G20 NATIONS JOIN FORCES VS COVID, SET ASIDE $5-T TO PERK UP WORLD ECONOMY G20 nations pledged a “united front” in the fight against coronavirus, saying they were injecting $5 trillion into the global economy to counter the pandemic amid forecasts of a deep recession. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin joined the emergency video-conference chaired by Saudi Arabia’s King
mon threat,” the leaders said in a Salman, who called for coordinatjoint statement after the summit. ed action while facing pressure to “We are injecting over $5 trilend an oil price war between Rilion into the global economy, yadh and Moscow that has roiled as part of targeted fiscal policy, energy markets. financial shock waves as more than three economic measures, and guaranThe talks come amid criticism tee schemes to counteract the social, that the G20 has been slow to address the billion people are locked down. “We are strongly committed to pre- economic and financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left more than 21,000 dead worldwide and triggered senting a united front against this com- pandemic.”
WORLD ROUNDUP
As concerns mount for poorer countries without access to capital markets or adequate health facilities, G20 leaders also pledged to work with bodies such as the International Monetary Fund to deploy a “robust” financial package to support developing nations. “It is our responsibility to extend a Next page
Ruling party spares ‘Koko’ PDP-Laban won’t impose sanctions on Pimentel but legal group vows to sue him
By Maricel V. Cruz, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Joel Zurbano
A
LL members of the ruling party PDPLaban were asked to undergo self-quarantine after being exposed to Senator Aquilino Pimentel III during a March 4 meeting at Senator Manny Pacquiao’s house, Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said Friday. The congressman, however, said they believed the senator was not yet infected with COVID-19 at the time of the meeting, and that the party was not inclined to sanction him despite his violation of quarantine protocols.
The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine said ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap “remains negative” for COVID-19, saying his earlier positive test results were due to an “encoding error.” Pimentel drew a firestorm of criticism after he accompanied his pregnant wife to Makati Medical Center (MMC), even though he was supposed to be on self-quarantine and was awaiting the results of a test for the Next page
VOL. XXXIV • NO. 46 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE
(AS OF 4 PM MARCH 27)
803
NUMBER OF CASES
54
DEATHS
31
RECOVERIES
96
NEW CASES
Palace goes on lockdown, zaps fake news By Vito Barcelo, Rio N. Araja and Francisco Tuyay MEDIA practitioners will no longer be allowed to attend Palace briefings as part of a lockdown at the Malacañang complex to protect the government’s seat of power from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said Friday. Presidential Security Group (PSG) chief Col. Jesus Durante III said the lockdown at the palace would begin Saturday, March 28. “I require all PSG personnel to go on self quarantine effective 28 March. No PSG personnel to go out of Malacañang complex until April 10,” Next page
COPING WITH COVID. The global onslaught of the dreaded coronavirus disease has sent people taking preemptive strikes (clockwise) such as these airline passengers arming themselves with protective suits at the NAIA Terminal while the Pasay City government has set up modular tents that will serve as isolation facility for people under investigation (PUI). In Manila, the Golden Mosque shuts down, urging Muslims to pray at home instead and in Cayagan Valley, barangay officials of a village in Buguey town have gone on lockdown, sidelining a number of boats although fishing is generally allowed in the coastal area up north. Norman Cruz And Ben Ebreo
Immigration eases rules on aliens’ visa THE Bureau of Immigration with approved visas but said Friday it will temporarpending ACR I-Cards to ily allow foreign nationals secure a waiver at the agenwith approved visas but who cy’s main office. are still awaiting the release of their Alien Certificates of Registration Identity ‘Hospital ships’ Cards to leave the country. Senator Francis Tolentino is urging the Transport The agency says the move is in light of the Enhanced department to use vacant passenger ships as “hospitals Community Quarantine and Stringent Social Distanc- ships” because of the rising COVID-19 infections, which ing Measures directive from Malacañang. he says has resulted in overcrowding in the hospitals. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente says He says the agency could initially convert three Next page the regular procedures require departing aliens
LOCAL ROUNDUP
Dogs eyed to sniff out virus
A BRITISH charity has teamed up with scientists to see whether dogs could help detect COVID-19 through their keen sense of smell, they said on Friday. Medical Detection Dogs will work with the London School of Hy-
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UK prime minister coronavirus positive
BRITISH Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Friday that he is self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19. “Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus,” he said on Twitter, posting a video message. Next page
Military chief, Health usec bloat cases to 803 By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Francisco Tuyay ARMED Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. and an undersecretary at the Department of Health (DOH) tested positive for COVID-19, as the number of confirmed cases shot up to 803 with 92 new cases. Next page
US scraps war games with PH By Rey E. Requejo THE US military has canceled the joint military exercises between American and Philippine troops on May 4 to 15 due to the threat posed by the coronavirus disease. In a statement released by the US Embassy in Manila, Next page