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w w w. a s i a n Volume 25 - No. 8 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages

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DATELINE

USA

from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

Justice Dept. sues California over ‘sanctuary’ policies Trump administration claims three ‘sanctuary’ laws violate the Constitution

the U.s. Department of Justice (DoJ) on tuesday, march 7 filed a lawsuit against the state of california and two high-ranking state officials over so-called “sanctuary” policies that it said unlawfully protect undocumented immigrants against deportation. the lawsuit called out three recently-passed state laws that, according to the trump administration, have hampered the federal government’s enforcement of immigration law. “california, we have a problem,” U.s. Attorney general Jeff sessions said at a gathering of law enforcement organizations in sacramento. “the Department of Justice and the trump administration are going to fight these unjust, unfair and unconstitutional policies that have been imposed on you.” the three laws the administration is challenging include sB 54, the all-encompassing “sanctuary state” law that restricted law enforcement from sharing information with federal agents

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US official stresses rule of law amid combating drug menace the rule of law must always serve as the “benchmark” in prosecuting suspected drug personalities, a United states official has reminded the Philippines, whose government is conducting an intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

Upon his visit in manila, U.s. Department of homeland security (Dhs) Undersecretary and counterterrorism coordinator David J. glawe has met with senior Philippine officials, including Philippine Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. In an interview with reporters on friday, march 2, glawe said he discussed with Aguirre a wide range of security issues, including drug menace.

“We did talk about the importance of the rule of law…the benchmark of the U.s. law enforcement is the U.s. constitution,” glawe said.

While acknowledging that the threats of narcotics must be addressed, the U.s. official

march 9-15, 2018

Sanofi eyes US approval for Dengvaxia despite PH woes

by Ding

Cervantes Philstar.com

mANILA — sanofi will soon decide whether to seek regulatory approval for its dengue vaccine Dengvaxia in the United states as it remains committed to the medicine despite a health scare in the country, a senior executive said on Wednesday, march 7.

David Loew, head of french Sanofi Pasteur’s vaccines division said that its teams had complied with all regulations regarding Dengvaxia and had no regrets about the way the drug maker sanofi Pasteur’s vacproduct had been developed.

Philstar.com photo by KJ Rosales cines division, said his teams had

complied with all regulations regarding Dengvaxia and had no regrets about the way the product had been developed. the Philippines, where more than 800,000 school-age children were vaccinated in 2016, suspended a vast public immunization program last year due to safety concerns. sanofi warned in November that the use of Dengvaxia was to be limited due to evidence it can

worsen the disease in people who have not previously been exposed to dengue fever.

In february, the Public Attorney’s office filed a lawsuit against sanofi, demanding compensation for the parents of a 10-year-old girl who allegedly died as a result of receiving Dengvaxia. sanofi has repeatedly said it knew of no deaths resulting from the vaccine and denied any

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WEST PHILIPPINE SEA

Palace: President will die for PH territory

by LeiLa

B. saLaverria Inquirer.net

mALAcAñANg on Wednesday, march 8 appealed to critics to unite with the Duterte administration on its policy on the West Philippine sea.

Presidential spokesperson harry roque said the critics were not the only ones who had the Philippines’ best interest in mind.

Legal experts and academics have challenged the administration’s plan to undertake a joint exploration with china in the West Philippine sea, which the President has likened to “co-ownership.” the areas being considered for exploration are in the West Philippine sea, waters within the country’s 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone (eeZ) in the south china sea.

Appeal to critics “We appeal to the critics, we have to be united on this issue. Please do not claim to have a monopoly of upholding the national interest. Philippine President Duterte has been consistent that he will die for Philippine territory, but meanwhile he will not sacrifice even a single life for an issue that can be resolved on the basis of friendly relations,” roque said in a press briefing in Puerto Princesa city, Palawan province.

According to him, mr. Duterte maintains that the West Philippine sea and the islands that the Philippines occupies and claims are parts of Palawan, save for Panatag (scarborough) shoal, which is part of Zambales province. “the President has said that he will not surrender any inch, even a single inch, of Philippine territory to any foreigner,” roque said. mr. Duterte’s position, he said, is that the UN-

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TOGETHER THEY STAND. President Rodrigo Duterte flashes his signature pose with the surrenderees from the New People’s Army during a dinner hosted by the President for the rebel returnees at the Malacañang Palace on Tuesday, March 6. Also in the photo is Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go. Malacañang photo by Karl Norman Alonzo

Duterte: ICC has no jurisdiction over me

by Dana

sioson AJPress

PhILIPPINe President rodrigo Duterte remained confident that the International criminal court’s (Icc) proceedings against him will not prosper beyond the preliminary examination due to lack of jurisdiction.

In a speech on Wednesday, march 7, Duterte insisted that he could not be tried over the controversies hounding his anti-illegal drugs campaign, saying that the Icc will “never, never, never” have power over him. “they want me haled before the Icc,” Duterte

said. “I do not want to say this now, but they will never, never, never acquire jurisdiction over my person.”

Last month, the Icc began its preliminary examination into his administration’s campaign against illegal drugs that reportedly resulted in thousands of deaths of suspected drug personalities. the preliminary examination aims to determine if there is a basis to conduct a formal investigation against Duterte, based on criteria established by the rome statute. the Icc’s move stemmed from the communica-

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House panel votes to impeach Sereno PH best country to invest in—report

by AJPress After months of deliberations, the house committee on Justice found that there was probable cause to impeach chief Justice maria Lourdes sereno. on thursday, march 8, thirty eight members of the committee voted that sereno should be impeached. only representatives Kaka Bag-ao of Dinagat Islands and Kit Belmonte of Quezon city voted otherwise. No one abstained. the impeachment complaint against sereno was filed by Lawyer Larry gadon, who accused her of culpable of violation of the constitution, betrayal of public trust, corruption, and other high crimes.

gadon accused sereno of misdeclaring her statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (sALN), bypassing the en banc, and delaying the benefits of retired supreme court personnel, among others. the committee is slated to present its report, which includes the Articles of Impeachment, on march 14. the house is expected to vote on sereno’s impeachment in may, after the congress’ two-month break.

If the committee report got at least one-third vote of approval from the house plenary, it will be forwarded to the senate, sitting as the impeachment court. two-thirds vote of senate members is needed to effectively impeach sereno. the camp of the chief justice, mean-

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by AJPress

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno Philstar.com photo

the Philippines is the top investment destination across the globe, according to a United states-based firm.

In its recently released 2018 Best countries report, U.s. News & World report has named the Philippines as the “best country to invest in.”

“In contrast to declining inflows of foreign direct investment, or fDI, to southeast Asia as a whole, the Philippines continued to perform well, according to United Nations (UN) data,” the global firm said.

According to the latest Bangko sentral ng Pilipinas data, the Philippines’ net fDI inflows as of November last year amounted to $8.7 billion—which has already succeeded the $8-billion target for

2017.

“In years to come, the country is expected to receive more fDI from within the region from powerhouses like china that are looking to utilize available labor in developing nations,” U.s. News & World report further added.

In a statement, the Philippine Department of finance (Dof) attributed the country’s rank to its young and hardworking workforce, an excellent inclusive growth momentum, an expanding middle class, politically stable environment, and strong and popular leadership. the Dof also took note of the country’s fiscal discipline, stable monetary policy, membership in AseAN, an achievable infrastructure program, a strong anticorruption drive, and improved revenue

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maRch 9-15, 2018 • Oc/IE aSIaN JOURNaL

From the Front Page

Duterte: ICC has no jurisdiction...

PAGE A1

tion filed by Filipino lawyer Jude Sabio in April last year. Sabio accused Duterte of committing crimes against humanity when the latter launched his bloody drug war.

The ICC is the “court of last resort” that has jurisdiction over genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Malacañang, however, insisted that the drug war could not be considered as a crime against humanity because its “legitimate purpose” is to curb the proliferation of illegal drugs.

“Nothing has changed. The president’s stance remains the same — that because the Philippine courts are able and willing, the International Criminal

Court has no jurisdiction,” Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

“And secondly, in terms of merit, the war against drugs cannot be considered as crimes against humanity because it does not target just civilian population, but it is also an official exercise of the police powers of the state and has a legitimate purpose – to curb the proliferation of illegal drugs,” he added.

Roque further stressed that the Philippine government has not shown an unwillingness to prosecute erring officials.

“Philippine courts are still open to trying the case,” he said. “So there‘s no inability or unwillingness. Presidents have no immunity from prosecution for life.” n

Palace: President will die for ...

PAGE A1 backed Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has ruled that China cannot lay claim to “any waters of” the West Philippine Sea on the basis of historic title or on the basis of the socalled nine-dash line—dashes on Chinese maps demarcating China’s claim to nearly all of the South China Sea—and that the areas where China has built artificial islands are part of the Philippines’ EEZ. ‘Land territory’ But Mr. Duterte also holds that the reality is that the Philippines is facing an unresolved controversy concerning “land territory,” as the arbitral tribunal’s ruling concerns only the law of the sea.

“So the issue of land territory remains disputed, that is why we still have to refer to it as the ‘disputed islands of the West Philippine Sea,’” Roque said, adding that the arbitral tribunal’s ruling did not cover the islands.

The question of the islands would have to be resolved through negotiation and diplomacy, he said.

“That is why the President has for the time being, pursued friendly relations with China in contrast to the antagonistic position taken by his predecessors,” he added. n

OFFICIALLY IN. President Rodrigo Duterte swears into office officials of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PAAC) led by its chairman Dante Jimenez. Jimenez vowed to comply with Duterte’s directive to spare no one in the campaign against corruption. While he admitted that a challenging task awaits the commission, the PACC will help the government get rid of corruption.

Malacañang photo

Sanofi eyes US approval...

PAGE A1 wrongdoing, although some experts have said the company and regulators might have ignored warnings about how the vaccine was developed.

“On the whole path of development, we always worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) and experts in the dengue community. We were always transparent,” Loew told Reuters in an interview, referring to the WHO and other regulators.

“You need to ask yourself: what was done with the information that was available at the time? Looking back, I would say no, we would not have done anything differently.”

Mosquito-borne dengue is the world’s fastest-growing infectious disease, afflicting up to 100 million people worldwide. It causes half a million life-threatening infections and kills about 20,000 people, mostly children, each year.

Loew said the company would decide within two months whether to make a regulatory filing for Dengvaxia with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

He added that Sanofi was holding discussions with external partners and universities to come up with a test which would be applicable before vaccination. Such a test would take at least two years to bring to the market.

“We operate in environments where the temperature is 30-40 degrees Celsius so you want to be sure that the tests resist… If you have a vaccination campaign taking place in a school for example, you want to make sure it is ‘implementable’,” he said.

Dengvaxia has been approved and registered in 19 countries so far, mostly in the developing world. It is currently under review by the European Medicines Agency. Sanofi booked an impairment charge of 87 million euros ($108 million) related to Dengvaxia in its fourth-quarter results.

Loew said the prospect of another financial charge this year was “extremely low.”

Lawyer Ernesto Francisco, in a letter to Malacañang, said Sanofi has a provision of 1.7 billion euro or about P109.6 billion for “product liability risks” and “litigation,” which the Philippines could target to provide more help to distressed families of those who were immunized with Dengvaxia.

Francisco, who represents some of the families, said Sanofi cited the fund in 2016 in a report

to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The total amount includes the 968 million euros or about P62.4-billion provision for product liability risks and litigation and another 732 million euros or about P47.2 billion for “environmental risks and remediation.”

He said Sanofi intended the fund to cover “product liabilities, government investigations, competition law, regulatory claims, warranties in connection with certain contingent liabilities arising from business divestitures other than environmental matters and other claims.”

The lawyer quoted Sanofi as saying: “From time to time, subsidiaries of Sanofi are subject to governmental investigations and information requests from regulatory authorities inquiring as to the practices of Sanofi with respect to the sales, marketing and promotion of its products.”

In an earlier letter to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and other government officials, Francisco urged the government “to pursue legal remedies or actions available in the U.S. against Sanofi or Sanofi Pasteur in connection with the conduct of clinical trials on the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia, the marketing, supply and sale of Dengvaxia to the Philippines and the mass vaccination of Filipino children.”

“In particular, I suggested for the Philippine government to request the U.S. Department of Justice or attorney general to conduct an investigation of Sanofi for possible violation of the laws of the United States, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and federal statutes on health care,” he said.

Francisco said this measure could compel Sanofi to also provide funding to help the Philippine government’s expenses in helping families of children who were given shots of the Dengvaxia vaccines.

At present, the government is shouldering expenses for the hospitalization of children who received Dengvaxia shots. Last month, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, in a dialogue with stakeholders in Pampanga, vowed to provide anti-mosquito lotions to the children, but this has yet to be done.

Francisco cited records indicating that in the U.S., Sanofi was also investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice over its medicine Hyalgan, which was settled in December 2012 after the firm’s U.S branch paid $109

million as settlement.

In June 2012, Sanofi was also investigated by the U.S. amid disclosures of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the variability of response to Plavix.

Francisco said “the filing of cases, civil, criminal or administrative, in the Philippines may not be enough if the intention of the Philippine government is to make Sanofi answer for its responsibility in the mass vaccination of Filipino children at a time when even Sanofi’s own clinical trials showed that there are serious questions on the efficacy and safety of Dengvaxia.”

No electioneering Meanwhile, nine Department of Health (DOH) officials denied charges of electioneering before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) when the immunization program was implemented just a few weeks before the 2016 elections.

Health Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo told reporters after the preliminary hearing that they “did not do anything wrong.”

“We did not violate the law.

We believe that our names will be cleared later on,” he said as he insisted there was “nothing irregular” in the implementation of the anti-dengue immunization program.

Aside from them, Comelec also summoned former president Benigno Aquino III, former health secretary Janette Garin and former budget secretary Florencio Abad to answer the complaint filed against them by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC).

