DUMAGUETE CITY—Two gunmen killed the health officer of Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental province and front-liner in the city’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic on Tuesday, a year after she was Red-tagged by a vigilante group.
Dr. Mary Rose Sancelan, the head of the Guihulngan City Inter-Agency Task Force against Emerging Infectious Diseases (GCIATF-EID), was shot and killed along with her husband while they were going home to Carmeville Subdivision in the city’s Barangay Poblacion, police said.
Progressive lawmakers in the House of Representatives, health groups, and church leaders denounced the murder of Sancelan and her husband Edwin, saying it proved the “extreme danger” of being labeled as communists by state forces.
The killings happened on the same day that the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor said there was “reasonable basis” to believe that the Duterte administration committed crimes against humanity in its bloody war on illegal drugs. (See related story on Page A1.)
“It is as if the undemocratic and militarist forces in this country [are] daring the office to take action now, because these forces are protected and cannot be touched,” Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said in a statement.
No. 1 on vigilantes’ list
Sancelan was on top of the list of Guihulngan residents whom the anticommunist vigilante group “Kagubak” accused of being supporters of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army.
Kagubak stands for “Kawsa Guihulnganon Batok Komunista” (loosely translated as Concerned Guihulnganons against the Communists).”
The list, which was released in 2018, identified Sancelan as “Ka JB Regalado,” who was then the spokesperson for the NPA’s Apolinario Gatmaitan Command.
Two others on the list—lawyer Anthony Trinidad and Heidi Malalay Flores—had since been murdered, and their cases have remained unsolved.
Trinidad was gunned down in broad daylight by motorcycle-riding men on July 23, 2019, while driving in the city, and his family has insisted that he had no links to communist rebels. Flores was killed in August 2018.
Afternoon attack
According to the provincial police, Sancelan and her husband Edwin, also an employee of the city government, were going home on board a motorcycle when one of two men on another motorcycle attacked them at 5:20 p.m.
The couple, who suffered bullet wounds in their bodies, were brought by rescuers to Guihulngan Hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival by the attending physician, the police reported.
“Investigators are on the ground looking for witnesses. As of now, there are no witnesses yet, but we’re looking if there is CCTV footage available from surrounding houses,” Police Col. Bryant Demot, provincial police director, told the Inquirer by phone.
Demot said that while there was no established motive yet, investigators were “considering them all.”
2019 video statement
Sancelan had expressed fears over her safety after she was Red-tagged in a video statement sent to a peace forum in Manila in September 2019.
“I feel helpless and paranoid when I go out to work. Of course, I am afraid to die. I am no longer free to go to the countryside and perform basic services like school-based immunizations,” she said.
Her workload, she said, was heavy as the lone physician in her office doing both consultations and administrative work.
“Although she feared for her life, Dr. Sancelan chose to stay in her beloved hometown and continued to be involved in public service even after her work in the city health office,” the Council for Health Development (CHD) said in a statement.
“We are enraged that such an act of impunity knows no bounds even at a time when the whole nation is gripped by the pandemic. Her killers deprived the people of Guihulngan much-needed health services, especially in this most difficult time,” it said.
Guihulngan, 138 kilometers north of the provincial capital of Dumaguete City, has the most number of civilians killed on Negros Island since January 2017, based on records of human rights groups.
92 killed in Negros
Clarizza Singson, secretary general of the human rights group Karapatan in Negros, said at least 92 human rights defenders, activists, lawyers, farmers, teachers and church workers had been killed since 2017.
The couple, who suffered bullet wounds in their bodies, were brought by rescuers to Guihulngan Hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival by the attending physician, the police reported.
“Investigators are on the ground looking for witnesses. As of now, there are no witnesses yet, but we’re looking if there is CCTV footage available from surrounding houses,” Police Col. Bryant Demot, provincial police director, told the Inquirer by phone.
Demot said that while there was no established motive yet, investigators were “considering them all.”
2019 video statement
Sancelan had expressed fears over her safety after she was Red-tagged in a video statement sent to a peace forum in Manila in September 2019.
“I feel helpless and paranoid when I go out to work. Of course, I am afraid to die. I am no longer free to go to the countryside and perform basic services like school-based immunizations,” she said.
Her workload, she said, was heavy as the lone physician in her office doing both consultations and administrative work.
“Although she feared for her life, Dr. Sancelan chose to stay in her beloved hometown and continued to be involved in public service even after her work in the city health office,” the Council for Health Development (CHD) said in a statement.
“We are enraged that such an act of impunity knows no bounds even at a time when the whole nation is gripped by the pandemic. Her killers deprived the people of Guihulngan much-needed health services, especially in this most difficult time,” it said.
Guihulngan, 138 kilometers north of the provincial capital of Dumaguete City, has the most number of civilians killed on Negros Island since January 2017, based on records of human rights groups.
92 killed in Negros
Clarizza Singson, secretary general of the human rights group Karapatan in Negros, said at least 92 human rights defenders, activists, lawyers, farmers, teachers and church workers had been killed since 2017.
But their recommendations also included the deployment of more soldiers and policemen to Negros, which families and progressive organizations blamed for the spate of killings and human rights abuses.
“The killing of Dr. Sancelan shows how this administration would rather prioritize Red-tagging, arrests and killing human rights defenders, journalists, doctors and critics of the antipeople policies of this administration than solve the still worsening health crisis in the country,” said ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro.
Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago said the murder of the Sancelan couple “is proof that Red-tagging poses a clear and present danger to the lives of those accused as affiliated with communist groups, and even of any Filipino as seemingly, the Duterte regime already spares no one.” —WITH REPORTS FROM JULIE M. AURELIO, PATRICIA DENISE M. CHIU AND JOVIC YEE
MANILA, Philippines — Despite restrictions imposed in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the government is still expecting a huge number of arrivals this holiday season.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said it has been preparing for the anticipated holiday rush with a reminder to returning overseas Filipinos that they have to follow processes before and upon arriving in the Philippine soil.
Below are the procedures that all balikbayans should do prior to and at the time of arrival at the airport:
Register to E-CIF prior to departure from point of origin
Passengers should fill up the E-CIF (Electronic Case Investigation Form), which is necessary when undergoing health protocols, ahead of the flight to the Philippines.
According to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), this form is important “to minimize the spread of COVID-19 into the Philippines through our ports of entry, It also ensures that anyone arriving into the country will be tested for COVID-19.”
At best, PRC suggests accomplishing the E-CIF at least three days prior to arrival in the country. Those who fail to fill out the form will be barred from passing through the immigration, it noted.
The form for arriving Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) is available on the PRC website.
DOTr Undersecretary Raul del Rosario said in an online forum on Wednesday that sea-based OFWs can sign up for E-CIF by the First Aide Laboratory (https://ecif.firstaide.ph/#/).
Non-OFWs, on the other hand, can get the E-CIF provided by Philippine Airlines (PAL).
Thermal scan and declaration forms upon arrival
PAL said arriving passengers shall undergo a temperature check and will also be asked to submit their Health Declaration Form upon deplaning or before proceeding to the designated waiting area.
Segregation of passengers and briefing
Del Rosario explained that once passengers enter the holding area, they will be segregated and briefed about the next steps they have to follow.
