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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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Grieving Filipino mother denied ‘Gold Star’ membership
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LEFT: DOUBLE GRIEF. Ligaya Lagman, mother of slain Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Lagman, walks away dejected after the American Gold Mothers organization refused her membership.
RIGHT: REAL HERO. A file photo of Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Lagman, who died in Afghanistan, while serving his country. |
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NEW YORK, June 2, 2005 --- Ligaya Lagman experienced the same grief and pain that any mother whose sons and daughters were killed in combat for the U.S. armed services.
But it was more painful for Lagman, of Westchester, NY, when she was rejected to be a member of the American Gold Star Mothers because, though she is a permanent resident and a taxpayer, she is not a U.S. citizen.
The American Gold Mothers is an organization of women whose sons or daughter died while in the line of a military duty.
Her 27-year-old son, Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Lagman, was killed last year in Afghanistan.
The group’s national president, Ann Herd, said: “There’s nothing we can do, because that’s what our organization says. You have to be an American citizen.” She added: “We can’t go changing the rules every time the wind blows.”
That explanation outraged the war veteran who sponsored Lagman’s application, some other members of the mothers group and several members of Congress.
Rep. Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.) said the group should change its rules immediately. He said the Gold Star Mothers’ decision smacks of xenophobia and is in contrast to what Anthony Lagman fought and died for.
A past president of the mothers group, Dorothy Oxendine of Farmingdale, Long Island, said: “There’s no discrimination in a national cemetery. There’s no discrimination when they get killed side by side. So how can we discriminate against a mother?” Oxendine, the former president, said she is sure the general membership would approve a rules change if the board did.
Ligaya Lagman, a Filipino, has lived in the United States for more than 20 years.
Her application was initiated by Ben Spadaro, a veteran from Yonkers. He learned of Anthony Lagman’s death and thought the soldier’s mother would be able to join.
Spadaro is not giving up. He got his brother, a lawyer, to write to the Justice Department, noting that the mothers group receives federal assistance, and is demanding an investigation.
And on Monday, during Memorial Day observances at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2285 in Eastchester, N.Y., Ligaya Lagman will be presented with a gold necklace bearing a gold star. (with reports from AP)
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Dina Bonnevie charged with Estafa
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TOUGHEST ROLE. Actress Dina Bonnevie may be facing her toughest role yet as she answers to charges of estafa, and Securities Regulations Code violations, as a result of her alleged shady dealings involving her beau's telecommunications company.
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MANILA --- ACTRESS Dina Bonnevie and her constant companion are facing syndicated estafa charges filed against them by the National Bureau of Investigation, for allegedly duping several people into investing in a telecommunications business that failed to deliver on its promise.
The actress, Geraldyn Schaer Bonnevie in real life, and Timothy Calvin Ringgenberg, chair and president, respectively, of iFreedom Communications Corp., were charged along with 13 other officers of the firm in the Department of Justice Wednesday afternoon. Aside from estafa, the respondents were also charged with violation of the Securities Regulations Code.
About 40 to 50 more complainants are expected to file similar charges against the couple soon, the NBI said.
The case stemmed from complaints filed by Nilo B. Diongzon, Evelyn Diongzon, Augusto B. Bedia, Joelito B. Del Castillo and Armando C. Dael, who claimed that in 2003, Riggenberg and another respondent, Anthony Victor Reyes, introduced themselves as businessmen whose companies were authorized to engage in the telecommunications business.
The complainants said the respondents claimed to be owners of the latest telecommunications technology known as VoIP (Voice-over Internet Protocol), and had offered, on a promotions basis, telephones using the said technology.
Subscribers were reportedly promised that by using the telephones, they would be able to make inexpensive international calls.
Riggenberg and Reyes allegedly said that the first 50 users of the VoIP telephones would be recognized as co-owners or stockholders of the company, and would be issued a stock certificate of 500 shares.
The complainants said the respondents projected that company revenues would grow at the rate of 300 percent a year, thus giving investors a windfall. A check with the Securities and Exchange Commission, however, revealed that the certificates of stocks issued to them were fake, the complainants added.
Incorporation and By-Laws certificates of iFreedom issued by SEC also showed that Riggenberg was not one of the firm’s incorporators at the time the stocks certificates were signed.
The complainants alleged that the telephones given to them were not at all equipped with VoIP technology. They added that the respondents also failed to return their investments despite their repeated demands.
