We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
PhilHealth insists ‘no data was compromised’ amid cyberattack
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth on Wednesday maintained its claim that its members' data was not compromised by the recent cyberattack on its system. In an interview with Daily Tribune, PhilHealth spokesperson and Senior Vice President for Health Finance Policy Israel Pargas reiterated that their database remained “intact”. He, however, admitted that hackers behind the cyberattack accessed the data that were stored in the servers affected by the hacking. “We cannot verify that. It can be a possibility because again, checking our database, it is still intact. If we check the database, it appears that no data was compromised or leaked,” he said. “However, since our employees are also working with regard to our members and all, it could be true that there may be data stolen by these hackers. It is uncertain whether any data was stolen or not,” he added. On Tuesday night, the Department of Information and Technology confirmed that the hackers have already started publishing PhilHealth employees’ data on the dark web. DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Dy said the stolen data includes details on employees' identification cards, memorandum, directives, and hospital bills. The development came a day after the self-imposed deadline of the hackers on the government to pay a $300,000 ransom for the data expired. Dy said the information posted on the dark web could just be a “teaser” of what the hackers have stolen from the state-run health insurer’s system. At the same time, in an advisory, PhilHealth confirmed that some members' personal information including names, addresses, dates of birth, sex, phone numbers, and PhilHealth identification numbers were compromised. The corporation said it is “working to notify all affected individuals directly.” The state-run health insurer also urged its members to take precautionary measures in light of the cyberattack on its system. “Monitor your credit reports for any unauthorized activity,” it said. Members were also encouraged to place a fraud alert on their credit reports and change their passwords for their online accounts, especially their financial accounts. Members were also advised to be wary of phishing emails and smishing text messages. No numbers Asked how many members were affected by the incident, Pargas said PhilHealth has yet to know the quantity of the data stolen by the hackers. “There might have been data that were compromised but we don’t have any numbers yet,” he said. In case PhilHealth members receive suspicious calls about their data, they may report it through phic.actioncenter2023@gmail.com or phic.dpo@gmail.com, he said. Online Meanwhile, the state-run health insurer said its website, member portal, e-claims, HCI portal, Electronic Premium Remittance System, and electronic PhilHealth Acknowledgment Receipt can now be accessed by the public and their partners. On September 22, PhilHealth temporarily shut down its website and membership portal due to an "information security incident." The post PhilHealth insists ‘no data was compromised’ amid cyberattack appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UK water firms facing legal fight over pollution incidents
An environmental academic said Wednesday she had filed the first of multiple planned court actions against British water companies for underreporting pollution incidents and overcharging customers, in breach of UK laws. Carolyn Roberts, a professor and water and environment consultant, revealed she had lodged an initial claim against Severn Trent Water and planned further legal actions against five other firms on behalf of more than 20 million customers. Roberts, who is represented by the well-known British law firm Leigh Day, estimates the companies could face compensation bills of over £800 million ($1 billion) if the cases are successful. The first claim, filed last week against Severn Trent on behalf of eight million people, is estimated to be worth more than £330 million. It comes amid a long-running scandal over privatized water firms pumping raw sewage into waterways, provoking widespread public anger and promises of increased regulatory scrutiny from the government. Ministers announced last month that companies and individuals polluting Britain's rivers and other ecosystems will be liable for unlimited fines. "Like many others across the country, I have viewed with horror the escalating number of stories in the media regarding the volume of sewage discharged into our waterways and onto our beaches," Roberts said in a statement. "It appears that because of the serial and serious underreporting at the heart of these claims, water companies have been avoiding being penalized by Ofwat," she added, referring to the sector's regulator in the UK. "I believe this has resulted in consumers being unfairly overcharged for sewage services." Industry body Water UK said the accusations are "entirely without merit" and that 99 percent of sewage works are legally compliant. However, Roberts and Leigh Day said they intend to bring similar "collective actions" against Thames Water, United Utilities, Anglian Water, Yorkshire Water, and Northumbrian Water. They urged the companies' millions of customers to visit a website created to assess their eligibility for compensation. "These companies have allegedly been misleading their regulators by underreporting the number of pollution incidents, being discharges of wastewater from a company sewerage asset adversely affecting the water environment and resulting in higher customer bills," a statement on it read. Last month, a UK court fined Thames Water, the nation's biggest supplier, £3.3 million for polluting rivers. The fine came shortly after the UK's privatized water companies pledged to make massive investments to avoid repeats of the contamination. The post UK water firms facing legal fight over pollution incidents appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl seeks stronger alliance with Vietnam
