'IT'S A BIG JOB': NEW DRUG WAR CO-CHAIR VOWS TO PRIORITIZE LAW ENFORCEMENTMANILA - The new co-chair of government's anti-narcotics drive on Mondaysaid he would prioritize law enforcement, contrary to what his predecessorhad done, in order to "cut the supply" of illegal drugs in the country."We have to focus on the law enforcers here because they are the ones thatare in the front line," Dante Jimenez, who also heads the PresidentialAnti-Corruption Commission said on ANC's Early Edition."Some law enforcers in a small percentage are contributing in this problemof supply. We have to check and remove that kind of practice from the lawenforcers," he added, referring to the so-called "ninja cops" or policemeninvolved in illegal drugs.Jimenez said he has yet to meet with President Rodrigo Duterte to clarifyhis mandate, which Vice President Leni Robredo had also sought.He said he has to "get fresh instructions" from the President."I’m still waiting for my oath-taking. I’m still waiting for a meetingperhaps with the President upon his availability. I have to get freshinstructions in the same way when he gave me the position of chairman of thePACC. It’s a big job," he said."Yes, I have to ask him and of course as his member of his Cabinet, I haveto ask him clear instructions," he added when asked if he was also seekingclarification on his job description.Jimenez added that he would also suggest the creation of a "workingcommittee" in the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), whichhe said has 44 members."There's a saying 'Too many cooks spoils the broth.' Sa dami niyo dyan, 44kayo, meron kayong chairman, co-chairman pa nga, ano ginagawa niyo?" hesaid."Are you there for just meetings? You have to give outputs."NO NEW DEFENSE DEAL WITH US, SAYS PALACEMANILA — The Duterte administration is not seeking a new deal that couldreplace the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States,Malacañang said yesterday, even as it gave assurance that existing defensepacts with other countries would not be touched unless there are “compellingreasons” to do so.Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez has been quotedas saying that Manila and Washington are finding ways to come up with anagreement similar to the VFA, which was terminated by President Duterte dueto what he described as “disrespectful” acts of some American officials.Military agreements involving Japan and Australia may be used as templatesfor the new pact with the US, the envoy was quoted by news reports assaying.Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, however, said the talks about apossible new agreement with the US are not sanctioned by Duterte.“Actually, I was talking to Ambassador Romualdez. He denied it. It’s like hewas saying that they are studying other agreements, whether they aredisadvantageous or advantageous to the country,” Panelo said in a radiointerview.“Wala, walang basbas ni Presidente. Initiative siguro ’yun ng counterpartsni Ambassador Romualdez. Siyempre, sila ang apektado, kaya sila angmag-i-initiate ng mga magandang panukala,” he added.Duterte, who has been accused of human rights violations by some Americansenators, is determined to scrap the VFA, according to Panelo.“Even assuming it’s true, these are just recommendations to the President.The President’s position remains unchanged. He still wants to scrap the VFA.He wants us to be self-reliant. That’s his main point,” the Palace spokesmansaid.5 SENATORS TO FILE NEW RESOLUTION TO EXTEND ABS-CBN FRANCHISEMANILA - At least 5 senators are finalizing a new resolution that willdirect the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) “to allow” ABS-CBNto operate after its franchise expires in May, one of the lawmakers saidSunday.Senators Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, Sherwin Gatchalian, Joel Villanueva andJuan Miguel Zubiri are expected to file the resolution on March 2, 6 sessiondays before Congress goes on a 2-month break, Villanueva told reporters.“We will file a resolution to allow NTC to give ABS-CBN a provisionalauthority to operate pending the discussion of its franchise in theCongress,” Villanueva said.“[We] will file a resolution supporting the extension of its franchise untilDecember 31, 2022,” he said.“The lives of 11,071 workers of ABS-CBN, not to mention their families, willbe affected if the network will not be allowed to operate,” he said.The 5 senators, also known as the Senate’s Seatmates bloc, have yet todecide if the measure will be a joint resolution or a concurrent resolution,Villanueva said.A joint resolution needs to be approved by both chambers of Congress andwill be submitted for the President’s approval. A concurrent resolutionexpresses the sense of the chamber.

NCRPO FORMS ALL-WOMEN POLICE PRECINCT IN BGCMANILA — Starting this month, policewomen would be trained to run thepeacekeeping and law enforcement operations in Bonifacio Global City inTaguig where an all-women police precinct will be established, the NationalCapital Region Police Office (NCRPO) announced over the weekend.NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas made the announcement in line with theworldwide observance of International Women’s Day yesterday.Sinas said around 100 policewomen would be assigned with the BGC policecommunity precinct after a month-long training on police procedures.“It would be an all-women police precinct, even drivers and desk officers,”Sinas told reporters.He launched the first all-women police station in a fifth-class municipalityin Siquijor last year when he was Central Visayas police director.The Philippine National Police (PNP) is authorized to recruit 10,000personnel with a starting patrol officer rank yearly.PNP data showed that about 16.6 percent of the 190,000-strong nationalpolice force are females while 83.4 percent are men.To tighten the wide gap between the number of men and women in the PNP, aproposal was filed in Congress last year to increase the recruitment quotafor policewomen from 10 to 20 percent.Once passed, it would amend the two-decades old PNP Reform Law that reservesfor women only 10 percent of all new slots for recruits.Sinas has vowed to replicate in Metro Manila his programs for womenempowerment, including the appointment of female police chiefs.

