miniZibaldone

 

Philippine Star  "Who needs capital punishment?" There’s no need to restore capital punishment. Since May 10 when the outcome of the presidential race became known, police have gunned down 42 crime suspects all  over the country, with eight killed just over the weekend.  Not even during martial law has the country ever experienced such a state-sponsored killing spree targeting individuals suspected of criminal activities, mostly  peddling illegal drugs. The word “suspect” must be emphasized, as everyone in a free society is supposed to be entitled to due process.  Before capital punishment was abolished, it could be imposed for opium trafficking, dealing drugs within 100 meters of any school, or if the drugs caused death. A  life term or death was also possible for diplomats who engaged in drug smuggling, illegal drug manufacturers and financiers, those who employed minors and the  mentally impaired or sold drugs to them, maintainers of drug dens, an...

Philippine Star  "A foothold for ISIS?" Relatives and friends mourned the soldiers who died from gunfire and improvised explosive devices set off by the Abu Sayyaf in clashes that started Saturday morning  in Basilan. The Armed Forces of the Philippines yesterday reported killing 13 more bandits, but the AFP’s own death toll of 18 is among the highest ever in its  decades-old battle with the terrorist group.  Among the enemy casualties was Ubalda Hapilon, identified as a son of top terrorist Isnilon Hapilon, who has a $5-million prize on his head. An intriguing casualty  was Mohammad Khattab, described by military intelligence as a Moroccan instructor in producing IEDs and a preacher of Islamic jihad.   [full text] Sun.Star Cebu  "Suspension as political weapon" THAT the Office of the President would order the suspension of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama isn't totally unexpected. The Aquino administration has been accused of  using the suspensi...

Philippine Star  "Endangered remittances" Several banks have denied shutting down their operations in Italy following the multimillion-dollar electronic heist that saw money stolen from the Bank of  Bangladesh account in the US Federal Reserve being laundered through Philippine casinos and the banking system.  The scandal has not only become a national embarrassment for the Philippines, where a large portion of about $81 million still has to be traced, but has also  endangered the remittances of millions of overseas Filipino workers. This concern has been raised by the Department of Foreign Affairs, even as it denied yesterday  the reports about several Philippine banks shutting down their operations in Italy due to the money laundering scandal.  Credit rating agencies and various analysts have expressed confidence that the Philippine banking system will weather this storm. There are also no indications so  far that the scandal might put the country ...

Philippine Star  "Unleashing potential" Cebu continues to boom, but like Metro Manila, it is seeing its growth momentum slowed down by one particular inadequacy: infrastructure.  Arriving here on Saturday for the second of three presidential debates, it took me about an hour to reach the hotel adjacent to the University of the Philippines- Cebu from Mactan International Airport. It was before 4 p.m., not yet rush hour, but traffic was already crawling – a normal pace these days, according to the van  driver.  Several top Cebu-based businessmen have told me that they need more roads, more flyovers connecting the airport to various points, and better mass transportation  including light rail and commuter trains to ease the worsening traffic. Maybe Ceboom can do this quicker than Metro Manila, without the usual accompanying corruption  scandal or flip-flopping from one department secretary to the next.  Cebu is in fact suffering from Metro Manila’s weak...

The Freeman's  Lastimosa: " Kapayasan sa Oslob" Gihulagway sa Vatican ang "Spotlight" nga di anti-Catholic ug nga igo lang nituki sa kalisod sa mga biktima sa pangabuso sa pagpangita og hustisya sa ilang gidangatan tungod sa pagtabon sa mga kardinal ug mga obispo sa mga pari nga gipasanginlan og mga krimen. Bugtong gisaway sa Vatican ang kapakyas sa producers pag-apil sa seryusong kampanya sa Roma batok sa pangabuso sa kaparian.  Ambot unsay sukaranan sa pangangkon sa Vatican sa seryuso nilang kampanya batok sa pangabuso. [...] A pan wa pay nakita ang katawhan nga konkreto nga mga lakang ang Simbahang Katoliko sa pagpatuman sa agresibong kampanya sa Santo Papa. Makapasubo nga sa atong kaugalingong tugkaran, nitumaw gihapon ang mga pasangil sa padayong pangabuso sa kaparian ug sa padayong pagtabon sa mga obispo ug ubang kadagkoan sa simbahan. [...]  Napugos bang simbahan pagpapahawa ni Garcia kay gibisto sa laing pamantalaan sa Estados Unidos, ang Los Angeles ...

