PHILIPPINES EXTENDS COVID-19 CURBS IN NCR, BAN ON INBOUND TRAVEL FROM SEVERAL COUNTRIES

MANILA — Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday prolonged partial coronavirus curbs in the capital and nearby provinces until mid-June to contain infections that have been decreasing since hitting a peak in April.

Religious gathering remain capped at 30% of venue capacity while dining in restaurants can operate at 20% in the capital region, an urban sprawl of 16 cities that is home to at least 13 million people, and nearby provinces.

Non-essential travels will remain prohibited.

Daily COVID-19 cases in the Philippines averaged roughly 6,300 for May, down by a third from April, after the government reduced operating capacity of businesses and limited the movement of people.

Duterte also extended a ban on inbound travel from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates until June 15, to prevent transmission of the coronavirus variant first discovered in India that is circulating widely in that country and the region.

Travellers coming directly from those countries, or with a history of travel to any of them within the last 14 days, will be denied entry. The Philippines has reported 13 COVID-19 cases tied to the more infectious Indian variant known as B.1.617.2.

The Philippines has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Southeast Asia, next to Indonesia.

‘NAPAKABUTI SA ATIN’: PH TO DONATE $1M TO COVAX VACCINE PROGRAM, SAYS DUTERTE

MANILA—President Rodrigo Duterte said the Philippine government will be donating $1 million (about P50 million) to the World Health Organization-led COVAX program to help it provide more COVID-19 vaccines to poorer countries.

In a recorded public address late Monday, Duterte said he answered the call for donations to give back to the initiative, which has helped the country several times.

"We were recipients of COVAX vaccines many times and it has helped a lot in our desire to vaccinate Filipinos. Ngayon sila naman ang nagkulang ng pera (Now that they are running out of funds), maybe because they are helping other nations all over the world, and as a beneficiary of the generosity of COVAX and the desire also to help people, we will answer their pleadings of donations," he said.

"The Philippines is giving $1 million. 'Yan ho ang ano natin (That's our pledge.). It's our turn also to return the goodwill that they have shown."

Duterte said he donated to the COVAX facility because it was among the first to send vaccines to the Philippines.

"Magko-contribute po ako kasi napakabuti ng COVAX sa atin at a time we needed it most. One of the earliest agencies to help us, aside from the contributions made by China," he said.

The Philippines has so far received more than 2.5 million doses of AstraZeneca and 193,050 doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX program.

DUTERTE FOR VP IN 2022? 'JOKE OF THE WORST KIND' - 1SAMBAYAN

MANILA - The opposition coalition 1Sambayan on Tuesday lambasted as a "joke of the worst kind" President Rodrigo Duterte's alleged run for the country's second highest office in the 2022 polls.

"The Alleged VP run of the President not only makes a mockery of the constitution but a joke of the worst kind. It is laughable and the height of impertinence to the Filipino people," 1Sambayan convenor Atty. Howard Calleja said in a statement.

He described the President's possible candidacy as a "macrocosm of the Davao formula," a way for Duterte to stay in power after the latter's term ends next year.

"I am sure the Filipino people would see this as a macrocosm of the Davao formula and reject it as nothing more than one’s self interest to maintain Duterte’s authoritarian brand of failed leadership and traitorous allegiance to China," Calleja said.

Duterte has been criticized for his handling of the continuous incursion of China in the West Philippine Sea. He forged friendlier relations with Beijing, setting aside the arbitral award in favor of economic aid and investments.

Meanwhile, a former lawmaker also criticized the possible tandem of the President and his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio as a "Davao model".

"They've been doing that in Davao City, I think, for the last 20 years. So, it is a Davao model. It has its precedent already, and in many provinces and towns and cities in the country, hindi na bago 'yan (it's nothing new)," former Bayan Muna party-list representative Teddy Casiño told ANC.

Casiño, meanwhile, revealed that village officials in Baliwag, Bulacan were allegedly told to conduct a survey to determine if there was enough voter support for Sara's possible presidential bid next year.

He said a barangay chairman sent a homeowners association forms to gauge the possible candidacy of the President's daughter in the 2022 elections.

"The forms presented to your good office is a sign that you are willing to support Ms. Sarah Duterte on the upcoming Presidential Election," a copy of the "survey" read.