“Hihiwa-hiwalayin natin ang land-based, sea-based, at ang mga non-OFW,” he said.
(We will segregate them according to land-based, sea-based, or non-OFWs.)
Passenger information verification and swab testing
According to Del Rosario, before going through the RT-PCR (Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) test, passengers should first verify their complete information.
“Ito po ay napaka-halaga para ma-check mabuti ang mga contact number at email addresses and mahahalagang information,” the DOTr official said.
(This is a very crucial step to thoroughly check the passengers’ contact numbers, email addresses, and other important information.)
“Kung magkakamali tayo ng nakuhang information ng mga pasahero natin, magkakamali rin ang pagpapadala ng mga result nila at pakikipag-ugnayan sa kanila,” he added.
(If we make an error in collecting their information, we will also have problems in delivering their RT-PCR test result.)
Thereafter, passengers can proceed to have their swab test done.
Bureau of Immigration counter
Before getting their baggage, PAL said passengers will pass through the Bureau of Immigration counter to submit their Arrival Cards.
Help desks
All arriving passengers also need to go to the stationed help desks to receive additional information regarding the mandatory 14-day quarantine procedure that they have to comply.
“Bago sila lumabas sa airport, dadaan sila sa mga help desk na nasa airport mismo. Dito po sila binibigyan ng mga kani-kanilang mga quarantine facility assignment,” said Del Rosario.
(Before leaving the airport, they need to stop by the help desks inside the airport. There, they will be assigned with their own quarantine facility assignment.)
Help desks of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) will assist land-based passengers while the Maritime Industry Authority will assist sea-based passengers. The Department of Tourism will handle non-OFWs.
Transport to quarantine facility
After all procedures at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport are accomplished, OFW and non-OFW passengers will subsequently be transported to their assigned quarantine facilities via chartered transport facilities.
Del Rosario said that only OWWA buses, taxis with accreditation from the Manila International Airport Authority, and authorized hotel shuttles can fetch passengers from the airport and drop them at quarantine areas.
Release of RT-PCR test results and quarantine certificate
Del Rosario noted that the passengers will receive their RT-PCR test results within 24 to 48 hours.
“We can guarantee based on our past experiences na walang lumalabas na 48 hours sa ating turnaround time,” he said.
(We can guarantee based on our experience that our turnaround time will not exceed 48 hours.)
The quarantine certificate, meanwhile, given to passengers who has completed the 14-day quarantine.
Travel to final destination
Cleared OFWs and non-OFWs can finally go home or reach their destination through chartered flights and busses by OWWA.
The free transportation service is part of the government’s Balik Probinsya Program.
DOTr: Over 11K returning overseas Filipinos tested positive for COVID-19
MANILA, Philippines — Around 11,378 returning overseas Filipinos since May have been tested positive for COVID-19, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary Raul del Rosario said on Wednesday.
In an online media forum, Del Rosario said that according to DOTr’s data, 2.2 percent out of the total 506,364 Filipinos who arrived in the country since May were positive of the COVID-19.
The data showed that based on the RT-PCR (Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) test conducted by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) from May 3 to December 13, 10,803 out of 428,216 passengers of ships returning to the country tested positive for the virus. This translates to a 2.52 percent positivity rate.
Meanwhile, 0.49 percent or 13 out of 2,668 returnees who underwent RT-PCR by the local government of Pampanga from July 8 to December 13 were positive for COVID-19.
For passengers who were tested by Philippine Airlines, about 353 or 0.84 percent of the 42,180 individuals received positive results. The data were recorded from July 17 to December 12.
During the same period, the Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions (PAGSS) and Philippine Airport Diagnostic Laboratory (PADL) also found that 209 out of 33,300 returning overseas Filipinos were infected by the virus. This results in a 0.63 percent positivity rate.
Stricter measures for the Christmas season
Despite the presented positivity rate, Del Rosario announced that the DOTr has increased its daily passenger arrivals to 5,000 in Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and 2,000 for Clark and Cebu.
“Yan po ay dahil sa kahilingan ng ibat ibang mga airlines na magdagdag ng flight kagaya ng Saudia Airlines at ng iba pa,” he said.
(That is due to the requests of different airlines, such as Saudia Airlines, to increase their flights.)
Del Rosario assured that the department will impose stricter measures to ensure the safety of returning overseas Filipinos.
“Nagdagdag po tayo ng swabbers at verification officers sa naia dahil dito po may bottleneck, dito po nagtatgal, so nag dagdag tayo ng mga tao para mas mapabilis,” the undersecretary said.
(We added more swabbers and verification officers in NAIA because this is where we detect a bottleneck, we increased the manpower to speed up the process.)
He also mentioned that the results of RT-PCR tests will be released within 24 and not later than 48 hours.
“We can guarantee based on our past experiences na walang lumalabas na 48 hours sa ating turnaround time,” he said.
(We can guarantee based on our experience that our turnaround time will not exceed 48 hours.)
According to Del Rosario, among the preparations that the DOTr will implement this holiday seasons are:
Available and additional Quarantine Facilities or Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) Accredited Hotel Rooms to accommodate all arriving returning overseas Filipinos;
Increased chartered flights to ferry OFWs bound for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao;
The implementation of Oplan Byaheng Ayos to ensure the safety, security, and convenience of riding public;
The Malasakit Help Desks in all airports, seaports, bus and rail stations;
The “OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) Pasalubong para sa OFW” program which aims to give presents to OWWA members.
Kata Dayanghirang (Philstar.com) – December 2, 2020
MANILA, Philippines — Many of us have been confined in our homes for such a long time and the lack of outdoor amusements left us wondering how Christmas can be celebrated like before.
After all, we, Filipinos, have the longest Christmas season in the world, starting from September until the Three Kings celebration in January.
With Metro Manila under general community quarantine until December 31, measures are relatively more lenient, more shops are open, and the curfew has been shortened. This is good news for many who may want to buy some Christmas gifts or take a break from being stuck at home from time to time.
As expected, there are quite a lot of Christmas activities that you and your family can enjoy, either at home or outside. For those who are going outside, wear your mask, put on your face shield, frequently wash your hands or spritz on 70 % alcohol and practice physical distancing.
Christmas is fast approaching and yet, the realities of celebrating the holidays with a pandemic can be difficult for most Filipino families today. Despite this, the desire to enjoy our usual holiday activities and observe cherished local traditions remain strong in many of us. After all, the true spirit of Christmas is about hope, joy and the eternal anticipation of good tidings.
Uplifting the lives of Filipinos and rekindling Christmas cheer in everyone’s hearts underscore this year’s Wonderful World of Globe (WWG).
“Our aim is to recreate the Christmas we all love. We take to heart our role in renewing the spirit of connectedness within the Filipino family especially at a time when most of us stay within the confines of our homes. It is also a great opportunity for each of us to do more for others and continue spreading cheer to everyone we can reach,” said Ernest Cu, Globe President and Chief Executive Officer.
