Maniolas

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda: Friendly initiatives, please. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines–On the day the Philippines and China were commemorating their 13th Friendship Day, Beijing on Monday denounced Manila and Hanoi for holding “friendly games” on a disputed island in the Spratlys archipelago. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying’s description of the event as a “clumsy farce” did not sit well with President Benigno Aquino’s spokesperson, who reminded Beijing yesterday of the two countries’ friendly relations. “We wish to gladly inform China that we just celebrated yesterday the 13th Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day and perhaps, instead of condemning the friendly games between the Philippines and Vietnam, China should focus on engaging the Philippines in friendly initiatives,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda told reporters. Despite the latest verbal attack, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said the government remained hopeful that China would “see the meaning of what we are doing and the good [it would bring], that we would have peace in our minds and in our actions.” Mr. Aquino was set to deliver a speech last night at the joint celebration of Philippines Independence Day and the 13th Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day at the Manila Hotel. Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua was also scheduled to speak at the event. Beijing was irked over the decision by the Philippines and Vietnam to hold joint games by their troops last Sunday. They played volleyball, football and tug-of-war on Southwest Cay Island, which is occupied by Vietnam. “We’re trying to set an example. We want to show that there can be other approaches to the disputes that can Read More …

MANILA, Philippines—After China called the games between the Philippines and Vietnam a farce, one Philippine Navy official said that the sports festival between the two nations was not meant to provoke any actions from the mighty Asian nation. “Definitely it’s not meant to pick on China,” Colonel Edgard Arevalo, Philippine Navy spokesman, said Tuesday afternoon. He said that the sole purpose of the games, which involved football, volleyball, and tug of war, which was conducted at Southwest Cay, a Vietnamese-occupied island in the South China Sea, was to create a fellowship between the Philippines and Vietnam. On Monday, China called the game a “clumsy farce” and demanded that the two smaller countries “stop causing trouble.” Arevalo said that even though the Philippines and Vietnam are co-claimants of the Southwest Cay, they want to have good relations with each other. “What we want to maintain is the friendly relations, we can show that we can interact with each other without fighting, without the disputes,” Arevalo said Tuesday. “Fellowship can still develop, notwithstanding the claims for the islands, the least of our intention is to pick quarrels with anyone.” Arevalo added that there would be another installment of the games between the Naval forces of the Philippines and Vietnam, this time with the Filipinos playing as hosts. He added that other claimants to the disputed islands, like Taiwan and Malaysia, could also join the games in 2015. “Our friendly relations with other countries has been ongoing through joint training,” Arevalo said. “Promoting Read More …

The Supreme Court has upheld the convictions for murder of five fraternity members in connection with the death in 1994 of Dennis Venturina, a student of the University of the Philippines and a member of a rival brotherhood. In a ruling penned by SC Associate Justice Mario Victor “Marvic” Leonen, the high tribunal affirmed the decision of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court that found five members of the Scintilla Juris Fraternity guilty for the murder of Venturina on December 8, 1994. On February 28, 2002, the trial court found suspects Robert Michael Alvir, Danilo Feliciano Jr, Christopher Soliva, Julius Victor Medalla, and Warren Zingapan guilty of murder and attempted murder, and were sentenced to the penalty of reclusion perpetua. The Court of Appeals on December 26, 2010 affirmed the guilty verdict. Court records showed Ventura and six other co-members of the Sigma Rho fraternity were eating at the Beach House Canteen near the Main Library in UP Diliman when they were attacked by masked men with baseball bats and lead pipes.  Ventura shortly afterwards died at the St. Luke’s Medical Center, while the six other victims survived. Just like the trial court and the appellate tribunal, the SC gave more weight on the victims’ positive identification of the perpetrators rather than on the latter’s respective alibis. “The victims were able to positively identify their attackers while the accused-appellants merely offered alibis and denials as their defense. The credibility of the victims was upheld by both the trial court and Read More …

Two days after Philippine and Vietnamese navy personnel drank beer and played volleyball together on disputed territory in the South China Sea—a display of unity that China has labeled a “farce”—the two countries are teaming up again for more “goodwill games,” with the Philippines hosting this time. “The agreement to have the Philippines as venue of the next goodwill games with Vietnam is already a commitment. And we do not intend to renege on such hosting,” Philippine Navy spokesman Col. Edgard Arevalo told reporters Tuesday. “If the end is to maintain good relations and amity with a neighboring nation; and sports is one of the means to attain it, then the Navy will have to pursue it,” Arevalo, who also heads the Navy Civil Military Operations Group, added. Arevalo also said that other nations, including China, are free to join the friendly games, which will be held early next year. “Yung ating friendly relations with other forces of other nations have already been ongoing, through subject matter exchanges, joint trainings…promoting sports is another avenue…it’s their option, they can signify intent [to join],” Arevalo said. China declines However, Arevalo added, China has already sent a signal that it has no intention of joining any friendly undertakings with other countries that have claims in the South China Sea. “This early nag-signify na sila. It looks like ayon sa kanila e ayaw nila,” Arevalo said. On Monday, China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying described as a “clumsy farce” the friendly gathering between Philippines Read More …

The alleged sex videos of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima will not be considered during the Cabinet offiicial’s confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III said Tuesday. Pimentel, Commission on Appointments (CA) justice committee chairman, said in an interview that the supposed sex videos are “immaterial” to De Lima’s confirmation. “Hindi ako papatol sa tsismis, lalo na kung alleged lang yan. Alam mo, you have to authenticate, so hindi na po tayo papasok sa ganyan,” Pimentel told reporters. He added that the alleged sex videos already will not affect De Lima’s confirmation, since the Cabinet official already has the support of majority of the CA panel’s members. “The House delegation votes as a block, and most likely they will vote for the confirmation, plus one more, that makes a majority… Totoo o hindi totoo, wala na pong bearing iyan,” Pimentel said. Whistleblower Sandra Cam was earlier quoted in media reports as saying that she received four cuts of De Lima’s supposed sex videos with her driver and bodyguard. Last week, Cam attempted to block De Lima’s confirmation citing various issues involving the justice chief, including incompetence and supposed “illicit affairs.”  De Lima, however, refused to answer questions on her personal life during her confirmation hearing.    Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte earlier asked Cam not to use the CA as a venue for “whatever ax it is you have to personally grind” against De Lima. — Andreo Calonzo/RSJ, GMA News