News Roundup 23 July 2020
Jul 23, 2020 • 3 min Read
COVID-19 cases in Philippines surpass 74K-mark with 2,200 new infections | PHILSTAR.COM – There are now 74,390 confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines Thursday after the Department of Health reported 2,200 additional infections. The number of individuals who were given clean bill of health also increased by 760 to 24,383. But 28 new deaths were reported, bringing the fatality count to 1,871. As of Thursday, active cases in the country stood at 48,136.
Citing prejudice against their communities, Moro lawyers join fight against anti-terrorism law at SC | PHILSTAR.COM – Four lawyers from the Bangsamoro region, whose continuing history is rife with struggles against terrorism, filed the 15th petition against the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. Lawyers Algamar Latiph, Batuas Lucman, Musa Malayang and Dalomilang Parahiman on Thursday filed a Petition for Certiorari asking the Supreme Court to strike down 14 sections of Republic Act 11479 or the ATA as unconstitutional. This is the 15th petition against the law. This means that, as of Thursday, the anti-terrorism law is facing the same number of petitions as the widely criticized Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. In making their case, the Moro lawyers acknowledged that while the intention of RA 11478 is commendable, it has provisions that undermine public welfare and safety. “We, as Bangsamoro, Muslims, and natives of Mindanao, have been at the heart of the struggle against terrorism. The destruction of Marawi is a living testament [to] the atrocities of terrorism. We are most affected. We were forced out of our homes, our relatives displaced, abused, or murdered,” they said in their petition.
Cavite gov shuns hiring of ‘gossipmongers’ to help in contact tracing | INQUIRER.NET – Will tapping “chismosos” and “chismosas” (gossipmongers) really help trace individuals who have had direct contact with coronavirus disease patients? Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla does not think so. The governor mentioned the use of so-called busybodies in contact tracing in his Facebook post on Thursday, in which he also urged the government to focus on the COVID-19 response instead of reopening talks on Charter change. “Mayroon pang ‘mga chismosa gagamitin laban sa kapwa o kapitbahay’?!” Remulla said. (There is even a plan to use gossipers to tattle on their neighbors?!) “I am sure there are better, more efficient and intelligent ways to make the people cooperate with the government,” he added. Remulla was apparently referring to the statement of Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), that gossipers may be useful as contact tracers to help curb the spread of the virus in the region.
Foreign terrorists’ presence no longer monitored by military | Manila Bulletin – The military is no longer monitoring the presence of foreign terrorists in the central and the western part of Mindanao in the past few weeks despite aggressive surveillance and intelligence-gathering. But Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command, said they are not lowering their guard since the main objective is to deny foreign and local terror groups the opportunity to strike in any part of the country. “We have been looking for them but there are no more traces of their presence. But still we do not lower our guards, we maintain our security posture,” said Sobejana.
PGH ward for Covid patients ‘overflowing’ | The Manila Times – The Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) on Wednesday said its coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) ward was “full to the brim.” Hospital spokesman Jonas del Rosario said all 210 beds allotted for Covid-19 patients were occupied. He said 45 of the patients were health care personnel. “Puno na, umaapaw na (Our Covid-19 wards are full). As of last night, we have admitted 215 Covid-related admissions,” said del Rosario in a radio interview. Of this number, 193 are confirmed Covid-19 patients, 15 are suspected carriers, while seven are considered “probable” after testing positive to rapid antibody tests. “We noticed that we had an outbreak in PGH. Not all of them are frontline health workers; some are employees of the hospital. PGH promised the health care workers that if they contract Covid, they will be confined in the hospital,” del Rosario said.
