News Roundup 12 July 2021
Jul 12, 2021 • 4 min Read
Philippines logs 5,204 new COVID-19 infections | PHILSTAR.COM – The Department of Health reported Friday that 5,204 more people contracted COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases of the respiratory disease in the country to 1,478,061.
- Active cases: 49,128 or 3.3% of the total
- Recoveries: 5,811, pushing total to 1,402,918
- Fatalities: 100, bringing death toll to 26,015
Robredo on arbitral win in West Philippine Sea: 5 years of missed opportunities | PHILSTAR.COM – As the country celebrates its historic win against China Monday, Vice President Leni Robredo said today’s commemoration marked “five years of missed opportunities” after the government made little efforts to press its claim to the West Philippine Sea. Five years ago, a United Nations-backed tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands invalidated Beijing’s sweeping claim over the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. Despite the victory, Beijing rejected the ruling, and the Duterte administration “set aside” the arbitral award to seek stronger ties with China. “Since then, national leadership has yet to fully flex the ruling as an instrument to pursue our national interests, failing to invoke it in strong terms in the forums that matter the most,” Robredo said. “Our fisherfolk remain unable to enter areas that have been the source of livelihood for generations of Filipinos. Alliances that could have strengthened were allowed to erode, while those who bully their way into our waters have been treated with deference, and at times, subservience. The dream of a regional architecture founded on respect and mutual prosperity has become even more elusive,” she added. The vice president also stressed the Hague ruling “cannot be erased from the history books and cannot be denied despite the unending lies spewed forth by a formidable machinery of disinformation.” “Filing the case before the tribunal— standing up for what is right, against the economic and military might of a world power— yielded the admiration and respect of the entire world,” Robredo said. “Today’s commemoration is a reminder, a challenge, and a promise: that if only we can remember, if only we can unite, if only we can rediscover our spirit and once again stand for what is right—we will find, beneath the rubble of cowardice and neglect, our courage, our dignity, and our national pride,” she added.
All political groups must ‘commit to a troll disarmament’ — Villanueva | INQUIRER.NET – “I believe all political groups should commit to a troll disarmament,” so says Senator Joel Villanueva, who was among the 12 senators who sought for an investigation into the alleged state-funded “troll farms.” In a statement on Monday, Villanueva described “troll farms” as “weapons of mass distraction.” “Organized trolls are weapons of mass distraction. The seeds of falsehood they plant ripen into hate ready to be harvested by those who are harmed by the truth,” he said. “When they peddle anti-vaccine information, the repercussions are literally deadly,” he added. Further, the senator underscored the importance of exchanges “anchored on facts.” “Democracy can only flourish under the free and frank exchange of ideas, that may clash as they often should, but always must be anchored on facts,” he said.
Senators call for inquiry on alleged use of public funds for troll armies | Manila Bulletin – Twelve senators are calling for an investigation on reports that public funds are being spent on troll farms that spread misinformation thru social media. Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, and Senators Nancy Binay, Leila de Lima, Richard Gordon, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson, Emmanuel Pacquiao, Francis Pangilinan, Grace Poe and Joel Villanueva on Monday, July 12, signed and filed proposed Senate Resolution 768 asking the appropriate committee in the Upper Chamber to conduct an inquiry on the alleged state-backed and state-funded spreaders of false information. The lawmakers recalled the information earlier disclosed by Lacson that an incumbent government undersecretary has allegedly been preparing troll farms across the country ahead of the 2022 elections — a claim that was denied by Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque. They also cited Department of Finance’s (DOF) reported hiring of a public relations practitioner tagged by Facebook as an “operator behind a pro-Duterte fake account network”, pages of which were taken down by the social media giant in March, 2019. They likewise recalled a similar social media consultancy contract in 2017 between the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and a pro-administration blogger who was known for peddling “fake news” and hateful comments against critics of the government. “The Duterte administration even appointed some of these bloggers and social media personalities to high positions in various departments and agencies in government,” their resolution read. “Filipinos should know why government spends public funds on troll farm operators disguised as ‘public relations practitioners’ and ‘social media consultants’ who sow fake news rather than on COVID-19 assistance, health care, food security, jobs protection, education, among others,” the senators said.
