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Category: Foreign Affairs

Speculations on GMA visit to Colombia

Published by Ellen on June 23, 2009

Makati Mayor Jojo Binay, who is president of the United Opposition, is asking Gloria Arroyo to explain why she detoured to Cartagena, Colombia in between her visit to Japan and Brazil last weekend.

Binay has every right to ask because he said “Arroyo is traveling on taxpayers’ expense.”

Since the Department of Foreign Affairs said they arranged only the Japan and Brazil trips and were not told about the trip to Colombia until Friday (Arroyo went to Colombia Saturday and left for Brazil Monday) and Malacañang does not want to say anything about it, the secret visit has become fair game to speculations.

Continue readingSpeculations on GMA visit to Colombia

Neda: Iran’s symbol of protest

Published by Ellen on June 23, 2009

As we continue our apathy in the face of the destruction of our democracy by Gloria Arroyo, Iran sizzles to regain their democracy.

Amateur video turns woman into icon of Iran’s unrest
MSBC

She lies in the Tehran street with her headscarf half-off, blood pooling around her jeans and white sneakers.

“Don’t be afraid, Neda dear, don’t be afraid,” a white-haired man says desperately in Persian. Another man presses on her chest, trying to keep her alive.

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Biyaheng Colombia ni Gloria Arroyo

Published by Ellen on June 20, 2009

Sa mga press release ng Malacañang tungkol sa biyahe ni Gloria Arroyo sa Japan (Hunyo 17 hanggang 20) at Brazil (Hunyo 22 hanggang 25), walang sinasabi tungkol sa Colombia.

Napag-alaman ng VERA Files noong Biyernes na pag-alis ni Arroyo sa Tokyo ng Sabado, siya ay pupunta sa Cartagena, Colombia. Buong araw ngayon ay sa Colombia siya at pupunta siya sa Brazil bukas.

Napag-alaman din namin na ang host niya sa Colombia ay ang negosyanteng si Jaime Augusto Zobel at ang kanyang asawang si Lizzie. Pangalawang beses na raw ito na bumisita si Arroyo sa Colombia at sina Zobel at tumira siya sa bahay ng mga Zobel doon. Ang una ay noong November 2008 galing siya sa Peru kung saan dumalo siya sa Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

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No sovereignty in own territory

Published by Ellen on June 16, 2009

The four-month old Philippine baseline law got its first test last Friday and it failed miserably and embarrassingly.

Last Friday, CNN reported a Chinese submarine collided with an underwater sonar array towed by the destroyer USS John S. McCain off the Philippines.

Other wire reports from Washington D.C. described the location as “off Subic Bay” in Zambales. Chinese media said the encounter was near Scarborough Shoal.

Continue readingNo sovereignty in own territory

Chinese sub slams US destroyer’s sonar near Scarborough shoal

Published by Ellen on June 13, 2009

From Inquirer online:

WASHINGTON (Agence France Presse)– A Chinese submarine collided with an underwater sonar array towed by the destroyer USS John S. McCain off the coast of the Philippines, CNN television said, quoting a US official who said it was an “inadvertent encounter.”

The array, used to locate underwater sounds, was damaged in the incident, but the military official said the sub and ship did not collide.

The US Navy did not consider the event a case of deliberate harassment, CNN reported.

Continue readingChinese sub slams US destroyer’s sonar near Scarborough shoal

Hindi makiki-alam ang US sa Spratlys

Published by Ellen on June 1, 2009

Mabuti naman at sinabi ni US Defense Secretary Robert Gates Jr. na walang posisyon ang Amerika sa problema sa Spratlys kasi akala kasi ng maraming Pilipino na kapag magkagulo sa Spratlys laban sa China, kakampihan tayo ng mga Amerikano.

Wala tayong maasahan sa mga Kano, yan ang katotohanan.

Ito ang sinabi ni Gates sa press conference kahapon sa Camp Aguinaldo pagkatapos ng pag-uusap niya kay Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro: “There are a number of security challenges and obviously concerns on conflicting claims in the South China Sea, the United States takes no position on those claims, we only urge all of the parties involved to try and resolve these issues clearly, peacefully.”

Tinanong din si Gates tungkol sa Visiting Forces Agreement na binabatikos ng mga progresibong organisasyon at sabi niya comportable daw sila sa VFA. Dapat lang dahil nagagamit nila sa proteksyun ng kanilang mga sundalo kahit na binabastos na ang batas ng Pilipinas na pinapayagan naman ang ating mga opisyal.

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No urgency in foreign service for Yano and Luna

Published by Ellen on May 3, 2009

The more General Alexander Yano and Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna justified their acceptance of ambassadorial assignment in exchange for early retirement from the Armed Forces, the more that they are unmasked as no better than the other amply-rewarded Gloria Arroyo generals.

Until last Friday , Yano and Luna were the two highest officials of the AFP. Yano agreed to cut short his term as AFP chief for 44 days and turned over the reins of the AFP to Gen. Victor Ibrado. Arroyo announced that she has named him ambassador to Brunei.

Luna, who is still due tor retire in September, also agreed for an early retirement and was named ambassador to Netherlands.

Continue readingNo urgency in foreign service for Yano and Luna