BIR SHUTS FIRST POGO LICENSEE FOR P114 MILLION IN TAX DEFICIENCIESMANILA - The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Friday said it shut down an offshore gaming operator in Pasay City for failing to pay proper taxes from its 2019 earnings.Synchronization Anywhere For You Inc (SAFYI) is the first PhilippineOffshore Gaming Operator (POGO) to be shuttered by the government forfailure to pay 5 percent franchise tax due for its gross gaming receipts forthe year 2019 worth P114 million, the BIR said in a statement."SAFYI is the first POGO licensee/operator closed by the BIR for failure topay the 5 percent Franchise Tax due on its gross gaming receipts for taxableyear 2019," the BIR said.Some POGO service providers and businesses catering to Chinese nationalswere earlier shut due to tax and license violations.Under Presidential Decree No. 1869, the entire gross gaming revenue fromoffshore gaming operations of franchise holders is subject to 5 percent tax,in place of all other taxes, the BIR said.The BIR's Task Force POGO with the Department of Finance remain committed tocollect the correct taxes from erring entities, the agency said.As of Feb. 1, there were 60 licensed POGOs in the Philippines and hundredsof POGO service providers.CALIDA PRESENCE SOUGHT IN SENATE HEARING ON ABS-CBN FRANCHISEMANILA - The Philippines’ top lawyer, who is seeking to shut down and gagABS-CBN Corp, has been asked to appear on Monday before a Senate committeelooking to jumpstart deliberations on the franchise renewal of the country’sbiggest media network.Solicitor General Jose Calida’s participation will be “crucial” givenquestions he raised in a quo warranto petition against ABS-CBN Corp and itstelecommunications subsidiary, said Sen. Grace Poe, chair of the Senatepublic services committee.Calida also asked the Supreme Court to issue a gag order on ABS-CBN, a moveseen by media and human rights groups as an effort to clamp down on pressfreedom.“We would like our hearings to remain balanced so we want to get the opinionof both sides,” Poe told ABS-CBN News in a phone interview.Should Calida opt not to discuss the merits of his quo warranto petitionagainst the network, Poe said the committee could still gather informationfrom other resource persons.“Wala pa naman akong confirmation. Basta maganda sana kung makakapunta sya,”she said.House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday criticized the planned Senatehearing, insisting that franchise bills must emanate from the House ofRepresentatives.Poe said the inquiry would not violate the constitution because hercommittee would not release a report.“We’d like to know directly from the concerned agencies that ABS-CBN wouldbe granted an extension to operate while their bill is still pending in bothhouses,” the senator said.BAGUIO BANS SALE OF 6 BRANDS OF 'HARMFUL' WET WIPESMANILA – Six brands of wet wipes "and other similar products" found tocontain harmful chemicals are now banned from store shelves in Baguio City.This after the City Council approved on third and final reading an ordinancepenned by Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan. Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalongsigned the local measure on Jan. 28.Brands of wet wipes now banned in the city are the following: Dong Bang,Dong Bang Yao Baby Tender, Family Treasure Baby Tender, Sky Fire BabyTender, Giggley Baby Wipes, and Super Soft Skin Care Wet Towel."The enumerated wet wipes and other similar products found to contain theaforementioned ingredients are now prohibited in the city," the city councilsaid in a Facebook post.The ordinance cited environmental group EcoWaste Coalition's warning aboutthe presence of harmful chemical compounds in the wet wipe brands which maytrigger skin allergies and cause contact dermatitis.The city council said the 6 brands "allegedly contain" chemical compoundssuch as methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MIT), andiodopropynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC), citing EcoWaste Coalition findings."Some of these baby wipes/products were found to be sold at the city’sgrocery stores, black market, supermarkets, and convenience stores; and thecontinued sale of these products supposedly for hygiene is disturbing," theordinance reads.QUEZON CITY TO BAN SINGLE-USE PLASTIC IN JULYQUEZON CITY — Quezon City hotels and restaurants have been given until July1 to fully comply with an ordinance banning single-use plastics for dine-inpurposes.Mayor Joy Belmonte approved the recommendation of the city’s EnvironmentalProtection and Waste Management Department to defer the Feb. 15implementation of the measure to allow a transition plan for establishments.“We understand the concerns of businesses so we will give them ample time tocomply,” Belmonte said yesterday. “After that, it will be all systems go forthe implementation of the ordinance.”Belmonte has signed the ordinance, which prohibits the distribution andutilization of single-use plastics in hotels and restaurants.Covered by the ban are throw-away plates, spoons, forks, cups and otherplastic and paper disposables.

