Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 108 | Tuesday, July 20, 2021

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

HAIL THE LEGENDS SPORTS P12

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VOL.14 ISSUE 108 • TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2021

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All my travels are covered by duly filed leave of absences: Sara

STORY ON PAGE 2

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) vicechair and general manager Royina Marzan Garma leads the ceremonial tree planting during the launch of Puno Edukasyon para Pangkabuhayan (PEP) program at Altitude Damosa Gateway along Lanang, Davao City over the weekend. Edge Davao

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VOL.14 ISSUE 108 • TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2021

President Rodrigo Duterte interacts with Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Bases Conversion and Development Authority Secretary Vivencio Dizon during his inspection of the newly completed terminal building of the Clark International Airport over the weekend. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

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2 top ranking NPA leaders arrested

All my travels are covered by duly filed leave of absences: Sara

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio explained on Monday all her travels are covered by duly-filed leave of absence.

This is in response to query why she is going around the country when Davao City is “burning” with the highest number of Covid-19 cases.

“I assure all Dabawenyos that my strengthening as a

Mayor is to take on several roles and ensure that work is carried out,” the mayor said.

The mayor also said it is only her person who leaves the city three days a week and in her stead,

assured that Dabawenyos are with Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte and the entire strength of all departments of the City Hall to make sure that operations and services are uninterrupted.

“It is not easy but I am not a stranger to difficult circumstances,” she said.

After declaring her “openness” to run as President in the 2022

IBP-Davao City says killing of lawyer, husband ‘derogation of the rule of law’

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he Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)Davao City chapter said the killing of lawyer Sitti Gilda Mahinay-Sapie and her husband Muhaimin outside their residence at the Solariega, a gated subdivision in Barangay Talomo on July 13, is a “derogation of the rule of law.”

In a statement on Thursday, the lawyers’ group condemned the killings and urged the police and other law enforcement agencies to investigate the

twin murders and bring to justice those responsible for their deaths.

“Every life is sacred and should be respected. The attempt to take any life will never be tolerated in a civilized society,” the IBPDavao said.

The group called on government to secure its citizens and ensure the safety of lawyers and those involved in the administration of justice to allow them to perform their duties without fear, harassment, and retribution.

Atty. Sapie, who used to work in the Department of Agrarian Reform, was known for defending agrarian reform beneficiaries. She became a lawyer in 2018.

She was arrested in her residence on June 29, 2019 for alleged illegal possession of firearms – one Beretta 9 mm, one magazine with 14 bullets and two holsters — and was released on bail two days later. But she denied the allegations and claimed she was being

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elections, Mayor Sara started conducting consultations in different parts of the country to feel the pulse of the people on the “Run Sara Run” movement.

“It is true that there is a pandemic but it will not suspend the filing of Certificate of candidacies (COCs) in October or postpone the elections on May 2022. A decision has

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wo top ranking officials of the communist New People’s Army of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) in Caraga Region were arrested in a joint military and police law enforcement operation in Quezon City on Friday dawn (July 16).

Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division spokesman Maj. Francisco Garello identified the arrested suspects as Julieta Gomez Tawide alias Tina, a resident of Purok 2, Mahayahay,San Luis, Agusan del Sur and Niezel Velasco Duaso alias Mary Jane, 39 years old from Purok Tulay, Brgy. San Agustin Sur, Tandag City, Surigao del Sur. Tawide is the alleged secretary of Regional Urban Committee, NEMRC and a member of Regional Tax

Implementing Group, while Duaso is the regional liaison of NEMRC. Garello said they were arrested by the joint operatives of the PNP and AFP during the service of a warrant of arrest in Kaingin 1, Barangay Pasol, Quezon City, Metro Manila for murder and attempted murder issued by Judge Edwin Malazarte of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) 11th Judicial Region, Branch 28 in Lianga, Surigao del Sur and Judge Fernando Tudalan Jr.,presiding judge of the RTC, 10th Judicial Region Branch 34, Cabadbaran City,Agusan del Norte.

Recovered from the possession of the suspects were 4 units of M4 5.56 Rifles; 9MM Parabellum pistol; 9MM magazine; several bul-

Diego Silang Elementary School at Punta Dumalag 1.

The office sent its team to the affected area in the evening to supply relief assistance such as food, tent, and portable toilets for the victims estimated to reach around 500. One casualty, 76-year old Reynaldo Salinas, was reported, while some people got injured.

Rep. Duterte said that affected individuals with health concerns could seek

support from the office to avail themselves of medical assistance.

While everyone is still trying to recuperate from the incident, Rep. Duterte said they will also provide lunch and dinner for the victims for three consecutive days starting Sunday. Then, they will assess the situation.

“Nagprovide mi ug lunch and dinner for three days kay kabalo ta lisod pa sila

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500 Dumalag fire victims get help from Rep. Pulong

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he office of the First Congressional District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte provided much-needed assistance to fire victims at Punta Dumalag 2 in Barangay Matina Aplaya, Davao City.

Over 100 houses were either gutted down or damaged by a fire, which began about 5 p.m. on July 17, Saturday afternoon, at Punta Dumalag 2. Also caught in the fire was the

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NEWS

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A fire victim from Punta Dumalag 2 receives assistance from the office of 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte at a temporary evacuation site in Matina Aplaya, Davao City over the weekend. Handout photo

Activities in Mt. Tipolog-Tamugan Watershed monitored: DCWD Sara: No travel ban for travelers from CDO A

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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ayor Sara DuterteCarpio said on Monday that the Davao City will not implement a travel ban for travelers from Northern Mindanao, particularly Cagayan de Oro City.

This is in line with the recent announcement of the Department of Health (DOH) that it has detected 16 cases of the more transmissible Delta variant in the country including those that have been detected locally. The

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uspected members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) burned construction equipment on Friday (July 16) in Sitio Kinalablaban, Barangay Cagdianao, Claver, Surigao del Norte.

Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division (ID) Major Francisco Garello, chief of the Public Affairs Office, said the construction equipment, a 4 unit of backhoes, is owned by CKDI construction while two others belong to Queens Construction.

Garello said the suspects are believed to be members

agency also announced that 11 of the 16 were reported in different regions in the country: five in Cagayan de Oro, one in Misamis Oriental, two in the National Capital Region and two in Region 3 (Central Luzon) but were tested in NCR. One detected in NCR died on June 28, 2021.

“Wala ta’y na istoryahan na travel ban gikan sa Cagayan de Oro City because dili visible to the naked eye

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of the NPA’s Guerilla Front 16 (GF16) under Roel T. Neniell alias Jacob.

Maj. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., commander of the 4th ID, said that the recent atrocities the communist group in Caraga Region are part of a grand plan to divert the government forces’ attention and disrupt the security operations against their armed group.

He said the communist NPA terrorists (CNTs) are on the run. They conduct atrocities whenever they are

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n official of the Davao City Water District (DCWD) assured that recreational activities in Mt. Tipolog-Tamugan Watershed are strictly monitored.

