Manila Standard - 2020 December 18 - Friday

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PALACE VOUCHES FOR DUQUE, SEES ‘NO MAJOR LAPSE’

Presidential spokesman issued this of the President is that he sees no major It is unlikely for the Philippines to get By Vito Barcelo, Willie Casas statement after Foreign Affairs Secrelapse because what was being discussed the Pfizer vaccine in January 2021 beand Macon Ramos-Araneta

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III

THE PALACE came again to the defense of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, saying President Rodrigo Duterte saw “no major lapse” on his part in efforts to acquire 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer.

tary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said “somebody dropped the ball” in efforts to get 10 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine that could have been shipped by January. While Locsin did not name anyone, it was understood that he referred to Duque. “I think from the overall demeanor

was the contract and Secretary Duque is not a lawyer,” Roque said. The Pfizer vaccine is expected to arrive in the second or third quarter of 2021, Roque said, adding the first vaccine that the Philippines might get is from China’s Sinovac.

cause the initial supply has been bought up by rich countries,he added. Roque said the argument between Locsin and Duque will not affect the need to acquire the vaccine. “They can all fight if they want. The

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DOH warns of virus surge

Reason: Decreasing adherence to health protocols in malls, open spaces By Willie Casas

C VOL. XXXIV • NO. 287 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

OVID-19 cases are shooting up in several areas, including Metro Manila, as people indulge in unsafe holiday activities, the Department of Health (DOH) said Thursday.

In a press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said there is a “continuous growth of cases” in some areas, “signaling the start of the surge.” “New cases are increasing. [A] surge will most likely happen. It is not a question anymore of if, but when and by how

much,” she said in an online briefing. Vergeire cited reports on the public’s “decreasing adherence” to physical distancing in malls and holiday sales in open spaces, which increases the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Next page

Ex-speaker’s ally ousted in new rigodon By Maricel Cruz ANOTHER key ally of ousted speaker Alan Peter Cayetano lost his chairmanship of a major committee in the House of Representatives during its last plenary session for the year Wednesday night. Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor, who is identified with Cayetano, lost his chairmanship of the committee on public accounts to Probinsyano Ako Rep. Jose Singson Jr. Defensor said he was surprised by his replacement. “He didn’t even have the courtesy to talk with me even as we had a short meeting last week as regards the investigation to be conducted by the committee on public accounts. He even requested that we all suspend investigations until January which I respectfully agreed to.” Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM DECEMBER 17)

454,447 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

1,470 25,695 NEW

ACTIVE

8,850

17

DEATHS

419,902 RECOVERIES

NEW

633 NEW

XMAS DELICACIES. A row of ‘lechon’ (roasted pig) went on display at the famed Lechon Lane along La Loma Street in Manila Dec. 17, 2020. Filipinos believe that serving the delicacy during Christmas indicates prosperity in the year ahead. Norman Cruz

Senators take turns hitting out at tollway jam, NAIA mess PH won’t deal By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), as the primary regulator of toll operators, cannot escape the blame for the tollway mess, the radio frequency identification (RFID) system or cashless transaction, Senator Grace Poe said Thursday. During the virtual hearing of the Senate Public Services Committee chaired

by Poe, the latter said it would seem that the TRB had been content to do two things and nothing else: raise toll rates and collect fees. “Truth be told, TRB can’t even do its job of collecting toll fees that well,” she said. To support her statement, Poe cited the Commission on Audit which said the TRB failed to collect toll fees in

the amount of P44.24 million in 2017 and P859.94 million in 2019, almost a billion pesos. She said: “It should be noted that the TRB, like the NDRRMC and PhilHealth, suffers from having a governing board which is dominated by ex-officio Cabinet secretaries who have more important things to do.” Next page

Leonen backers hit for cover-up By Rey E. Requejo THE Secretary General of the Filipino League of Advocates for Good Governance-Maharlika Edwin Cordevilla deplored Thursday the support of 100 law deans and law professors to Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen as a “cover-up” to the alleged wrongdo-

ings of the embattled magistrate. Cordevilla said the deans and professors of schools of laws in the country appeared to have signed the manifesto “as an attempt at covering up misbehavior and misactions of Leonen.” “They are pitiful,” Cordevilla said, responding to the statement by 100 Next page

HOT FOOD, COLD NIGHT. A vendor takes out a freshly cooked ‘puto bumbong’ at her stall at the Saint Joseph Parish in Las Pinas City during Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo. The native delicacy is a popular street food better served hot amid the cold nights of the Yuletide season. Avito C. Dalan

with ICC, opts for own probe By Rio N. Araja MALACANANG insisted Thursday the Philippines would not cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) pending a decision that could pave the way for a full-blown investigation into President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. “When we withdrew our membership from the Rome Statute, we also withdrew from the obligation to cooperate so we are under no obligation to cooperate with the ICC,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque told a news conference, referring to the treaty that created the ICC. ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda recently said there was a basis to believe that crimes against humanity were committed in the course of the anti-narcotics campaign, adding her office would decide whether or not to seek authorization from the court to open an investigation within the first half of 2021. Next page

Macron infected; Spain, Portugal PMs in isolation BAY VIEW. The controversial Manila Bay’s Dolomite Beach gets reworked on Thursday December 17, 2020. DENR’s Manila Bay beautification project aims to restore the bay’s former glory as a top tourist draw. Norman Cruz

Macron

PRESIDENT Emmanuel Macron Thursday tested positive for COVID-19, the presidency said, sending at least three fellow leaders as well as other top French officials into self-isolation. Macron had attended an EU summit in Brussels last week and also on Monday was personally present at a conference in Paris organized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The president of the European Council,

Charles Michel, who was also present in Paris for that meeting, has entered self-isolation, his spokesman said. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Portugal Prime Minister Antonio Costa, who also had contact with Macron, are going into quarantine. Macron is one of several world leaders who have contracted COVID-19, including British Next page


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