NTC RECALLS FREQUENCIES, CHANNELS ASSIGNED TO ABS-CBN

MANILA - The National Telecommunications Commission on Thursday recalled the

frequencies assigned to ABS-CBN, which it said was “warranted” in the

absence of a legislative franchise.

"The denial of respondent's franchise renewal application by Congress,

coupled with the denial of respondent's petition by the Supreme Court, lead

to no other conclusion except that respondent had already lost the privilege

of installing, operating, and maintaining radio broadcasting stations in the

country," the NTC said in a decision released to the media Thursday.

"Consequentially, absent a valid legislative franchise, the recall of the

frequencies assigned to respondent is warranted," the decision dated Sept. 9

said.

'ONE BIG ENTITY' COULD SNAP UP ABS-CBN FREQUENCIES: EX-DICT OFFICIAL

MANILA -- The broadcast frequencies of ABS-CBN Corp. are now up for grabs,

following their recall by regulators this week, a former official of the

Department of Information and Communications Technology said Friday.

The NTC on Thursday took back under government control ABS-CBN's frequencies

due to its lack of a broadcast franchise. A House panel dominated by

President Rodrigo Duterte's allies rejected in July the network's license

application, even after several agencies testified that ABS-CBN followed

laws.

"This is the first time. There is no precedent of such a huge recall of

frequencies," former DICT Undersecretary Eliseo Rio told ANC.

"They (frequencies) will now be available for application from any valid

franchise holder... As to how this will be awarded will depend on the NTC,"

he added.

Typically, the NTC holds a public hearing where it presents the frequency

applicants. The agency then accepts oppositors, who could argue that a

particular entity is not the best candidate for the frequencies, he told

ANC.

This process takes "roughly a year," Rio said.

The former ABS-CBN frequencies could go to several broadcasters in different

areas, or “one big entity” could snap them all up, he said.

"ABS-CBN, with the present regulation, has lost all and any hand on those

frequencies as of this moment," he said.

The network will have to get a new franchise before it can "join the queue

of applying for frequencies," said Rio.

"As to regaining the [original] frequencies, then I think that needs

something that we have not yet done before. We cannot foretell what that

something will be, but anything is possible," he said.

P469-BILLION FROM DPWH 2021 PROPOSED BUDGET SHOULD GO TO OTHER AGENCIES:

SENATOR

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Friday that other agencies should get part of the

P469 billion worth lump sums and re-listed items from the Department of

Public Works and Highways' (DPWH) proposed 2021 budget.

“Not the whole amount, but at least a portion of that amount should be

realigned or reassigned to other agencies that would be needing more

appropriations,” he told ANC.

These agencies should include the Department of Science and Technology so

that it can “vigorously support” local scientists and minimize the

importation of coronavirus safety gear, he said.

The agriculture department should also get a bigger budget next year, said

the senator.

IMMIGRATION BUREAU TO TAKE CUSTODY OF US MARINE IN TRANSGENDER KILLING

US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton is set to be released from

custody of the Bureau of Corrections at 11 a.m. Friday, a BuCor spokesman

said.

BuCor spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag said Pemberton will be turned over to

Bureau of Immigration personnel, who will take over custodial duties at the

JUSMAG facility in Camp Aguinaldo where he is detained. Once the turnover is

completed, Pemberton will now be under the custody of the Bureau of

Immigration.

Last Monday President Rodrigo Duterte granted "an absolute pardon" to

Pemberton who is convicted of killing a Filipino transgender woman in 2014.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the BI is still waiting for the

clearance coming from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) as one of

the requirements for deportation. He said this is to ensure that Pemberton

has no other cases in the Philippines.

“Sa pagkakaalam ko, wala nang ibang kasong kinakaharap si Mr. Pemberton.

Ini-expect ko na mag-iisyu ng NBI clearance today,” he said.

“Mananatili siya sa kinalalagyan niya ngayon sa Camp Aguinaldo until such

time 'yung kaniyang flight arrangement ay makumpleto na rin matapos na."

Once the NBI clearance, passport and flight arrangements are in order,

Pemberton will then be moved from his present detention to the airport.

“Pag nataggap 'yan ng Bureau of Immigration, tapos na at pwede nang

ipa-deport si Mr. Pemberton,” he said.