MAGNITUDE 5.5 QUAKE JOLTS LEYTE, NEARBY AREASMANILA - A potentially destructive magnitude 5.5 quake rattled Leyteprovince and nearby areas, and triggered aftershocks before dawn on Monday,state seismologists said.The tremor struck around 5 a.m., with its epicenter located 8 kilometerssoutheast of Leyte town, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology andSeismology said.At a depth of 9 kilometers, the tectonic quake was felt at a "strong"intensity 5 in Leyte, Kananga, Capoocan, and Pastrana towns in Leyte; andTacloban and Ormoc cities, said Phivolcs.This intensity can make hanging objects swing violently and cause rockingfelt throughout buildings, said the agency.Intensity 4, which may feel like a passing of heavy truck, was reported inLeyte's Palo, Dulag, Babatngon, Alang-alang and Palompon towns; Mandaue andCebu cities, and Naval in Biliran, added Phivolcs.Intensity 3, which can cause nausea for some people, was felt in Lapu-lapuCity and Lawaan, Eastern Samar, the agency said.Phivolcs initially reported the tremor's magnitude at 5.7, which it laterdowngraded to 5.5.JAY-R, MICA JAVIER TIE THE KNOT IN BORACAYCelebrity couple Jay-R and Mica Javier tied the knot in a wedding ceremonyin Boracay Island Sunday.Events by Amanda Tirol posted photos of the event on its Instagram account.Coleen Garcia and Kris Lawrence were among those who attended the wedding.They also posted their greetings in their respective accounts."This is true love. We love you guys so much!!!! Sooooo happy for you, andforever here for you both!" Garcia wrote in the caption.Jay-R and Javier got engaged in 2018. They have been together for more thanseven years.SARAH GERONIMO FINALLY SPEAKS UP ON 'SECRET' WEDDING WITH MATTEO GUIDICELLIMANILA — Sarah Geronimo's co-hosts in the ABS-CBN Sunday variety show "ASAP"have congratulated the "Popstar Royalty" and her husband Matteo Guidicelli.Ogie Alcasid wished the newlyweds all the best and said that he and wifeRegine Velasquez will be there for them always."Gusto ka namin batiin. Gaya ng milyong milyong nagmamahal sa'yo at kayMatteo, binabati ka namin ng best wishes and congratulations. Asahan mo nasa lahat ng panahon, maaasahan mo kami ni Ate," Ogie said.Erik Santos, for his part, said he and the "champions" are happy for Sarahand Matteo.“Kaming mga kaibigan niya sa Champions, sobra kaming masaya para sa'yoSarah. Sobrang saya ng puso namin dahil alam namin yung mga pinagdaanan niSarah. Ngayon na sobrang happy mo na, happy kami para inyo ni Matt,” hesaid.Meanwhile, Luis Manzano joked that he hopes that Sarah and Matteo will nametheir first born Piolo Luis Ogie Reg Martin Zsa Erik Geronimo Guidicelli.“Isang lambing lang ang hihingiin namin sa'yo. Kung saka-sakali man nadumating na ang tamang oras na kayo ni Matt ay magkakapanganay na, anghinihingi namin na sana ipangalan mo sa magiging bata ay Piolo Luis Ogie RegMartin Zsa Erik Geronimo Guidicelli,” he said.For her part, Sarah thanked her co-stars and supporters for their bestwishes.“Abot-abot lang po ang pagpapasalamat sa lahat po ng sumusuporta, for yourbest wishes. Maraming salamat po!” she said.NBA SCORES FEB 29FINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Bulls 20-40    25    28    33    29    115team logo Knicks 18-42    31    35    23    36    125SCORING LEADERS    Z. LaVine CHI26 PTS, 3 REB, 7 AST    M. Robinson NY23 PTS, 10 REB, 2 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Nets 26-33    27    22    31    33    113team logo Heat 38-22    24    33    34    25    116SCORING LEADERSS. Dinwiddie BKN25 PTS, 4 REB, 12 ASTK. Nunn MIA21 PTS, 4 REB, 1 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Trail Blazers 26-35    28    28    34    27    117team logo Hawks 19-43    23    40    44    22    129SCORING LEADERS    C. McCollum POR35 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST    T. Young ATL25 PTS, 4 REB, 15 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Lakers 45-13    25    21    20    22    88team logo Grizzlies 29-31    29    29    28    19    105SCORING LEADERSL. James LAL19 PTS, 8 REB, 10 ASTJ. Morant MEM27 PTS, 6 REB, 14 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Pacers 36-24    30    26    30    27    113team logo Cavaliers 17-43    31    27    28    18    104SCORING LEADERS    T. Warren IND30 PTS, 3 REB, 6 AST    A. Drummond CLE27 PTS, 13 REB, 4 ASTFINAL/OT    1    2    3    4    OT    Tteam logo Rockets 39-20    19    26    36    23    7    111team logo Celtics 41-18    28    28    22    26    6    110SCORING LEADERSR. Westbrook HOU41 PTS, 8 REB, 5 ASTJ. Tatum BOS32 PTS, 13 REB, 5 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Magic 27-33    27    26    28    32    113team logo Spurs 25-33    38    23    24    29    114SCORING LEADERS    E. Fournier ORL23 PTS, 3 REB, 5 AST    T. Lyles SA20 PTS, 9 REB, 2 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Warriors 13-47    28    33    31    23    115team logo Suns 24-37    41    24    16    18    99SCORING LEADERS    E. Paschall GS25 PTS, 3 REB, 4 AST    D. Booker PHO21 PTS, 0 REB, 1 AST