The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, has expressed its intent to forge stronger maritime cooperation with Vietnam in the South China Sea, where both countries are claimant states. DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo revealed this Tuesday in his speech before the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. “Our geographies and status as major littoral and claimant states in the South China Sea make maritime cooperation a vital point of interaction between our two countries, as economic and security partners. As in centuries prior, this body of water connects our peoples, despite some differences,” Manalo said. “Beyond its strategic significance, the South China Sea is the lifeblood of millions of Filipinos and Vietnamese people who depend on the sea for livelihood,” he added. Manalo stressed that as maritime nations, the Philippines and Vietnam should prioritize having safe and secure seas and sound marine ecosystems as integral to the future of their citizens and the region. The DFA official is on a four-day official visit to Vietnam for the 10th Philippines-Vietnam Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation, three years after the 9th Philippines-Vietnam JCBC was held in Manila in 2019, attended by then-Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh. Given the previous joint marine research expeditions of the Filipinos and Vietnamese scientists in the 1990s, Manalo said the two countries “must press further on in exploring novel modes of cooperation in maritime safety, search and rescue, marine scientific research, and marine environmental protection.” “Achieving maritime security is a powerful impetus for our Strategic Partnership. Through the Philippines-Vietnam Joint Permanent Working Group on Maritime and Ocean Concerns, we discuss challenges and explore joint initiatives for the effective management of our competing claims in this area, with the overarching goal of preserving regional peace and stability,” he pointed out. He also noted that the two nations also benefit from the rules-based order which he described as the “bedrock of peace and prosperity” in the South China Sea, a shipping passage for an estimated $5.3 trillion worth of trade. “Our Strategic Partnership must affirm that we are invested in keeping the seas open and free for the enjoyment of our peoples and that disputes must be managed and resolved peacefully in accordance with international norms and laws, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as well as the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea,” he said. The DFA chief is referring to the 2016 arbitral ruling that favored the Philippines’ claims in the West Philippine Sea, which is part of the larger South China Sea. However, China, which claims almost the entire South China Sea, continued to ignore the arbitral ruling, and insists on its nine-dash line claim. In a bid to reinforce its claim in the oil and natural-gas-rich region, the Philippine government started calling that portion of the South China Sea as the West Philippine Sea in 2012. The post Phl seeks stronger alliance with Vietnam appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl wants stronger maritime cooperation with Vietnam
The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, has expressed its intent to forge stronger maritime cooperation with Vietnam in the South China Sea, where both countries are claimant states. DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo asserted this on Tuesday in his speech before the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam in Vietnam. “Our geographies and status as major littoral and claimant states in the South China Sea make maritime cooperation a vital point of interaction between our two countries, as economic and security partners. As in centuries prior, this body of water connects our peoples, despite some differences,” Manalo said. “Beyond its strategic significance, the South China Sea is the lifeblood of millions of Filipinos and Vietnamese people who depend on the sea for livelihood,” he added. He continued: “As maritime nations at the heart of this seascape, it is a given that we consider safe and secure seas and sound marine ecosystems as integral to the future of our peoples and our region.” Manalo is currently on a four-day official visit to Vietnam for the 10th Philippines-Vietnam Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation, three years after the 9th Philippines-Vietnam JCBC was held in Manila in 2019, attended by then-Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh. Given the previous joint marine research expeditions of the Filipinos and Vietnamese scientists in the 1990s, Manalo said, the two countries “must press further on in exploring novel modes of cooperation in maritime safety, search and rescue, marine scientific research, and marine environmental protection.” “Achieving maritime security is a powerful impetus for our Strategic Partnership. Through the Philippines-Vietnam Joint Permanent Working Group on Maritime and Ocean Concerns, we discuss challenges and explore joint initiatives for the effective management of our competing claims in this area, with the overarching goal of preserving regional peace and stability,” he pointed out. He also noted that the two nations also benefit from the rules-based order which he described as the “bedrock of peace and prosperity” in the South China Sea, a shipping passage for an estimated $5.3 trillion worth of trade. “Our Strategic Partnership must affirm that we are invested in keeping the seas open and free for the enjoyment of our peoples, and that disputes must be managed and resolved peacefully in accordance with international norms and laws, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as well as the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea,” he said. The DFA chief is referring to the 2016 arbitral ruling that favored the Philippines’ claims in the West Philippine Sea, which is part of the larger South China Sea. However, China, which claims almost the entire South China Sea, continues to ignore the arbitral ruling, insisting on its nine-dash line claim. In a bid to reinforce its claim in the oil and natural-gas-rich region, the Philippine government started calling that portion of the South China Sea as West Philippine Sea in 2012. Similar to the Philippines, Vietnam has overlapping claims with China over the Paracel and Spratly islands, which remain the main point of contention between the two countries. According to Manalo, until the resolution of these disputes, the Philippines and Vietnam “share a distinctive responsibility in working to achieve a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, and seeing to its conclusion at the earliest opportunity.” The post Phl wants stronger maritime cooperation with Vietnam appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tainted love: Misinformation drives ‘vaccine-free’ dating
