ellen tordesillas – Page 97 – Making life worth living.

Curtain call for Philam Life Theater?

Published by Ellen on March 19, 2013

By Pablo A. Tariman,VERA Files

Pianist Sofya Sulyak takes a bow with PPO Conductor Olivier Ochanine

When award-winning Ukrainian pianist Sofya Gulyak and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra ended their “Elegantly Brahms” concert at the Philam Life Auditorium in Manila Wednesday, many in the audience knew it wasn’t just the musicians who were bowing out.

So was the iconic and much-cherished Philam Life Auditorium, which will be demolished after serving for 52 years as the venue of the most memorable performances the country has seen.

“Elegantly Brahms” is the last major musical event to be held at the Auditorium. Its parent company, Philam Life, the country’s premier life insurance company, is moving to Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and Mall of Asia starting April.

Philam Life has sold the site to mall developer SM Development Corp. (SMDC).

Kristel’s death is a wake-up call

Published by Ellen on March 17, 2013

Vigil for Kristel. Thanks to Philippine Star for photo.

Even as there are some people who want to fan the outrage over the death of 16-year old Kristel Tejada, a freshman student at The University of the Philippines, Manila, the UP leadership promises to “take the necessary steps to address the policy and administrative issues that are related to this unfortunate tragedy. “

Tejada was found dead in her residence in Sampaloc after taking cyanide nitrate.

The mother said her daughter was depressed because she could not continue her studies at UP where she was taking up Behavioral Science for their failure to pay the needed tuition fee.

Aquino upset by DFA statement on Malaysia’s human rights violations

Published by Ellen on March 15, 2013

Fleeing residents of Tanjung Labian flee their village in the area where Filipino gunmen are locked in a stand off with Malaysian security forces in Sabah state on March 10-2013. AFP-News Mohd Rasfan. From Yahoo.
In the press conference of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima in Malacañang yesterday on the arrest of 35 armed men from Sabah, she was asked why the government is quick on acting against the people associated with the Lahad Datu standoff and is not acting on reports on maltreatment by Malaysians of Filipinos in Sabah.

De Lima justified the glaring difference in their reactions to the fact the armed men believed to be members of the Royal Security Force of the Sultan of Sulu were intercepted by the Philippine Navy in the high seas of Tawi-Tawi with firearms and deadly weapons which is a violation of the Comelec gun ban.
She skipped the second part of the question and the reporter did not follow it up.

Reliable information we got from Malacañang explains why De Lima, formerly chairperson of the Human Rights Commission, kept quiet on the issue of gross human rights violations by Malaysia against Filipinos in Sabah.

Malaysia treats the Philippines like dirt and Malacañang takes it timidly

Published by Ellen on March 10, 2013

Malaysian police brutality Photo By BAZUKI MUHAMMAD REUTERS Wed, Mar 6, 2013 — Photo By BAZUKI MUHAMMAD REUTERS Wed, Mar 6, 2013. From Yahoo

Malaysia treats the Philippines like dirt and Malacañang takes it with hardly a whimper.

News reports relate the harrowing experience of Filipinos under the hands of Malaysian security forces who are conducting a sweep of the Sabah to capture the forces of Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, younger brother of Jamalul Kiram III and one of the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu, who was given Sabah by the Sultan of Brunei in 1878 as a reward for helping suppress a revolt.

Sabah became part of Malaysia as a result of questionable decisions by a British company and the United Kingdom.

A report by Inquirer’s Julie Alipala and Karlos Manlupig quoted 32-year old Amira Taradji, one of those who fled Sabah last week, as saying, “We’re treated like animals.”

UN appeal internationalizes what M’lcang calls a domestic issue

Published by Ellen on March 7, 2013

Jamalul Kiram III with his family in Taguig. Reuters Erik de Castro. From Yahoo

Following the appeal of Jamalul Kiram III, one of the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu whose followers in Lahad Datu are engaged in bloody clashes with Malaysian forces, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon called on all parties to end the violence that has resulted in the death of more than 30 Filipinos and Malaysians.

The statement said, “The Secretary-General is closely following the situation in Sabah, Malaysia. He urges an end to the violence and encourages dialogue among all the parties for a peaceful resolution of the situation.

“The Secretary-General expresses concern about the impact this situation may have on the civilian population, including migrants in the region. He urges all parties to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance and act in full respect of international human rights norms and standards.”

A tearful Kiram III immediately ordered a unilateral ceasefire to his forces in Lahad Datu, Sabah led by his younger brother, Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram.

CCM reminds Aquino of constitutional duty to protect Filipinos

Published by Ellen on March 5, 2013

Rally of Kiram III followers in front of Malaysian Embassy in Manila. By Reuters, from Yahoo.

