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Palace says PRRD not engaged in early campaigning By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos March 12, 2021, 3:32 pm President Rodrigo Duterte (Presidential Photo) MANILA – Malacañang on Friday emphasized that President Rodrigo Duterte is not using his position to engage in premature campaign activities by supposedly endorsing his preferred candidates for the 2022 national and local elections. In a press conference held in Ilocos Norte, Palace spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte’s top priority is to ensure the success of the government’s mass coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination program. “Sa ngayon po, nakatutok ang Presidente dito sa ating pagbabakuna dahil kinakailangan sa lalong madaling panahon, makahanap tayo ng bakuna at maibigay ito sa ating mga kababayan (The President is currently focused on our vaccination drive because we need to source out vaccines to be administered to our fellow countrymen as soon as possible),” he said. Roque issued the statement, a day after Duterte teased Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go anew about the solon’s possible presidential bid in 2022. Duterte, in a speech delivered in Negros Oriental on Thursday, said Go had asked him to make a public announcement about the senator’s plan to run for president next year. It was unclear whether Duterte, who is fond of making jokes, was serious when he announced Go’s supposed presidential ambition. Go, who attended the event in Negros Oriental, shook his head in disapproval when Duterte made the pronouncement. Roque, quoting Go, said: “Palagi namang nagbibiro si Presidente (The President is always joking).” Roque added that Duterte is more focused on giving his Cabinet a marching order to go around the country and ensure the successful implementation of his administration’s mass immunization campaign. “The primary thrust pa rin ng gobyerno (of the government) is the pandemic and that is why all members of the Cabinet were given the mandate to go and support the vaccination program of the government,” he said. In his commentary show “Counterpoint” aired Wednesday, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said he believes that Go is already “ripe” for the 2022 presidential derby. There have also been calls for Go and Duterte to run in tandem next year, with the senator and the President joining the presidential and vice presidential derbies, respectively. Go has repeatedly denied that he wants to be Duterte’s successor, telling the public to “count [him] out” when it comes to talks about 2022 elections. Roque said he has yet to talk to Duterte about the President’s election plans next year. “Hindi ko pa po nakakausap ang Presidente tungkol sa bagay na ‘to. At ang plano ko po sana talaga ay magkaroon ng isang mahabang usapin tungkol sa pulitika (I have yet to talk to the President about this. My plan is to have a lengthy discussion with him regarding politics),” he said. (PNA) https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1133402 NBI files charges against Dacera companions By Benjamin Pulta March 12, 2021, 7:01 pm MANILA – Criminal charges were filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday against the companions of the late flight attendant Christine Dacera, as well as the private lawyer and the police forensic investigator who initially handled the case. In a press briefing, NBI officials led by spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin said charges of violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, were filed against Mark Anthony Rosales for allegedly bringing party drugs and, along with Rommel Galido, for delivering and giving away the illegal substance. Likewise charged for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide were John Pascual Dela Serna III, Jezreel Rapinan, Alain Chen, and Louie Delima for recklessly neglecting the victim. NBI findings, however, showed no proof of abrasions in the victim's genitalia, as earlier claimed by forensic experts. The 23-year-old Dacera, a flight crew of Philippine Airlines, was found unconscious in a bathtub inside a City Garden Grand Hotel room in Makati City on January 1. She was declared dead on arrival at Makati Medical Center. Initial reports indicated she was raped but the police failed to substantiate their claims. "Re-autopsy on the cadaver of victim Dacera revealed that the cause of her death was microscopic evidence of peri-aortic hemorrhages and aortic wall disruption, suspicious for a bleeding dissecting aneurysm based on the review of slides of Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory," the NBI said. Toxicology examinations on the cadaver showed the presence of Diltiazem, a medicine for high blood pressure. “The results of the NBI investigation revealed the glaring inconsistencies of the PNP autopsy report," the report said. The NBI disputed the police's conclusion that the victim's urinary bladder was empty and said that in fact, the NBI forensic