071720 - New York & New Jersey Edition

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JULY 17-23, 2020 Volume 13 - No. 37 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Tech CEO who harassed Fil-Am family on Fourth of July resigns from company

The video that went viral shows the white CEO making “unprovoked” racist remarks toward the family THE San Francisco-based CEO of a technology company who was caught on video hurling racist and xenophobic insults toward Filipino American family in Carmel Valley, California has resigned from the company, according to multiple reports on Monday, July 13.

After the video went viral, the white man was later identified by social media sleuths as Michael Lofthouse, the CEO of the cloud and IT start-up Solid8, as previously reported in the Asian Journal.

In an email sent to CNN and ABC News,

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US rejects China’s claims in disputed sea

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE United States on Monday, July 13, rejected most of China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea. “We are making clear: Beijing’s claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea are completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

“The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire,” he added.

Pompeo also stressed that the U.S. stands with its Southeast Asian allies.

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Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Duterte exults: Oligarchy ended without martial law dent Rodrigo Duterte is “very happy” that he has “dismantled the oligarchy” in the country.

“Without declaring martial law, I destroyed MANILA — Days after ABS-CBN’s application the people controlling the economy and the for a new legislative franchise was denied, Presi- people, and who don’t pay,” he told governby JULIE

M. AURELIO Inquirer.net

ment troops in Jolo, Sulu province, on Monday, July 13. “They take advantage of their political power.”

The President was apparently contrasting

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Filipino US passport holders, foreigners temporarily barred from entering PH

by JOSEPH

PERALTA AJPress

FILIPINOS who have become naturalized citizens of other countries and are not dual citizens, as well as foreign nationals, are temporarily barred from entering the Philippines as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic surges on.

This was confirmed to the Asian Journal by the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco (PCGSF) as advisories on the internet began popping up, warning Filipino Americans with impending travel plans to the Philippines to double check with the airlines and authorities

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FREE HAIRCUT. A staff member of Shell gasoline station on Timog Avenue, Quezon City writes the name of a taxi driver who availed of the free haircut offered by the gas station amid the community quarantine on Wednesday, July 15. Still, health protocols such as wearing of face masks, safe physical distancing, and applying hand sanitizer are observed for the safety of the staff and customers from contracting COVID-19.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

From quarantine baking to a pastry business: Deaf Pinay bakers serve up traditional Filipino goodies in Southern California

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

AT a time when the supply for motivation and optimism in humanity is not meeting the demand, it is important to remember that goodness is still the rule and not the exception.

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Trump admin drops visa restrictions on international university students after mounting pressure

by RAE

Aina Mulleda and Sunshine Enriquez started A&S Sweet, a new Filipino bakery business in Panorama City, California.

ANN VARONA AJPress

After receiving backlash and pressure from universities, students, and technology companies, the Trump

administration on Tuesday, July 14, reversed a policy that prohibited international university students from continuing their studies in the United States if their

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From the Front Page

From quarantine baking to a pastry... Duterte exults: Oligarchy ended without...

PAGE 1 Throughout the past four and a half months of the COVID-19 pandemic, local Filipino-owned businesses have done more than their share, staying open to provide food staples like rice and bread for a community in a time of cloudy uncertainty.

Case in point, meet Aina Mulleda and Sunshine Enriquez, the owners of A&S Sweet, a new Filipino bakery in Panorama City, California that has been serving the greater Los Angeles community with traditional Filipino baked goods via their Instagram and Facebook pages.

Both born and raised in the Philippines, millennial partners Mulleda and Enriquez were inspired to start their business the way that many people have started new hobbies in the age of quarantine: out of boredom and the need to do something fulfilling.

“It was one of those days when we’re not doing anything at home and decided to bake pan de sal and Spanish bread for our family,” Mulleda told the Asian Journal in an email. “My aunt decided to have her co-workers try our home-made Filipino breads and we got good feedback from them and that’s when people started ordering.”

Although the business is

A&S Sweet’s offerings include ensaymada and pistachio sans rival.

young, A&S Sweet’s affordable menu ranges from simple staples like pan de sal ($5 for a dozen) and ensaymada ($7 for eight pieces) to delectable desserts like ube custard cake ($16) and mango cake ($23).

Every baked good is homemade and made to order and can be customized to address a variety of dietary limitations.

“As long as our customers are satisfied and happy with our breads, we will do our best to serve them,” Mulleda said.

Both Mulleda and Enriquez are deaf, which, to some business owners, can be seen as a major obstacle that could negatively affect

business. Strength in customer-to-business communication is the backbone to any successful enterprise, but in a world that is becoming more accepting and inclusive of all people regardless of ability, Mulleda doesn’t perceive their deafness as a deterrent.

In many ways, it is an asset that reminds other folks in the disabled community that no weapon formed against them will prosper.

“Communication is the most common issue in our deaf community but we always find a way to solve it,” Mulleda said, noting that social media has made it easier for business owners of all

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Tech CEO who harassed Fil-Am family on...

PAGE 1 Lofthouse said, “I can confirm that I have stepped down from Solid8, terminating all business relationships with immediate effect.

I will make it my duty to ensure my personal actions do not continue to have a detrimental impact on those people closest to me.”

The Filipino American family who was targeted in this incident was taking a trip up to Carmel Valley over the Fourth of July weekend to celebrate a birthday. On July 4, the family went to the Bernardus Lodge and Spa’s Lucia restaurant when out of nowhere, during dinner, Lofthouse began berating the family.

“We were having fun, playing games and when we were having dessert, suddenly we hear somebody behind us yelling, ‘You f--ing Asians,” Raymond Orosa, one of the family members, previously told

the Asian Journal following the incident.

The unprovoked harassment prompted Jordan Chan, Orosa’s niece, to begin filming Lofthouse, who is seen sticking up a middle finger to the family and saying, “[President Donald] Trump’s gonna f--- you.” The video also shows him yelling, “F-- you, Asians,” Go back to whatever f---ing Asian country you’re from,” and “You don’t belong here.”

“This is the face of the man who relentlessly harassed my family and I completely UNPROVOKED, UNWARRANTED, and UNCONSCIONABLE,” Chan wrote in her Instagram post.

(Lofthouse was eventually forced to leave the restaurant by restaurant staff.)

After the video went viral, Lofthouse issued an apology to the family, saying “This was clearly a moment where I lost control and made incredibly hurtful and divisive

comments.”

“I think he shouldn’t just apologize to us. He should apologize to the whole Asian community that’s seen his video and from that point on, take all the responsibility that comes with it,” Orosa told the Asian Journal in reaction to Lofthouse’s apology. “He did it and everybody witnessed it. He’s gotta be responsible for what he’s done and said.”

In his statement on Monday, Lofthouse also noted that he has “once again begun my journey back to sobriety” and enrolled himself into an anti-racism program.

“The reactions to what was said have been deserved and I wholeheartedly acknowledge that I am complicit in a system that enables this behavior and these broken beliefs to exist but I am dedicated to changing,” he said. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) n

PAGE 1 himself with the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who declared martial law in 1972 allegedly to solve the ills of Philippine society that he had blamed on the oligarchs.

From the Greek word oligarkhes, oligarchy is any power structure controlled by a small number of people called oligarchs.

Edited, unedited “Every election, then, now and tomorrow, it’s just one room. ‘Who’s our candidate?’

It’s just one family talking there,” Duterte said. “That’s how they played with my country.”

His remarks were released and aired by Radio Television Malacañang on Tuesday morning.

The 40-minute video clip was apparently edited and left out any mention of ABSCBN or the other oligarchs mentioned by the President.

But an unedited audio clip of the speech, obtained by the Inquirer, revealed that he mentioned the embattled media network a few times in his speech.

In the edited version and official transcript, the President recalled his campaign promise to go after corruption and “the rich who milk the government and the people.”

In the unedited audio clip, he said it was his “battle cry” to destroy the oligarchy in the last two years of his adminis-

President Rodrigo Duterte walks to a waiting plane on his way to Jolo, Sulu province, to visit soldiers on Monday, July 13.

Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante

tration.

“This time, by the next two years, I will not give any concession at all. However legal the application is. If you’re an oligarch, I’ll tell you, ‘I don’t want a fight with you. Son of a bitch, if you force me, I will beat you up,’” said Mr. Duterte. His term ends on June 30, 2022.

The President lamented that government troops were dying for the oligarchs to “prop up a government that is useless if they are still there.”

His spokesperson, Harry Roque, said Duterte was not referring to the owners of ABS-CBN but to “oligarchies that he has dealt with personally.”

At a press briefing, Roque

mentioned tycoon Lucio Tan Sr. and the two water concessionaires — the Ayala-led Manila Water Co. and the Manuel Pangilinan-led Maynilad Water Services Inc. He also dismissed speculation that Duterte was referring to the media network in his speech, but he acknowledged that he was unaware that the video of the President’s speech had been edited.

Playing God Duterte claimed that ABSCBN’s equipment were taxfree and that its land title for its compound on Mother Ignacia Avenue in Quezon City did not indicate the correct land area.

He also accused the net-

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Filipino US passport holders, foreigners...

PAGE 1 lest they get turned away at the airport when trying to board their flights.

According to Consul Raquel Bago-Llona, pursuant to the Immigration Memorandum Circular No. JHM-2020-004 issued by the Bureau of Immigration on July 7, 2020 all foreign nationals (subject to exemptions) are restricted from traveling to the Philippines.

