Not So Good News - Compiled Threads [Archive] - Page 8

Pagualon

September 4th, 2009, 10:57 PM

this is bad news, read below, the CHIONGS are complaining about the justice system in pinas, why dont they just head back to china, these chiongs...

instead of that, they put a philippine citizen to prison, there are considerable doubts about his guilt. and that is NOT SO GOOD NEWS...

Cebu rapist going to Spain

By Norman Bordadora, Jhunnex Napallacan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:01:00 09/05/2009

Filed Under: Crime and Law and Justice, Rape, Punishment, Prison, Murder

MANILA, Philippines — Unknown to many, the Department of Justice has approved the transfer of convict Francisco Juan “Paco” Larrañaga to a penal facility in Spain to serve the remainder of his life sentence for the rape and murder of the Chiong sisters in Cebu in 1997.

Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said it would only be “a matter of time” for Larrañaga, a scion of Cebu’s Osmeña clan and a citizen of Spain by virtue of his father, to be transferred to a Spanish prison under the RP-Spain Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement.

Larrañaga, now 32, and six others were convicted of kidnapping, illegal detention, rape and homicide in connection with the abduction, rape and death of the sisters Jacqueline and Marijoy Chiong.

“He will be sent home to be incarcerated there,” Devanadera told the Inquirer after confirming the DoJ approval of the request for Larrañaga’s transfer.

“This is just a matter of time,” she said, and replied in the affirmative when asked if the convict would be in Spain before the year ends.

Reached by phone in Cebu Friday night, the sisters’ mother, Thelma Chiong, was initially at a loss for words.

She said her family had not been aware of the approval of Larrañaga’s transfer to Spain, and angrily added: “They cheated us of the justice we worked hard to achieve.”

Chiong said the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was “truly criminal-friendly.”

“They do it all the time … set free the criminals. Look what they did to the accused in the murder of [the late former Sen.] Ninoy Aquino—they were released from prison,” she said.

‘Speechless with rage’

Chiong said Larrañaga should not be jailed in Spain because he committed the crime in the Philippines.

“If he will be sent there, he would definitely be released and stay there as a civilian,” she said.

The mother also expressed the belief that Larrañaga’s family used its money to work on having him taken out of the Philippines and into a Spanish prison.

But while she said she was “almost speechless with rage” over Larrañaga’s impending transfer, her family could not do anything because it had been approved by the DoJ.

Asked if her family would not contest the decision before the Supreme Court, Chiong said: “I am already tired of this case. I leave it all up to God.”

She said she was wondering whether the treaty earlier proposed by Sen. Miriam Santiago for an exchange of prisoners between the Philippines and Spain was the basis of Larrañaga’s transfer.

If so, she said, there must be a Filipino prisoner in Spain that should be sent to the Philippines in exchange for Larrañaga.

Good conduct

The justice department’s evaluation of Larrañaga’s request under the RP-Spain Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement showed that he still had to serve 14 years, nine months and 28 days in prison, taking into account his good conduct time allowance.

Without that good conduct time allowance, Larrañaga still has to serve 25 years, two months and one day, the DoJ said, citing records of the Bureau of Corrections.

It was the Yorac Arroyo Chua Caedo and Coronel law firm, Larrañaga’s legal counsel, that filed the application for his transfer to a Spanish prison.

The convict signified his consent to the application by signing the document. He also submitted to the DoJ an affidavit dated Sept. 1, 2009, affirming his consent.

Devanadera on Friday sent a letter to Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo to facilitate the translation of the DoJ evaluation of Larrañaga’s request and the submission of the evaluation to Spanish authorities for their own perusal.

Copies of the DoJ endorsement of the transfer were also sent to Consul General Mercedes Alonso at the consulate of Spain and to lawyer Felicitas Aquino-Arroyo of the law firm.

The document signed by Devanadera read in part: “After evaluating the application for transfer and the documents submitted in support thereof, this department finds that the said application complies with the requirements of the RP-Spain TSPA and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

“Hence, the same may be forwarded to the Ministry of Justice of Spain for its own consideration.”

Devanadera told Romulo that Spain’s Ministry of Justice had also been provided certified true copies of the documents it earlier requested and which it considered necessary in its evaluation of Larrañaga’s application for transfer.

“We are also forwarding the certified copy of the May 5, 1999, decision of the Regional Trial Court Branch 7 of Cebu City which the Ministry of Justice of Spain has likewise requested,” she said.

Conditions

The following are the conditions by which a convict may be transferred to a prison in his own country under the terms of the RP-Spain agreement:

• If the acts or omissions on account of which the sentence has been imposed are punishable in the administering state.

• If the sentenced person is a national of the administering state at the time of the request for transfer.

• If the judgment is final and there are no other legal proceedings relating to the offense or any other offense pending in the sentencing state.

• If the transfer is consented to by the sentenced person.

• If the part of the sentence still to be served at the time of the receipt of the request is at least one year.

• If the sentenced person has satisfied payment of fines, costs, civil indemnities, and or pecuniary sanctions of all kinds for which he is liable under the terms of the sentence.

Mechanical process

According to the DoJ evaluation, Larrañaga’s request has satisfied all the conditions for his transfer.

“Ours is just a mechanical process, clerical at worst,” Devanadera said when asked about the DoJ approval of Larrañaga’s request.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090905-223627/Cebu-rapist-going-to-Spain

Pagualon

September 5th, 2009, 12:36 AM

Francisco Juan Larrañaga (Paco) - The Philippines
Francisco Juan Larrañaga (Paco) was sentenced to 2 consecutive life sentences at the age of 19 and is prison in The Philippines. He had been on death row, but this was commuted to life imprisonment in May 2006 following a general amnesty.

He was convicted in May 1999 of the kidnap, false imprisonment, rape and murder of two sisters. In February 2004 the Supreme Court ordered that he be sentenced to death. It was alleged that Paco and 7 other men kidnapped the two sisters, raped them and then threw one of the bodies into a ravine.

Only one body was ever found. When the girls’ brother went to identify her, he did not think it was his sister; her hair had been shorter and there was a noticeable difference in height. However, no formal identification was ever made, nor any DNA tests conducted. Instead, the Judge threw Paco’s lawyer in jail for contempt of court and assigned a new lawyer.

The only evidence against Paco is the statement of one his co-defendants, who gave evidence for the prosecution in exchange for total immunity. He fainted during cross-examination but the Judge proceeded to respond to questions on his behalf.

The defence sought to present evidence from 35 witnesses who could give evidence that on the evening of the murder, Paco was at a party with friends until the early hours of the morning. The log book at the condominium where he was staying shows that he returned at 2:45am. In addition, one of Paco’s teachers gave evidence that she had seen him at 6.30pm at school on the day of the murder. The following day Paco sat midterm exams; there are records to prove this. That evening, he caught a flight to the Philippine island on which the murder took place.

The Judge disregarded all witness statements and documentary evidence supporting Paco's case.

FTA believes that this is an unsafe conviction and we are appealing for a re-trial or dismissal. An amicus curiae brief has been submitted in support of this. We have also called upon the Spanish government, president of the European Commission and the President of the European Parliament, who have all raised their concerns about this case. All protestations have been ignored by the Supreme Court and the Philippine Ministry of Justice.

Fair Trial Issues
1.Paco Larrañaga was not allowed to give evidence at his trial.
2.Several defence witnesses were prevented from giving evidence.
3.Defence counsel's right to examine the chief prosecution witnesses was restricted.
4.Paco was denied adequate counsel, violating his right to a fair trial. The lawyer appointed to him after his original one was dismissed, had less than one day to prepare the case.
5.Prosecution evidence centred on the statement of one of the accused.
6.Paco’s right to be tried by an independent and impartial tribunal was violated. Pressure was exerted on the case by powerful groups and he was the subject of an unprecedented number of media reports that condemned him before his trial started. There was also a 100,000 Peso reward for prosecution information and testimony.
What you can do to help
1.Please add your signature to support Paco in his fight for justice by going to http://www.PacoLarranaga.com.
2.Write to Paco: Francisco Juan Larrañaga, Dorm 1d, Maximum Security Compound, New Bilibid Prison, Muntinlupa City, The Philippines

bitoy

September 5th, 2009, 01:57 AM

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/4497/gen1x.jpg

Palace tells Chavit: Behave (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/09/04/09/palace-tells-chavit-behave)

MANILA - The Office of the President on Friday advised deputy National Security Adviser Luis Singson to "behave" and submit himself to due process after his wife, Rachel 'Che' Tiongson, disclosed on Thursday the physical abuse she suffered at the hands of Singson.

"Our advise to Singson is to behave properly as an upright citizen and submit himself to due process of the law," said Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.

Remonde said he was not aware if President Arroyo's deputy national security adviser used government resources to spy on his wife. :lol:

Singson virtually admitted on Wednesday over dzMM that he beat up his wife last year after discovering she had an affair, and added she should be thankful he didn't kill her.

In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN's Ces Oreña Drilon, Tiongson showed pictures of her badly-bruised face and arms allegedly caused by the beatings she suffered at the hands of Singson last August 22 after he found her with her boyfriend in her apartment.

She said Singson beat her up and even lashed her using the whip he uses to discipline his pet tiger.

Singson and his bodyguards also allegedly undressed Tiongson's boyfriend, took pictures of his penis, beat him up, and tortured him. In media interviews, he made fun of the boyfriend's allegedly tiny sex organ.

A Quezon City trial court has granted Tiongson's request for a protection order against Singson, which means he should not go near his wife.

Remonde said Malacañang's actions on Singson will "depend on the outcome of the case."

On Friday, in an interview over Umagang Kay Ganda (UKG), Singson said he never admitted that he beat up his wife, although he said she did get hurt.

Singson reiterated his earlier statement that Tiongson should be thankful she's alive.

Singson also told UKG he had evidence to prove that he and Tiongson were married, and denied Tiongson's claim they are already separated.

Singson was instrumental in the fall of the Estrada administration and the rise to power of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in January 2001.

Palace to Chavit: Submit to due process

Pagualon

September 5th, 2009, 03:37 AM

Singson reiterated his earlier statement that Tiongson should be thankful she's alive.

thats all thats really important in this case. singson is right about that. its even in the law, he could have killed her and her bf, and he would walk free.

its time for this pok pok to realize, she should not try to mess with a guy like singson.

end of story

Pagualon

September 5th, 2009, 03:38 AM

:lol:Two more Chinese nabbed in Laguna drug raid

By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 19:31:00 09/04/2009

Filed Under: Crime, Illegal drugs

MANILA, Philippines - Police arrested two more Chinese nationals Friday in another raid in a methamphetamine hydrochloride laboratory in Laguna province.

A day earlier, authorities also raided a warehouse in the province, according to regional police.

Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) regional director, said the raid at an apartment in Barangay Patimbao, Sta. Cruz town led to the arrest of Qiu Yau and Ro San Go.

Police served a search warrant at the apartment at around 4 p.m. The apartment was allegedly a shabu laboratory being constructed by the two suspects, and was owned by a certain Myla San Juan.

Seized during the raid were equipment used in making illegal drugs.

Palad said the raid was an offshoot of the raid on Thursday, where two other Chinese nationals were arrested.

:cheers:

ps. watch out bitoy, they might come to bicol as well. :lol: that would not be good news for your community in bicol...

bitoy

September 5th, 2009, 05:10 AM

^^ :lol: Tindi rin naman ang galit mo sa mga Chinese ano? :D

Kawawa ka naman, I feel sorry for that kind of attitude you have in this world.

Pero, hahalakhak muna ako ...buwahahaha!!!

Pagualon

September 5th, 2009, 05:56 AM

^^ :lol: Tindi rin naman ang galit mo sa mga Chinese ano? :D

Kawawa ka naman, I feel sorry for that kind of attitude you have in this world.

Pero, hahalakhak muna ako ...buwahahaha!!!

consider yourself lucky living in my country. where you enjoy all the freedom we gave to you. freedom of speech is one of them. and consider yourself lucky, that the internet is an anonymous place where your identity is unknown to me. else i would take the bicol express and visit you, mr bicol tsinoy. :lol:

consider yourself lucky you live in a democratic country, and consider yourself lucky that bicol is not jakarta 98.

always keep that in your mind, never forget..

bitoy

September 5th, 2009, 06:26 AM

^^ ....your country?

I rest my case... :D

c6josh

September 5th, 2009, 11:14 AM

Most jailed drug mules in China are Filipinos
KIMBERLY JANE T. TAN, GMANews.TV
09/05/2009 | 01:20 PM

The Philippines is the top member country of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) with the most number of nationals arrested for drug smuggling charges in China, the Philippine Consulate said Friday.

“Ang pag-akyat sa talaan ng bilang ng mga Filipino ay sobrang nakababahala sa gobyerno(This rise in number is worrying the government)," said Consul General Joselito Jimeno.

Jimeno said there are currently 95 Filipinos languishing in various jails in Chinese territories – four of whom are on death row. Asean countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam have only about 10 to 20 jailed nationals each.

The consul general said the jailed Filipinos were accused of smuggling illegal substances like heroin or diamorphine from countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Nepal, Cambodia, and the Philippines into Chinese territories.

Drug trafficking of 50 grams or more of highly prohibited drugs is punishable by death in China and its territories.

Jimeno said unsuspecting Filipinos are usually duped by foreign drug syndicates, even sometimes through fellow Filipinos, into smuggling illegal drugs for $500 to $2,000 a trip.

But he said because of the high technology in Chinese airports and train terminals, carriers of prohibited substances are easily spotted.

This, said the consul general, prompted them to issue a warning to all China-bound Filipinos to be very careful of suspicious characters, thus keeping themselves from trouble. [See: ]

According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), about 500 Filipinos are languishing in jails abroad for drug-related cases.

In 2008 alone, 111 Filipinos were arrested for drug-related offenses in the Chinese territories, representing a 594-percent increase from the 16 arrested in 2007. Of those arrested in 2007 and 2008, 22 are facing death sentence, 12 have gotten life, while 11 have been made to serve 15-16 years prison terms.

In an earlier report, the PDEA chief said that the agency is already working on a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to help prevent Filipinos from being used as drug couriers.

c6josh

September 5th, 2009, 11:17 AM

^^Bad reputation for us pinoys...that we ourselves make:ohno: anyway chinese nationals are the most caught drug syndicates in the Philippines too...so let's call it even.:)

demented_pigeon

September 5th, 2009, 06:11 PM

Sa tingin ko marami tayong natututunan sa pulitika sa pilipinas:

1. Ok lang bugbugin ang kinakasama mo, ask Chavit.

2. Ok lang din ibulsa ang campaign contributions, ask Mikey Arroyo.

3. Ok lang din, magsinungaling. ask Mikey... and her mom.

4. Ok lang idala halos kalahati ng House of Representatives para magphoto-op habang naglilitanya tungkol sa kagandahan ng value ng pagiging "low profile" na mayroon si Ka Erdie Manalo, ask Nograles.

5. Ok lang din maging sipsip sa pangulo habang pinaguusapan ang isang transition government na may suporta ng militar, ask Norberto Gonzales.

6. Ok lang din pagusapan ang kabutihan ng pagkakaisa at "paggive way" para magkaisa ang oposisyon tapos biglang magsabing mauna muna kayo, ask Erap.

7. Ok lang din maging baliw, ask malacanang.

yun lang muna.

TheAvenger

September 5th, 2009, 08:58 PM

Muffstar

September 6th, 2009, 12:18 PM

Five dead, 63 missing as Philippines ferry sinks
By Manny Mogato in Manila From: Reuters September 06, 2009 6:22PM Increase Text Size Decrease Text Size Print Email Share Add to Digg Add to del.icio.us Add to Facebook Add to Kwoff Add to Myspace Add to Newsvine What are these?
MORE than 800 people were plucked from a sinking ferry in the southern Philippines today, but at least five were killed and 63 remained unaccounted for, the coastguard said.

The Philippine Coast Guard said in a statement that 900 people had been rescued after the Superferry 9 vessel listed and then sank six nautical miles off the coast of Zamboanga peninsula on southern Mindanao island.

But it said the bodies of five people on board had been found, while 63 remained unaccounted for.

Earlier, officials said 88 people were unaccounted for, but suggested some of them may have been picked up by other boats or reached the shore on their own.

The weather was clear at the time, but the crew had reported problems with the generator, he added.

Ferries are an important mode of transport in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7000 islands.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
But their safety record is abysmal, and many accidents occur because of overcrowding or poor maintenance.

Last year, more than 800 people were killed when the Princess of the Stars ferry capsized during a typhoon. In the country's worst maritime disaster, more than 4000 people were killed when a ferry collided with an oil tanker in 1987.

With AFP.

wiljoe

September 7th, 2009, 09:43 AM

^Another year, another ship disaster.

Fraulein

September 7th, 2009, 07:09 PM

^^ And it is not only a national news but a worldwide news. Naipalabas na ito sa CNN, BBC at iba pang malalaking news media sa buong mundo.

Bosnyboy

September 8th, 2009, 12:54 PM

According to news report this afternoon, 2 korean tourist died in boracay after the string used in their parasails snapped plunging them to their death.

RonnieR

September 11th, 2009, 03:25 AM

Majority of Jell Transport drivers fail driving test

ABS-CBN - Friday, September 11

MANILA - The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on Thursday said more than half of the drivers of Jell Transport bus company failed a driver's test imposed by the agency.

The LTFRB implemented the test after a Jell Transport bus ran over a three-year-old girl on EDSA last month.

Of the 82 Jell Transport who took the test, only 34 passed. "This is very dangerous. These are accidents waiting to happen," LTFRB Chairman Alberto Suansing said.

To remedy the situation, Suansing said all public utility drivers should undergo retraining before the end of the year. "If they fail the retraining, they will not be allowed to drive public utility vehicles," he said.

He said bus drivers will be the first to undergo the mandatory re-training followed by jeepney, truck and taxi drivers.

Some bus drivers said they are open to the idea of retraining in order to lessen the number of road accidents involving public vehicles.

On the other hand, the National Council for Commuter Protection said the government should ensure continuous training of public utility drivers as well as impose stricter requirements for drivers who want to drive public utility vehicles. "There has to be a land transportation technology course for no less than one year," said NCCP official Elvira Medina.

The group Pasang Masda recently taught a refresher course to public utility drivers, which taught participants the basics on road signals and traffic laws.

Fraulein

September 11th, 2009, 04:59 AM

absinthe_888

September 11th, 2009, 05:02 AM

So alam na natin kung anong sasakyan natin along EDSA? :bash:

MRT 3 :D

viva la raza

September 11th, 2009, 06:19 AM

Many Prominent people died this year. dagdagan nyo nga listahan ko guys...

1. Cory Aquino

2. Ted Kennedy

3. Michael Jackson

4. Ka Erdy Manalo

5. Francis Magalona

6. Doña Mary

bods

September 11th, 2009, 11:42 AM

Many Prominent people died this year. dagdagan nyo nga listahan ko guys...

1. Cory Aquino

2. Ted Kennedy

3. Michael Jackson

4. Ka Erdy Manalo

5. Francis Magalona

6. Doña Mary

7. Former President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea

jbkayaker12

September 14th, 2009, 05:30 AM

Mas peaceful daw kasi sa America minus the gang wars:lol:

The difference between your country and the United States is the Judicial System. In the United States, no one is above the law. In the Philippines, people make a mockery of the justice system and the rule of law.:) Criminals get what they deserve in the United States whereas in your country many get away with their crimes because of corruption and bribery.:lol:

RonnieR

September 14th, 2009, 06:03 AM

jpdm

September 14th, 2009, 06:43 AM

emphasize talaga nang dating Pinoy na eto na naging Amerikano lang sa passport ang YOUR COUNTRY.... HAHAHAHAHA, pathetic.

Agree.:)

jbkayaker12

September 14th, 2009, 06:47 AM

HAHAHAHA I love how Filipinos in the Philippines react whenever something gets posted that is not to their liking. Carry on!!!

RonnieR

September 14th, 2009, 08:21 AM

HAHAHAHA I love how Filipinos in the Philippines react whenever something gets posted that is not to their liking. Carry on!!!

Hahahaha I love also how this brown American reacts if hit.

tigidig14

September 14th, 2009, 08:32 AM

HAHAHAHA I love how Filipinos in the Philippines react whenever something gets posted that is not to their liking. Carry on!!!

nakakita ka lang ng baklang puting asawa kung maka-asta ng pnas. talgang walang patawad. hoy mahiya ka, pangit pangit mo

RonnieR

September 14th, 2009, 08:56 AM

jpdm

September 14th, 2009, 04:23 PM

Hahahaha I love also how this brown American reacts if hit.

Naku mas maraming mas malala pa dyan.:ohno:

venntro

September 15th, 2009, 03:28 AM

Many Prominent people died this year. dagdagan nyo nga listahan ko guys...

1. Cory Aquino

2. Ted Kennedy

3. Michael Jackson

4. Ka Erdy Manalo

5. Francis Magalona

6. Doña Mary

7. Patrick Swayze

Askal82

September 15th, 2009, 04:01 AM

The difference between your country and the United States is the Judicial System. In the United States, no one is above the law. In the Philippines, people make a mockery of the justice system and the rule of law.:) Criminals get what they deserve in the United States whereas in your country many get away with their crimes because of corruption and bribery.:lol:

I agree with you, nobody is above the law with exception - its creators. Who influences the creators? - the lobbyists. Why are they influential? Simply because they have the control of nation's wealth. Let's take taxes for example. If you think that tax evasion is rampant in the Philippines, think again about how big businesses here are slick with the ins and outs of the existing tax codes and that they never get caught.

v=XQQyCsDx6zY

Here's the link if it's not showing up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQQyCsDx6zY

and its funny that they bailed out more than trillion dollars to these companies that further ballooned the national deficit.

How can we tell they're above the law if they're invisible? ;)

:lol::lol:

bitoy

September 15th, 2009, 10:35 AM

I agree with you, nobody is above the law with exception - its creators. Who influences the creators? - the lobbyists. Why are they influential? Simply because they have the control of nation's wealth. Let's take taxes for example. If you think that tax evasion is rampant in the Philippines, think again about how big businesses here are slick with the ins and outs of the existing tax codes and that they never get caught.

XQQyCsDx6zY

Here's the link if it's not showing up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQQyCsDx6zY

and its funny that they bailed out more than trillion dollars to these companies that further ballooned the national deficit.

How can we tell they're above the law if they're invisible? ;)

:lol::lol:

(nakasama sa syntax yung v= )
di makita yung youtube, kaya invisible nga sila... :lol:

Dapat lumpuhin ang mga executives ng mga companies nito.

Sa Pinas din, maraming pera ang nasa off-shore accounts. :lol:

Askal82

September 16th, 2009, 02:11 AM

^^ Ginaya yan sa mga Pinoy. Yun nga lang, nde kasing garapal ni Mikey Arroyo na gift 'lang daw'. :lol:

kenken94

September 21st, 2009, 07:07 AM

New US Food Safety Law Could Wipe out RP small food exporters
Top News
Written by Jennifer A. Ng / Reporter
SUNDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2009 22:09
SMALL food exporters warned that a new food-safety law the United States is set to implement by January 2010 could result in more losses for them, and even wipe out small businesses that will fail to comply with it.

The Philippine Food Processors and Exporters Organization (Philfoodex) and the Integrated Food Manufacturers of the Philippines (Infomap) aired this warning during a recent meeting with government officials on their compliance with House Resolution 2749, or the US Food Safety and Enhancement Act of 2009.

Philfoodex and Infomap noted that the US Congress is expected to pass the bill, which is expected to be approved by US President Obama within the year.

“At the minimum, the law requires all food exporters to the US to develop and implement a food-safety plan as a way to protect American consumers,” said Philfoodex president Roberto Amores, in a statement released by the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc.

Philfoodex noted that food exports were divided into high-risk and low-risk. On top of the high-risk list are marine-based products.

Government agencies, led by the trade department, however, believe the marine sector is in the best position to comply with the new law because it has been required to comply with US and European food-safety requirements since 2005.

Philfoodex and Infomap noted that other players in the Philippine food industry that will be covered by the law are projected to face difficulties in complying with the new US law as they will need to invest in new plant facilities.

Amores noted that food exporters would be forced to invest in new facilities at a time when they are already incurring heavy losses due to shrinking orders for Philippine products caused by the global financial crisis.

The Trade department is also checking with the US Food and Drugs Administration (USFDA) if the annual $500-registration fee per facility applies to exporters in the Philippines or to importers in the US.

Another hurdle in the bill, Philfoodex and Infomap noted, is the requirement for certification of compliant exports by accredited laboratories in the Philippines.

Food exporters hope that the Food Development Center will invoke and expand its memorandum of agreement with the USFDA regarding the testing and certification. The original agreement covers only fruit juices, shrimps and meat.

In January, the USFDA had initially inspected some seafood-based export factories in different parts of the country from Zamboanga to Bulacan and are due to come again next year to inspect more plants, including those outside the fishery sector.

Figures from the National Stastics Office show that the US, including Alaska and Hawaii, was the top destination of total exports for July 2009.

Exports to the US reached $583.75 million, lower by 17.5 percent from $707.43 million recorded a year earlier.:ohno::ohno::ohno:

RonnieR

September 22nd, 2009, 01:22 PM

This Briton :bash:

Customs hunts Briton in gun smuggling case
By RAYMUND F. ANTONIO
September 21, 2009, 6:27pm
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/221616/customs-hunts-briton-gun-smuggling-case

The Customs Enforcement Group has launched a manhunt against a foreign national and a Filipino believed to be responsible in smuggling high-powered firearms from Indonesia to Mariveles, Bataan last month.

Customs Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) director Nestorio Gualberto, head of the fact-finding committee, said the subject of an intensified police manhunt is British national Dave Smith and a Filipino from Subic, Olongapo City.

Smith is the registered owner of the seized private yacht M/Y Mou Man Tai that was used to transport the assault rifles and pistols from the Panamanian vessel M/V Captain Ufuk while the Filipino was not identified by Gualberto for intelligence purposes.

He said a said police tracker team was formed to pursue Smith and the suspected Filipino gun smuggler, adding that they can disclose the identities of the "big fish" who allegedly had a hand on the gun shipment once they are captured.

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) earlier announced that Bruce Jones, the ship master of M/V Captain Ufuk, is in its custody after he voluntarily surrendered to the bureau early this month.

3cr

September 29th, 2009, 03:25 AM

Gov’t struggles to deal with Ondoy aftermath
Business World
http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW092909/content.php?id=001

THE GOVERNMENT YESTERDAY STRUGGLED to cope with the aftermath of tropical storm Ondoy, admitting that record rainfall had overwhelmed its capabilities as frustration mounted over the pace of rescue efforts.

The government has appealed for international aid to help tens of thousands marooned by flash floods, and apologized for the delays in rescue efforts. — Reuters It said flash floods had left 140 dead and destroyed P2.22 billion worth of crops and infrastructure, but the final toll was likely to be much higher as local officials claimed body counts that topped official tallies.

Analysts said the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo faced a backlash, adding that public anger could damage the prospects of Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr., her candidate for the May 2010 presidential elections.

"His 0.2% popularity could be zero by now," said political analyst Nelson Navarro of Mr. Teodoro.

Mrs. Arroyo, already deeply unpopular in opinion polls, ordered an emergency center set up in Malacañang yesterday, highlighting for some the haphazard response to the disaster.

She called the storm "an extreme event that has strained our response capabilities to the limit. But it is not breaking us."

"It’s a once-in-a-lifetime typhoon," Mrs. Arroyo said in a statement.

While waters had receded from most flooded areas, some parts of Metro Manila remained cut off and in others, mud and garbage was left caked on streets.

Schools were ordered closed, but financial markets were open and public transport was operating. Offices and businesses were also open, but attendance was poor.

"There was a massive failure in government and the direction of management response," said Mario Taguiwalo, president of the National Institute for Policy Studies think-tank.

"The root cause is you have a government whose predominant preoccupation is with graft and corruption — how to steal more money from the people," Mr. Taguiwalo claimed.

"If your officials are not motivated to serve and just motivated to steal, then that’s the kind of response you get."

Mrs. Arroyo has been accused of vote fraud and corruption in her nine years in power. She has consistently denied the charges.

The death toll of 140 was announced late in the afternoon by Mr. Teodoro, who also said 453,033 people had been displaced.

Thirty-two were said to be missing.

Local officials, however, reported that many more were dead, with a subdivision in Marikina city alone said to account for nearly 60. Other cities, towns and outlying provinces also said many residents had perished.

Ondoy, which dumped the heaviest rainfall in Metro Manila in 42 years, destroyed P1.41 billion worth of infrastructure and P 820 million worth of crops, officials said in a 4:00 p.m. press briefing, the last for the day.

The capital was not included in the infrastructure damage estimate, with officials saying the focus there remained on rescue and relief operations.

The Agriculture department, meanwhile, said Ondoy flooded and damaged 61,820 hectares of crops valued at P820.032 million from northern Luzon to the Bicol region.

Heavily hit were rice farms (47,740 metric tons of palay worth P787.793 million) "but we cannot say that is the exact figure because there might be a recovery," Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap said in a radio interview.

A combined 1.571 MT of high value crops worth P23.854 million in 659 hectares were also damaged, the Agriculture department said. Also affected were 482 MT of corn valued at P8.384 million.

Official said government agencies had extended P5.506 million worth of assistance to typhoon victims since Saturday. The government, however, said it was requesting international aid as it was struggling to cope.

"The potential for a more serious situation is there and we cannot wait for that to happen," Mr. Teodoro said.

Advocacy groups said authorities were ill-equipped to respond to major floods and other natural disasters, but officials countered that Saturday’s record rains would have overwhelmed even first-world countries.

"We see that the government has a level of preparedness, but not to this big of a flood," said Maria Felliza-Cagay, vice-president and managing director of the Center for Disaster Preparedness.

She cited the lack of early warning systems, a reactive instead of a proactive approach to disaster planning, and minimal local government training as areas where the government was remiss.

Cities and other local government units, she claimed, were not giving enough attention to disaster risk reduction measures.

The lack of warning measures, she added, had prevented residents from evacuating early enough to avoid casualties.

"With few exceptions like Legazpi in Albay, most cities are ill-prepared for disasters," concurred Alberto A. Lim, chairman of the Corporate Network for Disaster Response, in a text message.

"There is a need for capacity-building in disaster preparedness and mitigation, including [the acquisition of] basic equipment."

He suggested changes in the command structure among national government agencies for a more efficient disaster response.

"Since disasters are local events, the lead should be the Department of Interior and Local Government and not the Department of Defense."

"The NDCC (National Disaster Coordinating Council, which is chaired by the Defense secretary) should report to the Office of the President for access to resources or to the Department of Interior and Local Government for proper chain of command," he added.

Presidential Deputy Spokesman and NDCC acting administrator Anthony Rolando T. Golez admitted that the government had been "overwhelmed" by the disaster, but qualified that this was due primarily to unprecedented levels of rain.

"Even a First World country [given the level of rains we experience] would have also been overwhelmed."

He declined to comment on Mr. Lim’s suggestion that the disaster response command structure be overhauled.

Local government leaders, meanwhile, acknowledged that city administrations could take a stronger lead in disaster response.

Iloilo Mayor Jerry P. Trenas, concurrent chairman of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) which represents 120 cities across the country, said he agreed that training was needed at the barangay level.

LCP President and Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos said the flooding was an "eye-opener", and added that the government needed to establish better advisory systems that would provide local officials more lead time to mobilize their resources.

After ripping across the Philippines, Ondoy (international codename Ketsana) was upgraded to a full typhoon and was bearing down on central Vietnam, where officials expected it to make landfall late Tuesday.

____________________

Metro Manila, surrounding areas’ power, water supply still below normal
Business World
http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW092909/content.php?id=072

WATER AND POWER supply in Metro Manila has yet to return to normal three days after the impact of tropical storm Ondoy.

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the country’s largest power distributor, said offline circuits remained at 4%, or 27 out of the total 683 circuits in the entire Meralco franchise.

Meralco said circuits were mostly located in flooded areas "which necessitated the distribution company to interrupt power supply for safety purposes." Total count of affected customers were estimated at about 132,000 or 3% of the 4.6 million Meralco customers.

"Safety of residents remains to be the primary concern in restoring power to these affected areas. Unfortunately, floods in badly hit areas have been slow in subsiding and this impedes the progress of our restoration work," Joe R. Zaldarriaga, Meralco external communications head, said in a statement.

"We would like to assure our customers, though, that virtually all of our field personnel have already been deployed and have been working round the clock to restore power in the most reasonable time possible," Mr. Zaldarriaga added.

Some households which have not experienced flooding are also experiencing power cut as circuits have been affected by flood. Meralco said until floodwater subsides in these areas, power cannot be restored yet to the circuits servicing them.

"In addition, our crews may have to do a thorough inspection of facilities in some households that have experienced flooding earlier. Such may include meters and secondary lines, whose integrity and safe use have to be ensured before power is restored to affected households," Mr. Zaldarriaga said.

Meralco added that it has also provided 26 generation sets and 50 floodlights to evacuation centers in Metro Manila to help affected residents in calamity areas like Cainta and Taytay in Rizal, and Pasig and Marikina cities in Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, east zone water concessionaire Manila Water Co. said 55,000 households continue to be without water, particularly in the submerged areas of Rodriguez, Rizal, with 23,000 households affected, San Mateo with 16,000 households, and another 16,000 households combined in Cainta, Angono and Binangonan.

Total water network supply of Manila Water is down at 92%. The Ayala-led water utility said repairs of pump stations serving the San Mateo and Rodriguez municipalities are under way.

"To augment the water supply in these areas, Manila Water has deployed nine water tankers to various evacuation centers in Rodriguez-San Mateo area, 10 in Pasig City and three in Diego Silang area in Taguig," the company said.

West zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc., for its part, said total network supply now stands 85%. "Water supply in elevated areas in the North remains problematic," the water utility said in a statement.

Maynilad reported that operation of its Villamor booster station has now been restored to service Parañaque customers. The utility, however, said that around 20% of Pasay and portions of Valenzuela are still experiencing low water pressure "but Maynilad expects to restore normal water supply in these areas within two days."

Muntinlupa’s water supply is also affected, said Maynilad, as the Putatan water treatment plant remains submerged in flood from Laguna lake.

Maynilad has also reduced its water production from 2,450 million liters per day (MLD) to 2,100 MLD "to manage the high turbidity caused by the flood."

Maynilad customers could reach the utility through the 1626 hot line. Manila Water customers, on the other hand, may contact the 1627 hot line.

Customers who aim to get through Meralco may contact 16211 hot line or 0917-5592824 and 0920-9292824.

3cr

September 29th, 2009, 03:45 AM

‘Ondoy’ seen to hurt H2
Business Mirror
Written by Cai U. Ordinario / Reporter
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/16616-ondoy-seen-to-hurt-h2-.html

AS thousands of families were affected by the onslaught of Typhoon Ondoy, economists say there may be a dampening effect not only on the morale of the victims but also on the economy.

Economists polled by the BusinessMirror said a dampening effect may be expected, particularly in the second half of 2009. The third quarter, in particular, could be the quarter when lower-than-expected gross domestic product (GDP) growth will be seen.

The government said growth in the second half may be higher than 2.6 percent due to an expected increase in private consumption expenditure. In the second-quarter GDP growth announcement, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said 2.6-percent growth is necessary to achieve the high end of the target growth range of 0.8 percent to 1.8 percent in 2009.

“[Typhoon Ondoy] hit both rich, middle and poor communities. In brief, its effect cuts across income class. Its dampening effect on the human spirit must be devastating,” former budget secretary Benjamin Diokno said via SMS.

First Metro Investment Corp.-University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) executive director Victor Abola also zeroed in on a dampening effect in the third quarter.

Abola said that initially, UA&P expected growth to be at around 2.3 percent in the third quarter before hitting a growth of 4.2 percent in the fourth quarter.

However, due to Typhoon Ondoy and the extent of its damage on lives, property and industry, there may be a 0.2-percentage-point reduction in their expectation, which will bring down their GDP growth forecast down to 2.1 percent in the third quarter.

“There will be an impact in the third quarter, probably a reduction by 0.2 percentage point, but our quarterly model shows good fourth-quarter [growth that can] bring annual growth above government targets,” Abola said via SMS.

However, Diokno is not as optimistic. He said that even before Typhoon Ondoy, he did not expect a strong rebound, particularly from agricultural output and manufactured exports.

Diokno said the typhoon further reduced the chances of hitting better growth in the second half of the year and, consequently, in the entire 2009.

He said GDP growth of between 1 percent and 1.4 percent for the full year “appears likely,” taking into consideration his earlier expectations and the possible effects of the typhoon on the economy in the third quarter.

“I have doubts about any strong rebound from agricultural output and manufactured exports even before the killer typhoon hit the country this weekend. The unprecedented flood has removed all doubts about a strong second half,” Diokno said via SMS.

“Strong capital formation is also in question. Note that capital formation is net change in investment. But with devastating damages to existing infrastructure, it is doubtful whether the government is capable of massive reconstruction within [or] in less than 90 days,” he added.

For his part, former Neda director general Cayetano Paderanga said that at this point, it is difficult to provide a forecast given the fact that the full extent of the damage has not yet been assessed.

However, Paderanga said it is likely that food prices may go up and that the increase in housing repairs and other infrastructure repairs could contribute to better GDP in the second half of 2009.

“[It is] difficult to say what will happen until we know the extent of the damage. Impact would be on agriculture [and] food prices may go up. Infrastructure repairs may increase GDP, though. [But we] still [have] to check [whether the] impact on other industries is material,” Paderanga said.

Metro Manila experienced the worst flooding in 42 years due to Typhoon Ondoy, which dumped in just six hours on Saturday a rainfall level that approximates an entire one-month average. The typhoon sent many residents in Cainta, Marikina, Pasig, Quezon City and other nearby flooded areas in Luzon to the roofs of their homes, as water swamped an estimated 80 percent of Metro Manila.

Based on the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, in only six hours, Typhoon Ondoy brought down 341 millimeters of rain in the metropolis.

The average rainfall in the whole of September is 391.7 millimeters. Typhoon Katrina, which flooded New Orleans, brought down only 250 millimeters of rainfall.

3cr

September 29th, 2009, 04:10 AM

Government study foresaw flooding – Palafox
Business Mirror
Written by Dennis D. Estopace / Reporter
Monday, 28 September 2009
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/16610-government-study-foresaw-floodpalafox.html

THE government was warned 32 years ago that ceding control of urban development may have adverse consequences, such as the devastation experienced by the metropolis on Saturday.

“Some are saying it’s [the flooding of key Metropolitan Manila areas] an act of God. It’s not. It’s neglect on the part of the government,” architect Felino Palafox Jr. told the BusinessMirror on Monday as casualties of Typhoon Ondoy grew to more than a hundred dead and thousands of people displaced.

In the document sent by Palafox, the Metro Manila Transport, Land Use and Development Planning Project (Mmetroplan) already cited the Marikina Valley as among the areas deemed “unsuitable for development.”

The area that includes the city of Marikina were among those that sustained the most damage, according to news reports. In one hard-hit site alone, Provident Village, TV reports said 58 bodies had already been recovered, presumably people who never had time to leave their homes as floodwaters rose too quickly.

“Development should be restricted by the application of controls in three major areas—in the Marikina Valley, the western shores of Laguna de Bay, and the Manila Bay coastal area to the north of Manila,” said the report submitted in July 1977 to then-Public Works and Highways chief Alfredo Juinio.

“We’ve told government all along [that] this would happen because of the flooding [in] the same month in 1970,” Palafox said.

He said he was working for the government then when he and a group of researchers undertook this World Bank-funded study on a land-use plan that was finalized by Hong Kong-based consulting firm Freeman Fox and Associates.

Palafox cited a recommendation from the study that the government should monitor the Marikina Riverbank so that the water would not reach 90 meters. Likewise, no structure should have been allowed within nine meters from the riverbank, he added.

“Dahil hindi sinunod ’yun, parang massacre ang nangyari ,” he said.

The three-volume report also noted that “urban development is spreading into [these] areas which are, in their present state, unsuitable for development—either because they are low-lying and liable to flooding, or because development is without adequate facilities for the treatment and disposal of sewage [the norm in Manila] and so will continue to contribute to the severe pollution of areas, such as Laguna de Bay.”

The study added: “The unsuitable areas for development, where pressures are nevertheless considerable, are primarily the flat coastal areas to the north where extensive areas are liable to flooding and where increased pressures for reclamation are likely to further exacerbate this problem.”

Another is “the Marikina Valley, to the east, where the land is liable to flooding and where development with inadequate provision for the treatment and disposal of sewage is contributing to the severe pollution of Laguna de Bay and where flooding is a problem in the adjacent areas.”

Finally, the study said the pressure for development, but requiring control, includes “the western shores of Laguna de Bay where development without adequate facilities for the treatment and disposal of sewage is contributing to the severe pollution of Laguna de Bay and where flooding is a problem in the adjacent areas.”

“In order to avoid development contributing to longer-term flooding and water pollution, it is necessary that the short-term development is restricted in these areas. Only when remedial measures to deal with the problems have been implemented, should the development of these areas proceed on a significant scale,” the study said.

“Lessons are to be learned, for sure, but these have been taught three decades ago,” Palafox said.

_________________________

[B]Philippine Floods:
Why Wasn't Manila Prepared Up To Now?
By Ishaan Tharoor
Yahoo News
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090929/wl_time/08599192664600

In Manila alone, millions of residents now live in a world of mud. Torrential rain over the weekend triggered the worst flooding the Philippines' capital has seen in over four decades, submerging more than 80% of the city, killing at least 246 people and displacing hundreds of thousands more.

By Tuesday, the water had receded in many places, but it left behind ruined homes and swept-away neighborhoods, and according to health officials, it disabled the majority of Manila's medical facilities. Debris, sewage and abandoned vehicles that were tossed around by gushing currents now litter the notoriously polluted capital; aid workers warn of water-borne diseases. The government has placed the area around Manila under a "state of public calamity."

