KUWTT: Murder rap filed vs doctor in Pizarro killing Apr 05, 2021

Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Monday, April 5, 2021.

READ: Murder rap filed vs doctor in Pizarro killing

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has charged with murder the suspect in the 2020 killing of retired Court of Appeals (CA) Justice Normandie Pizarro. The murder complaint against Dr. Ramon Tayag Pangan was filed before the Department of Justice (DoJ) on March 23, and a copy of it was obtained by The Manila Times. Named as complainants were the NBI, represented by Agents Zack Hansel Balba, Paul Bacon and Mar Santos, and the son of the slain magistrate, Normandie B. Pizarro Jr. The body of the magistrate was found by authorities in Sitio Palublub, Barangay Lawy, Cristo Rey, Capas, Tarlac. He had been shot once in the back of the head. His body was also mutilated.

READ: Red Cross, LGUs team up to build isolation centers

THE Philippine Red Cross (PRC) will help Metro Manila mayors set up isolation centers in schools to prevent hospitals in the National Capital Region (NCR) from being overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients. PRC Chairman Richard Gordon floated the proposal during a recent meeting with the mayors and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

READ: Raise hospital capacity before lifting ECQ – expert

Hospitals in Metro Manila and four nearby provinces need to free up more beds for Covid cases before the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) can be lifted, a consultant to the National Task Force against Covid-19 said on Sunday. Dr. Teodoro Herbosa made the statement in a radio interview a day after President Rodrigo Duterte extended the ECQ in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Rizal for another week.

READ: Speed up aid for locked-down residents – Go

SEN. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go called on the government to step up the distribution of aid to residents in locked down communities. Go made the appeal on Sunday following the extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) and four outlying provinces until April 11. He asked the Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Social Welfare and Development to expedite the distribution of aid to the poor in ECQ areas who are included in the supplemental amelioration program earlier approved by President Rodrigo Duterte.

READ: Duterte to Filipinos: ‘Move forward with stronger faith’

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte called on Filipinos to move forward with stronger faith as the country celebrates Easter with the rest of the world. Duterte said the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives the country a message of “hope in the midst of suffering and an assurance of triumph over adversity.” He greeted Filipinos as residents in Metro Manila and nearby provinces enter another week of lockdown amid rising coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases.

READ: MRT, LRT scale down operations

The railways sector of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will scale down its operations starting Monday as its personnel continue to undergo testing for Covid-19. The management of the Philippine National Railways announced that it will suspend its operations until April 8. The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) will operate but on a limited scale with only 10 to 12 trains to be dispatched. The trains will have a limited capacity of 372 passengers per train set to comply with the predetermined number of passengers per station.

BUSINESS: Inflation likely up anew in March

In business, Philippine headline inflation likely further accelerated in March, analysts polled by The Manila Times said. Projections for the month ranged from 4.6 to 5.0 percent with a 4.8 percent average, up from the 4.7 percent recorded in February. It was also significantly higher than the 2.5 percent seen in March last year. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) earlier projected inflation to remain at 4.7 percent. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) will release official March inflation data on April 6.

SPORTS: Nietes captures WBO International super flyweight strap on Easter

Topping sports, Donnie “Ahas” Nietes hardly showed any ring rust and made a masterful comeback with a unanimous decision win over Colombian foe Pablo Carrillo at the Caesars Palace Bluewaters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Sunday. The former four-division world champion gave Filipino boxing fans something to celebrate on the morning of Easter Sunday after he captured the World Boxing Organization (WBO) International super flyweight strap, ending his lengthy 27-month layoff. Three judges scored the bout all in favor of Nietes by 99-91, 98-92 and 96-95.

READ: Opinion and editorial

Rigoberto Tiglao and Fr. Ranhilio Aquino are today’s front page columnists. Tiglao argues on the issue of the Felipe Reef, while Fr. Aquino shares the good news of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Today’s editorial calls on the Department of Health to disclose more info on the country’s Covid-testing system. Read a full version on the paper’s opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.

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With Dafort Villaseran, this is Aric John Sy Cua reporting. May you have a safe week ahead.