tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90065506106551432482024-03-05T20:36:47.628-08:00BALITANG PINOYAims to help Pinoy OFW around the globe in any possible ways by giving them updated news and stories that would keep them inform.For any comments or you want to share an article or stories that depicts the life of Pinoy OFW anywhere in the world that you want us to publish here just send it to pinoy.tulong@yahoo.com.TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.comBlogger747125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-1860119736346311272011-05-28T00:10:00.001-07:002011-05-28T00:10:08.595-07:00<div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">WASHINGTON, D.C. - Lt. Raymond C. Gamboa is the only Filipino to graduate this year from a United States military academy, a feat his mother attributes to destiny after he was declared clinically dead as a young child and the peculiar way he got to take the entrance exams at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gamboa was the only Filipino and one of only 12 foreign cadets in a class of 1,021 that graduated from the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Wednesday (May 25).</span></div><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; width: 200px;"><tbody style="border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px;">
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<tr><td bgcolor="#cccccc"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lt. Raymond Gamboa (5th from left) is the only Filipino in the 2011 graduating class of the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. He is joined in this photo by (L-R): PAF attaché Col. Arnel Duco, Haidee Gamboa (his mother), Dr. Marlon Mangahas, Riva Rei Gamboa (his sister), C3C Ken Quijano (another Filipino foreign exchange cadet in USAFA) and TSgt William Soriano.</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unlike in past years, there were no Filipinos in the graduating classes of the US Military Academy at West Point or the US Naval Academy in Annapolis this year. Gamboa was immediately sworn in as 2nd Lieutenant of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) by Col. Arnel Duco, the Air Force attaché based in Washington, DC.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Only the top 20 academic achievers at PMA get a chance to take the competitive exams to enter American military academies, and they would have to turn in scores that can best those from other southeast Asian military academies. (There used to be slots reserved for PMAers when the US still had military bases in the country, but today, they have to compete for those slots with other US allies in the region.)</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">'Clinically dead'</span></strong></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gamboa’s road to Colorado is a story in itself. He became severely ill during a family vacation in Batangas when he was just 4 years old, his mother Haidee, a consultant for Sofitel Hotel, told ABS-CBN News. He was foaming at the mouth and showed other signs of a seizure so they rushed him to St. Luke’s Medical Center where he was declared clinically dead.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But doctors didn’t give up and he was revived, pumping him with an assortment of medicines that his mother now jested, “seem to have made him brighter” – he was an honor student from pre-school all the way to high school at Ateneo.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“While he was recovering at the hospital, he seemed to take an interest in being a doctor one day. When he got older, he wanted to become a lawyer,” Haidee said. But in his senior year, he expressed an interest in entering PMA that his mother found odd since there were no soldiers in their family.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gamboa surfed the Internet to learn more about PMA but for a time, couldn’t find a way to enlist for the exams and told his mother about it. Haidee said her son had about lost interest when one day she passed by Gateway Mall in Quezon City and stumbled upon PMA officers handing out application forms. “I think it was really God’s will,” she declared.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When Gamboa passed the week-long medical exams at the AFP Medical Center, Haidee lost any trepidation about her only son taking on the hazards of a soldier’s life.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Giving back</span></strong></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When he flies back next month, he will go back to teaching at PMA. “I will share what I’ve learned and I hope to improve academic and military training in the Academy,” he explained.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Air Force is considered the most technical of the major branches of the military. “We had mostly academic work,” Gamboa revealed, “but we also had a chance to meet with people in US aircraft companies and do a solo flight in a T-52 (trainer plane).”</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After his 6-month stint at the PMA, Gamboa, according to Duco, will need to earn his wings at the PAF Flying School in Lipa, Batangas. He will likely have to wait a year, though, because there is a long queue for aspiring PAF aviators. “We don’t have enough planes,” Duco stated matter-of-factly.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Years of budget constraints, accidents and obsolescence have depleted much of the PAF’s air assets. Lack of spare parts has forced them to cannibalize some aircraft to keep others aloft. The US is scheduled to deliver this summer a C-130 Hercules transport plane that’s now being refurbished at a facility in the Mojave Desert in California and complete the overhaul of engines to extend the operational life of MG-520 Defender helicopter gunships.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gamboa is unfazed by conditions in the Air Force he’s investing the next years of his life in.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Right after the graduation ceremonies, we asked Haidee what motherly advice she gave him.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“I told him to pray and ask guidance from the Holy Spirit for any decision he has to make, and to pay back his country for the opportunity it gave him. Everything we have, we owe to our country,” she told her 23-year-old son.</span></div>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-72303327127867094812011-05-28T00:07:00.000-07:002011-05-28T00:07:51.468-07:00Smoking ban in Manila public places starts May 30<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=t02864-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B004HFS6Z0&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>MANILA, Philippines - Starting next week, smokers will be unwelcome in public places along major and secondary roads of the metropolis. Officers from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), together with the 17 local government units (LGU) of Metro Manila, will prohibit lighting up in bus terminals, waiting sheds, schools, hospitals, recreational places and inside public utility vehicles starting May 30 as part of a joint campaign to protect Filipinos from secondhand smoke. The smoking ban came just in time for the World No Tobacco Day celebration on June 1. New York-based Bloomberg Philanthropies has approved a P9.5-million grant for the program. "We'll be launching an information campaign so people will know that smoking will be prohibited in certain areas of main roads of the metropolis," Dr. Loida Alzona, division chief of MMDA's public health safety and environment protection, said in an interview on ANC's "Top Story" on Friday. MMDA's "environmental enforcers" will issue warnings to those who will be caught violating the provisions of Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 for the month of June. Alzona said penalties, which include fines and community service, will take effect in July. While it supports the smoking ban in areas like schools, hospitals and public facilities, the Philippine Tobacco Institute (PTI) said it is against the smoking ban in major and secondary roads in Metro Manila. PTI argued that the roads are not included in RA 9211's list of prohibited places, and hoped that the MMDA will reconsider its decision to implement the anti-smoking campaign. Data from the Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization showed that smoking kills 10 Filipinos every hour, or 80,000 every year. -- With a report from ANC</span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-60977339701163586942011-05-22T01:05:00.001-07:002011-05-22T01:05:26.361-07:00Housekeeper says billionaire discriminates against Filipinos<div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">JERSEY CITY, NJ – Jersey City resident Esther Winkley has been a housekeeper for New York’s rich and famous for 25 years.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But when the 55-year-old Filipina applied for a head of housekeeper position for New York billionaire Len Blavatnik early this year, Winkley claims she was not hired because of her ethnic background.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Blavatnik is the 31st richest man in the US. Blavatnik recently bought Warner Music, but most of his wealth comes from his company called Access Industries, that owns 50% of energy giant TNK-BP.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Winkley said she applied for a job at the Russian billionaire’s $50 million dollar residence on 64th Street in New York last February.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Winkley also worked with Blavatnik’s butler Wilfredo Balmaceda for a trial day in March.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She said, “Wilfredo called from his office and said everything went well today, actually the housekeeper likes you very much, she enjoyed working with you.”</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But in a complaint Winkley filed at the New York Commission on Human Rights, the document states that on March 15, Blavatnik’s butler – Wilfredo Balmaceda – declined to offer Winkley the job stating in an email to Winkley’s agent that she was “not the right fit for the family.”</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Winkley said her employment agent was about to send another Filipino domestic helper to the Blavatnik’s for interview…when the butler Balmaceda sent an e-mail back to the agent saying, “No Philippines, Thanks.” He further went on to say that, “Sorry new directions, no Philippine.”</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Winkley said, “I was furious, I said what? No Philippines? I said, what do they think of Filipinos?”</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In an e-mail to Balitang America, the billionaire’s representative Mike Sitrick said, the Balavatnik’s are not available for interview but sent this statement instead.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Any charge of discrimination by the Blavatniks is ludicrous. The fact is, employees at the Blavatnik residence come from various background including individuals from the Philippines. Mr. Smith, Winkley’s agent – had been sending unqualified candidates for months.”</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Winkley said she filed a complaint at the New York Commission on Human Rights to fight not only for her own right but for the rights of Filipino domestic workers in New York as well.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Winkley said, “It’s discrimination. They don’t have any Filipinos working for them, they not only do not want to hire Filipinos, they don’t even want to interview Filipinos.”