DUTERTE TO JOIN UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

MANILA — President Duterte will join the high-level general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to be held this week and is expected to push for universal access to COVID-19 vaccines and the welfare of migrant workers.

The event, whose theme is “Building resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people, and revitalize the United Nations,” will take place from Sept. 21 to 27.

Duterte will speak on the first day of the event (within 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. of Sept. 22, Philippine time), according to a statement issued by Malacañang yesterday.

“President Duterte will advance Philippine positions on global issues of key concern such as universal access to COVID-19 vaccines, climate change, human rights, including the situation of migrant workers and refugees, and international and regional security developments,” the statement read.

The debate will be presided over by Abdulla Shahid of Maldives, incoming president of the 76th UNGA. It will follow a hybrid format of in-person and virtual attendance of delegates because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UNGA is the main deliberating organ of the UN where all 193 member states are represented.

ROBREDO ON UNIFICATION OF CANDIDATES IN 2022 POLLS: 'KUNG AKO ANG NAPILI, HANDA AKO'

MANILA - Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday said she is “ready” to file her certificate of candidacy for president if chosen as the bet of a united opposition in the 2022 national elections.

“Assurance ko sa lahat, walang duda na 'pag ako ang unity candidate, handang-handa ako,” she said in her weekly radio program.

Robredo said that given her mandate as vice president, she has been preparing to lead the nation in case she needed to replace the President.

“Matagal na nating pinaghandaan yan, kasi alam naman natin — ang number one mandate ng pangalawang pangulo, magsu-succeed 'pag may nangyari sa pangulo,” she said.

“So day one ng aking pagka-vice president, obligasyon ko na pinaghahandaan ko yung eventuality na yun. Hindi sa hinihingi natin. 'Pag may nangyari, yun ang aking responsibility as Vice President.”

Robredo on Friday said she was ready to face former senator Bongbong Marcos whom she beat in the 2016 vice presidential race.

ICC PROCEEDINGS CAN MOVE UP TO FILING OF RAPS WITHOUT ACCUSED: RETIRED JUDGE

MANILA - The International Criminal Court's proceedings can move up to the filing and confirmation of charges without presence of the accused, one of its recently retired judges said Monday.

Malacañang has several times said President Rodrigo Duterte would not participate in the ICC investigation into his anti-narcotics campaign.

Former ICC judge Raul Cano Pangalangan said the ICC could bring witnesses to the Hague and conduct virtual testimonies.

"In the end, we still arrive at the same conclusion. Although the language is different for the two things--duty to cooperate and power to adjudicate--in the end both obligations will survive the withdrawal," he told ANC's Headstart.

"This is quite an early stage of the proceedings and the case can move forward up to filing and confirmation of charges without the presence of the accused, if the accused refuses to take part."

The proceedings will stop if the accused "never gets into the custody of the court," he added.

Following the ICC Pre-Trial chamber's greenlight for the ICC Prosecutor's request to proceed with its investigation, evidence against individuals will be collected, according to Pangalangan.

"Assuming they now proceed with the investigation, this is the only time they will focus on individuals. Up to this stage the focus was on what we call the Philippine situation. Now that there's an investigation, the end product, assuming there is enough evidence, will be of course charges against individuals," he said.

The ICC Prosecutor's investigation will cover killings under the drug war since Duterte assumed office in July 2016 until the Philippines' withdrawal from the Rome Statute on March 16, 2019.

It would also look into the killings in Davao City from November 1, 2011 to June 30, 2016, when Duterte served as mayor and vice mayor.

PHILIPPINES GETS 3 MILLION MORE SINOVAC, 2 MILLION PFIZER DOSES

MANILA — The Philippines on Sunday night received more than five million COVID-19 vaccine doses, a combination of procured Sinovac and donated Pfizer jabs from the COVAX Facility.

A Philippine Airlines plane delivered the three million Sinovac doses sometime at 6 p.m. while an Emirates plane carrying the 2,020,590 Pfizer doses arrived late-evening of September 19.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said the additional Sinovac would be distributed to Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Central Visayas and Davao region.

