Manila Standard - 2021 September 8 - Wednesday

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A4) TIMEOUT—PCP Roque snipes at critics DOCTORS, TIRED AND EXHAUSTED,(Story CALLonFOR over COVID response By Macon Ramos-

Medical front liners and their patients make do with available space in a hospital that has reached full capacity, meaning no wards or beds, for COVID-9 victims. Tired and exhausted, frontliners overwhelmed by the sheer number of cases are calling for a timeout.

other way, saying that health workers were exhausted by the Araneta and Willie Casas crush of COVID-19 cases that are filling up hospitals. A DAY before Metro Manila "Are we not going to have was due to slip into a less a timeout?" said Dr. Maricar stringentquarantine level, doctors Limpin, president of the Philippine urged the government to go the Next page

By Rio N. Araja and Willie Casas MALACAÑANG on Tuesday hit back at a group of health workers criticizing President Rodrigo Duterte’s COVID-19 response, saying they were in the minority.

MECQ stays until Sept. 15

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Duterte defers shift to GCQ until clear-cut guidelines are in place

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Palace insists: COA can look into PRC books THE Palace on Tuesday said the Commission on Audit (COA) can conduct a “special” audit of the Philippine Red Cross’ (PRC) spending, even though the agency has said it has no jurisdiction over the non-government organization. In an online press briefing, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said President Duterte had a basis to urge COA to audit funds received by PRC. Citing Section 4.8 of COA Circular No. 93-003, Roque said PRC can be audited once the government requests COA to carry out a “special audit” of NGOs like PRC “on case to case basis.” “Does the President have a basis to ask COA to conduct a special audit of PRC? Next page He has,” Roque said.

VOL. XXXV • NO. 205 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

4 Chinese dead, P3.4-b seized in drug bust

2,121,308 18,012

158,637

34,498

161

1,928,173 18,945 (As of 4 PM, SEPTEMBER 7)

By Jun David FOUR Chinese nationals were killed Tuesday in a joint drug bust operation of police, military, and antinarcotics agents in Zambales that yielded over 500 kilos of suspected methamphetamine or “shabu” worth P3.4 billion—the government's biggest Next page drug haul for the year.

BIG BUST. At least 500 kilos of methamphetamine or shabu – valued at P3.4 billion – are spread neatly on the ground following a joint operation of police, military and anti-narcotics agents Tuesday in Zambales. Four Chinese nationals were killed during the operation that authorities described as the 'biggest drug haul of the year'.

Senators grill Senate issues arrest order Duque anew on vs. Yang, Pharmally execs double payment SENATORS on Tuesday grilled Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on the alleged double payment made for medical supplies after P42 billion in funds were transferred by the Department of Health to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management. After the PS-DBM, then under Usec. Christopher Lao, bought face shields on behalf of the DOH, the latter then purchased the same face shields from the Budget office, senators speculated. “Did the PS-DBM sell to DOH the same face shields, which the agency already paid for?" asked Minority Leader

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INFLATION RATE UP, JOBLESSNESS DOWN BUSINESS / B4

A WARRANT of arrest has been issued against former presidentialeconomic adviser Michael Yang after he was cited for contempt for snubbing twice the subpoenas issued by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee. The committee, chaired by Senator Richard Gordon, also moved for the issuance of arrest warrants against the five officials of Pharmally Pharmaceutical

Corp., the small company that bagged over P8 billion in contracts from the Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM). The Pharmally officials are Mohit Dargani, Twinkle Dargani, Justine Garado, Linconn Ong and Krizle Grace Mago. Senate President Vicente Sotto III confirmed signing the arrest warrants late Next page Tuesday.

WEATHER

’Jolina’ weakens, ‘Kiko’ enters PAR By Rio N. Araja and Alena Mae Flores SEVERE Tropical Storm “Jolina” further weakened while moving over the Sibuyan Sea in the central Philippines on Tuesday afternoon – but not after making landfall six times, ravaging areas in Luzon and Visayas, triggering flash floods, and strand-

ing passengers at ports. This was just as another weather disturbance named “Kiko” entered the Philippine area of responsibility, state weather bureau PAGASA said. Weathermen estimated its center at 60 kms west northwest of Masbate City, or 90 km east of Romblon, packing maximum sustained winds of 100 km/hr near Next page

ETRO Manila will stay under the second strictest lockdown level, a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), for another week or until Sept. 15 as the government postponed the region's supposed shift to a looser lockdown.

Malacañang said on Tuesday the National Capital Region shall remain under MECQ or until the pilot general community quarantine (GCQ) with alert level system is implemented, whichever comes first. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the government is ironing out guidelines for the shift to granular lockdowns in Metro Manila – which were supposed to start today, Sept. 8 -- to support the economy despite the continuing pandemic. This developed as the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the country’s biggest business organization, is pushing for the full reopening of the economy, arguing that any form of lockdown was disruptive to businesses. In a statement, PCCI acting president Edgardo Lacson said the group wished for the full opening of the economy even if the herd immunity threshold was not met as yet due to the moving and elusive target of 50 percent to 100 percent inoculation of the population. “Many health experts claim it is impossible to achieve herd immunity as the virus keeps mutating and the vaccine is always behind the curve,” Lacson said. “The COVID-19 virus and its variants will be here forever, but it can be

Typhoon Jolina inundated vast areas in Santa Rita, Samar, spawned giant waves that crumpled several pump boats in Sto. Nino, also in Samar and made several landfalls before exiting the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

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