Archive - Commentary

Here’s the reply of Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO representative in the Philippines: “It is difficult to make a sensible statement on fatality rate in a context where we do not have a clear picture on the total number of infected cases. Currently the estimated Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of known confirmed cases divided by known confirmed deaths is lower in the Philippines (4 percent) than globally (5 percent), but with the limited testing capacity in the Philippines, all mild and asymptomatic cases are not tested and thus not counted among the total confirmed number of cases, significantly affecting the CFR. “

There is nothing more despicable than persons who use tragedy to advance their political interests.

I know it is provided in his recently- signed Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Republic Act no. 11469) that he has to report to Congress Monday of every week on what have been accomplished in connection with dealing with Covid-19 but there must be a way to make this activity less excruciating.

What are the remedies available under international law for the injury suffered by other states as a result of China’s alleged mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic?

On December 30 last year, Dr. Ai Fen, Director of medical emergency at Wuhan Central hospital in Hubei province, received the lab results of a patient with flu-like symptoms that had proved to be resistant to prescribed treatment.

The COVID-19 global pandemic declared by the World Health Organization has become what it is ---- overwhelming and staggering in number of growing cases and deaths worldwide.

I said a prayer of thanks when I finally got out of Philippine Air Lines flight 1782 from Puerto Princesa Saturday. Up to noontime Friday, I was not sure if I could get a seat as airlines cancelled several flights after President Duterte ordered a lockdown of Metro Manila Thursday night in connection with the rampaging novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Anytime now, we expect the Senate as a body to question before the Supreme Court the unilateral termination by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte of our obligations under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States of America.

There’s no let-up in the avalanche of fake, false, and misleading posts in social media rivalling in viciousness to the mysterious COVID-19.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III has told reporters that the Senate will be asking the Supreme Court Monday to rule on whether the president can unilaterally abrogate a treaty without the concurrence of the Senate that ratified the pact.

The President’s oft-repeated claim that ABS-CBN swindled him of the money he paid for his political ads that was not aired was effectively debunked by the network’s President and CEO Carlo Katigbak during the Senate hearing last Friday

Commissioner Rowena Guanzon of the Commission on Elections posted Sunday on Facebook a summary of Solicitor General Jose Calida’s petition for Quo Warranto against leading broadcast company, ABS-CBN, which she said was “prepared by my legal staff under my supervision.”