NICA director general shares post tagging Senate union as CPP front, Sotto denies
The director general of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency on Tuesday night shared on his Facebook page a graphic tagging the union of Senate employees as a front of the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People's Army.
GMA News
On the defense of COURAGE by government workers
TODAY, we had to witness, once again, the travesty made commonplace by the CPP-NPA-NDF: the shameless spectacle of government workers who break Civil Service laws by brazenly undermining the work of an institution they are part of and do great harm to the country whose Constitution and Democracy they have sworn allegiance to.
Philippine News Agency
AGILA-HAVEN Program provided livelihood assistance to 177 Former Extremists
A total of 177 former Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the Dawlah Islamiya (DI) extremists received livelihood and farm assistance through the Province of Maguindanao’s peace initiative dubbed as Anak na may GInintuang LAyunin, upang Hintuan Ang Violent Extremism Ngayon (AGILA-HAVEN) Program. According to the initial accomplishment report presented by Task Force AGILA of the Provincial Government of Maguindanao, 40 motorbikes (payong-payong), 12 farm tractors, 13 motorized bangka, 131 farm merchandises, and livelihood assistance were already distributed to 177 former extremists as of April 05, 2021.
Kalinaw News
Navy set to use new ships vs. terrorists
The Philippine Navy will next year deploy its fast attack interdiction craft-missile off the waters of Mindanao to help in the operations against communist terrorist groups. “The FAIC-Ms will be deployed initially in the Mindanao AORs (area-of-responsibility) where there is a continuous operation against LTGs (local terrorist groups) and CTGs (communist terrorist groups)
Manila Standard
Peace talks
Incidents/Operations
NPA justifies ambush-slay of 2 soldiers
The New People’s Army Apolinario Gatmaitan Command justified yesterday the ambush-slay of two Army intelligence operatives on April 3 in Brgy. Yaoyao, Cauayan, Negros Occidental, and insisted that they were “legitimate military targets”.
Visayan daily Star
High Ranking NPA Leader and 4 members surrendered: waning communist terrorist movement in Sultan Kudarat
The stronghold of the communist terrorist group is continuously weakening in Sultan Kudarat as manifested in the series of surrender including their political instructor and four (4) members on April 5, 2021. This was the assessment of Lieutenant Colonel Romel Valencia, Commanding Officer of 7th Infantry ‘Tapat’ Battalion after the surrender of five (5) New People’s Army at 7IB Headquarters in Barangay Kalawag II, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.
Kalinaw News
Community Support Program Teams of 603rd Brigade scores 9 NPA surrenders anew
Nine members of the New People’s Army in the municipality of Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat, surrendered on March 30, 2021, to the combined Community Support Program (CSP) teams of 37th Infantry ‘Conqueror’ Battalion and 57th Infantry ‘Masikap’ Battalion of 603rd Infantry Brigade. The surrender happened in Sitio Tinapakan, Brgy Datu Ito Andong, and Sitio Nursery, Brgy Sta Clara, all of Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat.
Kalinaw News
4 NPA rebels surrender, yield firearms
FOUR suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have voluntarily surrendered and turned over their firearms to authorities in Eastern Visayas following their desire to avail themselves of the government’s financial and livelihood program.
Sunstar Tacloban
NPA squad leader yields in Agusan Norte
A squad leader of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) has surrendered to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Monday afternoon in the Agusan del Norte town of Santiago.
Philippine News Agency
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MARAWI
SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE WORLD
[Editorial] Unite and fight
The horror of the anti-Asian hate sweeping cities of the United States since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic fully hit Filipinos on March 29 when a 65-year-old Filipino American woman was attacked in Manhattan in broad daylight. The assault captured on surveillance video, in which the woman was kicked in the gut and, when she fell to the ground, stomped on several times in the head and upper body, was stunningly brutal. It was made more condemnable by the indifference of a man watching from the open door of the building directly facing the scene of the crime — and of another who casually closed the door as the attacker slouched away.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
China says Xinjiang still faces terrorism and extremism threats despite no attack for 4 years
Beijing said on Tuesday that its northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region still faces threats of terrorism and extremism despite zero terrorist attacks over the past four years.
CTGN News
Kidnapping, ransoms proving to be the lifeblood of violent extremism expansion in Nigeria
Schools in north-western Nigeria recently reopened after a months-long shutdown by state governments due to increasing kidnappings. Between December 2020 and March 2021, there were at least five student-related kidnappings in the northern region.
