Malaya – Page 11 – ellen tordesillas

Differences in how PH and Vietnam deal with China’s aggressiveness

Published by Ellen on May 16, 2014

Water cannon fight between China and Vietnam in Paracels.

The current tension in the South China Sea triggered by China’s territorial assertiveness underscores the military weakness of the Philippines and the lack of direction of its foreign policy as against Vietnam’s focused moves backed up by a credible defense capacity.

There are three incidents or conflicts going on in South China Sea that have raised the tension to worrisome levels.

One of the incidents involves Vietnam against China over the latter’s setting up of an oil rig in the disputed Paracel islands, 220 kilometers from Vietnam’s shores.

Vetting the Napoles list

Published by Ellen on May 13, 2014

Secretary de Lima. Still vetting the list.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said she is still “vetting” the names of people in the list given to her by pork barrel queen Janet Napoles.

“You just have to trust me that I’m not gonna do that na isa-sanitize ko yung list. Pangako ko po yan sa taumbayan na hindi ko yan gagawin na isa-sanitize. Pangako ko rin sa taumbayan na gagawin ko yung mandato in a very responsible and prudent manner . Kaya kailangan munang magkaroon ng vetting,” De Lima was quoted to have said.

Malacañang supports De Lima’s non-disclosure of the Napoles list while she is still “vetting” the names in it.

Bolkiah’s draconian decree violates ASEAN Declaration

Published by Ellen on May 8, 2014

Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announces implementation of draconian Shariah Law.

Two years ago in Phnom Penh, Cambodia , Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and nine other Southeast Asian leaders signed the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration which provides that,“No person shall be subject to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

Last week, the Sultan of the oil-rich Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, announced the start of a new criminal code based on sharia law that will impose barbaric punishments like amputation and stoning for offenses that includes being gay and pregnant outside of marriage.

A Los Angeles Times news report said “Under the first phase, fines and jail terms were introduced Thursday for offenses that include failure to attend Friday prayers, indecent behavior and pregnancies outside of marriage.

EDCA: a mockery of the Constitution

Published by Ellen on May 6, 2014

From Dennis Garcia's FB wall — From Dennis Garcia’s FB wall

In the Facebook wall of Dennis Carcia, musician, advertising executive, painter and Abante columnist, there’s a picture of Obama signaling something with two fingers.

Dennis captioned it: “EDCA:I can summarize the agreement in two words- NO RENTAL. “

The post elicited a comment from Noy Dy-Liacco: “I can do it in one: FREE!

The banter is a spoof of the TV musical game show “Name the Tune.”

EDCA is Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, a document so detestable it makes a mockery of the Philippine Constitution and ridicules Philippine sovereignty.

How not to conduct an interview, Kris Aquino style

Published by Ellen on May 4, 2014

Kris Aquino talked about herself in interview with Andrew Garfield.

I’d like to thank Kris Aquino for giving me very good materials for our training of journalists.

Nothing beats her interviews with the stars of The Amazing Spider-Man2 for an example of “How not to conduct an interview.”

An interview is important when doing a story because that would enable the writer to present to the readers the person he would be writing about with first hand observations. Through well thought-out questions, he would be able to draw the interviewee to talk about his views which in the first place made him worthy to be interviewed.

Two letters

Published by Ellen on April 28, 2014

There are two letters seeking to two powerful persons who will be making their historic meeting today.

One is from the longest-held political prisoner in the country Juanito Itaas, suspect in the killing of Col. James Rowe, to visiting U.S. President Barack Obama.

The other one is from Edith Burgos, mother of Jonas Burgos, who has been missing for seven years, to President Aquino.

Rowe, a member of the elite Green Beret in the Vietnam, was the chief of the Army Division of the Joint RP-US Military Advisory Group (JUSMAG) when he was ambushed and killed on April 21, 1989 in Quezon while he was on his way to his office. His driver, Joaquin Vinuya, survived the ambush.

Standing by up in the air

Published by Ellen on April 16, 2014

Thanks to Philippine Flight Network for this photo.

As our flight from Iloilo (Philippine Airlines 934) was starting its descent to the Ninoy Aquino International Airprt, the pilot announced that we were number 12 in the queue for landing and that our arrival would be delayed by 30 minutes. Reason: traffic congestion.

This kind of delay due to traffic congestion at NAIA has become a standard happening. It has become a practice.
Two weeks ago when we went to Palawan, our departure was delayed for about 30 minutes.

We were already seated, our seatbelts fastened yet we were not taking until after half-an-hour later. Same reason: traffic congestion.

Wishing they were April Fools Day jokes

Published by Ellen on April 4, 2014

We wish these three reports were April Fools Day jokes:

One, Spinbusters saying goodbye.

In its April 1 entry titled “Silly blog concedes writes 30”, the media watchdog wrote, “There’s no going around it, beating around the bush, and running in circles. With bitterness, sadness, and deep regret, we have decided to shut down The Spin Busters. For good.”

Except for the fact that the persons behind the witty blog were anonymous (and therefore deliberately avoiding accountability) I like their scathing criticisms of media.

I will miss it.

Holy Week in prison for Enrile, Estrada, Revilla?

Published by Ellen on April 1, 2014

Now that the Ombudsman has approved the resolution to file plunder charges against those involved in the malversation of the Priority Development Assistance Fund, it looks like Senators Juan Ponce-Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla would be observing their Holy Week in jail.

It is reported that Revilla and his family are in Holy Land to seek for “divine intervention.” Let’s see if his wish would be granted.

The accused will be given time to submit a motion for reconsideration, after which the Ombudsman will file the Information with the Sandiganbayan. The graft court will determine whether there’s a basis for the case to proceed.

Is the Philippines ready for China’s retaliation?

Published by Ellen on March 30, 2014

No ifs and buts about it: the Philippines and China are no longer friends.

That’s a decision that the Philippines made when it hauled China to the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal over the latter’s all -South -China -Sea-encompassing 9-dash line map. As former ambassador to the United Nations Lauro Baja said, “When we filed a case against China at the U.N. that was the end of diplomacy.”

The submission of the Memorial on the case today at the U.N. Court’s headquarters at The Hague further reinforced the hostility.

As a sovereign country, the Philippines has every right to choose who to be friends with and who to take on. The Aquino government has chosen to battle with China. It’s a move applauded by allies who are uncomfortable with the enormous strength of modern China but are hesitant to antagonize the world’s second largest economy.

Category: Malaya