News Briefs: August 9, 2019

Lifting martial law in Davao City mulled

Malacañang expressed reservations about lifting of martial law in Davao City, saying  violence in other areas might spread to President Duterte’s hometown. “I will ask [the President] his position… on this particular resolution from Davao City,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said. “I thought the businessmen in Mindanao wanted martial law because it was OK for their business… I guess there will be a study on that,” Panelo said.—JULIE M. AURELIO

Aug. 12, Eid al-Adha a holiday

Malacañang on Thursday declared Aug. 12 a regular holiday in observance of the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice. Thismeans that people who don’t work on this day get 100 percent of their pay, while those who do, get 200 percent.  The following have also been declared special nonworking holidays in some areas: Aug. 9 in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, to mark its third Bayongyong Festival; Aug. 10 in Gumaca, Quezon, to celebrate Lorenzo Tañada Sr. Day; Aug. 13 in Magpet, Cotabato, to mark its 56th founding anniversary; Aug. 15 in Viga, Catanduanes, to celebrate Araw ng Viga; Aug. 15 in Bulacan to mark its founding anniversary; and Aug. 16 in Tuguegarao City in celebration of the Afi Festival.—JULIE M. AURELIO

BI slams syndicates faking PH documents for illegal aliens

The Bureau of Immigration (BI)  on Wednesday called for an investigation of syndicates issuing Philippine passports and other identification documents to illegal aliens. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said there could be security implications in allowing these “syndicates that assist aliens in acquiring Philippine documents.” His  statement came following the arrest of Indian nationals Satbir Sandhu, 25, and Mandish Sandhu, 24, in Mandaluyong City after they falsely represented themselves as Filipinos.—TINA G. SANTOS

Cancellation of Ocampo’s bail ‘biased, venomed’

The motion to cancel the bail of former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo should be denied because it was “not only groundless, but biased and venomed,” said the activist’s counsel. The comment submitted by Ocampo’s lawyers from the Public Interest Law Center on July 26 maintained that he “has not committed any offense or crime” and “did not violate the terms of his bail.” Ocampo and three other officials of the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front are accused of multiple murder in connection with a mass grave found in Leyte in 2006.—NIKKA G. VALENZUELA

‘Meddling’ of foreign chambers of commerce denounced

A party list lawmaker on Thursday questioned the alleged meddling of foreign chambers of commerce that,  along with their local counterparts,  “strongly” lobbied to get President Duterte to veto the enrolled security of tenure (SOT) bill. Trade Union Congress of the Philippines Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza said labor groups would “keep on fighting” to refile the bill that will end the practice of contractualization. Mendoza said labor groups are now consulting with the labor department, which is trying to gather support for its version of the proposed SOT bill.—MELVIN GASCON

P24-M misdeclared agri products seized

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Thursday seized five shipments of some P24 million worth of misdeclared agricultural products from China. The shipments, which arrived at the Manila International Container Port on separate dates last month, were issued corresponding alert orders after Customs examinations revealed discrepancies in their weight and declared value. The shipments declared as apples, oranges and pears, also contained carrots, onions and potatoes. The BOC said four shipments were consigned to Ingredient Management Asia Inc., while one was consigned to Mcrey International Trading.—TINA G. SANTOS

Two Koreans banned from reentering PH

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) will ban from reentering the country two Korean nationals who attempted to facilitate the departure of 13 undocumented overseas Filipino workers they allegedly recruited illegally to work in Malaysia. BI port operations division chief Grifton Medina, in a statement released on Wednesday, said Koreans Lee Jeong Seop and Pyun Jung Su were identified by their victims as responsible for arranging and shouldering their expenses. Eight of the victims were stopped at the Clark airport on July 16 as they were about to board a flight to Kuala Lumpur. The passengers, disguised as tourists, were hired by Lee to work as English instructors for Korean students in Malaysia. The five other victims, who were recruited by Pyun, were intercepted last July 22 enroute to Korea where they were to work as nightclub entertainers.—TINA G. SANTOS