Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper (December 13-19, 2021)

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December 13-19, 2021

Another sign from God? ‘Is Bong Go waiting for Marcos’ disqualification?’

Q

Senator Bong Go (FB page)

UESTIONS HAVE been raised by supporters of Senator Bong Go - who is aspiring to replace President Rodrigo Duterte in next year’s polls - whether he is waiting for the disqualification by the Commission on Elections of presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos over his 1997 tax convictions.

Go, who recent- dential election, Go said ly backed out from the he was waiting for God’s presidential election, has sign whether to continnot submitted his formal ue or not and eventually withdrawal with the poll withdrew after receiving body, raising suspicion Divine signs. that he is waiting whether He said his family Marcos would be disqual- does not want him to run ified or not. for the presidency. “Ayaw Before his decision to rin talaga ng aking back out from the presiContinue on page 2

Bongbong Marcos (FB page)

No clues yet on mayors’ attackers POLICE ARE still facing a blank wall on the fatal attack of a Basilan town

mayor and the wounding of another in Zamboanga City.

Unidentified gunmen shot Akbar town Mayor Continue on page 3

Omicron: Don’t panic but prepare for likely spread, says WHO HERALDING SOUTH Africa’s and Botswana’s decision to report the ap-

pearance of the Omicron coronavirus mutation last month, the UN health

agency repeated that it will take another two Continue on page 3

Duterte critic is CBCP president KALOOKAN Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, who is a staunch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, is now the leader of the influential Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Continue on page 2

Peace efforts lure insurgents THE PHILIPPINE military said Abu Sayyaf members continue to surrender in the Sulu to take advantage

of the government’s peace and development efforts in the southern province whose economy is boom-

ing due to the improved security situation there.

Maj. Gen. William Continue on page 2

Indonesian militant given life sentence in 2005 attack

Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, an outspoken critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, greets churchgoers. (UCAN)

ARMM

Maj. Gen. William Gonzales and Gov. Sakur Tan.

AN INDONESIAN court sentenced an Islamic militant who eluded capture for 16 years to life in prison after finding him

Eastern Mindanao

Western Mindanao

guilty of making bombs used in a 2005 market attack that killed 22 people.

Upik Lawanga, known as “professor,” is a key

Cebu

member of the Jemaah Islamiyah militant network, which the U.S. has designated a terrorist Continue on page 5

Manila

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The Mindanao Examiner

December 13-19, 2021

Another sign from God? ‘Is Bong Go waiting for Marcos’ disqualification?’

Continued from page 1 pamilya kaya naisip ko na siguro ay hindi ko pa panahon sa ngayon. Diyos lang ang nakakaalam kung kailan ang tamang panahon. Ayaw ko ring maipit si Pangulong Duterte higit pa sa tatay ang pagmamahal ko sa kanya–matanda na po siya at marami na rin siyang naibigay para sa bayan, ayaw ko na pong dagdagan pa ang kanyang problema.

Nananatili akong tapat sa kanya at nangako akong sasamahan ko po siya habambuhay,” he said.

“Talagang nagre-resist ang aking katawan, puso, at isipan. Tao lang po ako na nasasaktan at napapagod din at sa ngayon, yun ang mga rason ko. That is why I am withdrawing from the race. I am willing to make the supreme sacrifice for the good of our country and for the sake of unity among our supporters,” he added.

Elections spokesman James Jimenez said Go has until May 9 next year to officially withdraw his candidacy. “Until election day he can withdraw,” he said, adding Go’s name will be placed in the ballot if he would not file his “statement of withdrawal" before the printing of the ballots next month.

“Unless he (officially) withdraws, he will contin-

ue to be considered a candidate. He has yet to file.

He will become an official (candidate) when the campaign period starts in case he did not file his withdrawal,” Jimenez said. “If his name is included in the ballot and he is not able to withdraw, he will not be disqualified, but if he withdraws on Election Day and is able to pull out from the race, then the votes received by Go on the ballot would be considered stray.”

Go’s political party, the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS), said it respects Go’s decision, and continues to support him.

“Yan po ang naging desisyon niya and we have to respect it. Mag-uusap pa kami sa partido para tahakin ang susunod naming hakbang kasama ang Pangulo at si Senator Bong Go,” said PDDS’ Greco Belgica in a text message to The Manila Times.

How it began Rappler reported that the Court of Appeals affirmed Marcos’ conviction for failure to file income tax returns when he was vice governor and governor of Ilocos Norte province.

It all started 30 years ago in July 1991, or five years after Dictator Fer-

dinand Marcos was ousted from power, when the Cory Aquino government assessed that Marcos’ son had tax deficiencies of about P8,504. He supposedly did not pay his taxes from 1982 to 1985 while he was vice governor and then governor of Ilocos Norte.

Rappler said the tax conviction has come to hound Marcos in his campaign for the presidency, and is now the basis of petitions to cancel his certificate of candidacy.

Marcos was charged in absentia, but he returned to the Philippines in October of the same year. He was arraigned in December 1991, and he defended himself in trial by passing the buck to his staff.

“He always thought that his staff took care of the filing of his income tax returns. He does not recall if he filed his income returns from 1982-1985, and he has no proof that his staff filed his returns,” records from the Court of Appeals obtained by Rappler said.

In July 1995, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court found Marcos guilty of tax evasion beyond reasonable doubt and imposed the following sentences: Imprisonment of 6 months and P2,000 each for 3 counts of failure to

Duterte critic is CBCP president Continued from page 1 Philippines.

The 62-year old prelate will lead his brother bishops until Nov. 30, 2023, together with Pasig Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara as vice-president and Leyte Archbishop John Du as treasurer.

Before becoming president, Bishop David served as vice-president of the conference, where he earned the ire of Duterte for criticizing his war on illegal drugs.