The VACC claimed that the officials violated election laws when they mounted the immunization program even when it was already within the period banning projects prior to an election. It added that the DOH officials participated to further the candidacies of Liberal Party candidates.

Comelec lawyer Erwi Villarin said the complainant VACC would now be asked to submit its reply after the DOH officials submitted their counter-affidavits.

“All cases filed before us are considered priorities. That is the objective of the Comelec and the law department. Regardless if it is a big or small case, we consider them as a priority,” Villarin noted.

The law department, he added, is expected to submit the recommendation to the commission within 60 days after the termination of the hearings. n

PH best country to invest...

PAGE A1

collection.

Next to the Philippines, Indonesia ranked second among 80 countries included in the study, followed by Poland, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Completing the top 10 best investment sites are Australia at 6th, followed by Spain, Thailand, India and Oman.

U.S. News & World Report

said it based its list of top countries to invest in on the following attributes: entrepreneurship, economic stability, favorable tax environment, innovation, skilled labor, technological expertise, dynamism, and corruption.

Respondents include 6,000 participants who act as “decision makers in business around the globe.”

The Philippines also ranked

16th in terms of adventure, 34th in terms of being open for business, and 37th in terms of quality of life.

Overall, the Philippines ranked 49th of “Best Countries” across the globe.

Switzerland, on the other hand, was named the best country overall. Coming in second was Canada, followed by Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan. n

House panel votes to impeach...

PAGE A1

while, said that they were not surprised by the House panel’s decision.

Sereno’s spokesperson lawyer Jojo Lacanilao also expressed that their camp is “eagerly waiting” for the Senate trial to begin.

“This is not the end of it all, and the burden of proving the case is on the House, for the House to prove that the Chief Justice should be removed. We believe the Chief Justice is innocent and she can prove her innocence in the Senate,” he said.

In a separate statement, Sereno claimed that the House Com-

mittee has denied her of her “right to confront and cross-examine the witnesses.”

“And resource persons arraigned against me is nothing but blatantly unfair,” Sereno said in her speech during the 30th anniversary and 23rd national convention of the Philippine Women Judges Association (PWJA).

The House committee had refused to allow Sereno’s lawyers to attend the hearings against her, insisting that the chief justice herself should show up.

“As I must fight to have my day at the Senate impeachment court, this is a fight for judicial independence, for the right of

every member of the court to confront her accuser face-toface in a trial type proceeding,” Sereno added.

Malacañang, meanwhile, lauded the House committee’s findings that there was a probable cause to impeach Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

“This is another evidence that the processes provided in our Constitution particularly the impeachment process which holds our high officials liable is working,” Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

“So we are happy to see that our institution is working again,” he added. n

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Jordan Clarkson laments being unable to play Despite rights issues, US to share for Gilas, recalls chess session with Pacquiao assets, intel with PH to combat IS

by DEnison

rEy A. DAlupAng

Philstar.com

CLeVeLAnD’S Jordan Clarkson has donned two jerseys in his young nBA career.

But when is he going to don the Philippines’?

Speaking to John Michael and Rafa Brito-Hernandez in the CavsHQ podcast, the FilipinoAmerican guard hinted on his frustrations on not being able to sport the Gilas tricolors and his plans down the line.

“It’s definitely you know, something I want to do,” he told Brito-

Jordan Clarkson

Hernandez when asked about missing Gilas trainings and the chance to play for the Philippines in the international arena due to the nBA scheduling. “everything just kind of didn’t work out, FIBA rules and all that stuff,” he revealed with a sigh.

In the same interview, Clarkson, now playing alongside LeBron James and the Cavaliers, recalled his short vacation in the country that was highlighted with multiple workouts with Gilas and a visit at Manny Pacquiao’s residence.

Clarkson, for one, couldn’t forget taking on the decorated boxer in

Philstar.com photo

the game of chess.

“We played chess, man!” he shared enthusiastically. “For a long time in his house! I think we went through like two or three boxes of KFC. I’m just sitting there eating the whole time while playing.”

“That’s why I stayed there so long. I was trying to beat him,” he remembered with a chuckle. “He whooped my tail off.”

Clarkson, whose Filipino lineage could be traced to his mother Annette’s roots in Pampanga, carries a Filipino passport, which he has had since his pre-teen years, according to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

He was in consideration for inclusion into the Gilas lineup since 2015, but FIBA rules have been rigorous for the young cager. The basketball governing body deemed him ineligible to play as a Filipino for a shortage in documents supporting that he has obtained a Philippine passport before turning 16.

He is only qualified to play as a naturalized Filipino — a slot that has been held by Andray Blatche for quite some time.

“Hopefully it comes out soon, you know, [that] I’d be able to suit up,” Clarkson offered with optimisim. n

Pacquiao to fight next in Malaysia

by AJPress PHILIPPIne boxing icon Manny Pacquiao has confirmed that his next fight will be held in Malaysia.

In an interview with ABS-CBn, the 39-year-old boxer revealed that he’ll make a comeback in Malaysia this coming May or June.

“Definitely, Malaysia is where we will fight,” said Pacquiao, who is also an elected senator.

“If not May, this coming June, maybe third week of June, so the preparation will not conflict with my work.”

The eight-division boxing world champion said those in Malaysia “appealed to have a fight there.”

As for whom he’ll be up against, Pacquiao mentioned two names: two-division title holder Lucas Mathysse and former two-division world champion Danny Garcia.

“Dalawang boxers, we will announce pag na-finalize na kung sino (Two boxers, we will announce once finalized whom among them)…Mathysse or Danny Garcia,” he said.

Pacquiao has not been in the ring since losing his World Boxing Organization (WBO) Welterweight title to Jeff Horn in a controversial match last July in Brisbane, Australia.

Prior to Pacquiao’s recent revelation, there were talks about him fighting as an undercard in the WBO Welterweight title showdown between champion Horn and Terence Crawford this April.

Pacquiao, however, reportedly rejected it because he felt “insulted” by Top Rank’s offer to use him as a mere undercard.

According to Pacquiao’s media chief Aquiles Zonio, the Filipino boxer’s decision to turn down the offer has nothing to do with a possible schedule conflict related

Sen. Manny Pacquiao

Senate photo

to his Senate duties.

“The Senate is on break from March 23 to May 14,” Zonio was quoted saying in a Spin PH report published March 1.

“The main reason was he felt insulted by the decision of Arum to use him as undercard in the scheduled Crawford-Horn title fight in April,” Zonio added, referring to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum. n

by Anthony

Q. EsguErrA

Inquirer.net

THe United States has reiterated its commitment and support for the Philippines in defeating the Islamic State (IS), an international terror group also referred to the Islamic State Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and its sympathizers in the country.

A senior official of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the U.S. would provide the Philippines assets it would request despite global concern on the human rights situation and rule of law in the country.

In fighting IS, David J. Glawe, DHS undersecretary for intelligence and analysis, said the Philippines would receive multifaceted support and partnership from the U.S. government.

“You can expect a hundred percent of the assets of the U.S. government that the Philippines would request,” Glawe told reporters in an interview on Friday.

“We are committed to our partnership and friendship with the Philippines in our global fight against ISIS and Al-Qaeda.”

Glawe visited Manila to meet with Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and the senior officials its attached agencies.

They discussed issues of “mutual concerns” in the areas of drug enforcement, child trafficking, global terrorism and transnational crimes.

U.S. Department of State recently tagged the Maute Group, which was behind the Marawi siege, as “ISIS-Philippines” and designated them as foreign terrorist organization.

Glawe said the U.S. and the Philippines had been sharing information “back and forth” that would help address airline safety issues and passenger information.

“We know ISIS and Al-Qaeda continue to target aviation and the worse thing that could happen is if we had a successful attack on an airliner,” he said.

David J. Glawe, US Department of Homeland Security undersecretary for intelligence and analysis.

Inquirer.net photo by Anthony Q. Esguerra

He said the two countries are cooperating to address the vulnerabilities in the aviation security.

But the partnership between Manila and Washington, according to Glawe, is hinged on the rule of law and the humane treatment of people.

Asked if the U.S. was concerned that the Philippine government would use American assets in its bloody war on drugs, the undersecretary said the rule of law is of utmost important.

“When we partner with countries we also partner in the rule of law and humane treatment of people and that’s the benchmark of U.S. law enforcement,” he said.

Duterte stopped a multimillion helicopter deal with Canada after the latter ordered it reviewed amid concerns about the rights situation in the Philippines.

The Canadian government said it would not allow Bell to sell 16 helicopters, which were intended for humanitarian missions, to Manila if these would be used by soldiers “to kill other Filipinos.“ The British government came under fire for reportedly selling spyware to the Philippines despite Duterte’s brutal war on

drugs.

The Guardian posted on its website a story about the issue written by Hannah ellisPetersen: “Britain sold spying gear to Philippines despite Duterte’s brutal drugs war.”

Criticizing United Kingdom’s arms export control, Labor MP Lloyed Russel-Moyle said the sale “makes us complicit in the deaths of thousands of Filipinos.”

Press Attaché Molly Koscina, who was also present in the media roundtable, cited the Leahy vetting process.

The vetting process under the Leahy law of the U.S. prohibits the State and Defense Departments from providing military assistance to foreign security forces that has committed gross violation of human rights.

When IS-inspired groups attacked Mindanao, Washington extended its support to the Philippines by providing counterterror weapons to Philippine soldiers. The U.S. also pledged aid in the rehabilitation of the war-torn Marawi City.

Last month, Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson announced that Manila has joined the USled Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. n

US official stresses rule of law amid...

PAGE A1 emphasized that the rule of law must always be placed in the forefront of the anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Glawe, also a former Houston police officer and special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), pointed out that simply “attacking the supply” side of the narcotics problem “without addressing the demand” portion of it would be a failed tack.

“I understand the challenges [posed by] criminal organizations

and narcotics trafficking. It’s very difficult. But the rule of law always has to be in place when enforcing the law,” he added.

The U.S., a decades-long Philippine ally, is one of the countries that expressed concern over the thousands of alleged of extra-judicial killings and human rights abuses linked to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s “bloody” drug war.

The U.S. official noted: “When we partner with other countries, we also partner in [the implementation of the] rule of law and

the humane treatment of people, and that’s the benchmark of the U.S. law enforcement.”

Glawe reiterated that the U.S. government is “absolutely 100 percent for the rule law.”

“That means adhering to search warrants, arrest warrants and due process for people arrested,” he added.

Apart from narcotics, the issues of human smuggling, child exploitation, and the global fight against terrorism were also discussed during the meeting.

(Dana Sioson/AJPress)

Justice Dept. sues California over...

PAGE A1 that would lead to the capture and deportation of criminal undocumented immigrants.

The other two laws are AB 450, which prohibits private employers from complying with immigration agents who conduct operations on worksites, and AB 103, which calls for regular inspections of detention facilities that hold immigrants who face deportation.

The two top leaders that the lawsuit also named were California Governor Jerry Brown and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.

At a Tuesday night press conference, Becerra asserted that, through the Tenth Amendment, states have the right to handle public safety in the ways they see fit. Calmly poised, Becerra assured Californians that the claims made in the lawsuit demonstrated “there’s nothing really new there that we weren’t already familiar with.”

“We’re prepared to deal with this,” Becerra told reporters. “We believe we are in full compliance with the federal constitution and federal law.”

As soon as the Trump administration announced the lawsuit, Brown brazenly fired back at

Sessions, calling the move a “political stunt.’

“What Jeff Sessions said is simply not true and I call upon him to apologize to the people of California for bringing the mendacity of Washington to California,” Brown said at a joint press conference with Becerra on Wednesday, March 7.

“This is basically going to war against the State of California, the engine of the American economy,” Brown added. “It’s not wise. It’s not right, and it will not stand.”

Brown also made accusations toward Sessions, who Brown said lied about the state’s immigration policies. Sessions has falsely claimed that Becerra called for an open border, protection for criminals and secession from the U.S. “We know the Trump administration is full of liars. They have pleaded guilty already to the special counsel,” Brown said, referencing the federal investigation on Russian collusion. earlier in his presidency, Trump signed an executive order that called to rescind federal grant funding to jurisdictions that reject cooperation with U.S. immigration authorities.

The lawsuit comes weeks af-

ter the U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement (ICe) conducted multiple raids across California. In the Los Angeles area, more than 150 people were detained and in northern California, about 232 people were arrested in a massive 4-day sweep, as previously reported by the Asian Journal.

State officials saw these massive raids as a response to the state’s refusal to cooperate with federal immigration officials.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-California also condemned the lawsuit, calling it an “attack on California’s policies that protect our immigrant communities.”

“Studies have shown that jurisdictions with sanctuary policies are safer and more economically prosperous than non-sanctuary jurisdictions. Immigrants help California thrive,” Advancing Justice-CA said in a statement.

“The Trump administration has been obsessive in their attack and scapegoating of immigrants, fueled by hate, xenophobia, and racism. But the Constitution is clear: the federal government cannot commandeer California’s resources to carry out deportations.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJ Press)

RESERVE OFFICERS. Senators Loren Legarda and Emmanuel Pacquiao, along with House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and House Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, pose in their uniforms as reserve officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), during the Commission on Appointments (CA) Committee on National Defense hearing on Wednesday, March 7. The CA later confirmed the nominations of the four lawmakers, who all now hold the rank of colonel in the AFP. Senate photo by Joseph Vidal

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A

Dateline PPoe: hiliPPines No way Duterte is involved in alleged 2016 poll fraud

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

UNITED STAND. Justices of the Supreme Court, backed by judiciary employees, flocked to the high court grounds for their regular Monday flag ceremony, many of them wearing red in a public statement against beleaguered Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan

PNP allays fears of terror threats in Metro Manila

by AJPress THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has assured the public that the recent arrest of a Maute terrorist group sub-leader in Tondo, Manila should not be cause for alarm.

In a radio interview on Tuesday, March 6, PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. John Bulalacao allayed fears of any impending terror attacks in Metro Manila, following the arrest of a Maute subleader last week.