This latest shipment brought the country's Sinovac doses to 36 million, making it still the largest number of vaccine supply in the country.

Some 34.1 million of that figure was procured by the national government, 500,000 by the private sector and 400,000 by local governments. The 1 million remaining were donations from Beijing.

Galvez said the Pfizer doses, meanwhile, would go to the same areas but along with Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Ilocos Region and Cagayan Valley.

DOH SAYS CANNOT CLAIM YET PH HAS REACHED PEAK OF COVID CASES

MANILA - The Department of Health on Monday contradicted the statement of a research group, saying it cannot yet claim that the Philippines has reached the peak of its COVID-19 cases.

OCTA Research Group made the statement on Sunday as it noted a weekly negative growth rate for the first time since May.

"Right now, we cannot. Based from our analysis, we are still seeing the continuous increase in the number of cases. Although we can see that the number in the increase of cases has slowed down, but still it is continuously increasing," DOH Usec. Maria Rosario Vergeire told ANC's Headstart when asked about OCTA's findings.

"When you say it is a peak, there is this highest number cases reported then there’s a decline in the number of cases reported. But right now, we cannot see that yet in our numbers," she said.

Vergeire said the DOH's group of experts projected that the country may reach its peak in October, but she believes the Philippines won't have to reach this if its COVID-19 response improves.

PACQUIAO PRESIDENTIAL BID UNDER PDP 'ILLEGAL': RIVAL FACTION

MANILA—The presidential bid of Sen. Manny Pacquiao under the ruling party PDP-Laban is illegal, a rival faction said Monday.

Lawyer Melvin Matibag, secretary-general of the PDP-Laban Cusi faction, said the assembly held in Sept. 8 where Sen. Bong Go and President Rodrigo Duterte were announced as the party's presidential and vice presidential bets was the "legitimate" one.

"Ngayon po, 'yung naging pulong na 'to illegal po 'to (This assembly is illegal). They can be declared to be a candidate but not as a PDP-Laban candidate," he told Teleradyo.

On Sunday, Pacquiao announced his presidential candidacy during his PDP-Laban faction's national assembly in Quezon City against the backdrop of an ongoing squabble within the ruling party.

The PDP-Laban split into 2 factions earlier this year after Pacquiao blocked his party mates' efforts to push Duterte to run for vice president next year.

Pacquiao's group is backed by Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III - son of PDP-Laban founder and former Sen. Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr, while Duterte supports the wing led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

Pacquiao was nominated by at least 20 PDP-Laban members with each region in the country fielding a representative to express support for the boxing icon's presidential bid.

He is the second incumbent senator who will seek the Philippines' highest elected post in 2022.

Earlier this month, Sen. Panfilo Lacson launched his campaign for the presidency with Senate President Vicente Sotto III running as his vice president.

ROQUE ON UP OPPOSITION: 'THEY DON’T WISH ANYONE ELSE TO SUCCEED'

MANILA – Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday accused his alma mater of not wanting him to succeed after the University of the Philippines Diliman Executive Committee opposed his nomination to the the International Law Commission.

Roque said he was no longer surprised by UP's opposition to his nomination to the international legal body.

“Because I know them. I know their nature. They don’t wish anyone else to succeed. So I just let them be,” he said in an ANC interview.

The UP Diliman Executive Committee last week said Roque "has a very poor track record of promoting, defending, and fulfilling human rights and the rule of law, especially during the administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte."

"Therefore, his inclusion in the Commission would not serve its purposes but instead diminish the reputation of the body," they said.

Roque, however, noted that the mandate of the executive committee of both Diliman and UPIS has nothing to do "with the nature of what they attempted to achieve."

“Degrees are granted by the Board of Regents and if it is therefore an issue of whether or not you comply academic requirements, then it is the Board of Regents,” he explained.

“The Executive Committee has to do with management, has nothing to do with assessing individual capacity to any post so I just, you know, let them be,” he said.

