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Artemiev wins in Gibraltar

Gibraltar Masters 2019
Caleta Hotel, Gibraltar
Jan. 22-31, 2019

Final Top Standings

1. GM Vladislav Artemiev RUS 2709, 8.5/10

2. GM Murali Karthikeyan IND 2570, 8.0/10

3-5. GM Nikita Vitiugov RUS 2720, GM David Howell ENG 2685, GM David Anton Guijarro ESP 2642, 7.5/10

6-22. David Navara CZE 2738, GM Nils Grandelius SWE 2682, GM Lalith Babu MR IND 2547, GM Le Quang Liem VIE 2714, GM Ivan Saric CRO 2690, GM Wesley So USA 2765, GM Yu Yangyi CHN 2764, GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave FRA 2780, GM Michael Adams ENG 2701, GM Kirill Alekseenko RUS 2637, GM Hikaru Nakamura USA 2749, GM Romain Edouard FRA 2643, GM Rauf Mamedov AZE 2703, GM Pavel Eljanov UKR 2680, GM Hrant Melkumyan ARM 2660, GM Maxim Matlakov RUS 2700, GM Tan Ahongyi CHN 2502, 7.0/10

Ave Rating 2753 Category 21
Time Control: 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 50 minutes for the next 20 moves, followed by 15 minutes for the rest of the game with 30 seconds added to your time after every move starting move 1
The Gibraltar Masters this year was won by two representatives of the next generation. Twenty-year-old Vladislav Artemiev of Russia finished with an 8.5/10 2941 performance to earn himself £25,000 (roughly P1.7 million) and an extra 27.4 rating points.
The 19-year-old GM Murali Karthikeyan (from Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India) was just as impressive. He started out as the 49th seed but took home £20,000 (around P1.3 million) for solo second. The two-time Indian National Champion (2015 and 2016) started with three out of four, lost to Hikaru Nakamura, then closed with an astonishing five straight wins, the last three to 2700+ GMs Rauf Mamedov, Maxim Matlakov and the biggest fish of all Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
Artemiev is a native of Omsk (Southwestern Siberia). He was the 2013 Russian Junior Champion and runner-up in the 2016 World Junior Championship (won by US GM Jeffery Xiong). Previously his biggest tournament win was the 2015 Russian Championship Higher League, a super-strong event which qualified him for the SuperFinals. In this latter event he scored 5.5/11 points and finished in the middle of the crosstable.
Here in Gibraltar Artemiev played against almost all of the top seeds with the notable exception of Wesley So. He drew against no. 1 Maxime Vacher-Lagrave, no. 2 Levon Aronian, and defeated Yu Yangyi (no. 4), Hikaru Nakamura (no. 5) and David Navara (no. 6).

Artemiev, Vladislav (2709) — Nakamura, Hikaru (2749) [A14]
Gibraltar Masters 2019 Caleta, Gibraltar (7.1), 28.01.2019