Bulalacao told the public that the PNP and the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) are “in control of the situation.”

“Pero yung kanyang pagpunta dito sa Manila (But his escape to Manila) should not be a cause for alarm for our citizens dahil ang ating (because our) Philippine National Police naman and [the] AFP are on our toes,” Bulalacao said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer.

Maute sub-leader Nasser Lomondot alias “Muhamad Lomondo,” and his wife raisalam Lomondot, were arrested at their clothing stall in recto Avenue on Saturday, March 3.

Bulalacao said that initial reports indicate that Lomondot solely came to Manila to seek refuge from the pressure of martial law in Mindanao.

“And at the same time makapagpahinga dito dahil siguro doon sa naging experience niya na five months na gyera doon sa Marawi (to rest here probably because of his fivemonth experience of the war in

PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. John Bulalacao allayed fears of any impending terror attacks in Metro Manila.

Inquirer.net photo

Marawi),” he added.

The Maute terrorist group was responsible for the five-months long attack in Marawi City that started on May 23 last year and led to hundreds of deaths, mostly of terrorists.

PNP Chief Director General ronald “Bato” Dela rosa on Monday, March 5 said Lomondot has likely not intended “to create havoc” in Metro Manila but only to “lay low.”

“Andito siya sa (He’s been here in) Manila since January this year not to create havoc but to seek refuge,” Dela rosa told reporters in a briefing.

The PNP chief continued: “Dahil nga naiipit siya sa Mindanao, ‘yung gulo ng Martial Law sa Mindanao, kaya siya lumipad dito sa Manila para may lay low (He’s being pinned by the Martial Law in Mindanao, that’s why he fled to Manila to lay low).”

Dela rosa, however, did not dismiss the possibility of other

Maute members staying in the nation’s capital, pointing out the fact that Lomondot was in the area.

In a separate statement, the AFP said it “may be possible” for the terrorists to stage attacks on certain urban areas.

AFP Spokesman Brig. Gen. Bienvenido Datuin, Jr. noted that there still remnants of the Islamic State (IS)-affiliated groups in Marawi, which “means that they are still terrorizing and may plan another attack.”

Despite this, Datuin assured that the military is keeping a “close watch” on the places where terrorists are likely to stage attacks.

“We are closely guarding, monitoring all the metropolis and the urban areas to make sure that they will not be able to make their way in [the urban areas]insofar [as]their terroristic activities and plans are concerned,” Datuin said. n

DOJ indicts 11 Aegis Juris members over fatal hazing of Atio Castillo by

KriStine Joy Patag Philstar.com

MANILA — The Department of Justice has recommended filing of anti-hazing charges against 10 members of the Aegis Juris Fraternity over the fatal hazing of law freshman Horacio “Atio” Castillo III. State prosecutors meanwhile charged John Paul Solano, who brought Castillo’s body to the Chinese General Hospital on Sept. 17, 2017, with perjury and obstruction of justice.

Complaints against Nilo Divina, University of Santo Tomas law dean, and Arthur Capili, UST Faculty Secretary, were dismissed due to “insufficiency of evidence.”

The following Aegis Juris Fraternity members face anti-hazing charges: • Arvin Balag • ralph Trangia • oliver John Audrey onofre • Mhin Wei Chan • Danielle Hans Matthew rodrigo • Joshua Joriel Macabali • Axel Munrio Hipe • Marcelino Bagtang • Jose Miguel Salamat • robin ramos “The presence and participation of the said respondents in

the initiation rites were established by the statements of both respondents Solano and Ventura,” the DoJ noted in its resolution.

While the respondents argued that their participation in Castillo’s hazing were not specified in the complaints against them, the DoJ said “Ventura’s statement and the Facebook group chat” established their individual participation.

“Bearing in mind the concealment in hazing, it is only logical and proper for the prosecution to resort to the presentation of circumstantial evidence to prove it,” the DoJ also said. on the respondents’ defense that it was a pre-existing heart condition that killed Castillo, and not being punched and paddled for hours, the DoJ said: “We give credence to complainants’ argument that the finding of [Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy] was only a provisional anatomical diagnoses, hence, subject to further examination.” raps against Mark Ventura were dropped due to his admission into the DoJ’s Witness Protection Program.

Ventura’s testimony, according to state prosecutors, was instrumental in uncovering the fraternity’s hazing rites.

According to Ventura, Castillo was punched and paddled until he was black and blue by his would-be fraternity brothers.

Further investigation recommended The DoJ has also recommended additional investigation of following whose names appeared in Ventura’s testimony: • Zach Abulencia • Daniel ragos • Dave Felix • Sam Cagalingan • Alex Cairo • Luis Capulong • Kim Cyrill roque • Ged Villanueva • Edric Pilapil • rr Magbuhos Supterintendent Erwin Magarejo, Manila Police District chief, welcomed the indictment of the fraternity members.

In a statement to reporters, Magarejo said that the MPD stands ready to arrest the accused should an order be issued. “our investigation will continue, especially on the ten other members of the fraternity, as recommended by the DoJ,” Magarejo added.

The lifeless body of Castillo, a 22-year-old law student, was found sprawled on a sidewalk along Balut, Tondo on the morning of September 19. n

University of Santo Tomas students light candles for law student Horacio Castillo III during a ceremony at the campus plaza in September 2017.

Philstar.com photo by Miguel De Guzman

For Senator Grace Poe, it is hardly possible for Philippine President rodrigo to be involved in the alleged irregularities during the 2016 elections.

Poe, who also ran in the previous presidential elections expressed belief that there is no way Duterte could have manipulated the poll results—especially with the public’s clear overwhelming support to him.

Poe made the assertion on Tuesday, March 6, after Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III bared “irregularities” that supposedly altered the results of the previous elections.

“I’d also like to make a point here that I definitely lost the elections,” Poe said. “I know that for sure because of the overwhelming gap in the support the president had.”

She added, “I also believe that since the president did not belong to the ruling coalition at that time time, he really had no means to manipulate the results of the elections.”

But despite having a “clear winner” in the presidential race, Poe remarked that “other positions should not be looked into especially when the fight is very close.”

She went on to say, “I think that is a worthy concern that we need to investigate further not just in the ranking in the senatorial slate but also to be able to prevent this from happening again in the future.”

Sotto earlier presented data— which he supposedly acquired from a “concerned and impeccably reliable” source—showing the alleged “irregularities” that “altered” the 2016 poll results.

“What I am about to present to you may or may not be gospel truth but very accurate information and if these allegations are serious enough and are proven to be true after due investigation, then we have a case of electoral sabotage for the conduct of the 2016 elections,” he said in a privilege speech.

Sotto cited two alleged ir-

regularities in the last elections: early transmission of votes and foreign access to election servers. on the alleged early transmission of vote, Sotto claimed that there was a “transmission activity” on May 8, 2016 until the following morning of May 9—which was still prior to the official conduct of the election.

He noted that the Board of Canvassers should have convened starting at 3 p.m. of May 9, 2016.

“In summary, there has been an alleged early transmission of votes by certain VCMs (voting counting machines) to the Municipal Board of Canvassers.

These are only examples of the numerous early transmissions to different Municipal and Provincial Board of Canvassers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao,” Sotto said.

He further pointed out: “The standard answer of Smartmatic would be that these transmissions are only ‘testing transmissions.’ These transmissions cannot be in any way be claimed as ‘testing transmissions’ because as far as I can remember, the last official testing was made on April, 23, 2016.”

Sotto also claimed he and Poe were among those who received zero votes during the early transmissions. on the allegation of foreign access to election servers, Sotto stated that there were “series of access before, during and after the election.”

The senator claimed that “our election servers were allegedly accessed remotely and information gathered were copied and submitted to a server in the amazon cloud services in the United States.”

According him, a username “e360sync” allegedly made a “critical intrusion to a computer system” a day before the May 9, 2016 elections.

He noted that e360 “is a server in amazonaws.com which is a cloud computing service located mainly in the United States,” and likewise “looks very similar to a software product of the Phil-

Senator Grace Poe

Inquirer.net photo

Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III delivers a privilege speech on Tuesday, March 6, where he talked about the alleged irregularities during the 2016 elections.

Senate photo by Albert Calvelo

ippine election provider ‘Smartmatic.’”

“To conclude the second issue, our election servers were allegedly accessed remotely and information gathered were copied and submitted to a server in the amazon cloud services in the United States,” Sotto said.

Sotto called on the Senate to conduct a probe into his allegations, which he said could be considered a “case of electoral sabotage” if proven true. n

A6

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MARCH 9-15, 2018 • OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL

O PINION Quo warranto IF the nation’s top officials can be booted out on a whim, it poses the risk of constant government destabilization. On purpose, framers of the Constitution made it difficult to unseat certain top officials. Impeachment is the only mode specified in the Constitution for kicking out the president, the heads of constitutional bodies as well as the chief justice.

Now the government’s top lawyers and detractors of Maria Lourdes Sereno are introducing a novel and simpler way of booting out the Chief Justice.

The solicitor general himself filed yesterday a quo warranto petition challenging the validity of the appointment of Sereno as the nation’s chief magistrate, and asking the Supreme Court to void the appointment.

Considering the unanimous vote of all the 13 justices who were present at the session last week when the Supreme Court compelled Sereno to go on indefinite leave, the SC might grant the petition. Quo warranto is defined as a legal action that requires a respondent to explain the warrant or basis for holding, claiming or exercising an office or franchise.

Among the issues raised against Sereno by those questioning her fitness for her post are her

FEATURES

failure to fully comply with the rules involving the annual filing of her official statement of assets, liabilities and net worth. She also reportedly failed to meet the required score in a psychiatric examination administered in 2012 when she was appointed to the SC as an associate justice. Questions have also been raised about her tax payments, particularly in her work as government counsel in its case against the Philippine International Air Terminals Inc. These are issues that are best resolved in an impeachment trial at the Senate, which is the mode specified in the Constitution for ousting a chief justice. But the law is what the Supreme Court says it is. SC justices, a number of whom joined Sereno’s critics in wearing red yesterday at the high tribunal, must remember that they will be setting a precedent in ruling on the quo warranto petition.

The Duterte administration, represented by the solicitor general, and its political allies are doing to Sereno what the Aquino administration did to her predecessor Renato Corona. But the current administration is going one step further, asking the Philstar.com photo SC to make the process easier. one main objective: to improve the administration of must see to it that its decision will not undermine an Impeaching a chief justice is supposed to have justice. In ruling on the quo warranto petition, the SC already weak justice system. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS WHAT hold does Russian President Vladimir Putin have on U.S. President Donald Trump that up to this day, despite U.S. intelligence reports and indictments against Russians, the hard-hitting, namecalling, and supposed defender of the United States against foreign adversaries has remained the number one guardian of Russia?

During a joint press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven on Tuesday, March 6, Trump said the Russians had “no impact [on] our votes [in 2016] whatsoever.” This, Trump also tweeted via his POTUS twitter handle stating: .@POTUS: “The Russians had

Opinion

FRANCISCO TATAD IN this season of Lent, the scene at the Supreme Court brings us back to the scene at Pontius Pilate’s court. The accused Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno bears no resemblance whatsoever to the pure and spotless victim before the procurator’s court. But nothing seems to distinguish the lynch mob there from the one at Sereno’s court. Both cry not for justice but for blood.

Instead of pressing the impeachment complaint against Sereno in the House of Representatives, her enemies would like her to oust herself, fearing they could not convict her in a Senate impeachment court. Now Solicitor General Jose Calida would like the high court itself to oust her, on a “quo warranto” proceeding, for being allegedly unqualified to sit as chief justice from the very beginning. The basic proposition will not go uncontested.

Regrettable start As a firm believer in the Constitution, I have some discomfort about Sereno being Chief Justice.

For some reasons, I do not believe she should have been named to that position. Firstly, she was a newcomer to the court when then President B. S. Aquino 3rd physically bribed 19 senator-judges to convict and remove Chief Justice Renato Corona on a non-impeachable charge during his impeachment trial, and replace him with this novice. Secondly, she was among the youngest on the court, and naming her chief meant keeping her there for the next 20 years.

That’s the equivalent of a life sentence against the court.

Aquino set aside the long-honored tradition of seniority rule, without alleging any compelling circumstance such as exceptional merit. She never dazed nor daz-

Trump does nothing about Russian meddling in US elections: What hold does Putin have on Trump? no impact on our votes whatsoever, but certainly there was meddling...You have to be really watching very closely. You don’t want your system of votes to be compromised in any way.”

While Trump finally admitted that the Russians meddled in the election, the president said in response to questions of how the U.S. intends to deter Russian efforts in the upcoming election: “We’re doing a very deep study and coming out with strong suggestions in the 18 election,” and even the 2020 elections.

The president said the U.S. will counteract whatever they [Russia] do very strongly, and even suggested that it’s “always good to have a paper back up voting system” as a backup against cy-

ber-interference and vowed to counteract any future influence “very strongly.”

How could Trump make the conclusion that the Russians had no impact on the votes? Perhaps Russia did NOT manipulate the actual vote counts and tallies.

Intelligence reports have proven that Russia spread fake news against Hillary Clinton, especially in the battleground states, and that would have helped Trump win votes. Of course, this is hard to measure, but that was what the Kremlin cyber warfare was all about.

The Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee were quick to say the House investigation should end soon, despite the Democrats’ counter-argument

that many areas of the issue regarding the collusion of Trump with Russia have yet to be investigated on.

California Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, was quick to respond to Trump’s statements and tweets, saying on Twitter: “No, Mr. President. The FBI investigation began when it was discovered that the Russians had secret discussions with your foreign policy advisor about dissemination of stolen Clinton emails.”

“And how can you criticize Obama for not doing more, when you do absolutely nothing?”

Schiff went on to state on Twitter, as well as in interviews: “No cabinet meeting devoted to

protecting 2018 elections from foreign interference. Bipartisan sanctions to punish and deter Russian meddling sitting in your desk drawer for months. $120 million allocated by Congress to fight Russian propaganda unspent. This is dereliction of duty.”

