Friday, December 14, 2018

Retards in the Government 80

It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption and murder in Philippine politics. 


https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1061074/davao-court-orders-trillanes-arrest-for-libel
Trillanes is facing a case for libel before Judge Melinda Alconcel-Dayanghirang of Davao RTC Branch 150. The case was lodged by Presidential son Paolo Duterte.
The Duterte family is coming after Trillanes.  Like father, like son.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1061047/29-central-visayas-cities-towns-on-election-watch-list
How much blood will be spilt in the Visayas this coming election?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1061201/2-bir-employees-arrested-for-p2m-direct-bribery
A report from the PACC said Bethshiba Bautista, an officer of the BIR Revenue District Office, and BIR examiner Rachel Villanueva were arrested in an entrapment operation in the agency’s office in Manila. 
The suspects allegedly demanded P2 million from a certain company to settle its tax liabilities. 
But only P500,000 will be given to the government while the remaining P1.5 million will be pocketed by the suspects, the PACC said.
If it's entrapment then how is it legal? Was it a real bribe or was it fake? That makes all the difference in the world.
https://www.rappler.com/nation/218471-mayoral-bet-bulacan-andre-santos-surrenders-after-20-hour-standoff-swat-team
A mayoral candidate in Marilao, Bulacan, Andre Santos, surrendered to a SWAT team on Friday, December 7, after a 20-hour standoff at his home in Barangay Poblacion 2. 
Bulacan police director Senior Superintendent Chito Bersaluna said a team from the local police was set to serve a warrant of arrest against Santos for qualified theft on Thursday evening, but he locked himself up in a room at the second floor of his residence.  
Initial reports said that Santos, a former vice mayor, was armed with a gun and a grenade, preventing prohibiting the team from conducting the arrest and prompting a request for additional police force. 
Santos' friends from the local police, as well as Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino Sy Alvarado, tried but failed to convince him to surrender.
The suspect later tried to request for media and other personalities to negotiate his surrender. One of the names he requested was former Special Assistant to the President and senatorial candidate Bong Go.
A former vice mayor wanted for theft and armed with a grenade and a gun holds he cops at bay for 20 hours while hoping to get Bong Go to speak up on his behalf! Hilarious! Surely he will win the election.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1061319/silay-city-govt-takes-down-bong-go-tarp-for-lack-of-permit
The Silay City government has taken down the tarpaulin of senatorial candidate Bong Go at the plaza for failing to secure a permit. 
It was instead reinstalled along the road going to the airport since doing so would not require any permit. 
Golez said he informed the donor, Dindo Ilagan, about the ordinance before the billboard was removed by members of the Office of Building Official (OBO).
Ilagan was not aware of the existing ordinance. 
“It was never the intention of the City Government to offend anyone, most especially, SAP Bong Go, but merely to apply the rule of law fairly and squarely to all,” said Golez.
Funny how the mayor was so apologetic to Bong Go for removing his banner that he even supervised its reinstallation elsewhere! Funny how the man who sponsored this banner didn't know about city ordinances or care to inquire about city ordinances before installing this eyesore in the city plaza!

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1061338/abra-town-mayor-vice-mayor-suspended-over-anomalous-road-project
The Abra provincial board has slapped Lagayan town mayor Jendricks Luna and his wife, Vice Mayor Joy Chrisma Luna, with a six-month suspension over an allegedly fraudulent road project worth P1.07 million.
A town where husband and wife rule the roost!

https://business.inquirer.net/261866/ph-still-lagging-behind-peers-in-attracting-foreign-investments
“There are signs that the election of President Duterte in the Philippines is scaring off foreign investors and the situation is unlikely to improve when he is gone. The country has a poor history when it comes to electing competent governments,” Capital Economics said in its Long-Term Global Economic Outlook report for 2019. 
The latest Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data, meanwhile, showed actual FDI inflows jumped 31 percent to $7.4 billion as of August, such that economic managers were expecting this year’s haul to breach the record $10 billion posted last year. 
But the Asean Investment Report 2018 report showed that actual FDI inflows to the Philippines in 2017 were dwarfed by Singapore’s $62 billion, Indonesia’s $23.1 billion, as well as Vietnam’s $14.1 billion.
Nothing new here.  See this article from July:

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/07/16/1833929/philippines-asean-laggard-fdi
International observers and domestic economists are making different pronouncements about the economy. Who is right? Who do you trust? Duterte's yes men or the men who observe the trends within the world's economies?

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/171872/lorenzana-ph-lacks-military-might-but-has-friends-in-us-asean
“It’s still the biggest strength of the Philippines, this alliance with the United States,” Lorenzana said, answering a question seeking his reaction to President Duterte’s statements that the Philippines could not go to war with China. 
“In his frustration, I think he said that we can’t fight China but he knows we have some options here,” Lorenzana said, citing the Philippines’ regional and US alliance. 
The defense chief also cited increased military cooperation with Australia and Japan.
Duterte wants to deepen Chinese foreign relations and especially economic investments in the Philippines but a the same time he is keeping the US and other allies at arms length just in case he needs them to give China a beat down? This is what happens when you have no single policy regarding China or the WPS. The Duterte doctrine is "whatever."

