Gov’t disowns anti-China rallies to be held worldwide

 News
Jul 182013
 
Gov’t disowns anti-China rallies to be held worldwide

By Christine O. AvendañoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 5:44 am | Friday, July 19th, 2013 Department Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez: Anti-China protests led by private individuals and group. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The government said it has nothing to do with the planned one-day global action on July 24 by Filipinos around the world to protest against Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), but will not try to stop it either. “Filipinos have all the right to express and voice out in a peaceful manner their positions and sentiments on the issue of the West Philippine Sea,” said Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, the Department Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson. ‘In private capacity’ At a news conference, Hernandez stressed that the government “did not sanction” the Global Day of Protest to be staged worldwide by the West Philippine Sea Coalition, saying these were being led by “individuals and groups in their private capacity.” “These are not sanctioned by the government, but being in a democracy, people have a right to voice out their position on different issues,” Hernandez said. Asked whether the protests could inflame the already tense relations between Manila and Beijing, Hernandez said the DFA hoped it would not as people just want to express their positions on the issue. Hernandez also said the global protest action will not affect the Philippines’ arbitration case against China before the United Nations. “The arbitrary tribunal will proceed with the case based upon its rules and merits of this case, Read More …

PH expects to be lifted from US air blacklist

 News
Jul 182013
 
PH expects to be lifted from US air blacklist

Agence France-Presse 7:52 pm | Thursday, July 18th, 2013 FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines expects to be removed from a US air safety blacklist this year, opening a lucrative market for its carriers, an aviation regulator said Thursday. John Andrews, deputy director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), said he was very confident the upgrade would occur following a similar decision by the European Union last week. “We’re going to make it. (It’s) as simple as that,” Andrews told AFP in an interview. The US Federal Aviation Administration said in 2008 that the Philippines was failing to comply with international safety standards, and banned its airlines from expanding services to the United States. The European Union banned all Philippine carriers from flying to Europe in 2010 for similar reasons. Reforms put in place since then, including a law creating a new aviation regulator, the CAAP, allowed the Philippines to satisfy the concerns of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in February. This led to the EU’s decision last week to allow Philippine Airlines to begin flying into its airspace. The EU said it was reviewing the case of other Filipino carriers. Andrews said he expected US aviation regulators to make similar findings when it carried out an audit before the end of the year. He said Filipino regulators had addressed safety concerns by physically tracking down every aircraft registered in the Philippines and getting their owners to submit documentation. This was to make sure the Read More …

Chinese ships sail near disputed island—Japan

 News
Jul 172013
 
Chinese ships sail near disputed island—Japan

Agence France-Presse 11:53 am | Thursday, July 18th, 2013 In this Sept. 24, 2012 file photo, Japan Coast Guard vessels sail along with Chinese surveillance ship Haijian No. 66, center, near disputed islands called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, seen in background, in the East China Sea. AP FILE PHOTO/Kyodo News TOKYO—Three Chinese government ships sailed into waters around islands at the center of a dispute on Thursday, the day after Japan’s premier visited coastguards who patrol the area. The maritime surveillance vessels entered the 12-nautical-mile zone regarded as the territorial waters of the Senkaku islands in the East China Sea, at around 9:30 a.m. (0030 GMT), the Japanese coastguard said. China calls the islands the Diaoyus and claims them as its own. The move came after Japanese Prime Minister Shizo Abe on Wednesday visited coastguards charged with protecting the area. Abe was in the remote Okinawan island of Ishigaki in the East China Sea, 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) southwest of Tokyo, where he told crews his resolve to stand up for Japan was undimmed. The visit came just a few days ahead of elections for half of the seats in the upper house of parliament, which observers expect to be a shoo-in for Abe’s ruling boc. Tensions have steadily risen between the two Asian giants, with China frequently sending official ships into waters around the Tokyo-administered islands. The long-standing dispute reignited last September when Tokyo nationalized three islands in the chain in what it said was a Read More …

