News Roundup 26 January 2022
Jan 26, 2022 • 4 min Read
Philippines reports 15,789 more COVID-19 cases | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines on Tuesday reported 15,789 additional COVID-19 infections, raising the country’s nationwide tally to 3,475,293. Ninety-five percent of the newly-reported cases occurred from January 13 to 26, according to the Department of Health. The regions with the highest number of additional infections during that period were Calabarzon (2,248), Metro Manila (2,135) and Central Luzon (1,520). The country’s death toll rose by 66 to 53,664, while recoveries increased by 32,712 to 3,191,219. The number of active cases was down to 230,410, of which nearly 95% had mild illness. According to the DOH, 35.8% of 43,725 samples on January 24 tested positive for COVID-19, way above the threshold set by the World Health Organization. Three testing laboratories did not submit data to the agency.
Hontiveros calls for criminal charges vs ‘pastillas’ bribery scheme suspects | PHILSTAR.COM – Criminal charges should be filed against over 25 suspects involved in the ‘pastillas’ bribery scheme, where immigration workers allegedly received kickbacks to expedite the entry of Chinese nationals through airports, according to Sen. Risa Hontiveros. President Rodrigo Duterte claimed in his State of the Nation Address in 2021 that people linked to the alleged scheme had already been fired. Philstar.com found that they had actually already gone back to work after their preventive suspension lapsed. “They thought they could silence the investigation of the pastillas scam, but they were wrong…We recommend the filing of criminal charges against the immigration personnel identified [as suspects] in our committee report,” Hontiveros said in Filipino in a statement posted on the Senate website on Wednesday. She was referring to the Committee Report on Senate Resolution No. 131 which highlighted the key findings of the various hearings held on the matter. The four-page executive summary of the report, available on the Senate’s website, identified the suspects behind the pastillas scheme, and how they operated. Citing testimonies from whistleblowers, the report said that the “big boss” at the very top of the alleged bribery scheme ws former Port Operations Division chief Marc Red Marinas.”We have strong evidence — from the numerous screenshots up until the testimonies of the whistleblowers who were from the Bureau of Immigration (BI),” Hontiveros said. According to the committee report, the ‘pastillas’ scheme begins with immigration officers receiving through Viber a list of names of foreign nationals and their arrival schedules.
More teachers cry cybertheft; NBI on it | INQUIRER.NET – More teachers and nonteaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd) have complained about unauthorized withdrawals from their payroll accounts in Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) and disputed claims of the state-run bank that they were victims of a “phishing” scam. From 11 complainants on Monday, Teachers’ Dignity Coalition chair Benjo Basas said in an interview with dzBB on Tuesday that based on their latest data, 20 teachers and DepEd personnel have reported unauthorized transactions done through their Landbank payroll accounts. The amount of money lost ranged from P160,000 to P200,000, he said. “We’re not blaming Landbank but we’re asking for an investigation. The teachers were just hurt because it seemed like they were quick to conclude that the devices were compromised,” Basas added. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday said he would order the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the reported online theft that defrauded public school teachers.
Chairman Aguinaldo: COA to release report on Pharmally probe in March | Manila Bulletin – The Commission on Audit (COA) will release in March its final report on the controversial purchase by the Procurement Service, Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) of more than P10 billion worth of COVID-related medical supplies from Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation. This was revealed today, Jan. 26 by outgoing COA chairman Michael Aguinaldo during a confirmation hearing by the Commission on Appointments (CA) when Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon recalled that the COA had promised to submit a report on the Pharmally contract in December, 2021. This morning, the CA Constitutional Commissions and Offices committee chaired by Senator Cynthia A. Villar held a hybrid public hearing to determine the fitness of Mario Gonzales Lipana be confirmed as COA commissioner. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri and Senator Joel Villanueva seconded the motion for the CA in plenary session to confirm Lipana. Lipana’s appointment was eventually by the CA.