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 e6 4.0–0 Be7 5.c4 0–0 6.b3 c5 7.Bb2 Nc6 8.e3 b6 9.Nc3 dxc4 10.bxc4 Bb7 11.Qe2 Rc8 12.Rad1 Qc7 13.Ne1
Making room for the f-pawn so it can be pushed forward.
13…Ne8 14.f4 Nd6 15.Nf3 a6 16.a4 f5 17.d3 Bf6 18.h3 Nb4 19.g4
The plan is g4–g5, Kh1 and Rg1.
19…g6 20.e4 fxe4 21.dxe4 Nxe4
Possibly better is 21…Bd4+ White will now have to move his king because 22.Nxd4?! cxd4 23.Rxd4 Qc5 24.Qf2 Rxf4! 25.Qxf4 Qxd4+ 26.Kh1 Nd3 Black is doing very well.
22.Nxe4 Bxb2 23.Neg5! Bxf3
First Nakamura has to remove the defender of the d4 square. If he checks on d4 right away then 23…Bd4+ is refuted by 24.Nxd4 cxd4 25.Bxb7 Qxb7 26.Qxe6+ Kh8 27.Rxd4 White is completely winning.
24.Rxf3 Bd4+ 25.Kh1 Rce8
The f4–pawn is taboo: 25…Rxf4 26.Qxe6+ Kh8 27.Rxf4 Qxf4 28.Qxc8+ Kg7 29.Ne6+
26.Nxe6
White had to calculate this move carefully because the knight on e6 is now pinned against the queen and if he is not careful it might even be lost.
26…Qc6 27.f5 Qxa4 28.fxg6 Rxf3 29.gxh7+ Kh8 30.Bxf3 <D>
Much stronger is 30.Qxf3. After the game Artemiev was asked about this move and he actually considered this for some time but couldn’t see a win after 30…Rxe6 31.Qf8+ Kxh7 32.Rf1 Qe8 33.Rf7+ Kg6. Actually here White has a forced mate with 34.Rg7+! Bxg7 35.Qf5+ Kh6 36.g5+ Kh5 37.Bf3+ Kh4 38.Qg4#.
POSITION AFTER 30.BXF3
White wants to capture the bishop on d4 and then Qe5+, but now Nakamura has a miracle defense.
30…Nc6?
Nakamura’s reasoning is now after 30.Rxd4 cxd4 the white queen cannot go to e5, but this move is actually a serious mistake. The best defense is the unbelievable 30…Nd3!! The knight must be captured, but 31.Qxd3 (31.Rxd3 Qxc4 and Black is even better here: 32.Rxd4 Qxe2 33.Bxe2 cxd4 34.Nxd4 Re4 35.Bxa6 Rxd4) 31…Rxe6 32.Qf5 Qe8 and Black is still fighting.
31.Nxc5! 1–0
This was Overlooked by Nakamura. After 31.Nxc5! Rxe2 32.Nxa4 Black’s knight and rook are attacked by the f3–bishop, now 32…Re6 33.Bxc6 Rxc6 34.Rxd4 the ending is easily won.
What is Artemiev’s chess style? He is of course equally skilled in all phases of the game but a fine positional feel and excellent endgame technique marks him out against his contemporaries. He was brought up in the Botvinnik school of classical concepts such as “stay patient, create a weakness, fix it, then attack it.” Among modern players his style is akin to Anatoly Karpov and Vladimir Kramnik.

Yu, Yangyi (2764) — Artemiev, Vladislav (2709) [B12]
Gibraltar Masters Gibraltar (10.1), 31.01.2019

1.e4 c6
Artemiev is ranked no. 8 in the world when it comes to rapid chess and no. 5 in blitz. In other words he is a formidable quickplay opponent. The relevance of that to this last round game in Gibraltar is that Artemiev was half a point ahead of the field and a draw was ok with him. Even if someone from the chasing pack should manage to catch up he does not fear going into the rapid and/or blitz tiebreaks. That is why, instead of his usual Sicilian, Artemiev plays the Caro-Kann.
2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Nd7
This knight will be very busy later!
6.0–0 Bg6 7.c3 Nh6 8.a4 a5 9.Na3
This knight is on its way to d3.
9…Be7 10.Nc2 0–0 11.Nce1 c5 12.Bxh6 gxh6 13.Bb5 cxd4 14.cxd4 Nb8!?
Heading for b4.
15.Qd2 Kg7 16.Nd3 Na6 17.Nf4 Qb6 18.h4 Rfc8 19.Rfc1 Rxc1+ 20.Rxc1 Nb4 21.g3 Na2!
Nice, now the rook has to leave the c-file.
22.Rd1 Rc8
Now there is a perpetual threat of …Rc2.
23.Nh2 Qc7!
Not 23…Rc2?! when 24.Qe3 and it is not so easy to parry White’s threat of Ng4, Nxg6 and Qxh6+.
24.Bd3 h5 25.g4 Nb4 26.Bxg6 hxg6 27.gxh5 Qc2!
Excellently timed, with the idea that 28.Qxc2 Rxc2 29.hxg6 Bxh4! holds for Black. Take note that 30.Rf1 is met by 30…Bg5! followed by Kxg6.
28.hxg6 Qf5 29.Qe3
Perhaps Yangyi didn’t like the position after 29.gxf7!? Bxh4 where the position gets murky and either king might suddenly get mated, but after the text the Black forces start to assert themselves.
29…fxg6 30.Qg3 Rf8 31.Ng2 Qc2 32.Ne3 Qe4 33.Neg4?
White fails to appreciate that Black has completely equalized and it is time to look after the weakness of his pawns. 33.Ng2 is correct. After 33…Nc6 34.Qc3 everything is ok.
33…Nc6!
The knight’s journey is not yet at an end, it now focuses on d4.
34.Qe3 Rf4! 35.Nf6
[35.Qxe4 Rxe4 is going to lose at least 2 pawns.]
35…Bxf6 36.exf6+ Kxf6 37.Qxe4 Rxe4 38.Nf3 Ne7!
Going to f5 to menace both d4 and h4 pawns.
39.Kg2 Nf5 40.Rd3 Nxh4+ 41.Nxh4 Rxh4 42.Kg3 g5 43.Kg2 Re4 44.Kg3 Kf5 45.Kg2 g4 46.Kf1 b6 47.Kg2 Re1!
This is a deep move with the intention of going to h1 and h3. Watch what happens.
48.b3 Ke4 49.Rd2 Rb1 50.Kg3 Kf5 51.Rd3 Rh1! 52.Kg2 Rh3! 0–1
After 52…Rh3 53.Rxh3 gxh3+ 54.Kxh3 Ke4 is an easy win for Black.
Vladislav Artemiev seems destined to soon be among our most elite players. He has a fine feel for the position and a quick sight over the board. We should all keep an eye out for his name in future events.
 