In an appeal for assistance, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo described Tropical Storm Ketsana, which hit Manila on Sept. 26, as a "once-in-a-lifetime typhoon." A month's worth of rain deluged the city in the space of 12 hours. "The system is overwhelmed, local government units are overwhelmed," said Anthony Golez of the state's National Disaster Coordinating Council at a press conference on Sept. 28.

Yet many in the country are pointing fingers at its politicians for failing to predict the scale of the disaster or lessen the damage it caused. Manila, they say, was always bound to face such catastrophe, and more should have been done to help its millions of residents prepare. A recently published study by the Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSA), a research group based in Singapore, ranked metropolitan Manila as one of the provinces in Southeast Asia most vulnerable to flooding. The capital region is perched on a marshy isthmus that is crisscrossed with streams and rivers. An ever-growing population - Manila is now a sprawling mega-city of some 12 million people, larger still when factoring in the day-worker population - and the lack of infrastructure to accommodate it left swaths of the city exposed. "What we are seeing is a phenomenon that will affect many major cities in Asia," says Neeraj Jain, country specialist for the Philippines at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which is headquartered in Manila. "Urbanization has been so rapid, yet the planning processes have lagged."

Last weekend's flood was in large part the result of the capital's poor drainage and sanitation systems, which have been neglected by several successive administrations in power. As Ketsana rained down upon Manila, sewers that were clogged up by plastic bags and other refuse led to roads becoming rivers and gardens lagoons. Video images of desperate people riding floating pontoons of garbage down inundated streets were a sign not just of the consequences of the flood, but also its causes. Many impoverished Manila residents live in makeshift settlements by rivers and creeks - the source of their drinking water - that overflowed and carried off their homes. "People have always been living on the edge," says Carlos Celdran, a popular Manila historian and performing artist. "It's amazing the city has actually managed to make it this far."

The Spanish seized Manila from its Muslim rulers in the 16th century and set it up as their colonial seat in Asia. The city was a flourishing, elegant entrepÔt for centuries, but in recent times civic planning has been more haphazard as the population has boomed. Lambert Ramirez, executive director of the National Institute for Policy Studies, a Manila-based think tank, says much of the blame for poor urban management ought to be leveled at the government. "There's no coordinated policy for cleaning up garbage. There's no political will to get even simple things done," he says. Ramirez spoke to TIME while salvaging appliances and valuables from his own flooded home.

Jain of the ADB says the leadership in Manila, faced with elections in the coming months, is indeed thinking of long-term solutions to its infrastructure woes. Plans have been afoot to improve sanitation and also relieve the population burden in metro Manila by shifting certain businesses and government offices to areas outside the dense capital region. But the challenge facing the Philippines and other poor Asian countries is one of resources. Most Southeast Asia nations budget around 2% or 3% of their GDP for infrastructure development. To fend off such disasters in the future, Jain says that figure ought to be closer to 5% or 6%. It's a deficit that few governments can afford to make up overnight.

But given the looming specter of climate change, they may have to find a way sooner rather than later. The prospect of another typhoon this week underscores environmentalists' concern that shifts in global temperatures may mean increasingly extreme weather patterns for coastal cities like Manila. "[Ketsana] was a startling, unique event," says Herminia Francisco of the EEPSA in Singapore. "But then I think this is going to happen more and more frequently in the future."

For today, as international aid pours in from organizations like the Red Cross and the World Food Program, Manila residents are slowly retrieving their homes and livelihoods from the mud. Thousands of volunteers have donated food and rushed to help those who were worse affected. "Filipinos are used to crisis," says Celdran. "We've gone through a lot over the years, but we've managed. We're a resilient people."

3cr

September 29th, 2009, 05:05 AM

^^ After the blamestorming, the key thing should be what are the plans that need to be undertaken and implemented after lessons learned from this incident. This way things can be done so that such incidents can be avoided and not have to happen again in the future. But this obviously never happens and we only have ourselves to blame. Indeed our memories are not only short but lessons are never learned, especially the hard ones. That's why the philippine gov't and its people are more prone to reactive instead of proactive actions/means in dealing with crises/problems the country is facing. This has to change and it begins/starts with us... Palitan ang mga bulok na sistema/pag-iisip para sa ikauunlad ng sambayanang Pilipino!

This is very applicable to the Philippines...

Developing countries and global warming
A bad climate for development
From The Economist print edition
http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displayStory.cfm?STORY_ID=14447171

Poor countries’ economic development will contribute to climate change. But they are already its greatest victims...

LATE April Mostafa Rokonuzzaman, a farmer in south-western Bangladesh, gave an impassioned speech at a public meeting in his village, complaining that climate change, freakish hot spells and failed rains were ruining his vegetables. He didn’t know the half of it. A month later Mr Rokonuzzaman was chest-deep in a flood that had swept away his house, farm and even the village where the meeting took place. Cyclone Aila (its effects pictured above) which caused the storm surge that breached the village’s flood barriers, was itself a plausible example of how climate change is wreaking devastation in poor countries.

Most people in the West know that the poor world contributes to climate change, though the scale of its contribution still comes as a surprise. Poor and middle-income countries already account for just over half of total carbon emissions (see chart 1); Brazil produces more CO2 per head than Germany. The lifetime emissions from these countries’ planned power stations would match the world’s entire industrial pollution since 1850.

Less often realised, though, is that global warming does far more damage to poor countries than they do to the climate. In a report in 2006 Nicholas (now Lord) Stern calculated that a 2°C rise in global temperature cost about 1% of world GDP. But the World Bank, in its new World Development Report*, now says the cost to Africa will be more like 4% of GDP and to India, 5%. Even if environmental costs were distributed equally to every person on earth, developing countries would still bear 80% of the burden (because they account for 80% of world population). As it is, they bear an even greater share, though their citizens’ carbon footprints are much smaller (see chart 2).

As December’s Copenhagen summit on climate change draws near, poor countries are expressing alarm at the slow pace of negotiations to replace the Kyoto protocol. Agreed (partially) in 1997, this bound rich countries to cut their greenhouse-gas emissions by 5.2% from 1990 levels by 2012.

Counting the cost of global warming is hard because no one really knows how much to attribute to climate change and how much to other factors. But one indication of its rising costs is the number of people around the world affected by natural disasters. In 1981-85, fewer than 500m people required international disaster-assistance; in 2001-05, the number reached 1.5 billion. This includes 4% of the population of the poorest countries and over 7% in lower-middle-income countries (see chart 3).

In all, reckons the World Health Organisation, climate change caused a loss of 5.5m disability-adjusted life years (a measure of harm to human health) in 2000, most of it in Africa and Asia. Estimates by the Global Humanitarian Forum, a Swiss think-tank, and in a study in Comparative Quantification of Health Risks, a scientific journal, put the number of additional deaths attributable to climate change every year at 150,000. The indirect harm, through its impact on water supplies, crop yields and disease is hugely greater.

The poor are more vulnerable than the rich for several reasons. Flimsy housing, poor health and inadequate health care mean that natural disasters of all kinds hurt them more. When Hurricane Mitch swept through Honduras in 1998, for example, poor households lost 15-20% of their assets but the rich lost only 3%.

Global warming aggravates that. It also increases the chances of catching the life-threatening diseases that are more prevalent in poorer countries. In many places cities have been built just above a so-called “malaria line”, above which malaria-bearing mosquitoes cannot survive (Nairobi is one example). Warmer weather allows the bugs to move into previously unaffected altitudes, spreading a disease that is already the biggest killer in Africa. By 2030 climate change may expose 90m more people to malaria in Africa alone. Similarly, meningitis outbreaks in Africa are strongly correlated with drought. Both are likely to increase. Diarrhoea is forecast to rise 5% by 2020 in poor countries because of climate change. Dengue fever has been expanding its range: its incidence doubled in parts of the Americas between 1995-97 and 2005-07. On one estimate, 60% of the world’s population will be exposed to the disease by 2070.

Next, as Mr Rokonuzzaman’s story showed, poor countries are particularly prone to flooding. Ten of the developing world’s 15 largest cities are in low-lying coastal areas vulnerable to rising sea levels or coastal surges. They include Shanghai, Mumbai and Cairo. In South and East Asia the floodplains of great rivers have always been home to vast numbers of people and much economic activity. Climate change is overwhelming the social and other arrangements that in the past allowed countries and people to cope with floods. National budgets can ill afford the cost of improving defences. The Netherlands is also affected and is spending $100 per person a year on flood defences. In Bangladesh that sum is a quarter of the average person’s annual income.

The biggest vulnerability is that the weather gravely affects developing countries’ main economic activities—such as farming and tourism. Global warming dries out farmland. Since two-thirds of Africa is desert or arid, the continent is heavily exposed. One study predicts that by 2080 as much as a fifth of Africa’s farmland will be severely stressed. And that is only one part of the problem.

Global warming also seems to be speeding up the earth’s hydrologic cycle, causing both floods and droughts (more rains fall in shorter periods, with longer gaps between). In addition, by melting glaciers, global warming reduces nature’s storage capacity. Two-thirds of the world’s fresh water is stored in glaciers. Their melting leaves poor countries with less of a buffer to protect farmers against changing weather and rainfall patterns.

This kind of increasing unpredictability would be dire news at the best of times: hit by drought and flood, the land becomes less productive. It is compounded by another problem. The higher-yielding, pest-resistant seed varieties invented in the 1960s were designed to thrive in stable climes. Old-fashioned seeds are actually better at dealing with variable weather—but are now less widely used. Reinstituting their use will mean less food.

In India the gains from the Green Revolution are already shrinking because of local pollution, global warming and waning resistance to pests and disease. A study for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology forecast that yields of the main Indian crops would decline by a further 4.5-9% over the next 30 years because of climate change. A recent assessment based on a large number of studies of what might happen in the long run if carbon continues to be pumped into the atmosphere found that world farm production could fall by 16% by the 2080s, and possibly by as much as 21% in developing countries. Although the timescale makes such figures no more than educated guesses, there is not much doubt that climate change is undermining the gains from intensive farming in developing countries—at the very time when population growth and greater wealth mean the world will need to double food production over the next three or four decades. By 2050 the world will have to feed 2 billion to 3 billion more people and cope with the changing (water-hungry) diets of a richer population. Even without climate change, farm productivity would have to rise by 1% a year, which is a lot. With climate change, the rise will have to be 1.8%, says the bank.

If these myriad problems have a silver lining, it is that they give developing countries as big an interest in mitigating the impact of climate change as rich ones. As the World Bank says, climate-change policy is no longer a simple choice between growth and ecological well-being.

Sideways to Copenhagen

In principle that shift should make a climate-change deal in Copenhagen more likely, by increasing the number of countries that want an agreement. But two big problems remain. First, the poor countries want large amounts of money. To keep global warming down to an increase of 2°C, the World Bank calculates, would cost $140 billion to $675 billion a year in developing countries—dwarfing the $8 billion a year now flowing to them for climate-change mitigation. The $75 billion cost of adapting to global warming (as opposed to trying to stop it) similarly overwhelms the $1 billion a year available to them.

Second, poor countries see a climate-change deal in fundamentally different terms. For rich countries the problem is environmental: greenhouse gases are accumulating in the atmosphere and must be cut, preferably using the sort of binding targets recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. For developing countries the problem is one of fairness and history: rich countries are responsible for two-thirds of the carbon put into the atmosphere since 1850; to cut emissions in absolute terms now would perpetuate an unjust pattern. Poor countries therefore think emissions per head, not absolute emissions, should be the standard.

Moreover, targets set at national level have little effect in poor countries where public administration works badly. So rich and poor also disagree about the conditions attached to any money for mitigating or adapting to climate change. The rich see this as a sort of aid, designed for specific projects with measurable targets, requiring strict conditions. Poorer countries see the cash as no-strings compensation for a problem that is not of their making.

The cost of climate change gives developing countries a big interest in a deal at Copenhagen. But what sort of deal they want—and how hard they push for it—is another matter altogether.

3cr

September 30th, 2009, 01:02 AM

RP corruption tag eroding investor confidence
By Michaela P. del Callar
Daily Tribune
http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20090929hed5.html

The latest corruption tag on the Philippines by Germany-based watchdog Transparency International (TI) is seen as another blackeye on the country, a senior Filipino diplomat yesterday said.

In its Global Corruption Report 2009, TI said graft and corruption are a fact of life in the Philippines, tracing the root of most of the biggest corruption-tainted projects in the country to multimillion-dollar foreign-assisted projects involving foreign firms.

"This is certainly another blackeye on the Philippines. It shows how the international community look at the country and this is something that should not be disregarded or simply ignored by the government," the diplomat, who asked not to be named, said in an interview.

TI cited the case of the botched $329.5-million National Broadband Network (NBN) project awarded to Chinese telecommunications supplier ZTE and the $503-million Northrail project that were both suspected of having involved President Arroyo or those close to her in massive kickbacks as examples of projects that posed "significant corruption risks."

The agency said the government’s failure to put a ceiling or cap on costs for projects funded by foreign donors leaves them open to collusion and bid-rigging.

Earlier, TI had ranked the Philippines 141st out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index that it issued annually.

"With reports like this coming out, it would be very hard, especially for us diplomats to sell the country to foreign investors," the Filipino diplomat stressed. "Unless we do something about it, like address corruption and improve the infrastructure and governance, that’s the time investments would come in."

In a previous interview, United Kingdom’s ambassador to the Philippines Stepehen Lillie admitted that "more needs to be done" by the government to attract foreign businessmen, particularly British investors.

"You have to look at the Transparency International table because ultimately, the transparency, the corruption is determining for a lot of people," Lillie said. "The fact is whenever a big company encounters significant problems in any market whether its in the Philippines or anywhere else, of course it’s bad for a country’s reputation and that’s why its important those sort of things don’t happen."

Recently, the Philippines ranked 9th among key emerging markets for British investors in 2009, but still fell below its Southeast Asian neighbors in the overall rankings.

According to a new research published by the UK Trade and Investment, the Philippines has improved its standing by jumping 14 spots from 23rd place the previous year.

But fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member Vietnam emerged as the No. 1 choice for investors when asked in a survey which of the following emerging economies they are considering investing in over the next five years.

United Arab Emirates was second, followed by Mexico, South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Turkey, Philippines and Saudi Arabia.

Political risk, including the risk of nationalization and expropriation, was cited by 50 percent of survey respondents as the greatest government-related obstacle to doing business in emerging markets.

"If the Philippines wants to leap from number nine to number one in our lead table then there are quite a few things to that can be done. That is to really ensure there is a level playing field for business," Lillie said.

He noted that foreign companies who come to the Philippines want to have confidence that they can compete with local companies.

"They want to have confidence that the law would be followed, confidence that they will not be subject to unethical practices. These things matter," he said.

3cr

September 30th, 2009, 01:11 AM

Storm damage could pull down full-year GDP, but targets remain
Business Mirror
Written by Cai U. Ordinario|Reporter
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/newreply.php?do=postreply&t=956746

DAMAGE caused by Typhoon Ondoy could cost the country’s full-year gross domestic product (GDP) growth to decline by about 0.43 percentage points to a range of 0.7 percent to 1.7 percent this year, according to the National Economic and Development Authority.

Neda Acting Director General Augusto Santos said that despite this, the Cabinet has agreed to keep the 0.8-percent to 1.8-percent full-year target to give room to an expected surge in overseas Filipino workers’ (OFW) remittances.

Santos said that around 0.1 percent of GDP is equivalent to around P6 billion to P7 billion. As of press time, reported damage from Typhoon Ondoy is pegged at P4.6 billion, composed of P1.5 billion worth of damage to infrastructure and P3.1 billion for agriculture.

“From 0.8 percent to 1.8 percent, we may have to reduce [growth expectations] to 0.7 percent to 1.7 percent [due to Typhoon Ondoy],” Santos told reporters on Tuesday. “[However], we recommend that we still maintain 0.8 percent to 1.8 percent because of [an expected] surge in OFW remittances.”

Santos said OFW remittances could compensate for the losses and damage wrought by Ondoy. He said that in the first seven months of 2009, OFW remittances rose 3.8 percent, higher than most expectations.

However, Santos said the initial full-year projection can still change, since data the Neda used to come up with the forecast is smaller than the actual numbers reported by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC).

Director Dennis Arroyo of Neda’s National Planning and Policy Staff said the damage estimate Neda used for the projection was from the NDCC and Neda Regional Offices (NROs) as of September 28, 2009, the night before Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, when individual agencies reported higher damage.

The P108.9 million reported to Neda on Monday includes P89.5 million worth of damage to roads and bridges; around P19.2 million for schools; and P0.212 million for agriculture.

Arroyo said Neda will be releasing another estimate, possibly by next week, to include a more “final” estimate not only for the National Capital Region (NCR) but other affected areas in Luzon.

“We are still on track to achieving the growth targets [0.8 percent to 1.8 percent] but we need to recalculate once we get more data from the NDCC and NROs,” Arroyo said.

Earlier, economists polled by the BusinessMirror expected a dampening effect, particularly in the second half of 2009. The third quarter, in particular, could be the period when lower-than-expected GDP growth will be seen.

The government initially said growth in the second half may be higher than 2.6-percent due to an expected increase in private consumption expenditure. In the second-quarter GDP growth announcement, the Neda had said 2.6-percent growth is necessary to achieve the high end of 0.8 percent to 1.8 percent in 2009.

Executive director Victor Abola of the First Metro Investment Corp.-University of Asia and the Pacific was one of those who expect a dampening effect in the third quarter. Initially, UA&P expected growth to be at around 2.3 percent in the third quarter before hitting a growth of 4.2 percent in the fourth quarter.

However, with Ondoy damaging property and industry, there may be a 0.2-percentage-point reduction in their expectation that will bring down their GDP growth forecast down to 2.1 percent in the third quarter.

3cr

October 1st, 2009, 03:49 AM

New typhoon enters as country still recovers from Ondoy
Pepeng expected to hit Northern Luzon
Business World
http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW100109/content.php?id=071

THE COUNTRY braces for another weather disturbance that entered Philippine waters yesterday and would likely hit Northern Luzon either tomorrow or Saturday, threatening to dump rains on many parts of the island that are still reeling from the devastation left by tropical storm Ketsana, locally called Ondoy.

With stronger winds at 120 kilometers per hour (kph) over Ondoy’s 85-kph center winds, typhoon Pepeng (international name: Parma) was spotted 940 kilometers (km) east of northern Mindanao yesterday and is expected to intensify as it threatens Northern Luzon, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said as of 5 p.m. yesterday.

The weather bureau tracked Pepeng with gusts of up to 150 kilometers per hour.

"Pepeng continues to intensify as it approaches the country but there is a minimal possibility that it will become a super typhoon," Nathaniel A. Cruz, chief weather forecaster of PAGASA, said in a phone interview on yesterday.

He said in a separate radio interview yesterday that it has tracked the storm as hitting land somewhere in the Cagayan to Batanes area en route to Taiwan.

Despite its relatively moderate strength, Mr. Cruz said the public should brace for the possibility of torrential rains to avoid a repeat of last weekend’s disaster where more than a month’s worth of average rainfall was dumped on Metro Manila and surrounding areas in one 24-hour period, inundating about 80% of the metropolis.

Authorities estimated damage from Ondoy so far at around P4.8 billion. More than 1.9 million people were affected and 375,000 had abandoned their homes and taken refuge in evacuation centers.

The death toll could rise once reports come in from remote areas, disaster officials said.

"For casualties, the increase will be not as great, but the damage figures may increase," Defense Secretary and National Disaster Coordinating Council Chairman Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. told a news conference.

Pepeng, the 16th weather disturbance to affect the country this year, is forecast to move west-northwest at 22 kilometers per hour, the weather bureau said. The Philippines experiences an average of 20 typhoons every year.

3cr

October 1st, 2009, 04:20 AM

WB: Quality of governance in RP down
By Jennifer A. Ng
Business Mirror
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/07122007/headlines04.html

THE World Bank has confirmed what every Filipino—educated, uneducated, rich or poor, man or woman, even children—knows: the quality of governance in the Philippines, including efforts to fight corruption, have had no significant improvement in the last decade.

In its 2007 Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI), the World Bank said the 200 WGI measures six components of good governance—voice and accountability, political stability and absence of violence, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, and control of corruption.

“On average, the quality of governance around the world has not improved much over the past decade, despite individual country improvements. For the countries that have done well, there have been a similar number that have experienced deteriorations in a number of governance dimensions.”

In the case of the Philippines, the study noted the country has yet to post marked improvements in the six indicators when compared to other East Asian countries like Singapore.

The WB study noted the perceptions the country’s political stability has deteriorated over the last 10 years. Political stability is measured by the likelihood of violent threats to, or changes, in government, including terrorism.

In two other indicators—voice and accountability and fighting corruption—the study noted the perception that Philippine performance lagged behind that of most of the countries surveyed.

The voice and accountability indicator refers to the extent to which a country’s citizens are able to participate in selecting their government as well as freedom of expression; the control of corruption is measured by the abuse of public power for private gain, including petty and grand corruption and “state capture by elites.”

But it’s not all bleak for the Philippines as the study noted that one indicator, government effectiveness, has not deteriorated. Government effectiveness refers to the quality of public services, the quality of the civil service, and the degree of its independence from political pressures, the quality of policy formulation and implementation, and the credibility of the government commitment to such policies.

WB noted this year’s report represents a decade-long effort by researchers to build and update the most comprehensive cross-country set of governance indicators currently available to the public.

The study covered 212 countries and territories, drawing on 33 different data sources to capture the views of tens of thousands of survey respondents worldwide, as well as thousands of experts in the private, NGO, and public sectors.

Narnian_King

October 1st, 2009, 03:51 PM

H86EMYS23ug

Super Typhoon to land in the Philippines

TONZI

October 1st, 2009, 04:41 PM

^^ I would rather take his criticism objectively kung walang halong panlalait sa bansang pinanggalingan niya. I know for a fact the justice system here. But to say that as if di natin alam lahat. Wag naman ganun.

So, this jbkayaker12 guy is a Pinoy, how pathetic he is in disregarding the country where he comes from. In America you are one of those people regarded as second class citizens along with the Mexicans and other colors.

I've never been to America but at least if I was in his place, I have American blood in my veins. But him? I wonder...

But still, with what I have, I will never give away the Philippines for the US. I am born a Filipino and will die a Filipino. At least, my every day of life here in this country is always happy, bitter happy perhaps because we are in a third world country but family wise and relationship wise, I am happy. I will die with a happy smile unlike in the US where you rot without a family to take care of you :ohno:

I can only surmise what my cousin in the US told me of how an old American in a nursing home waited for her child every day. She always stayed at the window wearing her best make up and best dress. She waited everyday and not even a shadow of her child came until she died in her sleep. Tsk! tsk! tsk! :ohno:

le Reine

October 1st, 2009, 06:44 PM

Speechless na talaga ako kay Ondoy

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/afp/20091001/tap-vietnam-philippines-cambodia-laos-we-5cc1ef8.html

Typhoon Ketsana kills 331 across Southeast Asia
AFP

AFP - Thursday, October 1
HOI AN, Vietnam (AFP) - – Typhoon Ketsana extended its destructive rampage through Southeast Asia Wednesday, blowing away whole villages in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos as the regional death toll rose to 331.

The storm has unleashed some of the worst flooding in a decade to hit the region, having already submerged most of the Philippine capital at the weekend, and governments are struggling to help more than two million survivors.

"I have never seen such a strong wind in my life," Pang Phot, a police officer in Cambodia's badly hit Sandann district, told AFP by telephone.

"Many wooden houses were immediately blown away and many others collapsed to the ground. It was raining heavily and people could not flee their homes because the wind hit immediately," he said.

Ketsana killed 246 people in the Philippines while still a weaker tropical storm, before strengthening over the South China Sea and smashing into Vietnam on Tuesday, leaving another 74 dead from flooding and landslides.

It moved inland to lash Cambodia overnight, killing 11 more people, and caused metre-high floods in Laos, where it was downgraded to a tropical depression on Wednesday.

Authorities in northeastern Thailand were also on high alert but said there had been no damage yet.

Hungry and stranded survivors were marooned on rooftops in flooded parts of central Vietnam, complaining of a slow government response to their plight.

In the historic tourist town of Hoi An, a UNESCO world heritage site, some people were trapped on the metal roofs of their homes until soldiers arrived by boat to rescue them, AFP reporters saw.

"We have not received any support from local authorities," a 28-year-old mother of twin toddlers said in nearby Dien Ban district, Quang Nam province, where the typhoon made landfall on Tuesday night.

On Tuesday flooding hit parts of the major city of Danang as well as Hue, the former capital and another World Heritage site.

"Our aid work is very difficult, even with a greater mobilisation from the soldiers and the police, because the scale of the flooding is too vast and we lack equipment," said Phan Nhu Nghia, president of the Vietnamese Red Cross in Danang.

Officials and the UN estimated around 200,000 people in Vietnam had fled their homes. Five hundred and thirty homes had collapsed and 100,000 others were flooded or damaged, they said.

In Cambodia, authorities said the homes of thousands of people had been evacuated as the storm packed winds of up to 145 kilometres (90 miles) an hour.

Nine were killed and 28 injured in central Cambodia while two died in the northeast overnight as the country was battered by the storm, officials said. The victims included a grandmother, mother and three children in one house.

"At least nine people were crushed last night when their houses fell down," said Chea Cheat, chief of the Red Cross office in central Kampong Thom province, adding that at least 92 houses in his province were destroyed.

In deeply impoverished and isolated Laos, five or six villages had reportedly been flooded in Savannakhet province and aid workers were making their way there by car, aid agency World Vision said.

"We have the capability to urgently ready 500 aid packs if our assessment teams find these are needed," World Vision aid worker Vatthanathavone Inthirath said.

In the Philippines, the United States said Wednesday it would send soldiers and military equipment to help its former colony recover from devastating floods triggered by Ketsana.

Ketsana dumped the heaviest rains in more than four decades on Manila and surrounding areas on Saturday, submerging 80 percent of the nation's capital.

Four days later, some areas remained underwater or knee-deep in mud, while hundreds of thousands of people were crammed into makeshift evacuation centres.

Meanwhile, there were warnings that another looming typhoon may add to the devastation. Typhoon Parma was lurking to the east of the Philippines and on course to hit the country on Thursday or Friday.

The European Commission announced two million euros (2.9 million dollars) of emergency humanitarian aid to help typhoon victims in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. The money comes on top of a similar sum for the Philippines.

beads_strawberries

October 2nd, 2009, 08:30 AM

Typhoon Ondoy not only affected the Philippines but other Asian countries as well. Somehow, nature is fighting back with our carelessness to it. Now, we know better what to do with our Mother Nature.

Another typhoon will be rampaging the country, more particularly the area in Northern Luzon. Let us all be prepared and alert for any emergency that might arise soon. We do not want more sacrifices in the next few days.

Ph Man

October 2nd, 2009, 09:25 PM

...
I can only surmise what my cousin in the US told me of how an old American in a nursing home waited for her child every day. She always stayed at the window wearing her best make up and best dress. She waited everyday and not even a shadow of her child came until she died in her sleep. Tsk! tsk! tsk! :ohno:

man....this is heartbreaking. our old folks are better off here because of our strong family ties.

bitoy

October 5th, 2009, 06:53 PM

....how the P2 billion calamity fund this year was suddenly down to only P24 million.

Lawmakers question P10-B calamity fund (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/173856/lawmakers-question-p10-b-calamity-fund)

Opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Monday thumbed down Congress’ plan to immediately approve a P10-billion supplemental budget that is being sought by the national government to augment the country’s depleting calamity fund.

They said that before they support such measure, the government and the leaders of both houses of Congress should explain first, among others, how the P2 billion calamity fund this year was suddenly down to only P24 million.

"Before we give in to that demand for additional budget, may gusto pa tayong ilinaw (There are things that we have to clarify first)," said Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño during the weekly press conference of the House minority bloc.

He said details like how the P10-billion figure was arrived at, how it would be spent, and from what sources it would be taken from should also be clarified.

Congress leaders last week agreed to augment the country’s calamity budget in the wake of tropical storm “Ondoy," which left millions worth of damages in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Close to 300 people died in the storm.

Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III, however, said there was no need for a supplemental budget. He said the government's P140-billion savings in 2008 could be used to help the victims of Ondoy.

"The savings came from budgeted amounts which have been impounded and not released by the President. The savings of P140 billion in 2008 alone is more than enough to augment the calamity fund," he said in a statement.

3cr

October 6th, 2009, 12:47 AM

Ang tindi ng mga komento ni Aga Muhlach dito sa video na ito. :)

_V7w8cRubL0

^^ Yup tindi nga! WooHoo You go Boy! Aga speaks his mind and hits the nail on the head! :okay: :okay:

3cr

October 6th, 2009, 02:31 AM

Teodoro: Recovery may be slow for typhoon-hit areas
By James Mananghaya (The Philippine Star)
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=511641&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MARILAO, Bulacan, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro who is also chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council warned the people yesterday of a slow recovery for calamity victims, particularly for those rendered homeless by tropical storm “Ondoy” last Sept. 26 since relocating thousands of families to safer areas could take time.

Teodoro told reporters after inspecting the storm damage in several villages here, that it would take longer before houses could be rebuilt or to relocate to safer areas, while establishment owners could have a hard time recovering.

“Offhand, relocation is important, number two it’s also to facilitate easy credit for enterprises that were damaged, to provide some amelioration whether in loans or in cash for people to rebuild themselves because the hardest hit is the upper middle class subdivisions so I think the local government, together with the proper housing authorities must make a determination if it is still safe to continue building houses in these areas,” he said.

He said that a large portion of about 300,000 evacuees have to be relocated because at the moment, they could not yet return to their homes due to the risks posed by other calamities, such as typhoon “Pepeng” that hit Northern Luzon last Saturday and left 16 people dead in Ifugao, Benguet and Quezon province.

Teodoro said the government would provide assistance of P10,000 for every family whose house was destroyed by the previous typhoons.

He clarified that only those whose damaged residence does not encroach on a river or lakebed would be given easy credit schemes while squatters or informal settlers should be removed at their expense, although they should also be relocated.

“The central bank could open a rediscounting window for mortgage assistance in banks… there are several ways that some credit can be extended to homeowners, and it also helps because it goes around, like, you provide credit for homeowners and there would be construction and employment,” he said.

Teodoro said that after what happened (devastation from the typhoons), many homeowners in the affected areas would want to relocate to safer places.

He said local governments should coordinate with national housing authorities to determine a good relocation site, which could also be provided with livelihood assistance and basic services such as water and electricity.

He said the recent calamity has brought out a lot of issues, such as disaster preparedness, and the urban development plan in the affected areas of Metro Manila and nearby provinces that were ravaged by Ondoy, which left 246 people dead.

Meantime, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) reported yesterday that the damage to the country’s infrastructures and agriculture by Ondoy and Pepeng could reach P9 billion.

The NDCC estimate of damage does not include the houses and vehicles damaged by the floods caused by Ondoy in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

__________________

Next Crisis: Health Risks
The Philippine Star
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=511523&publicationSubCategoryId=64

With floodwaters not receding in communities around Laguna de Bay and other areas still under a few centimeters of water, authorities should prepare for the next likely problem: disease outbreaks with children and the elderly being particularly the most vulnerable and will require special attention.

Stagnant water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and dengue was already a problem even before “Ondoy” brought torrential rains to Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. From January to May this year, 8,442 dengue cases had been recorded nationwide by the Department of Health, with 62 fatalities. Though the number was lower than the 16,276 cases recorded in the same period last year, the risks remain great.

Health experts have warned that dengue is more prevalent than the A(H1N1) flu – another illness that could spread in the wake of a devastating typhoon, especially in crowded evacuation centers. The common flu could also spread quickly in cramped quarters.

Another risk is leptospirosis, a potentially fatal affliction contracted when an open wound or break in the skin comes in contact with urine usually of mice and rodents, although other animals such as dogs can serve as secondary hosts. The urine can be carried by floodwaters, and people wading through floods must use rubber boots. Dogs and other pets can also be infected by the disease-causing bacteria.

Water supply has been disrupted in many of the typhoon-stricken areas, and the lack of safe drinking water could cause a host of infections. Health authorities must be prepared for outbreaks of water-borne diseases, from common diarrhea to typhoid. Damaged sewerage systems and the mounting piles of garbage could lead to cholera.

Respiratory illnesses, allergies and skin diseases could develop as stagnant floodwaters turn into breeding grounds for disease-causing organisms. The government
was not prepared for the fury of Ondoy. But it is aware of the emerging health risks, and should be ready to prevent a health crisis.

jpdm

October 6th, 2009, 03:33 AM

Editorial:

Despair cuts deeper than GDP retreat

Monday, 05 October 2009 22:24
Business Mirror
Jimbo Albano / BusinessMirror

ACCORDING to earlier studies, including one by the World Bank four years ago, natural hazards cost the government an average of P15 billion per year in direct damage, or more than 0.5 percent of the national gross domestic product (GDP)—a staggering level that even swells when the indirect and secondary impacts are factored in.

The Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters Emergency Events Database said that in 2006 alone, the Philippines suffered more than P19.99 billion in storm damage to infrastructure and agriculture. In that year alone, 2.38 million families were affected by typhoons, or 11.193 million individuals.

The huge cost each year cuts the population both ways. First, it deducts from scarce fiscal resources huge sums that go to the repair and restoration of civil works and massive cleanups, among others, instead of directing these to more productive expenditure items that boost economic activities and promote human development.

Second, the huge cost of disasters swells the ranks of the impoverished, as storm Ondoy so graphically proved. With middle-, lower-middle- and higher-middle-income communities swamped by floods at such a terrifyingly quick pace, many of them lost practically everything overnight, if they were lucky to be alive or not to lose someone in the family. Not only did they lose workdays and incomes, many of them were still paying installments on homes, cars, appliances and home fixtures—mostly uninsured, and for which they have to keep paying despite the loss.

According to independent think tank IBON Foundation, Ondoy could mire in poverty and extreme difficulties at least 206,000 families in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon. We’re not just talking here about the percentage points that will be shaved off from the original estimates of the year’s GDP. We’re talking here of flesh-and-blood issues that inexorably impact on the total economy.

Remember how entire villages were uprooted by lahar in the months and years after Pinatubo’s eruption? Entire communities had to be moved elsewhere as nature re-drew the map and electoral districts, and changed people’s lives forever as it wiped out things they were familiar with and drew comfort from. Thousands took jobs abroad as there were not enough local, sustainable jobs or livelihood.

We are witnessing pretty much the same woeful scenes these days, as parts of the country grapple with the impact of Ondoy and Pepeng. Poverty will widen and deepen, not just from the normal business losses from halted operations or collapsed enterprises, or from the loss of livelihood opportunities or salaried jobs. It will widen and deepen because of the human toll of disaster: children unable to return because schools are damaged or because they must help rebuild their own homes, and all their things are lost, anyway; damaged hospitals forced to cut back on certain services or increase fees on others, thus forcing those rendered sick by disaster to cough out more money; public markets and usual sources of food having been wiped out, people will have to source this elsewhere, at presumably higher cost, the price-freeze notwithstanding.

We are, meanwhile, faced with the staggering spectacle of hundreds of thousands of newly impoverished people losing homes and pretty much everything material, sharing cramped state centers and services with the very poor.

All these combine to create that kind of impact that economists can barely input into their calculations, i.e., the devastation of the human spirit, as UP Prof. Ben Diokno, former budget secretary, recently put it.

That’s the impact that the government and leaders in the private sector can ill-afford to ignore. The sooner people’s choices for getting out of poverty are widened, the better our chances for avoiding that abyss called despair.

jpdm

October 6th, 2009, 03:34 AM

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/images/stories/Daily_Images/2009/October/10062009/oped-pic.jpg

Business Mirror
10/06/2009

bitoy

October 6th, 2009, 05:50 AM

_V7w8cRubL0

^^ Yup tindi nga! WooHoo You go Boy! Aga speaks his mind and hits the nail on the head! :okay: :okay:

That naughty smile of Aga has a lot of meanings.... :lol:

Kaso, ninang niya sa kasal si GMA at Loren. Diyan nagkasama minsan sila FPJ at GMA.

Nagsalita na siya...kung taos puso ang mga sinabi niya, puhunan na yan sa kanyang pagkandidatura sa pulitika.

carl_vilches21

October 6th, 2009, 06:41 AM

_V7w8cRubL0

^^ Yup tindi nga! WooHoo You go Boy! Aga speaks his mind and hits the nail on the head! :okay: :okay:

Ang raming natamaan.:lol: Nice 1 Aga!

3cr

October 7th, 2009, 03:54 AM

Calamitous declaration?
Business Mirror
Wednesday, 07 October 2009
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/16970-calamitous-declaration.html

SENATORS crossed party lines on Tuesday to join the businessmen’s call for caution in Malacañang’s plan to extend and widen the coverage of the state of calamity declared by the Palace in the wake of killer typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng as they believe the move could be misused to pocket public funds intended for relief and rehabilitation of devastated areas.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel warned that the drawback in the Palace plan is that “the release of government funds could be abused because the standard bidding rules and auditing procedures are relaxed during the calamity period. So, if you extend that period, the possibility of abuse will be greater.” Sen. Miriam Santiago told reporters:

“First, should the state of calamity last for a year, it would be extremely counterproductive. The calamity fund of every local government unit shall be open for appropriation.  That amounts to about P13.3 billion. That would allow the local government unit to get 5 percent of its total expected revenues. The longer the state of calamity extends, the more abuses can be expected,” she said.

The senators weighed in on the matter after the Makati Business Club (MBC) expressed its own reservations about the decision to extend the period and widen the coverage of the calamity declaration.

Santiago suggested limiting the declaration of the state of calamity to just three months, enough time, she said, for flood victims to “get on with their lives.” Spreading out the release and use of the calamity fund to one whole year will lead to an “an unrealized expectation of a return to normalcy. The faster you lift the state of calamity, the better for the funds.”

According to Santiago, another consequence of an extended state of calamity is that the President will have power to transfer appropriations. “Normally, this is not allowed, but when there is a state of calamity, she can juggle the funds.  There will be extreme pressure from many vested interests to transfer appropriations, but not necessarily to the most calamity-stricken areas.  In my view, it makes the President even more politically vulnerable to politicians.”

“The final adverse consequence is that under the Government Procurement Reform Act, if there is a state of calamity, there does not have to be a process of bidding or auction. Negotiated purchases will be allowed.”

Farm damage rising

Meanwhile, value of crops lost to Typhoon Ondoy has reached P1.13 billion, according to figures released by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Based on its own monitor, the DA’s Central Action Center (Dacac) noted that the biggest damage was recorded in the rice subsector at P1.06 billion. Most of the crops lost were in the reproductive or maturity stage.

Also, more than P22 million worth of corn crops were damaged by Typhoon Pepeng.

Meanwhile, damage to the farm sector caused by Ondoy has already climbed to almost P6.5 billion.

Of this, the biggest chunk was recorded in the rice subsector at P5.2 billion. The fisheries subsector was the second biggest loser at P140.6 million. Also damaged were some P41 million worth of livestock and poultry products.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the DA has drawn up a number of measures to assist affected farmers.

Affected rice farmers will be given a maximum seed subsidy of P1,200 per hectare for the use of certified or hybrid seed.

They will also get a P4,300 per hectare subsidy for the use of location-specific interventions, such as the use of inorganic fertilizer.

For damaged irrigation systems, the DA chief vowed to undertake emergency repairs. He estimated that repair work will be completed in the next two months and will cost some P481 million.

Those planting high-value commercial crops who were affected by the storms will get a seed and input subsidy costing P5,000 per hectare.

Affected poultry raisers will get three heads of broilers valued at P500 per affected family.

To assist affected producers in the fisheries subsector, the DA will restock affected areas with tilapia/bangus fingerlings. The DA said it will distribute 5,000 pieces fingerlings of fries per hectare.

Cagayan hard hit

Meanwhile, Typhoon Pepeng destroyed at least P1.8 billion worth of crops in 24 towns in Cagayan province and P50 million in Isabela province, the Cagayan Valley Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) said.

Gusty winds and heavy rains caused by Pepeng inflicted damage to rice and corn farm lands in 339 barangays in Cagayan, according to Chief Supt. Roberto Damian, regional police chief and RDCC chair.  

Damage to roads and bridges in Cagayan were initially estimated at P25 million, he added.

The typhoon totally destroyed 487 houses and partially damaged 4,795 others, affecting at least 117,466 persons comprising 29,769 families, Damian said.

In Isabela, at least P50 million of agricultural crops were damaged with 8,100 farmers affected, according to Danilo Tumamao, provincial agriculture officer.

At the House of Representatives, congressional allies of President Arroyo on Tuesday chided the Makati Business Club for painting a grim picture on Malacañang’s plan to extend the state of calamity over the country for a year, saying that instead of criticizing the plan, the business group should present a counterproposal on how to deal with the devastation brought about by Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

“The MBC should first check with the administration and recommend constructively. We have seen how President Arroyo handles crises [and it’s] definitely not dictatorial…To them, the President is always wrong or bad, and has done nothing right. Is MBC gearing up to be a political party?” asked Lakas-Kampi-CMD Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte.

The MBC, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, the Federation of Philippine Industries, among other business groups, have expressed alarm about the planned extension of the state of calamity status.

They said it may create more problems for the country, such as job losses, supply shortage and price controls of goods. Other business groups also expressed fear that it may lead to a state of emergency and the exercise of police powers.

But Dimaporo viewed price control as “persuasive.”

Dimaporo’s partymate Rep. Marcelino Teodoro of Marikina City said the MBC should set aside its “self-serving financial goals” and realize that the people are rebuilding their lives after the two typhoons.