In 2018, Duterte accused Bishop David of being an addict because of the prelate’s remarks and efforts against extra-legal killings in his diocese. “I’m telling you, David. I’m wondering why you keep going out at night. I’m thinking that you fucker are probably into [illegal] drugs,” said Duterte in a speech.

Bishop David denied the accusations, saying he had never taken any kind of drugs. “Into drugs?

No, sir, I’m not into drugs of any sort, whether legal

or illegal. Never been. I only help in rehabilitating people addicted to drugs.

Thank God, I am not taking any maintenance drugs yet. I only take vitamins with fruit shake …

You may want to try it, sir,” replied Bishop David.

In 2019, Duterte called Bishop David a “son of a whore” for allegedly using the pulpit to attack the policies of the government in solving the drug menace in the country. The prelate hit back by saying his mother did not deserve to be insulted and called a whore. “[Duterte] called me a son of a whore for allegedly attacking him from the church pulpit — which I have never ever done,” said David in a statement posted on Facebook. “Our family does not expect anyone in government to give her recognition for her immense contribution in nation-building. But we do not expect anyone either to insult her memory and call her a whore. She does not deserve it,” he added.

Catholics were looking forward to Bishop David’s leadership, particularly on where the bishops would stand in the upcoming elections.

“I hope our bishops will take a collective stand to guide the electorate of who to vote for. I know Bishop David is a fighter for human rights. But how about the rest of the bishops? Can Bishop David convince his brother bishops to join his crusade?” asked Manila parishioner Melvin De Guzman.

De Guzman also said the Philippines is blessed to have an outspoken bishop who would lead the steering wheel of the bishops’ conference towards justice and peace. “I share the same sentiment of many of our countrymen.

We need more outspoken bishops, especially when the rights of the poor are trampled on. We need a shepherd’s voice to assure that God’s flock will be protected,” De Guzman added. (John Peter Calleja / UCAN)

file ITR (1982, 1983 and 1984); Imprisonment of 6 months and P2,000 each for 3 counts of failure to pay income taxes (1982, 1983 and 1984); Imprisonment of 3 years and pay fine of P30,000 for failure to pay income tax for 1985.

Acting on Marcos’ appeal, the CA – through justices Gloria Paras, Lourdes Jaguros and Oswaldo Agcaoili – acquitted Marcos of failure to pay income taxes. They said Marcos was not given due notice when the tax assessments were made.

The CA also removed the prison sentence previously imposed by the trial court on him. But it sustained Marcos’ conviction for failing to file his ITR from 1982 to 1985, and for this, Marcos was fined P36,000.

Rappler said the CA ruling did not explain why the justices opted to drop the prison sentence against Marcos, even though the 1977 Tax Code, on which the charges were based, states that a person convicted of failure to file a tax return be punished with both a fine and imprisonment. The code says that the offender must “be fined not less than ten thousand pesos (P10,000) and imprisonment of not less than one (1) year but not more than ten (10) years.”

Marcos’ spokesperson and lawyer Vic Rodriguez

acknowledged the conviction and said “yes, it has been litigated, so I guess there’s nothing more to discuss.”

Supreme Court records obtained by Rappler show that Marcos initially wanted to appeal his CA conviction and had in fact asked the High Court for an extension to file his petition for certiorari. But he eventually withdrew his plea to extend the deadline. This was in 2001, when he was again governor of Ilocos Norte.

The Supreme Court granted Marcos’ motion to withdraw, and that resolution became final and executory on August 31, 2001.

Rappler also cited Section 12 of the Omnibus Election Code which states that a person shall be disqualified from running for public office if he had been sentenced by final judgment “for subversion, insurrection, rebellion or for any offense for which he has been sentenced to a penalty of more than eighteen months or for a crime involving moral turpitude.”

Based on this provision, the prison sentence as grounds for disqualification may not apply to Marcos because the appellate court had removed his sentence in its 1997 verdict against him.

Not so fast But a separate report

by The Manila Times cit-

ing documents issued by the Supreme Court and the Bureau of Internal Revenue said Marcos has settled his tax dues in compliance with a 1995 court ruling. The documents, copies of which were obtained by The Manila Times, bolster the argument that there is no legal impediment to the presidential candidacy of Marcos.

It said an official receipt issued by the Land Bank of the Philippines with receipt number 10622824, dated Dec. 27, 2001, showed that Marcos paid the sum in full. And copies of BIR payment forms numbered 0605 and 1904 confirmed that payment was made.

In a separate document, then Supreme Court Deputy Clerk of Court and Chief of the Judicial Records Office Teresita Dimaisip sent a copy of the entry of judgment to the camp of Marcos, Court of Appeals, and the Solicitor General in connection with the former senator's case in December 2001. “This is to certify that on Aug. 8, 2001, a resolution rendered in the above-entitled case was filed in this office...” the entry of judgment read.

She also certified that the resolution had become final and executory on Aug. 31, 2001 and recorded in the Book of Entries of Judgments. (Mindanao Examiner)

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The Mindanao Examiner

December 13-19, 2021

No clues yet on mayors’ attackers Continued from page 1 Alih Awal Sali and Al-Barka town Mayor Darussalam Saguindilan Lajid in a daring attack on December 6 in the seaside village of Baliwasan.

Lajid and Sali’s escort Barad Nuruddin were killed in the attack which was reportedly perpetrated by four gunmen.

Police recovered from the scene several bullet shells fired from .45-caliber pistols, but the identities of the attackers and the motive of the shooting remain unknown. After the attack, the gunmen escaped in the labyrinth neighborhood leading to the seashore.

It was unknown whether the twin attacks

were political in nature, but the shooting came ahead of the local and national elections next year.

