LACSON HITS ‘DISINFORMATION’ ON ANTI-TERROR BILL

MANILA — Sen. Panfilo Lacson yesterday hit what he said were attempts at

disinformation on the anti-terrorism bill that he stressed has enough

safeguards against abuses and more tools to use against extremists.

Lacson, an author and sponsor of the bill, said if critics would read the

measure carefully, they would find that its provisions remain protective of

human rights as enshrined in the Constitution, and less draconian compared

with those of other countries in the region.

“We followed the Bill of Rights, Article III, Section 4 of the Constitution,

and not only that – we defined terrorism, qualified that its intent and

purpose is clear. It also stated in the definition that advocacy, protest,

dissent, stoppage of work, mass action or other similar exercises of civil

and political rights are not included,” he told radio station dzBB.

The senator lamented that students, millennials as well as persons with

influence had a “head start” in criticizing the bill.

“Truth vs. disinformation should be an easy competition,” he said. “The

irony here is that we criticize and criticize, and one day, we find out that

we need this (bill),” recalling the past uproar against the national ID

system.

On the provision of detention of terror suspects for 14 days without having

charges immediately filed, Lacson said among the safeguards is that the

arresting officers will have to immediately inform in writing the concerned

court, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), and the would-be created

Anti-Terrorism Council.

Terror suspects in Indonesia can be detained for as long as 120 days,

Singapore as long as 730 days, while Malaysia has a detention period of 59

days to two years, according to the senator.

He said 36 hours of detention under the present Human Security Act (HSA) was

not enough based on the experience of the countryÂ’s law enforcement

agencies.

He cited cases where terror suspects are freed because authorities could not

complete the evidence required in the courts, only to see on television the

same perpetrators killing hostages.

The Senate passed the bill on third and final reading on Feb. 26 and the

House of Representatives adopted it through the public order and defense

committees on May 29.

The bill, according to Sotto, could be on President DuterteÂ’s desk as early

as Tuesday.

MUSLIM FILIPINOS AT MOST RISK FROM ANTI-TERRORISM BILL 'OVERREACH, ABUSE'

MANILA — The anti-terrorism bill — which lawyers, civil society groups and

the academe have warned could lead to abuse by the government — has largely

excluded the concerns and experiences of Muslim Filipinos who are the most

affected by terrorism and by counter-terrorist operations.

Speaking on "The Usual Suspects: Counter-terrorism in Moro Communities", a

webinar hosted by lawyer Al Amin Julkipli on Saturday, members of the Moro

community pointed out that they have been victims of torture and prolonged

detention even before the Human Security Act of 2007, the law that the

proposed anti-terror bill seeks to replace and that the Palace has described

as lenient.

Lawyer Anna Tarhata Basman, a member of parliament in the Bangsamoro

Transition Authority and who helped organize the talk, said that the context

of marginalized communities was "largely absent" in the discussion on the

bill.

"Overall, this is a problematic omission [because] it is the Muslim

communities that have been hurt the most by terrorism in this country. It is

also the Muslim community that will likewise suffer the overreach and abuse

[if the bill becomes a law]," she said.

GLOBAL VIRUS DEATH TOLL PASSES 400,000

PARIS - The coronavirus pandemic has killed 400,000 people since it emerged

in China late last year, according to an AFP tally of official sources at

1430 GMT on Sunday.

A total of 400,052 deaths have now been recorded -- a figure that has

doubled in the past month and a half.

While almost half of the deaths have been recorded in Europe (183,428), the

United States remains the hardest-hit nation with 109,802 deaths from

1,920,061 cases.

Britain is next with 40,542 deaths, followed by Brazil (35,930), Italy

(33,846) and France (29,142).

The sharp rise in fatalities and cases in Brazil has made Latin America the

current focal point of the virus.

FACEBOOK PROBES REPORTS OF SURGE IN FAKE ACCOUNTS IN PHILIPPINES

MANILA - Facebook on Sunday said it is probing reports of inauthentic

accounts on its platform in the Philippines following complaints that

students and alumni of several schools suddenly had blank and duplicate

accounts.

The social media giant said it is working to validate the authenticity of

the reported fake accounts and will remove them if they fail the company's

authenticity checks.

