News Roundup 19 July 2021
Jul 19, 2021 • 4 min Read
DOH logs 5,651 new COVID-19 cases | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines on Monday reported 5,651 new coronavirus cases, pushing its total to 1,513,396. Today’s numbers saw active cases up by 371 from July 19’s 47,190. The Department of Health said six laboratories failed to submit testing results.
- Active cases: 47,561 or 3.1% of the total
- Recoveries: 5,332, bringing the number to 1,439,049
- Deaths: 72, or now 26,786 in total
PDP-Laban exec insists council meeting, assembly consistent with party’s constitution | PHILSTAR.COM – The meetings of the ruling PDP-Laban last weekend — dismissed by a faction led by Sen. Manny Paquiao as “illegal” — followed the party’s constitution, a top party official and cabinet member said yesterday.
PDP-Laban executive vice president and cabinet secretary Karlo Nograles said those who attended the party’s national council meeting and national assembly last Friday and Saturday were duly elected and recognized members of the party who are authorized to represent their respective councils.
He said the attendees included governors, lawmakers, mayors and senators who can attend assemblies and cast votes based on the principles of democracy, where the rule of majority is respected. “Everything that was done in the national council meeting and national assembly meeting were in line with the constitution of PDP-Laban so everything was done by the book. We followed what was stated in the constitution of the PDP-Laban,” Nograles told CNN Philippines. “All members who voted in both the national council and national assembly are authorized to vote as per the constitution of PDP-Laban, as per the official records submitted to the Comelec (Commission on Elections) by no less than Sen. (Aquilino) Koko Pimentel (III) himself,” he added. Pimentel, whose father the late senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. was one of the founders of PDP-Laban, does not recognize last weekend’s meetings and continues to regard Pacquiao as president of the ruling party. Pacquiao has earned the ire of President Rodrigo Duterte — also the chairman of PDP-Laban — after he criticized the alleged corruption in government and the administration’s handling of the West Philippine Sea dispute.
Robredo invited to join Duterte’s final Sona, but only via Zoom — spox | INQUIRER.NET – Vice President Leni Robredo was not invited to physically attend President Rodrigo Duterte’s final State of the Nation Address (Sona), said her spokesman on Monday, but only to attend via Zoom. Contrary to what House of Representatives Secretary General Mark Llandro Mendoza earlier said, Robredo‘s spokesperson Atty. Barry Gutierrez said that the vice president was not invited to physically attend the Sona at the Batasang Pambansa on July 26. “She will therefore be attending remotely,” said Gutierrez. This is also what happened in 2020, when Robredo was not invited by Malacañang to be physically present for Duterte’s fifth Sona. Duterte’s last Sona will take on a similar format from last year’s because of the still continuing pandemic. At least 350 guests, however, would be allowed to be physically present, much higher compared to 2020’s 50 guests. According to Mendoza, former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was among those invited to be physically present in Duterte’s final Sona, as well as ousted Speakers Pantaleon Alvarez and Alan Peter Cayetano.
Guevarra says VP not immune from suit; cites recent case | Manila Bulletin –The country’s vice president can be sued during his or her incumbency, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said on Monday, July 19. Guevarra recalled that Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo was named as respondent in the criminal complaint filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) before the DOJ in 2019. Robredo was charged then with alleged involvement, together with her co-respondent Peter Joemel Advincula, alias “Bikoy,” in creating the so-called “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos which accused President Duterte’s family in illegal drugs trade. “When VP Robredo was included in the sedition charges in 2019 in connection with alias Bikoy’s allegations, I remarked that the VP was not immune from suit under the present Constitution,” Guevarra said. “My opinion on the matter has not changed,” he stressed. He noted that “the complaint as against VP Robredo was eventually dismissed by the panel of prosecutors for insufficiency of evidence, not on account of immunity.” Guevarra clarified that his comment is not a response to the statement issued by President Duterte. “To the extent possible, I do not comment on anyone’s political statements, as such is not part of my duties as SOJ (secretary of justice),” he explained.
