National

Persons under investigation for nCoV in PHL climb to 382, with 68 new PUIs; but confirmed cases still at 3

  (Eagle News) – The total number of persons under investigation (PUIs) for the novel coronavirus-2019 has jumped to 382 in the Philippines, with the number of confirmed cases still at three, according to the Department of Health’s latest data. As of its latest update on Tuesday, Feb. 11, there were 68 new cases added to the previous day’s accumulative total of 314.  (https://ncovtracker.doh.gov.ph/) There are also 266 admitted PUIs, with five added from Monday’s […]

Palace: President Duterte will “not entertain” any US initiative to save VFA

(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte will “not entertain” any United States initiative to save the Visiting Forces Agreement. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo added President Duterte will not accept “any official invitation to visit the United States.” Panelo said the President’s decision, after all, was a  “consequence of a series of legislative and executive actions by the US government that bordered on assaulting our sovereignty and disrespecting our judicial system.” “In addition, the President believes that […]

US embassy receives notice of PHL intent to terminate VFA; notes its “significant implications in US-PHL alliance”

  (Eagle News) – The United States embassy has acknowledged receiving the Philippine government’s “intent to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA)” describing it as having “significant implications for the US-Philippine alliance.” In a statement, the US embassy said that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had already informed them of the Philippines’ decision to terminate the VFA. “This is a serious step with significant implications for the U.S.-Philippines alliance,” its statement said. “We will […]

Cloudy skies, rains expected in parts of PHL as northeast monsoon affects country

(Eagle News) — Cloudy skies and rains are expected in parts of the country today, Feb. 11. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said in its latest bulletin that Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Caraga, Davao Region and the provinces of Aurora and Quezon will have cloudy skies with light rains due to the northeast monsoon affecting the country. Metro Manila and the rest of the country, on the other hand, will […]

Lacson: Mutual Defense Treaty with US to be rendered useless without VFA

(Eagle News) — The Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States will be rendered useless if the Visiting Forces Agreement is terminated, Senator Panfilo Lacson said on Tuesday, Feb. 11. In a statement, Lacson said the MDT, which posits that the Philippines and the US would act in accordance with the Constitution should there be an armed attack on either one of them, “will now be reduced to a mere paper treaty […]

Palace: Filing of quo warranto petition vs ABS-CBN not an encroachment on power of Congress

(Eagle News) — The Palace on Tuesday, Feb. 11, denied the filing of a quo warranto petition against ABS-CBN was an encroachment on the power of Congress. In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said “causing the forfeiture of a franchise,” after all, “is different from not granting a franchise.” “The former is exercised by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) in accordance with its legal mandate, while the latter is undertaken by Congress […]

DFA official: Locsin signs notice of VFA termination, notice to be sent to US Embassy in Manila “forthwith”

(Eagle News) — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. signed on Tuesday, Feb. 11, the notice of termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States, a Foreign Affairs official said. In a Tweet, Undersecretary Brigido Dulay said the signing was “on the order of the President through Executive Secretary (Salvador) Medialdea.” He said the notice will be delivered to the US Embassy in Manila “forthwith.” Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to scrap the […]

From Luzon to Mindanao, DOH observing 261 patients under investigation for nCoV admitted in various hospitals

(Eagle News) – From Luzon to Mindanao, there are now 261 patients under investigation for the novel coronavirus infection who are being observed by the Department of Health (DOH) currently admitted in various hospitals. The total number of PUIs in the country has also reached 314, including 50 discharged cases who had tested negative for the virus, according to the DOH statistics as of Feb. 10, 2020. So far, the Philippines has three confirmed cases […]

SC orders ABS-CBN Corp., ABS-CBN Convergence Inc. to comment on quo warranto petition filed vs them

Both have “non-extendible” period of ten days from notice to do this, SC says (Eagle News) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday, Feb. 11, ordered ABS-CBN Corp. and ABS-CBN Convergence Inc. to comment on the quo warranto petition filed against them by the Office of the Solicitor General. In a statement, SC spokesperson Brian Hosaka said the “comment likewise pertains to the prayer of the Solicitor General for the issuance of a (temporary restraining order) […]

DILG to PNP: Arrest those behind fake news on novel coronavirus

(Eagle News) — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Tuesday, Feb. 11, ordered the Philippine National Police to arrest those behind the dissemination of fake news on the novel coronavirus. Año issued the order after an infographic allegedly coming from the Department of the Interior and Local Government showed the government had banned travelers from 23 countries affected by the 2019-nCoV. The Philippine government has so far only banned travel to and from mainland China, Hong […]

Robredo: Filing of quo warranto petition vs ABS-CBN “abuse of power”

(Eagle News)–Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday, Feb. 11, said the Office of the Solicitor General’s filing of a quo warranto petition against ABS-CBN was “abuse of power.” “Higit sa lahat, tungkol ito sa kapangyarihan: Sino ang magtatakda ng totoo at ng mahalaga? Kapag sinamsam ng gobyerno ang kapangyarihang ito, sinasamsam din nila ang kolektibong tungkulin nating kilatisin ang katotohanan. Taliwas sa karaniwang proseso ng pag-renew ng prangkisa ang nangyayari. Samakatuwid: Pang-aabuso ito ng kapangyarihan,” […]

Alert level 3 still hoisted over Taal; seismic activity, steam emissions continue

(Eagle News)–An alert level 3 has been hoisted over Taal as it continues to spew steam and its seismic activity. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said activity in the main crater in the past 24 hours has been characterized by weak emission of steam-laden plumes rising 50 to 100 meters high. Sulfur dioxide emission was measured at an average of 105 tons per day on February 10. The Taal Volcano Network, on the […]