WELLMED OWNER FREE ON BAIL ONE of the owners of legally troubled WellMed Dialysis Center of Quezon City, Dr. Bryan Sy, posted bail on Saturday through his lawyer which prompted the court to immediately order his release from the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation. Sy, one of the owners of WellMed, was arrested on Monday on suspicion of estafa through falsification of
VOL. XXXIII • NO. 122 • 4 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
documents in relation to the alleged scheme involving deceased patients’ PhilHealth benefits. “He [Sy] posted a cash bail bond totalling P72,000,” Sy’s counsel Rowell Ilagan said. But Ilagan noted that “despite the release order issued by the court, the NBI refused to release Bryan Sy.” Turn to A2
CHINA BOAT DID IT, SAYS BEIJING B
EIJING—China confirmed Saturday a Chinese vessel hit a Philippine fishing boat in a collision which has increased tensions in the disputed South China Sea, but denied claims it was a “hit and run.” The Chinese trawler sailed away after the incident Sunday near Reed Bank that sank the fishing boat, sparking outrage from Philippine authorities and media. But the Chinese Embassy in Manila, in a statement, maintained the captain of the Chinese vessel even attempted to rescue the Filipino fishermen following the incident. According to them, China’s preliminary investigation showed that Yuemaobinyu 42212, a Guandong-based fishing boat “engaged in a light purse seine operation” when it was “suddenly besieged by 7 or 8 Filipino fishing boats” at the vicinity of the Reed Bank. “During evacuation, 42212 failed to shun a Filipino fishing boat, and its steel cable on the lighting grid of larboard bumped into the Filipino pilothouse. The Filipino fishing boat tilted and its stern foundered,” the Chinese Embassy narrated. “The Chinese captain tried to rescue the Filipino fishermen, but was afraid of being besieged by other Filipino fishing boats,” it added. The Chinese Embassy also said the 42212 vessel “sailed away from the scene” when they found out that the Filipino fishermen were rescued on board by other Filipino fishing boats. “The above [explanation] shows that there is no such thing as ‘hit-and-run’,” it stressed. Turn to A2
ON A ROLL. An unidentified father, unconsciously depicting the symbol of millions of the family’s rock and pillar, is on a roll with his two children as they roll down the slide at the Children’s Park at the bayside sprawling Luneta Park on the eve of Father’s Day, celebrated today nationwide from Tawi-Tawi to Batanes. Norman Cruz A4
SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019
News
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
EXTRADITION BILL SUSPENDED H
ONG KONG—Hong Kong’s embattled leader on Saturday said a divisive bill that would allow extraditions to China would be “suspended” in a major climbdown from her government after a week of unprecedented protests.
6 KAPA MEMBERS COMMIT SUICIDE IN WAKE OF RAID By Nat Mariano
KAPA SUPPORTERS. Members of different religious organizations gather at the Max's Restaurant in Quezon City Saturday to support the embattled Kapa Religious Ministry—the kind of support is not clear—while announcing they will also rate President Rodrigo Duterte when he addresses his countrymen during his forthcoming State of the Nation Address. Manny Palmero twitter.com/ MlaStandard
facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH
S
EMBATTLED Pastor Joel Apolinario, founder of the Kabus Padatoon (Kapa) Community Ministry, called on members to stay strong following the closure of the religious corporation’s operations. In a telephone interview uploaded on Youtube, Apolinario revealed that President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent directive to close down Kapa’s operations affected its members. According to him, at least half a dozen Kapa members had committed suicide because of despair and hopelessness, fearing they would lose their life savings. The claim could not be immediately independently confirmed. Turn to A2
manilastandard.net
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks during a press conference at the government headquarters in Hong Kong on June 15. (Inset) Demonstrators are seen while police stand guard next to the Government House in Hong Kong. AFP
MMDA SEEKS HAZARD PAY, INCENTIVES By Joel E. Zurbano METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority chairman Danilo Lim on Saturday said his agency is planning to give hazard pay and other incentives to traffic enforcers whose lives are at risk while on duty. Lim said it is high time the government recognizes the hard work and efforts of the MMDA’s frontliners manning and managing traffic along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, the metro’s busiest thoroughfare. “I understand your plight in manning your posts and we have been pushing for the granting of your hazard pay considering the risks you encounter daily,” Lim said addressing some 300 traffic enforcers in a formation ceremony. A research study conduct-
ed by Emmanuel Baja of the National Institute for HealthUniversity of the Philippines revealed that traffic enforcers on EDSA face health risks, which include high blood pressure and respiratory problems due to exposure to black carbon and heavy metals. “We shall write a letter to the President to revive the granting of hazard pay. Let’s hope we be given the chance,” said Lim. The MMDA chief also took the occasion to remind traffic enforcers on the need to instill discipline among their ranks. “Since I took over, we have dismissed a lot because of illegal activities that still happen,” said Lim. Lim assured traffic enforcers their needs are being addressed as long as they perform their
duties well even as he vowed to crack the whip against enforcers who engage in corrupt practices. “Low salary is not an excuse to engage in unscrupulous activities,” he said. “Do not lose hope. We have so many plans. Expect more good things to come our way and as front-liners, you are the first who would benefit. Just render excellent public service in the performance of your duties,” said Lim. The MMDA in 2017 asked the House of Representatives to pass a law providing hazard pay and salary increase for traffic enforcers. Lim is also pushing for the regularization of job order enforcers who are not entitled to benefits.