At the same time, Nacionalista Party president and Sen. Manny Villar said that after rescue and relief work, a greater task of rebuilding is needed to help typhoon victims recover from the tragedy brought by the recent typhoons. However, he said, this does not merit too drastic actions and sweeping calls from the government, including extending the declaration of a state of calamity for a year.

He said the plan to extend its declaration of a state of calamity for a year or longer, should “be evaluated further.”

_________________________

‘Come clean on P140-B funds’
Business Mirror
Wednesday, 07 October 2009
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/16969-come-clean-on-p140-b-funds.html

PALACE officials were urged on Tuesday to “come clean” on the reason behind the impounding of P140 billion in funds from the 2008 budget, and the failure of the Executive to inform Congress that Mrs. Arroyo had such huge amount at her disposal.

The call from Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay followed revelations from alternative-budget activists, led by former national treasurer Leonor Briones, for the Executive to tap into these funds, instead of looking at other means to raise money, for post-calamity rehabilitation, but which will burden people even more and swell the deficit.

“Malacañang needs to come clean on Mrs. Arroyo’s purpose for impounding such a huge amount. And it also needs to explain not only to Congress but to the public why it kept silent on the existence of P140 billion in impounded funds,” Binay said.

Besides replenishing the calamity fund, the P140 billion impounded by Malacañang through transfer from various government agencies could provide help to the agriculture sector, added the mayor.

“Mrs. Arroyo can apparently provide the funds needed to ensure stable food supply by next year, in view of the admission by government officials that there could be a shortage in the supply of rice by nearly next year,” he said.

Binay said Congress has been prompted by the extensive damage caused by Typhoon Ondoy to provide the Office of the President with a P10- billion supplemental budget for the depleted calamity fund.

“Malacañang did not object to the proposal, but neither did it inform Congress that Mrs. Arroyo has more than enough funds at her disposal,” he said.

‘Disturbing’ findings

Binay said the findings of Professor Briones that Mrs. Arroyo had impounded P140 billion in funds from the 2008 budget is disturbing in the light of the national government’s precarious fiscal situation.

“The national government is already in a deficit, and it would have to resort to more borrowings if Congress would approve the P10-billion supplemental fund,” he said. He added that Malacañang could easily allay the concern of Congress and the public about its ability to respond to the calamity by saying that Mrs. Arroyo has more than enough money at her disposal.

Palace’s reaction

AT the Palace, deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez sidestepped the issue, telling reporters, “We’re not saying that [the P140 billion] actually exists, I don’t even know what they’re talking about; I think whether or not that figure exists, I think it would be better if the budget secretary or any budget official can answer that question.”

He noted that all sectors are pitching in to help the victims of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, and the President had even opened Malacañang Palace to serve as an evacuation and relief center. The “P10-billion supplemental budget is Congress’s way of helping our citizens especially in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.”

bitoy

October 9th, 2009, 11:17 PM

Deluge in rain-soaked Philippines (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091009/ap_on_re_as/as_asia_storm)

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/afp/20091009/capt.photo_1255101767194-4-0.jpg

MANILA, Philippines – Driving rain on the heels of back-to-back storms triggered dozens of landslides across the northern Philippines on Friday, burying more than 160 people, washing away villages and leaving almost an entire province under water.

The latest deluge brought the death toll to nearly 500 from the Philippines' worst flooding in 40 years after storms started pounding the country's north on Sept. 26.

More than 160 people were killed in landslides in Benguet and Mountain Province along the Cordillera mountain range, about 125 miles (200 kilometers) north of Manila, officials said. Residents were jolted awake by the rumbling sound of mudslides and floodwaters tearing apart the saturated soil and washing away homes.

Rescuers wading through sloshy mud from nearby Bagiuo city retrieved at least 162 bodies, bringing the total deaths in the two provinces since Typhoon Parma struck on Saturday to 174, said regional disaster relief officer Rex Manuel. At least 48 others were missing and 120 were pulled out alive.

Nearly the entire village of Kibungan in Benguet was buried under tons of mud and debris, Manuel said. Some 45 bodies were recovered so far. Rescuers used pulleys and cables to transport the dead they retrieved from piles of rubble.

TV footage showed the bodies arriving in black bags in a hall in Baguio, where relatives wept after recognizing their loved ones.

"There was a sudden rumble above us, and then the houses at the bottom were gone, including them," said Melody Coronel, pointing to the relatives she found among the dead.

In Mountain Province, 15 bodies were retrieved while 20 people were missing from a village in Tadian township, Manuel said.

Landslides blocked the roads to the mountain city of Baguio, where 48 people died, in the heart of the Cordillera region. The only way to reach the isolated, mountain communities was by foot, and military helicopters could not fly yet because of fog and rain, said Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres of the government's disaster-relief agency.

TheAvenger

October 10th, 2009, 01:33 AM

From an email :

Pray na lang po tayoSaturday, October 10, 2009 5:10 AMFrom: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Emmanuel Inocencio" <eminocen@yahoo.com>View contact detailsTo: ernestinaob@yahoo.com, "alberto arabia" <aarabia1346@yahoo.com.ph>, "carl vesorio" <crvesorio@yahoo.com>, "emmanuel esber" <jibrael_angel@yahoo.com>, "gina" <ginam2004@libero.it>, joveth0215@yahoo.com, joveth0215@yahoo.com, "Lira Sarino" <liragsarino@yahoo.co.uk>, "Lira Sarino" <liragsarino@yahoo.co.uk>, "marikit i. arango" <kitted@hotmail.com>, "myrna flores-dimaano" <myrns_fd@yahoo.com>, "prima roine" <roineprima@hotmail.com>, "vicente natividad" <vic_natividad@yahoo.com.ph>... moreCc: "emmanuel inocencio" <eminocen@yahoo.com>Subject: [AmanungSisuan] deng kapampangan sane la keng albug

When Ondoy passed over Central Luzon and Metro-Manila late Saturday afternoon, it was only packing 65 kph winds. It wasn’t the strongest typhoon to hit the area—it wasn’t even a typhoon, for God’s sake, just a tropical storm.

But it dumped the biggest amount of rainfall ever recorded in the history of this nation, something like a month’s worth of rain falling in just six hours. PAGASA did not see it coming because it lacked the equipment that measures the amount of rain a storm can bring, only equipment that measures wind and equipment that measures rain that has already fallen.

And as Ondoy revealed, weather equipment wasn’t the only thing this government lacks. When the flood inundated places in Metro-Manila that aren’t normally flooded, the National Disaster Coordinating Council sent a total of two (2) rubber boats to search and rescue the thousands of residents stranded on their rooftops.

No wonder actress Cristina Reyes, hungry and shivering to the bone, called her TV station at 7 p.m. to report that she had been huddled with her mother and two tiny nephews on their roof since 1 p.m. It was fellow actor Richard Gutierrez who finally came to pick her up.

Which made me wonder: What made this government think that buying a new jet plane and spending millions on a dinner were more important and more urgent than upgrading its storm tracking system and acquiring a few more rescue boats? please, please for god's sake and for the sake of our country, stop this corruption already and start thinking about the welfare of your people.

Of course they would blame it on the unusual amount of rainfall, but even in all the other floods before Ondoy, the government’s disaster response had always been inadequate. Ondoy merely magnified it for all to see and finally take notice.

We all know already that just as Florida stands in the firing range of hurricanes, the Philippines lies smack in the path of typhoons, so why do we still act surprised when they strike?

We also know that both Pampanga and Metro-Manila will always be flooded, for the simple reason that they both sit in a floodplain. A floodplain is a low-lying area where rivers converge on their way to the sea.

Pampanga is actually in the worst possible place to be during monsoon season— Right there in the drainage system of Luzon Island, where floodwaters from Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Aurora, Tarlac, Bulacan and the eastern side of the Zambales Mountain range and the western side of the Sierra Madre, converge before emptying into the Manila Bay.

Pampanga is at the bottom of a depression called the Pampanga River Basin . Within this depression is another depression, actually an old lakebed, the Candaba Swamp .

Once upon a time, our province was under the sea. Then the moving tectonic plates pushed it up, but then, around 3000 B.C., the sea level rose by several meters, submerging it once again. On the map, Mount Pinatubo and Mount Arayat probably looked like islands protruding from a shallow sea.

The sea receded to where it is today because the whole tectonic plate on which the entire Luzon Island sits has continued to rise, and also because Mount Pinatubo erupted in prehistoric times and dumped lahar on its western side, which reclaimed land from sea and formed an area that our ancestors would later discover and name Pampanga.

The reason they named it Pampanga (or Kapampangan) was its location on the riverbanks (pampang), in the same way that the first settlers in the Metro-Manila area were called Tagalog (taga-ilog/river dwellers).

Kapampangans and Tagalogs should be the last people to be caught unprepared for floods. In towns like Sasmuan, Guagua and Macabebe, there is a banca parked in every backyard, just in case. If every townhouse, condominium and apartment in Marikina , Cainta and Navotas had a banca ready, the residents would have been spared the trauma and the misery.

Our ancestors were infinitely wiser and more attuned to nature than we are. They built their houses on stilts, used rivers instead of roads for travel, made their farmlands convertible into fishponds, and alternated as farmers and fishermen.

But when the Spaniards and the Americans came, they changed our lifestyles and took away our intimacy with our rivers. Suddenly, floods were our enemy. The colonizers recorded catastrophic floods in Macabebe (1683), Minalin (1769, 1833, 1869), Candaba (1815, 1832, 1839, 1871), Bacolor (1831, 1881, 1887, 1890), San Luis (1872, 1884, 1885, 1886), Apalit (1846), Angeles (1796, 1850, 1881, 1885, 1919)—not realizing that while they, the colonizers, were living through hell during the monsoons, Kapampangans were having the time of their lives.

But today, even we Kapampangans and Tagalogs have forgotten this ancient wisdom that once enabled our ancestors not just to survive but also to embrace the floods.

Today we suffer from floods because we foolishly put up subdivisions on rice fields, resorts on fishponds, and factories on riverbanks. Instead of letting the water flow straight towards the sea, we build dikes to redirect the river, as if we knew how the river should flow more than the river itself.
We have also insulted our rivers by making them receptacles of our wastes and excrement. Our ancestors bathed and fished in them and built their houses facing the water; we, on the other hand, turned our houses around and dropped everything we didn't need anymore right into the river.

Planners, developers, engineers and government officials should desist from altering the waterways crisscrossing the entire length of the province because, well, God put them there precisely to provide quick and easy exit routes for the floods.

Kapampangans were, are and will always be, people of the riverbanks.

The river is where we shaped our history and discovered our destiny.

I am sure the river is where we shall also find our redemption.

I hope we will learn from this last calamity.

I received this from our yahoogroups............

viva la raza

October 12th, 2009, 11:43 AM

(CNN) -- An Irish priest was kidnapped Sunday in the southern Philippines, his missionary society said.

Father Michael Sinnott, part of the Missionary Society of St. Columban, was kidnapped at about 7:30 p.m. local time "from outside his home in Pagadian City, Province of Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao, as he was taking an evening stroll in the garden," the society said.

"Four or five armed men burst into the garden and bundled [Father] Michael into a pickup truck and drove to a local beach. The vehicle was abandoned and burnt. [Father] Michael was taken away in a speed boat."

The Mindanao area has been gripped by violence and repeated kidnappings as government forces battle Islamic militants who seek a separate Islamic state.

jpdm

October 13th, 2009, 04:24 AM

^^^^^^
Baka ang ang gagong abu sayaff or rogue MILF yan, nagpapapansin o kulang na pera nila. kailan kaya makakamarma mga demonyong mga ito.:bash::bash:

Halang talaga mga bituka. Pagnakarma mga ito dapat nmadamay ang buong angkan at lahat ng mga taong sumusuporta sa kanila!!:bash::bash:

Retro

October 13th, 2009, 05:48 AM

Waiting time to fix flood-damaged cars now 3 months :bash:
by Roderick dela Cruz
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNews.htm?f=2009/october/12/news2.isx&d=/2009/october/12

IF YOU bring your flood-damaged car to a dealership today, chances are it will be worked on next year, according to Toyota Marikina.

The three-month-waiting list for repairs is unprecedented in the history of the car industry, which is also beset by losses of at least P4 billion as a result of the massive flooding induced by storm Ondoy.

“Right now we are servicing more than 300 vehicles that were damaged by the flood,” a salesman at Toyota Marikina said.

“But less than half of them are covered by insurance against flood or natural calamities.”

In Quezon City, a public relations man tried to have his car serviced by a Honda Cars dealer along Quezon Avenue, and he was shocked

“I was listed as the 251st customer and my car was to undergo repair in December at the earliest. So I decided to buy the car parts and hire a mechanic to do it,” he said.

Apart from having to line up, car owners also must contend with the absence of insurance cover against flood and other “acts of God.” Only a fourth of all water-logged vehicles are insured, according to the Philippine Insurers and Reinsurers Association.

“The insurance loss alone amounts to P1 billion and it covers only the autos insured from acts of God, which we believe is only one in every four vehicles. The actual losses could reach P4 billion,” said group vice chairmanMichael Rellosa.

He said three insurers alone, including Fortune General, had earmarked P300 million in loss reserves for motor car claims.

“That’s only for three companies and we have 87 companies in [the group],” Rellosa said. He did not name the two other insurance firms.

As insurance claims for properties and autos had piled up to P12 billion, President Gloria Arroyo yesterday ordered the Insurance Commission to speed up the processing of payments for the damage inflicted by Ondoy and Pepeng.

The President also ordered the creation of a special task force composed of the Insurance chief and the Justice Department head that will prosecute insurance companies delaying payment of claims.

She summoned Insurance Commissioner Eduardo Malinis and Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera at the Palace yesterday to spell out her order.

Malinis said at least P11 billion of the insurance claims were for properties and P1 billion for some 8,000 units of flood-damaged vehicles.

“We already had a dialog with all insurance and surety companies. We have told them that they should hasten the processing of the claims arising from typhoons,” Malinis said.

Under the insurance law, surety companies are given a month to release the claims from the day a proof of loss, which includes a police report or a photo of the damaged property or car, is filed. Violators face a fine not exceeding P10,000 or imprisonment of six months or both.

Rellosa said insurance companies were doing everything they could to speed up the processing of claims, including relaxing documentary requirements if possible.

“However, the sheer volume of claims and the staggering number of damaged cars and homes to be inspected and assessed have become a challenge for adjusters and repair shops,” he said.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. said the industry was busy coping with the volume of vehicles needing repair. Some dealerships had to augment their workforce to keep up with the load, it said.

“CAMPI members have so far extended assistance in the form of lower prices and discounts on parts, labor and service for vehicles as well as extending work hours just to accommodate the deluge of vehicles being received,” group head Elizabeth Lee said. with Joyce Panares

sick_n_tired

October 13th, 2009, 08:39 AM

Laguna de Bay on its way to 'ecological doom' (http://ph.news.yahoo.com/star/20091012/tph-laguna-de-bay-its-way-ecological-doo-5994a93.html)

MANILA, Philippines - About half a century ago, then young fisherman Fel Santos lived in bountiful times by just fishing at the southwestern rim of Laguna de Bay.

The fishing net that he cast into the then clear and clean waters of the 90,000-hectare lake scooped such catch as dalag, hito, kanduli, biya, ayungin, and carp.

National Hero Jose Rizal who was born in Calamba in 1861, used to sit on the lake’s shore and wondered what was out there on somnolent Talim Island in the middle of the enchanted lake.

Those times are past. Now, only a few hardy fish types survive its heavily polluted waters.

Laguna de Bay is well on its way to its “ecological doom.”

Santos, now a government employee, said that if you cast your fish net in Laguna de Bay today, chances are, you will rake in coconut husks, opened cans of milk or sardines, empty plastic containers, and other wastes.

Over the decades, Laguna Lake has degenerated into a cesspool from tons of toxic wastes, industrial effluents, sludge, and sewage dumped into it by the thousands of families and hundreds of industrial factories in Metro Manila and the provinces of Rizal and Laguna that surround it.

Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) general manager Edgardo Manda admitted in his “State of Laguna de Bay” speech at a forum in Pasig City that the lake has virtually become the “biggest septic tank of human and industrial wastes from Metro Manila.”

Manda attributed the lake’s sordid state to the combined forces of waste dumping, deforestation, resource extraction, land conversion, biological pollution, intensive fishing, population growth, urbanization, and industrial expansion.

Fish kills have also become common occurrences in the lake, particularly in its southwestern flank straddling Muntinlupa City and adjacent Laguna towns.

“The fish kills were caused by infestation and algal blooms. When algae respire, oxygen depletion occurs leading to the death of fishes,” Manda explained, as reported by The STAR’s Sandy Araneta.

Toxic metals

Researchers from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños (UPLB) have found traces of toxic metals, including lead, zinc, copper, and chromium, in the polluted lake.

UPLB experts said that fortunately most of the metals accumulate in the inedible parts of the fish that humans do not eat, which means that mudfish, tilapia, milkfish, shrimps and mollusks are within the allowable consumption level and are still safe to eat.

“In excess, however, these metals can cause metabolic changes in human bodies and result in various ailments, including cancer. For instance, high doses of copper may lead to liver damage while too much lead can cause brain damage, convulsions, and even death,” the UPLB said.

In the face of Laguna Lake’s march toward “ecological doomsday,” government agencies could offer only “lip service.”

Lately, LLDA and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have been engaging in verbal tussles.

But, of course, there are good plans and programs on how to save the lake.

Former senator Leticia Ramos Shahani once said that Filipinos are the best when it comes to preparing programs and projects but the worst when it comes to implementing them.

One only has to look at Laguna de Bay – particularly the untouchable illegal fish pens – to be convinced of Shahani’s contention.

Politicians and local leaders ride on the “Save Laguna Lake” projects. And never mind if it is but a matter of time before Laguna de Bay – once pristine, picturesque, enchanted, and Southeast Asia’s biggest freshwater body of inland water – will soon be nothing but a malodorous swamp, as fetid as grandstanding politicians, where only deadly mosquitoes, leeches, rats, and other pests thrive in abundance.

Illegal settlers

At least 400,000 illegal settlers blocking key drainage channels of the giant lake need to be uprooted to fix Metro Manila’s flooding crisis, Manda said.

The squatters are among one million people living on the shorelines of Laguna de Bay that will be flooded for up to five months unless drastic action is taken, he said.

“I have made a strong recommendation to remove these people from the danger zones and not allow them to go back,” Manda said of the 400,000 squatters that are living mostly on what were once marshy wetlands.

“The authorities would probably need to erect barricades and station sentries in these areas,” he added.

The dramatic recommendation comes as large parts of eastern Metro Manila remain flooded 12 days after tropical storm “Ondoy” dumped the heaviest rains in more than four decades on the city, killing at least 295 people.

Manda and other officials have acknowledged that chaotic urban planning, or no planning at all, exacerbated the crisis, particularly around Laguna where shantytowns, factories and housing developments have overtaken farms.

However, Manda said he realized that removing illegal settlers from the lake would be a political decision that may not sit well with politicians so close to national elections in May next year.

In the polls, national and local executives will be chosen.

About 300,000 of the illegal settlers are living in and around an illegal open garbage dump on wetlands that block two connecting rivers, which are meant to channel excess water from the lake into Manila Bay to the west.

“The channel is constricted,” Manda said, adding the best remedy for the drainage problems was to clear the squatters and garbage from the wetlands.

About 100,000 other illegal settlers live in houses on stilts on the lakeshore to the south, he added.

Aside from the one million people living near the immediate shoreline, which is likely to remain flooded for many months, at least one million others live in adjacent districts of eastern Metro Manila that are also still under water. - By Rudy Fernandez (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

RonnieR

October 13th, 2009, 10:51 AM

Retro

October 14th, 2009, 12:11 PM

DTI padlocks AOWA branches for deceptive sales :bash:

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/14/2009 4:54 PM

MANILA - A Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) official on Wednesday said she experienced first-hand the alleged deceptiveness of appliance company AOWA Electronic Phils. Inc. during an operation in Parañaque City.

Assistant Secretary Angel Pelayo told reporters that she and several DTI representatives went to AOWA's branch in Parañaque City to shut it down for alleged deceptive selling of appliances.

Pelayo said they were not able to padlock the branch after AOWA allegedly changed the branch name to Flameless Concept.

She said they discovered the new tack after one of the DTI representatives saw an AOWA identification card of an employee dumped in a trash can inside the establishment. She said they could not padlock the branch because of its new name.

Pelayo, meanwhile, said they were able to padlock 5 other AOWA branches in Manila and Pasig City on Wednesday. She said the branches were padlocked after 300 new complaints were filed against the appliance company.

She said new charges for violation of the Deceptive Sales Act and Unconscionable Sales Act will be filed against the company.

Overpriced appliances

The DTI has been cracking down on AOWA company's business due to complaints of deceptive selling.

In its website, the DTI office in National Capital Region said previous complainants cited the deceptive strategy of its sales representatives.

It said that the company's sales agents would lure buyers into entering their branches by offering gifts or special prices.

However, the complainants would later find out that the offered items were actually not free because they can only claim it after buying high-priced products.

Some complainants said AOWA sales agents would ask for their credit cards for identification purposes, but they would find out later that they have already been charged for the supposedly free items.

Among the complainants were Vice-President Noli de Castro and his chief-of-staff, lawyer Jesse Andres, who both claimed they were duped by the company's sales agents at the Home Depot branch on Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City last July.

De Castro said they were offered free bags and other items if they purchase a microwave oven at a price of nearly P50,000.

The vice-president said he and his chief-of-staff found out that they paid more than the supposed prices of the appliances they bought from AOWA. He added that the appliances were of poor quality.

great184

October 15th, 2009, 04:56 PM

Any "not so good news" regarding Pepeng devasted areas? Puro Ondoy lang kc eh. I have no idea if any rehab work is going on, ignoring the folks up north is definitely a "not so good" news.

jpdm

October 18th, 2009, 12:58 PM

Fil-Aussie killed in racial attack

By Ania Aquino, ABS-CBN Australia News Bureau | 10/18/2009 5:40 PM

CRONULLA, Australia – A 67-year-old Filipino-Australian was beaten to death by an Australian in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire in what appeared to be a racial attack.

Builder James Anthony Dean-Willcocks has been charged for the murder of Magno Alvarado.

The suspect was reportedly returning from his 23rd birthday party in the Sydney central business district when he mauled the Filipino Australian.

Police confirmed witness reports that the suspect spat racial insults about the Japanese while attacking Alvarado. They said the suspect mistook Alvarado for a Japanese national.

According to the online report of The Daily Telegraph, Dean-Willcocks reportedly yelled, “F--k off back to Japan.”

When told to stop attacking Alvarado, he reportedly said: “Mate, he is Japanese and he deserves it.”

Slammed on the footpath, shaken and punched as many as 10 times, Alvarado sustained serious head injuries before he died at St. George Hospital last Saturday.

During his interrogation, police said Dean-Willcocks claimed to have no recollection of events.

The court has refused him bail until Jan. 28, 2010.

Meantime, police investigation into the incident continues.

Community assistance

According to a statement tendered by the police, it was in the early hours of Saturday when Alvarado was taking his early morning walk route. It was then that he got involved in the altercation.

As a resident of Cronulla in Sydney's South, the route was usually a pleasant beachside stroll. Unfortunately, this time it was different.

Police and emergency services were called to the scene along Elouera Road at 5:45 a.m. They now appeal for further community assistance.

“Anyone at all who may have seen or heard anything, or know anything, regardless of how trivial it may seem to you, if you would please come forward and assist police, in particular we are looking for a man who was walking on Elouera Road who was wearing a suit,” said Superintendent Jenny Hayes of the Cronulla Local Area Command.

“That is all we know of him, and we believe he may be of significance in assisting police into this inquiry,” he added.

Hayes appealed to anyone who has any information to contact Miranda Detectives at 9541 3199 or ring crime stoppers at 1800 333 000.
as of 10/18/2009 5:51 PM

bitoy

October 18th, 2009, 08:34 PM

Greenbelt 5 Shopping Mall ~ Rolex store heist.

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/9088/3958533171a41baf02dc.jpg

1 suspect slain in shootout with Taguig mayor's security detail (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/10/18/09/robbers-hit-luxury-watch-store-makati-reports)

MANILA - Heavily-armed thieves overpowered a posh mall’s security guards and broke into a shop selling high-end watches Sunday morning in the middle of the country’s premiere financial district.

A suspected robber was killed however by two police escorts of a city mayor who chanced upon the heist while the other gunmen escaped reportedly carting away an undetermined worth of expensive watches.

The armed robbery at the Rolex watch shop in Greenbelt 5 in Makati City was interrupted after 2 security escorts of Taguig City Mayor Sigfredo “Freddie” Tinga engaged the heavily-armed robbers.

One of the bodyguards of Tinga, who said he was in Greenbelt 5 for a lunch meeting, was able to “neutralize” one of the heavily-armed suspects who forcibly entered the Rolex store. Reports said 5 armed gunmen entered the store while 6 others served as look-outs at the mall.

“We were having lunch just outside that time we are actually waiting for some people and we heard an exchange of gunfire not realizing na it was actually our security people who were exchanging fire with the hold-uppers,” Tinga told ANC in an interview.

crappypants

October 21st, 2009, 07:28 AM

crappypants

October 21st, 2009, 07:31 AM

dvbaicrviser

October 21st, 2009, 10:17 AM

Ewan ko ba kung bakit hanggang ngayon hindi parin maipasa ang National ID system, saka damihan din nila ang mga check-points para hindi pakalat-kalat yang mga may dala ng baril. Kahit may permit ka pa, dapat militar at pulis lang na naka-duty ang pwedeng magdala nito sa daan. Isa pa, dapat sa mga nahuhuling gumagawa nito, firing squad sa pampublikong lugar para di na pamarisan. Open sa lahat ang gustong manood.

higen

October 21st, 2009, 04:38 PM

kiretoce

October 25th, 2009, 07:04 AM

DISASTER HEROES AND ZEROES (http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/component/content/article/42-rokstories/4648-we-must-suppress-the-animals-among-us)

http://www.manilatimes.net/images/stories/rokstories/specialflood1025.jpg
People are transported through the floodwaters down the main thoroughfare of the city of Pasig on the outskirts of Manila.

The grief and destruction the rains and floods that Ondoy and Pepeng caused on September 26 and continue to cause until now brought out the best virtues among many Filipinos as the other stories in this special report will detail.
Unfortunately, in some places, the heart-breaking and inspirational deeds of lifesavers, rescuers and relief-goods bearers—the heroes in this special report—were overshadowed by the foul deeds of the zeroes.

Literally foul and smelly was the result of some inconsiderate flood victims temporarily housed in schools used as evacuation centers who did not bother to go to the school’s toilets to defecate but did their thing right there in the classrooms they and other families were using as bedrooms.

Some of them, when the coast was clear and they could move back to their shanties or be taken to a new relocation site, stole the school desks, cannibalized the tables and shelves and took these with them.
In some centers, robbers preyed on their fellow victims. There was even a report of girls being raped by a hoodlum gang.

The villains’ deeds were so vile that an overwhelmed Social Welfare official could not but cry out in tears, “Please do not behave like animals!”

The more notorious acts and misbehavior in evacuation centers have been reported in the papers and the broadcast media.

Here are some more depressing “Zero” and unheroic doings discovered by Times reporters.
In Muntinlupa, our reporter Cris Odronia was informed, two Grade 1 pupils of the Alabang Elementary School were held up by two other evacuees given refuge at that school.

The two 6-year-old pupils lost their jeepney fares when two teenaged boys held them up in the school’s comfort room and took P23 from them. The incident has prompted the school to ask the Muntinlupa police to deploy police officers in the school.

Rina Landrito, a faculty club president of Alabang Elementary School, said police have already investigated the incident but the two teenaged boys who bullied and took their pupils’ money were nowhere to found.

At least 430 families left homeless by Ondoy occupied the two buildings (31 rooms) and two covered courts of the Alabang Elementary School.

Times reporter James Konstantin Galvez learned that:

Momelito Paalisbu, a 43-year-old taxi driver, was arrested at the height of Typhoon Ondoy after pulling off a holdup robbery in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

Eastern Police District Criminal Investigation Unit Chief Supt. Antonio Yarra said that Paalisbu held up Shella Maya Racaza whom he threatened with a gun into surrendering her cell phone and money.
Also at the height of the typhoon, a policeman, Police Officer 2 Albert Serrano, of the Taytay Police Station, shot a 39-year-old employee at a bar in the town.

Instead of helping victims of Typhoon Ondoy in Taytay, Serrano was seen arguing with a female guest relation officer (GRO) identified as Melchora Yamamoto inside the Buho at Kawayan Restobar. He then shot Robert Reyes, an employee of the bar, who tried to pacify the situation.

Residents of Barangays San Miguel, Maybunga, Santolan, Pinagbuhatan, Malinao, Palatiw, Kalawaan, San Joaquin, Santa Cruz, Bambang, and Santa Lucia were surprised to learn that pedicab drivers in their areas had raised the fare to P200 for a single ride to their destinations.

A police officer living in Barangay San Joaquin tried to apprehend the pedicab drivers for over-charging their passengers. He could do nothing, as people had no other options but to take the three-wheeler going to their offices.

Police arrested three individuals who were accused of raping a 30-year-old woman in Antipolo City, two days after Typhoon Ondoy.

The victim, who was only identified as Katya, a resident of Sitio Tanza 2, Barangay San Jose, Antipolo City, could not believe that after surviving the floods she would fall into the hands of rapists identified as Jose Golla, 21, a resident of Sunrise Valley; Ryan Romero, 39, a resident of Tanzanville; and Kent James Francisco, 21, a resident of Upper Lucban in Barangay Dela Paz, Antipolo City.

The suspects brought her to their “safehouse.” She was able to escape only after the suspects fell asleep. She immediately reported the incident to the police who immediately arrested the suspects.

From correspondent Joenald Rayos in Batangas comes the report that rice rations for families victimized by flood in Barangay Santa Clara, Batangas City ended up in the hands of those residing at the opposite and not flooded side of the city road. This happened when the unvictimized residents stopped the vehicle distributing food rations and commandeered its load.

Reporter Ruben Manahan 4th was dismayed to learn of the work of “cruel, heartless people who used the typhoon for their advantage, or only thought of their own convenience.”

He writes that “robbers and other deviants” were seen by a disillusioned first year high schooler, 11-year-old Anjannette Casabuena of Marilao, Bulacan.

“People were taking all, looting, the rice they could get from a rice dealer in our area. It was like the rice was free,” Casabuena said.

On September 28, Manila Police reports showed that at least three robbery incidents occurred that Monday in broad daylight.

At about 12:30 p.m., the out-patient department in Philippine General Hospital in Taft Avenue was robbed. Some 30 minutes after, a motorcycle was stolen while parked inside hospital premises. Meanwhile, at 2:30 p.m. a 7-Eleven convenience store on España was also robbed. The robbers in the hospital and at the convenience store were arrested and police are still searching for the one who stole the motorcycle.
“Looters are one thing,” writes Manahan, “but government not doing their part extensively is another.”

Casabuena said that the rescue efforts in her area only came a day after the storm. “It was our neighbor who took me from our house when the water started to rise, waist-deep.” The girl had to stay at Seed Academy Foundation, a school used as an evacuation site by their whole neighborhood (her parents got stranded at their workplaces due to the flooding in the Metropolitan area).

A famous GMA 7-dzBB Unang Hirit anchor, Michael “Eagle” Riggs, who was among his networks’ humanitarian workers distributing relief goods in parts of Metro Manila was both amused aghast to see some flood victims coming several times and elbowing others to get rations of relief goods and food.
He saw a woman who first showed up alone, then with a baby in her arm and then being pushed in a wheel chair.

He and his GMA 7 co-workers were amazed to find, when they went from house-to-house in submerged town to deliver relief goods, a house filled with sardines, bags of rice, loaves bread and a pile of clothes. Either this was a racket of a local government official or of a clever but inconsiderate victim.

Reporter William Depasupil, who calls the government’s social workers the unsung heroes, talked to a DSWD official, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office chief of San Pedro, Laguna.

She admitted that there were problems, ranging from petty theft to serious criminal offenses, like use of illegal drugs, in evacuation centers.

According to Ma. Fatima Autor, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office chief, the most common problem they encountered in all 10 relocation centers she was involved in were the evacuees tendency to disregard simple rules.

“They are prohibited from using high consuming electric appliances like rice cooker, electric stove and electric flat iron but they ignored our rules, which often times resulted short circuits and the busting of the main switch,” Autor said.

Others, she further said, did some petty stealing of relief goods, clothes, cell phones and other personal belongings.

Social worker Ethel Ciquiz, who is assigned at the Sioland relocation center, said that there were evacuees under their care who smoked marijuana and drunk heavily.

Ciquiz, however, declined to identify them, saying that those who committed said serious infractions and violation of laws have already been warned by police authorities that a repeat of the same offense would be dealt with accordingly.

“But in general, the evacuees obey our house rules,” Ciquiz said. “We always communicate with them and explain things out.”

What can be done

Why do these mean and evil things happen? Why are there Filipinos who take advantage of their fellowmen during calamities?

Most of those who commit these crimes and behave “like animals” are poor and desperate, uneducated and unformed in the basics of virtues and civic sense.

Obviously, they can only be reformed by education and character formation efforts.
But these efforts will amount to nothing—if the people being taught are so destitute and desperate, jobless and bereft of self-worth and dignity.

Then there is also that factor of not having a good example among the clean, sparkling, rich and famous of our land, so many of whom are examples of bad personal and public moral character.

TheAvenger

October 26th, 2009, 05:19 PM

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella1.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella2.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella2-1.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella3.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella35.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella4-1.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella5-1.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella6-1.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella7-1.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella8-1.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella8a-1.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella9a-1.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella9b-1.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella10.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella11.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella12.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella13.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella14.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella15.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella16.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella17.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella18.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella19.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella20.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella21.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella22.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/ella23.jpg

Web link for Blog ni Ella :

http://www.ellaganda.com/?p=1759

Web link for Blog - Jenni Epperson MD

http://jenniepperson.com/

Carjel

October 26th, 2009, 06:32 PM

416makabayan

I am an employee of the DSWD Central Office. I know that the warehouses are always full. The warehouse is stocked with goods and other important foods and utensils mostly from Japan, Spain and Canada as well as food items from the World food Program of the United Nations.

The problem is inefficiency and also the attitude of Secretary Cabral. She is an elitist who thinks that the goods from abroad or stateside are only for display. para siyang nanghihinayang mamigay ng imported goods. I have not seen it but sabi ng iba inuuwi ni secretary cabral ang ibang goods sa kanyang bahay sa Ayala Alabang pati nga mga vans and suvs na binibigay ng mga donor countries ay ginagamit niya.

sa paranaque po nakatago ang mga goods na napakarami sa enroc po. enroc building sa may airport po. alam na alam ko po na napakarami pong relief na hindi pinamimigay eh bakit po kaya?

i am a graduate po of a decent school. that’s why i have rose from the ranks since i started and i love the job.

In many years that i have worked as an officer at dswd she is the secretary without a heart that’s why we call her the heartless heart doctor because she is also a heart physician.

People should now know who she really is. She is a bad person who does not care for the people but on tv and radio she smiles and talks like a motherly person but deep inside she hates the poor and many of the officers and employees do not like her but they are afraid of her because when she gets mad she will try to find a way to fire workers and we do not want to lose our livelihoods.

But going back sa problem hindi po ako magtataka na hindi na niya ipamimigay ang magagandang gamit sa warehouse dahil nanghihinayang siya dahil wala po siyang pagtingin sa aming mga low middle class at poor. Nagtataka nga kami kung bakit siya ay parang ginagalang ng mga tao. Para din hu siyang si Gloria dahil siya ay biyahe ng biyahe.

Kelan lang po nasa Switzerland siya at ang kasama niya ang kanyang pamangking mayabang at mapang api si Erdie Casas. 3 linggo po siyang nagliwaliw sa Switzerland at kailan lang nasa Brazil naman po siya at nagpapasasa at gumagasta ng milyon para sa pamasahe lang. 2 beses sa isang taon nag vacation siya sa America para makasama ang mga anak niya doon at kasama rin niya ang kanyang asawa at mga staff sa mga biyahe niya. she does not love the poor pakitang tao lang po ang kanyang ginagawa.

dapat po ay tanggalin na siya ni Gloria at ipalit na lamang ay si Usec Yangco ang tunay na mahal ng mahihirap ngunit ang alam ng lahat ay galit siya kay Yangco at ang gusto niya si Usec Pablo dahil magkapitbahay po sila sa Ayala Alabang at pareho po silang maka elitista.

Dalawang beses na hong na extend si Pablo dahil siya po ang may hawak ng pera ng Dswd at ang chismis po ay nangungupit po silang dalawa ng pera ng dswd. dapat pong imbistagahan si secretary cabral dahil ang budget ng dswd ngayon daw po ay mahigit 15 billion pesos. gusto raw ni cabral na si pablo ang maretain kasi mahahalata ang pagnanakaw niya pag palitan ng ibang usec. ang mga directors at iba pang officials ng dswd ay takot na takot sa kanya dahil palamura siya sa mga ito at talagang duwag ang mga director.

marami po sa amin ay moa workers taunan po ang renewal at pag hindi mo sundin si cabral ay hindi ka makakasweldo at hindi ka rin bibigyan ng bonus di katulad noong panahon ni mam dinky, mam lina, mam dulce at lalo na po ni sec tavera ang pinakamabait na secretaring inabot ko na po.

gagantihan po ako ni secretary cabral. baka rin niya akong ipatransfer sa ibang office ng dswd dahil may office po kami sa lahat ng region. ako po ay civil service professional kaya hindi niya ako pwedeng tanggalin pero kung nais ho niyhang gumanti ay lalagay o tatransfer po ako kahit saan niya gusto.

takot po ako sa kanya at kay erdie ang kanyang pamankin na bodyguard na mangaalipusta ng mga maliliit sa dswd. awang awa lang po ako talaga sa mga hindi nakatanggap ng relief dahil ang mga kapatid ko po ay nasalanta at ang mga pinsan ko rin. alam ko po ang hirap na pinagdaanan nila.

secretary cabral only start working in dswd after 2005 and she thinks that she own dswd like it is her own company. but she is bad even to the asecs and usecs and directors down to the janitors and clerks because she has an evil mind and no heart inside her.

http://www.ellaganda.com/?p=1759

bitoy

October 26th, 2009, 07:11 PM

^^ At first, I don't want to believe that DSWD was hoarding some relief goods and not delivering them right away to the disaster locations.

Secretary Cabral's reason concerning that inquiry by a volunteer who spread it on the web is very unacceptable.

Bilib pa naman ako sa DSWD since some of my friends who are volunteers from different NGOs always deal with that department.

I think, this is one of the DSWD warehouse.
http://f381.mail.yahoo.com/ya/download?mid=1%5f509970%5fAIZ8v9EAALq2SuTrkQJRRBsf8sY&pid=2.1.20&fid=Inbox&inline=1

Buti na lang these World Food Program high-energy biscuits went directly to the victims, pero marami pa ring naka kawala.

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/04e5dEf3pa63x/232x313.jpg?center=0.5,0

TheAvenger

October 27th, 2009, 12:49 AM

0Q8li0-4pTI

wlPfEJ_zhwI

filcan

October 27th, 2009, 01:43 AM

^^:gaah::gaah::gaah:

adeeh

October 27th, 2009, 02:18 AM

Grrrr...

What goes around, comes around.

Retro

October 28th, 2009, 04:51 AM

Court orders luxury hotel to pay over guest’s murder

Wednesday, 28 October 2009 00:00
The Manila Times

By William B. Depasupil, Reporter

The Court of Appeals on Tuesday ordered one of the Philippines’ most luxurious hotels to pay more than $1 million in damages over the murder of a Norwegian guest a decade ago. The appellate court’s Special Eight Division, in a decision written by Associate Justice Priscilla Baltazar-Padilla, stressed to the management of Makati Shangri-La Hotel that it is the responsibility of five-star hotels to provide equivalent security measures for the safety of their guests.

The hotel was ordered to pay P52 million ($1.1 million) in damages to the heirs of Christian Harper, an executive of a European power company who was found dead after being bound, gagged and then robbed in his hotel room on November 6, 1999.
He was at the age of 30 at that time.

“Makati Shangri-La hotel is a five star hotel. The reasonable care that it must exercise for the safety and comfort of its guests should be commensurate with the grade and quality of the accommodation it offers.

If there is such a thing as ‘five-star hotel security,’ the guests at Makati Shangri-La surely deserve just that,” the appellate court ruled.

It affirmed an earlier ruling by the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City that Makati Shangri-La failed to provide its guests adequate security that led to the death of the Harper.

Makati Shangri-La assailed the regional trial court decision and argued there was nobody else to blame but Harper himself because he invited the two unidentified suspects in his room at the 14th floor of the hotel.

The hotel management pointed out that they don’t prohibit guests from inviting visitors in their hotel rooms out of respect for their privacy and as a matter of policy.

But the appellate court junked the hotel’s argument, noting that prior to Harper’s death, the hotel security officer had already recommended additional security measures to include a roving guard for each floor after several of the hotel guests reports losing valuables in their rooms.

The said recommendation, it pointed out, was ignored by hotel management and was only implemented after the Harper incident.

The appellate court agreed with the regional trial court’s observation that the incidents prior to Harper’s death should have alerted the hotel on its security lapses.

The appellate court noted that the security lapse was further shown when the male suspect who entered the victim’s room was never checked by any of the guards when he entered the hotel premises.

Finding it liable for negligence, the appellate court also ordered Makati Shangri-La to pay the cost of the suit and P250,000 in attorney’s fees.