The Freeman's  Lastimosa: " Linigwatay sa lana" Human sa pila ka semana nga pagsaka sa presyo sa lana, may mga eskperto nang nangagpas nga nitugsad na ang lana sa iyang kinabaratohan nga ang-ang. Busa wa nay laing kapaingnan. Nipadayag sila og pagsalig nga magsugod na sab pagsaka ang presyo sa mga produkto sa lana sa mosunod nga mga adlaw.  Gitumbok nila ang mosunod nga mga sukaranan sa ilang pangagpas sa pagmahal sa lana: (1) Kasabotan sa Saudi Arabia, Russia ug Qatar paglaslas sa ilang produksiyon sa lana, ubos sa kundisyon nga molaslas sab ang ubang kanasuran; (2) pagsugod na og tidlom sa produksiyon sa lana sa Estados Unidos; ug (3) pagsulbong sa kalibotanong konsumo sa gasolina.   [kinatibuk-ang lindog] Sun.Star Cebu's  Carvajal "Taphaw Kaayo" HOW Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista judged the first debate to be world-class simply beats me. It came nowhere near the definition of a debate as, in-between lengthy commercial...

Philippine Star   If Filipino voters are showing a strong preference for candidates with authoritarian tendencies plus the only son of a dictator, one of the reasons has to be the  perception that democracy is not working for the country.   Those who suffered during the oppressive days of one-man rule can only shake their heads and sigh that people who support politicians with an authoritarian bent don’t  know what monster they are trying to revive. Beyond warning that Filipinos should be careful what they wish for, however, those who want to nurture hard-won freedoms  should address the public frustrations that are giving rise to a longing for discipline and the kind of leadership that gets things done and brings peace and order.   [full text] Sun.Star Cebu  MARCELO Garbo Jr. has gone a long way since his assignment to Central Visayas in 2011 as director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, which is based in Cebu City.  Garbo, who is set t...

Philippine Star   In the Philippines, the communist New People’s Army has been reduced to armed extortion. It has aggravated poverty in the countryside by scaring away investments in  areas where jobs and livelihood opportunities are most needed. The NPA has become a public pestilence in the areas where it has destroyed power transmission and  telecommunications towers. Its leaders, who refuse to go home for fear not only of state forces but also of their own comrades, have sought refuge in one of the  world’s most liberal nations.   [full text] Sun.Star Cebu  [That's] where the hypocrisy of Osmeña's statement surfaces. He claims to “care” about the City's credit record and yet he is widely believed to be behind the decision  of the BOPK councilors to sit on SB 1, using as reason the case filed by lawyer Romulo Torres questioning the legality of the recent sale of SRP lots, part of whose  proceeds the mayor wants to use to fund SB 1. ...

Philippine Star   Journalists often find themselves caught in the crossfire. The nation’s worst case of election-related violence saw 32 media workers being mowed down together with 26 relatives and supporters of a local candidate in Maguindanao who dared challenge the political stranglehold of the region’s ruling clan. [...]  From 1992 until last year, the Committee to Protect Journalists counts 55 Filipino journalists murdered in attacks confirmed to be work-related. The CPJ counts another 53 murders in which the motives have not been established.   [full text] Sun.Star Cebu  Members of the Global Network of Magellan's Cities (GNMC) are in Cebu for a workshop that maps out projects and plans for the 500th anniversary celebration of the Magellan expedition's circumnavigation. The three-year celebration will start in 2019 and end in 2022. Cebu is an important part of the celebration primarily because of the Battle of Mactan.  [full text]

L. Lastimosa in the Freeman Samtang may sukaranan ang mga pagsaway nga napamatud-an na sang pagtulon-an sa atong katiguwangan nga manguros lang ta kon kilatan, kay karon pa magkara-kara pagpangita og mga alternatibo sa trapiko nga gisugdan nang pag-ayo sa unang taytayan sa Mandaue ug Mactan, mahimong magamit ning kahigayonan di lang sa pagpahapsay sa trapiko kon di sa pagpalambo sab sa turismo. [...]  Hinaot nga ang nagkahuot nga trapiko, nagkadaghan nga basura ug nagkagrabe nga mga baha sa Metro Cebu makapakumbinser na gyod sa mga mayor sa pagpadaplin na sa ilang mga garbo ug mopaluyo na sa dinaliang panginahanglan pagtukod sa Metro Cebu Development Authority nga moduma sa kumon nilang mga interes sa trapiko, basura ug drainage.   [kinatibuk-ang lindog] Sun.Star Cebu's Carvajal "Sinulog and Politics" was a study done by USC’s (University of San Carlos) Center for Governance, Leadership and Development.  As reported (Sun.Star Cebu, Feb. 8), one major conclusion wa...

Philippine Star   That scandal and several changes of BOC heads have not put an end to the rampant smuggling of almost everything from frozen meat to rice, onions and luxury vehicles.  Outside Customs zones, local political kingpins themselves are widely suspected to be leading smuggling rings, bringing in through coastal communities a wide range of  contraband including motorcycles and even guns and prohibited drugs.   [full text] Sun.Star Cebu  Yet anyone who stands for election, especially a presidential election, needs to give up expectations of privacy on most matters. Information about whether a  presidential candidate is physically and mentally fit for such a sensitive and taxing position should be disclosed—the public’s right to know being paramount. And the  candidate who volunteers to disclose such information would be doing potential voters a service.   [full text] Cebu Daily News The problem of informal settlers has grown s...

