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US Congress finds ‘unacceptable’ human rights developments in PH

Published by Ellen on February 14, 2019

US Pres. Donald Trump and Philippine Pres. Rodrigo Duterte meet in Manila during the 2017 Asean Summit. Malacañang file photo.

Next month, March 17, the withdrawal of the Philippines from the Rome Statute, the founding treaty for the International Criminal Court, will take effect- one year after the Duterte government deposited its official notification with the United Nations Secretary-General in New York.

The ICC, in its statement, said last year that while they regret the Philippine government’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute, “A withdrawal has no impact on on-going proceedings or any matter which was already under consideration by the Court prior to the date on which the withdrawal became effective; nor on the status of any judge already serving at the Court.”

At least three separate communications have been filed with the ICC accusing President Duterte and officials of his government of committing crimes against humanity citing extra judicial killings in the war against drugs as well as killings by the so-called Davao Death Squad when Duterte was Davao City mayor.

Those who filed the cases against Duterte in the ICC that include Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, Repair Alejano, lawyer Jude Sabio and relatives of the victims of the drug war, hope that the case will move up to the investigation stage before March 17. Right now, ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda is in the preliminary examination stage, monitoring developments in the country.

Speaking of reports, the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act (ARIA) that U.S. President Donald Trump signed last Dec. 31 contained several observations damning to the Philippines in the area of human rights.

Updates on Duterte’s health from Bong Go

Published by Ellen on February 6, 2019

Pres. Duterte accompanied by Bong Go visits his mother’s grave amid speculations about his health.

Just when we thought he was looking better with the dark blotches on his face gone (by Honeylet’s facial cream?), the President’s health condition once again returned to the front page when he didn’t show up in the Barangay Summit on Peace and Order in Palo, Leyte at on Friday, the first day of February.

The first statement on the 73-year old health status came from senatorial candidate, Christopher “Bong “ Go, a former aide who continues to be always with the President.

Go, not a doctor, said the President was “not feeling well.”

GMA’s HR2467: making SALN unusable as anti-corruption tool

Published by Ellen on February 5, 2019

House Speaker Gloria Arroyo at work. Screengrab from House video.

Last week, The House of Representatives adopted a Resolution that would make it extremely difficult to get a copy of the members’ Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth.

House Resolution No. 2467, authored by 10 members of the House led by Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo set requirements that makes the use of SALN as an anti-corruption almost impossible.

The motive of the of the authors is obvious: they don’t want the public to know increase in their wealth while in public office.

Gloria Arroyo: Astute as ever

Published by Ellen on January 28, 2019

Take note at how Gloria Arroyo, speaker of the House of Representatives, maneuvered on the controversial bill lowering the minimum age of criminal liability from age 15 which is in the existing law to originally, nine years old and finally 12.

In an interview after the bill, that has elicited outrage from several sectors of society, passed on second reading, Arroyo said she supported the bill even when the minimum age was nine years old “Because the President wants it.”

To stress her supposed support for Duterte she added, “From the beginning I said that my agenda is the President’s agenda.”

House Speaker Gloria Arroyo distributes land titles in Parola, Tondo. Photo from House of Representatives Public Affairs office.

Save our children

Published by Ellen on January 27, 2019

Many of us have resigned to our fate of having Duterte as president until June 30, 2022. We will survive, we tell ourselves.

But not many of our children.

The House of Representatives passed on second reading last week a bill that wants the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) in the Philippines from the current 15 to 12 years old.

They changed the word “criminal” to “social”, like coating poison with sugar.

No more: Places I used to go to

Published by Ellen on January 26, 2019

Coming back from an extended vacation, I started the year 2019 with a series of meetings, trying to catch up with the rapid developments as the country prepares for the May elections.

My friend and I agreed to meet at Café Museum, beside the Ayala Museum at the corner of Makati Avenue and De la Rosa streets.

When I got there, the place was closed. Construction work was being done. I asked the Ayala Museum security guard if Café Museum is undergoing renovation. He replied, “No. it is closed. No more.”

