PALACE CONFIRMS P18.4 BILLION BAYANIHAN 2 FUNDS UNOBLIGATED

MANILA — Malacañang yesterday confirmed that more than P18 billion under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 remains unobligated but it is unsure whether President Duterte would call for a special session to extend the fund’s validity.

Bayanihan 2, an extension of the law that funded the government’s pandemic response, will expire on June 30. Congress has to pass a new law to extend the validity of the appropriations under the measure.

House ways and means committee chair Joey Salceda is calling for special sessions to extend the law, saying the contact tracing and health response capacities of provinces would be reduced drastically if the funds expire.

In an aide memoire addressed to Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Salceda said over P18.4 billion in unobligated funds are set to expire, including allocations for contact tracing and laboratory tests.

“I confirm that based on the data of DBM (Department of Budget and Management), the amount obligated for Bayanihan 2 is P123.2 billion or 87.01 percent. So there is a balance of P18.4 billion or 13 percent,” Roque said at a press briefing.

DUTERTE GIVES FRESH ARREST ORDER FOR THOSE WHO REFUSE COVID-19 VACCINES

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte gave fresh arrest orders for law enforcement agents, this time to put behind jail those who refuse to be vaccinated.

In his public address Monday night, Duterte noted that the country is currently in a public health crisis and national emergency. “Kung ayaw mo magpabakuna, ipaaresto kita. At ang bakuna ay galing—itusok ko sa puwet mo. (If you don’t want to be vaccinated, I will have you arrested. The vaccine is from—I will have you injected on your butt),” he said.

The president has not provided the legal basis for his latest arrest order. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has yet to reply on what law could possibly be violated for refusal to be inoculated.

Duterte, however, noted that he will think about his latest arrest order very hard legally. “But if you don’t want to, I will have you arrested. That is in pursuance of a policy of our crisis of this health issue,” Duterte added.

He also said to those who refuse to get vaccinated that they should just leave the Philippines. “Go to India if you want or somewhere, to America. But for as long as you are here and you are a human being, and can carry the virus, get vaccinated,” the president said partly in Filipino.

Duterte continued that if people will refuse to receive COVID-19 jabs, he will direct barangay captains to record a tally of them and even threatened that they will have them inoculated with Ivermectin, the anti-parasitic drug for animals that some are claiming can prevent COVID-19.

“Choose: Get vaccinated or I will have you jailed? I am telling you, police detention cells are not clean, police are lazy to clean. Everything is there—every filth is there. You will stay there,” he added.

The government’s national vaccination program faced supply problems and hesitancy from the public.

Of the 8,407,342 doses administered as of June 20, the Department of Health and National Task Force Against COVID-19 said 6,253,400 were given as first doses while 2,153,942 were second doses. Recipients of the latter are considered fully vaccinated.

The latest total inoculation figure was higher by more than 356,000 from Friday's 8,050,711 reported on Sunday.

DUTERTE LASHES OUT AT ICC, SAYS HE WILL ONLY FACE PHILIPPINE COURT

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte once again hurled tirades at the International Criminal Court, reiterating his administration will not cooperate with a possible investigation into the country’s deadly drug war.

In a televised public address Monday, Duterte called the ICC, which was set up in 2002 to probe the world’s worst crimes, “bullshit.”

“Why would I defend or face an accusation before white people? You must be crazy. They are colonizers before and they have not atoned for their sins against the countries that they invaded, including the Philippines,” Duterte said in a mix of English and Filipino.

The ICC is composed of 18 judges, with several judges coming from African, Asian and South American countries

The chief executive also said he wanted to “slap” judges at the ICC a week after its former chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda asked the tribunal to authorize an investigation into drug war killings between 2016 and 2019.

Duterte said he will only face a Philippine court with a Filipino judge.

“I will readily face a court being accused in a Philippine court before a Filipino judge,” he said.

The ICC is a “court of last resort” and steps in and exercises jurisdiction only if member states are unwilling or unable to prosecute offenders.

MORE THAN 100 ADDITIONAL SHIPS DETECTED IN WEST PHILIPPINE SEA — REPORT

MANILA — A large increase in ships within country's exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea has been detected this month, according to a report by a US-based geospatial imagery and data analysis company.