Associate Justices Fernanda Lampas-Peralta and Celia Librea-Leagogo concurred with the decision.
With report from AFP

wynngd

November 6th, 2009, 10:42 AM

have you guys watched this interview with Gilbert T. in 101 East:

Diyn6OU2d3c

TheAvenger

November 6th, 2009, 03:53 PM

Concerned about how Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo treated the president of the Union of Foreign Service Officers, Victoria Bataclan, foreign service corps, including non-career employees, want to send this letter to Gloria Arroyo.

“We, the concerned members of the Philippine Foreign Service Corps, are dismayed at the action of Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Alberto G. Romulo to relieve Ambassador Victoria Bataclan of her duties as Assistant Secretary for the Office of European Affairs.

“Ambassador Bataclan is one of the best and brightest of our senior career foreign service officers. We therefore view the action of the Secretary as a retaliation against her for voicing the concern of the career foreign service corps over the appointments of political ambassadors.

“Instead of engaging in a dialogue with the UNIFORS and its President Ambassador Bataclan, Secretary Romulo chose to punish Ambassador Bataclan which also serves notice to others of the consequences of exercising their right to dissent.

“The behavior of Secretary Romulo in this instance is just one of the many examples of the quality of leadership or lack thereof which the Department of Foreign Affairs has had to bear since he took office, not only in the management of the Department but in the substantive conduct of the country’s foreign relations. His grasp of foreign affairs leaves much to be desired and decisions on important foreign policy issues are, if not ambivalent, absent and many times have led to embarrassment.

“He runs the DFA like his fiefdom, often deciding the fate of the officers and staff without the benefit of consultation. He uses the Department’s limited resources for unnecessary expenditures, most glaring of which are frequent foreign trips in the guise of promoting better relations but are actually jaunts. It is therefore not surprising that among the rank and file, there is widespread discontent and loss of confidence on his ability to lead the DFA, a fact that the Secretary probably does not realize because he is not in touch with them.

“We request you, Madame President, to help us stop this deteriorating state of affairs in the DFA. You have an able, dedicated, hardworking and committed career foreign service corps who is always ready to protect and advance the national interest of the country. But we also need an enlightened and wise pilot at the helm who can inspire and lead us especially in these challenging times.”

The foreign service corps believe that the relief of Bataclan was Romulo’s retaliation for the letter she sent to Malacañang last Oct. 1, in behalf of UNIFORS, protesting the appointment of Foreign Undersecretary for Migrant Affairs Esteban Conejos, Jr. as Philippine representative to the United Nations in Geneva because it violated foreign service rules and is not cost- effective with only seven months left of the Arroyo administration.

The latest open letter to GMA is the strongest statement yet I have read coming from foreign service corps, who by the nature of diplomacy, usually are sedate in their actions.

They must have had enough of Romulo’s booboos when they decided to put this sentence in their letter: “His grasp of foreign affairs leaves much to be desired and decisions on important foreign policy issues are, if not ambivalent, absent and many times have led to embarrassment.”

We fully understand. Reporters covering the diplomatic beat, many times, would only squirm in embarrassment during Romulo’s press conferences. He is a far cry from his cousin, Roberto Romulo, who was foreign secretary during the Ramos administration.

One time, he was talking of an Asean Defense Pact, similar to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. There is no such thing. The complications of such an idea is enormous. A member of his staff was just shaking his head. After Romulo’s briefing he had to plead to reporters to please erase from their notes what his boss babbled about.

Dizzy perhaps because of his non-stop travels, he couldn’t remember anymore the forms of government of neighboring countries. A few years ago in an Asean summit, during a turnover by then Malaysia Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar of the chairmanship of the standing committee to the Philippines, Romulo referred to Malaysia as a “Republic.” Realizing his mistake, he said, “Kingdom of Malaysia”. Wrong again.

Albar informed informed him that Malaysia is a “federal constitutional monarchy.”

In an environment where travel is part and parcel of their work, DFA employees are astounded Romulo’s insatiable desire to be in other parts of the world except the Philippines. He is always accompanied by his wife.

“He doesn’t let any opportunity pass even if he knew that he would just sit in the audience in that meeting,” a senior officer said. DFA insiders said it may have something to do with the $3,500 allowance that he collects (over and above his and his wife’s first class plane fare and hotel accommodation plus per diems and other perks) that he gets for every “sector” that he visits.

An officer explained to me that if Romulo goes to Germanny, he gets $3,500 allowance for that “sector”. If he also visits another Middle East country in that same trip, he gets another $3,500.

After the story on the relief of Bataclan came out, Romulo assigned Bataclan “special adviser to the Philippine presidency of the Non- proliferation Treaty 2010 Review Conference. “

It’s the turn of the non-aligned countries to head that important undertaking and the Philippines was able to get the chairmanship.DFA spokesman Ed Malaya said, “ The review conference is chaired by Amb. Libran Cabactulan.It is an assignment where her (Bataclan) expertise is most needed.”

How Cabactulan got the position to head the review conference is a subject that need to be tackled separately. But DFA sources said disarmament experts in New York, Geneva and Vienna are not impressed with her so far, so a group to assist her headed by Ambassador to Japan Domingo Siazon was formed. So, what’s the need for Bataclan there?

“Vicky’s position is non-portfolio and did not come with an office assignment. It’s just a title,” an officer said.

At this point in time, it’s too late for Romulo to learn about the substantive issues in foreign relations.

But it’s not too late for him to redeem himself to the foreign service corps and to the Filipino people. One, he should withdraw the travel orders he issued to Conejos which Malacañang has withheld. Two, he should stop wasting taxpayers money by letting the ambassadors represent the country in meetings abroad. Three, he should resign now.

http://www.ellentordesillas.com/?p=7961

Sleepwalker

November 7th, 2009, 05:26 AM

As if it is not enough that Cebu is just recieving crumbs and left overs in terms of national government attention and here comes another disparity...:ohno:

Not so good news for Cebuanos, indeed.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Chamber asks Palace for help on P8 fuel price discrepancy (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/chamber-asks-palace-help-p8-fuel-price-discrepancy)

THE Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) asked President Arroyo for some relief from rising oil prices, saying Cebuano consumers were made to absorb “losses” arising from a price freeze ordered in Luzon.

In a letter sent through Presidential Assistant for Central Visayas Felix Guanzon, the CCCI said that since Executive Order 839 took effect—forcing oil companies to return to fuel price levels as of Oct. 15—fuel products have cost at least P8 more in Cebu than in Metro Manila.

Sun.Star accepts donations for victims of Typhoon Ondoy

The CCCI said it understood that the price freeze was intended to help consumers in Luzon who are reeling from a series of powerful storms since late September.

“However, when the Big 3 oil companies implemented Executive Order 839, the price of fuel in Cebu correspondingly increased by P2, giving us the impression that Cebu is being made to bear the brunt of the alleged ‘losses’ from the said price freeze,” said the letter signed by Consul Samuel Chioson, CCCI president.

The chamber pointed out that in April this year, it appealed for President Arroyo’s help with an “inequitable discrepancy” that forced Cebu-based consumers to pay higher pump prices than those in other areas.

The CCCI and other business organizations then joined Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia in filing a complaint against Petron, Pilipinas Shell and Chevron before a joint task force of the justice and energy departments.

Continuing

“While the case is still under review, Cebu has seen several rounds of fuel price increases, the latest of which was another increment this week,” the CCCI said in its letter.

“This further widens the gap between Metro Manila and Cebu prices by as much as P8.85 per liter for diesel as of today (Oct. 30).”

Citing reports by the Department of Energy, the chamber pointed out that diesel was sold for P28 per liter, on the average, in Metro Manila, compared to P36.85 in Cebu. Gasoline retailed for P36.41 in the capital region for the same period, compared to P45.19 (unleaded) in Cebu.

“While the Big 3 oil companies have been unable to give a plausible explanation for the higher fuel prices in Cebu vs. prices in the rest of the country, they continue imposing increases, further disadvantaging Cebu business and the entire Cebu populace,” the chamber said.

It asked for Malacañang’s “urgent intervention.”

Retro

November 16th, 2009, 11:59 AM

Rice Returns 100% as Typhoon-Drought Roils Asians :bash:

By Supunnabul Suwannakij and Luzi Ann Javier

Nov. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Rice prices have nowhere to go but up as drought in India and cyclones in the Philippines cripple harvests, according to the world’s biggest importer and the top exporter.

Rice may double to more than $1,000 a metric ton as dry El Nino weather shrinks output and the Philippines and India boost imports, said Sarunyu Jeamsinkul, the deputy managing director at Asia Golden Rice Ltd. in Thailand, the largest exporting nation. Prices won’t peak until March, said Rex Estoperez, a spokesman for the National Food Authority of the Philippines, the biggest importer. The agency issued a record tender for 600,000 tons last week and today called for bids for the same volume on Dec. 8 to secure grain before prices rise.

Global rice supplies are likely to be tighter than last year, when food shortages sparked riots from Haiti to Egypt, said Jeremy Zwinger, president of The Rice Trader, a brokerage and consulting company in Chico, California. Escalating food prices threaten to spark unrest in developing nations while increasing costs for beer brewer Anheuser-Busch Cos., the biggest U.S. rice buyer, and cereal maker Kellogg Co.

“The demand-supply situation will be extremely tight, with India coming in the market,” said Mamadou Ciss, a rice broker since 1984 and now chief executive officer of Hermes Investments Pte Ltd. in Singapore. The Thai benchmark export price will likely rise at least 20 percent to $650 to $700 a ton in the next three to five months, he said. “The market can even touch $2,000 a ton in the middle of 2010,” Ciss said.

Chicago Rally

The Thai price may soar to last year’s record of $1,038 a ton, according to the highest estimate in a survey last week of 10 importers, exporters and analysts in Vietnam, Thailand, India, Singapore and Pakistan. The median estimate was $700 and the lowest $600, compared with $542 today.

On the Chicago Board of Trade, home to futures for long- grain rough rice, prices jumped about 35 percent from this year’s low of $11.195 on March 16. Futures reached a record $25.07 in April 2008 as concern about supply shortages prompted India and Vietnam to cut exports. The contract was at $15.035 as of 4:19 p.m. Singapore time.

Rice for January delivery rose 1.6 percent to $15.10 per 100 pounds in after-hours electronic trading on the Chicago Board of Trade at 3:02 p.m. Singapore time.

Crops Destroyed

India, the second most-populous nation, may become a net importer for the first time in two decades. The nation’s weakest monsoon since 1972 will cut domestic output 15 percent to 84 million tons in the marketing year that began Oct. 1, according to the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization. Consumption will be 89 million tons, according to Concepcion Calpe, a senior economist at the FAO.

The Philippines is accelerating imports for 2010 supplies after two storms destroyed about 1.3 million tons of rice. State-run National Food Authority plans to buy at least 1.45 million tons by December, including the scheduled purchases of a total 1.2 million tons in two record tenders on Dec. 1 and Dec. 8, Romeo Jimenez, director of the state food buyer, said today.

Rice’s looming rally contrasts with sagging prices for other agricultural commodities. Wheat futures are down 7.5 percent this year in Chicago after global output jumped to a record. As of Nov. 13, corn is little changed this year as farmers in the U.S., the world’s biggest producer, neared completion of their second-largest crop ever.

‘Rice Crisis’

“There is a strong possibility we’ll see a rice crisis next year as India faces drought, and Indonesia may feel the pinch of El Nino weather,” Asia Golden Rice’s Sarunyu said in an interview Nov. 9. Prices may top $1,000 a ton should the Thai government decide to maintain its stockpiles rather than export them, he said.

An El Nino weather pattern is brewing, with sea surface temperatures at least 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) above average across much of the central and east-central equatorial Pacific in the four weeks ending Nov. 7, according to a Nov. 9 report by the U.S. Climate Prediction Center.

The FAO is holding a world summit on food security starting in Rome today. Food prices in 31 poor countries remain “stubbornly high,” the organization’s Director General Jacques Diouf said in Rome on Nov. 11, and more than 1 billion people suffer from hunger.

The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks cereals, sugar, meat, oils and dairy, gained for a third month to 158 in October. The index peaked at 213.5 in June 2008 before plunging to 139 in February amid the global economic crisis.

‘Ripe’ Fundamentals

Rice production has lagged behind demand in four of the past eight years and rising consumption is expected to erode global stockpiles by 41 percent to 85.9 million tons in the 2009-2010 marketing year, down from a record 146.7 million tons in 2001-2002, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“If we start having problems, weather problems, production problems, the price of rice is going to skyrocket over the next decade,” Jim Rogers, the chairman of Rogers Holdings, said in an interview Oct. 12. “When it happens I don’t know. But I know that the fundamentals are ripe.” Rogers, based in Singapore, predicted the start of the commodities rally in 1999 and is the author of books including “Investment Biker.”

Farmers are struggling to squeeze more crops from each acre while demand increases with a growing world population. Limited growth in per-acre yields is “a major reason for the imbalance between long-term demand and supply,” according to the Laguna, Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute. Average annual yield growth slowed to 1.4 percent from 1990 to 2005, down from 2.14 percent during the previous two decades, it said.

Food Riots

In March 2008, global food prices soared 57 percent from the previous year, the UN reported. Around 40 people died in riots in Cameroon and at least seven were killed in Haiti as violence erupted over food shortages. The FAO reported food- related violence in Burkina Faso, Egypt, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Mozambique and Senegal. In the U.S., Costco Wholesale Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s Sam’s Club limited bulk rice sales.

Global rice harvests will drop 2.3 percent to 448.6 million tons in the 2009-2010 year from 459.1 million a year earlier because of the crop losses in India and the Philippines and cyclones, landslides, flooding and earthquakes that reduced production in Japan, Nepal, Pakistan and Taiwan, the FAO said in a report Nov. 10.

‘Tight Situation’

Rice fields in the Western Hemisphere are also suffering.

The U.S. crop has been “severely damaged” in the main growing area of the upper Mississippi River Delta, while drought cut plantings in South America’s largest producing region, the Mercosur, according to Dwight Roberts, president of the U.S. Rice Producers Association in Houston.

“It doesn’t take a genius to see we are in a real tight situation,” Roberts said.

As production suffers, demand will increase 1.2 percent to 451.3 million tons from 446 million tons a year earlier, according to the FAO.

The potential for lost production to send prices to records will be limited by a record wheat harvest and ample rice stockpiles, Calpe said in an interview Nov. 9.

Kellogg, based in Battle Creek, Michigan, declined to comment on its rice use. Last year, after wheat and rice prices jumped to records, the maker of Froot Loops and Rice Krispies announced at least three price increases for U.S. breakfast cereals because of rising energy and ingredient costs.

“While commodity costs have fallen as we expected, we’re still seeing overall cost of goods inflation versus last year,” Chief Executive Officer A.D. David Mackay said Oct. 29 during a conference call with analysts.

‘Huge’ Stockpiles

Thai rice inventories of as much as 6 million tons, triple the 2 million tons of last year, are “a huge amount, if you take into account that total trade is 30 million tons,” Calpe said. “I’m pretty sure they will have to release them soon.”

In addition, world wheat stockpiles swelled by 36 percent to 165 million tons this year from 121 million tons last year, according to the USDA. Consumers can turn to bread and wheat when rice prices jump.

“Do not extend what we saw in 2008 to the situation we have today,” Calpe said. “This is not a reason for concern today. If in the 2010 season we again face problems, then we will start worrying.”

Sales to India and the Philippines will determine how high prices go, Samarendu Mohanty, senior economist at the International Rice Research Institute, said Oct. 28.

Record Imports

The Philippines held its first tender for supplies a month earlier than usual and may boost imports 30 percent to a record 2.6 million tons, the USDA forecasts.

India’s reserves, normally about 20 percent of the country’s consumption, are plunging as output falls faster than demand, said The Rice Trader’s Zwinger.

The Indian harvest will drop 16 percent, shrinking stockpiles to about 9.9 million tons by October 2010 from 17 million a year earlier, according to the USDA. The country may buy as much as 3 million tons abroad next year, becoming a net importer for the first time in 21 years, Mohanty said.

“If India imports 3 million tons, they’d become the world’s biggest importer,” said Mark Welch, an agriculture economist at Texas A&M University in College Station. “Three million tons disrupts natural trade because they normally don’t import any.”

Three state-owned traders issued tenders for 30,000 tons in October. The response to offers hasn’t been announced, with one potential buyer, MMTC Ltd., saying last week it wouldn’t buy rice at “high prices.”

“A country like India, or China for that matter, they can absolutely not rely on a very thin market” for imports, Calpe said. “They are market makers. If they come to the market to buy, they will see the prices skyrocket.”

RonnieR

November 17th, 2009, 11:15 AM

Fil-Am killed in liqour store heist

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/17/2009 1:22 PM

WASHINGTON D.C. – A Filipino-American woman was shot dead during a heist inside her liquor store in Washington DC.

ABS-CBN North America News Bureau correspondent Rodney Jaleco reported that neighbors lighted candles in a makeshift memorial for Rufina Hernandez.

The Fil-Am, whom people called “Mama Sita”, was shot dead by two men who robbed her liquor store near the corner of Georgia Avenue and Kennedy Street northwest in Washington DC on November 7.

Neighbors said the balloons, teddy bears, notes, and flowers left by people who mourned Hernandez’ death, were testaments to her kindness.

The Hernandez couple opened the store in 2000. Her husband passed away last year, leaving her to run the business and care for their two children.

A man said Hernandez often talked about her dead husband, Luis, and says she couldn’t wait to be with him again.

The crime angered neighbors who said there was no need to kill Hernandez because she would have given them money if they asked for it.

Authorities are offering a US$25,000 reward for her killers. -- Report from Rodney Jaleco, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

djhones

November 23rd, 2009, 02:03 PM

21 Filipinos killed on way to file election papers (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ha6FJ6JRsaJkvGnvppty2USWW8UAD9C56ONG0)
By JIM GOMEZ (AP) – 52 minutes ago

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine troops found 21 bodies in the country's restive south after dozens of gunmen on Monday hijacked a convoy of politicians and supporters filing their nominations for next year's elections, officials said.

The victims, 13 women and eight men, were found in southern Ampatuan township, five kilometers (3 miles) from where they were taken hostage as they traveled in three vans earlier Monday, regional military commander Maj. Gen. Alfredo Cayton said.

The identities of the gunmen were unclear but victims' relatives blamed political rivals.

Philippine elections are particularly violent in the south because of the presence of armed groups, including Muslim rebels fighting for self-rule in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation, and political warlords who maintain private armies.

The decades-long Muslim insurgency has killed about 120,000 people since the 1970s.

But a presidential adviser, Jesus Dureza, said Monday's massacre was "unequaled in recent history."

"There must be a total stop to this senseless violence," he said, recommending that a state of emergency be imposed in the area to disarm all gunmen. "Anything else will not work."

National elections are scheduled for May 2010.

About 100 gunmen had stopped the convoy, military spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner said.

The group comprised the wife of Buluan township Vice Mayor Ismael Mangudadatu, along with his two sisters, followers and several local journalists. They were traveling to nearby Shariff Aguak township to file Mangudadatu's nomination papers for the position of governor of Maguindanao province, Brawner said.

Mangudadatu, who was not in the convoy, said his wife and relatives were among the dead. He accused his political rivals belonging to a prominent clan for the massacre. Representatives of that family did not comment on the allegations.

^^ :ohno: RP's in the international news again...:badnews:

boom_box

November 24th, 2009, 06:05 AM

^^ Incumbent daw kasi...
For sure, its somewhat slightly related to losing votes while their old dirty magic works in election doesn't work anymore with automated polls.

I also hope those pathetic news agencies in ours doesn't sensationalize this issue making whole Mindanao as a killing fields during elections...

Bad news = Good Income.. :ohno:

gen1

November 24th, 2009, 06:24 AM

that's at least 22 dead people, mostly women.

what's there to further sensationlize ?

that's the kind of news even a ugandan broadsheet will pick up.

bitoy

November 24th, 2009, 06:12 PM

Here are some photos of the Maguindanao Massacre.

*WARNING - SOME IMAGES ARE VERY GRAPHIC *

http://www.daylife.com/search/photos/1/grid?q=Maguindanao

TeslaCoil

November 24th, 2009, 07:33 PM

that's at least 22 dead people, mostly women.

what's there to further sensationlize ?

that's the kind of news even a ugandan broadsheet will pick up.

Talk about greatness in grammar :|

bakasaurus

November 24th, 2009, 08:19 PM

Philippines Declares Emergency After Killings

By CARLOS H. CONDE
Published: November 24, 2009
MANILA — The death toll in Monday’s election violence more than doubled to 46 on Tuesday, Philippine authorities said, as the government declared a state of emergency in two southern Philippine provinces in an effort to head off further bloodshed.

Enlarge This Image

Philippines Presidential Palace
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines spoke during a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Manila on Tuesday.
Related
The Lede: Politics and Clan Warfare in the Philippines

Aaron Favila/Associated Press
Police officers secured an area where bodies were recovered along a hillside grave in Datu Ampatuan, Maguindanao province, in the southern Philippines, on Tuesday.
Enlarge This Image

Rolex Dela Pena/European Pressphoto Agency
Officials worked to recover bodies on Tuesday.

The discovery of 22 more bodies left only a few people unaccounted for among of the group of about 50 lawyers, journalists and relatives of local politicians who were abducted Monday by what witnesses said were more than 100 gunmen. At least 20 journalists were among those slain, the authorities said.

A state of emergency was declared in the contiguous provinces of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat and the city of Cotabato on the southern island of Mindanao, a region notorious for its long-running political and clan feuds, officials said.

The order, by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, gives the military and the police wider authority to arrest and detain people, and to set up checkpoints and conduct searches.

“There is an urgent need to prevent and suppress the occurrence of several other incidents of lawless violence,” said Cerge Remonde, Mrs. Arroyo’s press secretary. On Tuesday, the military sent two battalions to the region as well as more equipment, including helicopters.

“No effort will be spared” to bring the perpetrators to justice, Mrs. Arroyo said in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Leila de Lima, chairwoman of the Commission on Human Rights, warned Tuesday of “an outbreak of even more violence and savagery” in the absence of “swift intervention.” The emergency rule will also empower the military and police to disarm people carrying unlicensed firearms, a major problem in Mindanao during because they are typically wielded by criminal syndicates and the private armies of political warlords.

The massacre “has put this issue up front,” said Jesus Dureza, Mrs. Arroyo’s adviser on Mindanao, who proposed the rule. “The government has to do what is necessary” to address the problem.

The southern Philippines has long been plagued by violence and is home to well-established Communist and Muslim insurgencies. A peace agreement with one of those groups, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, broke down in 2008, leading to widespread fighting until a new cease-fire was reached in July.

The United States sends $1.6 billion annually in military and economic aid the Philippines, mostly of it aimed at the insurgencies in Mindanao, particularly the Islamist group Abu Sayyaf, which has ties to Al Qaeda.

However, the authorities say this week’s election violence bears no relation to those groups but is rooted in rivalries among local clans that the government has empowered as a way of combating the insurgents. One of those clans, the Ampatuans, is considered the closest political ally of the president in that part of the southern Philippines.

Esmael Mangudadatu, the vice mayor of Buluan town in Maguindanao whose family is a bitter political enemy of the Ampatuans, said on national television that there were survivors who implicated supporters of the current Maguindanao governor, Andal Ampatuan, in the slaughter.

Mr. Mangudadatu said that about 100 armed men had abducted the group, which included his wife, Genalyn, and other female relatives. They were on their way to the local election office Monday to file candidacy papers on Mr. Mangudadatu’s behalf. He said Monday that he sent the relatives to do the chore, never thinking they would come to harm.

The Ampatuans, who have not made any public statement since the killings, and the Mangudadatus are just two of the hundreds of political dynasties all over the Philippines that struggle for control during elections.

Mr. Mangudadatu attributed the attack to his decision to challenge the governorship of Maguindanao. Mr. Ampatuan, the governor, is the patriarch of his clan, which has dominated politics in the province for decades.

Reporters Without Borders, an advocacy group for press freedoms, joined the chorus of voices denouncing the massacre. “Never in the history of journalism have the news media suffered such a heavy loss of life in one day,” the group said.

Mark McDonald contributed reporting from Hong Kong.

pi_malejana

November 24th, 2009, 08:49 PM

Here are some photos of the Maguindanao Massacre.

*WARNING - SOME IMAGES ARE VERY GRAPHIC *

http://www.daylife.com/search/photos/1/grid?q=Maguindanao

thanks... grabe ung ginawa nila...:ohno::ohno:

Talk about greatness in grammar :|

wait what?? there's nothing wrong with "a ugandan"... consonant sound naman ang Uganda, unless you pronounce it as ooo-ganda... i think both are correct..:dunno:

:cheers:

gen1

November 25th, 2009, 01:40 AM

that's at least 22 dead people, mostly women.

what's there to further sensationlize ?

that's the kind of news even a ugandan broadsheet will pick up.

Talk about greatness in grammar :|

Firstly, there's nothing wrong with that sentence. "an ugandan" is the correct phrase ? WTF ? :lol:

Secondly, and more importantly, I never claimed to have perfect english. Hindi naman English 1 class ito. forum lang.

Ikaw itong nag-correct kay Bitoy ng grammar, tapos mali naman ang grammar na ginamit sa pag-correct. kaya nakakahiya :D

yan ang hirap sa mga grammar nazi na mali naman kung mag inglis. :lol:

Bitooooooooy, ano ba itong bespren mo ! strike two na sa grammar. paki hanap mo na nga ito ng tutor ng ESL.

baka matanggal na ito sa grammar nazi pulis academy :lol:

gen1

November 25th, 2009, 01:48 AM

http://www.english-zone.com/grammar/a-anlessn.html

para sa iyo, Ginang Teslacoil

English Lessons

A/AN - Lesson on Articles

WHEN TO USE -A-
Use a if the next word begins with a consonant SOUND.
This is a sound rule, NOT a spelling rule.

a box
a cat
a university (university begins with a consonant sound)
a unicorn (unicorn begins with a consonant sound)
a European trip (European begins with a consonant sound)
a hotel (hotel begins with a consonant sound)

WHEN TO USE -AN-
Use AN if the next word begins with a vowel SOUND.
This is a sound rule, NOT a spelling rule.

an atom
an entrance
an ice cream cone
an uncle (uncle begins with a vowel sound)
an hour (the h is silent, thus a vowel sound)

bitoy

November 25th, 2009, 01:49 AM

^^ :lol: , wala akong kinalaman sa pag gamit niya ng Ingless..

basta ako, natuto kay Kriz A. mag engrish.

thanks... grabe ung ginawa nila...:ohno::ohno:

Matindi ang pangyayari talaga. I hope the investigation would lead to the culprits of this massacre.
Kung simula ng clan war ito, medyo magulo since both families were allied before, and I think, meron mga relasyon.
I just wonder where GMA would stand on this issue if her best friend's family is involved.

May they all rest in peace and given the right justice.

There are more photos on the web, pero masyado nang horrible to look at.

Askal82

November 25th, 2009, 02:01 AM

Talk about greatness in grammar :|

Huh? Yeah, we got what he meant. No need to be a grammar nazi (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=grammar+nazi) to interpret that for us.

Eriq

November 25th, 2009, 03:39 AM

Talk about greatness in grammar :|

LOL

wiljoe

November 25th, 2009, 06:56 AM

Talk about greatness in grammar :|

Tama naman grammar niya eh. Ang bobo mo pala!

beads_strawberries

November 25th, 2009, 07:44 AM

^^ The incident could really trigger a lot of violence in Mindanao. With the way our political system is going, politics is really a serious issue especially when election is in the air.

The authorities should really be proactive in resolving the issue, or at the very least, securing peace and order in the area in order not to escalate violence. The civilians are afraid that they might be involved in this feud even if they are innocent in this regard.

Muffstar

November 25th, 2009, 08:35 AM

Philippine president's ally 'top suspect' in massacreNovember 25, 2009 - 4:54PM
Philippine police on Wednesday named a political ally of President Gloria Arroyo as the prime suspect in an election-linked massacre of 46 people.

"According to the initial reports, those who were abducted and murdered at Saniag were initially stopped by a group led by the mayor of Datu Unsay," national police spokesman Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said.

The mayor of Datu Unsay is Andal Ampatuan Jnr, a member of Arroyo's ruling Lakas Kampi CMD coalition and son of an extremely powerful regional politician who has ensured local support for the president in previous elections.

The military had previously named bodyguards hired by the Ampatuan clan as the suspected gunmen in Monday's massacre in which relatives and aides of a rival politician, plus a group of journalists, were abducted and shot dead.

However, the police spokesman's comments were the first time Ampatuan Jr has been specifically named as a top suspect in the massacre, which took place in a village on the outskirts of a town that bears the clan's name.

The Ampatuan son was being groomed to succeed his father, the three-term governor of Maguindanao province on Mindanao island.

The 46 victims included the wife and relatives of rival Maguindanao politician Esmael Mangudadatu.

The victims were abducted as they were travelling in a six-vehicle convoy to nominate Mangudadatu as the opposition candidate for governor in next year's elections.

Muffstar

November 25th, 2009, 08:55 AM

Philippines declares emergency as massacre toll hits 46
By correspondents in Manila From: AFP November 25, 2009 3:23AM Increase Text Size Decrease Text Size Print Email Share Add to Digg Add to del.icio.us Add to Facebook Add to Kwoff Add to Myspace Add to Newsvine What are these?

Bodies are recovered following the massacre of at least 46 kidnap victims in the Philippines / Getty Images

Philippines declares state of emergency
Political massacre leaves 46 dead
Politicians, journalists shot

THE Philippines has declared a state of emergency in parts of the volatile south as anger spiralled over a savage political massacre that left at least 46 people dead.

Police on Mindanao island pulled bullet-riddled bodies from shallow graves after gunmen allegedly hired by a local political chief abducted then shot dead a group of politicians from a rival clan and accompanying journalists.

As thousands of troops fanned out across the ultra-tense Maguindanao province on Mindanao, President Gloria Arroyo declared a state of emergency for the area that would allow curfews and road checkpoints to be imposed.

"No effort will be spared to bring justice to the victims and hold the perpetrators accountable to the full limit of the law," Ms Arroyo said on national television.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related Coverage
President's ally suspect in massacre The Australian, 3 hours ago
Gunmen massacre 21 people Herald Sun, 1 day ago
Government vows justice for massacre Daily Telegraph, 2 days ago
Irish priest emerges from jungle The Australian, 12 Nov 2009
Militants behead Philippine teacher Daily Telegraph, 9 Nov 2009
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

National police spokesman Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina told reporters in Manila that 24 bodies had been recovered yesterday, on top of 22 that had been found on Monday.

Regional police commander Chief Superintendent Josefino Cataluna described a grisly search operation along an unpaved road in the isolated rural village of Saniag, saying 17 bodies had been pulled from just one grave.

Political violence is common in the Philippines - where more than one million unlicensed guns flow freely among a population of 92 million - and dozens of people are murdered each election season.

But the scale of Monday's massacre, as well as the targeting of journalists with no links to the clan war, has shocked and deeply angered the country, as well as governments and rights groups around the world.

"The Government must without question bring those responsible for this massacre to justice," said Nonoy Espina, vice president of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, amid reports at least 12 reporters died.

The European Union condemned the killings as "barbaric" while the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), set up to push for an international treaty to protect journalists, condemned the massacre.

"This crime against humanity, that surpasses all imagination, underscores the repeated calls of the PEC for an additional protocol or convention to protect journalists," said the Geneva-based group established by journalists alarmed at the rising death toll among media workers worldwide.

Philippine authorities initially said a group of more than 40 people had been abducted by gunmen linked to Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan, the head of a Muslim clan who is part of Arroyo's ruling coalition.

The abducted group was made up of mainly female relatives and associates of Esmael Mangudadatu, the head of a rival Muslim clan in Maguindanao, as well as a large group of journalists, the military and police said.

The group was travelling in a convoy with Mr Mangudadatu's wife as she went to register her husband to run for governor against Mr Ampatuan's son in next year's national polls. She was among those killed.

Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Brawner said the Ampatuans and their associates were believed to have been responsible for the massacre.

"The suspects are bodyguards of Ampatuan, local police aides and certain lawless elements," Brawner said.

Maguindanao's police chief was sacked and detained yesterday "because of command responsibility" after his deputy and two other policemen were identified by witnesses as being present at the massacre, authorities said.

Sickening details of the killings emerged yesterday.

"All were shot at close range," said one of the investigators on the scene, Chief Superintendent Felicisimo Khu.

The bodies of two unidentified men had their hands bound in front of them, while another man who had been shot in the face also had a knife wound down his neck, according to an AFP reporter on the scene.

Local military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Ponce told AFP that 21 of the recovered bodies were women, and 25 were men.

The Ampatuans are the longtime political rulers of Maguindanao, a mainly Muslim section of Mindanao which has been wracked by a Muslim separatist rebellion for decades.

The Ampatuan clan has been important in delivering votes to Mr Arroyo's ruling coalition in recent elections. The Ampatuan father is the provincial chair of the coalition in Maguindanao.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno vowed the government would be impartial as it pursued justice.

"I just want to assure everybody that we are doing everything necessary here, that there will be no sacred cows," he told ABS-CBN television.

Christian_123

November 25th, 2009, 09:08 AM

Yehey! Another violence! I'm pretty sure, just after 1 month. This massacre case is buried as usual..

dvbaicrviser

November 25th, 2009, 09:25 AM

RonnieR

November 25th, 2009, 10:32 AM

Dapat na talagang ibalik ang death penalty at ipataw ang firing squad sa mga abusadong ito. Isama na yung teen ager na pumatay dahil lang sa traffic.

Dapat nang magbawas ng mga itim na damo sa lipunan.

26 years old na yung killer na si Ivler due to traffic altercation.
May sayad sa ulo yon.:) Dapat nga mapatay na rin yun - shoot to kill order na

jpdm

November 25th, 2009, 12:31 PM

Yehey! Another violence! I'm pretty sure, just after 1 month. This massacre case is buried as usual..

Yehey???:ohno:

adeeh

November 25th, 2009, 01:12 PM

Yehey???:ohno:

I think that was sarcasm, not a literal Yehey...

dancethingy

November 25th, 2009, 02:42 PM

Let's please not turn this discussion into personal attacks.

I am really saddened by what happened in Maquindanao. Just yesterday i was raving about how great it was that our 2010 presidential candidates can go on primetime and answer questions from the media, public, and private sector. How great it is for our Democracy, and then this happens.

I know that with the constant streaming of bad news into our lives that sometimes we can be desensitized to bad news and resort to sarcasm and helplessness. I understand why, but this our democracy, if we lose it, how hard would it be to get it back?

bitoy

November 25th, 2009, 06:45 PM

This is the best that the gov't can do about the massacre in Maguindanao.:ohno:

(grammar check..grammar check...baka may manita na naman na taga yUganda...)

The untouchable: PNP won't touch Mayor Ampatuan (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=526824&publicationSubCategoryId=63)

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday refused to categorically name Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., a political ally of President Arroyo, as the prime suspect in an election-linked massacre in Maguindanao in the absence of concrete evidence against the Ampatuan family.

This came amid speculations that Ampatuan Jr. had already fled the country. Other sources, however, said that he is still in Maguindanao.

National police spokesman Chief Super intendent Leonardo Espina earlier said that “according to initial reports, those who were abducted and murdered at Saniag were stopped by a group led by the mayor of Datu Unsay.”

But Espina later backtracked and told reporters “to verify first the report” because the word suspect is a technical term.

“Let’s evaluate first if he will be implicated in the statements. After it is done and concluded, if he is included then his status will change. That’s the time we call him suspect,” the PNP spokesman said.

Teodoro: Expel them from Lakas (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=526680&publicationSubCategoryId=63)

MANILA, Philippines - Former defense secretary and now Lakas-Kampi-CMD chair Gilbert Teodoro Jr. yesterday called on his party to expel Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Zaldy Uy Ampatuan and Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. for their failure to uphold party ideals and principles in the province, particularly those on peaceful and legal pursuit of political power.

Lakas leaders met last night to vote on the Ampatuans’ proposed expulsion from the party and would call a press conference today to announce their decision.

Teodoro urged the government to arrest Andal Ampatuan Jr. and those believed to be behind the “dastardly crime” and disarm groups in the area to prevent an escalation of violence.

“There's no justification or no idea whatsoever I can come up with or comprehend that makes a person do these things,” he said.

He also pushed the government “to discipline and arrest public officials who should have acted, but did not act.”

gen1

November 25th, 2009, 08:16 PM

Let's please not turn this discussion into personal attacks.

Teslacoil is an alternick used by a certain forumer for his trolling activities.

Sablay lang yan lagi whenever he tries to mock me. :ohno:

If you know him personally, ask him stop it.

dancethingy

November 25th, 2009, 08:30 PM

^^ I don't know him personally.

It's day 4 after the massacre and no arrests have been made. I understand how they are handling the situation with diligence, but the PNP and maybe the army should be detaining some people for questioning.

TeslaCoil

November 25th, 2009, 10:03 PM

gen1

November 25th, 2009, 10:51 PM

see, dancethingy. ayaw talaga tumigil niyan.

alternick lang kasi kaya ok lang ma-ban ang account niya.

gen1

November 25th, 2009, 11:06 PM

naka wifi ka ba ngayon sa kapihan ? kanina nasa call center ka ano, 'day ?

gen1

November 25th, 2009, 11:31 PM

Tanga alam ko yan mali lang ako ng pronunciation.

UGANDA lang hindi mo pa alam ang pronunciation ? :lol:

you have to learn how to lie better.

Strike three, you're out :lol:

Christian_123

November 26th, 2009, 12:47 AM

Day 4 - No action from the government. As usual...

Walang pag-asa etong government na 'to..

sandman.ink

November 26th, 2009, 02:41 AM

RonnieR

November 26th, 2009, 03:42 AM

really? ano naman ang kinalaman ng buong Mindanao sa gulo nila? why would the whole of Mindanao involve themselves in one family's brazen outrage?

Yes it's true. I visited Butuan City - peaceful city and lots of economic activities. We should not generalize Maguindanao as if the whole Mindanao is in trouble. Maguindanao is not even in the radar of businessmen except for the Ampatuan. Anyway, the mayor will be brought to Manila for questioning. He is the alleged mastermind of the massacre!

Even if they are Moslems, we should also not generalize that Islam is pro-violence.

RonnieR

November 26th, 2009, 03:48 AM

it was reported that the Ampatuans are the "kings" of Maguindanao for the last 20 years! Maguindanao is one of the poorest provinces in the Philippines. So sad.

Death toll at 57 in Philippine massacre
AP

By AARON FAVILA and JIM GOMEZ, Associated Press Writers Aaron Favila And Jim Gomez, Associated Press Writers – Wed Nov 25, 4:40 pm ET

AMPATUAN, Philippines – Officials found 11 more bodies Wednesday at the site of an attack on an election caravan in the south, bringing the death toll in the massacre to 57, and police said they are investigating a member of a powerful clan allied with the president's administration.

Six of the bodies in southern Maguindanao province were discovered in a large pit buried alongside three vehicles, and five were found in a mass grave a few miles (kilometers) off the main highway.

The vehicles — a sedan and two vans — were crushed by a large backhoe that ran over and buried them, investigator Jose Garcia said. Police were trying to determine if the vehicles were part of the caravan.

The dead from Monday's massacre included the wife and two sisters of gubernatorial candidate Ismael Mangudadatu and 18 Filipino journalists accompanying the caravan. It is the largest number of reporters killed in a single attack anywhere in the world, according to media groups.

Police identified the prime suspect as Andal Ampatuan Jr., a scion of the powerful Ampatuan clan led by the former provincial governor. The clan, which has ruled the province unopposed for eight years, helped President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her allies win the 2004 presidential and 2007 senatorial elections by delivering crucial votes.

The military also said it will disarm two government-armed civilian militia companies, or about 200 men, in the province. The militia are meant to act as an auxiliary force to the military and police in fighting rebels and criminals but often serve as a private security force.

The killings provoked outrage beyond the Philippines, with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and media and human rights watchdogs urging Arroyo to punish the attackers.

Mangudadatu, after receiving death threats, had sent his wife and relatives to submit his candidacy. He wanted to challenge Andal Ampatuan Jr., who serves as a town mayor and whose family has ruled the province with an iron fist backed up by private armies and legions of bodyguards.

Mangudadatu said four people whom he refused to identify told him the convoy was stopped by dozens of gunmen loyal to Ampatuan. Police said they are investigating reports that Ampatuan, four police commanders, and dozens of police and pro-government militiamen were among the gunmen who blocked the convoy.

National Police Chief Jesus Versoza said the four commanders — including one provincial police chief — were relieved of their duties and confined to camp while being investigated.

Arroyo vowed justice for the victims and declared a national day of mourning.

"This is a supreme act of inhumanity that is a blight on our nation," she said in a statement. "The perpetrators will not escape justice. The law will haunt them until they are caught."

Arroyo declared a state of emergency in Maguindanao and a neighboring Sultan Kudarat province, sending extra troops and police. Troops set up checkpoints to confiscate illegal weapons, military spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner said.

The country's tourism secretary, Ace Durano, said in a statement that tourism spots frequented by travelers to the Philippines were unaffected.

Few think Arroyo will be able to restore the rule of law in the impoverished, lawless region that has been outside the central government's reach for generations, and where warlords backed by private armies go by their own rules. Maguindanao's acting governor is Sajid Ampatuan, another son of former Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., the clan's patriarch. Members of the family could not be reached for comment.

The clan helped deliver votes for the Arroyo administration in 2004 elections. Human Rights Watch expressed concern Wednesday that the administration's relationship with the family would hinder an impartial investigation.

Arroyo's ruling party, in an emergency meeting late Wednesday, expelled Ampatuan Sr. and his two sons.

