Scribd
Upload
27 views

Science Writing Examples

A herbal supplement developed from the leaves of the tawa-tawa plant is set to be available in mid-August. The supplement was created by Herbanext using a PHP8.3 million loan from the DOST. It will be sold under the Daily Apple brand as a supplement, not a medicine, with "tawa-tawa" written on packages. While pre-clinical trials on mice showed it increased platelet counts, further clinical trials on humans are still needed. Meanwhile, a court in North Cotabato dismissed drug charges against the president of a state college, finding the search warrants used in the raid where evidence was seized were invalid as they cited both drug and firearms offenses.

Uploaded by

Venna Ross URG
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
27 views

Science Writing Examples

A herbal supplement developed from the leaves of the tawa-tawa plant is set to be available in mid-August. The supplement was created by Herbanext using a PHP8.3 million loan from the DOST. It will be sold under the Daily Apple brand as a supplement, not a medicine, with "tawa-tawa" written on packages. While pre-clinical trials on mice showed it increased platelet counts, further clinical trials on humans are still needed. Meanwhile, a court in North Cotabato dismissed drug charges against the president of a state college, finding the search warrants used in the raid where evidence was seized were invalid as they cited both drug and firearms offenses.

Uploaded by

Venna Ross URG
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

DOST-assisted herbal supplement vs.

dengue to be out mid-August


By Ma. Cristina Arayata August 6, 2019, 1:44 pm
MANILA -- A herbal supplement developed through a loan from
the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will be
available by mid-August.

DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña, in an interview with the


Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday, said the supplement
was made from "tawa-tawa" (Euphorbia hirta), but instead of
drying the leaves, the manufacturer focused on its extracts.

The supplement was developed by Herbanext, a company that


specializes on natural products such as vegetables and fruits. "They prioritize plants or fruits that are known to
be associated with illnesses based on folkloric literature," he said.

Dela Peña added that Herbanext conducts studies on herbal plants that may cure headache, fever, problem in
urination, among others.

"Tawa-tawa was proven to have anti-viral properties. They (Herbanext) made this into capsule or tablet," he
continued.

The DOST chief emphasized that this is just a supplement, and not a medicine.

Herbanext have yet to conduct clinical trials for this supplement, which means testing this on humans.

"They're done with the pre-clinical trial. They used a mice to see (the supplement's) effect, and they found out
that it has caused the platelet count to increase," dela Pena shared.

The product was already registered and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a supplement.

"It is not considered a medicine until it's not tested on humans. A supplement, if you talk about safety, is
something that may not cure but would not cause harm. It is safe (to use)," Dela Peña explained.

Herbanext's supplement fights the dengue virus, and increases the platelet count. This should not be used to
prevent dengue, he noted.

Meanwhile, Dela Peña confirmed that the DOST spent PHP8.3 million for the equipment used by Herbanext.
He clarified, however, that the equipment was used also to develop other products, and that the company would
return the money.

The supplement can be bought under the brand name Daily Apple.

According to dela Peña, Herbanext sells products under this brand, and indicate the plant used in the packaging.
Thus, buyers should look for Daily Apple, with "tawa-tawa" written on the packaging.

This will be available initially at the Daily Apple stores in Quezon City, Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, and General
Santos.

Dela Peña said Herbanext is currently coordinating with other drug stores to make this product available to
more people. (PNA)
Court junks drug charges vs North Cotabato state college
president
Kidapawan City Regional Trial Court Judge Henelinda Diaz says the search warrants used to conduct the raid
on the home of then CFCST president Samson Molao are invalid

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A North Cotabato court has junked the drug
charges filed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) against
the president of a state college in that province.

Kidapawan City Regional Trial Court Presiding Judge Henelinda Diaz


dismissed the charges of involvement in the illegal drug trade and illegal
possession of firearms filed by PDEA against Samson Molao, president of
the Cotabato Foundation College of Science and Technology (CFCST) in Barangay Doruloman in Arakan
town.

Molao had earlier filed a motion to quash before the court following the charges filed against him that stemmed
from a raid conducted in his college staff house in January 2018, which yielded 126 grams of shabu and high-
powered firearms.

The court issued its decision on the case on June 28 but Molao’s camp released a copy of the decision to the
media on Monday, July 15.

In her decision, the judge said that the search warrants authorities had for the raid were invalid as each cited
violations for both illegal drugs and illegal possession of firearms. The judge said that under the rules of court,
warrants should be specific and should only cite one offense.

She said the fact that the warrants were both for two offenses voided them and because the warrants were
invalid, the evidence supposedly seized were considered “fruits of poisonous tree.”

“Otherwise known as the exclusionary rule of the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine, this constitutional
provision prohibits the issuance of general warrants that encourage law enforcers to go on fishing expeditions.
Evidence obtained through unlawful seizures should be excluded as evidence,” Diaz ruled.

She also noted that PDEA violated the custody rule when instead of turning over the pieces of evidence,
particularly the drug, to the court that issued the search warrants, these were brought to General Santos City.

Diaz also said the seizing officer did not submit a detailed report after the raid, which resulted in the seizure of
at least 125 grams of suspected shabu and high-powered firearms.

She said while the firearms seized from the raid should be returned to CFCST, the seized shabu should remain
with PDEA for proper disposition.

Molao had denied the possession of shabu but said the firearms were owned by CFCST.

Molao's lawyer, Israelito Torreon, said Diaz's 5-page decision had detailed why the charges against his client
were dismissed.
Molao's camp, reports said, was working on his reinstatement as CFCST president, a position he assumed in
2011.

Molao had wanted to return as CFCST president as early as May last year but the school's board of trustees
denied it, saying the charges against him had to be resolved first. The college's board ot trustees designated Dr
Zainudin Adam as officer-in-charge of while Molao went on study leave following the filing of the charges
against him.

Molao was previously implicated in cases of frustrated murder, corruption, and management. In 2016, hundreds
of members of the Save CFCST Movement – which included farmers, students, and college employees
– protested against him, after he was accused of plotting killing attempts against school personnel who were
critical of his management. – Rappler.com

You might also like