FILE PHOTO: Supreme Court logo and statue of Lady Justice

MANILA, Philippines — Inatasan na ng Korte Suprema ang Palawan Regional Trial Court Branch 52 na ituloy ang paglilitis sa kasong murder ni dating Palawan Governor Mario Joel Reyes dahil sa umano’y pagpaslang sa broadcaster at environmentalist na si Doc Gerry Ortega.

Sa unanimous na desisyon ng Supreme Court Second Division na sinulat ni Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, sinabi ng korte na naging moot na o wala nang saysay ang pagkwestyon ni Reyes sa resulta ng preliminary investigation ng Department of Justice dahil ang RTC na rin mismo ang nagsabi na may probable cause upang litisin siya sa kaso.

Patunay nito ang inilabas na warrant of arrest ng korte laban kay Reyes at ang pagsasagawa ng arraignment matapos maaresto ang dating gobernador nitong nakaraang Setyembre.

Binigyang-diin pa ng mataas na hukuman na ang trial court na ang may jurisdiction sa kaso at nararapat nang ituloy ang paglilitis dito.

Si Reyes at ang kanyang kapatid na si dating Coron, Palawan Mayor Mario Reyes ang itinuturing na utak sa pagpatay kay Ortega noong January 24, 2011.

Kasalukuyang nakapiit ang magkapatid na Reyes sa Puerto Princesa City Jail. (RODERIC MENDOZA / UNTV News)

The post Paglilitis kay dating Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes, kaugnay ng pagpaslang kay Doc Gerry Ortega, ipinatutuloy na ng Korte Suprema appeared first on UNTV News.

Philippine Competition Commission Chairperson Arsenio Balisacan

MANILA, Philippines — Tinututukan na ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) kung ano ang magiging epekto sa mga nagtatrabaho sa Gitnang Silangan ng patuloy na pagbaba ng halaga ng langis.

Batay sa pahayag ni DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, wala pa silang nakikitang senyales na magkakaroon retrenchment o pagbabawas ng mga trabahador o empleyado na maaring maka-apaketo sa mga OFW sa Saudi Arabia at mga kalapit na bansang nagpo-produce ng langis.

Ayon kay Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Sonny Coloma, tiwala ang DOLE na walang OFW na maapektuhan ng political issue at downtrend ng oil price sa Middle East.

Sinabi ni Coloma na napatunayan na ito ng ilabas ang Saudization policy noon na hindi naman naapektuhan ang mga OFW dahil kuwalipikado sila sa kani-kanilang mga trabaho.

Paliwanag ni dating National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Arsenio Balisacan, bagama’t kapakinabangan ng ibang bansa ang pagbaba ng presyo ng krudo, may malaking epekto naman ito sa ibang economies.

Pahayag ni Philippine Competition Commission Chairperson Arsenio Balisacan, “In general, the sharp decline in oil prices benefit us but one has to also worry about whether it will bring down many economies that are so dependent on oil revenues. Some of the major oil exporters are now suffering badly. And the fiscal deficit of these countries are putting them into economic difficulties.”

Nasa mahigit sa dalawa at kalahating milyong manggagawang Pilipino ang nagtatrabaho sa buong Gitnang Silangan at nasa isang milyong Pilipino naman ang nasa Saudi Arabia. (NEL MARIBOJOC / UNTV News)

The post Malacañang, naniniwalang hindi gaanong maapektuhan ang mga OFW kung magtatanggalan ng trabaho sa Middle east dahil sa pagbaba ng presyo ng krudo appeared first on UNTV News.

Screenshot mula sa exclusive video ng UNTV News sa pag-raid ng operatiba ng PDEA at PNP-AIDG sa isang shabu laboratory sa Maynila noong January 21 kung saan naaresto si Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino.

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — Hayagan ang pagsuporta ng ilang kaklase at ilang opisyal ng Armed Forces of the Philippines kay Lt.Col. Ferdinand Marcelino matapos na naaresto ng pinagsanib na puwersa ng Philippine National Police-Anti-llegal Drugs Groups (PNP-AIDG) at Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) sa shabu lab sa Sta. Cruz, Manila noong January 21.

Suportado naman ni PNP Chief PDG Ricardo Marquez ang mga tauhan ng PNP-AIDG na humuli kay Marcelino.

Ayon kay Gen. Marquez, ginawa lamang ng mga ito ang kanilang trabaho hinggil sa kanilang kampanya laban sa ilegal na droga.

“For the longest time AIDSOTF (Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force) before and now AIDG has been very very transparent in its demeanor as one of the performing anti-drug unit in the country,” ani PDG Marquez.

Sinabi pa nito na hindi matatawaran ang kredibilidad ng mga tauhan ng AIDG at subok na ito sa paghuli ng mga bigtime drug lord.

Dagdag pa ng heneral na tiwala siya sa AIDG dahil suportado naman ng mga ebidensya ang reklamong isinampa ng mga ito laban kay Marcelino lalo na’t nakita ito sa loob ng shabu laboratory.

“Kung ano man ang nangyari that time na nahuli siya ay maliwanag na sumusunod lamang yung mga tauhan namin sa AIDG kung ano ang nakita at narecover nila, wala naman tayong nakitang pagmamalabis sa mga tao sa AIDG, the right of Col. Marcelino has not violated,” anang hepe ng Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas.

Ang kailangan na lamang aniyang gawin ng kampo ni Marcelino ay sagutin ang mga reklamo laban sa kanya at patunayang wala siyang kinalaman sa operasyon ng shabu lab.

Nitong Linggo, sinabi nang nagpakilalang spokesperson ni Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino na si Ret. Maj. Vonne Villanueva na confidential financial fund para sa special operations ang 13 deposit slip na nakuha sa bag ni Marcelino na nagkakahalaga ng 2.250 million pesos.

“My Mistah, Lt.Col. Ferdinand Marcelino, categorically denies the insinuations by PNP-AIDG that he is profiting from illegal drugs trade. The bank transactions that PNP-AIDG presented were meant to discredit Lt. Col. Marcelino. The bank receipt and AFP passbooks were kept as part of his personal financial records and his confidential operational fund records when he was still with ISAFP. I would not discuss the details in public due to its sensitive nature and the fact that they have not filed another case against him related to these bank deposits. Lt. Col. Marcelino is willing to sign a waiver for Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) for the sake of transparency and in compliance with the law praying that his accusers will do the same,” saad sa text message ni Ret. Maj. Vonne Villanueva.