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1061416/de-oro-mayor-arraigned
The Sandiganbayan’s Second Division on Friday arraigned Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno on 13 graft cases, even as it reset the start of pretrial on seven other graft charges. 
The 20 graft cases involved transactions with private companies made by the Cagayan de Oro City government which were alleged to be grossly disadvantageous to the government and resulted in multimillion peso losses. 
Complainants against Moreno alleged that the mayor bypassed the city council in allocating funds for the projects and kept the council in the dark. 
Moreno faces a total of 79 graft cases, which are currently lodged at the Sandiganbayan, Court of Appeals, Supreme Court and the Office of the President. 
Moreno said his detractors just wanted to disrupt his official functions as mayor by filing a barrage of cases against him. 
“They want to make my life difficult, to taint my name,” he said.
This mayor faces 79 graft charges but apparently they are all fake and designed to taint his name. He is an innocent man. Hopefully he will file countersuits against his accusers once he is cleared of all guilt. 
http://politics.com.ph/robredo-jollibee-pldt-bishops-jesuit-educated-millennials-part-of-oust-duterte-plot-paolo-duterte-says
Former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte has bared a massive opposition network, including several yellow politikos, Catholic bishops and companies, allegedly seeking to oust President Duterte from office. 
A copy of the list, titled “ANTI-ADMINISTRATION GROUP, OUST DUTERTE MOVEMENT,” was posted on Facebook by the President’s son who claimed he wanted to share it online. 
Among those identified in the alleged oust Duterte plot are Vice President Leni Robredo, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, former Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, Senators Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros, former Senator Francisco Tatad, and several former government officials allied with former President Aquino. 
Also implicated in the list were seven Catholic prelates namely Bishop Broderick Pabilo, Bishop Leo Drona, Bishop Antonio Tobias, Bishop Deogracias IƱiguez, Bishop Julio Xavier Labayen, Bishop Pablo David and Bishop Arturo Santos. 
The companies mentioned in the list are Jollibee Food Corp, Dole Philippines, PLDT, Philsaga Mining Corp., General Tuna Corp., and Sumi Philipines Wiring System. 
“Millennial students studying at Jesuit-run schools” were also mentioned in the list.
Paolo Duterte has posted on his Facebook page a bizarre and now deleted series of photos of an Excel spreadsheet purportedly exposing a dangerous plot to oust Duterte which involves Jollibee, General Tuna, PLDT, and "Millenial students studying at Jesuit-run schools." It's fun to laugh at and would be a funny piece of satire if it weren't for the fact that people are stupid enough to believe this is true and in the Philippines people who end up on lists end  up being assassinated. The list mentions Opus Dei and makes it appear as if it's one big Jesuit conspiracy. This is all the more ironic seeing as Paolo is a Freemason and every single revolution since the American Revolution has been Freemasonic in nature even the Philippine Revolution. The Freemasons have been linked to about as many conspiracies as the Jesuits and are just as nefarious an organisation.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1062106/lorenzana-paolo-dutertes-anti-administration-list-is-fake-news
“The first time I saw that posting: I said it’s fake news. I still maintain that is fake news,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the handover rites for the Balangiga Bells on Tuesday at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City. 
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo defended Paolo’s decision to post the list, saying it was part of his “freedom of expression.”
The President's son published a list of alleged concurtors to oust his dad and everyone knows its fake and a lie even the DND Sec. But the Presidential Spokesman says its his freedom of expression showing that Panelo has no idea what freedom of expression entails. It does not mean you can slander or lie.
https://www.philstar.com/nation/2018/12/06/1874715/security-tightened-maguindanao-after-ambush-local-candidates
The political allies Khadafy Pendi, Amelia Abo and Hammy Manabilang were in a car en route to Cotabato City when gunmen opened fire while their driver was maneuvering through a busy stretch of a highway in Marhaban area in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao. 
The incident prompted Chief Superintendent Graciano Mijares of the Police Regional Office-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division to tighten security in areas where candidates are locked in deep-seated rivalries.
Election violence in the ARMM. Thank goodness for martial law, right?