This claim has already been corroborated by Trump’s own National Security Agency Director Admiral Mike Rogers, who told the Senate Armed Services Committee: “I haven’t been granted any additional authorities, capacity, capability”. ”I need a policy decision that indicates there is specific direction to do that,” Rogers said.

The president’s favorite cable news channel FOX News also

reported that $120 million to fight Russia meddling remains unused.

The State Department has reportedly spent none of the $120 million allocated by Congress to counter foreign efforts to interfere in U.S. politics, Fox News said.

This brings me back to my question: What hold does Putin have on Trump? That is what Special Counsel Robert Mueller is finding out. ***

zled any of her contemporaries nor any college of law students.

She had no pretension to being above average. Her entry as associate justice surprised many who thought they knew the limits of her competence; making her Chief Justice appeared unquestionably audacious and capricious.

The real culprit But as ill-conceived as her appointment was, Sereno was not the perpetrator of that mischief.

The real offender was B. S. Aquino 3rd, the thoroughly incompetent and malevolent president.

Sereno simply found herself in the position of the horse Incitatus, which the mad Caligula had wanted to name consul without at all consulting the beast. To the animal’s and the mad Emperor’s good fortune, the appointment was never consummated. Or so we learn, from the historian Suetonius. Sereno had no such luck.

If her appointment was a crime, as Calida and others now seem to argue, the criminal is still at large. He has been publicly identified, and no process server can possibly say his address is unknown and cannot be located.

He lives on Times Street, Quezon City, and lately he has been seen answering summonses from Congress. He has committed a number of unpunished crimes—stamped Smartmatic’s indelible curse upon our electoral process; corrupted the two houses of Congress to ruin and remove a chief justice he could not manipulate; sent 44 of our bravest police commandos to their cruel, avoidable and undeserved death; put the lives of a million schoolchildren at risk by exposing them to an unsafe Dengvaxia vaccine which no other government in the world has dared to use.

Like Caesar at the Senate But Aquino’s departure from the presidency appears to have freed him from all accountability.

So, everyone is focused solely

on the embattled Chief Justice.

After all her Supreme Court colleagues decided she should go on indefinite leave, and the bestintentioned press commentators joined the lynch mob’s shrill cry demanding her hasty exit, a young millennial asked me if the justices were not simply replicating the honorable act of the Roman senators each plunging a knife into the body of the hapless Caesar in the Roman Senate.

As I indicated in the beginning, I find it hard to argue against this.

My own experience in Sereno’s court makes it even harder for me to do so. Although I am not a member of the Philippine bar, I have been honored to make an oral argument before the court en banc at least twice. First, on the Reproductive Health Law, and second, on the “citizenship” of the senator and presidential candidate, Grace Poe Llamanzares.

In both instances, I found Sereno’s reading of the Constitution disturbingly faulty, and her deportment as a magistrate in open court most disheartening.

Sereno and the RH Law On the RH law, I argued that since Sec. 12 of Article II of the Constitution provides that the State is “the primary protector of conception” (i.e., ”the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception”), it can never and should never be the source and provider of “contraception.”

Yet the RH law makes the state the primary provider of contraception.

This the court pronounced “not unconstitutional.” Justice Reyes, now retired, wrote the ponencia, and Sereno concurred in it; it describes the RH law as a “population control” measure, but points out, most egregiously, that the Constitution does not prohibit “population control,” which is complete nonsense. The whole Sec. 12 of Article II is a blunt statement against population control, as is the whole of Article

XV on “The Family” an expanded declaration against it.

During the orals, Sereno allowed herself to be heard soliloquizing in open court on her doubt about the power of the court, “an unelected chamber,” to nullify the act of Congress, signed into law by the Executive—two elective branches of government.

She showed little appreciation of Chief Justice John Marshall’s famous declaration in Marbury v.

Madison that it is the business of the court to say what the law is.

The majority ruled the unconstitutional law “not unconstitutional” without refuting or referring, even in passing, to my core argument, which said the State cannot be the protector and the destroyer of conception (or childbearing) at the same time. This is the famous principle of non-contradiction, which every beginner in the study of philosophy learns, that a thing cannot be and not be at the same time.

Since the ruling failed to say anything about my objection, I filed a motion for reconsideration through my friend Alan Paguia of happy memory, saying I was not accorded due process, since my basic objection was never refuted at all. The court dismissed my motion by simply repeating what it had said before, without responding to my principal complaint. I asked some notable friends abroad, legal luminaries with long experience with such cases, how the court could so behave; they said the Court could not possibly acknowledge my objection without conceding my point.

Sereno and Grace Poe On the Grace Poe Llamanzares case, Sereno argued more like a lawyer for the respondent rather than as an impartial Chief Justice.

The ruling, written by Justice Perez, now retired, proclaims Mrs. Llamanzares as a “natural-born” Filipino citizen not on the basis of the Constitution and the facts

under it, but on the basis of then Solicitor General Hilbay’s “statistical probabilities.” Grace Poe has turned out to be one of the more sensible members of the present Senate, and would probably have made a less vulgar president without her citizenship issues.

But some lawyers believe the Sereno court’s ruling may have to be revisited.

With all the foregoing, some friends tell me I should support a “winning cause” for once and join those calling on Sereno to pack up. Everyday she is accused of a new crime, I am told, there’s no way she could possibly survive.

That may well be. But for me it’s not a question of whether or not Sereno will survive; the question is whether or not the rule of law will survive.

I don’t know how good a lawyer Calida is, but would he please answer one simple question?

Supposing the court succeeds in ousting this Chief Justice, what happens to all the rulings that had been penned, or participated in, by the same? In particular, what happens to the ruling on the RH Law, and on Grace Poe’s citizenship?

An impeachment complaint has been filed by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon against Sereno in the House; members of the high court have testified against her in the committee on justice. If there is a case against her, doesn’t the rule of law require that the House impeach her and transmit the case to the Senate forthwith? Otherwise, don’t we deserve some badly needed rest from our justices?

Estrada’s case recalled In 2000, at the beginning of the Senate impeachment trial of then President Joseph Estrada, some Church personalities called on Erap to resign. At least eight senator-judges joined that call. Some well-meaning friends, aware of my close personal relationship with some hierarchs of the Church, asked me to join the call.

I was the Senate Majority Leader at the time and my duty was to help manage the floor during the impeachment trial. I declined. My friends were shocked at my refusal. Why? They could not understand. But it was simple enough. I said I was a senator-judge at the impeachment trial, and that I could not do or say anything to prejudge the case.

“But you know Estrada is guilty, don’t you?” said one.

“I’m sorry, I don’t,” I said. “But assuming I did, which unhappily is not the case, I can only judge him guilty, not on the basis of what I think I know, but on the basis of valid and compelling evidence brought against him before the court.”

I lost some esteemed friends with that statement, especially after Estrada was ousted at EDSA following the prosecutors’ walkout in the Senate. In one important meeting of canon lawyers in the country, someone reportedly asked what should be done to this Catholic politician who was supposed to show an example of unity with the clergy on the issue of the Estrada presidency, but took an independent stand instead. There was apparently a lot of passion behind this, but the visiting Doctor and Professor of Canon Law from Rome, after listening to all the relevant data, said the Catholic politician, namely myself, merely acted according to his conscience based on the correct objective moral principles.

Some years later, I had to hear from the same friends that they had been wrong on this issue. I had to thank an old Indian friend who was the first one to remind me that we win some battles today only to lose them tomorrow, and we lose some battles today only to win them tomorrow.

This thought could have some value to Sereno. (ManilaTimes. net)

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFilAmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos

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Dateline PhiliPPines

OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • mARCh 9-15, 2018

A

Duterte: Military may finish off NPA in 2019

IMPORTANT VISITOR. Health Secretary Francisco Duque visits children vaccinated with Dengvaxia at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City. Six children who fell sick weeks after being administered with the anti-dengue vaccine are being treated at the hospital.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez

IR slaps Rappler with tax evasion

by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com

Viray

MANILA — The parent company of online news site Rappler and its president Maria Ressa are facing a tax evasion complaint before the Department of Justice.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue on Thursday, March 8, filed a criminal complaint against Rappler Holdings Corp., Ressa and treasurer James Bitanga for a perceived willful attempt to evade tax.

The respondents are also accused of deliberately failing to supply correct and accurate information in the company’s annual income tax return in 2015.

The BIR said that Rappler failed to file the income tax and value added tax that it has gained from Philippine Depositary Receipts transactions.

Rappler Holdings Corp. purchased common shares amount-

ing to P19.2 million on various dates, according to the BIR. The company also issued and sold PDRs worth P181.7 million to two foreign entities.

“As a consequence of its acts and omissions, the aggregate tax liability of [Rappler] amounted to P133,841,305.75 broken down as follows IT — P91,320,481.08; and VAT — P42,520,824.67,” the BIR said in a release.

Rappler violated Sections 253(d) and 256 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, the BIR said.

The company’s accountant, Noel Baladiang of R.G. Manabat & Co., was also charged of violating the Tax Code for signing and certifying the financial statements of Rappler despite the omission of the company’s actual taxable income.

Rappler dealing with blows The tax complaint is the latest in a slew of cases against the

China eyes marine park in South China Sea

by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com

Viray

IN addition to their military facilities in the disputed South China Sea, Beijing is also proposing a national park in the region.

Chinese-run newspaper Global Times reported that China’s top legislature said that a national park in the South China Sea would help preserve marine ecology in the region.

Deng Xiaogang, a deputy of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC), stressed the important of protecting resources, such as coral reefs in the area.

China’s southern Hainan province would be qualified to build the country’s first national marine park and they could learn from the experience from the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Deng told Global Times.

Wang Changren, another deputy of China’s NPC, said that countries in the region should reach a consensus on preserving marine ecology in the contested waters.

“A national park in the region can improve people’s awareness of the region’s importance, and the South China Sea should be a

Henry Sy Sr.

textbook for marine protection in China,” Wang told Global Times.

In September 2017, China released a plan to build 10 national parks that would focus on protection of pandas, rivers and forests by the end of 2020. None of these, however, included preserving marine life.

Washington-based think tank Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative earlier released a report showing that the marine ecosystem of the South China Sea is seriously threatened by overfishing.

This damage is also brought about by harmful fishing practices, large-scale clam harvesting and dredging for island construction.

“Total fish stocks in the South China Sea have been depleted by 70-95 percent since the 1950s and catch rates have declined by 66-75 percent over the last 20 years,” the AMTI said in its Sept.

13, 2017 report.

“The entire South China Sea fishery, which officially employs around 3.7 million people and helps feed hundreds of millions, is now in danger of collapse unless claimants act urgently to arrest the decline,” it said. n

Philstar.com photo

Henry Sy still richest Filipino in 2018 — Forbes by

Gaea Katreena cabico Philstar.com

MANILA — Mall tycoon Henry Sy Sr. remains the richest man in the Philippines and the wealthiest in Southeast Asia in 2018, according to the business magazine Forbes.

Pegging a net worth of $20 billion (P1.04 trillion), the 93year-old businessman ranked 52nd worldwide—jumping 42 places from 94th in 2017. He has topped the Forbes Philippines Rich List for 10 years in a row.

Sy tied with Renaissance Technologies Corp. founder James Simons in the 52nd place.

His net worth in 2018 is almost double from his $12.7 billion (P661 billion) last year.

The richest tycoon in the Philippines beat the likes of SpaceX and Tesla Motors founder Elon

Musk (54th), Uniqlo founder and CEO Tadashi Yanai (56th) and Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee (61st).

Sy’s rank put him way ahead of other billionaires in the country, with John Gokongwei, the country’s second richest man, placing 305th worldwide. The founder of JG Summit raked in a net worth of $5.8 billion (P302 billion).

Enrique Razon Jr., who has a net worth of $4.9 billion (P255 billion), ranked third in the Philippines. The port magnate also placed 404th in the world list.

Amazon founder Jeff Benzos topped the list of world’s billionaires for the first time with a net worth of $112 billion (P5.83 trillion). Microsoft founder Bill Gates placed second with a net worth of $90 billion (P4.69 trillion). n

news site critical of the Duterte administration.

The Securities and Exchange Commission in January revoked the registration of Rappler and accused the company of violating constitutional restrictions on ownership and control of mass media entities.

Rappler also faced a cyberlibel complaint over an investigative report. The case which was subsequently dismissed for going beyond the one-year prescriptive period for libel.

Last month, Malacañang banned Rappler from its premises, citing the SEC decision. n

MANILA — The military may defeat the New People’s Army this year because many rebels are surrendering to the government, President Rodrigo Duterte said.

Duterte said security forces and mayors have been active in convincing rebels to return to lay down their arms.

“So, we are trying to really go out and just embrace them as brothers and at no other time, there were several firearms. If they become decimated by the number of surrenderees, maybe the Armed Forces can finish them off next year,” the president said in a meeting with local officials in Clark, Pampanga on Wednesday, March 7.

Duterte is not the first president to say that the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front, which has been waging war against the government since 1969, was close to defeat.

“They can take whatever initiatives they want...the killing continues, but at no other time are the NPAs surrendering with their firearms,” he added.

According to military data, more than 2,200 NPAs have surrendered to the government in the first two months of the year. Officials attributed the high number of surrenders to military and intelligence operations and to parallel development programs.

“We are succeeding hopefully if we can sustain the momentum,” Duterte said.

The president said the communist rebels who surrendered are vulnerable to attacks by their former comrades.

“It is taboo to them here and in Mindanao, everywhere, when you surrender and then you turn over your firearms to the soldier or the policeman. They will really hunt you down because that is anathema, a taboo. Talagang yayariin ka (They will really run after you),” he said.

The communist insurgency, Duterte said, still poses a problem in the provinces of Abra and Nueva Ecija but the situation is worse in Mindanao, where the Armed Forces of the Philippines says the bulk of NPA membership operates.

