DEMOCRATIC FREEDOMS IN PHILIPPINES NOW 'SEVERELY RESTRICTED' — GLOBAL RIGHTS

MONITOR

MANILA — Fundamental freedoms such as freedoms of expression, peaceful

assembly and association in the Philippines are now “severely restricted”

due to ongoing attacks against activists and journalists, an international

watchdog said.

In its report released ahead of the Human Rights Day, CIVICUS Monitor, the

research tool of international alliance CIVICUS, downgraded the state of

democratic freedoms in the Philippines from “obstructed” to “repressed.”

CIVICUS Monitor said the rating change was due in particular to the

vilification of activists and targeting of human rights defenders and

journalists in the country.

“The Duterte government has incrementally chipped away at civic freedoms

since it came to power in 2016 but this has further eroded over the last

year,” Josef Benedict, CIVICUS Monitor Asia-Pacific civic space researcher,

said.

“In 2020, we have seen systematic intimidation, attacks and vilification of

civil society and activists, an increased crackdown on press freedoms and a

pervasive culture of impunity take root,” he added.

Documented incidents in the report include killing of peasant activist

Randall Echanis and human rights activist Zara Alvarez in August. Both had

been red-tagged—labelled as communist rebels and enemies of state—before

they were murdered.

It noted the ongoing attacks on press freedom: the shutdown of broadcast

giant ABS-CBN and the cyber libel conviction of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa and

former researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos Jr. Benedict said the threats and

assaults against journalists have contributed to self-censorship and have

had chilling effect within the media industry.

The arrest of human rights defender Teresita Naul and women’s rights

activist Beatrice Belen as well as the continuing detention of Sen. Leila de

Lima were also cited in the report.

ELEVATED RADIATION LEVELS FOUND IN WEST PHILIPPINE SEA – DOST

MANILA — Researchers from the Department of Science and

Technology-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) have found high

radiation levels in the waters of the West Philippine Sea.

Carlo Arcilla, director of PNRI, said that a study on corals conducted by

their team of researchers had found elevated radiation levels in the West

Philippine Sea, higher than in other coastal areas of the country.

Arcilla said he had reported this finding to a virtual meeting of the

ASEANTOM (ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy) last week,

with other ASEAN member-countries led by Vietnam, and called for further

investigation on the matter.

He spoke at a virtual press briefing held by the DOST agency in celebration

of Atomic Energy Week.

The radioactivity was detected through the isolation of Iodine 129 in sea

corals. The research was led by Angel Bautista of the DOST-PNRI Nuclear

Analytical Techniques Application, who specialized in the study of corals

and has a doctorate from the University of Tokyo.

Iodine 129, Arcilla explained, is a product of nuclear fission, given off by

nuclear reactors or nuclear power plants.

“We don’t know what caused it. But the fact is concentration levels rose –

higher in the West Philippine Sea than on Philippine (Rise) side in the

east,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.

'WALANG IMBENTO': DUTERTE SAYS HE WILL RESIGN IF ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION

Duterte says will kill anyone caught falsely accusing him, Cabinet officials

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday he will resign if someone

will formally accuse him of accepting bribes -- and if the allegation is

true.

"Maraming haka-haka diyan na kami, mga Cabinet members, ako tumatanggap ng

pera. Look, I give you this guarantee. Magdala ka lang ng tao at sabihin mo

nagbigay siya ng piso sa'min, mag-resign ako bukas," Duterte said in a

public briefing aired late evening

"Just one person, one affidavit. Walang imbento. 'Yung totoo na sinabi na

may tinanggap kaming pera. You just bring him...before the public and

announce it. If true, I will tender my resignation as President of this

republic. That is my guarantee to you. Basta totoo. Do not lie," he added.

Duterte warned he will "kill" anyone who will falsely accuse him or his

Cabinet members.

"As far as I'm concerned, they're all honest. At kung meron, sabihin mo in

public, and I will ask that Cabinet member to resign immediately," he said.

The President has said many times he wants to resign due to his

"frustration" of corruption in government.

In the past, however, Duterte defended some of his Cabinet officials over

graft allegations.

