News Roundup 27 March 2021
Mar 27, 2021 • 4 min Read
Philippines sees 9,595 new COVID-19 infections; active cases at 118,122 | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines on Saturday recorded 9,595 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 712,442.
– Active cases: 118,122 or 16.6% of the total
– Recoveries: 481, pushing total to 581,161
– Deaths: 10, bringing total to 13,159
Rape-slay convict Antonio Sanchez dies – PHILSTAR.COM – Former Calauan, Laguna mayor and rape-slay convict Antonio Sanchez died Saturday morning in his prison cell at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, the Bureau of Corrections confirmed. Corrections spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag said Sanchez was found unresponsive in his cell at 7 a.m. and was brought to the NBP Hospital by his cellmates where he was declared dead on arrival. Chaclag said his body is up for autopsy, as part of the procedure on sudden inmate deaths, but remarked that there is no sign of foul play. “He was last seen at 10 p.m. still alive preparing to sleep,” Chaclag said. “He had existing conditions such as chronic kidney disease, hypertension, recurring gastroenteritis, prostate problems and asthma.”
Pangilinan to FDA: Probe logistics firm that handled returned AstraZeneca vaccines | INQUIRER.NET – The logistics firm which handled the AstraZeneca vaccines that were returned due to faulty thermometers should be investigated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan said on Friday. According to Pangilinan, FDA must check whether the logistics company that moved the vaccines from Metro Manila to Bicol Region is actually accredited to handle the AstraZeneca vials. Reports on Wednesday showed that 7,500 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines were returned from Bicol Region to the Department of Health (DOH) office in the National Capital Region due to faulty thermometers, which left regional health officials unsure if the vaccines can even be used. Eventually, DOH said that the AstraZeneca vaccines are in stable condition, and only the temperatures encountered a problem. “Sabi ng DOH, ngayong raw, malamang na umabot na ng 700,000 COVID cases natin at 100,000 ang active cases. Tapos mababalitaan nating maaaring nasayang ang libo-libong doses ng bakuna dahil pinayagaan ang hindi lisensyadong logistics company ang mag deliver nito,” Pangilinan claimed. (According to the DOH, today our COVID cases is most likely to breach 700,000 and the active cases, 100,000. Then we get reports that thousands of doses of vaccines may be lost because an unlicensed logistics company was allowed to deliver them.) “Kailangang may managot [Somebody should be held accountable],” he added. According to Pangilinan, it is imperative to check where the error happened and who is liable, as the vaccines are an important opportunity for the Philippines to hurdle the COVID-19 crisis.
Robredo glad SC called out lawyers’ killings, PH filed protest vs. China | Manila Bulletin – Though she wanted the Supreme Court to call out the killings of lawyers earlier, Vice President Leni Robredo said she is nonetheless relieved that the High Court condemned the killings and vowed institutional changes to protect them. Robredo, who worked as a human rights lawyer, praised the SC for proving that democracy is still working in the country despite the red-tagging and killings of political activists. “Alam naman natin na iyong judiciary, parang tinatawag siyang last bastion of democracy, ‘di ba? Na kapag hindi na nagwo-work iyong institution to be the last guardian of democracy, wala na (We know that the judiciary, it is called the last bastion of democracy, right? If the institution is not working to be the last guardian of democracy, then we have no hope),” Robredo said in an interview over Radyo Katipunan. But she said that “the mere fact na iyong Court nag-issue ng ganoon na statement, while para sa atin mas ideal pa sana kung mas maaga, pero nevertheless, relief iyon sa atin (the Court issued that statement, which for us it is more ideal if the statement came earlier, but nevertheless, that is a relief for us),” she added. “It gives us hope,” the vice president said, agreeing to “All Kaps Ateneo Level Up” radio show host Noel Ferrer that “people are watching.” On Tuesday, March 23, the High Court released a strongly worded statement against the killings of lawyers, judges, and prosecutors. It is an unprecedented move and all 15 justices issued the collective public statement, which said that “The Court condemns in the strongest sense every instance where a lawyer is threatened or killed, and where a judge is threatened and unfairly labeled.”
