News Roundup 24 July 2021
Jul 24, 2021 • 6 min Read
COVID-19 deaths in the Philippines cross 27,000 | PHILSTAR.COM – Local health authorities on Saturday reported 6,216 more COVID-19 infections, bringing the national caseload to 1,543,281.
- Active cases: 54,401 or 3.5% of the total
- Recoveries: 6,778, pushing total to 1,461,749
- Deaths: 241, bringing total to 27,131
‘Misinformation’ called out: Philippines’ claim on Kalayaan islands not ‘erased’ by arbitral win | PHILSTAR.COM – A maritime expert disputed what he called wildly circulating misinformation that the Philippines lost possession and sovereignty over the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) because of its arbitral win in the South China Sea. The KIG — the northeastern section of the Spratly Islands — is in the West Philippine Sea, or the portion of the South China Sea within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, and falls under the jurisdiction of Palawan. But Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, said there is “a claim now circulating wildly” that the Philippines’ arbitral win invalidated a Marcos-era decree that laid claim over the islands. “Supposedly, the Award has eliminated the Philippines’ sovereignty and possession of the KIG,” he said in a Facebook post, referring to a claim which he said was boosting the “Chinese misinformation campaign” about the landmark ruling. “This is FALSE.” “The validity of [Presidential Decree] 1596 was never put in issue in the SCS Arbitration, and the Tribunal did not have any jurisdiction to rule on the validity thereof,” he said. “Therefore the Award cannot have any effect on the validity of PD 1596.” Batongbacal added that PD 1596 is still valid because the Philippines is a civil law country which means its laws remain valid and effective until amended or revoked. “Only the legislature, by legislative action, can invalidate and abrogate PD 1596 and extinguish all its effects,” he said. “Not the judgment of an international tribunal, which cannot subordinate the sovereignty of the State.” He noted that the Philippines was already in possession of three of the islands that make up KIG — Pag-asa, Patag and Lawak — years before it formally and publicly announced its claim in 1971, citing effective occupation and control as its basis. Effective occupation and control, Batongbacal said, “continues up until this day on the islands/rocks of Pag-asa, Patag, Lawak, Kota, Panata, Likas, Parol, and Rizal.” “PD 1596 is not the source of PH’s title to the islands, it is evidence of the exercise of pre-existing sovereignty that flows from sovereign title based on effective occupation and control,” he also said.
Duterte jokes: Not funny | INQUIRER.NET – There are times when jokes simply do not land, especially about issues that are no laughing matter. During President Rodrigo Duterte’s term, most— if not all—of his jokes were often criticized and seen as offensive, insensitive and misogynistic. As Duterte delivers his last State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday (July 28), let’s take a look at some of his most shocking jokes. Even before claiming the nation’s top post, Duterte has been criticized for his controversial comments. During a campaign rally, the then-presidential candidate and Davao mayor made his notorious “the mayor should have been first” comment on an Australian missionary raped and killed during his term as city mayor. “All the women there were raped in the first assault and they retreated but the bodies the attackers used remained there, one of which was the body of an Australian lay minister,” Duterte said. “Tsk, this is a problem. The body was brought outside and it was covered. I looked at her face, son of a bitch, she looked like a beautiful actress in the United States,” Duterte went on. Son of a bitch, what a waste. I was thinking that they raped her and lined up. I was angry because she was raped, that’s one thing. But she was so beautiful, the mayor should have been first, what a waste,” he added. His controversial statement led to a string of criticism and outcry from the public, urging Duterte to apologize. At first, Duterte refused to apologize and has explained that what he said was “not a joke.” “I said it as a narrative. I was not smiling. Do not make me apologize for something which I did not do. It’s a matter of honor. I said it in the heat of anger,” he said. A full week after, Duterte finally issued a statement apologizing for his remarks “to the Filipino people.” Unfortunately, the sexist and rape jokes did not stop there as it became like Duterte’s second nature to crack offensive jokes even in public. After the elections, Duterte drew flak for wolf-whistling a female broadcast reporter at a nationally televised press conference in Davao City.
Senators want Duterte to lay out plans for PH’s recovery in last SONA | Manila Bulletin – Senators are not only expecting President Duterte to tout his accomplishments in the last five years, but also his plans to jumpstart the Philippines’ recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic beyond his term. Duterte will be delivering on Monday, July 26, his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA). Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said that he hopes to hear from Duterte a “roadmap” to guide the next administration in addressing the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak. “I expect and hope that there would be a COVID-19 roadmap that the President will layout so that the next administration will also be able to follow through,” he told CNN Philippines in an interview July 21. “What the people truly want to hear from our nation’s Leader is what he will do to keep our economy afloat and how he will try to help our country survive this dreadful pandemic in his last twelve months of office,” Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri also said in his statement. “Of course, his plans and wishes for the country for the next year, the last year of his term, and beyond. Because a good leader always focuses not only on his term but also beyond the term of the President,” he added. Senator Joel Villanueva also asked for a “clear” direction from Duterte in controlling the spread of the virus and strengthening the country’s health care system to make it “pandemic-proof”. The creation of a virology institute to research and develop vaccines is also key, he added, so the Philippines will not anymore depend on other countries for vaccine supplies. “Until we produce our own vaccines, we will be at the mercy of vaccine manufacturers who are trying to supply to all nations,” Villanueva pointed out.
