Manila Standard - 2021 May 6 - Thursday

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Travel ban covers more areas Travelers from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka barred May 7-14

By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta

T

HE Philippines on Wednesday expanded its ban on travelers by prohibiting those from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, amid the resurgence in COVID-19 cases in India and South Asia.

This developed as six travelers from India, who entered the Philippines before stricter border restrictions took effect, have tested positive for COVID-19, and six others are still being traced where they are now, the Department of Health said Wednesday. As the coronavirus surged uncontrollably in India—with that nation's daily death toll hitting a record at almost 3,800

amid more than 380,000 new infections -- the DOH said it was unsure if the South African variant of the virus had spread to local communities, even if it has the most cases among the variants of concern detected by the Philippine Genome Center (PGC). Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said travelers from India’s neighboring countries would not be allowed to en-

ter the Philippines from May 7 to May 14. The ban covers travelers who have been in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka 14 days before their arrival in the Philippines. The Philippines earlier banned travelers from India from entering the Philippines from April 29 to May 14 amid the surge of COVID-19 cases in the South Asian country. A COVID-19 variant first detected in India is also one of the variants of concern being monitored by Philippine authorities. However, of over 7,000 samples submitted for genome sequencing to the PGC, the B1351 SARS-CoV-2 variant—the virus that causes COVID-19—first found in South Africa had the most hits. So far, the Philippines has recorded Next page

Rody pulls out unregistered Sinopharm vax after rebuke By Joyce Pañares and Willie Casas PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has asked the Chinese government to withdraw the remaining 1,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines it has donated after medical experts rebuked his decision to get the jab despite the lack of an emergency use authorization from the

Food and Drug Authority. "It’s a criticism, it’s a critique and we accept it. I accept it because I want to be a better [example] -- I need to be prim and proper," Duterte said in a public address late Wednesday evening. "We are sorry that we committed the things that you are criticizing us for. We accept responsibility....We are Next page

VOL. XXXV • NO. 80 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Duterte orders cops to nab those with no mask outside PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday ordered police officers to detain and investigate people not wearing face masks and those not wearing them properly in public for up to nine hours in police stations. In his second televised address to the nation in three nights, Duterte said face masks were "a critical need" to stop the surge of COVID-19 cases. "My orders to the police, those who are not wearing their masks properly in order to protect the public... to arrest them and detain them, investigate them why they are doing it," the President said. "Yung ayaw maniwala, gusto mo, ayaw mo usapan na maganda, ah di ayan hulihin mo. Imbestigahin mo. Nine hours stay in station," he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte

The Philippine National Police (PNP) previously discouraged the arrest and filing of cases against quarantine violators over the implementation of the modified enhanced community quarantine in the NCR Plus bubble, calling it "counterproductive." The PNP also ordered policemen to release quarantine violators brought by local officials to them. Earlier, a quarantine violator in Cavite died of a stroke after he was made to do 300 rounds of an exercise as punishment. The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) flagged the government for allegedly imposing heavy punishment on lockdown violators. It said community service could be imposed as punishment instead of jail time or paying fines. Jimbo Gulle

Locsin won’t stop I resign if critics could enforce arbitral win criticizing Chinese Du30: By Vito Barcelo and incursions in WPS Macon Ramos-Araneta By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday vowed to continue criticizing the aggressive behavior of China, one day after apologizing for telling it to “get the f**k out” of the West Philippine Sea. While acknowledging that he did not use “the right instrument” in delivering his message, he would remain uncompromising in his position that the Scarborough Shoal and the entirety of the West Philippine Sea belong to the Philippines “not by mere claim but by absolute right and legal victory.” “No megaphone; it was an outburst of temper under repeated provocations

in the West Philippine Sea before the United Nations is just paper fit to be thrown in the trash, President Rodrigo THE Philippines' arbitral victory in Duterte said Wednesday night. "Sa totoong buhay, 'yang papel, 2016 against China's massive claims

CLOSE WATCH. This handout photo taken on April 27 and received from the Philippine Coast Guard on May 5 shows PCG personnel aboard their ship BRP Cabra monitoring Chinese vessels anchored at Sabina Shoal, a South China Sea outcrop claimed by Manila, located about 135 kilometers west of Palawan. AFP

wala 'yan... Sa usapang bugoy, sabihin ko sa'yo, ibigay mo sa akin, sabihin ko sa'yo p***ng ina papel lang 'yan. Itatapon ko 'yan sa waste basket (In Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM MAY 5)

1,073,555 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

5,685 62,713 NEW

ACTIVE

17,800

178

DEATHS

NEW

993,042 8,961 NEW RECOVERIES

FDA: No power vs. solons giving out ivermectin By Willie Casas FOOD and Drug Administration (FDA) Director General Eric Domingo said Wednesday the agency had no disciplinary authority, only Congress, over lawmakers who distributed ivermectin, despite the lack of evidence that the antiparasitic drug could treat patients with COVID-19. “Yes. It’s a separate branch of government,” Domingo said at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum when told that only Congress had the power to impose sanctions on its members. Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor and Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta distributed ivermectin despite repeated warnings from health authorities and groups that it has not been proven to be effective against coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Defensor said a house-to-house distribution of ivermectin would also be done to prevent mass gathering. Next page

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Senate, DA compromise on pork deal By Maricel V. Cruz

INSPECTION. Bacolod City Mayor Bing Leonardia (right) talks to a nurse as he

checks on the vaccination procedures at SM City Bacolod, a partner of the city’s mass vaccination program against COVID-19. Leonardia was accompanied by City Administrator Em Ang and SM City Bacolod public relations manager May Castro, and EOC deputy for medical Dr. Chris Sorongon (not pictured). Bacolod PIO

LABOR NIXES PNP ‘NPC CLEARANCE’ NEWS BID/ A4

THE Senate and the Department of Agriculture on Wednesday agreed on recommended adjustments to controversial policies on pork imports. In a statement, the Department of Agriculture said that after lengthy deliberations, President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic team reached a compromise with the Senate on pork import tariff rates and the minimum access volume (MAV). Agriculture Secretary William Dar, a member of the government’s economic team, said they recommended the tariff rates be adjusted to 10% to 25% from the Next page

HAIL, CHIEF. House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez congratulates the new Philippine National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar (left). Ver Noveno

Eleazar new PNP chief as Sinas retires ON MAY 8, Lt. Gen. Guillermo His appointment has been Eleazar, 55, will be the new chief of approved by President Rodrigo the 221-strong Philippine National Duterte, Interior Secretary Eduardo Police. Next page


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