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 for 25 years and is currently Chief Audit Executive of the Equicom Group of Companies.
bobby@cpamd.net

GOAT

Tom Brady looked mortal for most of Super Bowl LIII. In fact, he was decidedly ordinary; up until late in the fourth quarter, the most accomplished quarterback in National Football League history could not overcome a well-prepared Rams defense designed to thwart the same air attack that enabled the Patriots to put up record numbers en route to yesterday’s affair. And then something happened: He happened. As with his other appearances in the Big Game, he delivered when his best was most needed and ultimately finished with yet another victory.
Ironically, the Patriots appeared on their way to losing a fourth Super Bowl in the Bill Belichick era right before Brady displayed his expected sharpness. For all their seeming control of play time, the Rams kept pace with outstanding coverage and actually held a 58.9% chance of prevailing based on advanced metrics while in the midst of the first drive of the payoff period. Their defense held tough, though, setting the stage for Brady’s heroics. Given the stakes involved and all the drama that unfolded in the run-up to the fateful drive, his exertions were, perhaps, to be expected.
Indeed, Brady took all of four passes from the New England 31 to set up a two-yard touchdown by running back Sony Michel. And, under the circumstances, it was but fitting that he started and ended his performance with 18- and 29-yard zingers to familiar target Rob Gronkowski. Forget that he was hitherto below par; with the Rams having threatened in the immediate past drive, he bucked down to work and didn’t miss. His arm had been off and iffy at best; his very first throw of the set-to led to an interception. No matter. He proved golden in the crunch.
In retrospect, Brady won’t be including Super Bowl LIII among his finest work. That said, he won’t be forgetting it, either. After all, he’s 41 and likely on the downside of his career, and yet he remains on top of the world — without fear, and, most importantly, without peer under pressure. His partnership with head coach Belichick, which fortified when they won their first Super Bowl together against the very same opponents on the very same day 17 years ago, is unparalleled in all of organized sports. In affirming the obvious, Patriots owner Robert Kraft called one and the other “definitely the greatest player of all time, not just quarterback” and “the GOAT of coaches … And no one can dispute it.” Enough said.
 