</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In a phone conversation with Balitang America, the Communications Director of the Human Rights Commission said Winkley’s complaint is now under investigation and there may be other Filipino domestic workers involved in this case.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first hearing is scheduled on June 9 at the Commission on Human Rights office in New York.</span></div>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-76505561536543874722011-05-22T01:02:00.001-07:002011-05-22T01:02:27.320-07:00Fil-Am accused of stalking women in Starbucks bathroom<div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">GLENDORA – A Filipino-American in Glendora, California was accused of filming women in a Starbucks restroom with a hidden camera.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A worker at a Starbucks coffee shop found a camera hidden in purse hooks placed in the women's restroom in April.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Police said surveillance footage showed 25-year-old unemployed aviation student William Velasco sneaking into the bathroom.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Velasco would allegedly sneak back into the restroom to download the video into a laptop. They found Velasco in possession of video of over 40 women.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Police said the incidents happened on April 14 and 15.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Police said Velasco, who's had no prior criminal record, is now also a suspect in a stalking case.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Police said he may have followed a girl for several days before breaking into her apartment and stealing her underwear.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Velasco is out on a $50,000 bail but police warned the public that he may be a threat.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"From our investigation, what we see is a clear escalation of behavior, it went from simply videotaping and watching this himself to then following young college girls to the point of following the girl and breaking into their apartment to stealing personal items," said Glendora Chief of Police Rob Castro.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As of posting, the crime would be charged as a misdemeanor.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, if some of the victims filmed in the bathroom are found to be under 18 years old, the crime would become a felony.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Glendora police are now asking possible victims to contact them at (626) 914-8250.</span></div>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-5474582002598307602011-05-22T00:55:00.001-07:002011-05-22T00:55:38.528-07:00Pinoy missing after jumping off cruise ship<div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">LONDON - A Filipino aboard the Celebrity Eclipse made headlines here in Europe after jumping off the cruise ship.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">According to reports, an unnamed 31-year-old Filipino crew member of the cruise ship jumped from the ship into the English Channel on Friday night, May 20, at 10:15 in the evening.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A travel company confirmed the incident but did not give details of the missing person except for his nationality and age.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/cruise-news/8527724/Crew-member-missing-after-jumping-into-English-Channel.html" style="text-decoration: none;">Telegraph reported </a>that vessel was 8 miles north of Cherbourg, France, when the incident happened.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A rescue operation was done by the French Coast Guard overnight, but no trace of the Pinoy cruise worker was found.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The company that owns the cruise ship, Celebrity Eclipse, has promised to provide support for their missing crew member’s family.</span></div>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-69935379207721420242011-05-17T22:40:00.001-07:002011-05-17T22:40:23.071-07:00100 OFWs with kids seek repatriation: Migrante<div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MANILA, Philippines - More than a 100 undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with children have been seeking repatriation since January.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is according to John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator of Migrante-Middle East, an alliance of Filipino migrants’ rights group providing assistance to distressed and stranded OFWs in Saudi Arabia.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Monterona obtained the information from an official of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), who asked not be named. He added that this number includes only the OFWs who have sought assistance from Riyadh and nearby cities in the central region of Saudi Arabia.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“The undocumented OFW mothers and children are temporarily staying at their friends and fellow OFWs’ rented houses,” Monterona added. The undocumented OFWs cannot stay in the embassy-run Bahay Kalinga, a Philippine government facility where female OFWs can seek refuge while waiting for repatriation.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Monterona was told by the POLO official that as a matter of policy, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office-Overseas Workers Welfare Administration cannot admit the undocumented OFW mothers and their children to Bahay Kalinga.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“This is an outright disservice to undocumented mothers and children. If they could not be admitted to Bahay Kalinga, then the Philippine embassy should work for their repatriation and plead to the host government to treat their case as special for humanitarian consideration,” Monterona suggested.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">According to the POLO official, OFW mothers and their children can avail of a special deportation process pending the approval of Saudi authorities. Monterona said, however, that this process is not being maximized as a means of sending undocumented OFWs back to the Philippines.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Monterona called on the Aquino government, specially Vice President Jejomar Binay, to attend to the concerns of undocumented OFWs and their children.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“One mother told us that her children have not been to school and they are growing fast,” Monterona said</span></div>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-86927049502590563222011-05-17T22:39:00.000-07:002011-05-17T22:39:08.364-07:00Pinoy seaman dead after pirate attack<div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MANILA, Philippines - A Filipino seafarer was found dead aboard a Marshall Island-flagged ship, 4 days after it was attacked by pirates on the coast of Benin, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Tuesday.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Christopher Cortez Ceprado was found dead on May 11 after his vessel, the chemical tanker MT Sea King, was boarded by heavily armed pirates on May 7 at the anchorage of the port of Cotonou in Benin, the DFA said, quoting the vessel’s local manning agency.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Seventeen Filipinos man the vessel.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The pirates ransacked the vessel, stole its equipment and the personal belongings of the crew. No other crew was reported injured. </span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The DFA did not say if pirates killed Ceprado.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The victim's remains were brought to a mortuary in Cotonou for autopsy, the DFA said. </span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The ship is currently anchored in Cotonou, while authorities investigate the attack.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The DFA's Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) said it is coordinating with the ship's local manning agency on the repatriation of Ceprado's remains and the provision of benefits. </span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It has also instructed the Philippine embassy in Abuja to coordinate with authorities there on the investigation of the incident and help repatriate the Filipino seafarer's body.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The local manning agency said it has contacted the victim's family and is coordinating with the vessel's principal and agent in Cotonou, maritime authorities, and the Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Club representatives.</span></div>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-65367630827405059962011-05-17T22:36:00.001-07:002011-05-17T22:36:25.782-07:00The risks of oral sex<div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MANILA, Philippines - The chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dominique Strauss-Kahn, is now under fire for his alleged sexual assault of a chambermaid in the United States.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Several publications reported over the weekend that Strauss-Kahn forced her to give him oral sex.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"According to the official, the man chased her, grabbed her and shut the door, locking it. He then pulled her toward the bedroom, the official said, and tried to attack her there," <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/nyregion/maid-picks-imf-chief-as-attacker-in-lineup.html?hp" style="text-decoration: none;"><strong><em>The New York Times</em></strong></a> said, citing a police source.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"He dragged her to the bathroom, the official added, and forced her to perform oral sex. The police said the woman eventually escaped from the suite and reported the attack to other hotel personnel, who called 911."</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With his arrest in relation to the so-called sex scandal, some are saying that the Strauss-Kahn's dreams of power have been "terminated." Before the incident, opinion polls had shown that the IMF chief was likely to win the French presidency next year.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Indeed, humiliation and a tainted reputation are the price one has to pay when a well-known figure gets involved in a sex scandal.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Such is also the case for former US President Bill Clinton, who was said to have received oral sex from then White House intern Monica Lewinsky despite his marriage to now Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 1998 incident turned into a full-blown scandal, one of the factors that eventually led to Clinton's impeachment.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another example is actor Hugh Grant, who was caught receiving oral sex from a prostitute in a car in Los Angeles.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Health risks</span></strong></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oral sex, a sexual act that involves the stimulation of the genitalia using the mouth, is frowned upon in many cultures yet is commonly practiced by straight and gay couples across the globe.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It comes in many forms, and is said to be done even by animals.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aside from the risk of getting humiliated, oral sex can also pose a number of threats to human health. US scientists said early this year that there is strong evidence linking oral sex to <a href="http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/02/21/11/oral-sex-linked-cancer-risk" style="text-decoration: none;"><strong>head or neck cancer </strong></a>due to HPV or the human papilloma virus.