Weekend balita june 21, 2014

LOS ANGELES

Sarah admits: Matteo is my boyfriend See SARAH page 23

VOL. XXII, NO. 20

JUNE 21 - 27, 2014

THE LEADING SOURCE OF NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR FILIPINO-AMERICANS

Senator Bong Revilla surrenders Famous actor arrested for his ‘role’ in pork barrel scam

By Mynardo Macaraig

Fingerprinting: Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. undergoes booking procedures in Camp Crame on Friday, June 20, after he surrendered to the Sandiganbayan. The anti-graft court manifested that it has taken Revilla into custody because he surrendered, and that there is no need to serve an arrest warrant issued against him. The booking process included a medical examination, and taking his fingerprints and mugshot. (MNS photo)

MANILA, June 20, 2014 (AFP) – A Philippine senator who rose to fame as an action movie hero was arrested on Friday, becoming the first politician detained over a massive corruption scandal allegedly involving dozens of lawmakers.

Ramon “Bong” Revilla surrendered following an emotional saga that played out for weeks on national television and highlighted some of the most chaotic elements of the Philippines’ helter-skelter brand of democracy.

“I will go to jail with my head held high, and I will come out with my head held high,” Revilla, 47, told reporters shortly after attending a mass with his family, his final made-for-TV showpiece before giving himself up.

Revilla then travelled in a luxury sedan, speaking constantly to television news anchors on the phone, to an anti-graft

court for his official surrender on a charge of plunder.

Revilla is one of three senators to have so far been indicted for their alleged roles in a scam in which lawmakers are accused of embezzling hundreds of millions of dollars allotted for development projects.

An enduring feature of the Philippines’ tumultuous democracy has been brazen corruption by politicians, a major reason for deep poverty in the Southeast Asian nation of 100 million people.

But the magnitude and number of politicians involved in the so-called “pork barrel” scam has shocked even the most graft-weary Filipino, triggering a giant anti-corruption rally in Manila last year.

The Supreme Court also reacted by outlawing the “pork barrel” funding mechanism that was allegedly misused, in which lawmakers were given funds with See BONG REVILLA, page 13

Hateful Singapore blog targets Pinoys SINGAPORE, June 19, 2014 (AFP) – Singapore police Thursday said they were

investigating an anonymous blog which listed ways to target the city-state’s Filipino population, in the latest racial row there.

As this developed, Google has taken down that blog drawing praise from Internet users appalled by growing racial tensions in the city-state.

Police said Thursday that they are investigating the anonymous “Blood Stained Singapore” blog, which suggested See BLOG TARGETS, page 13

Presidential Human Rights Committee-Secretariat (PHRCS) Executive Director Severo S. Catura (left) urges the Coalition of Services for the Elderly Inc. (COSE) and Confederation of Older Persons’ Association of the Philippines (COPAP) to plug House Bill No. 408 in different radio and television networks to spread the awareness on the importance of the proposed law for the welfare of the elderly persons during the Forum on Elder Abuse held Tuesday (June 17, 2014) at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Auditorium, Visayas Avenue, Quezon City. Shown in photo at right are the representatives from various sectors of the society signing the Pledge Commitment Document to support the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older People. (MNS photo)

Filipino seaman found PHL, US warships to hold drills dead at Port of LA near China-claimed waters LOS ANGELES – A 39-year-old Filipino crew member of a container ship was found dead Wednesday night at the Port of Los Angeles, authorities said Thursday (Friday in Manila).

Initial investigation by the Port Police and the Federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration showed that the victim died in “an industrial accident” on the cargo vessel the Cap Posada, Port of LA spokesman Phillip Sanfield told the Inquirer in a phone interview.

Sanfield said the victim died from blunt force trauma to the head after a cable broke on the ship while containers were being moved. The body was found at 10:45 p.m. and the estimated time of death was between 10:15 and 10:30 p.m., he said.

The victim’s identity has not been released, as of posting time. The Los Angeles County Department of Coroner and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement are coordinating notification of the victim’s See DEAD SEAMAN, page 13

MANILA, June 20, 2014 (AFP) – Philippine and US warships are set to kick off joint drills near disputed South China Sea waters next week, a Filipino military spokesman said Friday, amid escalating territorial rows between Beijing and its neighbors.

The drills will be held off the west coast of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon, said Lieutenant Rommel Rodriguez, spokesman for Filipino side of the operations.

China claims most of the South China Sea – including waters approaching its neighbors’ coastlines – and has been increasingly assertive in staking these claims.

But Rodriguez said the CARAT (Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training) joint exercises, involving nearly 1,000 troops from both countries, were a regular annual event and he dismissed any connection to rising tensions in the region.

