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Philippine envoy to China suffers stroke

Published by Ellen on August 24, 2012

Sonia Brady1 — A competent hand in Beijing

By Ellen Tordesillas, VERA Files

Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Brady suffered a stroke in Beijing this week.

“Amb. Brady suffered a stroke and is hospitalized where her condition is being monitored closely,” Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario confirmed Brady’s condition in a text message to VERA Files.

Update DFA statement Aug. 25, 2012:

Foreign Secretary del Rosario was in Beijing Saturday to visit Amb. Sonia Cataumber Brady who is recovering well after a stroke.

While in Beijing, Sec. del Rosario also met with his Chinese counterpart Yang Yiechi. Discussions between Sec. del Rosario and Minister Yang were productive and issues of mutual concern were discussed in a positive atmosphere.

An official statement released by DFA Spokesman Raul Hernandez late Friday evening said:

“Amb. Sonia Brady was brought to the hospital last Wednesday after she passed out in her residence in Beijing. She is undergoing tests and waiting for the results. Her condition is stable but she is under observation. ”

“She is better now than when she was brought to the hospital last Wednesday,” Hernandez added in a later text advisory.

Sereno is new chief justice

Published by Ellen on August 24, 2012

Ma. Lourdes Sereno — She will be chief justice for 18 years.

Statement of Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda:

In the midst of this period of deep mourning for the loss of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, the President is cognizant of his constitutional duty to appoint the next Chief Justice of the Philippines. He has therefore decided to appoint Associate Justice Maria Lourdes Punzalan Aranal-Sereno as the 24th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan welcomed the appointment of Sereno as CJ. “We hope her relative youth and her passion and dynamism will invigorate the moribund and antiquated system of justice in the country. Nothing less than sweeping and comprehensive reforms will do to ensure that the crisis facing the judiciary will be overcome, and we will need the energy, creativity and stamina of a new generation of jurists to do just that.

“The President is confident that Chief Justice Sereno will lead the judiciary in undertaking much-needed reforms. We believe the Judicial Branch of government has a historic opportunity to restore our people’s confidence in the judicial system.”

Rebuilding damaged ties with China

Published by Ellen on August 23, 2012

Jose Almonte — ‘We have to deal with ourselves first.’

Chito Sta. Romana, considered a China expert having lived in China for more than 30 years and worked as Beijing Bureau chief of ABC News, said Philippines-China relations are now at their lowest ebb since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1975.

Sta. Romana, together with Brig. Gen. (ret.) Jose Almonte, former National Security Adviser, were the speakers in last Wednesday’s general membership meeting of the Makati Business Club at Hotel Intercon in Makati.

The unfortunate deterioration of relations with a global superpower and an Asian neighbor started last April 8 when the Philippine Navy’s pride, BRP Gregorio del Pilar, a hand-me down from the United States, arrested Chinese fishermen in Panatag shoal, also known as Scarborough shoal, 124 nautical miles off Zambales.

A mishandling of the situation characterized by rhetorics from the Philippines’ high officials led to a standoff that lasted almost two months. The territorial dispute spilled over to economic relations with China rejecting banana exports from the Philippines and Chinese tourists cancelling their scheduled trips to the Philippines.

Carabuena apologizes for assaulting Fabros

Published by Ellen on August 23, 2012

Photo courtesy of Yves Gonzales — Carabuena reading his apology to Fabros. Photo by Yves Gonzales. ABS-CBN

By Joseph Holandes Ubalde, InterAksyon.com

Far from his hot-tempered demeanor when he slapped and threw expletives at a traffic enforcer two weeks ago, a calm and apologetic Robert Carabuena went to the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to say sorry and ask the public for a “second chance.”

News5’s Jun Loyola reported that Carabuena arrived at the MMDA office at around 8 a.m. Thursday with his lawyer. He stayed about five minutes and left after delivering his public apology in the presence of MMDA officers and personnel.

Click here to view video: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/nation/metro-manila/08/23/12/carabuena-apologizes-mmda-traffic-aide

“Hindi po lingid sa karamihan ang aking ipinakitang hindi kagandahang asal (It’s not unknown to many the bad behavior I showed),” Carabuena said. “Ako po ay humihingi ng kapatawaran (I ask for forgiveness).”

Click here for the full copy of the apology: http://www.interaksyon.com/article/41181/carabuena-apologizes-for-assaulting-mmda-man

Carabuena said he didn’t leave his home after the incident, which was caught on tape by the staff of TV5’s T3 program, blew over the Internet, spurring discussions on the conduct of motorists and MMDA officers on the streets.

Wounded

Published by Ellen on August 21, 2012

By Marilyn Mana-ay Robles,VERA Files

Cris Villonco and Noel Rayos lead the Walang Sugat cast

What biting wit!

Such is Walang Sugat, a sarswela written by the father of Tagalog sarswela, Severino Reyes, popularly known as Lola Basyang. Walang Sugat was written in 1898 and first staged in 1902. The play was considered subversive during the early years of American colonization.

The story line is very much relevant to this day.