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

Peso slumps on strong US jobs report

THE PESO slumped against the dollar on Monday as the greenback strengthened across the board following upbeat US employment data as well as Wall Street’s rally.
The local unit closed Monday’s session at P52.41 versus the greenback, 18 centavos weaker than the P52.23-per-dollar finish last Friday.
The peso traded weaker the whole day, opening the session at P52.32 per dollar. It slipped to as low as P52.45, while its intraday high stood at P52.28 against the US currency.
Trading volume thinned to $842.9 million from the $881.3 million that switched hands the previous session.
A foreign exchange trader attributed the weakening of the peso to broad dollar strengthening propelled by a rally in US stocks.
“The peso moved lower due to the strong dollar across. It basically strengthened against major currencies such as Japanese yen, Chinese yuan and Australian dollar, while the euro and British pound were so far flat,” the trader said in a phone interview.
“The dollar strengthening was mainly driven by positive corporate earnings from the US, which pushed the stock market to rally over the weekend.”
Meanwhile, another trader said the peso weakened following the strong US jobs data released last Friday.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday that the US economy added 304,000 new jobs in January, exceeding the expectations of a 180,000 rise in payrolls.
However, the unemployment rate rose to four percent from December’s 3.9%, partly due to the 35-day partial US government shutdown.
“The positive jobs report was contrary to market expectations after the dovish remarks from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell,” the second trader added.
For tomorrow, the first trader expects the peso to trade between P52.30 and P52.50, while the other gave a P52.25-P52.45 range.
Local financial markets are closed today in celebration of the Chinese New Year.
Most other Asian currencies edged down in muted trade as the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays kept volumes low.
Many of the regional currencies were unable to shake off Friday’s losses after China’s factory activity contracted the most in almost three years, further fuelling concerns about demand from Asia’s largest economy. — Karl Angelo N. Vidal with Reuters

Stocks decline in subdued trade ahead of holiday

By Arra B. Francia, Reporter
LOCAL EQUITIES dropped on the first trading day of the week, as most investors paused ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday.
The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) fell 0.91% or 74.68 points to close at 8,069.48 on Monday. The broader all-shares index likewise retreated 0.34% or 16.97 points to 4,892.54.
“Philippine shares traded quietly in the red with the Chinese New Year holiday in full swing. The Chinese market is closed for CNY holiday (whole week), and will expect subdued trading volume from Hong Kong with most traders also out on holiday,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Managing Director Luis A. Limlingan said in a mobile message.
Eagle Equities, Inc. Research Head Christopher John Mangun also noted that the PSEi’s performance was due to the Chinese New Year.
“There was very minimal trading on the PSE today as the bourse will be closed tomorrow for Chinese New Year… There was very minimal trading in blue chips, most trading was in second-liners and speculative issues because of the holiday [on Tuesday]. It is notable that it was still able to close above the key-8,000 level,” Mr. Mangun said in an e-mail.
Regina Capital’s Mr. Limlingan also noted that the US jobs and purchasing managers’ index data made analysts rethink the Federal Reserve’s dovish stance and whether the US economy is overheating.
Four sectoral indices were in negative territory, with holding firms dropping the most at 0.92% or 75.21 points to 8,030.02. Financials went down 0.79% or 14.78 points to 1,839.56; industrials shed 0.74% or 88.58 points to 11,735.45, while property tumbled 0.58% or 23.48 points to 3,982.28.
In contrast, mining and oil gained 0.83% or 71.26 points to 8,620.94, while services climbed 0.14% or 2.26 points to 1,608.46.
Some 3.27 billion issues switched hands valued at P7.32 billion, lower than Friday’s turnover of P8.97 billion. Excluding block sales, turnover would have only been at P4.7 billion.
Advancers beat decliners, 124 to 83, while 47 names were unchanged.
Net foreign selling was steady at P1.01 billion, slightly lower than the previous session’s P1.02 billion.
On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average went up 0.26% or 64.22 points to close at 25,063.89. The S&P 500 index added 0.09% or 2.43 points to 2,706.53, while the Nasdaq Composite index dipped 0.25% or 17.87 points to 7,263.87.
Meanwhile, most Southeast Asian stocks fell on Monday in lackluster trading as optimism about a trade deal between the United States and China waned.
Investors were skeptical about the actual progress made at the talks, especially with regard to core US demands for structural policy changes in China. Several people briefed on the talks said that while Chinese negotiators engaged US officials on intellectual property and technology transfer practices, they did not bring any new proposals to the table. — with Reuters

