up to 52.3 in February from 52.1 in January. A reading of 50 and beyond is considered an expansion.

Meanwhile, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said the peso’s strength came on the back of rate cut expectations.

“Peso exchange closed much stronger amid some market expectations about a possible coordinated rate cuts by the central banks in the US and in other parts of the world as a countermeasure to any adverse effect of the coronavirus…,” Mr. Ricafort said in a text message.

On Monday, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said the 25-basis-point (bp) rate cut left from the 50-bp rate cut he earlier signaled for 2020 is still “on the table” and that the Monetary Board will take into account the developments on the coronavirus outbreak during their next policy setting meeting.

“It’s still on the table. And we’re going to meet on Mar. 19 for policy setting. So we’ll see what’s happening that time,” Mr. Diokno said on the sidelines of his book launch in Pasay.

Earlier, Mr. Diokno said they will consider looking into more rate cuts if needed, depending on the progress of the outbreak.

The rate on the BSP’s reverse repurchase, overnight deposit and lending facilities currently stand at 3.75%, 3.25% and 4.25%, respectively.

For today, both Mr. Asuncion and Mr. Ricafort expect the peso to move around the P50.50 to P50.80 levels. — LWTN

Shares slump further on fears over virus outbreak

STOCKS dropped further on Monday on last-minute profit taking among investors as fears on the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continue to weigh on the market.

The benchmark 30-member Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) dropped by 38.63 points or 0.56% to close at 6,749.28 yesterday, while the broader all shares index decreased by 20.63 points or 0.50% to finish at 4,043.69.

According to Philstocks Financial Inc. Research Associate Claire T. Alviar, fears on the continued spread of COVID-19 affected the market.

“PSE index ended in the red on last minute profit taking as COVID-19 fears linger in the market,” Ms. Alviar said in a text message.

“While during intraday, it visited the positive territory as investors accumulate on dips, along with the rebound of some Asian markets after the major sell-off last week,” Ms. Alviar added.

World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus likewise told CNBC on Sunday that the market panic was uncalled for, even after the organization on Friday raised its threat assessment for the virus to its highest level.

So far around 85,000 people in 53 countries have been infected. China, the world’s second-largest economy, is home to the vast majority of cases. About 70 have been diagnosed in the United States, Reuters reported.

Most Southeast Asian stock markets recovered from early losses on Monday as hopes grew major central banks would roll out stimulus measures to help cushion the economic fallout from the coronavirus’ spread.

On Friday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank would “act as appropriate” to support the economy, raising hopes of a rate cut and chances that others would follow suit.

US stock index futures tumbled as trading reopened on Sunday night with investors still unnerved by the coronavirus and taking little solace from weekend comments by US officials that aimed to soothe panic about a pandemic.

S&P 500 e-mini futures were last down about 1%, indicating another bad day for the benchmark index on Monday after it fell more than 11% last week, its worst since the 2008 financial crisis.

Most sectoral indices at the PSE fell yesterday except for property, which rose by 55.64 points or 1.53% to end at 3,688.82.

Meanwhile, industrials declined by 191.54 points or 2.29% to 8,159.94; mining and oil dropped 108.29 points or 1.67% to 6,343.15; financials plummeted 24.5 points or 1.52% to 1,581.49; holding firms gave up 50.58 points or 0.76% to 6,576.50; and services went down 5.52 points or 0.4% to 1,345.86,

Value turnover dropped to P6.52 billion on Monday with 946.27 million shares changing hands from the P11.39 billion traded last Friday.

Decliners outnumbered advancers, 129 against 69, with 46 names closing unchanged.

Net foreign selling continued but thinned to P1.53 billion on Monday from the P4.08 billion recorded last Friday. — RMDO with Reuters

Manila eyes travel ban for Italy, Iran amid outbreak

THE Philippines will consider a travel ban for Italy and Iran and may expand restrictions for South Korea as a novel coronavirus outbreak spreads to these countries, authorities said on Monday.

“We will focus on certain countries that are showing the most activity in terms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Eduardo R. Meñez told a briefing.

The virus has killed about 3,000 people and sickened 88,000 more, mostly in China, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

More than 3,700 people have been infected in South Korea, the biggest number of infections outside China.

Almost 1,700 people have tested positive for the deadly virus in Italy, a 50% jump from a day earlier. Almost a thousand people have been infected in Iran.

The Philippines has not reported a coronavirus infection for weeks and only three people have been confirmed to have been infected, all Chinese nationals from Wuhan City, where it was first detected.

Two of the patients have recovered and one has died, according to the local Health department.

