News Roundup 21 October 2021
Oct 21, 2021 • 5 min Read
Philippines sees 4,806 new coronavirus infections | PHILSTAR.COM – Health authorities on Thursday reported 4,806 more COVID-19 infections, bringing the national caseload to 2,740,111. Today’s numbers saw active cases down by 1,774 from the 67,061 reported on Wednesday. The Department of Health said all laboratories were able to submit screening results.
- Active cases: 65,835 or 2.4% of the total
- Recoveries: 5,934, pushing total to 2,633,039
- Deaths: 260, bringing total to 41,237
Duterte reassures ‘nervous’ Dela Rosa on ICC investigation | PHILSTAR.COM – President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said his former police chief, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, is feeling anxious over the International Criminal Court’s inquiry into the administration’s bloody campaign against illegal drugs. Dela Rosa is the administration’s standard-bearer for 2022, though he has said he would be willing to back out to make way for Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. “Bato, he got nervous because was involved [and he oversaw Oplan] Tokhang,” Duterte said in a speech delivered in Filipino before members of the government’s anti-communist task force in Lucena City in Quezon. “I told him not to worry.” “If there is any person who is going to prison, it would be me. But it should be a Filipino court, manned by a Filipino judge and me prosecuted by a Filipino prosecutor.” As Duterte’s first and longest-serving national police chief, Dela Rosa was the architect of the administration’s so-called war on drugs. He also served as Davao City’s top cop from 2013 to 2016 under Duterte who was mayor at the time. The scope of the ICC investigation goes back as far as 2011, to include killings reportedly perpetrated by the Davao Death Squad. “I will be the one who will be imprisoned. I already said before, I assume full responsibility,” Duterte said. “That’s why I told Bato…keep quiet there and just…point to me.” “I will answer for all,” he vowed.
De Lima debunks ‘fake news’ claiming she is not qualified to seek reelection | INQUIRER.NET – Senator Leila de Lima has debunked false information spreading online claiming she is not qualified to run for another Senate term, as she slammed “paid trolls” for perpetuating “fake news” against her reelection bid. According to De Lima, she has met all the qualifications to run for senator under the 1987 Constitution and is allowed to seek reelection since she has “not been convicted, let alone by final judgment, of any criminal offense.” “Nakarating po sa akin na may ipinapakalat na naman na fake news ang mga bayarang trolls na ako daw ay hindi kwalipikado na tumakbo sa Halalan 2022 dahil nakakulong ako. Huwag po kayong maniwala,” De Lima wrote in a dispatch from Camp Crame Tuesday. (It came to my attention that paid trolls are spreading the news about me that I am not qualified to run in the 2022 elections because I am detained. Don’t believe them.) “I have all the qualifications for Senator as set forth in the 1987 Constitution (Sec. 3, Art. VI) and none of the disqualifications provided under the law (Sec. 12 & Sec. 68, Omnibus Election Code),” she added. The senator then called on the public to be smart and exercise vigilance, stressing that the false information about her Senate bid is “obviously part of a disinformation campaign against her as she declared her candidacy.” “Labanan ang mga kasinungalingan, lalo na ngayong [Let us fight lies, especially during the] election period. Let’s be very discerning and vigilant,” she said.
Robredo ‘overwhelmed’ by supporters for considering her 2022 run ‘fight of their lives’ | Manila Bulletin – Presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo advised her supporters to “fight smart” instead of engaging in the political game of their opponents ahead of the national elections in 2022. “Huwag tayong gagaya sa game nila. Truth warriors lang tayo. Pag nakikita natin ‘yung (We should not play their game. We are truth warriors. If we see the) disinformation, we fight smart. Isip tayo ng pamamaraan paano ba natin irerefute ‘yung mga kasinungalingan na hindi tayo bumababa sa level nila (Let us think of a way to refute their lies that we don’t go down to their level),” she said. “Sa lahat ng mga kandidato, ako ‘yung pinakamapalad. Mahina ang loob ko pag naiisip ko na wala tayo nung meron sila. Pero lumalakas ang loob ko pag iniisip ko na meron naman ako nung wala sila, at kayo iyon (Among the candidates, I’m the most fortunate. I’m discouraged when I think of what we don’t have that they have. But I draw strength when I remember what I have that they don’t, and that’s you),” she added. Robredo made the call during her virtual meeting with more than 1,500 supporters and volunteers across the country, where she thanked everyone for their “commitment, passion and energy” in helping her presidential bid next year. The online meeting was hosted by Dapat Si Leni!, one of Robredo’s biggest volunteer groups, and joined by volunteers from 50 organizations and international chapters. Among those who joined the meeting was Bedans for Leni and Debaters for Leni. While she admitted having no machinery or resources unlike her rivals, Robredo believes that her supporters are more than enough to fuel and inspire her to win the fight. “Everyone took this fight and ang regard ng lahat, hindi lang ito (the regard of all, not only this) fight to make me win, pero (but) it’s the fight of their lives,” she added.