“Until now, they go about collecting taxes,” the president said.

“Is this the way you treat the civilian if you are in power? You are all sexual predators,” he added, referring to unspecified allegations that some NPA members have molested female civilians.

Duterte has terminated the peace talks with communists, saying the rebels want a coalition government or a power-sharing setup that is against the 1987 Constitution. He has also expressed doubts on the sincerity of the rebels to the peace process, citing their attacks that harmed civilians.

On Tuesday, Duterte said he might reconsider his decision to scrap the talks with communists if negotiators come up with a ceasefire agreement.

The Communist Party of the Philippines has played down the surrenders, saying the people that the military claims to have surrendered are not their members. They said the supposed surrenders under the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration Program are part of the military propaganda.

In a related development, the CPP disavowed Donato Jacob, the man that Philippine National Police Director General Ronal Dela Rosa claims is an NPA guerrilla involved in kidnapping for ransom.

Dela Rosa made the claims in late February, saying Jacob was arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a certain Raziel Bungay in 2017. A Philippine News Agency report also claimed Jacob is “affiliated with the Raziel Bungay KFR group.”

Dela Rosa said Jacob and other suspects admitted to being members of the NPA in Bulacan. According to a Sun.Star report, Jacob also allegedly claimed that his supposed group of communist rebels planned the abduction “to raise funds for their Christmas party.”

“Without providing proof, dela Rosa insisted that this Jacob is a member of the NPA... Indeed, the NPA does not know of this Jacob,” the CPP’s Information Bureau said.

The NPA has been documented to have abducted police and military personnel as “prisoners of war”, bu the CPP said that “as a revolutionary people’s army, the NPA rejects kidnapping-for-ransom and other criminal activities.”

It said that “this policy continues to be observed strictly.”

On Wednesday, the Department of Justice dropped illegal firearms charges against a Tunisian man whom Dela Rosa claimed was a leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria terrorist group. The DOJ also dropped charges against the Tunisian’s Filipina companion.

(Philstar.com)

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Broadway musical ‘Allegiance’ premieres in Los Angeles, highlighting Fil-Am talent

by AJPress BROADWAY musical “Allegiance,” starring stage and screen star George Takei, landed in Los Angeles’ Aratani Theatre at the end of February and will be running until April 1.

Presented by the east West Players (eWP) and the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC), “Allegiance” tells the story of the Kimura family members — son Sammy (ethan Le Phong/Takei as present day), daughter Kei (elena Wang), father Tatsuo (Scott Watanabe), and grandfather Ojii-chan (Takei) — who are uprooted from their farm in Salinas, California and are incarcerated alongside other Japanese Americans following the events of Pearl harbor.

The over two-hour play sheds light on a dark period of

American history, yet the musical numbers show resilience and hope.

The plot is inspired by Takei’s real-life experience during World War II, as he spent ages 5 to 9 in the Rohwer Incarceration Camp in Arkansas and later Tule Lake in northern California.

The Broadway production of “Allegiance” (music and lyrics by Jay Kuo and a book by Marc Acito, Kuo and Lorenzo Thione) first opened on november 8, 2015 at the Longacre Theater in new York City. Lea Salonga originated the role of Kei Kimura.

This year, the staging coincides with the 76th anniversary of executive Order 9066, which authorized the incarceration of Japanese Americans following Pearl harbor.

“At a time when civil liberties are under threat and our most vulnerable communities are being targeted, ‘Allegiance’ shares an essential American story, one that seeks to speak about the injustice survived by 120,000 innocent Americans persecuted and incarcerated because of their cultural and ethnic heritage,” eWP producing artistic director Snehal Desai and JACCC President and CeO Leslie Ito wrote in the February issue of Performances Magazine.

“Allegiance” held its opening night in Los Angeles on Wednesday, February 28; previews were held the week before and reportedly received standing ovations for each performance.

The cast includes Greg Watanabe as Mike Masaoka, Janelle Dote as executor, natalie holt MacDonald as hannah Campbell, with ensemble members Jordan Goodsell, Sharline Liu, Miyuki Miyagi, Glenn Shiroma, Chad Takeda, and Grace Yoo. Also in the production are Filipino Americans eymard Cabling (Frankie Suzuki, Kei’s love interest), Cesar Cipriano (ensemble/Ben Masaoka/fight choreographer), Marc Macalintal as music director, and Alison De La Cruz as executive producer of the LA staging.

Elena Wang as Kei Kimura and Ethan Le Phong as Sammy Kimura in the Los Angeles premiere Cabling’s credits include “Miss of “Allegiance” starring George Takei at the Aratani Theatre, co-produced by East West Players Saigon, ” “The King and I,” “Jane of and Japanese American Cultural & Community Center. the Jungle,” while Cipriano has been in previous eWP productions such as “equus,” “Pippin,” “Be Like Water,” and “La Cage aux Folles.” he has also been on the national tours of “Miss Saigon” and “The King and I,” and appearances on TV shows “Being Mary Jane,” “2 Broke Girls,” and “new Girl.”

Macalintal is a LA-based musician who has been involved in theatre as a music director (“LA Cage aux Folles,” “The Who’s

Scott Watanabe as Tatsuo Kimura, George Takei as Ojii-chan, Jordan Goodsell as Hakujin, Elena Wang as Kei Kimura, and Ethan Le Phong as Sammy Kimura in the Los Angeles premiere of “Allegiance” at the Aratani Theatre, co-produced by East West Players and Japanese American Cultural & Community Center.

Photos by Michael Lamont

work we’re doing in Little Tokyo, it’ll represent not only Japanese and Japanese Americans but the larger Asian American community,” De La Cruz told the Asian Journal on opening night.

Citing the number of Filipino and Fil-Am talent, from Martin nievera to Kayamanan ng Lahi, that has performed on the Aratani stage, she added “It is a house that’s really built by the Asian American community and artists. Knowing that we had the space to really create a project of this kind, it’s been a wild ride but so rewarding and I’m so proud of all of the folks on this show. There are 130 people working on this production. I love watching this whole company tell the story in a way that only Los Angeles can.” even though the story is centered around the Japanese American experience, De La Cruz said Filipino Americans will be able to relate to the tight-knit family as well as the Filipino immigration history in California.

“For Filipino Americans, I think we can relate to the family. We know from the Filipino-American national historical Society and other scholars that there have been times in California where signs were up in San Jose saying, “no Filipinos or dogs allowed,” so the Filipino immigrant history in California is connected to this story,” she said. “For us, it’s also an opportunity to really think about and engage in this moment of history. As Filipinos, we have a different relationship with the Japanese community and for Elena Wang as Kei Kimura in the Los Angeles premiere of “Allegiance” starring George Takei Eymard Cabling as Franki Suzuki, Elena Wang as Kei Kimura, and George Takei as Ojii-chan in the me, it has been really powerful at the Aratani Theatre, co-produced by East West Players and Japanese American Cultural Los Angeles premiere of Allegiance starring George Takei at the Aratani Theatre, co-produced to think about and offer this as

by East West Players and Japanese American Cultural & Community Center. & Community Center.

Tommy,” “The Last Five Years”), a composer (“Krunk Fu Battle Battle”), and as an actor (“Damn Yankees,” “Master Class,” “The King and I”). he was recently nominated for an Ovation Award for his work in eWP’s “next to normal.”

De La Cruz, who is the director of performing arts and community engagement at JACCC, said bringing “Allegiance” to LA was a two-year conversation that started between the organization and book writer/ producer Lorenzo Thione.

Upon getting the licensing of the production, JACCC partnered with eWP with special arrangement with Sing Out, Louise! Productions and ATA. “Since then, I have been coordinating with both the east West Players team and JACCC staff, supporting our boards, and really trying to overall help us bring together this landmark production for both organizations and make sure that in all the

an opportunity. As Americans, as immigrants or kids of immigrants, how do we want to treat each other?”

De La Cruz aims to invite more stories about the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and have them told on stage.

“People could really see, we have so much more talent than we’re getting roles for and that’s really what I want: to accelerate, perpetuate, push out there that we have so much more to do and we have so much more to say and we can do that. We don’t have to wait anymore. That for me is the big moment of today is, if we waited, we wouldn’t be here tonight. If I waited to see what would happen, I don’t know if ‘Allegiance’ would’ve come to me so it is about identifying what we want, being clear and naming it and claiming our place in the greater diversity of Los Angeles, diversity of American theatre.

And then I think as Filipinos, for us to continue to be partners and allies but claim our place in the larger Asian American and Pacific Islander community.” *** “Allegiance” will run at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center’s Aratani Theater (244 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles, CA) until April 1, 2018. Performances will be held Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. Matinee showings at 2 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

There will be no performance on Sunday, March 18. For tickets and information, please visit AllegianceMusical.com.

Bernardo Bernardo: ‘It’s been a fabulous ride’ As Mariel relinquishes Bb. crown: No regrets

by Gibbs

cadiz Inquirer.net

The family of Bernardo Bernardo announced the actordirector’s passing this morning.

Bernardo, 73, succumbed to tumor in the pancreas, which he himself revealed in January through a Facebook post. he was two years shy of celebrating 50 years in entertainment, as a multitalented, versatile and prolific performer who made a major mark across the various mediums of film, theater and television. In a 2014 interview in this paper with writer Pablo Tariman, he described his by-then four-decade-long career as a performer, especially as a theater artist, as a “fabulous ride… 44 years of treading the boards, as they say, if you’re lucky enough to land a job. But, mostly, before the advent of the Internet and smartphones, it was trade papers, phone calls, auditions—basically, pounding the pavement. As a theater lapel button states, most of the time, ‘Life is a constant audition.’”

Bernardo was born in Santa Ana, Manila, on Jan. 28, 1945, and was a journalism graduate of the University of Santo Tomas in 1966, even becoming editor of the UST Varsitarian.

“I thought I was going to be the Philippines’ next great journalist,” he recalled. “You know how stupid and delusional one

1969, and had further training in acting in such institutions as the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Thereafter, he became a staple in the local theater scene, appearing in both Filipino and english productions, straight plays, musicals, sarsuwelas and dinner theater.

According to the 1994 edition of the CCP encyclopedia of Philippine Art, “he has performed at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in productions of the Batingaw Theater Guild, Playhouse Seventies, Fourth Wall Productions, Babaylan Theater Group, Zarzuela Foundation of Bernardo Bernardo Inquirer.net photo the Philippines, Barangay Theater Guild, Teatro Pilipino, Bulwagang can be when you’re young. And Gantimpala, and Tanghalang then I saw my first professional Pilipino. he has also appeared theater production, a British Council-sponsored run of Robert in numerous plays staged by Repertory Philippines from 1973 Bolt’s ‘A Man for All Seasons’ at to 1989. he is best known for his the Philamlife Theater. That’s when my life changed. I decided I performance in the dinner shows “The Rocky horror Show” as Frank wanted to be a stage actor.” n. Furter, 1983; and “The Boys in Of his fascinating name, the the Band,” as Bernie, 1977.” actor-director said: “Bernardo his other landmark roles Bernardo is my real name. I would include Katy de la Cruz’s was supposed to be emmanuel Tatay in the original production Pedro Meliton Jr., but my father of the musical “Katy!”, directed by suprised my mother. I was called nestor Torre for Musical Theater ‘Bernardo squared’ way before I Philippines; and Takyong Bagting, knew the math.” a taong grasa, in “Bien Aligtad,” A “triple threat” performer— directed by Joel Lamangan for he could sing, dance and act— Bernardo got his masteral degree Bulwagang Gantimpala.

Bernardo’s foray into film and in Theater at the University of Santa Barbara, California, in Continued on Page 4

by Ricky Lo Philstar.com

In two weeks, Mariel de Leon will relinquish her Bb. PilipinasInternational crown, looking back at her reign without nary a tear.

Asked how she grew up in the past 12 months marked by controversies generated by her being outspoken about issues and people in the news, Mariel told Funfare in an exclusive interview last Monday, March 5, after she signed up as talent for Leo Dominguez’s LVD Management & Consultancy Services, “It has been life-changing. I have become more confident and sure of myself…mentally, intellectually and emotionally. Growing up, I was a sheltered child. Being exposed to the world helped me grow up and made me stronger. I’m really thankful for that — including even the bad experiences.”

Such as what “bad experiences?”

Laughing, Mariel said, “The controversies. I guess that I was able to handle them very well.

Competing in the Miss International pageant (in Tokyo) made me a better person. now, I don’t have to put up a front or a false face just to please everyone. You just cannot please everyone; there will always be bashers who won’t agree with what you say or do.”

So now, what we see is what we get, right?

“Right! But now, I will have to choose my battles wisely.”

Bb. Pilipinas International Mariel de Leon Philstar.com photo

No regrets about anything that she said or she did, especially on social media?

“In terms of what I stand for, my feelings about certain things and my opinion on issues…no regrets.

But I could have been more careful in my choice of words. In general, I really stand for what I believe is right.”

Of course, her parents, Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong (who was with Mariel during the contract-signing) are known for being, well, “reserved” and not having been enmeshed in any controversy. Is the impression correct that her parents cannot control her (or put her in place)?

“I respect them as my parents

who guide me all the way. But they are aware that I am my own person and that it’s not good to fully control your children...tell them what to say or do. I listen to what my parents say and I never argue with them or talk back to them. It’s up to me how to apply in my life what they are telling me. They allow us to have our own mind and our own identity.”

Turning 25 on May 23, Mariel considers the Binibini as the turning point of her life.

“That’s when my life really started. The Binibini changed my life radically. It was the year when I really started growing up.”

Did growing up include breaking up with her boyfriend?

“We still talk naman, we are still very close and we go out. The main thing with me now is that I don’t want to be serious with a relationship. I’m not that young, so I want to take every opportunity that comes my way.” even when she accepted the offer to be Coco Martin’s leading lady (along with another beauty queen, 2015 Miss International Kylie Versoza), Mariel was then “not quite sure” about following in the footsteps of her parents.

