By Ellen Tordesillas, VERA Files
There’s no sweeter applause than the ones coming from the hometown audience.
For the audience, there are no stars who shine brighter than those from home.
On Saturday, dance enthusiasts will have a rare treat of Filipino dance artists who are shining in the world stage perform together. Ballet Manila’s Lisa Macuja-Elizalde gathered at least seven multi-awarded Filipino dancers with different ballet companies overseas for a one-night gala concert.
It’s a bit strange to feel thankful to get confirmation that your father was one of those murdered but it’s definitely a step forward in the search for justice for the victims of the most gruesome crimes that this country has experienced.
Ma. Reynafe’s father was photojournalist Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay. He was included in the list of victims of the Nov. 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre only last year (July 2, 2012) because his body was never found.
We condole with the family of the seven Marines who were killed in Patikul, Sulu last Saturday and those of the eight policemen who were killed by a landmine allegedly planted by the New People’s Army in Allacapan, Cagayan Monday.
The police officers killed were Police Officers 2 Dexter Cubilla, Angelbert Mateo, Elmark Rodney Pinated, Jonnel Bowat and Ronald Castulo, Police Officers 1 Erick Brioso and Jerome Sanchez and PO3 Vladimir Tabarejo.
In the Patikul incident, the fatalities were Second Lieutenant Alfredo Lorin VI, Private First Class Jay Alasian, Private First Class Jayson Durante, Private First Class Andres Bogwana, Private First Class Rene Gare, Private First Class Roxan Pizarro, and Private First Class Dominador Sabejon, Jr.
The Philippine Navy reported sightings of Chinese ships in the vicinity of Ayungin shoal as early as first week of May, the last stretch of the May 13 elections, and before the May 9 incident in Balintang Channel where the Philippine Coast Guard fired upon a Taiwanese fishing vessel and killed one of the fishermen.
The Department of Foreign Affairs filed a diplomatic protest on Chinese presence near Ayungin shoal May 10.
DFA Spokesman Raul Hernandez said in their protest, they cited “the provocative and illegal presence of the Chinese government ships around Ayungin Shoal.”
Nakakatuwa si Mother Lily Monteverde sa kanyang “thank you lunch” noong Biyernes para kay Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV at sa Magdalo partylist at ang kanilang dalawang nominees na magiging miyembro na ng Kongreso: dating Marine Capt. Gary Alejano at Air Force Lieutenant Francisco Ashley Acedillo.
Si Trillanes kasi ang isa sa ilang kandidato para senador na inindorso ni Mother Lily. Kasama sa kanyang inindorso ang tatlong topnotchers na si Grace Poe, Loren Legarda, Alan Cayetano at Chiz Escudero.
Sabi ni Mother Lily, “Alam nyo ba kung bakit naka-mini skirt ako?” At talaga naman blooming si Mother na kamakalian lang ay napabalitang lumalaban sa lung cancer.
He is still into forming rainbow coalitions. This time, on the global stage.
JDV and a group of statesmen from Asia, Latin America and South Africa formed the Centrist Asia Pacific Democrats International (CAPDI) which is designed, in his own words, “to primarily bridge the classical gap between orthodox political parties and civil society groups working for peace, reform and development in Asia’s emerging democracies.”
CAPDI, he said in a speech during the 2nd General Assembly in the port city of Makassar in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, “is perhaps the only organization in the Asia Pacific which brings together political parties and civil society under one roof in a common house.”
By Ellen Tordesillas,VERA Files
Ramos also stressed that almost two weeks after the incident, the results of the Philippine investigation “should already have come out by this time.”
Speaking to Filipino journalists on the sidelines of the Second General Assembly of the Centrist Asia Pacific Democrats International (CAPDI), Ramos drew from lessons in the 1995 Flor Contemplacion crisis and recommended that a “neutral country or group do a second investigation” in case Taiwan rejects the results of an investigation by the Philippine authorities even if he said it’s “a very valid honest, according to law, upright, and credible investigation.”
By Ellen Tordesillas,VERA Files
MAKASSAR, Indonesia—Former President Fidel V. Ramos Monday called on rich countries to reduce their budget for deadly weapons and realign resources for public safety, including navigation in the disputed waters in the South China Sea.
“Clearly, an Asia-Pacific peace must also be built on an understanding among the most affluent, and the most powerful countries in our part of the world—notably the United States, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Australia-New Zealand, and the ASEAN 10 Bloc—to moderate the procurement of lethal weapons in favor of public safety, South China Sea/West Philippine Sea/East Asia, early warning systems, and search-rescue capabilities,” Ramos told the 2nd General Assembly of the Centrist Asia-Pacific Democrats International (CAPDI) at this port city of South Sulawesi.
CAPDI, an organization of political parties, people’s organizations, think tanks, interfaith organizations, business leaders, academe, eminent persons and media, tackled during the two-day meeting the promotion of peace and reconciliation and climate change in Asia.
By YvonneT.Chua,VERA Files President Benigno Aquino III has further strengthened his lock on the House of Representatives with 108 members of the Liberal Party likely…
Last Wednesday, President Aquino sent as his personal representative Amadeo R. Perez, chairman of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office “to convey his and the Filipino people’s deep regret and apology to the family of Mr. Hung Shi-chen as well as to the people of Taiwan over the unfortunate and unintended loss of life.”
Taiwan Foreign Minister David Lin refused to meet Perez, who was just received by Foreign Affairs Director-General Benjamin Ho.