Duterte calls Kim Jong-un PHP driver license Iloilo no longer STEALING FREE Another mayor rub-out? ‘chubby SOB’ valid up to 5 years ‘Most Shabulized’ city NEWSPAPER IS STILL A CRIME !

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WEEKLY ISSUE 70 CITIES IN 11 STATES ONLINE Vol. IX Issue 434 1028 Mission Street, 2/F, San Francisco, CA 94103 Tel. (415) 593-5955 or (650) 278-0692 [email protected] August 3 - 9, 2017 Left-leaning Cabinet members urged to go after Duterte dropped peace talks By Macon Araneta | FilAm Star Correspondent

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV has called on President agencies. Rodrigo Duterte to kick out leftist members of his Cabinet He enumerated these government offices as: Depart- after he ordered the Armed Forces to go after the commu- ment of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD) headed nist New People’s Army (NPA). by Sec. Judy Taguiwalo, Department of Agrarian Reform But Senior Deputy Executive Sec. Menardo Guevarra (DAR) headed by Sec. Rafael Mariano, Department of said leftist members of Duterte’s Cabinet are bound to Labor and Employment headed by Sec. Silvestre Bello III, stay. National Anti-Poverty Commission headed by Sec. Liza “As far as the Office of the President is concerned, Maza and the Housing Urban Development Coordinating we see no reason why the three so-called leftist members Council headed by retired military official Eduardo del of the Cabinet will have to be removed. The President Rosario. continues to repose trust in them,” he said. Taguiwalo, an activist who helped organized the With the repeal of the Anti-Subversion Law, he said militant women’s organization Malayang Kilusan ng Ka- there was no reason that those espousing ideals of the left babaihan was nominated by National Democratic Front should be outlawed, or kicked out from government. (NDF) to the President to lead the DWSD. “...the very purpose of that repeal of the Anti-Subver- Mariano, former Anak pawis party-list representa- sion Law is to ensure that people who advocate Commu- tive, was also nominated by the NDF to Duterte to be the nism, Socialism, Marxism, Maoism, et cetera, will not go DAR secretary. underground and that they join the legitimate organiza- Also known as “Ka Paeng,” Mariano is the chairman tions, so that they can espouse whatever they want to of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas a militant farm- espouse,” he said. ers’ group that has led many protests against the Aquino Trillanes, a staunch critic of the President, said he administration’s implementation of agrarian reform and has received information from the military that hundreds agriculture programs. (left) President Rodrigo Duterte (top l-r) DSWD Sec. Judy Taguiwalo and DAR Sec. of cadres from the Communist Party of the Philippines- Bello, a former Justice secretary, was involved with Rafael Mariano (bottom) NAPC Sec. Liza Maza NPA are now officially employed in various government (Photo: www.gmanetwork.com) TO PAGE A7 Chief, 1 other Customs official implicated Agency tasked to recover Marcos ill-gotten wealth in largest haul of illegal drugs from China questioned for relevance, deteriorating artwork By Daniel Llanto | FilAm Star Correspondent By William Casis | FilAm Star Correspondent

At a closed-door session of the Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Justice under the proposed right-sizing Senate blue ribbon committee, a wit- Pimentel III said he is open to review- bill, one of the legislation President ness claimed that the highest officials ing the reason for the continuous exis- Duterte wanted Congress to prioritize. of the Bureau of Customs --- Customs tence of the Presidential Commission The PCGG decried in a statement Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon and on Good Government (PCGG). the plan to abolish their agency, saying Customs Intelligence Officer Col. Neil “It has been there with a single ob- they had effectively raised non-tax Anthony Estrada --- were responsible jective, which at this time, has already revenues. It claimed to have recovered for 600 kilograms of shabu that came been achieved,” said Pimentel. at least PHP 170 billion in cash over from China. Malacañang announced that it the course of 30 years with an overall The whistle-blower, Mark Ruben would transfer the remaining functions (L-R) Sen. Chiz Escudero and Sen. Koko Pimentel budget of PHP 2.9 billion for the same Taguba II, wrote the names of the of the PCGG to the Department of (Photo: www.politics.com.ph) BOC Commissioner Nic Faeldon TO PAGE A7 (Photo: www.conceptnewscentral.com) TO PAGE A7 Police in U.S. more likely to arrest Duterte hits back at Aquino for criticism on drug war “Gago ka (You’re a fool).” yari? Put— Gago ka,” Duterte said. minorities during traffic stops That was how President Rodrigo (Aquino said nothing happened. Duterte on Wednesday hit back at OK, you try going into drugs, PNoy, Researchers analyzing data from looking at the rate at which officers former president Benigno “Noynoy” and I’ll cut your head off, you fool. millions of traffic stops in the United discover contraband on searched driv- Aquino III for saying his administra- What happened? **** stupid.) States have found that black and ers, they find evidence that minorities tion’s war on drugs hardly achieved The President said under the Hispanic drivers are more likely to be are held to a double standard and anything. Aquino administration the illegal cited, searched, and arrested at stops searched on the basis of less evidence. “Sabi ni PNoy, parang walang drug trade was rampant, citing police than white drivers. These findings are based on a nangyari. Sige, pumasok ka sa droga, generals’ involvement in illegal drug The researchers note that such nationwide database—which the re- (L-R) President Rodrigo Duterte and former President PNoy, ‘pag hindi kita pinutulan ng trade during the latter’s term. disparities alone are not necessarily searchers created—of state patrol Noynoy Aquino ulo, buang ka. Anong walang nang- TO PAGE A7 indicative of racial bias. However, by TO PAGE A7 (Photo: www.getrealphilippines.com) A2 FilAm Star August 3 - 9, 2017 ph news Duterte allies foiled in first Police denies rub-out in drug raid slay of city mayor, bid to impeach Sereno 14 others reminiscent of Leyte town official killing President Rodrigo Du- it, not her alone. What she did terte’s allies on Wednesday filed was she made decisions, created an impeachment complaint offices, refused to fill vacan- By Daniel Llanto | FilAm Star Correspondent against Chief Justice Maria cies, without consulting other Lourdes Sereno, but no member justices,” Jimenez said. Amid cries of alleged over- of the House of Representatives “The scary thing here is we kill and rub-out, the Philippine came forward to endorse the have a dictator, one who does National Police (PNP) main- complaint. not consult her own peers. This tained that joint teams from Volunteers Against Crime is very dangerous in a demo- the Criminal Investigation and and Corruption (VACC) chair cratic country,” he said. Detection Group (CIDG) Region Dante Jimenez and Vanguard of Jimenez and Mallari ac- 10, the Misamis Occidental the Philippine Constitution Inc. cused Sereno of, among other provincial police and Ozamiz (VPCI) president Eligio Mallari things, giving members of her City police were met by gunfire submitted the first complaint staff allowances for foreign when they tried to serve search against Sereno to the House travel charged to Supreme warrants for illegal drugs and secretary general. Court funds without approval of firearms charges, consequently But without an endorse- the full court. leading to the slaying of Ozamiz ment, the complaint was not They said Sereno also be- City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog considered to have been of- trayed the public trust “through Sr. and 14 others. ficially filed. inexcusable negligence” for sit- Parojinog, his wife Susan, Lawyer Lorenzo Gadon ting on the applications for the brother Octavio and 12 oth- also announced that he was posts of Supreme Court deputy ers were killed in an alleged filing another impeachment clerk of court and chief attor- shoot-out reminiscent of the complaint against Sereno, but ney, which had been vacant for controversial raid in Albuera, he said he had not done so as of three years and eight months, Leyte last year in which Mayor Wednesday afternoon. and the two positions for assis- Rolando Espinosa Sr. was slain. Gadon told reporters that tant court administrator, which Incidentally, the police direc- a number of House members had been vacant for four years tor of Albuera at the time is had expressed willingness to and six months. the current Ozamiz City Police endorse it but said he wanted to They said Sereno culpa- Director Chief Inspector Jovie read the complaint first. bly violated the Constitution (L-R) Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido and Ozamis City Mayor Rey Parojinog Sr. Espenido. (Photo: www.davaotoday.com) “They wanted more [of in issuing an administrative Espenido fended off ac- their colleagues] to sign the order creating the new Judi- cusations that they disabled No, you cannot expect them to series of operations that began kung pinagtatanggal nga ‘yan complaint, not just one or two,” ciary Decentralized Office and the closed-circuit TV (CCTV) praise us for what we are do- at around 2:30 a.m. last July 31. (CCTV cameras), pero hindi he said. reopening the Regional Court cameras at the Parojinog resi- ing,” Dela Rosa said. Police said about PHP 1.4 tama,” Dela Rosa said in a press Under the 1987 Con- Administration Office in West- dential compound last weekend However, Dela Rosa admit- million in cash, half a kilo of briefing at Camp Crame in stitution, an impeachment ern Visayas in the absence of an to hide the alleged execution of ted that it was wrong for CIDG suspected shabu and firearms Quezon City. complaint may be filed by a authority from the full court. the Ozamiz mayor. Parojinog operatives to cut the CCTV cam- were recovered from the vice- “Kaya nga nag-imbita ka non-House member only if it is Litany of lapses was named one of the narco- eras during the bloody raid. mayor’s home. pa ng taga-media, mag-imbita endorsed by a House member. Gadon sent reporters a politicians by President Duterte Aside from the Mayor and ka pa ng barangay official para The Inquirer tried to con- copy of his complaint. It ac- last year. others killed, some members The Parojinogs supposedly transparent ang ginagawa sa tact Sereno for comment but cused Sereno of a “litany of The lawyer of the of the Barangay Peacekeeping founded the Kuratong Bale- pag-serve ng search warrant,” her office said the Chief Justice lapses,” including not declaring Parojinogs, Jeffrey James Action Team were also killed, in leng gang, which started out as he added. had yet to read the complaints P37 million in lawyer’s fees in Ocang, said it was a rub-out what police said was a shoot- an anti-communist vigilante Espenido admitted they against her. her net worth, purchasing a since there was no resistance on out in San Roque Lawis, Ozamiz group supported by the military intentionally “paralyzed” the Violation of Charter luxury car with public funds, the part of the Parojinogs and City, according to Senior Supt. but later turned to criminal CCTV for security reasons. In their 16-page complaint, manipulating judicial appoint- CCTV cameras were cut prior to Jaysen de Guzman, Misamis activities including bank and Espenido explained that they Jimenez and Mallari cited five ments, and pressuring judges to the actual operation. Occidental provincial police armored van robberies as well did not want their confiden- instances in which Sereno com- defy the administration. PNP Chief Ronald dela director. as kidnapping, extortion and tial agents and witnesses to mitted culpable violation of the “The listed litany of lapses Rosa dismissed the accusa- Chief Superintendent illegal gambling. be “identified” on the CCTV 1987 Constitution or betrayal of committed by respondent tions. “I don’t know about that. Timoteo Pacleb, Northern In 1995, Lacson headed a cameras. the public trust. Sereno is just the tip of the ice- He is free to claim whatever he Mindanao police regional direc- police unit that killed members “Not only once or twice berg, so to speak. Many, many wants because he is on the side tor, said the mayor’s daughter, of the Kuratong Baleleng gang or thrice, but five times, she more are shrouded in mystery,” of the Parojinogs. What do you Ozamiz Vice-mayor Nova Prin- under Wilson Sorronda. disregarded the Supreme Court Gadon said in the document. expect from the lawyer of the cess Echavez, and son Reynaldo “Wala ako doon noong en banc. When they decide on “Court officials have been Parojinog, to praise the police? Jr. were arrested during the nangyari kaya hindi ko alam rulings, all justices should sit on TO PAGE A7 August 3 - 9, 2017 FilAm Star A3 ph news Joint venture with China ‘that will pass our sovereignty Duterte rants on Kim Jong Un: test’ needed by 2024 – Senate President That chubby SOB must be stopped By Macon Araneta | FilAm Star Correspondent song-14 intercontinental bal- With the Malampaya field energy starvation is what The company halted listic missile (ICBM) in North off Palawan projected to run should drive the renewed hunt prospecting after a Chinese ship Korea’s northwest. Independent out of the natural gas by 2024, for new gas and oil fields within harassed a survey ship during journalists were not given ac- Senate President Pro Tempore the West Philippine Sea (South the Aquino administration, one cess to cover the event depicted Ralph Recto said the country’s China Sea). of the events that prompted the in this photo. North Korea top diplomat should find “a Recto described as “of the Philippines to bring Beijing to claimed to have tested its first win-win arrangement” that highest importance” the mis- an international court, which intercontinental ballistic missile will allow Manila and Beijing sion of Foreign Affairs Sec. Alan Manila won. in a launch Tuesday, a potential to jointly explore for oil in the Peter Cayetano to re-allow West During his Manila visit, game-changing development in West Philippine Sea. Philippine Sea oil prospecting Wang Yi said China is open to its push to militarily challenge He warned Luzon is facing through “a modus vivendi with the idea of a joint venture with Washington – but a declaration a dark future if a replacement China that will however pass the Philippines. that conflicts with earlier South for it is not found. Malampaya our sovereignty test.” Recto said constricting the Korean and US assessments powers 45 percent of the elec- Earlier, Cayetano said a Philippines’ access to the West that it had an intermediate tricity grid in the said region. planned joint oil exploration in Philippine Sea will choke the (L-R) President Rodrigo Duterte and North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un range. (Photo by KRT via AP Piped in from an offshore the West Philippine Sea would country’s “fuel and fish” supply. (Photo: www.express.co.uk) Video) platform, Malampaya gas fuels comply with the Constitution’s “We get a big chunk of our Duterte said a confronta- three base load power plants requirements for foreign owner- protein and power from that President Rodrigo Duterte East will become an arid land. tion with North Korea with in Batangas with a capacity ship and with other Philippine area,” he said. on Wednesday called North It must be stopped, this nuclear the threat of nuclear war was of 2,700 megawatts (MW). laws. A House of Representatives Korean leader war,” he added. dangerous. The plants provide 40 to 50 “Any agreement will not think-tank estimated that 20- Kim Jong a “fool” and The President said the “It must be stopped itong percent of the energy needs of give up a single inch of our 25 percent of all the country’s “crazy” for conducting missile North Korean leader was “play- nuclear war because a limited “the 57 million people living in territorial integrity,” he told annual fish catch comes from tests despite condemnation ing with dangerous toys.” confrontation and it blows up the world’s 4th most populous reporters on the sidelines of a the waters west of Palawan and from the international com- “Baka nga ito si Kim Jong- here, sabihin ko sa’yo, the fall- island.” meeting of ASEAN Mayors in Luzon’s western seaboard, two munity. un, ‘yung t*****. You know, if out could deplete the soil, its re- Due to this looming pos- Taguig City. areas now within the Chinese “Baka nga itong si Kim that guy… I do not think that he sources at ewan ko kung anong sibility, he underscored the Cayetano met visiting nine-dash line map. Jong Un, itong tarantado, you is ready but he is playing with mangyari sa atin,” he said. urgency to search for ways to Chinese foreign minister Wang “If it’s fenced off, we have know if that guy — I do not dangerous toys, ‘yang buang na In April, leaders of the secure an alternative for the Yi, who also called on President no fish to fry and no electricity think he is ready, but he is play- ‘yan,” he said. Association of Southeast Asian future. Duterte in Malacanang. to fry that fish. It is a blow to ing with dangerous toys, iyang Kim Jong Un using binocu- Nations (Asean) expressed “While energy officials Duterte announced that a our stomach,” Recto said. buang na iyan,” Duterte said lars - 4 July 2017 concerns over the nuclear and and the gas field’s driller have partner was selected to explore Recto said the three during his speech at the 113th This image made from missile tests being conducted by assured that a combination of and exploit oil fields in the West Malampaya-dependent plants founding anniversary of the Bu- video of a news bulletin aired by North Korea and urged “self- measures will stretch Malam- Philippine Sea. can run on imported fuel after reau of Internal Revenue (BIR) North Korea’s KRT on Tuesday, restraint” from the communist paya’s life to 2029, it has been He was probably refer- 2024 but that would be more in Quezon City. July 4, 2017, shows what was nation amid rising tensions in conceded that output will drop ring to the suspended drilling expensive for consumers. “That chubby face that said to be North Korea leader the region. (Nestor Corrales / in 2024,” Recto said. activities by an Anglo-Filipino looks kind. That son of a bitch. Kim Jung Un using binoculars inquirer.net) He said this specter of consortium at the Reed Bank. If he commits a mistake, the Far to watch the launch of a Hwa- Duterte signs law extending validity of drivers’ licenses to 5 years President Rodrigo Duterte all drivers’ licenses shall be valid Office (LTO). qualified applicants face dismissal signed into law on Wednesday a for five years reckoned from the Local government units and from government service measure extending the validity of birth date of the licensee, unless the Metropolitan Manila Develop- Under Section 23, stricter drivers’ licenses to five years from sooner revoked or suspended,” ment Authority and other govern- rules and guidelines regarding the current three years. the new law says. ment agencies that issue traffic the issuance of licenses will be Republic Act No. 10930 Professional or nonprofes- violation receipts should report enforced by the Land Transporta- amends Section 23 of the Land sional drivers who do not violate these to the LTO, the law said. tion Office (LTO) to assure that Transportation and Traffic Code the law or traffic regulations dur- The LTO will serve as the licenses are issued to applicants (Republic Act No. 4136) to extend ing the five-year period can renew repository of all traffic violation with “sufficient driving skills and the validity period of drivers’ their driver’s license for a validity records, it added. knowledge on road safety and licenses. of 10 years, “subject to the restric- The law said officials who proper road courtesy.” (inquirer. “Except for student permits, tions” of the Land Transportation give out drivers’ licenses to un- net)