“But I guess I’m really serious about it now,” confessed Mariel, “although I don’t think I can duplicate my parents’ achievements. I still have a lot to learn about acting. I superenjoyed doing ‘Panday.’ I used to Continued on Page 4

Fil-Am composer, wife win their 2nd Academy Award Kristen Anderson-Lopez and robert Lopez have won their second Academy Award for best original song. the husband-and-wife duo picked up the honor sunday, March 4, for “remember Me” from “Coco.” the pair also won best original song for “Let it Go” from “Frozen.” robert Lopez dedicated the win to his mother who passed away. His wife said she was happy to see their category include a number of female nominees. the Lopez’s song beat out Mary J. Blige’s “Mighty river” from “Mudbound”; Common and Diane Warren’s “stand Up for something” from “Marshall”; Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s “this is Me” from “the Greatest showman”; and sufjan stevens’ “Mystery of Love” from “Call Me by Your name.” (Philstar.com with reports from Associated Press)

march 9-15, 2018 www.asianjournal.com

The making of Morissette Amon

by Leah

C. SaLterio Philstar.com

Morissette onstage and they rendered a duet of ed sheeran’s Perfect. “the first time i PerForMinG at the Araneta saw you, i knew you were going to Coliseum can be merely a dream make it,” Christian told Morissette. for many local performers. But “the title of this concert, Morissette not for 21-year-old Morissette is Made, is perfect.”

Amon, the diminutive power the next medley of oPM belter who recently packed the Big Dome with her successful solo tunes paid tribute to local divas who popularized the familiar concert, “Morissette is Made.” songs — Lea salonga’s “What a Morissette was born and Journey,” Kuh Ledesma’s “Dito raised in the bustling city of Cebu, where her big dreams started. she Ba?,” Jaya’s “Wala na Ba’ng Pagwanted to conquer the world with ibig?,” Zsa Zsa Padilla’s “Minsan Pa,” sharon Cuneta’s “sana’y her voice. she was named after Robert Lopez and his wife Kristen AJPress file photo by Troi Santos Maghintay ang Walang her dad’s music idol, CanadianAmerican singer-songwriter, Alanis Hanggan,” Lani Misalucha’s “Bukas na Lang Kita Mamahalin” and Morissette. thus, Johanne Morissette Daug regine Velasquez’s “Pangarap Ko ang ibigin Ka.” Amon. Her first name, Johanne enter sam as neo, an art turned copywriter in an tHe latest Yassi Pressman and the audience screamed their (pronounced as Yohan), was a director who is paired up with advertising agency. A hopeless sam Milby-starrer shows much hearts out in delight when regine derivative female name of Johann, trina in an advertising project. romantic, she firmly believes that promise in delivering an original Velasquez joined Morissette taken after German composer, Beyond his good looks, trina finds every person is destined to meet concept with its story going onstage, as they rendered the Johann sebastian Bach, also a something in him that compels her “the one” with whom he or she beyond the general definition of a latter’s powerful ballad, Akin Ka na music icon. to break down the wall she’s built will spend forever. this, despite “third wheel” in a relationship.

Lang.

“You are incredible, ” regine today, Morissette’s name to protect her heart. neo admits being in her 30s and yet to find While suggesting that one proudly commended Morissette. is undoubtedly a byword in that he has loved three women, her true love. Moreover, she’s of its characters is never in a Philippine entertainment. she has “You are the new queen,” which but his revelation about having an had her heart broken thrice, and relationship, thus always the third eight-year-old son devastates trina. made a name for herself after only made the young diva burst has long accepted the awkward wheel, Viva Films and the ideaFirst into tears. five years in the music scene. she to make matters worse, the boy’s status of being third wheel to her Company’s “Pambansang third they closed is enviably conquering the music mother still makes her presence felt. dating friends. the movie finds Wheel” takes an unexpected turn their portion with world and living her dream. now third-wheeling between her swearing she won’t fall for a early on in the movie. regine’s “You Are My in “Morissette is Made,” the neo and his son, will trina ever feel guy until she’s sure he meets her it is Pressman whom the title song,” applauded young diva ignited the stage that she’s the only one? standards. refers to as trina, a receptionist loudly by singersinging Destiny’s Child’s i’m a in explaining Pressman’s survivor on video, but she instantly songwriter Martin character, director ivan Andrew nievera, who captivated her full-house crowd Payawal said, “Gusto niya siya yung penned the hit with her live rendition of her idol, priority pero dahil in-accept niya ballad as he was Jessie J’s “Burnin’ Up” and the crowd itong lalaki na ito sa buhay niya, seated in the was immediately wild.

Another kailangan niyang mag-adjust.” audience upbeat song came, Christina Playing the role of Murphy, that night.

Aguilera’s “Come on over” and it the attention-seeking son of neo, was easy to say the audience was is Alonzo Muhlach, while Monica, in the palm of Morissette’s hand. neo’s ex-wife, is played by sam “this is a dream-come-true for Pinto. me,” Morissette excitedly told the “Ang Pambansang third Wheel” has already gained positive crowd. “this is not just my journey, reactions from netizens because of but also the journey of my band.” then, she dished out her first its fresh storyline, not to mention powerful ballad, her version of Phil the palpable screen attraction Collins’“Against All odds.” between its lead stars. it will be the stage was dwarfed by the remembered that Viva first tried gigantic M in the middle, which out the Pressman-Milby pairing in changed its colors from blue to the 2016 dramedy “Camp sawi.” gold, to green to red. Morissette Meanwhile, Milby is coming belted out her powerful contest off the success of “Doble Kara,” pieces — “sweet Child of Mine,” an afternoon soap on ABs-CBn Dream on, Livin’ on a Prayer. she that ran for more than year, while attested that she was really a Pressman is currently enjoying veteran of singing contests. “Conte her role as Alyanna in ABs-CBn’s sera,” was how she termed it.

FC_JMC_AJPrintAd11p5x10p5in.pdf 5 2/22/18 12:46 AM longest running teleserye “Ang Christian Bautista joined Yassi Pressman and Sam Milby Probinsyano.” (ManilaTimes.net)

Sam and Yassi, bring new meaning to ‘third wheel’

3

Morissette ended her show with her hit version of Little Mix’s “secret Love song,” made popular on Wish 107.5, the producer of her Big Dome concert.

At the helm of Morissette is Made is Paolo Valenciano, undoubtedly the most in-demand concert director lately. this recent Valentine season alone, Paolo directed three concerts, including his dad, Gary Valenciano’s “Love in Motion” last Feb. 14 and “#PaMore” with Martin, ogie Alcasid, regine and erik santos last Feb. 10.

Whoever said Morissette couldn’t fill up the Big Dome, she had no drawing power or it was still too premature for her to do a major solo concert in a big concert venue should better zip their mouths by this time. Morissette’s big time concert salvo is a clear testament that Morissette is Made, indeed.

McDonald’s starts rollout of fresh beef quarter-pound burgers, cooked right when ordered, to US restaurants Filharmonic to sing at Warriors Filipino Heritage Night Rollout complete in approximately 3,500 restaurants as two new fresh march 9-15, 2018

www.asianjournal.com

FILIPINO-AMERICAN a capella group The Filharmonic are set to perform at the Golden State Warriors Filipino Heritage Night on March 25. To be held at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, they have been invited under the auspices of ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel (TFC).

The group comprised of Southern Californians Jules Cruz (vocal bass), Joe Caigoy (tenor), Trace Gaynor (tenor), Niko Del Ray (beat boxer) and VJ Rosales (tenor) will sing the US national anthem as well.

The Filharmonic repertoire includes pop, R&B and ‘90s nostalgia. They attracted the attention of several Hollywood

4

beef signature crafted recipes soon to join menu

television was just as storied: He won an Urian Best Actor award in 1980 for his role as Manay in Ishmael Bernal’s “Manila By Night,” and another Urian, for Best Supporting Actor in 2016, for Lawrence Fajardo’s “Imbisibol.”

On TV, he would appear in such long-running programs as “Flor de Luna,” “Vilma Tonight,” “Labs Ko Si Babes.” A generation of Filipino TV watchers came to know him as the flamboyant, cantankerous but kind-hearted Steve Carpio in Dolphy’s beloved sitcom “Home Along Da Riles” and its spin-off movies.

It was after “Home Along Da Riles” that Bernardo decided to migrate to California, staying there for 12 years. While in the U.S., he continued to perform and received acclaim for appearing in theater productions that focused on the Filipino migrant experience, among them “Alaskeros,” staged at Perseverance Theater; “Voyage,” about the lives of four generations of Filipinos in Alaska; and, especially, “The Romance of Magno Rubio,” which won a raft of nominations and awards from American critics and publications and toured Chicago, Los Angeles and New York.

“My theater training and acting experience proved very

OAK BROOK, Ill. — On Tuesday, March 6, McDonald’s USA announced that fresh beef, cooked right when ordered, in all Quarter Pounder and Signature Crafted Recipe burgers is now available across approximately 3,500 restaurants in select markets and is on track for rollout to all participating restaurants in the contiguous U.S. by early May*.

The move to fresh beef quarter-pound burgers is the TFC’s ‘Adobo Nation’ host Ginger Conejero jams with The Filharmonic’s VJ Rosales, Trace latest in McDonald’s food journey Gaynor, Joe Caigoy and Jules Cruz. to build a better McDonald’s. It’s also one of the latest customer-led shows guesting them among on CBS and Universal Pictures’ initiatives in the U.S. that builds on other in NBC’s “The Sing Off,” “The hit movie “Pitch Perfect 2”. several other recent milestones, Late Show With James Corden” (ManilaTimes.net) including All Day Breakfast, committing to only sourcing cagefree eggs by 2025 in the U.S. and serving chicken not treated with “comeback”: “I’m scratching helpful in my control of my antibiotics important to human my 70-year itch! It’s legacy body and voice in acting,” said medicine**. time. Whatever experience Bernardo in the 2014 interview.

“The switch to fresh beef and expertise that I can share, “Hitting your marks, knowing quarter-pound burgers is the most now’s the time to do it,” he said, cues, being aware of your key significant change to our system adding, with typical Bernardo lights, movements… Continuity and restaurant operations since Bernardo humor: “I won’t be like of action/emotion for close-up All Day Breakfast,” said McDonald’s [Repertory Philippines founder] and angle changes were easy USA President Chris Kempczinski.

Zenaida Amador na liliparan ka enough to learn. But the key “Over the past two years, we have ng silya, or Ishmael Bernal na lesson was to be natural, or to been listening to our customers liliparan ka ng ashtray. Ako na underplay.” and evolving our business to build lang siguro ang lilipad.”

In front of the camera, on the a better McDonald’s. We are proud He did get to teach other hand, he learned—“take to bring our customers a hotter and formally—as head of the your pick: Patience. Stillness. juicier quarter-pound burger at the theater arts program of MINT Compromise. How to conserve speed and convenience they expect (Meridian International) College energy. How to laugh off delays. from us.” in Taguig City. He also put up his How to sleep while seated and In March 2017, McDonald’s own theater company, Studio waiting for your next scene.”

USA announced the switch to fresh Connections International, Bernardo’s last stage beef, cooked right when ordered, which he said aimed to “form appearance was in Red Turnip quarter-pound burgers as a part alliances among performing Theater’s sci-fi drama “The arts companies in order to Nether,” in March 2017, for raise professional and artistic which he was nominated for an benchmarks in educational Aliw Award for Best Actor in a From Page 2 Philippine Theater.”

Non-Musical. (He was an Aliw “Theater acting is the closest say I didn’t want to be in showbiz awardee as best male performer in hotels and nightclubs in 1986.) one can get to living out the but after ‘Panday,’ I’ve changed concept of reincarnation,” he Before “The Nether,” he my mind. I was really taken care pointed out to this paper. “With played King Lear in 2015, of while doing ‘Panday,’ I learned each new role, one gets reborn. in a Filipino translation of new things, and that opened my You basically create a whole new mind.”

Shakespeare’s play by National human being’s life story until the Artist Bienvenido Lumbera Any limitations in her choice final curtain falls. And, on top of directed by Nonon Padilla and of roles? the applause (the old addiction staged at De La Salle-College of “For sure, I won’t do any nudity. to acceptance and recognition), St. Benilde. (Inquirer reviewer But I can wear bikinis which I you get paid for it!”

Cora Llamas hailed it as “a touralready did during the Binibini. I’m Bernardo’s wake is at St. de-force performance”.) open to doing kissing scenes but Peter’s Chapel, Araneta Ave., Bernardo was 70 when he beyond that, well, I have to think Quezon City. did Lear, and he called it his hard about it.”

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

Bernardo Bernardo: ‘It’s been a...

From Page 2

of a broader commitment to bring customers more craveable and delicious food offerings. The 100% fresh beef quarter-pound burgers are now available in approximately 3,500 restaurants across a number of markets including: - Atlanta - Charlotte - Memphis - Miami - Nashville - Orlando - Raleigh - Salt Lake City Over the next month, the company will be rapidly completing the transition to fresh beef quarter-pound burgers, cooked right when ordered, in additional markets, including Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and more, with full rollout to participating restaurants by early May. The test markets in Dallas and Tulsa found customers love the hotter and juicier*** fresh beef quarter-pound burgers – the company saw a 90 percent customer satisfaction from customers who order the burgers, and 90 percent intent to repurchase.

All McDonald’s fresh beef quarter-pound burgers use 100 percent beef with absolutely no fillers, additives or preservatives.

Quarter-pound burgers include the Quarter Pounder, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Double Quarter Pounder and Signature Crafted

Recipe burgers.

New signature crafted recipe sandwiches McDonald’s also continues to innovate its Signature Crafted Recipe sandwiches, which feature premium ingredients and unique flavor combinations. Next month, McDonald’s will introduce another flavorful, premium sandwich – Garlic White Cheddar.

