LAS VEGAS
We’ve got you covered from Hollywood to Broadway... and Online!
w w w. a s i a n
.com T h e F i l i p i n o –A m e r i c A n c o m m u n i T y n e w s pA p e r
Volume 28 - No. 9 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
ma r c h 9 - 1 5 , 2 0 1 7
Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEw YORk/NEw JERSEY
2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 200 Las Vegas, NV 89109 • Tel: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879
Trump releases revised travel ban executive order Iraq removed from the list of banned countries
will not accept more than 50,000 refugees per year. the obama administration had set the limit After a federal court shut at 110,000 per year. down his controversial travel “Under these authorities, I deban last month, President Don- termined that, for a brief period ald trump on monday, march of 90 days, while existing screen6 signed a new executive order ing and vetting procedures were that will impose a 90-day travel under review, the entry into the ban from six muslim-major- United states of certain [indiity nations: Iran, Libya, somalia, viduals] from the seven identisudan, syria and Yemen. fied countries — each afflicted the much narrower travel ban, by terrorism in a manner that executive order 13780, also in- compromised the ability of the cludes a 120-day suspension of United states to rely on normal the refugee program, which also decision-making procedures by Klarize
MeDenilla AJPress
DATELINE
USA
from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
Fil-Am co-founder of Snapchat worth $4 billion as company enters stock market Robert “Bobby” Murphy named one of the youngest billionaires in the world the introduction of the smartphone in the mid-2000s and the genesis of the startup business culture ushered in a new wave of entrepreneurs who are making billions through technological innovations. one of those billionaires is filipino-American robert “Bobby” murphy, who, along with business partner and best friend evan spiegel, founded snapchat, a popular photo and video-sharing social media platform. on thursday, march 2, a little under six years since snapchat first launched, the company entered the New York stock exchange (NYse). According to forbes, murphy and spiegel are now worth about $4 billion each, which is $1 billion more than what facebook PAGE A3
GOPs introduce Obamacare replacement
about travel to the United states — would be detrimental to the interests of the United states,” read the executive order, which was released on monday. Notably, Iraq was removed as one of the previously-banned countries, the executive order calling the country a “special case”, acknowledging the Islamic state’s (Is) influence in the region but trusting the “cooperative relationship” between U.s. military forces and the Iraqi government. PAGE A2
DOING HIS JOB. Senator Manny Pacquiao, chair of the Commission on Appointments (CA) Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, shares a light conversation with CA Vice Chairman and San Juan City Representative Ronaldo Zamora (right) and Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez (middle) during a hearing on Wednesday, March 8. Senate photo by Cesar Tomambo
Pacquiao to Trillanes: ‘Don’t give Senate a bad name’ by Dana
SioSon AJPress
seNAtor manny Pacquiao admitted that he took offense to senator Antonio trillanes IV’s earlier remarks against solons who questioned the “spiritual renewal” of alleged Davao Death squad (DDs) leader and retired sPo3 Arturo Lascañas. In a privilege speech on Wednesday, march 8, Pacquiao stressed that while senators have the right to express their opinions on issues, trillanes should not give the senate a “bad name.” “As senators, we do not impose our morals on our resource persons. And for the record, I am not imposing my morals on sPo3 Lascañas,” Pacquiao said. “I was just offended with Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson (right), chair of the Commission on the statement of my colleague, senator trillanes.” Appointments (CA) Committee on Foreign Affairs, shares a discussion with Without mentioning names, trillanes earlier took a hit Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. before the committee hearing at senators who questioned Lascañas’ decision to testify on the latter’s ad interim appointment on Wednesday, March 8. Senate photo by Romeo Bugante against President rodrigo Duterte after experiencing a “spiritual renewal.” During a senate probe on the extrajudicial killings (eJK) last year, Lascañas dismissed the existence of the DDs,
CA rejects Yasay appointment as PH House passes death penalty foreign secretary bill during final reading PAGE A2 Senator Antonio Trillanes IV
by Dana
M. SioSon /AJPress
the Philippine Commission on Appointments (CA) rejected on Wednesday, march 8 the nomination of Perfecto Yasay Jr. as the country’s Department of foreign Affairs (DfA) secretary. senator Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the CA foreign affairs committee, said the 15 members of the committee present in the caucus unanimously voted to reject Yasay’s ad interim appointment for being a U.s. citizen and for not telling the truth before the Commission. During the first confirmation hearing on february 22, Yasay denied that he became a U.s. citizen when asked by occidental mindoro rep. Josephine ramirez-sato about PAGE A3
by Dana
SioSon AJPress
the Philippine house of representatives approved the bill which seeks the reimposition of the death penalty in the country on its third and final reading on tuesday, march 7. With 217 affirmative and 54 negative votes, the majority approved house Bill 4727, or the measure restoring capital punishment for crimes related to illegal drugs.
that should merit the heaviest penalty. house speaker Pantaleon Alvarez responded by saying that another bill for rape and plunder could be filed after the present bill — which focuses on drug-related crimes — becomes law. In the revised and approved version of the bill, crimes punishable by death include the following: importation of dangerous drugs and/or controlled PAGE A2
American TV show slammed for ‘highly negative’ portrayal of PH president
Lawmakers vow more affordable, accessible health care, while critics say that bill would make many Americans uninsured rePUBLICANs in the house of representatives announced new legislation on monday, march 6 to repeal and replace the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as “obamacare.” Called the American health Care Act, it is part of President Donald trump’s campaign promise to get rid of obamacare and replace it with a new system designed along conservative lines. the new bill will affect about 20 million people who directly purchase their own private health plans from a provider and more than 70 million low-income people who are covered by PAGE A4
there was only one abstention, which came from Cebu representative rodrigo Abellanosa. though recognizing the independence of the legislative branch, Philippine President rodrigo Duterte questioned why rape and plunder were excluded in the list of crimes punishable by death during the second reading of the bill last week. Duterte noted that rape is still one of the most heinous crimes
by ChriStina
A screenshot of the “Madam Secretary” episode, which will air on Sunday, March 12. Photo courtesy of CBS
M. oriel anD Dana SioSon AJPress
AN upcoming episode of American television series “madam secretary” includes the depiction of a filipino president – and filipino officials in the U.s. and the Philippines are not too pleased with it. the trailer for the episode entitled “Break in Diplomacy” shows fictional Philippine President Datu Andrada (played by Joel de la fuente) clad in a barong and is seen to be making sexual advances toward the lead character, U.s. secretary of state elizabeth mcCord (played by téa Leoni), during a
private meeting to discuss an Asia-Pacific territory treaty. the meeting’s setting is suggested to be inside malacañang, as several items, such as a Philippine flag and seal of the office of the President, are shown in the clip. In response to the inappropriate move, mcCord punches Andrada in the face and bloodies his nose. she then tells her husband (played by tim Daly), “I clobbered a world leader instead of saving a major regional agreement.” PAGE A3