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/171915/palace-return-of-balangiga-bells-shows-us-a-true-friend-of-the-philippines
Yeah and how many times has Duterte told the US to f-off? The Philippines is a fair-weather friend unlike the US though I do not think the return of these bells, rightfully taken during war, has anything to do with friendship.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1062068/palace-return-of-balangiga-bells-due-to-dutertes-political-will
“Many have tried but it is our President’s strong political will and unquestionable dedication in asserting the rights of our country and its people which significantly contributed to this event coming into fruition,” Panelo said in a statement.
Look at Duterte trying to take all the credit for this action by the US. The bells could not have been returned since a US law was passed which barred the removal of articles of war. This law only recently expired but no one spoke up and had it reinstated. This loss of a piece of American history and monument to the war dead is due to weak and/or ignorant politicians in DC and has nothing whatsoever to do with Duterte's political will.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1062034/return-of-balangiga-bells-shouldve-come-with-us-apology-zarate
“US should also issue an official and public apology for the atrocities they committed in Samar during the Philippine-American War and compensate the descendants of the victims,” Zarate said in a statement.
First blacks and now Filipinos want reparations from the US government. It's never enough for these type of people.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1062376/cops-arrest-north-cotabato-town-execs-during-anti-drugs-operations
Chief Supt. Eliseo Tam Rasco, police director for Region 12, said police backed up by soldiers arrested Robert F. Herbilla, municipal secretary and Amelito O. Daquipil, municipal administrative assistant at 5 a.m. Wednesday.
Local government officials involved with drugs.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1062299/house-to-take-its-time-probing-insertions-in-2019-budget
After being “rushed” to pass the 2019 national budget, the House of Representatives (HOR) will now “take its time” to scrutinize  amid allegations that  billions of pesos of “pork” have been inserted in the budget, House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. said Wednesday.
Pork insertions in the budget. Corruption still rampant. No wonder the Senate won't be passing the budget anytime soon.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1062575/tribal-leader-survives-maguindanao-gun-attack
Mukaram said Andig, a tribal leader of Teduray community, was about to take his horse around 8 p.m. when an armed man approached and shot him four times. 
As Andig fell to the ground, the gunman fled with the victim’s horse. Andig sustained four bullet injuries from an M-14 rifle.
While he is not an elected official he is still a leader. Perhaps this was just a horse thief? So much for that tightened security.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1062743/maguindanao-village-councilor-hurt-in-gun-attack
Senior Supt. Madzgani Mukaram, Maguindanao police director, said Samsudin Abdulkarim, 49, village council member of Barangay Satan, Shariff Aguak, was driving his dump truck when the gunmen on board a black sedan car blocked his path. 
One of the suspects alighted and sprayed Abdulkarim’s dump truck with bullets, using an M-16 Armalite rifle, police said.
The tightened security is really working good. Not.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1062740/north-cotabato-village-treasurer-gunned-down
Supt. Joan Maganto, Midsayap town police chief, identified the victim as Ahmad Kumayog, 43, treasurer of Barangay Mudsing and an active peace advocate working for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).
A peace worker violent gunned down while riding his motorbike home.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1778535/Manila/Local-News/Ex-PDEA-exec-others-charged-over-shabu-smuggling
Among the principal respondents of the case were former senior superintendent Eduardo Paderon Acierto, former PDEA deputy director general for administration Ismael Gonzales Fajardo Jr., former Customs intelligence agent Jimmy Guban, Police Inspector Lito Pirote, and Joseph Dimayuga. 
Where is ex-BOC Secretary LapeƱa?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1062849/no-evidence-linking-lapena-to-p11-b-shabu-smuggling-pdea
“We have not seen any evidence that will link former Commissioner LapeƱa sa mga kaso and that is why he was not included in the filing of the case,” Aquino said. 
The PDEA chief said his legal team reviewed all the evidence but could not find any that would link LapeƱa. 
As for possible administrative liability, Aquino said they would forward copies of their complaint to the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) and the Ombudsman.
“I think they have more authority to file administrative cases if there is,” Aquino told reporters.
Yes this all happened right under his nose and he had no idea whatsoever. So he is incompetent. Why is he still a member of the cabinet then? Why did Duterte transfer this incompetent man to another position in the cabinet?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1061987/andanar-in-past-admin-pna-committed-around-200-mistakes
Every month, the state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA) committed around 200 mistakes during the past administration. 
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar disclosed this when confronted during plenary debates at the Senate Monday about the recent blunders of the PNA. 
“According to Sec. Andanar, yes, the mistakes that you pointed out were honest mistakes and that they have already done some reforms and they had even disciplined and charged even some employees in the process,” said Sen. JV Ejercito, who was defending the PCOO’s budget on the floor. 
“And likewise he said, during the past administration, there are about 200 mistakes every month committed by the PNA.”
In order to cover for and excuse the many mistakes made by the PCOO Andanar brings up the faults of the past administration which has zero bearing on what is happening during his tenure as PCOO Secretary. And Senator Ejercito bought it!

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1063021/want-killings-to-stop-drop-drugs-itll-end-tomorrow-duterte
“If you want these killings stopped, if you want to live peacefully, if you are afraid of EJKs (extrajudicial killings)… just drop it (drugs) and it will end tomorrow. I assure you,” he added.
Woooooo!!! What a madman!  What a beast! He will stop killing you if you just stop doing drugs.