In its 14-page report released on June 20, US-based Simularity noted that the number of ships — likely Chinese — in the Philippine EEZ jumped from 129 to 238, an increase of 109 ships.

"Between mid-May and mid-June 2021, the number of ships within the Union Banks increased from 9 to 236 and the number of ships near Gaven (Burgos) Reef in Tizard Bank decreased from 234 to 71," the report read.

In May, Simularity reported that approximately 120 Chinese ships are within the Philippine side of the Tizard Bank, also within the country's EEZ.

Satellite images from June 17 showed that 71 ships remain in the Tizard bank.

At least 11 ships were also located in the vicinity of Pag-asa (Thitu) Island, which is under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan.

The Philippines has been conducting rehabilitation and repairs on Pag-asa Island, one of the largest features in the Spratlys. The presence of Chinese militia ships near the island, however, slowed down the construction projects on the island.

UN RIGHTS CHIEF: DRUG WAR REVIEW SHOULD LEAD TO MEANINGFUL RESULTS

MANILA — The United Nations human rights chief said the Philippine government’s internal review of the deadly “drug war” police operations should result in “meaningful results” as accountability for violations remains a major concern in the country.

“I note steps taken by the government in its internal review of alleged police killings,” Michelle Bachelet said during the opening of the UN Human Rights Council’s 47th session Monday.

“It is important that re-investigation of cases produces meaningful results, as accountability for human rights violations remains a long-standing concern in the Philippines. I again emphasize the importance of protecting and ensuring the full participation of civil society and the independent national human rights institution,” she added.

Bachelet’s office, in a 2020 report, said the government’s “heavy-handed” focus on combating illegal drugs and security threats—coupled with verbal encouragement from top officials—resulted in serious human rights violations.

The human rights office also said there has been “near impunity” for “drug war” killings with only one conviction—for the murder of 17-year-old student Kian delos Santos in 2017.

Bachelet also said her office is “close to finalizing” the UN joint program on human rights with the government.

The joint program was extended through a resolution issued by the UNHRC to address the findings of Bachelet’s office.

In a statement last week, the Commission on Human Rights said that more than compliance, “actions toward greater accountability for human rights violations” should be seen in pursuit of the welfare of the victims.

ALL VACCINES EFFECTIVE VS DELTA VARIANT DESPITE VARYING EFFICACY RATES, SAYS FDA CHIEF

MANILA—Food and Drug Administration (FDA) director-general Eric Domingo on Monday urged the public to get inoculated, regardless of vaccine brand, to protect themselves from the highly contagious Delta COVID-19 variant.

Domingo in a taped public briefing said that all COVID-19 shots can immunize Filipinos against the Delta strain, even if efficacy levels vary among vaccine brands.

He noted that the Pfizer jab, which has a 93% efficacy rate against the Alpha variant first detected in the UK, but logged an 88% rate against the Delta strain which was first emerged in India.

AstraZeneca had a 66% efficacy rate against the Alpha variant, and 60% for the Delta mutation, Domingo added.

"There's a decreasing efficacy as we get more mutations but hindi naman po nawawala ang bisa ng bakuna. It's still a useful vaccine," Domingo said.

Other drugmakers such as Moderna, Sinovac, Sinopharm and J&J are still conducting efficacy trials against the Delta variant.

A TROLL PRESIDENT IN 2022? TROLL FARMS A THREAT TO PH ELECTIONS, SAYS LAWMAKER

MANILA - If troll farms have their way, the next Philippine president could be elected through the amplification of misinformation, fake news and outright lies on social media, a lawmaker warned Tuesday.

Lawmakers from Bayan Muna party-list are seeking an investigation into allegations that a certain ranking government official is establishing internet troll farms all over the country for next year's elections.

Rep. Carlos Zarate said they filed House Resolution 1900 following Sen. Panfilo Lacson's revelation that a government undersecretary had been using public funds to put up at least 2 troll farms in every province.

"This is really a threat not only to our election but to the very core of our existence of our country and to our democracy," he told ANC's "Rundown".