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The same virus causes <a href="http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/05/09/11/what-woman-should-do-prior-first-sexual-contact" style="text-decoration: none;"><strong>cervical cancer</strong></a>, which is the second largest cause of female cancer mortality in the Philippines for the past 60 years. Worldwide, a woman dies from the disease every 2 minutes.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aside from HPV, oral sex (and other forms of sexual contact such as vaginal sex, genital touching and the use of sex toys such as vibrators) can lead to a variety of <a href="http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/04/12/10/common-sex-diseases-exposed" style="text-decoration: none;"><strong>sexually transmitted diseases</strong></a> such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes and HIV.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of these STDs are curable and not life-threatening. But if left untreated, some of these may lead to pregnancy problems or even death.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why men like oral sex</span></strong></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About 40% of 77,895 women and men surveyed by <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12410076/ns/health-sexual_health/t/what-you-said-when-we-asked-about-sex/" style="text-decoration: none;"><strong>Elle and MSNBC.com</strong></a> in 2006 said they "rarely or never give oral sex." This as 58% of males said their partner does not like receiving oral sex, while nearly half of females said they do not like doing such.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Almost all men, however, said that receiving oral sex "boosts their sexual satisfaction."</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So what do men see that women don't?</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Men associate oral sex with different things, from intimacy to the feeling of being in control.<a href="http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/sex/what-men-get-out-of-giving-oral-sex-2024748" style="text-decoration: none;"><strong>EMandLO.com</strong></a>, a blogger at the Yahoo! Shine page, asked this question to different kinds of males -- straight, gay, single and married.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are some of their responses:</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"What seems to separate the men who like to give oral sex from those who dread it depends on one mitigating factor: good hygiene."</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"It's a chance to get to know you without distraction and, in a way, it's even more intimate than intercourse."</span></div><div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"It involves all our senses -- sight, sound, hearing, taste, touch and scent. It's sensual and pleasurable."</span></div>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-81482396660965553702011-05-14T09:38:00.000-07:002011-05-14T09:38:00.778-07:00Pinoy on China death row hopes for commutation of sentence<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>KIDAPAWAN CITY —</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">An overseas Filipino worker jailed in China for drug trafficking has expressed the hope that his death sentence would be commuted to a 15-year jail term.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">In a letter to Cotabato Rep. Nancy Catamco, Richard Bianan — who has been incarcerated since 2008 — said the Chinese court might commute his death sentence and lower his years in detention for “showing good behavior."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Bianan also said he was glad upon learning that the Cotabato government is making inquiries into his case. “Upon hearing the news, I and other Filipinos [here] rejoiced, for we see a glittering hope to our hopeless situation here."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Bianan’s letter reached the congresswoman’s office on May 12.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Attached in Bianan’s letter were some documents from Pu Tian City Men’s Prison Administration Foreign Group Unit, including the criminal order from the Higher Peoples’ Court of Fujian Province of the Peoples’ Republic of China.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">The Fujian Province court found Bianan guilty of drug smuggling.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Heroin capsules</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">In July 2008, authorities extracted from Bianan’s body 91 oval capsules filled with heroin. The amount of the prohibited drug found on Bianan weighed 1,009.3 grams.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">The court said the quantity of drug smuggled to China was “so large" that a death penalty had to be imposed. However, Bianan showed good behavior inside his prison cell, allowing the court to grant him a two-year reprieve.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos Jr., in a letter to Catamco dated May 5, said the death sentence with two-year reprieve imposed on Bianan means that his sentence has been suspended for two years.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Bianan’s sentence could then be commuted to life imprisonment should he continue showing good behavior inside the prison cell.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Conejos said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has already made necessary representations with Chinese authorities regarding Bianan’s request to lower his sentence to fixed-term imprisonment, instead of life imprisonment.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">“The DFA is still awaiting the feedback of the Chinese authorities on the matter. The Philippine Consulate opined that since the two-year suspension period of his sentence has yet to expire, the Chinese authorities might not be able to give concrete responses to the representations," Conejos said.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">“Mr. Bianan is reminded to do his part in making the government’s representations feasible by showing good behavior, avoiding committing another offense in prison, and getting along well with jail guards and inmates while serving his sentence," he added.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>— AY/JE/VS, GMA News</b></span></span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-53709799416383961292011-05-14T09:33:00.001-07:002011-05-14T09:33:07.360-07:00It is impossible to predict doomsday — CBCP<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) spokesman Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III has refuted the May 21, 2011 end-of-the-world prediction a California-based Christian ministry has spread through the Internet and in the streets of Manila.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Quitorio said the end of the world cannot be predicted, recalling that, “In the Bible, it says nobody knows when the end of the world is, except God the Father."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">“How can they predict the end of the world when no one can even predict an earthquake accurately?" the CBCP spokesman added.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>From the Great Flood</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Harold Camping, leader of Family Radio Worldwide, claims his reading of the Bible led him to one conclusion. "Beyond the shadow of a doubt, May 21 will be the date of the Rapture and the day of judgment," Camping said.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Some Family Radio volunteers have recently been walking the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.gmanews.tv/story/220389/may-21-doomsday-reaches-manila-streets" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">streets of Manila</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">and giving their Judgment Day pamphlets to people they meet. Their ministry has head offices in Oakland, California.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Camping caught the media’s eye many times before. One recent instance was via an article published in The Washington Post last March 24.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">In that</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/judgment-day-may-21-2011/2011/03/23/AF1V6EaB_print.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">report</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">, it was explained that Camping got the May 21, 2011 date of Judgment Day using passages from the story of Noah’s Ark in Genesis and the Second Epistle of Peter, mixed with his interpretations of those passages.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Camping had a previous doomsday prediction, which he made in his book entitled 1994?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>— With Earl Rosero/VS, GMA News</b></span></span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-10013994985186235862011-04-17T22:12:00.001-07:002011-04-17T22:12:59.386-07:00Nepalese sentenced to 3 years for stabbing Pinay ex-GF in UAE<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">A 33-year-old Nepalese was sentenced to three years in jail in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for stabbing a 39-year-old Filipino woman who dumped him in March 2010.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">According to a report of Khaleej Times Online, the Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the Nepalese of stabbing his Filipina ex-girlfriend before trying to kill himself while he was intoxicated.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">On March 4 last year, the Nepalese, 33, entered the beauty salon where his Filipina ex-girlfriend was working and stabbed her on her head, chest and hand, the report said.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">After attacking the Filipina, he attempted suicide by stabbing himself three times in the abdomen, the report added.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">The victim, a 39-year-old woman, told the prosecutor that the incident happened as she and her colleague preparing to close the beauty salon late that night.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">The victim said she heard her colleague, a 35-year-old Nepalese woman, screaming because the Filipina's ex-boyfriend stabbed her in the hand.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">“After stabbing her he stabbed me," the Filipina said.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">She recounted that after the attack, she fainted and woke up later at the hospital.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">The victim said she had known the Nepalese for a year before the attack happened.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">However, when the Nepalese did not keep his promise to marry her, the Filipina decided to break up with him.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">According to Khaleej Time, an Emirati lieutenant said during the investigation that he was on duty at the Raffa Police Station when they were informed by the Operation Room of the Dubai Police about a stabbing incident.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">“We went to the beauty salon and there was blood everywhere. The defendant was lying on his back with a medium-sized knife next to him," the policeman was quoted as saying.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>– VVP, GMA News</b></span></span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-1746267715365792342011-04-17T22:10:00.000-07:002011-04-17T22:10:28.547-07:00Paul leads Hornets past Lakers in stunning opener<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span></div><h3 style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">SOURCE: www.nba.com</span></h3><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">LOS ANGELES (AP) Chris Paul and a few teammates sneaked across the street from their hotel to Staples Center the night before the New Orleans Hornets began the postseason, eagerly hoisting up a few shots in the shadows of the Lakers' imposing championship banners.