“All of our exercises will be conducted in our territorial waters. This has nothing

to do with any dispute,” he told AFP. The Philippines has accused China of using “bullying” tactics in the sea, which lies on key shipping routes and is believed to harbour massive gas deposits, and Manila is lobbying for a UN tribunal to declare the Asian giant’s territorial claims invalid.

Beijing placed an oil rig in disputed waters last month, sparking deadly anti-China riots in Vietnam, and on Friday announced that it was sending another four rigs to the sea. It was unclear whether any of them would be in contested areas.

The USS John McCain, an American destroyer, as well as the landing ship USS Ashland will join Philippine navy vessels for the exercises, which will last from June 26 until July 1, Rodriguez said.

They will include search and rescue, boarding and salvage drills as well as gunnery exercises next Saturday and Sunday, he added.

Rodriguez stressed that the exercises See PHL-US DRILLS, page 13

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Erap: Jinggoy careless but innocent in PDAF scam MANILA, June 19 (Mabuhay) – Former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Thursday believes his son, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, was careless about his pork barrel funds but is innocent of the crime of stealing public funds.

Estrada said his son has no intention of misusing his priority development assistance funds (PDAF).

He pointed out that during his time as senator, he usually let his secretary handle his pork barrel allocations as long as the applications are in order.

“Maybe he was just careless. He doesn’t have that intention to take advantage of his PDAF,” he said.

Instead, the former president placed the blame on the scam solely on the budget department and implementing agencies, saying they are the ones who check if a non-government organization is legitimate or not.

“They do not tell me where the pork barrel is going. You just apply. I would say because the implementation of that will

go to the implementing agencies and then before the release, the DBM will examine.

They are the ones who should see to it where the money is going,” he said.

“They are the ones handling the money.

That is their duty, not the senator,” he added.

Estrada said the scam could actually be a set up cooked up by the Department of Justice with the whistle-blowers.

“Well, this can be a set-up. Even the DOJ can talk to this people and say, blame these senators. Name them, name them,” he aid.

During the interview, the former president also castigated his former social secretary, Ruby Tuason, for implicating Jinggoy in the scam.

Tuason earlier told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that she personally delivered pork barrel kickbacks from Janet Lim Napoles to Estrada’s office in the Senate.

The senator confirmed that Tuason visited him in the Senate but only to deliver food and not money.

The former president said Tuason is testifying against Jinggoy to save herself from prosecution.

“I know her from the start. She’s a poor lady. She has nothing. Why does she live in Dasmariñas from nowhere? She just wants to save herself. That’s why she did that. She was coached,” he said.

Asked if he could be blind to his son’s faults, he said: “My eyes are clear.”

He also said an accused is always presumed innocent unless proven guilty. He said his son was already accused of plunder during the Arroyo administration but was acquitted by the anti-graft court.

The Office of the Ombudsman has filed plunder and graft charges against three senators - Jinggoy Estrada, Juan Ponce Enrile and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and other personalities tagged in the pork barrel scam.

According to the case filed before the Sandiganbayan, Senator Jinggoy Estrada is accused of plundering P183.79 million in PDAF with the help of Pauline Labayen,

Estrada

John Raymund de Asis and Mrs. Napoles.

In the interview, Estrada also opposed the creation of special courts to try the pork scam cases. He said all the accused will face conviction if special courts are created.

“Historically, even in Japan all these special courts are created to convict,” he said. (MNS)

Erap backs other son JV’s signing report vs Jinggoy MANILA, June 19 (Mabuhay) – Former president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada is taking a different view in the decision of Senator JV Ejercito to sign a Senate committee report that recommended the filing of charges against three senators, including his brother Jinggoy Estrada.

Estrada admitted that Jinggoy was hurt

by JV’s decision to sign the Blue Ribbon Committee report on the pork barrel scam.

Asked if Ejercito did the right thing, he said: “I think so...In a way, yes, but his signing there hurt Jinggoy.”

Estrada said Ejercito signed the report “with reservation” and even questioned

why the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee concentrated on Senators Estrada, Juan Ponce Enrile and Bong Revilla in the investigation.

Jinggoy earlier said that he has not spoken to JV after the latter signed the committee report. “Sana inisip na lang niya kung ano ang mararamdaman ng tatay namin sa pagpirma niya ng committee report,” he said.

For his part, JV said he explained to his father the reason why he decided to sign the report.

“I signed with reservation because I was not convinced it was a complete report. It should tackle the entire pork

barrel scam, including other bogus nongovernment organizations and not just those connected to Janet Napoles,” he said.

He also admitted that he did not give both his father and half-brother the heads up.

“I’ll have to be honest. [Jinggoy and I] are not close. He’s always furious with me,” he said.

In the Headstart interview, the former president said it pains him as a father to see his two sons, who are both senators, fighting.

Estrada and Ejercito are sons of the former President, the former to former Senator Loi Estrada while the latter to

incumbent San Juan mayor Guia Gomez.