In a private dating group on Facebook, Renee flaunts herself to like-minded singles as a fit, adventurous Kizomba dancer who at 35 exudes "inner child vibes." But her main draw? She is unvaccinated. The Covid-19 pandemic may have receded, but dating apps, websites and social media groups still offer to unite vaccine-hating singles who believe debunked falsehoods such as that coronavirus jabs alter DNA or cause infertility. The trend underscores how anti-vaccine sentiment has become an entrenched identity for many who willfully resist or ignore scientific assertions that inoculations saved tens of millions of lives globally when the pandemic was raging. A prospective match's vaccination status determines compatibility not just for Renee, a self-employed Australian, but for many posting in "unvaxed singles" groups that have cropped up on Facebook. Dating decisions there are driven by chemistry but not science. In one closed group breached by AFP, many listed "no jabbies" as their top dating criteria, while others cheered anti-vaccine advocates as "pure blood freedom fighters." One meme popular in the group described their ideal partner: "She's curvy, funny, intelligent, unvaccinated." It demonstrates how the pandemic turned rejecting vaccines from a personal health decision to the way "people express their personal brand," said Timothy Caulfield, a professor at the University of Alberta in Canada. "It shows how high the walls of their echo chambers are. Being anti-vaccine has become an ideological flag -- a way to demonstrate which team you belong to," Caulfield told AFP. "It is less and less about science and more and more about the values being antivax signal." 'Swipe left' According to a 2022 survey by the Pew Research Center, about half of US adults who used a dating site or app said it was important to see the vaccination status on profiles. "Why is your vaccination status such a big deal? I've even seen it listed as a 'dealbreaker' on some profiles," said a post in a dating discussion group on the online messaging board Reddit. "The profiles I see most state the following: 'if you're vaccinated then please swipe left.'" Some comments in the group referred to vaccinated singles as people carrying "biological weapons," an apparent reference to the debunked claim the vaccinated spread "super strain" variants. Vaccine falsehoods often overlap with other types of misinformation, introducing believers to those espousing the QAnon conspiracy theory and anti-LGBTQ narratives. "Studies have consistently shown that if a person is anti-vaccine – or unvaccinated – you can make a strong guess about that person's positions on a host of other issues," Caulfield said. Spreading falsehoods can also be profitable. The Florida-based Wellness Company sells a detoxification supplement that it claims counteracts the harmful effects of coronavirus jabs, destroying spike proteins to get back "that pre-Covid feeling." But experts and public health authorities told AFP's fact-checkers there is no evidence the nearly $65 supplement does that. The same company also backs a dating website for unvaccinated people called Unjected. Before being accepted, its members are required to have their "vaccination status certified by a medical professional," according to the website. In 2021, US media reported the Unjected app, dubbed as the "Tinder for anti-vaxers," was removed from Apple's App Store over Covid-19 misinformation. A slew of similar apps for unvaccinated singles are available on the Google Play Store. One such platform is called Unjabbed, whose user reviews expressed concern about bugs and phone hacking attempts after the app was downloaded. 'Tall, dark, handsome' At the height of the pandemic in 2021, conventional online dating platforms including Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid sought to boost vaccinations. As part of a White House-backed effort, many platforms allowed users to create badges displaying vaccination status, with OkCupid calling the inoculated the "new tall, dark and handsome." Users who were vaccinated or planned to be saw a spike in matches and engagement, OkCupid said in a blog, adding the "vaccine is really helping people find love." But any future inoculation drive could be jeopardized by anti-vaccine sentiment, which appears resilient even as the pandemic ebbs and travel restrictions are lifted around the world. The allure of finding an unvaccinated partner is reinforced by false social media posts sharing unfounded fears that vaccines can be "shed" or passed onto people through body fluids, threatening fertility. "The only real utility a dating platform like this could have is finding a partner that aligns with your 'medical freedom' views," Katrine Wallace, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, told AFP. "There is no clinical reason to do so." The post Tainted love: Misinformation drives ‘vaccine-free’ dating appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Degamo suspects affirm recantations
The suspects who had previously retracted their statements in connection with the murder of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and nine other people affirmed their affidavits of recantation. According to Atty. Andres Manuel, one of the defense lawyers, the affirmation of the recantations was undertaken during a hearing at the Department of Justice yesterday. “They categorically stated that the affidavits of recantation belonged to them and that they understood and comprehended their contents, to which they were attesting,” Manuel said He added: “From the defense’s perspective, this is a significant development. If we analyze the news reports, it seems that the cases against Rep. Teves and others were anchored on the statements of these individuals. Therefore, it appears that they have now recanted, retracting and discrediting their previous statements.” The post Degamo suspects affirm recantations appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DoJ paying for its folly