(Photo: www.update.ph) ph news Mayor: Iloilo City no longer ‘most shabulized’ as Duterte called it 7 beheaded corpses found, suspected victims of Abu Sayyaf ILOILO CITY — Iloilo City ing and restore its good name resources” to improve the capa- Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog before the eyes of the President bility of the police the anti-drug By William Casis | FilAm Star Correspondent hopes President Rodrigo Du- and the Filipino people.” campaign. terte would be objective in ap- The President named On Monday, Mabilog led Seven bodies without heads victims as Nestor de Venagracia the victims were turned over to praising his city, which the chief Mabilog on August 7 last year as the commencement program were found at the outskirts of and his son Ely, both residents their respective families while executive once called “the most among the officials, judges, and for 199 drug users who had Maluso town in Basilan last of Lower Mahayahay village in their case was still being inves- shabulized” in the the country police officers involved in illegal completed a 90-day rehabilita- July 30 afternoon, said Chief Maluso town; Berto Lacaste- tigated. – meaning it had a lot of shabu, drugs. tion program. Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac, santos, 48, Hernando Sally, In February this year and or crystal meth, available. Duterte mentioned the The first batch of 209 drug regional director of the Au- 53, Renato Casiple Jr., 36 and in November last year, the Since then, Mabilog says Mabilogs’s name in at least users completed the program in tonomous Region in Muslim Rene Sanson, 28, all residents Abu Sayyaf beheaded German his administration has been three other speeches, referring January. Mindanao (ARRM). of Campo Barn in Switch Yakal, national Jurgen Kantner and aggressive in the campaign to the mayor as a “cousin” of The program initiated last In a statement, Sindac said Lantawan; and Mamerto Fal- Canadians Robert Hall and against illegal drugs. slain alleged Western Visayas year by the city government is the beheadings were perpe- casantos, 55, of Santo Niño in John Ridsdel after their families “I just hope the President drug lord Melvin Odicta. being implemented rehabilita- trated by Abu Sayaff. He said Matarling village in Lantawan failed to pay ransom. takes an objective look at what Mabilog repeatedly denied tion centers in each of the seven the decomposing bodies of the town. The bandits are still hold- has transpired,” the mayor said having any link to illegal drug territorial districts for drug us- seven victims were recovered All seven were said to be ing dozens of kidnapped Asians in a statement sent to the In- separately in Basilan’s forested loggers who were kidnapped in and Europeans as the military quirer. “It’s been one year, just areas. separate occasions on July 20. continues to look for them. short of five days, since he la- Sindac identified the Sindac said the bodies of beled our city ‘most shabulized.’ Iloilo City is a far different city now. I will work harder than ever to totally erase any rem- Duterte ready to sign notice of termination nants of the illegal drugs trade in our city. I won’t allow our city to remain in such low esteem in of talks with Reds the eyes of the President.” Bureau of Internal Revenue negotiator, said the peace panel, Mabilog admitted to (BIR) in Quezon City. was just waiting for the “final reporters, however, that he “What do you intend to instruction” of Duterte to send was worried when he learned accomplish? It only ends up at a formal letter of termination of of the killing of Ozamiz Mayor name-calling [and] shouting,” the peace talks to the commu- Reynaldo Parojinog Sr., who Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog he added. “Don’t waste my nist rebels. was also identified by Duterte (Photo: www.adb.org) time. I have so many things to “We are still waiting for as a narco-politician. do,” the final instruction,” Bello “But we are confident that trading. He also lamented that ers with light to moderate levels Labor Sec. Silvestre Bello III Duterte, who appeared to said in a chance in interview what we have been doing here is the President apparently got his of addiction. (Photo: www.politics.com.ph) be unaware that a formal letter in Malacañang. “To terminate known to national leaders and information wrong on his being Those who finished the President Rodrigo Duterte would be needed to terminate the talks, we have to write them that these have also reached the a relative of Odicta. program also underwent skills on Wednesday said he would the talks, reiterated he was no and inform them that we are President,” he said. Odicta allegedly headed and livelihood training. These be ready to sign a formal notice longer interested with the peace terminating.” Police officers serving a one of the two main illegal drug include sessions on defensive of termination to end the peace talks with communist guerrillas. “It will take effect 30 days search warrant gunned down groups in Western Visayas. A driving, training in basic car- talks with the communist “Ayaw ko na, sabi ko (I give after the receipt of the letter. Parojinog, his wife, and 13 oth- lone gunman shot him and his pentry and in basic computer rebels. up, I said). So is there any other Kami ang gagawa (We will write ers in simultaneous predawn wife Merriam dead on Aug. 29, programming. (Nestor P. Bur- “Give me a piece of paper. protocol that I have to comply the letter) upon the instruction raids on Sunday. They officers 2016 as the couple disembarked gos, Jr. / inquirer.net) I will write it for you. Give it before it becomes final?” he of the President. If he said we claimed the camp of Parojinog from a passenger ship at the to them,” Duterte told report- said. send a formal termination, then fired at them. Caticlan port in Malay town ers after attending the 113th Labor Secretary Silvestre we would do that,” he added. Parojinog was the third Aklan. anniversary celebration of the Bello III, chief government (Nestor Corrales / inquirer.net) mayor gunned down in a year After being publicly ac- Call to advertise after they were named among cused of involvement in illegal 1-415-593-5955 x141 government officials involved in drugs, no case has been filed Duterte signs into law extension of passport validity to 10 years illegal drugs. against Mabilog almost a year law the measure that to come up with the implement- In October 2016, Datu after the President’s announce- extends the validity of ing rules and regulations (IRR) Saudi Ampatuan Mayor Samsu- ment. Philippine passports to implement the new passport din Dimaukom and nine others Mabilog stressed that from five to 10 years, ex- validity. were killed in police anti-drug there had been no let up in the cept for those of minors The new law takes effect operations in North Cotabato. campaign against illegal drugs which would only have 15 days after publication in the More than a week later, in the city even after he was a five-year validity. Official Gazette or in a national Mayor Rolando Espinosa of stripped of operational supervi- Republic Act No. newspaper of general circula- Albuera, Leyte was killed by sion and control over the Iloilo 10928, dated Aug. 2, tion. a police officer in an alleged City Police Office a year ago. nevertheless allows The extension of the shootout in his cell at the Leyte “I have mounted an inten- the issuing authority passport validity is expected to Sub-Provincial Jail in Baybay sified campaign to curb if not to limit the validity of make traveling abroad easier City. totally eliminate the problem of passports to less than and to lessen the burden of “Am I worried? Of course illegal drugs,” the mayor said. 10 years “whenever in citizens, who would no longer I am,” Mabilog said. “But I “We have invested heavily in the national economic need to keep on renewing their don’t fear because I have a clear education and rehabilitation, interest or political passports every five years. conscience and this will not knowing fully well this battle visit our website (Photo: www.philippinenmagazin.de) stability of the country” It is also expected to ease paralyze me into inaction and can’t just be fought with guns makes it necessary. the workload of the DFA, which fear. I need to muster all the and bullets.” www.filamstar.com President Rodrigo Duterte The Department of Foreign issues the passports. (Leila B. courage to effectively bring our He said the city govern- on Wednesday signed into Affairs (DFA) has been tasked Salaverria / inquirer.net) city out of this unfair brand- ment also allotted “huge FilAm Star Classifieds (650)278-0692 . (415)593-5955

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But ship set to be staged in Kailua- (Photo: www.dailymail.co.uk) wave around when the truth is private jet. Greg Banzon announced the you forget all of that once you Kona, Hawaii. he can’t even afford to pay his The same holds true for staging of the 2018 Century cross the finish line and hear the Finishers will also have the taxes without selling some of his McGregor. His fur coats seem Tuna Ironman Philippines in announcer say that you’re an opportunity to be a part of the LAS VEGAS — There’s a assets. nice enough — though it’s hard Subic Bay on June 3, 2018, com- Ironman. It’s really indescrib- rare club of full distance Iron- reason tons of good seats remain That’s enough to sell it to to be sure the one he wore at the memorating a decade of hosting able.” man conquerors, a right only a for what was supposed to be the home viewers at $99.95 apiece. media tour stop in New York was Ironman races in the country. From the usual 70.3-kilo- hundredth of the population has year’s hottest ticket. It’s entertainment, much like really made of polar bear — and “The brand of Ironman is meter race over the past years, accomplished. Actually, there are two Wrestlemania, and a good ex- he’s thrown out a few genuinely like having the holy grail for the 2018 edition will see the Czech triathletes Ruedi Wild reasons the hype bubble sur- cuse to get a few friends together funny lines. triathlon. We’ve been holding track double its distance, extend- and Radka Kahlefeldt ruled the rounding the fight between for a party. But it mostly feels forced, the Ironman 70.3 for the 10th ing the legs to 3.86-kilometer 2017 Ironman 70.3 race in Subic, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor But it’s a little tougher to like the UFC star has been year and it just continues to be swim, 180.2-kilometer bike, and with August Benedicto topping McGregor has been punctured, justify $15,000 (plus $1,292.81 rehearsing too long. Yes, it’s fantastic,” said Uytengsu on 42.2-kilometer run to further all local bets and finishing 19th at least a bit. in service fees) for two seats in easy to mock Mayweather for Tuesday at the New World Hotel put to the test the participating overall. (Randolph B. Leongson In their quest to extract Section 4, Row S of the T-Mobile allegedly not being able to read, in Makati City. athletes’ endurance. / inquirer.net) every dollar possible, promot- arena that are so far from ring- but 50 Cent delivered the same “It’s the process of triathlon, The race will begin on Acea ers wildly miscalculated their side you’ll need to spend another material years ago after he and it gravitates to the people be- Beach, before traversing the audience. This isn’t boxing, with $100 for a pair of binoculars to Mayweather had a nasty split. an established wealthy fan base see the action. Indeed, by the time the tour willing to pay thousands of dol- The bottom line is that hit New York the trash talk was lars as they did for Mayweather’s there’s no there there. This is stale. Aside from the F-bombs Cramming Gilas out to ‘shock 2015 fight with Manny Pacquiao. more reality show than fight, and thrown out like red meat to the The 20-something UFC fans the reality is that it’s such an aw- eager crowd, there wasn’t any- the world,’ says Reyes that are driving this promotion ful mismatch that Nevada boxing thing that screamed “Buy me!” Finally getting a complete or two days and we all know on for the most part don’t have regulators should be ashamed about the fight. team on Monday, Gilas Pilipinas Wednesday and on Friday, there 10 grand to blow on a pair of of themselves for even sanction- And to think there are three coach Chot Reyes could only ex- will be PBA games. So we are just seats. They’ll have to be content ing it. more All Access episodes re- press glee seeing his 12-man roster taking advantage of what we have,” (Photo: www.dailymail.co.uk) to sit in front of the television But Mayweather is starved maining. That’s about three too for the 2017 Fiba Asia Cup all on he said. playing tuneup games against each with a few friends, cheering for cash, and doesn’t mind mak- many for this one-trick pony. the court at the same time. Reyes is well aware of the other. Qatar and Iraq are getting a on McGregor from the couch ing a fool of himself to replenish Still, the bottom line is that “Of course, I’m very happy. deficiencies the national team is lot of practice and tuneup games. instead of inside the arena. his bank account. The boxer who McGregor’s true believers really It’s not just Calvin (Abueva), but facing, from the absence of natu- We are not getting even enough The other reason might be likes to wear hats proclaiming believe. They’re putting money everyone came here for the first ralized big man Andray Blatche, practice and we have already that the con job that is May- himself “TBE’” (The Best Ever) is on their man despite the fact time and it’s the first time we got the team’s limited preparation accepted the fact that we will not weather and McGregor has been so desperate to sell this fight that he has no chance — other than all 12 guys for the Fiba Asia team,” time for the international tourneys, get enough practices but that has exposed. And, in a revealing he’s promoting it by suggesting something truly bizarre hap- he said. to the fluctuating attendance for always been the case,” he said. twist, it was done by the fighters he’s not that good anymore. pening — inside the ring. They Conspicuously absent for the his sessions. “So, we have to have the men- themselves. “That’s what makes this may not be able to afford seats first four sessions, the energetic But despite all of those, Reyes tality of being brash and aggressive The drama has already fight so entertaining,” May- in the arena but they will buy Abueva, who was reportedly deal- is keeping his positivity on a high and the belief that we will shock played out, almost before it re- weather said on the All Access the pay-per-view in numbers ing with some “personal issues,” as he hopes that this chip on the the world. We are not going to ally got started. The act is tired, show. “I’m not the Mayweather that rival the 4.6 million sold for finally showed up on Monday team’s shoulder could motivate the enter the tournament as favorites, as anyone who saw the media of the past.” Mayweather-Pacquiao. evening at Meralco Gym. squad to aspire for greatness and but we want to be able to shock tour or watched the first “All Ac- He’s right, because the Expanding that outside the Still, the team’s completion overachieve against fellow Asian them.” cess” episode on Showtime can is just half of the battle as Reyes contenders. The 2017 Fiba Asia Cup is Mayweather of the past was at core of fans driving this fight seeks to form a cohesive unit be- “There’s a lot of people who slated on August 8 to 20 in Leba- attest. least mildly interesting. But the will be more difficult, though, as fore Gilas flies for Beirut, Lebanon are saying that we won’t go very non, with the Philippines gunning See Floyd play with his money act is as dated as the shown by the resistance to the on August 6. far, especially with Andray Blatche to finally nab the gold after bagging money. Watch Conor model check from the Pacquiao fight insanely inflated ticket prices. “I really like what I’m see- not here. Everyone knows that the silver medals in the past two fur coats and boast that his net that Mayweather seems to have Proof, perhaps, that even ing, but the problem is we don’t Andray won’t be here. Everyone offings of the tourney. (Randolph worth will quadruple. trouble cashing. a freak show is worth only so have that much time. We’re like knows that we are not getting B. Leongson / inquirer.net) Listen as they scream Gone are the days when he much (inquirer.net) cramming for the exams. We are enough practices. All the other profanities at each other, then and 50 Cent used to toss around trying to put everything in just one teams like China and Australia are try not to laugh at the inside joke stacks of bills, then head out in A6 FilAm Star August 3 - 9, 2017 opinion PerryScope Street Talk Digong’s juggling act Duterte and FilAms can work on a PERRY DIAZ tunnels and bunkers to make their last stand. While the Maute rebellion is expected to be common cause After a year in the quelled sooner or later, peace in Mindanao is far GREG B. MACABENTA presidency, Rodrigo from realization. There are so many variables and killed who are capable of bearing arms in actual “Digong” Duterte has been unknowns – not to mention their only known de- During the Philip- hostilities against the United States.” mand, independence -- to come up with an “equi- embroiled in countless of pine revolution against In the course of his recent State of the Nation wars against everybody he table” and lasting solution to the “Moro problem.” Spain, the Katipunan Address, Duterte demanded, “Give us back those didn’t like or those who What we’re seeing here instead is a perpetuation had two mutually-hostile Balangiga bells. They are ours. They belong to the disagreed with his policies of the conflict that began as a localized rebellion in Philippines. They are part of our national heri- or those who were fighting Marawi City into a larger armed confrontation be- factions: the Magdiwang his government on the tween Philippine government troops and what is now of Andres Bonifacio, and tage... Isauli naman ninyo. Masakit ‘yan sa amin ground, above the ground known as the Islamic State of Lanao (ISL), which is the Magdalo, which was (Please return the bells. That was painful for us).” and below the ground. In essence, Digong is fighting composed of the original Maute group and former identified with Emilio US Ambassador Sung Kim was in the audi- anybody just for the sake of fighting, which makes Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels includ- Aguinaldo. While they ence, listening impassively to Duterte’s harangue. one wonder: Is he suffering from a severe case of Na- ing some foreign fighters believed to have sprung literally went at each In a subsequent official statement, the US Em- poleonic complex, itching for a fight, day after day, or from ISIS in Syria. With the town of Butig in Lanao other’s throat, the two groups continued to fight bassy acknowledged that the bells have a “deep a modern-day Don Quixote fighting imaginary wind- del Sur as the ISL’s main base, the Philippine Army alongside each other, acknowledging that they significance for a number of people, both in the mills that are giving him vertigo? Is he afflicted with characterized it as a “terrorist” organization. were struggling for a common cause against a United States and in the Philippines” and that a messianic desire to save his beleaguered Filipinas Martial law common enemy. the Embassy would ”continue to work with our from the evils of illegal drugs and corruption? Yes, It did not then come as a surprise when the There may now be a similar situation, Filipino partners to find a resolution.” Philippine Congress overwhelmingly voted for the he seems to see himself as the savior of the common marked by distrust and hostility, but bound by That reassurance, however, is just one more tao. Is he, really? extension of martial law and suspension of the writ of common Philippine national interests. diplomatic effort to raise the hopes of the Philip- What comes to mind was his recent State of the habeas corpus in Mindanao until December 31. The most prominent Filipino-American com- pines about recovering the bells. In fact, more Nation Address (SONA) where he attacked his critics But while martial law could mitigate the threat influential intercessions have been made in the in a manner that was bereft of decency and beneath posed by the Muslim militants, it doesn’t prevent the munity leaders in the US have been very vocal in the dignity of his office. He resorted to his signature conflict from spreading beyond Lanao del Sur. Many their condemnation of the alleged extra-judicial past but have failed. kanto-boy language laced with profanity for the experts believe that a Mindanao-based Islamic State killings that have characterized Duterte’s war on During the incumbency of President Fidel V. whole world to hear, reiterating his war on drugs that Caliphate is in the offing. And this is the challenge drugs. Some have even brought the issue before Ramos and of Philippine Ambassador to Wash- has so far claimed the lives of more than 8,000 drug Duterte is faced with. We all know that the “Moro the US Congress and the International Criminal ington Raul Rabe, they appealed directly to Presi- users and pushers. According to his estimates last problem” cannot be solved militarily. Court. dent Bill Clinton and suggested a compromise: year, there were more than three million drug users With Duterte waging wars in so many fronts and In turn, Duterte and his supporters have replicas of the two bells would be cast and both and pushers in the country. To eliminate the drug with a Philippine military that is under-armed and accused the FilAms of trying to destabilize his ad- the US and the Philippines would take possession menace, he needs a huge army to accomplish this, if spread out too thinly, it begs the question: Can he ministration, ignoring the fact that most Filipinos of one original and one replica. it can be accomplished at all. win? I doubt it. approve of his governance. Recalls Ramos, in a media account, “Presi- But the war on drugs is not the only campaign Juggling act It is doubtful that the two contending fac- dent Clinton favored the sharing proposal, but What Duterte is doing is a juggling act. He’s he was pursuing. He’s also waging war against the tions can arrive at a common ground on the was stymied by an amendment to the National Muslim militants, communist rebels, illegal miners, juggling three “balls” all at once: (1) War on drugs, issue of Duterte’s anti-drug war. But there are Defense Authorization Act to ‘prohibit the return and anybody who, for any reason, piqued him annoy- (2) War against Muslim terrorists, and (3) War two causes that I believe both groups can – and of veterans’ memorial objects to a foreign nation ingly, including the Americans for seizing the three against the NPA. But nobody wins in juggling. It’s without specific authorization in law’ The rider church bells of Balangiga in 1901 as war trophies a game that is just for show. The moment you stop should – agree to cooperate on, for the sake of the during the Philippine-American War. He said that juggling, all three balls would fall. The juggler has to country. was introduced a few weeks before by Senator he wouldn’t accept President Trump’s invitation constantly keep all three balls in motion... in the air. The first is the recovery of the bells of Balan- Craig Thomas, a former congressman of Wyo- to visit the U.S. unless the bells are returned to the And by the way, juggling is only done in a circus to giga. The second has to do with the US Congres- ming, who intoned, ‘History brought the bells to Philippines. amuse spectators. sional Gold Medal for Filipino World War II Wyoming, and there they should stay.” And then there was the Bud Dajo Massacre. Re- For spectators, Duterte has an international veterans. Thomas is now dead and the provision he ferring to the killing of 600 Moros by American sol- audience. They are Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, and Two bells, said to be war booty from Balan- inserted in the Pentagon spending bill is report- diers during the “Moro Rebellion” of 1906, Duterte Vladimir Putin, presidents of the U.S., China, and giga, Samar, are on display at the F.E. Warren Air edly expiring in September. Thomas’ former brought it up during the Association of Southeast Russia, respectively. Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. A third bell congressional seat is now occupied by Liz Cheney, Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in September 2016. But “juggling” is not Duterte’s only preoccupa- is said to be in a US Army base in South Korea. daughter of former Vice-President Dick Cheney. He said that it was an example of American atrocities tion. He is also a grandstander. When Duterte vis- Scholars do not completely agree on the number When Ramos was Secretary of National Defense ited China in October 2016, he announced his “sepa- when the Philippines was still a U.S. colony. He said of authentic Balangiga bells. Some say that only under President Cory Aquino, he also made that America has yet to apologize for the massacre. ration” from the U.S. and declared he had realigned one was taken from the church of Balangiga and representations for the return of the bells through Communist insurgency with China. Then he told his Beijing audience: “I’ve that the other two may have been from other then Defense Secretary Cheney, but to no avail. Not content in his criticisms of the U.S. -- the realigned myself in your ideological flow and maybe Former US Ambassador to the Philippines, Philippines’ only treaty ally -- Duterte turned his I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin and tell him churches in Samar which were burned down by guns on Jose Ma. “Joma” Sison, the self-exiled that there are three of us against the world -- China, US troops. Frank Wisner, is said to have recently written to founder of the Communist Party of the Philip- Philippines and Russia. It’s the only way.” At any rate, American war veterans and Rep. Cheney about helping arrange the return of pines (CPP). In the latest episode of their love-hate Yep, “It’s the only way,” seems to be Duterte’s members of the US Congress who have opposed the bells. US war veterans have also been sup- relationship, Duterte said that given the chance, he’d solution to every problem. It is not surprising then returning the bells to the Philippines insist that portive of the return, with one of them writing to kill Sison for the death of government troops in the that he sees the “only way” to win the war on drugs they are a painful memorial to the massacre of Senator John McCain for his intercession. hands of the New People’s Army (NPA), the CPP’s is to kill the drug pushers and users. It’s as simple as 48 troopers of the 9th US Infantry Regiment by Whether any of these can soften the intran- military arm. And what seems to be the cause of that. Filipino guerillas in a treacherous attack on the sigence of the Wyoming war vets is anybody’s Duterte’s latest barrage against Sison? Well, Joma It’s the same with the “Moro Problem”: Martial US camp on September 28, 1901. The incident guess, but the assistance and support of every called Digong a “bully” because of his iron-fisted law is the “only way” to defeat the Muslim rebels. It’s evokes visions of the route of Gen. Armstrong single group should be considered. policies. For that, Duterte vowed never to talk peace as simple as that. Custer and his men at Little Bighorn, during the The FilAm community would certainly be It’s the same with Joma Sison and the NPA. with the communist rebels again. Calling the CPP- Indian wars. one such group, having successfully lobbied NPA enemies of the state, Duterte said: “No more Warfare is the “only way” to solve the communist On the other hand, for Filipinos, the bells are Capitol Hill in the long struggle for benefits for talk, let’s fight.” insurgency. It’s as simple as that. a testament to the tactical skill of Samar fighters, Filipino soldiers who fought under the US flag Instead, he wanted to focus his attention to No, Mr. President, they’re not simple as that. in World War II. The same group also succeeded seeking peace with the Muslim rebels. In response, They’re complicated and require a solution that ad- armed mainly with bolos, who overwhelmed the Joma advised Duterte to look after his mental dresses, first and foremost, social justice or the lack superior American forces. They liken it to the in securing passage of the bill authorizing the health and consult a psychiatrist. “I pity him and I thereof. Do you remember how the late President surprise attack by Gen. George Washington on conferment of the Congressional Gold Medal on am tempted just to let him go because what he says Ramon “The Guy” Magsaysay ended the communist the Hessian allies of the British at Trenton, New the old Filipino soldiers. against me is patently baseless and comes obviously Huk insurgency in less than two years? The Huks’ Jersey during the American revolution. The effort to recover the bells may also be from a sick mind,” Sison said in a Facebook post. slogan then was: “Land for the landless.” What the But what is generally conceded is that the a good opportunity for the newly-designated Peace in Mindanao Guy did was adopt the Huks’ slogan as his own. For bells are symbols of the horrors of war, epito- Philippine Ambassador to Washington DC., Jose But Duterte’s quest for peace with the Muslim each Huk who surrendered his weapon, he gave him mized by the order given by Brig. Gen, Jacob Manuel “Babes” Romualdez, to broker a rap- rebels, particularly the Maute militants, has been and his family a carabao, a plow, and a homestead Smith to make Samar “a howling wilderness,” prochement between Duterte and the FilAm lead- elusive. A protracted battle between government in Mindanao to start a new life. Families of former as retaliation for the loss of American lives at ers for the sake of the country which both groups forces and the Maute group in Marawi City is now on Huks are still in Mindanao today, living peacefully Balangiga. claim to love. with their Muslim neighbors. Many have settled in its ninth week and no end is in sight yet. Although Declared Smith, “I want no prisoners. I wish Perhaps, Romualdez, who has many friends government troops have entered and surrounded Marawi City. you to kill and burn, the more you kill and burn in the FilAm community, can work with the lead the city, there is a pocket of resistance from the I hope, Mr. President that you’d learn from the the better it will please me. I want all persons dwindling number of Maute militants, who have dug lessons of history. ([email protected]) TO PAGE A7 As I See It