However, Filipino Americans who are dual citizens would be allowed to board even if they are carrying U.S. passports provided they have the necessary original documents for Dual Citizenship (Identification Certificate, Oath of Allegiance and Order of Approval). Spouse and children accompanying the dual citizen will also be allowed entry into the Philippines.

Per Consul Bago-Llona, only

accredited foreign government and international organization officials and their dependents, foreign spouses and children of Filipino nationals and foreign airline crew are the categories of foreign nationals allowed in the country.

Consul Bago-Llona added that Philippine Airlines (PAL) is aware of these travel restrictions, and that airlines are advised to exercise extra prudence in marketing services and keep in mind the existing restrictions imposed by the government so that passengers can be spared needless inconvenience.

In a text message sent to a community advocate Lorna Dietz, Consul General Henry Bensurto, Jr. said this is only temporary, and is part of the efforts by the government to limit the entry of people into the country to reduce COVID19 infection.

Dell Merano, area manager of PAL in the Bay Area, told the Asian Journal that there have been limited instances when passengers were not allowed to board their flights in San Francisco International Airport (SFO) because they are U.S. passport holders, but that the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco expedited these passengers’ dual citizenship applications upon being advised

by PAL. The passengers were able to board the next available flight to the Philippines when they presented their documents.

“Majority of our passengers have been able to board their flights to the Philippines,” Merano said. “Based on our experience, passengers who have had problems come from the interior of the U.S. who use domestic flights coming from their cities to connect

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Trump admin drops visa restrictions on...

PAGE 1 colleges went fully online.

The directive — announced last week by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — made it so non-immigrant international students who were taking a fully-online course load would have to leave the U.S. or take “other measures” like transferring to a university with in-person instruction. International students outside the U.S. would not have been able to return to the U.S. for classes.

The students were allowed to stay in the U.S. if their universities decided to take a hybrid approach of both online and in-person instruction.

The rule announcement was immediately met with lawsuits from universities and tech companies as many universities had already decided to offer online-only classes due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) sued ICE just two days after the announcement to stop the policy from taking effect.

Quick to show support were other universities like Northeastern University and Princeton University, and some of the nation’s biggest tech companies like Adobe, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Spotify, and Twitter.

Also separately challenging the policy were 20 state attorneys including California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.

As the universities prepared for their arguments in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on Tuesday, Judge Allison Burroughs announced that the U.S. government would be rescinding the rule.

“The Court was informed by the parties that they have come to a resolution to the combined temporary restraining order/preliminary injunction motions,” read the court docket. “The Government has agreed to rescind the July 6, 2020

Andreia Carrillo, a graduate student at UT Austin

Justine de Jesus, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania

Policy Directive and the July 7, 2020 FAQ, and has also agreed to rescind their implementation.”

With the rule withdrawn, the guidelines that applied to the previous Spring 2020 semester will be reinstated, thus allowing international students on F-1 visas to keep their visa status while still taking classes fully online.

Harvard University President Lawrence S. Bacow called the policy rescission a “significant victory.”

“The directive had disrupted all of American higher education,” wrote Bacow in an email to its affiliates on Tuesday. “I have heard from countless international students who said that the July 6 directive had put them at serious risk. These students — our students — can now rest easier and focus on their education, which is all they ever wanted to do.”

In light of reports of U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) senior officials saying that the federal government still had plans to present regulation of the same nature, universities have pledged to stand by their international students should they again face challenges.

“While the government may attempt to issue a new directive, our legal arguments remain strong and the Court has retained jurisdiction, which would allow us to seek judicial relief im-

mediately to protect our international students should the government again act unlawfully,” wrote Bacow.

The University of California (UC) Board of Regents Chair John A. Pérez and President Janet Napolitano said in a joint statement, “UC will continue putting our students’ health and safety first — and we will be keeping a watchful eye on what the administration might propose next should we need to step in again.”

Last week’s policy change left international students suddenly unsure of what would happen to their academic and career plans.

Many students faced added uncertainty due to travel restrictions made by their home countries.

More than 1 million university students in the U.S. come from overseas, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE).

Data released by Open Doors last December revealed that 3,320 international students enrolled in the U.S. in 2019 were Filipino.

“I’m thankful that there are universities out there fighting to keep their international students — it shows us that the work we put in to come here was valued and worth it, and it also encourages us,” a Filipina international student studying in Tennessee told the Asian Journal last week. n

US rejects China’s claims...

PAGE 1 “America stands with our Southeast Asian allies and partners in protecting their sovereign rights to offshore resources, consistent with their rights and obligations under international law. We

stand with the international community in defence of freedom of the seas and respect for sovereignty and reject any push to impose ‘might makes right’ in the South China Sea or the wider region,” he said.

According to Pompeo, the unanimous decision “rejected the (People’s Republic of China’s) maritime claims as having no basis in international law.”

“As the United States has

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DRIVE THRU TESTING CENTER. Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso (right), and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna (left) lead the launch of “Drive-thru Testing Center” in front of the Andres Bonifacio Monument on Wednesday, July 15. Manila Health Department (MHD) personnel will take blood samples of motorists, which will be processed using the recently-purchased COVID-19 serology testing machines.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Duterte exults: Oligarchy ended without...

PAGE 2 work of “having holding companies” overseas.

“That is what Marcos went after. Cayman, then there’s a holding company in Hungary where they pour it in. They supposedly have an investment there and send money.

But the investment is no more.

The money won’t come back, so there’s no taxes. And to think that they talk and they play God over the lives of the Filipino,” Duterte said.

In declaring martial law, Marcos targeted the Lopezes, seizing the family-owned Manila Electric Co., the country’s biggest utility, and closing down their broadcast network ABS-CBN and newspaper Manila Chronicle.

Duterte told the soldiers that he was extremely proud of himself for dismantling the bedrock of oligarchy. “I really beat them up. And they got a taste of my cussing that they did not expect.”

He further said: “All of them.

Ayala, Lopez, wrote an apol-

ogy. I cussed them, yet they apologized. It’s true, because of my anger … at what they did to my country.”

Network franchise The President, however, denied that he was the one responsible for the closure of ABS-CBN, pointing out that it was the House committee on legislative franchises that rejected the franchise application.

By a vote of 70-11, the committee thumbed down on July 10 the network’s application for a new franchise on grounds that the US citizenship of its former chair and president, Eugenio Lopez III, violated the ban on foreign ownership and management of media, and that the issuance of Philippine Depositary Receipts to American investors might have also violated the constitutional ban on foreign ownership.

In the unedited audio clip, Duterte also mentioned the 1997 water concession agreement with Manila Water and Maynilad, and property devel-

oper DM Consunji, a part-owner of Maynilad he criticized for the collapse of a condominium in Davao City in 2019.

“I don’t know how the Ayala, Pangilinan and Consunji will pay the Filipino. It was way back in 1997. I have no quarrel with them, I have accepted their apology,” he said, reiterating the water concessionaires’ billing of wastewater treatment fees without establishing treatment plants.

Earlier, the government offered the water firms new contracts for distributing water in Metro Manila and two adjacent provinces, with Duterte warning that he will file cases of economic plunder against them if they reject it.

But in May, the President apologized to the Ayalas and Pangilinan for his “hurtful words” and expressed his readiness to discuss the water deals with them. This was after the two business groups made huge donations to the government’s response to the new coronavirus. n

From quarantine baking to a pastry...

PAGE 2 abilities to operate. “Nothing will stop us from achieving our dream despite [the] communication barrier.”

Aside from this new business venture, Mulleda is a graphic design student at the California State University, Northridge (CSUN) and parttime sales associate at Urban Outfitters, Enriquez has an extensive background in baking. After graduating from the Center for Culinary Arts, Manila in the Philippines, Enriquez worked at Malacañang Palace for 8 years, cooking and baking. The couple has also traveled around Asia, strengthening their palettes

and further invigorating their love for cuisine and cooking.

“She learned a lot from working with other chefs. Her passion for cooking and baking turned into [a] business,” Mulleda remarked. When we bake, we want our breads to serve as a sweet reminder of the days when we were living back home.”

Though neither Filipina has ever owned a food service business, they hope that their business continues on after the pandemic. Though they started A&S Sweet during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, the young, tenacious bakers don’t fear the precarity plaguing businesses across all in-

dustries.

As a small, currently home-based bakery, A&S Sweet operates with the knowledge that there will always be a demand for the flavors of the motherland and the inherent desire to serve the community.

“Apart from rice, we Filipinos can’t live without bread,” Mulleda shared, adding that the bakers plan to expand their menu and, hopefully, open up a brick and mortar shop in the future. “And since most Filipino stores are closed, we still want our Filipino customers to be able to eat their favorite Filipino breads for breakfast or even merienda.”

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 17-23, 2020

OPINION

FEATURES

Phishing season ANYONE with a cellular phone or computer has received messages offering a prize, soft loan facility, product or service while seeking sensitive personal information from the user.

Most people know enough to reject the messages. But there are still many who are victimized by the cyber crime called phishing, especially when the message comes from someone posing as a major organization or legitimate institution. The crooks can pose as the user’s bank, internet service provider or telecommunications provider, and succeed in getting the user to give passwords, banking and credit card details.