DCWD Spokesperson Jovana Cresta T. Duhaylungsod said prior to the call of IDIS, DCWD is already conducting monitoring activities on site.

Duhaylungsod said DCWD’s Integrated Watershed Management Program in Mt. TipologTamugan Watershed has been in existence since 2005 and the project area is around 371 hectares inside

the Obu-Manuvu ancestral domain.

“Also included in our rehabilitation is around 26 kilometer stretch of riverbank of Tamugan,” she said.

The statement was in response to the call of the Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustaibility (IDIS) to DCWD to take the lead in monitoring

point sources of possible pollutants within PaniganTamugan Watershed and develop plans and strategies to address them.

In a statement, IDIS highlighted that from 2019 to the present, its water monitoring results showed several contaminants such as significant detection of phosphates, fecal coliform bacteria, and heavy metals such as mercury.

Duhaylungsod added that aside from the tree planting and parenting and maintenance activities, DCWD has partnered with the community that will do planting and maintenance

wo suspected local terrorists were killed while two others were arrested during a raid launched by government troops in Barangay Nabundas, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao on Saturday morning (July 17).

A report from 6th Infantry Division (ID) indicated that the operation was conducted after members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Central received reports from the civilian populace about the presence of suspected Dawla Islamiya (DI) terrorists.

Only one of the slain suspects was identified

as Tong Bomber, while the arrested persons were identified as Nondo Sangalan and Tong Sangalan.

Recovered from the crime scene were an M14 rifle and two improvised explosive devices.

Lt. Col. Benjamin Cadiente, the commanding officer of the 33rd Infantry Battalion, confirmed that a soldier was wounded during the armed clash.

The remains of the terrorists were turned over to the barangay officials of Nabundas while the captured personalities were placed under police custody

for proper filing of cases.

JTF and 6th ID commander Major General Juvymax Uy, thanked the prompt response of the troops to prevent the suspected terrorists from conducting atrocities in the area.

He also thanked the help of the local residents in reporting the presence of the said terrorists as he vowed to continue from hunting down BIFF and DI terrorists who continue to threaten and attack our communities.

Uy reiterated that the government is ready to

activities and monitor the forest to thwart off environmentally damaging activities.

“For these they get compensation from DCWD. They serve as our forest guardians,” she said.

Duhaylungsod said DCWD has also been doing water quality and quantity monitoring and the results of which are submitted to the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR) and used for planning our activities in the project area.

accept any members of the terrorist group who desire to surrender and live a peaceful life.

“We have the AGILAHAVEN Program of the Province of Maguindanao that has already extended numerous assistance to the former members of BIFF and DI,” Uy explained.

Governor Bai Mariam Sangki Mangudadatu had earlier distributed livelihood assistance to 17 former Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) to help them live a peaceful and sustainable life with their family.

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2 terrorists killed, 2 others nabbed T

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Residents of Barangay Buluan in Kabacan, North Cotabao earn a living by producing charcoal from ipil-ipil trees and from tree stumps floating in Rio Grande. A sack of charcoal is sold at 150 pesos at farm gate. MindaNews photo by JULES L. BENITEZ

8K mall workers rendered jobless during ECQ in CDO A

t least 8,000 employees of stores selling non-essential items in at least 10 shopping malls here found themselves jobless on the first day of the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) on Saturday.

Councilor George Goking, who chairs the Cagayan de Oro City Council trade and commerce committee, said the workers represent 80 percent of the estimated 10,000 employees working in stores inside the malls.

“The first day is grim.

Some 8,000 people lost their jobs outright,” Goking said, adding these workers would be job-

less from until July 31 when the ECQ would be lifted.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on Friday placed the city under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) after the Department of Health in Manila announced that 16 cases of Delta vaiants of COVID-19 were detected in the country, six of these in Northern Min-

danao, five of them in Cagayan de Oro City.

Goking said only establishments offering basic necessities like pharmacies, banks, supermarkets, telecom shops and hardware stores inside the malls are allowed to open during the ECQ, the most restrictive among quarantine classifications.

He said restaurants are allowed to open but would only cater to takeout and delivery by food carriers.

Director Mari-Flor Dollaga of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Northern Mindanao said it had 20,000 family food packs ready for distribu-

tion in case the local government of Cagayan de Oro asks for it.

Dollaga said the DSWD also has a standby fund of P3 million ready for release for the local government of Cagayan de Oro. The National Economic Development Authority regional office said at least 4,200 workers of Cagayan de Oro firms have been displaced from May to June this year because of the strict quarantine controls.

Another 1,173 skilled workers of Cagayan de Oro’s small to medium enterprises also lost their jobs during the same period, it said. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)

duction allocations from May 2022 to overcome differences between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that threatened the plan.

OPEC+ last year cut production by a record 10 million barrels per day (bpd) amid a pandemic-induced slump in demand and collapsing prices. It has gradually

reinstated some supply to leave it with a reduction of about 5.8 million bpd.

From August until December 2021 the group will increase supply by a further 2 million bpd or 0.4 million bpd a month, OPEC said in a statement.

The group had agreed to extend their overall pact until the end of 2022

from an earlier planned date of April 2022, to leave more room for maneuver in case global recovery stalls due to new virus variants.

Whilst both Riyadh and the UAE had been supportive of an immediate output boost, the UAE had objected to the Saudi idea to extend the pact to December 2022 without

Fuel prices hike starting today

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ump prices of petroleum products are expected to increase next week, the Unioil Petroleum Philippines said Saturday.

In its latest fuel forecast, Unioil said the price per liter of diesel will increase

by P0.30 to P0.40 from Tuesday, July 20, to Monday, July 26.

Meanwhile, pump prices for gasoline will increase by P0.10 to P0.20 per liter.

According to the Department of Energy, oil companies implemented a price increase of P1.15 per liter for gasoline, P0.60 per liter for diesel, and P0.65 per liter for kerosene effective July 13.

The DOE said this caused year-to-date adjustments to stand at a total net increase of P13.50 per liter for gasoline, P10.60 per liter for diesel, and P9 per liter for kerosene.

getting a higher production quota.

To overcome the disagreement, OPEC+ agreed new output quotas for several members from May 2022, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Kuwait and Iraq.

The overall adjustment will add 1.63 million bpd to supply from May next year, according

to Reuters calculations.

The UAE will see its baseline production, from which cuts are being calculated, increase to 3.5 million bpd from May 2022 from today’s 3.168 million.

Saudi and Russia will see their baselines rise to 11.5 million bpd each from the current 11 million.

OPEC+ agrees to oil supply boost from August as prices surge

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PEC+ ministers agreed on Sunday to boost oil supply from August to cool prices which have climbed to 2-1/2 year highs as the global economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.

