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200 CHINSE VESSELS REMAIN IN WPS—INTEL FIRM; PH SETS ANOTHER SEA DRILL By Rey E. Requejo
Philippine Sea as the Philippine Coast “It will be held again in the West PhilGuard announced it will hold the sec- ippine Sea,” the PCG said in a message A GEOSPATIAL intelligence firm on ond leg of its joint maritime exercise to reporters. In an interview with CNN PhilipThursday revealed that some 200 Chi- with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatpines, Coast Guard spokesman Comnese ships are still moored in the West ic Resources next week.
Ex-SC Justice Carpio
President Duterte
modore Armando Balilo said they are to receive two 94-meter multi-role rein the process of enlisting 4,000 more sponse vessels from Japan and offshore personnel to beef up its monitoring ca- patrol vessels from France. pabilities. On April 27, the PCG drove away at Balilo said the PCG is also hoping Next page
Duterte dares, Carpio accepts challenge to debate on WPS By Rey E. Requejo RETIRED Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio on Thursday accepted the challenge of President Duterte for a debate on the West Philippine Sea issue, saying he is ready to face the President anytime of the day. “On President Duterte’s challenge to debate with me on the West Philippine
Sea issue: I gladly accept the challenge anytime at the President’s convenience,” Carpio said in a statement. The Philippine Bar Association offered to host the debate between, adding that being the oldest voluntary private organization of lawyers in the country, it would be able to “provide a balanced arena fit for two lawyers Next page
Rody tells Pinoys: Don’t be choosy ‘Vaccine you see is vaccine you get, rule applies even to frontliners’
By Vito Barcelo, Julito G. Rada and Willie Casas
P
RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday reversed the policy of allowing people—including frontline health workers—to choose their brand of COVID-19 vaccine, saying no jab was superior to any other.
“If we allow them to choose, and then there is a study that one is far more superior than the other, then we will have a problem because now. There will be a line for one vaccine or the other. It is discriminatory,” the President said in a
public address late Wednesday night. “Nobody should be allowed to choose.” Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., also chief implementer of the National Task Force (NTF) Against Next page
VOL. XXXV • NO. 81 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Warrantless arrest if protocol is violated—Palace By Rey E. Requejo, Rio N. Araja, Maricel V. Cruz and Joel Zurbano
improperly wearing a face mask even as the Interior department said it will be recalibrating its response to avoid congesting jails amid the COVID-19 MALACAÑANG on Thursday said pandemic. “We have an ordinance that paves the it was valid for cops to carry out warrantless arrests against people who are way for the outright apprehension, war-
rantless arrest (because) a crime was committed in the presence and with the full personal knowledge of the police officer,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said. Roque issued the statement a day afNext page
Sinopharm for Rody’s 2nd dose By Vito Barcelo and Willie Casas to be returned to China. PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will still use the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for his second dose even after he requested China to pull out the brand from the Philippines, Malacanang said Thursday. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte’s second dose would not be included in the vaccines
Duterte ordered the withdrawal of some 1,000 jabs of the Chinese-made vaccines after medical experts rebuked his decision to get the jab despite the lack of an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Authority. “Definitely we will not be returning his second dose so he can complete the Next page
UNMASKED. Members of the Manila Police District remind vendors and shoppers in Blumentritt and Ylaya Divisoria markets to strictly
observe health protocols like wearing a face mask on May 6, 2021. The reminder comes on the heels of President Rodrigo Duterte’s order for the police to arrest and detain for a maximum of nine hours individuals who are caught not wearing face masks properly. He says wearing a face mask is a “critical need” to keep down the number of COVID-19 infections in the country. Norman Cruz
US waives patent protection on virus vaccines THE United States supported a waiver on patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines as India Thursday posted record deaths and infections from a catastrophic wave swamping the country.
Rich nations have faced accusations to the easing of restrictions in Europe of hoarding shots while poor countries and the United States. struggle to get inoculation programs Under intense pressure to ease prooff the ground, with the virus surging tections for vaccine manufacturers, across the developing world in contrast Next page
COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE
(AS OF 4 PM MAY 6)
1,080,172 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES
6,637 63,170 NEW
ACTIVE
17,991
191
DEATHS
NEW
999,011 6,091 NEW RECOVERIES
NZ ATHLETE 1ST TRANS OLYMPIAN Story on C1
LOCAL ROUNDUP
• Virus-hit ship to dock in Manila • Barriers vs. ‘double mutants’ A SHIP carrying an all-Filipino crew, 12 of whom are suspected having contracted COVID-19, has been allowed to dock in Manila for emergency medical aid. The Department of Health said two of the 21 Filipino crew members of the MV Athens Bridge, which flies the flag of Panama, are in critical condition. “They will be assessed upon arrival and transferred to their partner hospital as they see fit. Rest assured that appropriate care will be provided to those who need it while upholding the proper protocols,” the DOH said. A situation report from the National Task Force Against Covid-19 said 12 of the crew members were infected with COVID-19, with two needing “immediate medical evacuation” due to breathing difficulties.
“They are already very weak. The vessel has only one oxygen bottle left, which is currently in use by the patient,” read the report. The vessel was initially prohibited from entering Manila due to refusal from the Bureau of Quarantine. It was also refused entry in Vietnam. “The vessel took refuge in Manila considering all crew are Filipino and had the highest hope that vessel will be accommodated. An emergency medical evacuation was approved, the vessel is already steaming (on its way to Manila).”
Barriers vs. ‘double mutant’ The Philippine government is exerting all efforts to prevent the possible entry of the “double mutant” Next page