News Roundup 03 October 2021
Oct 03, 2021 • 4 min Read
DOH: 13,273 new COVID-19 cases recorded, but 3 labs without data | PHILSTAR.COM – Health authorities reported 13,273 more coronavirus infections on Sunday, bringing the national caseload to 2,593,399. In its latest bulletin released Sunday night, the DOH reported a positivity rate of 20.2% out of 64,747 tests.
- Active cases: 112,008 or 4.3% of the total
- Recoveries: 45,249, bringing the number to 2,442,623
- Deaths: 112, now 38,768 in total
According to the Department of Health, three labs were not able to submit their tallies for Sunday’s final count.
Cusi-led faction expels Pacquiao from PDP-Laban | PHILSTAR.COM – The PDP-Laban wing led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said on Sunday it has expelled Sen. Manny Pacquiao from the administration party after he filed his candidacy under a “relatively unknown party” based in Cebu. Pacquiao filed his certificate of candidacy on October 1 under the Progressive Movement for the Devolution of Initiatives or PROMDI, a party founded by former Cebu Gov. Lito Osmeña. Melvin Matibag, secretary general of the PDP-Laban faction under Cusi, said that violated the party’s constitution. He said the national executive committee reached the decision last Friday. “Let’s call a spade a spade,” the lawyer added. “If that is not disloyalty, betrayal and abandonment of PDP Laban, I don’t know what is.” In response, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, who chairs the Pacquiao faction, described the issue as the other side’s “figment of imagination.” He said their national executive committee had allowed Pacquiao to use PROMDI’s certificate of nomination and acceptance. Pimentel added it was “to consolidate [Pacquiao’s] support base and alliance partners because he is already known and identified with PDP-Laban.” Along with PDP Laban and PROMDI, he said they have formed an alliance with the People’s Champ Movement, a regional party in General Santos City and Sarangani province. “Hence everything is normal and in order per our party constitution,” Pimentel said.
Robredo’s spox: Corruption in Pharmally deal should be exposed | INQUIRER.NET – The alleged corruption in the government’s transactions with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. over the purchase of alleged overpriced medical supplies, should be exposed, said Atty. Barry Gutierrez, the spokesperson of Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday. “Sa tingin ko dapat magalit tayo lahat. Lalo na kung opisyal ka, ‘di ba dapat magalit ka at dapat pa-imbestiga mo talaga ‘yan. Suportahan mo na lumabas talaga ‘yung buong katotohanan tapos kasuhan at habulin ‘yung mga taong responsable,” Gutierrez said over DZXL during the BISErbisyong LENI program. (I think we should all be angry especially if you’re an official, right? You have to be angry and you should have it investigated. Support to have the truth uncovered, file a case, and go after those responsible.) “Kaya nakakagulat na parang ‘yung mga ibang hakbang, imbis na sumuporta, imbis na tumulong — gaya nga ng sinabi niyo — parang tila ano pa pagtatakip ‘di ba? O at least parang pinapahirapan ‘yung imbestigasyon. ‘Yun ang kailangan nating lalong bantayan,” he added. (It is shocking to know that there are now measures to cover up the investigation, instead of helping it. Measures to make the investigation difficult. We have to keep watch on it.) Gutierrez was reacting to the apparent stand of President Rodrigo Duterte to shield those involved in the Phramally deal. An investigation into the deal is currently ongoing at the Senate.
President can’t bar Cabinet execs from Senate inquiry unless it involves national security or diplomatic relations—Robredo spox | Manila Bulletin – President Duterte can’t bar Cabinet members from attending Senate inquiries without his clearance, the spokesman of Vice President Leni Robredo said on Sunday, October 3, citing a Supreme Court (SC) ruling to back his claim. Robredo’s spokesman Barry Gutierrez noted the 2006 SC ruling of Senate vs Ermita that showed the Senate had the power to summon Cabinet members to attend congressional probes in aid of legislation. “Kinlaro doon ng (It was clarified by the) Supreme Court hindi puwedeng ipagbawal ng Presidente ang pagdalo sa imbestigasyon ng Senado o ng Kamara dahil bahagi ito sa kapangyarihan ng (the President can’t bar them from attending a probe of Senate or House because it’s part of the power of the) legislative branch, iyon mag-conduct ng (to conduct) inquiries in aid of legislation,” he said during Robredo’s weekly radio show over dzXL. During the term of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, she issued Executive Order No. 464 requiring all department heads from the Executive branch to seek her approval before attending any congressional inquiry. Her issuance of the EO came in light of the congressional investigation into her administration’s controversial National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with China’s ZTE Corporation. Gutierrez, a lawyer, argued Cabinet members can only be allowed not to attend Senate hearings if the issue being investigated has something to do with national security or diplomatic relations. “Ang tanging exception dito ay kung mag-i-invoke siya ng personal na executive privilege at may kinalaman sa national security o diplomatic relations iyong issue na kaniyang i-a-assert (The only exception here is if he will invoke personal or executive privilege and if the issue he is asserting has something to do with national security or diplomatic relations) as covered by executive privilege,” he said. But Robredo’s spokesman pointed out the matter that the Senate was looking into involved the alleged corruption in the procurement of medical supplies in this time of COVID-19 pandemic.
