'ARMED ATTACK WILL TRIGGER OUR OBLIGATIONS': US WARNS CHINA OVER MOVES ON PHILIPPINES, TAIWAN
WASHINGTON - The United States on Wednesday warned China against what the Philippines and Taiwan see as increasingly aggressive moves, reminding Beijing of Washington's obligations to its partners.
"An armed attack against the Philippines' armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea, will trigger our obligations under the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.
"We share the concerns of our Philippine allies regarding the continued reported massing of PRC maritime militia near the Whitsun Reef," Price said, referring to the People's Republic of China.
Tensions have also risen with Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of China, with the self-governing democracy on Wednesday reporting that 15 more of the mainland's planes crossed into the island's air defense zone.
Price voiced "concern" about the Chinese moves, saying: "The United States maintains the capacity to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security or the social or economic system of the people on Taiwan."
He was using language from the Taiwan Relations Act, under which the United States is obliged to provide the island with the means to defend itself against Beijing.
President Joe Biden has vowed a robust defense of allies and, in a rare point of continuity with his predecessor Donald Trump, has supported strong pushback against Chinese assertiveness.
NO PLAN OF PERMANENT PRESENCE? MOVE SHIPS OUT OF WEST PHILIPPINE SEA, LOCSIN TELLS CHINA
MANILA — The Philippines' top diplomat once again asked China to pull out its vessels in Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef after Beijing said it does not intend to maintain a permanent presence in the area.
China's foreign ministry maintained its position that the vessels spotted in the coral reef off the coast of Bataraza, Palawan were just fishing vessels and not maritime militia.
"Then tell them to move out. All of them. If they're really fishing the fish are all gone; they're just fouling the water with waste. Nobody fishes by lashing ships together," Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. tweeted Wednesday night.
On Wednesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs started filing daily diplomatic protests against the continued presence of Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea.
The DFA earlier said the Philippines will lodge a diplomatic protest "for every day of delay."
China, meanwhile, urged the Philippines to stop its allegations and insisted that Julian Felipe Reef, which they call Niu'e Jiao, is part of its Nansha (Spratly) Islands.
DUTERTE COVID-FREE IN LAST SWAB TEST AS DISEASE STRIKES PSG: ALLY
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte tested negative for COVID-19 in his last swab test, an ally said on Thursday, after at least 126 members of his security team caught the respiratory disease.
"Regular naman pong nagpapa-swab test si Pangulong Duterte at, so far naman po, sa awa ng Diyos, ay negatibo naman po kung pagbabasehan po 'yung last niya pong swab test," Duterte's former longtime aide Sen. Christopher Go said in a statement. "Wala po kayong dapat ikabahala pero we cannot take chances."
The President's last coronavirus test was during Holy Week, Go said in a text message.
Duterte "remains fit and healthy for his age," said his spokesman Harry Roque.
"We thank the Filipino people for voicing their concern and wishing the Chief Executive's strength and good health during this time of COVID-19 pandemic as he continues to discharge his functions as head of the government," he said in a statement.
‘HUNGRY, TIRED’: QC, MANILA RESIDENTS QUEUE UNTIL WEE HOURS FOR COVID-19 AID
MANILA — Hoping to get the government dole-out promised to those under lockdown, Maria Paz Aguirre skipped work to fall in line in her barangay in Quezon City.
Already struggling because of the pandemic, Aguirre found out Wednesday night that even claiming the cash assistance would be a trying experience, too.
"Alas-2 pa kami ng hapon kanina, hanggang ngayon wala kaming hapunan. Tubig sabi nila bibigyan daw kami . . . Anong oras na ngayon? Hindi kami pumasok sa trabaho para makuha namin yung pinangako ng Presidente natin," Aguirre told ABS-CBN News.
The distribution of the pandemic aid worth a maximum of P4,000 in some parts of Metro Manila took almost the entire day, beginning late Wednesday morning. In some cases, queues extended until past 2 a.m., Thursday.
The lines stretched for more than a block, and people waiting for them to move sat on the curb exhausted. With the volume of people, social distancing was not observed.