Estrada said he had already tried to make peace between the two a long time ago.

“It pains me as a father. It happens really. You cannot avoid it but eventually I think blood is thicker than water,” he said.

He also said the wedge between the two is due to sibling rivalry since both were elected mayor of San Juan City and now senator.

He said the two sometimes try to one up each other.

Asked who he is closer to, Estrada said: “Both. I am very fair with the two of them.” (MNS)

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Two accused in pork barrel scam left PHL, BI confirms MANILA, June 20 (Mabuhay) – At least two personalities facing charges for the P10-billion pork barrel scam have left the country, the Bureau of Immigration said Friday.

Immigration spokesperson Atty. Elaine Tan identified the two as former Technology Resource Center director general Antonio Ortiz and Renato Ornopia, who were able to leave the country before the hold departure orders were issued by the Sandiganbayan earlier this week.

“Travel records of the accused Ortiz and Ornopia were extracted from the BI database based on available information, particularly names stated in the HDO, and internal information,” Tan said in a separate interview.

But Tan did not disclose where the two could have gone or when they are scheduled to return.

Still, she stressed that they are still “triple-checking” their system to determine whether or not the two are really the same people in the HDO. “As the names itself are not sufficient to fully identify the person being checked, only half of the records have been determined to refer to the accused with certainty”, Tan said.

Of the 53 subjects of the HDO, only 23 have travel records with the BI - 22 of them still in the country, including Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Juan

Ponce Enrile, alleged mastermind Janet Lim Napoles and her children Jo Christine and James Christopher, Dennis Cunanan, and Mario Relampagos.

Tan said the BI needs to get full details about those in the HDO - including full name with middle name, and birth date to determine if they are the same ones in the BIs travel records. She cited Estrada’s case, in which the senator’s name in his passport is listed as “Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada” while the HDO states “Jose Ejercito Estrada.”

“This may be the reason why some of the accused have zero travel records,” she said.

On Thursday, Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison said “less than 10” of the more than 50 individuals criminally charged before the Sandiganbayan over the scam might have already left the country.

Ortiz is a co-accused of Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in graft charges at the Sandiganbayan in connection with the said scam. He signed the memorandum of agreement with selected NGOs, approved disbursement vouchers, and co-signed the checks issued to the NGOs. Ornopia, on the other hand, is a co-accused of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile in multiple graft cases related to the scam.

On Friday, the Sandiganbayan issued a warrant for the arrest of Revilla, one of three senators linked to the case. (MNS)

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PHL, Japan to tackle China Aquino to meet with PM Abe amid mounting China tensions 06/18/2014 03:08 GMT - PHILIPPINES-JAPAN-CHINA-DIPLOMACY - World News (ASI) - AFP MANILA, June 18, 2014 (AFP) - Philippine President Benigno Aquino will visit Japan next week, with rows over China’s territorial ambitions likely on the agenda, his office said Wednesday.

Aquino will meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the one-day trip on June 24, in another move to deepen ties as the two nations have endured increasingly hostile disputes with China over rival maritime territorial claims.

The tensions will “likely” be a topic of discussion when the leaders meet, Aquino’s spokeswoman, Abigail Valte, told AFP, although she did not want to give further details until an official agenda was determined.

In a statement announcing the trip on Tuesday evening, the Philippine foreign ministry also indicated the China tensions would be discussed, while referring to a “strategic partnership” between the two nations.

“The meeting is an opportunity for the two leaders to exchange views on recent

PHL-US joint exercises shouldn’t worry China – Navy MANILA, June 19 (Mabuhay) -There’s no reason for China to be concerned when Filipino and US troops conduct joint naval exercises later this month near the disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea, the spokesperson for the Philippine Fleet said on Thursday.

“There is nothing to worry about. This has nothing to do with Philippine-China dispute or the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea,” Ltjg. Rommel Rodriguez said when asked about the implications of joint exercises on the ongoing territorial issues with China.

The joint training, dubbed Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training or CARAT, is scheduled on June 26 to June 29.

“This is a regular training activitiy that we are conducting every year, even before this recent territorial issues, we have been conducting this noon pa,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said more than a thousand troops would participate in the exercises.

He said the activities involved maritime training and was being conducted every year in different parts of the country.

“Both our navies have conducted CARAT activities in different areas in the Philippines. The CARAT exercise in 2009 was in Cebu, 2010 in Subic, 2011 in Palawan, 2012 was held in Mindnaao, in 2013 and 2014 back in Subic,” Rodriguez said.

He said CARAT was on its 20th year since its inception and “[showed] the longstanding relations between the two allies.”

Rodriguez said there would be classroom-style discussions on safety, maritime defense awareness, flight operations,

explosive ordnance disposal training, and cold form amphibious operations planning, when the US troops arrive on June 26. He said there would be discussions and training on June 27 on side scan sonar, which would be used in hydrographic suveys. The maritime surveillance exercise is slated on June 28.