The group, which includes OPEC countries and allies like Russia, crucially agreed new pro-

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Davao City Water District (DCWD) spokesperson Jovana Cresta T. Duhaylungsod assures that recreational activities in Mt. Tipolog-Tamugan Watershed are strictly monitored. Edge Davao

Bayanihan 3 won’t improve PH credit ratings prospects: Diokno Phoenix says domestic market share grew despite pandemic

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hoenix Petroleum on Monday said it has kept its position as the third-biggest oil player in the country after its domestic market share grew in May despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its domestic market share rose to 7.81 percent as of May 25, compared to the 7.1 percent at the end of 2020, Phoenix Petroleum said in a disclosure to the stock exchange, citing data from the Department of Energy.

“Despite challenges and setbacks, we’ve remained determined and optimistic throughout

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ohnson & Johnson is exploring a plan to offload liabilities from widespread Baby Powder litigation into a newly created business that would then seek bankruptcy protection, according to 7 people familiar with the matter.

During settlement discussions, one of the healthcare conglomerate’s attorneys has told plaintiffs’ lawyers that J&J could pursue the bank-

this pandemic and I’m glad that our efforts are bearing fruit,” Phoenix president Henry Bong Fadullon said.

“We are proud and grateful that even with the difficulties that the pandemic has caused we are able to continue cultivating our business while serving even more communities,” he added.

Phoenix Petroleum said its second-quarter yielded “stellar results” with its April business results exceeding preCOVID levels for the first time since the onset of the pandemic. ruptcy plan, which could result in lower payouts for cases that do not settle beforehand, some of the people said. Plaintiffs’ lawyers would initially be unable to stop J&J from taking such a step, though could pursue legal avenues to challenge it later.

J&J has not yet decided whether to pursue the bankruptcy plan and could ultimately abandon the idea, some of the people said. Reuters could

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ayanihan 3 will not help the Philippines improve its credit ratings standing, the head of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said on Sunday.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said that while the proposed P401-billion stimulus package was not within the mandate of the central bank, he disagrees that “legislating Bayanihan 3 will help us to improve our ratings prospects after Fitch downgraded the country’s outlook to ‘negative’ from ‘stable’”.

“Nevertheless it should be pointed out that in a sea of ratings downgrade globally last year and this year, Fitch

has affirmed the Philippines’ investment grade,” Diokno said.

He added that the rationale for Bayanihan 3 will fade with the submission of the 2022 national budget within a month or so.

The central bank chief said what the country needs to do now is accelerate the vaccine rollout, pursue the structural reforms, and continue the Build Build Build program. .

“These measures will

immensely improve the Philippines’ growth prospects and its ability to attract foreign direct investments,” Diokno said.

The success of the vaccination program is the key to a strong and sustained economic recovery, he said.

The country meanwhile is struggling to ramp up its vaccine rollout. The government has said that it wants to inoculate 58 million Filipinos by the end of the year, down from an initial 70 million target.

ABS-CBN News however has been tracking the number of vaccinations since March, and as of July 14, only 4,047,792 Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against

COVID-19. This means that the government has reached just 6.98 percent of the revised target after more than 4 months.

Economic managers have thumbed down proposals to increase spending saying the country should practice fiscal prudence.

Lawmakers, several economists and even business leaders meanwhile have called for more fiscal stimulus saying the country lagged its neighbors in terms of spending to support the economy amid the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The economy shrank a record 9.6 percent last year amid the lockdowns imposed to check the spread of COVID-19.

not determine whether J&J has retained restructuring lawyers to help the company explore the bankruptcy plan.

J&J faces legal actions from tens of thousands of plaintiffs alleging its Baby Powder and other talc products contained asbestos and caused cancer. The plaintiffs include women suffering from ovarian cancer and others battling mesothelioma.

“Johnson & Johnson

Consumer Inc. has not decided on any particular course of action in this litigation other than to continue to defend the safety of talc and litigate these cases in the tort system, as the pending trials demonstrate,” the J&J subsidiary housing the company’s talc products said in a statement provided to Reuters. J&J declined further comment.

Should J&J proceed, plaintiffs who have not

settled could find themselves in protracted bankruptcy proceedings with a likely much smaller company. Future payouts to plaintiffs would be dependent on how J&J decides to fund the entity housing its talc liabilities.

J&J is now considering using Texas’s “divisive merger” law, which allows a company to split into at least two entities.

For J&J, that could create a new entity housing talc

liabilities that would then file for bankruptcy to halt litigation, some of the people said.

The maneuver is known among legal experts as a Texas two-step bankruptcy, a strategy other companies facing asbestos litigation have used in recent years.

J&J could also explore using another mechanism to effectuate the bankruptcy filing besides the

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DAVAO 6 EDGE VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

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In response to query why she is going around the country when Davao City is “burning” with the highest number of Covid-19 cases:

“I assure all Dabawenyos that my strength as a Mayor is to take on several roles and ensure that work is carried out. It is not easy but I am not a stranger to difficult circumstances.”

Sara Duterte-Carpio Mayor, Davao City

EDITORIAL Delta and jabs With so many cases now reported across the country, health experts are now raising an alert against a possible surge of Delta variant infections.

Task Force, during the Bida Bakunado Program of the Davao City Disaster Radio said that the issues were resolved on their own within 24 hours of the vaccinations.

Amid this fear of the fast spreading Delta variant detected in Luzon, the Visayas and now in Northern Mindanao there is positive news – that authorities have not recorded adverse much less fatal effects of Covid-19. Vaccines administered to Dabawenyos, reporting mild side effects and short-lasting effects that disappeared hours after the inoculation.

“Walay laing preparation for Covid-19 variants. It’s the same virus, it is still Covid-19. Mao gihapon na atong panlaban sa Delta variant. Dili magbag-o ang public health standards depending kung unsa siya na klase na variant.

The alert is well-placed and all Filipinos must heed it amid a spike in cases of Covid-19 infections recorded on a daily basis.

Dr. Michael Schlosser, the spokesperson of the Covil-19

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This is quite positive.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter

KENNETH IRVING K. ONG ATHENA JILLIAN BRAVO NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN MEGHANN STA. INES FERINA SANTOS Lifestyle

CHRISTIAN JAY H. RAFAL ANA MARIE G. SILPAO Layout

LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. Consultant Correspondent Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. BORBON • MARY ANN C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO DAVAL SR.,TRIA • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY Columnists: ANTONIO V.“ADI” FIGUEROA • HENRYLITO D. TACIO •B.JOHN CARLO • MUJAHID NAVARRA ••FRED C. LUMBA • DENNIS R. GORECHO ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO •“GICO” G. S. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER GREGORIO G. DELIGERO VIDA MIA VALVERDE • HAROLD CAVITE M. PEREZ

OLIVIA D. VELASCO SOLANI D. MARATAS RICHARD C. EBONAJASPER OLIVIA D. VELASCO V. BACSAL General Manager PresidentAdvertising Specialist Finance General Manager / VP Operations JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

The pronouncements of City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio are also reassuring. She said that Dabawenyos should adhere to the same health protocols we’ve been used to in facing the threat of a fast-spreading, more virulent variant.