Through a new partnership with HBO GO, Globe offers a raft of award-winning entertainment to the digital Filipino. With HBO GO, Globe customers can watch thousands of hours of shows and movies any time anywhere using their connected device. Filipinos can stream or download HBO Originals, HBO Asia Originals, Korean and Chinese dramas, Hollywood blockbusters, hundreds of hours of kids and family content and more, including Sam Mendes’ war film “1917,” “Spider-Man: Far From Home” starring Tom Holland, Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” trilogy and Cartoon Network’s “We Bare Bears: The Movie.”
Globe also joined hands with Kumu, a Pinoy-centered live streaming platform, which is home of local and global user-generated Pinoy lifestyle content, and digital content partners like “GKNB (Game Ka Na Ba?),” a gamified FYE (For Your Entertainment) focused on celebrity streams, talk shows, variety content and MYXPH for music. Kumu will also be adding game streaming channels into their mix as part of their offerings on the platform.
In the past, many Filipino families would look forward to the well-loved tradition on Christmas Day of watching the annual Metro Manila Film Festival which showcases local filmmakers and artists. This year, Globe and GMovies has partnered with the MMFF and UPSTREAM to recreate the MMFF tradition and bring this year’s nominated films online to Filipino homes around the nation and all over the world.
Globe also supports a roster of amazing local music artists and local greats with tremendous fan bases like December Avenue, Ben&Ben, SB19, The Juans and Donnalyn Bartolome. Spend Christmas with SB19, The Juans and so much more surprises. To help keep the holiday spirit and bring families and friends together, TM is spreading good vibes during this season with its FunPasko celebration featuring virtual holiday events, activities, and its catchy jingle. Performed by SB19, The Juans and Donnalyn Bartolome, it showcases the unique ways Pinoys can celebrate this year’s Christmas together even when apart.
Win prizes such as 5G phones, laptops, noche buena packages, and P50,000 cash when you join the TM FunPasko Monito Monita Raffle. To join, just text TMFUNPASKO to 8080. With the FunPasko Grand Pakain, TM subscribers can win free Christmas baskets and Chooks-To-Go Chicken until December 11 and P30 off on Chooks-To-Go Oven Roasted Chicken from December 16 to 20.
Also leveling up the caroling experience are TM Ambassadors: SB19, The Juans, Silent Sanctuary and Matthaios who are set to delightful their fans for a Christmas concert on December 15 via the TM Tambayan Facebook page.
As quick, easy and flexible internet access became the new essential, this year’s WWG is the perfect time to launch the revolutionary product offer of Globe. Surf4ALL is a first-of-its-kind, fully convergent data offer that knows no boundaries across Globe brands. This promo gives you high GBs for all sites and a shareable GB allocation that is seamlessly accessible to up to 4 users or devices. Now, you can share data with Globe Prepaid, Globe Postpaid, Globe Platinum, Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi, and even TM.
Available through the GlobeOne app, Surf4ALL has 2 promos – Surf4ALL99, which gives you 9GB of shareable data, and Surf4ALL249, with 20GB shared access (15GB + 5GB limited-time bonus data). Both offers are valid for seven days. It’s the only data product of its kind in the Philippines today to ensure no one is left behind when it comes to connectivity. This is the true universal data offer for all Globe customers which makes it possible to be constantly connected regardless of brand, device and location.
“We are looking forward to these exciting events that Globe has lined up for year-end and for 2021. Our commitment to our customers remains as we usher in a digital Philippines in the near future. Thank you for the support and for being with us in this journey.” said Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Chairman of Globe.
Anyone who have been to the Ayala Triangle Gardens and have seen the stretch of Ayala Avenue in Makati City knows that it is one of the most anticipated Christmas destinations in the Philippines. Every year, the main thoroughfare of the the financial district is bedecked with lights and decors while the Ayala Triangle Gardens holds a thematic lights and sounds shows. These have become many Pinoy’s favorite Christmas photo memento.
This year, however, the show continues but you don’t have to go out of your house. With just a click of your button and by visiting its Facebook page, you may watch the 2020 Festival of Lights and Sounds.
The show was conceptualized in collaboration with Globe Studios. Production was led by filmmaker and director Quark Henares. Together with his team, he recreated the Christmas light show at Ayala Triangle Gardens and turned it into a 360-degree animated video which features an orchestration of laser lights, string lights, meteor lights, holograms, and helix lights dancing to Reese Lansangan’s rendition of traditional songs like “Oh Holy Night” and “Jingle Bells.”
“The annual lights and sound show has been a family favorite for years. It’s one of the most-awaited Christmas events that brings happiness to people,” shared Mel Ignacio, Head of Makati Estate, Ayala Land.
“For this reason, Ayala Land and Make It Makati decided to continue the annual tradition by bringing the show through digital channels. We want the event to spark hope among Filipinos—hope that will help them remember that brighter days lie ahead for all of us.”
Apart from the 360-degree video, various light show-themed Instagram filters will also be available. The Finders Keepers contest, which will happen every week in December, may win you a prize by simply spotting a hidden element in the virtual light show.
Mall chain giant SM recently unveiled its Christmas setups in its malls such as SM Mall of Asia.
In an interview with Philstar.com, SM said the Christmas decorations aim to lighten up the mood of celebrating the holidays in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have dedicated the holidays to help small to medium businesses bounce back via bazaars and pop-up stores.
Araneta City’s life-size belen, decor bazaar
It has been up since 1991, and this year, it still is up along Gen. Mac Arthur Avenue in Cubao, Quezon City. The belen or nativity scene resonates with us as it depicts a picture of a family, the family of Joseph, Mary and the little baby Jesus. Belens are often centerpieces in a Filipino home come Christmas time, aside from the Christmas tree.
Araneta City’s life-size belen was lit up via a virtual lighting show on November 27. Passersby and shoppers will be able to see it until the end of the year.
The belen lighting also opened with the Christmas bazaars at the Gateway Mall, Ali Mall, and Farmers Plaza.
Other activities include the Parolan Christmas bazaar, which offers quality and affordable Christmas decors until December 31; the giant Christmas tree at the Times Square Food Park and other Christmas trees inside the Araneta City malls; and the ongoing Joyful Treats at the City of Firsts promo where diners and shoppers have a chance to win cool Christmas prizes.
Of course, Santa Claus will be in town for a meet-and-greet. Shoppers can also expect colorful fireworks display and virtual choral performances throughout the month.
Christmas tunnel light show in Ortigas
If you live near Ortigas, you’re quite lucky as Ortigas Land lit its Ortigas East Christmas Street Music Light Tunnel. This year’s stars are dedicated to the front liners who continue to serve the country amid the pandemic.
The Ortigas East Christmas Street Musical Light Tunnel features bright and colorful stars with their lights backed up with familiar Christmas jingles. Spread along Central Avenue near Tiendesitas at Ortigas East, it continues to light up the area until January 3, from 6 to 11 p.m.
For those who want to take their selfies or groufies, there are marked stations that provide great vantage points for your picture-perfect snapshots. For those who would prefer to stay at home, you can listen to its recording through Ortigas East’s Facebook page.
Jive to the hits of Hotdog, take a virtual tour of iconic Manila
We all love singing, even if we can’t barely carry a tune. One of the foremost promoters of the Manila Sound, the legendary band Hotdog is featured in an online concert on December 13.