New Saudi rules set rights for domestic workers

 News
Jul 172013
 
New Saudi rules set rights for domestic workers

Agence France-Presse 11:37 am | Thursday, July 18th, 2013 A maid carries a folding chair for waiting Saudi women along the sea front in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah. AFP FILE PHOTO RIYADH—Saudi Arabia has announced new rules to protect the rights of foreign domestic workers, most of whom are from South Asia, but stressed they must “respect” Islam and “obey” their employers. Labor Minister Adel Faqih said the new rules require employers to pay workers “the agreed monthly salary without delay, and give them a day off each week,” in remarks carried by the official SPA news agency. Employers are also required to provide domestic workers with “suitable accommodations, as well as granting them time to rest for at least nine hours each day,” Faqih said. Under the new guidelines, workers are entitled to paid sick leave and a one-month paid vacation after putting in two years of work as well as end of service compensation equal to one month salary after four years, he said. But Faqih also insisted that employees must respect “Islam and its teachings… and obey the orders of the employers and their family members concerning getting the agreed work done.” A domestic worker “does not have the right to reject a work, or leave a job, without a valid reason,” he added. Around eight million foreign workers are employed in the oil-rich kingdom, with most of them coming from South Asia and earning low wages. The number of domestic workers is not Read More …

American pastor laments ‘military harassment’ in Mindanao disaster areas

 News
Jul 172013
 
American pastor laments ‘military harassment’ in Mindanao disaster areas

By Germelina LacorteInquirer Mindanao 11:23 am | Thursday, July 18th, 2013 Armed Forces of the Philippines. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Americans joining a four-day international solidarity mission to disaster areas in Mindanao said they were appalled by the “military harassment” suffered by people even in communities worst-hit by Typhoon Pablo last December. The Rev. Frank Wulf, a pastor of the United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, California, said they would pressure the US government to stop sending military aid to the Armed Forces of the Philippines because they observed that civilians were being made to suffer in communities with a heavy presence of soldiers. 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: Disaster , Military Harassment 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 The Readers’ Advocate: c/o Philippine Daily Inquirer Chino Roces Avenue corner Yague and Mascardo Streets, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Or fax nos. +63 2 8974793 to 94

BI denies illegally holding American in overstaying case

 News
Jul 152013
 
BI denies illegally holding American in overstaying case

By Jocelyn R. UyPhilippine Daily Inquirer 5:18 am | Tuesday, July 16th, 2013 Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr.: Allegation baseless MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday denied arbitrarily detaining an American it had arrested three years ago for overstaying his visa. In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. belied the claim of Walter Francis Groves that the bureau had been violating his rights since his arrest on March 23, 2010. David said the BI could not allow Groves’ deportation pending the final resolution of his estafa case in the Makati City regional trial court. While Grove’s case had been “provisionally dismissed,” David said it could still be revived should the parties to the case fail to comply with the compromise agreement reached at the proceedings. David also cited the contention of prosecutor Roberto Lao—who was assigned to the BI by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima—that under the rules the bureau had to wait two years from the date of the provisional dismissal of the case before Groves could be deported to the United States. “But if the court would issue a clearance that there was no more pending case against him, we would waste no time and deport him immediately aboard the first available flight to the US,” David said. He also said he could not approve a bail petition filed by Grove because the deportation order against him was final. Earlier, Grove filed a complaint against David in the Office of the President, charging that he Read More …

Taiwan military drill stages China attack scenario

 News
Jul 152013
 
Taiwan military drill stages China attack scenario

Agence France-Presse 9:00 pm | Monday, July 15th, 2013 TAIPEI — Taiwan started a computerized military drill on Monday, set against an imagined scenario in which China invades the island in 2017. The five-day exercise is part of the island’s biggest annual military maneuver which is this year codenamed ‘Han Kuang 29′ (Han Glory 29), officials at the defense ministry said Monday. The drill simulates a surprise attack by the Chinese in 2017, followed by a large-scale invasion, the ministry said, without explaining why the scenario is being staged in that particular year. But analysts said the time-frame was reasonable, given China’s continued military development and its territorial disputes with neighboring countries. “Looking ahead, we can expect China to put into service — to name just a few — its first carrier battle group, stealth planes and Type 081 amphibious assault ships,” Kevin Cheng, editor-in-chief of the Taipei-based Asia-Pacific Defense Magazine, told AFP. “China’s landing capabilities would be significantly lifted once its forces are armed with the amphibious assault ships, designed to carry transport, anti-submarine and attack helicopters,” he said. The amphibious assault ships could be used in its disputes in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, Cheng added. He also warned of the threat from China’s deployment of more than 1,500 ballistic and cruise missiles targeting Taiwan, as their accuracy has been enhanced. Tensions across the Taiwan Strait have eased since Ma Ying-jeou’s China-friendly administration came to power in 2008 on a platform of beefing up Read More …