Guevarra hopes that PembertonÂ’s release from detention and his deportation

would be covered by media to dispel doubts about him receiving special

treatment.

LOCSIN: NO ‘EXCHANGE’ FOR PEMBERTON RELEASE

Roque believes pardon was granted for US vaccine priority

MANILA — There was no “exchange” in the absolute pardon granted by President

Duterte to convicted killer US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton,

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. tweeted yesterday.

“There is no exchange. I clinched that purely on my charm with US Secretary

of State Mike Pompeo,” Locsin said, apparently to dispel speculations that

DuterteÂ’s pardon of Pemberton was in exchange for a political favor.

But for presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr., Duterte had the “higher

national interest” in mind when he made the decision.

“I think the decision of the President – this is my personal opinion – the

grant of pardon to Pemberton is part of the PresidentÂ’s intent that we can

get access to the vaccines, if ever, from America, that the Philippines may

also benefit from it,” Roque said.

95 PINOYS SWAPPED FOR 2 PARDONED EMIRATIS

MANILA — In exchange for two Emiratis pardoned by President Duterte, 95

Filipinos detained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for various offenses

have been released, Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said yesterday.

In an interview over dzXL, Perete said the Emiratis, who were among the four

foreigners pardoned by Duterte, were freed under a “prisoner swap”

agreement.

The DOJ official said the release of the 95 Filipinos came in two batches,

with 45 comprising the first batch. He could not say for which offense or

offenses the Filipinos had been held.

“It was the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that negotiated (for their

release). We were the ones who made a demand, we had list (of names) who we

want to be part of the prisoner swap,” he said.

The two Emiratis were among the four foreigners recently pardoned by

Duterte, including US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton. Perete

said he could not recall the nationality of the fourth foreigner.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier said the President has pardoned

139 prisoners – including four foreigners – since assuming office in 2016.

“The total number of pardons given by the President, both conditional and

absolute, since the time the President assumed the position as president was

something like 139 pardons already, and that is a lot more than the total

number of pardons given during the previous administration,” Guevarra said

earlier.

GOV'T EYES 3 URBAN HUBS AS COVID-19 VACCINE TRIAL ZONES

MANILA — Three major urban hubs in the Philippines will serve as sites for

COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials as the government rushes to find an end to

the pandemic that has upended life worldwide.

Metro Manila, the Southern Tagalog region (Calabarzon), and Cebu will serve

as vaccine trial zones, Science Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said Thursday.

"Ang pinipili kasing lugar ay iyong mataas ang incidence ng COVID-19," he

said in a virtual press briefing.

"Usually it will require anywhere between five to 10 barangays (villages)

for a trial," he added.

The three areas have reported high numbers of COVID-19 infections, with

Metro Manila as the coronavirus epicenter of the country.

"Importante kasi na iyong lugar na pipiliin ay malapit doon sa mga lugar na

mataas ang incidence o ang cases dahil ating susubukan ang efficacy nang

bakuna," Dela Peña said.

"Hindi puwedeng magdoble ang clinical trials sa isang zone," he noted.

In assigning COVID-19 vaccine trial zones, Dela Peña said priority would be

given to testing of drugs included in the World Health Organization's

Solidarity Trials, a global coalition on the simultaneous development of

vaccines.

Malacañang has expressed hopes that Manila would be prioritized by Russia,

China, and the US should they develop a COVID-19 vaccine.

SC URGED TO ACT PETITION FOR COVID-19 MASS TESTING

A group of petitioners from a broad network, led by former Social Welfare

Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, urged the Supreme Court to act on their

two-month-old petition asking the court to compel the government to conduct

mass testing for COVID-19.

On Thursday, the petitioners, in a Manifestation prepared by the National

Union of PeoplesÂ’ Lawyers, urged the tribunal to give due course to their

petition and order the respondents to submit their comments.

QUEZON CITY LAUNCHES ‘RACE TO ZERO’ CAMPAIGN VS COVID-19

MANILA — The Quezon City government will provide cash rewards to barangays

that have effective programs to stop the transmission of coronavirus disease

2019 or COVID-19.

The local government recently launched “Race to Zero” campaign, which aims

to encourage barangay officials to intensify measures to trace close

contacts and isolate probable and suspected COVID-19 cases.

Outstanding barangays will be determined based on the highest number of

identified probable and suspected cases and the lowest number of confirmed

cases from Sept. 7 to 14.