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">With their tumultuous regular season finally a memory, Paul said the Hornets were almost unbearably eager for the playoffs to start.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Maybe that's why New Orleans got the drop on the defending champs in a stunning series opener.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Paul had 33 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds, flawlessly leading the Hornets down the stretch of a 109-100 victory Sunday.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Carl Landry scored 17 points and Jarrett Jack added 15 for the seventh-seeded Hornets, who overcame Los Angeles' major size advantage with cagey defense and a disciplined offensive approach that led to just three turnovers, tying an NBA playoff record.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">New Orleans also got a phenomenal game from Paul, who scored 17 points in the fourth quarter and led a decisive 8-0 run after the Lakers trimmed their lead to four points. Repeatedly shredding Los Angeles' defense on pick-and-roll plays, the four-time All-Star was at his playmaking apex.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"I've struggled all season long, trying to figure out where to pick my spots," said Paul, who inscribed his sneakers with the No. 30 of injured teammate David West, New Orleans' leading scorer. "It's the playoffs. It's a whole other energy."</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Game 2 is Wednesday at Staples Center.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A few hours after eighth-seeded Memphis produced a series-opening surprise in San Antonio, Paul and his Hornets put another intriguing wrinkle in the NBA postseason.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Kobe Bryant scored 34 points for the Lakers, who opened the postseason with the same halfhearted effort that comprised much of their regular season after three straight exhausting trips to the NBA finals.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Los Angeles' 7-foot starters, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, were widely expected to be an awful matchup for smallish New Orleans, but New Orleans rookie coach Monty Williams concocted an impressive game plan to minimize the big men's impact.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"Our defense, I thought, was late," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "I think we were late on everything. They were the aggressors, and they stayed aggressive. ... I think they respect the Hornets. I just don't think they were keyed in on what they have to do."</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ron Artest had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who swept the four-game regular-season series with New Orleans. They had won their last six playoff series openers since Houston beat them in the Western Conference semifinals in 2009 on Los Angeles' way to Bryant's fourth championship.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Los Angeles never grabbed a second-half lead despite another dynamite game from Bryant. The most glaring problem was Gasol, who struggled to eight points - just two more than his season low - on 2-for-9 shooting with just six rebounds.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A few people in the Staples Center crowd pointedly heckled Gasol in the final minutes, while other fans booed as they streamed out of the building.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"I'm disappointed, yeah. Stunned, surprised," Gasol said. "But we were the ones responsible for that to happen, so we have to own up to that and come back to work in the next couple of days and get the series where we want it to be."</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The playoff pressure of Staples Center clearly didn't bother the Hornets, who lost West to a serious knee injury last month and lost three straight games to finish the regular season. Williams made his playoff debut along with Emeka Okafor, Marco Belinelli and Jack - but the Hornets had more poise down the stretch.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Artest's free throws pulled Los Angeles within four with 3 minutes left, but Paul led the Hornets to points on four consecutive possessions, setting off a celebration confined entirely to the Hornets' bench.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"A lot of people counted us out from the beginning," Landry said. "A lot of people probably still count us out. That's cool. A lot of people might think this game might have been lucky, but we play as a team. We play as a collective unit. We're without David West, but we've still got dudes on this team that can step up."</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Lamar Odom had 10 points and one rebound in 31 minutes of play, while Bynum contributed 13 points and nine rebounds but wasn't his usual defensive force in his first game back from a hyperextended right knee.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"It's always good for us, when I think about the personality of our team, to be humbled a little bit," Odom said. "Sometimes that's the best thing for us, to be humbled. To lose on our home court in the playoffs, probably against a team that people think we should handle easy, I think it's good for us."</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Aaron Gray had a season-high 12 points for New Orleans, but was helped off the court by teammates with 1:07 to play after Gasol accidentally stepped on his right foot while fighting for a rebound. Williams said Gray has a mildly sprained ankle.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Bryant bruised his neck when he tumbled into the front row after hitting a jumper in the final minute of the first half, spending the last 10 seconds facedown in pain while Artest hit a 43-foot jumper at the buzzer. Bryant got up slowly and missed halftime warmups, but returned without missing a beat.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">NOTES: G Trey Johnson, recalled from the D-League by the Lakers just five days earlier, played six minutes in the second quarter. Johnson was with the Lakers in training camp, and he suited up for Toronto earlier this season. ... Bryant collided with the courtside chair next to Tim Leiweke, the chief executive of sports conglomerate AEG. ... Fans near courtside included Jack Black, Seal, will.i.am, former Arizona forward Derrick Williams and Brewers owner Mark Attanasio.</span></div>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-10081603922165222872011-04-17T22:07:00.001-07:002011-04-17T22:07:49.597-07:00Reward for Negros barangay hall massacre suspect raised to P500K<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">After failing for more than a month to locate the suspect, Negros Occidental authorities have raised to P500,000 the reward for information leading to the capture of the suspect in a barangay hall massacre in Silay City on March 6.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon doubled the reward for Barangay Kapitan Ramon bloodbath suspect Noel Ayalin from P250,000 to P500,000 as police said the search for him has gone nationwide.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">This developed as additional charges for multiple frustrated homicide were filed against Ayalin before the Silay City Prosecutor’s Office Friday, the news site Visayan Daily Star reported on Saturday.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Those who survived the bloodbath were Kapitan Ramon Barangay Captain Ramon Celebre, and barangay councilors Salvacion Corugda, 42, and Lenny Leorca, 34.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">The survivors were the ones who filed the charges against Ayalin.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">On Wednesday, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, who was in Bacolod City at the time, ordered the police to use all available resources and manpower to arrest Ayalin.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Robredo cited information reaching him that Ayalin, a former barangay captain, may no longer be in Negros Occidental.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Ayalin faces four charges of murder for shooting dead Sangguniang Kabataan chairwoman Imee Occeña, 16; and barangay councilors Luzviminda Cotamen, 45, Freddie Juno, 58, and Pedrito Orocio, 52.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">The victims were shot as they were about to start their barangay council session in Kapitan Ramon on March 6.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Negros Occidental police director Chief Superintendent Cipriano Querol Jr. said the search for Ayalin has gone nationwide because they believe he is no longer in Negros.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">“We formed five dedicated teams to go after Ayalin but unfortunately he has escaped our dragnet," Querol said.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Querol assured that the search for Ayalin has not stopped even if the court has not issued a warrant for his arrest yet.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>– VVP, GMA News</b></span></span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-82342028415206963742011-04-13T22:39:00.000-07:002011-04-13T22:39:23.076-07:00DFA to conduct mobile passport services April to June<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will conduct Mobile Passport Services (MPS) in various provinces from April to June.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">In an announcement on its website, the DFA said it will hold the missions in Rizal, Cavite, Bulacan, Mindoro and parts of Metro Manila.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">For April, the DFA said consular teams will be in Tanay, Rizal and Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite on April 16.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">The team will also visit Angono, Rizal and Obando, Bulacan on April 30.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">For May, MPS teams will be in Caloocan City and Makati City on May 7; in Rodriguez, Rizal and Pinagbuhatan, Pasig on May 14; in Pateros on May 21; and at the Department of Health main office on May 28.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">MPS teams will also go to Paombong, Bulacan and Quezon City on June 4; Navotas City and Calapan, Mindoro on June 11; Pasig City and Iba, Zambales on June 18; and Tanza, Cavite on June 25.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>– VVP, GMA News</b></span></span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-25171654615921218822011-04-13T22:36:00.000-07:002011-04-13T22:36:29.536-07:002 offices at NFA headquarters in QC ransacked<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Police started Thursday an investigation into the ransacking of at least two offices at the headquarters of the National Food Authority in Quezon City.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">A report by radio dzBB's Allan Gatus quoted NFA spokesman Rex Estoperez as saying that the affected offices included the public affairs and human resources departments.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Quezon City Police District Scene of the Crime Operations (QCPD-SOCO) operatives cited initial information that drawers in the two offices at the NFA building's third floor were flung open.