Casiño said the survey is a form of early campaigning.

NOTHING UNCONSTITUTIONAL, ILLEGAL IN URGING DUTERTE TO RUN FOR VP: PDP-LABAN EXEC

MANILA - There is nothing unconstitutional or illegal in asking President Rodrigo Duterte to seek the vice-presidency in the 2022 elections, an official of his political party said Tuesday.

Raul Lambino, PDP-Laban Vice President for External Affairs, said the party pushed for this because there has been widespread clamor for a continuation of the programs started by the Duterte administration.

"I don’t see any constitutional or legal violation for a president running for another position...The prohibition is for President Duterte to run for President again in 2022, that is unconstitutional," he told ANC's Headstart.

"What we are driving at in PDP-Laban is that when we have our consultations with our party members all over the country, we have been receiving a lot of petitions, manifesto of support urging the continuity of a Duterte administration because they have seen how the President has performed in the last 5 years and they would want a continuity of this kind of government, this kind of administration," he said.

Lambino added, there has been precedent in having a former president run and win a political seat after a term as chief executive. He cited former Presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who became Manila City Mayor and Pampanga District Representative respectively.

PDP-Laban on Monday held a national meeting and voted to come up with a resolution urging Duterte, its chairman, to run for vice president next year and have him choose his running-mate. Last week, his spokesman said the president "leaves to God" the decision on whether or nor he would seek the office.

LUZON GRID ON RED ALERT; ROTATIONAL BLACKOUTS LOOM

MANILA — Rotational blackouts may persist in the Luzon grid this week as large power plants have extended their unplanned outage and warmer temperature cripples supply in the power grid.

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) raised the red alert warning on the Luzon power grid from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. yesterday. Yellow alert notice, on the other hand, was up from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

In another advisory later in the day, the NGCP said the red alert was bumped up from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

A yellow alert means there were not enough reserves to cover the largest running generating unit at the time but does not necessarily lead to power outages. A red alert means there is severe power deficiency which could lead to rotational power interruptions.

NGCP said available capacity was at 11,729 megawatts while peak demand was projected to reach 11,514 MW.

In a text message yesterday, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said supply was severely affected by several power plants on outage.

“The DOE is verifying the causes of today’s issuance of yellow and red alerts by NGCP. Although the demand is well within the forecasted levels, there is an observed sudden drop in the available generation capacity. If the red alert is not lifted, there is a possibility of rotational outages,” he said.

COURT FINDS TRILLANES GUILTY OF LIBEL OVER 2015 STATEMENTS VS EX-MAKATI MAYOR JUNJUN BINAY

MANILA — A Makati court has found former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV guilty of libel over his media statements against then-Makati Mayor Junjun Binay on the “Justice for Sale” issue in 2015.

The Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148 also slapped Trillanes with a fine of P100,000. Judge Andres Soriano also ordered the former senator to pay Binay with P500,000 in moral damages and cost of suit.

Binay, private complainant, sued the former senator over his statements in radio and television interviews that, according to the Information or charge sheet, “[imputed] the crimes of bribery, graft and corruption… to [Binay], which exposed the latter to hatred, contempt and public ridicule, to his damage and prejudice.”

Among the assailed statements are Trillanes saying: “E kasama naman sya dyan e. Di ba konsehal yang si Mayor Junjun nung nangyari itong lahat. So kasama yan, sindikato yang pamilya na yan.”

The Information also cited the following statement: “Pero kita mo, dahil sa paggapang eh ganyan. Malaking pera ang iniluwal ng mga Binay para dito sa injunction na ito.”

Trillanes had also accused Binay of bribing two Court of Appeals justice with P50 million for their ruling against the former mayor’s suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman.

The court said Trillanes should “not have relied on his assumptions and should have refrained from making such grave allegations against the private complainant and his family, until after proper verification was completed and the appropriate resolution was filed before the Senate.”

“Making and releasing the subject statements absent a serious verification and investigation is recklessness bordering on a disregard of what is true or false,” the ruling further read.

Trillanes, in a statement, said the conviction is “the price to pay for standing up against very powerful people.”

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COP IN PNP RECRUITMENT RACKET ARRESTED

MANILA — A police officer accused of rigging the recruitment process of Philippine National Police (PNP) applicants was apprehended yesterday in Caloocan City.