Frontrunners in the small (with population below 10,000), medium (10,000 to

50,000) and large (above 50,000) categories will receive P50,000, P100,000

and P200,000, respectively.

The awarding will be held on Sept. 21 in time for the commemoration of

Barangay Day.

THE REST

========

COVID-19 DEATH TOLL IN THE PHILIPPINES BREACHES 4,000 AS TOTAL INFECTIONS

CLIMB TO 248,947

MANILA — The coronavirus death toll in the Philippines topped 4,000 on

Thursday as the country's caseload of the disease climbed by 3,821 to

248,947, the health department said.

The total fatalities swelled to 4,066 after 80 new deaths were reported.

Based on the latest bulletin of the Department of Health (DOH), more than

half or 2,079 of the new cases reported on Thursday are from the National

Capital Region, the epicenter of the outbreak in the country. The additional

cases are based on the results of 105 out of 117 accredited testing

laboratories.

The rest are from the nearby provinces of Rizal (286 cases), Cavite (174),

Laguna (168), and Bulacan (142).

Majority of the new cases, or 86%, occurred in the last 2 weeks. These are

mostly from NCR, Region 4A and Region 3.

This is the 3rd straight day that new cases being reported are more than

3,000. The DOH warned on Wednesday that additional cases would be

irregularly high this week as laboratories try to catch up with their

delayed reporting.

MANILA TRAFFIC ENFORCERÂ’S SLAY TRIGGERS DEMOLITION

MANILA — Members of the Manila Police District (MPD) and city engineering

office demolished yesterday illegal structures and other road obstructions

in Barangay 650, Port Area in a move to flush out criminals.

The clearing operation was conducted days after a Manila Traffic and Parking

Bureau (MTPB) employee was shot dead by two unidentified assailants along

Railroad street.

Special Weapons and Tactics policemen and members of the Special MayorÂ’s

Reaction Team headed by Maj. Rosalino Ibay Jr. barricaded the entry and exit

points in the barangay while at least 200 men ripped down the illegal stalls

and cleared the sidewalks of obstructions, including makeshift houses and

stores selling bicycles at around 9 a.m.

Ibay said the operation aims to clear Port Area of obstructions and “retake

the street occupied by the vendors.”

MTPB member Ronaldo Malonzo was texting in front of a store when he was

gunned down on Sept. 6.

Malonzo was reportedly mistaken for a police asset.

A female vendor was seen on closed-circuit television footage picking up the

bullet shells and giving it to the gunmen shortly after Malonzo was killed,

prompting police to believe that she knew the assailants.

The suspects casually walked away from the crime scene, police said.

The assailants managed to escape before the arresting team arrived in the

area.

“Someone from the barangay had tipped them off,” Ibay said.

Personnel of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) cut the power supply along

Railroad street yesterday.

Ibay said there were only two electric meters for some 150 houses in the

area.

“We tried to enter this place before but we were unsuccessful because they

were prepared to fight. In fact, a shooting occurred between the police and

some residents when we tried to cut the illegal electric connections,” a

Meralco lineman told The STAR.

One of the residents admitted that aside from electricity, illegal water

connections are also controlled by a group that collects payment from every

household.

Ibay said barangay officials confirmed that the illegal structures were

being used as warehouses by traders in Greenhills, San Juan and Baseco

Compound.

Police said barangay officials were accused of coddling those behind the

illegal activities “because they were raking money from the system.”

“I don’t believe that barangay officials don’t know what’s happening in

their jurisdiction,” Ibay said.

MAYNILAD TO INSTALL P350 MILLION CAVITE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS

MANILA — West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad) is

spending around P350 million for the installation of two modular treatment

plants in Cavite that will produce an additional 13 million liters per day

(MLD) of potable water to supply the needs of some 50,000 customers in the

area.

The treatment plants will use ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis technology

to treat water drawn from rivers in Imus, Cavite.

The installation and laying of a discharge pipeline to connect the

facilities to MayniladÂ’s existing pipe network in the area is targeted for

completion in February next year.

Maynilad aims to install two more treatment plants in Bacoor and Las Piñas

in the last quarter of 2021.

The treatment plants will yield another 13-MLD of potable water for

distribution to the southern portion of MayniladÂ’s concession area.