"We encourage people to report any accounts they believe may be inauthentic

via our easy-to-use reporting tools," Facebook said.

The company said it invests millions of dollars and deploys sophisticated

technology to proactively identify and remove fake accounts from Facebook.

Facebook estimates that only 5 percent of its worldwide monthly active users

(MAU) are fake.

Facebook said that in its latest Community Standards Enforcement Report

released last month, the company removed 1.7 billion fake accounts from

Facebook globally in the first quarter.

NBI: FACEBOOK COPYCAT ACCOUNTS MAY BE DUE TO 'GLITCH'

MANILA — A Facebook glitch "in all probability" could have caused a recent

deluge of blank and duplicate accounts bearing the names of university

students and members of the academe, the National Bureau of Investigation

said Monday.

The social media giant prevents the multiple creation of the same account

within a short period of time, said NBI Cybercrime Division chief Victor

Lorenzo.

"Ang tinitingnan pa lang namin ngayon, in all probability, glitch lang ito

dahil napakahirap mag-create ng account ngayon sa Facebook, especially kapag

madami kang kini-create na account under one ID, one cellphone number, one

location," he told TeleRadyo.

The US, where Facebook is based, is grappling with widespread protests

against racism and police brutality, which could have affected the social

media site, he speculated.

"Machine lang naman iyon. Hindi impossible na mangyari na magkaroon ng

glitch," he added.

The NBI will also investigate whether the accounts were created

deliberately, the incident's timeline, and whether it was targeting only

students, Lorenzo said.

The agency is coordinating with other law agencies and Facebook, he said.

Meanwhile, the National Privacy Commission on Monday said social media users

should immediately report fake or dummy accounts to Facebook so that the

pages could be taken down immediately.

The Philippines is considered as the top social media user in the world

according to the "Digital 2019: Global Digital Overview" by creative agency

We Are Social. Filipinos spend an average of 10 hours and 2 minutes on the

internet on any device, it said.

PALACE FIRM ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT BAN

MANILA — Malacañang yesterday stood firm on its decision to continue banning

certain modes of public transportation as a precautionary measure against

the coronavirus despite a poll indicating that a majority of Filipino

families view this as burdensome.

A mobile phone survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) found

77 percent of respondents saying the suspension of public transport was a

burden to their families.

The burden was greater for nearly half or 47 percent of families that do not

own any vehicle, according to the non-commissioned nationwide poll conducted

from May 4 to 10. Four in every 10 respondents or 40 percent said the

suspension was “very burdensome” while 37 percent said it was “somewhat

burdensome.”

Only 22 percent said they felt little or no burden from the suspension.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque justified the transportation restriction,

saying the government cannot be complacent until a vaccine for the pandemic

is developed.

IMMIGRATION BUREAU EMPLOYEE CONTRACTS CORONAVIRUS; MAIN OFFICE CLOSED MONDAY

MANILA - The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said its main office in Intramuros,

Manila will be closed Monday for disinfection after an employee tested

positive for the coronavirus.

The employee was among those who underwent rapid antibody test conducted at

the main office last week, according to BI acting spokesperson Melvin

Mabulac.

"He initially tested positive in the rapid test conducted last June 2 so he

was subjected to a confirmatory swab test. The test result showing he has

the virus came out last Saturday," he said.

The employee's officemates have been directed to undergo mandatory tests, he

added.

Those who have appointments will later be notified for a new schedule, the

bureau said.

"We assure the public that our main office will be back in business as soon

as we have finished disinfecting our building. Please wait for further

announcements," Immigration commissioner Jaime Morente said.

LRT-1 TO COMMUTERS: GIVE 30-MINUTE ALLOWANCE UNDER NEW NORMAL

MANILA -- Trains of LRT-1 are disinfected using UV light for 30 minutes

after every run, one of several safety measures against the COVID-19

pandemic, its operator said Monday.

Commuters are advised to add half an hour to their estimated travel time to

make room for disinfection and temperature checks, said Light Rail Manila

Corp President and CEO Juan Alfonso.

Since it resumed operations from an 11-week lockdown last June 1, the

limited LRT-1 run serves 10 to 12 percent of its pre-coronavirus capacity,

Alfonso told ANC's Market Edge.

"The first phase is really getting the public to realize that public

transport is safe," he said.