Sali and Lajid and their escort just arrived in the village by boat when the gunmen attacked the group. No individual or group claimed responsibility for the attacks. (Mindanao Examiner)

Peace efforts lure insurgents Continued from page 1 Gonzales, commander of the 11th Infantry Division, said two Abu Sayyaf fighters had recently surrendered in Patikul town.

He said the duo also yielded a grenade launcher and an automatic rifle.

He said one of them, now 18 years old, told the military that the Abu Sayyaf recruited him when he was 12. His companion is 31 and both surrendered peacefully after learning about the

government’s peace and development campaign under the Task Force in the province which offers livelihood and financial aids to Abu Sayyaf members returning to the fold of the law under the Provincial and Municipal Task Forces in Ending Local Armed Conflict organized by Gov. Sakur Tan. Sulu has previously declared the Abu Sayyaf and its supporters as “persona non grata.”

President Rodrigo

Duterte has previously sought Tan to help him talk peace, but at the same time he ordered security forces to crush the Abu Sayyaf, blamed for the spate of bombings in Sulu that killed soldiers and innocent civilians in the past years.

Aside from Tan, Duterte also spoke to Nur Misuari, chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front, to support the government’s peace efforts in the South.

(Mindanao Examiner)

Schistosomiasis endemic in 41 Lanao villages Omicron: Don’t panic but prepare for likely spread, says WHO Continued from page 1 weeks before more is known about how transmissible and how dangerous it actually is.

Speaking in Geneva, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier stressed that data suggesting that Omicron was highly transmissible was only preliminary. He also repeated WHO advice against blanket travel bans, except for countries whose health systems were unable to withstand a surge in infections.

“It is much more preferred to prepare your country, your health system to possibly incoming cases because we can be pretty sure that this Omicron variant will spread around,” he said.

The Delta mutation – declared a variant of concern this summer – is now “predominant”, Lindmeier added, “with over 90 per cent all around the world.

This is how this virus behaves and we will not most likely be able to keep it out of individual countries.”

The WHO official also cautioned against kneejerk reactions to reports that Omicron had continued to spread. “Let’s not get deterred right now, let us first get as much information as possible to make the correct risk assessment based on the

information that we will have and then let’s move on. Let’s not get completely worried or confused by individual information which are all individually important, but which need to be brought together in order to assess together,” he said.

The development comes as WHO said that it was sending a technical surge team to South Africa’s Gauteng province to monitor Omicron and help with contract tracing, amid a spike in coronavirus reinfections.

For the seven days leading to November 30, South Africa reported a 311% increase in new cases, compared with the previous seven days, WHO said, adding, the cases in Gauteng province, where Johannesburg is located, have increased by 375% week on week.

It added that hospital admissions there rose 4.2% in the past seven days from the previous week. And COVID-19-related deaths in the province jumped 28.6% from the previous seven days.

Announcing the surge team deployment, Dr. Salam Gueye, WHO Regional Emergency Director for Africa, also noted that just 102 million Africans in Africa – 7.5% of the continental population –

are now fully vaccinated and that more than 80% of the population has not received even a single dose.

“This is a dangerously wide gap,” he said.

In a statement, WHO said that South Africa is reportedly seeing more patients contracting COVID-19 after having already been infected, in a way it did not with previous variants, citing a microbiologist from the country’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases.

Working with African governments to accelerate studies and bolster the response to the new variant, WHO is urging countries to sequence between 75 and 150 samples weekly.

“The detection and timely reporting of the new variant by Botswana and South Africa has bought the world time,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

“We have a window of opportunity but must act quickly and ramp up detection and prevention measures. Countries must adjust their COVID-19 response and stop a surge in cases from sweeping across Africa and possibly overwhelming already-stretched health facilities,” he said. (UN, Zamboanga Post)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Health authorities said dozens of villages in Lanao del Norte province are now endemic areas for schistosomiasis infection following the conduct of parasitological and malacological surveys.

George Demavivas, of the Provincial Health Office, the infections were confirmed in 15 villages in the town of Lala; 17 in Kapatagan; five in Sapad; and four in Salvador.

Schistosomiasis is an acute and chronic parasitic disease caused by blood flukes (trematode worms) of the genus Schistosoma. Estimates show that at least 236.6 million people required preventive treatment in 2019. Preventive treatment, which should be repeated over a number of years, will reduce and prevent morbidity.

Schistosomiasis transmission has been reported from 78 countries. However, preventive chemotherapy for schistosomiasis, where people and communities are targeted for large-scale treatment, is only required in 51 endemic countries with moderate-to-high transmission.

People become infected when larval forms of the parasite – released by freshwater snails – penetrate the skin during contact with infested water. Transmission occurs when people suffering from schistosomiasis contaminate freshwater sources with their excreta containing parasite eggs, which hatch in water.

In the body, the larvae develop into adult schistosomes.

Adult worms live in the blood vessels where the females release eggs. Some of the eggs are passed out of the body in the faeces or urine to continue the parasite’s life cycle. Others become trapped in body tissues, causing immune reactions and progressive dam-

Scanning electron microscope image of Schistosoma worm pair. (Image: Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London) age to organs.

There are 2 major forms of schistosomiasis – intestinal and urogenital – caused by 5 main species of blood fluke. Schistosomiasis mostly affects poor and rural communities, particularly agricultural and fishing populations. Women doing domestic chores in infested water, such as washing clothes, are also at risk and can develop female genital schistosomiasis. Inadequate hygiene and contact with infected water make children especially vulnerable to infection.

Symptoms of schistosomiasis are caused by the body’s reaction to the worms’ eggs.

Intestinal schistosomiasis can result in abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and blood in the stool.

Liver enlargement is common in advanced cases, and is frequently associated with an accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity and hypertension of the abdominal blood vessels.