The Opinions expressed by our writers and President Trump releases budget, reduces education spending contributors do not in any way reflect the opinion of the management of Fortune News ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO the federal government is expected to pay Cali- said. “This budget is the first step in investing in Media Inc. fornia $4.09 billion for K-12 programming and education programs that work.” Fortune News Media Inc. In regard to educa- $4.3 billion for college programs. The Trump Trump’s budget proposal includes a $1.4-bil- Publisher tion, does the ordinary administration has proposed entirely cutting Sup- lion school choice program, with a $168-million Harvey Barkin American know that porting Effective Instruction Grants which pay increase in federal funding for charter schools Editor-in-Chief under President Donald for teacher training. California gets about $250 and $250 million for a “private school choice Trump’s budget, educa- million from that fund, and school districts use it program,” but it does not provide details, critics Edwina Aniag Vice President for Marketing and Operations tion spending has been in different ways”. observed. reduced? In the first 100 These observations were corroborated by Los The school choice program also includes Gary De Guzman days in office President Angeles Unified School District Supt. Michelle $1 billion more for Title I, a solid $15-billion Vice President for Community Relations Trump came out with its King in a statement: “The proposed cuts would program that supports low-income students. Anchet Manosca ambitious budget that reduces public education decimate programs that have successfully provid- However, as Education Week points out, the Creative and Production Manager spending nationwide while pushing more money ed our students with a high-quality education.” budget encourages states and districts to budget Atty. Crispin Lozano for school vouchers and charter schools. It was also pointed out that the budget seeks the money in a way “that enables … funding to Dr. Philip Chua / Rodel Rodis Recently, President Donald Trump released to partly fund Impact Aid Support Payments for follow the student to the public school of his or Ben Lou / Perry Diaz his proposed budget for the 2018 fiscal year Federal Property, money that school districts re- her choice.” Federico Espiritu / Elpidio Estioko ceive to serve students who are in public schools Actually, the Trump budget would cut $9 Columnists which proposes breaking apart public schools through massive cuts to teacher training, after- on non-taxed federal land such as military bases billion—13 percent of the U.S. Department of Macon Ramos-Araneta or those schools that can’t rely on property taxes Education’s funding—while investing $1.4 billion Corina Oliquino / Lara Climaco school programs in public schools, and transfers Daniel Llanto of public funds to private school vouchers. for revenue. of new money in school choice and private school Correspondents This observation on the “skinny” budget In California, at least 15 school districts vouchers. This is sending a clear message that the on education caught the attention of many would lose $18 million respectively as a result Trump administration prioritizes ideologically- Ann Gauna Marketing Associate educators, stakeholders, and school administra- of this cut. In 2014, California districts received driven voucher schemes over great public schools. tors and is affecting every state in the country about a quarter of all such funds nationwide. This will surely dismantle public education, hurt Jho Bule today. Specifically, how will this affect California According to a statement released by the vulnerable kids, working families, and teach- Photographer schools? Joy Resmovits in her article said, “While National Assn. of Federally Impacted Schools: ers, according to an article written by Stephanie Glenda Bule most public school dollars come from states and “The elimination of Federal Properties funding Johnson, Neil Campbell, Kami Specklemire, and Event Coordinator districts, federal funds cover specific programs. would result in cuts to personnel and professional Lisette Partelow published on March 17, 2017. Since California is the most populous state, it development, academic materials, transportation, Critics say “dismantling our nation’s public FilAm Star is published weekly by Fortune News Media Inc. stands to lose the most money”. technology, and other general operating expens- education system while investing in unproven www.filamstar.com Commenting on the reduced budget in es.” The proposed budget cuts eliminates over 20 schemes to incentivize private school vouch- education, Andy Casabar, a parent from San Jose programs. ers that have no evidence of improving student Headquarters: said, “The public schools need financial assis- Despite all these negative concerns, however, achievement could have devastating consequenc- 1028 Mission St., 2/F, tance more than the charter schools. We need to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos released es for students that could take decades to fix”. San Francisco, CA 94103; strengthen the public schools instead of boosting a statement saying that the budget reductions are What’s interesting to know is that decades of Tel. (650) 278-0692 or (415) 593-5955 school vouchers”. efficient. “Taxpayers deserve to know their dollars research on vouchers show that they do not Email: [email protected] EdSource also noted that “This fiscal year, are being spent efficiently and effectively,” she TO PAGE A7 August 3 - 9, 2017 FilAm Star A7 LEFT-LEANING CABINETS The President also ordered the police and AGENCY TASKED ciation and absence or lack of due diligence in its ... FROM PAGE A1 military to go after the communist rebels when ... FROM PAGE A1 care and preservation, not to mention the losses they are done with the Marawi siege by Islamic that were reported, too. the NDF-CPP/NPA having served as chairperson State-inspired terrororists. CPP Joma Sison on period. “It would be too much to bear to find out of the government peace panel negotiating with July 30 taunted Duterte, calling him the country’s Sen. Chiz Escudero is seeking a full account- that recovered assets pilloried from the state is the communist rebels. “number one drug addict.” ing and inventory of all the assets recovered by squandered the same agency tasked to recover it,” Maza was a former party-list representative Sison also called his former student a the PCGG since it was created to recover the il- he said. of Gabriela and Bayan Muna and had led several “coward” for killing poor people extra-judicially legally amassed wealth of the Marcoses and their “We want to see accountability, as with any protest actions on various issues against previous by the thousands while retracting his previous allies, before the administration moves to abolish other government institutions,” he added. administrations. public threats against alleged drug protectors and it. In its 2016 report, the Commission on Audit Duterte had earlier offered at least four syndicates. Before any talks on PCGG’s abolition has called out the PCGG for the six paintings re- departments to the communists, but recently “As an addict user of the opioid Fentanyl, commence, Escudero, chairman of the Senate ported missing since 2012. The state auditor also engaged its founder and leader Jose Maria Sison Duterte is the number one drug addict in the Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and said in the same report that most of the artworks in a word war. Philippines and is the most fitting target of the Currencies, wanted the agency to come up with recovered have been damaged and in states of Trillanes pointed out that these communists police units that he has turned into death squads a detailed report on the value of each asset it has deterioration. are using the resources of their government offic- and corrupted with money and promotions,” recovered at the time of its sequestration, as well “These reports are yet unanswered. If there is es to stockpile arms and ammunition, which they Sison said. as its present value. failure to protect and preserve sequestered assets, would use later on against government soldiers. Duterte, an admitted user of Fentanyl to ease Escudero said a mere cursory observation then abolition this time may lead to the unintend- Before his second State of the Nation Ad- the pain from his spinal injuries, previously said of some of the well-known sequestered assets of ed consequence of hiding misdeeds committed by dress, Duterte said he would no longer pursue that he took more than the required dosage of the the PCGG like paintings, jewelry, buildings and the agency in the past,” Escudero said. peace negotiations with the left, after the NPA pain reliever that made him feel like he was “on shares of stocks would show their undue depre- ambushed a convoy with members of his security cloud nine.” detail. CHIEF, 1 OTHER to the unraveling of many things in BoC,” Sen. ... FROM PAGE A1 Gordon said after suspending the Senate inquiry POLICE IN U.S. pattern holds across the country. into the biggest shabu shipment into the country ... FROM PAGE A1 “This is not a regional phenomenon; it’s na- Customs officials supposedly involved in the ship- so far. tional,” Phillips says. “For journalists, being able ment of what could be the largest illegal drug for “A little bit of both but more on the payola,” stops. The database contains key details from to examine both the local stops and the bigger the benefit of the Senate committee chaired by Gordon said, referring to the disclosures made millions of records collected from 2011 to 2015 picture represents stories that need to be told.” Sen. Ricard Gordon. by alleged customs broker Taguba in closed-door and is part of an effort to statistically analyze Collecting the data The shipment was seized by the Bureau of proceedings, in which the Senator said names police practices. The project began more than two years ago Customs (BoC) in Valenzuela warehouses last were listed by the latter on those supposedly “We’ve created a platform to help research- when Phillips and a group of journalism graduate May. privy to the whole transaction. ers and policymakers understand and improve students began requesting traffic stop data from Faeldon and Estrella allegedly made a trip “Yes, he was a willing witness. He wrote it. I policing…” state police agencies. Some jurisdictions didn’t to China right after the shipment was seized to- made him write it. I did not want him to say it. I Along with these findings, the researchers offer data electronically and among the states gether with the owner of Hongfei Phils., Richard want him to write it in his own handwriting,” the are releasing their entire dataset, complete with that made electronic records available, data often Tan, which shipped the shabu from China. Senator said. online tutorials, so that policy makers, journal- weren’t collected in a uniform format, creating And contrary to the claims of BoC Chief Gordon did not answer when pressed by ists, and citizens can do their own analyses barriers to systematic analysis. Faeldon that BoC executive Larribert Hilario, reporters whether Faeldon and Estrella were through this new Stanford Open Policing Project. In 2015, Goel and his students brought their who was earlier verbally suspended by Faeldon named by Taguba. Gordon said Taguba was a “We have seen many anecdotal reports of computational skills to the effort. The team won even when suspension orders were supposed to “fixer” who identified himself as a “broker.” bias but we need more than that to accurately a grant from the nonprofit John S. and James L. be written and he has gone missing, Hilario has Taguba identified Tan as the owner of Hong- show the experience of motorists who are minori- Knight Foundation to collect, analyze, and share been found under the House of Representatives’ fei Phils. which shipped the shabu from China. ties,” says Cheryl Phillips, a professor of journal- this sizable data set. protective custody. It was Taguba who said EMT Trading was a ism and part of the Stanford University Compu- The data negotiation process has become Hilario is expected to testify before the consignee through an “open secret” scheme called tational Journalism Lab. “We need an open and part of the educational experience in Phillips’ House on the PHP 6.4 Billion shabu shipment “consignee-for-hire.” transparent platform where we can identify sys- classes. And collecting the data, standardizing it, from China and is expected to drop a few more Taguba supposedly told the Senate hearing tematic bias and that will enable policy change.” and bringing it into one repository means exam- bombshells. that he dealt with a certain Kenneth Dong, Tan’s In an academic paper detailing their find- ining racial patterns in stops on a much broader As the Senate blue ribbon committee con- middleman, who, according to the committee, left ings, the researchers explain how they assembled scale is now possible for academic researchers, ducted its investigation, the Senate panel also the country on July 28. more than 60 million police reports from 20 policymakers, and journalists. granted protective custody to the broker of the Taguba himself is not out of the woods. states that collect enough information about “It took thousands of hours to corral the shabu shipment that was seized last May, fol- We’re taking it with a grain of salt, depending on traffic stops—including the race or ethnicity of different state datasets into a consistent format lowing a closed-door executive session where he whether he’s going to be useful later on. We’re drivers—to permit statistical inferences when for analysis,” Goel says, adding that, among other fingered the BoC officials. still unraveling the problem,” Gordon said. looking at the data in aggregate. things, the researchers recommend uniform stan- Gordon earlier suspected that Hilario, who Gordon, however, refused to provide details “We’ve created a platform to help researchers dards for collecting traffic stop data to facilitate was claimed by Faeldon to have been suspended on those who could possibly be held liable within and policymakers understand and improve polic- public oversight. by him and is now missing, is privy to the shabu the BoC but gave hints the involvement of per- ing,” says Sharad Goel, an assistant professor of Working with journalists and policymak- shipment and probable corrupt practices, he and sonalities could be “top to bottom.” management science and engineering and leader ers the other senators appeared not to have known “What has been established is that there’s of the university’s Law, Order, and Algorithms The researchers plan to continue collecting that Hilario has been under protective custody of corruption and incompetence within Customs Project, which uses computational tools to study data from other states. So far, the project has ob- the House of Representatives, which also started which everybody knows and we’re nearer to iden- criminal justice issues. tained at least some data from 31 states, though its own investigation on the illegal shipment. tifying that. There will definitely be liabilities, if More searches, less suspicion the analysis has been focused on the 20 states The names of those supposedly involved in that is to be pursued. As I’ve said, up and down,” The intellectual heart of the project in- with data that were more detailed. the shipment last May 17 were disclosed to Senate he said. volved the development of a more nuanced and The project has now begun requesting simi- probers in the executive session. “It would lead statistically valid way to infer racial or ethnic lar data from cities. They also are creating tutori- als to help explain the subtle differences between discrimination after a person is pulled over for a DUTERTE HITS BACK country’s local officials. I don’t know if Loot is concepts like “discrimination” and “disparate traffic stop. The researchers call their approach here, you ****, stop making threats.) impact” to help provide a shared vocabulary upon ... FROM PAGE A1 the threshold test. It quantifies the following Duterte was referring to retired police question: once a driver is pulled over, what level which to understand and improve police policies. “Mga general mo noon, iyang aide mo, ‘yung general Vicente Loot whom he previously tagged of suspicion must an officer have to conduct a The team hopes to attract other research- aide ni Roxas, puro nasa droga. Konektado. Num- as among the police generals involved in illegal search, and how does this threshold of suspicion ers, policymakers, and citizens to join their open ber one diyan ‘yung bata ninyo, si General Loot, drugs. relate to the race or ethnicity of the driver? effort. For her part, Phillips is focusing first isa pa ‘yang u*** na ‘yan. I mentioned his name Aquino told reporters on Tuesday that dur- Last year, the computer scientists released on giving journalists both the data and a more noong pinatawag ko sila. Ewan ko lang kung nan- ing his term in 2015, statistics showed that there their first scientific paper on the threshold test, sophisticated set of tools to support their role as dito si Loot, p****** ina mo, huwag mong takutin were 1.8 million drug users in the Philippines. At applying their statistical measure to 4.5 million public watchdogs. The project has already heard general ka,” he said. the end of 2016,he said the number of drug users traffic stops from 100 cities in North Carolina. from dozens of journalists interested in using the (Your generals, aide, Roxas’ aide, they are all in the country remained at 1.8 million. That study found evidence of a double standard: data and tapping the expertise of the computer into drugs. They have drug connections. Number “Parang wala yatang nangyari (It seems officers required less suspicion to search black or scientists. one here is your guy, General Loot, another ****. nothing happened),” Aquino said. (Nestor Cor- Hispanic drivers than white drivers. “In a time of shrinking newsrooms and de- I mentioned his name when I summoned the rales / inquirer.net) Applying this test to their newly collected re- clining resources, we think this is a new model for cords, the researchers found that the same basic helping journalists do their jobs,” she says. DUTERTE ALLIES her influence to manipulate judicial appoint- ... FROM PAGE A2 ments, including “the short list of the Judicial STREET TALK like to give a replica of the medal to every deserv- and Bar Council (JBC) to exclude then Solicitor ... FROM PAGE A6 ing veteran. mum for fear of respondent Sereno, as they do General Francis H. Jardeleza, for personal and That requires funds, which the group is not want to be wrapped within her wrath. These political reasons… and curtailing the President’s -ers to lobby the US Congress for the lifting of the currently raising. The support of the Philippine wrongdoings can only be unraveled through an power to appoint him.” prohibition inserted by Thomas. government is very important in this effort. And investigation of a coequal body,” he said. Gadon said the Chief Justice used public Among the FilAm leaders is Maj. Gen. Romualdez, who also happens to be an old hand Sereno, according to Gadon, was untruth- funds to finance her “extravagant and lavish Antonio Taguba (US Army, retired), the general in the advertising and marketing business (I ful when she deliberately excluded in her initial lifestyle” by ordering the purchase of a brand-new who blew the lid off US military atrocities in Abu believe he owns an advertising agency), can help statement of assets, liabilities and net worth luxurious Toyota Land Cruiser 2017 worth P5 Ghraib, Iraq. Taguba is chairman of the Filipino tap corporate sponsors in Manila for this worthy (SALN) the exorbitant lawyer’s fees amounting million as her personal vehicle, while her col- Veterans Recognition and Education Project cause. to P37 million from the Philippine government leagues had to be content with cheaper models. which worked diligently for passage of the bill Duterte and some of the FilAm leaders may as part of a team of local private lawyers in the He also accused Sereno of staying in opulent that would grant Filipino veterans the high- never get along on certain issues, but these two Piatco case. hotels when attending conferences in the Philip- est civilian honor conferred by the US. The bill causes – the return of the bells and raising funds This does not include “the amounts she pines and abroad, and flying business or first was one of the last signed into law by President for the Congressional Gold Medal – should be received from the US law firms and the Manila class together with her staff and security. Barack Obama. reason enough to work with each other. International Airport Authority, for the same “Sometime in 2016, respondent Sereno orga- At the same time, Romualdez could be Para sa Inang Bayan. (gregmacabenta@ purpose.” nized an international conference in Shangri-La hotmail.com) of great help to Taguba’s group. The original Lavish lifestyle Boracay and got herself billeted in the Presiden- Congressional Gold Medal will be on permanent “To evade payment of appropriate taxes, tial Villa, easily a P200,000-a-night room,” he display at the Smithsonian, but the FVREP would respondent Sereno never reported this to the Bu- said. reau of Internal Revenue. Consequently, respon- Sereno “obstructed justice by ordering the AS I SEE IT currently attending a 21st CCLC program. dent Sereno never paid taxes for her extortionate Muntinlupa City judges not to issue warrants ... FROM PAGE A6 Aside from cutting support to teachers and attorney’s fees,” Gadon said. of arrest” on drug charges against Sen. Leila de after-school programs, this budget greatly affects He also alleged that Sereno repeatedly used Lima, the lawyer said. (Dj Yap / inquirer.net) lead to better outcomes. It’s a failed concept. Why teachers and working families by eliminating then should the Trump administration be head- funding for the Corporation for National and ROGUE COP U.S.A. is not holding officers accountable when they ing this way? The most comprehensive research, Community Service, or CNCS, which provides ... FROM PAGE B4 violate policies and procedures and that mayor on statewide voucher programs in Indiana volunteer support and educational awards for does not want to get rid of the commissioner then and Louisiana, for example, found large nega- teachers in training and out-of-school time pro- But, he added, first the Black community you get rid of the mayor. If he’s not going to have tive results in both reading and math. “Public gramming. needs to take control of their policing. “We are people underneath him that is going to respect elementary school students who started at the Furthermore, President Trump’s elimina- the only community in the nation and in the the community and do right by the community 26thpercentile in math and then used a voucher tion of the Supporting Effective Instruction State world, that really have no say in how their com- then he has to go,” he said. to transfer to a private school, dropped to the Grants and the 21st CCLC after-school program munity is policed. Real community policing is not Mr. Jones said there must be police manage- 50th percentile in a single year” the research said. would mean a loss of nearly $3.6 billion in fund- the police commissioner or the mayor telling the ment that will fire cops for not doing their jobs. Again, isn’t the results in these two states enough ing, impacting thousands of teachers and millions community how their community is going to be “We need behavior modification because if other of a red flag for the Trump administration not to of students. policed, it’s the community stepping up and de- cops start seeing their co-workers getting 90-day go for school vouchers? Perhaps Trump administration’s promotion manding policies and procedures that’s reflective suspensions, 180-day suspensions, some getting It’s an earthshaking blow, especially in areas of school choice reforms is a direct influence from of their community.” fired, they’ll start acting differently. We have to where there is a dearth of teachers, to cut funds Education Secretary DeVos whose unconvention- Black people like others are taxpayers, and look at our politicians and why haven’t they been that states and districts would otherwise use to al background reflects her school choice advo- the ones that pay salaries of law enforcement more aggressive in pushing progressive laws and recruit, train, support, and compensate their cacy. She has a strong commitment to expanding officers and therefore should have a say so in how legislation to hold law enforcement accountable teachers. parents’ school choice options, whether those they work in communities, said Mr. Jones. over the years. You know police brutality and vio- The $1.2 billion funding for after-school and options are charter, district, or private schools. Black people must also educate themselves lations and cops doing unethical things is nothing summer learning programs across the country This school choice policy redirected funds away to understand the political process in how that new, this has been going on it’s just now with is likewise eliminated under President Trump’s from public education funds. works in the community. social media we see it more on a regular basis.” budget. “This move would harm working parents, Primarily, with Trump’s streamlined budget “Now if you have a police commissioner that (NAM) many of whom may rely on after-school and sum- on education, he is emphasizing state and local mer programming so that they can provide for responsibility as far as public education is con- their families. In fact, 8 in 10 participating par- cerned, rather than a federal responsibility. This Our community comes first ents say that 21st CCLC after-school programs is a bold step for him but let’s see what will hap- help them keep their jobs,” critics said. President pen in Congress the next 100 days of his term. because we care. Let us show you Trump’s proposal to eliminate this program For feedbacks, comments, etc. please email how ! would affect the more than 1.6 million students the author at [email protected]). A8 FilAm Star August 3 - 9, 2017 business & BIR tax take in Duterte’s first year up to Php1.643 trillion tech news The taxes collected by the chief, Dulay suspended taxpay- the country after PMFTC Inc., Bureau of Internal Revenue er audits and recalled letters of the joint venture of tycoon Lu- in the first year of the Duterte authority, the official document cio Tan and global giant Philip administration reached P1.643 that empowers revenue officers Morris International. trillion on the back of tax to examine and scrutinize “This will be the biggest Itama po natin! administration reforms intro- taxpayers’ books in order to tax settlement on record. It will duced by the country’s biggest determine their correct tax produce a windfall for govern- BEN LOU Ang ating Lesson, Taong gipit na sa revenue agency. liabilities. ment, which is significant, patalim ay kumapit, si Ben Lou ang sagot In a statement released by “While Commissioner since we face the unexpected Q: What is a sa taong naiipit. the BIR Wednesday on the oc- Dulay suspended all BIR audits costs of rebuilding Marawi and Title Loan? At Debt Aid Consulting, we pride our- casion of its 113th anniversary, during his first three months, Ormoc,” President Duterte said A: A Title selves with providing only Federal Trade the agency said its collections he led an intensive tax enforce- in his Sona, referring to the two Loan is the same as Commission compliant programs. Our from July last year to June this ment generating P53 million cities flattened by fighting be- Pawning something programs are here to help you get out of year rose 8.6 percent compared from tax mapping operations of tween government forces and that is of great debt sooner than later and we do not send with the same 12-month period 169,351 establishments, P142 ISIS supporters as well as dam- a year ago. million from ‘Oplan Kandado’ aged by a recent earthquake, value in terms of your information outside of the country. The BIR attributed the wherein 55 establishments respectively. money. It does not If you need help in getting out of take into consideration sentimental value higher tax take to “ongoing tax were closed, and at least P40- But the President said “the payday loans, or any other unsecured administration reforms with billion estimated liabilities acceptance of the tax settle- or immaterialized cash value. However, debts, call Debt Aid Consulting. We have if something is an antique and is being three principal objectives: at- fro 40 Run After Tax Evaders ment offer does not preclude free Credit Repair while and after your tain collection targets, improve (Rate) cases filed to the Depart- other criminal charges against sought for by some individuals, then it program. We do not use call centers taxpayer satisfaction, and ment of Justice,” according to the company that the BIR may may have added value when it is pawned. which keeps your information safe. We protect revenues and recapture the BIR. decide to file.” Take for example the “Mona Lisa”. This have a new program that reconstruct public trust.” The agency padlocks tax- The government decided painting is one in itself and qualifies as debts for half of what you would pay our In 2016, the BIR’s collec- deficient establishments under to settle with Mighty as it a rare art where it is valued to be in the competitors. We also provide legal assis- tion rose 9 percent to P1.567 its “Oplan Kandado” program, wanted “to avoid a long court hundreds of millions. But no one in their tance that keeps collectors away. We take trillion, although it failed to hit while it brings alleged tax evad- battle that, as we saw in previ- right mind would pawn this art. For the Federal Credit Unions, Military Debts, its P1.62-trillion target. ers to court through Rate. ous cases, could take years to purposes of the subject we will stay with Payday loans and high interest personal Meanwhile, the BIR’s first- The BIR had also filed resolve,” the President ex- Title Loans. loans in our program too. This is exclu- half tax take grew 8 percent before the DOJ three tax eva- plained. year-on-year to P848 billion, In Tagalog, a Title Loan is called sively available for Debt Aid Consulting albeit 4-percent lower than the “Sangla”. You can pawn a title to a land clients. None of our competitors provide P881.7-billion goal. or property or a vehicle to which you this program. You are well protected. already own the title. Take for example According to the BIR, “a We only provide Federal Trade Com- 5-percent increase in taxpayer a second loan on your home, is in a way mission compliant programs. Debt relief pawning the equity of your real property. base or 882,615 new registered companies who charge non refundable individuals and 32,306 new Although you do not yet have the title to upfront fees are in violation of the ban. registered corporations helped your real property if you have not paid Go with Debt Aid Consulting! increase collection perfor- in full, you are able to take out a loan on Do not fall for marketing gimmicks mance.” the equity of this. This is called a Second saying that they have the right program Also, “as of June 2017, Trust because the First Trust belongs to for you. Most marketing companies only a total of 1,463 new personal the First Mortgage. The First Mortgage have one program and will enroll you in were hired to improve taxpayer alone holds the Title to the real property. that program whether it fits you or not. service while documentary The Second Trust can only put a lien on So beware! requirements and processes this Property so that it cannot be sold or were streamlined—for example, BIR Commissioner Cesar Dulay Ben Lou at your service! I have over (Photo: www.conceptnewscentral.com) for business registration, from change Titles without full payment of the 30 years of real financial experience. If 13 to five documents, and from Second Trust. They will only give you you would like sound financial advice, call a fraction of the cost of your item and seven to three steps.” sion cases against homegrown The tax settlement amount us at Debt Aid Consulting. We do not use The BIR added that it also cigarette manufacturer Mighty will be funded by the sale of charge high interest. call centers like Financial Rescue. No one So when you hear ads about Title meted out punishment against Corp. and its top executives for Mighty’s assets and distribu- has the right to put your information at erring tax examiners. a total of P37.9 billion in un- tion network to the Philippine Loans, think twice, because most people risk. Say no to LLC corporations in Can- “In fact, 379 revenue offi- paid excise taxes due to alleged unit of Japan Tobacco Interna- are not able to pay the Title Loan and end ada! Debt Aid Consulting is the first and cers were called to explain due use of fake tax stamps. tional. up losing their properties. In some cases only Filipino debt restructuring company to taxpayer complaints. This is In his recent State of the Finance Secretary Carlos high interest personal loans use Vehicle incorporated in the US and Canada. after Commissioner Caesar R. Nation Address, President Du- G. Dominguez III had said the Titles as the collateral for the loan. They Now serving the Caribbean Islands! Dulay suspended all BIR audit, terte ordered the BIR and the government expects to collect do not take possession of the vehicle and Tawag na po sa 1-888-341-5234 at which is said to be the source of Department of Finance to ac- up to P30 billion, including leave it in your possession but they attach tutulungan po namin kayo. corruption. Erring examiners cept Mighty’s tax settlement of- value-added tax, from the their name to the Title so that it cannot be Itama po natin ang mali! were put under investigation fer of P25 billion, under which settlement with Mighty. sold or change ownership without their after being asked to resign if the firm “will no longer engage The government had al- consent. they will not stop corrupt prac- in the tobacco business.” ready accepted an initial P3.44- tices,” the BIR said. Mighty is the second big- billion payment from Mighty In his first day as BIR gest cigarette manufacturer in and JTI. (inquirer.net) Interstellar spaceship prototypes, the size iPhone 8 latest leaks may have actually come from Apple A lot of speculations from upcoming iPhone. These clues the upcoming iOS without of computer chips, launched into orbit various sources have come included code for a Biometric revealing too much about the funded program set up in 2015 Probes” to the nearest star sys- out over the past few months system that involves face rec- unannounced iPhone that will that aims to search for extrater- tem to ours, Alpha Centauri. concerning Apple’s upcoming ognition and vector data for the come upon the final release,” restrial intelligence within at At the moment, the Sprites iPhone 8. A latest information device’s physical design. Troughton-Smith said in the least 10 years. The probes pig- are in contact with California leak confirms a good number When rendered, the vector report. gybacked on the OHB System and New York-based ground of persistent assumptions, as it data painted an image very Rambo also uncovered AG Max Valler and Venta satel- stations. Amateur radio enthu- came directly from Apple, and similar to what previous leaks references to an iPhone 9.9 and lites to achieve their current siasts may also get in touch with quite accidentally. reported about: a smartphone iPhone Pro or iPhone 10, the location. the Sprites as a way to demon- Guilherme Rambo, a devel- with thin bezels and the absence internal codename of which was oper for a Brazilian e-commerce of a home button. D22.“This is a rough situation (Photo: www.physics-astronomy. While in low Earth orbit, strate their radio communica- company, stumbled upon a An apple developer by the for Apple,” added Troughton- com) the electronic systems of the tion architecture. Sprites will be tested. These The aim of Breakthrough firmware update for the Apple name of Steven Troughton- Smith. “For them to be the Researchers have created include solar panels, sensors, Starshot is to create a spacecraft HomePod, tagged as beta iOS Smith confirmed Rambo’s find- source of the only concrete leaks a spacecraft which will be the radios and tiny computers all that can travel at 20 percent the 11.0.2. According to a report by ings. He stated that the informa- about it and its design is going stepping stone to interstellar fitted into a 3.5 x 3.5-centimeter speed of light. The researchers Wired, he found this occurrence tion Rambo found was supposed to upset a lot of people inter- space travel, and it fits inside chip. All of the deployed proto- are hoping that in just 20 year’s as strange, because this device is to be for internal use only. He nally.” the palm of your hand. type Sprites were created from a time, photos and measurements still scheduled for release in De- also assumed that the Home- With this new piece of Rather than launching single circuit board. of planets in Alpha Centauri cember later this year, making a Pod firmware was released by information, and directly from one, several of these “Sprites” The Sprites are part of the could be sent back to Earth, firmware update irrelevant. accident before all sensitive an internal Apple document no prototype space probes were interstellar exploration com- which is 4.367 light years away Digging through the firm- information and references were less, it may be safe to assume launched into low Earth orbit pany’s “Breakthrough Starshot” or around 40 trillion kilome- ware’s code, with his curiosity removed. that what will be unveiled in on June 23, according to Break- program, which aims to send ters. (Alfred Bayle / inquirer. piqued, he eventually uncovered “It’s a process Apple goes September is almost exactly as through Initiative, a privately tiny interstellar “StarChip net) clue after clue that pointed him through every year, to make previous leaks described.(Alfred to information regarding the sure developers can still access Bayle / inquirer.net) August 3 - 9, 2017 FilAm Star A9 world news China defends gasfield activity in East China Sea China on Wednesday de- The ‘dieselgate’ scandal fended its oil and gas activity in German government of- criminal case in March this year the legal costs of the affair, but the East China Sea as occurring ficials and automakers meet in settled its legal entanglements added no new cash to the pot in in areas “indisputably” under Berlin Wednesday to discuss there, adding $4.3 billion in the second quarter of 2017. its jurisdiction, after Japanese the future of diesel vehicles, criminal and civil fines to $17.5 It still faces lawsuits from protests stirred a longstanding after a nearly two-year saga of billion it had agreed to pay in thousands of car buyers and dispute over the region. scandal spread from Volkswa- compensation to owners and investors in Germany and in- The two countries both gen to others in the sector. dealers and for environmental vestigations elsewhere. claim islands in the East China Here is an overview of the cleanup. Cartel allegations Sea controlled by Japan, which controversy: It has also announced Suspicions of cheating knows them as Senkaku, and How the scandal started a renewed focus on electric meanwhile have fallen on other regularly send ships to nearby On September 18, 2015, the vehicles, aiming to become the firms in the German car in- waters to assert their claims US Environmental Protection world leader in electric cars by dustry, such as Mercedes-Benz amid repeated diplomatic Agency (EPA) reported that VW 2025. maker Daimler, BMW and VW’s clashes. had installed illegal so-called Unlike in the US, where luxury subsidiaries Audi and Talks between Tokyo and defeat devices in hundreds of VW offered to buy back affected Porsche. Beijing begun in June 2008 to (Photo: www.apjjf.org) thousands of cooperate over oil and gas re- jurisdiction,” China’s foreign Chinese drilling ships were 2.0-litre en- sources in the area broke down ministry told AFP in a state- last spotted near that line in gines in the US two years later amid rising ten- ment, adding: “The so-called October 2016, Kyodo News since 2009. sions, and have not resumed. issue of ‘unilateral exploitation’ and the Sankei Shimbun daily The soft- On Tuesday, Japan’s top does not exist.” reported. ware, used in government spokesperson The gas field under the So far, China has built 16 the Volkswa- Yoshihide Suga told reporters it joint development agreement drilling platforms on its side gen, Porsche, was “extremely regrettable that lies in an area where both coun- near the median line, the Asahi Audi, Seat and China is unilaterally continu- tries’ EEZs overlap. Shimbun reported. Skoda brands, ing its development activity” by Japan says the median line Earlier this year, US Presi- helped make stopping mobile drilling ships between the two nations should dent Donald Trump offered re- the cars meet near the median line separat- mark the limits of their respec- assurances the US would come exhaust pollu- ing the two countries’ exclusive tive EEZs. to Japan’s defence if China tion standards economic zones (EEZ). But China insists the were to seize the uninhabited when moni- He added that Japan border should be drawn closer Senkaku islets, which it calls tored in tests, lodged a protest late last month to Japan, taking into account Diaoyu. but in real life after noticing the activity but the continental shelf and other In a joint statement with their emissions did not specify what exactly the features of the ocean. Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo exceeded the Chinese ships were doing. limits. VW CEO Martin Winterkorn China’s foreign ministry Abe in February, the pair said (Photo: www.styleoflife.us) “China’s oil and gas activi- said it rejected the idea of a they “oppose any unilateral Four days ties in the East China Sea are median line between Japan and action that seeks to undermine later the com- all located in maritime areas China, calling it “Japan’s unilat- Japan’s administration of these pany admit- indisputably under Chinese eral proposition.” islands”. (AFP) ted that some 11 million diesel customers’ vehicles, it has Spiegel magazine in July vehicles worldwide, including offered no compensation to published details of a VW letter 8.5 million in Europe, had been drivers in the European Union to the German and European U.S. sailor missing during South China Sea joint naval drill fitted with the software. -- irritating the bloc’s consumer competition authorities, which US and Japanese naval forc- Japan’s Maritime Self-De- channel off Japan’s coast. The stunning disclosure protection authorities. it said showed auto giants had es are searching for an American fense Force, the country’s navy, Aged 19 to 37, the seamen sent its shares plunging by 40 Consequences for VW been working together on tech- sailor who went missing during a confirmed two of its vessels as were found by divers in flooded percent in two days. VW announced a net loss of nology, suppliers, costs, sales joint drill in the South China Sea, well as helicopters have been tak- sleeping berths a day after the VW’s response nearly 1.6 billion euros in 2015, and markets since the 1990s. officials said Wednesday. ing part in the search. collision tore a huge gash in the VW chief executive Martin its first in 20 years, after setting Secret deals were made “US Navy and Japan Mari- The two nations have called side of the USS Fitzgerald. Winterkorn stepped down five aside billions to cover the an- at consumers’ and suppli- time Self-Defense-Force ships off their routine joint operation Japanese and US naval days after the scandal broke, ticipated costs of the scandal. ers’ expense, and talks on a and aircraft are searching for a to focus on the search, a Japanese forces have been holding drills insisting however that he knew But returned to the black technological fix for meeting sailor from USS Stethem reported navy spokesman told AFP. in the contested South China Sea nothing of the scam. He was in 2016, with net profits of 5.1 diesel pollution targets laid the missing while the ship was con- The sailor’s name is being in the face of Beijing’s increasing replaced by Porsche chief Mat- billion euros, and overtook foundations for the emissions ducting routine operations in the withheld while the search is ongo- assertiveness over its maritime thias Mueller. Japan’s Toyota to become the scandal, the magazine reported. South China Sea” early Tuesday, ing and the exact location of the claims in the region. As part of its efforts to world’s top-selling automaker, A spokesman for Volkswa- the US 7th Fleet said in a state- search was not disclosed. China is also involved in a turn the page on the crisis, the with sales of 10.3 million ve- gen told AFP that the group ment. The incident comes weeks simmering territorial row with firm suspended some staff and hicles. would not comment on “specu- “Multiple searches were after seven American sailors were Tokyo over disputed islands in recalled vehicles equipped with VW has made provisions lation and conjecture.” BMW conducted inside the ship but killed when their Navy destroyer the East China Sea. (AFP) the cheating software. for 22.6 billion euros in its ac- and Daimler similarly declined were unable to locate the sailor,” collided with a Philippine-flagged it said. cargo ship in a busy shipping VW’s guilty plea to a US counts since the start to meet to comment. (AFP) A10 FilAm Star August 3 - 9, 2017 August 3 - 9, 2017 FilAm Star B1 travel & Limasawa culinary adventures Traveling through history and sceneries