In attempt to salvage an embarrassing situation where it could not prosecute suspects in a crime it prematurely, recklessly, unlawfully and repeatedly pointed to as the mastermind and accomplice in the killing of a radio commentator, the Department of Justice, particularly its head, is now offering a P3 million reward to anyone who can give information leading to the arrest of former Bureau of Prisons Director Gerald Bantag and his deputy Ricardo Zulueta. It will be recalled that the bossman of the DoJ has been severely criticized by this column for his penchant and nasty habit of calling press conferences and issuing public statements accusing and condemning Bantag for masterminding the killing of the victim, despite the lack of credible evidence, and worse, with no preliminary investigation conducted to determine the existence of probable cause. To keen observers, especially those with a legal education and training, those pre-judgmental statements not only violated the constitutional right of Bantag to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court but are brazenly unconstitutional and an obnoxious trial by publicity that put the latter at an utter disadvantage with his reputation tainted. There appears to be an obsession to call attention to himself, giving birth to the reasonable conclusion that those controversial narratives against Bantag are intentional, designed to place the narrator in constant media limelight, to the detriment of the administration of justice. The Department of Justice is mandated by law not only to prosecute transgressors of the law but, more importantly, to render justice to everyone. Certainly, prejudging the guilt of a person not yet formally charged before the public is a miscarriage of justice. The concluded preliminary investigation of Bantag and Zulueta, as this columnist previously anticipated, was a farce, it being a foregone conclusion. The panel of prosecutors had no option but to find probable cause against respondents Bantag and Zulueta as their immediate superior had already adjudged them guilty beyond reasonable doubt. They would not dare reverse or embarrass their boss by dismissing the case. And even if the investigating prosecutors had the guts and the scruples to go against their head honcho, the latter could have, naturally, on appeal by the complainants overturned the dismissal of the case, and necessarily the filing of the case in court would be ordered. Any citizen placed in the same situation as Bantag and Zulueta would do what they are doing now. Feeling that they can no longer get justice from the legal system, by reason of the outrageous demeanor of the person who is tasked by law to give justice to everyone, but fails in his bounded duty, they have placed themselves beyond the reach of the law, and have become unwilling and forced fugitives from justice. The DoJ prosecutors cannot proceed to prosecute them unless they are arrested or they voluntarily surrender themselves to the authorities. They cannot be tried in absentia as it is mandatory that the court first take jurisdiction over their person. For now and until they are tried in court we will never know whether they indeed committed the crime or have wrongly been accused. Even assuming that the prosecutors have iron-clad evidence against Bantag and Zulueta, the same become useless and the family of the murdered individual as well the Filipino people will be deprived of knowing the truth behind the heinous crime. Ultimately, the culprit obviously would be the one who created the present situation. In the meantime, Bantag and Zulueta will live the lives of hunted fugitives. Perhaps the police authorities should re-open their investigation and look at other angles and suspects. They may be able to unearth hidden facts and circumstances that will either strengthen their case against the accused or affirm the protestations of the accused that they are innocent. The post DoJ paying for its folly appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
N. Korea will ‘correctly’ put spy satellite into orbit soon, Kim’s sister says
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's powerful sister said Thursday that Pyongyang would "correctly" place a spy satellite into orbit soon, a day after their first attempt crashed. Pyongyang has pitched its military satellite as a necessary counterbalance to the growing US military presence in the region, pointing to Washington's ongoing joint drills with Seoul as one example of many. North Korea's new Chollima-1 rocket lost thrust and plunged into the sea with its satellite payload on Wednesday, state media said in a rare same-day announcement following the failed launch. Kim Yo Jong, who also serves as a spokesperson for the regime, said a second attempt would soon be made. "It is certain that the DPRK's military reconnaissance satellite will be correctly put on space orbit in the near future and start its mission," she said Thursday, referring to North Korea by its official name. Pyongyang also released photographs of what it said was the new Chollima-1 rocket taking off from a seaside launch site surrounded by flames and smoke. The rocket -- named after a mythical winged horse that often appears in Pyongyang's propaganda -- featured a bulbous nose, apparently used to carry the satellite payload. The United States, South Korea and Japan slammed the launch, saying it violated UN resolutions barring Pyongyang from any tests using ballistic missile technology. Kim Yo Jong said such critiques were a "self-contradiction", given that the United States and other nations have already launched "thousands of satellites". "The US is a group of gangsters who would claim that even if the DPRK launches a satellite in space orbit through balloon, it is illegal and threatening," she said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency. Analysts warn that if North Korea succeeds, the satellite's monitoring capabilities would be a major issue, enabling Pyongyang to target US and South Korean forces more accurately. "The use of satellites for military purposes includes reconnaissance (intelligence collection), global positioning information and the attacking of opponent's satellites. Space warfare," Chun In-bum, a retired South Korean army general, told AFP. Since diplomatic efforts collapsed in 2019, North Korea has ramped up military development, conducting a string of banned weapons tests, including test-firing multiple intercontinental ballistic missiles. Leader Kim declared last year that his country was an irreversible nuclear power and called for an exponential increase in weapons production, including tactical nukes. The post N. Korea will ‘correctly’ put spy satellite into orbit soon, Kim’s sister says appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Immigration: We re on the lookout for Teves arrival, but can t arrest him
The only proof that suspended Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. showed to support his claim was a screenshot of a text message from an unidentified sender containing what appears to be a May 13 memo from Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco......»»