In such cases there may also be enlargement of the spleen.

The classic sign of urogenital schistosomiasis is haematuria (blood in urine). Fibrosis of the bladder and ureter, and kidney

damage are sometimes diagnosed in advanced cases. Bladder cancer is another possible complication in the later stages.

In women, urogenital schistosomiasis may present with genital lesions, vaginal bleeding, pain during sexual intercourse, and nodules in the vulva. In men, urogenital schistosomiasis can induce pathology of the seminal vesicles, prostate, and other organs. This disease may also have other long-term irreversible consequences, including infertility.

The economic and health effects of schistosomiasis are considerable and the disease disables more than it kills. In children, schistosomiasis can cause anaemia, stunting and a reduced ability to learn, although the effects are usually reversible with treatment. Chronic schistosomiasis may affect people’s ability to work and in some cases can result in death. The number of deaths due to schistosomiasis is difficult to estimate because of hidden pathologies such as liver and kidney failure, bladder cancer and ectopic pregnancies due to female genital schistosomiasis. (Mindanao Examiner)

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The Mindanao Examiner

December 13-19, 2021

Sulu Pictures in the News Sulu provincial government at work. This is where your taxes go. (Photos from the Office of the Provincial Governor, Jaques Tutong, Task Force Covid-19, Maimbung Municipal Government, Rep. Shernee Tambut, Noenyrie Asiri, and Aziz Salapuddin)

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The Mindanao Examiner

December 13-19, 2021

Indonesian militant given life sentence in 2005 attack

FOR SALE

Continued from page 1 group. It is widely blamed for attacks including the 2002 bombings on the Indonesian resort island of Bali that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists, as well as attacks in the Philippines.

The East Jakarta District Court found Lawanga, 43, guilty of involvement in the May 28, 2005, attack at Tentena market in Poso district which killed 22 people and injured 91 others, mostly Christians. Muslim-Christian conflicts in Poso in Central Sulawesi province killed at least 1,000 people from 1998 to 2002.

Lawanga was also accused of building bombs used in a 2004 passenger minibus attack that killed six people and a 2006 attack using a flashlight bomb that killed a Christian woman.

"What the defendant has done was a crime against humanity that left deep wounds, trauma and sorrow for the families of the victims," said Presiding Judge Sutikna, who goes by a single name.

Lawanga said he would appeal the decision. He argued in court that he helped make the bombs but did not carry out the attacks, saying he did not know how they would be used. He said he was only obeying orders from other senior members of the group to assemble bombs to

avenge Christians for the massacre of Muslims at an Islamic boarding school during sectarian conflict in May 2000.

He said his motive was the deaths of relatives and friends in the Muslim-Christian conflict and the burning of mosques and his brother's house.

Other militants testified that Lawanga was nicknamed the "professor" because of his ability to build bombs and firearms. They described him as an important figure because of his expertise.

Lawanga said he joined Jemaah Islamiyah in Poso in 2002 and learned how to assemble bombs from Azahari bin Husin, a Malaysian bomb-making mastermind who was killed in a police raid in Indonesia in 2005.

Lawanga left Poso after the 2005 attacks and lived with his wife and children in Lampung as a duck farmer.

The trial began early September and was held remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Lawanga, whose real name is Taufiq Bulaga, became one of the country's most wanted militants after being named as a suspect in the Tentena market attack. He was arrested last year in the same southern town on Sumatra Island where Zulkarnaen, believed to be the military leader of

the Jemaah Islamiyah network, was arrested by counterterrorism police a week later. Zulkarnaen had been on the police wanted list for 18 years.

Police, who learned of their hideout after interrogating several militants arrested earlier, found a bunker at Lawanga's house with handmade guns and explosive materials.

The two were tried separately at the same court.

An Indonesian court banned Jemaah Islamiyah in 2008, and a sustained crackdown by security forces with support from the U.S. and Australia helped weaken the militant network.

Militant attacks on foreigners in Indonesia have largely been replaced in recent years by smaller, less deadly strikes targeting the government, mainly police and security forces, inspired by Islamic State group tactics abroad.

Indonesia's police counterterrorism unit, known as Densus 88, has arrested more than 500 suspected Jemaah Islamiyah members in the past two years, including a member of the Indonesia Ulema Council, the country's highest Islamic body, who was arrested last month. Authorities estimate the group has more than 6,000 members.

(Niniek Karmini / AP)

WHO recommends against the use of convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19 THE WORLD Health Organization or WHO has updated its living guideline on COVID-19 therapeutics to include convalescent plasma.

For non-severe COVID-19 patients, WHO recommends against its use, while it should only be used within clinical trials for severe and critical COVID-19 patients.

Convalescent plasma is a transfusion of blood

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plasma from someone who has recovered from COVID-19.

Current evidence shows that convalescent plasma does not improve survival or reduce the need for mechanical ventilation, while it has significant costs.

An independent panel of experts, the guidelines development group, looked at pooled data from 16 randomized controlled

trials, including 16,236 patients with non-severe, severe, and critical COVID-19 infection.

While the evidence that convalescent plasma has no benefit in non-severe patients was certain, it was less so in the case of severe and critically ill patients. So, randomized clinical trials for these subgroups should continue, according to WHO. (Zamboanga Post)

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The Mindanao Examiner

December 13-19, 2021

Why do political parties proliferate under the 1987 Constitution?

AROUND THIS time of a pre-general election year like 2022, Filipino voters, young and old, become very busy debating and arguing over whom they will choose to lead them as president and vice president for the next six years.

At the same time, there is usually an exodus of the so-called “political butterflies” or candidates who can easily change the colors of their attires so they can choose the most flowery political party - normally that of the leading candidates for the top two elective posts in the country.

