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Barring Sueselbeck from leaving PH upholds nation’s integrity – De Lima

News

Oct 272014

Barring Sueselbeck from leaving PH upholds nation’s integrity – De Lima

Marc Sueselbeck AFP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – The government stopped the German boyfriend of slain transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude from leaving the country Sunday night to enforce the law and uphold the nation’s integrity, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Monday. De Lima also said Marc Sueselbeck was stopped from leaving so he could face “undesirability” charges that the Bureau of Immigration had filed against him. The charges could lead to Sueselbeck’s deportation and being blacklisted in the Philippines, De Lima said. Sueselbeck missed his Malaysian Airlines flight Sunday night after immigration agents stopped him from boarding it and handed him a copy of a complaint brought against him by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). The military filed a complaint against Sueselbeck in the immigration bureau last week, accusing the German accountant of illegally entering an off-limits area in Camp Aguinaldo and assaulting a Filipino soldier. The trespassing and assault happened on Oct. 22 after the suspect in the killing of Laude, US Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton, was transferred from the USS Peleliu, which was docked on Subic Bay, to the Joint US Military Assistance Group (Jusmag) compound in Camp Aguinaldo, the AFP headquarters in Quezon City. Demanding to see Pemberton, Sueselbeck and Laude’s sister Marilou climbed over the fence and leapt into the Jusmag compound, where the US Marine had been put in a makeshift detention cell–a 28-cubic-meter, air-conditioned freight container. When challenged, Sueselbeck shoved a Filipino guard but apologized later in talks with Read More …

Filipina maid, co-worker kill cheating boyfriend in UAE –report

News

Oct 272014

Filipina maid, co-worker kill cheating boyfriend in UAE –report

popular Renée Zellweger is that you? Old Hollywood ‘taboo’ again Ottawa gunman made video before attack – police ‘The Judge’: Objection! Badgering the moviegoer Jennifer Laude ignored haters, fought for dolls, kept poise Execs from Harvard bring adobo to US market Palace on Binay-Trillanes debate: Sign of healthy democracy Ancient Philippine textiles studied by Prince Charles’ School of Traditional Arts LeBron homecoming turns Cavaliers into contenders videos AFP spokesman, netizens engage in Twitter war over Sueselbeck Soldier shoved by Sueselbeck gets award Commotion on van causes false holdup alarm First blind bar examinee leaves lawyer dream to God Unicef’ Trick or Treat MANILA, Philippines—A Filipina maid conspired with her Indonesian woman companion to kill a Pakistani driver who allegedly had sexual relations with both of them in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Khaleej Times reported Monday. According to the Sharjah police, the driver was found dead in his room. He died of strangulation, police added. Police said that the maids confessed to the crime. The maids and the driver were working for an Emirati family. The names of those involved in the incident have been withheld by Sharjah police. RELATED STORIES Filipina maid faces adultery rap in UAE Foreign maids endure abuse in UAE—Human Rights Watch Tags: murder Overseas Filipino workers UAE Related Stories: Australia investigates ‘paedophile’ father in Thai baby scandal Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in sinking Bangladesh ferry owner faces charges in Read More …

AFP spokesman downplays ‘Twitter war’ with netizens over Sueselbeck

General

Oct 272014

AFP spokesman downplays ‘Twitter war’ with netizens over Sueselbeck

MANILA, Philippines — What Twitter war? The spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday downplayed his “Twitter war” with some netizens over his supposedly insensitive remarks about Marc Sueselbeck, the German fiance of slain transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude. “Sumasagot lang tao hindi mangibabaw ang opinyon na sa palagay amin ay hindi naman tama. Kagaya nang pauwiin na lang si Sueselbeck. Naniniwala kami sa rule of law, batas dapat ipairal sa lahat….Kung nanawagan na parusahan si Pemberton na naniniwala na may kasalanan siya, manawagan din tayo na parusahan si Sueselbeck kasi may kasalanan din siya at kita sa videos at may ginawa ring kabalastugan,” AFP Public Affairs Office chief Lieutenant Harold Cabunoc told reporters on Monday. (I was just answering to prevent the prevalence of public opinion which we think is not correct. Just like what happened when Sueselbeck was about to go home. We believe in the rule of law which should be implemented to everyone. If there are people calling for the punishment of Pemberton because they believe he is guilty, then we should also call for the punishment of Sueselbeck because he was also at fault, and it was captured on the videos that he did something wrong.) On Sunday night, Cabunoc’s Twitter posts sparked angry comments from some netizens. Last week Sueselbeck tried to enter the detention center of Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, the suspected killer of Laude, at Camp Aguinaldo. The German climbed the fence and shoved a soldier manning Read More …