More than once, the President vouched for Health Secretary Francisco Duque

III after the Cabinet official was accused of being allegedly involved in

anomalies in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

Duterte also cleared Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark

Villar of any involvement in illegal activities, after senators flagged

around P345.25-billion in lump sum lodged in the DPWH's proposed 2021 budget

and revealed that some lawmakers and officials of the department allegedly

ask for "kickbacks" from contractors that win projects from the agency.

In 2018, Duterte also defended former Customs commissioners Isidro Lapeña

and Nicanor Faeldon over their alleged involvement in multibillion-peso drug

smuggling controversies.

'CEASEFIRE IS DEAD': DUTERTE SAYS NO MORE TRUCE WITH REDS

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said there will be no more

ceasefire between the government and communist rebels until the end of his

term.

Duterte, in his weekly address to the nation, said the ceasefire with the

Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New

People's Army (NPA), has long been dead.

"There will be no ceasefire ever again under my term, term ko sa

pagkapresidente. For all intents and purposes, 'yung ceasefire is dead. Wala

na 'yun, matagal na 'yun," he said.

Duterte said ceasefire with the rebels died along with the peace talks.

"When I walked away from the talks because we cannot understand each other.

Maybe we were talking in different dialects, I don't know why, but I simply

cannot understand the way it was being carried by the other side, the way it

was being played. What was evolving before me was something that was not

acceptable to the Republic of the Philippines, lalo na 'yang (especially

that) coalition government," he said.

"No stupid president will allow it. He will get impeached. You will get

impeached. You are not supposed to share that power," Duterte added.

According to Duterte, he will never give the rebels what they want.

"I cannot compromise anything in this government. It's either I will be

impeached or the military and the police will shoot me. Ipapasubo mo ang

Republic of the Philippines, papatayin ka talaga. Because you are a traitor

of your country," he said.

He also reiterated that he considers the members of the Makabayan bloc in

the House of Representatives, as well as other progressive groups, as

communists.

"For all intents and purposes, the ceasefire is dead. And the peace talks

between the NDF, the NPA, pati kayong lahat (all of you), I am identifying

you because I have seen the record. You are really communists," Duterte

said.

'DI AKIN 'YAN': DUTERTE DISTANCES SELF FROM NARCO LIST WITH 5 MAYORS

INCLUDED NOW KILLED

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte late Monday night sought to distance

himself from the list of officials allegedly involved in illegal drug trade

that he had publicized over the years, after another mayor who was included

in it ended up being killed anew.

Duterte in his weekly address told the family of ex-Los Baños mayor Cesar

Perez, who was gunned down last week that he was sorry over how their father

died, but maintained that the narco list had come from state forces.

"Kung sabihin mong 'yang listahan na 'yan, hindi akin 'yan," he said. "It's

a collation. Lahat-lahat na 'yan sa intelligence reports ng drug enforcement

at sa intelligence ng military at police."

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque earlier today said the list has a

basis, but that inclusion in it is not enough proof to file charges.

Duterte's counsel, Salvador Panelo, had said too that further evidence would

be needed.

Duterte making the list public invoked the people's right to know that

officials are supposedly having ties to illegal drug trade. But such had

exposed those in the list to dangers, with five mayors part of it seemingly

meeting their sentence even without charges and a verdict from the court.

"If you believe firmly that he was not guilty or liable of anything, that's

good. But the problem is his name made it to the list," he said in mixed

English and Filipino. "You'll just have to look for the killers, but they

did not come from my office."

The president added that he had to release the names "so that the public

will be aware and prevent their ascension to public office."

Authorities have yet to report on the progress of investigations on the

mayors murdered, and it is not clear if the cases have been resolved or

still ongoing.

DUTERTE MULLS 'TOTAL BAN' ON FIRECRACKERS

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte said he might ban "totally" the use of

firecrackers and pyrotechnics in the Philippines, especially during

Christmas and New Year's eve.

Duterte said in a public briefing aired late Monday night that he might

strictly prohibit firecrackers and pyrotechnics by December next year.

"It's really a dangerous thing, and for reasons of public safety and

health," he said.

"By mid-year, I may issue the necessary documents banning totally, totally

banning paputok."

The President cited the ban in Davao City, which he issued when he was mayor

of the city in 2001.

"Kagaya sa amin, sa amin maganda man. New Year, Pasko, we celebrate it with

the family. May music, lahat na. Gaiety and all. Walang nasusugatan, walang

namamatay," he said.

Duterte also warned Filipinos who like to fire their guns to make noise

during the eves of Christmas and New Year.