Arroyo adviser Jesus Dureza said he met Tuesday with Andal Ampatuan Sr. and received assurances that his family would cooperate in the probe. Many throughout the Philippines expressed skepticism.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila condemned the killings. "Such barbaric acts violate the most fundamental principles of human rights and democracy," Ambassador Kristie Kenney said. "We strongly believe that a thorough, rapid, and transparent investigation must be conducted, and those responsible must be brought to swift justice."

Among the dead journalists was Alejandro "Bong" Reblando, 53, a former Associated Press stringer and the most senior in the group of reporters. Reblando, who was based in General Santos City, was a staffer for the Manila Bulletin daily newspaper.

He covered the southern Philippines for the AP from the late 1980s to the early 2000s, reporting on the Muslim separatist insurgency as well as local politics.

He is survived by his wife and seven children.

Christian_123

November 26th, 2009, 04:52 AM

Walang manyayari sa kaso na eto.. Halatang pinapaikot lang tayo ng PNP at ng AFP tunkol sa kaso na ito...

Sana karmahin ang gobyerno at sana lahat ng foreign aid na pinapadala sa atin ay tumigil na dahil lumalaki lang ang bulsa nila. Pag humingi ng foreign naman ang pinas, deny na agad dapat. Para one-two punch eto sa mukha ng gobyerno ng pilipinas..

dancethingy

November 26th, 2009, 06:24 AM

see, dancethingy. ayaw talaga tumigil niyan.

alternick lang kasi kaya ok lang ma-ban ang account niya.

I feel ya.

Ang kapal ng mga mukha ng mga nagplano ng massacre na ito. Did they really think that such a barbaric act would be dismissed so easily by the public. Right now they are getting WORLD CONDEMNATION.

greenice

November 26th, 2009, 06:47 AM

AMPATUAN SURRENDERS
INQUIRER.net, Inquirer Mindanao
First Posted 07:59:00 11/26/2009

SHARIFF AGUAK – (UPDATE 5) A key suspect in the gruesome killings in Maguindanao province and member of a powerful clan in Mindanao has surrendered to authorities.

Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., son of Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., has been identified as having masterminded the massacre last November 23 that claimed the lives of at least 57 people, including 18 journalists who were supposed to cover the filing of candidacy for governor of the Ampatuans’ political rival, Buluan Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu.

Ampatuan Jr., accompanied by brother and ARMM Governor Zaldy Ampatuan, gave himself up at 11:20 a.m. to Jesus Dureza, presidential adviser on Mindanao in the capitol of Maguindanao.

Ampatuan Jr. and Dureza hugged each other before boarding a helicopter for General Santos City. Ampatuan will be handed over to Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera, according to reports.

Earlier in the day, Philippine National Police Chief Jesus Verzosa said on radio that several gunmen were arrested.

He identified the suspects as militiamen under the control of Ampatuan Jr.

"Andal Ampatuan Jr. is a suspect. He has sent feelers and Secretary Dureza will accompany him to submit to an investigation," Verzosa said.

The massacre occurred after about 100 Ampatuan gunmen allegedly abducted a six-vehicle convoy of aides and relatives of Mangudadatu.

They were shot at close range, some with their hands tied behind their backs, and dumped or buried in shallow graves on a remote farming road close to a town bearing the Ampatuan name.

Fifty-seven bodies have been recovered so far, and police are still searching for more potential victims.

Ampatuan Sr. had been grooming his son, currently a local mayor, to take over as governor of Maguindanao.

The victims' relatives alleged the Ampatuans organized the murders so that Mangudadatu would not run for that post.

Thursday's actions by the police were the first arrests in relation to the massacre.

Maxxclip

November 26th, 2009, 06:52 AM

^^ they hugged each other?

Fraulein

November 26th, 2009, 06:59 AM

Ang nakakalungkot ay damay tayong lahat sa imahe ng Pilipinas sa buong mundo dahil sa kagagawan ng walang pusong yan sa Mindanao. :ohno:

Ang layo kaya ng Manila sa Maguindanao. :ohno:

Maxxclip

November 26th, 2009, 07:04 AM

^^
“Ang sakit ng Kalingkingan, ramdam ng buong katawan”

Muffstar

November 26th, 2009, 07:21 AM

Philippine massacre suspect in custodyTED ALJIBE
November 26, 2009 - 3:59PM
Philippine authorities on Thursday took into custody a politician named as the top suspect in an election massacre that left at least 57 people dead, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno told reporters.

Andal Ampatuan Jnr was taken by helicopter from his hometown in Maguindanao province on Thursday morning to a nearby airport, from where he would be flown to Manila for questioning, Puno said.

Ampatuan has denied being involved in the killings. "There is no truth to that," Andal Ampatuan Jnr told reporters here when asked whether he led the killings.

News of the politician's detention comes as Puno also announced that all the police from the town of Ampatuan are being investigated.

Meanwhile Philippine security forces have poured into the territory of where they have arrested and disarmed gunmen.

An AFP photographer witnessed armoured personnel carriers patrolling highways in the southern province of Maguindanao, and television footage showed police commandos surrounding buildings in major towns controlled by the clan. Related article: forces secure Philippine province

Police announced the operation had secured the first arrests since the brutal explosion of political violence, saying several gunmen were detained on Thursday morning.

"We don't have an exact number (of those arrested) but our policemen in the area have arrested several," national police Director General Jesus Verzosa said on DZBB radio.

Maguindanao is a part of the lawless Mindanao island, where Muslim clans rule vast areas backed by their own private armies, often out of the national government's control.

Monday's massacre occurred after about 100 Ampatuan gunmen allegedly abducted a convoy of aides and relatives of a rival politician, Esmael Mangudadatu, plus a group of journalists.

The victims were snatched as they were travelling in a six-vehicle convoy to nominate Mangudadatu as the opposition candidate for provincial governor in next year's elections.

They were shot at close range, some with their hands tied behind their backs, and dumped or buried in shallow graves on a remote farming road close to a town bearing the Ampatuan name.

Fifty-seven bodies have been recovered so far, and police were expected to continue searching Thursday for more potential victims.

Ampatuan Snr had been grooming his son to take over as governor of Maguindanao.

The victims' relatives alleged the Ampatuans organised the murders so that Mangudadatu would not run for that post.

The ruling Lakas Kampi CMD coalition late on Wednesday expelled both Ampatuans from the party.

Ampatuan's brother, Zaldy, who was governor of an autonomous region on Mindanao that included Maguindanao, was also expelled.

"(They were) expelled for their failure to uphold party ideals and principles in their area of jurisdiction," the coalition's nomination for president in next year's elections, Gilberto Teodoro, said in a statement.

wheel of steel

November 26th, 2009, 07:57 AM

Manood tayo sa ABSCBN (bahay ni ABNOY), para lahat balita ay mali palagi at sisi sa gobyerno ni PGMA. :lol:

kurapica

November 26th, 2009, 08:05 AM

^^ infernez, not so good news nga talaga sya.

Christian_123

November 26th, 2009, 09:57 AM

Manood tayo sa ABSCBN (bahay ni ABNOY), para lahat balita ay mali palagi at sisi sa gobyerno ni PGMA. :lol:

In fairness to ABS-CBN -2, for the first time, reported something honest without over sensationalizing it. They can actually blame PGMA and the government as whole for the lack of action and arrest. Listen to Ted Failon sa radyo at mararamdaman mo na galit sya talaga sa walang aksyon. Lalo na nung pinapaikot sya nung ininterview un isang general..

Even GMA 7 is on an outrage and became an Anti-PGMA due to the lack of action.

Infact, everyone is on an outrage. Even the international community is angry at the philippines to the point that they dubbed the philippines as the WORLD's DANGEROUS place for journalist. Tinalo pa natin ang Iraq which is under a war!

shyaman

November 26th, 2009, 09:58 AM

^^ infernez, not so good news nga talaga sya.

^^ I can even call it the worst news ever. Deaths caused by natural calamities pale in comparison to this brutal killings.

pi_malejana

November 26th, 2009, 10:02 AM

and to think that a Filipino just received the Hero of the Year award from CNN...:ohno::wallbash:

Christian_123

November 26th, 2009, 10:05 AM

That guy deserves the award....We're proud of our country BUT NOT proud of our government!

pi_malejana

November 26th, 2009, 10:17 AM

That guy deserves the award....We're proud of our country BUT NOT proud of our government!

i know... it's just that when the country is recognized positively because of its people, dumating naman etong problema na eto--tarnishing our image...:ohno:

sandman.ink

November 26th, 2009, 10:39 AM

pi_malejana

November 26th, 2009, 11:10 AM

veiled and covered ang suspect...I suggest they perform DNA test, to make sure if sya talaga ang tinurnover sa authorities...I won't be surprised if they gave up an impersonator. sorry, my wild imagination had the best of me. :D

i thought of that too...:D until i saw the flash report, siya naman talaga un...:D
pero kelangan pati ung tatay (governor) i-question... the backhoe is under the provincial government so baka may kinalaman din siya dun...:ohno:

jpdm

November 26th, 2009, 01:02 PM

Special treatment for Ampatuans

EDITORIAL
Daily Tribune
11/26/2009

Betting odds are that the Ampatuans won’t be charged, or if charged for the gruesome massacre, cases will be dismissed on account of alleged insufficient evidence, which is the case every single time allies of the Arroyo administration are linked to criminal activities.

Already, clear indications point to the fact that the Ampatuans are being given the special treatment.

Despite the fact that the police investigation reportedly showed that Ampatuan’s son is the prime suspect, there has been no move on the part of the Gloria Arroyo administration to have him and all other Ampatuans (being a clan matter) invited for questioning, which is the usual route the government takes whenever a political foe is linked to a crime.

Even Malacañang, through the Press Secretary, has stated it will not order the relief and arrest of Andal Ampatuan Jr., Datu Unsay mayor, who is set to run for Maguindanao governor.

His rival is Esmael Mangudadatu, whose wife, relatives, supporters and journalists accompanied them were all killed, with some raped, mutilated and beheaded in the most gruesome massacre that has outraged the nation and even the international community.

So why the reluctance on the part of the Palace to order Ampatuan’s relief and arrest?

The Palace all too suddenly latches on to the constitutional guarantee of “due process” which the Palace and its minions have often been in the breach, when it comes to their political rivals.

“We have due process to be observed also, so let us allow the investigators to come up with their findings through their investigation,” and that only after police find sufficient evidence linking Ampatuan Jr. to the massacre will his relief from his post and his arrest will follow.

That is hardly the usual style of the Palace whenever political foes are involved, or even when just drug and terrorism suspects are linked to crimes.

They are usually placed on public parade and already adjudged guilty by the administration. But of course, those said to be involved in the grisly massacre of over 50 persons, including the media practitioners, are the goons of the Ampatuans, who are also close allies of Gloria, but more importantly, deliver the fraudulent votes to ensure the victory of the administration candidates, especially Gloria’s when she ran for the presidency in 2004.

What is likely to happen, given the strong public pressure on government, is that several goons of the Ampatuans will be slapped with multiple murder charges.

It should be easy, given the full control of the Ampatuans in their province, for them to pay off a few of their men who will take the rap for the Ampatuans, clear them of any involvement while the powerful clan will assure its arrested goons that their families will be richly taken care of, because the other option is for their kith and kin to be killed too, should they involve the Ampatuans.

Given this scenario, can there be “sufficient evidence” with which to charge the alleged brains of this gruesome massacre?

Gloria has to protect the Ampatuans, no matter the public pressure exerted on her, not only because of the electoral votes for her administration or secretly anointed candidates in 2010, but also because the Ampatuans, if they feel that they are being crossed by Gloria and her Malacañang, know too much, and may just spill the beans on the cheating that went on, year after election year.

After all, Gloria will no longer be in Malacañang some six months from today and a new Malacañang tenant will hardly protect this powerful Muslim clan, especially if pressure is exerted on the new Palace occupant. And they may even rot in jail, out of position and power.

And so continues this horrendous culture of impunity, made more horrific under the Gloria government.

wiljoe

November 26th, 2009, 01:44 PM

UGANDA lang hindi mo pa alam ang pronunciation ? :lol:

you have to learn how to lie better.

Strike three, you're out :lol:

Ang bobo talaga! Proud pa siyang sa pronunciation siya nagkamali!

anonymous_filipino

November 26th, 2009, 04:07 PM

Blame this administration for the atrocity in Maguindanao! Kung napansin niyo sa TV kanina, si Andal Ampatuan Jr. hindi pinosasan. Where will you find the prime suspect in a very heinous crime was not handcuffed even though he or she voluntarily surrendered? Only in the Philippines. Parang binibigyan talaga ng special treatment ng hinayupak na gobyernong ito ang mga tumulong sa kanila mangdaya noong 2004 at 2007! Mga p*t***ina talaga! Dahil sa kanila kaya naging ganyan ang mga Ampatuan! Ika nga ni Manong Ted Failon sa Tambalang Failon at Sanchez, the Ampatuans are not the dogs of this administration. They are the elephants of PGMA

Rajah_Soliman

November 26th, 2009, 04:49 PM

really sad!!! really bad!!!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2646/4135391615_d53295a3f2_b.jpg

Jake_noypi

November 26th, 2009, 06:15 PM

Sana after this administration maipakulong si GLORIA MACAPAGAL!!

Askal82

November 26th, 2009, 07:23 PM

bitoy

November 26th, 2009, 09:02 PM

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/07xidXP32deg0/610x.jpg

Sarap ng kain ng lawyer niya. :D

RonnieR

November 27th, 2009, 01:40 AM

hahahaha. It shouldn't surprise us that GMA is scratching his back because back then, the Ampatuan's scratched her's in 2004. Well, we 'know' what happened back then right? She's simply showing a debt of gratitude for that favor she asked before - aka 'utang na loob'. Galing ng pakikisama nila. Wala ngang iwanan. ;) :lol:

Sana after this administration maipakulong si GLORIA MACAPAGAL!!

Blame this administration for the atrocity in Maguindanao! Kung napansin niyo sa TV kanina, si Andal Ampatuan Jr. hindi pinosasan. Where will you find the prime suspect in a very heinous crime was not handcuffed even though he or she voluntarily surrendered? Only in the Philippines. Parang binibigyan talaga ng special treatment ng hinayupak na gobyernong ito ang mga tumulong sa kanila mangdaya noong 2004 at 2007! Mga p*t***ina talaga! Dahil sa kanila kaya naging ganyan ang mga Ampatuan! Ika nga ni Manong Ted Failon sa Tambalang Failon at Sanchez, the Ampatuans are not the dogs of this administration. They are the elephants of PGMA

Guys, let's not forget the history of the Ampatuans in Maguindanao. It's not only due to Gloria's. Ampatuan Sr. was appointed in 1986 as OIC of the region after the ouster of Marcos....

Excerpts:

The Ampatuans belong to an old warrior lineage in Maguindanao, and local press reports say their forefathers fought against the Spanish and American colonisers as well as Japanese invaders over the centuries.

Muslims on Mindanao island have a fierce history of resisting outside rulers, a tradition that continues today with an insurgency that has claimed more than 150,000 lives since the late 1970s, according to military figures.

Many Ampatuan clan members also fought military repression during the martial law rule of Ferdinand Marcos, according to Julkipli Wadi, an Islamic studies scholar at the University of the Philippines.

Their rise to political prominence, however, came when Andal Ampatuan Snr was named officer-in-charge of the province after Marcos fell in 1986, Wadi told AFP."

Hirono-kun

November 27th, 2009, 03:38 AM

Well, perhaps all of you already know that they are two major clans in Maguindanao: The Mangudadatus and the Ampatuans.

From what I heard, the Mangudadatus owned the MILF and the Ampatuans owned the Government.

For many years, they are quarreling the land of Maguindanao and show whose the real owner of the land. Since 1980's or before, they are mortal enemies. Bloody war here, bloody war there. They are also one of the contributors why mindanao also considered as a hazardous place for foreigners.

By the time of election (2010), since the municipality of Mangudadatus don't have a COMELEC office, they were forced to go to the munucipality of Ampatuan, where the COMELEC office was located, only a few kilometers away from shariff Aguak (in fact the two municipalities are beside each other)

An you all know the rest of the story.

As they headed on Shariff Aguak, yes that is, they were blocked by 100+ armed men [perhaps his (Ampatuan's) private guards]. All of the female persons (including the journalists) were raped then after that they were joined by the male victims and the suspects chopped almost all (or all ?) of the victims heads.

After all of the victims were chopped and dead, the dead bodies were bulldozed to make sure that no one can see it. But we all know that there is/are witnesses who is/are hiding behind the crime scene.

^^
“Ang sakit ng Kalingkingan, ramdam ng buong katawan”

How can you only say it is only "Kalingkingan"?

It is too painful for me IMO. Perhaps because I'm from Mindanao(davao). :(

Maxxclip

November 27th, 2009, 03:49 AM

^^

Ang nakakalungkot ay damay tayong lahat sa imahe ng Pilipinas sa buong mundo dahil sa kagagawan ng walang pusong yan sa Mindanao. :ohno:

Ang layo kaya ng Manila sa Maguindanao. :ohno:

^^
“Ang sakit ng Kalingkingan, ramdam ng buong katawan”

Ang "Kalingkingan" ay ang "Maguindanao" at ang "buong katawan" ay ang Pilipinas

ang "sakit ng katawan" ay ang Karahasan

;)

RonnieR

November 27th, 2009, 11:59 AM

How Maguindanao massacre will affect 2010 polls

by Raju Gopalakrishnan, Reuters | 11/27/2009 4:06 PM

MANILA - Philippine police have taken into custody the main suspect in the killing of 57 people in the south of the country earlier this week, an election-related massacre that has sparked worldwide condemnation.

Here are some questions and answers on what this means for the elections next year and future politics in the country:

WILL THE KILLNGS AFFECT THE MAY 2010 ELECTIONS?

Violence has always accompanied balloting in the Philippines and about 130 people were killed at the last national polls in 2007. The massacre was horrific, and is the biggest single bout of election-related violence, but it most probably will not have a long-lasting impact.

Indeed, the government crackdown on the powerful Ampatuan family, whose supporters are suspected to have perpetrated the killings, could have a sobering effect.

WHAT DOES THE MASSACRE MEAN FOR PRESIDENT ARROYO?

The Ampatuans have previously been called valuable political allies by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and many commentators have said her support has emboldened the clan.

But the taking into custody of Andal Ampatuan Jr on Thursday, and moves by the government to break the family's stranglehold on Maguindanao province, demonstrate its willingness to crack down.

Arroyo is not eligible to contest next year's elections, but her Lakas-Kampi-CMD alliance has already made its position known by expelling the Ampatuan patriarch and two of his sons from the party.

IS THE MASSACRE RELATED TO MUSLIM REBELS?

Not really. The massacre was the continuation of a clan feud between the Ampatuans and the rival Mangudadatu family, one of hundreds in the south of the country. Rido, or clan feuds, have been a way of life in the Mindanao region for centuries, and both Christian and Muslim families are involved.

The Mangudadatu family controls adjoining Sultan Kudarat province and there have been sporadic clashes between the large private armies over several months. The Mangudadatu plan to contest the Maguindanao governor's post in next year's elections provided the spark for the killings.

The country's largest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Front (MILF), is based in Maguindanao and is fiercely opposed to the Ampatuans. But some among the Mangudadatus are also uncomfortable with the MILF, since they control a provincial government and do not want anything to do with a rebel outfit.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW?

The government's main aim is to ensure that there is no retaliation against the Ampatuans by the Mangudadatus, which could lead to spiralling violence in an area where security forces are thinly stretched.

For now, it looks as if the government is intent on diluting the Ampatuan family's grip on local politics and establishing the rule of law.

It is highly unlikely the feuding or its aftermath will spread north toward Manila and the densely populated Luzon region, where the country's industry and financial markets are located.

In electoral terms, it is also unlikely that Maguindanao will return an administration candidate en bloc, as it did for Arroyo in 2004, but the number of votes in the region will only make a marginal difference in the overall tallies.

as of 11/27/2009 4:06 PM

RonnieR

November 27th, 2009, 12:16 PM

Palace: Government won’t stop chasing Maguindanao killers

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 17:45:00 11/27/2009

Filed Under: Eleksyon 2010, Crime, Elections, Maguindanao Massacre, Election Violence

MANILA, Philippines—The government will not stop in its pursuit of the people behind the massacre of at least 57 people in Maguindanao even with the arrest and charging of one of the perpetrators, Andal Ampatuan Jr., the mayor of Datu Unsay town, Malacañang said Friday.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has reiterated her order to “apply the full force of the law” and use the needed government resources to give justice to the victims, her Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said.

Arroyo met with Remonde, Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, Justice Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno early Friday where she gave fresh instructions to ensure swift justice to the victims.

Ampatuan has been charged with multiple murder for allegedly ordering the mass murder.

Asked if the government was considering the Ampatuan as the brains behind the massacre, Remonde said, “We are not limiting it to Datu Unsay (Mayor Ampatuan), but perhaps to other people who are also possibly involved.”

Remonde also assured that the government would take care of the security of the witnesses and their families.

“We would like to assure the protection and welfare of all witnesses. All steps shall be taken by the government not only to give security to the witnesses (but to) even take care of the welfare of their families . . . to be able to build a strong case against the culprits of this heinous crime,” he said at the Palace’s weekly briefing aired live over government station Radyo ng Bayan.

Christian_123

November 27th, 2009, 04:10 PM

Puro pacute lang sila dahil election period na! Pustahan pa tayo, wala talagang manyayari sa kaso na ito..

great184

November 27th, 2009, 06:11 PM

Yeah, i dread that this case will just simply fade away. And the same warlords will be elected again, showing to the world that here, tyranny and corruption is the norm.

Igsuonnimo

November 27th, 2009, 07:24 PM

We're proud of our country BUT NOT proud of our government!

Dun sa nangyari sa Maguindanao, Gayahin kaya ng mga adviser ni :tyty: Queen Gloria :tyty: ang ginawa ng Great Britain sa Turks and Caicos?

Gawin na lang na Departement of Maguindanao ; cabinet level magmumula sa Malacañang-PALAKA(Executive-Legislative) at sakay sa isyu ng Federalism? :okay:

:bowtie: Ako ay Pinoy, mahilig ako manggaya :bowtie:

:laugh:

:baeh3:

:banana2:

bitoy

November 28th, 2009, 04:34 AM

I just find it odd for the government not to issue a search warrant on all the mansions of the suspects to find the weapons and other evidence that the massacre witnesses mentioned on their statements.

http://images.military.com/pics/SoldierTech_Shrike-2.jpg

metrosuburban

November 28th, 2009, 08:55 AM

^^

Ang "Kalingkingan" ay ang "Maguindanao" at ang "buong katawan" ay ang Pilipinas

ang "sakit ng katawan" ay ang Karahasan

;)

edi tanggalin ang kalingkingan sa katawan.. :bash:

Maxxclip

November 28th, 2009, 09:05 AM

^^paano kung ang ulo ang sumakit?

Muffstar

November 29th, 2009, 10:49 AM

metrosuburban

November 29th, 2009, 11:09 PM

^^paano kung ang ulo ang sumakit?

The head must be represented by Metro Manila, therefore immediate action must be taken. :banana:

Peng Hok

November 29th, 2009, 11:34 PM

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/07xidXP32deg0/610x.jpg

Sarap ng kain ng lawyer niya. :D

Parang walang sense of concern sa mukha ni Ampatuan sa photo na to. Relax na relax sya. Baka kasi alam nya na part of the script lang yung kunwaring pagkakakulong nya.

According to a friend who is a member of the other clan, one of her aunts, after ginahasa at bago patayin, sinaksak saksak pa ng kutsilyo yung ari niya.

buenos-Diaz

December 1st, 2009, 05:33 AM

Parang walang sense of concern sa mukha ni Ampatuan sa photo na to. Relax na relax sya. Baka kasi alam nya na part of the script lang yung kunwaring pagkakakulong nya.

According to a friend who is a member of the other clan, one of her aunts, after ginahasa at bago patayin, sinaksak saksak pa ng kutsilyo yung ari niya.

^^wat a hell.......grabe tama ka Peng Hok may niluto kung baga sa Awarding ceremony nakahain na kung sinu ung nanalo sa contest...just take a look sa pic Chowking pa kinakain nila and may assurance tlga sila na di sila magigipit sa kaso:ohno::ohno::ohno:

almycha

December 1st, 2009, 05:44 AM

Ang bobo talaga! Proud pa siyang sa pronunciation siya nagkamali!

Wiljoe dahan dahan lang. Teka sino bang bobo ang tinutukoy mo? Kaunting difference ayos na yun.

jpdm

December 1st, 2009, 04:23 PM

Theres The Rub

Puny

By Conrado de Quiros
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:42:00 11/29/2009

I now believe Arroyo hired her spokespersons so she could have deniability. So she could always disown the thoughts and sentiments they ascribe to her.

Look how Lorelei Fajardo answered last week the question of whether her boss would continue to have anything to do with the Ampatuans. “I don’t think the President’s friendship with the Ampatuans will be severed. Just because they’re in this situation doesn’t mean we will turn our backs on them.” Allowing for some nuances lost or added by our reporter’s translation of her remarks from Tagalog to English, they still leave you gaping in disbelief.

Just because they’re in this situation? Well, this is not a situation where they’ve been found stealing ballot boxes from precincts. This is not a situation where—since there’s no need to steal ballot boxes anyway, they can always produce zero votes for GMA’s rivals—they’ve been found terrorizing rival clans. This is not a situation where their rivals’ supporters have been found rotting in grassy knolls, and though suspicion naturally falls on them, they cannot be pinned down to it.

This is a situation where 57 people have been brutally murdered, the teeming number of the dead exceeded only by the wanton savagery of the deed. This is a situation where men and women—and had there been children, children too, the witnesses swearing Andal Jr., not unlike Herod, expressly ordered them to kill every man, woman and child—were variously tortured and raped, the genitalia of some of the women mutilated, before they were shot. This is a situation where, like the vicious lords of crime empires who have become so by showing the world they are prepared to boldly go where no cutthroats have gone before, the Ampatuans have announced their handiwork for all to see and fear.

Just because they’ve severed heads, GMA will sever her ties with them? Good question.

Before that, Cerge Remonde was asking Andal Ampatuan Jr. to voluntarily surrender.

Why on earth would you ask the author of something that easily qualifies in the international courts as a crime against humanity to give himself up? Or indeed, as Ronaldo Puno did, to show he was a tough guy, warn the Ampatuans that if Andal did not surrender by midday last Thursday they risked a military assault?

Do you tell the Abu Sayyaf, when they’ve left their hostages dead and decapitated, to turn themselves over or risk military action? Do you tell the MILF when you believe them to have ambushed a group of soldiers to surrender themselves? No. You send your special forces to storm their lairs and to run them to the ground. If they surrender, fine, if they don’t just as fine, if not better. You do not make it a matter of choice. Paying for a crime is not a matter of volition. Paying for a crime of this magnitude is not a matter of “sige na nga, suko na nga lang ako.”

The only thing in fact that Remonde and Puno contribute by their utterances is to acknowledge what Toto Mangudadatu knows, what the witnesses and survivors know, what the dead know, what all of Maguindanao or indeed Mindanao knows, what the world knows, with absolute certainty:

The Ampatuans did it.

And then there was GMA herself, lamenting “this tragedy” and “sad legacy of our nation,” asking us to “pray today that the events of this week will not deter us from breaking the bonds of violence that plague our political system.”

This wasn’t the first time GMA did this. Caught plotting with Garci to steal the vote, she fulminated against the legacy of patronage that had been plaguing our political system, as though what she had done wasn’t the very apotheosis of patronage politics. Caught masterminding the NBN deal, she fulminated against the legacy of corruption that had been plaguing this country’s social system, as though what she had done wasn’t to push corruption to the max. And now caught coddling the Ampatuans, she fulminates against the legacy of violence that has been plaguing this country, as though what she has done is not to sow the seeds of bloodletting whose bitter harvest we are now reaping.

Sad? Tragic? I don’t know which is the more vicious, the violence the Ampatuans wreaked upon life or the violence GMA wreaks upon thought.

One is tempted to say that GMA’s own sense of impunity does not lie in a lack of appreciation for the enormity of the crime but only in the smug confidence that she will get away with it just as she has gotten away with all sorts of crimes in the past. In part that is true. She has gotten away with lying, she has gotten away with cheating, she has gotten away with stealing. Hell, she has gotten away with murder, the real, literal and physical murder of Jonas Burgos and the other political activists, many of them in the flush of youth, filled with fire, life and idealism. As has her current defense secretary, Norberto Gonzales. She figures she’ll get away with this one too.

But it’s more than that. It is simply that having spent a lifetime dodging retribution for crimes that commend themselves to the Hague, her own sense of enormity, atrocity and monstrosity has been bonsai-ed. Look at her utterances and see if there is anything in them resembling the kind of reaction the ordinary citizens feel, the instinctive recoiling from vileness so unthinkable, so mind-boggling, so past the range of human experience it has had several women friends of mine having nightmares about it. Look at her utterances and see if there is anything in them resembling the unspeakable outrage the ordinary citizens feel, the sense of violation so complete, so thorough, so annihilative of human interiority they soar to hellish heights contemplating punishments worse than death.

But the hour of reckoning is near. Those who feel impunity now will soon find themselves:

Puny.

jpdm

December 2nd, 2009, 02:42 AM

Insatiable

SKETCHES
By Ana Marie Pamintuan
(The Philippine Star)
Updated December 02, 2009 12:00 AM

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is simply behaving true to form, so no one should be surprised that she hasn’t had enough of power and is running for a seat in the House of Representatives. She is perfect for that house of iniquity and insatiable greed.

And the people of Lubao, Pampanga, many of them recipients of largesse from the family long associated (though never convicted of anything) with jueteng operations, the clan of Bong and Lilia Pineda, are expected to grant the President her wish for a continuation of her brand of public service.

GMA’s relatives must have told her what a “rewarding” experience it can be. The 13th Congress has four presidential relatives feeding from the House trough: GMA sons Mikey and Dato, brother-in-law Iggy and Kasangga party-list Rep. Ma. Lourdes Arroyo.

As an “honorable” member of Congress, GMA won’t be immune from criminal prosecution for offenses committed during her incumbency.

But a House seat will make her one step closer to the realization of her post-presidency game plan, as related by a reliable source: to vie for the speaker’s post, then shepherd Charter change and a shift to a parliamentary system, under which she could try to become prime minister.

There are too many unpredictable factors in that game plan.

Failing in that, the reliable source told me that Plan B is to get as many of her allies as possible elected to House seats, so they can have the numbers if not to push the shift to a parliamentary system, then to blackmail whoever becomes the next president with impeachment.

If that weapon does not save GMA from prosecution for plunder, she or her allies can at least wangle certain concessions, possibly lucrative, from Malacañang.

These are the legacies of nine years under GMA.

The impeachment process has been turned into a farce, and a tool for political blackmail. At the opening of every session, some clown like Oliver Lozano will file an impeachment complaint, designed to be accepted by the House but dismissed, against the sitting president, to inoculate him or her from further complaints for one year.

The Office of the Ombudsman has become an extension of the Malacañang legal office.

Justice is for sale, with judges and justices kowtowing to Malacañang in hopes of getting a promotion. Even some Supreme Court justices are ready to obey Malacañang’s whims in exchange for an appointment, to a diplomatic posting for example, upon their retirement.

GMA brought back GI Joe in exchange for US support for her presidency, and encouraged millions of Filipinos to go overseas for lack of decent job opportunities in their own land. She allowed runaway population growth, which made the best economic performance of her administration meaningless for the poor, in exchange for the support of the Catholic Church.

Following the leader, delicadeza in public service has disappeared, with every official hanging on to his or her post even when caught in a questionable activity or indicted for a criminal offense.

Since 2001, the country has steadily slid in all international surveys on competitiveness, transparency, quality of education and other human development indicators.

GMA will be remembered for lavish dinners, leaking breast implants and chasing Barack Obama.

Her final legacy is violence. Violence against media workers, 74 of whom have been killed under her watch, many at the hands of her political allies. Violence against militant activists, with the commander-in-chief heaping praise on military human rights violators and supporting the political career of the likes of Jovito Palparan. And violence against women, with the country’s second female President refusing to even censure her deputy national security adviser even after he had bragged in public that he had beaten the mother of his children.

* * *

Now GMA wants Filipinos to have more of her, after nine years.

Not even the unimaginable horror of the Maguindanao massacre could make GMA rethink her game plan for her new path (she hopes) to perpetuate herself in power.

Clearly, this president is incapable of feeling the remotest responsibility for the slaughter of 57 people. No responsibility is felt for issuing an executive order in 2006 that effectively allowed political warlords to institutionalize, expand or create their private armies, in defiance of a constitutional ban, at taxpayers’ expense.

No responsibility is felt for giving the Ampatuans carte blanche to run the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as they pleased, like private property, beyond the reach of the country’s laws.

Tribal rules have long prevailed and clan feuds have simmered for a long time in the conflict areas of Mindanao. But coddling warlord clans in exchange for political support has worsened in the nine years under GMA, with the warlords engaging in organized crime and murdering opponents and critics with impunity.

The Maguindanao massacre was the worst manifestation of this impunity, this belief that one can expect to get away with butchering people.

The Ampatuans are accused of perpetrating the worst election-related violence in this country and the world’s worst atrocity against journalists. But the President’s spokeswoman, her distant relative, said the massacre was no reason for GMA to sever her friendship with her staunch allies the Ampatuans.

The massacre, perpetrated in the region of Lintang Bedol and Virgilio Garcillano, has given face to unspeakable evil. Coupled with the immoderate greed for power and all its perks, the projection of the 2010 race as a battle between good and evil will be sustained until May.

GMA will win; her Lubao town mates will see to that.

Her party’s standard-bearer will lose. Gilbert Teodoro’s message of “national healing” is coming off too much like forgive and forget, and the nation – except perhaps for GMA’S cabalens and the Ampatuans – are in no mood to forgive and forget.

By refusing to fade away graciously, GMA is making sure no one will forget the record of her administration, from Nani Perez and the alleged $2-million payoff during her first week in power up to last month’s Maguindanao massacre. And there could be more cheating, stealing and killing before the 2010 votes are counted.

Charter change in the next administration, which the country can actually use, is bound to be another casualty of GMA’s ambition. Post-June 30, 2010, Cha-cha will again be all about GMA if she wins, and having more of the same.

The Ampatuans are GMA’s Frankenstein; she is ours.

YuloPlaza

December 2nd, 2009, 01:13 PM

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

The government has defaulted on its mandate to provide the most basic and fundamental of services and benefits to its citizens. From proper and affordable housing, to flood control, to adequate electricity, even to provide ample parking space (that’s why it’s getting crowded in the streets these days): the government hasn't delivered on its promises of a better future for the Filipino citizen. Amen?

In this regard, I'd like to offer fellow Skyscrapercity.com users a FREE benefit.

Wouldn't you like to enjoy proper and affordable housing, be free from floods, enjoy electricity use without those recurring brownouts, and perhaps even park your car in a safe, lit area away from the dangers that night time brings? I may not have the best answer, but I think I might have the next best thing for people searching for a place to live in Makati that may serve the purposes of issues tackled above.

Skyscrapercity.com users may now avail of my apartment studios at a reduced price range from 6.8 to 7.5K/mo (with FREE use of loft space). And let me continue about the other issues mentioned earlier...

Near AMA Makati Campus, this low-rise condominium building in Makati offers a wide selection of studio and 1-BR apartments for rent. With a strategic location, your next address in the city is walking distance to Pasay Rd., Waltermart, Don Bosco, Makati Cinema Square, etc. It is accessible to EDSA (one ride away), Magallanes MRT(one ride away), Ayala MRT(one ride away), Libertad LRT (one ride away), Glorietta and Ayala Center (one ride away), and other premiere destinations.

Composed entirely of condo/apartment-style units for rent, the apartment building is flood-free. It was not affected by Typhoon Ketsana or Milenyo. It is also free from regular brownouts since it is one of the very few buildings connected to the Luzon electric power grid of Meralco. (Most buildings are only connected to the city grid-- which explains the frequency of brownouts suffered by most people without that special connection.)

Come and check the units for rent now! Each unit has its own toilet and bath, kitchenette, cabinet, cable-ready access, electricty and water meters, and FREE loft space which may be used for storage or bed area. All units are unfurnished. Secure parking units are accessible thru automated gate and remote-controlled entry at the ground floor. Parking units are available for a minimal monthly fee of PhP 1,500 per car slot. Slots are strictly for motor vehicles only.

For inquiries, kindly call:
(632) 819-3917 RENTAL BROKER

To schedule your visit, kindly call:
(632) 729-5899 CLEMENTE (Call from 1-5pm only M-F)

SUMMARY:
--Affordable condominium living at 6.8K to 7.5K per month
--One ride away from Ayala MRT & Magallanes MRT
--FREE loft space
--All units unfurnished
--Units equipped with kitchenette & toilet & bath
--Units are cable-ready
--No pets allowed
--Children below ten (10) years of age not allowed
--Secure parking with remote-controlled entry and automated gate
--Individual water and electricity meters
--Doorbell system
--Accessible fire escapes
--Tiled unit & hallway flooring
--No association dues
--Just a few minutes away from schools, churches, offices, supermarkets, malls & transport hubs

Here are the price points:

PhP 6,800 --- Unfurnished Studio with TB & kitchenette 19-20 sqms. FREE loft space (6 sqms.) Single occupant.

PhP 7,500 --- Unfurnished Studio with TB & kitchenette 22-23 sqms. FREE loft space (8 sqms.) Double occupant.

PhP 13,800 --- Unfurnished One-bedroom with 2 TBs & 2 kitchenettes 40 sqms. FREE loft space (14 sqms.) Triple occupant.

PhP 1,500 --- Secure parking slot at ground level with remote-controlled entry.

Requirements:

--Bio-data with photo and references
--Past rental history including phone and address of past landlords
--PhP 20K all in (includes first month's rent, 1 month advance, & security, damage, water & electricity deposit)

* Furnished: No
* Bedrooms: Studio
* Bathrooms: 1
* Pets: No
* Broker Fee: No
* Street Address: 4328 Gen. Tinio St., Bangkal, Makati (Find AMA Makati campus along South Super Highway/Osmena Highway and make a right at the intersecting road. Property is located one short block away.)
HAVING TROUBLE LOCATING THE AREA?

Paste this on your web browser now:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ptab=2&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=104897063774546650500.000478b33ea7460721464

And lest we forget, the FREE benefits is that loyal Skyscrapercity.com dont need to pay broker fees or association dues.

jpdm

December 3rd, 2009, 11:26 AM

FVR: ‘Delicadeza’ dictates
that GMA must resign

BY ASHZEL HACHERO
Malaya Business Insights
Dec.3, 2009

FORMER President Fidel Ramos yesterday urged President Arroyo to step down to level the playing field now that she will run for Congress to represent the second district of Pampanga.

"While there is no legal impediment to her congressional bid, her position as president gives her undue advantage over whomever, will run against her," Ramos said.

Ramos made the statement as he left for Sydney, Australia for the proposed Asia-Pacific Community summit upon the invitation of Aussie Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

"My understanding of that particular aspect of governance is that as president, you must resign your position," he said.

He said Arroyo has the power of appointments and removal, is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police, controller of the budget including disbursement of the pork barrel, the President, and the head of the state of government.

Arroyo’s opponents are Feliciano Serrano, an electrical engineer, architect Adonis Simpao, and Filipinas Sampang.

The second district is composed of the municipalities of Floridablanca, Guagua, Porac, Santa Rita, Sasmuan and Lubao, Arroyo’s hometown.

It was the second time that Ramos called on Arroyo to step down from power.

At a Lakas convention in Pasay City last month, Ramos said it would be unfair if Arroyo runs for congresswoman while still clinging to the presidency.

Ramos also questioned Arroyo’s more than 50 visits to Pampanga this year.

"Why did she have to spend so much time in Pampanga instead of making 50 trips to Mindanao to ensure the peace of those communities?"

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, Arroyo’s counsel, said the President will not heed the call of Ramos because "there is no field to be leveled."

"President Arroyo is practically running unopposed. She will never use her office for this election. She does not even have to actively campaign, leaving the playing field wide open and level to whoever will challenge her because it is her supporters who promised to do the campaigning. President Arroyo will never touch a single cent of the public funds to campaign. So her detractors should never worry," Macalintal said.

Sen. Francis Escudero said "delicadeza" dictates that Arroyo and other Cabinet members, whether elected or appointed, resign after filing their certificate of candidacy.

He said he disagreed with the Supreme Court ruling Tuesday which said that provisions in election laws requiring appointed officials to resign upon filing their COCs are unconstitutional.

"We all know that those in power tend to abuse their position and use government funds to serve their political ends," he said.

He added: "The High Court should have taken cognizance of pending bills in Congress which are meant to level the playing field. While I have most respect for the Court, this decision will allow those who seek to hold on to power at all cost to use the resources they control to win in the coming elections."
– With JP Lopez and Jocelyn Montemayor

odyssey

December 3rd, 2009, 05:55 PM

Oh my God. Don't spread such nightmare in the country!!!

Are young Pinoy gays the new face of AIDS in RP?

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/178364/are-young-pinoy-gays-the-new-face-of-aids-in-rp

It started with a cough that never went away. Then came a sore that never seemed to heal. After days of fervent worrying, Paul (not his real name) decided not to see his regular doctor anymore. He proceeded to have an HIV test.

The 23-year-old call center agent had heard stories about a colleague who always got sick and never seemed to get better. “He contracted the flu one month, then pneumonia several weeks later. It was unusual," Paul said.

Upon the advice of a doctor, the office mate went to a clinic and had his blood screened for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). A week later, the bad news came: he tested positive for the virus.

When Paul found out about his colleague, he knew he needed to be tested immediately. After all, he was the perfect fit for the profile of high-risk individuals for HIV and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS): a young gay man who has multiple partners and has had unprotected, penetrative sex with other men.