There is another term for these smart-minded groups of politicians: political turncoats. They usually show up during the last months before an election, like this coming May 9, 2022.

In the 2016 general polls, for instance, there had been a mass movement of political butterflies/turncoats to the camp of then leading presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte in the final stretch of the campaign.

Such a mass transfer to the leading political camp is possible due to the absence of any prohibition in the 1987 Constitution, unlike in the 1973 Charter that it replaced.

The 1987 Charter encourages the formation of new political parties as can be gleaned from its Article IX (Constitutional Commissions), Section 6, Paragraph C on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) which reads: “A free and open par-

ty system shall be allowed to evolve according to the free choice of the people.”

In addition, the present charter, under Section 5, Article VI (Legislative Department) provides that: “The House of Representatives shall be composed of not more than 250 members, unless otherwise fixed by law, who shall be elected from legislative districts apportioned among the provinces, cities and the Metropolitan Manila area in accordance with the number of their respective inhabitants, and on the basis of a uniform and progressive ratio, and those who, as provided by law, shall be elected through a party-list system of registered national, regional, and sectoral parties or organizations such as labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, women, youth, and such other sectors as may be provided by law, except the religious sector.”

According to the book “Foundations of Freedom (A History of Philippine Congresses)” written in 1989 by veteran journalist and book author Jose P. Abletez, the Constitutional Commission (ConCom) of 1986 adopted this legislative innovation, supposedly with the expectation of evolving a new political system.

“Proposed by several commissioners, principally Christian Monsod and Wilfredo Villacorte, the party-list concept was adopted to guarantee a voice to the least advantaged members

of society. The concession was designed to give the sectors without any chance to elect their representatives because of the rising cost of elections. It was billed as the social justice component in the national legislature for those who have less in life,” Abletez wrote.

As a result of these constitutional mandates, even just a big and politically influential family can now form its own party-list group.

As a consequence, the ballots the Comelec now has to prepare every election day have increased several times in length compared to those used in the general elections under both the 1935 and 1973 Constitutions.

It may be significant to note that the 1973 Constitution, under Article XII (The Constitutional Commissions), Paragraph C on the Commission on Elections had this provision in Section 10: “No elective public officer may change his political party affiliation during his term of office, and no candidate for any elective public office may change his political party affiliation within six months immediately preceding or following an election.”

Under the 1935 Constitution, there were only two major political parties, the Nacionalista Party and the Liberal Party, that dominated the elections held from 1935 until martial law was imposed in September 1972 by then President Ferdinand Marcos. (Severino Samonte)

Duterte signs order regulating drug prices PRESIDENT DUTERTE has signed an executive order (EO) that would regulate the prices of drugs and medicines used to address the leading causes of morbidity in the country.

“This is part of efforts to improve access to affordable, quality medicines and reduce the health-related expenses of our countrymen, consistent with the goals of the Universal Health Care Act,” said Duterte’s spokesman Karlo Nograles Nograles said the price regulation will be imposed on 34 drug molecules and 71 drug formulas used in agents affecting bone metabo-

lism, analgesics, anesthetics, anti-angina, antiarrhythmics, anti-asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease medicines, antibiotics, anticoagulants, anticonvulsants, antidiabetic drugs, antidiuretics, and antiemetics.

Also covered by the EO are drug molecules and formulas utilized in anti-glaucoma, anti-hypercholesterolemia medicines, antihypertensive medicines, anti-neoplastic/anti-cancer medicines, antiparkinsons drugs, drugs for overactive bladders, growth hormone inhibitors, immunosuppressant drugs, iron chelating agents, and

psoriasis, seborrhea and ichthyosis medicines.

Nograles said Section 2 of the EO also requires all manufacturers, importers, distributors, wholesalers, traders, and retailers to display the retail price which shall not exceed the maximum retail price.

The list of medicines and their corresponding retail and wholesale prices shall be subject to the review of the Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Trade and Industry six months from the effectivity of the EO, and every six months thereafter. (With a report from Malou Cablinda)

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December 13-19, 2021

The Mindanao Examiner

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Sulu Pictures in the News

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The Mindanao Examiner

December 13-19, 2021

Across : 1. Roaming tribesman 6. Distress inits.

9. Adult male 12. Make jubilant 13. Puppy’s bite 14. Lyric verse 15. Refresh 16. With ice cream (3 wds.)

18. Impressed utterance 19. Sports ring 20. Repented 23. As the ___ flies 27. Amaze 29. Not here 30. Revolve 31. ___ Salad 32. School group 33. Lizard or snake, e.g.

34. Forwarded 35. Felt 36. Put into effect 38. Moose’s kin 41. Ordinary 44. ___ Banks of baseball 46. Fisherman’s snare 47. Irate 48. Brief summary 49. Christmas mo.

50. Wind direction (abbr.)

51. Put forth

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Marilou Cablinda Answer to last week’s crossword:

Down : 1. Notorious emperor 2. Butter substitute 3. Central Park’s locale 4.Feasted 5. Lawn moisture 6. Trapped 7. Greased 8. Bridge 9. cow’s cry 10. Find a sum 11. Maiden name indicator 17. Large knife 19. “The Diary of ___ Frank” 21. Breakfast appliance 22. Inning events 24. Abode 25. By mouth 26. “Wish You ___ Here”

27. Circle segments 28. Food fish 29. Faucets 31. Copper coin 33. Move back 35. Astronomer Carl ___ 37. Title 39. Untruthful one 40. Held on to 41. Common conjunction 42. Neckline shape 43. And so on (abbr.)