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OFFICE MANILA MARKETING OFFICE RICHARD C. EBONA LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager Unit 6, Southbank Plaza Velez-YacapinProduct Sts. Development officer Cagayan de Oro City Address: No. 18 Purok 4B, Madelo Street, Lower Bicutan, Taguig City Tel: (088) 852-4894 Mobile number: +63 947 265 2969(smart); +63 916 955 8559(globe)

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VOL.14 ISSUE 108 • TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2021

VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

LIVING THE DREAM I was still in high school when I had this itch of going abroad. I really wanted to see those places which I can only dream of. But I grew up in a middle-class family; my father is a mechanic while my mother is a homemaker. All in all, there are nine siblings.

So, it was impossible for me to go abroad – in those days. But the dream kept on coming. So much so that when I was 25, I got my passport without any intention of going to another country.

Then, like a thief in the night, it happened. I was already working for a non-government organization where some of the staff were going to other countries to train farmers and interested groups of agricultural systems which earned my boss the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for peace and international understanding (touted to be the Nobel Prize of Asia).

I was attending a journalism workshop at Los Baños, Laguna when the much-talked about journalist Juan Mercado approached me. He was one of the resource persons and head of the Press Foundation of Asia (another recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award).

During a break, Mercado asked me: “Do you have a passport?” I was totally surprised by his question but I quickly replied, “Yes, I have.” (Two months earlier, I got my passport.) Hearing those, he again asked, “Would you like to go Bangkok for another seminar?”

Don’t ask me what my answer was. A month later, I was already in Bangkok, Thailand – my

first trip in another country. I was already 26 years old and I had the opportunity of going abroad and attending a press briefing on food security in the region with other journalists from other countries.

I returned to Bangkok the second time when I was invited by the German embassy to attend a business expo. It was during October and one of the much-awaited events was the Oktoberfest. All invited journalists were requested to attend.

Before the party ended, there was a raffle contest for all visiting journalists. When my name was called, I got my prize: a winter jacket. How will I use it, I asked myself. I am from a tropical country! But just the same, I brought it home.

Without knowing it, I would be able to use it two months later. A week after my arrival, I got an e-mail from my friend, award-winning journalist and author Don Hinrichsen, who asked me if I could co-author a paper on water and population. To do it, it’s either he comes to the Philippines or I go to the United States. Without hesitation, I begged him if we could do the latter. He approved.

Without much trouble getting my US visa, I was on my way to the land of milk and honey one December. My destination: New York, the city that never sleeps!

Imagine yourself: a journalist who grew up in the Philippines without any idea on what winter was all about!

When we touched down at the JFK International Airport, I immediately joined the queue of for-

eigners at the immigration area.

After asking some questions, the immigration official stamped my passport, gave it to me and said, “Welcome to the United States!”

Manhattan was a dream come true – a place that has been featured in several Woody Allen movies. The people are dressed to kill – as if they come out from a pictorial for fashion magazines.

The Central Park, Times Square, Radio City and that huge Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center – name it, I had seen them all.

After a week in Manhattan, I was on my way to my sister’s place. They picked me at the airport in Saint Paul and went straight to the Mall of America (yes, the biggest mall in North America). It was so huge that it took about three days to roam around it.

I never had an opportunity to see snow in Manhattan (experienced only very cold while walking along the busy street), but staying in the house of my sister’s sister-in-law in Minneapolis was totally engrossing. I peeped from the glass window of the room where I was sleeping and I could see the pile of snow in the neighborhood (a scene I only saw before in Hollywood movies).

I stayed with my sister’s place in Hibbing (the city where Nobel Prize winner Bob Dylan grew up) for more than a month.

On the morning of December 25, we woke up very early as we had to spend Christmas in the place where her mother-in-law lived.

While we were on our way, I could see the snowflakes dropping from

the air. As if I could hear Bing Crosby crooning, “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…”

Actually, it was my second encounter with winter. The first one happened in Durban, South Africa the previous year. I was attending the 13th International Conference on AIDS, where I had the pleasure of meeting two well-respected dignitaries: Nobel Prize winner Nelson Mandela and Hollywood actor Danny Glover.

Having no idea about Africa, I was totally surprised when I learned that South Africa has four seasons. I got to know it only when I read a magazine where it stated: “Winter Issue.” So, when I got out together with my Filipino companions for dinner, we were totally shocked with the kind of cold we experienced.

Winter is great but only for taking pictures and selfies. Seeing snow also get you an idea of what white really is; it must be the reason why the Holy Bible used the words: “as white as snow.” If only winter is only for a week!

If you think I abhor winter, I like autumn better. It’s not so cold; it’s just like you are inside an air-conditioned room. Plus, seeing the various colors of the leaves: from green, they turn to yellow, then orange, then red and finally brown. “Are those leaves painting,” my niece asked me when she saw the pictures I took.

The best autumn experience I had was in Montreal, Canada, where I attended an international gathering of science journalists from all over the world. It was

October and maple trees were all over the city. And the trip going to Quebec was totally exhilarating as I saw the hues of colors along the lanes.

Aside from the Durban experience, I also attended two AIDS conferences in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (yes, I scaled the Twin Towers) and Melbourne, Australia (where I visited its famous zoo).

Three International Coral Reef Symposiums brought me to Bali, Indonesia (ah, those famous beaches and noted Hindu temples), Fort Lauderdale, Florida (did some diving at the Biscayne National Park), and Cairns, Australia (who has never heard of the Great Barrier Reef?).

As part of the prize in winning the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards, I was able to visit Beijing, China (I found out that scaling the Great Wall is not a walk in the park), Hanoi, Vietnam (visited the famous Halong Bay, a World Heritage site) and Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Other international conferences brought me to Bogor, Indonesia (where I had to fly to Jakarta first), Siem Reap, Cambodia (an opportunity of going to the famed Angkor Wat), and Phuket, Thailand (a city that was once devastated by tsunami).

“You are living the dream which most of us want to experience,” my friend, Gabriel Paolo Morales, once told me (that conversation led me to write this piece). “It’s not so often that someone like you will ever experience the kind of opportunity you have.”

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

WHO IS CAPT. CORNELIUS C. SMITH? The death of Davao district governor Lt. Edward C. Bolton on June 6, 1906 created quite a confusion in terms of succession.

As district secretary and successor-in-waiting to the governor, Orville V. Wood, an American planter in Malita, Davao Occidental, took over the governorship to ensure that the administrative affairs in the district were not disrupted.

Based on chronology, the news of the death of Lt. Bolton reached Zamboanga only a week later, and another week before it reached Washington, D.C. Interestingly, Kansas-based paper The Topeka State Journal, in its June 14, 1906 issue carried a story (‘Killed A Governor: Natives of Mindanao Murder Lieutenant E. C. Bolton’), saying: “Captain Langhore (sic) has been made acting governor of Davao and placed in charge of these operations.”

