Maniolas

Senator Bong Revilla, shown in photo on his way to be detained on plunder and graft charges, said his lawyer, Sal Panelo, only talked about the rats and roaches in his cell in jest. Revilla’s lawyer has said the senator’s family saw rats “as big as cats” inside the senator’s cell. (MNS photo) Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado Revilla has expressed elation that her husband, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., was able to spend five hours with their family Tuesday at the hospital where their son, Cavite Vice Governor Jolo Revilla, is confined for a gunshot wound. In a Facebook status posted Tuesday night, Lani thanked God for granting her family’s wish to see the Revilla patriarch again. “Lord, thank you for granting our wish. It was a joy to see Bong today. It is such sweet happiness to see my family together despite these trying times,” she said. The Sandiganbayan on Tuesday allowed the elder Revilla to visit his son at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Muntinlupa City between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. that day. The lawmaker is currently detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame in connection with plunder charges filed against him over the pork barrel scam. Jolo has been confined at the hospital since Saturday night after he sustained a gunshot wound to his chest. His family said the vice governor fired his gun by accident while cleaning it. A photo released by the Revillas showed the father and Read More …

President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the 109th Commencement Exercises of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Siklab Diwa Class of 2014 at the Fajardo Grandstand, Borromeo Field, Fort General Gregorio del Pilar in Baguio City on Sunday(March 16). The PMA boast of a long and illustrious history of preparing only the best Filipino men and women for military service. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday affirmed the dismissal of Cadet Jeff Aldrin Cudia from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). Cudia’s petition seeking a reversal of the dismissal was filed by Cudia and his father Renato on March 15, 2014. Cudia’s mother, Filipina, on March 25, 2014 moved to intervene in the case. The family has since formally asked the high tribunal—through separate motions for resolution—to finally decide on the matter. In February 2014, the PMA Honor Committee found Cudia guilty of lying about his reason for being late for a class, a violation that led to his dismissal from the academy. The PMA, the PMA Honor Committee of 2014 and the PMA Cadet Review and Appeals Board, through the Office of the Solicitor General, filed their consolidated comment last June 17, 2014. The comment was countered by Filipina in a reply on July 14 and later adopted by Renato Cudia. Cudia filed his first motion on July 21, 2014. With no response from the high court, Cudia, on September 30, 2014, filed a second motion. In his latest motion filed last December, Cudia and his family said Read More …

A lovely girlfriend treated some of us to watch the recent one-day showing of  Engelbert Humperdinck’s concert at the historic Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. We’ve all heard  his popular songs when we were in high school and we were all surprised to see a nostalgic performance and experience the 79-year old Humperdiinck’s charm and enigmatic voice belting out the cherished songs of our youth. Arnold George Dorsey (Humperdinck’s real name), was born in “Madras, British India (now Chennai, India),  on May 2, 1936. He was one of the 10 children to British Army NCO Mervyn Dorsey, who was of Irish descent and his wife Olivia, who was of German descent. Their family moved to Leicester, England when he was ten years old  He soon showed interest in music and began learning to play the saxophone. Soon after, he began playing saxophone in nightclubs, but he is believed not to have tried singing until he was seventeen, when friends coaxed him into entering a pub contest; His impression of Jerry Lewis prompted friends to call him “Gerry Dorsey,” a name he used for almost a decade.” Engelbert Humperdinck Dorsey’s music career was interrupted when he had to  serve in the British Army Royal Corps of Signals but when he was discharged, he had the opportunity to record with Decca Records in 1958 with his first single, “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again.” Though that single wasn’t a hit, he continued working the nighclub circuit until 1961 when he was stricken with tuberculosis for a short while, until he “regained his health and Read More …

Filipino poet Bonifacio Ilagan, one of hundreds of activists imprisoned during the Martial Law period which was declared by the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, poses by the granite wall which is engraved with the names of Martial Law victims, including his sister Rizalina Ilagan, at the Heroes Shrine at suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines Monday Jan. 28, 2013. More than 9,000 victims will be awarded compensation using $246 million that the Philippine government recovered from Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth. But all claims will still have to evaluated by an independent commission and the amount each will receive will depend of the abuse suffered. (MNS photo) Three months after the November 10, 2014 deadline expiration, President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has approved Joint Resolution No. 3 extending for six months the deadline for Martial Law claims application to May 2015. Joint Resolution No. 3 is the consolidation of Senate Joint Resolution No. 10 and House Joint Resolution No. 16. “The enactment of the law is a crucial victory for the families and victims of human rights violations during the Martial Law period whose hope and opportunity to file their claims for reparation and redress for the sacrifices and sufferings they endured in the past were blighted by the November 2014 deadline,” Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez. “With the new deadline, we ensure that all legitimate claimants, particularly those who are now in their final years and those who are living in the far-flung areas, are given the vital time and full Read More …