Information gathered by the Department of Justice’s Office of Cybercime from March to June, while the country was under various degrees of community quarantine to contain the COVID pandemic, showed that phishing has overtaken online sexual exploitation of children as the top criminal activity in cyber-

5

space. The OCC said online selling scams and dissemination of fake news or disinformation followed closely.

Because of the COVID lockdowns, online communication and transactions have surged, and fraudsters have pounced. The problem has become so bad that an official of the National Bureau of Investigation called the COVID pandemic “phishing season.”

While many people have become techsavvy enough to foil phishing attacks, others need help. Internet service providers, telcos and social media companies need to beef up capabilities to protect users from phishing and other forms of fraud. Banks and companies engaged in ecommerce should do the same. With people increasingly relying on online transactions amid the pandemic, government agencies must also ramp up capabilities to detect and prevent cyber crimes as well as apprehend their purveyors. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Duterte’s minions in Congress kill ABS-CBN franchise: The chilling effect on the Philippine free press gets more real than ever The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS CONGRESS has ruled to deny a new franchise to ABS-CBN, the nation’s biggest broadcasting company that has been serving the Filipino people for more than 65 years.

The company has spear-

headed the growth of the industry from analog to digital in providing news, information, entertainment and public services to Filipinos wherever they may be — from Manila to the far-f lung islands of the Philippines to the different parts of the world kababayans call home.

On Friday, July 10, Filipinos all over the world, international news organizations and press freedom advocates were shocked to hear the verdict of the

House committee on legislative franchises, which overwhelmingly voted, 70-11, against granting a franchise to ABS-CBN. Perhaps the word “shocked” was not the most accurate word to use, because President Rodrigo Duterte had threatened to shutdown ABS-CBN several times for its reporting news and investigative stories that were critical of him and his war on drugs.

Duterte had likewise PAGE 8

Philstar.com photo

The anti-immigrant virus Street Talk GREG B. MACABENTA SAN Francisco, California is said to be a bastion of liberal and progressive folks.

The city has a black mayor, London Breed, who replaced a Chinese-American mayor, the late Ed Lee. Governor Gavin Newson, who was first to recognize same sex marriage, was mayor before Ed Lee and after Willie Brown, who is black.

And yet, the following disturbing incident was reported on social media by a couple of friends, Lloyd LaCuesta and his wife, Mona Lisa Yuchengco. Lloyd was South Bay Bureau Chief for the San Francisco Bay Area of KTVU TV’s news division.

A Hawaiian-born GI (Genuine Ilocano), Lloyd was a familiar on-camera personality up to his retirement a few years ago.

Lisa Yuchengco was founder and original publisher of Filipinas Magazine and is one of the highly-respected leaders of the FilipinoAmerican community. She also currently publishes the

online magazine, Positively Filipino.

I hope Lloyd and Lisa will not mind my reposting and circulating their narrative. I do not want to unduly create any tensions or resentments among those who consider the US home – whatever their race, creed, nationality or political persuasion and whether native born or naturalized citizens, immigrants or are in the process of making their stay permanent.

However, I believe we should all be aware of what is happening in our midst that can – or will – affect us, the better for us to be prepared for it.

PAGE 10

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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US rejects China’s claims...

PAGE 4 previously stated, and as specifically provided in the Convention, the Arbitral Tribunal’s decision is final and legally binding on both parties,” he added.

China, in response, said the U.S.’ rejection of its maritime claims in the South China Sea is completely unjustified.

“The United States is not a country directly involved in the disputes. However, it has kept interfering in the issue,” the Chinese Embassy in Washington said on Tuesday, July 14.

“Under the pretext of preserving stability, it is flexing muscles, stirring up tension and inciting confrontation in the region,” it added.

Tribunal ruling ‘invalid’ The Chinese Embassy in Manila also responded to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. urging China to comply in good faith with the arbitral ruling on the South China Sea case.

“China’s position is consistent, clear and firm,” it said in a tweet that was quickly deleted on Monday.

“The South China Sea arbitration and so-called award are illegal and invalid,” the embassy added.

Locsin, on the 4th anniversary of the historic ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, said the award is “non-negotiable.”

“The Philippines, as a law-abiding, peace-loving and responsible member of the international community, reaffirms on this occasion its adherence to the award and its enforcement without any possibility of compromise or change,” he said.

“The award is non-negotiable,” he added.

Locsin noted that the ruling, which was “initiated and overwhelmingly won” by the Philippines, is a contribution of great significance and consequence to the peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea and to the peace and stability of the region at large.

Likewise, the arbitration award conclusively settled the issue of historic rights and maritime entitlements

in the South China Sea. “As a reaffirmation of UNCLOS, and by laying down an authoritative interpretation of key UNCLOS provisions such as Article 121(3), the award is a milestone in the corpus of international law, the cornerstone of a rules-based regional and international order,” Locsin said.

He stressed that China’s “nine-dash line” had no basis in law, adding that China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea violated the Philippines’sovereign rights.

“The Tribunal ruled that certain actions within the Philippines EEZ violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights and were thus unlawful; that large-scale reclamation and construction of artificial islands caused severe environmental harm in violation of international conventions; that the largescale harvesting of endangered marine species damaged the marine ecosystem; and that actions taken since the commencement of the arbitration had aggravated the disputes,” Locsin said. n

3-PRONGED STRATEGY VS. COVID-19. Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano announces the three-pronged strategy to promote the national government’s programs in addressing the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic during a press conference at Taguig LGU drive-thru testing center in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig on Tuesday, July 14. Cayetano said the strategy is incorporated in its approach dubbed as the Systematic, Mass Approach Responsible Testing (SMART) program which features hospital, house-to-house, community-based testing via health centers, and drive-thru testing. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Filipino US passport holders, foreigners...

PAGE 2 with their international flights.

These are very minimal in number.”

Merano revealed that they do advise their passengers on the current travel restrictions/ regulations to the Philippines and have posted a reminder for passengers to check Philippine government and provincial websites. She encourages

Filipinos who become naturalized citizens of other countries to apply for dual citizenship in order to prevent unnecessary complications when traveling to the Philippines, as this pandemic has shown.

Filipino Americans who are not dual citizens and foreigners who are traveling to the Philippines are advised to call the Philippine consulate

in their area and check with airlines representatives for any requirements needed to gain entry to the Philippines if they fall in exempted categories.

[In the Bay Area, visit www. philippinessanfrancisco.org or call (415) 433-6666 for the Philippine Consulate General.

PCGSF is located at 447 Sutter Street, 6th Floor, in San Francisco.] n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 17-23, 2020

Dateline PhiliPPines

COVID-19 cases among overseas Filipinos surpass 8,900

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

THE Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, July 15, registered 43 additional cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) among Filipinos abroad, bringing the official count to 8,915.

Thirty-four new recoveries were also recorded by the agency, which raises the total number of recovered patients to 5,311.

“With 43 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 34 new recoveries recorded in Asia and the Pacific and Europe today, the DFA reports that the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases among Filipinos abroad and the total numbers of those who have recovered have breached the 8,900 and 5,300 marks, respectively,” it said.

The death toll, meanwhile, remains at 618, as the DFA confirmed no new fatalities among overseas Filipinos due to the virus.

Overall by region, Europe – which comprises 16 countries – has recorded 1,063 Filipino cases, including 498 undergoing treatment, 470 recoveries and 95 deaths.

The Middle East and Africa, covering 24 countries, has reported 6,431 cases: 2,240 are undergoing treatment, while there are 349 deaths and 3,842 recoveries.

The Asia Pacific region, which spans across 17 countries, has 772 cases – 128 under treatment, 589 recoveries, and five deaths.

The Americas – covering seven countries, including the United States – have 699 reported cases: 120 undergoing treatment, 410 recoveries, and 169 deaths.

“As we celebrate World Youth Skills Day today, the DFA commits to not only monitoring the status of our people abroad but also in continuing its efforts to promote their welfare and development, including the youth, during and beyond this current crisis

we are in,” the DFA said on Wednesday.

The agency also welcomed home 373 Filipinos stranded in Singapore through special flight PR 8508 coordinated by the Philippine Embassy in Singapore and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

Of the number, 91 completed their employment contracts, 87 were not renewed or terminated from their contracts, 61 were stranded tourists, 34 were pregnant passengers, 15 were senior citizens, 15 were passengers with illness, and 13 were students or minors.

“This was the seventh repatriation flight directly organized by the Philippine Embassy in coordination with DFA. Previous repatriation flights were on 20 and 27 April, 20 and 31 May, 26 June, and 03 July 2020,” said the DFA. “So far, 1,432 of our kababayans in Singapore have benefited from these repatriation flights,” it added. n

Survey lists biggest economic crimes in PH

by MayVelin

u. caRaballo ManilaTimes.net

ASSET misappropriation, bribery and corruption, as well as customer fraud are among the biggest economic crimes in the Philippines.

This is according to Alex Tan, PwC Malaysia’s partner for forensics ser vices and risk consulting lead-

er, who discussed “PwC’s G loba l E conom ic C r i me and Fraud Sur vey — The Philippine Report” during the Management Association of the Philippines’ 5th online general membership meeting on Tuesday.

“What are the top frauds in the Philippines? Asset m isappropr iat ion, wh ich is another word of stealing

t he money. Br iber y a nd corruption and then lastly customer fraud,“ he said.

