News Roundup 03 April 2021
Apr 03, 2021 • 3 min Read
Active COVID-19 cases in the Philippines at 165,715 as DOH logs 12,576 new infections | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines on Saturday recorded 12,576 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 784,043.
- Active cases: 165,715 or 21.1% of the total
- Recoveries: 599, pushing total to 604,905
- Deaths: 103, bringing total to 13,423
In forceful statement, Lorenzana repeats demand for Chinese vessels to leave West Philippine Sea | PHILSTAR.COM – Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana reiterated Saturday the Philippines’ demand for Chinese vessels to leave the West Philippine Sea, saying they have “no other reason” to stay in the hotly contested waters. “I am no fool. The weather has been good so far, so they have no other reason to stay there,” Lorenzana said in a strongly-worded statement. “Umalis na kayo diyan (You should leave.)” He added that Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian “has a lot of explaining to do,” as the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) observed 44 Chinese vessels still remain in Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef, which is within Manila’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. This is a significant reduction in the Chinese ships moored, anchored and stationary at Julian Felipe Reef, where the NTF-WPS initially recorded 220 vessels suspected to be part of Beijing’s maritime militia. However, Chinese vessels have since scattered to other features in the Kalayaan Island Group, which is under the jurisdiction of Palawan. “We, again, reiterate our demand for the Chinese to leave our sovereign territories and abide by international law,” Lorenzana said. China has said that the ships at Julian Felipe Reef, known to them as Niué Jiao, are only taking shelter from rough sea conditions and insisted that this is completely normal as it asserted its claims over the sea feature. In 2016, a Hague-based tribunal declared void China’s sweeping claims over most of the South China Sea, but Beijing continues to reject this ruling.
COVID-19 patients from Metro Manila swamp hospitals in Calabarzon | INQUIRER.NET – Public and private hospitals in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) are running at critical or near capacity, as the region takes on spillover COVID-19 cases from Metro Manila while tackling a surge of its own. At the Batangas Medical Center, a tertiary Department of Health (DOH) hospital, recently admitted were “5-6” COVID patients, from Metro Manila over a hundred kilometers away from Batangas City, Dr. Eduardo Janairo, DOH regional chief, said on Wednesday. Overrun hospitals in Metro Manila are crying for reinforcements, with Dr. Jaime Almora, president of the Philippine Hospital Association, saying in a television interview on Wednesday that the fight against COVID-19 had been lost. “It’s full everywhere. At night, at dawn, we couldn’t find a hospital to refer [patients],” said Janairo, who said Batangas Medical Center had just lost another patient.
POGO workers nabbed during curfew in Pasay; yields firearms, drugs | Manila Bulletin – Two Chinese Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) workers were arrested after firearms and illegal drugs were seized from them when they were accosted for violating the curfew hours early morning on Saturday (April 3) in Pasay City. Police identified the suspects as Li Yanchi, 25; and Sun Shihao, 26. Both of them are residing at Shore Residences Condominium, Sunrise Drive in Barangay 76 Zone 10, Pasay City. Investigation showed that around 1:30 a.m., the two POGO workers were apprehended along Sunrise Drive, Mall of Asia Complex, Barangay 76, Zone 10, Pasay City. Colonel Cesar Paday-os, Pasay City Police chief, said the two men attempted to flee when they were apprehended by police personnel. “Tumakbo hinabol ng Police at kinapkapan..ayon may dalang Shabu pala at may Baril.. buti na lang naunahan ng takot..hindi pumalag. May dala palang Baril (They ran and police chased them, it turns out that one of them was carrying a gun and illegal drugs, it’s a good thing they did not fight back),” he said. Recovered from suspects were three plastic sachets containing white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu weighing more or less 6.5 grams with an estimated value of P44,200. Also found from their possession were two improvised tubes, and one caliber .9mm pistol with one magazine loaded with live ammunition.