Zarate said troll farms could amplify misinformation and sway people's vote in the 2022 polls, which seeks to elect President Rodrigo Duterte's successor. He noted that troll farms have been used to red-tag community party organizers as well as attack the International Criminal Court.

"Can you imagine a president elected by trolls? So we will have a troll president for that matter," he said.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque earlier denied that the Duterte administration is bankrolling the creation of troll farms, saying the government official could be doing it in a personal capacity.

"Kung ginagawa po iyan ng taong gobyerno, siguro ginagawa nila iyan in their personal capacities," he said in a press briefing.

DUTERTE REJECTS LIMITED FACE-TO-FACE CLASSES ANEW DUE TO DELTA COVID-19 VARIANT

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte again thumbed down the Department of Education's proposal to hold pilot face-to-face classes, citing the presence of the more contagious COVID-19 Delta variant and the need to vaccinate a majority of the population.

The president in December last year suspended the approval of the same proposal due to the presence of a COVID-19 variant first seen in the United Kingdom, now referred to as the Alpha variant.

"Dito sa face-to-face [classes], I think I am not inclined to agree with you. I'm sorry but mahirap (it's hard)...I cannot gamble on the health of the children," Duterte told Education Secretary Leonor Briones during a pandemic task force meeting aired Monday night.

"[W]e might differ in our opinions about the matter but for as long as there is really no vaccination [for] all," he added.

Briones shortly after withdrew her department's request for face-to-face classes, telling Duterte that she fully accepted his decision.

PNP URGES COPS, PUBLIC: FOLLOW DUTERTE ORDER ON FACE SHIELDS

MANILA — After Duterte first issued the new order, Philippine National Police leadership said it would be enforcing the wearing of face shields among the public and within its ranks.

In a statement, Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said that he reminded police personnel to exercise maximum tolerance and to refrain from imposing sanctions on those who fail to wear face shields.

Aside from face masks, he said face shields should also be distributed to those who have none.

This comes after President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night said that wearing face shields — which has no scientific basis to date — is now required both indoors and outdoors in response to the detection of Delta variant cases of the coronavirus.

"We're asking the public to respect and follow the directive of our president on face shields. This is for our safety," Eleazar said in Filipino.

"According to experts, this new variant is no joke and we really need to be doubly careful," he added.

Duterte's new decision came just hours after he first said that the plastic face guards were no longer required.

"My only instruction to our policemen is to follow this policy because what will be our credibility in the arrest if we ourselves do not follow it?" Eleazar said.

THE REST

========

PALACE, DOH DISAGREE ON SCRAPPING OF COVID-19 QUARANTINE CLASSIFICATIONS

MANILA — Malacañang and the Department of Health (DOH) appear to be out of sync on the issue of quarantine qualifications.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made it clear at a press briefing yesterday that quarantine qualifications won’t be lifted, while the Department of Health (DOH) said it is studying the possibility of giving local government units (LGUs) a free hand in setting community quarantine status.

Roque’s position was contrary to an announcement recently by Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing that the government may do away with its periodic community quarantine classification and just let LGUs undertake “independent implementation” of pandemic response measures based on a standard policy, once the classifications cease.

“I do not have that information as the official spokesman of the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) and spokesman of the President on all matters related to COVID-19,” Roque said when asked to react to Densing’s statement.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the national government may scrap quarantine classifications only after the country achieves herd immunity from COVID-19.

“It’s not yet being discussed by the IATF. We have no such policy yet,” Año said in Filipino in an interview over Teleradyo.

ELEAZAR ORDERS COPS: FOLLOW GUIDELINES IN DRUG OPS

MANILA — Philippine National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar yesterday ordered police officers to strictly adhere to the unified guidelines of the PNP and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in anti-narcotics operations.

“I am directing police commanders to make sure that their personnel are well-briefed on these guidelines, once issued,” Eleazar said in a statement.

PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva on Sunday said the operational guidelines, which he and Eleazar will sign, would be finished before the end of the month.

JUNE 24 A SPECIAL HOLIDAY IN MANILA

MANILA — Malacañang has declared June 24 a special non-working holiday in Manila.

The declaration is contained in Proclamation No. 1167 signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea yesterday.

The city will celebrate its 450th founding anniversary this Thursday.