A sarswela is a play which employs song, dance and poetry. For many years, this genre was used by Filipinos to express their conflicts of the heart, political fervor and resentment towards a domineering foreign colonizer. However, the advent of modern stage plays relegated sarswelas to the sidelines.

Robredo: matino, mahusay, mapagkatiwalaan

Published by Ellen on August 21, 2012

Robredo in a crowd — Thanks to Malou Tiquia for this photo.

Ang halaga ng buhay ay hindi nasusukat sa haba kungdi kung paano mo ginamit ang bawat minuto o oras na biyaya ng Panginoon.

Masasabi natin na walang nasayang na oras sa sobra 54 taong ibinigay ng Panginoon sa nasawing secretary ng Department of Interior and Local Government na si Jesse Robredo.

We join all those who grieve for the passing of Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo. We will always remember him to be a decent and competent government official.

We also echo the call of Solar News’ Pia Hontiveros “Leave no one behind. Not the pilots. Not the rescuers. Not the divers. Let’s take care of everyone.”

Contrary to earlier reports when Robredo’s body was retrieved from the ill-fated Piper Seneca’s fuselage yesterday, the bodies of the aircraft owner, Capt. Jessup Bahinting and co-pilot Sri Lankan Kshitiz Chand, have not yet been recovered.

Transportation and Communication Secretary Mar Roxas said the bodies of the two pilots were seen slumped in the cockpit. Retrieval operations will resume today.

We pray that the families Robredo, Bahinting and Kshitis be blessed with strength to sustain them in this hour of sorrow. We also pray for the complete healing of Robredo’s aide, who survived the plane crash, Chief Insp. Jun Abrasado.

Mines forest

Published by Ellen on August 20, 2012

We were in Rio Tuba last month, in the southern tip of Palawan, for an overview visit of Nickel Asia Corporation’s oldest mine.

I was with three other reporters . The purpose of the trip, as JB Baylon, Nickel Asia’s new vice-president for communications told us, was to show us “responsible mining.”

JB, who used to be with Coca-Cola Export said, the reason he took the Nickel Asia job, at the time when the industry is getting a beating from environmentalists, was “ I believe there CAN be responsible mining operations like the Rio Tuba operation, and mining should be nothing less than responsible. “

Briefing us on Nickel Asia’s operations was no less than its president, Jerry Brimo.

Mas makakabuti ba sa bayan na payagan na si Arroyo lumabas ng bansa?

Published by Ellen on August 19, 2012

Arroyo out on bail waving to supporters — To allow her to leave or not

Mukhang mahirap na desisyon ang gagawin ni Pangulong Aquino sa kaso at kalagayan ni Gloria Arroyo.

Sinabi ng cardiologist ni Arroyo, si Dr. Roberto Anastacio, na delikado ang lagay ni Arroyo dahil sa paggalaw ng metal sa kanyang gulugud (spine).

Nang tinanong si Arroyo kung maaring ikakamatay ito, sabi niya “Oo.”

Mataas ang posibilidad na kapag naka-alis si Arroyo sa Pilipinas, hindi na ito babalik.
At bakit naman siya babalik? May kasong plunder at electoral sabotage siyang hinaharap at marami pang ang isasampa sa kanya. Habambuhay na kulong ang parusa sa mga krimen na kanyang hinaharap at haharapin.

Precious Lotilla-Javier, widow of Evelio Javier, dies in US

Published by Ellen on August 18, 2012

Cory and precious 2 — President Cory Aquino and Precious Javier at the wake of Evelio Javier in February 1986.

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.

Inquirer Visayas

Precious Lotilla-Javier, the widow of slain Marcos-era opposition leader and former Antique Governor Evelio Javier, died in Los Angeles on Thursday (Friday in the Philippines) after years of battling cancer. She was 67.

Precious died in her sleep, according to former Antique Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez, a friend of hers.

Former Energy Secretary Raphael “Popo” Lotilla, a nephew of Precious, also confirmed his aunt’s death.

Perez said the elder son of Precious, Francis Gideon, will be going to the United States to fetch his mother’s remains for burial in Antique beside the grave of her husband. Gideon’s younger brother David is based in the US.

The youngest of six siblings, Precious is a member of the prominent Lotilla clan of Sibalom town in Antique.

A former teacher, she worked at an organization in Los Angeles which researches on deafness and ear ailments.

Robredo, pilots missing after plane crashes off Masbate

Published by Ellen on August 18, 2012

robredo aug 23 2 — Robredo during the Rizal Park hostage taking crisis

ABS-CBNnews.com

A Cessna aircraft carrying Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo crashed in the sea off Masbate City Saturday afternoon, according to a Masbate official.

Masbate Vice Governor Vince Revil said the plane carrying Robredo and several others crashed 150 meters away from the Masbate airport.

“Nag-emergency call that they are going to have an emergency landing sa Masbate City Airport pero nag-crash ang plane about 150 meters away from the airport , nag-crash sa dagat,” Revil told “TV Patrol: Weekend.”

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