Gay rights advocates and AIDS awareness groups have confirmed that young gay men are beginning to represent the new face of HIV/AIDS in the country, with recent figures showing an increasing trend in homosexual transmission.

Since 2007, two-thirds of HIV infections recorded in the country were found among men with homosexual or bisexual relations, according to statistics from the Department of Health (DOH).
This is significantly higher than the overall figure of 43 per cent for homosexual and bisexual transmission since the first HIV case was reported 25 years ago, official data shows.

In the same period, 90 per cent of the cases were sexually transmitted infections, with intravenous drug use accounting for the rest. In 2009, however, all the new cases so far came from sexual contact, majority among young men.

From January to October this year, 86 per cent of the 629 new cases who tested positive for HIV were males. In October alone, 80 new HIV-positive cases were recorded, mostly men aged 25-34 years old who had sex with other males.

“It's impossible not to touch on homosexual concerns when relating to HIV/AIDS programs," said Malu Marin, executive director of the AIDS advocacy group ACHIEVE. “But we approach HIV/AIDS programs in the country holistically," she said.

With new cases of HIV infections rising by one-third this year, the Philippines is one of the countries where a “hidden and growing epidemic" is imminent, the United Nations warned on the occasion of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1.

crappypants

December 3rd, 2009, 10:01 PM

mga young gays, magingat sana kayo , magsuot ng condoms at minsan gamitin naman ang self control para kayo ay manatiling malusog at malalakas at hindi magkasakit na nakakamatay.

manila_eye

December 3rd, 2009, 10:17 PM

^^ Tama, konting ingat naman. Mag-condom pag hindi kilala ng lubusan ang ka-sex. Always bring a condon in case of emergency. You'll never know when your libido will attack.

jpdm

December 4th, 2009, 01:11 AM

‘Things can happen’ with Arroyo in House

By Christian V. Esguerra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:27:00 12/04/2009

Filed Under: Inquirer Politics, Congress, Impeachment, Charter change

MANILA, Philippines — The specter of President Macapagal-Arroyo’s successor going through what she has endured from her political enemies in Congress is a distinct possibility if Ms Arroyo wins a House seat and her preferred presidential candidate loses in 2010.

This could happen if the President wins a congressional seat and the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD retains political control of the House, as chief presidential legal counsel Raul Gonzalez believes could happen.

Then it’s not far-fetched for her House allies to initiate constitutional amendments and serial impeachment complaints against whoever sits in Malacañang.

Of course, everything would depend on Ms Arroyo winning a House seat and the administration standard-bearer, Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, losing the election, said Gonzalez.

“Let us say that Lakas wins the majority of the votes among congressmen, that Gibo loses yet the party maintains an overwhelming majority in the House and is still dominant, then usually an amendment in the Constitution can follow,” he said in a phone interview.

Impeachment spectre

“Things can happen. You can amend the Constitution. You can even do impeachment later against whoever the president will be if he commits a violation of the Constitution,” he added.

Gonzalez will have none of those criticizing the President’s supposed motives for seeking election to a lesser office.

“There is no moral issue there—all these people talking about morality are all hypocrites!” he said.

“When it is something not against the law, there is no immorality involved. If it is illegal then it is immoral,” he said.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita on Tuesday admitted that revising the 1987 Constitution remained a priority of the President.

He said Ms Arroyo would continue to be an influential figure in the incoming Congress, should she win a congressional seat, because of her stature as a former president.

‘Definitely immoral’

Election lawyer Sixto Brillantes Thursday said Ms Arroyo’s congressional run “demeans and degrades the Office of the President.”

“While constitutional and legal, it is definitely immoral,” he said.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño said Ms Arroyo’s return to power as a House representative would be a threat to democracy.

Romulo Macalintal, Ms Arroyo’s election lawyer, maintained that the President is running “not for personal interest but because of her sincere desire to continue her commitment to public service.”

Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said Ms Arroyo was running for Congress to continue the fiscal reforms that she had been unable to achieve during her presidential term.

He said some of the revenue-generating laws that she wanted passed have not hurdled the House. With her in Congress, she would see to it that these are passed, he said.

Suarez said if and when she pushes for Charter change, it would only be to reform the economic-related provisions in the Constitution, not to change the system of government.

Hurdles to clear

United Opposition spokesperson Ernesto Maceda said Ms Arroyo has several hurdles to clear, including getting the blessings of the new president, before she can become speaker.

“But definitely if an opposition candidate wins, she has absolutely no chance to become speaker, much less prime minister,” he said.

Sen. Joker Arroyo said Ms Arroyo can never be prime minister because for that to happen the Constitution has to be amended first and she does not have the power to do that.

“She is now very weak, she has no political clout, what more if she is only a congresswoman,” Joker said at a Senate press briefing.

Neither can she become House Speaker as “the choice of Speaker is the prerogative of the next President,” he said. With Leila Salaverria, Allison W. Lopez and Michael Lim Ubac

pi_malejana

December 5th, 2009, 02:03 AM

Martial Law declared in Maguindanao...:ohno:

adgaps

December 5th, 2009, 04:44 AM

Arroyo declares Martial law in Maguindanao province (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/178575/arroyo-declares-martial-law-in-maguindanao-province)
12/05/2009 | 07:18 AM

In the wake of the massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan town, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo placed Maguindanao under a state of martial law, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Saturday.

In so doing, Malacañang has suspended the writ of habeas corpus in the province except "for certain areas," enabling the military to make arrests without court intervention.

Ermita's announcement, contained under Proclamation 1959, constitutes the first declaration of martial law in the Philippines since 1972, when then-president Ferdinand Marcos imposed military rule over the entire country.

"We are confident that this one is covered by the Constitution," said Ermita at a press briefing at the Palace.

He said the step was taken in order to avert the escalation of "lawless" violence in the province and pave the way for the swift arrest of the suspects in the massacre.

Even before the formal announcement of martial law, two more members of the Ampatuan clan were taken in for questioning early Saturday morning (Manila time), including its patriarch Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and ARMM Governor Zaldy Ampatuan, said Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Victor Ibrado.

The Ampatuan family was implicated in a gruesome massacre on November 23 that claimed the lives of women members of the rival Mangudadatu clan, human rights lawyers, 31 media workers and other innocent civilians in the worst election-related violence in the nation's history.

The massacre has also been condemned world-wide as the worst loss of life of media professionals in one day in the history of journalism.

Until the slaughter of the Mangudadatu convoy, the Ampatuans had been staunch allies of President Arroyo and were alleged to have helped her win in their bailiwicks through highly questionable methods in the 2004 elections. The Ampatuans control nearly all major local government positions in Maguindanao.

The ill-fated convoy was transporting Mangudadatu women to Maguindanao's capital of Shariff Aguak to file a certificate of candidacy for a clan member who had announced his intention to challenge the Ampatuans' supremacy in next year's elections.

Ibrado said the threat of suspects in the Maguindanao massacre joining armed supporters of the Ampatuan clan in resisting government forces played a key role in prompting the declaration of martial law over the province.

“We received reports that they had plans to undertake hostile action if ever the government officials, the Ampatuans particularly, were taken into custody. We felt this is a very imminent threat so we recommended for this proclamation," he said at a press briefing in Malacañang.

“With the connection of the reported armed groups that may provide support for those suspected of being involved and manifested by the fact there are many high powered firearms recovered in the general area, the elements of rebellion are present and hence the basis for the declaration of a proclamation declaring martial law and suspension of habeas corpus is established," Ermita said.

Igsuonnimo

December 5th, 2009, 04:59 AM

^^ kumpletuhin kona mula dun sa website ng gmanews.tv (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/178575/arroyo-declares-martial-law-in-maguindanao-province)

Denials of martial law

Reports received late Friday said Mrs. Arroyo had issued an order imposing military rule in the province. However, when contacted by GMANews.TV, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde denied the rumors while Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Affairs Jesus Dureza said he had no information on the matter.

Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao commander Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer will function as military governor after the arrest of Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., said the report, which did not identify its sources.

The same information was spread through text messages Friday evening that read, "This from usually reliable insider, martial law to be declared in Maguindanao tomorrow. Lt. Gen. Ferrer will be Military Governor. Ampatuans expected to be arrested."

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner told GMANews.TV in another interview Friday night that there was no need for martial law at this time. Last week, Maguindanao was placed under a state of emergency in the days following the massacre.

"There is no need for the declaration of martial law in the area of Maguindanao or elsewhere in the country because the AFP and the Philippine National Police are on top of the situation," Brawner said on Friday, even as his superiors were planning martial law in the province.

Brawner's view has been echoed by human rights lawyers who see other scenarios other than the arrest of the massacre perpetrators. "There was already a state of emergency. Why did they need a declaration of martial law?" said Ted Te, a lawyer with the Free Legal Assistance Group, a lawyers' network founded during the martial law era under former dictator Ferdinand Marcos. "There's no reason for it, unless they're not revealing everything yet."

"The talk among some lawyers is that this could be an experiment or a testing ground for declaring martial law in other provinces to consolidate for unpopular candidates," Te added. "That could lead the way to cha-cha (charter change). Mahaba pa ang puwedeng puntahan nito."

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, University of the Philippines Law School Dean Marvic Leonen said, "She (President Arroyo) must clearly demonstrate why martial law needs to be declared. The proclamation of Martial Law can be used as a means to gain unfair advantage in the upcoming elections or as an excuse to declare a failure of elections contrary to the people’s will."

Congress approval needed

According to Article VII, Section 18 of the 1987 Constitution, the President as Commander-in-Chief may call out the armed forces “to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion."

“In case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it," the President may place “the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law" for a maximum period of 60 days.

The Constitution also provides that within 48 hours from the proclamation of martial law, “the President shall submit a report in person or in writing to the Congress," which may vote to revoke or extend such proclamation. - GMANews.TV (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/178575/arroyo-declares-martial-law-in-maguindanao-province)

absinthe_888

December 5th, 2009, 05:48 AM

^^ Isa lang magsasabi ko: That's AbCerge! :lol:

Meh naniniwala pa ba keh Cerge Remonde???

jpdm

December 5th, 2009, 02:11 PM

Rep. GMA’ will haunt ‘cabalens’

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:17:00 12/05/2009

I HOPE MY “CABALENS” (PRO-vincemates) in Pampanga will reject Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. I fear a nationwide backlash against us should GMA succeed in taking back the country’s No. 1 post through Charter change.

It might be a case of history repeating itself. Not so long ago, Kapampangans were branded as traitors because of the role played by the inhabitants of one town (Macabebe) in the capture of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. After that event, all the Kapampangans were branded as traitors. It was quite unfair considering that many Kapampangans were at the forefront of the Philippine Revolution (e.g., Generals Jose Alejandrino, Francisco Makabulos, Serviliano Aquino, Mamerto Natividad, Maximino Hizon and Mariano Llanera). Many of them died for the cause.

Should one district in Pampanga bring back GMA to the No. 1 post (as prime minister), the whole of Pampanga might be again blamed for the “sin” committed by one district. And the tag on us as traitors might be resurrected.

—GEORGE M. HIZON,
george_m_hizon@yahoo.com

jpdm

December 8th, 2009, 03:44 AM

Ultimate political faux pas

Nestor Mata
Malaya Business Insights
Dec.8, 2009

‘Gloria Macapagal Arroyo commits tackless mistake in seeking a congressional seat.’

GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO has committed her ultimate political faux pas.

She did so – after months of "coquettish flirtation" as one editorialist so naughtily called it – when she filed her certificate of candidacy as representative of the second district of Pampanga, consisting of Floridablanca, Guagua, Porac, Sta. Rita, Sasmuan and Lubao, her late father’s hometown.

She’s just like most politicians who supposedly read history but read it only to learn from it how to repeat calamities all over again. What she did turned out to be politically calamitous for her. The reactions were quick and vicious and blunt. And these came not only from her political critics but also from Catholic Church bishops, businessmen, media and host of other presidential watchers.

Former President Fidel V. Ramos led those severely critical of her congressional bid. "Delicadeza" dictates, he said, that she must resign first as president, a position that gives her undue advantage over her rivals for the same post. It was the second time around that he called on her to step down from office.

Opposition senators also pounced on her decision to run as a mere representative in the lower house of Congress. It was considered a tactless mistake or political blunder. Some snarled that she’s setting in motion an obsessive ambition to perpetuate herself in power.

One described it as a "selfish and shameless act." Another warned that a congressional seat was no guarantee against her being harassed by legal cases of anomalies and irregularities and scams and scandals during her nine years in power.

But the reactions of Catholic bishops were especially remarkable for their directness to one who had proclaimed herself as a devout Roman Catholic president and even claimed to have had "conversations with God" before making her decisions.

A very outspoken prelate acidly said she manifested her "addiction to power, exhibited lack of propriety and remained fixated to change the Constitution once elected as soon as possible to target the office of Prime Minister."

Just like ex-President Ramos, another bishop suggested that she should have shown "delicadeza" or official propriety, apparently unaware that the word is not in her political vocabulary. Still another darkly suggested that she’s "motivated by political survival."

Indeed, there have been talks that she and her political minions would try to do away with the presidential system and replace it with a parliamentary type of government. They did try to time and time and time again but failed to mangle the Charter to suit their insidious plan. It was designed not only to protect her against charges of the innumerable corruption cases, scams and other anomalies and irregularities and scandals during her nine years in power, but to perpetuate her in power.

What one sees in this unprecedented case of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is a classic example of the hazards of politics. These come from the nature of a person that engages in politics just like her. Ambition, greed, hate, jealousy, and the many emotions and reactions she is heir to could very well affect the course of a nation.

What was particularly disturbing was her exhortation to her political supporters to "campaign hard for me and ensure my victory as I continue performing my task as President… I am not ready to step down completely from public life."

Which clearly means she intends to remain in office before, during and after the May 2010 national elections, and use the resources of the government not just for her own campaign, but for all other candidates she considers her political allies and supporters in both houses of Congress. Never mind official propriety, never mind the critics, never mind history!

Unless she is stopped in her tracks, we won’t see the end of the problem of the kind of discredited governance that we experienced during the past nine years of her faux presidency.

Instead, we all shall see more of her insatiable hunger for power, wealth, and the limelight, why she’ll never quit politics, and, heaven forbid, we’ll witness our nation teetering once more on the brink of violence like the one we have seen in the province of Maguindanao!

jpdm

December 8th, 2009, 04:25 AM

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/1153/gen1hiresk.jpg
philstar Dec.8, 2009

jpdm

December 8th, 2009, 04:45 AM

Does GMA hero worship Marcos?

AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
By William M. Esposo
(The Philippine Star)
Updated December 08, 2009 12:00 AM

Madame Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) must be secretly hero worshipping Dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos. Of course, no sane Filipino politician of the post-1986 EDSA Revolution era would be caught admiring or emulating the late dictator in much the same way that no sane German politician will admit admiring Adolf Hitler.

Why does your Chair Wrecker feel that GMA is a closet Marcos hero worshipper? Well, it’s because she has practically done every detestable act that we have seen Marcos inflict on our people. GMA has employed Marcos methods and tactics which would do the late dictator extremely proud.

Between Marcos and GMA, it is hard to determine who lied to the nation and cheated the nation more times. Like Marcos, GMA was held responsible by no less than a UN Human Rights Investigator for the murders of political dissenters. Like the Marcos regime, the GMA regime is perceived as characterized by large scale plunder and scandals.

Like Marcos, GMA has undermined the national institutions and transformed these into tools for facilitating her selfish interests. Like Marcos, we have seen once again the emergence of a justice system with a double standard – one that favors her and her allies and another that discriminates against her opponents.

And now, like Marcos, GMA has manufactured conditions to be able to justify a declaration of martial law in Maguindanao. In 1972, Marcos utilized growing dissent against his regime, added fuel to it and magnified what it projected in order to set the stage for his declaration of martial law nationwide.

Last Saturday, the nation woke up to discover that what was a simple police matter in Maguindanao which was already well under military and police control – has been utilized to rationalize the declaration of martial law in the province.

Two former presidents – Fidel V. Ramos and Joseph Estrada – immediately branded the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao as totally unnecessary and baseless. Ramos should know best because he was part of the Marcos imposition of martial law but redeemed himself later by his role in the 1986 People Power Revolution that ended the Marcos dictatorship.

Estrada, on the other hand, waged an all-out war against the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) in Maguindanao without having to declare martial law there. Imagining the worst that the Ampatuan clan can do, still it cannot compare with what the MILF can cause in terms of property damage, lives lost and dislocated communities. Declaring martial law in Maguindanao because of the Ampatuan family is like declaring martial law in New York State and City because of a Mafia family.

What sticks out like a sore thumb in GMA’s Proclamation 1959 is that the areas occupied by the MILF in Maguindanao were not covered. A criminal threat that was already clearly under control cannot justify the imposition of martial law in Maguindanao while the areas of the MILF – a confirmed rebellion with a much larger armed force – were exempted. How do you explain that?

GMA’s Justice Secretary, Agnes Devanadera, attempted to justify Proclamation 1959 as the means to prevent a “brewing rebellion” in the province that could spill over to adjacent areas. Legal eagles have debunked the regime’s justifications and established that the two conditions (the existence of an actual invasion or rebellion, and when public safety requires it) allowing a declaration of martial law under the present Constitution did not exist.

By November 26, when Andal Ampatuan Jr. was taken into custody and flown to Manila, it was clear that the Ampatuans were already neutralized by the earlier imposition of a state of emergency. From November 26 until last Saturday when martial law was officially announced, there has not been a single shot fired or person killed related to the November 23 Maguindanao massacre.

Thus, we can only agree with Senator Noynoy Aquino when he asserted that there is more to this than meets the eye – to the effect that this so-called “brewing rebellion” excuse for martial law could be more of a step in a calculated move to prevent a looming power succession.

“If the declaration of Martial Law is not motivated by the enforcement of the rule of law, but is rather an attempt to expand authority by means of the military, it will be a grave abuse of power and reckless endangerment of the lives of our brave soldiers.” Noynoy said. “Can we take Mrs. Arroyo’s word when she is largely responsible for the creation of this monster?” Noynoy added.

As Commander in Chief, how can GMA assume to have the moral authority to order a soldier or a policeman to risk life just to clean up her mess? Shouldn’t GMA step down and allow a credible Commander in Chief to do it instead?

Glaringly, the US, which supported Marcos martial law, did not condemn GMA’s Proclamation 1959. Yet, when GMA issued Proclamation 1017 (imposing a state of emergency) on February 24, 2006 – the US immediately asked her to recall it and she complied.

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney could only say that the US will watch
this situation very carefully. That implies US acceptance albeit with reservations. One wonders if the US is a partner in this plot owing to its Mindanao agenda.

Chair Wrecker email and website: macesposo@yahoo.com and www.chairwrecker.com

wynngd

December 8th, 2009, 06:11 AM

FlashCollider

December 8th, 2009, 08:12 PM

I'm just confused with the people in the philippines right now... When the government is doing something with the massacre in Maguindanao, the left winged guys were whining about the slow process in solving the case. Now that the government declared martial law in Maguindanao to expedite the process and avoid the arm uprising from the Ampatuan loyalists, they say that it's an over reaction and unconstitutional... (Damn if they do, Damn if they don't) ... Why can't we be supportive with our government... We all know that what Marcos did decades ago is not going to happen again today...

That's the height of hypocrisy. I just don't get it as well, what's the fuss about the declaration we all know that the present constitution has a built-in safeguard in case Martial Law Declaration and the system is working. The President should submit either an oral or written report to Congress after 48 hours of the declaration. The congress will convene to vote if the President's Report justify the Martial Law.

I had enough of this left leaning people, hindi mo alam kung ano ang gusto sa katawan.

gen1

December 9th, 2009, 02:35 AM

I'm just confused with the people in the philippines right now... When the government is doing something with the massacre in Maguindanao, the left winged guys were whining about the slow process in solving the case. Now that the government declared martial law in Maguindanao to expedite the process and avoid the arm uprising from the Ampatuan loyalists, they say that it's an over reaction and unconstitutional... (Damn if they do, Damn if they don't) ... Why can't we be supportive with our government... We all know that what Marcos did decades ago is not going to happen again today...

This is why -

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20091209-240955/Bernas-warns-of-amnesty-for-Ampatuans

------------------------------------------
Bernas warns of amnesty for Ampatuans

By Cathy C. Yamsuan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:47:00 12/09/2009

Filed Under: Maguindanao Massacre, Crime and Law and Justice, rebellion

MANILA, Philippines—A member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission Tuesday warned that the Ampatuans might be granted amnesty by the government should they be found guilty only of rebellion.

-----------------------------------------

bitoy

December 9th, 2009, 02:59 AM

^^

He noted that acting Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, in her 20-page report to Congress, had alleged that rebellion was committed by the Ampatuans to justify the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao.
"Rebellion runs the risk of being granted amnesty, which can be pardoned by the President following final conviction,” said Bernas, who has been teaching criminal law since 1962

Parang yun na nga talaga ang palalabasin. :ohno:
Malamang mag karoon ng civil war or family feud (ubusan ng lahi, not the tv game) in the near future sa Maguindanao.

prisma328

December 9th, 2009, 03:55 AM

I reckon no need to declare martial law in Maguindanao...for crying out loud!_ They are the government! Di ba nila kaya sila Ampatuan?

Maxxclip

December 9th, 2009, 04:06 AM

This is why -

MANILA, Philippines—A member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission Tuesday warned that the Ampatuans might be granted amnesty by the government should they be found guilty only of rebellion.

^^

Parang yun na nga talaga ang palalabasin. :ohno:
Malamang mag karoon ng civil war or family feud (ubusan ng lahi, not the tv game) in the near future sa Maguindanao.

government lawyers on Tuesday guaranteed that rebellion charges to be filed against Andal Ampatuan Sr. (http://ph.news.yahoo.com/gma/20091208/tph-murder-case-vs-ampatuan-sr-will-stan-d6cd5cf.html) would not weaken a separate case for multiple murder that the clan patriarch may face in connection with the massacre of 57 persons in Maguindanao

mwg12a

December 9th, 2009, 04:14 AM

I reckon no need to declare martial law in Maguindanao...for crying out loud!_ They are the government! Di ba nila kaya sila Ampatuan?

I don't know, I believe that was "a must" but just for a certain extent, there should be a time table on how long that martial law would last. I think the Philippine government did the right thing. It's just that the people are apprehensive about it now after the experience or the history thought the filipinos about Martial law. It's not the whole Philippines that was declared under martial law. They do need to tract down carefully who the followers are, disarm those who are needed to disarm, arrest government officials in Mindanao who is supporting all forms of terrorism. I mean come on! They need to initiate it, by not announcing martial law but actually carrying on the same act.. it's like the government is violating the law by initiating actions that are pretty much the same as martial law just without formality and public announcement, it's better to let it out in the open, announce it to the public especially if it is supported by highest court in the Philippines.

That's just my two cents on it...

karirista

December 9th, 2009, 04:28 AM

Even the two larg(est)media organizations have opposing views on Martial Law: the NPC and the NUJP...

How the NPC views it, together with the KBP-Metro Manila chapter (not the entire KBP which is said to oppose 1959):

'Give martial law a chance’ (http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2009-12-09&sec=4&aid=108971)
By: Jess V. Antiporda

THE vice president of the National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) last Monday said that he is not against the decision of the government to place the province of Maguindanao under military rule as long as it would not lead to the curtailment of press freedom in the area.

Speaking before the weekly Kapihan ng Bayan news forum, NPC Vice President Rolly Gonzalo said his fellow officers at the organization looks at the move of the government as one of the best way to address the current situation in Maguindanao and to prevent it from getting worst.

“Let us give martial law a chance...,” Gonzalo said during thePhilippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) sponsored forum held at the Daungan Restaurant in Quezon City.

Gonzalo, however, said that NPC, the largest media organization in the country, is prepared to defend press freedom if in case it sees any indication that the declaration is leading to the curtailing of press freedom.

The NPC official added that the organization is confident that the government could bring back normalcy in the province soon and martial law could be lifted in less than 60 days.

Meanwhile, Kapisanan ng mga Broadcasters ng Pilipinas Metro Manila chairman Rey Langit shared the same view, saying he sees nothing wrong with martial law because the government only wants to bring order back in Maguindanao.

He said the local government of Maguindanao is not functioning normally, the members of the judiciary went on leave because of fear and the delivery of basic services has been hampered and martial law could address all these things.

Langit believe that the martial law in Maguindanao is different from the martial law declared by former President Ferdinand Marcos in 1972, and the current declaration is made to speed up the process of solving problems being faced in the province.

While its polar opposite, the NUJP including its allies, oppose it:

No to Martial Law (http://nujp.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/no-to-martial-law/)
December 5, 2009

NOVEMBER 23 MOVEMENT

We absolutely oppose the imposition of martial law in Maguindanao and, prospectively, anywhere else in the country.

We believe that, with the severe restrictions on freedoms it imposes, on the one hand, and the wide latitude of police, military, and official powers it allows, on the other, martial law will only compound the troubles it has been precisely intended to deal with.

Indeed, we believe that normal powers exercised by a decisive, strong-willed, and well-intentioned leadership are enough to bring the perpetrators of the November 23 massacre in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao, to justice.

History offers clear, powerful, and painful enough lessons in the deceptive promises of martial law: It has been used for repression, instead of justice.

The November 23 Movement
—————————
The November 23 Movement is a coalition of media groups and organizations seeking full accountability and swift justice for the slain journalists and victims of the Ampatuan Massacre…

Members:
National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
Business World
Center for Community Journalism and Development
Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility
College Editors Guild of the Philippines
Davao Today
Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Philippine Human Rights Reporting Project
Philippine Press Institute
Pinoy Weekly
Southeast Asia Press Alliance
VERA Files
SEAPA

sandman.ink

December 9th, 2009, 03:27 PM

most of the people that are ranting against martial law being imposed in Maguindanao, have actually NOT been in Maguindanao, has no clue what it's actually like to be there and deal with the current local government there...I wonder if they have wondered why COA is almost non-existent and hence forth, ineffective in the area...if the simple act to submitting a piece of paper (certificate of candidacy) was met with a massacre, what more with the arrest of the warlords in Maguindanao???

sigh

sandman.ink

December 9th, 2009, 03:28 PM

That's the height of hypocrisy. I just don't get it as well, what's the fuss about the declaration we all know that the present constitution has a built-in safeguard in case Martial Law Declaration and the system is working. The President should submit either an oral or written report to Congress after 48 hours of the declaration. The congress will convene to vote if the President's Report justify the Martial Law.

I had enough of this left leaning people, hindi mo alam kung ano ang gusto sa katawan.

wag na kayo magulat...election is very near...they need all the media mileage they can get...saying no to the proclamation of martial law actually gets them the attention they desperately want.

karirista

December 9th, 2009, 05:56 PM

Pro-Martial Law (PP 1959) Senators, those who didn't sign the Senate resolution calling to declare said law unconstitutional:

Bong Revilla
Lito Lapid
Migz Zubiri
Joker Arroyo
SP Juan Ponce Enrile
Ed Angara

Do you think these "senators" are still serving the people, or are they just putting the interests of Gloria above the people?

Juan Pilgrim

December 9th, 2009, 06:18 PM

A declaration of a State of Emergency would have been more than sufficient for Maguindanao.
There is no invasion and no rebellion taking place in Maguindanao!

Philippine Constitution of 1987
Section 18:
...In case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it, he may,
for a period not exceeding sixty days, suspend the privilege of the writ of
habeas corpus or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law...

OneCentral

December 9th, 2009, 06:23 PM

It is common sentiment that after the gruesome murder of women and journalists last nov. 23rd, the situation should be resolved immediately and the perpretrators be brought to justice quickly. How else could the government respond but by suspending the writ of habeas corpus in that province to prevent more violence and hasten the arrest of those responsible for the massacre (that only ML could provide)?

Juan Pilgrim

December 9th, 2009, 07:47 PM

IMHO
The Arroyo Administration miserably failed the people of Maguindanao
when they coddled and treated these murderers and their cohorts with kid gloves.

What an injustice!

Now that the government has failed to protect the victims and act decisively to
arrest the perpetrators in a timely manner, Arroyo have resorted to Martial
Law (to protect her personal/political interests) and disparage all our
bothers and sisters in Maguindanao in the process.

::Philippine Constitution of 1987---
Article III Bill of Rights
Section 2.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and
effects against unreasonable searches and seizures of whatever nature and
for any purpose shall be inviolable, and no search
warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue except upon probable cause to be
determined personally by the judge after examination under oath
or affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses he may produce, and
particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to
be seized.

Section 14.
(1) No person shall be held to answer for a criminal
offense without due process of law.

(2) In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall be
presumed innocent until the contrary is proved, and shall enjoy
the right to be heard by himself and counsel, to be informed of the nature
and cause of the accusation against him, to have a speedy, impartial, and
public trial, to meet the witnesses face to face, and to have compulsory
process to secure the attendance of witnesses and the production of
evidence in his behalf. However, after arraignment, trial may proceed
notwithstanding the absence of the accused: Provided, that he has been
duly notified and his failure to appear is unjustifiable.

The declaration of Martial Law is unjustifiable in any angle you look at it!
It has become the institution of last resort for a government unable to
maintain civilian rule of law or that wants to perpetuate itself in power.

:horse:

FlashCollider

December 9th, 2009, 11:11 PM

^^
Under the present constitution in the event of Martial Law Declaration, suspension of writ of habeas corpus shall only affect the people suspected of committing terrorist act and shall be release after 3 days if the government wouldn't be able to file charges and they will be just compensated per day of their detention after 3 days. Based on what they dug out of the Ampatuans mansion the ML declaration actually lessen the probability of confrontation.

I haven't heard anyone from Maguindanao other than the left leaning militant group and attention hungry politician blow their top off because of the declaration. These are the same people who tell everyone that the Government are not doing enough with respect to Maguindanao massacre.

wynngd

December 10th, 2009, 04:51 AM

^^I totally agree... Napilitan magdeclare ng martial law ang government kasi pati mga Judges at Government Offices sa Maguindanao at mga katabi pa nitong lalawigan eh hawak ng mga Ampatuans...

Kaya nga natatawa ako sa mga left winged group natin kasi mga OA... Nung una nagagalit kasi ang bagal bagal daw kumilos ng government... Ngayong nagdeclare ng martial law dahil madaming humaharang sa pagaresto sa key suspects, nagagalit pa din... Wala na ba silang ibang gustong gawin kundi magreklamo sa bawat kilos ng government...

This reminds me of one of the chapter in Noli Me Tangere, kung paano napaayon ng mga kabataan (liberal) ang mga Konserbatibo sa gusto nilang mangyari... The idea was, kung galit sa iyo ang isang grupo ng tao, lahat ng sabihin mo mali sa paningin nila...

bitoy

December 10th, 2009, 05:11 AM

Yang Martial Law na lang ang last option ni GMA to save her face in her failure as the leader of our nation. Puwede naman state of emergency, kaso, na plano na nila yan, para hindi pumiyak siguro ang mga Ampatuan sa mga sikreto nila nuon pang naupo si GMA bilang pangulo.

Ayaw pa rin mag release ng statement ang military kung sino ang nagbigay ng mga armas at bala sa mga tauhan ng pamilya Ampatuan.

Since, na deklara na rin lang ang Martial Law, lubuslubusin na nila ang paglinis sa mga masasamang nilalang sa buong Maguindanao, walang pilian, pati yung ibang pamilya na meron private army, kelangan matahimik na lahat.

Nakow, baka ilang buwan lang o bago mag eleksyon, rebellion ang kaso ng Ampatuan at patatawarin na lang. :ohno:

:lol: Mas malakas pa ata sila sa NPA at Abu Sayaf, look at these new discovered military toys:

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/051t4dT2HW8hz/232x337.jpg?center=0.5,0 http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0dJp1IR7vT6AD/232x343.jpg?center=0.5,0

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/08bo4FofEs0hl/232x343.jpg?center=0.5,0 http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/06JXdFR017gmo/232x348.jpg?center=0.5,0

FlashCollider

December 10th, 2009, 06:42 AM

^^
There's a separate murder and rebellion charges being prepared by the Justice Department. Last time I checked murder sentence is immutable.

bitoy

December 10th, 2009, 07:05 AM

^^
There's a separate murder and rebellion charges being prepared by the Justice Department. Last time I checked murder sentence is immutable.

The murder charges should be filed ahead of this rebellion charges since the murders happened first before these alledged rebellion charges that are being pushed by the justice department.

Filing of rebellion charges vs Ampatuans (9:59 a.m.) (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/network/filing-rebellion-charges-vs-ampatuans-959-am)

MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) is expected to file rebellion charges against Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and 23 others before the Cotabato Regional Trial Court Wednesday.

The government failed to meet the three-day deadline of filing the charges set Tuesday against the Ampatuans because December 8 was a holiday in Cotabato. The city celebrated the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Aside from Andal Sr. and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Zaldy Ampatuan, included in the list of people that will be charged of rebellion are acting Maguindanao Governor Sajid Islam; Vice Governor Al-hadji Akmad; Mayor Anwar; civilians Kusain Akmad Sakilan; Jovel Vista Lopez; Rommy Gimba Mamay; Sammy Duyo Villanueva; Ibrahim Tukya Abdulkadir; Samil Manalao Mindo; Goldo Ampatuan; and Amaikugao Obab Dolgon.

Billy Cabaya Gabriel Jr.; Abdullah Kaliangat Ampatuan; Moneb Smair Ibrahim, Umpa Ugka Yarya; Manding Abdulkadir; Dekay Idra Ulama; Kapid Gabriel Cabaya; Koka Batong Managilid; Sammy Ganda Macabuat; Duco Lendungan Ambon; and Akmad Abdullah Ulilisen complete the list.

The Ampatuans are accused of being the brain behind the November 23 merciless murder of 57 people, including 30 journalists and two lawyers in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao. (Sunnex)

FlashCollider

December 10th, 2009, 08:07 AM

The murder charges should be filed ahead of this rebellion charges since the murders happened first before these alledged rebellion charges that are being pushed by the justice department.

Filing of rebellion charges vs Ampatuans (9:59 a.m.) (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/network/filing-rebellion-charges-vs-ampatuans-959-am)

MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) is expected to file rebellion charges against Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and 23 others before the Cotabato Regional Trial Court Wednesday.

The government failed to meet the three-day deadline of filing the charges set Tuesday against the Ampatuans because December 8 was a holiday in Cotabato. The city celebrated the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Aside from Andal Sr. and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Zaldy Ampatuan, included in the list of people that will be charged of rebellion are acting Maguindanao Governor Sajid Islam; Vice Governor Al-hadji Akmad; Mayor Anwar; civilians Kusain Akmad Sakilan; Jovel Vista Lopez; Rommy Gimba Mamay; Sammy Duyo Villanueva; Ibrahim Tukya Abdulkadir; Samil Manalao Mindo; Goldo Ampatuan; and Amaikugao Obab Dolgon.

Billy Cabaya Gabriel Jr.; Abdullah Kaliangat Ampatuan; Moneb Smair Ibrahim, Umpa Ugka Yarya; Manding Abdulkadir; Dekay Idra Ulama; Kapid Gabriel Cabaya; Koka Batong Managilid; Sammy Ganda Macabuat; Duco Lendungan Ambon; and Akmad Abdullah Ulilisen complete the list.

The Ampatuans are accused of being the brain behind the November 23 merciless murder of 57 people, including 30 journalists and two lawyers in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao. (Sunnex)

But I thought you were worried about the possibility of pardoning the Ampatuans even if they will be found guilty of Rebellion that is why I mentioned about a separate filing of murder charges in which the sentence is immutable. The material you posted here was talking about the 3 day time period allowed by the constitution for the state to file charges against the suspect who were taken without warrant of arrest due to Martial Law Declaration. The government must compensate the detainee per day after the 3 day time period elapsed otherwise they should set them free which I doubt it if they will.

On the other hand I have no idea that filing of charges should be in order all I know is the principle of Double Jeopardy.

bitoy

December 10th, 2009, 08:20 AM

But I thought you were worried about the possibility of pardoning the Ampatuans even if they will be found guilty of Rebellion that is why I mentioned about a separate filing of murder charges in which the sentence is immutable. The material you posted here was talking about the 3 day time period allowed by the constitution for the state to file charges against the suspect who were taken without warrant of arrest due to Martial Law Declaration. The government must compensate the detainee per day after the 3 day time period elapsed otherwise they should set them free which I doubt it if they will.

On the other hand I have no idea that filing of charges should be in order all I know is the principle of Double Jeopardy.

The thing that I worry about is if the murders are absorbed in the rebellion case, then the court might say the death of the civilians and reporters are just collateral damages. Then here comes the lighter sentences and the presidential pardons..etc...

I don't trust our justice system anymore, then can manipulate everything according to their plans.

absinthe_888

December 10th, 2009, 08:35 AM

jpdm

December 10th, 2009, 11:25 AM

‘Where is the President?’

Why isn’t she here? It’s history
By Gil C. Cabacungan Jr., Leila Salaverria, Christine Avendaño
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:15:00 12/10/2009

MANILA, Philippines—“Where is the President?”

Lawmakers Wednesday cited the glaring absence of the commander in chief, who declared martial law in Maguindanao province, during the first joint session of Congress.

The session was delayed by almost an hour due to debates on the absence of the President, her defense secretary and the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“Why is she not here? This is history. Does she not have the courtesy at all to report in person? We thought that with the President declaring martial law, the President herself should be here to explain to us,” asked Maguindanao Rep. Didagen Dilangalen, his voice rising.

Together with fellow Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong, Dilangalen said that they were the only lawmakers who were personally affected by Presidential Proclamation No. 1959.

Ms Arroyo issued the proclamation on Friday night to suppress a “rebellion in the offing” of disparate armed groups loyal to the Ampatuan clan, accused of masterminding the Nov. 23 killing of 57 people in Maguindanao.

Since Friday’s proclamation read by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Ms Arroyo has not spoken one word about exercising her extraordinary martial law powers. She also has yet to face the press.

Congress may revoke or support the martial law proclamation by a simple majority vote (set at 147) of the joint session.

The first joint session was suspended at 10:50 Wednesday night and would resume at 2 p.m. Thursday.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo was the sixth and last to ask questions on the first day. He said rebellion is hard to prove, and it takes long to do so as well. He knows, since he has been charged with it twice.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. concurred with Dilangalen’s stand that Ms Arroyo should have given Congress the “courtesy” to face lawmakers.

But Speaker Prospero Nograles and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said the President was not compelled to attend the joint session.

Enrile and Nograles said the President had complied with the constitutional requirement with the submission of her report to Congress 48 hours after her declaration on Dec. 4 at 9 p.m.

Pimentel, however, pointed out that the issue was not the submission of the report but the President’s personal explanation of why she implemented it.

It was also pointed out that the report was not signed by Ms Arroyo but by Ermita.

Remedios Poblador

The President was not at the joint session but her most trusted girl Friday was there. Remedios Poblador, an undersecretary of the presidential legislative office, was seen on the main stage along with Trade Secretary Peter Favila.

Poblador entered and exited through the right access way across from the seats of Nograles and Enrile.

Things got heated initially when Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr. rose to chastise Dilangalen for “forum shopping.”

“The gentleman who was so insistent on the physical and personal presence of the President has filed a petition I suppose for the revocation of martial law in the Supreme Court.”

Several petitions are pending before the Supreme Court insisting that Ms Arroyo violated the Constitution when she declared martial law because there was no actual rebellion or invasion, the only grounds allowed under the Constitution.

After a 30-minute break, Locsin withdrew his remarks.

An Arroyo ally, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, grilled administration officials as he pointed out that the martial law proclamation may be standing on essentially nonexistent ground.

“If you review the report given to us by (Police) Director (Andres) Caro, there is no mention whatsoever that prior to Dec. 4 there was public uprising and armed uprising against the government. So that could negate the factual basis of the declaration of martial law, the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus,” Lagman said.

Lagman noted that the presence of armed groups could indicate lawless violence, but this was not equal to a rebellion.

Responding to Lagman, Ermita was forced to acknowledge that there was no actual rebellion, but maintained that all signs point to it.

“You may be correct there is no actual rebellion going on. However, all the indications that rebellion is being committed or happening in the ground is [in] the presence of armed groups that prevent authorities from carrying out [their] duty and effecting the arrest despite the testimonies of witnesses,” Ermita said.

Sedition, not rebellion

Lagman also pressed Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera to cite her factual basis for saying there was an actual rebellion instead of a looming one.

Devanadera said she arrived at the conclusion based on information she received that heavily armed groups had taken strategic positions within Maguindanao and various camps controlled by the Ampatuans.

These actions, she added, prevented the implementation and enforcement of laws and threatened public safety.

But Lagman appeared unconvinced and pointed out that even the nonfunctioning of civil authorities in Maguindanao only indicated sedition and not rebellion.

Each chamber was given 10 hours for questioning of resource persons from the executive branch, and it is up to its members how to budget their time.

Besides Ermita and Devanadera, other ranking officials present were Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Defense Undersecretary Antonio Santos and Lt. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang, armed forces vice chief of staff.

Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales and Gen. Victor Ibrado, armed forces chief of staff, were also invited but Gonzales was in Singapore. Ibrado arrived later in the evening.

At 6:31 p.m., the Senate and the House took turns asking questions.

Sen. Benigno Aquino III was the first one recognized to inquire. But his questioning was delayed for nearly 15 minutes because of various parliamentary inquiries.

Five reports

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said Congress had received five reports about martial law in Maguindanao, and wanted to know which of these would be the basis for the lawmakers’ interpellation.

Administration officials insisted that there was an “ongoing rebellion” in Maguindanao.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago urged Ms Arroyo to lift her proclamation “as soon as possible” because it was likely the Palace would lose its case before the Supreme Court.