“It is but fitting and proper that the people of the city of Manila be given opportunity to celebrate the occasion with appropriate ceremonies, subject to community quarantine, social distancing and other public health measures,” the proclamation read.

Manila was founded on June 24, 1571 by Spanish governor Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

MGA WALANG SUOT NA FACE SHIELD SINITA SA PASAY

MAYNILA - Tinutukan ng mga enforcer ng Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (i-ACT) ang paglabag sa pagsusuot ng face shield sa kanilang operasyon sa ilang pangunahing kalsada sa Pasay City, Martes ng umaga.

Sa Gil Puyat corner Taft Avenue, sinita ang mga jeep na nakitang hindi naka-face shield ang driver at mga pasahero.

Namigay na rin ng face shield ang mga enforcer at nagpaalala na suotin ito lagi sa publiko.

Inisyuhan naman ng ticket dahil sa obstruction ang mga jeep na nahuling tumatambay o nagsasakay sa "no loading and unloading area” sa Gil Puyat pati na rin sa Roxas Boulevard corner EDSA.

U-TURN SLOT BINUKSAN PARA PALUWAGIN ANG TRAPIKO PATUNGONG BALINTAWAK

Binuksan na ang Dario Bridge u-turn slot nitong Martes upang mapaluwag ang daloy ng trapiko sa EDSA patungong Balintawak.

Ang sanhi ng mabigat na daloy ng trapiko ay ang ginagawang MRT common station, ayon kay MMDA chairman Benhur Abalos.

Paluluwagin ang kalsada sa Balintawak at gagawing 5 lane mula 3 lane, dagdag niya.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

Tip from Gretchen Barretto: Don't live for approval of people

MANILA -- Dealing with criticism? Here's a tip from Gretchen Barretto.

Speaking with beauty doctor to the stars Aivee Teo, the actress said she has reached the point in her life where she is no longer bothered with what people are saying about her.

She pointed out that one does not live "for the approval of people," including "bashers."

"They (bashers) used to bother me when I was so much younger... because I lived in a world where I felt that all they thought of me or their opinion would matter, or that's all it mattered. But not anymore," she said.

"I'm 51. I mean, really? How can all your opinion just matter?" she added. "Parang I learned to live like, 'Okay, I know everything I do is going to matter to them.'"

Barretto said she learned how to handle criticism from her long-time partner, businessman Tonyboy Cojuangco.

She recalled one of her conversations with Cojuangco, back when she was overly affected by her mother's remarks.

"It was a long time ago, when my mom had like opinions of me... and I was really, terribly distraught," she said.

The actress went on: "He (Cojuangco) said... 'I'll ask you one question.' Because I was really getting depressed. He goes, 'Will it matter? Will your life change?' He's really good at that. And then I said, 'No, not really.'"

"And then he said to me, 'Then why are you bothered?' Then it opened my life. I learned na, oo nga ano. I mean, do they have control over my life, my lifestyle, or anything else?" she stressed.

"Whatever the situation is, I learned [that] whatever you accept is what it will be."

Barretto and the rest of her showbiz clan have become involved in many controversies over the years.

While she is no longer as active on the big and small screens, the public still gets to see a glimpse of her daily life through Instagram, where she has 1.6 million followers.

SPORTS

NBA SCORES JUNE 20

NOTE: NEXT GAME WILL RESUME ON JUNE 22

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

4 Clippers0-1    21        33        39        21        114

2 Suns1-0         21        36        36        27        120

GAME 1: PHO LEADS 1-0, PHOENIX SUNS ARENA, PHOENIX, AZ

SCORING LEADERS

P. George LAC

34 PTS 4 REB 5 AST

D. Booker PHO

40 PTS 13 REB 11 AST

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

5 Hawks4-3       25        23        28        27        103

1 76ers3-4        28        18        25        25        96

GAME 7: ATL LEADS 4-3, WELLS FARGO CENTER, PHILADELPHIA, PA

SCORING LEADERS

K. Huerter ATL

27 PTS 7 REB 3 AST

J. Embiid PHI

31 PTS 11 REB 3 AST

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 48.69

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Thankfully, perseverance is a great substitute for talent. - Steve Martin