We’ve got you covered from Hollywood to Broadway... and Online!
Volume 8 – Issue 51 • 16 Pages
s e P t e mbe r 1 8 - 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858 • 449 Hoboken Ave., Jersey City, NJ 07306 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858
First PaPal visit to Congress
Pope Francis urges action on immigration, environment, defense of the poor and of families by Allyson
EscobAr
AJPress
IN the first-ever papal address to both houses of Congress on thursday, sept. 24, Pope francis brought to light important issues ranging from immigration to gun control to climate change, addressing the diverse crowd of political leaders and top lawmakers. Appearing at the balcony of the Capitol, the pope was sur-
DATELINE
rounded to his right and left by house speaker John Boehner and Vice President Joe Biden, both of whom are devout Catholics, NPr reported. “I am most grateful for your invitation to address this Joint session of Congress in ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave,’” the Pope began, to the applause of thousands, who were granted a limited amount of tickets for the joint meeting. “I am so
grateful for your presence here.” to begin, the head of the Catholic Church reminded legislators of the function and purpose of government: “A political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk. Legislative activity is always based on the care of the PAGE A2
PAPAL VISIT. Pope Francis addresses a Joint Session of Congress on Thursday, Sept. 24. The Pope, who became the first pontiff to address Congress, thanked the lawmakers for their warm welcome. Photo by House Office of Photography
Sotto, Lacson are top Senate picks; Pacquiao, De Lima also in
USA
from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
Fil-Am nominated to head Defense Health Agency PresIDeNt Barack obama has nominated a filipina for a high-ranking promotion in the United states Navy. rear Admiral raquel C. Bono, who was promoted in september 2014, was nominated by the president to the rank of Vice Admiral and for the position of Defense health Agency (DhA) director. she currently serves as director of the DhA’s National Capital region medical Directorate and the 11th chief of the Navy medical Corps. PAGE A3
Fil-Am teen pleads not guilty in killing of 8-year-old girl
A fILIPINo-American teenager who was charged as an adult in the murder of an 8-yearold girl earlier this year in santa Cruz, California, pleaded not guilty monday, sept. 21. Adrian Jerry Gonzalez, 15, faces one count of murder with the special circumstance that PAGE A3
Sen. Grace Poe (left) still leads in the latest Pulse Asia survey for ABS-CBN released Thursday night. Vice President Jejomar Binay is No. 2 choice, while former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas (right) is No. 3.
Poe still leads in Pulse asia poll; Binay 2nd, roxas 3rd DesPIte dropping 3 percentage points from the previous survey round, sen. Grace Poe still leads in the latest Pulse Asia survey for ABs-CBN released on thursday, sept. 24. the survey, conducted from Aug. 27 to sept. 3 amid the Iglesia ni Cristo protest, asked respondents: “of the people on this list, whom would you vote for President of the Philippines if the 2016 elections were held today and they were candidates?” Pulse Asia provided a list, but allowed respondents to name others not on the list. Poe’s rating dropped from 30 percent in June to 27 percent in August. Vice President Jejomar Binay followed, down to 21 percent from 22 percent.
former Interior secretary mar roxas, meanwhile, climbed 8 points from 10 percent in June to 18 percent in August. Davao City mayor rodrigo Duterte’s rating was unchanged at 15 percent between June and August. Also on the list were sen. Bongbong marcos (5 percent), manila mayor Joseph estrada (5 percent), sen. miriam Defensor-santiago (4 percent), sen. Alan Peter Cayetano (1 percent) and former sen. Panfilo Lacson (1 percent). the survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents. It had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points. Across areas and classes, Poe was the PAGE A2
mANILA—sen. Vicente sotto III and former senator Panfilo Lacson topped the recent senatorial survey conducted by the social Weather stations (sWs). sotto garnered 54 percent and Lacson 47 percent, while sen. ralph recto placed third with 43 percent. senate President franklin Drilon followed with 42 percent, then sen. ferdinand marcos Jr. and former senator francis Pangilinan with 40 percent each. the results of the BusinessWorld-sWs pre-election survey showed Justice secretary Leila de Lima, boxing champ and sarangani rep. manny Pacquiao
and Las Piñas City rep. mark Villar would also win in the senatorial race if the elections were held from sept. 2 to 5. De Lima received 33 percent, followed by former senator Juan miguel Zubiri (32 percent), Pacquiao (30 percent), former senator richard Gordon (29 percent), sen. sergio osmeña III (28 percent) and Villar (24 percent). sen. teofisto Guingona III and Camarines sur rep. maria Leonor robredo obtained 23 percent each, while former Akbayan representative Ana theresia hontiveros-Baraquel and taguig rep. Lino edgardo Cayetano got 21 PAGE A2
Sen. Vicente Sotto III and former senator Panfilo Lacson.
PH takes on reforms to address illicit financial flows Filipino fishermen sue China before UN
WAshINGtoN, DC—the Philippines is clamping down on illicit financial flows (Iff), with the government undertaking reforms to strengthen legal and regulato-
ry frameworks to prevent illegal movements of money or capital to and from the Philippines. Global financial Integrity (GfI), a non-profit research and
Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. speaks at the “A Conversation on Illicit Financial Flows from the Philippines” panel discussion at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
advocacy organization, defines illicit financial flows as illegal movements of money or capital from one country to another. GfI classifies this movement as illicit flow when the funds are illegally earned, transferred, and/or utilized, making them a threat to a country’s fiscal capacity. In a recent report entitled “Illicit financial flows to and from the Philippines: A study in Dynamic stimulation,” GfI concluded that illicit financial inflows and outflows may have a harmful effect on economic growth. however, the Philippine economy continues to experience an upward trajectory largely due to good governance initiatives of the Aquino administration and favorable policies brought about by the country’s PAGE A3
by rosEttE
AdEl
Philstar.com
mANILA—filipino fisherfolk who rely on waters near the disputed Panatag (scarborough) shoal submitted an appeal to United Nations against
state agents of the People’s republic of China. In the urgent appeal penned by Center for Law Philippines counsels harry roque Jr. and Gilbert Andres, 16 fishermen residing in the coastal town of Infanta, Pangasinan and sta.
Cruz, Zambales accused the Chinese of violating their human rights. the fishermen said they are physically prevented from conducting their means of livelihood by Chinese Coast Guard PAGE A3
Coloma denies NY Times report stating PH requested $300 million in military aid by AgnEs
constAntE AJPress
AmID ongoing territorial quarrels about the south China sea, the Aquino administration requested $300 million in military aid from the United states, according to a report by the New York Times. however, Philippine Presiden-
tial Communications secretary herminio Coloma, Jr. repudiated the report, citing a lack of explicit information on the claim. “Wala tayong tuwirang information tungkol diyan at kailangan muna nating alamin kung ano ang isinasaad ng ulat na ‘yan at berepikahin kung merong batayan (We
don’t have any direct information about that matter and we first need to know what the report said and verify if there is proof),” Coloma said in a press briefing, according to Philstar. the sept. 19 report by the Times stated that the PhilipPAGE A4