The Philippines political scandal of the week is without doubt the unprecedented acquittal of Bong Revilla. Unprecedented? Maybe it's not unprecedented. The justice system is completely out of whack and just because Imelda was convicted (but not in prison) and the cops who killed Kian de los Santos were convicted does not mean the justice system is "working."  Here  are the headlines.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1060934/after-plunder-acquittal-revilla-posts-p480k-bail-for-16-other-graft-cases
Revilla was accused of pocketing money from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) when he allocated around P224 million to non-existent non-government organizations owned by Janet Lim Napoles. 
But the Sandiganbayan ruled the prosecution failed to prove that Revilla, an actor-turned-politician, was guilty of plunder beyond reasonable doubt.   
One the other hand, the anti-graft court convicted his co-accused — Napoles and Revilla’s former staff Richard Cambe.  
One case down 16 more to go. And he is still running for the Senate.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1061045/sandigan-orders-accused-to-return-p124-m-to-natl-treasury
So, who owes the government P124.5 million — former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Janet Lim-Napoles, or Richard Cambe? 
This question emerged as it remains unclear who among the three should return the amount to the National Treasury as the Sandiganbayan acquitted Revilla while it convicted Napoles and Cambe, a former staff Revilla. 
Revilla, Napoles, and Cambe were all named accused in the P10-billion pork barrel scam. 
In the dispositive portion of the decision penned by Associate Justice Geraldine Faith Econg, the Sandiganbayan Special First Division ordered: 
“Moreover, in view of the discussion above, and pursuant to Article 100 of the Revised Penal Code, accused are held solidarily and jointly liable to return to the National Treasury the amount of PhP 124,500,000.00.” 
The ruling noticeably did not categorically state who among the three accused should return the P124.5 million to the National Treasury or if the three should split the bill.
With Revilla acquitted and only Napoles and Cambe convicted (so far but do you really think Enrile and Estrada will be convicted?) who is liable to pay back the money?  Where the heck is the money anyway? 


https://www.rappler.com/nation/218408-jinggoy-estrada-hopes-to-follow-suit-after-bong-revilla-acquittal
Of course he does!
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1777659
This man still has 16 graft charges against him! He should not be running for the Senate and anyone who votes for him is a fool.

Using ‘acquitted’ instead of ‘not guilty’ provides a huge difference in the appreciation of the case against Revilla. 
A ‘not guilty’ verdict means that the accused is definitely innocent from the cases hurled against him or her , whereas an ‘acquittal’ merely says that there was a failure to prove an accused is guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
Acquitted but not guilt free? If they think he is guilty then why didn't they convict him? If they are ordering him to pay back the money then why didn't they go all the way and convict?
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1061099/why-the-govts-plunder-case-vs-revilla-was-lost
The Court added that the “prosecution left so many gaps in the data that it should have plugged in order for us to reach a certain degree of certainty that the monies deposited in the account did not come from any other source but from Napoles through Cambe, excluding all possibilities of the sources of deposits.”
Because the prosecution did not do a proper job in presenting a solid case. They did not rebut the evidence that the signatures of Revilla were forged nor did they prove that the money, millions of pesos, moving into his accounts came from the PDAF money. But the justices knew about the money. If the money did not come from PDAF where did it come from and how likely is it that Revilla's assistant, Cambe, was operating a huge scheme under his boss' nose using a fund to which only Revilla had access? Oh but that's just speculation and not hard facts!
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1061273/2-justices-lament-inconclusive-amlc-report-on-bong-revillas-p87-6m-bank-deposits
De la Cruz said Revilla did not give an explanation as to how he and his family managed to make deposits worth P87.6 million in only 30 days. 
“The Court cannot engage in guesswork and conjecture that Revilla was monetarily capable to make such deposits and investments out of his income from being a senator, producer and actor. He did not present an iota of evidence of his financial capacity,” De la Cruz said. 
“Revilla met the evidence against him with nothing more than either denial or silence,” he added. 
Estoesta and De la Cruz said Revilla should have been convicted along with Cambe and Napoles because they conspired to divert funds from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to bogus non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
De la Cruz said with the numerous communications between Revilla’s office, the Commission on Audit and the supposed NGOs, it would be improbable for Revilla not to know about it. 
“Revilla is a seasoned senator. He is not naive to allow Napoles and Cambe to solely steer the course of a PDAF,” he said. 
He added that PDAF was a fund allocated to Revilla by virtue of his office thus Napoles or Cambe cannot dip their hands into it by themselves. 
“They needed Revilla,” De la Cruz said.
All this damning circumstantial evidence and they voted to acquit. Why? What more do they need? A video?
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1061081/judge-who-acquitted-revilla-clarifies-i-would-love-to-convict-him
For failure of the prosecution to establish beyond reasonable doubt that accused Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. received, directly or indirectly, the rebates, commission, and kickbacks from his PDAF, the Court cannot hold him liable for the crime of plunder.  Accordingly, he is acquitted,” she said. 
However, Econg stressed that it was the fault of the prosecution for not proving the allegations against Revilla. 
“In other words, lack of direct evidence should not be an opportunity for one to fall for the convenient lure of suspicion in the determination of an accused’s liability for the crime charged,” the associate justice said in the decision. 
“Moreover, the evidence of the other camp submitted by the prosecution did not exclude the possibilities that he did not commit the crime,” she added later, during the interview.
Lack of direct evidence? So where did the money come for that was in his bank account? And why does the court still rule that Revilla must repay the money if he is not guilty of stealing it?
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1061326/jinggoy-says-he-and-revilla-were-victims-of-selective-justice
“We are really victims of selective justice.” 
Former Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Saturday said this when asked if he and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. could return in the Senate in 2019. 
With this, Estrada hoped that the public could still vote for them in the 2019 elections, noting that they were victimized by the past administration. 
“Sana, nasa taong bayan, kung tatangkilikin kami alam naman ng taong bayan nagpag kaisahan kami ng administrasyon,” Estrada told radio station, DWIZ. 
Estrada also said he has yet to reunite with Revilla, noting that he wants to campaign with him for the 2019 elections.
In the Philippines the criminals are the real victims.

