Ups dispatchers

People visit the Maginhawa community pantry initiated by Ana Patricia Non on Thursday, April 15, 2021, at Teacher’s Village, Quezon City. Non says she set up the community pantry to help people who are badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. (INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE) MANILA, Philippines — The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Wednesday denied linking community pantry organizers to leftist groups. In an interview on ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo, NTF-ELCAC spokesperson Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., said the task force has nothing to do with red-tagging community pantries and its organizers. “No, haka haka yan ng ibang grupo na malilikot ang mga utak (No, other groups made that up),” Parlade stressed. Parlade said the counter-insurgency task force is just “checking” the situation of community pantries to make sure that organizers do not have any other agenda. “I don’t want to use the word profiling kasi masyadong ... » Learn More about NTF-ELCAC denies linking community pantries to leftist groups

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is set to conduct reblocking and repairs on portions of Edsa this weekend. In a traffic advisory, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced that the DPWH road reblocking would begin on Friday, April 23, until April 25. The reblocking will cover the following areas: 1. Edsa, from Dario Bridge to Landers, the first lane from the sidewalk, northbound 2. Agham Road, in front of the Office of the Ombudsman, the second lane from center island Travelers are advised to take North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, and Edsa as alternate routes. Motorists are advised to avoid those areas as the traffic build-up is expected. MMDA said all affected roads would be fully passable on Monday, April 26. abc ... » Learn More about Portions of Edsa to undergo repairs, reblocking from April 23 to April 25

ANGARA ACCEPTS AMENDMENTS TO COVID-19 ROLL-OUT PLAN: Sen. Sonny Angara, chairman of the Committee on Finance, accepts proposals from his colleagues during the period of amendments Tuesday, February 23, 2021, on Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2057 or the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021. (Henzberg Austria/Senate PRIB) MANILA, Philippines — The Senate on Tuesday approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to expedite procurement of Covid-19 vaccines and to establish a national indemnity fund. Voting 22-0, the chamber passed Senate Bill No. 2057 or the proposed Covid-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021. Under the bill, local government units (LGUs) will be exempted from certain procurement rules under existing laws in purchasing vaccine doses for their constituents. The measure also allows LGUs to make an advance payment of not more than 50 percent of the contract price “if required by the supplier, manufacturer, distributor, contractor or consultant.” The Government ... » Learn More about Senate OKs bill expediting vaccine purchase, creating indemnity fund

INQUIRER.net Stock Photo A 19-year-old streamer has been arrested after carrying out a hoax bomb threat inside a restaurant in New York City. Malik Sanchez, who goes by Smooth Sanchez on YouTube, carried out the “prank” in Manhattan on Feb. 13, as seen in his stream cited by the US Department of Justice in a release on April 14. In the video, Sanchez can be seen approaching a restaurant with around six people inside while saying, “Let’s enhance their meal.” He then positioned himself near two women at a table after entering, then loudly said, “Allahu Akbar. Allahu Akbar. Bomb detonation in two, in two minutes. I take you with me and I kill all you. I kill all you right now. And I kill all you for Allah (sic).” “I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna f*cking do it for Allah. I’m gonna do it, for, Allah, Allah, Allahu Akbar, Come on. I do it, bomb now, bomb now,” he continued, all the while faking an Arabic accent. Right after people left, Sanchez expressed his delight to his ... » Learn More about Streamer known for harassing women arrested for fake bomb threat in New York

INQUIRER.net Stock Photo A man who was fined €500 (around $600 or P29,000) last year for farting in front of police in Vienna, Austria, recently argued that it was a form of “freedom of expression.” The man, whose identity was withheld, was able to lower his fine to €100 (around $120 or P5,800), as per Austrian newspaper Der Standard earlier this month as cited by The Local on April 9. In challenging the fine, the man argued in court that farting is a “biological process” that even if intentional, it would amount to freedom of expression. The Vienna Regional Administrative Court did not remove his fine, although it was lowered as the court acknowledged the man’s clean record and financial status. He was described to have only had “average” culpability of the offense, according to the report. In the ruling, the court recalled that the farting incident occurred in June last year while he was sitting on a bench at a park, hanging out with friends. The man, who was ... » Learn More about Man fined for farting in front of police argues it’s ‘freedom of expression’—reports