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">The report did not indicate the things that were lost in the incident, but said police may ask NFA officials for closed-circuit television footage, if these are available.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>— LBG, GMA News</b></span></span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-1007631795457534212011-04-13T22:23:00.000-07:002011-04-13T22:23:21.459-07:00NBA fines Bryant $100,000 for anti-gay slur<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAllUIg12aCnUEiNLxTX5zl4_NHob1tFJghpgpngP9qImaZbghqy81snKG3VXI0RZTRw79kKLezwf9ES7Gg5iXOtR64Oz0wJn5i5123eC_RyEea7cVg9Sz-6KIKPe3u6O6Y7D2pDCcq7qU/s1600/kobe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAllUIg12aCnUEiNLxTX5zl4_NHob1tFJghpgpngP9qImaZbghqy81snKG3VXI0RZTRw79kKLezwf9ES7Gg5iXOtR64Oz0wJn5i5123eC_RyEea7cVg9Sz-6KIKPe3u6O6Y7D2pDCcq7qU/s320/kobe.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b id="nbaOpeningText" style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">LOS ANGELES (AP) -- </b>The NBA fined Kobe Bryant $100,000 on Wednesday for using a derogatory gay term in frustration over a referee's call.</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">NBA Commissioner David Stern issued a swift disciplinary ruling after the Los Angeles Lakers' five-time NBA champion guard cursed and used the homophobic slur when referee Bennie Adams called a technical foul on him Tuesday night in the third quarter of a victory over the San Antonio Spurs.</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Kobe Bryant's comment during last night's game was offensive and inexcusable," Stern said. "While I'm fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated. ... Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society."</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stern's action drew praise from gay-rights organizations that had demanded a fuller apology from Bryant and condemnation of his words by the Lakers. Bryant, the sixth-leading scorer in NBA history, issued a statement earlier Wednesday saying his words came strictly out of anger and shouldn't be taken literally.</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"We applaud Commissioner Stern and the NBA for not only fining Bryant but for recognizing that slurs and derogatory comments have no place on the basketball court or in society at large," Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese said. "We hope such swift and decisive action will send a strong and universal message that this kind of hateful outburst is simply inexcusable no matter what the context."</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bryant's words and actions were captured by TNT's cameras during the network's national broadcast of the Lakers' regular-season home finale.</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bryant punched his chair before taking a seat on the bench, throwing a towel on the court near his feet in frustration after picking up his fourth foul in the third quarter. He got his 15th technical of the season for arguing the call, one shy of the cumulative trigger for a one-game NBA suspension.</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"What I said last night should not be taken literally. My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period," Bryant said in a statement issued through the Lakers. "The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone."</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 32-year-old Bryant is a former league MVP, a 13-time All-Star, the leading scorer in Lakers franchise history and sixth on the NBA's career list after passing Moses Malone last month. He was the MVP of the last two NBA finals while leading the Lakers to back-to-back titles.</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bryant has been among the NBA's most popular players worldwide for most of his 15-year career, spent entirely with the Lakers, even after he was arrested and accused of sexual assault in 2003 in a case that was later dropped. He has several lucrative endorsement deals with companies ranging from Sprite to Turkish Airlines.</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">His No. 24 jersey was the league's best-selling uniform among fans during each of the past two seasons, and Bryant's jersey finished second to LeBron James' new Miami uniform in the NBA's annual rankings released earlier Wednesday.</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gay-rights groups quickly denounced Bryant's actions against Adams. Jarrett Barrios, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, saw an opportunity to put a spotlight on the unacceptable nature of anti-gay slurs.</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Professional sports players need to set a better example for young people who use words like this on the playground and in our schools, creating a climate of intolerance and hostility," Barrios said. "The LA Lakers have a responsibility to educate their fans about why this word is unacceptable."</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Known as a fierce competitor with a nasty edge, Bryant has ranked among the NBA's top 10 accumulators of technical fouls during each of the past six seasons, and he has edged right up to the line of serious NBA discipline this spring. He ranks second only to Orlando's Dwight Howard in technical fouls this season, mostly for arguing with referees.</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bryant was called for an additional technical foul that was rescinded Monday. If Bryant gets another T in the Lakers' season finale at Sacramento on Wednesday night, he would be suspended for the first game of next season, not for a playoff game.</span></div><div style="display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Lakers will open the playoffs this weekend at Staples Center.</span></div>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-30744551474741311682011-04-03T22:29:00.001-07:002011-04-03T22:29:20.017-07:00Labor chief: OFW displacement to slash remittances by $1.6B<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Threatening to displace over two million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the escalating unrest in Middle Eastern and North African countries could bring down annual OFW remittances by $1.6 billion, government figures show.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Citing remittance figures from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz disclosed that about 2.4 million OFWs work in strife-torn countries in the Middle East.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">In North Africa, some 64,736 OFWs in similarly conflict-ridden states such as Egypt and Libya face threats against their personal security and employment.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">The projection, however, excludes possible losses from OFWs in countries with lingering conflict such as Iran, which employs 4,420 OFWs, Iraq with 6,215, and Israel with 39,000.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Employment in Qatar</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Vice President Jejomar Binay meanwhile said that job openings await OFWs in Qatar -- at $88,233 per person, it has the world’s highest per capita I ncome, surpassing Norway and Luxembourg.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">In his meeting with Binay, Qatar Labor Minister Nasser bin Abdulla Al Hamaidi expressed his eagerness to see more OFWs in Qatar as the country prepares to host the World Cup in 2022.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Welcoming Binay, Crown Prince Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani also said, “Filipinos are always welcome in Doha. Our doors are open to them. They are hardworking, disciplined, highly skilled and very professional, and they have become part of our culture."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">OFW remittances have buoyed the Philippine economy, reaching nearly $19 million in the last two years.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>— PE/VS, GMA News Online</b></span></span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-1333829121236191802011-04-03T22:27:00.000-07:002011-04-03T22:27:05.997-07:00PHL Embassy in UK warns vs forged signatures, fake verification stamps<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Philippine officials in the United Kingdom (UK) warned Filipino workers on Sunday to be wary against the forged signatures of the Philippine</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a class="kLink" href="http://www.gmanews.tv/story/216852/nation/phl-embassy-in-uk-warns-vs-forged-signatures-fake-verification-stamps#" id="KonaLink0" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; border-bottom-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-color: transparent !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: transparent !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: transparent !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-variant: normal; font-weight: inherit !important; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; right: 0px; text-decoration: underline !important; text-transform: none !important; top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: inherit !important; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-weight: inherit !important; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;">Overseas</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Labor Office there (POLO-UK) and fake job verification stamps.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The Philippine Embassy in the UK issued the warning after learning that at least one recruitment agency presented forged Job Order Verification Stamps and signatures of authorized officials of the POLO-UK.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">"The Embassy reiterates its advice to verify any job offers, particularly those secured online, with the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency or the POLO-UK at</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">polo.london@yahoo.co.uk or embassy@philemb.co.uk," it said in a news release posted on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) website.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The embassy said the case involved one JP Recruitment Agency with address at 290 Queens Road, Bootle, Liverpool, United Kingdom and contact number 00-44701114753.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Citing information reaching it, the Embassy said the agency presented a Manpower Request/Job Order bearing a fake POLO-UK verification stamp and the forged signature of the Labor Attaché based in London to a Philippine recruitment agency.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">However, the DFA did not say if the agency was sanctioned for the action.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">"The public is advised not to entertain any transactions for recruitment and employment from the said entity which allegedly bear the stamp and signature of POLO without first verifying this with the POLO-UK Office at the Embassy," it said.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b>– VVP, GMA News</b></span></span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-44310140752113792102011-04-03T22:24:00.001-07:002011-04-03T22:24:44.682-07:00Convicted Pinoy drug courier in Thailand to appeal case<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Another Filipino detained abroad on drug-related charges will fight to prove her innocence in court, as she believes that she has a strong case.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Flory May Talaban, who is detained in Thailand, is not seeking clemency before the Thai king but has instead filed an appeal before Thailand's second court.