News Roundup 08 December 2021
Dec 08, 2021 • 4 min Read
DOH logs 370 new COVID-19 cases | Manila Bulletin – The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday, Dec. 8 reported 370 new cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The latest case bulletin of the DOH also showed 861 new recoveries and 171 new deaths. The 370 new cases brought the total number of cases in the country to 2,835,593. Total recoveries climbed to 2,773,322 while total deaths increased to 49,761. The DOH said of the 171 reported deaths, only 6 occurred in December 2021. It added that 19 percent of the reported deaths today occurred in November 2021 due to late encoding of death information to COVIDKaya.
Pangilinan hits ‘never ending’ issue of smuggling of agri products | Manila Bulletin – Opposition Senator Francis ‘’Kiko’’ Pangilinan on Tuesday, Dec. 7 said continued smuggling at the ports undermines the country’s ability for self-sufficiency. Pangilinan stressed this during the Senate plenary session where he supported the proposal of Senate President Vicente Sotto III to probe the supposed smuggling of agricultural products in the Philippines. After a privilege speech of Sotto on the ‘’efficacy or lack of it of the Bureau of Customs operations against smuggling of agricultural products, the Senate decided to form itself into a Committee of the Whole to investigate this issue. Pangilinan said the problem continues to undermine the country’s ability to food self-sufficiency. He said he filed a similar measure, Senate Resolution No. 922 last September, directing the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the proliferation of Chinese vegetables in the market which made the produce of local farmers less competitive. “Again, congratulations Mr. President. We thank the Senate President for championing the cause of our farmers and our fisherfolk. I am hoping that we will be able to address this perennial problem on smuggling that affects the incomes and welfare of our farmers and fisherfolk,” Pangilinan said.
Nobel winner Ressa to fly to Oslo after Philippine courts approve trip | PHILSTAR.COM – Philippine Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa will fly to Oslo to collect the award in person, after a fourth court approved her application to attend Friday’s ceremony. Ressa, an outspoken critic of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, and Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov were named in October as the winners of this year’s award for their efforts to “safeguard freedom of expression”. She is on bail pending an appeal against a conviction last year in a cyber libel case, and was required to apply to four courts for permission to pick up the prize in person. The Court of Tax Appeals ruled that Ressa, co-founder of news website Rappler, can travel to Norway from December 8 to December 13, according to the decision published Monday. The veteran journalist said Tuesday she had mixed feelings about accepting the award. “There’s a part of me that is happy, yes, but also angry, and hoping for a better future,” Ressa told reporters at Manila’s international airport before flying to Oslo. The Court of Appeals, which is handling the cyber libel case, last week approved her trip after rejecting government lawyers’ claims that she was a “flight risk”. Ressa has already received permission from another two courts handling other cases, according to Rappler.
Court rescinds arrest warrants vs human rights activists, peace advocates | INQUIRER.NET – The Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur Regional Trial Court has rescinded the arrest order against human rights activists and peace advocates tagged in the 2018 raid and torching of a military facility in Sibagat, Agusan del Sur. In its ruling, the court said, based on the evidence presented by the authorities, “have led this Court to reasonable believe that accused have not committed the offense.” “The Court, in weighing the facts and circumstances obtaining in these cases, is of the opinion that the warrants issued for their arrest suffered a constitutional defect,” said acting Executive Judge Fernando Fudalan Jr. of Bayugan City Agusan del Sur RTC Branch 7. The court said the complaints filed by the government and affidavits of witnesses failed to indicate “with clarity” the names of the accused and the exact addresses. “The inadequacy of the affidavits regarding complete information of the accused makes out a warrant that simply described the accused with their alleged aliases and erroneous addresses,” the court said. With the quashal of the arrest warrants, the court ordered the release of Cleared for serious illegal detention and kidnapping includes Teresita Naul, Aldeem Yanez, Ireneo Sagulay Udarbe, Aida Esmael Ibrahim, Jumoring Guaynon, Mylene Coleta, Jerry Basahon, Gerald Basahon, Hanilyn Caspedes, Ophelia Tabagon, Ritchel Hilogon, Cecelia Acenas, Wildon Barros, Francisco Pagayaman, Reywynx Morgado, Mujahid Caballero.