Members of the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) arrested S/Sgt. Joel Bunagan, 37, during an entrapment operation at around 3 p.m. in Barangay 175, Camarin.

The sting stemmed from the information that Bunagan was allegedly demanding money from a PNP applicant in exchange for passing the police recruitment process, the IMEG said in a report.

Police said they confiscated from Bunagan P1,000 in marked bills totaling P37,000, a smartphone, a motorcycle and P1,120.

Bunagan’s arrest came after the PNP under the leadership of Gen. Guillermo Eleazar moved to eradicate the padrino system and shift to a “nameless, faceless” selection process in the recruitment of PNP cadets.

DOTR TO HIRE DISPLACED DRIVERS, OFWS

MANILA — Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade yesterday urged drivers and conductors of public utility vehicles as well as overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) displaced by the pandemic to work in various projects being undertaken by the government.

Tugade said he wants jobless OFWS and workers in the transport sector to be hired in Department of Transportation (DOTr) projects.

He has also given instructions to project contractors to prioritize the hiring of these individuals once they qualify.

“If you know jeepney drivers and bus conductors who want to make a living, if they are qualified we will give them jobs,” Tugade said.

COP CAUGHT ON VIDEO SHOOTING 52-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IN QC

MANILA — A police officer was arrested early Tuesday morning for the killing of a 52-year-old woman in Quezon City.

According to reports, Police M/Sgt. Hensie Zinampan was drunk when he shot Lilybeth Valdez in Barangay Greater Fairvew in Quezon City.

ABS-CBN News has posted a video taken by the victim's family of Zinampan holding Valdez by her hair before shooting her.

Beverly Luceño, the victim's daughter, told reporters that Zinampan had been in a fistfight with her brother on May 1. Both were drunk at the time, she also said.

Zinampan will face a murder complaint for the killing, according to Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, Philippine National Police chief. An administrative case will also be filed against Zinampan, who is assigned to the Police Security and Protection Group, to remove him from the police force.

#WALANGPASOK: HUNYO 1 DAHIL SA BAGYONG DANTE

MAYNILA - Suspendido ang trabaho sa pamahalaan at klase sa lahat ng antas sa Eastern Samar nitong Martes, Hunyo 1, dahil sa masamang panahong dala ng Bagyong Dante.

Itinaas ang signal number 2 sa probinsiya nitong Martes ng madaling araw dahil inaasahan ang landfall ng bagyo rito mamayang hapon o gabi, ayon sa PAGASA.

Maaari rin itong tumama sa kalupaan ng Leyte o Dinagat Islands-Siargao Islands dahil sa pagbabago ng galaw nito sa nakalipas na 3 hanggang 6 na oras, dagdag ng PAGASA.

Tatlo ang namatay at isa ang nawawala matapos manalasa ang bagyong Dante sa Mindanao.

3 DEAD, 1 MISSING, AS TROPICAL STORM DANTE LASHES MINDANAO

MANILA—Tropical storm Dante has left at least 3 dead and 1 missing after inundating parts of Mindanao, authorities said Tuesday.

A 14-year-old girl was found dead after being swept by floodwaters in South Cotabato, while her father remained missing.

In Davao de Oro, a 1-year-old was killed in a landslide.

A 71-year-old man was also swept by strong currents after attempting to cross floodwaters in Malalag town, Davao del Sur Sunday, police said.

Dante, the country's fourth storm this year, is forecast to hit land over Eastern Samar between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, and pass by the vicinity of Camarines Sur and Catanduanes area by Wednesday afternoon, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

What to expect

Based on the forecast track, the center of “Dante” is expected to make its initial landfall over Eastern Samar or Leyte between Tuesday afternoon and evening.

But PAGASA said the tropical strom “will move more west northwestward or westward in the near-term, which may bring the area of initial landfall over Leyte or Dinagat Islands-Siargao Islands area.”

It is forecast to slightly intensify prior to landfall. However, based on the forecast landfall scenario in the next 24 hours, there is an “increasing likelihood” that “Dante” may not reach severe tropical storm category.