I’ll miss Café Museum. Aside from the food- modern Asian ( I love their palabok), I like the ambience– quiet and cozy with just enough space in between tables for some privacy.

FlorCruz on Chinese Media: from small birdcage to a bigger bird cage

Published by Ellen on January 20, 2019

Jimmy FlorCruz with wife Anna (right) and Tessy Ang See.

How does one compress 47 years of an extraordinary life story in about 20 exhibit panels?

That was the challenge that Jaime FlorCruz faced when he agreed to hold an exhibit, an idea that he had long been discussing with Chinese-Filipino civic leader Tessy Ang See for Bahay Tsinoy Museum at the Kaisa Heritage Center in Intramuros.

The exhibit: “From the perch of an accidental China hand” is in Jimmy’s words “ an abbreviated version of my China journey as well as a look back at China’s history of the last 40-plus years” through his China junk – discarded posters, memorabilia and other stuff that he has collected or simply refused to discard.

It’s very interesting exhibit.

Meaningful thoughts from ‘The Young Prince’

Published by Ellen on January 4, 2019

Boy on sidewalk Ho chi Minh city reading a comic book.

Across Ben Thanh market in Ho Chi Minh city, at a street corner, a little boy about seven or eight years old was lying on a spread out carton box material reading a comic book. With him was an old woman slicing mushrooms. At the feet of the boy was a dog dressed in red.

It was about seven o’clock in the evening. The light from a corner street lamp gave them illumination.
This was on the second day of 2019 and the city, still called “Saigon “by many, teemed with foreign tourists.

I asked permission to take their picture. The old woman responded with a kind smile and a nod. I approached and greeted the boy and he smiled so sweetly.

Some members of Duterte’s grandchildren traveling group lose passport in Europe, says PH consulate in Milan

Published by Ellen on December 23, 2018

Note: this is a revised version of the earlier post.

Omar and Isabelle Duterte in front of the Milan Cathedral. Dec. 21 Twitter post. From Milan Informer.

Some members of a traveling group that includes President Duterte’s two grandchildren on a holiday in Europe lost their passports in Milan and have been issued travel documents by the consulate, the Philippine consulate in Milan said today.

The consulate did not say who and how many among the members of Omar and Isabelle’s group lost their passports and were issued travel documents.

Contrary to initial reports that those who lost their passports were the President’s grand children, Omar Vincent Duterte, 24, and his sister, Isabelle, 18 – children of former Davao City vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, the Philippine consulate in Milan said: “President’s grandchildren did not lose their passports in Milan. Other members of the group they were traveling with were issued travel documents by the Consulate yesterday.
For emergencies, Consulate may be reached through +39-3880933822.”

Omar and Isabelle are part of a big group that include their mother, Lovelie Sangkola Sumera, and some members of the Presidential Security Group vacationing in Europe.

The PSG’s mandate is to provide protective security to the President and their immediate families, former Presidents and their immediate families, Malacañang Palace, Visiting heads of states or diplomats and Cabinet Members and their families traveling with them.

The group of Omar and Isabelle arrived in Paris, France Dec. 18, then went to Geneva, Switzerland before going to Milan, Italy on Dec. 21. They hired two vans for the five hour trip from Paris to Geneva and four hour drive from Geneva to Milan.

Duterte, allies reap most benefits from fake news

Published by Ellen on December 20, 2018

Fake news is the scourge of the social media-addicted society.

Fake news is defined by Collins Dictionary as “false, often sensational, information disseminated under the guise of news reporting.”

It’s also being used to discredit anything that one disdains. That’s why you hear the likes of Presidents Donald Trump and Rodrigo Duterte, known sources of fake news, accusing legitimate news organizations as peddlers of fake news.

VERA Files, which has been fact-checking since the 2016 election campaign and is one of Facebook’s third party fact-checker in the country, has come out with an analysis who benefits most from the proliferation of fake news.

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