Accor d i ng to t he su r vey, asset misappropriation fraud continues to be the most disruptive to Philippi ne busi nesses, w it h at least 26 percent or one out of four businesses having experienced it since 2018.

PAGE 10

Bureau of Immigration deports suspected American pedophile by neil

aRwin MeRcado Inquirer.net

MANILA — A suspected American pedophile who allegedly sexually exploited girls in Cebu City during his travels in the country has been deported, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Tuesday, July 14.

BI Commissioner Jaime

Morente identified the American as 64-year-old Craig Alex Levin, who was deported on July 9, aboard a chartered special flight of the US Embassy from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The immigration bureau said agents from the US Marshals Service fetched Levin at the airport from his

detention cell at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Morente said BI Board of Commissioners decided to expel Levin for being an undocumented and undesirable alien on top of his status as a fugitive wanted by the US government.

“He has been placed in our PAGE 10

Plant-based diet vs climate change pushed

by Rhodina

VillanueVa Philstar.com

MANILA – Filipinos are being urged to help fight climate change by switching to a plant-based diet, wh ich has been show n to reduce t he ecologica l foot pr i nt of hu ma n food consumption.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through its attached agency Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), has launched a month-long public information campaign to encourage every one to consume more fruits.

T he c a mpa ig n , w h ic h coincides with the celebrat ion of Ju ly as Nut r it ion Month, urged Filipinos to fol low t he recom mendations of the Food and Nu-

trition Research Institute regarding the proportions of t he t h r e e m a i n fo o d groups – go, grow and glow – that should be taken every meal.

“Shifting to plant-based diet is one way to reduce the environmental impact of one’s food consumption.

It does not only benef its one’s health, but also helps protect t he env i ron ment due to t he sma l ler env ironmental footprints that plant-based diets tend to have,” EMB director William Cuñado said.

A 2013 st udy by t he United Nations Food and Ag r icu lt u re Orga n i zation showed that meat and da i r y, pa r t ic u la rly f rom cows, account for around 14.5 percent of the global g r e en hou s e ga s e s eac h year.

T he f ig u r e i s r ough ly eq u iva lent to t he globa l amount of gas emitted by all cars, trucks, airplanes and ships combined.

A r ecent st udy by t he University of Oxford suggested t hat cutt ing meat and dairy products from a person’s diet could reduce his carbon footprint from food by up to 73 percent.

C u ñ a d o s a i d a p l a n tbased diet could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and land use for factor y farming, which are factors in global warming and environmental degradation.

T he mont h-long c a mpaign is being conducted virtually or online due to t he rest r ict ions brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic. n

july 17-23, 2020 • NEW yORK AND NEW jERSEy ASIAN jOuRNAl

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

Most Filipinos believe China held back Duterte’s minions in Congress kill... info on COVID-19 from the world – survey

by Franco Luna Philstar.com

MANILA — Three out of five Filipinos are of the consensus that China withheld information from the international community when the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) first emerged in Wuhan in December, new survey data suggests.

The belief that China could have shared more information on the COVID-19 outbreak is a sentiment most Filipinos, around 61% of them, interviewed by the Social Weather Stations seem to share.

According to SWS, the July 2020 National Mobile Phone asked participants: “How much do you believe the accusation of other countries that China did not immediately share their information on COVID-19 to the world, such as the severity of the disease and the number of deaths in China because of this virus?”

Of the 61% who voiced their agreement with the statement, 28% strongly believed it while 33% somewhat believed it.

The remaining 23% did not believe it—with 13% somewhat feeling this way while 10% were in strong disagreement—while 15% were undecided.

This, while 7 out of 10 of those who believe the accusation, or 77% agreed that “China should be held accountable for not immediately sharing their information on COVID-19 to the world.”

The survey interviewed 1,555 adult Filipinos via mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing with sampling error margins of ±2% for national percentages, ±6% for Metro Manila, and ±5 for Balance Luzon, ±5% Visayas, and ±5% in Mindanao.

As Beijing claims to assist the Philippines against COVID19, it also launched and still maintains two research stations on Fiery Cross (Kagitingan) and Subi Reefs in Spratly Islands, areas that Manila claims and is part of what it calls the West Philippine Sea. Though Beijing’s press releases boast of an overall vic-

tory against the new pathogen, the international community has long cast doubt on its transparency in its handling of the situation, with some implying that China doctored false statistics to cover up its progress or lack thereof.

U.S. Senator Ben Sasse (RNebraska) has called Beijing’s numbers “garbage propaganda,” saying, “This much is painfully obvious: The Chinese Communist Party has lied, is lying, and will continue to lie about coronavirus to protect the regime.”

Despite questions about China’s transparency over the coronavirus, scientists agree that there is no proof that the virus was made in a lab in China as a fringe conspiracy theory claims.

At one public address to the nation, the chief executive made it a point to praise China’s president, both for China’s help to the Philippines on the COVID-19 pandemic and for his supposedly decisive response to the new pathogen when the outbreak started in China’s Hubei province. n

PAGE 5 an axe to grind when the network was not able to air some of Duterte’s campaign ads during the 2016 Presidential Election and had not refunded the campaign for the unaired advertisements.

Contrary to the claims of his administration that the president is “neutral” on the franchise renewal issue and had no hand on the outcome of the hearing, Duterte, in no uncertain terms, had vowed to block the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN. And he had his army of supporters and allies in government to make sure that happens.

ABS-CBN was ordered to shut down the by the National Telecommunications Commission(NTC) after its old franchise expired on May 4, without any hearing pursuant to the rule of law. House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano failed to do his job to hear numerous petitions filed before House, with others dating back to 2014, during the time of President benign Aquino III. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, Cayetano already determined that the issue was not a priority, and waited for the franchise to expire.

This tactic went against the industry practice, whereby a company could expect an automatic renewal of license/franchise, especially when the company has been employing 11,000 employees as in the case of ABS-CBN, especially during a coronavirus pandemic.

Moreover, the renewal of the franchise would be warranted when such a franchise had been used by the company for the greater good of the people, which ABS-CBN has proven through its decades of service to the Filipino people.

Unless there were violations to the terms and conditions of the original franchise. Should this be the case, then the hearings would be conducted in a timely manner, according due process to the company.

During such period that the issuance of franchise renewal was pending, companies were also allowed to continue operat-

ing until a final decision following a fair hearing had been made on franchise renewal. This was not the way it went with Congress in handling the franchise renewal of ABSCBN. After backlash following the shutdown of the network, Congress finally conducted “hearings”. But the hearings were used by lawmakers to grandstand for political purposes and to make sure the “vow” of the president is fulfilled.

And so even after all issues tactically and maliciously raised in the court of public opinion even before the hearings had been addressed by ABSCBN in testimonies under oath, substantiated and affirmed by government agencies like the Department of Justice, Bureau of Internal Revenue, National Telecommunications Commission, Department of Labor that the network has not violated any terms of the franchise, the House committee on legislative franchises still ruled to kill the franchise of ABSCBN. “It is what is – a denial of a privilege granted by the State because the applicant was seen as undeserving of the grant of a legislative franchise. By no means can this franchise application be related to press freedom,” the lawmakers said in the House committee on legislative franchises resolution.

House Speaker Alan Cayetano even claimed the House legislative franchises panel did Filipinos a favor by moving against one of the country’s “oligarchs,” the Lopezes who own ABS-CBN. But what is an “oligarch”? Merriam-Webster defined it as “member or supporter of an oligarchy.”

Oligarchy is defined as “a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes.”

Are the Lopzes oligarchs? In this case, the government has singled out the Lopezes from among the many oligarchs in the Philippines, especially those of Chinese descent and connections, many of them with strong ties to this government.

Moreover, whatever happened to the “oligarchy” in

political terms - political power held by families to protect their own political and economic interests.

Ever heard of nepotism?

The practice among those in power or inf luence of favoring relatives or friends.

Or family members - parents, spouses, siblings, children of the same family and same last name all in government at the same time, generations after generations. You know who they are.

Rappler reported on the response of Vice President Leni Robredo on the shutdown of ABS-CBN: “Robredo then released a statement saying it will no longer be far-fetched for newsrooms to think twice when making editorial decisions after what lawmakers did to the country’s largest media network., Senator Grace Poe was also quoted from her statement saying: “The non-renewal of the ABSCBN franchise indeed sets a dangerous precedent for all other franchises. The high and unforgiving bar to which the media entity was judged affects the legitimacy of all other franchise holders which use Philippine Depositary Receipts, tax schemes, and digital platforms – all of which were treated legal before the instant case.”

Speaker Cayetano responded: ”Both Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Grace Poe have also warned of the ‘chilling’ effect this will have on journalists and the freedom of expression.

This is completely false,” insisting that the denial of ABS-CBN’s franchise will have a chilling effect only on those who have breached the law.

So what law was breached to rationalize the shutdown of ABSCBN? Or is this a blatant use and abuse of power to silence critics and warn against the toxic venom of vendetta? ***

Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABSCBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community.

You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 17-23, 2020

10

july 17-23, 2020 • NEW yORK AND NEW jERSEy ASIAN jOuRNAl

Palace assures public: No ‘house-to-house’ search for COVID-19 patients

by Catherine

S. Valente ManilaTimes.net

THERE will be no “houseto-house” search for people infected with the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19), Malacañang assured the public on Wednesday but urged t hose who are mildly infected or asymptomatic to voluntarily submit themselves to isolation facilities.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. made the assura nce a f ter I nter ior Secretar y Eduardo A ño said policemen and local government personnel would be going house-to-house to sea r c h for COV I D -19 infected indiv iduals who s hou l d not b e on home quarantine.