Stoy and photos by Lovel Aniag

Limasawa is an island in the province of Leyte, the smallest in both land area and population. Also known as Sarangani Island, it only measures 10km from north to south. The island is known as the seat of Philippine Christi- anity where the religion was first introduced by the Spanish conquistadores. For a time, the The Blue Lagoon province of Butuan has also laid The Blue Lagoon is a local favorite. Located in San Agustin, about 20 minutes by habal-habal claim to this assertion. Accord- from the town center of Brgy. Triana. To reach the site, we passed through through muddy roads, ing to lobbyists, the first Holy rice fields, quiet villages and walked through a short trail. Mass was celebrated in Butuan For only 20pesos, visitors can swim in the cold blue water or climb up the beautiful rock in March 31, 1521. After a two-year study by the National Historical Commission, the controversy formation to admire an obstructed view of the seascape. Adrenaline junkies can also cliff dive and was finally resolved in 1996: Limasawa Island is the true site of this historical event, based on ac- swim towards the lone kubo to enjoy a moment of solitary silence in the middle of the vast sea. counts by the Spanish historian Antonio Pigafetta, who chronicled the expeditions of Ferdinand The Coastal Village of Brgy. Triana Magellan. From Blue Lagoon, we rode back to Brgy. Triana. We decided to set up camp on a beach a few Cradle of Christianity minutes walk from the port, where we were treated to the most amazing sunset I’ve seen in my life. From Padre Burgos, we took a boat that brought us to the island of Limasawa. The ride lasted Real Life Art for about an hour and half. With just our tents and overnight backpacks, we decided to go straight Local kids were playing right in front of our camp, searching for sea urchins to snack on. We to the most popular landmark in befriended a couple of girls who offered us some to taste. the island: the site of the Holy Talking to the locals, we learned that there are so much more to see here. There were moun- Cross. tains and parolas to climb, sanctuaries and caves to discover and even a dive site. It was pretty The way to the cross endearing to hear them proudly describe each local site, every conversation punched with a ques- From the port in Brgy. tion as to why no one comes here, and always ending with a request for us to get the word out about Tiana, we headed out to Brgy. their beloved little island. Magallanes via habal-habal. We left early the next day, with a promise to keep and a plan to return. In remembrance of this historic event, the local govern- ment together with the local parish decided turn the historic location into a pilgrimage site. A replica of the cross stands atop the hill where the original was believed to be first planted on Philippine soil. The hike going up the site was pretty tiring, considering there were only 450 steps to reach it. A couple of meters beyond it, the site opens up to a view of the nearby islands of Bohol and Surigao. After a few minutes of admiring the view (a.k.a. catching our breaths), we decided to go down and check out the tiny museum by the foot of the hill. The museum houses an effigy of the meeting How to get there: between the Rajas Si-agu and his brother Kulambu, and the Spaniards led by Ferdinand Magellan From Maasin, Leyte, take a multicab to Padre Burgos to catch the 1pm boat leaving for Lima- and Father Pedro de Valderrama. sawa Island. History 101 with resident historian and guide, Sam. Where to stay: After our history lessons with Sam, we checked out another Limasawa favorite: the Blue La- There are several beach hotels at Brgy. Triana offering rooms and campsites. goon. Thanks to my good friend and travel buddy, Angela Go (IG: @ladysuarderz) for showing me around Leyte! Ingat and see you on the road! Know a place I should discover? Or want to travel together? Email me at emaileatpraylovel@ gmail.com B2 FilAm Star August 3 - 9, 2017 United Pangasinanes of America celebrates Pangasinan Day Mrs. Kathleen E. Nicanor from the town of Agno will be crowned 2017-19 Mrs. Pan- gasinan, along with her Royal Court, Mrs. Norma A. Bitanga of San Carlos City, First Prin- cess and Mrs. Cora V. Rosales of Binmaley, Second Princess. The annual celebration and the biennial search for Mrs. Pangasinan requires a meticulous process which started in December of 2016 with the formation of the UPA Executive Chair Mrs. Marita N. Executive Committee, fol- UPA Incumbent President Mario Padilla lowed by countless meetings Cendana-Panoringan SAN FRANCISCO – All preparing for the big event, Incumbent President Ma- roads lead to the 2017 Annual that included “Meet & Greet rio Cendana-Panoringan and Pangasinan Day and Mrs. Pan- Reception” and First & Last First Lady Norma C. Panorin- gasinan Coronation Banquet Canvassing” for the candi- gan are Ex-Officio members. & Ball, Saturday August 12, dates. Portion of the net pro- at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in This year’s Executive ceeds from the Mrs. Pan- Foster City, California. The Chair is Mrs. Marita N. Padilla gasinan contest is allocated event which starts at 6:00pm with Mrs. Caridad O. Aquino to the United Pangasinanes is expected to draw over 300 and Mr. Romulo Arenas as of America, Inc.’s Education guests and witness the corona- Executive Co-Chairs, along & Scholarship Program and tion of Mrs. Pangasinan and with various Committee other charitable projects. her Royal Court, the main Chairs, Vice Chairs and active highlight of the celebration. members.

Happy Anniversary to Mr. and Mrs. Happy Birthday to Yolly Martinez (left) of Union City. Friends and relatives Rolando and Erlinda Padilla of came to celebrate her 70th last July 29. Hercules

Taken from the recent Binangonan Association of Northern California Annual Summer Picnic 2017 last July 29 at Kennedy Park in Hayward