Capt. George T. Langhorne

was acting governor of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu at the time Lt. Bolton was assassinated.

The story, however, did not say who appointed him as acting district governor and how long did he stay in the post.

Wood could have served without designation as acting governor for a week (June 7-13, 1906) before Capt. Langhorne, on orders from Manila, took over the governorship to handle the probe of the Bolton case. Piecing together conditions, Capt. Langhorne might have served as district governor until June 21, 1906. Wood succeeded him.

On July 14, 1906, Lt. Allen Walker, of the Philippine Scouts, took over as district governor and held the position until August 4, 1909. The Washington Times, in its Sept. 6, 1906 issue, came out with a biographical story titled ‘Davao’s New Governor Takes Up

His Work.’

Having risen from the ranks to captain in the Army, winning honors in the Spanish War, and a Medal of Honor for courageous conduct in an Indian campaign, Capt. Cornelius C. Smith, of the Fourteenth Cavalry, has taken up his duties as governor of the Davao district, Mindanao, Philippines Islands, as successor to Lieutenant Bolton, of the Seventeenth Infantry, who was murdered by treacherous Moro chiefs last July.

Governor Smith is a native of Arizona, and his early days in the frontier life of that territory are believed to have made him peculiarly fitted for the work of dealing with the belligerent natives of the district he is to govern. His rise from trooper to captain covers a period of sixteen years.

Research did not show Capt.

Smith having any connection with Davao; he did not succeed Lt.

Bolton. Lt. Walker served as Davao district governor non-stop until 1909. Because of the June 6, 1909 Philippine Constabulary mutiny in Davao, which resulted in the bloody attack of the town and the San Pedro parish convent, he resigned.

The likelihood of Capt. Smith having served briefly as acting governor of Davao was possible but there is no evidence to support the idea. What is undisputed is that he entered the Philippine civil service on Oct. 28, 1906 and was appointed district governor of Cotabato. Later, as major in the Philippine Scouts, he was appointed district governor of Lanao.

Born on April 7, 1869 in Tucson, Arizona, USA, Col. Smith, a Medal of Honor awardee, was a U.S. Army officer serving the 6th U.S. Cavalry during the Sioux Wars in South Dakota, USA. In 1898, he fought in the Spanish American War and Philippine-American

War.

For three years (1903-06), he was captain in the 14th U.S, Cavalry in Mindanao under Gen. Leonard Wood, later American governor-general. During this time, he co-published the book, A Grammar of the Maguindanao Tongue According to the Manner of Speaking It in the Interior and on the South Coast of the Island of Mindanao (1906) with help from Fr. Jacinto Juanmart, a Spanish Jesuit.

Col. Smith was reassigned for two years to the United States but returned to the Philippines in 1912 to assume as Philippine Constabulary commander under Gen. John J. Pershing, governor of the Moro Province. He retired from the Army in 1920 with a rank of colonel. He died on Jan. 10, 1936, and his remains are buried at the Evergreen Memorial Park and Mausoleum at Riverside, California, USA.

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LIFESTYLE

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PROSTATE CANCER: MEN’S SILENT KILLER Text by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

A

fter lung cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men. The 2010 statistics from the Department of Health (DOH) showed about 6 million Filipino men over the According to the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI), prostate cancer develops in 19.3 out of every 100,000 Filipino men. “About six cases in 10 are diagnosed in men aged 65 and older, and it is rare before age 40,” Philippine Cancer Society, Inc. (PCSI) said.

“The average age at the time of diagnosis is about 66.”

One out of 100 Filipino men would have died from prostate cancer before age 75, according to the PCSI. “Prostate cancer occurs mainly in older men,” the cancer society pointed out.

Movie actor Nestor de Villa was 75 when he died of prostate cancer in 2004.

Davao photojournalist Rene Lumawag was also 75 when he died. Rod Navarro was 73 when doctors pronounced him dead in 2003. Ross Rival was 62 when he succumbed to the disease in 2007.

The prostate gland lies just under the bladder and surrounds the urethra. It produces the fluid in the semen that nourishes sperm. Pili nut-sized in young men, the prostate gland enlarges with age.

“Prostate cancer is a malignant growth that originates in the prostate,

a small gland that lies under the urinary bladder and surrounds the initial part of the urethra and whose secretion forms part of semen,” explains Dr. Eduardo Gonzales in his Manila Bulletin column.

The Department of Health (DOH) urges Filipino men who are 40 years old and above to see an urologist to ensure that all is well “down there.”

“A man should have a digital rectal exam (DRE) at age 45 if he has no family history of prostate cancer, or earlier at age 40 if some members of the family have it,” suggested Dr. Michael Jonathan Latayan, a urology consultant at Metro Davao Medical and Research Center in Davao City.

Older men should see a doctor even if there are no symptoms of prostate cancer. This kind of cancer “usually grows very slowly and may take decades to produce symptoms,” says The Merck Manual of Medical Information.

“Thus, far more men have prostate cancer than die from it. Many men with prostate cancer die without ever knowing that the cancer was present.”

The bad news is that “one out of 5 prostate

cancers will result in death within five years.” That’s according to Dr. Jason Letran, an urologist at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center, University of Santo Tomas, and Chinese General Hospital.

What most Filipino men don’t know is that prostate cancer is among the most curable cancers – when it is detected early.

Among those who survived the disease, because they discovered the cancer early, include: Harry Belafonte, Warren Buffett, Robert De Niro, Rudy Giuliani, John Kerry, Ian McKellen, Ryan O’Neal, Colin Powell, and Ben Stiller.

But unlike those in the Western countries, most Asian men with prostate cancer “come for treatment very late,” observes Dr. Sahabudin Raja Mohamed, consultant urologist at the Hospital Kuala Lumpur, “when little can be done to help them.”

In the Philippines, it has been observed that men generally don’t seek exams or treatment until they start having symptoms of pain, urinating blood or not urinating at all. By that time, the disease may be too late to be cured.

“Prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms until it reaches an advanced stage,” the Merck manual points out. Among the symptoms commonly associated with prostate cancer are the following: urinary problems; inability

to urinate, or difficulty starting or stopping the urine flow; the need to urinate frequently, especially at night; weak or interrupted flow of urine; pain or burning during urination; difficulty having an erection or decrease in the amount of semen ejaculated; blood in the urine or semen; and frequent pain in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs.

These are just symptoms and only a doctor can know for sure whether a person really has prostate cancer. “If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, go and see your doctor immediately so that the cause can be diagnosed and any relevant treatment administered,” recommends Professor Peter Lim Huat Chye, senior consultant and advisor of the Department of Urology at the Changi General Hospital in Singapore.

In some men, symptoms develop after it spreads (metastasizes).

“The areas most often affected by cancer spread are bone (typically the pelvis, ribs, or vertebrae), and the kidneys,” the Merck manual states.

“Bone cancer tends to be painful and may weaken the bone enough for it to easily fracture.”