team was able to extract 130 milliliters of urine and no abrasion was found in her labia majora. Charges of perjury were also recommended against Galido, Dela Serna, and Darwin Macalla for allegedly providing false testimonies; and obstruction of justice against Rosales, Galido, Dela Serna, Gregorio Angelo De Guzman, Rapinan, Chen, Reymar Englis, Macalla, and lawyer Neptali Maroto for allegedly giving false or fabricated information to mislead or prevent the law enforcement agencies from apprehending the offenders. Criminal charges for falsification of official document by a public officer were slapped against investigator, Maj. Michael Nick Sarmiento. (PNA) https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1133460 Further lockdowns will be heavy burden on Pinoys: Palace By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos March 12, 2021, 3:07 pm MANILA – Filipinos will have to endure a heavy burden in case the government continues to restrict public movement amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, Malacañang said on Friday. “Ang katotohanan niyan, ‘yung further lockdown talagang mas mahirap para sa ating kababayan (The truth is, further lockdown will make it more difficult for our fellow countrymen),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press conference held in Ilocos Norte. Roque made the admission, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte said he could not let the Philippines be on strict mode “forever”. In a speech delivered Thursday in Negros Oriental, Duterte revealed his plan to further reopen the Philippine economy soon to help Filipinos cope with the impact of Covid-19 pandemic. Duterte also said the further easing of quarantine measures in the country is possible, once the number of Filipinos who have received Covid-19 vaccines reaches one million. Roque backed Duterte, saying the government wants a shift to the “new normal” since it already knows how to deal with the coronavirus. “Let’s just say na after one year, alam na natin ang anyo ng ating kalaban. At alam na natin kung paano tayo mabuhay sa kabila ng Covid-19 (Let’s just say that after one year, we already know our enemy. We already know how to live despite the Covid-19 pandemic),” he said. Roque said Duterte might consider relaxing further the community quarantine in the country by April. “So, I think ang tinitignan natin ay kung pupuwede na tayo lalong magbukas pa ng ekonomiya pagdating po ng buwan ng Abril (So, I think, we will assess whether we can afford to further reopen our economy by April),” he said. Amid plans to allow more sectors to resume operations, Roque reminded the public to continue following minimum public health standards. Under the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF- EID) Resolution 102 approved Thursday, all Filipinos are still required to wear face masks and face shields "appropriately." Filipinos are also mandated to wash hands for “at least 20 seconds each time,” ensure the observance of social distancing and proper ventilation, and reduce time of interaction with people, according to IATF-EID Resolution 102. Metro Manila, Apayao, Baguio City, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Batangas, Tacloban City, Iligan City, Davao, and Lanao del Sur are under general community quarantine (GCQ) until March 31. The rest of the country stays under the least restrictive modified GCQ (MGCQ). (PNA) https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1133420 Palawan fate decided via today’s plebiscite posted March 13, 2021 at 01:30 am by Vito Barcelo and Maricel V. Cruz The Commission on Elections said voting for the postponed Palawan plebiscite – which will divide the province into three – would start at 7 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. today (Saturday). The voters will only be asked to cast a yes vote if they are in favor of the split and no if they are against it. The Palawan plebiscite will ratify Republic Act No. 11259 dividing Palawan into Palawan Del Norte, Palawan Del Sur and Palawan Oriental. All registered voters must comply with health protocols, such as maintaining physical distance outside and inside voting precincts, and ensuring that bottles or dispensers of alcohol for sanitizing hands are available in these areas, the Comelec said. A lot is at stake in the division of the biggest province in the country in terms of land area at nearly 15,000 square kilometers. Voters and everyone involved in the plebiscite would be required to wear masks at all times. “The wearing of face masks is mandatory, whether they are poor or rich,” Teopisto Elnas Jr., Comelec deputy executive director for operations said. Each voter would be required to fill out a health declaration form at health stations to be set up in voting centers. While the Comelec is expecting a low turnout of voters to determine whether Palawan will be split into three provinces, this will not affect the result. Comelec data showed that Palawan has 490,639 registered voters, with 2,959 clustered precincts and 487 voting centers.