The Signature Crafted Recipe sandwich is made with a fresh beef, quarter-pound burger or chicken (Buttermilk Crispy Chicken or Artisan Grilled Chicken) and will be available at participating U.S. restaurants.

• Garlic White Cheddar: A mouthwatering, savory combination of creamy garlic aioli and crispy garlic chips piled up with a juicy tomato slice, crisp iceberg lettuce and real white cheddar cheese. Freshly prepared on a fresh beef quarter-pound burger or your choice of chicken (Buttermilk Crispy Chicken or Artisan Grilled Chicken) on a toasted Artisan Roll.

Other new Signature Crafted Recipes sandwiches are also expected to debut later this year. * Not available in Alaska, Hawaii or U.S. Territories. ** Farmers still use ionophores, a class of antibiotics that are not prescribed to people, to keep chickens healthy. *** Compared to prior ¼ lb. beef patty.

(Advertising Supplement)

As Mariel relinquishes Bb. crown: No regrets All her parents advise Mariel is to be professional (and punctual, “Don’t make people wait”), be kind to the cast and especially the crew members, and to be prepared and ready with her lines before going to the set.

She’s set to star in an indie film titled Latay as the ex-wife of Allen Dizon (with Lovi Poe as the current wife), to be produced by Baby Go’s BG Film with Ralston Jover as director.

What’s her advice to her Binibini successor?

SERVICES

“Enjoy every moment and stay true to yourself. Take things slowly. Don’t fake yourself on social media because people can see and read through you. People will appreciate you more if you are genuine and true to your opinions and still respectful of other people.”

And to her bashers?

“Nothing really, because I think bashers are sad people. Only sad people are negative towards other people because if you are happy, you won’t bash other people.”

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA LONG ago in the island of Crete, there lived a man named Daedalus, who was famed for his skills as an inventor. He worked for King Minos. Foremost among his many achievements was building the labyrinth in which the king kept the Minotaur, a fearsome, legendary beast who was half-man and half-bull that fed on human flesh. It was said that anyone who went into the labyrinth never came out of it again because of its complex, undecipherable winding walls and corridors.

Daedalus was brilliant and this was a problem for the king.

Although Daedalus had been giving the king great and loyal service all his life, Minos was deeply insecure and feared that Daedalus who was wise, celebrated and ingenious would, one day challenge him to become king. As a preemptive move, Minos imprisoned Daedalus and his son, Icarus in a prison tower. The king underestimated Daedalus, for one dark night, father and son escaped from their prison tower.

They found out however that it was well nigh impossible to escape the island with the paranoid King Minos sending out an all points bulletin to his mindless minions.

Minos’ soldiers carefully searched every boat that left the island.

Father and son took cover in a remote cave along the shore hidden from the watchful eyes of Minos’ soldiers while Daedalus figured out a way to escape.

Watching the seagulls for hours soaring and diving for food on the shore, Daedalus was struck with the idea of flight as an escape route. He caught one bird and studied the structure and form of its wings and after careful thought, decided to copy how a wing is made. He instructed Icarus to catch seagulls and pluck their feathers.

When there were enough feathers, he sewed them together and used melted wax to bind the feathers on a wooden framework. He created the contraption so skillfully that

Health@Heart

Hubris and the folly of youth

march 9-15, 2018 www.asianjournal.com

5

“The deepest definition of youth is life as yet untouched by tragedy” — Alfred North Whitehead they looked like a giant replica of a bird’s wings. He customized two pairs of wings for himself and for his son, careful to take each of their individual body weights into consideration.

But having wings was one thing, knowing how to use those wings to fly was another.

So Daedalus strapped his wings and still taking his cue from the seagulls on how to soar, swoop, dive and glide, he proceeded to learn how to fly so that the wings felt like a seamless part of his arms and his body. He studied wind currents, the waters of the sea and the heat of the sun. Having gained the skill, he proceeded to teach his son patiently. At first, Icarus stumbled and fell and when he got past the first few fumbles, the youth learned quickly, his lithe, svelte form seemingly destined for flight. He learned to fly like a bird, swooping and diving, gliding and circling about, looking down below at the blue waters and their island prison, now a mere speck from above, and frolicking about overhead, chasing the seagulls and rolling in the clouds. Freedom was a heady drink. Icarus felt complete elation, knew the incredible lightness of being and tasted the sweet freedom of flight.

Then came the day when Daedalus and Icarus were to fly out of Crete. The sun was up, and the wind was mild and Daedalus decided it was an auspicious day to make the great escape. Daedalus sat his son down and looked him in the eyes for serious pre-flight instructions knowing that once in the air, there would be little chance for communication. “Pay attention, Icarus. Stick close behind me and watch your altitude. Fly too low and the sea with its moisture will make your wings too heavy. Fly too high and the heat of the sun will melt the wax in your wings.

Take heed and stay close.” Icarus nodded agreement but he was far too excited and his mind was

already in the sky.

Daedalus took off flapping his wings faster and faster to get vertical lift-off and escape gravity.

Icarus followed suit and took off shortly after. As they flew, the people on the ground in Crete watched in amazement wondering whether the winged creatures are the gods themselves flying.

Icarus trailed his father closely at first, following his flight pattern and struggling to take heed of his father’s admonitions. But feeling an overwhelming sense of growing power in his ability to fly, reveling in his freedom and giving in to his impetuous, youthful nature, Icarus deviated a little at first, taking little swoops and side trips and catching up with his father who was intently flying on a steady speed and altitude.

As Icarus swooped, dived and indulged frivolously in his aerial acrobatics, Icarus soon forgot his father’s words and flew higher and higher towards the noonday sun.

Then the wax in his wings melted, the wooden framework broke apart and the feathers blew away.

Wingless and panicking, Icarus plunged headlong like deadweight into the blue waters. Daedalus swooped down in hot pursuit to save his son but it was much too late. All he saw were a few feathers floating on the surface.

Daedalus, with a heavy heart at the tragic loss of his beloved Icarus, managed to fly to Sicily. In his grief, Daedalus retired his wings, lost his love for life and never flew again.

Over and over again through the generations, we see this tendency of some of the young ones to “forget” the things they have been taught and allow hubris and folly to rule. Some throw away everything they have learned and painstakingly worked for in one impetuous decision or action.

It is as if their overwhelming sense of freedom, newly-attained independence and sense of power Continued on Page 6

Vatican to endorse porn?

As for the “pushers” of vaping, I suspect that they are the same mindless and unconscionable PhiliP S. ChuA, sectors of our society, the greedy Md, FACS, FPCS entrepreneurs and money-hungry politicians who supported and FOr some people, to even promoted the use of tobacco, think that the church could be who would again financially profit persuaded to endorse porn or from the misery their fellowmen. abortion is ridiculously absurd!

Much like those who, historically, The title is a satirical statement had pushed for tobacco use and to highlight the stupidity of the also those now pushing to legalize suggestion that the Philippine recreational marijuana.

Department of Health (DoH), Vaping a safer alterntive? the very guardian and sentinel Going from cigarette smoking of health of our country, should endorse vaping! The health experts to vaping is just like jumping out of a frying pan to the fire. It does call it ludicrous. I say it is idiotic. not make sense. The only rational Vaping is the inhalation and exhalation of the vapor produced way to quit breathing in more toxic air from our present poisonby an electronic cigarette or contaminated atmosphere is to similar device, which is loaded with toxic chemicals. Since the use stop inhaling from another source of cigarettes has declined in many of toxic chemicals, like in vaping.

This is just plain common countries, vaping, which is no less sense. No doctorate degree harmful, is being marketed as a needed to understand this. Just substitute for smoking.

Here are important statements ask any child in the kindergarten.

Electronic cigarettes and other I am reprinting from the email this column received from the disease vaping products would outsell tobacco in five years. Young prevention advocacy agency, people are especially attracted to HealthJustice: this new mode of self-destruction “It would be the height of and suicide. absurdity for the Department of While the old generation of Health to endorse vaping. As far the 1600s (when tobacco was first as the national and international scientific and medical community introduced in Brazil and England) and up to early1900s did not have is concerned, vaping or the use the scientific information that of electronic cigarettes is not tobacco was a factory of diseases safe because these still emit toxic and a killer of man, today’s youth, chemicals. And it is crucial that in this informational age, have the public be informed about it,” tons of evidence-based data said Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, board that vaping is no less health member of HealthJustice and destructive and is equally deadly former secretary of the DoH. as smoking.

According to Dr. Domilyn Let’s review what smoking Villarreiz, Smoke-free Program has done to people, which eManager of the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), cigarettes and vaping would do, studies show that “vaping involves with equal impunity.

Smoking kills. It is that the inhalation of nicotine at the plain and simple. There is no same levels as cigarettes and can more doubt today that tobacco maintain nicotine addiction. It (cigarette smoking) is the also increases one’s likelihood predominant cause of lung cancer, of developing cancers and besides other malignancies and cardiovascular diseases. Fetal and cardiovascular diseases that maim, adolescent exposure to it has kill men and women and hurt our particularly adverse effects on brain development. These are just society, especially our children. In the United States alone, almost a few reasons why vaping must also be banned in all public places half a million die each year from smoking-related illnesses. These where smoking is also banned.” are preventable deaths!

Aren’t we getting enough Demographic studies have polluted and toxic air from our shown that smokers are about environment, and illnesses and 10 times more prone to die deaths from smoking tobacco premature deaths than nonthat we have to acquire another smokers. This unnecessary loss habit and harm our body even of lives is at an immense direct greater? When do we stop being cost for non-smokers in terms masochistic and self-destructive?

of increased health risks from passive smoking, in higher health insurance premiums and taxes, not to mention personal and family tragedies in all shapes and forms.

As we have alluded to in a previous column, secondhand smoke is even more dangerous, equally fatal.

Tobacco use leads to four times as many deaths annually compared to all other drugs and alcohol abuse combined, ten times more than all automobile fatalities per year, twelve times more than deaths from AIDS, and much more than all the American military casualties (in all wars) in this century put together. That’s how dangerous and damaging tobacco is to the human body and to society as a whole.

Today, lung cancer has become the main killer among men and women. Since women started “really” smoking in the 1950s, “because it was glamorized in ads by actresses and models as a sophisticated and fashionable habit,” lung cancer in females has increased at least six-fold, an alarming rate, with death rate comparable to that in males.

Women also have added risks: osteoporosis, thrombophlebitis (vein inflammation and blood clot formation), arthritis, infertility, cervical cancer, and menstrual irregularities. Pregnant smokers face miscarriages, stillbirths, lowbirth weight and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) babies.

Almost 30,000 female lives are snuffed out every year as a result of smoking. Of the 4 billion cigarette-related deaths in the world each year, about half a billion are women. It is now the top killer among women. Today, one woman dies from cigaretterelated illness every three minutes!

Shall we look the other way and allow e-cigarette and vaping to replicate the pandemic of misery and deaths with tobacco? *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States.

Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

Calendar of Events across America ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS MARCH 11

Fil-Am Association of SCV’s fundraising event and inaugural ball in Valencia, CA The Fil-Am Association of Santa Clarita Valley (SCV), Inc. invites the community to a fundraising event and inaugural ball of the board of officers and trustees on Sunday, March 11 at 5 p.m.

It will be held at the Hyatt Regency Valencia — 24500 Town Center Dr., Valencia, CA 91355.

The Fil-Am Association of SCV, Inc. is a non-profit that engages in cultural, social, outreach and community service to approximately 8,000 Fil-Ams living in Santa Clarita Valley. This 2018 marks the associations 35th year in serving the community through its outreach and Fil-Am academic and cultural enhancement programs which include scholarship achievement awards, programs for the seniors, youth and single programs, as well as cultural events. For tickets, please contact Josie Maglalang at (661) 607-5665, Zeny Justiniano at (661) 645-0948, Emie Carrillo at (661) 8772699, and Zony Gordon (661) 312-3422.

MARCH 14

Philippine American Bar Association’s 32nd installation & awards gala in Los Angeles on March 14 The Philippine American Bar Association (PABA) invites you to its 32nd Installation and Awards Gala on Wednesday, March 14. This year’s Gala will feature keynote speaker California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu, a menu of Filipino flavors, and special performances.

During the gala, PABA also will formally unveil its new logo and website, both of which were developed by a Fil-Am-owned start-up and involve colors and designs deeply rooted in the cultural history of the Philippines. To purchase tickets or a sponsorship, please visit: https:// www.z2systems.com/np/clients/paba/giftstore.jsp.

MARCH 19

Glenn Miller Orchestra to perform in Stevenson Ranch, CA The world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra will swing into the Santa Clarita Valley for a special one-night only event to be held at West Ranch High School (26255 Valencia Blvd. Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381) on Monday, March 19 at 7 p.m. The most sought-after big band in the world will take the stage with bandleader Nick Hilscher at the helm, performing beloved hits from their extensive library, which includes “In the Mood,” “Moonlight Serenade,” and “Pennsylvania 6-5000.” Hosted by West Ranch High School’s music program, the concert will be an event for all ages and offers the chance to experience history, enjoy the magical melodies and walk away knowing you’re supporting a new generation of talented musicians in the processes.

Tickets are $25 for seniors/students, $30 for general, and $35 for VIP. Prices increase by $5 at the door the day of the event. Tickets are available online at westranchmusic.com, by phone at (661) 222-1220 ext. 645, or at one of the locations: Nick Rail Music - 25868 McBean Pkwy., Valencia, CA, (661) 288-2345; Nationwide Insurance, 23236 Lyons Ave. #205, Newhall, CA, (661) 254-1714; Innovations Salon - 25830 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch, CA. (661) 255-5580; or Bella Cucina - 27911 Seco Canyon Rd. in Saugus, (661) 263-1414.