Daily Maverick
New CEP Report Reveals that Illicit Trade in East Africa is Funding Extremists, Terrorists, and Warlords
East Africa—a key security partner in the war on terror and a principal engine of economic development on the African continent—is being critically undermined by illicit trade, according to the new report An Unholy Alliance: Links Between Extremism and Illicit Trade in East Africa from the Counter Extremism Project (CEP).
Counter Extremism Project
Repatriating ISIS Foreign Fighters Is Key to Stemming Radicalization, Experts Say, but Many Countries Don’t Want Their Citizens Back
A review of the 10 countries that yielded the most individuals affiliated with ISIS found varying levels of commitment to repatriation and prosecution. In the two years since the self-declared Islamic State lost its last physical stronghold in Raqqa, Syria, hundreds of foreign ISIS fighters, along with their wives and children, have remained in limbo, mostly in Iraqi custody or in Kurdish detention camps in northeastern Syria.
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
YouTube says it’s getting better at taking down videos that break its rules. They still number in the millions.
YouTube released data on Tuesday arguing that it is getting better at spotting and removing videos that break its rules against disinformation, hate speech and other banned content.
Thw Washington Post
YouTube discloses the percentage of views going to videos that break its rules.
It is the never-ending battle for YouTube. Every minute, YouTube is bombarded with videos that run afoul of its many guidelines, whether pornography or copyrighted material or violent extremism or dangerous misinformation. The company has refined its artificially intelligent computer systems in recent years to prevent most of these so-called violative videos from being uploaded to the site, but continues to come under scrutiny for its failure to curb the spread of dangerous content.
New York Times
Morocco’s Intelligence Enabled France to Prevent Terrorist Attack in Church
Morocco’s General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST) handed France essential information about a French woman of Moroccan origin, who was plotting a terrorist attack in a church.
Morocco World News
Why COVID-19 conspiracy theories persist
Daniel Roberts hadn’t had a vaccination since he was 6. No boosters, no tetanus shots. His parents taught him inoculations were dangerous, and when the coronavirus arrived, they called it a hoax. The vaccine, they said, was the real threat.
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
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BARMM
PCID statement on CAB 7th anniversary
ON this 7th anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), we pay tribute to all who made this historic agreement possible.
Manila Times
MAGUINDANAO AND COTABATO CITY
Maguindanao plebiscite slated in August
Maguindanao Gov. Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu said in an interview that the plebiscite for the division of the province of Maguindanao may be conducted on the first week of August 2021.
Manila Times
Cop hurt in Maguindanao ambush
Police checkpoints have been doubled in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, following the ambush that wounded a police officer on Monday evening.
Philippine News Agency
Talitay LGU places entire town under state of calamity due to rido
A state of calamity has been declared in the entire town of Talitay, Maguindanao, due to armed hostilities triggered by a family feud (rido). Talitay Mayor Montasir Sabal approved Tuesday a resolution allowing the local government unit to use its quick response fund to provide relief assistance to displaced families.
NDBC News
BARMM inaugurates P106-million bridge in DBS, Maguindanao
Residents and tourists of coastal municipality of Datu Blah Sinsuat (DBS) in Maguindanao province will now have easier means of transport following the inauguration of the newly built Matuber Bridge in the town. Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim, along with other officials, led Saturday, April 3, the ribbon cutting ceremony for the said bridge.
Bangsamoro Government
LANAO PROVINCES
2 Lanao villages cleared of terrorists’ influence
TWO villages in the province of Lanao del Sur have been cleared of influence from the Dawlah Islamiya terror group, officials announced. These are the villages of Bualan and Dado both of Balindong town in Lanao del Sur, which passed the Community Support Program-Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (CSP-PCVE) assessment conducted Monday, April 5, according to Lieutenant Colonel Rafman Altre, commander of the Army's 82nd Infantry Battalion (IB).
Sunstar Zamboanga
Health workers get second dose of vaccine in Lanao del Norte, Iligan
Health workers in Iligan City and Lanao del Norte have received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccines starting Monday, officials said.
MindaNews
BASILAN
SULU
TAWI-TAWI
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DRUGS
Operations/ Incidents
Recovery and Rehabilitation
ILLICIT FIREARMS, EXPLOSIVES, AND AMMUNITION
CROSS-BORDER TRADING/ SMUGGLING/ COUNTERFEIT GOODS
Truck operator, driver in 'Covid-19 smuggling’ video summoned
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Tuesday issued a show-cause order to the operator and driver of a cargo truck seen illegally transporting passengers beyond established checkpoints, from Ragay, Camarines Sur to Tagkawayan, Quezon.
