ATTACKS ACROSS UKRAINE AS DOZENS DIE IN RUSSIAN INVASION

KYIV - Invading Russian forces pressed deep into Ukraine as deadly battles reached the outskirts of Kyiv and the West responded with punishing sanctions.

Russian missiles and shelling rained down on Ukrainian cities Thursday after President Vladimir Putin unleashed a full-scale ground invasion and air assault, forcing civilians to shelter on metro systems, with 100,000 people displaced.

Across Ukraine, at least 137 "heroes" were killed after the first day of fighting, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, calling up conscripts and reservists nationwide to fight in a general mobilization.

Ukraine said Russian forces had seized the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, an area still heavily contaminated with radioactive material after a devastating 1986 accident, prompting the IAEA nuclear watchdog to call for "restraint".

Elsewhere, Russian ground forces moved into Ukraine from the north, south and east, forcing many Ukrainians to flee their homes as the sound of bombing reverberated.

Moscow's defense ministry said its forces had "successfully completed" their objectives for the day, earlier claiming to have destroyed over 70 Ukrainian military targets, including 11 airfields.

US President Joe Biden announced export controls against Russia to cut off more than half of the country's high-tech imports, alongside sanctions on Russian elites he called "corrupt billionaires", and banks.

He earlier said the G7 group of wealthy nations had agreed to impose "devastating" economic sanctions.

The EU moved to impose "massive" sanctions on Russia's energy and finance sectors, while French President Emmanuel Macron called Putin to "demand immediate halt" to the offensive.

Russian police have detained more than 1,700 people at anti-war protests across dozens of cities as thousands took to the streets after Putin sent troops to invade Ukraine, an independent monitor said Thursday.

POLAND ACCEPTS PINOYS FROM UKRAINE

MANILA —  Repatriation of Filipinos from Ukraine is ongoing, with Poland offering to take in some of them temporarily as Russian forces began their offensive on its former satellite state, according to Malacañang and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“The safety of Filipinos in Ukraine remains foremost in the mind of President Duterte,” acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said in a statement issued yesterday.

“The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, is now conducting repatriation efforts of Filipinos living in Ukraine,” he added.

Poland has agreed to take in Filipinos from Ukraine even without a visa, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said.

In a post on Twitter after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in a televised address that he had approved a “special military operation” in Ukraine, Locsin said the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw, which has jurisdiction over Ukraine, was put on high alert.

“Warsaw PE’s (Philippine Embassy) been on high alert; repatriated a few; Poland finally agreed to let ours in sans EU (European Union) visas; not heard anything from Russia on our request re: its closest border,” Locsin tweeted.

“Most Filipinos in Ukraine are grateful guests and want to stick it out with their warm welcoming neighbors,” he said.

“I confirm what he (Locsin) said but that’s as far as we can go. We cannot give other details and we’ll let the Secretary give the details as to the arrangements with Poland. Actually there are no people yet who have crossed to other countries,” Arriola said in an online press briefing.

Many of the 181 Filipinos in Ukraine, according to Arriola, are household service workers.

“All our posts, not only in Warsaw, but all our posts in Europe are willing to lend a helping hand to Filipinos in Ukraine,” she said.

“For now, we urge our kababayans in Ukraine not to panic but to exercise caution and mind their movement, to keep their vigilance, and to maintain communication with the Philippine Embassy Team in Lviv or the Consulate General in Kyiv should they need any assistance,” the DFA said in a statement.

“Our posts in Warsaw, Budapest, and Moscow, as well as the rest of our European posts, are on standby for any eventuality,” the DFA said.

The DFA also assured Filipinos in Ukraine that it would maintain its presence in Lviv in support of the Philippine Consulate General in Kyiv “as long as there is a clear and present need.”

METRO MANILA 'READY' FOR ALERT LEVEL 1: MMDA

MANILA - The capital region is "ready" to deescalate to Alert level 1 following a continuous decline in virus cases and high vaccination rate, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Friday.

Metro Manila mayors passed Resolution 22-06 urging the Inter-Agency Task Force Against COVID-19 to place the entire region under Alert Level 1, according to MMDA General Manager Romando Artes.

"I think we’re ready, it is stated even in the resolution that Metro Manila Council resolution that the local government units is ready to implement Alert Level 1 in NCR," he told ANC's Headstart.