Thursday, December 13, 2018

More Fil-Am Identity Politics

A double mindedness persists when it comes to Fil-Ams and their identity. It's right their in the descriptive. Fil. Am. Filipino and American. One word excludes the other. You cannot be a Filipino and an American nor can you be an American and a Filipino. Ever hear of a Brit-Fil or an Am-Fil? No you have not. So what to make of a Fil-Mex-Am?

https://usa.inquirer.net/17061/filipina-mexican-american-mom-wins-west-covina-california-council-seat
Letty Lopez, a 36-year-old mother of two, ousted incumbent city council member Mike Spence in West Covina District 2, in the last midterm elections, becoming the first Filipino-Mexican- American councilwoman of West Covina, California
Lopez, a senior director for the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks for 13 years, is married to a Filipino. Her mother is from Manila and her late father was from Mexico.
No doubt this lady will be the ONLY Fil-Mex-Am councilwoman in West Covina or anywhere for a long time to come. Honestly how often would you get the quadruple threat of a Mex-Fil-Am woman? Not as common as a Fil-Am woman like this lady who also won a seat on a the council of a California city.
https://usa.inquirer.net/17006/fil-am-becomes-only-woman-city-councilor-of-artesia-california
Filipina American Melissa Ramoso on Wednesday, November 21, declared victory on winning a seat as the only woman on the Artesia, California City Council. 
“It has been such an incredible journey, and I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone before the Thanksgiving Holiday for their love and support.  I am deeply humbled to be one of Artesia’s newest Council members,” said Ramoso in a statement.  “I promise to work hard to justify Artesians confidence in me, keep residents informed about what the city is doing, and ask for their input as new projects and issues arise.  My door will always be open.” 
“I love the hometown feel that it has, and the people, and pride that many residents show and express,” Ramoso previously told the Asian Journal during her campaign. “I want to keep that spirit, in addition to making the city grow and be innovative as our families grow as well,” she added. 
Being one of Los Angeles County’s Gateway Cities, Artesia is home to numerous ethnic enclaves, including the Filipino community which makes up the majority of Artesia’s Asian population. 
There are also the Portuguese and Dutch communities who first settled in the area in the early 1920s and 1930. The burgeoning South Asian community along Pioneer Boulevard is the largest Indian enclave in Southern California.
The make up of this city is like this:
45.8% of the residents of Artesia are foreign-born, and 25.2% are not US citizens. 
For Europeans, 9.4% of Artesia is of Portuguese ancestry, with 49.4% of those foreign-born. Dutch is the second most commonly reported European ancestry at 4.6%. 
27.4% of Artesia is of Asian ancestry. The most commonly reported ancestries are Filipino 10.4%, Chinese 5.1%, Asian Indian 4.6%, and Korean 4.5%.
With a solid block of foreign born residents most of whom are Filipino is it any wonder this lady won a seat on the city council?  Who is she thanking but the Filipino community? And what will they require of her?

