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Founded in 1986
Founding Publisher/Editor:
Lito A. Gajilan
Columnists:
Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel
Joseph G. Lariosa
Gani P. Tolentino
Ted L. Reyes
Atty. Reuben S. Seguritan
Photographers:
Butch Gata
Sheryl Garcia
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not reflect the opinion of the paper nor that of the publisher
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For the past 20 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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To tell us what you think about Filipino Express Online or to comment on the stories published here, E-mail us at Filexpress@aol.com
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THE Church is supposed to offer respite for wounded souls. It should provide the warmth of goodwill to thaw the coldness of sin. It should be community where the love of God is felt.
However, in the case of people abused by servant of the Church, it is anything but. To them, the Church is everything that went wrong with their lives. It is their perpetual reminder of injustice and sin. It symbolizes their lost innocence and gained trauma.
We post the question to all the servants of God guilty of misdeeds: Why?
It is not that these members of the clergy have no choice at all. They have.
Given that their vocation requires inhuman discipline to eliminate carnal desires, they are not trapped in the four walls of their convents. They could always leave the priesthood and indulge themselves with worldly affairs. However, most of these ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’ chose to be God’s representatives on earth while they fornicate, rape and molest hapless young parishioners. Not only do they inflict irreparable harm to their institutions, they forever cast doubts about the beauty of the vocation.
True, they are human. However, if at one point, these priests feel the urge to consummate their hidden sexual impulses, they should get help among their organization. Surely, their superiors would advice them to quell these desires and be true to their vows. They could also be advised to leave the priesthood, if their desires for the flesh are too great to be overcome by their priestly wills. Yet, still, these priests do not leave. They remain priests, administering Holy Sacraments while they succumb to temptations.
In the seminary, before priests recite their vows, they are given a whole year to search for themselves in the real world. Most of these ‘soon-to-be priests’ find the pleasures of the world during this period, and most of them do not return to heed the call of God.
Others do return and get ordained into the priesthood, assuming that they have overcome what is there to overcome in the world.
Now, to see priests commit horrible sexual acts while in the service of the Lord is inexcusable. Perhaps, these evil priests knew all along that their collars and habits would make it easy for them to lure their victims. In other words, they use their sacred office for their own lustful intentions.
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ACLU sues USCIS over delay
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(Editor’s Note: REUBEN S. SEGURITAN has been practicing law for over 30 years. For further information, you may call him at 212 695 5281 or log on to his website at www.seguritan.com)
THE excessive delay in processing naturalization applications has forced thousands to file lawsuits against the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). These cases are either still pending or have been settled by the parties without addressing the underlying problem of bureaucratic delay.
The delays are the result of the FBI name checks that have been conducted after the 9/11 tragedy as an added security measure against the threat of terrorism. Because of the slow processing of the name checks, a huge backlog has been created causing naturalization applicants to wait for years after their interviews for their U.S. citizenship.
Last Tuesday, December 4, a federal class action suit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California, the National Immigration Law Center, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center and the law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson against the Attorney General, the USCIS and the FBI. The case, Bavi v. Mukasey, seeks to enforce the time limits on the name checks for naturalization applicants.
The current federal law requires that the government approves or denies a citizenship application within 120 days of the naturalization interview. Since the implementation of the FBI name checks, many of these cases have been left lingering for over two years.
In this class action suit, it is argued that aside from depriving the applicants of procedural due process, the excessive delay in conducting FBI name checks actually runs counter to national security concerns in that it actually “extends the time for a potential criminal or terrorist to remain in the country.”
Even the USCIS ombudsman found that the “FBI name check backlogs have grown worse over the past few years, and due to the delay, the name checks themselves may have little value in identifying persons who pose a threat.” While this case is one of the several lawsuits pending in courts around the country, this is the first time to address the issues for those who already had their naturalization interviews and for those who have not.
The unreasonable delay has caused extreme hardship to the applicants because they are deprived of due process and certain privileges and rights of U.S. citizenship such as the right to vote, to apply for federal jobs and to petition for their relatives to join them in the U.S.