Alfonso said LRMC, a consortium of Ayala Infrastructure, Metro Pacific and

Macquarie, was working with government on its phased approach to restarting

public transport.

LOCSIN: BICYCLE REGISTRATION A ‘RACKET’

MANILA — The mandatory registration of bicycles is a “racket” of officials

interested in making money, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

said.

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging

Infectious Diseases, in a resolution dated May 15, allowed the use of

bicycles and other non-motorized modes of transportation, since these comply

with social distancing requirements as one-passenger vehicles.

The IATF said it would also require local government units to put up bicycle

lanes.

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella announced on Saturday the requirement on

mandatory registration of bicycles and their use in Cebu City streets

suspended indefinitely effective June 6.

“You mean bicycle? Another registration racket that serves the most

important public interest: that of officials interested in making money out

of the public. F**k them,” Locsin posted on Twitter Saturday night, reacting

to a tweet calling bicycle registration “stupid.”

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is considering classifying

bicycles and electronic gadgets among the basic or essential goods it

monitors due to the high demand during the coronavirus disease 2019

pandemic.

Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said the DTI is looking into recommending

the inclusion of bicycles in the list of basic or essential goods as part of

revisions to Republic Act 7581, or the Price Act being pushed in Congress.

The law seeks to ensure the availability of basic necessities and prime

commodities at reasonable prices.

THE REST

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SAN JUAN MAYOR'S POLICE ESCORTS TRANSFERRED FOR SNUBBING BAGUIO CHECKPOINT:

NCRPO

MANILA — Five policemen in the convoy of San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora

face investigation for allegedly ignoring Baguio City's checkpoint protocols

against the coronavirus pandemic, the Metro Manila police said Monday.

Zamora's group allegedly "just passed by and ignored the border control

checkpoint at Kennon Road," said Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas, chief of the

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

"The driver of the lead vehicle just slowed down a bit, pointed out the

vehicles tailing his police car, then sped off with the MayorÂ’s entourage in

tow going to Baguio Country Club without having to undergo the mandatory

triage health examination," he said in a statement.

Sinas said he ordered the transfer of the 5 policemen in the escort to the

NCRPO's holding and accounting unit in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig to give way

to a "comprehensive investigation." They were also ordered to submit a

written explanation.

"I will not condone any wrongdoing of our Police Officers in the

implementation of the Community Quarantine Protocols, if held responsible,"

said Sinas.

"We, as law enforcers, are bound to respect the existing rules and

regulations anywhere in the Philippines. The safety of the people remains as

our top priority in this trying times," he said.

STUDENTS TOLD: SEEK CAREERS IN HEALTH

MANILA — Students should be creative and look for career opportunities in

sectors that may thrive even during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

pandemic, an official said.

Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) co-chair and

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said job prospects remain positive despite

the pandemic because some businesses are resilient, remain “extremely

relevant” and booming despite the global health crisis.

“We all need to be persistent and creative. Know what and where to look for

employment-wise in these challenging times. No one is immune from the

fallout brought by COVID-19,” Nograles said during an online forum last

Friday.

“There are uncertainties, especially among our youth, but there are many

prospects also. It is expected that some would be worried. LetÂ’s remain

optimistic and think there are many opportunities out there,” he added.

WATER TARIFFS TO BE KEPT STEADY IN JULY TO SEPTEMBER: MWSS

MANILA - Tariff rates in the July to September water bills will remain

unchanged as a mechanism that allows distributors to recover foreign

exchange losses will also be kept steady, the regulator said Monday.

The FCDA or foreign currency differential adjustment will be unchanged for

both Manila Water Co and Maynilad Water Services Inc, the MWSS said in a

statement.

Manila Water Company Inc will keep an FCDA of 1.69 percent of its 2020

average basic charge of P28.52 per cubic meter or P0.48 per cubic meter,

MWSS said.

Maynilad Water Services Inc will continue to implement an FCDA of negative

0.21 percent of its average basic charge of P36.24 per cubic meter of

negative P0.08 per cubic meter, the regulator said.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said he would review the renegotiated

Maynilad and Manila Water deals. Duterte earlier cited onerous provisions in

the water concessions.