Rodriguez said there would be a gunnery exercise in Luzon Sea on June 29.

“This will be around 39 nautical miles southwest of Sampaloc Point, near Subic, it’s the lower tip of Zambales. Barko natin and barko ng US, we’ll involve lahat ng barko natin, sa US ganun din lahat ng tatlong barko nila,” Rodriguez said. “(There will be) maritime interdiction operations, visit board search and seizure exercise at sea, all will be within the area, diving exercise, mga communication exercise...these are on the 28th and 29th sa same area,” he added. Rodriguez said among the US assets which will be used in CARAT are USS Halsey, USNS Ashland and USNS Safeguard. There will also be underwater construction team naval seabees, choppers, SH60B Seahawk, mobile diving salvage unit, EOD unit, two Landing Craft Air Cusion (LCAC), and coy size amphibious assault vehicles.

On the part of Philippine Navy, they will have BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16), BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS-35), two Augusta helis, one Islander, NavSog-explosive ordnance team, three diving teams, two special boat teams, and two marine coy, communications team, band and logistics team, and seabees. (MNS)

LOS ANGELES regional developments and to discuss areas of cooperation to enhance the PhilippinesJapan Strategic Partnership,” the statement said.

Aquino will also deliver a speech on the Philippine government’s efforts to end a decades-long Islamic insurgency in the south of the country, as it seeks to implement a peace pact with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front signed this year.

Japan hosted secret talks between Aquino and MILF leader Murad Ebrahim in 2011, which later became recognised as a key moment in igniting the peace push.

Japan and the Philippines, former World War II enemies, have been drawn closer in recent years as they have tackled their parallel disputes with China.

When Abe visited Manila in July last year, he pledged Japan’s help in strengthening the Philippines’ maritime defence capabilities.

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of 10 patrol boats for the Philippines’ poorly-equipped coast guard, which is on the frontline of trying to monitor China’s increasing presence in contested waters.

The dispute between the Philippines and China is over competing claims to parts of the South China Sea. China claims nearly all of the sea, including waters close to the coasts of the Philippines and other claimant countries.

The Philippines has lodged repeated protests in recent years over China’s growing military and civilian presence on islands and in waters within what it considers its exclusive economic zone.

Most recently, the Philippines has accused China of creating artificial islands on tiny islets and reefs, possibly as a prelude to building military installations.

Meanwhile, relations between Japan and China have plummeted over their competing claims to the Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands in the East China Sea.

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‘Racist’ ad on Pinoy domestic worker draws anger in Hong Kong HONG KONG, June 18, 2014 (AFP) – A “racist” insurance commercial depicting a male Chinese actor as a Filipina maid has drawn outrage on social media in Hong Kong, with groups representing the city’s domestic helpers calling for an apology.

Aimed at the employers of Hong Kong’s 300,000 maids, who mainly hail from the Philippines and Indonesia, the domestic helper insurance advert for Malaysia’s Hong Leong Bank shows the Chinese actor wearing dark orange make-up and a curly wig as he plays clumsy maid “Maria”.

“I think they should make a public apology,” Eni Lestari, spokeswoman for the Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body, told AFP, describing the ad as “very racist”.

“You are making comedy out of someone, out of a community,” she said. “For (Hong Kong residents) it’s funny, but what they don’t realize is what’s funny is actually racist.” She questioned why the bank did not hire someone from Indonesia or the Philippines to play the maid. Others took to Twitter and Facebook to blast the advert.

“You guys should really take down that ad and apologise for it... it’s really not appropriate for a professional representation

of your financial services,” Kahlil Stultz wrote on the bank’s Facebook page.

“Why do you have to solidify the omnipresent racial and cultural stereotypes that are hurting so many people?” added Marcin Rutecki.

Hong Leong Insurance (Asia) expressed regret and said its advertisement was not intended to be discriminatory on grounds of race or gender.

“Nevertheless, we have taken action to withdraw the said advertisement as we sincerely do not wish to upset any member of the public,” it said in a statement.

The row comes weeks after controversy over a Hong Kong school textbook, which critics said encouraged children to racially stereotype their neighbors.

The book asked children to match nationalities to the “appropriate” job description – such as Indonesian for domestic helpers, or Japanese for sushi restaurant owners. The case of Indonesian maid Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, who allegedly endured a months-long torture campaign by her Hong Kong boss, has put a spotlight on the working conditions faced by the financial hub’s domestic workers.

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Sen. Poe’s ‘vision for a greater PHL’ Meeting Senator Poe at the exclusive media press conference prior to Kalayaan’s celebration of the 116th anniversary of Philippine Independence, was not only a privilege, but an unexpected experience of admiration for a public servant who humbly sounded like a powerful, potential Presidential candidate.