44. Poet’s “before” 45. Tyrannosaurus ___

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Answer to last week:

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HEALTH

OPINION

Benepisyo ng SALABAT Ni Dr. Willie T. Ong

S

ubukan ninyo na uminom ng isang tasa ng mainit na salabat pagkagising sa umaga at sa bandang hapon. Hindi lang ito pampaganda ng boses—marami pa itong mga benepisyo.

1.

Pinapaganda ang TAKBO NG D U G O — Na k a k a t u long itong gumanda ang circulation ng dugo lalo na sa may High blood pressure o mataas ang cholesterol. Nakakatulong itong

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The Mindanao Examiner

December 13-19, 2021

linisin ang daanan ng dugo.

2. NAPAPALAKAS NITO ANG ATING IMMUNE SYSTEM—May taglay itong Gingerols at Gingerdiol na nakakatulong labanan ang mga virus at bacteria, at palakasin ang resistensya natin. Tumutulong rin itong labanan ang cancer cells.

3. Nag-aalis ng mga sakit at hirap dulot ng buwanang dalaw o DYSMENORRHEA 4. Nagbabawas ng PAMAMAGA o inflammation—Nakakatulong itong bawasan ang ar-

thritis, at pananakit ng ibang parte ng katawan.

5. STRESS RELIEF—Nagdadala ng ngiti sa labi dahil nagtataboy ito ng STRESS. Nakakatulong na makakalma nito ang ating nerves.

6. Nag-aayos ng PANUNAW at pagsipsip o pag-absorb ng sustansya mula sa ating mga pagkain.

7. BOOSTS BRAIN FUNCTION—Nakakatulong rin itong ma-improve ang memory at ibang function ng utak natin

RECIPE

Morcon INGREDIENTS : • 2 pounds beef bottom round • juice from 1 lemon • 1/2 cup soy sauce • pepper to taste • 12 slices bacon • 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced lengthwise into strips • 2 hot dogs, sliced lengthwise into strips • 4 pieces Gherkins sweet pickles • 4 ounces cheddar cheese, sliced lengthwise into strips • 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut lengthwise into halves • 1/2 cup flour • 1/4 cup oil FOR THE SAUCE : • 1 onion, peeled and chopped • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced • reserved marinade, from marinating beef • 1 cup tomato sauce • 2 cups beef broth or water • 1 bay leaf • salt and pepper to taste • 1/2 cup liver spread INSTRUCTIONS : 1. Ask the butcher to cut the morconstyle (wide beef slices). Arrange each beef slice between two heavy-duty plastic film and with a meat mallet, pound to about 1/2-inch thick (or thinner). Repeat with remaining beef slices. Trim sides of meat to shape it as close to a rectangle.

2. In a bowl, combine beef, lemon juice, soy sauce, and pepper to taste.

Marinate for about 30 minutes.

3. In a pan over medium heat, fry bacon until cooked but still limp (not crisp). Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

4. Drain beef from marinade, squeezing any excess liquid and reserving marinade.

5. Lay beef on a flat work surface and arrange bacon in a single layer on top of beef.

6. Arrange strips of carrots, hotdogs, pickles, and cheese, and halves of eggs

“Being Compassionate”

by Engr. Carlos V. Cornejo (Cebu) COMPASSION MEANS empathizing and caring for the unfortunate situation of the others. When we have compassion, we put ourselves in the shoes of others in their misfortunes and feel what they feel. Compassion is supposed to not only feel pity but also to try to remedy the sufferings of others.

When we feel compassion for a friend who has lost a loved one, we try to tell him we feel his sorrow and that we are united with him in his suffering, perhaps with a word or two of condolence. We could not fully remedy his pain and our condolences are all we could offer. But it would be a big help to alleviate his pain.

St. Thomas Aquinas discussed the virtue of compassion in his Summa Theologiae by asking a question: “Whether pain and sorrow are alleviated by the compassion of friends?” The question may seem odd to the modern mind because the answer seems obvious. But St. Thomas’ reasoning however is enlightening. He offers two reasons. First, as mentioned it is to lessen the weight of the burden of others by telling them we are united with their sufferings. His second reason however is more positive. He argues that because the virtue of compassion is rooted in love, when a person who is suffering witnesses the love his friends have for him, he experiences a care that he has not experienced before. In short, it’s not just compassion but also love. The friends of the grieving person are therefore telling him, “We love you, that’s why we feel sorry for your misfortune.”

Being compassionate also means being generous with others or being helpful especially to those who are in need materially or spiritually.

The Catholic Church lists down two kinds of compassionate actions that we could render to others that are based on Scripture. One is corporal or bodily in nature and the other spiritual. These are the corporal works of mercy and the spiritu-

al works of mercy. The corporal works of mercy are: to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to give shelter to travelers or homeless, to visit the sick, to visit the imprisoned, and to bury the dead. The spiritual works of mercy are: to instruct the ignorant (especially with religious knowledge), to counsel the doubtful (especially giving spiritual advice), to admonish the sinners (correcting others with love or practicing tough love), to bear wrongs patiently (patience with the weaknesses of others), to forgive offenses, and to pray for the living and the dead.

Compassion seems to be the modern world’s favorite virtue. It is the slogan of those seeking social justice. We often hear cries of compassion towards the poor and the marginalized, the downtrodden of society, the discriminated people such as those of different skin color other than white, the bias against women in the workplace, etc. These are good causes in themselves but sometimes there is a kind of compassion related to this that is misplaced. We refer to the kind of compassion that is used to justify abortion and euthanasia.

With abortion some groups feel compassionate towards the distraught mother who perhaps could not afford to raise the child therefore the baby ought to be aborted. With euthanasia on the other hand, it seems to offer a stronger argument because they are trying to relieve dying people of unnecessary pain when death is inevitable. Dr. Peter Kreeft, would counter that the life of a person is more important than our feelings of compassion for the dying. We are not the creators of life therefore we have no authority to take it away. We can’t act like gods. Only God is God. As the Muslims would say in their Shahadah, there is no god but God. Therefore, only God can decide when to take away a person’s life. (vcornejo87@gmail.com)

Organic Kopi Luwak or Civet coffee isn’t really pricey kawalingpinoy.com 7.