5 ASG surrender, but bombing probe still on

A SENIOR Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) operative and four members of the militant group believed to be behind the deadly bombing of a Catholic church in the southern Philippines surrendered to authorities over the weekend, the national police chief said on Monday.
Kammah Pae, whom authorities believe to have aided an Indonesian couple in the Jan. 27 suicide attack, gave himself up to government troops, five suspects in the deadly bombing in a Roman Catholic church in Jolo, Sulu last week have surrendered to the police authorities over the weekend, said Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Oscar D. Albayalde.
“The five suspects belong to a group of 22 Abu Sayyaf personalities led by Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan that are believed responsible and conspired for the terrorist attack at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral where 23 persons died and 95 others were wounded,” said Mr. Albayalde in a press conference at Camp Crame.
Kamah Pae was earlier identified by authorities as a member of the Ajang-Ajang faction of the Abu Sayyaf.
“He was forced to surrender,” Mr. Albayalde said, “He probably didn’t want to die during the military offensive.”
Troops killed three suspected Abu Sayyaf members and suffered five fatalities in a firefight on Saturday in remote parts of Patikul, a town in the island province of Sulu, as they pursued those behind the church attack.
The other four who surrendered were identified as Albaji Kisae Gadjali, Rajan Bakil Gadjali, and Kaisar Adjali, and Salit Alih.
The five suspects will face multiple murder charges, among others, Mr. Albayalde said.
The PNP chief also said that Kamah, despite his surrender, only admitted to being part of the Ajang-Ajang faction but not being behind the bombing.
“I think he is not admitting anything, pero ‘yung mga kasamahan n’ya (but his comrades), they are pinpointing to him as the one who escorted itong (this) couple and doon sa bahay n’ya (at his house) we were able to recover an IED (improvised explosive device) and IED components,” said Mr. Albayalde.
The PNP said 14 other suspects remain at large, including the mastermind Sawadjaan.
Mr. Albayalde also confirmed that the suicide bombers were an Indonesian couple, citing the testimonies of witnesses in Jolo.
Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana, for his part, confirmed that the Kamah who surrendered was not actually involved in the bombing and they are looking for another suspect with a name that sounds like Kamah.
“He did not actually participate in the bombing, we are looking for another person that whose name sounds like ‘Kamah,’ but the one that surrendered to us, although he told us something about how the bombing was planned, he did not participate in the bombing,” said Mr. Lorenzana in a forum at Camp Aguinaldo on Monday.
The investigation into the church bombing in Sulu, a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf group, is “far from over,” Mr. Albayalde said.
Abu Sayyaf is a militant organization notorious for kidnappings and extremist factions and has pledged allegiance to Islamic State.
“There are more pieces of evidence that need to carefully examined,” Mr. Albayalde said.
Before Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte suggested on Tuesday that the twin explosions may have been a suicide attack, military and police said the bombs within and outside the church appeared to have been detonated remotely.
A few days later, Mr. Duterte’s interior minister said that suicide attack was carried out by an Indonesian couple with the help of Abu Sayyaf.
That would be in line with a claim of responsibility by Islamic State via its Amaq news agency early on Monday last week.
MARTIAL LAW
Meanwhile, seven opposition lawmakers have asserted that the bombings in Jolo could not be used as justification for the third extension of martial law in Mindanao.
In a memorandum filed on Feb. 4 before the Supreme Court, the seven lawmakers led by Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel C. Lagman reiterated their stance in a January petition that the high court should nullify the extension of martial law for lack of factual basis as actual rebellion does not exist or persist in Mindanao.
They pointed out that the Jolo incident took place 46 days after Congress approved the military rule extension for the third time last Dec. 12, 2018.
“(C)onsequently, it was not a factual basis contemporaneous with or existing at the time of the controversial extension,” they said.
They also said that the bombing incident has been “explicitly categorized as a terrorist attack by no less than President Rodrigo (R.) Duterte, the military and police leadership, and administration officials, and not an act in furtherance of an alleged rebellion in Mindanao,” citing various news reports.
The petitioners claimed that terrorism is not equivalent to rebellion, which is one of the requirements for declaration in martial law under the Constitution, “as they differ in motive, target, and scope.”
“Verily, no one in authority has called the Jolo bombings as acts of rebels or were done in furtherance of rebellion. They were simply and clearly terrorist attacks,” they said.
During the oral arguments on the third extension of martial law last Jan. 29, Major General Pablo M. Lorenzo, Armed Forces of the Philippines deputy chief of staff for intelligence, cited the Jolo bombing as one of the basis for the martial law extension when he was presenting the situation in Mindanao.
Mr. Lorenzo said that the Jolo bombing “demonstrate the continuing danger posed to the public by these terrorist groups while advancing their respective political objectives.”
Mr. Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao on May 23, 2017 after the extremist Maute group attacked Marawi City. In Oct. 2017, the President announced the liberation of Marawi, but has since sought an extension of martial law thrice.
The SC on Jan. 29 held oral arguments for four petitions against the third extension filed by Mr. Lagman and six other lawmakers, members of the Makabayan bloc, a group of human right lawyers led by Christian M. Monsod, and indigenous people teachers from Mindanao. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras, Vann Marlo M. Villegas, and Reuters

