Motorcade awaits Olympic skater Michael Martinez upon arrival in Manila

 News
Feb 222014
 
Motorcade awaits Olympic skater Michael Martinez upon arrival in Manila

A hectic schedule that includes a motorcade and press conference awaits Olympic figure skater Michael Christian Martinez once he arrives home Sunday afternoon. Martinez is due to arrive in Manila after giving honor to the Philippines at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, radio dzBB reported. Upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Martinez will be welcomed with a motorcade that will take him to the Mall of Asia in Pasay City. He is scheduled to hold a press conference there, the report added. Martinez brought honor to the Philippines in the Winter Olympics in the figure skating event, where several people were impressed with his performance, noting he came from a tropical country. The 17-year-old Martinez’s love for skating started at an ice skating rink at a mall in Metro Manila. — LBG, GMA News

What seizure? Car importers cry foul

 News
Feb 222014
 
What seizure? Car importers cry foul

Port Irene in Cagayan Freeport Sta. Ana, Cagayan. A big-time contractor, who has close personal and business ties to the former chief of staff of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile and her family, cornered the bulk of P5 billion in state largesse given to the Cagayan Freeport in the last five years. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO NUEVA VIZCAYA, Philippines—A group of car importers based in Port Irene in Cagayan on Saturday protested the statements made by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) that portrayed them as car smugglers. Jaime Vicente, president of the Automotive Rebuilding Industry of Cagayan Inc. (Aric), described as “malicious” the BOC’s insinuation that they tried to sneak out imported vehicles from the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport (CSEZFP) in Santa Ana town. “What is most lamentable are insinuations that the BOC has confiscated the 38 units for which we have filed for import entry. There appears a clear attempt to give the public the impression that the vehicles were ‘intercepted’ while these were being illegally brought out of the port,” Vicente said in a statement. Vicente was referring to an announcement made by Customs Commissioner John Phillip Sevilla at a press briefing on Friday, 10 days after BOC agents at its Aparri collection office issued warrants of seizure on 38 assorted vehicles presented for acceptance by Fenix (Ceza) International, one of the licensed used car importers at the CSEZFP. The 38 units were part of 347 vehicles that comprised the Dec. 14 shipment from Japan, the import documents Read More …

68 years of injustice and still counting

 News
Feb 222014
 
68 years of injustice and still counting

Filipino American community leaders, supporters, students and Philippine Embassy officials observing the 71st anniversary of the Fall of Bataan with a wreath-laying ceremony on April 9 at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. FILE PHOTO It has been 68 years—68 years since the Rescission Act of 1946 removed United States military service recognition and benefits to Filipino World War II veterans; 68 years under a pall of injustice for thousands of Filipino World War II veterans, who to this day, have not received their due; 68 years of ongoing hardships. Despite concerted action to correct the unjust treatment, most efforts have remained futile except for a few provisions adjusting some benefits. The harsh effect of the Rescission Act is still experienced by many veterans to this day. George is a Filipino World War II veteran who is currently residing in California. He has a service-connected disability and is one of the few veterans receiving compensation from the US Veterans Affairs office. In January, he received a letter from the VA  notifying him of its intention to reduce his benefits to 50 percent of what he was currently receiving. What is the reason for the reduction of this benefit? What steps should he take to ensure his compensation benefit is not reduced? The 1946 Rescission Act More than 250,000 Filipinos were conscripted to join the US Armed Forces of the Far East (USAFFE) during World War II. After the war, President Truman signed the Supplemental Surplus Appropriation Rescission Act Read More …