Itinanggi naman ng pinuno ng Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines o ISAFP na si BGen. Arnold Quiapo na alam niya ang confidential financial fund na binabanggit ng tagapagsalita ni Marcelino.

Dagdag pa ni Chief PNP, ang pagkakahuli kay Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino at sa Chinese national na si Yan Yi Shou ay isang malaking karangalan sa PNP-AIDG at PDEA dahil pagpapakita ito na walang kinikilingan ang pagpapatupad nila ng batas maging isa mang mataas na opisyal ng AFP. (LEA YLAGAN / UNTV News)

The post AIDG na humuli kay Lt. Col. Ferdinand Marcelino, suportado ng pamunuan ng PNP appeared first on UNTV News.

BFP’s Richmond Sibal forcing his way near the goal against NHA Marvin Ladia. (WILSON DOMINGO / Photoville International)

PASIG CITY, Philippines — BFP Firefighters forced a deciding quarterfinals game two as Richmond Sibal and Marlon Adolfo led the firemen in destroying the higher seed NHA Builders, 93-81 Sunday night at Ynares Sports Arena.

UNTV Cup is the leading public service channel’s basketball league where cash prizes are donated to charities. It is led by multi-awarded broadcaster and philanthropist Daniel Razon.

Sibal scored 20 points, nine out of 14 from the field, grabbed eight rebounds, issued three assists and a block while his partner Adolfo registered 18 markers, six out of 13 field goals, six out of seven free throws and five rebounds coming off the bench as BFP closed out the third quarter leading for the first and never looked back in the final quarter of the match.

Aside from Sibal and Adolfo, Coach Ramon Garcia received plenty of support from center, Kurt Amores who chipped in 15 points, seven boards, four assists and three steals taking; advantage of the absence of counterpart Marvin Mercado which NHA really felt in the game.

Guard Julius Jayona contributed 15 markers and seven boards, including three triples in the 2nd half in the time BFP is mounting a comeback and controlled the game.

Aside from missing the services of Mercado, Coach Benett Palad had to endure the injuries of ace point guard Waldemar Tibay who hit his head on the floor at the 7:25 mark in the second period then hurt his foot at the 3:13 mark also of the 2nd quarter. Tibay’s finger was also injured in the third period but still managed to finish the game with 14 points.

Antonio Lustestica led NHA in a losing effort of 25 markers but the Builders still has a chance to advance to the semifinals as they had the twice to beat advantage against BFP in their quarterfinals series.

The knock out game is set this Sunday, February 7, 5pm live at Ynares Sports Arena and at UNTV Life.

NHA needs a complete and healthy line up while BFP just have to re-assert their advantages in the winner take all game, where the victor will face the mighty AFP Cavaliers in the semifinals.

Whatever happens, this will be quite an achievement both for NHA and BFP; two second year teams that improved a lot this season. (MARK SUBA)

The post BFP forces a knock out game as firefighters outsmart NHA Builders in quarterfinals appeared first on UNTV News.

Daniele Ferreira holds her son Juan Pedro during a session to stimulate the development of his eyesight at the Altino Ventura rehabilitation center in Recife, Brazil, January 28, 2016. TREUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino

Brazil’s top health official said on Monday that the Zika virus outbreak is proving to be worse than believed because most cases show no symptoms, but improved testing should allow the country to get a better grip on the burgeoning public health crisis.

Health Minister Marcelo Castro told Reuters that Brazil will start mandatory reporting of cases by local governments next week when most states will have labs equipped to test for Zika, the mosquito-borne virus that has quickly spread through Latin America. The virus has no vaccine or cure at present.

On Monday, the World Health Organization declared the Zika outbreak to be a global emergency, a decision that should help fast-track international action and research priorities.

In Brazil, believed to be the country hit hardest by Zika, the outbreak has sparked fear especially among pregnant women after local experts linked the virus to thousands of cases of microcephaly, or abnormally small heads and underdeveloped brains, in newborns.

“Eighty percent of the people infected by Zika do not develop significant symptoms. A large number of people have the virus with no symptoms, so the situation is more serious that we can imagine,” Castro said in an interview.

“Our big hope is finding a vaccine,” he added.

The Zika emergency comes at a particularly bad time for President Dilma Rousseff’s unpopular government, adding a new burden to a public health system hit by budget cuts in the midst of a severe recession. It has also cast a shadow on Brazil’s hosting of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August.

The Rousseff government said there was no chance the Games will be called due to the health scare.

“We have to explain to those coming to Brazil, the athletes, that there is zero risk if you are not a pregnant woman,” Rousseff’s chief of staff Jaques Wagner told reporters.

The Brazilian government suspects the virus was brought to Brazil during the 2014 football World Cup by a visitor from Africa or Oceania where Zika is endemic. An estimated 1.5 million Brazilians have caught Zika, a virus first detected in Africa in the 1947 and unknown in the Americas until it appeared in May in the poverty-stricken northeastern region of Brazil.

The Pan-American health Organization said the virus has since spread to 24 countries and territories in the hemisphere.

WORKING WITH U.S. ON VACCINE

Castro, a psychiatrist from Rio, said the virus cannot be transmitted from person to person, only by mosquito, addressing fears that it could be spread through saliva, semen or urine.

By next week, labs in all but three of Brazil’s states will be able to test whether a person has had Zika or not, he said.

And by next month, the labs will have a test that can detect all three viruses borne by the Aedes aegypti mosquito – dengue, chikungunya and Zika. The test, however, will only be effective during the initial infection period of five days.

Castro said Brazilian researchers are convinced that Zika is the cause of the 3,700 confirmed and suspected cases in Brazil of microcephaly in newborns. Ninety percent of children born with the condition will have retarded mental and physical development, experts say.

“The microcephaly cases are increasing by the week and we do not have an estimate of how many there will be. The situation is serious and worrying,” Castro said.

