Maniolas

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will exhaust all legal remedies to save the 30-year-old Filipina migrant worker on Indonesia’s death row. In a statement, Presidential adviser on OFW (overseas Filipino worker) concerns and Vice President Jejomar Binay said that the DFA office of Asia and the Pacific Affairs has assured him that the government would file a second petition for judicial review to possibly stop the execution of Mary Jane Veloso. Binay also renewed his appeal to Indonesian President Joko Widodo to help lift Veloso’s death sentence. Veloso is a widow with two young children who has not been involved in any crime until she was accused of drug trafficking. The Vice President met on Palm Sunday with Veloso’s parents, Celia and Cesar, at the Makati City hall where he discussed the government’s next move to save their daughter. During the meeting, he spoke with DFA assistant secretary Minda Calaguian-Cruz who assured him of the plan to file another appeal for the review of Veloso’s case with the Indonesian Supreme Court. While the Indonesian Supreme Court has denied the Philippine government’s initial request for a judicial review, where Veloso’s lawyers had raised the absence of a capable translator during her trial, it had said it would wait for the conclusion of any outstanding legal appeal before executing 10 foreigners – including Veloso – who were convicted of drug offenses. Veloso, along with nine other persons, were sentenced to die by firing squad. The OFW was convicted Read More …

The Empire State Building dimmed its lights and the Eiffel Tower went dark Saturday as iconic landmarks across the world observed Earth Hour, the global climate change awareness campaign. The usually glittering nighttime majesty of the Empire State Building was set to “faint sparkle” in New York, while theaters on Broadway also toned down the neon. Millions of people around the world were taking part in the annual Earth Hour organized by conservation group WWF, with a string of well-known sights plunging into darkness globally. Take a look at how different countries all over the world participated in this year’s Earth Hour:  COLOMBIA People light candles during Earth Hour environment campaign at the Jardin Plaza mall in Cali, Valle del Cauca department, Colombia, on March 28, 2015. Millions are expected to take part around the world in the annual event organised by conservation group WWF, with hundreds of well-known sights set to plunge into darkness. AFP VATICAN CITY Activists of World Wide Fund (WWF) have set up pandas near St Peter’s square as part of the Earth Hour campaign on March 29, 2014 at the Vatican. Lights went off in thousands of cities and towns across the world on today for the annual Earth Hour campaign, which is aiming to raise money via the Internet for local environmental projects. AFP PORTUGAL A boy with his face decorated with luminous ink poses for a photograph with others during the symbolic switching off of the lights known as Earth Hour, Saturday, March Read More …

The Philippines dismissed concerns by China over Manila’s plan to repair military facilities in the South China Sea, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Saturday, insisting Manila has sovereign rights over territories in the disputed areas. The possible repair “is no way comparable to China’s massive reclamation activities, which not only violate international law…but also unnecessarily raise regional tensions”, spokesman Charles Jose said in a statement. “China’s recent statement expressing concern over what the Philippines plan to do should not distract us from the real issues in the South China Sea, which are China’s illegitimate ‘nine-dash line’ claim,” Jose said. Maritime lawyers note Beijing routinely outlines the scope of its claims with reference to the so-called nine-dashed line that takes in about 90 percent of the 3.5 million square kilometers South China Sea on Chinese maps. The South China Sea is believed to be rich in oil and gas. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan lay claim to parts of the sea, where about $5 trillion of ship-borne trade passes every year. The territorial dispute is seen as one of Asia’s hot spots, carrying risks that it could spiral out of control and result in conflict as countries aggressively stake their claims. On Friday, China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said it was “seriously concerned” by the remarks by Philippine Foreign Minister Albert del Rosario on the possible resumption of repairs on an airstrip on Thitu Island. “This is not only a serious infringement of China’s sovereignty, but it Read More …