“The Joy of Sharing Foundation” held a successful fundrais- Supporting the Community. Care Indeed was ing event last July 22. Family, friends and invited guests came one of the exhibitors at the recent Adobo Festival to support a good cause. All proceeds will benefit the school held at the Yerba Buena High School in San children and less fortunate families in Infanta Pangasinan, Jose. Joining local events is one of the ways that (L-R) Suzette Jane Bana, Liesly Sosobrado, Susie Vicari, Elizabeth Gabucan, Wrapshell Alderson, and Gigi Berri. Philippines. Photo shows (L-R) former Milpitas mayor, Jose Care Indeed serves and connects with the com- All of whom belong to the group “Valentus Babes”. Esteves, Joy, Edna & Bert Bautista, and Raymond Barrozo, Jr. munity. Photo shows Bea Inocentes, Hiring and Recruiting Supervisor. August 3 - 9, 2017 FilAm Star B3 community PG&E survey finds that only one in seven customers call free 811 utility marking awareness service ahead of digging projects California Earthquake Authority continues to SAN FRANCISCO —Pa- save a life,” said PG&E’s Jesus see strong interest in earthquake insurance cific Gas and Electric Com- Soto, senior vice president of (SACRAMENTO) The are insuring their homes so they pany (PG&E) today announced Gas Operations. California Earthquake Author- can recover financially following findings from a recent survey “We want to send the mes- ity (CEA) ended its second a large and damaging earth- of 1,750 of its customers that sage that no digging project is quarter of 2017 with more than quake, which scientists say is shows 811 – the free service too small – any time a shovel or 950,000 policies in force— not a matter of if, but when.” to mark underground util- digging tool strikes the earth, continuing a trend of increased CEA’s claim-paying capac- ity lines – is well-known but you need to call 811. Whether earthquake insurance sales that ity now exceeds $15 billion, misunderstood and underused you’re planting a tree, install- began in 2016. more than enough to pay in Northern and Central Cali- ing a mailbox or performing a In 2016, CEA saw a sig- covered losses if a devastating tion in growing its claim-paying fornia. To keep everyone safe large-scale excavation, calling nificant net gain of more than earthquake—like the 1906 San funds. The most recent was when digging, PG&E is urging 811 or using the new online tool 52,000 policies in force—more Francisco, 1989 Loma Prieta or completed in late May: $925 all of its customers, excavators, to call 811 two business days 811express.com should always than seven times CEA’s average 1994 Northridge earthquake— million in reinsurance from first responders and businesses before. be the first step,” said Ryan gain of about 7,200 annually were to reoccur in California CEA-sponsored cat bonds, across the state to promote the Of the customers who have White, general manager of USA in the past 10 years. Interest in today. CEA’s largest capital market free service and most impor- never called 811 before digging, North 811. earthquake insurance remains “We rely on the best avail- risk-transfer deal to date. To tantly – to use the service two 60 percent felt their project Last year, there were more strong in 2017, as well, with able science to ensure we’re on learn more about CEA’s finan- business days ahead of any dig- was too small or believed it was than 1,735 strikes on PG&E’s 18,804 more policies in force solid ground financially,” said cial strength, see CEA’s June ging projects. already safe where they were underground infrastructure. after the first six months, bring- Pomeroy. “And through smart, 30, 2017, financial overview. Common misconceptions digging. Of those dig-ins, more than 55 ing CEA’s total policies in force innovative financing, our claim- About CEA among customers surveyed “PG&E is committed to percent had not called ahead to 950,393 at the end of June paying funds continue to grow The California Earthquake include: keeping the community safe, to have underground utility 2017. as CEA covers more and more Authority (CEA) is a not-for- - Over 50 percent of cus- but we need the help of our lines properly marked. In 2016, “Californians are listening residences in California.” profit, privately funded, publicly tomers think it’s safe to dig up customers and the community the average cost to those who to what the scientific commu- CEA, the country’s largest managed organization that to 12 inches before needing to to avoid the potential hazards damaged PG&E’s underground nity is telling us—that we are provider of residential earth- provides residential earthquake call 811. caused by dig-ins. Our recent utility lines, including fines and overdue for a large earthquake, quake insurance, has sponsored insurance and encourages Cali- - All customers and excava- survey gets to the heart of the repairs, amounted to $7,500. and we need to be ready when catastrophe (“cat”) bonds for fornians to reduce their risk of tors need to call 811 every time safety issue showing that three August 11 is National it strikes,” said CEA CEO Glenn its risk-transfer program since earthquake loss. Learn more at they dig, no matter how deep in four of our customers are Safe Digging Day where the Pomeroy. “More Californians 2011, providing a key innova- EarthquakeAuthority.com. they dig. aware of the 811 free marking, importance of calling 811 two - Almost 20 percent of cus- but only one in seven have ever business days before digging is tomers believe it’s safe to plant called 811 before digging. That’s recognized across the nation. NaFFAA to Celebrate its 20th Anniversary in October a tree without calling 811. not good and it needs to get bet- Washington, DC — ​The women’s rights, voting rights, zation because of their selfless - Any time customers plant ter. Calling 811 is simple, free National Federation of Filipino business opportunities, electoral leadership.” Adds Gus Mercado, trees in their yards, they need and can prevent injuries or even American Associations (NaF- challenges, youth, seniors, and who led a delegation from FAA) turns 20 years old this affordable education. Partici- Dallas, Texas and served as a year. This October, several pants passed resolutions and founding regional chair, “When Project Sentinel tenant-landlord helpline events are being planned to formed working committees to we gathered in Washington, DC, celebrate this milestone, which begin the process of building the to give birth to the Federation marks first year of service coincides with the national organization’s infrastructure. a generation ago, we were there observance of Filipino Ameri- “Panahon Na!” bright-eyed and full of idealism, Redwood City – Barely actively looking for venues and The helpline is also under the can History Month. They will Reflecting the urgency of but not exactly knowing what to a year into its operation, community partners to conduct umbrella of the County’s Home culminate with NaFFAA’s 20th the issues facing Filipino Ameri- expect. The Filipino problems in Project Sentinel’s free Resi- public presentations on tenant- for All Initiative (www.home- Anniversary Gala, to be held cans, the gathered community America were immense and in- dential Housing Helpline has landlord rights.” forallsmc.com). at the Marriott Wardman Park leaders embraced the mantra of surmountable, we thought. But responded to over 1,500 calls Project Sentinel employs a About Project Sentinel Hotel in Washington, DC on “Panahon Na!” or, “The Time the enthusiasm, bombast and from tenants, landlords, and variety of methods to assist call- Project Sentinel is a Saturday, October 21, 2017. Is Now!” This slogan embodied fire in the belly of the visionaries neighbors throughout San Ma- ers. Aside from providing callers non-profit agency aiming to “Our 20th anniversary is an the spirit of the delegation, and led by the venerable Alex Escla- teo County eager to learn about with information on their rights develop and promote fairness exciting occasion to reflect on was chanted by attendees at mado were infectious and we their tenant-landlord rights and and responsibilities, the helpline and equality in housing. Project our accomplishments and to workshops, plenary sessions, were hooked. I was convinced responsibilities. also guides and educates callers Sentinel has offices in Red- reaffirm our mission as we move receptions, and demonstrations. that the Filipinos in America The free helpline, that can about amicable dispute resolu- wood City, Santa Clara, Gilroy, forward into the future,” says On the first day of the badly needed this – to have one be called at (650) 399 -2149, tion options. Callers are assisted Fremont, Milpitas, Modesto NaFFAA National Chairman conference, they marched to the united vehicle to voice their col- provides, landlords, tenants, in negotiating and brainstorm- and Sacramento. Aside from Brendan Flores. “We will also White House to call attention lective aspirations, sentiments and neighbors, information on ing. Letters that callers have tenant-landlord counselling, honor our Filipino World War II to the plight of Filipino World and yes, grievances.” tenant-landlord rights and re- written are reviewed. Concili- Project Sentinel offers counsel- veterans, whose cause we have War II veterans whose demand National Leadership sponsibilities, resource referrals, ation and mediation with the ling and assistance on mortgage championed since our found- for equity and justice had been In September 1998, NaF- and guidance on amicably re- Peninsula Conflict Resolution and fair housing issues. On ing; recognize the movers and ignored by the U.S. government FAA’s first elected and appoint- solving their conflicts. Helpline Center is also explored. Should fair housing, Project Sentinel shakers who embody the spirit for decades. More than a dozen ed national officers were sworn services are provided in English, legal assistance be required, investigates, and on occasion of leadership and civic engage- veterans chained themselves in. From left, Greg Macabenta Spanish, and Tagalog. callers are referred to the Legal litigates, housing discrimination ment; and thank NaFFAA’s During its first year, the Aid Society of San Mateo County complaints, processes requests founders who blazed the trail Helpline has received a variety and Community Legal Services for reasonable accommodation, for unification and community of calls. “From utility credits in of East Palo Alto. and addresses other fair housing empowerment.” Pacifica, rent increases in Daly About the Tenant-Landlord issues such as predatory lend- With its theme “NaFFAA City, repair requests in Menlo Helpline ing. Project Sentinel also offers 2.0: One Voice, Four Million Park, and eviction questions in Funded by San Mateo counseling for first time home Strong,” NaFFAA will recognize East Palo Alto, the helpline has County’s Measure A, an initia- buyers and those in danger of the legacy and accomplishments listened to callers throughout tive that addresses affordable defaulting on their mortgage. of the organization over the the county about any and all housing programs and projects, Contacts past 20 years, and highlight its tenant-landlord concerns”, said Project Sentinel was the com- Ryan R. Reyes comprehensive vision to unite Ryan Reyes, Case Manager for munity organization selected to Case Manager and amplify the voices of the the Helpline. “In addition to the administer a Landlord Ten- Phone: (650) 399-2149 four million Filipinos living in helpline, Project Sentinel is also ant and Information Program. E-mail: [email protected] the United States. “NaFFAA 2.0” represents how NaFFAA is honoring its past while forging a new forward-thinking and bal- In September 1998, NaFFAA’s first elected and appointed national officers anced approach in uniting, en- were sworn in. From left, Greg Macabenta (Public Relations Officer), gaging, and empowering diverse Klaus Buntua (Treasurer), Rodney Salinas (Youth Director), Jon Me- Filipino American individuals legrito (Executive Director), Gloria T. Caoile (National Vice Chair), Alex and community organizations Esclamado (National Chair), and Ron Quidachay (Legal Counsel).​ through leadership develop- ment, civic engagement, and to the White House fence in (Public Relations Officer), Klaus advocacy. protest, and were arrested in Buntua (Treasurer), Rodney A National Convergence the aftermath. Advocating for Salinas (Youth Director), Jon At the founding conference veterans’ rights and benefits has Melegrito (Executive Director), in Washington, DC in August been NaFFAA’s major advo- Gloria T. Caoile (National Vice 1997, more than a thousand cacy initiative ever since. “Our Chair), Alex Esclamado (Nation- community leaders, students, aspirations for empowerment al Chair), and Ron Quidachay young professionals, senior citi- was tied to the struggle of our (Legal Counsel). zens, veterans, elected officials, Filipino veterans,” recalls Loida ​A new generation of Fili- entrepreneurs, and business Nicolas Lewis, one of NaFFAA’s pino American leaders emerged owners traveled from differ- founders. “We have to raise our from this historic gathering. By ent parts of the country. They voices and fight for them in the the end of the conference, Alex responded to a national call to halls of Congress if we want Esclamado was elected as Na- assert their presence as a grow- Washington’s policy makers to tional Chairman of the organi- ing ethnic population and to take us seriously as a political zation, with Gloria T. Caoile as have a national voice in advocat- force.” The presence of many National Vice Chair and Klaus ing for the interests of Filipinos young community members was Buntua as Treasurer. They were and Filipino Americans in the a promising precursor to the officially elected to a two-year United States. Initiating the future of Filipino community term the following year after call were leaders of the West advocacy. Attendance by people NaFFAA’s Constitution and By- Coast-based National Filipino of different backgrounds was Laws were ratified at the 1998 American Council (NFAC), notable not only in the number Empowerment Conference. Re- led by Alex Esclamado, Lupo who attended, but also in their appointed as executive officers Carlotta, Rodel Rodis, and Greg active participation in every were Executive Director Jon Macabenta; East Coast lead- aspect of the conference, from Melegrito and Public Relations ers Loida Nicolas Lewis and leading workshops to introduc- Officer Greg Macabenta. Follow- Michael Dadap; and the Wash- ing resolutions designed to ing this historic event, empow- ington, DC-based Philippine ensure diversity and inclusion erment conferences were held American Heritage Federation in the organization. every year until 2000, and every (PAHF) led by Gloria T. Caoile The strength of the commu- two years subsequently. Escla- and Jon Melegrito. nity was evident in the assem- mado’s successors were Loida For three days, they dis- bling of community members Nicolas Lewis, Alma Kern, Greg cussed and debated critical is- from different sectors of society. Macabenta, Ed Navarra, JT sues affecting Filipinos and Fili- “Our strength as a community is Mallonga, and Brendan Flores, pino Americans, who numbered due in large part to the contri- the organization’s youngest and nearly 2 million at the time butions of women, men, young first-ever millennial National (compared to almost 4 million people, and seniors who draw Chairman. To learn more about today). They included equity upon one another’s energies NaFFAA or to purchase tickets and justice for Filipino World and resources,” says Gloria T. for the 20th Anniversary Gala, War II veterans, immigration Caoile, also a NaFFAA founder. please visit www.naffaa.org reform, health and wellness, “We’ve become a better organi- B4 FilAm Star August 3 - 9, 2017 legal & law when he was arrested on suspicion of having sex Rogue Cop U.S.A. with a 15-year old police cadet. He was charged Adjustment of Status for relatives of In New Orleans, scandal has once again July 20 with sexual assault and is currently in reared its ugly head in a city that has a long custody. If convicted on the assault, Mr. Cain military personnel history of police corruption and brutality. Chad faces a sentence in state prison of a minimum of Scott, a 17-year DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) seven years and eight months. ATTY. CRISPIN CADAY LOZANO agent is the latest law enforcement representa- In May of this year the city of Oakland settled tive under a federal investigation that began in a sex abuse scandal for nearly $1 million stem- Immediate •Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting early 2016 into the alleged misconduct of the New ming from allegations from a 19-year-old young relatives of military System (DEERS) enrollment documents Orleans narcotics task force he led. woman who said she had sex with over a dozen personnel are given 4) Two passport style color photos of ap- Mr. Scott, known in the streets as “White officers, some of the encounters happening while special benefits in plicant Devil” because of his roguish tactics has had his she was a minor. adjustment of sta- 5) Evidence of any positive discretionary fac- badge and gun taken away, sources say. He had Criminal cops are not just a big city phenom- tus. This applies to tors including: been hailed the “model agent” by his colleagues enon and is not limited to traditional law enforce- those aliens who are •Letter from the military service member for bringing in some of the biggest busts in the ment entities. In small cities too, like Clarksburg, immediate relative explaining hardship he or she would experience New Orleans division. However, many citizens Maryland at a jail, a corrections officer forced an of U.S. citizen who if applicant were not permitted to remain in the feel he’s done nothing but wreak havoc on the inmate to have sex with him. Lucky for her, she entered without in- United States (recommended, but not required.) community, which has led to the Federal Bureau saved evidence and reported the incident. The of- spection or entered The stress and anxiety the military service mem- of Investigations (FBI) and the Department of ficer was arrested in his home and camera footage illegally. Normally ber would experience if the applicant lost access Justice reviewing a host of allegations against Mr. of her cell confirmed her allegations. they cannot adjust status in the U.S. and need to to military benefits, housing, health care, etc. Scott that date back at least a decade. In March of this year a San Diego federal travel to their home country to apply for green The letter should include identifying information Allegations include selling and planting court approved a settlement of $1 million for the card. With this new process they can now request about the service member – name, date of birth, drugs, stealing cash seized during raids and com- family of a Tijuana teenager who died in fed- for Parole in Place (PIP) in order to adjust status place of birth, rank in military, branch of ser- mitting other DEA violations. Deputies under his eral custody at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in in the U.S. On November 15, 2013, the USCIS is- vice, unit of assignment, and upcoming military leadership have been arrested for conspiracy and 2013 after being instructed by two U.S. Customs sued a memo in implementing Parole in Place. deployment. drug distribution. More arrests are expected to be and Border Protection officers to drink liquid Q. What is the Statutory Authority for Pa- •Bona fide marriage made soon. methamphetamine, reported the National Police role? •Applicant’s participation in the community, It’s no secret that the citizens of New Orleans Accountability Project. The two officers allegedly A. INA § 212(d) (5) (A) permits DHS, in its church, children’s school. lack confidence in their law enforcement and involved are reportedly still employed. discretion, to grant temporary entry to nonciti- Q. How is Parole in Place adjudicated? these sentiments are not limited to the ‘Big Easy.’ Recently Baltimore Police Officer Richard zens “on a case-by-case basis for urgent humani- A. The November 15th memo states that the But in New Orleans distrust has festered and Pinheiro, 29, was suspended pending an inves- tarian reasons or significant public benefit.” The fact that the parole applicant is a spouse; child been bred from many incidents that resulted tigation of footage from his body camera that statute specifically states that parole “shall not or parent of a veteran or active military member in loss of lives over the years, specifically after allegedly records him planting drugs at a scene in be regarded as an admission.” The authority to “ordinarily weighs heavily in favor of parole in the high-profile killing of Kim Groves in 1995. January of this year. parole includes not only the authority to permit place.” Unless there are serious adverse factors She was the 35-year-old mother of three who “Perception is reality,” Baltimore Police noncitizens to enter the United States from a such as a criminal conviction, parole in place is filed a police brutality complaint on Officer Len Commissioner Kevin Davis said at a news confer- border station, airport or outside the country’s “generally the appropriate exercise of discretion Davis after witnessing he and his partner pistol ence July 19. He explained, “If the community borders but also includes the power to grant for such an individual.” This means that USCIS whipping a young man. Mr. Davis later hired a thinks police officers are planting evidence, I’ve parole status to noncitizens already present in the adjudicators should in most cases grant parole in hit-man to kill Ms. Groves when he was told by got to do a bunch of things when allegations United States. The grant of parole to those physi- place in the absence of serious negative factors. a fellow officer about her report. Known in the surface.” cally present in the United States is called parole Generally, if an application for parole is streets as ‘RoboCop,’ Mr. Davis was charged with The investigation will determine if any in place. granted, the applicant will receive a Form I-94 her murder, found guilty and is currently on crimes were committed or any police procedures Q. What is the effect of Parole on Inadmis- stamped “Paroled.” death row. violated. “None of us can rely just on observa- sibility and Eligibility for Adjustment? Note: This is not a legal advice. You should seek Protecting and serving who? tions of video,” the commissioner said. “There are A. An individual who is present in the U.S. the advice of an experienced immigration lawyer Cops are supposedly here to protect and other factors we have to explore,” he added. without inspection, admission, or parole is inad- about your specific circumstances. serve, however, when the ones who are charged “This is why people don’t trust the police,” missible under INA § 212(a) (6) (A) (i). If a non- SUCCESS STORIES with protecting us are the ones committing the Carl Willis, a Baltimore resident told The Final citizen is paroled, he or she is no longer present 1. On July 18, 2017, we received an approval crimes, it has an unfavorable outcome and effect, Call. “My son was falsely arrested so I know the without admission or parole, and therefore is not of green card at the U.S. Embassy Manila for the explained Damon K. Jones, New York representa- pain of dealing with crooked cops. Protect and inadmissible. The memo explains that a grant family of a client who was granted a waiver of tive of Blacks in Law Enforcement of America. serve to them is a joke and we are not laughing.” of parole will also eliminate the second clause misrepresentation. His wife and children were “It has an adverse effect on the community “The majority of the men and women in law in INA § 212(a)(6)(A)(i) that bars a person who approved after the court granted the waiver. no matter what color the community is, but we enforcement are good people, no doubt about it,” arrives in the United States at any time or place 2. On July 7, 2017, we received an approval know the Black community is usually the one said Captain Dennis Muhammad of the Nation of other than a designated one. Although parole for Naturalization of an old woman who has dif- over policed. But it creates even more distrust in Islam, and founder of the PeaceKeepers. in place eliminates inadmissibility under INA § ficulty in reading and writing English. law enforcement and even the officers that try to “It’s only a small percentage that gives a 212(a) (6) (A) (i), it is important to remember 3. On June 28, 2017, we received a withdraw- do their jobs within policy, procedures and train- good department sore eyes. We always hear that that it does not cure other grounds of inadmis- al of inadmissibility and removability charges ing,” Mr. Jones added. the majority of officers are good. That is true, but sibility from the Customs and Border Enforcement for a Around the country there are disturbing if the good ones don’t put the bad ones in check, Q. What are the benefits of Parole in Place? client who was charged with drug case while he cases of law enforcement officers accused of and if the good one remains silent then we have A. Parole in place allows the parolee to adjust was entering San Francisco Airport from the Phil- becoming the very criminals they are sworn to ap- to say like Martin Luther King, Jr., that silence is status under INA § 245(a), if otherwise eligible, ippines. The case was withdrawn after we have prehend. Misconduct by law enforcement officers betrayal,” said Mr. Muhammad. He has traveled as a person who has been inspected, admitted expunged the drug case in Criminal Court. on the city, state and federal level is not strictly the country training citizens in various cities in or paroled. Eligibility for adjustment of status 4. In June 2017, we received three approvals limited to police shootings. areas of conflict resolution tactics and strategies through parole in place eliminates the need to of naturalization applications. Distrust breeds more distrust and he also presents to law enforcement agencies leave the country and thus the triggering of this 5. In June 2017, we received two approvals of New Orleans Independent Police Monitor better, more effective ways to work with and in ground of inadmissibility. adjustment of status based on marriage Susan Hutson saw that New Orleans was in dire Black communities. Q, What is the procedure for Applying for 6. On May 25, 2017, we received an approval need of intervention, especially in the aftermath “The silence of not reporting a bad cop is be- Parole in Place? of Form I-140 for a caregiver from the Philip- of Hurricane Katrina, where five police officers trayal to the very oath they swore to, so no longer A. An application for parole in place is filed pines. pleaded guilty to the shooting death of 17-year- do we see you as a good cop. If you refuse to point with the director of the USCIS field office having 7. On April 28, 2017, we received an approval old James Brissette and 40-year-old Ronald out the bad cop. As a matter of fact, the bad cop jurisdiction over the applicant’s residence. The of N-400 for a client who was under Removal Madison, a disabled man shot in the back on the is who he is, but you become worse than the bad following documents must be filed: Proceedings before. Danziger Bridge, September 4, 2005. An attor- cop,” said Mr. Muhammad. 1) Completed Form I-131. No filing fee is 8. On April 21, 2017, we received an approval ney with the U.S. Justice Department called it Mr. Muhammad, who has presented many required. of I-601A Provisional Waiver for a client who was a cover-up that was one of the most significant sensitivity trainings to law enforcement asks the 2) Evidence of the family relationship denied I-601A before from a previous lawyer. police misconduct prosecutions in the U.S. since question, “What are you afraid of? You afraid to (spouse, parent or child of the veteran or ac- 9. On March 22, 2017, we received an Im- the Rodney King beating case. tell on a fellow officer? Then if you are fearful, tive military service member). The definition of migrant Visa approval for a child of Permanent “When I got here in 2010,” Ms. Hutson said, then why are you a cop? The Honorable Elijah child under INA § 101(b) (1) includes a stepchild, Resident who is already 25 years of age but classi- “I could see trust was lost between the police Muhammad said one apple can spoil the whole adopted, or illegitimate child. These documents fied as minor under CSPA. and the community, and I wanted to help bridge barrel, so you have to remove the bad apple.” may include: 10. On March 8, 2017, we received an ap- that gap,” she said. “I had a list of officers being He added that that goes for the community •Birth certificate of applicant proval of Provisional Waiver from USCIS for a investigated for crimes and it was almost three also. “If it’s only a small percentage of those in •Birth certificate of military service member seaman client. percent of the department. That’s a huge num- our community that is bringing down the quality or U.S. passport if applicable If you have immigration problems the Law ber. So, we use to have a lot of officers who were of life in our community, they have to be removed •Marriage certificate Offices of Crispin C. Lozano can help you find a not following the law and actually breaking the as well,” Mr. Muhammad added. •Birth certificates of children solution before your problem gets worse which law. Now, there has been a lot of turnover in the “Well if the good people refuse to say any- •Adoption decree could lead to deportation and family separation. department and we have not seen the same level thing about the bad people then we’re no better 3) Evidence that the applicant’s family mem- Crispin Caday Lozano, Esq. is an active of charges that we saw previously, so I think it’s than the police department. You have two sick ber is an active duty service member, a reservist, member of the State Bar of California, the Ameri- getting better.” communities. You have a police department that National Guard member, or veteran. These docu- can Immigration Lawyers Association and San However, she says, the police monitor needs has become numb and insensitive to the commu- ments may include: Francisco Trial Lawyers Association. He special- more information to make sure they can watch nity and you have a community that has become •Copy of front and back of the service mem- izes in immigration law and personal injury. For over an officer accused of doing something cor- numb and insensitive to themselves. That’s why ber’s military ID (DD Form 1173) free consultation email or call ([email protected]/ rupt. “I want to look and see what history he they can never get rid of crime and violence •Copy of military deployment orders 1-877-456-9266) or she has. This keeps us strong,” she said. Her because crime and violence is rooted in unmet office is responsible for among other duties, social needs and the police officers are not social reviewing police performances, police involved workers,” he charged. Cosby’s lead defense lawyer quits ahead of re-trial shootings and complaints or discipline in cases of The no-snitching policy puts a strain on wrongdoing. cops when they’re out there trying to do the job The top Philadelphia criminal defense attorney series “The Cosby Show.” Some residents in New Orleans are outraged they’re sworn to do, added Mr. Jones. “We need who helped Bill Cosby secure a hung jury on trial Around 60 women have publicly accused the by the amount of crime committed by corrupt law to push more of the good cops to stand up to the for sexual assault has quit ahead of the disgraced Emmy-winning actor of being a serial sexual preda- enforcement officers and wonders if it will ever bad cops. Policing is no different from another entertainer’s scheduled re-trial. tor, alleging that he drugged and assaulted them get better or can it even be reduced. profession, we all know somebody in whatever Brian McMonagle, who proved his mettle with over a span of 40 years across the United States. One 18-year veteran New Orleans law job that we have that shouldn’t be working at the a tough-as-nails defense at one of America’s biggest But the trial was the only criminal case brought enforcement officer believes that corruption is job. It’s the same in law enforcement. There are celebrity trials in years, has bowed out and replace- against Cosby as most of the alleged abuse hap- an adverse effect of the city having a residency people that shouldn’t have that job. But we’re still ments are being considered, a Cosby spokesman pened too long ago to prosecute. (AFP) policy, where you could only apply to the depart- caught up in the culture where we don’t want to said Tuesday. ment if you lived within the city limits. say anything. We don’t want to be blackballed, we “Attorney McMonagle is no longer represent- “New Orleans is such a small city that the don’t want to be looked at as a snitch and we are ing Mr Cosby,” Andrew Wyatt told AFP, without very cops who are protecting and serving are the ultimately losing our respect that we worked hard elaborating on the reasons why. Co-counsel Angela same ones who grew up in the same streets as the for doing the job we were sworn to do in the com- Agrusa, who is based in California, remains on the so called ‘criminals,’ which many are still associ- munity that we serve,” he explained. team. Alex Salazar, a former LAPD officer and cur- “I will be naming our new legal counsel at the ated with,” he stated. “Above all, wages earned by rently with the National Association of Law En- end of the month,” Wyatt said. police officers, which isn’t sufficient to be putting Cosby, 80, is scheduled to go back on trial for their lives on the line each day, can also lead to forcement Officers for Justice says, corruption in allegedly drugging and molesting a former univer- some sort of corruption, overtime schemes, paid law enforcement is both common and systematic. sity basketball official at his Philadelphia home in detail schemes, etc.,” he added. “The code of silence has always existed but 2004. Prosecutors indicted retired Los Angeles what the police need to remember is that the Judge Steven O’Neill was forced to declare County Sheriff Lieutenant Reggie Wright, Sr. and police is the people and the people is the police a mistrial in June when a jury failed to reach a his son former Compton Police Officer, Reggie and if they can’t do this job anymore because they unanimous verdict on three counts of aggravated Wright, Jr., on federal drug trafficking and money become too traumatized or because they are sim- indecent assault after more than 50 hours of delib- laundering charges, mid-July. They were also ply racist then they need to get out. There needs erations in Norristown, Pennsylvania. among 22 Grape Street Crips gang members, ar- to be leadership out there that steps forward that The deadlock was a victory of sorts for the rested for their alleged involvement in a running says we’re not going to do this anymore,” said Mr. pioneering black comedian, now frail and isolated, heroin, cocaine, meth, and marijuana pipeline Salazar. who risked spending the rest of his life in prison if from Los Angeles to another gang in Memphis, If policing can ever get to the point where convicted. Tenn. good law enforcement officers stand up to the But the trial irrevocably damaged the once tow- Also in Los Angeles, 31-year-old Police Of- bad law enforcement officers, Mr. Jones said he ering icon of US popular culture, loved by millions ficer Robert Crain, awaits a court date in August thinks more trust will actually grow in the com- as “America’s Dad” and best known for his seminal Bill Cosby (Photo: www.biography.com) on felony weapons charges. One hundred guns, munity. role as a father and obstetrician on hit 1984-92 TV including assault rifles, were found in his home TO PAGE A7 August 3 - 9, 2017 FilAm Star B5 health & Health@Heart Facts and Trivia lifestyle PHILIP S. CHUA, would have about 3.5 quarts or 3.3 liters. This Will a resected heart beat? Do gloves prevent food poisoning? MD, FACS, FPCS blood is circulated through blood vessels that Yes, a human or animal heart cut out of the Food handlers who use gloves properly, stretch to about 60,000 miles (95,500 kilome- body will continue to beat on its own, until all the Iike surgeons and nurses in the operating room, How many cells do ters), if placed end to end. The largest artery in stored energy (glucose and derivative enzymes, will definitely prevent bacterial contamination we have in our body? the body is the aorta, the largest vein, the vena etc) in the cardiac muscle cells are used up. This and food poisoning. However, I have observed The figures often cava. is usually within five to eight minutes. The heart gloved food handlers in various restaurants and quoted are between 50 How fast does human hair grow? is the only organ in the body that has automatic- fast food chains in many countries and invari- to 75 trillion cells. The On the average, human hair grows about ity and rhythmicity, hence it beats automatically ably they break the “sterile code.” All surfaces, average life span of the nine inches each year. It grows faster in the and with rhythm even after resection from the especially in the kitchen, are teeming with bac- cells is: red blood cells, summer because warm weather increases blood body (as in the preparation for heart transplant). teria, without exception. The proper way to use 120 days; white blood circulation to the hair follicles. The finger nails, How does icy temperature cause frostbite? gloves is to touch ONLY the cooked food items, cells, over a year; plate- on the other hand, grow about 0.8 inches (2 Prolonged exposure to extremely low tem- and not touch the knife, cookware handles and lets, ten days; bone cells, 25-30 years; brain cells, centimeters) every year. The middle finger nail perature, mostly during winter in parts of the covers, tables, microwave and oven doors, wash lifetime; colon cells, 3-4 days; skin cells, 19-34 grows the quickest. Fingernails grow four times world where subzero weather is the rule, causes cloths, faucet, sink, and all other surfaces, and days; stomach cells, 2 days; and sperm cells, 2-3 faster than toenails. the capillaries (most distal tiny blood vessels), not scratch or touch their face or body, which days. Obviously, these cells regenerate under What does the term LASER stand for? arterioles and venules (small arteries and veins), are ALL normally full of bacteria. The use of normal conditions. The acronym LASER stands for “light ampli- and regular sized blood vessels to constrict (go gloves does not guarantee freedom from bacte- What is the force of a human bite? fication by stimulated emission of radiation. The into spasm) and shut off the circulation to the rial contamination. The false security with their Tightly clenched teeth can generate a force applications of laser technology is far reaching toes, fingers, and ears, depriving these parts of use even makes degree or contamination worse. as much as 55 pounds (25 kilos) on the incisors and wide: micro matching of components and the much-needed blood. Frostbites, and even When opportunity comes up, try and observe and 200 pounds (90.5 kilos) on the molars. For circuit boards for our computers; fiber-optic gangrene, are very common. Holding your finger gloved food handlers in your area. And the use of the molars, a greater force at 268 pounds (122 communications in long distance telephone net- directly against ice for prolonged period can also mask among them, with the nose sticking out, is kilos) has been recorded. works; bar coding scanners; medical diagnostics cause frostbite. also wrong. Which is the largest organ in our body? and therapeutics; desktop printers, color scan- Do our hands have bacteria? When was the first shopping mall built? The skin is the heaviest and largest organ ners, etc; military target designators, etc. Yes, as a rule, everybody’s hands and fingers, In 1896, built at Roland Park, Baltimore, in the human body. The total surface area is 20 Why the dimples in golf balls? the entire body, are full of “resident” bacteria Maryland, USA. West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, square feet or 1.98 square meters for an average Dimples reduce the drag that will slow down 24/7. They do not get infected because the intact Canada, is one of the world’s largest, covering 5.2 individual and 25 square feet or 2.3 square me- the golf ball as it travels (some up to 300 yards skin is a tough protective layer that prevents the million square feet (480,000 square meters) on a ters for a larger person, and a weight of about 5.6 or more) by minimizing the eddies or wake effect bacteria from gaining access into the soft tissues 121-acres (49 hectares) lot. There are 828 stores pounds or 2.7 kilograms. The liver is the second that drain the ball’s energy and velocity. This is and muscles, etc. underneath the dermal shield. and service centers in it, with parking space for largest organ (1.1 to 1.5 kilos) and serves about achieved by the air clinging to the dimpled balls Severe abrasion, contusion or cut will allow the 20,000 cars. 500 functions as the main chemical factory of the longer. bacteria to invade and infect the inner parts of How many muscles do we use to smile? human body. Can human voice break glass? these structures. Washing the hands daily, before To produce a smile, we use seventeen (17) How long is the human intestine? Yes, this has been proven in several experi- and after eating, after using the bathroom or facial muscles. To frown, we use 40% more Our small intestine is about seven meters ments. The amplified high-pitched singing voice touching money, or any activity that will add muscles, 43. So, let’s exert less effort, use less (22 feet) long, and the large intestine (colon) is of a soprano or a tenor standing about ten feet more bacteria to our hands and fingers, would muscles, and use less energy, by smiling more about 1.5 meters (5 feet) in length. from a wine glass cracked the glass in less than minimize the number of bacteria and ward off and having a happier andmore attractive face. How much blood do we have? half a minute. Without amplification, this could infection. And the same is true with our mouth, Visit philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@ A male weighing about 70 kilos (154 pounds) conceivably be done with the glass about two feet where a lot of bacteria reside. The intact mucus gmail.com would have about 5.5 quarts or 5.2 liters of away. The sheer force of the vibration from the membrane in the mouth, like the intact skin, pro- blood. A female of about 50 kilos (110 pounds) vocal cords does it. tects the deeper structures from getting infected. CCHP reaffirms commitment to participate in Covered California amid uncertainty SAN FRANCISCO – CCHP is committing to plan. We were started over 30 years because many through Hill Physicians Medical Group (largest in working with Covered California in 2018 to contin- in our community were not well served by the in- Northern California) and Jade Health Care Medi- ue to serve our community by providing coverage terests of other health plans. Over time, we found cal Group. - New member portal and mobile App to individuals, families and small employers in the a way to provide high-quality, affordable health for convenient access to payment and services. health insurance marketplace. care to a larger, more diverse community.” Said About CCHP Chinese Community Health Despite of recent news about health plans Brenda Yee, RN, MSN, CEO of CCHP and Chinese Plan (CCHP) was founded in 1986 by the Chinese leaving the marketplace, citing lower profitability Hospital. “We’ve consistently strived to offer the Hospital Association with the mission to improve or uncertainty of federal funding, CCHP is reaf- best health plan value over time even as industry the health of our community by delivering high- firming to current and prospective members of our changes cause other health plans to come and go.” quality, affordable healthcare through culturally commitment to our San Francisco and northern Larry Loo, COO of CCHP added, “We’ve been competent and linguistically appropriate services. San Mateo County communities – We are here for with Covered California from the beginning and CCHP was has been available to San Francisco the long term. more than 9 out of 10 members renew with us ev- and northern San Mateo County residents through For anyone whose current health plan is exit- ery year. Part of our success is due to keeping our Covered California. Visit: www.CCHPHealthPlan. ing San Francisco or northern San Mateo County rates low but mostly because provide personalized, com. regions, we urge them to consider CCHP. New local service.” 445 Grant Avenue, Suite 700 | San Francisco, members are always welcomed and we’ll work with - CCHP has among the lowest plan premiums CA 94108 | T 1-415-955-8800 | F 1-415-955-8818 | them and our network providers to make the tran- in San Francisco & San Mateo County - CCHP has www.CCHPHealthPlan.com sition easier. “We are a community based health a network of over 1,700 physicians, including those Answers to LAST WEEK’S Krosword HOROSCOPE http://www.starlightastrology.com