BIRTH AT 30,000 FEET: PAL FLIGHT ATTENDANTS DELIVER BABY BOY

MANILA - Philippine Airlines said Monday its cabin crew helped deliver a

baby on a Manila-bound flight from Dubai above 30,000 feet.

The boy was delivered on board PR 659 on June 6, with the guidance of a

doctor through satellite phone, PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said.

Wearing personal protective equipment, the flight attendants posed with the

newborn while on the air. The mother was also photographed with her baby

boy.

"This was the winning formula which enabled the cabin crew team of a PAL

Manila-bound flight from Dubai (PR659/June6) to successfully bring into this

world a healthy baby boy," Villaluna said.

"PAL crew is trained to deal with these inflight moments. An extraordinary

situation," she added.

Metro Manila and other urban areas transitioned to general community

quarantine on June 1, after 11-weeks under lockdown. Philippine Airlines has

also resumed limited local and international flights.

'SERBISYONG MAY NGITI': POLICE TREATMENT OF BGC MOMS COULD BE

MISCOMMUNICATION - PNP

MANILA - Reports of policewomen allegedly bullying mothers with young

children who were exercising outdoors in Bonifacio Global City could be a

case of miscommunication, the Philippine National Police said Monday.

An ABS-CBN News report earlier said several moms who brought their children

out to play in BGC were accosted by policewomen and ordered to go home.

One Israeli mother who said she was bullied by police is packing her

familyÂ’s bags and leaving the Philippines for good, the report said.

PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Bernard Banac confirmed law enforcers

conducted operations in BGC to enforce general community quarantine

guidelines in Metro Manila.

"It could be a form of miscommunication at hindi nagkaunawaan. We are asking

the public for cooperation. We also remind our PNP personnel to conduct

themselves in a manner that we will not be misunderstood and create

misunderstanding. We need serbisyong may ngiti," he told ABS-CBN's

TeleRadyo.

TaguigÂ’s Chief of Police Celso Rodriguez has apologized for the behavior of

police personnel who accosted the mothers.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

JUDY ANN, MAY BAGONG SKILLS NA NATUTUNAN NGAYONG LOCKDOWN

MAYNILA — Cute na cute ang naging bonding ni Judy Ann Santos sa anak nito na

si Luna.

Sa Instagram, ibinahagi ni Judy Ann ang mga retrato nang paggupit niya sa

buhok ng kanyang anak.

Maliban kay Luna, nagawa ring gupitan ng buhok ni Judy Ann ang kanyang

mister na si Ryan Agoncillo.

“Barber skills unlocked! Sarado na po ang salon ko... sabi ng balakang ko,”

ani Judy Ann na pinasalamatan ang sikat na hairstylist na si Jing Monis para

sa tutorial.

Birong hirit pa ng aktres: “Kumpleto pa naman ang mga daliri ko, at walang

dugong dumanak.”

Sa comment section ng kanyang post ay nagpahatid naman si Ryan ng kanyang

pasasalamat sa aktres.

SPORTS

FOOTBALL: BARCA CONFIDENT MESSI CAN FACE MALLORCA, DESPITE THIGH INJURY

MADRID, Spain -- Lionel Messi has sustained a "minor" thigh injury, but

Barcelona remain confident he will be fit for the team's first game back

against Mallorca on June 13, the club said on Friday.

Messi has not trained with the rest of the squad since Tuesday after working

separately in the gym on both Wednesday and Friday, while on Thursday all

the players were given the day off.

Barcelona said Messi should return to training "in a few days' time", but

his absence raises doubts over his fitness ahead of the trip to Mallorca.

Like all La Liga teams, Barca will have had only 10 days to train together

when competitive matches resume on June 11, following the three-month break

due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Leo Messi has a minor right quadriceps injury and trained in isolation,

doing specific exercises to avoid unnecessary risks with just eight days

remaining before Barca finally get back to playing matches," a club

statement read.

"He should be able to rejoin his team-mates in a few daysÂ’ time."

Messi has endured an injury-interrupted season. The 32-year-old was out for

six weeks between August and September with a calf injury and then at the

end of September missed another week with a problem in his left thigh.

But after regaining fitness, Messi quickly found form, scoring 24 goals in

31 appearances so far this term to help Barcelona sit two points clear at

the top of La Liga.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in

an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people. - John F. Kennedy