Brazilian biomedical research centers are joining forces with U.S. counterparts to try to find a Zika vaccine in record time, Castro said. A partnership between the U.S. National Institutes of Health and Brazil’s Butantan Institute will seek to develop a vaccine by adding a gene to an existing one for dengue, he said.

Until there is a breakthrough on a vaccine, Brazil’s only option is to try to eradicate the mosquito that spreads the virus, Castro said, with the government mobilizing all its possible resources and people, including tens of thousands of soldiers, to go door-to-door seeking places where the insect breeds.

Rousseff signed a temporary decree on Monday that makes it obligatory for residents to allow health workers to inspect their homes and properties for still water deposits where the Aedes aegypti mosquito lays its eggs.

Asked if Brazil would ease its restrictions on abortion to allow women with Zika to terminate pregnancies, Castro said it would be up to Congress to make that change. The government, he said, is sticking with the current law that makes abortion in the world’s largest Roman Catholic country illegal except in cases of rape and risk to the mother’s life.

Brazil will follow the U.S. decision last week to prohibit blood donations from people who have been infected with Zika, Castro said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, however, has said it is planning to require people who have traveled to an affected country to defer giving blood, but details on how that might work are still being determined.

(Reporting by Anthony Boadle and Lisandra Paraguassu; Editing by Mary Milliken, Bernard Orr)

The post EXCLUSIVE – Brazil says Zika virus outbreak worse than believed appeared first on UNTV News.

USS Lassen (DDG 82), (R) transits in formation with ROKS Sokcho (PCC 778) during exercise Foal Eagle 2015, in waters east of the Korean Peninsula, in this March 12, 2015, handout photo provided by the U.S. Navy. REUTERS/U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Martin Wright/Handout via Reuters

China accused the United States on Monday of seeking maritime hegemony in the name of freedom of navigation after a U.S. Navy destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of a disputed island in the South China Sea.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of world trade is shipped every year. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Taiwan have rival claims.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur passed near Triton Island in the Paracel Islands, in what the Pentagon said was a challenge to attempts by China, Taiwan and Vietnam to restrict navigation rights and freedoms.

The Chinese government, which moved swiftly to condemn to sailing on Saturday, said the United States was acting dangerously and irresponsibly.

“The so-called freedom of navigation plans and acts that the United States has upheld for many years in reality do not accord with generally recognized international law,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a daily news briefing.

It also “ignores numerous littoral states’ sovereignty and security and maritime rights, seriously harming relevant regional peace and stability”, he added.

“Its essence is to push the United States’ maritime hegemony in the name of freedom of navigation, which has always been resolutely opposed by most of the international community, especially certain developing nations. What the United States has done is dangerous and irresponsible.”

One of the main causes of the militarization of the South China Sea is the United States’ playing the freedom of navigation card and “creating tensions”, Lu said.

The U.S. Navy conducted a similar exercise in October in which the guided-missile destroyer Lassen sailed close to one of China’s man-made islands, also drawing a rebuke from Beijing.

In an editorial on Monday, the influential state-run Chinese tabloid the Global Times said the latest move by the United States showed how Washington was “circling to contain” China and that China’s military had few ways of stopping such patrols.

China thus needs to spend more on its armed forces, the paper added.

“There is a long way to go before China can have an equal footing with the U.S. Such equality can only be achieved with the build-up of strategic strength,” it said.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Michael Perry)

The post China says U.S. seeks ‘hegemony’ after South China Sea sailing appeared first on UNTV News.

Nov 3, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek reacts to a play in action against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The slumping Phoenix Suns have axed head coach Jeff Hornacek, the National Basketball Association team said on Monday.

Hornacek had been in charge since May 2013.

“The Phoenix Suns have relieved Jeff Hornacek of his duties as head coach following his two-plus seasons in the position,” the team said in a statement.

The Suns have lost 19 of their past 21 games, during which time they have been missing several key players.

Hornacek’s teams compiled a 101-112 win-loss record, including a 14-35 mark this season.

In his inaugural season in 2013-14 the Suns went 48-34, followed by a 39-43 record last season.

Hornacek, 52, played six years in Phoenix during his career as a shooting guard.

The Suns are planning to have an interim head coach in place for Tuesday’s home game against Toronto.

(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina, editing by Ed Osmond)

The post Slumping Suns fire head coach Hornacek appeared first on UNTV News.

Human genetic material is stored at a laboratory in Munich May 23, 2011.
REUTERS/MICHAEL DALDER

Feb 1 Scientists in Britain have been give the go-ahead to edit the genes of human embryos for research purposes, using a technique that some say could eventually be used to create “designer babies”.

Less than a year after Chinese scientists caused an international furor by saying they had genetically modified human embryos, Kathy Niakan, a stem cell scientist from London’s Francis Crick Institute, was granted a license to carry out similar experiments.

“The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has approved a research application from the Francis Crick Institute to use new ‘gene editing’ techniques on human embryos,” Niakan’s lab said on Monday.

It said the work carried out “will be for research purposes and will look at the first seven days of a fertilized egg’s development, from a single cell to around 250 cells”.

The scientists will not be allowed to develop the modified embryos for clinical purposes or implant them into any women.

Niakan plans to carry out her experiments using what is known as CRISPR-Cas9, a technology that is already the subject of fierce international debate because of fears that it could be used to create babies to order.

CRISPR can enable scientists to find and modify or replace genetic defects. Many experts have called it “game-changing”.

David King, director of the UK campaign group Human Genetics Alert, said Niakan’s plans would eventually lead to “a future of consumer eugenics”.

“This research will allow the scientists to refine the techniques for creating GM babies,” he said in a statement.

But Sarah Norcross, director of Progress Educational Trust, which campaigns for ethically sound research in genetics, said the HFEA’s decision was “a victory for level-headed regulation over moral panic”.

Niakan says she has no intention of genetically altering embryos for use in human reproduction, but wants to deepen scientific understanding of how a healthy human embryo develops, something that could, in the long term, help to improve infertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).

The work will be carried out on embryos that have become surplus to donor patients IVF treatment.

At a briefing for reporters in London last month, she said the first gene she planned to target was one called Oct4, which she believes may have a crucial role in the earliest stages of human fetal development.