Aries (Mar. 21- April 20) Libra Don’t overspend on luxury items. Your (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) mate will enjoy helping out. You have made Acceptance will be necessary. You will be in an an accurate assessment of the situation and overly generous mood this week. You can easily have come up with ideas that will save money. wrap up overdue personal legal matters that have Rewards, gifts, or money from investments or caused problems for you. Problems with ear, nose, taxes can be expected. or the throat are likely. Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday. Your lucky day this week will be Friday.

Taurus Scorpio (Apr. 21- may 21) (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Entertain in your home and make aesthetic Watch your weight gain due to water retention. enhancements that will please those who reside Visit friends or relatives who have been confirmed. with you. You will have to be sure not to burn Be prepared to lose friends or alienate other the candle at both ends. You can certainly gain people if you insist on being stub born. Your popularity; however, don’t do it by paying for temper could be short if someone criticizes your Answers to this week’s everyone else. If you can’t get away, make plans efforts. Krosword on NEXT WEEK’S issue to do something special with friends or relatives. Your lucky day this week will be Monday. KrosWord (Source: Classic Pilipino Krosword, as edited by Ramon S. Lorenzo) Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday. PAHALANG Sagittarius Gemini (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) 1 Ina ni Vandolph (May 22-June 21) Be discreet about your personal life or 5 Punas Get on with your life. Children may cause whereabouts. Be mysterious. If you want to make 11 Asin: Ingles limitations. Don’t divulge secret information. your mark, try to get involved in projects that will 13 Maliit na aso Don’t blow situations out of proportion. bring you some glory. You’re eager to learn. Don’t 14 Hinahanap ng guwardiya Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday. let children hold you back from doing things you 16 Tumingin: Ingles enjoy. 18 Taguri sa Bayani Cancer Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday. (June 22-July 22) 19 Lalawigan sa Katimugang Don’t take advantage of your expense Capricorn Tagalog account. You will have no problem getting (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) 22 Ikaw along with clients. Don’t let domestic problems Travel could turn out to be more exciting than 23 Tagulamin interfere with your objectives. You may find that you imagined. Don’t put limitations on yourself. 24 Asong nakakahilam children are not as accepting as you have been. Don’t jump the gun; you may find yourself getting 26 Pangalang pambabae Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday. angry at the wrong person. You may find it difficult 28 Uri ng langis to communicate. 31 Ms. Esguerra; singer Leo Your lucky day this week will be Saturday. 33 Manggagamit: Ingles (July 23-Aug 22) Your passionate nature may make you jealous Aquarius 35 Pahabol salita if your mate has been too busy to take care (Jan. 21.- Feb. 19) 37 Lungsod sa Cavite of your needs. You may have more to do with You can make gains if you look at long- 39 Kantang patula children this week; keep an open mind. Don’t term investments. Your creative input will 41 Corn sa Tagalog let situations get out of hand. Involvement be appreciated by your boss. You have your 42 Simbolo ng Radium with prestigious organizations will be to your own family to consider as well. Go after your 43 Remata advantage. professional goals. Try to keep your opinions to 45 Dulo ng bangka: Ingles Your lucky day this week will be Tuesday. yourself. 47 Marka ng palo Your lucky day this week will be Friday. 48 Pantukoy malapitan Virgo (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Pisces PABABA You could be blind to the defects of those (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) 2 Licensists in Surgery 15 Malaking bilang 34 Asawa ni Juday you love. Deception is likely. You may find that You have a tendency to think that no one else 3 Pagka-madikit 17 Asunto 36 Mintis someone you really cared for in the past has will do things properly. Investments concerning 4 Galaw ng dagat 20 Mangkok 38 Pangalang pambabae come back into your life. You could pick up your residence will be profitable. Talk to someone 6 Pangatnig 21 Sapa-sapaan 40 Patibong: Ingles valuable knowledge through conversations with you trust in order to see the whole picture. Social 7 Yakapin: Ingles 25 Kalilipas: Ingles 44 Panghalip dalawahan experienced individuals. functions will bring you in touch with new lovers. 8 Malaking kutsilyo 27 Sabik na paghihintay 46 Bulalas ng panunudyo Your lucky day this week will be Sunday. Your lucky day this week will be Monday. 9 Dating 29 Taon: Ingles 10 Takaw 30 Buwan ng kuwaresma 12 Suot sa pagtatapos 32 Bilis B6 FilAm Star August 3 - 9, 2017 entertainment Robin Nievera spearheads Original Girls Generation confirms Aug. 7 album release Music Only (OMO) campaign

