Sotto: Senate will study ’22 budget as it sees fit
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate’s tiff with Malacañang and the onset of the election season will not distract senators from closely examining the proposed 2022 budget, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said on Friday. We will scrutinize it as we deem fit,” the Senate leader told the Inquirer. “We will see you in the budget hearings,” the senator said, addressing the absent officials who invoked the Malacañang memo. ADVERTISEMENTThe six members of the House’s Makabayan bloc voted against the proposed budget because it did not respond to the needs of the public in the health and education sector. The opposition also questioned why the House again inserted amendments when the entire House had already voted on the measure.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 08, 2021 21:33 UTC
Gold trade grows tenfold in Cordillera amid pandemic
ADVERTISEMENTAmong the BSP’s buying stations, those in Baguio and Davao are the closest to the country’s largest gold mines. 11256, or An Act to Strengthen the Country’s Gross International Reserves, exempted all accredited small-scale miners and gold traders from paying income and excise taxes for gold sold to the BSP. David said data for 2021 was still being collected and the BSP had yet to determine the major sources of gold sold to it. In the meantime, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu earlier ordered a crackdown on underground pocket mining operations without government-regulated safeguards here and in parts of the Cordillera. Cimatu’s order, issued prior to the pandemic outbreak, came following the September 2018 landslide that killed 30 people, including mining families at the Benguet mining town of Itogon.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 08, 2021 21:33 UTC
Guevarra vows to release findings on drug killings
MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Friday reiterated that the findings of the investigation of the questionable killings of drug suspects in connection with President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs would be released to the public in due time. ADVERTISEMENT“I encourage [the] publication of the panel’s findings so its work can be evaluated,” Bachelet said. Guevarra said Duterte had already approved the release of the review of his bloody anti-drug campaign being conducted by a panel headed by the Department of Justice (DOJ). “The government has no intention of keeping its review and investigation of the anti-illegal drug campaign secret as this matter is openly reported to the people as the process goes along,” Guevarra said in a Viber message. The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), whose members were representing some of the drug war victims, welcomed Bachelet’s latest statement.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 08, 2021 21:33 UTC
‘Rock,’ paper, Sara? COC filings feel like a game
The substitution rule would make it possible for a last-minute replacement of Dela Rosa by President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. do I look like a mockery to you?” Dela Rosa shot back. He (Dela Rosa) is the one,” Cusi said in a Viber message to the Inquirer. But in a surprise move, the President announced on Oct. 2 his retirement from politics, and Go filed his COC for vice president. Dela Rosa told reporters he was not aware of any discussions to have Duterte’s daughter substitute for him.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 08, 2021 21:22 UTC
DepEd: 3 out of 5 teachers vaccinated vs COVID-19
MANILA, Philippines — Three out of five school personnel have been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the Department of Education (DepEd), as it prepares for the implementation of the pilot run of in-person classes. ADVERTISEMENTThe latest report noted that the rate of inoculated personnel reached 40.4 percent in August, up from 20 percent in July. The pilot run will start on Nov. 15. All teachers participating in the pilot run need to be fully vaccinated. For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 08, 2021 21:11 UTC
Two Indian drugmakers to end trials of generic Merck pill for moderate COVID-19
BENGALURU — Two Indian drugmakers have requested permission to end late-stage trials of their generic versions of Merck & Co’s promising experimental oral antiviral drug molnupiravir to treat moderate COVID-19, a week after Merck said its own trial had succeeded for mild-to-moderate patients. Merck spokesperson Melissa Moody said Merck and the Indian companies had defined “moderate” disease differently. The trials in India define moderate COVID-19 blood oxygen levels as 90% to 93%, according to the trial documents for the two companies. The Indian drug regulator’s committee also disclosed on its website that Aurobindo and MSN had presented interim clinical trial data for moderate COVID-19 patients and asked to end the trials. Hetero is separately conducting a study on moderate COVID-19 patients and has said those results will be presented at a future date.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 08, 2021 21:11 UTC
In Cebu, Durano scion to challenge Garcia
CEBU CITY — The gubernatorial race in Cebu will be a battle between scions of two big political families in the province – the Duranos and the Garcias. Durano admitted that going against Garcia would be “like climbing Mt. Both Garcia and Durano have not decided which presidential candidate to support in 2022. Durano filed his COC on Thursday under the Partido Pilipino sa Pagbabago, which pushed Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte to run for president. Garcia filed her COC under the One Cebu party and the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 08, 2021 21:00 UTC
No presidential run for Sara
DAVAO CITY — “We waited till the end. Still, groups like Laviña’s clung to the hope there was still time to withdraw her mayoral candidacy in favor of a presidential run. When Vice President Leni Robredo decided to run for president, some of the mayor’s supporters speculated she might also run for the position. Her supporters then came up with profile picture of them and their memes in green just as supporters of the Vice President had theirs in pink. Laviña said Duterte-Carpio’s supporters were “brokenhearted” but that they respected her decision to finish her last term in Davao City.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 08, 2021 21:00 UTC
Bicol International Airport welcomes first 51 arrivals