New capital rules seen too taxing for banks

Economy

Oct 232014

New capital rules seen too taxing for banks

By Paolo G. Montecillo |Philippine Daily Inquirer 1:08 am | Friday, October 24th, 2014 Additional capital requirements announced by regulators this week may prove to be a burden for the country’s largest banks, whose shareholders would have to fork out more cash to meet regulatory requirements and support expansion plans. Brokerage firm Maybank ATR KimEng on Thursday said the capital buffers approved by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for banks that were “too big to fail” were higher-than-expected. In a note to clients, the firm said local banks had already been raising their capitalization levels in the last three years to meet the already-strict prescriptions by the BSP. “However, these may not be enough to meet the required increase as well as support their growth strategies,” Maybank ATR KimEng said. Under the new rules, the banks would be classified into various buckets. Those at the top would have to set aside an extra 3.5 percentage points of common tier-1 capital. This would be on top of the minimum 6 percent tier 1 capital already required of major banks. These banks are also required to set aside another 2.5 percentage points of capital as a conservation buffer. Rules on domestic systemically important banks (D-SIBs) are in line with recent Basel III rules being put in place worldwide to avoid a repeat of the global financial meltdown in 2008. By forcing large banks to set aside higher levels of capital, regulators hope to remove the “moral hazard” of government bailouts for Read More …

Sumi Sevilla Haru, pioneer Fil-Am actress, unionist, 1939-2014

News

Oct 222014

Sumi Sevilla Haru, pioneer Fil-Am actress, unionist, 1939-2014

INQUIRER.net US Bureau 6:20 am | Thursday, October 23rd, 2014 Sumi Sevilla Haru IMDB PHOTO LOS ANGELES — Filipino American actress and labor leader Sumi Sevilla Haru, 75, who fought for better roles for Asian American performers and was a prominent civil rights activist, died on October 16. No cause of death was given but she was known to have suffered from emphysema. Sumi Haru was born Mildred Sevilla on August 25, 1939 in Orange, New Jersey. She was known for her work in “Krakatoa: East of Java” (1969), “Fast Friends” (1979) and “MASH” (1970), “The Beverly Hillbillies” and “Hill Street Blues.” Haru became active in trade union movement, serving on the Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG) board of directors for nearly 40 years. In 1995 she was named interim SAG president. She also served for many years as the guild’s recording secretary, the guild’s third highest elected office. At the time of her death she was a member of the SAG-AFTRA national board. Haru was a negotiator of “American Scene” language and affirmative action clauses for SAG’s national TV/Theatrical and Commercials contracts and for AFTRA’s national Network Television and Commercials agreements, according to Deadline Hollywood. Haru became a national vice president of the AFL-CIO in 1995. Her six-year term as a national vice president marked the first time an Asian American has served on the AFL-CIO’s executive council. Haru was honored with SAG’s Ralph Morgan Award in 2009 for distinguished service to SAG’s Hollywood Division. She published “Iron Lotus: Memoirs of Read More …

Health coverage renewal begins for 1.1 million enrollees in California

News

Oct 222014

Health coverage renewal begins for 1.1 million enrollees in California

INQUIRER.net US Bureau 6:15 am | Thursday, October 23rd, 2014 Major changes made to make enrollment easier for nest year Open enrollment period November 15 to February 15 SACRAMENTO, California — The state’s health insurance exchange, Covered California, has begun the renewal process for 1.12 million individuals who enrolled in plans in the exchange last year. It also unveiled improvements to make enrollment easier for 2015. “Last year, we succeeded in signing up millions of Californians in health coverage through Covered California and Medi-Cal,” Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee said. “We do believe many significant improvements have been made that will assist our consumers during both renewal and open enrollment this year,” Lee added. Consumers who complete the renewal process will hear from their insurance plans in December. Their selected health plan will send a statement reflecting coverage starting Jan. 1, 2015. Consumers who take no action will be renewed into their existing plan. Individuals who have health coverage through Medi-Cal renew their coverage throughout the year, on a rolling monthly schedule. Medi-Cal will contact them directly if they need to take action. Unless they are contacted by Medi-Cal, these individuals do not need to go to the Covered California website to renew or apply. Of the Californians who selected a plan during the initial open enrollment, 1,140,000 (or 81 percent) had their coverage take effect by paying their first month’s premium. A total of 1.12 million individuals have effectuated coverage and will be part of the renewal Read More …

