EAGLENEWS.PH “WE LIVE IN INTERESTING TIMES” Volume 1 - Issue No. - 3 JANUARY 2018 Highlights of the 30-minute fireworks display at the PHL Arena welcoming Year 2018 Some of the highlights during the 30-minute fireworks display at the Philippine Arena in Ciudad de Victoria in Bocaue, Bulacan that signaled the start of the new year, 2018. (Eagle News Service) Thousands troop to Philippine Arena for year-end celebration Photo grab from Net 25 - eagle news update (Eagle News) - Thousands trooped to the annual New Year’s Countdown in the Philippine Arena, eager to welcome 2018 with a bang. Families and friends took to the venue in Bulacan, home to attractions that catered to the old and young alike. The Garden housed a variety of flowers, plants and even animals which delighted visitors who took photos and even selfies during their visit. The carousel was also a magnet for children and even the young at heart looking for fun and relaxation. (Eagle News Service) SEC revokes Rappler’s certificate of incorporation; says Death toll from California Ahead of pope’s Chile visit, priests it violated laws against foreign ownership of media mudslides rises to 20 accused of child sex abuse See Page 3 See Page 6 See Page 8 CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK: FOR MORE NEWS UPDATES, VISIT OUR Subscribe to our newsletter facebook.com/eaglenewsph OFFICIAL WEBSITE AT WWW. EAGLENEWS.PH eaglenews.ph 2 NATION One dead, 800 injured in Philippine Catholic parade SC orders several gov’t officials to answer Dengvaxia petition This file photo taken on September 9, 2016 shows the dengue vaccine A devotee who collapsed is carried by the crowd during the annual religious Black Nazarene procession in Manila on January 9, 2018. / AFP / Noel Celis/ Dengvaxia developed by Sanofi Pasteur./ AFP / Yuri Cortez / ne devotee died and 9 in what police described as a Catholics risk life and Cross. he Supreme Court on Wednesday, January 10 asked more than 800 peo- “generally peaceful” event de- limb to kiss or touch the icon The procession began several government officials to comment on the pe- Ople were injured in the spite crowds jostling to touch with towels, believing the icon before dawn on Tuesday and Ttition seeking to compel them to address the health Philippine capital when mil- the icon. to possess miraculous powers. ended after midnight, some risks attributed to Dengvaxia. lions joined a Catholic proces- However a former jail Two people died during 22 hours later. In a press conference, SC Spokesperson Theodore Te sion, officials said on Wednes- officer died of a heart attack the 2016 event. During the parade, said the respondents–Health Secretary Francisco Duque day, January 10. after joining the scramble to More than 800 peo- police shut down mobile III, Department of the Interior and Local Government offi- The annual feast of the climb onto the carriage bear- ple were hurt in this year’s phone signals in many areas cer-in-charge Catalino Cuy, Education Secretary Leonor Bri- Black Nazarene, one of the ing an image of what Catholics procession, including one who of Manila to prevent potential ones, Food and Drug Administration Director General Nela world’s largest Catholic festi- call the Black Nazarene on sustained a suspected neck terror attacks on the proces- Charade Puno, and program director of the Department of vals, drew 3.5 million barefoot Tuesday morning, city officials and spine injury in a fall, ac- sion. (Agence France-Presse) Health-National Center for Disease Prevention and Control devotees on Tuesday, January and police said. cording to the Philippine Red Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy—-were given ten days to submit their comment. In the petition filed by Gabriela and 70 parents and their children who were administered the anti-dengue vac- Diokno says Duterte admin plan to increase public cine, among others, the petitioners sought to compel these agencies to provide “free medical services” to those who experience side-effects from the vaccine, or those who suf- school teachers’ pay “not a priority” so far fer from severe dengue. Public school teachers will experience another hike in pay under EO 21, he assures The petitioners argued that the services should con- tinue “until it would have been determined and declared by (Eagle News) — President revealed Duterte’s plan for competent and medical and/or scientific experts that the Rodrigo Duterte’s promise to the teachers. threat/s brought about by the Dengvaxia vaccine have been increase public school teach- He said he would talk to the minimized or eliminated.” ers’ pay may have to wait. President about the matter. The petitioners also asked the SC to compel the De- Budget Secretary Benja- According to the budget chief, partment of Health to probe whether it was safe to use min Diokno on Wednesday, even without the increase, Dengvaxia