Mr. Meñez said there were 6,139 Filipinos in South Korea, 161,885 in Italy and 1,181 in Iran. No Filipino had been infected in any of these countries, he added.

Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario C. Vergeire told a separate briefing the Philippines would decide on these three countries based on the number of transmissions, volume of travelers to the Philippines and their capacity to handle the outbreak.

The government was also studying whether there is a need for Filipinos there to come home, she said.

Meanwhile, more than 500 patients under investigation for COVID-19 in the Philippines have been discharged from hospitals, the Health department said in a statement.

It added that 43 patients were still being monitored in health facilities.

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III traced the lower numbers to heightened surveillance, early travel restrictions and enhanced laboratory processes.

“But this is not enough reason to let our guards down,” he said in the statement. “The DOH will continuously assess the situation and improve its surveillance protocols based on evidence and further developments.” — Gillian M. Cortez and Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Jurisprudence on treaty termination sought by Senate

THE SENATE on Monday adopted a resolution asking the Supreme Court to come up with jurisprudence on whether President Rodrigo R. Duterte can end a treaty without Senate concurrence.

Twelve senators voted to adopt the document sponsored by Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, while seven abstained.

The move comes after President Duterte on Feb. 11 announced his decision to end a military agreement with the US on the deployment of troops for war games.

The presidential palace has said it doesn’t need to seek permission from the Senate to terminate the two-decade-old visiting forces agreement. The 1987 Constitution is silent on the matter.

The silence is “an issue of transcendental importance that impacts on the country’s constitutional checks and balances,” according to a copy of the resolution.

“It presents a constitutional issue that seriously affects the country’s legal system as well as the country’s relations with the international community,” it added.

Senators Panfilo M. Lacson, Richard J. Gordon, Juan Miguel F. Zubiri and Franklin M. Drilon co-sponsored the document. Other senators who voted to adopt the bill are Juan Edgardo M. Angara, Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay, Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel, Manuel “Lito” M. Lapid, Francis N. Pangilinan, Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva and Ralph G. Recto.

The seven senators who abstained — Aquilino L. Pimentel III, Ronald M. dela Rosa, Christopher Lawrence T. Go, Imee R. Marcos, Cynthia A. Villar, Francis N. Tolentino and Ramon B. Revilla, Jr. are all Duterte allies.

Mr. Pimentel, who heads the committee on foreign relations, cited the absence of details in the resolution.

The resolution filed on the same day did not go through the committee on foreign relations, but was referred to the committee on rules.

Mr. Sotto said the resolution might be included in a petition his office would file before the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The Philippines on Feb. 11 formally notified the US about its decision to end the VFA. It will take effect after six months.

Mr. Duterte had threatened to end the pact after the US visa of Mr. de la Rosa, his former police chief, was canceled.

President Duterte’s decision could complicate US military interests in the broader Asia-Pacific region as China’s ambitions rise.

Some senators have sought to block the move, arguing Mr. Duterte had no right to unilaterally scrap international pacts the country’s Senate had ratified.

The VFA is important to the overall US-Philippine alliance and sets out rules for US soldiers operating in the Philippines, a former US colony.

Washington has called the relationship “ironclad,” despite Mr. Duterte’s complaints that include allegations of US hypocrisy and ill treatment.

Ending the VFA complicates Washington’s efforts to maintain an Asia-Pacific troop presence amid friction over the presence of US personnel in Japan and South Korea and security concerns about China and North Korea. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Police arrest sacked guard who took 30 people hostage

Police arrested on Monday evening a former security guard who took about 30 people hostage at a mall in the Philippine capital, Manila after he was sacked by his bosses.

The crisis that lasted 10 hours ended after six bosses of Alchie Paray, the disgruntled guard at V-Mall Greenhills Shopping Center, agreed to resign, CNN Philippines reported. The hostage-taker claimed corruption surrounded his termination.

The gunman forced himself into the mall, shooting one of the security guards before capturing mall employees at gunpoint. The injured guard was rushed to a nearby hospital and was in stable condition.

During the standoff, a SWAT team was seen entering the four-story mall, which has more than 100 outlets. Shoppers were evacuated and a security cordon established around it.

The gunman was sacked by the company that provides security for the mall and had tried to get other guards involved, San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said, adding that he was demanding to speak to his former colleagues by video call.

“He was trying to initially get the other guards to join him for some sort of coup d’etat against the mall management,” he told the ABS-CBN News Channel.