In an interview with ABSCBN News Channel, Roque said the government has no provision for a door-to-door inspect ion and t hat on ly critics of the administration were “weaponizing the important task of tracing”. “ T h e y (C OV I D -19 p atients) will have to be re-

ported. They will have to be reported by the persons themselves, their family or the barangay,” he added.

Roque asked those with mild infection or are asymptomatic to “surrender” a nd con f i ne t hem sel ves i n isolat ion center s t hat are ai r-condit ioned w it h f ree lodgi ng, f ree mea ls t hroughout t he day, free Wi-Fi access, and a graduation ceremony once they c om p l ete t hei r q u a r a ntine.

He said t hat t he quarantine facilities were also “medica l faci l it ies” w it h doctors and nurses.

“We’re tr ying precisely to entice them with excellent facilities. It’s a paid-for vacation with [an] air-condit ioned faci l it y,” Roque said.

“It’s not as if t hey are brought to jails. They look like hotels. So it’s not as if they will be sent to solitary confinement. But there’s no other way,” he added.

Asked what the protocol wou ld be i f a COV I D-19 patient preferred to stay at

home, Roque said: “Sentido common. It’s a very communicable disease. And if they refuse to be isolated, t he state, of course, can isolate them.”

While he does not think it would come to this extent, Roque said that transferring patients to a quarantine facility was part of the “inherent police power of the state,” considering that it was “still promotion of public health.”

“Anywhere in the world, pag merong q ua ra nt i ne, meron dapat i-q ua ra nt i ne, puwede ya n k u n i n ng gobyer no (if there’s a person needed to undergo quarant ine, t he gover nment can take them). Let’s not make a big issue out of it especia l ly when we know that studies already indicate that this virus may have already mutated and it’s even more contagious,” he added.

As of Tuesday, the Philippi nes recorded 57,5 45 COVID-19 cases nationwide w it h 1,603 fatalit ies and 20,459 recoveries. n

Survey lists biggest...

PAGE 7 Meanwhile, bribery and corruption picked up again over the last 24 months to 21 percent in 2020 from 18 percent in 2018 but lower than 25 percent in 2016.

W hile Tan did not prov ide t he s u r vey r es u lt s fo r c u s t o m e r f r au d , h e noted t hat t h is t y pe of fraud was increasing, especially during this Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19)

pandemic.

“That is fraud committed by your customers by you and it could also be in col lusion w it h your staff members or so forth,” Tan said.

“A nd w hen we looked at what sort of level in the organization committed the fraud for the Philippines, it was primarily middle management,” he added.

The sur vey pointed out

that internal perpetrators a r e most ly f r om m idd le management and to some ex tent, operat ions sta f f.

It said “m idd le management, to a certain degree, may have more fraud opportunities than both senior management and operational staff. At the same time, the pressure coming from above and below can motivate them to commit fraud.” n

Bureau of Immigration deports...

PAGE 7 immigration blacklist, thus, he is now perpetually banned from re-entering the Philippines. Henceforth, he would no longer pose a threat to our Filipino children,” Morente said in a statement.

Citing records, BI said that Levin was arrested at his condominium unit in Barangay (village) Cogon Ramos in Cebu City in May 2019, after he was seen accompanying a 15-year-old

girl to his room.

The arrest came after American authorities informed local authorities that Levin is wanted to stand trial before a US district court in Philadelphia on charges of sexually exploiting minors in the Philippines and for engaging in child sex trafficking, the immigration bureau said.

Following his arrest, Levin was turned over to the BI where he was detained until

his deportation.

“US prosecutors have described Levin as a dangerous sexual predator who targeted vulnerable children in the Philippines,” BI said.

“They also alleged in their indictment that Levin used the internet to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a child into sex trafficking, and that he frequently traveled to the Philippines to engage in illicit sex with minors,” the bureau added. n

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

The anti-immigrant virus...

PAGE 5 The Facebook narrative of Lloyd LaCuesta and Mona Lisa Yuchengco (Posted Juy 9, 2020): My wife and I live in the “liberal” San Francisco Bay Area and yet this is what happened to her this morning: Dear All, We have seen so many videos of white racist people attacking Asian Americans lately, and you do not think it would happen to you. Well, this morning, I had a very close call.

I went to the office to pick up the mail. Since the concert is already tomorrow, I wanted to see if there would be additional donors that needed to be included in the credits. So this was not a regular trip as I only go in on Fridays. I thought it would be an opportunity also to buy my favorite kronuts (croissant and doughnut fried together). I parked in the handicap zone. Beside me was another car with two white male occupants who were just getting out of their car. I think they were father and son.

The older man was already grumbling. My car door was open as I was about to get out of the car. Then I heard the older man yell at an Asian lady who just exited from the doughnut shop, “It took you fucking 20 minutes just to get coffee?” At that point, the younger man, started cursing too: “Fucking people. Why don’t you go back to your fucking country? I served in the war, but not for fucking people like you (something like that).” And he kept going on cursing for another 30 seconds maybe, saying the same things, and at the same time walking near my car (he went around his car to go to my side) since he saw I was Asian. I was tempted to take out my phone to record the incident, but feared that it would just further anger them and didn’t want to be spat on! So I just quickly got out of the car, ran to my office to pick up the mail and got out of there. The irony is, the doughnut shop they went into is owned and run

by Asians!!!

The hate is very real, friends. If you need to go out, have somebody else accompany you.

Please be careful and cautious.

Lisa The reactions to the incident ranged from shock to outrage to pugnacity, to one that could only have come from a military man, retired

US Army Major General Antonio Taguba: “I would turn on my cell and calmly confront him and his son. This hate will not go away but I would want to know why he hates so much.

And offer to buy his coffee and his happy pill his donuts!”

Of course, not everyone can face enemy bullets as calmly as a military officer, either. A pair of racists would hardly rattle the general.

The reaction of Jon Melegrito, founding executive director of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) and “forever” information officer of the federation, as well as the entire Fil-Am community, was typical of someone who wouldn’t budge an inch during the repressive years of President Ferdinand Marcos: “This is no longer an isolated incident. It’s happening everywhere, almost daily.

But we’re not going to let these haters drive us out.

This is as much our country as theirs. Their forbears were immigrants too. We are staying and we’re not moving an inch.”

My own reaction was more prudent and, I think, practical: “Hi Lisa and Lloyd, it was prudent to avoid a confrontation, but I suggest that the next time this happens, we should take a photo of the car license plate so that the bullies can be traced and exposed.”

The harsh fact is that there is a virus that has infected America. The people whom Lisa and Lloyd described are just two among a group of Americans who may be characterized as “anti-Asian” or “anti-Chinese” or “anti-immigrant” or “anti-colored,” depending on where they stand in the American racial spectrum.

“Anti-colored” obviously refers only to white folks.

Among them, there are those who believe that only they have a right to live in the U.S. because “they were here first.” The bigoted father and son apparently belong to this group.

That attitude, of course, is an exercise in self-denial because it glosses over the fact that native Americans were in this land ahead of these father and son’s ancestors, as well as Christopher Columbus, the Vikings, the Spaniards, the Portuguese, the Pilgrims and the Puritans.

That means that these bigots who verbally assaulted

the Asian woman could also be told to go back to their country. But that kind of trash talk sets back America several hundred years.

This anti-immigrant virus has been around for a long time, but folks were more discreet about displaying their affliction. Unfortunately, President Donald Trump made it fashionable to openly bare the virus when he recently told a group of nonwhite members of Congress to “go back to your country.”

Trump may not have realized that he was spitting in the wind, because he also can be told to go back to Germany, where his relatives reportedly had their roots. And his wife Melania could be told to go back to Slovenia.

Aside from the anti-immigrant virus that Trump unleashed he also made it fashionable to attach an antiChinese label to the other virus that the world has had to struggle with: COVID-19, also called Kung Flu by Trump.

It is, in fact, possible that in Trump’s bigoted mind, Kung Flu applies to everyone who isn’t white. We could all come from South of the border, for all he cares. It’s the attitude of white supremacists and neo-Nazis – including the father and son in Lisa’ post.

Fortunately, not everyone who is white is a bigot like Trump. There are many enlightened Americans who don’t care about race, color, creed or even sexual orientation. Being a human being is good enough for them.

But what is sad is that there are some Filipino-Americans who have mindlessly jumped on Trump’s anti-Chinese bandwagon, conflating the coronavirus with other perceived Chinese “sins,” from fake products to the trade war.

What these anti-Chinese Pinoys may not realize is that they are also showering in their own saliva like Trump, mainly because, to many nonAsians, everyone who comes from “that part of the world” (i.e., Asia), is “Chinese.”

And that includes Pinoys.

That brings to mind that classic Mad Comics strip where the Lone Ranger and his faithful sidekick, Tonto, were surrounded by Indians.

“Hey Tonto,” the Lone Ranger warned, “looks like we’re surrounded.”