The Manila Heritage Trail and Manila Heritage Alliance, the associations of Manila’s tourism and cultural agencies, are setting the stage for “Hinahanap-Hanap Kita Manila”. It will take you on a virtual tour of Manila’s cultural heritage sites featuring the music of the iconic band, formed in 1972 and composed of Rene Garcia, Dennis Garcia, Ella del Rosario, Lorrie Illustre, Ramon Torralba, Jess Garcia, and Roy Diaz de Rivera.
Excited to see famous landmarks such as the Manila City Hall, Luneta, Paco Park, Intramuros, Museo Pambata, National Planetarium and Jones Bridge with the distinct, upbeat sounds of “Annie Batungbakal”, “Bongga ka Day”, “Beh Buti Nga”, “Ikaw ang Miss Universe”, “Oh Lumapit Ka” and, of courese, “Manila”? Then this broadcasted online concert is for you and your sing-along loving family.
The concert will be headlined by Bras Pas Pas Pas with Raymund Marasigan, Ebe Dancel, Armi Millare, Yeng Constantino, Blaster Silonga, Nicole Laurel Asensio, Bing Austria, Bea Lorenzo, Rubber Inc. and Gary Valenciano. Boyet Sison will host the event with Department of Tourism Sec. Berna Puyat and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno as special guests.
The concert’s various legs were directed by Juno Oebanda, RA Rivera, Paolo Valenciano, Jason Tan, Alco Guerrero and Quark Henares. The concert is produced by Oebanda, Dindin Araneta and Jezreel Apelar with Department of Tourism Culture & Arts of Manila Chief Charlie Duñgo and National Parks Development Committee Executive Director Cecille Romero at the helm.
The online concert is set to continue the tradition of “Concert at the Park” and “Paco Park Presents,” which have been a long-running endeavor of the National Parks and Development Committee.
Christmas in BGC
Sparkling lights, gastronomic experiences, a world of shopping choices, and Christmas events have carved a place for Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Filipino culture. Its streets are now adorned with colorful light decors but its the stores and establishments that are quite the draw, especially with a slew of promos for the shopaholics.
Be one of 10 winners of P10,000 worth of gift certificates from popular sports brands. A shopper gets a coupon for the raffle draw to be announced on January 4, 3 p.m., through Bonifacio High Street’s official Facebook page.
People who prefer to stay at home can still join the fun through Bonifacio High Street’s Live Holiday Shopping, which will be aired on the Facebook pages of BHS. Get a chance to receive a Christmas feast from BHS food merchants by posting photos of them in BHS talking about the reasons why they choose to celebrate their milestones and why they keep on coming back to Bonifacio High Street.
For the first week of December, BHS goers will get a chance to spot Santa live as he rides an e-scooter in his very own PMD lane, falls in line for coffee, eats al fresco, or gives away gifts at the BHS amphitheater.
Picture-worthy installation and more at Capitol Commons
Residents of Pasig are lucky to live near an estate that has an “Instagrammable” installation along its pedestrian-friendly park.
Following the yearly tradition of picture-worthy installations, this year’s “Lights at the Park” features customized frames with geometrical patterns inspired by two Filipino themes: the parol — the classic Filipino Christmas lanterns — and the idea of kapit-bisig — the spirit of Filipino solidarity where people come together. The installations consist of a light and shadow play of people holding hands, and the Filipino Christmas lantern design.
Zenas Events and Floral Stylist, the supplier behind the installation, describes the design to exude ethnic patterns from the Ilocos woven fabric—the Inabel—and from the Mindanao and the T-Boli tribe. The stars, inspired by the Christmas parols which are commonly attributed to Pampanga, also highlight hope for a brighter future for the country.
The Lights at the Park installation will continue to shine until January 17, from 6 to 11 p.m.
Holidays in Palawan
The Department of Tourism supports Coron, Palawan’s decision to ease its travel restrictions starting December 1, allowing local tourists from ages 15 to 65 years old to enter the island under a test-before-travel policy.
“We’re grateful for the decision of the local government officials and tourism stakeholders of Coron to finally welcome local visitors from all over the country. This will further help the tourism community of Palawan thrive during this time and bring back lost jobs to tourism workers,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.
Known for the iconic Twin Lagoon, Coron has emerged as a popular site in Palawan due to its World War II wreck diving spots, beautiful rock formations, and unbelievably clear waters, such as those found in Kayangan Lake. Tourists can take a break at the Maniquit Hot Springs or watch the sunset from the top of Mt. Tapyas.
The DOT will also continue to extend support to the provincial government by ensuring that necessary health and safety protocols are strictly enforced in tourist sites, hotels and other tourism-related establishments that seek to accommodate tourists from Luzon.
As of today, the DOT has issued Certificates of Authority to Operate to a total of 10 hotels and resorts in Coron. DOT’s Regional Office will regularly check these establishments for compliance with health and safety standards.
Meanwhile, the DOT also reminded tourists planning to visit the island to respect and follow the province’s protocols for travelers.
“As we gradually reopen destinations, we continue to prioritize the health and safety of our visitors and tourism workers to prevent the spread COVID-19 in the country. We remind our LGUs to enforce and monitor the minimum health and safety standards such as the wearing of face masks and shields, regular hand sanitizing and observance of physical distancing.” added Sec. Puyat.
Tourists must first acquire a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) result within 72 hours before entering Coron. They must also have a pre-arranged booking at DOT-certified to operate accommodation establishments and tour operators, as tour packages and travel itineraries need to be booked in advance, and must also register and fill-out the online health declaration form, which can be accessed at www.corontourism.ph.
Once the registration is approved, visitors will be given a unique QR code, which will serve as a pass upon entry and while in Coron. Upon check-in, they need to present the negative RT-PCR test, roundtrip ticket and confirmed booking itinerary.
All tourists will undergo health assessment at the triage area of Busuanga Airport. If found to be symptomatic, antigen testing will be required with a fee of P3,500 to be paid by the tourist, and if tested positive, will be brought to the isolation room of the booked hotel.
Since tours are pre-booked, all tourists are subject to regulated movement with all movement in and out of the hotel or resort arranged by the management for contact tracing purposes. Coron will be implementing a 50% operations capacity to business establishments until 10 p.m.
For those looking for a Holiday getaway in El Nido, Seda Lio is a sprawling beachfront resort located in the vast Lio Tourism Estate just five minutes from Lio Airport. Apart from its own leisure facilities, it is just a few steps to the beach and offers non-motorized water sports. Resort operations follow community quarantine guidelines and local government regulations.
Hong Kong Disneyland unveils renovated Castle of Magical Dreams
Everybody loves Disney, and even more so Pinoys who must have put it in their bucket list of must-visit places before one dies.
As the nearest Disneyland at only two hours of flight, Hong Kong Disneyland has been a favorite of many Filipinos. And it is celebrating its 15th anniversary milestone with the unveiling of Castle of Magical Dreams and “A Disney Christmas.”
When passing through the magical gates of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, guests were immediately drawn to the beautiful 15th anniversary decoration and the melody of the official 15th anniversary song, “Love the Memory.” The energetic beat filled the entire Castle Forecourt, which served as the stage for a special celebration moment hosted by Stephanie Young, managing director of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, who announced the official launch of the 15th anniversary celebration and the unveiling of the Castle of Magical Dreams.