The Merck manual adds: “Prostate cancer can also spread to the brain, which eventually causes seizures, confusion, headaches, weakness,

(Photos: cancer.org & Mayo Clinic)

or other neurologic symptoms. Spread to the spinal cord, which is also common, can cause pain, numbness, weakness, or incontinence. After the cancer spreads, anemia is common.”

“To diagnose prostate problems – including prostate cancer – doctors usually perform a digital rectal exam (DRE), which is the insertion of a gloved finger inside the rectum to assess the size of the prostate,” informs Dr. Willie T. Ong, an internist and cardiologist who serves as consultant at the Manila Doctors Hospital and Makati Medical Center.

“A PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test, a urinalysis, and a special ultrasound of the prostate are often requested, too.”

If the results of either one of these tests are abnormal, “ultrasound of the prostate and biopsy are needed to see if there is cancer,” PCSI stated. “If prostate cancer is found as a result of screening with the PSA test or DRE confirmed by ultrasound and biopsy, it will probably be at an earlier, more treatable stage than if no screening were done.”

But the question is: should all men undergo any of the aforementioned tests? “There are many factors to take into account, including your age and health,” the PCSI explained.

“If you are young and develop prostate cancer, it may shorten your life if it is not caught early.

“Screening men who are older or in poor health in order to find early prostate cancer is less likely to help them live longer,” the PCSI continued. “This is because most prostate cancers are slow-growing, and men who are older or sicker are likely to die from other causes before their prostate cancer grows enough to cause problems.”

Filipino men should discuss with their doctors the options to make. After testing and prostate cancer has been diagnosed and staged, the doctor may present a treatment plan for the patient.

There are several ways of treating prostate cancer. “Choosing among treatment options can be complicated and often depends on the man’s lifestyle preference,” the Merck manual says.

The Merck manual lists six treatment options: curative treatment (a common strategy for men with cancers confined to the prostate that are likely to cause troublesome symptoms), palliative therapy (treating the symptoms rather than the cancer itself), radiation therapy (to kill the cancer and preserve healthy tissue), hormonal therapy (commonly used to delay the spread of the cancer or to treat widespread), and watchful waiting (forego all treatment until symptoms develop, if they develop at all).

“Speaking with doctors who specialize in different kinds of treatment helps the patient sort through his options,” the PCSI said, adding the patient should “weigh the benefits of each treatment against its possible outcomes, side effects, and risks.”

Like most cancer, no one knows what causes prostate cancer. “The causes of prostate cancer are not well understood,” says the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI).

“Doctors cannot explain why one man gets prostate cancer and another does not.”

Researchers are studying factors that may increase the risk of the disease. Having one or more close relatives with prostate cancer increases

FPROSTATE, P10

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EDGEDAVAO

DOCUMENTED... FROM2 to be made regarding my political career with or without the pandemic. This pandemic will last 2-3 years and Covid-19 will become endemic. I have to be resilient. I have to be divided my entire week between my work as Mayor, my politics and my family,” the mayor said.

It can be recalled that Mayor Sara met with Cebu City Governor Gwen Garcia early this month to ask her permission to conduct a consultation in the municipal level.

“Nananghid mi about doing consultations dinha

sa mga taga Cebu. Nananghid pa ta to talk to the people at municipal level and duna pud nahitabo na paghatag ug pagpasalamat sa mga amigo, kanang mga naga-organize ug grupo encouraging me to run as president. Na-meet pud nako sila ug nagpasalamat ko sa ila and because amigo sila ang expectation nato na tubag sa ilaha is very positive,” the mayor said.

Mayor Sara said it is important for her to know the thoughts of the people particularly those who do not know her.

lets; rifle barrels; subversive documents; NPA flag; hand grenades; two units of cellular phones; and other personal belongings.

4th ID commander Maj. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.said that the arrests of the said NPA leaders was a result of the convergence of efforts of the AFP and PNP and other law enforcement agencies.

“AFP-PNP troops tirelessly tracked down these CPP-NPA Leaders. With the help of information from civilian residents, we were able to neutralize and finally bring them to justice to face their crimes for pestering communities and sabotaging the peace and development that the Caraganons were longing for,” Brawner said.

harassed for defending the rights of farmers.

MindaNews sought Col. Kirby Kraft, director of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) on the progress of the investigation and the possible suspects behind the killings but he has yet to respond.

But in an interview over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) on Friday, Kraft said investigators were looking at “personal grudge” as the possible motive for their killing as the couple dealt with several land disputes.

The couple hosted the “Justice Reedemer,” an online free legal advice program, tackling “general legal issues” and an opinionoriented political program, which is also aired over 94.7 Power Radio Davao (DXLL).

On the CCTV footage released by Newsline. ph last July 15, Atty. Sapie was seen walking outside their residence after their program Wednesday, accompanied by her

bodyguards, when she suddenly fell to her knees after being shot by a still unknown gunman. Atty.

Sapie’s husband rushed outside to attend to his wife but was also shot while embracing her.

Kraft said it was possible that the couple was shot by a “sniper” since none of the people, including the bodyguards and friends, who were with them at the time of the incident could pinpoint the location of the suspects.

He said they were still gathering evidence, including the CCTV footage of the houses within the subdivision, to determine the possible suspects.

He said the security guards of the exclusive subdivision did not keep a logbook of the visitors entering the subdivision aside from being asked to surrender their IDs, which would be returned to owners upon leaving.

(Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

Texas law, some of the people said.

A 2018 Reuters investigation found J&J knew for decades that asbestos, a known carcinogen, lurked in its Baby Powder and other cosmetic talc products. The company stopped selling Baby Powder in the US and Canada in May 2020, in part due to what it called “misinformation” and “unfounded allegations” about the talc-based product. J&J maintains its consumer talc products are safe and confirmed through thousands of tests to be asbestos-free.

The blue-chip company, which boasts a roughly $443 billion market value, faces legal actions from more than 30,000 plaintiffs alleging its talc prod-

ucts were unsafe. In June, the US Supreme Court declined to hear J&J’s appeal of a Missouri court ruling that resulted in $2 billion of damages awarded to women alleging the company’s talc caused their ovarian cancer.

Plaintiffs’ lawyers view the two-step bankruptcy strategy as one that skirts potentially expensive settlements or judgments.

Companies view it as a way to corral numerous lawsuits in one court for efficient negotiations that bankruptcy law dictates for asbestos liabilities. The company outside bankruptcy can reach a funding agreement with the entity navigating a court restructuring to cover future settlement payments.

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“However, the Tamugan is very big and our scope is limited. Thus, we are thankful for the Watershed Management Council (WMC) and its member including IDIS for their proactive involvement in the protection of the future water source of Davao City,” she said.

Meanwhile, IDIS also urged DCWD to ensure proper storage of separated wastewater and guarantee that discharge of separated wastewater will not be a flood risk, and not affect the natural waterways to which it will be discharged.