DARAGA, ALBAY — The Bicol International Airport (BIA) welcomed its first domestic flight on Friday, a day after it was inaugurated, with 51 passengers arriving from Manila on board a Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight. The President said the NPA only showed “bankruptcy in their minds” when they resorted to burning equipment just to halt government projects. Key infrastructureWhile the project was started long before he became president, Duterte said the completion of the BIA was another milestone of his administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program. The BIA can serve up to 2 million passengers every year, which would result in a boost in air traffic and tourist arrivals in the region. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy PolicyRead Next
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 08, 2021 21:00 UTC
Israel strike on Syria base wounds six – state media
Damascus, Syria — An Israeli missile strike on an airbase in central Syria wounded six Syrian service personnel on Friday, state media reported. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack targeted a drone depot at the base. When contacted by AFP, an Israeli army spokesperson said the military did not comment on foreign media reports. Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has routinely carried out airstrikes inside Syria, mostly targeting Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah forces as well as Syrian government troops. The Israeli army rarely acknowledges individual strikes but has said repeatedly that it will not allow Syria to become a stronghold of its arch-foe Iran.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 08, 2021 21:00 UTC
US delegation to meet Taliban in first high-level talks since pullout — officials
WASHINGTON — A U.S. delegation will meet with senior Taliban representatives in Doha on Saturday and Sunday in their first face-to-face meeting at a senior level since Washington pulled its troops from Afghanistan and the hardline group took over the country, two senior administration officials told Reuters. U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad, who has for years spearheaded U.S. dialogue with the Taliban and been a key figure in peace talks with the group, will not be part of the delegation. The U.S. team will include the State Department’s Deputy Special Representative Tom West as well as top USAID humanitarian official Sarah Charles. On The Taliban side, cabinet officials will be attending, officials said. Washington and other Western countries are grappling with difficult choices as a severe humanitarian crisis looms large over Afghanistan.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 08, 2021 20:26 UTC
Chile president investigated after Pandora Papers leak
Santiago, Chile — The Chilean public prosecutor’s office on Friday opened an investigation into President Sebastian Pinera over the sale of a mining company through a firm owned by his children, which appeared in the Pandora Papers leaks. Attorney General Jorge Abbott opened the probe after the Pandora Papers revealed the sale of the Dominga mining company by a firm “linked to the family of President Pinera,” said Marta Herrera, head of the anti-corruption unit in the public prosecutor’s office. ADVERTISEMENTOn Monday, Pinera denied that there was any conflict of interest in the 2010 sale to one of his closest friends, which took place during his previous mandate as president. ADVERTISEMENTHe said the information contained in the Pandora Papers was “not new” and has been public knowledge since 2017. “It was also investigated in depth by the public ministry and resolved by the courts of justice,” he added.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 08, 2021 20:03 UTC
Trump attempt to withhold documents related to January 6 attack blocked
The White House on Friday formally blocked an attempt by Donald Trump to withhold documents from Congress related to the January 6 attack on the Capitol when he was U.S. president. ADVERTISEMENT“The president has determined an assertion of executive privilege isn’t warranted for the first set of documents from the Trump White House that have been provided to us by the National Archives,” Psaki said. Meanwhile, the January 6 Select Committee threatened criminal contempt charges against Steve Bannon, the longtime Trump adviser who is refusing to cooperate with the inquiry. Executive privilege is a legal doctrine that protects the confidentiality of some communications between White House officials. Legal experts have said Trump, as the former president, cannot lawfully use executive privilege to block subpoenas issued by the select committee.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 08, 2021 19:41 UTC
Romania in talks with Hungary over transferring COVID-19 patients
BUCHAREST — Romania is in talks about potentially transferring some COVID-19 patients to Hungary as Bucharest struggles with record-high infections and a shortage of intensive care beds, deputy interior minister Raed Arafat said on Friday. ADVERTISEMENT“We are in talks with Hungary,” Arafat told reporters. “We are waiting to see what mechanism they agree on … and we will collaborate to see how we can transport patients.”A total of 357 COVID-19 patients died in Romania in the last 24 hours, a record high. The number of new coronavirus infections fell slightly to 13,854 after touching a record high of over 15,000 earlier this week. Romania will also receive 250 oxygen concentrators from Poland and the Netherlands through the bloc’s civil protection mechanism, Brussels said.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 08, 2021 19:30 UTC
Not you again? Messi and Ronaldo in Ballon d'Or contention
Messi and Ronaldo in Ballon d'Or contentionPARIS — Six-time winner Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time victor, were among the 30 names revealed on Friday for the Ballon d'Or award. Italian midfielder Jorginho gets the nod after helping Chelsea to the Champions League title as well as playing a major role as Italy won the delayed Euro 2000. Chelsea teammate Kante, man of the match in the Champions League semi-final and final, is also on the list. Ronaldo, who was third in the 2019 Ballon d'Or vote behind Messi and Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk, sees former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema also nominated. Champions League winners Barcelona are represented by Alexia Putellas, already voted UEFA's best player, and Jennifer Hermoso, joint top-scorer in the Champions League.
Source:Philippine Star
October 08, 2021 19:18 UTC