News Roundup 17 August 2020
Aug 17, 2020 • 4 min Read
Former DICT undersecretary slams alleged ‘gatekeeping’ in IATF coronavirus response | PHILSTAR.COM – Former communications technology undersecretary Eliseo Rio Jr. slammed what he said were “gatekeepers” within the government’s coronavirus task force whom he said were holding back the participation of civil society groups in its pandemic response. In a tell-all posted on his personal Facebook account, the former Department of Information and Communications Technology exec broke his silence on his tenure once more, this time slamming members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases for, he said, ignoring science-backed proposals. He was referring to IATF sub-Technical Working Group which was headed by DICT Assistant Secretary for Digital Philippines Manny Caintic, whose conversations with Rio were posted on Facebook.
PNP distances self from amnesty issue after arrest of Abu Sayyaf leader | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippine National Police is distancing itself on whether or not Abu Sayyaf leader Idang Susukan will be granted presidential amnesty as part of a surrender deal, saying Monday that it had already done its part. The Davao City Police Office confirmed the arrest of Susukan August 13 after the latter was surrendered by Moro National Liberation Front chairman Nur Misuari. He arrived at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame after midnight on Saturday. Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Police Gen. Archie Gamboa, chief of the Philippine National Police, said that the agency was “preparing [its] report to Hon. Abdulmoin M. Pakam, Presiding Judge of RTC Branch 5 of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, on the implementation of the Warrant of Arrest issued” against Susukan. “That’s purely vested on the executive or I think through legislation…as to the appreciation on how he was arrested, we will lay down the facts to the courts involved. Only the court can determine whether it was voluntary surrender or if it was arrest or capture,” Gamboa said in a mix of English and Filipino. “On the part of PNP, we just caused the arrest. Accountability of Misuari, if any, will be up to the court…it’s not within the PNP’s power to grant this,” he added.
Kiko: ‘Dolphin watching’ Roque should focus on gov’t response vs COVID | INQUIRER.NET – Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Monday shot back at Malacañang after the latter took a swipe at the opposition lawmaker for criticizing the administration’s response to the pandemic. In a Palace briefing, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said he was not surprised with Pangilinan’s criticisms of the government’s COVID-19 response since the 2022 elections are coming up. “Tigilan na nila ang paninisi. Sa halip na mag-dolphin watching, problema ng palpak na performance nila at hindi performance ng nakaraang administrasyon ang pagtuunan nila ng pansin at tutukan nila,” the senator told INQUIRER.net in a message, recalling Roque’s highly-criticized trip to Ocean Adventure in Subic Bay amid quarantine restrictions. (Stop blaming others. Instead of dolphin watching, they should concentrate on resolving their failure to address the problems and not the performance of the previous administration.) “Walang kinalaman ang performance ng nakaraang administrasyon sa covid response,” Pangilinan added. (The performance of the previous administration has nothing to do with the present response to COVID-19.) If Roque is keen on looking at track records, Pangilinan said the Palace official should look at how the previous administration’s addressed issues concerning agriculture.
Groups vow to pursue justice for Echanis | Manila Bulletin – Progressive groups vowed to keep fighting for justice for the killing of activist and peasant leader Randy Echanis despite massive crackdown under the Duterte administration. Anakpawis party-list group called on the Office of the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights (OHCHR) to investigate the killing of its chairperson last week. “We humbly appeal to the OHCHR to look into the cold-blooded murder of a peace and peasant who had been always a target of state’s persecution and neutralization,” Anakpawis vice president Ariel Casilao said. The peasant group asserted the death of Echanis must be brought to the international community to pursue a totally independent investigation.
Oil firms to jack up gasoline, diesel prices | The Manila Times – Oil companies will raise the prices of gasoline and diesel by 60 centavos per liter and 10 centavos per liter, respectively, this week. The cost of kerosene, however, will be unchanged. Cleanfuel, Flying V, Pilipinas Shell, and Seaoil announced that they will adjust their pump prices on Tuesday.
