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For the past 17 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
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PMA alumni say 'shame' will not taint military school's name
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TARNISHED HONOR? President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gives Army 2Lt. Rolly Joaquin a medal for topping the PMA Class of 2004. The US recently deported Joaquin for alleged shoplifting.
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NEW YORK, November 25, 2004 --- The valedictorian of the prestigious Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 2004, who was in the United States for schooling as a reward for topping his class, was arrested by US authorities for alleged theft by deception and deported back to the country, a report said.
Army 2Lt. Rolly Joaquin, a student of the Infantry Officer Basic Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, was caught supposedly removing the 50-cent discount tag from a sale item and attaching it to a non-sale item that he purchased sometime in October.
The incident was reported by the Joint United States Military Assistance Group-Philippines to the Army on Oct. 26.
Joaquin arrived on Oct. 28 in Manila and was turned over to the Army's Headquarters Support Group for custody.
The top PMA graduate's deportation happened amid the controversy of corruption as a result of the case of embattled Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, who allegedly pocketed millions of pesos of military funds.
Army officials in Manila said Joaquin is now restricted to quarters and is undergoing investigation, the report said. If prima facie evidence is established, he will be subjected to court-martial proceedings just like Garcia for violation of Article of War 96 or conduct unbecoming of an officer and gentleman, and Article of War 97 or conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline
“Independent of the court-martial proceedings, the subject officer can also be administratively charged under the Armed Forces’ Efficiency and Separation Board,” said Maj. Vicente Bartolome Bacarro, chief of the Army public information office.“The Army leadership would like to take this opportunity to assure the public that these matters will be addressed accordingly and that appropriate punishment shall be meted out.”
Shame, shame, shame
Some PMA alumni rally round their school on Thursday to show that the shame brought by Joaquin will not taint the name of the military school.
Deputy Director General Ricardo de Leon, PMA Class 1971 president, told Manila Standard that what Joaquin did does not badly reflect on the PMA as an institution.
“His action was a personal one. He acted alone. We should not view this incident as reflecting on the whole PMA,” De Leon said.
Director Avelino Razon Jr., a member of PMA Class 1974, said Joaquin’s case should be treated as an isolated one and that not all PMA graduates are like him.
“I still believe the PMA graduates are still the best qualified for the job in the PNP and the Armed Forces,” Razon said at a press briefing in Camp Crame.
Razon is the former president of the PMA Alumni Association Inc. in the PNP Chapter and now chief of the National Capital Regional Police Office.
The government spends as much as P2 million for every cadet who goes through four years of schooling at PMA.
“Having been in the military myself, of course, I am not happy with what is happening in the AFP,” Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who was a former soldier, said in a report.
But he said no organization is perfect as “in every jungle there will always be snakes,” adding that “the military forces of even the most powerful countries such as the US have their share of controversies and errant members.”
Meanwhile, Maj. Ferdinand Ramos, Civil Military Operations commander of the Army’s Light Armor Brigade based in Camp O’Donnel in Capas, Tarlac, is now the subject of investigation after video footage of his alleged oral sex with trainees was shown on national television.
Joaquin’s shoplifting case is the latest blot on the Armed Forces’ image.
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Kin says ‘Best Christmas ever’
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Filipino Diplomat Angelito Nayan, one of the three UN hostages who were freed on November 23 after almost four weeks in captivity, arrives at the presidential palace for a meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul. (MNSwirephoto)
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NEW YORK, November 24, 2004 --- Angelito Nayan and two other UN worker hostages were released late Monday evening after almost a month of tumultuous captivity in Afghanistan, the Philippine Mission here said.
Nayan and two other hostages — Annetta Flanigan of Northern Ireland and Shqipe Hebibi of Kosovo —were abducted in Kabul last month after joining as UN official monitoring team to oversee the presidential elections there last Oct. 28. They were released to Afghan officials.
Last Wednesday, Nayan met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and thanked the authorities in Kabul for their efforts to obtain his safe release.
At Kabul’s presidential palace, Karzai presented carpets as gifts to Nayan and his colleagues Flanigan and Hebibi.
“We’re very glad by the grace of God our two sisters and a brother who were taken by the hostage takers, by the criminals, were released safe and sound,” Karzai told reporters. “This was something of which the people of Afghanistan were ashamed.”
“We are very, very happy and relieved that they are back... They seem to be in good spirits,” UN spokesman Manoel de Almeida-Silva told Agence France Presse.
A source close to the investigation who met the three UN workers Tuesday afternoon said he was surprised at how well they looked after their ordeal.
“They looked very healthy. They were very well treated,” the source said.
The United Nations will shoulder the expenses for Nayan’s homecoming. Television footage showed Nayan smiling and shaking hands with Filipino officials in Kabul after his release.
An American still remains in captivity.
A Christmas wish come true
“An answered prayer and a wish granted before Christmas.”
That was how the family and friends of Nayan in Las Piñas City described his release after almost a month of being held captive in Afghanistan.
After learning of his release, neighbors of Nayan at Casimiro Townhomes shed tears of joy, jumped and shouted in jubilation.
They hugged one another before offering prayers to thank God for the “miracle” that brought them closer together.
