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Author: Ellen

PAF S2-11: Missing or shot down in Spratlys?

Published by Ellen on January 6, 2008

Malaya’s update: Missing jet not shot down

Inquirer: PAF continues to search for missing plane

Last Nov. 26, it was reported that one of two Philippine Air Force S2-11 aircraft sent to the contested Spratly Islands in South China Sea to search for 26 Filipino crewmen whose fishing vessel capsized a few days earlier in stormy weather went missing.

On board the aircraft were lead pilot Captain Gavino Mercado Jr. (PMA Class ’99) and co-pilot Captain Bonifacio Soriano III (PMA Class 2000)

A month and 11 days has passed. The pilots remain “missing.” There has also been no official report on the results of the investigation conducted by PAF.

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Kawalang hustisya at destabilization

Published by Ellen on January 5, 2008

Update: Esperon makes a pitch for extension.

Minsan, nagreklamo ako sa sobrang higpit ng coverage sa court martial hearings, wala na kaming magawang matinong reporting.

Pina-alala ko sa isang opisyal na noong trial ni Gen. Carlos Garcia, ang opisyal na nag dispalko ng milyon, umabot pa yata ng bilyon, na pera ng military, pinayagan ang TV sa loob ng courtroom.

Sa court martial hearings ng 28 na opisyal na sangkot daw sa planong mag-withdraw ng support kay Gloria Arroyo noong Pebrero 2006, ang TV cameras ay pinapayagan lamang ilang minuto sa simula. Yun lang. Hindi kami pinapayagan maki-pagusap sa mga akusado kahit tapos na ang hearing.

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Camp Capinpin’s population explosion

Published by Ellen on January 3, 2008

A kin of one of the detainees in Camp Capinpin shared with us this cute story:

A week after the world celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ in a manger more than 2,000 years ago, the officers detained in Camp Capinpin were overseeing the birth of man’s best friends. Eleven of them.

Tuesday night, Col. Ariel Querubin’s female bull mastiff, Jenny, gave birth to 11 puppies.

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ChaCha na naman

Published by Ellen on January 3, 2008

Heto na naman tayo.

Sinabi ni Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita na sang-ayon siya sa mungkahi ni Jesus Dureza, presidential adviser on the peace process, na pa­litan ang Constitution para raw maisulong ang negosasyon sa Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Sabi ni Dureza napagkasunduan ng mga negosyador ng pamahalaan at ng MILF na magtatag ng Bangsamoro region ngunit kailangang dumaan sa “constitutional process” o proseso na naaayon sa Constitution. Ang pro­seso na ‘yan ay kailangan ang referendum at ayaw ng MILF dahil sigurado hindi papayag ang marami sa mga taumbayan sa probinsiya na gusto nilang masama sa Bangsamoro region.

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Ermita backs Charter change to accommodate Moro homeland

Published by Ellen on January 1, 2008

by Christine Avendaño
Philippine Daily Inquirer

A new proposal that will see the government resorting to constitutional amendments possibly in 2008 to push the stalled peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) would likely have the backing of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

“If this will help peace talks and governance in Mindanao, why not?” Ermita said in expressing his possible support for the proposal that government officials were expected to present to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her security officials to move forward the negotiations.

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Hopefully, a better year for everyone

Published by Ellen on December 31, 2007

by Ramon J. Farolan
Inquirer

First of all, belated holiday greetings go to Sen. Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV. I realize he has been the subject of a number of negative news items in the past few days, including an expensive full-page ad from a group calling itself “Kongreso ng . . . something.”

This young man, who has been incarcerated for more than four years with no end in sight, has stood up to powerful forces in the country, speaking out loud about the abuses of a corrupt administration. And apparently, his views—not necessarily his methods—reflect the sentiments of our people.

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US soldiers apologize for closing Sulu hospital

Published by Ellen on December 31, 2007

Update: Allaga orders probe of alleged US medling in Sulu hospital

Rasul asks US to ship out its soldiers from Sulu See complete press statement in comments below.

by Julie Alipala
Inquirer
Mindanao Bureau

Zamboanga City, Philippines — US soldiers in Sulu have apologized for ordering health officials to shut down the government-run hospital in Panamao town during night time, Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan said Monday.

Earlier, Dr. Silak Lakkian, chief of the Panamao district hospital, said US forces led by a Master Sergeant Ronburg have threatened to shoot anybody seen at the hospital premises after 6 p.m.

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Writers under martial law

Published by Ellen on December 30, 2007

by F Sionil Jose

adrian-and-frankie.jpgLast November, when we were finalizing plans for the 50th anniversary conference of the Philippine Center of International PEN, I thought of convening the founding members particularly those who were at the PEN National Writers Conference in Baguio in 1958. I did not have to consult the list; when I told Virgie Moreno, the first treasurer of PEN, she said I may have to count Adrian Cristobal out because at that very moment, he was at the Makati Medical Center and very ill.

I have known Adrian since the ‘50s when I was with the old Manila Times. He used to drop by at Florentino Torres and we would have coffee or pancit bijon at those greasy Chinese restaurants in Santa Cruz.

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