Bruce Whitelaw, a professor of animal biotechnology at Edinburgh University’s Roslin Institute on Scotland, said the HFEA’s decision had been reached “after robust assessment”.

“This project, by increasing our understanding of how the early human embryo develops and grows, will add to the basic scientific knowledge needed for devising strategies to assist infertile couples and reduce the anguish of miscarriage,” he said in an emailed comment.

(Reporting by Kate Kelland; Editing by Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)

The post Britain gives scientist go-ahead to genetically modify human embryos appeared first on UNTV News.

An aedes aegypti mosquito is pictured on a leaf in San Jose, Costa Rica February 1, 2016. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

The World Health Organization on Monday declared the mosquito-borne Zika virus an international public health emergency due to its link to thousands of birth defects in Brazil, as the U.N. agency sought to build a global response to the threat.

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan told reporters that coordinated international action was needed to improve detection and expedite work on a vaccine and better diagnostics for the disease, but said curbs on travel or trade were not necessary.

Chan, whose agency was assailed as too slow in reacting to West Africa’s Ebola epidemic that killed more than 10,000 people in the past two years, cited “first and foremost the big concern about microcephaly,” the birth defect that causes babies to be born with abnormally small heads and improperly developed brains.

She noted that it was “strongly suspected but not yet scientifically proven” that Zika causes microcephaly.

“Can you imagine if we do not do all this work now, and wait until the scientific evidence comes out?” Chan told reporters at the WHO headquarters in Geneva. “Then people will say that, ‘Why don’t you take action because the mosquito is ubiquitous?'”

The emergency designation, recommended by a committee of independent experts following criticism of a hesitant response to Zika so far, should help fast-track international action and research priorities. The move lends official urgency to research funding and other steps to stem the spread of the virus.

The WHO said last week the Zika virus, transmitted by the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, was “spreading explosively” and could infect as many as 4 million people in the Americas. The Pan American Health Organization says Zika has spread in 24 nations and territories in the Americas.

This marks the fourth time the WHO has declared a global health emergency since such procedures were put in place in 2007, with the others arising from influenza, Ebola and polio.

OLYMPIC WORRIES

Brazil is due to host the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August, and President Dilma Rousseff’s chief of staff said on Monday there is no risk of cancelling the games due to Zika.

“We have to explain to those coming to Brazil, the athletes, that there is zero risk if you are not a pregnant women,” Jaques Wagner told reporters in Brasilia.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) head Thomas Frieden said the WHO emergency declaration “calls the world to action” on Zika. The CDC added four more countries and territories to its list of locales that pose a risk for Zika infection, advising pregnant women to consider avoiding travel to those areas.

Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust medical charity, said the WHO “should be congratulated for being far more proactive” this time.

Lawrence Gostin, a public health and law expert at Washington’s Georgetown University who last week called on the WHO to act urgently against Zika, welcomed Chan’s declaration but called for a clear strategy and ample resources.

“Actions speak louder than words,” Gostin said.

The Zika virus has raised questions worldwide about whether pregnant women should avoid infected countries. Chan said delaying travel was something pregnant women “can consider” but added that if they needed to travel they should take protective measures by covering up and using mosquito repellent.

Brazil has reported some 3,700 suspected cases of microcephaly. Brazilian Health Minister Marcelo Castro told Reuters the epidemic was worse than believed because in 80 percent of cases the infected people had no symptoms.

As the virus spreads from Brazil, other countries in the Americas are also likely to see cases of babies with Zika-linked birth defects, experts believe.

The clinical symptoms of Zika are usually mild and often similar to dengue, which is transmitted by the same mosquito, leading to fears that Zika will spread into all parts of the world where dengue is commonplace.

More than a third of the world’s population lives in areas at risk of dengue infection, in a band stretching through Africa, India, Southeast Asia and Latin America.

Zika’s rapid spread in Latin America is attributed to the prevalence of Aedes aegypti and a lack of immunity among the population.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said one way for the United States to reduce the risk of Zika there would be to try to control the mosquitoes that carry it.

“At some point here … we’re going to see the temperatures rise (and) that will make for a more hospitable environment for mosquitoes,” he said. “We want to make sure that we have got a strategy to try to limit the spread of this disease when that happens.”

A senior Obama administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “This is not an Ebola-type situation where you have to stop people at the border.”

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state’s health department would offer free tests for individuals with symptoms of infection who have traveled to countries impacted by Zika.

(Additional reporting by Kate Kelland in London, Roberta Rampton in Washington, Natalie Grover in Bengaluru and Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago.; Editing by Alison Williams, Will Dunham and Mary Milliken)

The post Zika virus tied to birth defects is international emergency, WHO says appeared first on UNTV News.

FILE PHOTO: Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. (UNTV News)

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The pre-trial for the plunder case of Sen. Bong Revilla is now set on Thursday, January 04, 2016.

The prosecution camp and the lawyers of Sen. Revilla will present evidence to the allegation that the senator amassed over 283 million pesos from the pork barrel scam.

To prepare for his defense in the upcoming trial, Sen. Revilla is asking the Sandiganbayan to subpoena government agencies and compel them to give copies of documents that he needs.

In his motion, the senator is requesting for copies of Janet Napoles’ forfeiture case filed at the Manila Regional Trial Court which allegedly states the ill-gotten wealth of PDAF witness, Benhur Luy.

Luy was one of Napoles’ employees who later turned state witness against those accused in the pork barrel scam.

Revilla is also requesting for copies of stenographic notes from Senate hearings wherein Luy testified on his knowledge about the scam.

The senator said Luy disclosed in the Senate that he faked signatures on documents related to some transactions with lawmakers.

Aside from this, Revilla is also hoping to get his hands on the report of the Commission on Audit’s investigation on the implementing agencies involved in the scam.

These include Technology Resource Center or TRC, National Livelihood Development Corporation or NLDC at National Agribusiness Corporation or NABCOR.

The senator is also asking for Luy’s travel documents from the Bureau of Immigration which will show that Luy was out of the country from August to December 2008; the dates Revilla allegedly received commissions from him.

Sen. Bong Revilla is currently detained at the PNP Custodial Center after the Sandiganbayan denied his bail petition. The court said, the prosecution camp presented strong evidence against him during his bail hearing. (JOYCE BALANCIO / UNTV News)

The post Bong Revilla wants government agencies subpoenaed by Sandiganbayan appeared first on UNTV News.