A phone call from Nayan's older sister, Grace, who also serves as family spokeswoman, brought the good news to the neighborhood and started the celebration.
Nicole Daniel, president of the homeowners’ association, said she could not contain her excitement to spread the good news to the neighborhood, where residents have been holding a vigil every night since Nayan’s abduction on Oct. 28.
Daniel said she felt the happiness in the voice of Nayanís sister who, in behalf of the Nayan family, thanked “those who sympathized and helped, in cash or in kind.”
“I felt her joy. Through her voice, you could almost see how relieved she was while spreading the news,” Daniel told reporters.
After the thanksgiving prayer, Daniel once again led her neighbors in a two-hour motorcade to spread the news around the city.
And as if there were an immediate connection among the residents of the city, the people came out of their houses and waved at the passing motorcade with smiles on their faces.
The “Release Angelito Nayan now!” posters were now replaced with colorful banners that read “Welcome back, Angelito!”
Nayan’s neighbors, in their white vigil uniform, attributed the hostageís release to “God (who) has granted our prayer because we stood together.”
Daniel said they were organizing a festive welcome party for Nayan, who is expected to return home today. “We are coordinating with various people to prepare for the festivity.”
She also noted how the “Nayan experience” was a bonding experience.
“Our relationship has been enhanced by this and weíll surely treasure this forever.”
As requested by the family and neighborhood officials, there were no politicians or interest groups who took advantage of the issue.
“No politician went here, not even once,” noted Daniel.
When asked what would be the first thing they would be saying to Nayan when he arrives home, the neighbors said they would likely be speechless.
“We could tell him how happy we are without even saying a single word,” one of them said.
Last Thursday, Nayan's friends and neighbors began preparing to welcome him home.
Fajardo in Las Piñas as his friends and neighbors began preparing to welcome Nayan home.
Daniel said they would be awarding Nayan with a plaque of appreciation for his earlier contribution to their organization.
Nayan holds a bachelor degree in Economics from the University of the Philippines and post-graduate degree in International Relations from the International University of Japan. He worked on the financing of the establishment of the Casimiro Townhomes multi-purpose hall, where the prayer vigil for his safe release was regularly held.
“He was also an inspiration to our young people here. We admire him for being a scholar, and we want our children to be just like him,” Daniel said.
Mystery surrounds Nayan's release
While the nation celebrates, mystery still surrounds the exact circumstances of the UN workers’ release in Kabul.
In Los Angeles, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said no deal had been made with the hostage-takers. Earlier the president's statement was backed by government officials who said that no ransom was paid.
“I thank God and I'm deeply grateful to the people who helped facilitate the release of Angelito Nayan and to the millions of Filipinos who prayed that he be spared from harm,” Arroyo said in a statement.
Tarongoy, held by gunmen in Iraq since Nov. 1, also was not far from Arroyo's thoughts.
“Let us continue our efforts and prayers for Roberto Tarongoy that he will likewise be spared,” she said. “My hopes are undiminished as we hold precious every Filipino life anywhere in the world.”
But Arroyo said that while she was proud of the courage of Filipino workers, “they should not gamble away their lives and their luck too far to the detriment of their loved ones.”
“The [Department of Foreign Affairs] shall continue to take measures to keep Filipinos out of harm’s way in the world's danger zones,” she said.
However, a spokesman for a Taliban splinter group which claimed to have been holding the hostages said negotiations actually happened.
“The government might say that the three were released on no deal, but that is not possible,” spokesman Sayed Khaled told AFP by phone from an undisclosed location. --- with reports from MNS
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KISS-AND-MAKE-UP. President George Bush walks with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the APEC held in Chile last week.
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NEW YORK, November 25, 2004 --- The move to secure protection for immigrant workers got a big push as President George Bush renewed calls for immigration reforms and Congress backed H-1B reform bill for professional foreign workers.
During the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Chile, Bush said his proposed guest worker initiative would strengthen border security and help the economy.
“We would much rather have security guards chasing down terrorists or drug runners or drug smugglers than people coming to work,” the president said in a report. “I think a guest worker program is important.”
Meantime, both Senate and Congress have approved the exemption of quota of foreign workers who have higher education like master’s or doctorate degrees for those applying with H1-B visas.
This means that foreigners who obtained higher education , specifically those who obtained their higher degrees in American universities, would not be covered with the yearly 65,000 quota for foreign workers.
However, applicants in this category have to pay an additional $2,000 for fraud prevention and technical skills development training on top of the $185 application visa fee, said Filipino-American immigration lawyer Reuben Seguritan.
These important immigration developments represent a significant gain for immigrants, who for the past four years agonized over the government lack of concerns on immigrants, especially those 8 to 10 million illegal immigrants toiling a living without protection.
Despite Bush’s pronouncements on immigration reforms, Seguritan is cautious on his views.
“The bill has yet to be introduced in Congress. Some Republicans are against it , and they are very powerful. I doubt if it would be passed,” said Seguritan.