In Quezon City, hundreds of residents lined up at Old Balara Elementary School for hours only to be told to return Thursday.
"'Yung P3,000, P4,000 inaasahan namin kahit magkaano ang iabot sa'min. Pero ano nangyari sa'min? Nganga, gutom, nanghihina. Pipirmahan lang daw ang form namin, pinababalik kami. Sa tingin ba nila may lakas pa kaming bumalik sa ginawa nila samin?" another resident, Milagros Bajado, said.
DOCTORS INFECTED WITH COVID-19 MORE THAN QUADRUPLED IN MARCH — GOV’T DATA
MANILA — New COVID-19 infections among doctors more than quadrupled last month, according to Department of Health data analyzed by the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group (IRG).
From February 28 to March 27, 205 doctors became COVID-positive compared to just 49 from the previous period.
“New infections among nurses and nursing assistants meanwhile, more than doubled last month compared to the month prior,” the ABS-CBN IRG said in its report. From 156 COVID-positive nurses from January 31 to February 27, the number went up to 373 for the next 28 days.
In total, there are now 16,185 health workers who have been infected with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. Of those, 621 are active cases.
Deaths remained at 82 for the last month and a half although government data on COVID-19 deaths is usually delayed compared to new cases and recoveries.
Of the total cases, nurses still make up the biggest proportion with 5,812 cases as of April 3. They are followed by physicians with 2,629, and nursing assistants with 1,195.
On the other hand, doctors have the largest number of deaths at 40%.
COPS TOLD: DON'T ARREST CURFEW VIOLATORS; WARNING, FINES ENOUGH
MANILA - The Philippine National Police on Thursday reminded policemen not to arrest curfew violators but instead only warn or make them pay fines while Metro Manila and 4 surrounding provinces were under enhanced community quarantine.
"From our end, in so far as the implementation of ECQ is concerned, we are only requiring police officers, those who are conducting checkpoints, to just simply warn, and if there are ordinances that require these violators to pay fines then they will be fined. Maybe some seminars along the way," PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana told ANC.
He added, "But for them to be arrested, the chief PNP himself already instructed our police officers not to do so because that would be tantamount to being counterproductive to addressing the concerns of these violators."
He made the remark following the death of a man in General Trias, Cavite who was forced to do strenuous physical exercise as punishment for breaching the curfew.
The police chief of General Trias and 2 other policemen were relieved from their post over the incident.
ECQ IN 'NCR PLUS': 30,000 VIOLATORS REPORTED SO FAR
MANILA - Some 30,000 people have so far violated the enhanced community quarantine imposed in Metro Manila and 4 surrounding provinces, the Philippine National Police said Thursday.
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana said violations include people not wearing face mask and face shield, failure to observe social distancing, and mass gathering.
Others were also caught drinking in public and engaged in illegal cockfighting, he added.
"In general, what we have to ensure is that the people are compliant with the minimum health and safety protocols, social distancing included. That’s the reason out of our efforts, there are about 30,000 violators have already been caught," Usana said.
He reminded policemen that violators should not be arrested but instead given warning or made to pay fines required by local government units.
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PHILIPPINES ALLOWS USE OF SINOVAC’S COVID-19 VACCINE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS
MANILA — Philippine health authorities on Wednesday allowed the use of Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine for some senior citizens after initially limiting coverage to people aged 18-59 years, as the country battles one of Asia’s worst coronavirus outbreaks.
The Department of Health and the Food and Drug Administration said they made the decision after receiving the recommendation of the Department of Science and Technology’s vaccine expert panel.
Senior citizens can now receive CoronaVac shots provided there is stringent evaluation of the person’s health status and exposure risk, they said in a statement.
A total of 922,898 doses of Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines have been administered so far to healthcare workers, senior citizens, and people with comorbidities, or just a third of the total local stocks, health ministry data showed.
DOH REMINDER: CYCLISTS, OTHERS ACTIVE TRANSPORT USERS NOT REQUIRED TO WEAR FACE SHIELDS
MANILA — Cyclists and other active transport users are not required to use face shields because of potential safety risks, the Department of Health stressed Thursday.