"I'm reminding policemen, military men and civilians — licensed or not —

holding firearms, do not [try]. Do not," he said.

"Kapag nahuli ka dito sa pagpaputok mo...papahirapan kita. Kung sa New Year

ka magpapaputok... papahirapan kita. Sabihin ko sa mga pulis, 'wag niyong

linisin mga kubeta niyo sa preso...wag niyo linisin sa Pasko pati New Year.'

Kasi diyan ko ipasok 'yung mga p*********g 'yan.

"That's an order. Do not clean," Duterte said.

THE REST

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EMPLOYERS, WORKERS FACING HARD TIMES OPPOSE LOOMING SSS PREMIUM HIKE

MANILA — Employers and workers are opposing a government plan to push

through with a scheduled increase in contributions to the Social Security

System (SSS) next year while the pandemic is forcing businesses to shut down

and employees laid off.

“In general, we are not for any increase at this time because of bad

timing,” Sergio Ortiz-Luis, president of the Employers Confederation of the

Philippines (ECOP), an industry group, said in a phone interview.

Jerome Adonis, secretary-general of Kilusang Mayo Uno, a labor group, agreed

with Ortiz-Luis. “Whether with or without pandemic, increasing the SSS

contribution is unacceptable for labor workers because there remains no

salary raise, while thousands are losing jobs,” Adonis said in Filipino in a

text message.

To be fair, the SSS premium rate hike to 13% from 12% of salaries had long

been planned. The increase was stipulated under Republic Act 11199 or the

Social Security Act of 2018, which at the time was enacted to strengthen the

fund’s viability against rising pension costs. SSS is the pension fund for

private workers.

But many were hopeful that the Duterte administration would delay

implementing the adjustment because of the unprecedented health crisis that

did not only pull down the economy to recession, but also pushed joblessness

up to a historic peak of 10.4% this year.

Establishments, which shoulder the bulk of premiums, are likewise

struggling.

NLEX OPERATOR SAYS IMPLEMENTING 'SEVERAL MEASURES' TO ADDRESS TRAFFIC

MANILA - NLEX Corp. said Tuesday it seeks to cooperate with the Valenzuela

City government to come up with initiatives to resolve the tollway traffic

in the area.

"We are reviewing the situation and are doing everything necessary to

address the issues," NLEX Corp. President J. Luigi Bautista said in a

statement.

NLEX Corp., under Manny Pangilinan's Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., is in hot

water as the local government of Valenzuela City suspended their business

permit on Monday due to the heavy traffic buildup since the implementation

of the cashless RFID toll collection on Dec. 1.

NLEX earlier admitted there were "technical problems" in their system

contributing to the traffic buildup.

Bautista attributed this to the system's "adjustments" on the RFID

implementation since Dec. 1.

Other factors to the heavy traffic include the concurrent lifting of number

coding and truck ban which increases the volume of vehicles on roads, as

well as the trade and shopping rush approaching the Christmas season.

Bautista said NLEX Corp is continuously “working to eliminate the

inconvenience" to customers amid the cashless toll payments rule.

Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian on Monday did not grant NLEX Corp's plea for

a grace period to fix its RFID payment system, saying the company had all

the time it needed to resolve the issues.

7 MISA PAMUMUNUAN NG QUIAPO CHURCH KADA ARAW NG SIMBANG GABI

MAYNILA - Pitong Misa ang pamumunuan ng Quiapo Church kada araw ng Simbang

Gabi at gaganapin ito sa dalawang magkahiwalay na lugar sa siyudad sa gitna

ng pagiingat sa siksikan ng mga parishioner dahil sa patuloy na banta ng

COVID-19.

Ayon kay Fr. Douglas Badong, parochial vicar ng Quiapo Church, 6 na misa ang

gaganapin sa kanilang simbahan habang isa naman ang sa Liwasang Bonifacio.

“Sa Quiapo, tatlo sa umaga. Alas-4 ng umaga, 5:15 and then 6:30 ng umaga.

'Yan po ay pang Simbang Gabi. Tapos sa gabi naman 6 p.m., 7:15 at 8:30 p.m.

Tapos additional nga sa Liwasang Bonifacio na 8 p.m.," ani Badong.