During the press conference chaired by Susan Dilkes and moderated by Atty. Allison Aquino-Silva, Senator Poe responded to a wide variety of topics ranging from concerns on the allegedly fradulent election results said that those guilty will be charged to the during the 2004 Presidential elections full extent of the law and on the millions when her Dad lost to GMA, to the ques- of financial aid to the Haiyan typhoon tions on the non-bailable plunder charges victims, that Senator Ping Lacson, as the against the three senators involved in the Rehab czar has the responsibilty given PDAF scam; to the question on who moni- him to report and give updates on the retors the millions of financial aid poured to building programs currently being done. the Haiyan typhoon victims and further on Finally, she said she has no plans to run for a lighter note, the question on her plans of the top post, but then she can’t predict the running for the top office in the next elec- future either and she further quipped saytion and how she feels coming to LA where ing that she was glad to come to LA to she, along with Senator Chiz Escudero, thank the largest Filipino community in received the highest OAV votes during the US for voting for her, inspite of being the last election, giving way to her current number 22 on the pre-election polls back senatorial post. “As for Sen. Chiz, let’s just home.

The smooth media press conference leave him to his Heart.�

Politely, Senator Poe answered each was followed by the Kalayaan celebraand every question with her wit and charm, tion’s grand gala, where the emcees were: pointing out the rampant ballot-rigging Philippine News Southern California in the Mindanao area where they have correspondent, Lydia V. Solis and Noel proof of ballot tampering during the 2004 Omega who both projected a warm welelections. Regarding the PDAF scam, she come to everyone and they proceeded

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Philippine Senator Grace Poe (sixth from left) with the members of the Filipino-American media.

with the evening’s program, mentioning the 2014 theme of “pagsunod sa yapak ng mga dakilang Pilipino tungo sa malawakan at permanenteng pagbabago.�

The national anthem was sung by Sara Mislang, followed by a historical “kalayaan� movie Invocation was done by Bishop Oscar Solis followed by the welcome remarks of Bing Dela Vega, the overall 2014 Kalayaan Chairman, also acknowledged politicians, such as newly-elected Councilwoman Rachelle Arizmendi, Carson Mayor Jim Dear and Pro Temp Elito Santarina and Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido.

In his introductory speech, Consul General Leo Herrera Lim described Grace Poe’s initial college life at the University of the Philippines (of course, a UP alumni himself) and at Boston College in Massachusetts, where she graduated with a degree in Political Science. She was privileged to have been raised by famous parents, Susan Roces and actor-turned Presidential candidate, Fernando Poe, Jr. Though she grew up in the limelight, Senator Poe recalled some of the special moments she had with her Dad growing up and when he passed away, she realized she wanted to continue her Dad’s unfinished “vision for a greater Philippines� mission, prompting her to move her family (husband Neil Llamanzares, son Brian and daughters Hanna and Nike) from their home in Boston, back to the Philippines.

Senator Grace Poe’s “vision� includes: a food/nutrition program for kids, particularly those who come from underprivileged families; a Freedom of Information Law proposal where print and broadcast media professionals have direct access to government records in order to enable them to expose government corruption, and on that note which was applauded by us all.

She said that the PDAF scam would have been known earlier if we have such a law passed; her third advocacy is the improvement on overseas remittance systems which she personally experienced while living in US and finally, she wants to encourage the worldwide eligibility of the Philippines as a major filmmaking destination much like New Zealand’s opportunity when their country was chosen as the place of filmmaking destination on the blockbuster movie “Lord of the Rings.�

In closing, Senator Grace Poe thanked everyone, particularly Kalayaan Chairman, Bing Dela Vega and the officers and members of Kalayaan and the packed Westin LAX ballroom of approximately more than 1,500 kababayans who graced the celebration in honor of the 116th Anniversary of Philippine Independence.

Speaking graciously in Tagalog she ended up saying, “Maraming salamat po sa inyong pagtitipon sa kaarawan ng 116th na taon ng ating Kalayaan. Mabuhay po kayong lahat!�

inclusion of a magistrate endorsed by Senator Juan Ponce Enrile in the Judicial and Bar Council’s nominees to the Sandiganbayan pushed President Aquino to ask for a review of the list submitted by the constitutional body, Malacanang said on Friday.

Undersecretary Abigail Valte, the deputy presidential spokesperson, said Malacanang asked the JBC to review certain information after finding out one of the nominees was endorsed by Enrile for an earlier Sandiganbayan post vacancy.

Valte denied that the executive branch returned the list to the constitutional body tasked to screen nominees to the judiciary. “The President wanted to make sure that the person that will fill the vacancy [is] completely above suspicion,� Valte said.