The department issued the reminder following reports of people being arrested for biking without face shields.
“With increasing reports of cyclists and other active transport users being arrested for not wearing face shields, the Department of Health reiterates that active transport users are NOT required to use face shields due to its potential safety risks when used during active transport,” the DOH said in a statement.
DOH Department Memorandum 2020-0534 states that “individuals engaged in strenuous activities/work, fine workmanship, operation of transportation vehicles, and active transport” are exempted from wearing face shields.
A joint memorandum circular from various government agencies, including the DOH and the Department of Transportation, also states that “due to the possible vision impairment face shields bring,” cyclists and users of other forms of active transport are exempted from the mandatory use of face shields outside of their residences.
The DOH, however, said that face shields must be worn before and after cycling or other similar activities.
PNP ON ALERT VS ‘COVID-19 SMUGGLING’
MANILA — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to intensify boundary checkpoints following the reported smuggling of people untested for COVID-19 in and out of the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble in trucks and colorum vehicles.
DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya yesterday said they received reports that authorized persons outside of residence were sneaking passengers through the borders for a fee, with transactions done online.
Malaya said they also asked the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Land Transportation Office (LTO) to crack down on the illegal transport service.
“We coordinated with the DOTr. LTO has an anti-colorum drive. Our police have been given directives by DILG officer-in-charge Bernardo Florece to intensify checkpoint operations,” he told reporters.
Malaya said those who take part in the illegal transport service, including passengers, would be held liable for violating health protocols.
“Yes of course the most liable are the transporters: driver, crew and mastermind of this COVID human smuggling,” he said.
PNP SUSPENDS FACE-TO-FACE MEDIA INTERVIEWS
MANILA — The Philippine National Police has suspended face-to-face media interviews and press conferences as the number of PNP personnel contracting COVID-19 keeps increasing.
PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas imposed the directive on Tuesday to protect police officers and journalists covering the police beat.
The directive was initially in effect at Camp Crame in Quezon City following a surge in COVID-19 cases but is now being implemented nationwide, based on Sinas’ latest order. Journalists can still conduct interviews through phone and virtual platforms.
Sinas, who recently recovered from COVID-19, earlier suspended all command activities such as the four-minute workout for its personnel.
The PNP said 208 more of its personnel have contracted COVID-19 based on its latest report, bringing the number of active cases in the police force to 2,544 yesterday.
MAKATI HITS BARANGAY’S ‘ILLEGAL’ VACCINATION APP
MANILA — The Makati City government on Tuesday called out officials of Barangay Dasmariñas for setting up what it described an an “illegal” registration and scheduling app for residents willing to receive COVID-19 vaccines.
Barangay Dasmariñas’ online app was neither authorized nor linked to the city’s vaccination program “Bakuna Makati,” the city government said in a statement.
The action violated the rules set by the national and local governments on COVID-19 vaccination and has “sown confusion and frustration among residents of Barangay Dasmariñas,” the city government added.
The barangay’s move “put the lives of senior citizens in serious danger” as some of them gathered at the Colegio San Agustin, where the supposed COVID-19 vaccination program would take place, only to be sent home shortly, according to the city government.
The victims reportedly received messages confirming their schedule from the barangay’s vaccination registration portal and were told the inoculation would be done on a first-come, first-served basis.
“We shall not tolerate these illegal and irresponsible actions of certain barangay officials… We shall pursue all legal courses of action against violators, whoever they are,” the city government warned.
It added residents interested in receiving COVID-19 vaccines should register at websites www.proudmakatizen.com and www.covid19vaccine.safemakati.com.
A staff of Barangay Dasmariñas told The STAR yesterday no official would comment, claiming they were all working from home due to the weeklong disinfection of the barangay hall.
The barangay council has been “informed” about the matter, the staff added.
NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL BARRED IN BAGUIO, 5 BENGUET TOWNS
MANILA — Non-essential travel among residents of Baguio and La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay towns in Benguet has been barred for two weeks starting today to minimize the risk of transmission of COVID-19.