Bill allowing motorcycles as public transport passes 3rd reading

THE HOUSE of Representatives has approved on third and final reading the bill allowing and regulating the use of motorcycles as public utility vehicles.
With 181 affirmative and zero negative in a voting on Monday, the chamber passed House Bill No. 8959, or the Motorcycles-for-Hire Act, which intends to provide an efficient alternative mode of transport nationwide.
If enacted, the bill will amend the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, contained in Republic Act No. 4136, by classifying “motorcycles-for-hire” as a public utility automobile.
It will mandate the Land Transportation Office, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and other concerned agencies to promulgate the implementing rules and regulations.
The bill specifies that the IRR should include limitation on the number of riders and the weight or load capacity, applicable speed limit, and designation of terminals.
It shall also include the insurance policy covering the driver, rider and the third party.
The LTFRB, meanwhile, will be in charge of determining, prescribing and approving the fare and other charges, including adjustments.
Motorcycles have long been widely used as an informal public transport system, especially in remote parts of the country where there are no other forms of service.
Motorcycle-hailing firm Angkas has been prohibited from operating as the existing law bans two-wheeled vehicles for public transport use. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

House deputy speaker assures May ’19 midterm elections a go

CONFIDENT THAT the bicameral conference committee will meet its Feb. 6 deadline on the budget bill ratification, Deputy Speaker Prospero A. Pichay, Jr. said on Monday that the “no-el” (no election) scenario in May is unlikely.
“Gusto namin ng halalan (We want an election), so don’t worry, the scenario of a re-enacted budget was explained but to the scenario that there will be no election, that’s out of the question. There will be an election,” Mr. Pichay, who represents the 1st district of Surigao del Sur, said in a briefing on Monday.
The committee has until Wednesday to ratify the P3.757-trillion General Appropriations Bill for 2019 as Congress is set to adjourn on Feb. 6 until May 19 for the election period.
The Commission on Elections last week raised concerns that a reenacted budget will pose a problem in the compensation of teachers who will administer the polls in May.
2018 REPORT
In another issue, Mr. Pichay clarified that the approval of the proposed 2019 National Budget will not be “tied up” with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) report on the 2018 savings.
“It doesn’t have to be tied up dito sa (with the) approval ng (of the) 2019 budget, anytime we can ask them to submit because we have the oversight function,” he said, as opposed to an earlier statement of Rep. Rolando G. Andaya, Jr., appropriations committee chair
Mr. Andaya of Camarines Sur-1st District, in a statement over the weekend, said he wants DBM Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno to submit the report on the remaining balance of the 2018 national budget in exchange for the approval of the committee report on the 2019 budget bill.
On Monday, however, Mr. Andaya backtracked saying he will push through with the budget proceeding despite his earlier threat.
“We can no longer wait for Secretary Diokno’s report on the DBM’s pork report. The time for passing the 2019 national budget is running short. We will go on with the approval of the budget as scheduled,” he said in a statement. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Lorenzana: Let’s protest the ‘rescue center’