Back to the Mex-Fil-Am woman. Its's kind of funny that her mom is from Manila and her dad is from Mexico. Mexico and the Philippines were both Spanish colonies and the people in those nations are for the most part mestizos! Spanish blood runs thick diluting the blood of both the Mexican and Filipino natives. But make no mistake. This lady was born in the USA and knows nothing but the USA.  She is an American. Except for when the alleged homeland wants to claim her. Kind of like these students at Virgina Tech.
https://usa.inquirer.net/17068/virginia-tech-sorry-for-using-photo-of-fil-ams-in-flyer-for-foreign-students
However, the photo used was taken at the International Street Fair last spring. All of the Filipino students in the photo are all American, not international students. 
According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the issue gained attention after Rajni Kapania, a junior majoring in business information technology, posted the flyer with the caption, “VT stays disrespecting minorities when literally NONE of these students are international … when is this gonna end” 
The Asian American Student Union, a Virginia Tech organization that umbrellas 13 other student organizations, released a statement on social media that said “microaggressions make it difficult to feel a sense of community, especially at a predominately white institution (PWI). A university is supposed to be a (home) away from home for students. When Virginia Tech advertises a false narrative, it supports the idea that those who look foreign do not fit the image of an ‘American’. (sic)”
These people want to have their cake and eat it too. These Fil-Ams were photographed where? At the INTERNATIONAL STREET FAIR! And who takes offence?  THE ASIAN AMERICAN Student Union.  There is a Filipino American Student Union at Virgnia Tech.
Founded in 1988, The Filipino American Student Association (FASA) is an organization formed to enhance interactions between Filipinos and other students, faculty, and staff of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University through cultural, educational, and social activities.
http://www.vtfasa.org.vt.edu
These AMERICANS refer to themselves as FILIPINOS.  No doubt they take advantage of all the amenities that comes with being an American and have absolutely no idea what it is to be a Filipino except for the food like this lechon they have pictured on their web page.

Is it any wonder they would be mistaken for international students when they are photographed at an international street fair and have a club that presents them as international students?

But it seems I started this article off wrong.  You really can be a Fil-Am. You really can have your cake and eat it too.
https://usa.inquirer.net/17097/becoming-dual-citizens-having-the-best-of-both-worlds
Romulo A. Alejandro became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1992, following the established legal processes. During the oath-taking, he says there was a brief twinge of sadness as he was renouncing his allegiance to the country where he was born and raised. He was reminded, he recalls, of an oration entitled “I am a Filipino and Proud to be One.” 
However, it did not take long for him to fully realize that “I am an American and I am Proud to be One.” 
“Becoming an American became very real when I voted for the first time as an American,” Alejandro adds. “I felt then that I had a voice that counted in an election process that was not rigged. I made a conscious and deliberate decision to embrace the American culture. It was time to assimilate not isolate with my fellow Filipinos. To me this is the only way to live and be an American.” 
In 2015, Alejandro was advised that to own property in the Philippines, he had to be a Filipino citizen. Under existing laws of the U.S. and the Philippines, dual citizenship is allowed. However, there is actually no U.S. Immigration statute that specifically addresses this issue. So, he applied for dual citizenship. As a result, he is now a citizen of both the United States of America and the Philippines. 
It is like “having your cake and eating it too, and having the best of both worlds,” Alejandro muses. “I say unequivocally and with strong pride and conviction that I am an American and a Filipino and I feel great. I simply say, I am a Filipino by birth and an American by choice!” 
Like Alejandro, Eleanor Macalma of Richmond, Virginia. has also applied for dual citizenship. “At first, I did it for the properties in the Philippines which we are trying to update and upgrade,” she explains. “Also, my husband and I are preparing for retirement in the Philippines, which will be economically be better for us.  When I took my oath to become a Filipino citizen again, it was very emotional for me as national pride swelled in my heart. I am home again where I was born and raised to be an adult. The heart never left. Being an American citizen gave me the chance to raise my family and avail of many opportunities. It’s a good feeling now that I have two countries, I can call home.” 
To Maria Lourdes Moody, becoming a dual citizen means being able to work in both countries without applying for work permits or visas. “Now I can purchase properties, go back to school, work, vote and elect leaders,” she points out. “My family owned several properties in the Philippines, and I am going back to invest more. More than that, what I had learned as an American is the power to vote, and I will certainly exercise my duty as a returning Filipino.”
There is so much to unpack in this article. Where to begin? These people took an oath of citizenship to become citizens of the United States of America.  But then......whoopsie!.....they found out only Filipino citizens can own real property, land, in the Philippines!  What to do? Become a dual citizen!

Eleanor Macalma wants to retire in the Philippines with her husband because it "will be economically better for us." No kidding!! The Philippine Peso is worthless and if you are bringing in social security retirement plus a pension you will be doing great!

All three of these people want to own land but after living in the USA they should prepare themselves for all the shady dealings with realtors who routinely issue fake titles.

Dual citizenship of course means double the taxes. What a headache. Why become an American in the first place if your plan is to return to the Philippines? Read the quote from Eleanor:
When I took my oath to become a Filipino citizen again, it was very emotional for me as national pride swelled in my heart. I am home again where I was born and raised to be an adult. The heart never left. Being an American citizen gave me the chance to raise my family and avail of many opportunities. It’s a good feeling now that I have two countries, I can call home.
If home is where the heart is and if her heart never left the Philippines then her home is the Philippines and not the USA. She admits she used the USA to raise her children and "avail of many opportunities." What could those opportunities possibly be except the opportunities to earn more money than she would ever earn in the Philippines? It's like a scam. And we all know Filipinos are good at scamming stupid white men out of their money.