He said that Bush’s proposal is only a guest worker program without a guarantee of granting permanent residency to immigrants. Concerned on the rights of most Filipino workers,
Seguritan said there are many Filipinos who have no documents yet, they work hard to contribute to the economy. If these Filipinos would come out and apply for the guest workers’ program, Seguritan hoped immigration agents must not go after or arrest them. If guest workers’ program would be approved, he added, these undocumented workers would have a chance to be reunited with their families.
“I hope we won’t be disappointed. Let’s hope something will happen.”
On the H1-B amendment, Seguritan said not too many Filipinos have higher education and they may not largely benefit from it.
For the past four years, Bush barely mentioned immigration in his agenda except last January when he announced a plan to issue three-year temporary working permits for undocumented workers.
Last weekend, Bush met Mexican President Vicente Fox and discussed immigration issues, including border protection.
“One way to make sure the border is secure is to have reasonable immigration policies,” Bush said.
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MANILA, November 21, 2004 --- A Filipino-American was arrested last Thursday for raping a five-year-old child in Pampanga, in the Philippines.
George Yambao Brown was arrested by police at his home in Masantol, Pampanga, based on a complaint in court from the victim’s parents.
Alipino Fernandez, immigration commissioner, said Brown was already an overstaying alien after his visa expired in 1998.
Brown will have to serve his sentence in the Philippines before he could be deported, if he will be proven guilty.
But officials said that he might spend his entire life in jail because he was accused of crime punishable by life sentence or death.
Brown’s arrest came after the victim’s family sought the help of a local television program, demanding justice fir the child.
The victim, whose name was withheld, was raped on June 7, according to a Manila Standard report, after she and three other playmates asked for some mango fruits planted in Brown’s backyard.
The suspect allegedly invited the girl to his home, and raped her.
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To extend stay in RP, use RP, not US passport
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CHICAGO, November 25, 2004 --- If you hold dual citizenships and you have two passports, you may present the Philippine passport when you check in at the Philippine port of entry so that your passport can be stamped “Balikbayan” that will let you to stay in the Philippines for a maximum of one year.
However, if you present your foreign citizenship passport, you will only be allowed to stay in the Philippines for a maximum of 21 days.
Also if a dual citizen would like to run for an elective office in the Philippines, he will have to renounce his foreign citizenship before a public officer authorized to administer an oath. Those appointed to a public office “shall also make a sworn renunciation of the oath of allegiance to the country where they took their oath.”
These were some of the salient features of the Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003 that were discussed by the representatives of Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez, Jr. who held a public hearing on the law at the Philippine Consulate here last Tuesday.
Lawyers Alvin Cesar G. Santos and Maria Antonette D. Bucasas, chairman and vice-chair, respectively, of the BI team on committee on dual citizenship or Republic Act 9225 or Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003, are on a six-city U.S. swing to gather feedback on the law before its implementation rules are up for amendment in the first quarter of the coming new year. They first traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii; Los Angeles and San Francisco, California; then, Chicago, Illinois, New York, New York and Washington, D.C.
Responding to query from a member of the Filipino community, Attorney Santos said that if a Balikbayan fears that he has a namesake on a BI watch list, the first thing that he should do is to write the nearest Philippine Consulate about it. Then, the Consulate will write a letter to the BI to find out if he has a namesake.
If he has a namesake, then, the BI will be alerted about it and the Balikbayan will not be unnecessarily grilled at the port of entry.
It was also disclosed that according to another law (Republic Act 8424), only income derived from the Philippines will be taxed by the Philippine government. Income derived from the U.S. will be taxed by the U.S. government.
According to RA 9225, a person, who has re-acquired Filipino citizenship, may be able to practice his/her profession in the Philippines provided he/she applies with the Professional Regulation Commission (or the Supreme Court for lawyers) for a license or permit to engage in such practice.
The same law provides that “an immigrant visa may be issued to a Filipino citizen’s foreign spouse which entitles him/her to permanently reside in the Philippines.
The visa may be obtained at the Philippine Embassy or Consulate. The validity of the visa is contingent upon the Filipino citizenship of his/her spouse.
Also, if a Filipino citizen travels with his/her foreign spouse and children to the Philippines, they do not need to secure other travel documents because they are entitled to a visa-free entry to the Philippines for a period of one year, among the privileges.
The law also declares “unmarried children and below 18 years old of age upon the re-acquisition of Filipino citizenship to be Filipino citizens under the Philippine laws and are entitled to the rights and privileges attendant thereto.”
The law also defines natural-born citizens of the Philippines as those citizens of the Philippines from birth without having to acquire or perfect the Philippine citizen when their fathers or mothers are citizens of the Philippines at the time of their birth; and those born before Jan. 17, 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elect Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority.
After the passage of RA 9225, a natural-born Filipino who becomes a naturalized citizen of another country is deemed not to have lost his/her Philippine citizenship under said law.
The law also says that residency in the Philippines is not a requirement for those who re-acquire Filipino citizenship.
Those who re-acquire Filipino citizenship under RA 9225 will again enjoy full civil, economic and political rights under the Philippine laws. Among these rights are the right to own real property in the Philippines; the right to engage in business or commerce as a Filipino; the right to practice one’s profession in accordance with law; the right to travel with a Philippine passport; and the right to vote in Philippine elections under existing laws.
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