Manila Standard - 2021 May 27 - 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: circulation@manilastandard.net

Pinoys treated to spectacular celestial show STARGAZERS across the Pacific Rim, including the Philippines, cast their eyes skyward on Wednesday night to witness a rare "Super Blood Moon", as the heavens aligned to bring an extra-spectacular lunar eclipse. Filipinos enjoyed the celestial phenomenon around 7 p.m. as the total lunar eclipse was visible in the sky Wednesday. State weather forecaster Benison Estareja said the Next page

VOL. XXXV • NO. 101 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

CELESTIAL TREAT. Stargazers across the Pacific Rim -- including children and adults in the Philippines, who use welding glass to look up – cast their eyes skyward on Wednesday to witness the rare ‘Super Blood Moon’ as the heavens aligned to bring an extra-spectacular lunar eclipse. Ver Noveno and Andrew Rabulan

Duterte orders arrest of erring village chiefs Over failure to stop superspreader events in their areas

By Joyce Pangco Pañares, Willie Casas, Rio N. Araja and Jun David

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Philippine National Police to arrest, detain and file charges against barangay captains who will fail to stop COVID-19 super spreader events that flout health protocols. "To our policemen, you are put on no- public address Wednesday night. tice: the first person to be arrested is the "If another super spreader event hapbarangay captain as a person of author- pens after tonight (Wednesday night) arity," an exasperated Duterte said in his rest the barangay captain for dereliction

of duty and failure to implement the law under the Revised Penal Code. The first one in the police lineup should be the barangay captain," the commander-in-chief added. Duterte issued the directive after Interior Secretary Eduardo Año reported that there were three consecutive super spreader events in Caloocan City, Quezon City and Bulacan. Some 20 guests of the Gubat sa Ciudad Resort in Caloocan City tested positive for COVID-19. The local government is tracking down some 2,000 in-

dividuals as the contact tracing log of the resort was not properly filled out. At the Barangay Nagkaisang Nayon in Quezon City, at least 54 individuals contracted COVID-19. In Norzagaray, Bulacan, at least 2,000 people went to the Bakas River. Duterte urged the police to "use reasonable force" against barangay captains who may resist arrest. He also warned policemen who will hesitate to effect the arrest that they themselves will be liable for dereliction Next page of duty.

Suspect in vax sale surrenders; Unified ordinance vs. scam eyed By Joel E. Zurbano A SUSPECT in the COVID-19 vaccination slot-for-sale scheme surrendered to the authorities in Mandaluyong City. On Wednesday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benjamin Abalos Jr. and his wife Mayor Carmencita Abalos presented the 22-year-old

suspect Kyle Bonifacio to members of the media. Abalos said Bonifacio, accompanied by his parents, voluntarily surrendered to them. The suspect was turned over to the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation for investigation. Next page

Pfizer eyes jab to be used for PH kids 12-15 DRUGMAKEr Pfizer has applied for an amendment to its emergency use authorization (EUA) for its COVID-19 vaccine to allow it to be used on 12-to-15-yearold children in the Philippines, Food and Drug Administration chief Eric Domingo revealed Wednesday night. In a report to President Rodrigo Duterte, Domingo also said it was still waiting for an EUA application from Novavax, another American company developing a counter to the coronavirus. Pfizer's move locally aims to mirror its vaccine being allowed by the United States FDA for use with American children. The Philippine FDA granted an EUA to Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine in January. An EUA issuance from the regulators is required for the vaccines to be legally rolled out in the country. Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM MAY 26)

1,193,976 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

5,310 46,037 NEW

ACTIVE

20,169

150

1,127,770

7,408

RECOVERIES

Bayanihan 3 hurdles 2nd reading THE House of Representatives on Tuesday night approved on second reading the Bayanihan to Arise as One bill or the Bayanihan 3, which contains a P401 billion stimulus package to provide more aid to Filipinos during the COVID-19 pandemic. The chamber approved through voice voting House Bill 9411, which has 293

By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta

out of 300 lawmakers or 98 percent of members of the House signing up as coauthors. The proposed Bayanihan 3 is divided into three phases, with a budget breakdown of P165.9 billion for Phase 1, P186 billion for Phase 2, and P48.6 for Phase 3. Under the bill, two rounds of financial aid worth P1,000 will be granted to each Filipino. Next page

HUGE BLAZE.

Residents try to save whatever is left from their homes, even climbing up roof amid scorching temperatures (inset) as a fire breaks out on Railroad Street in Port Area, Manila on Wednesday. Danny Pata

House also OKs economic Cha-cha By Maricel V. Cruz THE House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on second reading the proposed economic Charter Change measure that is principally authored by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco. The lower chamber approved the Resolution of Both Houses Number (RBH) 2 in viva voce voting. The resolution containing the proposals would then be transmitted to the Senate. The House is expected to pass the resolution on third and final reading when Congress adjourns sine die on June 5. It seeks to empower Congress to

change constitutional limitations on foreign participation in certain sectors of the economy like telecommunications, public utilities, media, advertising, and education, except land, which will continue to be only for Filipinos. Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, principal sponsor of the proposed RBH 2, maintained that the House has no intent of introducing political provisions to the proposed revisions. “RBH 2 is pure economic reform. We know and understand that any political charter change will be dead on arrival,” Salceda added. Next page

NEW

OCTA suggests extended GCQ in NCR till June

SURRENDERED. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benhur Abalos presents to the media Kyle Bonifacio (right), a suspect in the COVID-19 vaccine slotfor-sale scheme after he was turned over by his family in a press conference Wednesday at Mandaluyong City Hall. Manny Palmero

By Maricel V. Cruz

NEW

DEATHS

Ex-solon lead counsel against Leonen By Rey E. Requejo

cate Edwin Cordevilla's charges against Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic A FORMER lawmaker described as a Leonen. In the first day of the House of Repveteran in impeachment cases against impeachable government officials will serve resentatives’ Justice Committee hearing Next page as lead counsel in good governance advo-

THE independent OCTA Research Group on Wednesday has recommended retaining in June the general community quarantine (GCQ) status of the National Capital Region (NCR) and four neighboring provinces included in the NCR Plus bubble. OCTA Research fellows Prof. Guido David and Fr. Nicanor Austriaco said that while cases in NCR Plus -- Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal -- had decreased, “the numbers are still high.” Next page

PNP open to let Justice probers see EJK records By Rey E. Requejo and Willie Casas THE Philippine National Police is willing to give the Department of Justice access to records of all its investigations against policemen in its drug war campaign since 2016. 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.