One of the plaintiffs, who is from Korea, claimed that he had filed for citizenship several months ahead of his parents and brother, but he has not taken his oath yet although his parents and brother have become U.S. citizens. Another plaintiff, originally from Iran, said that he filed his naturalization application in May 2003 but the name check has not been completed.
Hopefully, this latest lawsuit will force the USCIS and the FBI to streamline their procedures in order to meet the deadlines as provided by federal laws.
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College in the RP named after New Yorker
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THE late New York millionaire Reginald F. Lewis may not have set foot on the farming barangay in Cogon in Sorsogon City in the Philippines but his foot prints are indelibly etched in its sands. His heirs may not have spent $40-million the way talk show host queen Oprah Winfrey spent in establishing the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa but they made sure the Lewis College was bought and named after Reginald F. Lewis, whose 14th death anniversary is being observed this coming weekend in his native Baltimore, Maryland.
Filipino American leader Loida Nicolas Lewis, the widow of Reginald F. Lewis, said that when she decided to buy what used to be the Annunciation College in what originally was Bacon town, now part of Sorsogon City, she made sure that the new college will be named after her late husband, who wanted to impart education to the youth.
"It was just his way of paying back to the community. The Lewis College is definitely one of my husband’s legacies in the Philippines,” Attorney Lewis, of Sorsogon City, said. “And we are determined to make it avant-garde and friendlier to poor students in pursuit of advanced education.”
Among the courses offered by the school are bachelors of sciences in business administration, entrepreneurship, elementary and secondary education, information technology, computer technology and nursing assistant courses.
In life, Mr. Lewis’s philanthropy has been legendary. His 1992 gift of $3 million to his alma mater, Harvard University Law School, where he finished his law program, was the largest single donation in its history.
Mr. Lewis, the black leverage buyout (LBO) king, is going to be remembered in what would have been his 65th birthday on Dec. 7th in his native Baltimore.
Mrs. Lewis said a weekend long celebration is being planned with Robert L. Johnson, founder of BET and The RLJ Companies, as the keynote speaker at a party marking his achievements and legacy at the eponymous Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture in Baltimore from Dec. 6 to 9.
Mr. Lewis cut a trailblazing path when, in 1988, he became the first African American to gain controlling ownership in a billion dollar enterprise—TLC Beatrice Foods.
“People might ask— why honor my husband’s memory now and in this way?” Mrs. Lewis said. “The truth is that I have met so many who have told me how Reginald inspired them, or gave them a working business model, or just simply instilled in them a sense of possibility. Often these people also have said that they think his story should be better known as well as the ongoing work that his efforts have helped to underwrite. These heartfelt comments have, to a large degree, convinced me that a big event, not just a party, but an event that would provide greater insight into the man and his legacy was called for.”
“A lot of people have forgotten what the world was like for Black entrepreneurs prior to Reggie’s acquisition of Beatrice,” said Robert L. Johnson. “During the ’80s, a number of us were striving to make our way to the top and seemingly banging our heads against a glass ceiling. Then the Beatrice deal went through and, afterwards, while it was still tough, we nevertheless knew it was possible to ascend to great heights. And Reggie didn’t forget us when he broke through. He, in fact, provided personal advice as well as other resources that were invaluable to me and others throughout our climb. It is because of who he was and what he did that makes me proud to be a part of the December activities.”