SARAH GERONIMO, MATTEO GUIDICELLI CIVIL WEDDING PUSHES THROUGH DESPITE 'DIVINE INTERVENTION'MANILA — The civil wedding of celebrity power couple Sarah Geronimo andMatteo Guidicelli was indeed scheduled on Thursday night as earlier reportedby The STAR's entertainment editor Ricky Lo.The civil wedding inside a luxury hotel in Bonifacio Global City, however,didn’t turn civil after the groom-to-be allegedly "punched in the throat" aclose-in security detail of his fiancée.Apparently, the said bodyguard informed the "Pop Princess'" mother, MommyDivine, about the wedding, which she was reportedly not aware of.The security aide did not press charges against Matteo, Taguig City policeconfirmed.Mommy Divine reportedly crashed the wedding between her daughter and Matteo,a union which, according to reports, she did not entirely approve of.The long-time couple confirmed their relationship in June 2014 and announcedtheir engagement in November 2019.'DIVINE INTERVENTION' IN SARAH, MATTEO WEDDING NARRATED IN POLICE REPORTMANILA — A Friday police report offered a glimpse of events that unfoldedduring the civil wedding of celebrity couple Sarah Geronimo and MatteoGuidicelli on Thursday night in Shangri-La Hotel in Bonifacio Global City,where Mommy Divine, uninvited and uninformed, “arrived unexpectedly at thevenue.”Forever’s not enough for Matteo's new mommy-in-law, who apparently asked fora moment to talk with her 31-year-old daughter over the lack of notice.This prompted Army reservist Matteo to accuse and allegedly injure the PopPrincess' close-in security aide “as the one responsible in informingSarah's mother of their civil wedding,” according to a report obtained fromthe Southern Police District.The security guard then came to the BGC police community precinct aroundearly morning Friday to report the incident on Thursday evening."Facts of the case: abovenamed reportee personally came to pcp 7, taguig cpsat about 3:27am of February 21, 2020 and requested to put on blotter aboutan incident that transpired at about 11:00 pm of February 20, 2020 atShangri-La, BGC wherein certain TV actor, MATTEO GUIDICELLI allegedlypunched him on his throat," the report said."According to the reportee, he was a family security and a close in securityof Sarah Geronimo during her civil wedding with Matteo Guidicelli @Shangri-La, BGC when the incident took place.He also narrated that the fussstarted when the mother of Sarah Geronimo arrived unexpectedly at the venueand asking for a moment to talked with her daughter since she was notinformed of the said wedding. Upon knowing Matteo accused and confronted thereportee as the one responsible in informing Sarah's mother of their civilwedding."According to the police report, the security personnel filed the blotteronly for "record purposes" and he refused to file formal charges against theactor.During the wedding, Matteo reportedly wore a white long-sleeve shirt whileSarah was still wearing the clothes she wore at the taping of "The VoiceTeens" earlier that day.NBA SCORES FEB 20FINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Bucks 47-8    32    38    28    28    126team logo Pistons 19-39    18    23    30    35    106SCORING LEADERSG. Antetokounmpo MIL33 PTS, 16 REB, 4 ASTC. Wood DET18 PTS, 11 REB, 1 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Heat 35-20    36    28    33    27    124team logo Hawks 16-41    32    31    27    39    129SCORING LEADERSB. Adebayo MIA28 PTS, 19 REB, 7 ASTT. Young ATL50 PTS, 2 REB, 8 ASTFINAL/OT    1    2    3    4    OT    Tteam logo Nets 25-29    20    32    26    25    1    104team logo 76ers 35-21    26    16    35    26    9    112SCORING LEADERSC. LeVert BKN25 PTS, 6 REB, 5 ASTJ. Embiid PHI39 PTS, 16 REB, 2 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Hornets 19-36    33    27    19    24    103team logo Bulls 19-37    20    24    29    20    93SCORING LEADERSM. Monk CHA25 PTS, 6 REB, 3 ASTT. Young CHI22 PTS, 11 REB, 1 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Grizzlies 28-27    35    26    29    35    125team logo Kings 22-33    37    33    27    32    129SCORING LEADERSD. Melton MEM24 PTS, 6 REB, 3 ASTH. Barnes SAC32 PTS, 1 REB, 1 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Rockets 35-20    38    34    37    26    135team logo Warriors 12-44    17    33    27    28    105SCORING LEADERSJ. Harden HOU29 PTS, 3 REB, 10 ASTA. Wiggins GS22 PTS, 3 REB, 0 ASTPBA: TERRENCE ROMEO NA-INJURE SA TUNE-UP GAMEMAYNILA -- Lalong magiging kumplikado ang kampanya ng San Miguel Beer sadarating na PBA Philippine Cup matapos malagasan na naman ng player satune-up game nila laban sa Alaska.Nasaktan ang kanilang prized guard na si Terrence Romeo nang matapilok angkanyang kanang paa sa isang exercise equipment malapit sa playing court,ayon sa report ng Spin.ph.Matatandaang na-injure din ang kanilang premyadong center na si June MarFajardo na nag-sustain ng fracture sa kanyang kanang tibia.Hindi rin makasali sa preseason buildup si Marcio Lassiter matapos mabalianng ilong."Pagkatapos ko tumira, natapakan ko 'yung parang bike na bakal. Pag-step ko,may tumunog eh," kuwento ni Romeo."Sana tapilok lang talaga."Nanalo ang Alaska sa tune-up game, 81-79.