Remains of Pinay executed in China brought home to PHL

 News
Jul 032013
 
Remains of Pinay executed in China brought home to PHL

The remains of the Filipina who was executed in China Wednesday morning arrived in Manila in the evening of that same day, a television report said. The body of the 35-year-old arrived in Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 at around 8 p.m. via Philippine Airlines flight PR337, which departed from Shanghai, China, Jam Sisante reported during GMA News TV’s “State of the Nation with Jessica Soho”. The remains of the Filipina drug mule were accompanied by her daughter and mother. The relatives of the deceased refused to make any statements upon their arrival, the television report said. As of this posting, it was not yet certain whether the body of the deceased was cremated or not. The family earlier requested the body be cremated. The relatives of the convicted drug courier had been in China since Sunday. They were given 30 minutes to see their loved one to bid farewell. Despite the country’s pleas, the Filipina was finally executed on Wednesday morning, the Foreign Affairs Department revealed. The Filipina was sentenced to death in 2011 for carrying at least six kilos of heroin into China from United Arab Emirates. In China, possession of at least 50 grams of illegal drugs is enough to warrant the death penalty, which is usually done via lethal injection. The Filipina was the fifth Filipino drug courier to be executed in China since 2011. The family of the 35-year-old drug courier will seek the assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation in arresting the Read More …

Aquino backs US, Japan access to PHL bases

 News
Jul 012013
 
Aquino backs US, Japan access to PHL bases

PNoy vows to modernize PAF . President Benigno Aquino III, along with PAF chief Lt. Gen. Lauro dela Cruz (left) and Col. Domingo Palisoc (right), presents the command plaque and streamer during the 66th anniversary rites of the Philippine Air Force at Clark Air Base, Pampanga on Monday, July 1. Aquino vowed to purchase new aircraft, including attack helicopters, in the next five years to beef up the country’s air force.This year’s celebration is anchored on the theme ‘Makabagong Lakas, Matatag na Bukas.’ Benhur Arcayan President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday expressed support for the plan to give the United States and Japan access to Philippine bases. Aquino said it is only a “natural circumstance” to allow these countries into Philippine bases “to build a credible alliance” with them. “Kung hindi tayo makikipag-ugnayan sa kanila, maling paghahanda iyon,” the President said. He however said that US and Japanese troops will not be “permanent fixtures” in the country’s bases. The President made these statements amid an ongoing territorial dispute with China over parts of the South China Sea. —KG, GMA News

Following complaints, PHL doctors warn against illegal stem cells treatments

 Entertainment
Jul 012013
 

MANILA  (Mabuhay) — The Philippine Medical Association issued a warning against illegal stem cell treatments. PMA said they had received several complaints of xenogenic treatments, where animal stem cells are used. Only the autologous stem cell treatment, which does not involve foreign substances, is approved by the Department of Health. Such treatment takes stem cells […]

Let us not forget the Bataan Death March in PHL history

 Entertainment
Jul 012013
 

by: Myrna Aquitania During my time in college, every undergrad student at the University of the Philippines will not be allowed to graduate without taking the required elective on PI 100 (better known as Philippine Institution 100  or Philippine History. There were two prominent professors who taught this particular subject. Both of these professors have authored their Philippine […]

China's state media warns PHL of 'counterstrike' in West PHL Sea

 News
Jun 282013
 
China's state media warns PHL of 'counterstrike' in West PHL Sea

BEIJING – China’s state media warned on Saturday that a “counterstrike” against the Philippines was inevitable if it continues to provoke Beijing in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), potentially Asia’s biggest military troublespot. The warning comes as ministers from both countries attend an Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in Brunei, starting Saturday, which hopes to reach a legally binding code of conduct to manage maritime conduct in disputed areas. At stake are potentially massive offshore oil reserves. The seas also lie on shipping lanes and fishing grounds. Both China and the Philippines have been locked in a decades-old territorial squabble over the West Philippine Sea, with tensions flaring after the Philippines moved new soldiers and supplies last week to a disputed coral reef, prompting Beijing to condemn Manila’s “illegal occupation”. The overseas edition of the People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, said in a front-page commentary that the Philippines had committed “seven sins” in the West Philippine Sea. These include the “illegal occupation” of the Spratly Islands, inviting foreign capital to engage in oil and gas development in the disputed waters and promoting the “internationalisation” of the waters, said the commentary. The Philippines has called on the United States to act as a “patron”, while ASEAN has become an “accomplice,” said the commentary, which does not amount to official policy but can reflect the government’s thinking. “The Philippines, knowing that it’s weak, believes that ‘a crying child will have milk to drink’,” the Read More …