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Talaban, 28, disclosed this to her parents who visited her at the Correctional Institute for Female Offenders in Bangkok last March 28, news site Visayan Daily Star</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.visayandailystar.com/2011/April/02/topstory1.htm" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">reported on Saturday</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Her mother Nede said that Flory May had told them she has filed an appeal before Thailand’s second court.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Rep. Neri Colmenares, who facilitated the visit of Nede and Florentino Talaban to their daughter, said that one has to withdraw one’s appeal in court to avail of a pardon or clemency from the King of Thailand.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Colmenares said that Flory May had said that she does not want to seek clemency because she wants to prove her innocence in court, as she believes she has a strong case.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Flory May is one of two Filipina drug mules facing life sentences in Thailand.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Colmenares said the other Filipino is Icoy Mamontong.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">He added that there are 23 Filipino drug mules now detained in Thai prisons.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Thai police arrested Flory May at a Thai mall on May 4, 2009. She was supposedly carrying a book said to have 2.6 kilograms of heroin concealed inside.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Police also raided her Bangkok apartment and found 2.8 kg of heroin there.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">The Thai Court found Talaban guilty of “possession of a Category 1 illegal narcotic (heroin) with intent to sell."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">March 28 was the first time Flory May's parents were able to see her since her arrest.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Colmenares described the meeting as "heart-wrenching."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">But while Flory May and her parents wept, they were denied a chance to hug each other, as they were separated by a glass wall.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Colmenares said he asked the jail personnel if the Talabans could hug their daughter even only briefly.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">It was not allowed.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">They touched fingertips through a small hole in the glass, he said.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">The Visayan Daily Star report quoted Nede as saying Flory May told them that she was sorry if the allegations against her had brought shame upon her family. She insisted she is innocent, and says she will prove it in court.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">She told them that, as their eldest child, she wanted to be the one helping her parents rather than the one causing them pain.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Flory May said that at her first trial, she was defended by a court-appointed lawyer but that they had lost their case.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Now she has a new lawyer who had agreed to defend now and be paid later, Colmenares said.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Flory May, 28, quit her law studies at University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><a class="kLink" href="http://www.gmanews.tv/story/216787/pinoy-abroad/convicted-pinoy-drug-courier-in-thailand-to-appeal-case#" id="KonaLink0" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; border-bottom-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-color: transparent !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: transparent !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: transparent !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-family: inherit !important; font-variant: normal; font-weight: inherit !important; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; right: 0px; text-decoration: underline !important; text-transform: none !important; top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit !important; font-weight: inherit !important; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-family: inherit !important; font-weight: inherit !important; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;">work</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">as a teacher in China in 2005.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">But when she arrived in China, there was no work available to her. She opted to stay after her father suffered a stroke and was forced to retire from work at the USLS as electronic technician.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">She told her parents that she had been hired as a tutor.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Colmenares said Talaban's work visa in China had expired so she went to Thailand to renew it from there.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">She also went to Thailand where she had been told that many tutoring jobs are available, Colmenares added.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Flory May told her mother that in the Thai village where she was living, she had a Nigerian acquaintance who had asked her to deliver a book to a friend of his when she went to the mall. The man also asked if he could leave a bag at her apartment.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">She said she was surprised that while she was at the mall, the police arrested her and found the drugs in the book.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">They then asked her daughter where she lived and she told them, Nede said.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Nede said her daughter did not know that the bag left in her apartment contained drugs. If she knew what was in it, she would not have told the police where she lived, she added.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;">Nede said her daughter has grown thin and has rashes and scars on her face. She is allergic to the Thai food she is eating in prison and sometimes lacks soap, Nede added.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>— AYA/TJD, GMA News</b></span></span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-40816030437171697192011-03-31T07:49:00.000-07:002011-03-31T07:49:14.051-07:00Ashes of 1 of 3 Pinoys executed in China brought home<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The ashes of one of three Filipino drug mules executed in China were brought home before midnight Wednesday, even as relatives of the three returned home from their last meetings with their loved ones shortly before the executions.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Relatives of Sally Ordinario-Villanueva and Ramon Credo arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport before midnight Wednesday, dzBB radio reported.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The report said Credo's brother Paulo brought home Ramon's ashes from China, even as the remains of Villanueva and Elizabeth Batain are expected to be brought back to the Philippines in one week's time.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><iframe frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.gmanews.tv/evideo/76936/ntg-mga-abo-ni-ramon-credo-inuwi-na-sa-bansa" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; display: block; height: 400px; line-height: 18px; width: 480px;"></iframe><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.gmanews.tv/" style="text-decoration: none;"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">A report on radio dzBB early Thursday said members of the Ordinario and Credo families who went to China arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on a China Southern Airlines flight at 10:51 p.m. Wednesday.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Teams from the Department of Foreign Affairs fetched the family members at the tarmac and transported them directly to their homes, the report said.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Villanueva's father Geronimo and sister Mylene arrived at their house in Batasan Hills, Quezon City, past midnight. When Geronimo and Mylene returned to the house, Sally's sister Mirasol became emotional, the report added.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Geronimo was quoted in the report as saying they expect the remains of Sally to be brought to the Philippines within one week.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">On the other hand, it was a quiet homecoming for the Credos at their house in Bacoor, Cavite, at 11:50 p.m. Members of the Credo family quickly entered the house and requested media there to respect their privacy, at least until their mourning is over.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The report also said Credo's mother Dolores is entertaining plans to migrate to Canada soon.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Meanwhile, a separate dzBB report said kin of Batain are expected to arrive Thursday from China.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b>— LBG, GMA News</b></span></span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-67137592772025674232011-03-31T07:22:00.000-07:002011-03-31T07:22:31.503-07:00More Pinoy nurses heading to Japan for licensure exam<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Despite a devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan this month and the ensuing nuclear accident, a third batch of over 80 Filipino nurses are scheduled to go there on May 30 for a language training in preparation for that country’s tough licensure examinations.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">In a press briefing, Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura said a total of 82 Filipinos will leave for Japan to undergo intensive Japanese language training there, after a two-month preparatory language course in Manila to be conducted by Japanese instructors.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">“Although I have no doubts that you will be able to fulfill your duties and responsibilities as healthcare</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a class="kLink" href="http://www.gmanews.tv/story/216647/pinoy-abroad/more-pinoy-nurses-heading-to-japan-for-licensure-exam#" id="KonaLink0" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; border-bottom-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-color: transparent !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: transparent !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: transparent !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-variant: normal; font-weight: inherit !important; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; right: 0px; text-decoration: underline !important; text-transform: none !important; top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: inherit !important; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-weight: inherit !important; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;">professionals</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">in Japan, I am also aware that one of the most difficult obstacles for passing the Japanese nursing licensure examinations is the language barrier," Katsura said at the formal launch of the training course.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">This is the first time that Japan is implementing a preparatory language course prior to the applicants’ departure for Japan. Only two of the 139 Filipino nurses in previous batches passed that country’s licensure exam.