At this, Tonto replied: “What you mean we?” * * * (gregmacabenta@hotmail. com)

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 17-23, 2020

COMMUNITY Journal

11

Fixed fiancée visa is same as fixed marriage

Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ THE Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) recently held that a person caught applying for a K-1 fiancée visa in a “fixed relationship” (meaning having no intention to have a life together), is subject to the same lifetime ban as a person caught in a fixed marriage. Therefore, whether you are applying for a green card through a marriage, or a K-1 visa, there must be love, or no future petition in any category can ever be approved.

In that particular case, a person was petitioned for a K-1 visa by a U.S. citizen.

When he appeared for his interview at the U.S. Consulate, the case was put under investigation and interrogation.

Both he and the U.S. citizen fiancée provided inconsistent answers about their relationship, and the petition was sent back to USCIS for revocation. There was no dispute that the person’s engagement with his U.S. citizen fiancée was not bona fide.

Years later, the person’s U.S. citizen mother filed a petition for him as the single adult child of a U.S. citizen (F-1). Although that F-1 petition was initially approved, USCIS later revoked the approval on the grounds that because his relationship to his U.S. citizen fiancée was fixed, he was, thereafter, subject to a lifetime ban for having entered into a fixed relationship. He appealed to the BIA. The issue on appeal was, “whether an alien who has entered into a fictitious or ‘sham’ engagement that served as the basis for a K-1 nonimmigrant fiancée

visa petition has attempted or conspired to enter into a marriage for the purpose of evading the immigration laws and is therefore subject to the bar at Section 204(c) of the Act.” In other words, if a person is caught in a fixed marriage, they are definitely subject to a lifetime ban of ever having any future petition approved. The issue here was whether that same lifetime ban applied to a fiancée visa, where the couple had not yet married.

The BIA concluded that the same lifetime ban that ap-

U.S. citizen parent may not be approved.

On the other hand, there are situations where a person truly had been in a loving relationship and intended to have a life together with the petition, but the USCIS wrongly concluded it was a fixed marriage. It could be possible in those situations to “unfix” such a finding, by proving and documenting the original relationship was for love. I would strongly recommend the person consult with and have an attorney handle their case to help prove the original relationship was for love. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter.

No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/ GurfinkelLaw, Twitter @GurfinkelLaw and YouTube: US Immigration TV Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

“I want to emphasize that you should only marry for love, and on your wedding day have the intention to have a life together.

If the relationship is fixed and you are caught, no future petition can ever be approved, even if the new relationship is real and there is true love.” plies to fix marriages would also apply to fixed fiancée visas.

I want to emphasize that you should only marry for love, and on your wedding day have the intention to have a life together. If the relationship is fixed and you are caught, no future petition can ever be approved, even if the new relationship is real and there is true love. Many times, I have people coming to me for consultation where they have married a U.S. citizen for love, have several children with them, and that U.S. citizen now wants to petition them. Or, the person now has a U.S. citizen child over 21 years of age.

However, they were previously caught in a fixed marriage. That means any future petition, whether by a new loving spouse or an adult U.S. citizen child or a

CSPA VICTORY FOR AGED OUT CHILD: PAOLO NEVER GAVE UP HOPE, DESPITE BEING REFUSED A VISA AT THE U.S. EMBASSY BECAUSE HE HAD AGED OUT. Paolo (left) was only a small child when his U.S. citizen aunt petitioned his father. But when the priority date became current and Paolo went to the U.S. Embassy in 2015, his immigrant visa was refused because he had “aged out.” He then consulted with the Law Offices of MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL, Inc. Atty. Gurfinkel sought reconsideration from the U.S. Embassy, arguing that Paolo was still under 21, based on the Child Status Protection Act’s (CSPA) age calculation. Find out how leading U.S. immigration attorney MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL was able to turn a denial into a visa, by convincing the Embassy that Paolo was eligible for immigration benefits under the CSPA, on an encore episode of Citizen Pinoy on Sunday, July 21 at 6:15 PM (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

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july 17-23, 2020 • NEW yORK AND NEW jERSEy ASIAN jOuRNAl

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS THE best way to answer that question convincingly for yourself is to not to sleep for one night, or more. If you are still alert and feeling well after this trial of sleep deprivation, ask yourself the same question and you will have the answer.

Alpine swifts, fly continuously (non-stop from Switzerland to West Africa) for 6 months, with no sleep; bullfrogs can survive without sleeping for months; giraffe and elephants, sleep about 30 minutes a day; walruses can stay awake for 84 hours; calves of killer whales and baby dolphins remain fully awake the first few months of their lives.

We, on the other hand, need a restful sleep every day to maintain health and normal function.

Sleep experts recommend a minimum of 7 to 9 hours of sleep in 24 hours. Lack of sleep translates to lesser mental acuity and concentration, poorer health, greater driving hazards, reduced productivity and diminished sex drive. Inadequate sleep increases our risk for major illnesses, like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s and even cancer.

Richard Gelula, the chief executive officer of the Sleep Foundation, said there’s a link between sleep and quality of life. “People who sleep well, in general, are happier and healthier,” said Gelula. “But when sleep is poor or inadequate, people feel tired or fatigued, their social and intimate relationship suffer, work productivity is negatively affected, and they make our roads more dangerous by driving while sleepy and less alert.”

Quality besides quantity Obviously, the quality of sleep, besides the number of hours, is very important.

Chris Drake, senior scientist at the Henry Ford Sleep Center in Detroit and cochair of the 2005 poll task force, stated that some of the nation’s sleep habits can be attributed to an “always-on-the-go society.”

The commercial world of today stretches business to 24 hours a day, with 24hour pharmacy, restaurants,

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Do we need sleep? casinos, supermarkets, etc., so people tend to stay up late, watch late night shows on television, surf the web or internet, etc. All these reduce people’s time to sleep. And some people even need more than 9 hours of sleep to feel refreshed and rested.

This study also showed: (1) Sixty percent of adults stated they have driven a vehicle while drowsy from lack of sleep the past year, and 4 in 10 reported they have had an accident or near accident because of tiredness or falling asleep at the wheel; (2) Seventy five percent claim their partner has a sleep problem, with snoring as the most common complaint; (3) Four out of ten of those surveyed reported lack of sleep adversely affected their sexual relationship, having lost interest in sex, having poorer performance or having sex less often; and (4) Seventy percent claimed that their physician never asked them about their sleep.

Lack of sleep reduces the normal “recharging time of our body battery, our energy source” causing a chain of reactions in our physiology and body chemistry.

This “lo-bat” condition leads to physical and mental stresses to our system.

All these alter the normal homeostasis (internal balance) within us, weakening our immune system, and increasing our risk of developing metabolic diseases, hypertension (high blood pressure), stroke and heart attack, among others, or aggravating existing illnesses.

The recommendations of the National Sleep Foundation and experts in the field are abstinence from any stimulant, coffee, alcohol, television, arguments before bedtime, and to seek medical help if they think they are having sleep problem and/or snoring, or not getting enough rest at night.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) About one billion people in the world have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (frequent prolonged breath holding leading to oxygen deficit), majority undiagnosed and dismissed as “normal snoring.” The prevalence of OSA in the United States is about 25 million, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Untreated OSA reduces the integrity of the white matter fiber of many areas in the brain. More than 90 percent of people with OSA have heart irregularity, due to diminished oxygen in the body because of frequent (more than 100 times during sleep in some people) prolonged breath holding (apnea). Many obese persons and snorers (not all) have OSA. Untreated, OSA increases the risk for major illnesses from sleep deficit listed above, including cancer.

For people who usually feel tired and sleepy in the middle of the day, a sleep study is needed to confirm the diagnosis. Sleep and rest deficit are unhealthy and shorten longevity. The only effective treatment for OSA is the use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, to keep the collapsing (obstructed) airway by the throat open and humidified air pushed into the lungs with measured gentle pressure. This prevents dangerous breath holding (also stops snoring permanently) and enables the person to have good level of oxygen while asleep.

CPAP prevents potentially fatal heart irregularity and heart attack due to hypoxia (lack of oxygen) with frequent breath holding (apnea). All the items on the market claiming to prevent or cure OSA are ineffective and are actually very harmful as their use delays proper diagnosis and early treatment. CPAP mask or nasal pillow, which is surprisingly comfortable to use and even psychologically “addicting” for the protection and sense of security it offers, is one of the wonders in medicine.

In our own hands We are not born with a set destiny. Our future depends on our discipline and behavior. What we do or not do to our body mostly determines our health. The prescription for a healthy lifestyle, for maintenance of good health, disease prevention, and maximal longevity, besides regular medical check-up, includes the following ingredients: Adequate, refreshing sleep; rest and relaxation; total abstinence from tobacco; strict moderation in alcohol intake; daily exercises (like brisk walking); low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-carb,

On his Instagram, Fil-Am actor Darren Criss wrote a moving tribute to his former “Glee” co-star Naya Rivera (right). Also in photo is their fellow “Glee” star Amber Riley (left).

Photo from Instagram/@darrencriss

Darren Criss, Jake Zyrus honor ‘Glee’ co-star Naya Rivera

FILIPINO American actor Darren Criss on Monday, July 13, paid tribute to his “Glee” co-star, the late actress Naya Rivera, who was found dead after drowning in a river in Southern California.

He took to social media to remember Naya as someone who was “bold, outrageous and a lot of fun.”

“Naya made me laugh like no one else on that set. I always said it while we were working together and I’ve maintained it ever since. Her playful, wicked sense of humor never ceased to bring a smile to my face,” wrote Criss.

