By Ellen T Tordesillas and Tessa Jamandre, VERA Files
Permanent Court of Arbitration, The Hague. The Arbitral Tribunal starts hearing tomorrow the case filed by the Philippines vs China in this building. Despite the presence of a high-level Philippine team at the hearing of the Philippines’ case against China before the Arbitral Tribunal of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) this week, the issue of who owns the contested islands in the South China Sea will remain unresolved.
That’s because the Philippine team won’t be arguing its territorial claims, which are not under the jurisdiction of the Arbitral Tribunal in The Hague in the Netherlands.
“We are very confident that we can convince the court that this is not about ownership of land,” said former solicitor general now Supreme Court justice Francis Jardeleza, who is part of the Philippine team.
Instead, the Philippines merely wants the Tribunal, which interprets UNCLOS, to invalidate China’s 9-dash line claim over the South China Sea.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-MoralesWhen the Mamasapano tragedy, which claimed the lives of 67 people including 44 members of the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police, happened and the active role of suspended PNP chief Allan Purisima was exposed, a source told us that Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales was angry.
Who would not be?
The tragedy happened Jan. 25, 2015. The Ombudsman had suspended Purisima in Dec. 2014 and he was supposed to be not involved in the operations of the PNP.
But details of events that led to the tragedy showed that despite the suspension, President Aquino involved Purisima in official operations.
The Hotdog’s Manila , used by Resorts World without permission from creator.
I have been following another case that involved a failed delivery of a letter.
The issue is about copyright, an artist’s protection for his or her creations.
Dennis Garcia of the much-loved Hotdog band wrote that over a week ago, his group was about to close a lucrative deal with a reputable casino group and it involved the use of iconic “Manila”, the song that he and his brother,Rene,created.
Binay supporters throw monobloc chairs at policeIs the scene in Makati – Mayor Junjun Binay defying the Ombudsman’s suspension order – a preview of a Jejomar Binay presidency?
Early evening news yesterday reported that finally, the suspension order by the Office of the Ombudsman of Makati Mayor Junjun Binay was served. But not without violence.
Supporters of the Binays were seen throwing monobloc chairs at police officers. Vice President Jejomar Binay was also seen berating Senior Superintendent Elmer Jamias, deputy director of the Southern Police District (SPD), accusing the latter of preventing their supporters from entering the City hall premises where they were holding a rally/vigil.
China released this photo of a vegetable garden in Fiery Cross which the Philippines says is a reef which cannot sustain human habitation.
As China continues its massive reclamation and construction in areas surrounding the seven reefs that it occupies in the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea, the Philippines can only watch helplessly.
The Philippine government’s protests through media now sounds like a broken record.
The United Nations International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea will start the hearing of the Philippine suit against China’s nine dash line map which encroached on territories of the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam on July 7.
But even a favorable decision by the U.N Arbitral Tribunal, which is expected next year, won’t bind China which has refused to participate in the legal process.
Rep. Gary Alejano interpellating during the deliberations on BBL.No one was surprised that the Supreme Court junked the petition questioning the legality of the Bangsamoro Basic Law which was still being deliberated by both chambers of Congress when it adjourned sine die last June 11.
The BBL missed its timetable of the Senate and House of Representatives passing it by June 11.
Supporters of the legislation which promises lasting peace for Muslim Filipinos and the country are hopeful that the resumption of the deliberations on the bill after President Aquino’s last State of the Nation Address on July 17 would lead to bill’s eventual passage into a law.
When that time comes, more groups will be questioning it before the Supreme Court.
Before the adjournment of the House of Representatives, Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano raised valid issues during his interpellation of Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, one of the vice chairs Hoc Committee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
It’s not only Sen. Grace Poe who surged as shown in the results of Pulse Asia’s survey of the people’s pulse for the 2016 elections conducted two weeks ago.
Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said he is happy that his score increased by 150 percent! From four percent last March which put him in seventh place, he is now number four with 10 percent. He tied with former President and now Manila mayor Joseph Estrada.
That’s a classic example of looking at the glass half full.
Sweet Plantado TiongsonNo stranger to the stage, Sweet Plantado-Tiongson of the premier vocal group, The Company, joins the Barangay Venizia of the Philippine Educational Theater Association’s (PETA)-Rak of Aegis as Kapitana Mary Jane. Having been immersed in the performing arts industry for 22 years, she fits right in with the talented cast of Rak of Aegis.
Known for her resonating vocals and commanding stage presence, Sweet has proven to be an ultimate performer having worked on and off stage for a number of prestigious theater companies such as TRUMPETS, 9Works Theatricals, and Tanghalang Pilipino where she started her theatrical career.
Aside from her impressive acting and musical theater credits, Sweet is also a revered voice coach and musical theater teacher having passed on her skills to the students of the University of Asia and the Pacific and currently, the Meridian International College (MINT) in McKinley.
Who will be PNoy’s choice?
The call of Liberal Party’s Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice for Sen. Grace Poe to be more transparent on the issue of her residency in the Philippines signals the drawing of the line between Poe and the Liberal Party’s presidential bet, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.
Erice was quoted as saying that he believes that the lady senator, whose surging popularity makes her the frontrunner in the 2016 presidential elections, is a natural born Filipino citizen and should have no problem with the Constitutional requirement of citizenship for the presidency.
Erice said it’s in the requirement of a 10-year residency immediately preceding before the election that it’s not clear whether Poe is qualified or not. “”Si Senator Poe is a natural born Filipino, wala dapat mag-question doon. But I think Senator Grace should be more transparent as far as accusation she’s been using US passport 2006, 2007, 2009, according to former Senator Tatad,” the LP congressman said.
Erice sounded like United Nationalist Alliance interim president and Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco who first exposed the issue of Poe’s residency after the lady senator turned down Vice President Jejomar Binay’s offer for her to be his running mate.
Vice President Jejomar Binay and Makati Mayor Junjun Binay lead a rally to support themselves during Makati City’s anniversary last June 11.Vice President Jejomar Binay won’t be where he is now if he were not an astute political operator.
His strategies reflect a good grasp of the factors involved in the political game.
He must therefore have sensed that things are not going right for him after three of the political personalities he mentioned he is eyeing to be a running mate in 2016 elections turned him down.
It gives the impression that no one wants to be associated with him.
Last month, Binay floated the idea of having Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as running mate for the 2016 elections.
Duterte, who has stopped saying that he will kill the person behind the Duterte-for-president-movement and is now thinking of running for the highest post in the land, declined the offer.