While reviving songs is the writer pointed out. “There’s no being intuitive and trusting easier way to make a buck or room for compromise or short- your own musical voice.” (Allan please a listener, Robin Nievera changing stuff. It’s all about Policarpio / inquirer.net) insists on creating original music, because, he said, “that’s what makes us artists and not just singers…It’s what makes us different from everyone else.” Robin, along with his fel- low artists at the record label Homeworkz, is spearheading Original Music Only (OMO)—a campaign that, among other things, mounts a bar tour, where musicians can perform and share with each other songs they crafted. K-Pop group “Girls Generation” “No one judges how we (Photo: www.pinterest.com) play or what we sing. All our ideas and songs are welcome in Girls’ Generation will make album, the group released One of the longest-running this tour,” Robin related, adding its long-awaited return next online teaser images and an K-pop groups in Korea, it was that he envisions the OMO tour month with the release of its interview video of Yoona on its recently selected as No. 1 on growing into a full-blown music sixth studio album “Holiday official homepage Thursday. Billboard’s list of 10 best K-pop festival someday—an event that Night” on Aug. 7. The agency said it will release girl groups of the past decade. will appeal to the millennials, According to S.M. Enter- teasers featuring other mem- Prior to the album’s as well as the generations that tainment, the album will consist bers in the following days. release, the group will hold a preceded them. of 10 songs of various genres, The upcoming album is fan event, “Girls’ Generation “We’re at that stage where including the tracks “All Night” part of Girls’ Generation’s proj- 10th Anniversary – Holiday to musicians can leverage their and “Holiday.” ect to commemorate the 10th Remember,” at Olympic Park in own branding and marketing. In anticipation of the new anniversary of its debut. eastern Seoul. ( inquirer.net) And the good thing about it is Robin Nievera that there’s no one telling them (Photo: www.billboard.ph) what to do,” the singer-song- Confirmed! Ex-‘Eat Bulaga’ host Julia Clarete is married Former “Eat Bulaga” beled her newest short film host Julia Clarete has “Skit” as a “great wedding ‘Kita Kita’ earns Php90M finally confirmed her mar- gift.” riage to Gareth McGeown. Clarete left the long- Following recent running noontime show on its first week social media clues about last year to live with Mc- well as their much-talked-about camera as they recommended her big day, Clarete shared Geown in Kuala Lumpur, movie “Kita Kita” earned P90 the movie to the public as a a wedding photo of her Malaysia. The pair’s en- million on its first week. must-see. and McGeown on Insta- gagement was divulged last In an Instagram post, @ De Rossi, in an Instagram gram yesterday, July 28. September while attending cornerstone shared the news to post, thanked the people who The couple exchanged the wedding of Clarete’s the public. took the time to watch “Kita vows at the Ballynahinch former co-host Isabelle Praises for the movie Kita.” She also acknowledged Castle Hotel in Ireland, the Daza to former Adidas poured on social media, espe- the brains behind the concept of groom’s home country. Philippines country general cially for the lead actors. her blockbuster film. Last week, netizens manager Adrien Semblat Even celebrities includ- Co-produced by Viva Fims speculated about Clarete’s in Italy. ing Gretchen Ho, DJ Chacha, and Spring Films, “Kita Kita” wedding with McGeown Clarete has a son, Bianca Gonzales and Dani is now showing in theaters after the former posted a Sebastian, with ex-husband (Photo: www.themillennialpinay. Barretto shared their thoughts nationwide. (clarizel Abanilla / picture of what seemed to businessman Stephen com) about the movie. inquirer.net) be a portion of the skirt of a Uy. (Gianna Francesca The experimental tandem Some stars including Boy wedding gown. In another Catolico / inquirer.net) (L-R) Gareth McGeown and Julia Clarete of Alessandra De Rossi and 2 Quizon, Erik Santos and Facebook post, Clarete la- (Photo: www.youtube.com) Empoy Marquez has paid off Angeline Quinto were caught on August 3 - 9, 2017 FilAm Star B7 entertainment ‘The Voice Teens’ champ happy Sunshine Dizon remains a loyal Kapuso to prove her bashers wrong

Jona Soquite, declared Geronimo, had this to say Jason Dy won the title during the first grand champion of to her ward’s bashers: “I’m the second regular season of “The Voice Teens Philippines,” already used to what you’re do- the Kapamilya talent search. admitted that she was aware of ing. I respect your opinion. You Dubbed the “Tabing Ilog the negative comments she got can clearly see how amazing Sweetheart of Davao,” Jona from netizens even before the this child is as a singer. She’s has joined various singing con- season had its finale on Sunday never boastful. She knows how tests in Davao City. She said night. to listen.” this was to raise money so she “They didn’t want me to Addressing Jona’s critics, could secure a home for her

GMA Senior Program Manager Bang Arespacochaga, GMA SVP for ETV Lilybeth G. Rasonable, Sunshine Dizon, GMA Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, Perry Lansigan, GMA VP for Drama Productions Redgie Acuna Magno (Photo courtesy of GMA Pinoy Tv) Versatile and multi-tal- Sunshine, who is one of the your support. We will continue ented actress Sunshine Dizon network’s home-grown artists, to do our jobs. We will continue marks her loyalty as a Kapuso shared that she is very happy to give you a good show and to as she renewed last July 27 her and contented with how GMA make your time worthwhile. exclusive contract with GMA 7 helped her with her career, Maraming, maraming salamat Network, Inc. “Masasabi ko naman na ever from the bottom of my heart, “This has always been since I started with GMA, talaga for loving and for rooting for my home. It gives me great namang iningatan lahat ng Emma.” pleasure and security that I projects na binigay sa akin. And Atty. Gozon, in turn, said would be spending years with it really honed me as an actress. the network is proud to have a my family pa rin. So thank you I always look forward to the talented artist like Sunshine, “Si Jona Soquite very much to Mr. Gozon and to stories that they give me kasi it Sunshine is home-grown. Na- (Photo: www.thesummitexpress.com) everyone here in GMA for the always challenges me. There’s kita mo naman kung papaano trust they have continued to always that mutual respect tayo magpalaki, hindi lang win in this competition. But who claimed that “The Voice” family that lives by a river. give me,” said Sunshine. with things that I can do and I tumatangkad, gumagaling na looking at the results now, I’m has had one too many belters, That night, she finally got Present during the contract cannot do. They’ve always taken artista pa. Siyempre, tuwang- happy that I’ve proven them Sarah pointed out: “She isn’t to keep her promise to her signing were GMA Chairman good care of me talaga.” tuwang tayo. At hindi ko naman wrong,” the 14-year-old told your typical biritera. She’s ver- family. She won P1 million and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon; Presently, she headlines pwedeng isiping hindi dito si reporters shortly after the cere- satile. She can sing any song cash; P1-million worth of trust GMA Entertainment TV Senior the No. 1 daytime soap in the Sunshine sa GMA 7. Talagang mony held inside the ABS-CBN you give her—and sing it well. fund; a P2-million life insur- Vice President Lilybeth G. country, Ika-6 Na Utos. The Af- mahusay naman ang ating Compound in Quezon City. I’m proud of her.” ance plan; fashion, business Rasonable; GMA Vice President ternoon Prime series continues pagsasama.” Jona garnered 44.78 Before impressing the and dental-service packages, for Drama Productions Redgie its phenomenal ratings success Meanwhile, Rasonable percent of the combined text audience with her version of R. and a brand-new house and Acuña-Magno; GMA Vice Presi- and more and more viewers are feels privileged that she’s able and online voting results. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly” on lot. dent for Business Development hooked on the dramatic and to witness Sunshine’s growth This was half of what second Sunday night, Jona sang a duet “My parents and I would Department III Darling de Je- unpredictable twists and turns and maturity as an actress, placer, Isabela Vinzon, 15, of (“Better Days”) with Sarah, still have to decide what to do sus Bodegon; GMA Vice Presi- of the story. “We are proud that we are part Team Bamboo, received (22.42 then did a solo performance of with the money. What’s more dent for Corporate Affairs and “We are very happy, of her growth. She is really a percent). Team Lea’s Mica Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” on important to me is the house,” Communications Angela Javier blessed and very thankful. We talented actress, talagang innate Becerro, 15, placed third with Saturday. Jona said. “Living near the Cruz; GMA Senior Assistant really owe it to the public. Kum- yung talent niya sa pag-arte. So a score of 17.79 percent, and Jona is the third grand river is dangerous. I want to Vice President for Alternative baga, marami naman talagang nakakatuwa na hindi siya tumi- behind her was fourth placer champion to have come from transfer them to the new one Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara; shows, marami namang maga- tigil na pagalingin ang sarili Jeremy Glinoga, 17, of Team Sarah’s team. Lyca Gairanod as soon as possible.” (Marinel Senior Program Manager Bang gandang kwento, pero hindi niya at nandito tayo sa tabi niya Sharon, with 15.01 percent. was the winner of the first sea- R. Cruz / inquirer.net) Arespacochaga; and Sunshine’s lahat nagkakaroon ng ganoong para tulungan siya.” Jona’s coach, Sarah son of “The Voice Kids,” and manager Perry Lansigan. klaseng hook. Thank you for B8 FilAm Star August 3 - 9, 2017 entertainment Pistahan Parade and Festival celebrates 24 years Myx TV GM Miguel Santos named among San Francisco (July 19, mance in front of distinguished and other entertainers are encour- 2017) — On its 24th year, Pistahan judges for an opportunity to win, aged to apply. Please go to our NAMIC’s 10 emerging executives of color Parade and Festival at Yerba Buena among others, Best Choreography, website at www.pistahan.net, click Gardens in San Francisco continues Best Spirit, Best Overall Contingent. on PERFORM AT PISTAHAN, and to deliver excitement and entertain- The Pistahan Parade is a great way compete the short questionnaire. ment, create memorable experi- to kickoff the Pistahan weekend ( 3 ) SPONSOR THE FESTI- ences and bonds among communi- and to showcase the diversity of the VAL: ties, expand horizons, and above all, Filipino American community in the Support THE premiere Bay inspire pride across the generations SF Bay Area. Area Filipino event and connect of Filipinos in the San Francisco Yerba Buena Gardens will offer with the largest Asian ethnic group Bay Area. Pistahan is expected to festival goers a variety of fun and in California! Take advantage of draw tens of thousands of people interesting activities, from enjoying our many branding and marketing throughout the weekend of August world-class performances at the opportunities. For details contact: 12 and 13, 2017. Main Stage, including performances Al Perez, [email protected], This year’s theme is Pride and of contemporary and traditional 415-625-EXPO (3976). Progress in SOMA Pilipinas. To Filipino dances, delighting in the ( 4 ) WALK IN THE PARADE: that, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee voices of talented singers, sampling Get your contingent to- comments— “The Pistahan Parade Filipino cuisine, to being tempted gether and show your Pinoy Pride! and Festival is particularly special, by the many exciting and interesting Prizes will be awarded to the best as it will take place in the heart of products the many festival vendors contingent, best costume, best SOMA Pilipinas, San Francisco’s will bring. “Philippine Caravan” choreography, best spirit and more! newest designated cultural district.” includes exhibitors coming all the Individuals and couples can come – It is indeed a fitting theme since way from the Philippines to show- dressed in their best ethnic Filipino Myx TV General Manager Miguel Santos (rightmost), shown here with Steve Angeles of TFC’s BA and ABS-CBN Pistahan, organized by Filipino case a variety of uniquely Pinoy food attire to be a part of the Lead Ban- International Lifestyle Network Executive Producer Beverly Desuasido at last February’s NAMIC’s announcement American Arts Exposition (FAAE), items, snacks and goodies. ner Contingent and for a chance to rites in Beverly Hills, California where ABS-CBN International received four nominations at NAMIC’s Vision Awards. is one of the key events in the neigh- In addition, the festival has or- win the “best dressed” award. To LOS ANGELES, August 2, · * Tech Company/Dis- · * Holly Tang, Chief Finan- borhood and as the community ganized seven interactive pavilions participate, fill out the form online: 2017 - The National Association cipline: Linda Pan, SVP, New cial Officer, Bravo and Oxygen celebrates one year of the historic which are sure to attract the diverse www.pistahan.net > Get Involved > for Multi-Ethnicity in Commu- Digital Business, AMC Net- Media, NBCUniversal official designation of SOMA Pilipi- tastes and interests of the public: Join the Parade. nas as a Filipino heritage district. Art, Culinary, Dance, Health, In- ( 5 ) VOLUNTEER: nications (NAMIC) announced works · * Janet Han Vissering, A key component of the festival novation, Leadership, Sports . Volunteers are needed in the recently the winners of its · * Creative Discipline: SVP, Development & Produc- is the Pistahan Parade, taking place Al Perez, FAAE President: weeks leading up to the event, and 2017 Next Generation Leaders Romina Rosado, SVP & Editor- tion, Nat Geo WILD on Saturday, August 12, 2017. Catch “I am so proud to be a part of the on the day of. Join the dynamic Awards, recognizing emerging in-Chief, E! News & Online, In partnership with the opening at 10:00 AM with the Pistahan because it is a true em- Pistahan Volunteer Crew, share business leaders of color in the NBCUniversal Multichannel News, the 2017 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the bodiment of the Filipino bayanihan your unique talent and skills, give media and entertainment in- In addition to honoring Next Generation Leaders will San Francisco Civic Center and spirit. The whole event is organized something back to the community dustry for their career successes the four Next Generation Lead- be honored at the 31st Annual which will then proceed and con- by an all-volunteer group of amaz- and meet lots of cool people who are and commitment to fostering ers, NAMIC will also honor 10 NAMIC Conference during the tinue along Market Street towards ing, dedicated individuals who are passionate about promoting the best 4th Street. Ever-growing through passionate about preserving and of Filipino culture. Fill out the short diversity in the workplace. emerging executives of color in NAMIC Awards Luncheon on the years, it has now become one of sharing our heritage and traditions. Volunteer Survey at www.pistahan. Myx TV General Man- its 2017 Luminaries Class: Wednesday, Sept. 27, 11:45 a.m. San Francisco’s traditions. It prom- I would like to invite everyone to net > Get Involved > Volunteer. ager Miguel Santos was named · * Charlotte Castillo, SVP, - 1:15 p.m. ET at the New York ises to awaken your senses with the come out and check out the Pis- WHAT: 24th Annual Pistahan among the 10 emerging execu- International Brand Manage- Marriott Marquis. sounds of music from marching tahan Parade along Market Street Parade and Festival tives of color in NAMIC’s 2017 ment & Creative, Viacom Inter- NAMIC (National As- bands and visual feasts from diverse and celebrate our Pinoy Pride!” An international Celebration of Luminaries Class. Santos over- national Media Networks sociation for Multi-ethnicity Filipino dances and the many color- OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPA- Filipino Culture sees Myx TV network’s strategy, · * Twyla Huang-DiSimone, in Communications) is the ful and fun floats to parade through TION: WHEN AND WHERE: PIS- Market Street. The Filipino American Arts TAHAN PARADE programming, production, mar- VP, News Content Partnerships, premier organization focus- Among those featured at the Exposition would like to invite the Saturday, August 12 keting, ad sales and business Turner Ignite ing on multi-cultural diversity, parade will be an authentic jeepney public to participate in the Festival. 10:00 am – Opening Ceremo- development, with the goal of · * P. Sean Gupta, VP, equity and inclusion in the from Washington state, a brigade of Here are ways to get involved: nies elevating the narratives of one Strategy and Operations, BET communications industry. More Star Wars stormtroopers, and a Hu- ( 1 ) BE A VENDOR / HAVE 11:00 am – The Pistahan of the most under-represented Networks than 3,000 professionals belong man Philippine Flag contingent con- A BOOTH: Parade begins at the San Francisco minority groups in media. Myx · * Navin Kamath, VP, to a network of 18 chapters sisting of Filipino American college Pistahan is currently looking Civic Center and will continue along TV is owned and operated by Account Management, Global nationwide. Through initiatives students representing the next gen- for Philippine-inspired arts & crafts Market Street towards 4th Street, ABS-CBN International. Distribution, HBO that target leadership develop- eration of cultural torchbearers and vendors and community booth then disembarks at Mission Street. community leaders. On the sports exhibitors. PISTAHAN FESTIVAL The 2017 Next Generation · * Stephanie Jackson, VP, ment, advocacy and empower- side, SF Giants Super Fans gather to For booth applications click Saturday, August 12 and Leaders Awards will be pre- Ad Sales, Western Region, Food ment, NAMIC collaborates form another contingent with Lou to our website at www.pistahan.net. Sunday, August 13 from 11:00 sented in four categories to the Network & Cooking Channel, with industry partners to grow Seal as mascot. This year’s Pistahan For more info, contact: am – 5:00 pm at the Yerba Buena following honorees: Scripps Networks Interactive and nurture a workforce that Parade’s Community Grand Mar- Al Perez, President, Filipino Gardens, Mission St @ 4th St, San · * Cable MSO: Ebonne · * Sameel Osuri, SVP, reflects the cultural richness of shall is Judge Ben Reyes, recently American Arts Exposition, Pistah- Francisco. Ruffins, VP, Local Media Devel- Global Content Operations, the populations served. appointed by Governor Brown and [email protected], 415-625-EXPO FOR MORE INFO visitwww. opment, Comcast Cable Discovery Communications For more information on is the first Filipino American named (3976) pistahan.net, Facebook.com/Pis- · * Cable Programmer: · * Miguel Santos, General NAMIC, the 31st NAMIC Annu- to the Contra Costa County Superior ( 2 ) PERFORM AT THE tahan, or Email: PistahanSF@gmail. Court. PISTAHAN: com. Daniel Eilemberg, President & Manager, Myx TV al Conference and the NAMIC There will be a stage on Market Musicians, vocalists, choirs, Call: 415-625-EXPO (3976) Chief Content Officer, FUSION · * Tony Song, VP, Ad Sales, Annual Awards Luncheon, Street at 5th Street, where parade dance groups, martial artists, spo- TV AMC Networks please visit www.namic.com. contingents will do a short perfor- ken word artists, hosts, comedians,