Inspired by those that dare to dream and believe, the Castle of Magical Dreams, the re-imagined centerpiece of the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, shines as a beacon of courage, hope and possibility.
Taking inspiration from 13 stories of Disney princesses and queens, the architectural design embraces their unique characteristics through the interpretation of color, icons, symbols, patterns and cultural features.
Brand-new experiences await guests in the castle. From meeting their favorite princesses and queens at “The Royal Reception Hall,” with its regally appointed interiors that feature intricately carved details, tapestries, and small bronze statues depicting the beloved heroines who inspired the castle’s design, to visiting “Enchanted Treasures,” the first-ever Castle of Magical Dreams Chow Tai Fook Jewelry store.
Guests can explore the story behind this new castle by visiting the “Building a Dream: The Magic Behind a Disney Castle” exhibition that features multimedia exhibits on how the castle was transformed by Walt Disney Imagineering in partnership with Walt Disney Animation Studios. It also includes an area dedicated to the castle’s live entertainment, which will give guests a glimpse of the brand-new daytime and night-time castle shows coming in the future.
Also available is the first-of-its-kind “Glimpse into the Magic” tour, which offers guests a new perspective of appreciating the shimmering castle. Guided by an audio narration from actress Karena Lam, guests will visit eight different checkpoints using their own mobile phones and earphones, where they will learn all about ins and outs of the castle’s design, and how it has been infused with recognizable icons and symbols distinctly associated with the princesses’ and queens’ stories, their personalities and the worlds from where they come.
Of course there are the must-see shows, including one headlined by beloved Mickey Mouse titled “Mickey and Friends 15th Anniversary Celebration,” where Mickey and several of his friends in their colorful, new 15th anniversary outfits, along with the Disney Princesses, will board the Main Street Express to welcome guests.
Guests visiting the park will receive a 15th anniversary themed ticket and a 15th anniversary themed button (while supplies last).
Select restaurants will feature themed dining experiences with special 15th anniversary offerings, themed décor and souvenirs. Highlights include 15th anniversary-themed Chip and Dale sip sip and Duffy and ShellieMay sip sip, a Mickey and Minnie popcorn bucket and festive balloons, a Castle of Magical Dreams ice-cream bar, and Mickey bubble egg puff. Guests can also enjoy a 15th anniversary seasonal flavour soft serve at Midtown Delights and 15th anniversary award-winning dishes at hotel dining venues.
Those who book to stay in the Deluxe Room type or above can look forward to receiving limited-edition amenity boxes for the ultimate pampering experience. There will even be themed giveaways that include magnet cards and post cards for guests who join paid DIY classes of making leather card holders and eco-bags, along with daily 15th anniversary and Christmas-themed arts and crafts activities.
Guests can enjoy a limited time Black Friday hotel flash sale with flexibility from now to December 4. Guests can save as low as 45% off on the Standard Rooms and Sea View Rooms for staying two-nights or above at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel or Disney Explorers Lodge, travel window from January 3 to September 29, 2021. Bookings can be made on HKDL’s official website, Booking.com, Expedia and Hotels.com. Reservations can be amended or cancelled at least seven days prior to the check-in date.#
Vantage Point by Luis V. Teodoro, December 11, 2020
Whenever President Rodrigo Duterte’s military and police minions or he himself “red-tags”— or, as it was known in the 1950s, red-baits — a women’s organization, a journalists’ union or any other group that dares criticize the regime, they inevitably label it a “legal front” of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and/ or the New People’s Army (NPA).
But by describing the supposed “fronts” as legal, they unwittingly admit that these groups have met the requirements of Philippine law in terms of registration and other conditions. What is even more crucial is that their status as legitimate organizations is protected by such provisions of the Constitution as those on the right to free expression, freedom of association, and press freedom,
Equally problematic is the concept of their being “fronts.” Does that mean that they are under the command of the CPP, and that, like the NPA, they foment rebellion, or are actually in rebellion themselves?
The regime has not outrightly accused these and the other groups it has labeled “red” of rebellion and of urging others to join the NPA so they too can take up the gun. But it is nevertheless still accusing them of conspiring with it. If what the government is saying is that these groups are “red” because their programs are the same, or nearly the same as those of the CPP and NPA, it does not prove even if true that they are under their command.
Any group can have the same advocacy as others without being part of any terrorist cabal or conspiracy. Gender equality, for instance, is not uniquely the advocacy of the women’s groups in this country, and is shared by countless organizations worldwide. As any scan of the codes of ethics of the press of many countries will reveal, the principle of truth-telling to which the biggest journalists’ organization in the Philippines subscribes is shared by hundreds of media communities and thousands of media practitioners across the planet.
If the basis of the claim that what makes these and other legal groups “fronts” is their being critical of government and their focus on getting at and reporting the truth, that is hardly a tenable argument. It instead raises the question of whether, in the first place, the Duterte regime can present evidence rather than hearsay or the say-so of its paid informers to prove its contention. Although they have failed to do so, the police and military nevertheless still persist in red-baiting them, implying thereby that it is their programs’ similarity to those of the CPP and its allied organizations that make them “enemies of the State.”
But the legal groups they’re demonizing are perfectly within their rights to propagate their advocacies. No law bars any one or any organization from doing so. By protecting their right to present and speak for what they believe in, and to convince others to share those beliefs, the Constitution is on the contrary encouraging them to exercise those rights.
Regime antipathy to those rights drives its use of the 1950s practice of red-baiting. It is to intimidate critics into silence. But some of its adherents would go even farther by reviving the Anti-Subversion Law (RA 1700), which when in force made not only membership in the Communist Party but also holding views and proposing reform programs similar to its own illegal.
Former President and Duterte ally Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo’s favorite general’s proposal to revive it was echoed in 2019 by Department of the Interior and Local Governments (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Ano. But he included in his justification for its reenactment the claim that not only the CPP and the NPA but also their “front organizations” have been using force and violence as well as “deceit, propaganda and other illegal means” to overthrow the government.
One can only conclude from his statements that if reenacted, a 21st century versions of the Anti-Subversion Act would criminalize “deceit, propaganda and other illegal means,” which Ferdinand Marcos included among his amendments to the original RA 1700 when he endowed himself with legislative powers during the martial law years.
Such a reprise of an even more oppressive law than the 1957 original, as in the time of the Marcos dictatorship, would define deceit and propaganda as anything contrary to what the government says. It would be in contravention of the Constitutional provision protecting free expression and press freedom, the exercise of either right being quite easily defined by those in power as deceit and propaganda, neither of which is currently illegal.
(One can argue that it is government that is most involved in both, as its own media system’s masters of disinformation have been amply demonstrating. But no one in his right mind would argue for the prosecution of those overpaid bureaucrats. The Constitution after all recognizes everyone’s right to free expression, including that of government functionaries.)
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and Senator Franklin Drilon opposed the proposal, with Guevarra pointing out that membership in the CPP is not illegal so long as it is limited to the espousal of its programs. Drilon for his part noted the legal infirmities of RA 1700, which, he said, included its abridging the freedoms of assembly and association and the equal protection clause of the Constitution.
