Maniolas

From left: Mario Alioto, Senior Vice President of SF Giants presents a check to: Sione Tangen from 600 Hands; Al Perez, President of Filipino American Arts Exposition; Marily Mondejar, President of the Filipina Women’s Network; Lou Seal; Cecile Ascalon; and Deputy Consul General Jaime Ramon Ascalon from the Philippine Consulate. FRANCIS ZAMORA SAN FRANCISCO, California—Filipino Americans sporting blue, yellow, red, as well as orange and black were out in force as the San Francisco Giants hosted Filipino American Heritage Night at AT&T Park on May 12 for the seventh consecutive year. In return, a Filipino American helped the Giants beat the Atlanta Braves to stay in first place. The Giants honored Filipino culture and history by designating two home games as Filipino Heritage Nights (FHN). This year, a local dance company Steps, Styles and Spotlights welcomed Giants fans at Willie Mays Plaza with a suite of festive Philippine folk dances. Additionally, Parangal Dance Company performed a medley of Barrio Fiesta dances – Binasuan, Subli and Tinikling – during the pre-game opening ceremonies at home plate. Parangal Dance Company entertains the Giants fans with their lively and colorful Barrio Fiesta dance suite capped with the exciting Tinikling. VOLTAIRE YAP “Dance and music tell the oral history of Filipino culture,” said Al Perez, president of Filipino American Arts Exposition (FAAE). “These traditions stand the test of time and can’t be erased by a typhoon or an earthquake. We are proud to partner with the SF Giants to help broaden awareness and deepen Read More …

The Sandiganbayan has allowed a retired police general charged in connection with the 2009 sale of secondhand helicopters to the Philippine National Police to travel abroad. The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division granted retired Police Director Luizo Ticman permission to travel to Australia from May 28 to June 7 to attend the Rotary International Convention, which will be held at Sydney Olympic Park. Ticman is an incumbent Rotary District Governor. Ticman was one of 22 officials charged in connection with the transaction, in which two secondhand Robinson R44 Raven 1 helicopters from Manila Aerospace Products Trading Corporation (MAPTRA) were priced as brand-new and sold to the PNP. The choppers were supplied to MAPTRA by Lionair Inc., supposedly acting on the orders of then-First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo. In its resolution granting Ticman’s motion, the anti-graft court said it allowed Ticman to make the trip since he faithfully complied with the court’s conditions in his earlier travels. During Senate hearings, witnesses testified that Arroyo was the real owner of the secondhand choppers sold as brand new to the PNP. — Patricia Denise Chiu/BM, GMA News

Malacañang on Wednesday branded as “illogical” the allegation that the administration orchestrated the release of several versions of the list of alleged pork scam conspirators in order to protect its allies. “That seems to be an illogical statement. It doesn’t make sense,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a press conference. He issued the statement after United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) secretary general and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco said that the appearance of at least three different versions of the list of officials who reportedly transacted with alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles is similar to the “Hello, Garci” cover-up in 2005. Lacierda, however, said it doesn’t make sense that they would release a list that would tag their own allies like Budget Sec. Butch Abad. “Is it something that is logical for someone to say that we are the perpetrators of the release of the list where we placed in that particular list the names of those who are in the Cabinet?” he said. Abad, Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director Joel Villanueva were earlier included on the unsigned Napoles list and affidavit turned over by former Senator Panfilo Lacson to the Senate blue ribbon committee. But the Palace had earlier dismissed the unsigned affidavit as just a mere scrap of paper. The President likewise defended the three and said he won’t fire them without any proof of wrongdoing. “Mali siguro na may nag-criticize [lang], dapat tanggalin na kaagad. Siguro ang importante: May Read More …

A militant human rights group on Wednesday condemned a Taguig court’s decision denying the petition of suspected communist leader Andrea Rosal to attend her baby’s burial on Thursday. In a statement, the group Karapatan expressed its disapproval over the court’s decision to allow Rosal only three hours to visit the wake of her daughter, who died a day after she was born last weekend. “The short span of time allowed for Andrea to visit her daughter’s wake is rather cruel considering that this would be the last time that she would be with her daughter,” Pastor Beth Tendero, spokesperson of Free Andrea Movement, was quoted as saying in the statement. “The court has not allowed Andrea to grieve for her newborn, even while they were still at PGH (Philippine General Hospital). For the last time again, they are depriving Andrea of her right as a mother,” she added. On Tuesday, the Taguig Regional Trial Court’s Branch 266 allowed Rosal to attend the wake on Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., after which she would have to be brought back to Camp Aguinaldo where she is detained on kidnapping and murder charges. The court, however, denied her petition to attend her daughter’s burial scheduled on Thursday in her hometown of Ibaan, Batangas. Rosal, who gave birth to Diona Andrea on Saturday, is the daughter of the late rebel spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal. She is also a suspected leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People’s Army. Read More …

The camp of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles is set to ask a Makati court to recall its order for the return of the controversial businesswoman to her detention cell in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, due to bleeding. Lawyer Fay Isaguirre Singson, one of Napoles’ lawyers, said they will file this Wednesday the motion to recall and reconsider the order dated May 20 issued by Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 Judge Elmo Alameda. “Her bleeding started on May 17 and last night her doctors, including Dr. Elsie Badillo-Pascua, visited her and confirmed that there was vaginal bleeding,” Singson told GMA News Online over the phone. She said the doctors recommended that Napoles have complete bed rest. “The doctors also recommended continuous hospital stay,” the lawyer said. Singson said they will include the written recommendation of the doctors in the progress report of Ospital ng Makati and attach it to the motion they will file before the court. “Because of the supervening event which is the bleeding, we have to adjust our actions. We did not foresee and we have no control over the situation,” she said. The lawyer said the main ground for the motion is the bleeding being experienced by Napoles. On Tuesday afternoon, Judge Alameda denied the earlier appeal of Napoles to extend her hospital stay.  He ordered the Philippine National Police to transfer Napoles on or before May 23. Alameda noted that after a month has passed since Napoles underwent surgery, “her attending physicians may Read More …