Enrile reportedly endorsed Quezon City RTC Judge Bernelito Fernandez for the vacant seat in Fifth Division of the Sandiganbayan.

Enrile is one of three senators charged with plunder and graft before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the pork barrel scam.

The inclusion of a magistrate endorsed

by Senator Juan Ponce Enrile in the Judicial and Bar Council’s nominees to the Sandiganbayan prompted President Aquino to ask for a review of the list submitted by the constitutional body, Malacanang said on Friday.

Undersecretary Abigail Valte, the deputy presidential spokesperson, said Malacanang asked the JBC to review

of the nominees was endorsed by Enrile for an earlier Sandiganbayan post vacancy.

Valte denied that the executive branch returned the list to the constitutional body tasked to screen nominees to the judiciary. “The President wanted to make sure that the person that will fill the vacancy [is] completely above suspicion,� Valte said.

Meanwhile, the fifth division of the Sandiganbayan on Friday junked Senator Jose “Jinggoy� Estrada’s bid for oral arguments on his earlier motions seeking judicial determination of probable cause on plunder and graft charges filed against him for his alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam.

It took all of 10 minutes for the fifth division, chaired by Associate Justice Roland Jurado, to throw out the bid for oral arguments, telling Estrada’s lawyers as well as the counsel of the senators coaccused, among them Janet Lim Napoles, who allegedly engineered the scam, that the court could just simply read their written manifestations.

The fifth division said having oral arguments would be “redundant.�

Estrada is one of three senators charged before the anti-graft court over the embezzlement of billions of pesos in the defunct Priority Development Assistance Fund, or congressional pork barrel, which were supposedly funneled off through bogus nongovernmental organizations set up by Napoles.

The others are Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Ramon “Bong� Revilla Jr.

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When you should use Chapter 7 debt relief The Supreme Court of the United States has often called Chapter 7 bankruptcy the “Fresh Start�. This is an accurate description of debt relief given by Chapter 7. Debtors are given a rare opportunity to get rid of their debts without paying them.

At the same time, they are able to keep all, if not most of their assets, and their income. Think about it. They will still have the house they live in, their retirement accounts, their cars

& furniture. In most cases, they keep everything they own, and all of $180,000 during 2007, 2008 and 2009. As their income. a result, the IRS is now after her for back Let’s look at several recent actual client income taxes for those years of $80,000. profiles: The State is also after her for $30,000 of Client is 66 years old and still working back taxes. Her income is still good at this as a registered nurse. She owns a house time because she still works. She also owes with $150,000 of equity. She divorced $30,000 of credit cards. But realistically, 10 years ago. Due to illness in the fam- how will she pay $110,000 of past due ily abroad, she liquidated her 401K of income taxes? Further, when she retires in

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a few years, her income will be reduced by more than half her current income.

A Chapter 7 bankruptcy will discharge $110,000 of back income taxes and $30,000 of credit card debt allowing her to be debt free. At the same time, she can keep her house with $150,000 of equity. It’s too bad she liquidated her 401K because she would have been able to keep the entire $180,000 in her retirement account despite her Chapter 7 bankruptcy. She’s off to a “Fresh Start� at the age of 66 having discharged all she owed to the IRS and FTB and credit cards while keeping her house, other assets and her income. She has the peace of mind of retiring without debt and keeping her current and future income for herself.

Client is 55 years old and works as a clerk for the State of California. She makes $60,000 annually. Her husband is an accountant who makes $65,000 annually. Their residence has equity of $80,000.

They own two old model cars. She owes $70,000 of credit cards. Her husband owes $50,000 of credit cards. She decided to file for Chapter 7 relief because of unexpected circumstances that requires her to support her mother who lives abroad. She needs to send her mother $2,000 a month for the next 12 months. Mother lost her house and livelihood due to a natural calamity in their home country.

Even though the amount of $2,000 a month for a dependent is an unusually large amount, this is a perfectly legitimate deduction allowed by the means test. With this deduction, client was eligible for Chapter 7 relief subject to strict scrutiny by the Chapter 7 trustee and the U.S. Trustee.

But as the Supreme Court has said many times, Chapter 7 relief is the “Fresh Start� that is given to the “honest� debtor. Since client was perfectly honest in her case and had all the documentary evidence to support her deduction, I filed the case for her last month.

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Indeed, the “Fresh Start� is given to the “honest� debtor so he or she can become productive in life again.

Client is young at 35 with a good job.

However, he became temporarily disabled with an illness which we hope is curable.

He owes $40,000 of credit card debt. He now receives temporary disability pay that is half his income. He has payments on a car that he wants to keep. Chapter 7 discharged his $40,000 of credit card debt and allowed him to keep his car, thus allowing him a “Fresh Start� early in life.