RA 1700 was in fact described by its critics as a bill of attainder because it punished without trial, and as an ex-post facto law that made acts that were not contrary to law before it was passed illegal. But Congress repealed it at the urging of then President Fidel Ramos in 1992 for an even more compelling reason: the imperative of broadening participation in government so as to minimize if not totally put an end to the rebellions that have characterized much of Philippine history.
A former Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Secretary of National Defense during the Corazon Aquino presidency, Mr. Ramos described the repeal as a means of convincing reformers and revolutionaries to participate in government rather than to take up arms. He correctly assumed that one of the causes of rebellions is the refusal of government to allow such groups the opportunity to make their programs heard, and if plausible, to have them adopted through parliamentary means. He was in that regard far more astute than his fellow generals, who today make it appear that people take up arms simply out of malice. Mr. Ramos also implicitly recognized that underdevelopment, poverty, injustice, and the many other ills Filipino flesh is heir to are the causes of rebellion rather than rebellion’s being their cause. That indisputable fact helps explain why, during the 35 years that it was in force, RA 1700 failed to prevent the armed conflicts that have persisted in this country for decades.
Only the severely intellectually challenged would fail to conclude from the evidence available that penalizing people for their political beliefs and red-baiting, harassing and threatening government critics will not end rebellions. What will is democratizing governance so that the economic and social inequities that condemn millions to the horrors of poverty and injustice and to short brutish lives can be effectively addressed. Unfortunately, the last time an administration actually believed that was 28 years ago. What is instead happening today is a replication of the bad old days of the 1950s, in another demonstration of the gross incapacity of this country’s power elite to learn from the past.
Also published in BusinessWorld. Photo from Rody Duterte Facebook Page.
TREASURE HUNTING – Lisa Guerrero Nakpil, The Philippine Star, December 13, 2020
Before this wicked pandemic, the practice of pharmacy was one of those necessary but utterly invisible professions: the license to dispense medicines and furthermore, to vet the right doses given your other medical conditions and other potions imbibed. The Philippine Pharmacists Association — which celebrated their 100th year last week — was even feeling underappreciated since they have not been counted among the list of essential front-liners. This, despite the fact that pharmacists risked their lives just as much, trudged to work in the absence of public transport and toiled selflessly in drugstores, dealing with those certainly ill, to man the dispensaries that were lifelines to the citizenry.
It was not always so. Pharmacy was at the forefront of the new age of science at the turn of the 19th century. It was a time inhabited by the likes of Sigmund Freud and (fictional) Sherlock Holmes, Charles Darwin and Louis Pasteur. If cartographers and conquistadores had defined the 18th century and computers and social media the 20th, scientists of every stripe — surgeons, chemists, horticulturists, CSIs, to name a few — were pre-eminent in that intermediate era.
The first pharmacists embodied this rational outlook and it attracted not just brainiacs but also swashbuckling men who found scientific exploration sizzled.
Pharmacy was introduced for the first time in the Philippines only in 1871 at its oldest university, UST. It graduated only five men, including Leon Ma. Guerrero, who was, however, the only one who made the active practice of it his life’s work and thus became the Philippines’ first licensed pharmacist.
My other favorite pharmacist is none other than “Hen. Luna,” who had far more in common with Guerrero than one would surmise. For instance, both were the kid brothers of famous artists. In the case of Leon Maria, it was Lorenzo Guerrero; for Antonio Luna, it was the sensationally famous Juan. In the annals of pharmacy, he was Guerrero’s archrival, competing for this or that important scientific award or position. It is a measure of both men’s genius that their achievements would be routinely mistaken in the history books for one or the other.
Luna was actually 13 years younger than Guerrero and had followed the same route in the five-year pharmacy course at the University of Sto. Tomas. He would, however, be packed off to Europe in the shadow of the Gomburza martyrdom and would wind up finishing his degree in Barcelona. It is said that he deliberately went after a doctorate in pharmacy in order to become the first Filipino to earn this title. He captured it in Madrid from the same university where Rizal and the rest of the Ilustrados studied.
But these men were not just on the vanguard of scientific exploration; they were also in the eye of a typhoon of political unrest and the painful self-realization of a nation. It was no accident that Jose Rizal described these times in terms of disease and cancers.
Antonio Luna would next move to Paris with his brother. Then, as now, the city was a center for medical breakthroughs and he worked with the scientists that would form the Institut Pasteur. Luna became fascinated with vaccines and began an inquiry on whether inoculations could curb disease. He delved into the 19th-century scourge of malaria, whose antidote interestingly was the progenitor of one COVID treatment, hydroxychloroquine, or Plaquenil.
Both men would become caught up in the Philippine-American War. Luna would become a ferocious general thanks to applying the logic of scientific principles to the art of war. Guerrero did the same by using his knowledge of botany to infuse scarce bullets with poison, making them doubly lethal.
It was Leon Ma. Guerrero who would survive and become a leading light of the Philippine scientific establishment. He would become a member of the Philippine board of the St. Louis Exposition and founded the Liceo de Manila (today’s Lyceum.) Guerrero pushed his interest in botany to find herbal cures for practically everything that ailed the Filipino. His research is unmatched to this day. One of his star pupils was Filomena Francisco, who would become the first Filipino woman pharmacist. She is most important for showing the way for women to practice this heretofore male art. Filomena would marry my grandfather Alfredo, a classmate in pharmacy who would eventually become a doctor.
I never had the privilege of meeting Leon Maria. He died dramatically, clutching his heart, when Mother was not yet 13 years old in 1935. She was utterly devoted to him and would say he spent mornings studying various plants under a magnifying glass, recording their minutest changes in a sketchbook. She would read the newspapers to him every breakfast and was edified by his various comments of outrage. (I suppose this formed her sarcasm and a desire to be a political analyst.) It was not surprising that, one day when I announced I was writing a monograph on the Nakpils of Quiapo, she interrupted and said the better idea would be to write about dear old Leon Maria.
The very first minute I sat down at my computer to begin searching the internet for information on him, I was astounded by a photograph of a bust of Leon Maria, sadly on its ear, surrounded by broken toilet bowls and other refuse, behind what looked like a chicken-wire fence at the University of the Philippines. It appeared in a blog titled “Bulatlat,” written by Richard Gappi, an Angono reporter who was even more outraged, if that were possible, than me. Gappi told the tale of how his friend, Raul Funilas, an AV technician at the UP, would pass the sorry statue in the garbage heap daily, and finally, taking pity on the bust, trundled it home. I sent an email asking if I could meet them and they agreed to see me the very next day at the Bahay ng Alumni. I was there like a shot. Raul was more than a maintenance man; he was a poet and therefore a man with a more sensitive soul than others. He explained to me that there were some 5,000 words for “fish” and words for how they swam, jumped, and coursed through his beloved hometown on the Laguna de Bay. Finally, he invited me to view the bust of Leon Maria. I examined the statue and found at the back on a battered plaque the name of the national artist Guillermo Tolentino. Funilas confided that he had grown quite fond of the bust and that Leon Maria would talk to him in his dreams. I was startled and asked what was said. He replied that he didn’t know — he couldn’t speak Spanish. I pressed on. Surely, I asked, there was something he could make out? He nodded sheepishly and said, “Well, there were two words: ‘Abrir Botica,’ which roughly translated to ‘Open a pharmacy.’” I was floored. I next asked Funilas, very gingerly, what he had in mind and he quickly replied, “Nothing at all” — and I should just take Leon Maria home at last. I wrapped the bust in my shawl and took him to my car, driving straight to Mother, from whom I had kept all this until I was certain of retrieving him. Funilas asked me for only one thing in exchange: that Leon Maria be his guest of honor at the launching of his latest book of poetry, to which, of course, I agreed.