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lengthwise over bacon.

Gently gather the end of beef upwards and roll neatly into a log, enclosing filling. With kitchen twine, tie beef roulades snugly at both ends and center to fully secure.

Lightly dredge with flour.

In a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat, heat oil. Gently add beef roll and lightly brown on all sides. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

Discard oil from skillet except for about 1 tablespoon. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.

Add reserved marinade and bring to a boil, scraping sides to deglaze the pan.

Add tomato sauce, beef broth, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil.

Gently add beef rolls in a single layer. Lower heat, cover, and cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until beef is tender.

Remove beef rolls from pan and allow to stand for about 3 to 5 minutes. Slice into 1-inch thick rounds and arrange slices on a serving platter. Keep warm.

Add liver spread to the sauce and stir until dissolved. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened.

Pour sauce over morcon slices and serve hot.

KIDAPAWAN CITY Coffee lovers in the Philippines may now enjoy the best and the most expensive coffee in the world - Kopi Luwak - but not as pricey as every connoisseurs think.

Kopi Luwak is a coffee that consists of partially digested coffee cherries, which have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet. The cherries are fermented as they pass through a civet’s intestines, and after being defecated

with other fecal matter, they are collected.

In Manila, a kilogram of Civet coffee sells for as high as P15,000 and over $500 dollars abroad.

But Kopi Luwak can now be enjoyed by every coffee lovers for as low as P150 for a 16 oz. cup that comes with a drip bag, ground organic Civet coffee beans, two packets of brown sugar and a stirrer in a beautiful Kraft paper bag – thanks to the Mindanao Civet Coffee

seller in Zamboanga City.

The new market player in the coffee business, although small, is now offering affordable organic Kopi Luwak – sourced and picked by farmers from the highlands of Mindanao, cleaned and dried and roasted to perfection to give coffee lovers that distinct aroma of Civet coffee berries – chocolaty and nutty and smooth bodied brewed drink.

Mindanao Civet Coffee, which started as a home reseller of coffee beans, now offers organic Kopi Luwak in 250 grams ground Civet coffee and 250 grams Civet coffee beans – all medium roasted to perfection.

Kopi Luwak is also available now in 3rd Cup Café at LM Metro Hotel in Zamboanga City, and resellers in Luzon, Cebu and other parts of Mindanao.

The Mindanao Civet Coffee is a favorite among travellers and tourists and coffee connoisseurs. And for those who wanted the perfect gift for all occasions, Kopi Luwak is the best choice.

And those who are interested to resell or perhaps enjoy a daily hot cup or cold brew of Kopi Luwak may call the Mindanao Civet Coffee at this mobile number 09153976197. (AJC)

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December 13-19, 2021

December 13-19, 2021

The Mindanao Examiner

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December 13-19, 2021

Lapu-Lapu is now Lapulapu C

EBUANOS LAUDED President Rodrigo Duterte’s executive order correctly rendering the name of Lapu-Lapu to Lapulapu, a datu of Mactan in the Visayas and also the name of a highly urbanized city in the province of Cebu.

“Adopting a common ren- government agencies and in- with “Ci” apparently being an hondering of the name of Lapulapu, strumentalities, including Gov- orific title, from which the foundso as to conform to earlier refer- ernment-Owned and Controlled ing heroes Jose Rizal and Juan ences, will aid in the education of Corporations, and state uni- Luna derived their own references our youth about Philippine his- versities and colleges as well as to him as “Si Lapulapu.”

The National Quincententory which is foundational to the enjoins local government units, formation of national identity,” non-government organizations, nial Committee has reminded civil society groups, and the pri- the public that the Mactan ruler’s the executive order reads.

The order also states the vate sector to adapt “Lapulapu” name must be written as Lapulapu name Lapulapu is “understood when referring to the name of because he would be “the central figure of the quincentennial” and to refer to the Filipino here who the first Filipino hero.

However, the official names standardize the spelling for the bravely and victoriously fought in the Battle of Mactan in the 16th of places such as Lapu-Lapu proposed renaming of the Maccentury. Thus, all references to City, which have been estab- tan-Cebu International Airport. the name ‘Lapu-Lapu’ (in EO No. lished by statute, shall continue Lapulapu is best known for 17, as amended, and EO No. 55, to be respected. the Battle of Mactan that hapas amended) is hereby amended The earliest rendering in the pened at dawn on April 27, 1521, to read as ‘Lapulapu’.”

Latin alphabet of the name of the where he and his warriors deDuterte also directed all hero of Mactan is “Cilapulapu,” feated the forces of Portuguese

explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his native allies Rajah Humabon and Datu Zula.

Magellan’s death ended his voyage of circumnavigation and delayed the Spanish occupation of the islands by over forty years until the expedition of Miguel López de Legazpi in 1564. Legazpi continued the expeditions of Magellan, leading to the colonization of the Philippines for 333 years.

Modern Philippine society regards Lapulapu as the first Filipino hero because of his resistance to imperial Spanish colonization. Monuments of Lapulapu have been built all over the Philippines to honor Lapulapu’s bravery against the Spaniards. (Cebu Examiner)

Gunmen kill journo Lapulapu by Carlo Caacbay (2019). Courtesy of the Historic Sites and Education Division of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

Cebu to hold Sinulog Fest in new setting CEBU CITY – The local government said it is planning to hold the traditional Sinulog celebration in January without the participation of contingents from other provinces and would welcome only vaccinated visitors amid the threat of the new Covid-19 Omicron variant.

