News Roundup 05 March 2021
Mar 05, 2021 • 3 min Read
Philippines logs 3,045 new COVID-19 cases, highest daily rise since mid-October | PHILSTAR.COM – Days after starting its vaccination campaign, the Philippines recorded 3,045 new coronavirus infections Friday—the highest single day rise since mid-October—pushing the country’s caseload to 587,704. Of the total recorded cases, 40,074 or 6.8% are active, latest data from the Department of Health showed. Majority or 95.3% of these are mild and asymptomatic cases. The department also recorded 178 new recoveries, bringing to 535,207 the total number of COVID-19 survivors. Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 12,423 after 19 more patients succumbed to the disease.
‘Attack on red-tagged rights lawyer to have chilling effect on members of legal profession’ | PHILSTAR.COM – A senator and former justice secretary on Friday called for stronger laws against red-tagging following the attack on a rights lawyer accused of being a communist rebel. Angelo Karlo Guillen, National Union of People’s Lawyers assistant vice president for the Visayas, was stabbed by two unidentified men in the head and in the shoulder in Iloilo City on Wednesday night. A statement released by Karapatan on Thursday said he was in stable condition. Guillen represents arrested indigenous land defenders and is assisting in petitions against the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. “The attempt on the life of Guillen sends a chilling effect on members of the legal profession — lawyers, judges and justices,” Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said. “When lawyers can no longer do their job freely and without fear of being killed, that is when the rule of law begins to weaken.” “We should not let this horrific attack on members of the legal profession continue. Guillen’s case should not just add to the strings of unresolved cases of killing of and assassination attempts on lawyers in the country,” he added, urging authorities to bring the assailants to justice. Drilon further sounded the alarm over the “particularly disquieting” fact that Guillen was baselessly accused of being a communist rebel before he was attacked.
Clashes between Army, NPA getting more frequent in Quezon province | INQUIRER.NET – Soldiers and communist guerrillas clashed twice in two towns in Quezon province on Friday (March 5), the military said. The first clash took place at a village in Lopez past 6 a.m., the Army’s 201st Infantry Brigade said on Facebook. The clash lasted for 15 minutes, the Army said. Three hours later, or around 9 a.m., another clash took place at a village of Macalelon town. It lasted for about 5 minutes. There were no casualties on the government side, the report said. No casualty was reported either on the rebel side, allegedly led by one Cecilia Mondia, the report added. According to the military, villagers tipped off soldiers about the presence of New People’s Army guerrillas which led to the clashes. On Feb. 5 and 6, an Army junior officer, two soldiers and two rebels were killed in running gun battles in two other Quezon towns, Buenavista and Catanuan.
Mandaluyong City RTC affirms Feb. 5 ruling, orders release of journalist Salem, trade unionist Esparago | Manila Bulletin – Journalist Lady Ann D. Salem and trade unionist Rodrigo S. Esparago have been ordered released by the Mandaluyong City regional trial court (RTC) which affirmed its dismissal of the charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives filed against them. In an order dated March 5, RTC Presiding Judge Monique A. Quisumbing Ignacio denied the motion for reconsideration of the prosecution which sought to overturn her Feb. 5 order that dismissed the charges. Judge Ignacio granted the separate motions of Salem and Esparago who sought their release. “The Jail Warden is ordered to immediately release accused Lady Ann Salem y De Leon and Rodrigo Esparago y Santos, unless they are being held for some other lawful cause,” the court order stated. Salem and Esparago were among seven persons arrested last Dec. 10, International Human Rights Day, from their respective residences by policemen who were serving search warrants.
Photo: Canili Dam, Aurora, Aurora, Philippines
Photo Source: By Judgefloro – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31738966