IDIS position paper also stated, “The long-term solution is to declare Panigan-Tamugan Watershed as a ‘Watershed Reserve’ and included in the Expanded National Integrated Protected Area System (RA 11038) Act of the Philippines. Since the area is now a crucial source for drinking water, the proposal is also meant to ensure the provision of funds allocated for the protection and management, education, research, and development of the Panigan-Tamugan Watershed.”

ang Covid-19 virus. Number 2, dili ka mahibalo kung unsa klaseng variant na siya kung positive man siya,” the mayor said during Special Hours with Mayor Inday Sara Duterte via Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Monday.

The mayor said there is no special instructions on measures to be implemented at the borders to prevent Delta variant of entering Davao Region. She said travelers from Luzon or Visayas, they are being referred for swabbing.

“Wala tay special instructions kay dili mana visible sa ilaha kung Covid-19 carrier ba ng tao na niagi dira o unsang klaseng variant ba na iyang dala. Atoa is still to implement, since wala pa man to na withdraw sa atoang joint RTF-RIATF Resolution No. 1, kaning checking sa pagsulod sa borders sa laing region, so mao gihapon na atong ginaimplement diri sa border sa Marilog and with regards pud diri sa baba, which other places diri sa region, we just do our symptoms screening and interview sa mga tao kung asa sila gikan,” the mayor said.

The mayor reiterated that same response will the implemented versus the Delta variant surge such as the minimum public health standards including the wearing of face mask, social distancing, frequent handwashing and

vaccination.

“Walay laing preparation for Covid-19 variants, it’s the same virus it still Covid-19.

Mao gihapon na atoang panlaban sa Delta variant.

Dili magbag-o ang minimum public health standards depending kung unsa siya na klase na variant. Ang angay na mangandam for a surge of Delta variant kind are our hospitals. And ang atong contribution ana para matabangan ang hospitals is to ensure na we practice the minimum public health standards when we go out of our houses,” the mayor said.

Mayor Sara also said that it is ideal if minimum public health standards would still be followed even at home.

“Because we see cases na ang transmission naa sa sulod sa balay but ang pinakaimportante pud ana is paggawas pud nato dira sa balay in all public places, we practice minimum health standards. Ang mask ug bakuna dako na kaayo na siya nga tabang dira sa atoang mga hospitals. Ngano kusog ang istorya about sa Delta variant? Because it is highly-infectious, mas daghan matakdan, therefore mas daghan mga tao muadto sa hospital. Kita na naa sa gawas sa hospital paunsa man ta maka-lessen sa mga tao na magsakit?” the mayor said. By Maya M. Padillo

trapped hoping to ease up pressure from government troops that are relentlessly pursuing them.

Brawner stresses that the burning of said equipment will affect families as it is their source of livelihood.

“This is obviously an anti-people act of the CNTs and will leave many people jobless. It is a blatant violation as civilian property cannot be a target of attack as stipulated under International Humanitarian law. We are once again saddened by these unnecessary destruction of equipment by the NPAs who for the longest time sabotage and disrupt the peace and

development efforts of the government,”he said.

Brawner further said that the burning was a clear manifestation of disregarding and disrespect of the international humanitarian law (IHL).

According to Brawner, this must be stopped as he urged the communist party of the Philippines -NPA (CPP-NPA) to leave the people alone.

“They already suffer from all the terror you inflict upon them. Hence, we, your Army, commit in bringing forth the perpetrators to justice as we continue to run after them and relentlessly pursue them,” Brawner added.

field.

And the whole Blackwater team couldn’t establish a good rhythm, except when it’s too late towards

the end of the game.

Thus, they’re able to chop down Rain or Shine’s lead to nine from as high as 20. (PBA.PH)

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PROSTATE... FROM9 a man’s risk of developing the disease. A diet high in animal fat is another factor (fats increase levels of testosterone, a male hormone).

Obesity is also a contributing factor. Two studies, which appeared in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, said that maintaining normal weight throughout your lifetime reduces your risk of developing prostate cancer.

So far, no proven link exists between prostate cancer and an active sex life, masturbation, use of alcohol or tobacco, circumcision, infertility,

and infection of the prostate. The theory that men who have vasectomies are at slightly increased risk for prostate cancer remains unproved.

Evidence from some studies shows that vitamin B6, selenium, vitamin E, soy foods and lycopene (found in tomatoes) can reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

In addition, circumcised men may have a slightly lower risk of developing prostate cancer than those who still have their foreskin, according to an American study.

Now, you know! – (Photos: cancer.org and Mayo Clinic)

makaluto ug kaugalingon nila pagkaon karon mga panahuna. After three days the First Congressional District Office will assess the situation kay nadungog namo nga naay mga silingan nila nga himok ug kasing kasing nga nitabang pod kanila,” Rep. Duterte said.

Rep. Duterte said they would also coordinate with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s office, especially on providing construction materials and other needed relief assistance for the affected families.

“Mag-agad pod mi sa lokal nga panggamhanan

sa liderato ni Mayor Inday ug unsa pa ang mga panginahanglan sa mga nasunugan. We will coordinate with the office of the mayor labi na gyud sa mga panginahanglan sa construction materials abot sa panahon maayo nalang bisan gamay makatabang ang first congressional office sa ilang mga panginahanglan,” he added.

Initial investigation of the Davao firefighters revealed that the fire started at around 5 p.m. Firefighters controlled the fire at around 6:12 p.m. The victims were evacuated at Matina Aplaya gymnasium.

a part of the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame,’’ said Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez.

“They are great examples for our youth, they are living heroes and these heroes will have an impact on the lives of our children, the future of our country,’’ added Ramirez, also the PSHOF Chairman.

By virtue of Republic Act 8757 or the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame Act, the PSHOF Selection Committee is chaired by Ramirez as PSC chairman with Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino as vice chairperson.

“Their names will be forever remembered as Filipino heroes in the field of sports. These are our heroes who will become an inspiration to our youth for the sacrifices and the achievements that they contributed to the country,’’ said Tolentino.

Dionisio Calvo’s daughter Judy Calvo-Olson received the posthumous award for his father, who coached and steered the men’s national basketball team to its best performances in the Olympics— fifth in the 1936 Berlin Games and 12th in 1948 Londonaside from a gold medal in the 1951 Asian Games.

“As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, I assure you of my unrelenting and wholehearted support for our athletes and the entire sports community. Patuloy kong isusulong ang mga panukala at batas para sa mga atleta na magpapaunlad sa larangan ng sports sa

bansa ng sa gayon ay makabuo tayo ng mga susunod na henerasyon ng mga hall of famers tulad ng 10 atleta na pinarangalan natin,’’ said Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go. Cerdena, Lozada, Muros-Posadas and Velasco likewise expressed gratitude for their enshrinement as well as Serrantes and Onofre through their family members. Abdul Bashir Onofre spoke on behalf of his dad while Leodiles Serrantes read the message of his ailing father.

Games and Amusements Board Chairman Abraham Mitra and national sports associations representatives Philippine Football Federation secretary general Atty. Ed Gastanes and Philcycing secretary general Atty.

