News Briefs

JBC opens applications for CJ on Monday

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) will start accepting applications for the position of Chief Justice on Monday, according to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra. Guevarra, a JBC member, said the deadline for applications was on Oct. 15. The post will be vacant again when Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro, who took part in a plot to oust Maria Lourdes Sereno, retires on Oct. 10 when she turns 70 years old. —JEROME ANING

PH, US defense ties stronger, says US

The Philippines and the United States’ defense ties received a boost with more security cooperation activities scheduled next month between the two country’s militaries, the US Embassy in Manila said on Friday. The US Embassy said a meeting of the 2018 Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board at the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo ensured “continued, robust relations between the US and Philippine militaries.” —JEROME ANING

Cayetano thanks UAE for amnesty to Filipinos

Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano thanked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government for making it possible for more than 1,000 undocumented Filipinos to come home under an amnesty program launched in August. The Department of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, said Cayetano personally extended Manila’s gratitude to UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan during a meeting on the sides of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly in New York last Wednesday. —JEROME ANING

PCMC no breeding ground for mosquitoes, says DOH

While the Department of Health (DOH) has yet to determine where staffers of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) contracted dengue, it assured the public that the hospital did not have any breeding ground of mosquitoes. Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said initial findings of an investigating team showed the 15 hospital workers were not likely to have contracted dengue inside PCMC, as there was no breeding ground for mosquitoes in the hospital. Last week, the hospital said one of its doctors died and 14 other hospital employees recovered from dengue. —JOVIC YEE

Wanna be a PDP-Laban bet? Back federalism first

Support for federalism was one of the qualifications set by the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) for its candidates. “Our common bond,” said party president Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, should be belief in federalism. Pimentel, ousted as Senate President, said the party already had nine candidates for senator including former police chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, former human rights lawyer Harry Roque and Representatives Dax Cua and Monsour del Rosario. —TINA G. SANTOS

Duterte declares another special economic zone in Cebu

President Duterte has declared 50,000 square meters of land in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, as part of MacroAsia Cebu Special Ecozone. The two parcels of land are within Mactan Cebu International Airport and will be a special economic zone within Cebu. The President signed the three-page Proclamation No. 590 on Sept. 17. Investors in special economic zones may import capital equipment and raw materials without duties. —JULIE M. AURELIO