Beaten, detained and starved

 News
Feb 222014
 
Beaten, detained and starved

Twenty-seven-year-old Irene dela Virgen appeared at the studio of Inquirer Radio with tales of the horror she suffered in Saudi Arabia. She was detained, beaten, starved and received no salaries from her three employers. Bantay OCW initially got the complaint through an overseas call from Irene’s aunt, Marilyn, who is based in Athens, Greece.  Her husband Mario from Nueva Ecija, together with Marilyn’s daughter Lejani, then  sought the assistance of our program. We endorsed them to the office of Philippine Overseas Employment Administration administrator Hans Leo Cacdac for the necessary filing of Irene’s case. POEA immediately ordered Raysa International, the agency that deployed Irene, to send the distressed overseas Filipino worker an airline ticket and bring her home. The order warned that noncompliance within 15 days would result in a suspension of the agency’s license to operate. Irene had recounted her ordeal in the hands of her employers in Saudi. According to her contract, processed at the POEA, her employer was Mohammed Abdullah Abdulazis Salimi. Upon her arrival at the Salimi residence, the wife, who is a teacher, instructed her to proceed to her room and to just stay there. For four days, she stayed in the room without food or drinking water. On the fourth day, Irene was transferred to a second employer, the “Madame’s” fellow teacher. During the first two days, she was not given food. On the third day, she was given a small piece of bread and a cup of coffee. The second employer would bring Read More …

Colleagues consider Quevedo a 'cardinal for peace'

 News
Feb 222014
 
Colleagues consider Quevedo a 'cardinal for peace'

Pope Francis to elevate Archbishop Quevedo to cardinal . Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo arrives to attend a special consistory for the family led by Pope Francis at Paul VI’s Hall at the Vatican on Thursday, February 20. Quevedo will be elevated to cardinal, along with 18 others, on Saturday, February 22, in ceremonies to be led by Pope Francis. Reuters/Max Rossi The Philippines’ newest cardinal may be expected by his colleagues in the Catholic Church to champion the cause of peace. A report by radio dzBB’s Rodil Vega Saturday evening said Cardinal Orlando Quevedo is considered a “Cardinal of Peace.” Quevedo, who serves as Cotabato Archbishop, was one of 19 Church officials elevated to the rank of cardinal on Saturday (Manila time). According to the Vatican news portal, Quevedo is a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and graduated in Pedagogy from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. “He was appointed first Bishop of Kidapawan (Philippines) when the diocese was created in November 1982, and nominated Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines) by Pope John Paul II in 1998,” it said. On the other hand, Quevedo has also been known to be low-key. In January, he surprised a cell phone technician and a prepaid mobile phone card vendor in Davao City who didn’t recognize him as a future cardinal, according to an article on MindaNews. — JDS, GMA News

Pope to create Quevedo, 18 others new cardinals

 News
Feb 222014
 
Pope to create Quevedo, 18 others new cardinals

Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo. Photo courtesy of CBCP News VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis will create his first batch of cardinals on Saturday, with nine of the 19 coming from South America, Africa and Asia, including the Philippines’ Archbishop of Cotabato Orlando Quevedo. The new “princes of the Church” will be presented with scarlet-red birettas and gold rings at a grandiose ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica that Vatican observers say should help correct a perceived bias towards European cardinals. Sixteen of the 19 cardinals are under the age of 80 and can therefore take part in the secretive conclave that elects new popes from among their ranks. In an indication of the importance of the developing world for the Argentine pope — a fierce critic of economic inequality — half are non-Europeans, including five cardinals from North America, two Africans and two Asians. “Becoming a cardinal is not a promotion, nor an honor or a decoration; it is simply a service which requires a broadening of the gaze and a widening of the heart,” Francis said in a letter to each new cardinal-to-be, according to La Stampa daily. Francis is keen to nourish faith in developing countries, to combat the decline of practicing believers in Europe, the Church’s traditional power base. The first non-European pope in nearly 1,300 years will bestow the honor of the red cap on the archbishops of Buenos Aires in Argentina, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Santiago in Chile, Managua in Nicaragua and Les Cayes in Haiti. Aurelio Read More …

Filipinos still okay in Ukraine, says Palace

 News
Feb 222014
 
Filipinos still okay in Ukraine, says Palace

By Nestor CorralesINQUIRER.net 2:43 pm | Saturday, February 22nd, 2014 MANILA,Philippines—The Aquino government is exerting efforts to ensure the safety of Filipinos in Ukraine amid a deep political crisis in which scores have been killed and hundreds injured earlier this week, Malacañang said Saturday. “Because of some of the events transpiring in Ukraine, particularly Kiev, the DFA has been monitoring the situation and making sure they are watching out for the welfare of Filipinos there,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said  on radio. Valte added that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) continues to be on the lookout as the violence has claimed 77 lives. She, however said, there has not been any report of Filipinos in Ukraine being adversely affected or injured due to the crisis. On Friday, the Ukraine government and opposition leaders reached a deal to end the political crisis and the bloody fighting, especially in Kiev. RELATED STORIES Shaky peace reigns after Ukraine rocked by protest Ukraine death toll rises to 28–ministry Follow Us 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 the Philippines. Tags: Filipino , Foreign affairs , OFW , Overseas Filipinos , Political Crisis , safety , Ukraine Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer’s Reader’s Advocate. Or write Read More …