“She played by her own rules and was in a class of her own. She had a brashness about her that I couldn’t help but be enchanted by. I also always loved her voice, and savored every chance I got to hear her sing. I think she had more talent than we would have ever been able to see,” he continued.

Criss also talked about how Naya took care of her family and friends, and how grateful he is for her friendship.

“I was constantly moved by the degree to which she took care of her family, and how she looked out for her friends. She showed up for me on numerous occasions where she didn’t have to, and I was always so grateful for her friendship then, as I certainly am now,” he said.

“And even as I sit here, struggling to comprehend, gutted beyond descriptionthe very thought of her cracks me up and still brings a smile to my face. That was Naya’s gift. And it’s a gift that will never go away. Rest in peace you wild, hilarious, beautiful angel,”he concluded.

Meanwhile, Filipino singer Jake Zyrus, who appeared on the second season of “Glee” as a transferee named Sunshine Corazon, posted Naya’s name on his Instagram story as tribute to the actress.

Naya disappeared last week, on July 8 while boating with her four-year-old son on

Lake Piru in Ventura County, California.

Her body was found on Monday, which coincidentally was the seventh anniversary of the death of her “Glee” costar Cory Monteith.

Authorities believed that the actress died after saving her son, Josie.

“We know from speaking with her son, that he and Naya swam in the lake together at some point during their journey,” said Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub at a news conference.

“It was during that time that her son described being helped into the boat by Naya, who boosted him onto the deck from behind. He told investigators that he looked back and saw her disappear under the surface of the water,” he added. “The idea perhaps being that the boat started drifting, it was unanchored, and that she mustered enough energy to get her son back onto the boat, but not enough to save herself.”

Rivera was 33 years old.

high-fiber diet (vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, etc); and, equally important, having a happy and positive attitude in life.

The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people to live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities, and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any

diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our articles are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. ***

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888. com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail. com.

By Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 17-23, 2020

Nominations for outstanding UP alumni now open

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – The University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Los Angeles (UPA AGLA) is seeking outstanding and high-achieving U.P. Alumni to be recognized in their first Alumni Awards Program scheduled on October 29, 2020.

Patterned after the U.P. Alumni Association Awards in the Philippines, UPA AGLA aims to identify and recognize the contributions of exceptional U.P. alumni in the Greater Los Angeles area, from Kern County to Orange County in the following categories: Service, Leadership, Most Distinguished, Lifetime Distinguished, and Family Recognition.

UPA AGLA President and Selection Committee CoChair, Ethel Rubio said, “This is our way of highlighting Filipino-Americans who are U.P. alumni and making a difference not only in the Fil-Am community but the whole

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Greater Los Angeles community at large.” All U.P. alumni in the community (UPA AGLA members and non-members) are invited and encouraged to participate in the ongoing nomination and Awards

Program.

Details of the nomination process is available at www.upaagla.org/awards.

Completed online nomination forms are due on Monday, August 31, 2020.

(Advertising Supplement)

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Gloc-9 on sidelining by selling food

By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

RAPPER Gloc-9 entered the online business scene, selling fried chicken, puto, Dinuguan and lasagna on his social media pages.

In his Instagram account, the multi-awarded rapper posted photos of what he’s seliing and dubbed the chicken dish as #friedchickennigloc9.

“Di lang pang youtube!!!

Maaari nyo na pong matikman ang Manok na pinirito ko!!! Sa halagang P350 (4pcs) puwede nyo na pong ulamin ang #friedchickenni gloc9 ORDER NA!!!! Just txt 09399236246 for Deliveries this Sat & Sun July 18 & 19, 2020!!! ORDER NAAAAA!!!!” he wrote.

Original Pinoy Music (OPM) artists Rico Blanco and Andrew E showed support for Gloc-9.

“Support ako dyan classmate! Order na ako agad!”

Rico commented, while Andrew commented an okay emoji.

Gloc-9 explained why he entered the online business in his Facebook account.

Aristotle Pollisco, also known as Gloc-9, is regarded as one of the best and successful Filipino rappers.

Photo from Instagram/@glocdash9

“May nagtanong sa akin ‘idol bakit ka nagbebenta ng kung ano ano? Hindi bagay sayo.’ Sabi ko sa kanya. Tol wala namang masama siguro doon diba? At alam mo ba na kasama sa trabaho ko noon bago ako mag rap ay mag linis ng basurahan, Kubeta at kanal?” he shared.

“Tandaan nyo mga Kababayan iba na ang panahon natin ngayon kailangan nating lumaban para mabuhay para sa mga Mahal na-

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tin. Wala kang dapat ikahiya kung ang trabaho mo ay marangal at wala kang tinatapakang kapwa mo.”

After the release of her Tiktok viral hit “Better,” Julie Anne San Jose returns with another No. 1 track, “Bahaghari” featuring nonother than OPM rap icon Gloc-9.

Julie and Gloc return in this hopeful new track, produced by Pino G which PAGE 15

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JULY 17-23, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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people events arts culture entertainment

The untold story of Spanky Rigor seen through the lens of his nephew, Fil Am author Albert Samaha

M

by

MoMar G. viSaYa / AJPress

OST Filipinos know VST & Company, and while V & T (brothers Vic and Tito Sotto) continue to bask in the limelight, S as in Spanky Rigor, decided to leave fame and fortune in the homeland for a more peaceful life in California.

For almost 30 years now, Spanky has worked at the San Francisco International Airport as a baggage handler.

Sometimes, people would recognize him and would ask for a selfie. No surprise since VST & Company in their heyday pioneered 70s disco sound was often referred to” as the BeeGees of the Philippines.”

Over the past few weeks, a feature on Pop-Up Magazine became viral, furiously shared on social media by diehards of Manila Sound and even occasional fans.

Now, even younger people know more about one of the founders behind monster hits that continue to be played in every Filipino gathering that involves line dancing.

The idea about the feature came from Albert Samaha, an investigative reporter at BuzzFeed who was fascinated by the backstory. It was a personal project: Spanky Rigor is Albert’s uncle.

“When I was young I knew he’d been in a well-known band called VST & Company, but had no sense of how famous he was,” Samaha shared. “I never thought to dig into that past -- which now feels a bit shameful.”

His elders would take about it and make passing references to Spanky’s time in the band, but as a kid, Samaha assumed “they were hyping it up the way my mom

hyped up my report cards or science project.”

So he kind of knew his uncle was famous, but didn’t realize how famous, specially back in the day when VST was a household name in the Philippines.

It wasn’t until Samaha was in his 20s, when

Spanky Rigorʼs nephew, author Albert Samaha, has always been fascinated by his uncleʼs career as a rock star, and his choice to leave it all behind.

Photo courtesy of Albert Samaha

he mentioned his uncle to a Filipino friend, fellow writer Matt Ortile, who used to be his colleague at BuzzFeed.

They were just talking about Philippines stuff and family stuff when it came up.

“My friend’s eyes went wide: “Spanky Rigor is your uncle?!” And he explained to me how he knew all about VST, and that his parents listened to them all the time,

and that he still listened to them too,” Samaha recalled.

As someone who is into investigative journalism, Samaha did more research after that. This was around the time he began to grow more interested about his family’s own history, not just for Spanky but all his elders.

In hindsight, he thinks part of this newfound curiosity might have had to do with the fact that he had reached the age where his mom and her siblings had been when they migrated to the United States, and their journey no longer felt so distant.

“I found myself wondering whether I would’ve take the same path they had, which of course only led me to dig deeper into the reasons they took the paths they did. In fact, if I remember correctly, the reason I mentioned Spanky to my friend at that party was because I was working on an essay exploring my family’s immigration story and had planned a trip to the Philippines to report on it,” he said.

Sometime in late 2016, Samaha began to become really curious about his family’s history in the US and was asking all these questions.

From why they came here to what they left behind, and how his elders feel about all

Spanky Rigor was one of the founding members of VST & Company, one of the pioneering ʻ70s disco bands and popularly known as “the Bee Gees of the Philippines.” He has worked as a baggage handler at San Francisco International Airport for almost 30 years, since he immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines.

Archive images courtesy of VST & Company

that now.

He wanted to report this history, and who knows, maybe write a book about it.

He knew then it would have to be a long-term thing.

He was then still finishing up his first book, “Never Ran, Never Will” and knew only scant details about his family’s history. He knew even fewer details about the historical forces that led to their family’s migration.

The planned trip to the Philippines happened and he wrote an essay about his mom’s support for Duterte in 2017. Later that year, Anita Badejo, a producer at PopUp and a former colleague, reached out to ask if Samaha had any stories he wanted to pitch for their show.

He pitched a couple of ideas and both got rejected, but from those early brainstorming discussions came the idea that resulted in the final product which was released a couple of weeks ago.

So the project began earnestly and Samaha knew he was up for a challenge: asking his elders the hard questions about their past decisions and he was worried about unearthing memories that may have been painful or, at least, difficult.

“But my Uncle Spanky, Auntie Ging, and the other relatives I interviewed were generous with their experiences and memories, and really understood the value of that reflection, especially for those of us in the next generation who knew only the world we were born into,” he shared.

He then realized that the biggest challenges ended up being more about how to do their stories justice -- what lessons, insights, and conclusions to draw, how their experiences fit into the arc of history. That part took a lot of reading and thinking.