The Reginald F. Lewis Celebration Weekend will include the following activities: Thursday, December 6th –Miracle in Rwanda. This play featuring Mr. Lewis’ eldest daughter, Leslie Lewis Sword, has received rave reviews and will be performed at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. Public Friday, December 7th –Reginald F. Lewis 65th Birthday Bash. A black tie party befitting a man of Mr. Lewis’ stature will be held in his honor. Robert L. Johnson is the featured speaker. Invitation Only Saturday, December 8th –Lecture Series: Remembering Reginald F. Lewis. Former executives of TLC Beatrice International Holdings will share inspiring stories about their trailblazing CEO. When Lewis died in 1993, his company had sales of more than $2 billion dollars and was the nation’s largest African American-owned business. Public Sunday, December 9th— Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture Annual Gala. The Museum’s first-ever gala fundraiser. Public For additional details of the events, readers may visit the website: www.reginaldflewis
(lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)
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PEOPLE Power, we’re told, is the “post-modern coup d’ etat. As their Penninsula Hotel coup collapsed,. Navy Lt. (now Senator) Antonio Trillanes, Gen. Danilo Lim and rebels found, yet again, that this whirlwind can’t be saddled at whim. Those who try can end as flotsam.
"Few countries do political scandal, as well or as often, as the Philippines, the great economic underachiever of Asia” Australian Financial Review wrote of Trillanes first attempt to harness people power. “Now, rumor-loving Filipinos lap up their latest political soap opera which could abort… Arroyo's mediocre presidency. It'd be hilarious if it were not so tragic.”
From Oakwood hotel in 2003, Trillanes and his Magdalos called people to revolt. Media saturation covered the angry rhetoric, armbands, combat boots, glitzy radios, new firearms, boat and air tickets for soldiers. From his clink, Joseph Estrada denied bankrolling them. This wasn’t a “coup for rent”, Trillanes fumed. It was about ideals – shredding the constitution with Magdalos as caudillos. The mutiny crumbled, within 24 hours, when people didn’t RSVP.
As communists clung to their coat-tails, the opposition boasted, in 2005, they’d hitch up “People Power” thru a cellphone barrage. “Let a thousand cell phones bloom” as President delivered her July State of the Nation message: Millions would then scramble for the barricades.
Japanese use cellphones for shopping. We wage revolution with them, as in People Power 2. “But “the cell phones didn’t ring twice this time,” Viewpoint noted ( PDI / July 28,2005 ) That attempt to clamp on a Burmese style-junta fizzled. In 2007, people again ignored the call to mass at Peninsula, despite Makati mayor Jejomar Binay donning fatigues, “just in case.”
A Honolulu Star Bulletin carton captures people’s dogged refusal to shred the constitution. Sketched by the talented Corky Trinidad, the carton depicts a handful of armed soldiers, perched on a mall stand, demanding: “Gloria Resign”. Heedless crowds walk by as a woman asks: “What’s that all about?”. A man replies : “Edsa 52”.
Filipinos being Filipinos, we’ve clogged email and cellphone circuits with jokes. “What were the 10 reasons why Trillanes & Co. packed up?”, asks an Internet gag . Answers: (1) Not even Trillanes’ mother joined them; (2) Oakwood had a better lobby (3) Peninsula ran out of halo-halo ( 4 ) The armored personnel carrier didn’t use valet service to get into the hotel parking lot; instead, it rammed the lobby; ( 5) Trillianes said being tear-gassed was not part of his mandate as senator;. (6) Guingona thought it was an anti-Erap, or pro-Erap pardon rally, whatever...( 7) Surrender was better than the company of Fr. Robert Reyes. (8) Trillianes noticed people were crying, not because of the tear gas but because of him(9) Even the President was beginning to look better the longer they stayed; and ( 10 ) As at Oakwood, they’d vamoose before the hotel bill came” The wisecracks paper over the stiff bill. Peninsula lost P56 million. But the real cost is damage on institutional integrity and self-respect as a nation.
“Experience allows us to repeat our mistakes, only with more finesse.” Yet, these rebels rerun old errors, with even more sloppiness. You can’t peg a revolution on tv anchors and headlines. .Trillanes, Lim et al have a visceral dislike for the President. So do others. But theirs was reinforced by illusions of their own charisma. Their grievances were valid. But these blinded them to selfseeking agenda of “allies”.
Ghandi's Salt Tax protest, in 1930, preceeded Edsa and the Berlin Wall’s collapse. “In countries with weak institutions, illegitimate, corrupt leaders, citizens became actors in the only way they could, says Johns Hopkins University’s Riordan Roett, "Education empowered people to oppose traditional elites.” And media’s new technologies amplified the megaphone's reach.