The Concerned Citizens Movement , which is espousing good governance, was at the forefront in opposing Gloria Arroyo’s illegitimate government.

CCM continues to be vigilant in demanding good governance from elected officials regardless of personalities.

CCM is gravely concerned about the way the Aquino government is handling the crisis involving Filipinos in Lahad Datu, Sabah. Following is CCM’s statement:

“Let’s not even talk of the Philippine title to Sabah which the P-Noy administration is apparently still studying. Let’s just talk about basic obligations, and not just privileges of states.

Why can’t PNoy say ‘Come Home’ instead of ‘Surrender’

Published by Ellen on March 2, 2013

President Aquino March 1, 2013 — He still doesn’t get it.

God forbid, but what a members of your family are killed and someone comes during the wake and blames you for the tragedy, what would you do?

Answers of close friends I asked ranged from a tempered reaction of showing the rude person the door to violent acts including use of a tool that is banned during this election campaign period.

That must be the feeling of relatives of the 12 Filipinos who were killed in Lahad Datu, Sabah when Malaysian commandoes assaulted the place where some 200 followers of the Sultan of Sulu, led by his brother Rajah Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, were camping out. Two of the commandoes were also killed, according to news reports.

Agbimuddin Kiram and his followers arrived in Lahad Datu Feb. 12 to re-affirm their ownership of a large part of Sabah which Malaysia is renting from them for a pittance.

Aquino fell into saboteurs’ trap

Published by Ellen on February 28, 2013

Aquino on Sabah stanfoff — Needs to learn the importance of right choice of words.

Malacañang believes that the occupation of the seaside village of Lahad Datu in Sabah by Rajah Mudah Agbinuddin Kiram, brother of the Sultan of Sulu, and his followers is really meant to sabotage the peace talks that his administration is conducting with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Reports said Malacañang suspects the national security adviser of Gloria Arroyo, Norberto Gonzales, as behind the sabotage.

It is easily believable because Gonzales has deep network in Muslim Mindanao and is close to Nur Misuari, the leader of another disgruntled group, the Moro National Liberation Front.

Gonzales and Misuari’s partnership go back a long way to their special operations training days in Malaysia during the 1960’s.

When Misuari staged a rebellion in 2001. Gonzales was known to have exerted influence to allow the former governor of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao to be placed under house arrest. The case was eventually dismissed.

There are intelligence reports that Gonzales and his Jesuit priest friend have been meeting with some sectoral leaders and talking about “a revolutionary situation” under Aquino.

‘Don’t play into Malaysia’s hand’

Published by Ellen on February 27, 2013

“It is a sad commnetary on the Philippines if our own nationals should run to the UN because their government cannot protect their rights. This is not the spectacle our country wants to portray to the international community.

“It is now urgent to cease to be “confused” and move and act decisively. Time to end the Kabuki play on Sabah.”

President Aquino delivering speech on Sabah — What’s his government’s policy on Sabah?

By Lauro L.Baja, Jr., VERA Files

THE President has gone on TV appealing and at the same time chastising the Sultan of Sulu over the standoff in Lahad Datu in Sabah.

The next few days will tell the wisdom of doing it in public. His statements and actions give the unintended consequence of leaning on our own nationals over a foreign power. We may be playing into Malaysia’s hands who has been adopting a studied but cavalier attitude over the standoff. They are exercising acts of “effectivités” over Sabah during this standoff by their actions and even by their silence over our naive pronouncements.

“Effectivités” in a territorial dispute between countries gives weight to actual and continued exercise of authority over a territory. This is the basis of the International Court of Justice ’s 2002 decision on the Ligatan Sipadan case where the court awarded the area to Malaysia over Indonesia. Also the same principle in the case between Chile and Peru and between Nicaragua and Guatemala.

Who is Aquino’s adviser on Sabah issue?

Published by Ellen on February 26, 2013

Aquino warning Kiram on Sabah standoff — Aquino to Kiram III: “….desist from this hopeless cause.”

In his Facebook wall, Cotabato-based Fr. Eliseo Mercado of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance in Notre Dame University yesterday said, “After the President’s press statement on the Sabah issue, I am continued to be deluged with question,’Who is the adviser of the President on the Sabah issue?’

“Sagot ko: Ambot… baka ang Malaysian PM. From the tone and the content would show that he/she is either Malaysian or Malaysian-Philippine.”

In his statement, which came on the second week of the standoff in Lahad Datu, a seaside village in Sabah, President Aquino several times spoke of peace. Yet, the language he used reeks of arrogance that could only come from ignorance of the root of the issue.

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