Canadian embassy opens new visa application centers in Makati, Cebu

 News
Jul 152013
 
Canadian embassy opens new visa application centers in Makati, Cebu

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 4:09 pm | Monday, July 15th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines–Hoping to bring its services closer to more Filipinos, the Canadian government has opened new visa centers in two key cities here to ease the application process for Philippine citizens. The Canadian Embassy in Manila announced on Monday its new visa application centers (VACs) in Makati City and Cebu City, facilities that aim “to make the process of applying for a visa to enter Canada easier and more convenient.” Those planning a trip to Canada may now apply at Canada’s VACs at the Ecoplaza Building on Chino Roces Avenue Extension in Makati City and the Keppel Center at the Cebu Business Park, Cebu City. Previously, visa processing was centralized at the Canadian Embassy at the RCBC Plaza on Ayala Avenue in Makati City. The opening of the two Canadian VACs is part of Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC) efforts to widen its presence around the world, the Embassy said in a statement yesterday. “CIC is expanding its VAC network around the world to provide valuable administrative support to applicants before, during and after their temporary resident application is assessed by a CIC immigration officer,” the Embassy said in a statement. The visa services expansion is part of Canada’s plans to encourage more people to visit and work there to bolster the Canadian economy. “The Government of Canada plans to create new jobs and stimulate economic growth by attracting an increasing number of visitors as well as the Read More …

Bilateral talks with China becoming impossible – DFA

 News
Jul 152013
 
Bilateral talks with China becoming impossible – DFA

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 3:39 pm | Monday, July 15th, 2013 DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – Accept that we own the entire South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) before we talk. That was gist of “the Chinese unequivocal message” on the territorial dispute with the Philippines over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) despite several attempts at negotiations, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez told reporters Monday. “It has, therefore, become impossible to continue bilateral discussion on disputes in the WPS with China on the basis of this rigid position,” Hernandez said. “This led us to finally resort to arbitration under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Seas (UNCLOS),” he said. The DFA’s statement was in response to another statement by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs that said “the Philippine’s claim that it had exhausted almost all political and diplomatic avenues for a peaceful settlement of dispute is completely not true.” Hernandez said that their statement was baseless and he enumerated the many attempts of the Philippines to settle the dispute. “Since intrusions in the Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag Shoal or Scarborough Shoal) started in April 2012 alone, we have had nearly fifty consultations with China,” he said. The DFA had officially asked China to bring the issue “to a dispute settlement mechanism to resolve the issue on a long-term basis” through a note verbale dated April 26, 2012. Hernandez said that China replied that it Read More …

Court won’t honor US ruling vs Marcoses

 News
Jul 142013
 
Court won’t honor US ruling vs Marcoses

By Norman BordadoraPhilippine Daily Inquirer 6:55 am | Monday, July 15th, 2013 The Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) has dismissed Priscilla Mijares et al.’s petition to enforce in the Philippines an 18-year-old United States District Court decision awarding some $2 billion from the Marcos estate to victims of human rights violations during the late dictator’s administration. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) has dismissed Priscilla Mijares et al.’s petition to enforce in the Philippines an 18-year-old United States District Court decision awarding some $2 billion from the Marcos estate to victims of human rights violations during the late dictator’s administration. A PDF copy of the 11-page decision rendered by Judge Bonifacio Pascua of Makati RTC Branch 56 was furnished the Inquirer by the staff of Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who expressed the family’s feeling of vindication on the heels of the June 25 ruling. “Even if we were to espouse fear or threat as reasons for plaintiffs not to file the same in the Philippines, MDL No. 840 was filed in 1991, or five years after Ferdinand E. Marcos was deposed,” the Makati court said in dismissing the plaintiffs’ petition for enforcing the Hawaii court’s award of billions of dollars in damages. “Moreover, the case was filed on foreign soil nearly two years after the death of Ferdinand E. Marcos. A thought along the line of fear or threat on the plaintiffs that could have precluded their filing of a case in the Philippines is obviously imaginary,” Read More …

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