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Apart from the preparatory course, Japan has also revised its licensure exam for foreign nurses and caregivers to boost the passing rate of health workers. (See:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.gmanews.tv/100days/story/212514/pinoy-abroad/japan-cuts-filipino-nurses-some-slack" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Japan cuts Filipino nurses some slack</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The revisions include the use of English words for medical terms originally in Japanese, like diabetes, cataract and pulmonary tuberculosis.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Since 2009, the Philippines has sent a total of 139 nurses and 299 caregivers to train in Japan through the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) signed in 2006.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Various groups had earlier questioned JPEPA’s constitutionality before the Supreme Court, saying the treaty violates constitutional provision on trade, natural resources, labor, education, mass media legislation, public utilities and foreign policy. (See:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.gmanews.tv/story/126744/groups-question-jpepa-constitutionality-at-sc" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Groups question Jpepa constitutionality at SC</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The Japanese Embassy said it has been taking steps to help Filipino nurses maximize</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a class="kLink" href="http://www.gmanews.tv/story/216647/pinoy-abroad/more-pinoy-nurses-heading-to-japan-for-licensure-exam#" id="KonaLink1" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; border-bottom-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-color: transparent !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: transparent !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: transparent !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-variant: normal; font-weight: inherit !important; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; right: 0px; text-decoration: underline !important; text-transform: none !important; top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: inherit !important; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-weight: inherit !important; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;">employment </span><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-weight: inherit !important; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;">opportunities</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">for Filipino nurses under the treaty.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">“This demonstrates the perseverance and dedication of both countries to take initiatives in improving the standing of Filipino candidate nurses in particular, especially in successfully integrating them, through language," Katsura explained.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Nurses who fail Japan’s licensure tests in Japan can only re-take the exam within the period they are allowed to stay in Japan.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">If they still fail the examination, the nurses would have to return to the Philippines to apply again for training.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Apart from the six months of paid language training, Filipino nurses and caregivers are employed in Japanese hospitals and care-giving facilities for three years and four years, respectively, to familiarize themselves with the country’s healthcare system.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">During that time, nurses undergoing work-training receive an average monthly</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a class="kLink" href="http://www.gmanews.tv/story/216647/pinoy-abroad/more-pinoy-nurses-heading-to-japan-for-licensure-exam#" id="KonaLink2" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; border-bottom-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-color: transparent !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: transparent !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: transparent !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-variant: normal; font-weight: inherit !important; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; right: 0px; text-decoration: underline !important; text-transform: none !important; top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: inherit !important; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-weight: inherit !important; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;">salary</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">of 130,000 yen to 220,000 yen (about P68,000 to P115,000) For caregivers, the monthly salary ranges from 125,000 yen to 185,000 yen (about P65,000 to P96,000).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b>—With Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMA News</b></span></span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-8642008092190417642011-03-31T06:41:00.000-07:002011-03-31T06:41:08.115-07:00Ancient Discovery stirs Bible intrigues<div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Source: www.yahoo.com</span></div><div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">British archaeologists are seeking to authenticate what could be a landmark discovery in the documentation of early Christianity: a trove of 70 lead codices that appear to date from the 1st century CE, which may include key clues to the last days of Jesus' life. As <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/yblog_thelookout/ts_yblog_thelookout/storytext/could-lead-codices-prove-the-major-discovery-of-christian-history/40887093/SIG=14k9bne6l/*http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1371290/Could-biggest-Dead-Sea-Scrolls-70-metal-books-cave-Jordan-change-view-Biblical-history.html" style="text-decoration: none;">UK Daily Mail reporter Fiona Macrae writes</a>, some researchers are suggesting this could be the most significant find in Christian archeology since the Dead Sea scrolls in 1947.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Bsiw6MfJn0_lTtf85BfO_7Cpl1xmyEzSIMkYQpk53PnKiEkk4Tt_ELW5EdNZw-6SscJrj5f_JtR0xKIEXUzHZrd5UfUvQ7nMk05a2XYJ3n8RHtXzrV7FGyqgRPRQUmCRno4hfgc7rp3p/s1600/earlychristiancodices.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Bsiw6MfJn0_lTtf85BfO_7Cpl1xmyEzSIMkYQpk53PnKiEkk4Tt_ELW5EdNZw-6SscJrj5f_JtR0xKIEXUzHZrd5UfUvQ7nMk05a2XYJ3n8RHtXzrV7FGyqgRPRQUmCRno4hfgc7rp3p/s400/earlychristiancodices.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The codices turned up five years ago in a remote cave in eastern Jordan—a region where early Christian believers may have fled after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE. The codices are made up of wirebound individual pages, each roughly the size of a credit card. They contain a number of images and textual allusions to the Messiah, as well as some possible references to the crucifixion and resurrection. Some of the codices were sealed, prompting yet more breathless speculation that they could include the sealed book, shown only to the Messiah, mentioned in the Book of Revelation. One of the few sentences translated thus far from the texts, <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/yblog_thelookout/ts_yblog_thelookout/storytext/could-lead-codices-prove-the-major-discovery-of-christian-history/40887093/SIG=11ml6ig3s/*http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12888421" style="text-decoration: underline;">according to the BBC</a>, reads, "I shall walk uprightly"--a phrase that also appears in Revelation. "While it could be simply a sentiment common in Judaism," BBC writer Robert Pigott notes, "it could here be designed to refer to the resurrection."</span></div><div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span id="more-8978"></span>But the field of biblical archaeology is also prey to plenty of hoaxes and enterprising fraudsters, so investigators are proceeding with due empirical caution. Initial metallurgical research indicates that the codices are about 2,000 years old--based on the manner of corrosion they have undergone, which, as Macrae writes, "experts believe would be impossible to achieve artificially."</span></div><div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beyond the initial dating tests, however, little is confirmed about the codices or what they contain. And the saga of their discovery has already touched off a battle over ownership rights between Israel and Jordan. As<a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/yblog_thelookout/ts_yblog_thelookout/storytext/could-lead-codices-prove-the-major-discovery-of-christian-history/40887093/SIG=11ml6ig3s/*http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12888421" style="text-decoration: none;">the BBC's Pigott recounts</a>, the cache surfaced when a Jordanian Bedouin saw a menorah—the Jewish religious candleabra—exposed in the wake of a flash flood. But the codices somehow passed into the ownership of <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/yblog_thelookout/ts_yblog_thelookout/storytext/could-lead-codices-prove-the-major-discovery-of-christian-history/40887093/SIG=13nthcpl2/*http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1368252/Are-artefacts-discovered-remote-cave-secret-writings-years-Jesus.html" style="text-decoration: none;">an Israeli Bedouin named Hassam Saeda</a>, who claims that they have been in his family's possession for the past 100 years. The Jordanian government has pledged to "exert all efforts at every level" to get the potentially priceless relics returned, Pigott reports.</span></div><div style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, biblical scholars who have examined the codices point to significant textual evidence suggesting their early Christian origin. Philip Davies, emeritus professor of Old Testament Studies at Sheffield University, told Pigott he was "dumbstruck" at the sight of plates representing a picture map of ancient Jerusalem. "There is a cross in the foreground, and behind it is what has to be the tomb [of Jesus], a small building with an opening, and behind that the walls of the city," Davies explained. "There are walls depicted on other pages of these books, too, and they almost certainly refer to Jerusalem."</span></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">David Elkington, an ancient religion scholar who heads the British research team investigating the find, has likewise pronounced this nothing less than "the major discovery of Christian history." Elkington told the Daily Mail that "it is a breathtaking thought that we have held these objects that might have been held by the early saints of the Church."</span></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Still, other students of early Christian history are urging caution, citing precedents such as <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/yblog_thelookout/ts_yblog_thelookout/storytext/could-lead-codices-prove-the-major-discovery-of-christian-history/40887093/SIG=1273virg3/*http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1342-those-bogus-jesus-bones" style="text-decoration: none;">the debunked discovery</a> of an ossuary said to contain the bones of Jesus' brother James. New Testament scholar <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/yblog_thelookout/ts_yblog_thelookout/storytext/could-lead-codices-prove-the-major-discovery-of-christian-history/40887093/SIG=128v3j2n0/*http://larryhurtado.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/more-on-the-lead-codices/" style="text-decoration: none;">Larry Hurtado observes that</a> since these codices are miniature, they were likely intended for private, rather than liturgical, use. This would likely place their date of origin closer to the 3rd century CE. But only further research and full translation of the codices can fully confirm the nature of the find. The larger lesson here is likely that of Eccliastes 3:1—be patient, since "to everything there is a season."