Philippine News Agency
Customs seizes P3-M ecstasy, kush hidden in parcels
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Tuesday reported the seizure of various illegal drugs worth over PHP3 million in air parcels at different warehouses in Pasay City.
Philippine News Agency
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
KIDNAPPING/ ABDUCTION
ILLEGAL GAMBLING
ILLICIT FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS/ EXTORTION
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Why is the Food Systems Summit silent on corporate land grabs?
Indeed, there is a need, as the Asia Peasant Coalition puts it, for the farmers “to organize and mobilize for our own people’s summit together with other marginalized and oppressed sectors that suffer the gravest hunger and poverty because of imperialist control and domination over the world’s food and agriculture.”
Bulatlat
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Press Freedom/ Freedom of expression
Martial Law
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COVID-19
Cases
Philippines reports record-high 382 new deaths due to COVID-19; add'l infections at 9,373
The Philippines reported on Tuesday a record-high 382 additional deaths due to COVID-19, as the country's cumulative total of coronavirus infections soared to 812,760. “A technical issue with the case collection systems resulted in lower reporting of COVID-19 death counts over the past week... The number of deaths reported today (382) already includes the (341) deaths not reported in previous counts,” the Department of Health (DOH) said in its bulletin for the day.
ABS- CBN News
Department of Health
DOH: Guidelines for saliva-based RT-PCR test for COVID-19 out
The guidelines on the use and administration of Saliva-based Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing for COVID-19 have been released, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
IATF/NTF COVID-19
Galvez hopes China’s COVID-19 vaccine delivery won’t be affected by West PH Sea dispute
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. expressed optimism on Tuesday, April 6, that the delivery of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines from China will not be affected by the heightened tension in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Manila Bulletin
NTF exec explains why gov’t can’t do mass testing
A National Task Force Against Covid-19 (NTF) official said there is no need for mass testing, or by its definition testing the 110 million Philippine population, amid the rising coronavirus infection in the country.
Philippine News Agency
Regions
Luzon including NCR
Ex-Philippine President Estrada on ventilator with COVID-19
Former Philippine President Joseph Estrada has been put on a ventilator in a hospital to help him breath after being infected by the coronavirus, his son said Tuesday.
ABC News
Visayas
Cebu City dad to police: Uphold the law, maintain order in ranks
Cebu City Councilor Philip Zafra, the City Council’s committee chairperson for peace and order, said that the increasing number of reported human rights violations of Cebu City police officers is alarming.
Cebu Daily News
Mindanao
Mayor Sara: Davao’s economic lifelines to remain open, lockdown a last resort
The city’s “economic lifelines,” which have seriously suffered due to the pandemic, will remain open “until the very last minute that we need to close it down” despite the alarming surge in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Cebu where more infectious variants of COVID-19 have emerged, Mayor Sara Duterte said.
MindaNews
DOH-12 reports 90.81% utilization rate for Sinovac, AstraZeneca
Acceptance among frontline health care workers in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines delivered by the national government has continued to increase, with the utilization rate reaching 90.81 percent.
Philippine News Agency
World
Diplomatic, Development and Private Sector
Advocates asked to wait for FDA nod before promoting Ivermectin vs COVID-19
Government officials advised advocates of antiparasitic drug Ivermectin to wait for the Food and Drug Administration's approval for its compassionate use before urging the public to use it as an alternative treatment to COVID-19.
CNN Philippines
Incidents and Violations
Man dies after Filipino police force him to do 300 squats for breaking Covid curfew
A Filipino man has died after being forced by police to do 300 squat-like exercises as punishment for breaking the country's strict Covid curfew rules.
Business Insider
Manila ECQ violators exceed 5K in one week
The Manila Police District (MPD) has caught more than 5,000 enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) violators since it was reimposed on March 29.
Philippine News Agency
Editorial, Analysis, Opinion and Features
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
PH-China sea row won’t hamper cooperation vs. Covid-19: PRRD
President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed confidence that the Philippines’ apparent conflict with China over Chinese ships’ presence in Julian Felipe Reef would not be a hindrance to the two nations’ cooperation to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Philippine News Agency
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
Malabon mayor ‘surprised’ on learning Tricia Robredo is Swab Cab doctor
Malabon Mayor Antolin “Lenlen” Oreta III said he was surprised on learning that Dr. Tricia Robredo, daughter of Vice President Leni Robredo, was the attending physician of the Swab Cab project, which conducted COVID-19 tests in the city on Tuesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Robredo seeks volunteers for e-consultation program
Vice President Leni Robredo has called for volunteer health professionals for its free e-consultation program dubbed Bayanihan e-konsulta in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan, collectively known as NCR Plus.