These people have no loyalty.  Not to the Philippines. Not to the USA. Not even to themselves. Who do they want to be? What do they want to be? Filipinos or Americans?

Choose. But choose wisely.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Christmas Banner Delivery

Driving down the road I saw this truck and thought nothing of it except, "Oh boy it's more fools sitting on top of a moving truck!"



But as we overtook it and I got a good look at the cargo it occurred to me that there might just be something special here. 


It appeared these men were transporting banners of some sort.  Christmas banners perhaps?



Oh yes that's exactly what they were. I had to drive by this spot again later and view their finished work. 

They erected a huge banner with the smiling face of Senator Ejercito.


Across the street was another! They did have a whole truckload of banners to offload and display around town. They might have erected more truckloads since I saw them in action. 


Interestingly even though Senator Ejercito's face is on this picture he might not be aware of the existence of this Christmas banner. The fine print on the bottom gives the name of the donor of this banner.


I have no idea how this works to be honest. Did Ernesto Hinojas finance these banners himself? Or did he donate to the campaign to specifically sponsor these banners? It's a strange thing to have on a political banner.  Apparently Ernesto Hinjoas Sr. is connected with the local gamefowl industry. Beyond that there is hardly any information available online. He does not seem to be a local politician.

People do not do anything for free. In looking at a situation like this, any situation really, one must ask, "Cui bono?" Who benefits? Is there really that good a benefit for these politicians to inundate an area with these Christmas banners? Certainly the people do not benefit from having these idiotic and garish signs plastered all over the city. There really ought to be laws passed regulating this kind of signage. 

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Martial Law: Extortion/Extension

Well, it's finally happened. Of course we all knew it was coming. 
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1060991/duterte-asks-congress-to-extend-mindanao-martial-law-until-end-2019
“Yes,” Medialdea said when asked if Duterte has approved the recommendation of the police and military for extension of martial law in the region. 

“[It’s] one year and [in] Mindanao,” he added.
One year? What need for a one year extension when the AFP has said they will end the insurgency by the Q2 of next year? 
“We will support the statement of the President to put an end to the insurgency problem by the second quarter in 2019. We have basis because of the number of surrenderees that we have experience which is overwhelming in the area of 10th ID alone,” he said. 
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1767533/Davao/Local-News/Army-Insurgency-problem-to-end-in-2019
Has Duterte lost faith in the abilities of the AFP? No. He is only following their own recommendation.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/12/04/1874056/afp-pnp-back-another-year-martial-law
Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief, said local government units, regional peace and order councils and other agencies, including the Commission on Elections (Comelec), are supporting the move. 
He added that there is actually a clamor for such extension for at least one more year, considering the continuing threat “lurking” in Mindanao. 
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte might be persuaded to seek another extension because of the support shown by various sectors, including the citizens of Mindanao, for the proposal. 
“The President will always evaluate whatever recommendations the AFP and the PNP will give him. But given the support of martial law in Mindanao, even by a Catholic bishop and the citizens there, the President may be persuaded to grant, to approve their recommendation. But of course, again, that is the prerogative of the President,” Panelo said at yesterday’s press briefing.
And the AFP is only following the desires of the people of Mindanao. To be sure the Palace did give lip service to "rebellion." 
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1061146/palace-on-martial-law-extension-rebellion-still-persists-in-mindanao
With martial law in Mindanao, Panelo said: “we have achieved substantial progress in addressing the rebellion in Mindanao, as well as promoting the overall security and peace and order situation therein, which even led to noteworthy economic developments in the locality.” 
“Despite these, however, rebellion still persists and the public safety compels our Commander-in-Chief to push through with the exercise of these constitutionally-sanctioned powers in order to serve and protect our nation and its people,” he said. 
A halt may only frustrate the progress we are witnessing in Mindanao and may even strengthen the rebellion and propel it to other parts of the country,” he added.
How is the government defining rebellion? The NPA, a rebel group seeking the overthrow of the Philippine government, is active in every area of the country and has been so for 50 years. Duterte even sent more troops to locations in the Visayas because of the NPA threat. Rebellion exists nationwide so why not declare nationwide martial law if the basis is rebellion? 