FILE PHOTO: DOH Re-emerging Infectious Disease Program Manager Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy (UNTV News)

MANILA, Philippines — The country recorded its first case of the mosquito-borne Zika virus back in 2012, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

A report from the Center for Disease and Control said that it came from a 15-year old boy in Cebu City who showed symptoms of headache conjunctivitis, sore throat and nausea, among others.

He recovered fully after a three-week follow up visit.

Although there were no new reported cases since then, the health department assures it is ready in case the virus enters the country.

On the program Good Morning Kuya,Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy of Department of Health said in a phone interview, monitoring of the said virus is needed especially since it occurs in tropical countries like the Philippines.

Suy reminded the public anew to always clean their environment so as to avoid having the said infection.

“The health department is ready, but the public must also ensure that their environment is always clean,” Dr. Suy said.

In line with this, DOH Sec. Janette Garin ordered the study of the said virus. These include determining its effects and dangers on patients particularly on babies of pregnant victims.

The DOH explains that dengue is more dangerous than the Zika virus since 80 percent of its victims do not show any symptoms at all. Common symptoms associated with Zika are skin rashes, nausea, and fever, among others. But some experts believe it is also linked to brain damage in newborns.

Experts say the Zika virus can be primarily transmitted through mosquito bites.

“There is no direct transmission, although the main cause of the infection is insect bites or what we call insect mos-quitoes, which have the capacity to transmit the virus,” DOH Re-emerging Infectious Disease Program Manager Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy explained. (DARLENE BASINGAN / UNTV News)

The post No new Zika virus case in PHL — DOH appeared first on UNTV News.

Led by the hailed best player of the game, Ollan Omiping and the PNP Responders defeated the Judiciary Magis in overtime during their face-off in UNTV Cup Quarterfinals. (WILSON DOMINGO / Photoville International)

PASIG CITY, Philippines — There will be a new UNTV Cup Season 4 champion team. This was revealed last Sunday afternoon at Ynares Sports Arena as PNP Responders clobbered Judiciary Magis, 85-82 in overtime and properly eliminating the defending and two time titlist Magis in Season 4.

UNTV Cup, the Public Service Channel’s basketball league where cash prizes are donated to charities is led by multi-awarded broadcaster and Mr. Public Service Daniel Razon.

Two time MVP Ollan Omiping led the way for PNP as he registered season high 35 points on top of four out of six triples, 13 out of 23 field goals, five out of seven freethrows, six boards, two steals and a block as PNP just use a game to dispose Judiciary even as Responders hold a twice to beat advantage in their quarter finals series.

Team mate and main big man Harold Sta. Cruz chipped in 12 points and 16 rebounds and was the hero responsible for bringing the game into overtime as he delivered a crucial lay up in the last eight seconds to tie the game, 78 all.

Judiciary had a chance to force a deciding game two, but Frederick Salamat missed an open basket in the last 1.4 seconds that extended the game into overtime.

Before Sta. Cruz heroics, Don Camaso missed also an open layup that lead to PNP to tie the game that Magis controlled for 47 minutes.

The last minute and the next five minutes belonged to Estong Ballesteros-coached squad as coach Dennis Balason and company can’t withstand the fouling out of Camaso in the 4:32 mark of the overtime period.

Rookie Anto Tolentino hit a crucial triple in the 3:50 mark as PNP wrestle the lead, 81-79 but reigning MVP Ariel Capus and Kevin Enriquez free throws put Judiciary again on the lead, 82-81 which Sta. Cruz tied via his own free throw converted at 2:27 mark.

Reserved center Rodel Ongutan scored a free throw at 1:32 to put PNP ahead, 83-82 which Tolentino extended to three with two out of two free throws in the last 6.8 seconds of the game.

Capus missed a game tying triple as PNP celebrated the hard earned come from behind victory and will next face the second seed MMDA Blackwolves in the semifinals.

MMDA has the twice to beat advantage in their final four series that will start on February 12.

Capus and Camaso led Magis with combined 43 markers, as Judiciary for the first time in four seasons, didn’t reach the semifinals.

PNP on their part avenged from last season’s quarterfinals loss and optimistic to return to finals even as their opponent Blackwolves holds a twice to beat edge.

There will be a new champion that’s for sure. (MARK SUBA)

The post PNP dethrones Judiciary, faces MMDA in semifinals appeared first on UNTV News.

FILE PHOTO: Former Manila Mayor Lim

MANILA, Philippines — Former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim is now facing complaints of graft, gross misconduct and gross neglect of duty for unpaid taxes in Manila during his term.

According to Reynante Sacaguing, the private complainant and a taxpayer from Manila, Lim allegedly failed to pay taxes demanded by the Bureau of Internal Revenue in 2007.

Sacaguing said, his motorcycle accident in 2012 prompted him to research on the funds of the city allocated to road repair and maintenance. That was when he found out that the city was in 572 million peso debt with the BIR.

Sacaguig also insisted that Lim be charged with graft for influencing officials in Manila to ignore the notice of assessment sent by BIR.

Also included in the complaint are former city treasurer Marisa de Guzman and former city accountant Maria Lourdes Manlulu.

Complainant Sacaguing said, “Malulugi mismo iyong taumbayan, dahil imbes na magamit doon yung pera, imbes na magamit ito sa kapakanan namin, panggawa ng kalsada, iyong mga ospital eh hindi ho magagamit dahil lumaki ng lumaki yung utang ng city government.”

(This is disadvantageous to the public, instead of the fund being used for our welfare; for road repair; for hospitals, it can’t because the city government is deeply in debt.)

Former Mayor Lim, on the other hand, said that this is just politicking.

“Iyang paninira, mga propaganda effect, alam mo naman mag-eeleksyon ngayon,” the former mayor of Manila said.

(Those accusations are meant to tarnish my reputation; propaganda effect. You know very well it’s election season.)

The Office of the Ombudsman will have to see if there is sufficient basis or probable cause in the complaint before filing a case at the Sandiganbayan. (JOYCE BALANCIO / UNTV News)

The post Former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim faces graft complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman appeared first on UNTV News.

