News Roundup 25 July 2020
Jul 25, 2020 • 4 min Read
COVID-19 cases in Philippines surpass 78,000 with 2,019 new infections | PHILSTAR.COM – The Department of Health on Saturday confirmed 2,019 new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), bringing the country’s total caseload to 78,412. Of these, there are still 50,763 total active cases, which account for the net of reported recoveries and deaths. The death toll has reached 1,897 after 20 more patients succumbed to the coronavirus. Meanwhile, the local COVID-19 recovery count stands at 25,752 as the Health department announced 1,278 additional survivors.
SONA protests to persist despite bans — rights group | PHILSTAR.COM –Mobilizations set on Monday will push through despite the issuance of protest bans just days before President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address, according to human rights monitor Karapatan. “The Duterte regime is shameless in using quarantine measures to crack down on dissent but we will not be deterred: we will join thousands in the streets on Monday, we will observe proper health protocols, and we will ring the people’s demands louder than ever,” Karapatan Secretary-General Cristina Palabay said in a Saturday release. Karapatan denounced the prohibition of protests which they said are only meant to hide true public sentiment on the administration amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘Malevolent’ PhilHealth schemes to be unveiled in Senate probe—Lacson | INQUIRER.NET – The Senate inquiry will reveal more “malevolent” schemes of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) following the recent corruption allegations linked to the agency, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Saturday.“ Just to cite an example: The newly instituted Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM), purportedly to support the national government’s response to the COVID-19 threat, gives PhilHealth the authority to provide special privilege in the form of substantial aid to ‘eligible’ Health Care Institutions (HCIs),” the senator said. “This new malevolent scheme led to the release of hundreds of millions of pesos in record time – in one or two weeks – to a few unaccredited hospitals that register only one COVID-19 patient,” Lacson added. “That, and other mind-blowing controversies will be the focus of the Senate inquiry in the coming days when Congress starts its Second Regular Session.” The IRM that Lacson was referring to is PhilHealth’s cash aid for hospital partners affected by natural disasters.
Guevarra assures protest actions can be held during SONA | Manila Bulletin – Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Saturday, July 25, assured that protest actions can be held during the 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Duterte on Monday, July 27. “The right of the people to peacefully assemble for the redress of grievances is a fundamental right protected by the Constitution,” he told reporters. “Its lawful exercise, however, such as with respect to the time and place where it may be carried out, is subject to reasonable regulation by the authorities in the interest of public order, health, and safety,” Guevarra reminded those who plan to stage protests.
Petitions against Anti-Terror Law climb to 19 | The Manila Bulletin – A group of church leaders brought the number of petitions filed before the Supreme Court against Republic Act (RA) 11479 or the “Anti-Terrorism Law” to 19 on Friday. Many more petitions challenging the newly minted law are expected to be filed next week. In its 97-page petition, the Public Interest Law Center (PILC), led by Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, called on the court to strike down the law in its entirety. Petitions were also filed on Friday by the Alternative Law Groups (ALG), a coalition of 18 legal resource nongovernmental organizations, and by the General Assembly of Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality Leadership and Action Inc. (Gabriela). Pabillo, the apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila, was joined by Bishop Gerardo Almionaza of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental; Bishop Reuel Norman Marigza, minister of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP); Rev. Rex Reyes Jr. of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines; Bishop Emergencio Padillo, member of UCCP’s Council of Bishops; and Dr. Aldrin Penamora of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches. They highlighted the specter of prosecution for supporting, providing aid or inciting to terrorism and the possibility of being “designated” or connected to terrorist groups because of their work and mandate. The petitioners also assailed the state’s expansive powers under the law such as surveillance and collection of data, detention for 14 days after warrantless arrest and designation of terrorists as incompatible and contrary to the Philippine Constitution.