The NPA is a very evil group. First they announce  a Christmas truce.

http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/12/07/CPP-NPA-holiday-truce-50th-anniversary-2018.html
But then they continue with their criminal ways attempting to destroy the businesses who will not pay their extortion money.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1060897/6-guards-hurt-as-npas-attack-banana-processing-plant-in-north-cotabato
“It was harassment by NPAs because the firm ignores extortion demand from the rebels,” Supt. Bernard Tayong, speaking for provincial police, told the Inquirer. 
“It is always like that, if rebels extort or demand revolutionary tax from multi-national companies they resort to burning of equipment or harassment.”
These extortion activities were also given as a reason for requesting a one year martial law extension.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/12/10/1875727/pnp-npa-extortion-another-reason-ml-extension
Defending their recommendation of a one-year extension, he explained that the rebels have been engaged in extortion and other criminal activities even before the campaign season kicks in. 
“Sometimes it can go beyond the election period, that’s why I think it’s in a better position to extend martial law to a year,” Durana said. 
The presence of additional security forces in Mindanao will also help prevent election-related violence perpetrated by private armed groups. 
The PNP is monitoring about 77 such armed groups in the country, 72 of which are located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). 
Durana said the presence of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, Maute and Abu Sayyaf is another reason why they want martial law extended. 
“These are the inputs, reasons why we recommended (martial law) for another year,” he said.
The NPA has been extorting money for decades and the private armed groups and the Muslim groups have been causing havoc for years as well. With a year and a half of martial law already come and gone how exactly will another year of martial law take care of these problems? What powers will the AFP have under martial law which will enable them to annihilate these groups that they do not have without martial law? As it is they can send troops wherever be needed without martial law. They can engage the NPA and the Islamic groups without martial law. They can assist the PNP if so required. What exactly is the plan?

Duterte has called for the formation of death squads to combat the NPA because they have been killing PNP and AFP personnel but surely those harried business who refuse to pay extortion to the NPA will take a shine to such an idea. Despite the NPA's Sparrow unit being out of existence for three years the AFP will be forming an anti-Sparrow unit.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1059785/militarys-intel-units-to-serve-as-core-of-govt-hit-squads-vs-npa
The core of this would be intelligence units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Merong Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. They can form the core of anti-sparrow units,” he said in an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source. 
Some quarters are saying to let civilians do it. But no, they might take upon themselves, they might think they have a blanket authority to kill anybody. I want soldiers to be our anti-sparrow unit members and they should be supervised by officers. It should be carefully vetted, ang go signal ay galing sa opisyal para may accountability,” he noted.
Of course civilians should not be involved in the formation of any death squad. The entire unit should be composed of special forces. Funny that Loreznana says the intelligence units would form the core of the anti-sparrow units. Isn't the point to take action? Isn't the point to decimate the NPA? It's not as if the AFP's intelligence units are worth the billions that are spent on them each year. Remember how they ignored intelligence reports which lead to the Marawi siege which lead to where the nation is today? Even now AFP intelligence has no idea what is going on.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1059840/govt-checking-report-about-foreign-fighters-in-mindanao-lorenzana
In an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said there are reports of foreign fighters coming in but these are still unconfirmed. 
“We have a very porous southern border. The news is that, although we cannot confirm it on the ground, there are incursions from neighboring countries Indonesia and Malaysia. But we are still validating this news,” he said Tuesday. 
The news actually came from abroad. There is an agency in Singapore that monitors the terrorists from Syria, Middle East. It said that some of them are moving to Mindanao. We take it as maybe not really true or a sure thing but we are validating just the same,” he also said. 
While he sees it as a cause of concern, the defense chief appeared confident there may be only a few foreign fighters in the country. 
Not that many because we cannot find them. Maybe a handful of them are scattered in Sulu, maybe in Central Mindanao and Basilan,” he said.
Throughout the year reports have been trickling in about foreign fighters flocking to fight in the Philippines.  It is the new land of jihad. Why is the AFP still validating thee reports? Funny how he says there aren't "that many because we cannot find them." That is the kind of logic that has doomed this country and allows both the communist and the Muslim insurgencies to continue unabated.

There may or may not be a joint session of Congress to discuss and vote on Duterte's proposed martial law extension. Senator Zubiri is not too keen on a joint session.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1060967/zubiri-joint-session-on-martial-law-extension-may-derail-budget-passage
“That will delay the budget schedule because we start 10 in the morning everyday. Definitely it will delay because we have to travel siyempre pupunta kami sa Kongreso para sa joint session dahil diyan talagang maaantala ang passage of the budget on Wednesday,” Zubiri told reporters in an interview.
The Congress needs to get its act together. The House just sent the budget to the Senate because they have been dragging their feet with other issues like charter change. But the Senate has been bogged down with silly investigations which have born little or no fruit and not to mention they shut down last week just to watch a basketball game! Zubiri may not realise this but his job as a Senator is a public trust and if he has to work 12 hour days to get the budget passed then he and his fellow Senators better smile and do it with gusto because that comes with the territory. 

But we all know that is not how the government works or politicians think in this country.

Monday, December 10, 2018

Bawal Umihi Dito 10

Maybe this series should have been titled "Don't piss here!" Oh wait. It is!  That is what "Bawal Umihi Dito" means if you did not know. This is the 10th post in this occasional photo series.