Philippine Star
AUDIT, GRAFT, AND CORRUPTION
BUDGET, FINANCE, and TAXATION
Gordon: PhilHealth’s over P800M debt affecting PRC’s COVID-19 ops
The debt of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is affecting operations of the humanitarian organization.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
PH eyeing more loans through dollar bond sale in 2021
The Philippines will again issue US dollar-denominated global bonds to raise funds for a protracted fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said on Tuesday (April 6).
Philippine Daily Inquirer
BUSINESS, ECONOMY AND INVESTMENT
BSP sees inflation easing in 2022 but tells gov’t to untangle supply knots
The March inflation rate reinforced the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) projection of a rise in consumer price index (CPI) exceeding the government’s full year forecast range but likely returning to normal by 2022.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
BUILD, BUILD, BUILD and PUBLIC WORKS
DPWH allows telcos to use ROW for 3 years
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) now allows telcos to occupy a portion of the government’s Right of Way (ROW) to hasten rollouts and network infra maintenance in the next three years.
Manila Bulletin
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
DISASTER AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
8 cities partner with Phivolcs for GeoRiskPH
Eight cities recently inked a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) for the GeoRiskPH -- an initiative that aims to be the country’s central source of information for accurate and efficient hazards and risk assessment.
Philippine News Agency
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Guevarra trusts solon won’t go against law on Ivermectin use
Department of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday gave Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor the benefit of the doubt following reports that the lawmaker plans to give away Ivermectin to Quezon City residents.
Philippine News Agency
DEFENSE AND SECURITY
Armed Forces of the Philippines
48IB Partners with Youth for Peace for the Community Outreach and Feeding Program in Surigao del Sur
The 48th Infantry (Guardians) Battalion in partnership with the Youth for Peace-Bislig City Chapter conducted a community outreach and feeding program in Purok 9, Villa Paraiso, Brgy San Roque, Bislig City on April 4, 2021.
Kalinaw News
Philippine National Police
EDUCATION
Traditional bead making now part of TESDA’s National Competency
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) have started the assessment and validation for the potential training for the cultural communities in the country, including the Indigenous Peoples of Region 12.
NDBC News
INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY
ELECTION RELATED
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
LABOR
LEGISLATIVE
Senate of the Philippines
Cut it out: Binay hits ribbon-cutting rites, photo ops at COVID-19 facilities
Senator Nancy Binay on Tuesday criticized the conduct of ribbon-cutting ceremonies and other niceties that come with the opening of new health facilities, emphasizing the urgency of the COVID-19 response.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Own virology center to end PH dependence on int’l market
To aid in the country’s fight against future pandemics, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go supports the establishment of a virology institute which will eventually enable the country to develop and manufacture its own vaccines against diseases, such as Covid-19.
Philippine News Agency
House of Representatives
House okay to hold special session to pass Bayanihan 3
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco on Tuesday said the House of Representatives would be willing to hold a special session to immediately pass the proposed Bayanihan to Arise As One Act or the Bayanihan 3.
Philippine News Agency
Lawmaker suggests use of Pagcor funds for free Covid-19 tests
A party-list lawmaker on Tuesday urged the government to provide free reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests for stranded passengers and drivers of public utility vehicles.
Philippine News Agency
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)
LGU, front-liners' pandemic response, vax campaign cited
The inoculation of local chief executives (LCEs) is not a "privileged access" but part of boosting efforts to respond to the prevailing health crisis, National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Tuesday.
Philippine News Agency
OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
FOREIGN RELATIONS
West Philippine Sea
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
‘Increase in imports will seal death of dying hog industry’
The planned increase in pork imports to supposedly address the crisis brought by the African swine fever will bring death to the already dying industry, a farmers’ group said.
Bulatlat
HOUSING and SETTLEMENT
POVERTY
SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT
TRANSPORTATION
Cebu Pacific continues refleeting program in sign of hope for air travel recovery
Cebu Pacific, the country’s largest budget carrier, is continuing its refleeting program amid the COVID-19 pandemic, betting on the eventual recovery of air travel.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
TOURISM
WATER and ENERGY
New concession deal with Manila Water ‘beneficial to all’: MWSS
The revised concession agreement signed between the government and Manila Water Company is beneficial to all, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Board Chairman and Acting Administrator Reynaldo Velasco said on Tuesday.
Philippine News Agency
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