DEFENSE SECRETARY Delfin N. Lorenzana agrees with the position of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin L. Jr. that the government should protest the “rescue center” built by China in the West Philippine Sea.
“I think I agree with the secretary of Foreign Affairs that we should protest, only because we don’t want them to be keeping on building things there so that it will make it permanent, it will become theirs,” said Mr. Lorenzana in a forum at Camp Aguinaldo on Monday, Feb. 4.
“We just protest to let them know that any development that they continue to do there is protested by us because we believe that Mischief Reef, Fiery Cross [Reef] and all those islands that they have built is within our EEZ (exclusive economic zone), is under our EEZ and they belong to us,” he added.
Nonetheless, the Defense chief said that he is hoping that the rescue center will help stranded Filipinos near the area.
The Chinese state media reported last Jan. 31 that China’s Ministry of Transport opened a maritime rescue center in Kagitingan Reef (or Fiery Cross Reef) to better protect navigation and transport safety in the highly-contested sea.
On another matter, Mr. Lorenzana said the rehabilitation of Pagasa Island and the construction of a beaching ramp there are still ongoing.
“Our rehabilitation of Pagasa, it’s ongoing. The building of the beaching ramp to be used by the navy is still ongoing because of rough sea. I think they had last year to do it but they could not do it… The problem with Pagasa is that you have to bring in everything you need for its repair, steel bars, sand, gravel, heavy equipment and you need the beaching ramp to bring these in,” he said.
The ramp is expected to be completed within the first quarter of the year.
Mr. Lorenzana said the government is also planning to build agricultural and biological facilities in Pagasa Island. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

Malacañang says stricter rules on lawmakers’ SALN release not in line with transparency

MALACAÑANG ON Monday said House Resolution 2467, which sets “stringent rules” on public access to lawmakers’ statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN), “may not be consistent with transparency and accountability of public officials.” “We note the passage of a resolution… requiring plenary approval before it may release a copy of a member’s SALN to the public. Such a procedure may be perceived as a transgression of Article XI of the Constitution, requiring any public official to submit a SALN, in relation to Article II thereof which guarantees the right of the people to information on matters of public concern,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said in a statement. He noted that Republic Act No. 6713 makes SALN readily available to the public. “The Executive promoted transparency when the President issued Executive Order No. 2 (s. 2016) on the Freedom of Information making effective the people’s right to information within its branch. Any stringent measure which burdens the people in obtaining public information may not be consistent with transparency and accountability of public officials,” he added. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Chinese top list of arrested foreigners

CHINESE NATIONALS topped the list of the foreigners arrested by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in 2018. In a statement, the BI said it arrested 533 foreigners and deported 611 last year for violating the immigration act. BI Commissioner Jaime H. Morente said many of those arrested were caught working without permits or involved in “gainful activity without proper visas.” Intelligence Division Chief Fortunato S. Manahan, Jr. said most of the cases involved overstaying, illegal foreign vendors, and illegally employed as construction workers, miners, and in blue collar jobs. Of those arrested, 393 were Chinese, followed by 52 Koreans, 12 Americans, and a number of different African nationalities. Mr. Morente also clarified that the 533 arrested do not include the more than 200 fugitives arrested. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Anti-turncoatism bill passes 2 committees

THE BILL penalizing political turncoatism to strengthen the political party system in the country has hurdled two committees in the House of Representatives. The unnumbered Substitute Bill, or the “Political Party Development Act,” prohibits elected officials from switching parties one year before and after any national elections. “One of the highlights of this bill is the provision against political turncoatism… which is preventing one particular candidate, who ran under one party and after the elections, went to a different political party, which is at the helm. Within a specific period they are prohibited from transferring,” CIBAC Rep. Sherwin N. Tugna, chair of the suffrage and electoral reforms committee, said on Monday. Violators would be prevented from holding the elective office, disqualified from running for any elective post in the succeeding election and required to refund amounts received from the former political party with an additional 25% surcharge. The measure will also prohibit appointment in any public office for three years. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Zamboanga City to mediate power supply woe

ZAMBOANGA CITY Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar has appealed to supplier Western Mindanao Power Corp. (WMPC) and electricity distributor Crown Desco to work out a deal after the former issued a notice of temporary supply suspension last week due to unpaid accounts. Crown Desco, the joint venture of Crown Investments Holdings, Inc. and Desco Co., has recently taken over the operations of debt-ridden Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Zamcelco). In a statement on her Facebook page, the mayor said she has spoken to officials of WMPC and Crown Desco over the weekend to urge them to ensure a continued power supply in the city. Representatives of both companies were scheduled to have a discussion Monday in a meeting to be facilitated by the city government. As of Sept. 2018, when Crown Desco won the bid for the investor-manager contract for Zamcelco, the power cooperative had debts to suppliers amounting to more than P2 billion. Its operation efficiency was also problematic with a 23% system loss rate.

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