Teves claims immigration ordered to intercept him when he returns
The only proof that suspended Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. showed to support his claim was a screenshot of a text message from an unidentified sender containing what appears to be a May 13 memo from Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco......»»
Filed out of time
Here you see the strict application of the rules of procedure; where non-compliance results in the disallowance of the review of the merits of a case You may have noticed that I usually write about annulment cases. What I write about today is also about annulment but has nothing to do with the merits of the case. Rather, it focuses on the procedure involved in annulment, and how crucial compliance is. As I emphasized before, rules of procedure must be strictly followed. Its compliance can mean the case’s victory; while non-compliance, its demise. In Republic of the Philippines v. Teresita I. Salinas (G.R. 238308 promulgated on 12 October 2022), the wife filed for an annulment. After due proceedings, the court granted the petition and accordingly, declared her marriage null and void. The Office of the Solicitor General or OSG, however, disagreed. It filed a motion for reconsideration. The court denied its motion on 27 July 2015. The OSG received the denial on 4 August 2015. Under the rules, any appeal should be done within 15 days from receipt of the order. Thus, the OSG had until 19 August 2015. An appeal may be filed personally with the court or sent by registered mail to it. The OSG opted to mail. Problem is, it did so only on 5 October 2015, said date having been stamped on the envelope by the post office where the notice of appeal was mailed. This filing date is obviously way beyond the 19 August 2015 deadline. Naturally, the court denied the appeal ruling it was time-barred. The OSG elevated the matter before the Court of Appeals. Upon review, the appellate court did not grant the appellant its nod. It was of the considered view that the OSG was not able to timely appeal its cause. This is even though the OSG presented its official records showing that the appeal was filed within the prescribed period. Not being sustained by the appellate court, the OSG had no other source of relief but the Supreme Court. Failure to obey leads to a case’s sudden end no matter how meritorious it is. When this issue was posed, the Highest Court ruled, “plainly, the pleading’s filing date can be proved either by (1) the post stamp on the envelope, which is considered part of the records; or, (2) the registry receipt. Thus, no grave abuse of discretion can be imputed to the RTC in considering the date stamped on the envelope of the Republic’s Notice of Appeal, which was 5 October 2015, as the date of the filing. Contrary to the CA’s ruling, the photocopy of the OSG Inner Registered Sack Bill cannot be equated to a registry receipt nor given probative value. Unlike a registry receipt, the OSG’s Inner Registered Sack Bill was not issued or signed by the postmaster or any authorized receiving personnel of the concerned post office; hence, unverified to be authentic. It was merely a list of mail matters supposedly sent out by the OSG with corresponding entry and registry numbers, addresses, and posting dates. “Thus, even if we admit the authenticity of the OSG Inner Sack Bill, it cannot be a sufficient basis to conclude that the mail matter pertaining to the Notice of Appeal listed on it was actually dispatched and received by the Ermita Post Office on 18 August 2015. The Republic attempted to bolster its claim of timely filing by presenting a Certification issued by the Ermita Post Office postmaster. Contrary to the Republic’s argument, this certification does not suffice to prove that it filed its Notice of Appeal on 18 August 2015 given that a different date appears on the envelope containing such pleading. “We reiterate, under Section 3, Rule 13 of the Rules, the date of filing is shown either in the post office stamp on the envelope or the registry receipt. Thus, while the postmaster’s certification is usually sufficient proof of mailing, its evidentiary value is different in this case as it is not merely intended to prove the fact of mailing, but to prove that the date stamped on the pleading’s envelope was either incorrect due to the post office’s inadvertence or not stamped by the post office. “We stress, the envelope and the date appearing on it is made part of the records; hence, it carries the presumption that the date stamped on it was done in the course of the official duties that have been regularly performed, unless proven otherwise. Starkly, the Certification is bereft of any explanation as to the discrepancy between the date appearing on the envelope and the date stated in the Certification. “At this juncture, it is noteworthy that the Republic provided us with no means of ascertaining whether the RTC erred in appreciating the genuineness of the date appearing on the envelope since it did not attach the Notice of Appeal with the affidavit of service, if any, and the subject envelope. Note that even the pertinent RTC orders were attached to this petition for our reference and evaluation. Hence, we are constrained to uphold the factual findings of the RTC, which was able to actually see the questioned document/s.” Here you see the strict application of the rules of procedure; where non-compliance results in the disallowance of the review of the merits of a case. It is imperative to adhere strictly to these rules to avoid any fatal technical infirmity. Failure to obey leads to a case’s sudden end no matter how meritorious it is. The facts and ruling are from the case cited above. The post Filed out of time appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Reviewing Ramadan