The city’s pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam has come under huge pressure to abandon the controversial legislation, including from her own political allies and advisers. “The government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise, restart our communication with all sectors of society, do more... work and listen to different views of society,”Lam told reporters Saturday. “We have no intention to set a deadline for this work and promise to report to and consult members of the legislative council panel on security before we decide on the next step forward.” The international finance hub was rocked by the worst political violence since its 1997 handover to China on Wednesday as tens of thousands of protesters were dispersed by riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets. As criticism mounted, signs also emerged of a growing discomfort among Communist Party leaders in Beijing, and Lam held her press conference Saturday at the same government complex that was besieged by protesters earlier in the week. The South China Morning Post said Lam held an emergency meeting on Friday night with her advisers while Chinese officials were also meeting in the nearby city of Shenzhen to map a way out of the impasse. Tensions were running high with protest organizers planning another mass rally on Sunday. Lam, who is appointed by a committee stacked with Beijing loyalists, had previously refused to consider abandoning the bill, despite months of criticism from business and legal bodies—and a record breaking rally on Sunday where organizers said more than one million protesters hit the streets. “I feel deep sorrow and regret that the deficiencies in our work and various other factors have stirred up substantial controversies and disputes in society following the relatively calm periods of the past two years,” Lam said. ‘Lost credibility’ On Friday, she found herself facing growing calls from within her own political camp to reverse course and tamp down spiraling public anger—including from hardline pro-Beijing lawmakers. “Shouldn’t (we) cool the citizens down? I think to postpone it for a little bit is not a bad thing. At this moment, the government should self-examine,” Ann Chiang, a hardcore pro-Beijing lawmaker, told i-Cable News. But others have warned against Lam bending to the protesters. “If the government caves in to violence and external influences, in the long run that would also make Hong Kong ungovernable,” pro-Beijing lawmaker Regina Ip told reporters. Opposition to the extradition bill has united an unusually wide cross section of Hong Kong. Protest organizers had been calling for a full withdrawal of the bill, not a postponement. James To, a lawmaker from the city’s pan-democrat camp, called on Lam to step down. “The credibility of our chief executive has already been written off, it’s a kind of government that cannot have any credibility to rule anymore,” he told reporters Friday. AFP
3K JOBSEEKERS HIRED CLOSE to 3,000 jobseekers were hired during the Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan (TNK) job and business fair sites nationwide, in celebration of the country’s 121st Independence Day on June 12, the Department of Labor and Employment said on Saturday. The Bureau of Local Employment reported that a total of 2,818 jobseekers were hired on the spot in the job fair held in 22 sites across 16 regions. It added that a total of 9,327 applicants were “near-hires.” Near-hires are individuals who may be considered as hired, but need to submit or lack additional requirements or may need to attend further interviews or tests. They may be hired or placed depending on the outcome of their interview and compliance with pre-employment requirements of the hiring company. A total of 21,722 applicants trooped to the different job and business fair sites
nationwide last Wednesday. With this, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III thanked the 560 participating employers for offering 68,893 local and overseas jobs and taking part in the nationwide job fair. “It is testament to their commitment to the continuing efforts of our government to give our Filipinos decent and productive jobs,” he said. Other jobseekers were referred to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for skills training. A total of 1,582 were referred to other participating government agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation, Social Security System, Professional Regulation Commission, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Philippine Health Insurance Corp., Pag-IBIG, and Philippine Statistics Authority. PNA
EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES. Speaker Gloria Arroyo receives a warm welcome from Samareños as she visited the Millennium Challenge road development which was initiated and signed during her time as President.
CBCP SEEKS REVIVAL OF DEPLOYMENT BAN TO KUWAIT THE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines–Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People is calling for the imposition anew of the deployment ban on overseas Filipino workers to Kuwait. Aside from the banning of Filipino workers, CBCP-ECMI chairman Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos urged the government to compel Kuwait to implement the memorandum of agreement signed by both countries that will give protection to OFWs. This came after a Filipina worker was allegedly raped by a Kuwaiti police officer shortly after she arrived in the Gulf state. “Both governments must see to it that the suspected rapistin-uniform must be prosecuted, punished; Justice must be served to our con national. All necessary assistance and help should be extended to her,” the Bataan prelate said. “And we must be ready to enforce deployment ban, as she was [the] second victim after the brutal death of Constancia Dayag,” he added. Santos noted the recent case of abuse on the OFW is a clear violation of the agreement signed by the Philippines and Kuwait, which is supposed to protect the rights of Filipino workers. “The rape of our Filipina household service worker is a clear violation of the agreement between our country and Kuwait for the protection of OFWs,” he said. “The Kuwait government must show political will to ensure the safety and security of our OFWs, and rights are promoted and respected,” he added. He also pushed for the prosecution of the 22-year-old suspect, Fayed Naser Hamad Alajmy. Earlier, the Department of Labor and Employment said it remains open to the possibility of the reimposition of the deployment ban to Kuwait due to the case of Dayag, who died last May 14 with her body reportedly having various contusions and hematoma as well as signs of sexual abuse. PNA
‘FORM LGU TRANSITION TEAMS’ By Maricel V. Cruz A LEADER of the House of Representatives on Saturday called on outgoing local chief executives to form transition teams at the soonest possible time to ensure the smooth transition of power to their successors in their respective localities. Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte appealed to incumbent local officials who were defeated in last elections to place the welfare of the people ahead of their personal and political interests. “Outgoing LGU officials should chart a positive course for their successors and help them face the challenges ahead by extending whatever help they can to ensure the continuity of functions and delivery of services to the people,” Villafuerte, a deputy majority leader of the 17th Congress, said. “Hostility and hate have no place in nation-building,” he added. Villafuerte made the call to local elective officials in response to Memorandum 2019-39 issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government creating local governance transition teams for local government units after the May 13 elections. The transition teams are to be chaired by the concerned local chief executives, with the respective vice chairpersons to be elected from among the members of the panels through a majority vote. Each team shall consist of LGU department heads, a DILG officer and a representative from civic groups.
Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circ@manilastandardtoday.com