(Left-Right) DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, COMELEC Chairman Andres Bautista and MMDA Chairman Emerson Carlos for “Operation Baklas”.

MANILA, Philippines — When the campaign period kicks off on February 9, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will also begin removing campaign paraphernalia placed outside the common poster areas under the so-called “Operation Baklas”.

The MMDA, DPWH and COMELEC on Tuesday, forged an agreement for the implementation of the operation.

Commission on Elections has warned candidates and political parties to remove illegally-posted campaign materials before the campaign period starts, because if they wait for DPWH and MMDA to take it down, filing of charges may follow.

COMELEC Chairman Bautista notes public properties are being defaced by ubiquitous campaign posters.

“Yung ginagamit yung public property… yung mga poste ng ilaw, or yung mga lakaran, pedestrian walkways, overpass, di ba nakikita natin malalaking poster yan? Dapat huwag nilang gagamitin yan, bawal yan.”

(The use of public properties…lamposts,pedestrian walkways, overpass, we can see large posters right? They should not use it [public properties] it’s prohibited. )

DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson said, “Bago naming baklasin kukunan namin ng litrato so that will be part of our documentation and we will send to COMELEC.”

(Before we remove [poster], we will take pictures as part of our documentation and we will send it to COMELEC.)

A person guilty of an election offense will be imprisoned from one to six years.

COMELEC added that a candidate might also be held liable for the offense if found that he or she consented to the commission of an illegal act.

However, the public works department is pushing adjustment of common poster areas.

“Palawakin yung mga common poster areas kasi understandably kung minsan masyadong maliit at saka yung napipiling site ay ayaw nung mga kandidato kaya kung saan saan din sila naglalagay,” said by the head of DPWH.

(Let’s widen common poster areas because understandably it’s not spacious enough and candidates are not in favor of the chosen site so they place their posters elsewhere.)

Meanwhile, COMELEC is urging the public to participate in the shame campaign by taking pictures of campaign materials that are placed in prohibited areas and forward it to COMELEC with the details thru the poll body’s social media accounts.

“Kung maging viral itong mga photo ito [sa social media], baka makaapekto ito sa kanilang mga kampanya dahil makikitang hindi nila sinusunod yung batas,” the poll department chief said.

(If a photo turns viral [in social media], it might impact their candidacy and voters might not vote for them for being a violator of election rules.”

COMELEC is also pushing for the use of environment-friendly or recyclable campaign materials and reminds candidates against the irresponsible disposal of it.

Also the poll body said once the campaign period starts, candidates are forbidden from endorsing any products. (VICTOR COSARE / UNTV News)

The post COMELEC revives shame campaign against illegally posted campaign materials appeared first on UNTV News.

Tubes with the label ‘Zika virus’ are seen at Genekam Biotechnology AG in Duisburg, Germany, February 2, 2016. REUTERS/Ina Fassbender

The first known case of Zika virus transmission in the United States was reported in Texas on Tuesday by local health officials, who said it likely was contracted through sex and not a mosquito bite, a day after the World Health Organization declared an international public health emergency.

The virus, linked to severe birth defects in thousands of babies in Brazil, is spreading rapidly in the Americas, and WHO officials on Tuesday expressed concern that it could hit Africa and Asia as well. Zika had been thought to be spread by the bite of mosquitoes of the Aedes genus, so sexual contact as a mode of transmission would be a potentially alarming development.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed it was the first U.S. Zika case in someone who had not traveled abroad in the current outbreak, said CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden on Twitter.

However, the CDC has not investigated how the virus was transmitted.

After this case, the CDC advised men to consider using condoms after traveling to areas with the Zika virus. Pregnant women should avoid contact with semen from men exposed to the virus.

The Dallas County Department of health said on Twitter that the person was infected through sexual contact with someone who had traveled to Venezuela. The person infected did not travel to the South American country, county health officials said.

The Texas Department of State Health Services was slightly more cautious in its assessment, saying in a statement, “Case details are being evaluated, but the possibility of sexual transmission from an infected person to a non-infected person is likely in this case.”

County authorities said there were no reports of the virus being transmitted by mosquitoes in the Texas county.

Previously, international health officials had noted one U.S. case of possible person-to-person sexual transmission. But the Pan American Health Organization said more evidence was needed to confirm sexual contact as a means of Zika transmission. The medical literature also has one case in which the virus was detected in semen.

The virus has been reported in more than 30 countries and linked to microcephaly, in which babies have abnormally small heads and improperly developed brains.

The American Red Cross on Tuesday asked blood donors who have traveled to Zika virus outbreak areas such as Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central or South America to wait at least 28 days before donating. However, the risk of transmitting the virus through blood donations remained “extremely” low in the continental United States, the disaster relief agency said.

The Dow Jones transportation average ended 2.9 percent lower following news of the first U.S. transmission of the Zika virus.

MONITORING NEEDED

The WHO has said the virus could infect 4 million people in the Americas. It said on Tuesday it launched a global response unit to fight the mosquito-borne virus.

“Most important, we need to set up surveillance sites in low- and middle-income countries so that we can detect any change in the reporting patterns of microcephaly at an early stage,” Dr. Anthony Costello said in Geneva. Costello is WHO’s director for maternal, child and adolescent health.

Twenty to 30 sites could be established worldwide, mainly in poor countries without robust healthcare systems, Costello said.

Brazil is the country hardest hit by Zika. In an address to a joint session of Brazil’s Congress, President Dilma Rousseff said her government will spare no resources in mobilizing to combat the mosquito that transmits the virus. With no vaccine or treatment for Zika, efforts to curb its spread have focused on eradicating mosquito breeding sites.

Brazil, which has more than 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly that may be linked to Zika, is scheduled to host the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August.

Rousseff also said Brazil and the United States will enter a partnership to develop a Zika vaccine as soon as possible to stem the spread of the virus.

VACCINE EFFORTS

French drugmaker Sanofi SA on Tuesday announced that it has launched a project to develop a vaccine against the virus, the most decisive commitment yet by a major vaccine maker. The company said its Sanofi Pasteur vaccines division would use its expertise in developing vaccines for similar viruses such as yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and dengue.