By the time this piece sees print today, either Eid el Fitr which marks the end of the fasting month of Holy Ramadan was celebrated yesterday or the celebration is today. It is a guessing game. Even with the advances in modern science and technology — which predetermine like clockwork the setting and rising of the new moon, believers are still bound to follow the Islamic injunction to be guided by the personal sighting of the moon, with two witnesses attesting. True, the National Commission for Muslim Filipinos had recommended, and this was adopted by Malacañang, the declaration of 21 April as the Eid el Fitr national holiday. Still, many ulamas and Muslim scholars were asking for a fatwa or religious declaration to back the position of the NCMF. An archaic practice? No way, claim the ultra-conservative Muslims. They have to follow to the letter the religious ritual. As a consequence, there appears to be a dichotomy in Islam — a continuing tug of war between uncompromising stern fundamentalists and those who want to break away from past tradition towards forward-looking progressive ideas without desecrating the basic principles of Islam. In fact, this defines the great divide between the adherents of fundamentalist Islamic States of Abobakar Al-Bagdadhi advocating violence to establish a Caliphate in the mold of prophet Muhammad’s PBUH of yore, and moderate Islam. That is a contentious issue better left to Muslim theologians. But this piece is written to review international and local events that happened during the observance of the just-concluded Ramadan that impacted Muslims. These were mostly discussed in my recent columns. The historic breakthrough in the sour relationship between the two leading countries of Muslims — Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran — was a welcome development. After a long period of backdoor negotiations, unlikely peacemaker China brokered the restoration of diplomatic and political ties between the erstwhile contenders for political dominance in the Middle East, to the embarrassment of the superpower United States which was sidelined. This is good for Islam. A fly in the ointment, however, in the solemn observance of Ramadan was the willful desecration of Islam’s third Holiest Mosque, the Al Aqsa. Devotees in the middle of their prayer rituals were attacked and dispersed with stun grenades and rubber bullets by Israeli armed forces — a serious affront to the solemnity of the Holy Month. In the dying days of Ramadan, another blow was dealt to Islam. As we go to press, fighting rages in Sudan whose populace are devout practicing Muslims. The protagonists are two generals vying for power during the transition from the dictatorial regime of President Omar al-Bashir to civil government. Muslims are the victims in the armed intramural. Locally, tragedy struck with the fire that hit a vessel in the sea off Basilan where most of the victims were Muslims. A Congressional inquiry was called to determine the cause. This was sad for Islam. In the newly created provinces of Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte, the political and legal imbroglio in the latter has simmered down a bit. But while the political and administrative conundrum was addressed with the appointment of a senior minister of the BARMM as officer-in-charge governor, it has created a new problem for Maguindanao del Sur. The re-elected governor was fuming with contempt and indignation after being designated merely as OIC, a move that many observers saw as a gaffe by the Office of the President. This column empathizes with the governor. She was the governor of the mother Maguindanao province and was elected governor of the new Maguindanao del Sur. Why in hell should she be treated the same as the OIC governor of Maguindanao del Norte? This column suggests that the good governor file a special court action for Declaratory Relief to rectify the error. Meantime, the successful hurdling of the recent Bar exam by Muslim takers was welcomed by the Muslim minority. Muslims pray that the teachings of Ramadan for piety, rectitude, self-discipline, forgiveness, and altruism observed by devotees will outlast the end of Ramadan. To my readers: Eid Mubarak! amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post Reviewing Ramadan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Imee questions DFA, DND officials on ‘obsession’ with Taiwan Strait
Senator Imee Marcos on Wednesday grilled officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of National Defense for their “obsession” with the Taiwan Strait. In an inquiry, Marcos, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee questioned the locations of the four additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites in the country. “So, we have given up all claims on the east sector and West sector in the Philippine Seas, is that correct? We are now obsessed with the Taiwan Strait?” she asked. Two of the four new EDCA sites will be established in Cagayan province, one in Camilo Osias Naval Base in Sta. Ana and Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo. The two remaining EDCA sites will be in Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela province; and Balabac, the southernmost island in Palawan province. Of the four additional EDCA sites, three are situated in the northern part of the country, with the naval base at Cagayan's Santa Ana being about 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Taiwan. Taiwan, an ally of the United States, is considered by China as part of its territory to be retaken one day -- by force, if necessary. Responding to Marcos’ question, Defense Officer-in-Charge Carlito Galvez Jr. rejected the senator’s assumption, stressing that the West Philippine Sea remains a government priority. “No, Madam. We are still that concentrated on the West Philippine Sea because…” Galvez said. Unsatisfied, Marcos interjected Galvez from answering the question: “These are very contradictory statements, Usec. Galvez but I will await your submission and perhaps we can now move to other topics as you suggested earlier.” Prior to this, Marcos stressed that EDCA’s primary objective is to support the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. “With regards to the purpose of EDCA and modernization, it appears to us, to reiterate, that in fact modernization no longer appears to be the primary of EDCA but disaster preparedness, maritime security, and counterterrorism,” Marcos said. “Why does it look like we are relying on foreigners to defend us while our armed forces remain rotten, old, under-armed, and completely abject in the face of external threats?” she added. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s eldest sister also questioned the motive behind two EDCA sites in the province of Cagayan. In response, Galvez noted that Cagayan province was chosen for being a “disaster risk or vulnerability.” “If disaster and maritime security are the reasons, then why don’t we have a base on the eastern side of the Philippines?” she asked. Galvez responded that it is already included in the four additional EDCA sites. Unsatisfied, Marcos questioned which of the five existing EDCA sites and four additional EDCA sites are facing the Pacific Ocean. The Defense chief noted that while there are no existing EDCA sites on the eastern side of the country, the national government is planning to erect a military base in Camarines Sur. This, however, was not a priority, according to Marcos. “This is not part of the nine [EDCA sites]. It is almost ten yet we do not have one in Region 5 or 8.” Galvez clarified that it is for “future consideration.” EDCA in BARMM Marcos also questioned the lack of EDCA sites in the southern part of the country, particularly in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. “You said EDCA is for disaster, maritime, and counterterrorism. If it’s for counterterrorism – you are a veteran – you would know that the BARMM needs it the most,” she said. “I'm very interested about this because the choice seems to be random and no longer purposeful with regard to the modernization of the AFP which at the end of the day is what we are all here for,” she continued. Responding to the lawmaker’s question, Galvez said that they are only following the instruction of the president. “The instruction of the president is for us to prepare for external defense and with that we are trying to really allocate some resources and our modernization program on the northern side,” he said. “If you look at you know the configuration of the armed forces strategy, our vulnerability is in the north,” he added. Rejecting Galvez’s claim, Imee averred that she doesn’t feel vulnerable, citing that her family is hailed from the northern part of the Philippines. “In the north? I’m from the north sir, I don't feel very vulnerable. Our fishermen in Cagayan and the Ilocos seas are not being harassed but anyone,” she stressed Galvez stood by his claim that the northern part of the country is the “weakest” in terms of maritime security. Terms of Reference The committee hearing also revealed that there is no still written agreement between the Philippines and the United States regarding the four new EDCA sites. This was unveiled after Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo admitted that the two countries have yet to complete the terms of reference for the additional EDCA sites. “Once the exchange of notes is made then it would be reflected in the annex but until those exchanges of notes have not yet been completed it will not be reflected in the existing annex,” Manalo told the panel. While the Philippines and the United States are still discussing the terms of reference, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III reminded the DFA that it should not allow any changes in the terms of EDCA. “We have to remember that when we are discussing now with our counterparts, the end product is an annex to EDCA. So, do not even attempt to change the terms of EDCA. We're not changing the terms of EDCA, it should be clear,” Pimentel said. “We're making that commitment no matter how extensive the discussions are on the four sites there will be no attempt or desire or intention to change any word in EDCA -- the agreement,” he added. The post Imee questions DFA, DND officials on ‘obsession’ with Taiwan Strait appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Defeat
The five-month old Marcos II administration appears headed towards its first policy defeat relating to a proposal to set up a sovereign wealth fund supported at the House of Representatives by the President’s cousin Speaker Martin Romualdez and son Sandro Marcos. Proponents claim the proposal has the endorsement of President BBM, thereby putting the Chief Executive’s political capital on the line......»»
White House clarifies after Biden appears to say he has cancer
WASHINGTON - The White House clarified US President Joe Biden's apparent claim Wednesday that he has cancer, saying he was referring to a skin cancer diagnosis he received before becoming president, which has been remedied.Speaking on climate change in the US state of Massachusetts, Biden re.....»»
UK, France, Germany affirm Phl win vs. China on claim over South China Sea
Three European countries have synchronously recognized the Philippines’ arbitral award of the South China Sea rejecting China’s supposed ‘historical claim.’ In a note verbale on Wednesday, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany have presented their stand to the United Nations which stated the importance of abiding by the laws under the 1982 United Nations Convention […] The post UK, France, Germany affirm Phl win vs. China on claim over South China Sea appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Malacañang, Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Malacañang's decision will be problematic regardless of whether it allies with China or the United States. The U.S., for its part, appears to be gaining support in the region as China's sweeping claims in the South China rub our Southeast Asian neighbors the wrong way. The Duterte administration initially sided with Beijing, hoping to extract concessions and loans for its Build! Build! Build! development plan. It even turned its back on the country's sweeping tribunal victory in the Hague—an unprecedented ruling that nullified China's Nine-Dash Line claim—to please Beijing......»»