Santiago said the high court was likely to decide on the legality of Proclamation No. 1959 even before the joint session of Congress could come up with a decision to either revoke or support it.

Santiago, designated to be the third senator who can ask questions, made the call through the media.

The senator, who is for the revocation of the proclamation, said Malacañang was likely to lose in the high court because the declaration had no legal basis.

She reiterated that there was no actual rebellion in Maguindanao to justify the imposition of martial law.

spearhead

December 11th, 2009, 05:04 PM

Philippines: pagpag - eating from garbage

Isang nakakalungkot na report ng ating mabuting kapatirang si Ed Lingao, no posted actual date of the report, though the video was posted this past july... isang karumaldumal na sitwasyon sa port area, manila. We dont knoh how many more filipinos who live below the poverty line who does this crappy job just to stay alive.

People eating recycled food and even sell them back to us....... is this thing still happening in the philippines? Can anyone please verify.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtYr0H2oeMY&feature=channel

Ph Man

December 11th, 2009, 06:13 PM

^^ Sad...They should just move out of the city to the province where finding something to eat is not as difficult as it is in the city.

Yang Martial Law na lang ang last option ni GMA to save her face in her failure as the leader of our nation. Puwede naman state of emergency, kaso, na plano na nila yan, para hindi pumiyak siguro ang mga Ampatuan sa mga sikreto nila nuon pang naupo si GMA bilang pangulo.

Ayaw pa rin mag release ng statement ang military kung sino ang nagbigay ng mga armas at bala sa mga tauhan ng pamilya Ampatuan.

Since, na deklara na rin lang ang Martial Law, lubuslubusin na nila ang paglinis sa mga masasamang nilalang sa buong Maguindanao, walang pilian, pati yung ibang pamilya na meron private army, kelangan matahimik na lahat.

Nakow, baka ilang buwan lang o bago mag eleksyon, rebellion ang kaso ng Ampatuan at patatawarin na lang. :ohno:

:lol: Mas malakas pa ata sila sa NPA at Abu Sayaf, look at these new discovered military toys:

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/051t4dT2HW8hz/232x337.jpg?center=0.5,0 http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0dJp1IR7vT6AD/232x343.jpg?center=0.5,0

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/08bo4FofEs0hl/232x343.jpg?center=0.5,0 http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/06JXdFR017gmo/232x348.jpg?center=0.5,0

Indeed the BIG question is...where did all of these come from? At ano ang kapalit ng mga weapons na to?

higen

December 12th, 2009, 08:22 PM

absinthe_888

December 14th, 2009, 06:30 AM

jpb_1972

December 14th, 2009, 06:54 AM

youre quite right on that sir. because, honestly im feeling it now........ i dont know exactly what this feeling is but i am sure its not good for kapampangans. i just hope that its only me feeling this way.

Rep. GMA’ will haunt ‘cabalens’

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:17:00 12/05/2009

I HOPE MY “CABALENS” (PRO-vincemates) in Pampanga will reject Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. I fear a nationwide backlash against us should GMA succeed in taking back the country’s No. 1 post through Charter change.

It might be a case of history repeating itself. Not so long ago, Kapampangans were branded as traitors because of the role played by the inhabitants of one town (Macabebe) in the capture of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. After that event, all the Kapampangans were branded as traitors. It was quite unfair considering that many Kapampangans were at the forefront of the Philippine Revolution (e.g., Generals Jose Alejandrino, Francisco Makabulos, Serviliano Aquino, Mamerto Natividad, Maximino Hizon and Mariano Llanera). Many of them died for the cause.

Should one district in Pampanga bring back GMA to the No. 1 post (as prime minister), the whole of Pampanga might be again blamed for the “sin” committed by one district. And the tag on us as traitors might be resurrected.

—GEORGE M. HIZON,
george_m_hizon@yahoo.com

Long_mane

December 14th, 2009, 10:45 AM

Cocaine planted ‘to embarrass’ RP (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/network/cocaine-planted-%E2%80%98-embarrass%E2%80%99-rp):bash::bash:

DAVAO CITY -- Investigators are not discounting the possibility that the 16-kilogram stash of high-grade cocaine found in three empty reefer vans in Davao port was planted to cause embarrassment to the government.

Rolando Sacramento, team leader of Task Force Coke, told Sun.Star Davao Sunday that initial investigation of how the contraband was placed inside the refrigerating unit of Maersk Shipping Lines shows that it was meant to be "discovered". But where it was originally intended to be discovered is not yet clear.

For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter [1]

"We are also looking at the angle that the cocaine was meant to be delivered to a final destination, in one of the highly developed countries abroad," Sacramento said, with the intent of sabotaging economic relations of the country.

The angle of economic sabotage came into the picture as the reefer vans wherein the stash was discovered are the same reefer vans that will ship one of the country's leading dollar earning exports -- bananas.

"This might have been intended to bring shame to the country or to antagonize our export products and bring international embarrassment," Sacramento said, adding that the Philippines would have been immediately "blacklisted" by its partners abroad should the contraband have been discovered elsewhere.

The president of Maersk Shipping Lines is set to arrive Monday to meet up with officials of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Davao City Police Office (DCPO).

The discovery of the high-grade cocaine came when a technician of Maersk Line found that there was a blockage in the van's refrigerating system.

"It was when the technician conducted a test run of the refrigerating system when the alarm went off that there was something blocking the system. Further inspection showed cement-like substance which the technician promptly reported to the security head of Maersk Lines," said lawyer Ronnie Silvestre, BOC district collector.

The police were then called in for assistance and a test showed the substance was indeed cocaine and not shabu as earlier suspected.

Port of origin

Silvestre said that based on data released by the BOC, the two container vans originated from the Mearsk depot in Tanjung Pelapas, Malaysia before being shipped to Davao City.

The first container with number MWCU6128355 on board the MV Montana arrived in Davao City last December 4 from Malaysia. The container van originated from India before arriving in Malaysia.

The second container with number MWCU6047633 on board the MV Warnow Dolphin arrived in the Port of Davao last November 18.

"Before arriving in Malaysia, the container van was from Pakistan," Silvestre said.

The third container van, which yielded eight kilograms of cocaine, passed through the route of Singapore-Manila-Davao.

Tagged with container number MWCU 6111542, the reefer van arrived at the Port of Manila loaded with meat products. It arrived in Davao City last October 15, 2009 as an empty container.

No letup

Amid rising criticisms against his agency, Silvestre said they will not allow a letup in their investigation and that all concerned government agencies are coordinating to resolve the crisis of the cocaine find.

"There are a lot of angles being looked into and we will have to wait for the outcome of the investigation…This can have a deeper root than what we think," Silvestre said.

As of last week, empty reefer vans have been subjected to x-ray examination. The BOC has also employed the help of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) with the assignment of drug sniffing dogs in the wharf.

Silvestre said initial examination of the reefer vans yielded negative results.

Other container yards in Davao City, like APL and OCL, will also be subject to a random check by the BOC starting Monday.

The BOC is also requesting the Philippine Ports Authority to provide a bigger space for the conduct of x-ray examination within the port.

Silvestre said employees of Maersk Shipping Lines are not yet off the hook as Task Force Coke, which is now identifying the drugs’ country of origin, is also looking at the possibility of a collusion of the crew and drug syndicates, which could have allowed the contraband to be placed in the refrigerating unit of the reefer vans.

Even the manner on how the contraband was placed inside the refrigerating unit of the reefer vans is also being closely looked into.

"We will also check if it is the same modus operandi employed in other shipping lines," Sacramento said.

In recent history, the largest bust of the BOC was the interception of heroin shipment from Thailand. (Carlo P. Mallo of Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)

sandwindstars

December 15th, 2009, 12:13 AM

From the column of Dan Mariano, Manila Times, Dec 14, 2009:

A columnist in another paper recently described anyone in the press who does not agree with his opposition to martial law in Maguindanao as “media assets” of the Arroyo administration.

Such is the queer twist taken by the public discussion over the massacre of dozens of innocent, defenseless people—including 31 media workers—in Ampatuan municipality on November 23.

The focus has been made to shift away from the victims, and instead on the method the government has adopted in its bid to attain justice for them. Guess who benefits from this digression.

The aforementioned columnist had cut his teeth in journalism, so to speak, in a now-defunct newspaper whose publisher was Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., also known as Teddyboy. He was known to be a fervent admirer of Teddyboy—and his father, Teodoro Sr. of Free Press fame. As a former colleague once put it, he worshipped the ground the Locsins walked on.

Teddyboy is now on his third term as congressman, representing the First District of Makati. Over the years, however, he has managed to keep a foot in media by, among others, co-hosting an AM radio talk show.

His media involvements have not affected in any way Teddyboy’s work in Congress. In fact, his journalistic background, his keen insight, his legal training—Ateneo and Harvard—and his pedigree mark him out as one of the few lawmakers the public takes seriously.

What a shock it must have been for his erstwhile disciple and fan when Locsin took the Batasan floor on Thursday and declared: “Let martial law in Maguindanao complete its mission, and do not repay the foot soldiers’ sacrifices with ingratitude and suspicion.”

Congress, meeting in joint session since Tuesday last week, has been tackling Proclamation 1959, which President Gloria Arroyo promulgated on December 4 to boost government efforts to pinpoint, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of the Ampatuan massacre.

Since then, Mrs. Arroyo’s critics have been ganging up on Proclamation 1959, claiming that it was just part of a conspiracy to either get the Am-patuans off the hook via comparatively lighter charges of rebellion or perpetuate Mrs. Arroyo in power—or both.

Cries of “never again” reverberated in street demonstrations, symposia and other forums attended mostly by protesters too young to have been born when Marcos placed the entire Philippines under military rule in 1972.

The same exclamation has been raised by much older critics—a number of whom were known to have collaborated with the dictatorship and profited from it.

Teddyboy and his family, in contrast, were targeted by Marcos—but they never gave an inch. Locsin Sr. was among the first “detainees” rounded up hours after Proclamation 1081 was implemented in September 1972. Their hard-hitting magazine was shutdown, their offices and printing presses seized—and later appropriated by one of the dictator’s media cronies.

If there is anyone who has reason to instinctively reject the notion of martial law it is Teddyboy who was among the closest advisers of Cory Aquino even during the darkest days of the dictatorship.

On Thursday, however, Congressman Locsin showed himself to be one politician who does not pander to the mob, who has a mind of his own and who understands that extreme maladies require extreme remedies.

As of this writing, I have yet to get a transcript of his remarks on the Batasan floor. But patches of his statement that were recounted in the press persuasively argue for the need to implement martial law in Maguindanao.

A published report quoted Locsin saying that it was the Ampatuans who first imposed martial law in Maguindanao without any basis but their undying thirst for power, “which could only be slaked by the blood of anyone they disliked.”

He said that the only adequate response to this was martial law by the government.

Locsin said that while the courts and business in government offices in the province were functioning before martial law was declared, “they were only for the monkey business of the Ampatuans and against the lawful requirements of the state.”

He said that “what is happening in Maguindanao cries out for martial law, at least for now, because there was an obstinate refusal to obey the law and the lawful commands of the national government, as to constitute, on the part of the once duly constituted authorities, an illegal usurpation of the government offices they once legally held, exercising them now, not for the purposes of law, nor with the aim of doing justice, but to use the powers and functions of that same government to frustrate the law, to perpetuate injustice, to protect the perpetrators of the most horrible crime in the Philippine history and to preserve the political influence that inspired the perpetrators with the idea that they could commit such a crime with total impunity.”

Martial law, Locsin said, has made the soldiers operating in Maguindanao beholden to the law and lawful institutions and not to the politicians “they were once made to pander to, in derogation of their professional integrity.”

So, I would like to know from the aforementioned columnist, is Locsin also an asset of Mala-cañang—whether in Congress or in media—just because he does not march to the cadence of Mrs. Arroyo’s critics?

I would like to see how the aforementioned columnist try and explain his way out of this one.

sandwindstars

December 15th, 2009, 12:15 AM

wino

December 15th, 2009, 02:29 AM

From the column of Dan Mariano, Manila Times, Dec 14, 2009:
[I]
A columnist in another paper recently described anyone in the press who does not agree with his opposition to martial law in Maguindanao as “media assets” of the Arroyo administration.

the COLUMNIST who said this is... STUPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIID!
WE DON'T NEED THIS KIND OF MEDIA!
How come Media is becoming very irresponsible with what they're writing now?

in fairness to Teddy Locsin Jr. He is using his own brain.
He deserves to be a congressman

Retro

December 15th, 2009, 07:26 AM

Fastest Food Inflation Since Riots Means Milk Up 39% :bash:
By Alan Bjerga, Madelene Pearson and Yi Tian

Dec. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Falling production in commodities from rice to milk is bad news for just about everyone except investors.

Rice may surge 63 percent to $1,038 a metric ton from $638 on Philippine imports and a shortage in India, a Bloomberg survey of importers, exporters and analysts showed. The U.S. government says nonfat dry milk may jump 39 percent next year, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. forecasts a 25 percent gain for sugar. Global food costs jumped 7 percent in November, the most since February 2008, four months before reaching a record, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

Farm prices this year lagged behind copper futures that doubled and oil’s 57 percent increase. A recovery from the worst recession since World War II would spur food demand and boost costs for buyers of commodities including milk processor Dean Foods Co. while increasing the number of hungry people that the UN says now exceeds 1 billion.

“Agricultural commodities will be a great investment in the next three to five years,” said Oliver Kratz, who manages $10 billion as head of Global Thematic Strategy investments at Deutsche Bank AG’s DB Advisors in New York, including $3 billion in agriculture. For those who can’t afford to pay more for food, there’s the “painful” risk of hunger, he said.

Expanding populations and higher incomes are boosting consumption in China and India. China’s milk demand is recovering after domestic supplies were tainted with melamine, a chemical used in making plastics that killed at least six babies and sickened almost 300,000 children. Droughts in India and Argentina and typhoons in the Philippines have reduced output.

Food-Price Risk

“Inventories are extremely low in a number of grains markets,” Barclays Capital said Dec. 10. “The prospect of a further bout of food-price inflation in 2010 cannot be ruled out since many of the factors that contributed to higher prices in 2007 and 2008 are still a feature.”

Stockpiles of corn and rice will drop before the 2010 harvest for the first time in three years, U.S. Department of Agriculture data show. The International Sugar Organization forecasts a second straight global supply deficit in the year through September 2010, and the USDA predicts stores of the sweetener will drop to the lowest level since 1995.

Pork, Poultry

Wholesale-pork prices in the U.S. are up 27 percent this year, heading for the first annual gain since 2004, as farmers hurt by two years of losses cut the domestic breeding herd to the smallest level since the USDA started collecting the data in 1964. Chicken output is sliding in the U.S., where the number of eggs placed into incubators each week is headed to the lowest quarterly average since 2002.

“The tendency for food prices is up, it’s not down,” Unilever Chief Executive Officer Paul Polman said Dec. 11 in a Bloomberg Television interview in Copenhagen. Rotterdam- and London-based Unilever, the largest consumer-product company after Procter & Gamble Co. in Cincinnati, makes Lipton tea, Hellmann’s mayonnaise and Bertolli sauces. “We need to be sure that we have the food supply, that we don’t waste, and that we continue to get increasingly efficient means to get that food to the consumers,” Polman said.

The risk of accelerating prices may be muted by “healthy” gains in inventories, including wheat, according to the FAO. Supplies in warehouses are enough to meet about 23 percent of global demand, compared with 19 percent two years ago, the FAO said last week. Inventories are “far more comfortable” than during last year’s crisis, the UN agency said.

More Wheat Supply

Global wheat stockpiles on May 31 are expected to jump 17 percent to an eight-year high of 190.9 million metric tons, after production last year reached a record 682 million tons, the USDA said Dec. 10.

Food costs jumped to a record in June 2008 as wheat, corn, rice, oats, soybeans, animal feed and cooking oil reached the highest prices ever. Indonesia, Argentina and India restricted trade to protect supplies, according to the UN. Shortages sparked about 60 riots from Haiti to the Philippines before the global credit crisis and recession sent prices plunging.

Global economic recovery means there is “increasing pressure on food prices to rise,” Nomura International Plc said in a report. “Volatility in price and supply are with us for the predictable future,” according to Josette Sheeran, the executive director of the UN’s World Food Program. “Risk is the new normal when it comes to food.”

Economic Growth Seen

The global economy will expand 3.1 percent in 2010 as more than $2 trillion in stimulus combined with demand in Asia pulls the world out the recession, the Washington-based International Monetary Fund said on Oct. 1.

The U.S. will expand 2.6 percent next year, compared with a contraction of 2.5 percent in 2009, according to the median of estimates from 83 economists in a Bloomberg survey. China’s growth will accelerate to 9.4 percent next year from 8.5 percent in 2009, a Bloomberg survey of 31 economists showed.

Some food supplies already are falling. Global production of rice, the staple for more than half the world, has lagged behind demand in four of the past eight years, USDA data show. Rising consumption is expected to erode stockpiles by 41 percent to 85.9 million tons in the 2009-2010 marketing year, down from a record 146.7 million in 2001-2002, the USDA forecasts.

Rice may exceed $1,000 a ton as dry El Nino weather, caused by a warming of sea waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, shrinks output and the Philippines and India boost imports, according to Sarunyu Jeamsinkul, the deputy managing director at Asia Golden Rice Ltd. in Thailand, the largest exporting nation.

Rice, Corn, Soybeans

The Thai rice price may soar to last year’s record of $1,038 a ton, according to the highest estimate in a Bloomberg survey last month of 10 importers, exporters and analysts in Vietnam, Thailand, India, Singapore and Pakistan.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said Dec. 3 that corn and soybeans will rally through 2011. Corn will reach $4.75 a bushel next year and $5 in 2011 on higher demand for fuels made from the grain, the bank said. Soybeans may reach $11 a bushel in the next 12 months and average $12 a bushel in 2011, Goldman said.

Decatur, Illinois-based Archer Daniels Midland Co., the second-largest U.S. producer of corn-based ethanol behind Poet LLC, reported a 53 percent drop in quarterly profit last month on tighter supplies of soybeans it processes into animal feed and cooking oil.

In the sweeteners and starches business, Archer Daniels Midland’s profit more than tripled to $194 million, partly because of higher selling prices and reduced costs for corn, which fell from last year’s record. Archer Daniels gained 14 percent since the end of June to $30.49 in New York trading.

Milk Supplies

U.S. manufacturers’ stockpiles of nonfat dry milk fell to 90.1 million pounds on Oct. 31, 47 percent lower than a year earlier and less than half of what they were in June, the USDA said Dec. 4. Domestic production this year is down 8.2 percent, including a 27 percent drop in October, as farmers culled dairy herds to end a surplus, government data show.

The price of nonfat dry milk, used in baking products and baby formula, will rise to an average of $1.275 a pound next year from 92 cents, and cheese will increase 28 percent, the USDA said on Dec. 10. Processed and fluid milk will jump 31 percent to $16.75 per 100 pounds, the USDA said.

“We’ve been through the boom and then the bust, and it looks like we’re going to have another boom,” said Michael Harvey, an international analyst at Melbourne-based Dairy Australia, a trade group.

Milk output will fall 4 percent in Australia in 2009-2010. New Zealand’s production slipped 2 percent in the first three months of its season, and Brazil’s supply dropped 4 percent to 5 percent through July, Dairy Australia said in a report.

Westpac Forecast

Milk-powder prices may gain more than 20 percent to exceed $4,000 a ton early next year, said Westpac Banking Corp., Australia’s second-largest bank. Whole milk powder for February delivery rose to a 16-month high of $3,523 a ton at auction, Fonterra, the world’s largest dairy exporter, said on Dec. 2.

Dean Foods, the largest U.S. milk processor, said Nov. 2 that fourth-quarter profit may fall more than analysts expected, to at least 36 cents a share, because of rising raw-milk costs. Chief Executive Officer Gregg Engles told investors that prices, which will climb through next year, probably won’t surpass the records set in 2007 and 2008. Since Oct. 30, shares of Dallas- based Dean are down 5.4 percent at $17.25 in New York.

Global sugar supplies will remain “tight” for the first half of 2010, JPMorgan Chase said. There’s a “material risk” that prices for March and May will jump 28 percent to 30 cents a pound, Tobin Gorey, the bank’s global commodity strategist, wrote in a report dated Dec. 10. Sugar for March delivery in New York increased 6.6 percent last week to close at 24 cents a pound on Dec. 11.

Palm Oil, Food Output

Palm oil, the world’s most-used cooking oil, may soar to 3,000 ringgit ($882) a ton by March as El Nino parches crops in Asia, said Dorab Mistry, director of Godrej International Ltd., one of India’s biggest edible-oil buyers, on Dec. 4. Palm-oil futures for February delivery closed at 2,530 ringgit on Dec. 11 in Kuala Lumpur. Production may drop next year, he said.

Food output will need to rise 70 percent in the next four decades as the global population expands to 9.1 billion in 2050 from 6.8 billion, the FAO estimates. Seven nations in sub- Saharan Africa, the world’s most famine-prone region, will see per-capita income fall next year, according to the UN, fueling an increase in hunger, which the organization now estimates affects 1.02 billion people.

“The politicians had best be able to at least feed their populations or they’re going to have uprisings,” said Jeffrey Saut, chief investment strategist at Raymond James & Associates in St. Petersburg, Florida, which manages $220 billion. “One of the first things, other than clean water and a toilet, that people want when their per capita income rises is food.”

RonnieR

December 15th, 2009, 11:00 AM

bledzoe

December 16th, 2009, 11:45 AM

Japanese man jailed for killing two Filipinas (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20091216-242353/Japanese-man-jailed-for-killing-two-Filipinas)

TOKYO-- A Japanese man who murdered and mutilated two Filipinas was jailed for life on Wednesday, evading the gallows after prosecutors had demanded the death penalty, a court official said.

The Tokyo District Court sentenced Hiroshi Nozaki, 50, to life in prison for strangling Honiefaith Ratilla Kamiosawa, 22, cutting her body into pieces and discarding them in 2008, a court official said.

Nozaki also received a 14-year prison term for killing another Filipina, 27-year-old Elda Longakit Yoneda, in 1999.

The two women were reportedly bar hostesses.

Nozaki was previously sentenced to three and a half years in prison for mutilating and destroying the body of Longakit Yoneda, but at the time he was not charged with murder because her cause of death was not established.

He was arrested again last year over the Ratilla Kamiosawa case and confessed to both murders.

Presiding Judge Ikuro Toishi Wednesday called the crimes "dreadful and inhuman" but declined to mandate the death sentence. According to Jiji Press, Toishi noted Nozaki's confession and said he could still be rehabilitated.
__________________________________________________

http://www.stippy.com/wp/wp-content/zuploads/2008/04/kamiosawa01.gif
Justice is now served to Honiefaith Ratilla Kamiosawa

What would have happened if she was an American?
(http://images.google.com.ph/imgres?imgurl=http://www.stippy.com/wp/wp-content/zuploads/2008/04/kamiosawa01.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.stippy.com/japan-news-and-media/chopped-up-filipina-body-found-in-tokyo-coin-locker/&usg=__TL7IbKEbYA5n_cM7VZ7hKIyuFZE=&h=236&w=197&sz=33&hl=tl&start=2&um=1&tbnid=HDr2dSqeBxrGyM:&tbnh=109&tbnw=91&prev=/images%3Fq%3DHoniefaith%2BRatilla%2BKamiosawa%26hl%3Dtl%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26channel%3Ds%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26hs%3DbsV%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1)
Red on Apr 10 2008 at 12:25 am | Filed under: Japan: News and Media

How many of you have been following the attempted suicide of Hiroshi Nozaki (野崎浩) on April 6? I’m guessing not that many of you, because for some reason it’s not really receiving that much air time on Japanese TV. Nozaki’s suicide is particularly controversial because after calling an ambulance he gave instructions to the doctor to search in a coin locker at the Hamamatsucho Station (浜松町駅) next to the World Trade Center Building. Inside the locker was a suitcase filled with 10 chopped up body parts of a 22 year old Filipina woman, Honiefaith Ratilla Kamiosawa (上大澤・ハニーフィット・ラティリア). As foreigners in Japan, there is more to this story than the Japanese media make out. How much different would this situation be if she were say, American? Or perhaps if she was a Japanese national, and the killer was an African American?

http://www.stippy.com/wp/wp-content/zuploads/2008/04/nozaki.gif
Hiroshi "Japanese Jack the Ripper" Nozaki

In case you haven’t seen the news let me give you a very brief rundown on what appears to have happened:

* Nozaki shared an apartment in Odaiba with the woman and 2 of her cousins. It seems that the 3 women all worked at the same hostess club in Roppongi.
* Nozaki was a regular patron of Kamiosawa’s establishment, and he was hooked on Filipino women. He offered to pay half of Kamiosawa’s rent, on the condition that he could move in with her. She accepted.
* Kamiosawa and Nozaki got in to a fight after Nozaki failed to pay his share of the rent. The police believe that Nozaki murdered Kamiosawa on April 3.
* After killing Kamiosawa, Nozaki carved her body up in their bath and tried to hide the cause of death by washing her in their washing machine.
* Three days later, Nozaki supposedly attempted to commit suicide by slitting his wrists (hmmm) but then called an ambulance for help (hmmm) . That’s a sure fire way of ensuring that you don’t die.

This video is a sample nonchalant media coverage that this case got on Japanese TV (Japanese language). The last line in the story regarding the washing machine trick is particularly interesting. Translation: “It is thought that Nozaki washed the parts of the body in a washing machine before putting them in a suitcase. The police are thinking about whether to charge him with Murder also”.

[can't find the said video]

This alone is a pretty horrific story. But I ask you, Why isn’t this a bigger issue? Why isn’t it getting more press? Why is it that the life of a Filipino is deemed to be so worthless? Would it have been any different if she was an American? Of course it would have. It would be a high profile international crime case. President Bush would be knocking on Fukuda’s door. I know that Japan is an important country for the Philippines but come on? Where is the power of your politicians? Why aren’t they making a bigger issue of this? The future of the Philippines rides on the success of its overseas workers, it can’t afford to allow Japan to get away with something like this? Has anybody seen any comments from the Embassy?

http://www.stippy.com/wp/wp-content/zuploads/2008/04/tokyo-monorail-locker.jpg
Coin Lockers at the Tokyo Monorail
Hamamatsucho Station where the body was found

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/headers/16.jpg
the brightly lit Tokyo district

What makes it even worse, is that it is not the first time that this has happened. In fact it is not even the first time that this man has carved up a pinay! I can hear your jaw dropping and hitting the floor right now. Nozaki was arrested and sentenced in 2000 for three and a half years jail for carving up the body of another 27 year old Filipina girl, Longakit Alda Yoneda (米田・ロンガキット・エルダ) that he was living with at the time. After hacking up her body, and boiling it in a pasta pot, he flushed it down the toilet of a park in Yokohama!

This raises a few more questions. Why on earth was he only given a 3.5 year jail sentence? You’re never going to believe this, but apparently he wasn’t found guilty of murder at all. He was “only” found guilty of “mutilating and abandoning of a dead body” (死体損壊・遺棄). At the time he claimed that when he woke up she was lying dead beside him. Well, I guess that explains why he then cut her up into pieces doesn’t it. The investigation into the death of the 27 year old is still unsolved. This is wrong in so many ways (unless of course, Nozaki genuinely couldn’t pay for the funeral of the sexy young lady who died of natural causes in bed next to him – in which case chopping her up and disposing of her in a more unorthodox, though frugal way would have of course been the only option…)

* How do you decide that three and a half years is an appropriate term for the “mutilating and abandoning of a dead body”?
* Why isn’t it obvious that a man who was overheard fighting with a Filipina dancer and then caught flushing her body down a park toilet killed her, too?
* Why does Japan allow such sickos to go back out into society?
* Why would this story have been so different if either of the girls were American?
* Perhaps even more provoking yet, why would this story have been so different if the murderer was an American? (Or even if the girl was British!)

Let's Pray for the Two Filipinas Killed by a Japanese Man
(http://images.google.com.ph/imgres?imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BmeZQ9rnNLE/SmmZtXqrgxI/AAAAAAAAAbg/DlKLeJmL1Z8/s320/kamiosawa01.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.pinknotesdiary.com/2009/07/lets-pray-for-two-filipinas-killed-by.html&usg=__kwzKqNSNHfYKUzurFTvyDlF7KII=&h=236&w=197&sz=67&hl=tl&start=9&um=1&tbnid=iB0J44MpoqyheM:&tbnh=109&tbnw=91&prev=/images%3Fq%3DElda%2BLongakit%2BYoneda%26hl%3Dtl%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26channel%3Ds%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1)Posted by PinkNote at 5:42 PM

After reading it on Yahoo.com.ph, my heart sank. I cannot believe that there are a lot of people who can kill and shrug off the crime they committed. What did this Japanese man did to our kababayan is so tragic, just the same as the death of Ruby Rose Barrameda.

After almost a decade, a 49- year old Japanese finally admitted killing Elda Longakit Yoneda, 27, and Honiefaith Ratilla Kamiosawa, 22. Reports said that the two women struggled to death inside apartments -- Yoneda in Yokohama in 1999, and Kamiosawa in Tokyo in 2008. Previous reports stated that the murderer Hiroshi Nozaki burnedElda Yoneda and flushed her body parts in the toilet. Honiefaith Kamiosawa's body on the other hand was washed in a laundry machine before hiding them in a suitcase in a coin locker. Prosecutors said that Nozaki killed the two Filipina women after they rejected his advances. But this Nozaki man never admitted his crimes until he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Defence lawyers said that he wanted to be handed a death sentenced as soon as possible that's why he finally confessed his evil action. Smooth huh???
[I]
[talk about variety in trying to hide this inhuman acts]

It's pretty scary to hear news like this. There's really no safer place for everyone these days. I actually googled for further reports about this man's dreadful offense and was shock as I read detailed versions here and here. It seems like Filipino's life in Japan is deemed to be so worthless. A co-blogger in Japan had stated her side of the story and it enrages me knowing that this issue doesn't hit their country and how she sympathized with us Filipinos for lack of justice for our OFWs in their country . The first time Nozaki committed a horrific crime to a Filipina, he wasn't even charged of murder, instead found guilty of “mutilating and abandoning of a dead body” and was put to jail for 3.5 years ONLY. It seems that Japanese are so patriotic that they do not really care for us Filipinos but would definitely turned the situation the other way around if the crime is done to an American. My God, what these Japanese did to us Filipinos as told in history is already heart breaking but to think that they still doesn't treat Filipinos fairly up to know, is shit!

Up to this point, we are not still sure of what they will sentenced Nozaki. But I hope Japan would do the right thing now. As for me, I can't do anything else but pray and be heard through this blog. I hope a lot of bloggers would also show the world through their writings how serious the situation is and that we Filipinos should be united even more because of this. Red already stood for us Filipinos even she's not a native and I know I can do the same. Ako pa na Pilipino, hindi ipagtatanggol ang lahi ko?

jpdm

December 16th, 2009, 02:58 PM

^^^^

THis article makes me angry..

Christian_123

December 16th, 2009, 07:51 PM

How did the cocaine shipment pass the Customs in Malaysia???? :bash:

You answered it....Malaysia is doing everything to destroy mindanao as part of their illegal land grabbing and so we can forget the Sabah Issue.

As for the brutal killing in japan, lets pray for the two victims that they get justice in this HOPELESS justice system and help from our WORTHLESS government.

jpdm

December 17th, 2009, 03:17 PM

absinthe_888

December 18th, 2009, 02:43 AM

Bad news for Lore-lie...Her big mouth and yabang ways have finally caught up with her :lol::lol::lol:

Pero tama naman yung sinabi nya. :nuts:

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/4705/61709435.jpg

Lorelei in freezer (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=533599&publicationSubCategoryId=68)
By Marvin Sy (The Philippine Star) Updated December 18, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - For causing a stir with her statement that President Arroyo was keeping her friendship with the Ampatuans despite the Maguindanao massacre, deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo has apparently been sent to the freezer.

Fajardo, also presidential assistant for Central Luzon, clarified that she has decided to work full time in this post, a position she held for several years before she became one of the deputy presidential spokespersons.

Her statement that Mrs. Arroyo “would not turn her back on political allies even though they (Ampatuans) were in that situation” had generated widespread criticism.

The same issue on the President coddling the Ampatuans was raised during the recent congressional hearing on Proclamation 1959 or the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita defended Fajardo, saying she was speaking in a personal capacity and that her attention was called about the gaffe.

Since issuing that statement, Fajardo has not been seen in any of the press briefings at Malacañang, prompting speculations that she was about to leave her post as deputy presidential spokesperson.

In a text message, Fajardo said she “chose to devote my full attention to governance issues in Region III where my services are most needed.”

“The administration constantly addresses various challenges and situations differently. Some of which call for a strategic realignment of priorities and resources,” she said.

“I was given a choice between serving as full time undersecretary of OPS (Office of the Press Secretary) and Presidential Assistant for Central Luzon. It’s my honor to serve Secretary (Cerge) Remonde, he’s been a good mentor and a friend,” she said.

Even during her stint as deputy presidential spokesperson, Fajardo had been busy with her functions as the PA for Region III.

“I welcome the opportunity to dedicate my undivided energy to the demands of this post. I will continue to serve at the President’s behest, in whatever capacity most satisfies her needs,” she said.

Because of this and the decision of the other deputy presidential spokesperson Anthony Golez to run for Congress as representative of Bacolod City, the President is left with just one other deputy spokesperson, Gary Olivar.

The daily briefings at the Palace are now presided over by Remonde, Ermita, and Olivar.

jpdm

December 18th, 2009, 11:31 AM

bitoy

December 19th, 2009, 10:32 AM

Some WTF moments in a high level murder case... :ohno:

0Q4LxgD5AVc

Reporter voice inside the vehicle....
(kumusta ka mayor? ano nararamdaman mo? natatakot ka ba?)

Why did the NBI let a reporter inside the vehicle with the accused?

There was a big lapse on Mayor Andal jr's security when they let the media and the public very near to him during his arrival and departure in DOJ office.

I can not blame those journalists who can not control their emotions to get a piece of the accused, it might be their only way to show their anger and their last time to come close to the alleged murderer of their colleagues.

pi_malejana

December 19th, 2009, 10:38 AM

^^ nbi frequently does that i think... nung may in-extradite sila galing US para sa dacer-corbito case ata un, may media din from airplane hanggang sa loob ng SUV...

bitoy

December 19th, 2009, 10:44 AM

nbi frequently does that i think... nung may in-extradite sila galing US para sa dacer-corbito case ata un, may media din from airplane hanggang sa loob ng SUV...

Baka meron yung mga reporters na agreement with NBI na walang mananagot kung may mangyari sa kanila. :lol:

Kung may nagplano na itumba si Andal Jr., sakit ng ulo ng NBI nito. :D

pi_malejana

December 19th, 2009, 11:02 AM

Baka meron yung mga reporters na agreement with NBI na walang mananagot kung may mangyari sa kanila. :lol:

Kung may nagplano na itumba si Andal Jr., sakit ng ulo ng NBI nito. :D

baka ayaw lang silang mahusgahan na binibigyan ng special treatment ang mga "hawak" nila...:D

higen

December 19th, 2009, 05:54 PM

How did the cocaine shipment pass the Customs in Malaysia???? :bash:

^^Phils do not have a monopoly on corrupt officials after all...

You answered it....Malaysia is doing everything to destroy mindanao as part of their illegal land grabbing and so we can forget the Sabah Issue.

^^ :doh:...Hitler also said that Jews are the source of all evil so we should kill them all...You must be a Psychic or somebody who has firsthand information to say that with such conviction like its a given fact. But you are in the right forum i guess, some people here actually believe what you believe and their willing to start war even just to have Sabah. You might even get a thumbs up from one of them for saying what you just said. And I suppose you also think that gremlins are the reason why airplanes crash?...:ohno:

sandwindstars

December 21st, 2009, 04:04 PM

^^Phils do not have a monopoly on corrupt officials after all...

^^ :doh:...Hitler also said that Jews are the source of all evil so we should kill them all...You must be a Psychic or somebody who has firsthand information to say that with such conviction like its a given fact. But you are in the right forum i guess, some people here actually believe what you believe and their willing to start war even just to have Sabah. You might even get a thumbs up from one of them for saying what you just said. And I suppose you also think that gremlins are the reason why airplanes crash?...:ohno:

I think you're going overboard, putting Hitler and the Jewish holocaust in the picture. Drama queen. In respect to war mongering, Malaysia had always been posturing to avoid dealing with Sabah on a diplomatic front (e.g. Intl Court of Justice or something.) In the early '60's on the creating of Malaysia, the new nation threatened war against Philippines; same in the 70's after Marcos' cockamamy operation that ended in the Jabidah massacre. It's a legal quagmire, because Britain created this mess, Malaysia still pays rent to the Kiram family. As for the Abu Sayyaf, I'm sure Malaysia has had its share of this band of bandits. Hopefully, with the arrest of the this Abu Sayyaf operative in Jakarta can reveal more as to where the money is coming from, and how it is transferred to whom and where. I think Malaysia should come to terms that this issue has to be at a negotiating table. It doesn't take an Einstein or a Harvard law degree to see that Malaysia's involvement in the Mindanao peace process is questionable. Even the Moros themselves don't want that.

higen

December 21st, 2009, 08:13 PM

sandwindstars

December 22nd, 2009, 01:30 AM

^^Sigh...:ohno:...Oh the history lesson...:bash:

Mr sandwichstars, regarding Malaysia coming to terms and settling this issue I most definitely agree...But you see my freind you did exactly what unChristian123has done which I most earnestly pointed out...You know, the part where you said "I'm sure Malaysia has had its share of this band of bandits". You must know a couple of them to actually say that for a fact? Beside missing my point, YOU talk of diplomacy when what you just said demolishes whatever hope of diplomatic solution we have regarding Sabah...haaayyy...tsk tsk tsk. Need I explain why I put Hitler and the Holocust in the picutre? Or would you rather try calling something else?

Hey just a dog gone minute there...did you just call me a drama queen???:nuts:

Oh yeah...and dont turn this thread into a Sabah issue debate...

In 2 ways:

- It has had its share of Abu Sayyaf kidnapping, the resort in Sipadan even before the Dos Palmas kidnapping in Palawan; (there may have been other incidents in resorts as well. they took their hostages to Jolo.)
- During the Dos Palmas kidnapping, read a report in the print media "that the kidnappers started from somewhere Malaysia (Sabah presumably) and the mastermind of the kidnapping was an ex Malaysian military,"

I'm not surprised that they go back and forth Sabah and Sulu because there is really no border down there. "Malaysia" and "Philippines" are just artificial identities/concotions. The people of Sabah and Sulu are pretty much the same, primarily the Badjaos and they were "one" nation before. One cannot be sure who is really "Filipino" or "Malaysian". I met a Badjao in Panglao, but he said, he was "Malaysian", who went to Zamboanga, married a Christian Visayan now lives in Bohol. He is just like any Filipino. This is what makes the problem sticky.

higen

December 22nd, 2009, 06:24 AM

In 2 ways:

- It has had its share of Abu Sayyaf kidnapping, the resort in Sipadan even before the Dos Palmas kidnapping in Palawan; (there may have been other incidents in resorts as well. they took their hostages to Jolo.)
- During the Dos Palmas kidnapping, read a report in the print media "that the kidnappers started from somewhere Malaysia (Sabah presumably) and the mastermind of the kidnapping was an ex Malaysian military,"

I'm not surprised that they go back and forth Sabah and Sulu because there is really no border down there. "Malaysia" and "Philippines" are just artificial identities/concotions. The people of Sabah and Sulu are pretty much the same, primarily the Badjaos and they were "one" nation before. One cannot be sure who is really "Filipino" or "Malaysian". I met a Badjao in Panglao, but he said, he was "Malaysian", who went to Zamboanga, married a Christian Visayan now lives in Bohol. He is just like any Filipino. This is what makes the problem sticky.

^^I see...So based on the 2 point you've cited especially the bolded statement above, this by your standards concludes that Malaysia IS involved??? Unbelievable!:ohno:That where you and I and all the other frustrated Pinoys will never meet eye to eye...ALL of what you have put on the table so far are PRESSUMPTIONS and ASSUMPTIONS, which might actually sell (or not) if you put it down in an action/suspense/spy novel...Unless evidenence can be put forth that would erase my doubts that Malaysia is involved with the mess in Mindanao then I will not bring out my gun and taunt at every Malasyian I see. And besides, do you seriously and honestly think that its an external force that fueling the war in Mindanao??? Here's a question for you my friend. Why can Sri Lanka destroy the best armed, well organized, well funded and the most feared rebel army in the world and we can get rid of the problems in Mindanao? You seriously think Malaysia is behind this dragging war? Or are you just one of them pinoys who is looking for someone, or in this case, a country to blame for our own inability to end the conflict so you can vent out your frustrations?

Regarding your 2nd statement about the badjao being Malaysian looking ike Filipino. Let me tell you this, being in Canada and all. A Chinese man maybe Chinese but he he can still be Canadian. YOU can be brown but still be Canadian. And it's also the same with every border town in Europe or anywhere else. One may speak Spanish and look Spanish but be a French national. I think your confussing yourself with the concept of citizenship or national affiliation versus race/enthnicity. I know dozens of Chinese and Indians who consider themselves MALAYSIANS first. I have ethnic Chinese friends who consider themselves Filipinos first. Now regarding your deduction that that is what makes the problem sticky. Well, I think you need to rethink that conclussion ...Oh that things I have to say...but I will stop here...

sandwindstars

December 22nd, 2009, 05:42 PM

^^I see...So based on the 2 point you've cited especially the bolded statement above, this by your standards concludes that Malaysia IS involved??? Unbelievable!:ohno:That where you and I and all the other frustrated Pinoys will never meet eye to eye.... Well, I think you need to rethink that conclussion ...Oh that things I have to say...but I will stop here...