"There will still be minimum public health standards and protocols in place. Under Alert Level 1, not all restrictions will be lifted. There will still be restrictions."

Local chief executives had delayed by 2 weeks the proposal to deescalate the region to observe if there would be a spike in virus cases following political campaigns and rallies, Artes said.

"Based on reports of the mayors and base don data, despite conduct of political rallies in their respective localities, there’s no spike in new cases even after a week or 2 after these political activities were held," he said.

The MMC is set to meet with the transportation department and the Land Transportation Office on Monday, Artes said.

"They’re planning to open all the routes and they're preparing for 100 percent capacity in all public transport," he said.

DUTERTE ON EDSA ANNIVERSARY: EMULATE THOSE WHO EMBODY ESSENCE OF PEOPLE POWER

MANILA — Filipinos should emulate the heroism and compassion of those who embody the “true essence” of the People Power Revolution, President Rodrigo Duterte said on the 36th anniversary of the uprising that toppled a dictator from power.

“This celebration serves as a strong reminder that with unity, cooperation and faith, there is nothing that we cannot collectively achieve for the greater good of our country,” Duterte said in a statement Friday.

The chief executive also called on Filipinos to honor and thank the individuals who continue to keep alive the legacy of the 1986 bloodless revolt.

“Our public servants who render honest and effective governance at the local and national levels, those who conduct rescue and relief operations during calamities, our community volunteers as well as our medical and essential frontliners during this COVID-19 pandemic, are among those who embody the true essence of People Power in our daily lives,” Duterte said.

“Let us emulate their heroism, selflessness and compassion as we strive to recover from our present challenges and march forward to a better Philippines for all,” he added.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año led the flag-raising and wreath-laying rites at the EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City.

Martial Law victims, human rights advocates and activists also held a protest, reflecting the anxiety of a possible return of the Marcoses to the ultimate seat of power: Malacañang.

They called on Filipinos to reject the presidential bid of the dictator's son Bongbong and his tandem with Duterte's daughter Sara in the May elections.

ROBREDO: EDSA REVOLUTION STORY OF STANDING UP FOR FREEDOM

MANILA—As the country marked the 36th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution Friday, Vice President Leni Robredo reminded Filipinos that the 1986 uprising was a story of standing up and fighting for freedom.

In a statement, the presidential candidate called to mind that the essence of the revolt was more than its name.

"Higit pa sa pangalan o apelyido ang diwa ng araw na ito. Ang kuwento ng EDSA, kuwento ng pagtindig at paglaban para sa pangarap ng paglaya," she said.

"Kuwento ito ng pagkakaisa—ng kabataan at matatanda, ng buong bansa, ng mga madreng lumuluhod sa harap ng baril at sa mga sundalong di mapigilang maluha nang sabitan ng rosaryo ang mga baril na ito. Kuwento ito ng pagmamahal."

More than 3 decades later, Robredo said the spirit of EDSA Revolution lived on.

"Mapalad tayong makita ito sa mga nagpapakain ng kapwa, sa mga nag-aabot ng makakaya para tumulong sa nasalanta, at sa mga nagtataya ng pagod at oras para sa isang gobyernong tapat, na magdadala ng lipunan kung saan aangat ang buhay ng lahat— lahat nabibigyang-lingap, lahat nabibigyang-lakas, lahat napupuntahan nang agaran dahil may pamahalaang itinuturing na sentro ang laylayan," she added.

What made the revolt successful, Robredo said, was Filipinos' love for country.

"At tuwing isinasabuhay natin ang pagmamahal na ito— People Power man o People’s Campaign; sa mapayapang rebolusyon man o napakahalagang halalan—kaisa natin ang lahat ng henerasyong nauna at susunod pa: Sa pagtindig, pagkakapit-bisig, at pagbubukas ng loob sa kapwa, sa ngalan ng isang maunlad, mapagpalaya, at makataong bukas," she said.

CBCP URGES FILIPINOS TO STAND UP FOR TRUTH AMID DISTORTION OF HISTORY, 'PANDEMIC OF LIES'

MANILA — On the 36th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines urged Filipinos to discern what is true and good amid what it called a “pandemic of lies.”

In a pastoral letter for the upcoming May polls, the country’s Catholic bishops also warned Filipinos against historical revisionism and distortion of truth.