STAMPS HONORING OLYMPIC, COVID-19 HEROES LAUNCHED

MANILA — The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) officially launched yesterday the stamps honoring the country’s first ever Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz and her fellow medalists in the Tokyo Olympics, as well as the “Keep the Faith, Be A Hero” stamps, which aim to encourage the public to get vaccinated.

PHLPost general manager and CEO Norman Fulgencio said that they came up with the official stamps of Diaz,

silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and bronze medalist Eumir Marcial as they brought pride to the Philippines in their successful stint at the Tokyo Olympics.

“Every stamp and piece of mail tells a story; the images in stamps offer a fresh and engaging story of Philippine history, culture and identity. We never fail to capture the interpretation of Filipino experience and historic moments in portraying incredible individuals, events and geography,” Fulgencio said.

He thanked the athletes for inspiring Filipinos to rise and unite in the fight against COVID-19.

“Truly, sports have the power to change the world and inspire people to unite in facing adversity and uncertainty,” he added.

He also emphasized that the stamps bearing the images of the winning moments of Diaz, Petecio, Paalam and Marcial will remind every Filipino of the importance of proper recognition for their efforts in keeping the Philippine flag flying high and shining in the world of sports.

THE REST

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PH CONFIRMS OVER 19K FRESH CASES OF COVID-19, 205 NEW DEATHS

MANILA - The Philippines confirmed 19,271 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the country’s total to 2,366,749 as the more transmissible Delta variant continued to spread.

The Department of Health also reported 25,037 new recoveries, pushing the total number of Filipinos who recovered from the disease to 2,151,765.

This means that the country has a total of 178,196 active cases as of 4 p.m. Sunday.

Two hundred five new deaths were also reported, bringing the country’s death toll from the disease to 36,788.

An independent research group said the Philippines might have reached the peak of its latest COVID-19 surge as it recorded a weekly negative growth rate for the first time since May.

JBC OPENS APPLICATION FOR SEAT OF JUSTICE CARANDANG WHO WILL RETIRE IN JANUARY 2022

MANILA — The Judicial and Bar Council has opened the application and recommendation period for the post to be vacated by Supreme Court Associate Justice Rosmari Carandang, who will retire early next year.

Carandang, appointed to the SC in November 2018, is set to step down on Jan. 9, 2022, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.

The JBC also opened applications for five seats at the Court of Appeals and 73 judgeship posts in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao and SOCCSKSARGEN regions in Mindanao.

At the appellate court, five seats are opened following compulsorily retirement of three justices from the period of March 2021 to November 2021, and another for the passing of one magistrate.

Another vacancy at the CA was created when Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez was appointed to the SC on Jan. 25, 2021.

Interested applicants for the posts are told to access the Online Application Scheduler on the JBC website not later than November 2 and to fill our required information.

‘VAPES NOT SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO CIGARETTES’

MANILA — Health advocates have reiterated that vapes are not a safe alernative to smoking cigarettes.

According to Philippine College of Physicians president Maricar Limpin, those who want to quit smoking should not shift to vapes, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

“There is no truth that these electronic smoking devices are safe. These are also harmful to people’s health,” Limpin said in a phone interview.

A survey commissioned by Vapers PH showed that nine in 10 Filipino smokers wanted a law that would encourage them to switch to less harmful alternatives to cigarettes.

Health Justice Philippines maintained that “vaping is harmful and is not the best option, and would never be, for people who are trying to quit smoking.”

The group opposed Senate Bill 2239, which seeks to regulate the importation, manufacture, sale, packaging, distribution and use of vapor products and heated tobacco products.

The proposed measure will encourage people, especially the youth, to try vaping, Health Justice said.

The group added that the bill would also allow the online sale of vapes.

LPA TO DUMP RAINS OVER PHILIPPINES

MANILA — A low-pressure area spotted off Romblon will dump rains over most parts of the country today, the state weather bureau said.

In its weather advisory issued at 11 a.m. yesterday, the Philippinee Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the weather system will bring moderate to heavy rains over the Bicol region, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Marinduque and Romblon in the next 24 hours.