“Health experts have agreed that mobility plays a huge part in community transmission... We have agreed that there is an urgent necessity to implement methods to minimize non-essential travel between and within our respective areas for a limited period of time so that we can help each other bring our collective cases down and avoid a possible escalation of quarantine classifications similar to what happened in the NCR (National Capital Region) plus,” a joint resolution approved by the mayors of the six local government units on Monday read.
The local chief executives cited the more than 3,000 active COVID-19 cases in the Cordilleras, adding that hospitals in Benguet are near full capacity.
ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
DEREK RAMSAY PLEADS NOT TO COMPARE HIM, ELLEN ADARNA TO THEIR EXES
MANILA — Kapuso actor Derek Ramsay revealed that he doesn’t want to be compared to Ellen Adarna’s ex-boyfriend John Lloyd Cruz or her other ex-lovers.
In an Instagram Live interview with G3 San Diego last night, Ellen was asked, "What were you sure about with Derek that you weren't sure about with John Lloyd?"
"Okay, first is the connection. It's the communication. And he [Derek] met me at the right time. He met me during the pandemic. I fixed myself, I worked on myself, I did a lot of inner work, so at that time [that we met], I knew what I wanted na. I knew what was good for me, I knew what was bad for me. And when I made better choices for myself, that's when things just started to come in and everything just made sense," Ellen answered.
Derek, meanwhile, intervened, clarifying that neither Ellen nor he are saying that they are better than John Lloyd.
“Ellen is not saying and I’m not saying I’m better than JL or better than her exes. It’s not that. Or Ellen is better than any of my exes. We met at the right time. We were meant to be and that’s how it works,” Derek said.
Ellen echoed Derek’s statement, saying her relationship with Derek now will not work if they met five years ago.
“If I met him five years ago, I told him, ‘No, I’d be the same crazy girl with issues, who’d hold it in and not express it properly',” she said.
When asked what attracted him to Ellen, Derek said: "Everything. She’s an amazing mother."
SPORTS
NBA SCORES APRIL 6
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Bulls 21-28 30 32 35 16 113
Pacers 22-27 28 21 25 23 97
SCORING LEADERS
N. Vucevic CHI
32 PTS, 17 REB, 5 AST
C. LeVert IND
20 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Lakers 32-19 40 28 22 20 110
Raptors 20-31 28 14 28 31 101
SCORING LEADERS
T. Horton-Tucker LAL
17 PTS, 4 REB, 6 AST
P. Siakam TOR
27 PTS, 7 REB, 2 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Pelicans 22-28 29 32 29 17 107
Hawks 27-24 25 36 46 16 123
SCORING LEADERS
Z. Williamson NO
34 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST
T. Young ATL
30 PTS, 1 REB, 12 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
76ers 35-16 25 34 26 21 106
Celtics 25-26 24 22 24 26 96
SCORING LEADERS
J. Embiid PHI
35 PTS, 6 REB, 1 AST
J. Tatum BOS
20 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Grizzlies 25-23 37 26 33 28 124
Heat 26-25 34 23 32 23 112
SCORING LEADERS
D. Brooks MEM
28 PTS, 1 REB, 2 AST
J. Butler MIA
28 PTS, 3 REB, 5 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Pistons 15-36 32 24 30 33 119
Nuggets 32-18 39 37 33 25 134
SCORING LEADERS
J. Grant DET
29 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST
N. Jokic DEN
27 PTS, 8 REB, 11 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Bucks 32-18 26 24 38 33 121
Warriors 24-27 28 25 30 39 122
SCORING LEADERS
J. Holiday MIL
29 PTS, 3 REB, 5 AST
S. Curry GS
41 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Trail Blazers 30-20 32 34 23 27 116
Clippers 34-18 47 26 28 32 133
SCORING LEADERS
N. Powell POR
32 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST
P. George LAC
36 PTS, 3 REB, 5 AST
INDICATORS
FOREX $1 = P 48.58
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Champions know there are no shortcuts to the top. They climb the mountain one step at a time. - Judi Adler
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