Hinimok kamakailan ng Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines ang mga

lokal na pamahalaan na mag-organisa ng 9-araw na novena Mass sa mga

malalaking lugar para ma-accommodate ang mas maraming tao.

'BRUTAL MURDER' OF ELDERLY PEACE CONSULTANTS CONDEMNED

MANILA - A son of slain National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP)

peace consultants on Tuesday denounced what he called a "cold-blooded and

brutal murder" of his parents from the hands of the police.

Speaking to ANC's "Matters of Fact," human rights lawyer VJ Topacio said his

elderly and ailing parents -- Agaton Topacio and Eugenia Magpantay -- could

not had fought back when police raided the couple's house in Angono, Rizal.

"Buti pa nga sa movies, the police are saying, 'Napapalibutan na namin kayo.

Sumuko na kayo.' Here it's simply cold-blooded and brutal murder," he said.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Debold Sinas earlier said the couple

allegedly resisted arrest when authorities served a search warrant on Nov.

25 at 3 a.m.

He also said it wasn't impossible the couple exchanged gunfire with the

police.

"It's not based on age. You know, there are some elderly people who still

kill," Sinas said in Filipino.

But VJ said his parents would have called a lawyer instead of resisting

arrest.

"They should have given us a chance to defend my parents in court. Whatever

allegations they had, they don't have the right to take the lives of my

parents that way," he said.

VJ said his parents, who had retired from the communist underground

movement, suffered numerous gunshot wounds. He has yet to receive a copy of

the medico legal report.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

ELLEN ADARNA ASKS SON ELIAS: 'WHO'S YOUR PAPA?'

MANILA – Ellen Adarna could not stop laughing after hearing the answer of

her son Elias when she asked him the name of his father.

Sharing the audio clip on her Instagram Story, Adarna asked her son: “What’s

your papa’s name?”

To which Elias repeatedly said “Piolo” even if Adarna already pointed out

that he got it wrong.

In an attempt to elicit the right answer, Adarna asked the same question

Elias while they were onboard a car.

“Who’s your papa?” she asked.

But the two-year old is firm with his answer and said: “Papa P.”

Adarna then tagged actor Piolo Pascual in the post before adding laughing

emojis and a GIF of the actor. She also wrote “John Lloyd left the group

chat” and a laughing emoji in her other post.

Adarna, 32, in the past would rarely post photos of Elias, save for the

boy’s birthday in June and other special occasions.

Adarna, however, previously said she has fully embraced the role of being a

mother. An in-demand actress and model prior to settling down, Adarna said

she has no plans of resuming her showbiz career, at least “not in the next

seven years.”

“I want to be with my son in his formative years. I'm a very hands-on mom,”

she said in an April interview.

Adarna has a co-parenting setup with John Lloyd Cruz, with Elias staying

twice a week with his father and the remaining days with his mother,

according to the actress.

SPORTS

OLYMPIC MEDALISTS AUTOMATICALLY NOMINATED TO PH SPORTS HALL OF FAME

MANILA -- Filipino athletes who win medals in the Olympic games will receive

automatic nominations to the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame (PSHOF).

The PSHOF Review Committee adopted a resolution to this effect during a

virtual meeting last week.

William "Butch" Ramirez, the PSHOF 2020 Chairperson and the chairman of the

Philippine Sports Commission, supported the inclusion of the "very few"

medalists of the country in the Games.

"Achieving a medal from the most prestigious Games in history is something

worth recognizing for a lifetime. They deserve it even without the process

of someone voluntarily proving it for them," he said of the committee's

decision.

Akiko Thomson Guevara, representing the Philippine Olympian Association in

the Review Committee, volunteered to produce the names of all the country's

Olympic medalists in the next meeting.

Only ten Filipinos have won medals in the Summer Olympics. Teofilo

Yldefonso, the only athlete to win a back-to-back Olympic medal in 1928 and

1932, holds the record to date.

The PSHOF Review Committee seeks to have the Olympic medalists honored to

ensure that they are never forgotten.

Following the signing of Republic Act No. 8757 or the Philippine Sports Hall

of Fame Act, the highest sports award-giving body has enshrined Filipino

athletes, coaches, and trainers who made a valuable contribution in

Philippine sports since its first induction in 2010.

INDICATORS

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to his or her

commitment to excellence, regardless of his or her chosen field of endeavor.

- Zig Ziglar