The other hostages were now safe in police custody and were being debriefed, the mall management said in an e-mailed statement late Monday evening.
“Management continues to cooperate with authorities and will have a post-incident assessment with the police to avoid a repeat of this unfortunate situation,” it said.

“Management will also look into allegations made by the hostage taker against security agency officials who allegedly take bribes from tenants to disregard shopping mall policies,” it added.

The gunman will be charged with frustrated murder, illegal possession of explosives, illegal possession of firearms, grave coercion and grave threat, ABS-CBN said, citing police. — NPA with Reuters

State monitoring potential laundering

TWO GROUPS of foreigners brought in about $368 million or P18.74 billion into the country last year, prompting authorities to closely monitor potential money-laundering activities with more travelers carrying large sums of foreign currencies.

Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, citing his agency’s Jan. 29 report to Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez, identified the groups as the “Rodriguez” and “Chinese” groups, which brought in $200.24 million and $167.97 million, respectively.

The first group brought the money into the country from July 17 last year to January this year and listed Excellent Forex, Inc. as the recipient of the money.

The Chinese group brought in the cash starting Dec. 17 last year to January, he said.

He added that the couriers had been paid as much as P50,000 per flight to bring in the stash. They traveled two to three times a week to carry one or two pieces of luggage, Mr. Guerrero said.

The couriers had been escorted by either police, soldiers or airport police, he said.

Customs had reported the matter to the Anti-Money Laundering Council, according to the report. “Since then, this bureau and the AMLC have remained in close communication regarding this concern.”

Mr. Guerrero said they had forwarded the concern to Congress to serve as “possible basis of policy changes on the protocol to be observed regarding hand-carried foreign currencies passing through our airports.”

Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Salvador S. Panelo said the government would probe the suspected money-laundering and spying activities of Chinese nationals in the country.

Senator Richard J. Gordon earlier claimed Chinese nationals had brought in more than $160 million in cash into the country since December, and raised the possibility of money laundering activities.

He said Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) were probably being used as fronts for Chinese nationals who are part of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

“If the good senator has information on that, I think they should provide us with intelligence reports so that we can pursue their line of belief on that matter,” Mr. Panelo said.

Police had found a PLA identification card in a crime scene surrounding the murder of a Chinese national last week. The two suspects in the shooting had said the ID belonged to a Chinese national working in a local offshore gaming company.

Meanwhile, the House committee on ways and means will hold a closed-door meeting on Tuesday on the alleged money laundering scheme, “This involves national security concerns,” Albay Rep. Jose Maria Clemente S. Salceda, who heads the body, told reporters.

He said the $160 million mentioned by Mr. Gordon was only the “tip of the iceberg,” adding that about $840 million had passed through the Bureau of Customs last year. — Genshen L. Espedido, BML and GMC

House kicks out 2 committee heads amid rumored coup

THE House of Representatives on Monday elected new heads for the appropriations and Electoral Tribunal committees amid a rumored coup against its Speaker.

Party List Rep. Eric G. Yap replaced Davao City Rep. Isidro T. Ungab as head of the committee on appropriations, while Kabayan Party List Rep. Ron P. Salo replaced Oriental Mindoro Rep. Doy C. Leachon as chairman of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal committee.

Cavite Rep. Jesus Crispin C. Remulla moved to replace the House leaders. The plenary accepted his motion after no lawmaker objected.

“The only guide to a man is his conscience, and the truth will always prevail no matter what,” Mr. Ungab told reporters in a Viber message.

“I will always be mighty proud of my actions as I was raised and taught that there is never a wrong time doing the right thing,” Mr. Leachon said in a statement, adding that he would “never bow down to this masked leadership of tyranny.” — Genshen L. Espedido

Supreme Court bans single-use plastic in its offices

SINGLE-USE plastic products are now banned at the Supreme Court (SC) offices in line with the country’s waste management campaign. Deputy Clerk of Court and Chief Administrative Officer Maria Carina M. Cunanan issued a memorandum dated February 28, saying the court is “adopting the solid waste avoidance and waste management strategy of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC).” The memorandum is addressed only to all heads of the SC offices and does not include all courts in the country. Under NSWMC Resolution No. 1363-2020, “plastic cups (lower than 0.2 mm in thickness), plastic drinking straws, plastic coffee stirrers, plastic spoons, plastic forks, plastic knives, and plastic labo and thin-filmed sando bags (lower than 15 microns)” are the items considered unnecessary single-use plastic. The SC, in a statement, said the policy is also in line with the court’s plans of sustainability. The SC announced in October last year that it will have the Manila Hall of Justice as the “first green courthouse in the Philippines” by 2022. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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