August 2017 Edition
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Volume XXXV No. 8 August 2017 Montreal, QC www.filipinostar.org Manuel becomes FAMAS president in another controversial election Cesar Manue l(standing behind, 2nd from right) with his friends Dante Tabamo (on the left) shown here with his team in front of Famas celebrating at his Pinoy Pansitan restaurant. (Photo posted on Facebook building (Photo from their Facebook page) by S. Suarez) W. G. Quiambao Rules and Regulations. doing it. Parado did not heed the ordered another COMELEC member Samahang Makabayan The August 6 election which appeal of the candidates and voters to to distribute official ballots with presidential candidate Cesar Manuel, was marred with allegations of reconsider her decision. Instead, she numbers. She should not do this whose term as FAMAS vice president irregularities and cheating was a déjà said that the COMELEC could not because the ballots could be ends this month, defeated Dante vu of what happened in 2011. The break its own rules but ironically, she photocopied and used illegally. Tabamo of the MalayaTeam by a controversy started to brew when Julie broke them on the day of the election. “The COMELC is ill- narrow margin of 22 votes. Parado, the COMELEC chairman, For example, she had an altercation prepared,” said Gonzales, shaking his He was involved in a discontinued the traditional advance with Joseph Gonzales, a Malaya Team head in disgust. controversial election for president in voting without notifying the candidate for secretary. The Budz Sarmiento, COMELEC 2011. Although he garnered more candidates. They found out about her COMELEC’s Rules and Regulations chairman n 2011, posted his personal votes than his opponent, Au Osdon, he drastic decision only after signing and stated that the election should start opinion in his Facebook. “The Filipino still lost because of the implementation submitting their candidacy forms. The from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. but she allowed Community in Montreal has known of the 150-vote deduction. One of his reason given for discontinuing the the people to register and vote before better than expect any sound , directors violated the COMELEC’s advance voting was the high cost of the scheduled time. Besides, she See page 4 FAMAS KBy GihioaOnng (ThebPhiliuppinerSitare) | d amid calls to end drucgritics thkat piolilcelhiavne begen s Updated August 27, 2017 - 12:00am systematically executing suspected users and dealers, a charge the MANILA, Philippines - Kian Loyd delos authorities deny. Santos was laid to rest yesterday at the La Loma Cemetery in Quezon City Mourners, some of them wearing as thousands joined the funeral white shirts displaying the words procession that called for justice for “Justice for Kian,” held flowers and the 17-year-old student and an end to small flags and placards denouncing the drug war killings. the killing, as the procession moved out of Delos Santos’ home in Libis Delos Santos was dragged by Baesa, Caloocan City to the La Loma plainclothes policemen to a dark, Cemetery. trash-filled alley in Caloocan City before he was shot in the head and Activists came in groups to express left next to a pigsty, according to their support and sympathy. witnesses whose accounts appeared to be backed up by security video Some people whose relatives were also footage. killed by police joined calls to stop the Protesters against human rights violations joined the funeral process- summary killings under the war against The death of the Grade 11 student has ion for Grade 11 student Kian Loyd Delos Santos yesterday in Caloocan See Page 4 Drug war killings drawn attention to allegations by City. They demanded justice for Delos Santos, who was slain in a drug operation last week. Boy Santos August 2017 2 The North American Filipino Star of very powerful politicians who are are political protégés of the “Godfather” involved in the imbroglio. One group is in Malacañang, President Rodrigo the powerful Marcos political clan of Duterte. They occupy their high OPINION ED. Ilocos Norte, which is led by the former positions because the Godfather placed First Lady and Ilocos Norte 2nd District them there to make sure that he has a Representative Imelda Marcos, her grip on the HOR. Although nobody daughter Governor Imee Marcos, and would admit to it, they serve at the Is the ‘Ilocos Six’ a her only son, former Senator Bongbong pleasure of the Godfather. That is the Marcos. The other group is led by a reality of Philippine politics. Oppirnion,xPeryryScwope ar? recusal. triumvirate of the top HOR leaders PerryScope - By Perry Diaz With the three magistrates inhibiting Duterte-and-the-MarcosesIn a major themselves from the case, there will only setback for Ilocos Norte Governor Imee be 12 justices who can vote on the case, Marcos, she failed to secure immediate which would require seven votes for relief from the Supreme Court (SC) approval of the petition. Does Imee have against the House of Representatives’ the support of at least seven justices? (HOR) inquiry into the Ilocos Norte’s The fact that majority of the SC justices alleged misuse of P66.45 million in voted to allow the re-burial