New evangelization gathering set at UST

News

Oct 222014

By Tina G. Santos |Philippine Daily Inquirer 6:00 am | Thursday, October 23rd, 2014 Photo from UST website MANILA, Philippines–The Catholic faithful are expected to gather in a huge conference on faith at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in January next year, coinciding with Pope Francis’ trip to the Philippines. In a circular, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said the Archdiocese of Manila would hold the second Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE II) at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion from Jan. 15 to 17, 2015. The event coincides with the Pope’s Philippine trip from January 15-19, 2015. But there is no confirmation yet whether the Holy Father will grace the UST event. In a previous interview, Tagle neither confirmed nor denied reports that the Pope would visit UST for a youth rally. “UST always figured in previous [papal] visits to the Philippines. We’re coming from that historical datum. Whether or not that will happen, we hope for confirmation at the end of the year,” Tagle said. Pontifical If Pope Francis visits UST, it will be the fourth time for a Pope to visit the university, which was founded by Dominicans in 1611 and declared a “Pontifical University” by the Holy See in 1902 even ahead of European institutions. UST was visited by Pope Paul VI in 1970 and by Pope John Paul II in 1981 and 1995. The PCNE, which Tagle started last year, aims to rekindle the Filipinos’ Catholic faith in the face of secularism. Tagle explained Read More …

DOH preparations vs Ebola impress Senate

General

Oct 222014

DOH preparations vs Ebola impress Senate

By Jocelyn R. Uy |Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:43 am | Thursday, October 23rd, 2014 Senator Teofisto Guingona III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines–After scrutinizing the Department of Health (DOH) and other government agencies on the measures being enforced to prevent the entry of the deadly Ebola virus into the country, the Senate on Wednesday said efforts to achieve such goal were impressive and that it was doing everything “humanly possible” to prepare in dealing with the disease. At the end of the two-hour hearing, Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, chair of the committee on health, emphasized that the public also has a key role to play in efforts to boost the country’s defenses against the virus and to ensure the real problem will not be aggravated by fear and hysteria. “This is not just the role of the DOH or the government. We also need the cooperation of all Filipinos, especially the workers who will be coming home from West Africa as well as the media,” said Guingona. World Health Organization (WHO) country representative Julie Hall said fear was traveling faster than the virus and 90 percent of the economic and social impact of the Ebola outbreak that is ravaging countries in West Africa can be rooted from fear. “The media plays a big role in helping control it. The more information out there, the easier it is to control that fear. Once fear is [controlled] we can deal with the realities of the disease,” Hall stressed at the hearing. Guingona Read More …

US Marines sought as witnesses in Laude slay won’t appear in probe

General

Oct 192014

US Marines sought as witnesses in Laude slay won’t appear in probe

By Tarra Quismundo |Philippine Daily Inquirer 8:33 pm | Sunday, October 19th, 2014 MANILA, Philippines — US Embassy spokesperson Kurt Hoyer said on Sunday that the four other US Marines invited to Tuesday’s preliminary hearing on the Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude slay would no longer appear at the Olongapo City Prosecutor’s Office as they have already given their statements. “The witnesses have made their testimonies available satisfying the requirements of the VFA and Philippine law. They will not be appearing because they already met with the appropriate Philippine authorities,” Hoyer said yesterday. Asked whether the four witnesses were still in the country, Hoyer replied: “They are not here anymore.” Earlier, the US Embassy said the prime suspect, Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton and his Filipino lawyer would have to decide whether to appear in the preliminary hearing. RELATED STORIES AFP on VFA, Laude issues: Why burn the whole house if only one corner has leak? US to produce Marine sought over murder of transgender Filipino ICYMI: Understanding the VFA after transgender slay Follow Us Other Stories: ‘Disarmament to be most difficult part of Bangsamoro peace process’ Palace insists no ransom paid for release of Germans ‘Jennifer’ Laude to be cremated on Oct. 24 Palace not keen on junking VFA Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in Read More …

Fil-Ams in San Francisco hold domestic violence prevention seminar, resource fair

News

Oct 162014

Fil-Ams in San Francisco hold domestic violence prevention seminar, resource fair

INQUIRER.net US Bureau 6:25 am | Friday, October 17th, 2014 SAN FRANCISCO – A domestic violence prevention seminar and resources fair provided information and educational sources to women and their families at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center on October 2. The Alliance for Community Empowerment (ALLICE) hosted its 10th Annual Free from Violence Seminar and Resource Fair in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General. . The event sought to increase awareness of the situation of women who are caught in abusive relationships. In her testimony, Giovanni Espiritu, abuse survivor, gave a tearful account of her experiences with various forms of abuse committed by people close to her and her struggle to find justice. Consul General Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. stated that the issue of domestic violence deserves the full support of all sectors of our community. He also thanked ALLICE for its efforts in raising awareness on domestic violence. He led attendees in a pledge to end domestic violence. Consul General Bensurto leads the pledge to end domestic violence. Also in the photo are Assemblymember Rob Bonta, Colma Councilmember Joanne Del Rosario and Jose Antonio. Assemblymember Rob Bonta stressed the importance of building healthy family relationships and teaching and showing the younger members of families the importance of respect. He also stated that laws are in place to protect the victims of domestic violence. During the seminar, ALLICE’s allies, people and organizations that help the victims and fight for the cause to end domestic violence, were recognized. This Read More …

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