Violators of the enhanced community quarantine in the City of San Fernando in Pampanga province are punished by requiring them to plant vegetables in the city nursery. (Contributed photo) MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has again reminded authorities enforcing health and quarantine protocols that such rules were put in place to protect people against the coronavirus and not kill them. CHR spokesperson Atty. Jacqueline Ann de Guia issued the reminder Wednesday amid reports of a 12-year-old boy who died in Pasay City after falling unconscious while being chased by barangay watchmen, who were allegedly poised to reprimand him for staying outside. Minors are not allowed to go out of their homes based on modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) protocols. “Protecting children is among the primary aim of the quarantine guidelines with its restrictions for minors. It is deeply concerning and devastating when the implementation of this policy results in ... » Learn More about Quarantine and health protocols are set to protect, not kill, people – CHR

CHECKPOINT In this photo taken on March 22, policemen guard the boundary of Cavite and Metro Manila as the national capital and its nearby provinces are placed under lockdown due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. —MARIANNE BERMUDEZ The Philippine National Police has tapped its investigators in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region to look into claims that a curfew violator in Cavite province died after he was asked to do a strenuous exercise routine by local policemen. Lt. Gen. Cesar Hawthorne Binag, the PNP deputy chief for operations and Joint Task Force Coronavirus Disease (COVID) Shield commander, directed a team in the Calabarzon police office to investigate the incident despite denials by the General Trias City police of having inflicted physical punishment on violators of the strict lockdown. Binag was referring to the incident involving 28-year-old Darren Peñaredondo (identified in social media posts as Darren Manaog), who died two days after he and ... » Learn More about PNP probes death of curfew violator in Cavite

Commission on Human Rights spokesperson Atty. Jacqueline de Guia. Image from CHR. MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has condemned the killing of an alleged quarantine violator in Calamba, Laguna, citing that it is ironic that curfew measures meant to protect people from COVID-19 is itself causing deaths. CHR spokesperson and lawyer Jacqueline de Guia said that the killing of Ernanie Lumban, who was beaten up by a team of barangay tanods from Calamba’s Barangay Turbina on April 7, is already tantamount to torture as he suffered excessive punishment for such a minor offense. “It is strongly condemnable that the curfew policy, which is supposed to protect our right to health, became the reason for the deprivation of the utmost right to life,” De Guia said in a statement on Monday. “ Beating a person over a minor offense may be tantamount to torture—an attack to human dignity instead of a corrective measure. Such excessive punishment can be considered as ... » Learn More about CHR: Ironic that curfew policy meant to protect people from virus leads to death

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II arrives for the funeral of Britain’s Prince Philip, who died at the age of 99, at St George’s Chapel, in Windsor, Britain, April 17, 2021. Jonathan Brady/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo LONDON  – Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, the world’s oldest monarch, turns 95 on Wednesday, but there will be no public celebrations of an occasion that comes just days after she bade a sad farewell to her husband of seven decades at his funeral. Prince Philip, whom Elizabeth married in 1947, died on April 9 at the age of 99. The royals paid their final respects to the family’s patriarch at his funeral on Saturday at Windsor Castle. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the queen sat alone during the sombre service for Philip, who she had described as her “strength and stay”. Elizabeth, who is also the world’s longest-reigning monarch, will be at the castle for her birthday, which traditionally passes off with little or no ceremony. However this year, with the royals marking ... » Learn More about Queen Elizabeth marks 95th birthday, days after husband’s funeral

SINGAPORE - Two teenagers aged 17 and 18 have been arrested as suspects involved in loanshark harassment. They were caught after the police were alerted on April 17 about an incident in Hougang Street 61, where the gate of a residential unit was found bolted shut with a metal lock and a debtor's note left. Officers identified the two teenagers with the help of images from police cameras and arrested them later that day. They were will be charged on Thursday (April 22). Loanshark harassment carries a fine of between $5,000 and $50,000 for first-time offenders, as well as jail for up to five years and up to six strokes of the cane. The police said on Wednesday: "Those who deliberately vandalise property, cause annoyance to the public or disrupt public safety, peace and security, will be dealt with severely." The public can call the police at 999 or the X-Ah Long hotline at 1800-924-5664 if they suspect or know of anyone who could be involved in loansharking. ... » Learn More about Two teenagers suspected of loanshark harassment arrested