of the tobacco excise tax funds. remains of the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos at the Libingan ng While the SC did not specifically reject mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery), Imee’s petition, it was re-raffled since indicates the strong influence of the justice in charge of the case, President Rodrigo Duterte on the High Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta, Court. The interment of Marcos at the recused himself from the case. Libingan would certainly help Interestingly, it was Peralta who Bongbong in his quest for the administered the oath of office of former presidency. Indeed, Duterte had made it first lady Imelda Marcos and her son known that Bongbong was his preferred Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as successor. But that was before the Ilocos Norte 2nd District representative “Ilocos Six” scandal erupted, pitting Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta administers the oath of office of former first and senator, respectively, in 2010. But Imee Marcos against Rudy Fariñas. lady Imelda Marcos and her son Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as Ilocos Norte 2nd District representative and senator, respectively. consisting of Speaker Pantaleon The system of “three independent Alvarez, House Majority Leader Rudy government branches,” as stipulated in Fariñas, and Surigao del Sur Rep. the Constitution, doesn’t work in Johnny Pimentel, chair of the HOR’s Philippine realpolitik. What works is the Committee on Good Government and “padrino” system that we had inherited Public Accountability. from the Spanish colonizers. Duterte is the padrino or godfather of the HOR While the Marcos siblings defer to their triumvirs. And by the same token, mother Imelda Marcos, who is used to Imelda Marcos is the padrina or wielding the power that she and her late godmother of the Marcos clan. husband had during the heyday of their conjugal dictatorship, the HOR triumvirs Now the picture is crystal clear: the Duterte and the Marcoses here’s the rub: Peralta is a relative of Ilocos Norte 1st District representative Ilocos Six CACATHOLICATHOLICTHOLIC CCHARISMACHARISMATICATICTIC PRAPRAYERAYERYER COCOMMUNITYMMUNITY and Majority Leader Rodolfo “Rudy” Fariñas, one of the respondents in the Majority Floor Leader Rudy Fariñas and FAITHFAITH LOVE UNITY case. Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. Majority Floor Leader Rudy Fariñas and Where Jesus Christ Is Lord In addition to Peralta, Chief Justice Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. Maria Lourdes Sereno and newly appointed Associate Justice Andres The “Ilocos Six” controversy might Reyes Jr. inhibited themselves from the seem complicated and complex in legal 4415-A VanVan HorneHorne Avenue,Avenue, case. No reason was given for their terms; but one can see politics at the Montreal,Montreal, QC H3S 1S2 crux of the matter. There are two groups Tel.:Tel.: 514-344-1689 Fax: 514-344-1846 E-mail:E--mail: [email protected] INVITATIONINVITA TION WEEKLYWEEKLLYY FAMILYFAMILLYY APPOINTMENT & ACTIVITIESVITIES HOLYHOLLYY MASS – 1st SundaySunday of MonthMonth 3:00 p.m.p.m. GAWAINGAAWWWAINAIN / FELLOWSHIPFELLOOWSHIPWSHIP - EveryEEvvery SundaySunday 1:30 p.m.p.m. St.St. AntoninAntonin Church,Church, 5391 ruerue Snowdon,Snowdon, Montreal,Montreal, QQuebecuebec Tel.: 514-485-7861/ 514-506-8753 7159 ch. de la Cote des Neiges E-Mail: [email protected] WeeklyWeekly at 7:30 pm at ElEl ShaddaiShaddai Center,Center, 4415-A VanVan HorneHornne AAvAvenue,venue, MontrealMontreal Montreal, Quebec H3R 2M2 Published by: Filcan Publications, Inc. t .POEBZ.POEEBZ "TQJSBOU 1SFBDIFST1SFBDIFST 5SBJOJOH55SSBJJOJOH t 5VFTEBZ55VVFTEEBZ #JCMF#JCMF 4IBSJOH4IBSJOH t 8FEOFTEBZ88FFEOEOFTEBZE *OUFSDFTTPSZ*OUFSDFTTPSZ 1SBZFST1SBZFST 8PSE88PPSE PGG (PE(PEE t ɨVSTEBZɨVSTTEBZ %JTDJQMFTIJQ%JTDJQMFTIJQ &OSJDINFOU&OSJDINFFOU Zenaida F. Kharroubi W.G. Quiambao Chief Editor & Publisher Community News t 'SJEBZ'SJEBZZ $IBSBDUFS %FWFMPQNFOU%FWFMPQNFOOU Al Abdon t 4BUVSEBZ4BUVSEBZ :PVUI::PPVUI "DUJWJUJFT"DUJWJUJFT $PNNVOJUZ$PNNNVOJUZ 0VUSFBDI0VUSFBDI Fely Rosales Carino Michael Davantes Bert Abiera Sam Kevin Contacts: Sis.Sis. MarilynMaarilyn (514-241-5695) Sis.Sis. MercyMercy (514-554-8940)(5514-554-8940) Columnists Founder Show Biz News & Layout Editor Come, be EmpoweredEEmpompowered byby the HolyHoly SpiritSpirit … HealedHealed byby e WWorWordorrdd of GGodod The opinions expressed by the writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect that of the management of the North American Filipino Star nor its editors. August 2017 The North American Filipino Star 3 “Ilocos Six” is a proxy war between In my last column, “The politics behind Duterte and Imelda Marcos. But what is the Ilocos Six” (July 21, 2017), I wrote: not clear is why are they fighting each “It’s interesting to note that both Imee other when not too long ago they were [Marcos] and [Rudy] Fariñas will be the best of friends? termed out in 2019. Which makes one wonder what their political plans are in There is chatter in the grapevine that the 2019 midterm election? Imee could the Marcoses and Duterte had a falling run for Fariñas’ 1st District seat, after all out.