</span></div><div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(David Elkington/Rex Features/Rex USA)</span></div>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-76766996512389577922011-03-17T22:04:00.000-07:002011-03-17T22:04:34.644-07:00Rose helps Bulls beat Nets for eighth straight win<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">NEWARK, N.J. (AP) When the game got tight in the fourth quarter, Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls turned up their defensive pressure. And the streaking New Jersey Nets just couldn't keep up.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Rose scored 21 points and the Bulls extended their longest winning streak in six years to eight games by holding the Nets to a season-low point total in an 84-73 victory Thursday night.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"That's what we've been doing the whole year, playing defense," said Rose, who came up with a big steal and a layup in the closing minutes. "If our offense isn't going, and that rarely happens, we rely on our defense. That's what we did tonight, make it tough on them. At first, they were getting everything they wanted. Then we just closed down the paint and rebounded the ball."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Chicago, which came into the game with the NBA's second-best defense allowing an average of 91 points, held the Nets to 35 percent shooting (29 of 83), including a 3-for-19 night from 3-point range.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Rose also hounded Deron Williams on defense. Williams had been the catalyst of New Jersey's five-game winning streak, but he only managed five points on 1-of-12 shooting to go along with 11 assists.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Williams has battled a wrist injury since being traded from Utah to New Jersey before the trading deadline, and he admitted it bothered him. But he said new coach Tom Thibodeau has turned the Bulls into a great defensive team.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"We could have played a lot better and shot a lot better, 35 percent from the field is tough to win," Williams said. "But they're a good defensive team. That's what they pride themselves on."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Bulls (49-18) also are resilient. They blew a 14-point third-quarter lead before turning away the Nets after they tied it three times in the final 5:50.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Chicago's eight-game winning streak is its longest since it won nine in a row between mid-March and early April 2005. This win gave the Bulls a half-game lead over idle Boston in the race for the best record in the Eastern Conference.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"We know we still have a long way to go," said Luol Deng, who scored 19 points, including a go-ahead jumper with 3:58 to play. "We've got a great team. We've got guys who come off the bench and do a good job of carrying us. We're a deep team and we just have to keep on playing."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Kyle Korver had seven of his 12 points in the final quarter and rookie reserve Omer Asik had 11 points and a career-high 16 rebounds.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"We just want to take it step by step," Thibodeau said. "We don't want to get ahead of ourselves. We just want to concentrate on our improvement. If we do the right things every day, the results will take care of themselves."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Brook Lopez scored 22 points for New Jersey, and Kris Humphries added 13 points and 16 rebounds.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Lopez made two free throws with 4:06 to go to tie the game. Deng then came off a screen and hit a jumper to put the Bulls ahead for good. After the teams exchanged empty possessions, Rose stole a cross-court pass by Williams and scored on a drive to push the lead to 73-69 with 3:18 remaining.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Anthony Morrow and Sasha Vujacic missed jumpers for New Jersey and Chicago took advantage. Korver hit a free throw after the Nets were called for an illegal defense and Joakim Noah, who was returning to the lineup after missing a game with flulike symptoms, went over Humphries for a rebound and scored for a 76-69 lead.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">After Vujacic scored on a goaltending call against Rose, Korver, who turned 30 on Thursday, hit a 3-pointer and Kurt Thomas converted a layup to put the game away.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"We just couldn't score points tonight," Humphries said. "You look at the stat sheet and we shots in the 30s. We held them to a good amount of points and we just needed to turn it up offensively, but we weren't able to do that."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Limited to 50 points in the first three quarters and only down by 10, the Nets made a run in the opening four minutes of the fourth, closing to 62-59 on a 3-pointer by Vujacic.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Bulls called timeout and quickly got Rose back in the lineup. The Nets kept it up but couldn't overcome Chicago, which won the rebounding battle 50-46.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">NOTES: Williams had dinner with his former Jazz teammate Korver on Wednesday. ... Bulls F Carlos Boozer has missed four straight games with a sprained ankle. ... The Bulls lead the season series 2-1. ... Williams hit a runner at the end of the first quarter. It was originally ruled good but overturned after a videotape review. ... The Bulls wore their St. Patrick's Day green uniforms.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: x-small;"></span></span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-2054319956762262352011-03-15T05:39:00.000-07:002011-03-15T05:39:17.669-07:00Phoenix Petroleum’s PBA entry a big concern for San Miguel<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Phoenix Petroluem, the company keen on taking over the struggling Barako Bull franchise, will have to wait until Friday before knowing the decision of the members of the Philippine Basketball Association board.</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="fullpost" style="display: inline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><br />
But even before its possible entry will be tackled, there’s already a major concern from San Miguel Corporation, a company which also owns one of the biggest players in the petroleum business — Petron.<br />
<br />
This was relayed by PBA board chairman Rene Pardo of B-Meg Derby Ace to GMA News on Monday.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">“Yes, it’s a big concern as SMC also owns a petroleum company," </span>Pardo said in a telephone interview. “I expect board representatives of SMC to raise the issue when the board meets on Friday."<br />
<br />
Before the 36th season started, SMC has notified then PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios of a name change in one of its teams. Petron was supposed to be used by the old Purefoods franchise until a last-minute change was done. The food company instead carried the name B-Meg Derby Ace, a power feeds product.<br />
<br />
A high-ranking official from the league said the entry of Phoenix Petroleum will certainly have an impact on SMC.<br />
<br />
“Malaking epekto, particularly kapag nag-request sila ng name change," said the source, who requested anonymity.<br />
<br />
Direct competition among participants<br />
<br />
But the same source added there’s already a precedent as far as direct competition is concerned.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">“Right from the start, we already saw that and fans were aware of it, too. Crispa and U-Tex are both in the textiles business, so they are competing brands, so as 7-Up and Royal Tru-Orange, which also have PBA teams back in the 70s. Perhaps, the recent direct competitors in the league were Purefoods and Swift,"</span> said the source.<br />
<br />
Another high-ranking official said the lockout policy in advertisements is being connected to the “direct competition rule" being implemented by the league right now.<br />
<br />
“<span style="font-style: italic;">Because of the lockout in advertising, ang thinking ng board, bawal rin ang competing brands from participating in the PBA,</span>" said the source. “There’s no written provision as far as competing brands’ participation is concerned. So it’s really up to the board on how they will interpret the rules on direct competition."<br />
<br />
But Phoenix Petroleum’s possible participation shouldn’t be the only concern to be tackled by the board, according to Pardo.<br />
<br />
“Maybe we should be informed about Barako Bull’s status now," added Pardo. “<span style="font-style: italic;">Part of the condition when the team filed a leave of absence is to give way to Smart Gilas, granting they will return in the third conference."</span><br />
<br />
Barako Bull has filed a leave of absence in the ongoing Commissioner’s Cup, paving the way for the entry of Pilipinas-Smart Gilas.<br />
<br />
The Nationals are likely to play in the PBA for the remainder of the season, but whether they will continue to use the spot of Barako Bull or become the league’s 11th member in the third conference pending the decision of Phoenix Pelroleum’s intention to take over the Photokina franchise remains to be seen.<br />
<br />
League commissioner Atty. Chito Salud said the regular board meeting was reset from Tuesday to Friday with Phoenix Petroleum’s plan to take over Barako and the approval of the terms of reference of the coveror next conference being put on top of the agenda.<br />
<br />
“It was moved to Friday, but of course, Phoenix will be the main topic in the agenda as well as the TOR for the TV coverage next conference," Salud said in a telephone interview. - GMA News</span></span></span></span></span></span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9006550610655143248.post-67151943001494775962011-03-15T05:30:00.001-07:002011-03-15T05:30:35.509-07:00Azkals win on 3-2 aggregate score, PHL advance to the AFC Challenge Cup group stage<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">The stingy Azkals defense came into play in the 2nd half as they denied Mongolia any more goals to seal their advance in this pre-qualifying round where they go up against Myanmar next on March 21.</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="fullpost" style="display: inline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Despite the 1-2 loss to Mongolia Tuesday in the 2nd leg of their AFC Challenge Cup pre-qualifying match in freezing Ulan Bator, the Azkals enjoyed an aggregate 3-2 lead courtesy of their 2-0 win during the 1st leg in Bacolod last month.</span><br />
<br />
The aggregate lead was enough to get the job done for the Azkals to advance. They will be playing Myanmar next.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">At the end of the first half, the Azkals trailed Mongolia's Blue Wolves 1-2 in the 2nd leg of their 2012 AFC Challenge Cup pre-qualifying match in Ulan Bator, Mongolia.</span><br />
<br />
Despite the freezing temperature, the Azkals - came out smoking as James Younghusband scored at the three-minute mark but the Blue Wolves equalized right back with a goal from Donorov Lumbengarav at the 22nd minute.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Blue Wolves drew their 2nd goal at the 33rd minute when keeper Ed Sacapaño blocked a free kick but Mongolia's Bayasgalan scored on the follow-up.</span><br />
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The match was played in freezing temperature on artificial turf in the Mongolian capital. -- GMA News</span></span></span></span></span></span>TULONG PINOYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10329082688882928774noreply@blogger.com0