Tapping rivers in Cavite as an alternative raw water source is part of

MayniladÂ’s initiative to provide a medium-term solution to current water

security challenges even as the government works to develop another major

dam.

93 BILIBID INMATES WALK FREE

MANILA — Almost a hundred prisoners in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in

Muntinlupa City walked free yesterday, mostly after being granted parole.

In a statement, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said 86 of those freed

were granted parole, six were acquitted and one had an expired sentence.

Of the number, 27 came from the maximum security compound, 43 from medium

security, 19 from minimum and four from the BuCor extension facility.

The agency said the release was part of a program that was done for the

first time in the penitentiary.

“This is the first-ever program done for their release… a program that shows

that BuCor is their partner towards a new life,” it said in a statement.

BuCor said they sent the inmates off with hygiene kits and transportation

allowance to ensure they would be able to go home. Some of the inmates were

brought by the BuCor to their homes to ensure their safety.

'WAG MAKIPAGSABAYAN': PNP URGES ELDERLY, YOUTHS TO DELAY PLANS TO REGISTER

FOR 2020 ELECTIONS

MANILA - The Joint Task Force COVID Shield on Friday urged the public,

especially the elderly and the youth, to postpone plans to join voter

registration activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Hindi po bawal ‘yun subalit ang sitwasyon parang mass gathering ‘yan. Since

ang registration natin ay aabot hanggang September 2021 ‘wag na muna pong

makipagsabayan at ito po ay delikado para sa kanila,” said JTF COVID Shield

Commander Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar.

The Metro Manila Council has reportedly asked the Inter-Agency Task Force on

the COVID-19 response to delay the registration due to the continuous rise

of infections.

“Yun po ang ating narinig sa mga nakarang talakayan. Kami naman po sa Joint

Task Foce COVID Shield ay humihimok sa ating mga kababayan na habang wala

pang suspension nito ay sana po madiscourage natin 'yung mga matatanda, mga

senior citizens, at mga minors na magparegister,” said Eleazar.

LOW PRESSURE AREA TO BRING RAINS; LA NIÑA LOOMS

A low pressure area on Friday will dump rains over some parts of the

country, the state weather bureau said.

The weather disturbance was 135 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes at 3

a.m. It is unlikely to intensify into a storm, PAGASA Ariel Rojas told

ABS-CBNÂ’s TeleRadyo.

However, the LPAÂ’s trough or extension will bring cloudy skies and scattered

rains over Bicol Region, Mimaropa, Visayas and Caraga. Residents in these

areas should be on the lookout for floods and landslides, said Rojas.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will experience hot and humid

weather with possible rains in the afternoon or evening, he added.

La Niña, a weather pattern characterized by more frequent rains than

typical, has a 70 percent chance of emerging in the last quarter of the

year, Rojas said.

The weather pattern can last until the first half of 2021, he said.

La Niña, caused by below-average sea surface temperatures, can occur on

average every 2 to 7 years, said the US National Ocean Service.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

COLEEN GARCIA, BILLY CRAWFORD WELCOME FIRST BABY VIA HOME BIRTH

MANILA — Coleen Garcia is at a loss for words after giving birth during the

COVID-19 lockdown.

The 27-year-old actress confirmed the arrival of her first baby with husband

Billy Crawford via a home birth in a series of photos posted on Instagram on

Thursday.

Alongside pictures of her and Crawford cradling their newborn, she wrote:

“There’s so much I wanna say, but for now, I just want to praise God for

being so so good. Thank you, Lord, for our beautiful Amari.”

Ahead of going into labor, Garcia revealed that she and Crawford had

prepared for having a home birth amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"There have been many limitations, restrictions, and obstacles, but at least

it wasnÂ’t impossible," she said in an interview with Preview.

She also told the magazine about the how welcoming their baby son “was all

we needed for us to be filled to the brim with joy and hope” during these

trying times.

Amari is Garcia and CrawfordÂ’s first child. They have been married for over

two years.

SPORTS

NBA SCORES SEP 10

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

1 Lakers 3-1    26    31    29    24    110

4 Rockets 1-3    22    19    29    30    100

GAME 4: LAL LEADS 3-1

SCORING LEADERS

A. Davis LAL

29 PTS, 12 REB, 5 AST

R. Westbrook HOU

25 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 48.57

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life

he leads? - Albert Camus