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Unliquidated cash advances may lead to dismissal from service – CSC MANILA, June 18 (Mabuhay) – The Civil Service Commission (CSC) said on Wednesday that outstanding unliquidated cash advances of government officials and employees is a ground for dismissal from the service.

CSC Chairman Francisco T. Duque III emphasized this as he reminded government officials and employees who fail to liquidate outstanding cash advances to settle their accountabilities to avoid the consequence of facing dismissal problem. “Failure to liquidate cash advances within the prescribed period is a violation of policy guidelines on liquidation of cash advances (CSC Resolution No. 04-0676 dated June 17, 2004) and implies omission or refusal of the official or employee concerned to perform legal duties,� Duque said.

He warned that those who fail to liquidate cash advances can be charged with Gross Neglect of Duty. “It is penalized with dismissal from service with accessory penalties of forfeiture of retirement benefits, perpetual disqualification from holding public office, cancellation of civil service eligibility, and prohibition from taking civil service exams,� the CSC chief explained.

He noted that last year, the CSC dismissed Mark Benedick Isabelo after he

was found guilty of Gross Neglect of Duty for failing to liquidate cash advances amounting to Php 114,064.45.

According to the Commission on Audit (COA) Statement of Cash Advances and Liquidations as of Dec. 31, 2008, Isabelo, a former private secretary at the PTV4 Office of the general manager, was granted Php 75,000 to defray expenses for the purchase of materials, furniture, and fixture for the renovation of the general manager’s office and conference room, while Php 39,064.45 was granted to defray expenses for the adjustment of the travel itinerary of the PTV4 head to the United States.

COA sent Isabelo a final demand letter on Aug. 14, 2008 to settle his accountabilities to which he failed to reply within 30 days.

On Sept. 18, 2009, the CSC directed Isabelo to submit his counter-affidavit and yet again failed to do so, prompting the CSC to formally charge Isabelo with Gross Neglect of Duty.

Gross negligence refers to “negligence characterized by the want of even slight care, acting or omitting to act in a situation where there is a duty to act, not inadvertently but willfully and intentionally with a conscious indifference to consequences insofar as other persons may be affected.�

(MNS)

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Working for a company with less than 50 employees?...Read on Even with Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in place, your employer is not mandated to provide you health insurance.

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The reason why your employer may be adamant to offer you life article on top of their desk. You may reach insurance may not be that there is no me at 323-535-7373 or, e-mail at: leo. budget allotted for it, but that he/she may balita@gmail.com. not know how much it will cost. This is (98% of all employers employ less than understandable because your company 100. With more than 5.6 million small busimay have limited or no human resource nesses employing over 64 million people, staff to evaluate benefit options and/or they encompass 55% of the working popuwith so many benefit options, he/she might lation. P.40, Benefits Selling, Vol. 12, No. make the wrong choices. ACA is indeed 6, June 2014 issue). Wow! complicated.

Medicare alert. Medi-medi (MedicareLet me help. At No cost or obligation MediCal) beneficiaries who may have to you or your employer. I am willing to received communications regarding work with you even if there is only 1 W-2 CalMediConnect may call the number employee on your payroll. stated on the letter for clarification. If you Before, affordable health insurance need further help, do not hesitate to call me. was only accessible to the large employAbout the author: Leo Monsalud hails ers. Today, because of Obamacare, even from Sta. Cruz, Zambales. He studied for small companies have access to it for their his MBA and Law at the University of employees. We can access it thru Covered the Philippines. He worked for UNILAB CA’s SHOP (Small Business Health Op- where his last position held was vicetions Plan). And, they are OPEN for busi- president/general manager of a division. ness all year round.

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US lab workers may have been exposed to anthrax WASHINGTON, June 20, 2014 (AFP) – As many as 86 workers at a US government science lab may have been accidentally exposed to anthrax, authorities said Friday, revising the initial count of 75 given a day earlier.

The count “may go up more as more come forward,� Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokesman Tom Skinner told AFP. The workers at the Atlanta headquarters of the CDC have been given antibiotics and are being monitored for signs of illness.

The “unintentional exposure� occurred at a high-security lab “after established safety practices were not followed,� the CDC said in a statement on its website.

Samples of Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) were being prepared for research at lower-security labs. “However, the lab used a procedure that did not adequately inactivate the samples.�

Therefore, workers were not wearing the proper protective equipment when they handled the samples. “The unintentional exposure was discovered June 13 when the original bacterial plates were gathered for disposal and B. anthracis colonies (live bacteria) were found on the plates,� the CDC said.

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MAJOR FEAT FOR PHILIPPINE CHILDREN’S CHARITIES, INCORPORATED

Successful celebration marks the crowning of Ambassadors of Goodwill 2014 Philippine Children’s Charities, Incorporated scored a major feat with the successful celebration that marked the Grand Coronation of this year’s Ambassadors of Goodwill, Miss Philippines USA, Miss Teen Philippines USA and Mrs. Philippines USA 2014.