By the Numbers: Available data support Baldwin s unfiltered takes
Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin sure caused a stir the other week when he made his comments regarding the PBA. Commenting on the league's format, among other things, Baldwin drew the ire of the PBA, leading to a three-game suspension and a P75,000 fine. [Related: PBA: Baldwin fined P75k and suspended for three games] But what did coach Tab really said that caused all this trouble? The two topics that were seen as most sensitive were Baldwin's take on the PBA having only one-import tournaments and coaches having "tactical immaturity" for which Coach Tab said is not entirely the fault of PBA mentors. Here's coach Tab's comment on the PBA imports: "As an industry here, we have one major flaw in the basketball landscape of the Philippines and it's a regulatory flaw and that is that in the PBA, we have three conferences, two of those are single-import conferences. This is a big mistake. We should never have a single import playing on a team. Further, we should never have a single import that is given all the latitude that the imports are given here by the referees... So in other words, to put it in layman's terms, a foul for a local player isn't a foul on an import, and the foul on an import, that same foul on a local player isn't a foul. So our local players are competitively disadvantaged in their ability to compete against the import players, and this is not the case in other countries." As for Baldwin's comments regarding the PBA coaches' "tactical immaturity," here's Coach Tab's full quote: "You ask yourself why one PBA coach after another, when they start their games, they don't match up the imports against one another? Why is that? Well, it's tactically smart, tactically sound because they can afford the fouls, because they know that the imports produce so much offense for their teams. But that's not so bad as in fact, and this gets back to my original point, gets back to the fact that if you're a PBA coach and you don't tactically run your systems through the import, you're pretty stupid because they are given all of the advantages. The PBA coaches are a smart lot, they're good basketball coaches, but they could be much better if they were forced to coach much more. I think then they would show their real talents. But I think that because of the way our imports are treated here, it's not sound thinking for a coach to not exploit what is obvious to every PBA coach, and that is to run your offensive systems through your import. I think that system it creates a false landscape for our basketball coaches and our basketball players. And I think it needs to be changed sooner rather than later." Since Baldwin's comments, his takes have become trending topics on the local hoops scene. But does Coach Tab really have a point? An independent researcher crunched available data from the PBA's previous season and some findings actually support Baldwin's claims. Here's a By the Numbers take on what was found with some good old-fashioned calculating. 9.34 Free throw attempts for imports per 48 minutes. For comparison, local players only get an average of 3.83 free throw attempts per 48 minutes, a significant decrease. This supports Baldwin's observation that imports generate most of the offense. As supporting data, imports get an average of 28.46 free throw attempts per 100 possessions, as opposed to local players generating only 18.56 free thows. 3.41 Fouls called on imports per 48 minutes. As for local players, they are called for an average of 4.71 fouls per 48 minutes, supporting Coach Tab's claim that, "a foul for a local player isn't a foul on an import, and the foul on an import, that same foul on a local player isn't a foul. So our local players are competitively disadvantaged in their ability to compete against the import players." 14.23 percent Free throw trips per scoring possession for imports. Local players get to the line only 9.28 percent of the time per scoring possessions. Simply said, imports just get to the line more, which means more free throw attempts and more chances to score. 23.82 Field goal attempts for imports per 48 minutes. Local players only average 15.9 field goal attempts per 48 minutes. Again, this is in favor of Baldwin's statements that PBA coaches are a "smart lot" for running their offense through the import. It's simply the obvious choice as it generates the most chances of scoring. — Baldwin's unfiltered takes were no doubt controversial and it appears that the issue with the PBA has been resolved for the most part. Nevertheless, key numbers prove that Coach Tab was on to something when he said what he said. — Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8.....»»
Marcos: Philippines won’t be ‘cowed into silence, submission’ by China
“We seek no conflict with any nation, more so nations that purport and claim to be our friends but we will not be cowed into silence, submission, or subservience. Filipinos do not yield,” Marcos said. .....»»
Ashley Tisdale buntis sa 2nd baby: ‘We can’t wait to meet you!’
MAY exciting news ang Hollywood actress at “High School Musical” star na si Ashley Tisdale sa madlang pipol! Ayon sa kanya, ipinagbubuntis niya ang second baby nila ng mister na si Christopher French. Sa Instagram, ibinandera ni Ashley ang kanyang baby bump at ang caption niya: “We can’t wait to meet you [emoji].” Baka Bet.....»»