Billy Sumagui served as members of the selection committee.

The Philippine Olympians Association president Akiko Thomson-Guevara, UAAP executive director Atty. Rene Andrei Saguisag Jr. were also part of the Committee as private group representatives.

The 10 enshrinees received P200,000 each plus a well-crafted PSHOF trophy during the digital awarding ceremony produced and organized by the PSC. The review committee is composed of media stalwarts Ed Andaya (People’s Tonight), Joe Antonio (People’s Journal), Rey Bancod (Tempo), Dodo Catacutan (Spin.ph), Quinito Henson (Philippine Star), Tessa Jazmines (Larc&Asset PR), Jun Lomibao (Business Mirror) and Tito Talao (Manila Bulletin).

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Leonard Santillan of Rain Or Shine drives against Blackwater’s Marion Magat and Joshua Torralba.

Pagadian trips Kapatagan in 1st home game

T

he Pagadian Explorers made the most of their homecourt advantage and clobbered the Kapatagan Buffalo Braves, 95-67, as the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup resumed action after a few days off at the Pagadian City Gymnasium on Saturday.

Finally getting to play at home after the league held its first set of games in Ipil, Pagadian broke away late in the third quarter following a 16-6 blast that doused cold water on Kapatagan’s mini run to start the period.

Coach Harold Sta. Cruz said the Explorers’ game turning rally was their response after seemingly showing signs of cooling off even with a 2-0 start in the Mindanao leg.

“Dapat hindi kami

nag-rerelax kasi baka mamaya naiisip ng players ko na galing kami sa dalawang panalo, sabi ko huwag niyo isipin yon. Mag-focus tayo sa kalaban natin ngayon (We should not relax because later on, the players might think that we came from two straight wins. I told them not to think about it. We should focus on our opponents today),” Sta. Cruz said.

Rich Guinitaran led the now 3-0 Explorers with 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, with five rebounds, and three steals.

Rene Pamaran added 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting and two rebounds off the bench.

Marlon Monte made 14 markers, eight boards, and four dimes for the Buffalo Braves, who fell to 1-2. (PNA)

Elasto Painters notch second straight win R ain Or Shine roared to a second straight win under new coach Chris Gavina, blasting a misfiring Blackwater side, 71-62, in the PBA Season 46 Philippine Cup at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig Sunday.

Perked-up by an 8382 squeaker over the NLEX Road Warriors on opening day, the Elasto Painters went back-toback with a big win over the Bossing who threw bricks and thus suffered another shattering defeat.

On Friday, coach Nash

Racela and his troops were at the losing side of one of the most lopsided season openers the league has seen. They fell to a 10377 rout by the Alaska Milk Aces.

And no way the Bossing could avoid going on a slump with their woeful shooting.

M Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) celebrates after defeating the Phoenix Suns during game five of the 2021 NBA Finals at Phoenix Suns Arena. Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports/Reuters

ILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo believes it’s the tenacity of the Bucks that has Milwaukee a game away from its first championship in a half century.

That persistence has enabled the Bucks to rally from a 2-0 deficit in the NBA Finals. The Bucks lead the Phoenix Suns, 3-2, as they return home to seek a potential title-clinching victory in Game Six on Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time).

“I feel like we don’t stop,” Antetokounmpo said.

“I’ve been a part of different teams. Usually when you’re

The E-Painters pounced on the Bossing in the first three quarters and, though relaxing a bit in the fourth, completed the win that gave them an early share of league leadership with the Meralco Bolts at 2-0.

Rey Nambatac once again took the lead role for Rain or Shine, coming through with 21 points that went with 12 rebounds in a rare double-double performance.

Javee Mocon had his own double-double with

12 markers and the same number of rebounds even as Norbert Torres (13 points) and Beau Belga (10 boards and eight markers) put on their own solid statsline.

Meanwhile, Fil-Am journeyman Kelly Nabong pumped in 18 points and collected seven caroms to pace Blackwater.

Trade acquisition Baser Amer, a former lead guard for Meralco, continued to struggle with his new team, going 2-of-7 from the

down 15 or 16 or whatever, down 0-2 or whatever the case might be, you kind of like stop. You kind of like, you kind of stop competing in a way. But I feel like this team, we don’t do that.”

Enjoy the Playoffs with superstar-level streaming & get NBA League Pass at a special price! Try now > The Bucks took the finals lead with a 123-119 Game Five victory in Phoenix that showcased their impressive balance.

Milwaukee averaged 120.1 points per game in the regular season to become the NBA’s highest-scoring team since 1983-84, when

the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs both exceeded that average. But they’ve pulled ahead in this series by delivering memorable defensive plays.

Read more In their 109-103 Game Three victory, the Bucks owned a two-point lead when Antetokounmpo blocked a Deandre Ayton dunk attempt with just over a minute left. They were still up only two when Jrue Holiday stole the ball from Chris Paul to spark a fastbreak that resulted in a Khris Middleton layup with 27.2 seconds remaining.

FELASTO, P10

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 108 • TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2021

HAIL THE LEGENDS PRRD, SBG lead greeters of 10 new PH Sports Hall of Famers

T

he Philippine Sports Hall of Fame (PSHOF) formally immortalized 10 Filipino sporting greats on Sunday in a glittering digital enshrinement ceremony that paid homage to their praiseworthy achievements.

No less than President Rodrigo Duterte honored the 4th batch of PSHOF enshrinees starring football hero Paulino Alcantara, basketball idol Robert Jaworski, famed swimmer Eric Buhain, track and field celebrity Elma Muros and 1988 Olympic gold medalist Arianne Cerdena of bowling.

Also joining them in the pantheon of Filipino sports heroes are Dionisio Calvo (basketball and football coach), Gertrudes Lozada (swimming), Rogelio Onofre (athletics) and Olympic bronze medalist boxers Leopoldo Serrantes and Roel Velasco.

“It is a great honor and privilege for me to congratulate the newest batch of sports icons that we enshrined into the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame. On behalf of a grateful nation, let me thank our athletes for bringing pride and honor to our country,’’ said Duterte during the first fully digital ceremony aired by PTV4.

“Through your dedication and excellence in your

respective sports, let your achievements inspire the younger generation of Filipinos to work harder in their chosen fields so that one day they can make our nation proud as you have made us all proud,’’ added Duterte.

Receiving the finely-crafted PSHOF trophy for Alcantara, hailed as the greatest Asian player in 2007 nearly a century since he made the country proud, was Miguel Angel Rocha, Alcantara’s great grandnephew.

Buhain, who saw action in the Olympics twice (1988 and 1992) and collected 13 gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games, shared insights for the next generation of athletes to achieve success while Jaworski, a multiple medalist in the international arena, continued to inspire others with his accomplishments.

“It’s a privilege that I’ve presided over the selection committee. It was not easy to decide who among our past heroes will be chosen.

Not everyone can become

FHAIL, P10