“Dear Brothers and Sisters, let us stand up for truth. Remember: goodness without truth is pretense. Service without truth is manipulation. There can be no justice without truth. Even in charity, without truth, is only sentimentalism,” CBCP said in a letter released Friday.

“An election or any process that is not based on truth is but a deception and cannot be trusted,” it added.

The bishops said it is appalled by the “radical” distortion of history or its denial, misinformation and disinformation and the proliferation of troll farms.

“Disrespect for truth is disrespect for freedom. When we disregard truth, we disregard our obligation to be accountable. Can we address corruption if there is no truth? We must be ready to face the truth about ourselves,” they said.

'IF SCHEDULE PERMITS': MARCOS MIGHT YET SKIP COMELEC PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES

MANILA — Survey frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has yet to confirm his participation in the debates sponsored by the Commission on Elections set on March 19.

Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ spokesperson, said Marcos "has not yet confirmed his participation in the Comelec-sponsored debate which was scheduled from 7pm to 9:30pm. on March 19, 2022."

Rodriguez added that Marcos’ participation in the event "will only be confirmed if his hectic campaign schedules permit."

This was after Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez reportedly said that all ten candidates will attend the Comelec’s presidential debate.

Jimenez, as reported by News5, added that no questions will be given in advance to candidates, and no "kodigo" will also be allowed on stage.

The Comelec spokesperson however showed a letter from Marcos’ campaign manager, Benhur Abalos, stating that Marcos "has expressed readiness" to join the debates.

Abalos however said it would be more prudent if all candidates will have an opportunity to "discuss before the Commission among themselves the format, which will include the issues to be discussed, the time allotment for each, the right to respond and rebut his/her arguments, who will be the moderator, among others."

Jimenez said that the Comelec waits for "more confirmation" from Marcos’campaign team if needed.

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SENATORS WANT E-SABONG LICENSES SUSPENDED

MANILA — The Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs yesterday resolved to suspend the operations of e-sabong amid an inquiry into the reported disappearance of at least 31 cockfight players.

The panel, chaired by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, was unanimous in calling for the closure of the online betting of cockfights, in the absence of clear government rules.

“In the light of the missing cockfight players and the probe on the alleged kidnappings, I move that the Senate committee issues a resolution for PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) to suspend the licenses of e-sabong operators until the case has been resolved,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III said.

There are at least seven e-sabong operators licensed by PAGCOR. These are Belvedere Vista Corp., Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc., Visayas Cockers Club Inc., Jade Entertainment and Gaming Technologies Inc., Newin Cockers Alliance Gaming Corp., Philippine Cockfighting International Inc. and Golden Buzzer Inc.

PAGCOR officials supported the Senate panel’s move to suspend the operations of online sabong.

Citing police records, Dela Rosa said 31 cockfight aficionados have been reported missing since Jan. 13. Twenty of them were last seen in a cockpit arena in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. The others were seen leaving a cockpit in Manila.

Dela Rosa said some of the missing persons were not sabungeros, but merely served as drivers.

“The purpose of this hearing is for us to recover the people who are missing and to determine who are the culprits,” Dela Rosa said.

The relatives of the missing cockfight players attended the Senate probe.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson appealed to the Philippine National Police to solve the alleged kidnapping of the cockfight enthusiasts.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III expressed alarm over the growing number of missing sabungeros.

4 POLL AREAS OF GRAVE CONCERN IN NEGROS OCCIDENTAL

BACOLOD CITY – Three towns and a city in Negros Occidental have been classified as areas of grave concern in the May elections.

Escalante City, Candoni, Moises Padilla and Calatrava fall under the red category, Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander and co-chairman of the provincial joint security coordinating center, said.

Pasaporte said the classification was due to threats from New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, the presence of private armed groups and a history of election-related incidents.

In the 2019 elections, Moises Padilla town was placed under the control of the Commission on Elections due to intense political rivalries as well as the presence of armed groups and threat of NPA rebels.

Classifications are based on their color-coded category: green for peaceful, yellow for areas of concern, orange for areas of immediate concern and red for areas of grave concern.

Orange indicates the presence of NPA rebels. Yellow is for those with a history of political unrest while green means no cause for concern.