“And even now, my understanding of those stories continues to evolve. I don’t

think that’ll ever change, but you have to tell the stories when you can, which means deadlines and final drafts,” he explained. “So putting together the pieces, weaving in the historical context, arranging the timeline, picking what details to include or leave out, all building toward some kind of wider meaning, that was probably the central challenge.”

Samaha learned some of the biggest life lessons from his uncle, and for that he is grateful.

“He taught me the power optimism and warmth can have on others. Before I knew anything about his rockstar days, I’d admired him as an eternally joyous and steady presence, a champion of the underdog, always first to put an arm around anyone who seemed down,” he shared.

“He has always struck me as a person at peace, and his enthusiasm for the granular moments of life made a big impression on me growing up.”

As he looked back at the past, Samaha thinks that one of the reasons he underestimated his uncle’s celebPAGE 15

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 17-23, 2020

The untold story of Spanky Rigor...

PAGE 14 rity status is that” he always seemed to live in the present: he eats slowly, listens closely, and sees the best in people.”

Next Chapter Samaha is now working on his next book Concepcion, the bigger project he anticipated when he decided to focus on his family’s decision to migrate to the US. This one gets more personal.

“At the core, I wanted to better understand how my family ended up in the States. Over my decade or so as a professional writer, I’ve mostly chronicled the stories of others,” he said.

He tended to avoid writing anything about himself because there is so much else to write about. But the older he got, and the more stories he heard from his elders, and the more he researched, the more he got drawn to the idea of reporting on his family’s experience.

“It’s the story I know best, and though it’s only one thread in the tapestry of the immigrant or American experience, the more threads we can record, study, and reflect on, the more understanding we’ll have of why the world works the way it does,” he quipped.

Concepcion is his mom’s family name, and it’s the name that links the main characters in the story: from his grandparents and uncles, aunties to his cousins.

“It wasn’t my first idea, or second, or third... I burned through a list of possibilities.

“Over the Bridge,” which I think might end up as a chapter title. “Don’t Forget Those Who Fell During the Nighttime,” which is from a Jose Rizal quote that I may use elsewhere in the book,” he shared.

For a while, in lieu of a title, Samaha used the name of his favorite VST song, Rock Baby Rock, as a sort of code name for the book project.

When he started writing the proposal, he thought the title would be, simply, “The Concepcions” but when he told his agent, he had the brilliant idea to simplify it further.

“That the name also alludes to birth and origins made it feel fitting for the story of people starting fresh in a new place,” he said.

Journey to BuzzFeed Samaha currently works as an investigative reporter at BuzzFeed, something he calls his dream job, one that

Kim explains ‘Eat Bulaga’ guesting during ABS-CBN franchise denial in Congress

By Jan

Milo Severo

Philstar.com

Albert Samaha works as an investigative reporter at BuzzFeed News. He is working on his next book called Concepcion. He wrote his first book, “Never Ran, Never Will, because he wanted to cultivate some understanding of of what football’s place in American society is, will be, and should be.

Photo courtesy of Albert Samaha

he is in because he was able to catch some lucky breaks early on in his career.

“I get to chase stories that interest me, I have editors I trust, and I’m provided the sort of resources that make the job easier, from reporting trips to database subscriptions,” he shared. “I graduated college at a time when newspapers were shutting down and magazines were shrinking, so the precarity of working in journalism is always in the front of my mind.”

His first three jobs were at alternative-weeklies, in St. Louis, San Francisco, and New York, where they hire young writers and ask them to fill the paper. He was writing eight or nine features a year while learning how to be a local reporter from editors who had been in journalism longer than he’d been alive.

“When I was at the Village Voice in New York, my main beat was criminal justice, and right around the time BuzzFeed News was expanding its operation, the Ferguson uprising happened and suddenly criminal justice became the central issue of the moment, and when BuzzFeed went out looking for someone to cover the topic, I had relevant clips to show them and a bit of experience,” he said.

Pursuing Stories with Impact Samaha’s reporting has freed a man from prison, got a police chief fired, and changed laws in six states.

“You always hope at the outset that a story can have an impact, but it so rarely happens, so you never expect it. When it does happen, it feels good, obviously, but also like a relief, because it can be disheartening to devote weeks to revealing

a problem that doesn’t get fixed,” he shared.

He explained that the 2018 story that changed the laws did so because it caught a wave of public outrage, and a lot of people called (or tweeted at) their congressional representatives.

The case at the center of it had made headlines, but the laws that allowed officers to abuse people in their custody were little known: the officers in this case claimed that they’d had consensual sex with a woman they’d pulled over, and in New York state they were allowed to use this defense because the law didn’t automatically classify sex in custody as rape.

“I found that dozens of officers had been acquitted through this defense, and after many hours of reading through all 50 state legal codes, I discovered that this loophole existed in 35 states,” he recalled.

His 2015 story that led to the police chief getting terminated investigated a narcotics unit in Mississippi that targeted college-age students for minor possession, then pressured them to serve as confidential informants.

The officers exaggerated the charges they faced, and discouraged them from speaking with a lawyer or calling their parents. These kids then had to wear a wire and help out on a certain number of drug busts, which usually targeted their friends.

“One student recorded his interaction with the unit’s chief and sent it to me, confirming many of the details I’d gathered in my reporting and providing indisputable evidence of the unit’s troubling tactics. The unit’s chief resigned the same day the story was published, under

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COMEDIANS Kim Molina explained why she took part on GMA’s “Eat Bulaga” show while ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal was being decided in Congress last Friday.

The “Jowable” star was bashed by Kapamilya supporters after Kim guested at the “Eat Bulaga” segment “Bawal Judgemental,” which coincided with the final hearing on the Kapamilya network’s franchise renewal.

In her Twitter account, Kim explained that she didn’t transfer to GMA. “FYI po walang lipatang nangyari dahil una sa lahat wala po akong kontrata sa NETWORKS. Wag padalos dalos sa salita. Alam ko po kung saan ako nanggaling at AKO PA RIN AY NANININDIGAN PARA SA AKING MGA KAPAMILYA.Wag ako. #yestoABSCBNFranchiseRenewal,” Kim wrote.

Kim’s boyfriend, actor Jerald Napoles, also answered

Kim Molina Photo from Instagram/@kimsmolina

the netizen with “Thank you sir. Tayo tayo na lang rin ang magtutulungan. I hope you and your family are safe right now.”

In his own account, Jerald also explained that he has no contract with any network, so he’s free to appear in any

show in both networks.

“Project per project basis ako. Wala akong contract sa kahit anong network.

Pwede akong kumuha ng project sa kahit anong network. Walang personalan sa magkabilang panig. So mamimili po ba ako ng trabaho? Kabawasan po ba sa talent ko ang kumuha ng project kahit sa PTV 4,” he wrote.

He also defended himself from bashers who criticized him for tweeting about “Eat Bulaga” and its hosts last Friday, during Kim’s guesting and ABS-CBN’s last franchise renewal hearing.

Jerald was mostly associated with Kapuso shows until he appeared on ABSCBN’s “Ang Probinsyano.”

Kim, meanwhile, was part of Kapamilya network’s different teleseryes such as “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano,” “The General’s Daughter,” “Kadenang Ginto,” “Bagani,” “Sana Dalawa ang Puso,” “La Luna Sangre,” “A Love to Last,” and “Till I Met You.”

Gloc-9 on sidelining by selling...

PAGE 13 speaks of overcoming obstacles in love and life.

The track debuted at the top spot of the iTunes Philippines All-Genre Chart upon its release, a consecutive feat Julie has celebrated for each of her singles since joining Universal Records.

Talking more about the collab, Julie said: “At this time that we’re all experiencing, we must always

look back and remember that there’s hope at the end of each hardship. I’m proud to release this new collab with Gloc-9, kahit magkahiwalay namin ginawa, may common goal kami, which is to inspire and give hope in any situation.”

The two previously collaborated on the Gloc-9 track “Maleta,” which was recently nominated for Best Collaboration at MYX Music

Awards 2020. This previous collab also debuted at No.1 upon its release.

Julie also dropped her latest music video, “Better,” with these tracks teasing her exploration towards different musical genres in preparation for her new EP. “Bahaghari” is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music and Deezer under Universal Records.

pressure from local officials,” he said.

Personal Journey When Samaha last visited the Philippines in April 2017, he went with his mom, for an essay he wrote about Duterte later. His mom grew up in Manila, though her parents are from northern Mindanao. His dad is from Beirut and currently lives there.

They met on an airplane.

His mom was a flight attendant, his dad a passenger.

“They separated when I was young. I lived with my mom in California, but saw my dad at least once a year, and much more often in re-

cent years. I grew up around my mom’s side, so culturally I felt full Filipinx growing up,” he said.

His mother has seven siblings and most live in the States.

Samaha was born in Vallejo, went to Kindergarten in Manila, first through third grade in San Francisco, fourth grade in San Mateo, then middle school and high school in Sacramento.

“I went to six different schools from Kindergarten to 8th grade, and having to keep adapting to those new environments and being constantly presented with the

unfamiliar certainly shaped who I am today in ways I’m still untangling,” he said.

He considers sports as his gateway into writing. He grew up reading the sports section of the newspaper and Sports Illustrated magazine, and by high school he knew he enjoyed writing and wanted to keep doing it.

This love for writing to a backseat when he checked if he could become a professional football player. He played in his first two years of college, then quit to focus on journalism, something that he enjoys doing to this day.

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