M A R C H 29

Immigration forum in Anaheim, CA There will be a FREE immigration forum on Thursday, February 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Brookhurst Community Center (2271 Crescent Ave., Anaheim, CA 92801). RSVP is a MUST to attend. No registration fee required. Please contact (714) 657-7460 or admin@globallawcenters. com. Attendees will be able to get information on the following topics: How to find H-1B/green card sponsoring companies, tips for a successful H-1B interview, job placement assistance for qualified applicants with start-ups in Orange County, and a list of top 100 H1-B employers in the OC. Global Law Centers strives to inform the immigrant community of its rights and make sure it is knowledgeable about what immigration processes might be available. The forum will also update everyone about new and recent changes which may affect immigrants and their families.

Refreshments will be provided to all attendees. For more information about Global Law Centers, please visit www.globallawcenters.com.

ApRIl 14

SALIDA: Simbolo at Kultura in Queens, NY AFTA presents its latest fundraising event - “SALIDA: Simbolo at Kultura” – a cultural dinner show featuring the internationally recognized dance troupe from the Philippines, the Leyte Dance Theater, which will kick off their USA TOUR 2018 in NYC. The event is on April 14, 2018, 3:00 pm at the Rock Church in Woodside, Queens. “Salida” aims to raise funds and awareness to support the flagship projects of the Association of Fil-am Teachers of America, Inc. (AFTA) with their partners: The Rock Churches Worldwide and the Leyte Biliran & Samar Federation.

Proceeds of this fundraiser will finance AFTA’s projects in the Philippines like Adopt a School (Marawi City, Biliran and Albay, Adopt a Scholar, and Balikturo). For Sponsorship opportunities, contact Roxanne at 347-932-6631 or Nitz at 862-368-1706 or any AFTA officer/board member.

ApRIl 30

East West Players’ 52nd Visionary Awards & Silent Auction in Los Angeles East West Players celebrates its 52nd Anniversary at the Annual Visionary Awards Dinner & Silent Auction. The Visionary Awards laud the achievements of individuals who have raised the visibility of the Asian Pacific American (APA) community through their craft. Proceeds from the gala will benefit East West Players’ educational and artistic programs. It will be held at the Hilton Universal City (555 Universal Hollywood Drive, Universal City, CA 91608) on Monday, April 30. At 5:30 p.m., VIP Reception*, silent auction, and registration begin. Dinner and awards show begin at 7:00 p.m. For more information, please visit: http://www.eastwestplayers.org/news/east-west-players-52nd-anniversary-visionary-awards-dinner-and-silent-auction/.

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com

march 9-15, 2018 www.asianjournal.com

6

ABS-CBN answers CHED’s complaint against ‘Bagani’

In response to Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) commissioner Ronald Adamat’s letter sent to ABS-CBn President Karlo Katigbak on the network’s new show “Bagani,” the network released a statement sent to Philstar.com on March 5.

According to the statement, “The concept of ABS-CBn’s new fantaserye ‘Bagani’ is to feature warriors, protectors and heroes who espouse Filipino values and beliefs.”

As a response to Adamat’s accusation that “Bagani” is “devoid of real meaning and substance,” Some of the Binibining Pilipinas candidates celebrate after making it to the best in costume list. The final pageant winners will be announced ABS-CBn said in the statement on March 18.

ManilaTimes.net photo by John Micah Sebastian that the show’s production team “did intensive research to determine a distinctly Filipino term that embodies a champion Intercontinental First Runner-Up no. 33 Stephanie Joy Abellanida

by Arlo Custodio who fights for the common good Katarina Rodriguez, Miss Globe First wearing a creation of Archie Castillo; ManilaTimes.net of his tribe or family — somebody Runner-Up nelda Ibe, Miss Grand no. 29 Samantha Kaye Avestruz, who is brave, honorable, selfInternational Second Runner-Up with nick Guarino as designer; CAndIdATES to this year’s sacrificing and good-hearted.”

Elizabeth Clenci and Binibining no. 30 Sarah Margarette Joson, by Binibining Pilipinas pageant sizzled The commissioner claimed Pilipinas Supranational Chanel Olive Jay-R Gamboa Flores; no. 31 Jheza in their chosen attire during the the series might be promoting Thomas – and the 40 candidates Mae Huelar, by neil Patrick Jimlani; national Costume show held on “half-truths and lies that destroy paraded wearing the latest no. 35 Sandra Lemonon, by Edwin Saturday, March 3 at Kia Theater in and negate the essence” of collection of sponsor Jag Jeans.

Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City. Uy; no. 19 Michele Gumabao, by the Indigenous People’s (IPs) After the presentation, Jag nat Manilag; Catriona Elisa Gray, The 40 women, wearing terminology, “bagani.” announced that they have chosen

by Jerson demavivas; no. 18 traditional and modern terno or But according to the TV Peters, de Leon and Rodriguez as costumes of indigenous tribes, were Rosantonette Mendoza, by Ryan station, the show’s production the brand’s newest endorsers.

Uson Ablaza; no. 11 Maria Andrea a picture of grace and fierceness team “recognized that the term On March 10, the Binibinis will Verdadero, by Chico Estiva; and Ana as they paraded in front of an be going around the Araneta Center and concept of a ‘Bagani’ best Patricia Asturias, by dave Ocampo. enthusiastic audience. solidifies the traits that the for the annual Parade of Beauties.

The winner of the Best “They are all beautiful and the program wants to highlight.”

Winners will be representing in national Costume will be costumes are artistic, really hard to the country in the Miss Universe, choose who is the best,” an audience announced on Pageant night on Miss International, Miss Globe, March 18. member whispered to The Manila Miss Grand International.

Fans and supporters can vote Times.

Miss Supranational and Miss for their favorite candidates in the The 10 women who stood out

by Bot Glorioso Intercontinental pageants. official Binibining Pilipinas website. were chosen by a panel of judges Philstar.com In January, Rodriguez was Prior to the national costume led by Binibining Pilipinas Charities, KZ Tandingan always pushes declared First Runner-Up to presentation, the reigning queens Inc. chairman Stella Marquez Veronica Salas of Mexico in the Miss herself to do things that she has – Miss Universe Philippines Araneta. never done before. She hopes to Intercontinental pageant held in Rachel Peters, Binibining Pilipinas Making it to the Top 10 in no reach the final round of China’s Egypt.

International Mariel de Leon, Miss particular order were Candidates “The Singer 2018” in April.

By this time, KZ Tandingan should be in China prepping up for another round of performances From Page 5 perhaps even more so. But we While we may think that this for “The Singer 2018.” Her were lucky and got a pass because recent appearance in the reality tendency of the youth today is goads them to “fly close to the life was magnanimous enough unique to our times, we only have sun.” show’s Episode 7 where she to let us get past this harrowing to look back several thousand Humility gets torpedoed rendered “Say Something” landed stage with barely a scratch and years to know that the scenario and overweening pride rules. her in the fourth spot, ending her live long enough to see the cycle may have changed, the cast of They feel they no longer need probationary stint and turning repeated in our children. guidance from anyone. Sometimes characters in every generation in into a regular contestant.

And on and on until the sun every nation may be different, but a good scare or a tiny thorn of However, KZ said that her dies, the cycle goes. the predilection for hubris and bad experience can be humbling present standing is not an *** folly in some of the youth remains and worth more than a lifetime of assurance of her inclusion in the Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is finals in April given the fact that warnings, advice and admonitions the same.

SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. there is a part of the show that has We need to be reminded to nudge prideful youth back to To send comments, e-mail monette. not been shown yet. too that as adults, we were once reality and on the straight and maglaya@asianjournalinc.com just as young and just as foolish, narrow.

“I cannot tell yet if I’ll reach the finals in April since every two weeks, there is an elimination so sana umabot tayo doon,” said KZ during the presscon for Cornerstone’s announcement of its eight major concerts to be held this year. “Meron pa na di umeere, na di pa napapanood na performance, so you have to watch out for it on March 9. But on YouTube, they will be showing the official video na parang official episode din nila.”

When it comes to preparation, the singer is working hard on song rearrangements “because in the competition all the contestants sing covers. So, we only get two chances to sing our original songs and since di ako kasama dun sa first or second performance, I only have one chance to sing an original so now I am thinking that it’s not okay na bira lang ng bira. It is a must to learn the strategy, what song to perform and since I’ll be singing for the Chinese audience in particular, they appreciate more when you sing in Mandarin. So, learning how to sing in Mandarin is the biggest part of my preparation.” Recall that KZ sang in Mandarin during her second performance in the contest.

To this day, KZ has a Mandarin coach in China and here in the Philippines for her to get used to performing in the foreign language. She, too, memorizes the songs for her to deliver them as natural as can be.

But it doesn’t mean that she is required to sing only in Mandarin.

In fact, her rendition of Say Something earned her a higher ranking. “I got a higher ranking in the last episode and I think the judging depended on the kind of feeling they were looking for during that episode.”

She continued, “There are no particular judges. The judges are the audience and they have three votes that can be used to (support) the participants, so sila yung kailangan matuwa sa performance.”

If she were to decide, KZ wishes to sing Freddie Aguilar’s “Anak” in its Mandarin version knowing how popular the OPM song’s Mandarin and Cantonese versions are among the Chinese crowd. The song choices, The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events. KZ said, are determined by the Chinese team behind the reality show.

So far, KZ is doing well in the

Bb. Pilipinas bets sizzle in costume show

“With all due respect, the use of ‘Bagani’ is not in any way intended to malign or to disrespect beliefs of the Indigenous Peoples’ communities, but instead hopes to propagate the values, morals, and ethics that are inherent in a ‘Bagani’— a Filipino warrior, protector, and hero,” the network explained.

Regarding Adamat’s recommendation to make the show more “educational,” and historically and culturally accurate, ABS-CBn clarified that “Bagani” “does not purport itself to be a

historical account of Philippine history or culture.”

“The program has always maintained that it has created an alternative fictional universe with elements of Filipino mythology and folklore that simply serves as an avenue to creatively deliver and highlight Filipino values, beliefs, and heroism.”

“Bagani” airs on weeknights and stars Enrique Gil, Liza Soberano, Matteo Guidicelli, Makisig Morales and Sofia Andres.

(Deni Rose Bernardo/Philstar.com)

KZ: Of course, I want to win!

Hubris and the folly of youth

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If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com.

And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event.

To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice.

Present with KZ at the Cornerstone’s media call announcing its eight major concerts to be held this year are (from left) John Prats, Jason Dy, Jaya, Moira dela Torre, Iñigo Pascual and Jay-R. Philstar.com photo

singing tilt but without denying how tough it is to be a contestant.

In her assessment, she already had four or five performances yet that feeling of having butterflies in her stomach seems to never go away every time she’s onstage.

Asked to confirm talks that she has been already included in the finals in April, KZ answered in the negative saying that no one will never know until it happens. “As long as I am not yet eliminated, there is a chance for me to stay until April. There will be an episode where all the contestants will perform then the ranking will follow. But I cannot reveal any more details since they are super strict when it comes to confidentiality but in the next episode may malaking revelation na naganap.”

As for her reaction to her boyfriend TJ Monterde’s strong feeling that she will win, KZ said, “Of course, I’d be lying if I say that I don’t want to win but if I really think of it as a competition, it will be more difficult for me and it will only put much pressure on me so I really wanna take it one week at a time, one performance at a time and I always make sure that I do something different every week, I do something surprising every week. I always push myself to do things that I’ve never done before that it will even surprise people here in the Philippines who will get to watch my performance.

And that’s all I am thinking because should I get eliminated this week or next week, as long as I gave the best performance ‘yun ang maaalala ng tao and that’s what truly matters to me.”

KZ never denied about initially having doubts on pushing through with her plans of joining “The Singer 2018.”

She recounted how she shared to her Cornerstone family that she felt like backing out and not going to China anymore because she deemed the contest as too tough to handle. But thanks to them, KZ had a change of heart after hearing encouraging words and feeling the heartfelt support of her co-artists in the talent management outfit. Their text messages she had received during her stay in China all the more motivated her to do her best to stay in the competition.

What she didn’t expect was the instant recognition from the Chinese people, like when she received requests for photo opportunity while inside one of the malls in China.

“Nakakataba lang ng puso na kahit

di ako consistent na nasa top spot, naa-appreciate nila yung ginagawa ko.”

Meanwhile, KZ is set to conquer the local stage with her first major solo concert titled Soul Supreme at the Araneta Coliseum in June. KZ said that only after the conclusion of “The Singer 2018” can her management finalize her schedule. But this is not to say that she no longer gives priority to the Filipino audience. “Of course, it has to be Filipinos first,” she stressed. nevertheless, KZ cannot still believe that she will be holding Soul Supreme as she recalled how equally surprised she was when her manager Erickson Raymundo told her two years ago that she was going to be part of the “divas Live” with Yeng Constantino, Angeline Quinto and Kyla.

“That time, I really felt I wasn’t ready compared to what they (Yeng, Kyla and Angeline) have already achieved. I believed that I should be just the front act or guest but after everything that happened in two years’ time and the thing that’s happening this year, I don’t think it’s a bad thing to celebrate the overflowing blessings that God is giving me. I really cannot understand where all these are coming from kumbaga in the many years of pursuing our careers by working hard to hone our craft and consider the many years of waiting, true enough you just have to wait for God’s time and He will surprise you with things you never expect. Kaya nung sinabi sa akin na Araneta, sobrang takot ako but I believe God will not give me something that I cannot handle.”

As to her guests, KZ said they haven’t finalized the lineup yet but if possible, she loves to share the stage with her Cornerstone family. She also looks forward to “The divas Live” II to happen at the Big dome in november.

“I am super excited to have a repeat with the divas like what we did when we went to the U.S.. Sabi nga namin sobrang na-miss namin, so expect a fun concert with big surprises.”

Other Cornerstone artists present with KZ during the presscon were Yeng, Angeline, Kyla, John Prats, Moira dela Torre, Iñigo Pascual, Jason dy, Jaya, Jay-R, Alex diaz, Kyle Echarri, Jayda Avanzado, Claudia Barretto, Janina Vela, Erik Santos and Richard Poon.

march 9-15, 2018 www.asianjournal.com

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march 9-15, 2018 www.asianjournal.com

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