For Fr D'Ambra, the Eucharist is a spiritual force that leads us to the encounter with Muslims The PIME missionary spoke today at the symposium introducing the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu. “The point of comparison is Emmaus, where two  disciples recognised the Lord as he broke the bread, and from that, they found strength to move at night without fear.” In addition, “The challenge, in my opinion, is  to try to communicate to others what the Eucharist is, even though Muslims have a hard time understanding that." Cebu (AsiaNews) – A theological symposium titled The Eucharist in the Church's dialogue with religions and religious traditions began today in Cebu, in Central Visayas, as a prelude to the 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) scheduled to take place in Cebu on 24-31 January. [link] Card Bo, Eucharistic Congress: Evangelizing via dialogue with religions, cultures, poor The Burmese cardinal and papal legate outlines the ...

Cebu: all set for the International Eucharistic Congress Some 10,000 people from around the world are expected at the meeting, centred on "Christ in you, our hope of glory." Keynote speakers include cardinals from Yangon, Mumbai, Abuja and New York. The Eucharist is the heart of the mission and dialogue with other religions. Manila (AsiaNews) – About 10,000 people are getting ready to take part in the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu (Philippines) on 24 January 2016. A three-day theological symposium will precede it, at the same venue, starting this Wednesday. Pope Benedict XVI chose Cebu site in June 2012, at the last International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin (Ireland). This year’s gathering will be centred on "Christ in you, our hope of glory’. For the Philippines, it will also be the second time it hosts the Congress. The previous one, the 30th, was held in 1937 in accordance with Pope Pius XI’s wishes. At the time, the pontiff wante...

Inquirer  on Kobe Bryant KOBE BRYANT will go down in history as the best player of his basketball era. The numbers that he accumulated throughout his career as a member of the Los Angeles  Lakers do not pay him sufficient homage. He is more than the championship trophies, the MVP awards, the statistics, the jerseys, the arena seats sold, and the fans  collected. [full text] Sun.Star Cebu  on Cebu politics “Weder-weder lang” surfaced in the months going into the mid-term elections in 2013 with the suspension by Malacañang of then governor Gwendolyn Garcia, allowing LP  stalwarts to take over the Capitol for the duration of the campaign period. One Cebu gubernatorial bet Pablo John Garcia eventually lost to the LP’s Hilario Davide  III. [...] Yesterday, officials of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) 7 implemented Malacañang’s order to suspend Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama for 60 days. [full text] Manila Bulletin   about P...

Inquirer  on climate conference in Paris Developments in the negotiations [of the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21)], now down to the last two days of an exhausting fortnight, may still prevent the “Draft  Paris Outcome” from taking off. Perhaps countries like Saudi Arabia may balk if full decarbonization is adopted as an objective; perhaps energy-hungry economies like  India or China may resist strong language about limiting the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. [...]  The sluggish pace of negotiations over the language of the draft agreement and its implementing decision prompted the French hosts—under the UN system, the hosts  serve as president of the conference and enjoy a wide latitude for initiative—to fast-track the talks, at the same time preserving the openness of the process which  the French presidency put in place.  [full text] Sun.Star Cebu  on the new Cebu police director Chief...

Inquirer  about Duterte and presidential elections Log on to Facebook and chances are one would come across a number of posts from defenders of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos waxing eloquent about “the golden era, the  prosperity, the peace and order”  of the martial law years. Given the bad grammar, the flawed logic and the rampant name-calling, one would be tempted to dismiss such  posts as the work of trolls and hacks intended to advance the political stock of the dictator’s son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who is running for vice- president. Except that the recent ascendancy of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, whom one recent survey pronounced No. 1 among the presidential aspirants, gives one  serious pause. [full text] Sun.Star Cebu  on Cebu councilors and budget This has become a ritual in the Cebu City Council in the past six weeks: a member identified with Team Rama delivering a privilege speech during the regular session  aski...

Inquirer  on  Mar Roxas and presidential elections Ex-Secretary Mar Roxas is the first candidate for president in the post-Edsa era to run on the promise of specific program continuity, and he is not shy about it. [...]  Other candidates have campaigned on the basis of promised reforms, of course; but no one, not even Fidel Ramos in 1992, could present himself or herself as the avatar of continuity. Whether this is a winning strategy for Roxas—Mr. Aquino’s losing vice presidential running mate in 2010 and his survey-challenged preferred successor in 2016—remains to be seen.  [full page] Sun.Star Cebu   about the International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu The IEC is among the major global activities in the calendar of the Catholic Church and the number of Catholic Church faithful it gathers is huge. Besides, it is not often that a local hierarchy or a country gets to host it. Consider, for example, that the last time the Philippines hosted the IEC wa...