Other companies also joined the race on Tuesday to develop a vaccine. The University of South Australia said it was working on a Zika vaccine with Australian biotech Sementis Ltd.

U.S. drug developer NewLink Genetics Corp said it has started a project to develop Zika treatment options.

Experts have said a Zika vaccine for widespread use is months if not years away.

Costello said the Aedes mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus “are present … through Africa, parts of southern Europe and many parts of Asia, particularly South Asia.” Africa and Asia have the world’s highest birth rates.

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said on Monday it was “strongly suspected but not yet scientifically proven” that Zika causes microcephaly.

The first Irish cases of Zika virus have been detected in two people with a history of traveling to a country affected by the mosquito-borne infection, the Health Service Executive of Ireland said.

Chilean health officials said they have confirmed three cases in Chile of people infected with the Zika virus, all of whom were infected while traveling elsewhere in Latin America.

An Australian state health service said two Australians were diagnosed with the virus after returning from the Caribbean, confirming the first cases of the virus in the country this year.

(Additional reporting by Dominique Vidalon in Paris, Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva, Shadia Nasralla in Vienna, Ben Hirschler in London, Anthony Boadle in Brasilia, Jane Wardell in Sydney, Amy Sawitta Lefevre in Bangkok, Pedro Fonseca in Rio, Rosalba O’Brien in Santiago, Padraic Halpin in Dublin, Ankur Banerjee and Amrutha Penumudi in Bengaluru; Writing by Will Dunham and Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Toni Reinhold, Jonathan Oatis, Andrew Hay and Bernard Orr)

The post First U.S. Zika virus transmission reported, attributed to sex appeared first on UNTV News.

Oswaldo Cruz Hospital staff prepare to draw blood from baby Ludmilla Hadassah Dias de Vasconcelos, who has microcephaly, at the Oswaldo Cruz Hospital in Recife, Brazil, January 26, 2016. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino

Global health officials have said that the Zika virus, which has been linked to severe birth defects in thousands of babies in Brazil, is rapidly spreading in the Americas and could infect 3 million to 4 million people. The race is on to develop a Zika vaccine.

Here are some questions and answers about the virus and the current outbreak.

How do people become infected?

The virus is transmitted to people through the bite of infected female Aedes mosquitoes, the same type of mosquito that spreads dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said Aedes mosquitoes are found in all countries in the Americas except Canada and continental Chile, and the virus will likely reach all countries and territories of the region where Aedes mosquitoes are found.

How do you treat Zika infection?

There is no treatment or vaccine available for Zika infection. Companies and scientists are racing to develop a safe and effective vaccine for Zika, but one is not expected to be ready for months or years.

How dangerous is it?

The PAHO said there is no evidence that Zika can cause death, but some cases have been reported with more serious complications in patients with pre-existing medical conditions.

The virus has been linked to microcephaly, a condition in newborns marked by abnormally small heads and brains that have not developed properly. It also has been associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the nervous system. Scientists are studying whether there is a causal link between Zika and these two disorders.

How is Zika related to microcephaly?

Health officials have yet to establish a direct causal relationship between Zika virus infection and birth defects, but it is strongly suspected. Brazil has reported 3,700 cases of suspected microcephaly that may be linked to Zika. It is unclear whether in pregnant women the virus crosses the placenta and causes microcephaly. Research in Brazil indicates the greatest microcephaly risk appears to be associated with infection during the first trimester of pregnancy.

What are the symptoms of Zika infection?

People who get Zika virus disease typically have a mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain and fatigue that can last for two to seven days. But as many as 80 percent of people infected never develop symptoms. The symptoms are similar to those of dengue or chikungunya, which are transmitted by the same type of mosquito.

How can Zika be contained?

Efforts to control the spread of the virus focus on eliminating mosquito breeding sites and taking precautions against mosquito bites such as using insect repellent and mosquito nets. U.S. health officials have advised pregnant women to avoid travel to Latin American and Caribbean countries where they may be exposed to Zika.

How widespread is the outbreak in the Americas?

Health officials said Zika cases have been reported in more than 30 countries ranging from the Americas to Ireland to Australia in the current outbreak. Brazil has been the nation most affected. Other nations and territories include Barbados, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Suriname, Venezuela and the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to the PAHO. (tinyurl.com/hoq6qqo)

What is the history of the Zika virus?

The Zika virus is found in tropical locales with large mosquito populations. Outbreaks of Zika virus disease have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Southern Asia and the Western Pacific. The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys and was first identified in people in 1952 in Uganda and Tanzania, according to the World Health Organization.

Can Zika be transmitted through sexual contact?

Two cases of possible person-to-person sexual transmission has been described, but the PAHO said more evidence is needed to confirm whether sexual contact is a means of Zika transmission.

The PAHO also said Zika can be transmitted through blood, but this is an infrequent transmission mechanism. There is no evidence the virus can be transmitted to babies through breast milk.

What other complications are associated with Zika?

The WHO says because no big Zika outbreaks were recorded before 2007, little is known about complications caused by infection. During an outbreak of Zika from 2013-2014 in French Polynesia, national health authorities reported an unusual increase in Guillain-Barre syndrome. Health authorities in Brazil have also reported an increase in Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Long-term health consequences of Zika infection remain unclear. Other uncertainties surround the incubation period of the virus and how Zika interacts with other viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes such as dengue.

(Compiled by Will Dunham; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Jonathan Oatis)

The post Factbox: Why the Zika virus is causing alarm appeared first on UNTV News.

Feb 1, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) shoots the ball as Orlando Magic power forward Jason Smith (14) defends during the first half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports –

(The Sports Xchange) – San Antonio guard Tony Parker, a four-time NBA champion with the Spurs, told a French radio station on Tuesday that he could miss the Summer Olympics because his wife is due to give birth to the couple’s second son at the end of July.

The Olympic basketball tournament runs from Aug. 6-21.

Parker, 33, said he has yet to decide whether his wife’s pregnancy will force him to cancel his commitments with the national team.

“I will need to talk with the France team. And negotiate with my wife, too. The schedule is very, very difficult,” he said.

Parker’s announcement took French Federation officials by surprise. Both president Jean-Pierre Siutat and technical director Patrick Beesley said they had not been told of Parker’s situation.