Purchase of S. Korean fighter jets not due to China row — PHL Air Force

 News
Feb 212014
 
Purchase of S. Korean fighter jets not due to China row — PHL Air Force

The deal to purchase 12 units of FA-50 fighters from South Korea is mainly to upgrade the country’s air defense capability and not due to the rising tension in the South China Sea, the Philippine Air Force said Saturday. PAF spokesman Col. Miguel Okol on Saturday told GMA News Online in a text message: “It is for your defense as a whole not only because of a situation. Our defense department and we in the Air Force match up our capability upgrade on shortfalls and needs.” “In this case we are moving towards beefing up our external defense capabilities having prioritized internal security operations over the last 12 years,” he added. For his part, Defense spokesman Peter Paul Galvez said, “Plans to buy jets [had been done] and programmed way before territorial issues cropped up.” Brand new Galvez said the jet fighters to be bought from South Korea are “brand new units.” According to an earlier Reuters report, the Philippine government has reached an agreement with Korean Aerospace Industries Ltd. for 12 of the aircraft and would sign a contract before March 15. “This is a very important project together with the frigate of the Navy because of our objective of building a minimum credible defense,” Fernando Manalo, undersecretary of defense for finance, munitions, installations and materiel, told Reuters. For her part, Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte on Saturday said the country is one step closer to beefing up its air defense capability following Malacañang’s approval of the payment mode Read More …

Palace: Govt a step closer to acquiring korean jet fighters

 News
Feb 212014
 
Palace: Govt a step closer to acquiring korean jet fighters

The Philippines is one step closer to beefing up its air defense capability following Malacañang’s approval of the payment mode for them, a Palace official said Saturday. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Palace’s approval usually means President Benigno Aquino III’s questions about the transaction had been addressed. “Usually po ‘pag ganyan, that means na-iron out na po ‘yung mga kinks or at least the President’s questions had been sufficiently answered by the department,” Valte said on government-run dzRB radio. Earlier reports indicated the Philippine government is seeking to acquire 12 fighter jets from South Korea. The Philippines had been trying to improve its military capability in the wake of territorial disputes in parts of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). In past months, Philippine forces had figured in tense moments with Chinese vessels in some of the disputed areas. Manila has sought arbitration and a rules-based approach to settle the row. — LBG, GMA News

Actor Mat Ranillo III willing to return to PHL to help in 'pork' probe — sister

 News
Feb 212014
 
Actor Mat Ranillo III willing to return to PHL to help in 'pork' probe — sister

Actor Mat Ranillo III, who has been tagged as having an alleged role in the pork barrel scam, is willing to return to the country and testify on the plunder case, according to his sister Suzette. In an interview aired on GMA News TV’s Balitanghali, Suzette said: “Mat is willing to come home naman as long as protektado ang safety niya.” Ranillo, who had played Christ and San Lorenzo Ruiz in the movies, has been linked to the pork barrel scam for allegedly signing vouchers for the kickbacks supposedly received by Senator Jinggoy Estrada and his mother, former First Lady and Senator Loi Estrada. Ranillo was mentioned again on national TV by whistleblower Ruby Tuason during her testimony on Thursday. Some of the vouchers were submitted in court by Ranillo in his legal dispute against JLN Corporation, a company owned by alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles. Earlier, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said she was told the justice department has received feelers from Ranillo but refused to give other details. “Naririnig ko rin na parang may feelers from Mr. Mat Ranillo so we would welcome that. Let’s see kung ano iyong magiging value ng kanyang testimony if and when he cooperates,” De Lima said. However, the legal counsel for the whistleblowers in the P10-billion pork barrel fund scam is not in favor of making actor Ranillo a state witness, saying it is unlikely that the actor had personal transactions with the senators implicated in the scam. “Ang pupuwede Read More …

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