"Since the 1970s, the trend…has been a gradual global shift from violent 'people's war' to nonviolent people power," Jesse Walker notes in "The Other Insurrections." Everywhere, militaries are more reluctant to repress demonstrators.
After Edsa came Czechoslovakia's "Velvet Uprising, the Ukraine's "Orange Revolution," Georgia's "Rose Rebellion". These toppled pro- Soviet governments without bloodshed. Lebanon's "Cedar Revolution" droveout Syrian occupiers. Ecuador cloned our noise-barrage against Marcos. Mass protests yanked out presidents in Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Haiti.
Not all People Power have happy endings. Did our would-be caudillos ignore this lesson?
The Uzbekistan revolt, over rigged polls, was brutally crushed. In Zimbabwe, misrule has inflation raging at 3,732 percent while 4.8 million starve. But people power didn’t “ignite”, Christian Science Monitor reports. Like Marcos, Robert Mugabe's men torture critics and gag media. But the opposition never jelled around a leader of integrity, like South Africa's Nelson Mandela. Outrage from offense to people's values and unkept promises are other constants.
"People spurn a politics reduced to a mere contest for power between one set of crooks and another," Perla Melba Maggay of the Institute for Studies in Church and Culture says. Are the Penn rebels any better than junketing solons in Madrid’s Gran Via?
In seeking to saddle the whirlwind, our rebels echoed Glendower’s boast.: "I can call spirits from the vasty deep." But they didn’t listen to Hotspur’s reply. “Why, so can I. Or so can any man / "But will they come when you do call for them? ( E-mail: juan1mercado@gmail.com)
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Rebellion – Philippine style
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APPARENTLY, the rebellion this week was definitely not top secret. A young kin who is usually onto rumors of such political developments was telling us about the possibility of such an event last week.
Besides the press, in general, were full of broad hints of political problems of the government. Our experience is that almost all past coups were the subject of lingering rumors before they happened. Filipinos are notorious for discussing such events in hotel coffee shops. As a matter of fact, didn't Trillanes and his group ran this last and earlier operations from function rooms of five-star Makati hotels, the Oakwood and the Peninsula. We strongly suspect that some of their leaders were probably checked in these posh hotels. Very probably, they put the final touches to the plan in the luxurious comforts of these places. It was on TV that they used some of the Peninsula's function rooms for their command posts. It's no surprise that the press in earlier coups had called Filipino rebels "steak commandos". No, they disdain undertaking such operations in the jungles of the boondocks.
Staging the coup from a Makati luxury hotel has its advantages. They would expect government soldiers to hesitate to make an assault in a hotel, because of he great risk of killing not only local guests but especially foreign tourists which would attract many international headlines not only for days but for weeks. But this "steak commando" culture proved to be the rebels' undoing. It worked in favor of the strategy employed by the army.
In keeping with the "gentle" rebel strategy, they first let out the hotel guests and staff to leave the hotel. This would probably count when they go to trial later on. When the military assault commenced, the only noncombatants present inside the Peninsula were practically the media men who stayed of their own volition to pursue their job.
The Peninsula was completely surrounded. Two Simba tanks parked in front of the hotel. The assaualt team, about 20 soldiers, armed to the teeth with heavy long arms and equipped with gas masks which gave a clue as to the method of assault, positioned themselves awaiting the go signal to attack.
Trillanes' group was probably still feeling heartened. Even without hostages, they looked around the luxurious lobby of the million-dollar Makati hotel. The government would not dare sow its destruction. It would cause a terrible economic loss to piss poor Philippines. The military took advantage of this presumed assumption. They issued a deadline at 3 p.m. They attacked at 4 p.m. They started peppering the facade of the building, shattering the glasses of the windows. They received sporadic return firing from the windows. Then the unexpected happened. The two Simba tanks which everybody thought were only for sowing fear to the rebels and not to be used, rolled and smashed through the main front doors. Behind them followed assaulting teams which fired teargas cannisters inside the lobby. The Simbas parked inside the cavernous lobby. Having enjoyed coffee with friends and associates in the same posh lobby many times in the past, we can easily imagine the ghastly sight of the two ugly Simbas parked inside the place.
