Manila Standard - 2019 July 25 - Thursday

Page 1

twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

S

manilastandard.net

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circ@manilastandardtoday.com

OMBUDSMAN STARTS PROBE TO WEED OUT CUSTOMS GRAFTERS By Rio N. Araja THE Office of the Ombudsman has ordered an investigation into graft and corruption within the Bureau of Customs. In a statement sent to the media, the Ombudsman said it would file criminal and administrative charges against erring Customs officials and employees, and order them suspended or dismissed if they are found guilty of any wrongdoing. Citing the law creating the Office of the Ombudsman, the agency said it is

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 161 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

empowered to investigate and prosecute a case on its own even without a complaint, and order any public officer or employee to go on preventive suspension if the evidence of guilty is strong. Moreover, the Ombudsman could file cases for dishonesty, oppression, grave misconduct or neglect in the performance of duty against erring public servants. The Ombudsman may also remove or dismiss employees from government service if they are found administratively Next page

‘Armed hostility’ at sea feared Palace sees risks over Hanoi, KL stand vs. Beijing By MJ Blancaflor and Macon Ramos-Araneta

T

HE Palace said Wednesday that Vietnam and Malaysia’s stance against China over a territorial dispute in the South China Sea endangers the lives of their people. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the two countries risk “armed hostility” through their aggressive posture against Asia’s economic giant. Vietnamese and Chinese forces have an ongoing standoff within Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone. Vietnam has accused China of “unlawful activities” for deploying a ship to conduct a mapping mission within their EEZ and continental shelf. China has challenged Vietnam’s ongoing oil and gas operations. The two countries, which are both claimants of islands in the disputed waters, are contesting the oil-rich Vanguard Bank. “It means that Vietnam is risking an armed hostility between the two

CBRN DRILL. The US Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army hold a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear full-scale exercise at the back of Manila Film Center in Pasay City. DTRA designed the drill to hone the response skills of the BFP, the officially mandated CBRN response agency within the Philippines’ government and allow Philippine agencies to practice responding to a simulated CBRN incident within Metro Manila. Ey Acasio

‘SolGen helped Dengue cases higher than DOH figure—senator By Macon Ramos-Araneta draft Bikoy’s raps vs. plotters’ House Minority By Rey E. Requejo THE Office of the Solicitor General on Wednesday admitted its role in the filing of criminal charges against the opposition personalities accused of involvement in the alleged plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte. A report from ABS-CBN News has also revealed that the OSG had a hand in drafting the affidavit of Peter Joemel Advincula alias Bikoy, the witness in the sedition raps filed against Vice President Leni Robredo and more than 30 other personalities. An examination of the affidavit’s soft copy showed that two individuals working in the OSG were the authors of the Microsoft Word document, according to the report. Next page

THE number of dengue cases may be higher than the Health Department is reporting if claims from the state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. are any indication, Senator Ralph Recto said Wednesday. “If we use the PhilHealth data, then the

epidemic is graver than what is widely believed,” Recto said. While the Department of Health has reported 106,630 cases from January to June, PhilHealth has received 174,000 claims, or a difference of 70,000, he said. Even if the trajectory is lower in the second half, the country is looking at more than 300,000 cases by the end of

the year, Recto added. The senator said the disparity in figures could be explained by the fact that some dengue patients are admitted twice. “But whether it is the figure from DOH or from PhilHealth, the number is alarming,” he said. Dengue, he said, could have

Next page

for death penalty

Next page

By Maricel V. Cruz THE leader of the minority bloc in the House of Representatives on Wednesday supported President Rodrigo Duterte’s wish to reimpose capital punishment for heinous crimes related to illegal drugs and plunder. “I have always supported the reimposition of the death penalty that was repealed during my time in the 13th Congress, but only on certain heinous crimes like massacre, terrorism, killing with rape, plunder,” Bienvenido Abante said. He made his statement after his election as minority leader of the House. Malacañang earlier said Duterte would likely certify as urgent the bills reimposing the death penalty for heiNext page nous crimes.

MM Council takes up EDSA bus ban By Rio N. Araja THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has amended the certificate of public convenience of all provincial buses with terminals along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue within the National Capital Region. MMDA EDSA Traffic chief Bong Nebrija said the latest LTFRB circular and the proposed bus ban are among the issues to be discussed by the Metro Manila Council in a meeting today (Thursday). Next page

JOLLIBEE SEALS $350-M DEAL TO BUY COFFEE BEAN BUSINESS B1

Robredo’s rating nosedives—SWS

REMINDER. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte interacts with local chief executives during a post-SONA meeting at The Manila Hotel on July 23, 2019 where he admonished them to stay out of trouble. Presidential Photo

Rody to mayors: Keep your nose clean, avoid drugs

By MJ Blancaflor PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte warned mayors and other local officials to stay out of the illegal drugs trade Tuesday night, a day after his State of the Nation Address, where he promised he would pursue the anti-narcotics crack-

down relentlessly. President Duterte, in a meeting with local politicians Tuesday night, said he does not want any mayor or government official to be involved with drug syndicates, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said. Panelo also said the President also re-

British Empire fetes Filipino driver

minded them of the fate of the city mayors who were linked to illegal drugs and drug lords. Duterte has previously released a “narco-list” of politicians allegedly involved in illegal drugs, some of whom were later killed. Among them were former mayors Next page

THE net satisfaction rating of Vice President Robredo fell 14 points from good to moderate in the second quarter survey of poll firm Social Weather Stations. Robredo’s rating went down from +42 (good) in March to +28 (moderate) in June. More than half or 57 percent out of the 1,200 respondents said they were Next page

Nike sneakers fetch $437k at auction

QUEEN Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom has awarded Roland Quitevis, a Filipino driver, the British Empire Medal for his 33 years of service at the UK Embassy in Manila. “I am delighted to announce that

NEW YORK—A new world record for a pair of sneakers was set at auction on Tuesday when an avid collector splashed out $437,500 on Nike’s 1972 “Moon Shoe,” Sotheby’s said. The sale smashed the previous record of

Next page

Next page


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.