His wife’s pregnancy could also affect his play in qualifying tournaments. France, along with Canada, will be competing for a single spot during a qualifying tournament from July 4-10 in Manila.

The United States already has earned a spot in Rio as well as Brazil, Australia, Nigeria, Venezuela, Argentina, Spain, Lithuania and China.

(Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)

The post Spurs’ Parker might miss Olympics in Rio appeared first on UNTV News.

A man types on a computer keyboard in Warsaw in this February 28, 2013 illustration file picture.
REUTERS/KACPER PEMPEL/FILES

European and U.S. negotiators agreed a data pact on Tuesday that should prevent European Union regulators from restricting data transfers by companies such as Google and Amazon across the Atlantic.

The European Union and the United States have been racing to replace the Safe Harbour framework that was outlawed by a top EU court last year over concerns about U.S. mass surveillance, leaving thousands of companies in legal limbo.

The announcement of the pact, which still requires political approval, coincides with two days of talks in Brussels, where European data protection authorities were poised to restrict data transfers unless a deal was clinched.

The European Commission said that the new Privacy Shield would place stronger obligations on U.S. companies to protect Europeans’ personal data and ensure stronger monitoring and enforcement by U.S. agencies.

“We have for the first time received detailed written assurances from the United States on the safeguards and limitations applicable to U.S. surveillance program,” Commission Vice-President Andrus Ansip told a news conference.

“On the commercial side, we have obtained strong oversight by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Federal Trade Commission of companies’ compliance with their obligations to protect EU personal data.”

The United States will create an ombudsman within the State Department to deal with complaints and enquiries forwarded by EU data protection agencies. There will also be an alternative dispute resolution mechanism to resolve grievances and a joint annual review of the accord.

European data protection authorities will also work with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to police the system.

THUMBS UP

The accord received a thumbs up from lobbying groups The Information Technology Industry Council, BSA The Software Alliance and DigitalEurope, as well Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce and BusinessEurope.

“The free flow of data between the EU and the U.S. is the most important in the world. This agreement is essential because it provides a reliable framework for international data transfers,” BusinessEurope Director General Markus Beyrer said.

However, Max Schrems, the Austrian law student whose court case against Facebook in Ireland sank Safe Harbour, expressed doubts about the validity of the pact, saying on his website that he is not sure whether the system would stand up to legal challenge.

European Digital Rights, an umbrella group of digital civil rights bodies, described the agreement as flawed.

“The emperor is trying on a new set of clothes. Today’s announcement means that European citizens and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic face an extended period of uncertainty while waiting for this new stop-gap solution to fail,” Executive Director Joe McNamee said.

Safe Harbour had for 15 years allowed more than 4,000 companies to avoid cumbersome EU data transfer rules by stating that they complied with EU data protection law.

Cross-border data transfers are used in many industries for sharing employee information, when consumer data is shared to complete credit card, travel or e-commerce transactions, or to target advertising based on customer preferences.

(Additional reporting by Shadia Nasralla in Vienna; Editing by David Clarke and David Goodman)

The post New European, U.S. data transfer pact agreed appeared first on UNTV News.

Boxing – Amir Khan v Chris Algieri – Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York City, United States of America – 29/5/15Amir Khan celebrates winning the fightAction Images via Reuters / Andrew CouldridgeLivepic

Amir Khan will challenge Mexico’s Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez for his WBC world middleweight title in Las Vegas on May 7 in what will be the Briton’s first fight for a year.

The 29-year-old Khan, a former Olympic silver medalist and light-welterweight world champion, will be Alvarez’s first opponent since the Mexican beat Miguel Cotto on a unanimous points decision in Vegas in November.

“Amir was a decorated amateur, a two-time world champion and is in the prime of his career. Fans are in for a great fight on May 7,” Alvarez, 25, beaten only once in 48 fights, said in a statement from Golden Boy Promotions.

Alvarez, whose nickname Canelo comes from the Spanish word for cinnamon owing to his red hair, has only one defeat on an otherwise unblemished record, a majority decision loss to American great Floyd Mayweather.

Khan, who boasts a 31-3 record with 19 knockouts, has not fought since outpointing Chris Algieri in New York last May.

“I know Canelo fights the best and wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to face me like others have,” Khan said.

“My goal is to always fight the biggest names and the best fighters that is why I’m excited for this fight.”

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Toby Davis)

The post Alvarez to defend WBC middleweight belt against Khan appeared first on UNTV News.

FILE PHOTO: Mga botante sa isang paaralan sa Cainta, Rizal noong 2013 election habang hinanahap ang kanilang pangalan sa mga presinto. (Rolito Ponte / UNTV News)

MANILA, Philippines — Ipinasya ng COMELEC En Banc na iklian ang oras ng pagboto sa May 09 elections kumpara ng nakaraang halalan noong 2013.

Magsisimula ang botohan sa ganap na alas-siete ng umaga at matatapos ng alas-singko ng hapon.

Mas maikli ito kung ikukumpara noong 2013 elections na inabot ng alas-siete ng gabi.

Ayon sa Commission on Elections, nais nitong mahikayat ang mga botante ng bumoto nang maaga.

Gayunpman, nilinaw ng COMELEC na ang mga taong nasa loob ng 30-meter radius ng presinto ay papayagang makaboto kahit dumating na ang five o’clock cut off.

Pahayag ni Chairman Andres Bautista, “Because we were able to bring down the number of voters for each clustered precinct from 1,000 to 800. And then, siyempre as much as possible gusto nating hikayatin ang ating mga botante na bumoto ng maaga.”

Sabi naman ni Commissioner Christian Robert Lim, “Thirty-minutes before the closing time the BEI [Board of Election Inspectors] chairman or a BEI member will go around announcing that they will be closing in 30-minutes. And those who still haven’t voted they will now list the names of all those remaining. Tapos ang mangyayari pagdating nang 5, yun na yung close na hindi ka na pwede mag-fill-up sa listahan. They will announce the names 3 times. After announcing your names 3 times di ka nag-appear, wala ka na. We go to the next list.” (VICTOR COSARE / UNTV News)

The post Voting hours sa May 9 polls mas maikli kumpara noong 2013 appeared first on UNTV News.