Create your own conclusions. I pointed out your inclusion of Hitler and the Holocaust in your previous post as going overboard. It is OFFENSIVE to those who suffered and died because of that, nothing to do with the issue. Maybe it's time to brush up on your history of the Sultanate of Sulu, Sabah, and about the people of the region. You might want to look at the history of the relationship between the Philippines and Malaysia, since its creation in 1962 (?) before creating your own conclusions. I was just pointing out certain problems in that region that has to be resolved by two sovereign states. Have a good Christmas!

higen

December 23rd, 2009, 11:14 AM

Create your own conclusions. I pointed out your inclusion of Hitler and the Holocaust in your previous post as going overboard. It is OFFENSIVE to those who suffered and died because of that, nothing to do with the issue. Maybe it's time to brush up on your history of the Sultanate of Sulu, Sabah, and about the people of the region. You might want to look at the history of the relationship between the Philippines and Malaysia, since its creation in 1962 (?) before creating your own conclusions. I was just pointing out certain problems in that region that has to be resolved by two sovereign states. Have a good Christmas!

^^Of course I make my own conclussion. However I try to make conclussions based on facts. I DONT MAKE CONCLUSSIONS based on chismis, hear say or propaganda.

Now regarding me citing Hitler and the holocust being overboard and calling me a drama queen. Excuse me, but you dont know what the heck your talking about. You cant be more dead wrong...I am not a drama queen...I AM A DRAMA KING!!! A King darn it!!!...:nuts: I am not a gays!!!:bash:
But seriously, since you obviously did not understand why I cited Hitler and the holocust. If you think it was an upfront to the victims of the holocust then allow me to explain. Hitler manipulated his people into believing that the jews was the source of all evil. The German people at that time was sooo ready to believe him, most of them anyway, that it led to the holocust. Now relating that to what Christian123 and you believe. Both of you and some other people are so ready to believe that Malaysia is involved in the screwup in Mindanao even without clear and real evidence that Malaysia is involved. Like the people of Germany then who were so ready to believe Hitler's propaganda. Do you see the relationship now??? Honestly, do you guys even stop to think who told you or where you heard that propaganda from and did you even try to verify the facts? Yet your so ready to believe it? I think there are already far too many Pinoys now-a-days who allow themselves to be used by believing whatever some people tell them without even thinking things through and without considering facts first. That's why I try my very best not to be one of them.

Now It's a fact that there are some brainwashed terrorist who happen to be Malaysians that are in colussion with the rebels as there are Indonesians. But that does not mean Indonesia is also involved in this concucted conspiracy??? If Malaysia is involved and theres eveidence to it then maybe I will beat my wardrums too. But until there is, adding fuel by jumping the bandwagon in this imagined conspiracy is really really tragic. Arent we, the pinoys, supposed to be a smart and intelligent people? Or is that just mere propaganda too?

And before you even try to give a lesson about history and tell me to brush up on my history please make sure you got your dates right. And I think your pressuming too much by thinking that I know nothing or little about the history of the so called Sulu Sultanate or the history of the so called bangsamoro people and their struggle for Independence...Has google or wiki been good to as they were with me? Or have you actually had you hands on materials about these topics?

TheAvenger

December 23rd, 2009, 11:39 AM

^^Of course I make my own conclussion. However I try to make conclussions based on facts. I DONT MAKE CONCLUSSIONS based on chismis, hear say or propaganda. I think there are already way too many Pinoys that would easily believe whatever you tell them without finding out by
themselves first and I dont want to add to them.

Now regarding me citing Hitler and the holocust being overboard and calling me a drama queen? Excuse me but you dont know what the heck your talking about. Iam not a drama queen...IAM A DRAMA KING!!! A King darn it!!! ...:nuts: I am not a gays!!!:bash:

But seriously, since you obviously did not understand why I cited Hitler and the holocust. If you think it was an upfront to the victims of the holocust then allow me to explain. Hotler manipulated his people into believing that the jews was the source of all evil. The German people at that time was sooo ready to believe him, most of them anyway, that it led to the holocust. Now relating that to what Christian123 and you so rightfully beleives. Both of you and some people in this forum, are so ready to believe that Malaysia is involved in the screwup in Mindanao even without clear and real evidence that Malaysia is involved. Like the people of Germany then who were so ready to believe Hitler's propaganda. Do you see the relationship now???

Now It's a fact that there are some brainwashed terrorist who happen to be Malaysians that are in colussion with the rebels as there are Indonesians. But that does not mean Indonesia is also involved in this imagined conspiracy, right? Malaysia stands a lot to lose if the conflict in Mindanao biols over to Sabah. So why on Earth would they get involved? I think there are already far too many Pinoys now-a-days who allow themselves to be used by believing whatever some people tell them. I try my very best not to be one of them.

And before you even try to give a lesson about history please make sure you got your dates right.

Actually Malaysia started all these wars in the Southern Philippines since the 1960s. The alledged Jabidah massacres happened because a Malay spies were able to infiltrate the training of Special Forces in Simunol island in Sulu, and later in Corregidor island inside Manila Bay the Malay spies were the one who instigate the trainees from Siasi Sulu to go home, later firefights happened which results to the alleged massacres.

In the 1970s through the Sabah State Minister Tun Mustapha, Malaysia arranged the sending of Arab arms and supplies to Moro rebels.

Malaysia neither want Philippine government to win the counter-insurgency war against the MILF because they were afraid that a peacefull Southern Philippines will lead to the revival of Philippine claim to Sabah.

Nor they want the Bangsa Moro to win in their aim to established an independent Islamic Republic in Mindanao and Sulu, because Malaysia is afraid that the Bangsa Moro with Tausug leadership will join up with Sabah and they will establish a new nation that will be called the Republic of Sulu and Sabah.
So the Malaysian prefer the MILF who were mostly Maranaos and Maguindanaos than the MNLF who were mostly Tausogs, and other tribes in Sabah. No wonder they arrested Misuari before and gaved to the Philippine government. Malaysia wants a perpetual war in the
Southern Philippine island of Mindanao, Basilan, and Sulu.

Malaysia have a hidden selfish agenda when they join the peace negotiations between GPR and MILF, they were playing games for their selfish national interest. However the Malays in Malaysia will gain little political power in Sabah since at present Chines and Indian (Bumbay) outnumbered the bumiputra which were the original tribes in Sabah. The Chinese and Indians were the one controlling the economy of Sabah while the Malays from mainland Malaysia were controlling the Sabah government and the indigenous people of Sabah like the Christian Kadazan, Muruts, Badjaos, etc were already marginalized like the thousands of Filipinos of Christian and Muslim faith.

Pls read also the Jibrael Blog :

The Mindanao Conflict and the Jabidah Massacre

http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2007/05/mindanao-conflict.html

SABAH TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY FROM THE SULTANATE OF SULU TO THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ON SEPTEMBER 11, 1962

http://sulusultan.com/transfer.html

Ermita's Sabah Memo :

http://blogs.gmanews.tv/ellen-tordesillas/archives/5-Ermitas-Sabah-memo.html

higen

December 23rd, 2009, 12:47 PM

TheAvenger

December 23rd, 2009, 02:24 PM

TheAvenger

December 23rd, 2009, 04:17 PM

^^I see...So based on the 2 point you've cited especially the bolded statement above, this by your standards concludes that Malaysia IS involved??? Unbelievable!:ohno:That where you and I and all the other frustrated Pinoys will never meet eye to eye...ALL of what you have put on the table so far are PRESSUMPTIONS and ASSUMPTIONS, which might actually sell (or not) if you put it down in an action/suspense/spy novel...Unless evidenence can be put forth that would erase my doubts that Malaysia is involved with the mess in Mindanao then I will not bring out my gun and taunt at every Malasyian I see. And besides, do you seriously and honestly think that its an external force that fueling the war in Mindanao??? Here's a question for you my friend. Why can Sri Lanka destroy the best armed, well organized, well funded and the most feared rebel army in the world and we can get rid of the problems in Mindanao? You seriously think Malaysia is behind this dragging war? Or are you just one of them pinoys who is looking for someone, or in this case, a country to blame for our own inability to end the conflict so you can vent out your frustrations?

Regarding your 2nd statement about the badjao being Malaysian looking ike Filipino. Let me tell you this, being in Canada and all. A Chinese man maybe Chinese but he he can still be Canadian. YOU can be brown but still be Canadian. And it's also the same with every border town in Europe or anywhere else. One may speak Spanish and look Spanish but be a French national. I think your confussing yourself with the concept of citizenship or national affiliation versus race/enthnicity. I know dozens of Chinese and Indians who consider themselves MALAYSIANS first. I have ethnic Chinese friends who consider themselves Filipinos first. Now regarding your deduction that that is what makes the problem sticky. Well, I think you need to rethink that conclussion ...Oh that things I have to say...but I will stop here...

About the Badjaos, some of their tribes were in living in Sabah since time immemorial, and some of their tribes were living in Sulu islands also since time immemorial.

So some Badjaos were Malaysian citizens and some were Philippine citizens. Of course lately, some of the Philippine-based Badjaos perhaps have cross over the border and either became Malaysian citizens or TNTs.

Of course, in that porous borders, the Badjaos and other Sabah and Sulu peoples were criss-crossing the border without regards to citizenship as they were doing it for centuries, but at present the Malaysian were guarding strictly the border for people from the Philippines. But they keep their eyes closed for those Indians and Chinese who enter Sabah to reside and work.

sandwindstars

December 23rd, 2009, 06:39 PM

Avenger: Thanks for posting the links.

sandwindstars

December 23rd, 2009, 06:51 PM

http://www.royalsulu.com/orders2.html (Royal Hashemite Sultanate of Sulu)

I'm not sure if this link has been posted before. Merry Christmas!

TheAvenger

December 23rd, 2009, 09:43 PM

pi_malejana

December 27th, 2009, 03:23 AM

TheAvenger

December 30th, 2009, 03:52 PM

First Posted 23:52:00 12/27/2009

I AM KATHRINA FLEUR LECHONSITO Serrano. I am a niece of two of the victims of the Maguindanao massacre—Eduardo “Nonie” Lechonsito and Cecil Lechonsito. My mom is the sister of Eduardo and we really appreciate Ceres Doyo’s Dec. 24 column. Our lives will never be the same again after they were killed. They left two daughters, aged 19 and 23.

We can’t describe the grief the girls are experiencing right now. Their parents were just innocent motorists who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Their mother was just here from Qatar for the graduation of the elder daughter in March and to spend Christmas with the family after two years of being away. Now, their parents won’t be spending any Christmas, graduation or special occasion with them.

We want justice for them and we want our voices heard. My cousins and mom were interviewed by Kiri Dalena for ANC, but aside from that documentary, nobody seems to be interested in my Tito and Tita’s story, or the stories of their companions in the red Vios. We would like to bring to the public consciousness that there were other innocent victims in that massacre who were not even part of the convoy. My Tito and Tita just wanted to go to the hospital for the CT scan of my Tito, who suffered a mild stroke two days before. His loyal staff, Mercy Palabrica and Darryl de los Reyes accompanied them. We can just imagine how they pleaded for their lives. They were not violent persons and for them to die the way they did is hard to accept.

We are a very close-knit family, and it is not only their daughters who are in anguish. All of us in the family can’t find an answer to why they were included in the massacre.

We don’t know how we could let the whole world know about their story. We want them also included in the search for justice for the Ampatuan massacre victims.

—KATZ SERRANO,
katz_serrano@excite.com

Pls see the below weblink for some photos and videos of Maguindanao Massacre.

http://jibrael.blogspot.com/

jpdm

December 31st, 2009, 03:23 AM

^^I guess I wanst clear about what I meant as factual evidence...Sorry, but these are not "a smoking gun"...What's more tragic about conspiracy theories is when people believe it and takes it as fact. Do I need to put down what the word "theory" means??? Didnt anyone ever learn yet how futile it is to discuss the Sabah issue? :ohno:

You guys can take the floor, im done...going back to lurking mode...

I just want to ask some clarifications because its seems you are an expert of the Bangsa Moro problem.

Ok here are my questions.

What makes you think that your "theory"-- that there is no malaysian involvement in the Bangsa Moro problem in the South is nothing more but a conspiracy theory?

Is your sources impeccable compared to the info mentioned in the sites provided by @Avenger? Or your basis is more accurate compared to the pronouncements of the MNLF chieftain, Prof. Nur Misuari?

Do you know more of what the MNLF, MILF and Nur Misuari know?

How can you say that the pronouncements of Misuari are not smoking gun?

Can you explain and rebut all the info from the links provided by @Avenger?

Perhaps, if you can state your own factual basis that Malaysia is not involved, I think I will be convinced of you own idea of the issue.

BTW, please cite your sources. Because you keep on throwing your own idea without references considered as source of "factual basis."

I hope your statements and rebuttals of @avengers claims based on the links he provided did not come out of thin air.

As of now, with all those links I tend to believe @avenger than your seemingly "concocted ideas, presumptions and assumptions."

Even the websites of MILF and MNLF admitted that Malaysia helped the Moro guerillas in the 1970s and perhaps even up to this day.

http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/ss259/lemuel123/bangsamoro.jpg

RYP9UYxlnyc

It was an open knowledge in the Bangsa Moro communities that Malaysia through Sabah was active in supporting the Moro rebels in their war against the Philippine government.

http://www.maranao.com/bangsamoro/1002-foreign_connection.htm

http://positivenewsmedia.net/am2/publish/Cities_And_Towns_23/Mindanao_LGUs_favor_resumption_of_GRP-MILF_peace_talks_without_Malaysia.shtml

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=500216

.

Actually Malaysia started all these wars in the Southern Philippines since the 1960s. The alledged Jabidah massacres happened because a Malay spies were able to infiltrate the training of Special Forces in Simunol island in Sulu, and later in Corregidor island inside Manila Bay the Malay spies were the one who instigate the trainees from Siasi Sulu to go home, later firefights happened which results to the alleged massacres.

In the 1970s through the Sabah State Minister Tun Mustapha, Malaysia arranged the sending of Arab arms and supplies to Moro rebels.

Malaysia neither want Philippine government to win the counter-insurgency war against the MILF because they were afraid that a peacefull Southern Philippines will lead to the revival of Philippine claim to Sabah.

Nor they want the Bangsa Moro to win in their aim to established an independent Islamic Republic in Mindanao and Sulu, because Malaysia is afraid that the Bangsa Moro with Tausug leadership will join up with Sabah and they will establish a new nation that will be called the Republic of Sulu and Sabah.
So the Malaysian prefer the MILF who were mostly Maranaos and Maguindanaos than the MNLF who were mostly Tausogs, and other tribes in Sabah. No wonder they arrested Misuari before and gaved to the Philippine government. Malaysia wants a perpetual war in the
Southern Philippine island of Mindanao, Basilan, and Sulu.

Malaysia have a hidden selfish agenda when they join the peace negotiations between GPR and MILF, they were playing games for their selfish national interest. However the Malays in Malaysia will gain little political power in Sabah since at present Chines and Indian (Bumbay) outnumbered the bumiputra which were the original tribes in Sabah. The Chinese and Indians were the one controlling the economy of Sabah while the Malays from mainland Malaysia were controlling the Sabah government and the indigenous people of Sabah like the Christian Kadazan, Muruts, Badjaos, etc were already marginalized like the thousands of Filipinos of Christian and Muslim faith.

Pls read also the Jibrael Blog :

The Mindanao Conflict and the Jabidah Massacre

http://jibrael.blogspot.com/2007/05/...-conflict.html

SABAH TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY FROM THE SULTANATE OF SULU TO THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ON SEPTEMBER 11, 1962

http://sulusultan.com/transfer.html

Ermita's Sabah Memo :

http://blogs.gmanews.tv/ellen-tordes...abah-memo.html

jpdm

December 31st, 2009, 03:44 AM

^^Of course I make my own conclussion. However I try to make conclussions based on facts. I DONT MAKE CONCLUSSIONS based on chismis, hear say or propaganda.

And before you even try to give a lesson about history and tell me to brush up on my history please make sure you got your dates right.

And I think your pressuming too much by thinking that I know nothing or little about the history of the so called Sulu Sultanate or the history of the so called bangsamoro people and their struggle for Independence...Has google or wiki been good to as they were with me? Or have you actually had you hands on materials about these topics?

Hmmmm....seems you are an expert of the Sulu and Bangsa Moro History and the issues surrounding these controversial areas...

And because you know alot of this Sulu/ bangsa Moro problem, can you enlighten me and tell your own story about the real score " factual history" and please provide dates so that you can make your "story" more accurate.

TheAvenger

December 31st, 2009, 05:37 AM

.

For the last 30 years Muslim people of central Mindanao are fighting the Philippine Republic in their belief that a separate country run by their own selected leader must be above and over to them to look upon. The war in Mindanao has been understood and perceived by the young and old Muslim central Mindanaoan as just cause to fight for the so called freedom and to established a truly Bangsamoro Country to be called their own under Muslim governance being led by Nur Misuari in these last 30 years.

Nur Misuari being a professor got the idea in the first place, while he was teaching and by grace selected by Malaysia to lead MNLF with full support funding has able to twist the idea that he is fighting for the cause of the Sultanate of Sulu people. Being Tausug and adored intellectual, he is truly one of the brightest son of Sulu but not to the extent of claiming himself as Sultan, because he does not have a single drop of royal blood but actually pursuing another political wing and governance, using the Sultanate of Sulu kingdom and her people, to bring about his Bangsamoro country which was not acceptable to the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo as a secessionist group apart from the Philippine Republic.

Looking on the perspective of Nur Misuari might coincide the campaign in the first place without looking at the back plane of sane and reasonable cause to fight the Philippine Republic and established a separate ‘Bangsamoro country’. This overstated outlook is still the same dogma to recruit more MNLF fighters. The split of the former MNLF which brought the MILF seems not very clear but thread in the same ideals to segregate Mindanao from the present governance.

Considering the demographic of Mindanao is truly an awesome situation, the underdeveloped landscape match for the less educated populace match by the current economics, which was an ideal combination to exploit them. People has no long term livelihood, the culture gap can be use to further allay the miscommunications not only to Muslims and Christians but to also both Muslims with mixed view of leadership. This factor seems a perfect blend to launch the divide and rule syndrome that is being implemented now by countries, including of that purported domicile to maintain the hold of North Borneo now called Sabah.

It all started when President Marcos has realized that North Borneo now Sabah is owned by the Sultanate of Sulu which was under the Philippine Republic must return to the Philippine territory. Upon series of meeting with the leaders of the Sultanate headed by then Punjungan Kiram which was called out from Sabah (Please take note that prior to that when President Marcos has inquired of the Sultan of Sulu, Abraham Rasul has presented Mahakutta Kiram the oldest son of Esmail Kiram I. President Marcos was so mad upon learning that Sultan Punjungan Kiram is the real Sultan so he summon Punjungan in Sabah. President Marcos has seen the Letter of Administration as shown by Sultan Punjungan Kiram that gave him an inspiration to make a bold plan – to get Sabah by force.) This prompted President Marcos to organize the group called ‘Jabidah” to rescue Sabah from Malaysian land grabbing.

However, at the height of the training, it was leaked out and come to the attention of Ninoy Aquino, who is looking for leverage to his rival friend which was the president of the Philippine Republic none other but Ferdinand Marcos. As was expected Ninoy Aquino blew it all the way that prompted

President Marcos to abandon the plan and have all the trainees liquidated. Somehow, one survivor has managed to flee that gave furious reaction among the Muslim Filipino.

This situation has been called the attention of Malaysia and in retaliation has offered muslim group leaded by Nur Misuari, a College professor of UP to secretly trained in Bangge island and became the figure head of the MNLF under the sponsorship of Malaysia. The first group of 90 was trained succeeded by batches of 300 which happen to be the early line commanders of MNLF.

The Marcos regime has said to be the buffed up and has no choice but to quash the MNLF uprising until he was uprooted in 1986. MNLF as per se become so effective in favor of Malaysia to induce the conflict within the Republic, until another group that disagree with Nur Misuari has spring up under its leader Hashim Salamat which was MILF. Those two groups double the efficiency of Malaysian campaign while they manipulate Sabah to become permanently attached to them. The analysis of expert has coincided with the testimony that Malaysia actually founded and funded those two groups apart from other breakaway groups of MNLF and MILF.

The war that was not is now written in the annals of Philippine history and so on until today, the question of its existence and termination is now so internal and highly political, but without the support from the outside, this war will naturally die for lack of logistic and the initiative to segregate as another country will be diminished.

The country now that was funding the secessionist group has far more widened to numerous breakaway groups, due to the involvement of America, which presence is highly suspicious for

their interest in the Southern part of the Philippines particularly Mindanao, where their food basket of Multinational company is producing crops and probably eyeing for the oil resources in particular. The question of American presence in the south is being condoned by the Republic knowing that it was not allowed under the constitution no matter how they subvert it under ‘Balikatan disguise’. This exercise could be the longest exercise of abuse by the Americans to our sovereignty for in fact they always do as they please.

To end the war in Mindanao is easy by identifying all sources of arms where it is being channeled. It was very surprising that the logistic of MNLF, MILF, Abu Sayyaf and other groups was far more better than the Philippine armed forces itself. It was also a big question within the Philippine military why those groups being intercepted and captured possessed Government Issued firearms.

The prodigy of the current situation was so astounding – the Philippine military is able to collect Malaysian made weapons and ammunitions. Likewise, government issued firearms are being recovered from MNLF, Abu Sayyaf and MILF, American made explosives and ordnances are also being recovered. Could it be the question of tripartite cooperation between the Philippines, Malaysia and America to keep us in chaotic condition? Why the Philippine government cannot see this or perhaps they condone it, setting aside the countless lives, property being destroyed and people who has no realm of peace in their lifetime to enjoy.

CONCLUSION;

CROOKED LEADERS OF THIS NATION AND THE CROOKED NATION THAT SUPPORT THEM, MUST BE REALISED BY THE PEOPLE TO SELF ALIGN THEMSELVES AND QUEST IN THEIR OWN ACCORD AT ONE VOICE, TO RE-RIGHT ALL BAD SCRIPT AND IMPLEMENT WHAT IS JUST FOR WE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE OF THIS NATION THAT DESERVE PEACE TO ENJOY. THE GREED NATION AND INDIVIDUALS FOR THE EXPENSE OF THE PEOPLE, REGARDLES OF MUSLIM AND CHRISTIANS ALIKE HAS TO BE THWARTED AND REJECTED BY THE MASSES. IT HAS BEEN THE DELUSION OF MANY NATIONS AND PEOPLE TO QUEST FOR POWER DUE IN THEIR BELIEF THAT POWER GRABBING AND MAINTANING IT IS OF FREE COURSE OF NATURE, NOT KNOWING THAT THEY ARE KILLING COUNTLESS LIVES AND VOID OTHERS TO ENJOY LIFE AS THEY IDEALLY THINK FOR THEMSELVES.

Research by: Sulu Sabah Cultural Heritage Center, 98 Road 1 ,Project 6 ,Quezon City

http://www.sultanatesulu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65:the-mindanao-war-that-was-not&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

.

jpdm

December 31st, 2009, 04:57 PM

TheAvenger

December 31st, 2009, 09:52 PM

sunod sunod naman...:ohno:

Vessel sinks near Batangas island; 25 people missing (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/180289/vessel-sinks-near-batangas-island-25-people-missing)
12/27/2009 | 12:50 AM

(Update 12 - 9:06 am) A roll-on roll-off (RORO) ferry carrying 88 people sank off San Agapito, Verde Island as it neared Batangas City Saturday night.

The Batangas City-bound M/V Baleno 9 owned by Besta Shipping Lines, sailed from Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro when it sank past 10 p.m., Saturday near the island in the Isla Verde Passage. [See: Accident prone areas at sea identified]

ARCS/ HGS/LBG, GMANews.TV

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) chief on Tuesday could not give an exact timeline on when their divers could extract trapped bodies inside a sunken ferry off Limbones Island in Cavite province.

"We cannot be specific on this, but we want to engage as soon as possible," PCG chief Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo told ANC's News@8 when asked when they would be able to account for all the 24 missing passengers believed trapped inside the sunken ferry, MV Catalyn B.

Tamayo said Coast Guard Auxiliary divers, led by Matthew Caldwell, have spotted 12 bodies floating inside the sunken ferry. He said the ferry was 221 feet below the surface and was at least 2 nautical miles away from Limbones Island.

He said Caldwell's team has agreed to dive again and try to retrieve the bodies.

"That is our main concern right now," Tamayo said, adding that they would concentrate on retrieving the bodies before planning on how to "obtain evidence from the wreck" or retrieve the whole vessel with the help of a private company.

He said the PCG is keeping the same number of victims, which include 46 rescued, 3 fatalities and 24 missing, despite the sighting of the floating bodies.

The ferry, carrying at least 73 people, was on its way to Lubang Island in Occidental Mindoro from Manila when it sank on Christmas Eve, at least 2 nautical miles from Limbones Island off Maragondon town.

The wooden-hulled ferry sank after smashing into the steel-hulled fishing vessel “Anatalia.” The government has grounded other boats of the owners of the two vessels.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/12/29/09/no-timeline-retrieval-missing-catalyn-b-passengers

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/UFS.jpg

http://www.ufs.ph/2009-10/

This evening, I am scanning the Chart of Manila Bay for my plan to post a photo journal of Manila Bay in my own Blog when I noticed the Limbones island and I remembered the sinking of Fishing vessel Natalya and the Motor Banca Catalyn B off that island of Limbones.

You can see in the Chart (map) that there is a Traffic Separation Zone being enforced by the Philippine Coast Guard on that area,
which is for entering and leaving the South Channel of Manila Bay.

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/manilabay1.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/manilabay2.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/fortune-limbonesisla.jpg
The vessels collided and sunk in this area of Limbones Island right inside the Traffic Separation Zone under
the control of Philippine Coast Guard.

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/southchannel.jpg
The vessels collided and sunk in this area of Limbones Island right inside the Traffic Separation Zone
under the control of Philippine Coast Guard.

I guess the main reason for the sinking is the following :

1. That either one of the vessels did not follow the Traffic Separation Scheme. The Motor banca "Catalyn B" should be navigating on the "south-bountd" / western portion of the Traffic Zone while the Fishing vessel MV Natalya should be navigating on the "north-bound" / eastern portion of the Traffic Separation zone.

2. To make sure that they were correct course and position with relations to the Traffic Separation Scheme, both vessels should take their vessel position and plot in the Charts at least every 15 minutes since they were inside the zone.

3. However since tha time is still 0200 hours the only way they can have an accurate vessel position is by using RADAR, however I guess that Catalyn a motor banca is without Radar and the Coast Guard rules may not require them to be fitted compulsarily.

4. So the two vessel is not on the correct traffic lanes.

5. Though they were not on the correct traffic lanes they can still avoid collision if both them turn to starboard (to their right - when looking forward) since that is the rules.

6. The problems those navigators in the Fishing vessel and the Motor Banca may not be aware of the rules, which is a must for navigators / for seafarers incharge or doing the navigation of the vessel. The Coast Guard may not be strict to check if they even have the basic knowledges in the International Rules of the Road which is also called " Collision Regulations ". And the MARINA may have issued the Navigators a License of Major Patron without giving any examinations to them. Especially these navigators in small vessels were not graduates of Nautical School, unlike the Filipino Merchant Marine Officers in the world maritime industry who were all graduates of BSMT in the college. These people handling the navigation of Motor Banca and Fishing boats were apparently just high school graduates and may not know the maritime regulations especially those about Safety of Life at Sea.

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/colrega.jpg
Copy of the Internationla Rules of the Road or the Collision Regulations.

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/colregb.jpg

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/colregc.jpg

7. Well eventhough they were not graduates of Maritime Schools and eventhough their vessels were without RADAR, the accident may not happen also if the Coast Guard have put navigational bouys and markers with lights in that Traffic Separation Zone of the South Channel of Corregidor.
Most of the maritime countries have installed navigational bouys in their Traffic Zones and other aread with danger to Navigation. Of course the Philippine Coast Guard cannot put them without budget allocations from Congress.

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/bouy.jpg
Channel bouy with lights

http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af16/cecilia_fello/channelbouy.jpg

The latest sinkings where many lives were lost can be blamed also to MARINA and the Philippine Coast Guard.

Wish to add that everytime a sink sunk, the Shipowner always get compensated by the Insurance companies by
two or three times the cost of their insured vessel.

Jarvijarv

January 1st, 2010, 02:06 PM

Wow, I really need to say my piece here, cause as a Filipino-American who loves his native land, I really have to address the state of what I have observed here in this past year.
2009, imo, especially these last few months has not been good. In fact, down right depressing for the Philippines. :ohno: Living here in the U.S., I love going to this site to see the new construction, improvements, positive news. But right now I have been seeing and reading alot of negative vibes.
Let me begin with a country comparison of the Philippines and Indonesia(I have all the respect for Indonesia and its people). Indonesia is a much larger country with more islands and people than the Philippines. Yet, it continues to outshine us in many ways. In 2008, their GDP has surpassed us. In Jakarta, top Western luxury hotels continue to proliferate despite the bombings of 2 of them. None of them have been in Manila for over a decade. On a survey of 'worst Asian city to drive in' on this very website, Manila pulled way ahead of Jakarta as the worst despite Jakarta having no monorail system yet. Skytrax has just awarded Garuda Indonesia a 4 star rating, while Philippine Airlines despite some great progress over the years, mires in 3 star rating and Category 2 status.
On the local front, the Maguindanao massacre has now labeled the Philippines as the most dangerous place for journalists. The sudden occurrence of maritime/ferry disasters questions our ability to learn from past mistakes. What happened to Pagcor's Nayong Pilipino Entertainment City? Natural disasters like the floods in Manila and now the Mayon volcano erupting...is this a sign for us to grow up as a nation, unite, and move forward for the betterment of all its people. To put personal agendas and egos aside and work together. Come on, do we really need all those candidates for President? It seems for every one step forward, it's two steps back for the Philippines. Our Asian neighbors are running and passing us.....again.
But I'm an optimist. 2010 is a new year!! The Philippines will have a new President and with that I hope a new mindset not just for the new government but as a people. If Indonesia can come back from the past Asian economic crisis and reach those new levels of prosperity, so can we. We need to look beyond ourselves and overcome our narcissistic attitudes, then maybe...maybe we can truly be proud to be Pilipino!! :|

hakz2007

January 2nd, 2010, 05:29 AM

^^Sana nga mabuting pangulo ang manalo!

higen

January 3rd, 2010, 08:37 PM

Hmmmm....seems you are an expert of the Sulu and Bangsa Moro History and the issues surrounding these controversial areas...

And because you know alot of this Sulu/ bangsa Moro problem, can you enlighten me and tell your own story about the real score " factual history" and please provide dates so that you can make your "story" more accurate.

^^WTF!!! LOL!!! Me the expert??? :lol: That's hilarious. But I'm betting you are, right?...I am amazed actually...Sandwindstar gave it a rest, I gave it a rest, Avenger gavi it a rest and now you are actually fishing for an argument???...LOL:lol:unbelievable...Let me guess...I ticked a nerve in one of our discussions in the other thread and now your out to get me?:uh: Ok, since I dont think you get what I am trying to imply, sige, sagutin kita...Asking me to prove the article as false is like asking me to prove that your Mr Universe 1992 without having to meet you or without being there when they crowned you:doh: The MILF stands much to gain by implicating Malaysia. A war between Phils and Malaysia would serve them as much as Malaysia with our war with the MILF...Do you get what Im driving at??? Sure, MNLF admitted Malaysia helped them. But can you prove that by taking into account a statement from a group who stands as much to gain from implicating Malaysia? Asking me to prove that Malaysia is not helping them now is like asking me to prove that Malaysia is helping them. Jagedit? If the day comes that Malaysia would give up Sabah or If Malaysia finally invades then perhaps you can all tell me "We told you so". And I bet it's totally going to make your day too...But until then I'd keep my guns holstered. Give it a rest my...Does wonders for the mind.

Perhaps in another topic I will find the urge to post my comments...You can challenge me all you want too...But for now, Im enjoying my lurking mode...Oh yeah, you can read my reply on the agri thread too if you want, but it basically contains the same thought...moving along...

jpdm

January 4th, 2010, 12:00 PM

^^WTF!!! LOL!!! Me the expert??? :lol: That's hilarious. But I'm betting you are, right?...I am amazed actually...Sandwindstar gave it a rest, I gave it a rest, Avenger gavi it a rest and now you are actually fishing for an argument???...LOL:lol:unbelievable...

Yes, Im fishing for argument because Im quite puzzled with the way you easily dismissed certain issues like the Malaysian involvement in the South as another conspiracy theory and has no basis. That's why Im curious, to know your basis for this. You mentioned that you know something about it and you only believe in things based on factual basis, so I want to hear your story considered with "factual basis ."( again I want to see specific dates, the same argument you gave to dismiss @Avenger's data)

Let me guess...I ticked a nerve in one of our discussions in the other thread and now your out to get me?:uh: Ok, since I dont think you get what I am trying to imply, sige, sagutin kita...Asking me to prove the article as false is like asking me to prove that your Mr Universe 1992 without having to meet you or without being there when they crowned you:doh:

LOL, your guess is wrong. And LOL again,your analogy is way out of this world..Mr Universe??hmmmm...:nuts:Drama king?..hehehehe

Anyway, prove the articles false ( and the sources of the data i.e. Prof. Misuari, MNLF, MILF and Sulu Heritage group etc.)by coming up with another study or article disputing their contents. Its like, the article came up with findings with verifiable data and you should provide the same to support your claims (not smoking guns).

Stories without basis are tsismis.

And I thought you know more that these people and groups directly involved in the war in the South.

BTW, I never said Im an expert because I never claimed as one. Thats why I checked all the references or links given by @Avenger and I have no references to argue against them especially the claims of Prof. Misuari, the founder of the original secessionist Muslim secessionist group.

But how about you? until this time, what I got from you are mere assumptions with no factual basis ( and were are the dates of the events that you claim?). Where are your historical facts?(with dates)

The MILF stands much to gain by implicating Malaysia. A war between Phils and Malaysia would serve them as much as Malaysia with our war with the MILF...Do you get what Im driving at??? Sure, MNLF admitted Malaysia helped them. But can you prove that by taking into account a statement from a group who stands as much to gain from implicating Malaysia? Asking me to prove that Malaysia is not helping them now is like asking me to prove that Malaysia is helping them. Jagedit? If the day comes that Malaysia would give up Sabah or If Malaysia finally invades then perhaps you can all tell me "We told you so". And I bet it's totally going to make your day too...But until then I'd keep my guns holstered. Give it a rest my...Does wonders for the mind.

And we did you get these "facts?(dates? sources?respondents?) " Out of thin air?

Where is your reference or basis for these?(history books, journalistic articles, MNLF, MILF pronouncements, official documents)?Or did you make a study about it? Can I google it and verify this analysis you made? Can you provide me with links?

Or just pigment of your imagination aka your own assumptions?Or another concoction?

Perhaps in another topic I will find the urge to post my comments...You can challenge me all you want too...But for now, Im enjoying my lurking mode...Oh yeah, you can read my reply on the agri thread too if you want, but it basically contains the same thought...moving along...

Hmmm. you have not proven anything yet (re: Trade war with Australia as another conspiracy theory against pInoys; malaysian involvement in the South as another conspiracy theory)

Im still waiting for you explanation as to why you keep labeling verifiable data or facts as mere conspiracy theory.

And please answer straight to the point. If you have verifiable data (article etc.) to back your claims, Im happy to read it.

higen

January 4th, 2010, 12:28 PM

^^Im absolutely not an expert....You guys are:lol:You get it?...You guys insist that Malaysia or China are the culprit. Whose next Indonesia or Vietnam? You guys are just asking for war...Hilarious!!!:lol: With all your beleif in the ability of the Filipino, do you even think we have a hoots chance of winning??? You actually think Im trying to prove Malaysia's uninvolment??? :lol: Unlike you guys who are out to prove Malaysia's involvement, Im not out to prove Malaysia's guilt. YOu actually think Im trying to save Malaysia from utter destruction by preaching moderation...LOL

Somebody should put all of you in the negotiating table with Malaysia and lets see what happens...
You guys will absolutely get what your asking for:nuts:...I absolutely hope that you guys inlist...Let the fireworks begging!!!

You know what would convince me beat my war drums?

jpdm

January 4th, 2010, 03:48 PM

^^...ALL of what you have put on the table so far are PRESSUMPTIONS and ASSUMPTIONS, which might actually sell (or not) if you put it down in an action/suspense/spy novel.[/B]..Unless evidenence can be put forth that would erase my doubts that Malaysia is involved with the mess in Mindanao then I will not bring out my gun and taunt at every Malasyian I see.

You are attacking their conclusions as mere assumptions and presumptions and in fact likened their ideas as part of a novel despite of the links they have provided to support their "assumptions."

And yet so far, all i got from you are concocted ideas with no basis whatsoever. Dismissing their arguments with nothing but hot air.

Again, where is your basis? Answer me.

Maybe it's time to brush up on your history of the Sultanate of Sulu, Sabah, and about the people of the region. You might want to look at the history of the relationship between the Philippines and Malaysia, since its creation in 1962 (?) before creating your own conclusions.

^^Of course I make my own conclussion. However I try to make conclussions based on facts. I DONT MAKE CONCLUSSIONS based on chismis, hear say or propaganda.

... Both of you and some other people are so ready to believe that Malaysia is involved in the screwup in Mindanao even without clear and real evidence that Malaysia is involved...

.... If Malaysia is involved and theres eveidence to it then maybe I will beat my wardrums too. [B]But until there is, adding fuel by jumping the bandwagon in this imagined conspiracy is really really tragic. Arent we, the pinoys, supposed to be a smart and intelligent people? Or is that just mere propaganda too?

[SIZE="4"]And before you even try to give a lesson about history and tell me to brush up on my history [B]please make sure you got your dates right. And I think your pressuming too much by thinking that I know nothing or little about the history of the so called Sulu Sultanate or the history of the so called bangsamoro people and their struggle for Independence...Has google or wiki been good to as they were with me? Or have you actually had you hands on materials about these topics?

The evidences were given (check the links). Where is yours? Nada.

Now, if you are really good, where is your story( dates?). Where is your own version about the Bangsa Moro history? (with dates and provide your sources and references to challenge their own sources or links provided).

Obviously, you just keep on making up stories absolutely without basis.

I will ask this question again, is your understanding of the Bangsa Moro and Sulu histories alot better that Prof. Misuari? MNLF? MILF? Sulu Sabah heritage Center?

Show your research. Show articles that will dispute their claims.

^^I guess I wanst clear about what I meant as factual evidence...Sorry, but these are not "a smoking gun"...What's more tragic about conspiracy theories is when people believe it and takes it as fact. Do I need to put down what the word "theory" means??? Didnt anyone ever learn yet how futile it is to discuss the Sabah issue? :ohno:

Not smoking gun and yet you have absolutely nothing to show.

You even have the gall to lecture these people the idea of theory. Do you really know what a theory is?

Do you know that a theory is verifiable? So far, you have not given us a a single link or source as basis for insisting that Malaysia is not involved in the South and its just a conspiracy theory.

^^WTF!!! LOL!!! Me the expert??? :lol: That's hilarious. But I'm betting you are, right?...I am amazed actually...Sandwindstar gave it a rest, I gave it a rest, Avenger gavi it a rest and now you are actually fishing for an argument???...LOL:lol:unbelievable...Let me guess...I ticked a nerve in one of our discussions in the other thread and now your out to get me?:uh: Ok, since I dont think you get what I am trying to imply, sige, sagutin kita...Asking me to prove the article as false is like asking me to prove that your Mr Universe 1992 without having to meet you or without being there when they crowned you:doh: The MILF stands much to gain by implicating Malaysia. A war between Phils and Malaysia would serve them as much as Malaysia with our war with the MILF...Do you get what Im driving at??? Sure, MNLF admitted Malaysia helped them. But can you prove that by taking into account a statement from a group who stands as much to gain from implicating Malaysia? Asking me to prove that Malaysia is not helping them now is like asking me to prove that Malaysia is helping them. Jagedit? If the day comes that Malaysia would give up Sabah or If Malaysia finally invades then perhaps you can all tell me "We told you so". And I bet it's totally going to make your day too...But until then I'd keep my guns holstered. Give it a rest my...Does wonders for the mind.

Perhaps in another topic I will find the urge to post my comments...You can challenge me all you want too...But for now, Im enjoying my lurking mode...Oh yeah, you can read my reply on the agri thread too if you want, but it basically contains the same thought...moving along...

Yup, you are hilarious. After projecting that you are an expert, now you are trying to wiggle out from the mess you created? You have

not answered my questions directly and you never gave any basis of your claims to enlightened me.

It seems, and obviously, you are not up to the challenge and all claims, assumptions and presumptions you made were all based on imagined things, not factual and far from reality.

Again, I will eat my words if you will show me that Prof. Misuari, MNLF, MILF and the SULU Sabah Heritage Center are wrong about Malaysia and your conspiracy theory is correct.

^^Im absolutely not an expert....You guys are:lol:You get it?...You guys insist that Malaysia or China are the culprit. Whose next Indonesia or Vietnam? You guys are just asking for war...Hilarious!!!:lol: With all your beleif in the ability of the Filipino, do you even think we have a hoots chance of winning??? You actually think Im trying to prove Malaysia's uninvolment??? :lol: Unlike you guys who are out to prove Malaysia's involvement, Im not out to prove Malaysia's guilt. YOu actually think Im trying to save Malaysia from utter destruction by preaching moderation...LOL

Somebody should put all of you in the negotiating table with Malaysia and lets see what happens...
You guys will absolutely get what your asking for:nuts:...I absolutely