The lobby and the second floor were filled with tear gas. Shots were being heard. The rebels with tears in their eyes surrendered. The siege ended.
What really did the Trillanes rebels in was the viciousness and wantoness of the assault. Their expectations of a gentle cultured combat were shattered. Still and all, as of this writing, we have not heard of casualties. A rebellion in Manila, Philippine style.
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A Holiday treat here and there
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DECEMBER will turn out to be a special treat for concertgoers back in Manila as well as here in the West Coast.
The concert queen herself, Pops Fernandez is celebrating 25 years in show business with a pre-Christmas concert at the Big Dome in Quezon City. For her special event, fashionista Pops will have eight costume changes for her song and dance numbers. The designers in consideration include Rajo Laurel, Randy Ortiz, Mitch Dulce, Frederick Peralta, Derric Hibaler, Dennis Celestial, Avel Bacudio, Ivar Aseron, Joey Samson. Puey Quinones, Janes Reyes and Lyle Ybanez.
Production numbers will be conceptualized and directed by Rowell Santiago with Homer Flores as musical director.
The Divalicious extravaganza is star-studded with guests from Gary Valenciano to Sharon Cuneta, Kuh Ledesma and Billy Crawford but fans of the concert king should not expect a surprise appearance as the uncouple have not smoked the peace pipe as yet. In fact, Martin Nievera will be having his own gig that same night. Whether intentional or nor is anybody's guess. But he has been vocal about saying that the timing is not right yet for him to be anywhere around Pops.
In fact, at the backstage interview (at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, site of the Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches fundraising concert event) I had with him a month ago , which followed the Pops and Kuh Concert in Los Angeles, Martin was quite candid when he put the blame on Pops as having killed their tandem with her tell-all interview in Yes magazine.
Martin himself will be doing his own thing meaning concerts in Ontario and L.A. at the La Mirada theater on December 21st. And, will also mark his silver anniversary in the concert scene at the Araneta Coliseum come February.
But, here's the big but. Days before Pops left for Manila (last October), I was fortunate enough to get a call from her via her cell phone as she felt and thought she wanted to air her side of the story. Having related to her Martin's declaration of the death of their concert team (because of her revelations in the aforementioned magazine story) Pops disagreed. She said that Martin was just exaggerating and she thought that the both of them would eventually settle things and get back together again to perform on-stage. And, emphasized that the interview she had granted was to say how she feels as a woman and as a mother.
Pops believes that Martin missed the whole point of the magazine article. That it was her coming to the defense of her kids.
Anyway, Pops says she's happy and loves traveling and shopping for her kids. This year she performed with Kuh in the Diva at the Movies concert tour that took them to 27 cities in the US and Canada. Next year, she's headed to Europe and Australia. She has taken a break on her Pipay line and is now endorsing Unica Hija - semi-formal and casual clothes for women at SM branches in Metro Manila.
Meanwhile a New Year's Eve concert is in the offing with no less than the Jukebox Queen, Imelda Papin in center stage In Las Vegas' Orleans Hotel and Casino. The New Year's Eve Special will have two shows 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. with Special Guest singer composer, David Pomeranz who popularized big hits such as Got to Believe in Magic, Born for You and The Old Songs. Those of you who have not experienced New Year's fireworks and Vegas should try it this year. Its well worth with.
The singer-politician who served as a two-term vice-governor of Camarines Sur, and was conferred the Most Outstanding Vice-Governor of the Philippines award for her accomplishments in Bicolandia, is back in familiar turf, this time here in the USA. She attended the Cinema IndioFest appreciation party I co-hosted on November 4 with her concert producer, Oscar Parel, in spite of being under the weather.
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