Mayor Michael Rama said he is contemplating introducing “Sinulog in the household” where the traditional and religious celebration in honor of the Santo Niño would be done at home. He assured the public that the city will not hold Sinulog activities that could turn into a “super spreader event.”

“We will do it hopefully on the assumption that we cannot take more than what we can chew. We have to look at it from the point of view of the movement of people during the celebration,” the mayor said.

Rama said he would also propose to the Emergency Operations Center and health experts making the traditional Sinulog grand parade on the Sunday of the Fiesta Señor (January 16) a combination of both virtual and in-person events.

ARMM

“We have conceived a format of the Sinulog. But we are taking into consideration our vaccination rate, low positivity rate, the idea that only fully vaccinated will be allowed to dance, and the idea of not inviting outsiders as contingents and visiting devotees,” he said.

He said the religious aspect of the fiesta would also be limited to fully vaccinated churchgoers during the Sinulog days, recalling that holy Masses during the pandemic were done via a virtual platform.

Rama said the Cebu City government and Roman Catholic Church officials have agreed to allow only fully vaccinated people as attendees to the traditional nine-day Misa de Gallo leading to the Christmas Day solemn liturgy.

The police and EOC personnel will monitor parishes to ensure full implementation of the policy with the help of the police.

The mayor said more meetings would be held between the city government and the Archdiocese of Cebu to iron out more contingency measures to sustain the gains in the fight against Covid-19. (John Rey Saavedra)

A JOURNALIST who previously sought help from authorities after receiving death threats was killed after gunmen attacked his home and fatally shot him in Calbayog City in the eastern Visayas province of Samar.

The 58-year old Jesus Malabanan, who wrote for several newspapers in Manila, was killed by motorcycle gunmen on the evening of December 8. The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) has condemned the slaying and ordered an investigation into the killing.

“Jess is a personal friend of mine. This cowardly killing in the midst of a pandemic is truly unforgivable. We will get to the bottom of this and will stop at nothing in bringing to justice the perpetrators of this despicable crime,” said PTFoMS Executive Director Joel Egco.

Egco, quoting an official police report by Lt. Nieto Rarugal, of the Calbayog City Police Station, said the journalist was shot in the head while watching television inside their store in the village of San Joaquin in Tinambacan district.

Malabanan was rushed to hospital following the shooting, but doctors declared him dead.

“The PTFoMS is on top of the situation and has directed the Philippine National Police to thoroughly investigate the heinous crime,” Egco said, adding, he will go to Calbayog to personally oversee the probe into Malabanan’s death and to attend the wake and condole with the victim’s family and friends.

He said the PTFoMS will “not sleep” until the perpetrators are apprehended.

“The PNP is currently conducting a hot pursuit operation to

Eastern Mindanao

apprehend the suspects who fled the incident headed northbound towards the direction of San Isidro, Northern Samar. The San Isidro MPS has also been alerted of the crime and were tasked to conduct a checkpoint for possible identity and arrest of the fleeing suspects, Egco said, quoting Rarugal’s report.

Malabanan was previously residing in Angeles City in Pampanga province in central Luzon, but transferred to Calbayog City after receiving death threats from an unknown group.

Egco said the journalist first sought the help of PTFoMS in 2017 because of threats to his life and was given police security. It was unknown whether Malabanan had security prior to his murder.

Egco reminded all media practitioners to report to PTFoMS any threat or harassment they receive so that they can be acted upon immediately. “Always remember that the PTFoMS is here to serve you 24/7. We can provide you with necessary assistance and security if you feel that your lives are being threatened in any way,” he said.

The PTFoMS was created in 2016 after President Rodrigo Duterte won the election to safeguard press freedom by protecting the life, liberty and security of legitimate media workers.

Ego said the PTFoMS oversaw the 51st case of media killing that resulted in a guilty verdict, bringing to 68 the total number of media killers that were convicted by the courts.

The latest killing was condemned by various media groups and organizations.

Al Jazeera reported that before Malabanan’s killing, data

Western Mindanao

compiled by the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) showed that at least 21 journalists had been killed in the country since Duterte took over as president in June 2016.

In a social media post, journalist Manny Mogato, who was also part of the Reuters team that won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize in International Reporting, wrote that Malabanan “helped Reuters a lot in the drug war stories that won a Pulitzer in 2018. I joined fellow journalists in condemning the assassination of Jess…it is totally unacceptable. Justice for Jess.”

According to Al Jazeera, the Reuter’s award-winning series of stories exposed “the brutal killing campaign behind President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs,” according to the Pulitzer citation.

It said the Reuters team reported on the role of Davao police officers in the deadly drug raids in Manila, as well as the use of hospitals to hide drug killings. Duterte’s drug war, which left thousands of alleged drug suspects dead, is now the subject of an investigation by the International Criminal Court.

In a statement, the Pampanga Press Club also called on au-

Cebu

thorities “to help in the prompt investigation that would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of this cowardly act in the interest of justice.”

The NUJP also issued a statement “condemning the senseless killing” of Malabanan.

Samar Rep. Edgar Sarmiento has strongly condemned the murder of Malabanan.

“The people of Calbayog are enraged with the assassination of veteran journalist Jesus Malabanan. This spate of violence in our city that has also claimed the life of our beloved Mayor Ronaldo Aquino should already serve as a wake-up call for our law enforcement authorities to take a deep and serious look at the continued proliferation of private armed groups and individuals who continue smear the good and peaceful nature of Calbayognons and the people of Samar. I am calling on the PNP leadership to leave no stones unturned in the investigation of this cold-blooded murder of Malabanan, a Kapampangan who has embraced Calbayog as his home,” he said.

(Cebu Examiner)

Manila