The state weather bureau said “Dante” will bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over the following areas:

Leyte

Southern Leyte

Biliran

Surigao del Norte

Dinagat Islands

Rough to very rough seas (2.5 to 4.5 meters) will be experienced over the seaboards of areas where Signal No. 2 is hoisted, and the eastern seaboard of Caraga. Meanwhile, moderate to rough seas (1.2 m to 3 m) are expected over the eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental and the remaining seaboards of areas where Signal No. 1 is in effect.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

ALEXA MIRO IS NEXT STAR TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 'A GIRL AND A GUY'

MANILA -- From her first big break as a 3-year-old Munting Miss You at the defunct noontime show “Magandang Tanghali Bayan," Alexa Miro is now a rising star as the latest leading lady in the upcoming sensual drama movie “A Girl and A Guy.”

It’s trailer has gone viral, revealing how much Miro is willing to give her all, even in many skin-baring scenes, as a millennial career girl with no clear direction about her life.

"Wasak nga ang character ko," Miro told ABS-CBN News in a virtual conference Sunday.

Miro cannot also believe the trajectory of her career as a child talent transformed as the latest muse of director Erik Matti. "I never imagined I would do scenes like that but I fell in love with the story. I realized if I want to fulfill my dream to be recognized as an actress, I had to do the scenes, kahit minsan I had to take some wine to do the take!" she said laughing, recalling her sequences with leading man Rob Gomez.

Miro jumpstarted her career as a model in a popular hamburger commercial followed by a stint at the teleserye “Araw Gabi” where she sizzled with Barbie Imperial, Ivana Alawi, Phoebe Walker and other upcoming sirens.

Now that her time has come, Miro is grateful. "Grabe, ang saya ko to be chosen by Direk Erik. It’s life-changing! I asked myself what did I do to deserve this. But they made me feel I deserved to be in the project. This is the fulfillment of my childhood dream," said Miro, who is completing her communication studies at De La Salle University.

Miro also related how she immersed herself in the role of Fiona, a career girl caught in a series of heartbreak, and quick turnover of jobs and relationships. “Relatable 'yung istorya sa generation namin," she said, also citing her comfortable connection to Gomez even in the sensual scenes.

"Actually we didn’t go through sensual workshops for the movie," Miro related. "Walang ganun si Direk Erik. I guess he wanted the interaction to be organic. I am thankful also that Rob and I had chemistry, magaan ang loob ko sa kanya, automatic ang connection. And we took care of protecting each other in our scenes."

Miro herself reckons that with many revealing scenes, she doubts that "A Girl and A Guy” will get an approval from the Movie and TV Classification Board. Clearly it’s an R18 movie but Miro stressed, "This is not only baring. Our roles which reflect the times should be appreciated."

"A Girl and A Guy" will start its run on upstream.ph on June 24.

SPORTS

NBA SCORES MAY 30

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

4 Knicks1-3       26        23        22        25        96

5 Hawks3-1       25        28        35        25        113

GAME 4: ATL LEADS 3-1, STATE FARM ARENA, ATLANTA, GA

SCORING LEADERS

J. Randle NY

23 PTS 10 REB 7 AST

T. Young ATL

27 PTS 1 REB 9 AST

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

2 Suns2-2         23        31        27        19        100

7 Lakers2-2      24        26        15        27        92

GAME 4: SERIES TIED 2-2, STAPLES CENTER, LOS ANGELES, CA

SCORING LEADERS

C. Paul PHO

18 PTS 3 REB 9 AST

L. James LAL

25 PTS 12 REB 6 AST

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

2 Nets3-1          33        40        39        29        141

7 Celtics1-3       34        26        31        35        126

GAME 4: BKN LEADS 3-1, TD GARDEN , BOSTON, MA

SCORING LEADERS

K. Durant BKN

42 PTS 4 REB 5 AST

J. Tatum BOS

40 PTS 7 REB 5 AST

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

4 Clippers2-2    31        30        21        24        106

5 Mavericks2-2 22        23        15        21        81

GAME 4: SERIES TIED 2-2, AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER, DALLAS, TX

SCORING LEADERS

K. Leonard LAC

29 PTS 10 REB 3 AST

L. Doncic DAL

19 PTS 6 REB 6 AST

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 47.69

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Resolve to be thyself; and know that he who finds himself, loses his misery. - Matthew Arnold