Bonnevie was implicated in the case because she is one of the firm’s officials, the NBI said.
She was listed as one of the firm’s incorporators, as shown in the company’s amended Certificate of Incorporators and By-Laws, it added.
Asked for comment, an indignant Bonnevie told the news service curtly: “I am not an estafadora (swindler). That is not true at all. I wasn’t involved in that company at that time.”
“I am not willing to grant an interview right now,” she said on the phone, but added that she would come out with an official statement on the issue in a couple of days “as soon as I am ready.” (INS)
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Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy awarded four Fil-Ams as outstanding community leaders. The event was organized by PACCAL headed by Linda Mayo.
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JERSEY CITY, June 2, 2005 --- Emi Villanueva, a retired Filipino-American teacher, loves to dance every weekend, together with seniors at St. Paul Church in Jersey City. When a senior gets sick, she and other members of the Senior Club visit a fellow elderly.
She has raised funds to provide assistance for the aging and sick seniors in Hudson County. Because of her tireless devotion to uplift the lives of seniors, Villanueva, 74, received an award from Mayor Jerramiah Healy last Tuesday, at the City Hall, in celebration of the Asian American Heritage Month. Three more Filipino-Americans and three Pakistani-Americans were also given the same award.
“We have the most ethnically diverse city. We have 50 languages. The Filipino community is very large and important part of Jersey City. “All immigrants in the city have made the city of what it is now,” said Healy who handed out certificates to honor 8 Asian Americans for their outstanding community service.
The certificates were also signed by Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise, Assemblymen Louis Manzo, Anthony Chioppone, and Congressman Robert Menendez.
Sponsored by the Pan American Concerned Citizens Group headed by Linda Mayo and the Pakistanis for America, it aimed to recognize community leaders who mostly volunteer their time, talents and money to support worthy projects for the community.
“Asian Americans population is getting bigger. We have to be stronger and empowered. We want to recognize Asian Americans on their contributions for economic gentrification of Jersey City. This celebration is part of our heritage and culture,” said Mayo who was dressed in a colorful Filipino gown. Her group linked up with politicians and Pakistanis to spearhead the project.
Asian Americans honored were: Armand Porto of CitiGroup and former commander of the Knights of Rizal and officer of Santakruzan religious festival; Glenn Castillo, a businessman and officer of Fil-Am Lions Club; retired teacher Emi Villanueva, president of Senior Club; Dr. Eden Dalanon, former director at the Guttman Institute of breast cancer research in New York, an advocate for the homeless; Sadid Quraishi, former pharmacist of Merck and a member of Pakistan American Pharmaceutical Association; Wahid Shibli of Pfizer and Pakistanis for America, Amar Ali of Ivy Mortgage, founder of News Paper Asia and Choudhri Imtiaz Hussaim, former member of Pakistani Army, now an organizer of Pakistanis for America.
“This event makes me feel good as a community leader and an acknowledgment of what we have done,” said Porto.
Over 200 Asian Americans attended the event and celebrated it by tasting culinary delights from the Philippines and Pakistan.
“I feel satisfaction and happy helping fellow seniors. This award is a big accomplishment,” said Villanueva.
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Two Filipino seafarers who testified on oil pollution
allowed to go back home
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NEW YORK, June 2, 2005 --- After six months of detention and acting as witnesses on ship oil pollution in the United States, two Filipino seafarers were finally released on last Wednesday and allowed to return to the Philippines.
Mario Nocon and Reynaldo Ramonida arrived in the United States on November 25, 2004, aboard MV Friendship. Almost as soon as their vessel arrived, it was seized by U.S. authorities on suspicion of dumping oil in U.S. waters.
Several crew members, including Nocon and Ramodina, were later placed under subpoena to serve as witnesses in the investigation of the vessel.
According to Consul General Cecilia Rebong, the New York Consulate regularly checked on Nocon and Ramonida to make sure that they were treated well during their detention. The Consulate reported that Nocon and Ramonida were treated exceedingly well by the U.S. authorities. They were billeted in a New Jersey hotel for the duration of the investigation. They also continuously received their salaries from their employer.
It was the U.S. Attorney’s office, Rebong said, which recommended the lifting of the subpoena against Nocon and Ramonida, after the two had fully cooperated in the investigation.
Rebong said that Nocon and Ramonida could still board vessels plying the U.S. route since they were neither the subject nor target of any criminal investigation.
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