“Flash flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps. The public and disaster risk management offices concerned are advised to take appropriate measures,” PAGASA said.

As of 3 p.m. the low-pressure area was estimated at 45 kilometers north of Romblon, Romblon. PAGASA said it is “embedded” in the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) which is currently persisting over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

PAGASA said the interaction of the two weather systems will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol region, Western Visayas and the provinces of La Union, Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet and Ifugao.

The rest of the country, meanwhile, will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the ITCZ and localized thunderstorms.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

MARK HERRAS, NICOLE DONESA TIE THE KNOT

MANILA – Mark Herras and his fiancée Nicole Donesa are now married, the actor announced the news on his Instagram page on Sunday.

In their most recent vlog, the couple revealed that they had a civil wedding ceremony last Sept. 8, officiated by Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.

“Sobrang last minute yung pag-aayos ng lahat. Walang kahirap-hirap yung nangyari. Talagang gusto ni Mama Mary na ikasal tayo,” Donesa said.

Sept. 8 is Mama Mary's birthday.

“Kaya kami nagpa-civil wedding na with Mayor Belmonte and our ninong and ninangs, we wanted to be legal na. Dahil sa pandemic ngayon, hindi pa kasi talaga makapag-wedding na gusto namin na carefully planned out, na present yung mga kamag-anak and close friends,” she added.

The two said they are still planning to hold a church wedding where more people could join them and celebrate their love for each other.

“But we are saving the big celebration for the church wedding. We just don’t know when pa yun. Very unpredictable pa yung [situation] but it will happen,” Donesa said.

Early this year, Herras and Donesa welcomed their first child, a baby boy they named Mark Fernando.

SPORTS

NORTHPORT DEF. RAIN OR SHINE, 91-88

NorthPort Batang Pier (5-5) defeated Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (6-4), 91-88 in overtime to claim their fifth win in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU) Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Greg Slaughter led the Batang Pier with a huge double-double performance of 25 points (12/20 FG), 11 rebounds, 6 blocks and 1 steal including the clutch block on Gabe Norwood. Robert Bolick scored 24 points on 9-of-20 shooting with 7 assists, 6 rebounds and a steal in 42 minutes of play.

Sean Anthony with a solid game of 9 points (3/10 FG, 1/4 3PT), 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals while Jamie Malonzo added a game-high 14 rebounds, 8 points, 5 blocks, 3 assists and 2 steals.

MAGNOLIA DEF. SAN MIGUEL, 100-90

Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots (8-3) defeated San Miguel Beermen (6-4), 100-90 to claim their 8th win in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU) Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Paul Lee led the Hotshots with huge 32 points on 9-of-15 shooting including 3 three-pointers, 11-of-12 freethrows with 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 1 steal in 27 minutes of play. Bigman Ian Sangalang with a double-double performance of 15 points (6/14 FG), 12 rebounds and 3 assists.

Jerrick Ahanmisi scored 11 points (3/7 FG, 3/4 3PT, 2/2 FT), 2 assists and 1 rebound while veteran guard Mark Barroca added 9 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds and a steal.

The Hotshots committed 11 turnovers (SMB - 15TO) in the contest, shot 35/81 or 43% from the field (SMB - 33/76 FG, 11/35 3PT) including a 10-of-23 shooting from downtown and went 20-of-27 from the free throw line.

TERRAFIRMA DEF. ALASKA, 105-89

Terrafirma Dyip (4-7) uses strong second half to beat Alaska Aces (3-6), 105-89 to claim their fourth win and to keep their bid for the playoffs alive in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU) Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Six Dyip players finished in double figures with Rashawn Mccarthy leading the way with game-high 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting including 2 three-pointers, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 34 minutes of play. Roosevelt Adams scored 17 points (5/9 FG, 2/5 3PT, 5/5 FT) 8 rebounds, 1 steal and a block.

Juami Tiongson with a solid game of 17 points (6/13 FG, 3/6 3PT, 2/2 FT), 6 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal while veteran forward Aldrech Ramos added 17 points (8/15 FG, 1/2 3PT), 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved. - George MacDonald