Three years ago, Angelio Nayan, a young Filipino diplomat working for a United Nations agency, was kidnapped by a Taliban group in Afghanistan. The whole Filipino nation stormed heaven with prayers for his safe return.
Nayan is now safely doing his diplomatic work in a foreign posting.
Since Nayan’s kidnapping, the government has imposed a ban on the deployment of Filipinos in Afghanistan. Despite the ban, however, there are more than a thousand Filipinos there.
Update from ABS-CBN
From Inquirer Online:
A bomb exploded at the House of Representatives in Quezon City Tuesday evening, killing Basilan Representative Wahab Akbar and the driver of another lawmaker.
Two other solons and five more persons were also wounded in the explosion, just minutes after the House adjourned its session a little past 8 p.m.
Aside from Akbar, the explosion also killed Marcial Tando, driver of Gabriela Representative Luz Ilagan.
Mabuti naman at bumalik si Joey de Venecia mula sa biyahe niya sa Amerika mga dalawang linggo na ang nakaraan at sabi niya patuloy siyang naninindigan sa kanyang mga pahayag.
Akala kasi ng marami umurong na siya dahil sa death threat na kanyang natanggap. Ayon sa impormasyon na binigay sa kanya ni Gen. (ret) Jimmy de los Santos, ang balak raw na pagligpit sa kanya ang nanggagaling sa tauhan ni Secretary Leandro Mendoza, secretary ng transportation and communication na sangkot rin sa NBN/ZTE.Sinabi doon sa impormasyon na nakuha ni De los Santos mga preso ang gagamitin.
Kahit itinanggi ni de los Santos na sa kanya galing ang impormasyon, siguro naman hindi maalis kay Joey at sa kanyang pamilya na mag-alala. Ngunit mabuti naman na nandito na siya ulit sa Pilipinas at patuloy siyang tutulong sa gustong maghanap ng katotohanan sa mga deal na pabigat sa mamamayang Pilipino.
Update: Army Scout Ranger and Marine officers who walked out of their hearing before a military court last week could be held liable for “breach of discipline,” Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said Monday.
Click photos above to enlarge.Officers pay tribute to Maj. Basilio Pooten, military defense lawyer, (next to Gen. Miranda)who refused to be used by the court to trample upon the rights of the accused officers.
Last Friday, the officers accused of planning to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo in February 2006 led by Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and their lawyers walked out of the court martial hearing in Camp Capinpin, Tanay Rizal.
It was an occasion where officers and lawyers were called upon to make a stand. Many courageously responded.One man stood out: Maj. Basilio Pooten, the military defense counsel.
Sa gitna ng maraming trahedya na nangyayari sa ating bansa katulad ng pagkakamatay ng 11-taong gulang na si Mariannet Amper, marami ring komedya ang nagaganap.
Ang pangunahing komedya ay ang hindi magkatugma-tugma na kwento ng mga kampon ni Gloria Arroyo tungkol sa bigayan ng mga bayong-bayong na pera sa Malacañang noong isang buwan.
Noong isang linggo, narinig ko sa radyo si Sergio Apostol, chief presidential legal counsel na sinasabihan si Deputy House Speaker Ma. Amelita Villarosa na tumigil na sa pagdadaldal tungkol sa pinamigay na pera, na nagkahalaga mula P200,000 hanggang P500,000 sa Malacañang. “Tumigil na siya sa pagdadaldal. Hindi ba niya alam na sinabi na ni Secretary Puno na kay JDV galing ang pera?”
By Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net
The Scout Ranger and Marine officers accused of an alleged coup plot in February 2006 walked out of their court martial hearing on Friday, after military prosecutors insisted on proceeding even with a crucial document remaining unsigned by the chief of staff.
Defense lawyers walked out first, followed by the officers, who allegedly plotted to overthrow President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on allegations of election fraud.
“I cannot take part in these sham proceedings because the accused are not legally charged. They have the right to know the allegations against them. They have the right not to participate in these sham proceedings,” defense counsel Francisco Chavez said.
My condolence to former senator Rene Saguisag and his family for the loss of Dulce in a tragic vehicular accident in the early hours of yesterday.
My most memorable coverage of Rene and Dulce was the downfall of President Joseph Estrada in January 20, 2001. We were there since afternoon of January 19 and we were monitoring, how one by one, starting with then Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, Estrada’s cabinet members and friends were abandoning him.
Late morning of Jan. 20, Rene and Dulce came out of Malacañang Palace compound. It was obvious they had had a long night. Rene said they had to go home because Dulce, a cancer survivor, needed rest.
by Ashzel Hachero and Evangeline de Vera
Two generals yesterday said government negotiators and junior military officers who staged the Oakwood mutiny in July 2003 forged a “gentleman’s agreement” that only five of the core leaders of the Magdalo group would be charged for the mutiny.
Commodore Feliciano Ange, commander of the Ready Force of the Philippine Fleet, and Brig. General Eduardo Oban, commander of the Air Force Air Defense Wing based at Villamor Air Base, took the witness stand at the Makati regional trial court which is hearing the coup d’état case of the mutineers led by now Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.
Defense lawyers have said government reneged on the agreement.
By Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net
Colonel Ariel Querubin, one of the alleged leaders of the botched February 2006 coup, found an ally in former vice president Teofisto Guingona, who attended the officer’s habeas corpus hearing at the Court of Appeals on Thursday.
Guingona, who wore a button pin bearing Querubin’s face, sat beside the colonel during the proceedings.
“I give full support to Colonel Querubin because I know how it means to be imprisoned,” Guingona told reporters after the hearing.
Breaking news!
Former senator Rene Saguisag, wife Dulce and two others figured in a vehicular accident.
Dulce, a breast cancer survivor, died. Saguisag is in a critical condition.
Saguisag is supposed to appear at the Magdalo hearing today at 8:30 a.m at the Makati Regional Trial Court. He is lawyering for a group of Magdalo officers.