Maniolas

Agence France-Presse 5:03 pm | Sunday, September 14th, 2014 Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips AFP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — A Canadian Islamic preacher detained for being a security threat in the Philippines was flown back to Canada after agreeing to be deported, the immigration bureau said Sunday. Jamaican-born Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips was returned to Canada late Saturday after being detained last weekend in the southern Philippines while on a lecture tour. This came after immigration commissioners approved his request for voluntary deportation, effectively cutting short the deportation proceedings, the bureau said in a statement. “He was charged for being an undesirable foreign national and for being inadmissible at the time of entry,” the bureau said, explaining Philips’ detention. The bureau earlier said he was blacklisted based on information that he might conduct activities that were a threat to national security. Police said Philips may have ties to extremist groups as they prevented him from holding a series of lectures in the south where the Philippine’s restive Muslim minority is based. In a post on his Facebook page dated September 14, Philips said: “Rejection can be utterly disappointing but we must never forget that every closed door is a redirection to what is better for us”. Philips also acknowledged that he was blacklisted in the United States, Britain, Australia and Kenya, but said this was based partly on statements that were taken out of context. He was the second Islamic convert preacher to be detained by the Philippines since July, Read More …

By Kristine Angeli Sabillo |INQUIRER.net 1:22 pm | Sunday, September 14th, 2014 President Benigno S. Aquino III. Malacañang Photo Bureau MANILA, Philippines – Despite three out of the four host countries footing the bill for President Benigno Aquino III’s accommodations, the government will still have to spend P31.9 million for his trip to Europe. “According to the Office of the Executive Secretary, (the budget is around) P31.9-million—for the visits to Spain, to Belgium, to France, and to Germany,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said over state-run radio. Valte said the amount covers “transportation, accommodation, food, equipment and other requirements” of Aquino and his delegation during their eight-day visit to Europe. Aquino left on Saturday evening for Spain. He will stay in Europe until September 20 and will then fly to the United States where he will deliver a speech at the United Nations Climate Change Summit. He will return to the Philippines on September 25. Valte said the Office of the Executive Secretary has yet to release the amount allotted for the Aquino’s US visit. Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Zeneida Angara Collinson earlier said they do not expect the Europe trip expenses to be “stratospheric” since three of the four receiving countries will provide hospitality since their arrangement is for an official visit. “The difference between an official visit and a working visit is the hospitality extended by the country concerned,” Collinson said. Aquino will be visiting Belgium, where the European Union headquarters is located, on a working visit. In June, Aquino and his 41-member delegation visited Read More …

By Christine O. Avendaño |Philippine Daily Inquirer 4:13 am | Sunday, September 14th, 2014 FIL-AM GIsNavy SpecialWarfare Operator Hermelito Rafol and USNavy First Class Jessica San Roque pose with US Ambassador Philip Goldberg during the reenlistment ceremony at the US Embassy. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA She had always aspired to join the military even back in her Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) days. He had joined the service just so he could skip college. But together Utilitiesman First Class Jessica San Roque and Navy Special Warfare Operator Hermelito Rafol went to serve the US military service as Filipino-Americans detailed at the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P). Now the chance came for San Roque and Rafol—born to Filipino parents but raised in the United States—to spend some time in the Philippines, where they were deployed four months ago. So on a very rainy Wednesday morning last week, San Roque and Rafol took their oath as reenlistees in the US military in front of the Chancery at the US Embassy in Manila, accepting an additional four years of service. San Roque and Rafol have been assigned to Basilan province for the past four months, helping in the PH-US Balikatan program. On hand to witness their reenlistment, aside from their families, were US Ambassador Philip Goldberg and their commander, Col. Erik Brown, who led the oath-taking. “God bless America. Mabuhay [ang] Pilipinas (Long live the Philippines)! I’m glad to be here in Manila and do something special in my career,” said the 29-year-old Read More …