De Lima: PHL, Taiwan haven't exchanged probe results yet

 News
Jun 272013
 
De Lima: PHL, Taiwan haven't exchanged probe results yet

Almost a month after completing their separate investigations on the May 9 shooting incident in disputed waters off extreme north Luzon, the Philippines and Taiwan have yet to share their probe results with each other. This was confirmed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima when reporters in Manila asked for updates in the Balintang Channel shooting incident that left a Taiwanese fisherman dead. “We have not  given each other a copy of the respective reports kasi ‘pag ire-release, [we will] give prior notice,” the Justice chief said. De Lima said the release of the probe results would be “halos sabay” [almost simultaneous]. “But I haven’t  seen their  report and they haven’t seen ours,” De Lima assured the public. Also, de Lima said they would be following up with the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) so the Philippines can finally get a copy of Taiwan’s probe results. “And if they ask for our copy, we will furnish them simultaneously in public for the release.” De Lima earlier forwarded to President Benigno Aquino the probe results prepared by the National Bureau of Investigation, which conducted weeks of investigation both in Manila and in Taiwan. “I’m waiting the clearance from the President kung puwede nang i-release  ang Taiwan report… Since it’s with the President  already [at] since binabasa na niya iyon, I’m just waiting,” she said. Earlier, De Lima, while at the World Congress Against Death Penalty, confirmed to reporters that criminal and administrative charges have been recommended by the NBI against Read More …

PAGASA: Monsoon rain over parts of the PHL, high tide may cause flooding

 News
Jun 232013
 
PAGASA: Monsoon rain over parts of the PHL, high tide may cause flooding

The southwest monsoon and the inter-tropical convergence zone may bring rain to parts of northern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao Monday, state weather forecasters said. PAGASA forecaster Manny Mendoza also said the high tide may cause water levels to rise as it may go as high as 1.46 meters for the day. “Ang 1.46 meters, medyo mataas na yan,” he said in an interview on dzBB radio. PAGASA’s 5 a.m. bulletin said the high tide would reach its peak at 9:53 a.m. Earlier Monday, local governments in Malabon City and in Obando, Bulacan had suspended classes for the day in anticipation of floods brought by the high tide. Monsoon rain PAGASA’s 5 a.m. bulletin said the weak southwest monsoon was affecting the western sections of northern Luzon while the inter-tropical convergence zone was affecting Southern Mindanao. “The regions of Ilocos, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Western and Central Visayas, Zamboanga peninsula and SOCCSKSARGEN will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms,” it said. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.” Moderate to strong winds from the southwest to south will prevail over the western section of Northern Luzon and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the east to southeast over the rest of the country with slight to moderate seas. PAGASA also said that Read More …

State weather forecasters say little chance of Indonesia haze reaching PHL

 News
Jun 232013
 
State weather forecasters say little chance of Indonesia haze reaching PHL

Philippine state weather forecasters believe there is little chance of the haze that has affected Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia reaching the Philippines. A report on Bombo Radyo quoted PAGASA as saying the winds from the southwest monsoon are likely to keep the haze out of the Philippine area of responsibility. In past days, a haze has affected Indonesia, caused by illegal forest fires on Sumatra island to clear space for palm oil plantations. The haze reached Singapore and now threatens Malaysia. According to reports on Malaysia’s The Star Online, winds from the southwest carried the haze from Riau to the central and southern part of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, with several schools in Malaysia having to be closed due to the haze. — BM, GMA News

PHL sends clear message to tusk dealers: We're not open for business

 News
Jun 202013
 
PHL sends clear message to tusk dealers: We're not open for business

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) spearheaded the crushing of over five tons of elephant tusks Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City in a strong message to local and international tusk dealers. Laid out in the center’s parking lot, the tusks were broken down using a backhoe. After this, a steamroller flattened what remained of the tusks estimated to be worth P40 million. The shattered remains of the tusks will then be taken to the Bureau of Animal Inudstry where a cremation process will ensure the total destruction of the tusks. —KG, GMA News

AFP among PHL armed groups that recruited minors in 2012, UN says

 News
Jun 162013
 
AFP among PHL armed groups that recruited minors in 2012, UN says

(Updated 3:30 p.m.) The Philippine military was among the armed groups in the country that recruited minors for their operations in 2012, according to a report by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The report, released June 12, said there was a “verified case” in July last year where two young boys were “forced” by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to serve as guides to locate a communist rebel camp in North Cotabato province in Mindanao. “[We] remained concerned over the use of children by the national armed forces as guides and informants during military operations,” the report, titled “Grave Violations Committed Against Children in 22 Situations of Concern,” said. “In a verified case in July 2012, the Fifty-Seventh Infantry Battalion forced two boys aged 12 and 13 years to serve as guides to locate an NPA camp in North Cotabato Province,” it added. Against AFP policy Reached for comment, AFP spokesperson Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said the military leadership will have the reported use of children as guides in operatioins verified as such is against their policy. “As a matter of policy, the AFP does not use children as guides during military operations so as not to endanger them,” he said Monday. “We will verify this information if there is any truth to it.” Moon, in the report, noted that the AFP has “issued directives prohibiting such use of children, assigning responsibility to commanders, institutionalizing investigations and putting in place corrective measures.” The two guides were among the Read More …

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