Fake news about the president

First off, my dear friend, Mr. Luis Aboitiz Jr., husband of Annabelle, passed away last Sunday. We can only blame COVID-19 for this. However, Luis was already in dialysis and had his leg amputated due to high blood sugar. But then, I can only second-guess that he was ready to meet his maker. Luis was the top man of the Aboitiz family when great changes started to happen to this very Cebuano corporation.

In most of my journalistic years, it was Luis Aboitiz who was the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Aboitiz Corporation, which had a large network of power companies like the Visayan Electric Company, Davao Light and 18 other electric firms, including geothermal plants. They were into banking with Union Bank and City Savings Bank and were handling MEPZ II and AboitizLand, which handled many realty groups and built subdivisions, and Pilmico. They are now into Aboitiz Equities Ventures (AEV). While Luis had been retired for more than 10 years now, we will never forget the years that he was the icon of the Aboitiz Corporation. He will be surely missed. May we request our pious readers to please pray for the repose of his soul.

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There was a 6.5 magnitude earthquake traced to Cataingan, Masbate at 8:03 a.m. yesterday and supposedly felt in Luzon and parts of the Visayas. Phivolcs said that the earthquake was of tectonic origin and was located five kilometers southwest of Cataingan town, Masbate. I was already up and about after I took my medicines when it happened, and it surprised me that many on Facebook reported about the quake, but somehow I didn’t feel it.

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Here is some good news for Cebu City with regard COVID-19 incidents. We got a report from the Department of Health-7 that as of Sunday, August 16, the total number of cases in the city has reached 9,383, of which 1,563 are active cases. The total deaths remain at 615.

On the first day of the general community quarantine (GCQ) extension in Cebu City, only 20 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths were recorded. The total number of recoveries is 7,205 after four new recoveries were recorded.

DOH-7 data also showed that in Mandaue City, the total number of cases is at 2,134 with 813 active cases. There were five new cases recorded on August 16. One recovery was also reported, bringing the total number of recoveries to 1,243. The total number of deaths is at 78 as no new death was reported. As of Sunday, the total number of deaths is at 126 after recording two new deaths. Call it good news for Cebu.

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We learned the other day that Department of Interior and Local Government (DLG) Secretary Eduardo Año tested positive for the coronavirus for the second time -- proof that if you already had COVID-19 and past it, it doesn’t mean you are already immune from this virus. Somehow this situation prompted a drastic change in the schedules of the President.

So presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a press briefing, “The President is in perpetual isolation because no one can come close to him. I think I told you that whenever we meet with him, there is a velvet rope that keeps him at least six feet away from everyone else. So, no one can really come close to the president.” The president was supposed to hold a face-to-face meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF) to discuss quarantine classifications of areas.

Unfortunately, ugly elements that I suspect came from the Yellow trolls sent a word from the social media circles entitled “No Sayonara” dated Aug. 17, 2020 that the President was flown to Singapore and a news blackout ensued. It added that there was no one in charge of the Duterte government, thus leaving the nation bewildered and lacking leadership amid COVID-19. I hope government intelligence units can find out who sent these ugly messages.

Malacañang responded by sending a simple photo with the President having a simple dinner with his family and his partner holding a Manila Bulletin newspaper with the date Aug. 17, 2020. This ended this stupid argument, but we must find out who spread this fake news around.

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