Leon Maria would give my mother much comfort in her last years. She would also admit that he would talk to her in her dreams. (Not too many people know that mother was prescient, deriving many of her premonitions from such moments.) What would he say to her? I asked. Her reply was the rather comforting prediction that “Things would, once again, be as they were.”
Does it not exactly foretell the circumstances of today? With the imminent arrival of vaccines to vanquish the pandemic, should not pharmacists once again be called to do their duty and take up once more an important role? Is it not, after all, by law that the pharmacist is empowered to administer all vaccines and decide who receives them? And is not the path to the future, as Pfizer and Moderna know, the opening of a pharmacy?#
The first Christmas in a coronavirus world will be a season like no other, with governments urging people to rein themselves in to stop another deadly wave of the pandemic.
But the health crisis need not deter Santa Claus from traveling the world and handing out gifts because he is immune to COVID-19, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Monday.
“I understand the concern for Santa because he is of older age,” Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s lead on the crisis told a press briefing, responding to a journalist’s question about whether the fantasy, gift-bearing figure, known for his grey whiskers and big belly, might not be at heightened risk from COVID.
“I can tell you that Santa Claus is immune to this virus,” said Van Kerkhove, who herself has two young sons. “We had a brief chat with him and he is doing very well and Mrs. Claus is doing very well, and they are very busy right now.”
Angela Merkel, affectionately known as “Mutti” or “Mummy,” has warned Germans to limit socializing in case “it ends up being the last Christmas with the grandparents.”
But the sacrifices do not end there. The chancellor urged her compatriots to forgo mulled wine and waffles at the country’s beloved Christmas markets.
Canada’s Brian Pallister was even more forthright. “I’m the guy who’s stealing Christmas to keep you safe,” said the Manitoban prime minister as he warned people to stay at home.
“If you don’t think that COVID is real right now, you’re an idiot,” he added.
WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “the best gift you could give is the gift of health.”
Even Queen grounded
Belgium and Luxembourg have taken one of the toughest lines, asking their citizens to limit Christmas to one guest per household, or two for people who are living alone.
Germany says only close family members should get together, and only then if people limit their contacts for the previous week.
In the United States, which saw infections rocket after the Thanksgiving holiday, the Centers for Disease Control said “the safest way to celebrate is to celebrate at home with the people who live with you.” It has also appealed to people not to travel.
And just across the border in Quebec, the authorities revoked their decision to allow people to gather for four days over Christmas after infections spiraled.
France wants no more than six adults around a table.
In Britain, families are permitted to get together so long as no more than three households are involved. The Queen, 94, will not be leaving Windsor Castle.
Italy has effectively banned travel between regions from Dec. 21 to Jan. 6, with still tighter controls for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on local travel. A curfew will also be in force.
Belgium and Luxembourg will also have curfews. Only Christmas Eve—the night that families and friends traditionally celebrate Christmas—will escape France’s even tighter night-time curfew which normally starts at 8 p.m.
Travel between different regions of the country, however, is permitted.
Germany, which is closing schools and nonessential shops from Wednesday, will essentially outlaw traditional mulled wine stands by also banning the sale of alcohol in public places.
Pantomimes, one of Britain’s much-loved seasonal treats, have also bitten the dust, with theaters closed, and Scotland’s Hogmanay New Year knees-up is going online.
But in some European countries, like Switzerland, where restaurants are still open, they will be allowed to serve extra late on New Year’s Eve.
Nothing’s sacred
Christmas Night Mass in Bethlehem in the West Bank, where Christians believe Jesus was born, will go ahead without a congregation this year.
And Midnight Mass at the Vatican in Rome will also be curtailed to fit in with the Italian curfew, Pope Francis said.
Greece is allowing churches to reopen for Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7 and the feast of the Epiphany so long as there are no more than nine people inside, or 25 for cathedrals.
But singing in churches has been banned in Switzerland.
Traditional Austrian Christmas markets are also off, while people in Madrid will no longer be able to ring in the New Year by swallowing 12 grapes at midnight on Puerta del Sol.
Fireworks displays have been banned in Belgium and the Netherlands, with the New Year’s Eve spectaculars also canceled in Paris and London. Nevertheless, the huge fireworks display in Sydney, Australia, which usually kicks off global celebrations, will go ahead with the country all but COVID-19 free. —REPORTS FROM AFP AND REUTERS
By: DJ Yap, Krixia Subingsubing, Philippine Daily Inquirer / December 16, 2020
Critics of President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s report that there was a “reasonable basis to believe” that he and his subordinates committed crimes against humanity in the bloody war on drugs meant they could soon be made to answer for the thousands who were killed.
“The time for reckoning is near for Mr. Duterte, his cohorts, and enablers,” said former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, one of the President’s most strident critics.
Trillanes and former Magdalo party list Rep. Gary Alejano filed in June 2017 a “communication” or complaint in the ICC, urging the international tribunal to investigate Mr. Duterte for crimes against humanity as the government allegedly had shown no interest in holding him accountable.
“Duterte may try to ignore the jurisdiction of ICC over him, but deep inside he knows that he cannot get away from this one,” Trillanes said. “Having profiled Duterte, I am sure he is trembling in fear.”
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate sent out a similar message. “To the violators of human rights, you have been forewarned. Nothing is forever; not even impunity,” he said.
“We hope that the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC will seek authorization to open an investigation in the Philippines in the first half of 2021 or earlier if they can, so as to focus the international limelight in the horrid human rights situation in the country and help to put a stop to it,” Zarate said.
In a report on Tuesday, Bensouda said her office, which had undertaken a “preliminary examination” of several complaints of crimes against humanity against Mr. Duterte, “anticipated reaching a decision on whether to seek authorization to open an investigation by the first half of 2021.”
“The office is satisfied that information available provides a reasonable basis to believe that the crimes against humanity …, torture … and the infliction of serious physical injury and mental harm as other inhumane acts … were committed in the territory of the Philippines between at least 1 July 2016 and 16 March 2019 in connection to the war on drugs campaign launched throughout the country,” her report said.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque insisted that Mr. Duterte did not commit any crime against humanity.
Roque believes that the effort to investigate the President further will not succeed, citing the ICC panel’s decision in April last year to reject Bensouda’s request to probe possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan, including those allegedly committed by US soldiers and intelligence agents.
Afghanistan is an ICC member, but the United States is not.
“So, we are confident because, as we said before, that [ruling] will [be] applied by the ICC—their ruling in one case—on why initiate a case if the country that was an ICC member would not cooperate?” Roque said.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said 5,942 people were killed in the drug war from July 2016 to Oct. 31 this year. Human rights watchdogs believe the figure could be nearly five times more.