in the first place. Janaury 10 said that increas- the salaries of public school They said the results of such a review should be ing their salaries was “not a teachers would still increase made public but should also be subjected to review by “in- priority” as of this time, giv- under Executive Order No. dependent and competent medical experts.” en the focus on the “Build, 21, which said that civilian Over 800,000 schoolchildren were administered Build, Build” program of the government personnel would Dengvaxia under the government’s national immunization government and “social pro- be given four tranches of pay program since it was procured during the term of then-Pres- tection.” increases until 2019. ident Benigno Aquino III. “I think we have to study He said the third tranche of The program was suspended after Sanofi Pasteur ad- that very carefully,” Diokno increase was already im- mitted its vaccine could cause “severe cases” in those who said, a day after Presidential plemented this year. (Eagle have not had dengue beforehand. (With a report from Moira Spokesperson Harry Roque (Photo grab from Net25, Mata ng Agila) News Service) Encina, Eagle News Service) SC sets oral arguments on petitions vs. one- Roque: President Duterte to ask Congress to year extension of martial law in Mindanao enact law banning firecrackers, pyrotechnics SC spokesperson Theodore Te (Photo grab from Net25, Mata ng Agila) (Photo grab from Net25, Mata ng Agila) By Moira Encina ed to submit their respective on December 27, 2017—was (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte will push for Congress to enact a law that will ban all Eagle News Service memoranda on January 20, lodged by six opposition con- firecrackers and pyrotechnics. on Saturday, not later than 5 gressmen led by Albay Rep. This is according to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, who spoke in a press confer- he Supreme Court has p.m.,” Te said. Edcel Lagman. ence on Tuesday. set oral arguments in The Supreme Court also In seeking for an injunc- According to Roque, the topic was among those discussed during a Cabinet meeting on Mon- Tconnection with the peti- ordered the consolidation of tion, both petitions argued day afternoon, January 8. tions filed against the one-year the two petitions challenging there was “no factual basis” “(The President) wants Congress to enact this law at the soonest time possible so that the extension of martial law in the one-year extension of mar- for the extension, which was public debate on the banning of fireworks and pyrotechnics could begin as early as possible,” Mindanao. tial law in Mindanao. approved by Congress in De- Roque said. In a press conference on It, however, asked Mala- cember upon President Rodri- As for the around 75,000 who are expected to be displaced by the firecracker ban, Roque Wednesday, January 10 SC canang to comment on the go Duterte’s request last year. said that the President has already asked the Department of Trade and Industry to look for other spokesperson Theodore Te second petition filed by mili- They argued that there livelihood options for them. said these were scheduled on tant lawmakers not later than was no “actual rebellion,” a On June 20, Duterte signed Executive Order No. 28 that limits the use of firecrackers to that January 16 at 2 p.m., and on January 13, 2018, Saturday, 5 constitutional requirement for of a “community fireworks display.” January 17 at 10 a.m. p.m. such a declaration to be made. The Department of Health attributed the overall 27 percent decrease in firecracker-related “The parties were direct- The first petition–filed (Eagle News Service) injuries to the issuance of the executive order, among others. (Eagle News Service) NATION 3 SEC revokes Rappler’s certificate of incorporation; says it violated laws against foreign ownership of media (Eagle News) – The Securities and Exchange Commis- sion has directed the revocation of the Certificate of Incorporation of the online news site Rappler, and its holding firm, Rappler Holdings Corporation, saying it violated the Constitution that barred foreign owner- ship of media. In a decision dated January 11, 2018, the SEC said that both companies violated Philippine laws, specifically the Foreign Equity Restriction under the Philippine Constitution. The SEC said that Rappler, Inc. and Rappler Holdings Corporation were “liable for violating the constitutional and statutory Foreign Equity Restric- tions in Mass Media enforceable through rules and laws within the mandate of the Commission.” “Revocation of Certificate of Incorporation on each respondent—Rappler Inc. being the mass me- dia entity that sold control to foreigners, and Rappler Holdings Corporation being its alter ego, existing for no other purpose than to effect a deceptive scheme to circumvent the Constitution,” the SEC’s 29-page decision read.