Toboso, La Castellana, Isabela, Ilog, Hinobaan, Cauayan and Binalbagan towns and the cities of Sipalay, Himamaylan, Victorias and Silay are in the orange category. Don Salvador Benedicto falls under yellow.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

GERALD ANDERSON, SAM MILBY TO CO-STAR IN NEW SERIES TITLED ‘A FAMILY AFFAIR’

MANILA — Gerald Anderson and Sam Milby, both A-list leading men of ABS-CBN, are set co-star in a drama series titled “A Family Affair.”

The project was confirmed Wednesday during the “Kapamilya Strong” program, wherein Anderson and Milby, along with nine others, formally renewed their contract with ABS-CBN.

Separate reels introducing them at the media event teased their upcoming projects. Both included “A Family Affair,” with the title stylized to include what appears to be a drop of blood, hinting at its theme.

During the media conference, Anderson referred to Milby as his onscreen “Kuya,” in an apparent indication of their roles in the series.

A project involving Anderson and Milby was first teased in December 2021, during ABS-CBN’s Christmas special, where they performed with social media darling and fellow Star Magic artist Ivana Alawi.

At the time, Alawi announced through Instagram that she is set to return to acting via an ABS-CBN teleserye, prompting speculation that her leading men in the series would be Anderson and Milby.

The full cast of “A Family Affair” has yet to be revealed.

Milby and Anderson were last seen in the primetime series “Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin” and “Init sa Magdamag,” respectively. Both concluded in 2021.

Aside from “A Family Affair,” Anderson is starring in the upcoming film “To Russia With Love” from Mavx Productions.

SPORTS

MERALCO DEF. TERRAFIRMA, 107-95 (PBA) FEBRUARY 24

Meralco Bolts (6-1) defeated TerraFirma Dyip (2-6), 107-95 to claim their sixth win in the 2021 PBA Governors' Cup on Thursday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Tony Bishop led the Bolts with a double-double performance of 26 points (10/22 FG, 6/7 FT), 11 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist. Allein Maliksi finished with 18 points (7/14 FG, 2/5 3PT) along with 6 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in 26 minutes of play while Cliff Hodge and Bong Quinto added 16 points and 11 points, respectively.

The Scores:

MERALCO 107 – Bishop 26, Maliksi 18, Hodge 16, Quinto 11, Newsome 10, Black 8, Almazan 7, Banchero 6, Caram 5, Jose 0, Canete 0, Pasaol 0, Baclao 0.

TERRAFIRMA 95 – Hester 23, Munzon 17, Tiongson 13, Daquioag 11, Camson 10, Cahilig 6, Gabayni 5, Pascual 3, Batiller 3, Ramos 2, Calvo 2, Go 0, Balagasay 0.

Quarters: 30-26, 60-45, 89-73, 107-95.

NORTHPORT DEF. MAGNOLIA, 103-101 (PBA) FEBRUARY 24

NorthPort Batang Pier (2-5) defeated Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots (6-1), 103-101 to claim their second win and deal the Hotshots its first loss in the 2021 PBA Governors' Cup on Thursday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Jamel Artis led the Batang Pier with a huge game of 42 points on 14-of-21 shooting including three 3-pointers along with 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals in 48 minutes of play. Jamie Malonzo finished with 19 points (8/16 FG, 3/5 FT) 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks while Arwind Santos and Roi Sumang added 14 points and 10 points, respectively.

The Scores:

NORTHPORT 103 – Artis 42 (9 reb, 8 ast), Malonzo 19 (5reb), Santos 14 (8 reb), Sumang 10 (5 ast), Taha 9, Balanza 5, Doliguez 2, Abundo 1, Rike 1.

MAGNOLIA 101 – Harris 34 (12 reb), Barroca 16 (8 ast, 5 stl), Lee 14 (6 reb), Dionisio 11, Jalalon 10, Sangalang 9 (7 reb), Corpuz 4, Ahanmisi 3, Reavis 0, Wong 0, Brill 0.

Quarters: 33-21, 58-46, 77-62, 103-101.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 51.34

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Each candidate behaved well in the hope of being judged worthy of election. However, this system was disastrous when the city had become corrupt. For then it was not the most virtuous but the most powerful who stood for election, and the weak, even if virtuous, were too frightened to run for office. - Niccolo Machiavelli