The human rights group Karapatan said 328 “noncombatants,” including 185 human rights activists, were killed in the government’s counterinsurgency program from July 2016 to August this year.
Trillanes and Alejano filed their complaint in the ICC two months after Jude Josue Sabio, lawyer for confessed Davao Death Squad hit man Edgar Matobato, filed his against Mr. Duterte and 11 of his allies.
Sabio accused the President and the others of crimes against humanity and “continuing [the] mass murder” which began when Mr. Duterte was mayor of Davao City.
Resenting the “preliminary examination” of the allegations against him by Bensouda, the President ordered the withdrawal of the Philippines from the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the ICC, in March 2018. The withdrawal was formalized on March 17, 2019.
In August 2018, a group of activists and the families of eight victims in the drug war filed a separate complaint in the ICC, accusing the President of murder and also of crimes against humanity.
In January this year, Sabio announced that he was withdrawing his complaint, claiming that it was just part of the “political propaganda” of the opposition led by the Liberal Party (LP).
Why only now?
Bensouda, however, said Sabio’s complaint could not be withdrawn because her office had “an obligation to register whatever it receives.”
Sen. Francis Pangilinan was not surprised by the ICC prosecutor’s latest report but said it was “troubling” that it took over four years to find “reasonable basis” for the allegations against Mr. Duterte.
“Perhaps if they acted sooner, thousands of lives could have been saved,” said Pangilinan, the LP president.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros said Bensouda’s “reasonable basis” was “the understatement of the last [four] years,” but it offered “new hope for justice and humanity.”
“Let us not forget that our innocent youth, like Kian (delos Santos), are helpless victims of this administration’s disproportionate response to what is actually a public health concern,” she said.
Delos Santos was the 17-year-old boy who was murdered in a drug operation in Caloocan City in August 2017. Three officers were convicted of murder for his death.
Ping: A PR, nothing more
Senate President Vicente Sotto III dismissed the ICC prosecutor’s finding. “That’s what [she] believes. Some believe otherwise,” he told reporters in a Viber message.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, a former national police chief, said Bensouda’s report for now “may only be good as a press release and nothing more.”
Under the ICC statute, he said, “reasonable grounds to believe is considered as an ‘unreasonably unclear evidentiary threshold.’”
He noted that to get the ICC’s permission to proceed with her investigation, Bensouda must prove that the criminal justice system in the Philippines was not functioning, “or at least has fallen short in prosecuting law enforcement agents who have allegedly committed the crimes against humanity in relation to the bloody drug war initiated by the President.”
International law professor Romel Bagares said Bensouda’s preliminary examination would determine whether there was basis to request the ICC’s pretrial chamber to proceed with a formal preliminary investigation.
If that happens, the President and the key officials behind his brutal war will face formal charges.
This was the first time the ICC prosecutor declared that it had “reasonable basis” to believe that international crimes were committed when the Philippines was still a party to the Rome Statute.
It also indicates that Bensouda is deciding on the admissibility or complementarity question, or whether the courts in the Philippines are “unable or unwilling to prosecute crimes over which the ICC has jurisdiction,” Bagares said.
Bensouda reported that the government has initiated only a “limited number of prosecutions” and provided “sporadic updates” in relation to killings committed under the drug war. This includes the conviction of the three Caloocan policemen in the murder of Delos Santos, the only conviction in relation to the drug war.
She added that her office was looking closely at the Department of Justice’s interagency task force that was reinvestigating drug war-related deaths. —WITH REPORTS FROM JEROME ANING, JULIE M. AURELIO AND INQUIRER RESEARCH INQ
Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has not yet decided whether she will move the phase to a formal investigation, citing restrictions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic
International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said there is “reasonable basis” to believe that crimes against humanity were committed in the killings related to President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.
“The Office is satisfied that information available provides a reasonable basis to believe that the crimes against humanity of murder (article 7(1)(a)), torture (article 7(1)(f)) and the infliction of serious physical injury and mental harm as other inhumane Acts (article 7(1)(k)) were committed on the territory of the Philippines between at least 1 July 2016 and 16 March 2019, in connection to the War on Drugs campaign launched throughout the country,” Bensouda said in her report released Tuesday, December 15.
Bensouda has not yet decided whether she will move the phase to a formal investigation, citing restrictions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. She earlier announced the next move would be decided within the year 2020.
“The Office anticipates reaching a decision on whether to seek authorisation to open an investigation into the situation in the Philippines in the first half of 2021,” said Bensouda.
She will open an investigation if she determines that the Philippine justice system was unable or unwilling to prosecute these killings by itself.
If it moves to an investigation phase, Prosecutor Bensouda can request the ICC judges to issue summons.
Although there is no investigation yet, National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) president Edre Olalia described the latest report as “rays of hope (that) have peeked out of the pitch dark clouds of impunity.”
“Our government and law enforcers must take this seriously and get the message loud and clear…We hope real and effective redress can be achieved in time,” said Olalia.
‘Limited investigations’
In the report, Bensouda said there was a “limited number of investigations and prosecutions.”
“Open source information indicates that a limited number of investigations and prosecutions have been initiated (and, in some cases, completed) at the national level in respect of direct perpetrators of certain criminal conduct that allegedly took place in the context of, or connection to, the War on Drugs campaign,” said Bensouda.
A Rappler analysis in 2019 found that investigative gaps and prosecutorial loopholes allowed thousands of cases in the drug war to go unsolved.
In June, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra announced the creation of an inter-agency drug war panel that would reinvestigate the more than 5,000 people killed by policemen in legitimate operations. It aims to close the prosecutorial gaps, setting aside presumption of regularity, and will review whether complaints have to be filed against cops.
But the Deparment of Justice (DOJ) missed its November deadline.
Bensouda said she will “continue to closely monitor developments” of the DOJ drug war review panel.
Guevarra said last week that an initial report may be expected soon “in a couple of provinces with the highest incidence of police operations resulting in deaths, particularly in Bulacan and Pampanga.”
International Law professor Romel Bagares, also among petitioners in the Supreme Court to declare the drug war unconstitutional, said the DOJ’s drug war review may be the last factor in Bensouda’s decision.
“It may be reasonably inferred the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) is wrapping up the complementarity question phase,” Bagares said.
Complementarity refers to the determination if the Philippines is willing and able to investigate by itself.
“This is a real advance. For the first time the OTP identified the international crimes it said it had reasonable basis to believe were committed at the time the ICC had jurisdiction over the Philippines,” said Bagares.
Bensouda added in her report: “The information available also indicates that criminal charges have been laid in the Philippines against a limited number of individuals – typically low-level, physical perpetrators – with respect to some drug-related killings.”
The DOJ review was also cited by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) as among the reasons for its watered-down resolution. Rather than launch its own inquiry, the UNHRC offered technical assistance to the Philippine government’s domestic investigations.
Guevarra had earlier said the review panel will be enough for the ICC to discontinue its inquiry. Duterte has withdrawn from the ICC, although the Rome Statute provides that examinations which were opened before the withdrawal will remain valid.
The Supreme Court has not made a decision on petitions seeking to declare the war on drugs unconstitutional. – Rappler.com