After many months of hectic preparations, the event held last May 10 at the Hilton Hotel – Los Angeles Airport could only be described as a major success.

Crowned this year’s Ambassadors of Goodwill are the following: Sophia Galicia, Miss Teen Philippines USA Universe; Grachelle Gonong, Miss Philippines USA Universe; Rea Poticar Lazo, Mrs. Philip-

pines USA Universe; Erin Borja, Miss Teen Philippines USA International; Dinah Sarming, Miss Philippines USA International; Jennifer Velasco, Mrs. Philippines USA International; Sychelle Phoebe Jaochico, Miss Teen Philippines USA World; Kristen Solis, Miss Philippines USA World; Vivian Neri, Mrs. Philippines USA World; and Geraldine Gacuya, Mrs. Philippines USA Tourism.

Project Director Darna B. Umayam welcomed the guests who packed the ballroom of the Hilton Hotel, and acknowledged everyone’s support of the humanitarian activities of the Philippine Children’s Charities, Incorporated.

Philippine Children’s Charities, Inc. Ambassadors of Goodwill 2014 Grand Coronation Night at Hilton Hotel Los Angeles Airport, May 10, 2014, Darna B. Umayam, Project Director (standing L-R) Rea Poticar Lazo-Mrs. Philippines USA Universe; Sophia Galicia-Miss Teen Philippines USA Universe; Jennifer Velasco-Mrs. Philippines USA International; Erin Borja-Miss Teen Philippines USA International; Sychelle Phoebe Jaochico-Miss Teen Philippines USA World; Kristen Solis-Miss Philippines USA World; Grachelle Gonong- Miss Philippines USA Universe; Dinah Sarming-Miss Philippines USA International; Geraldine Gacuya- Mrs. Philippines USA Tourism and Vivian Neri-Mrs. Philippines USA World.

“Our mission is to help and answer the cry of the poor, build homes for the homeless families in our homeland, and extend assistance to as much as 20 other beneficiaries,” Umayam said. “The Philippine Children’s Charities, Incorporated is proud to continue its annual humanitarian projects.”

Over the years, the Ambassadors of Goodwill project of the Philippine Children’s Charities, Incorporated has made available about Php14 million in donation to the less fortunate Filipinos – especially the sick, the abused and the underprivileged children back in the Philippines.

Consul Marlowe Miranda of the Philippine Consulate General-Los Angeles, who delivered an inspirational message, headed the list of diplomats and officials that graced the event. Also present were Carson City Mayor Pro Tem Elito Santarina, Deputy Director of Department of Tourism-Los Angeles Manny Ilagan, Cesar Angeles and Adrian Peran, Information Officer and former Financial Officer respectively, of the Philippine Consulate General. This year, guests were treated to an evening of grace and glamour, worldclass dance presentation, as well as music and magic. Lianna Gutierrez wowed with her golden voice, Ric Manrique Jr. enchanted the audience with rendition of his hits love songs, and the Magic of Arnel was both mesmerizing and entertaining.

Masters of Ceremonies were Lorian Fausto and Henry Sanchez. Also on spotlight were the 10 Outstanding Mothers of the Year 2014 who were equally honored, namely: Celyn Anuran, Minda China, Conchita Galicia, Edith Knoch, Flordeliza Lecaros, Adelina Lquigan, Gloria Resurreccion, Brigida Sarmiento, Dorothea Sarming and Zeny Zoleta.

Sophia Galicia, Miss Teen Philippines USA Universe winner Sophia Galicia was also judged Most Photogehic and Best in Talent, while Miss Teen Philippines USA World Sychelle Phoebe Jaochico won Best in Evening Gown.

This year’s Miss Philippines USA Universe Grachelle Gonong also won Most Photogenic and Best in Evening Gown; Miss Philippines USA World Kristen Solis was named Best in Talent.

Mrs. Philippines USA Tourism Geraldine Gacuya also brought home the Most Photogenic and Best in Evening Gown titles, while Mrs. Philippines USA Universe Rea Poticar LAzo also won Best in Talent.

The panel of judges for the talent and evening gown competitions were composed of: Consul Marlowe Miranda, Mayor Pro Tem Elito Santarina, Deputy Tourism Director Manny Ilagan, Dr. Carlos P. Manlapaz, Dr. Dante Banta, Atty.

Nicolas Lerman, Atty. Norberto Reyes, Atty. Noriel Flores, Dr. Lynne Mariano, Perfecto Braga, Fedelito Ruiz and Nanie Enriquez. Photogenic Category judges were: Jim Hernandez, Bobby Crisostomo, Anthony Castillo, Mailah de Leon, Irwin Jazmines, Ramie Dador, Rick Gavino, Mario Arcena, Oscar Arcena and Jun Tolibao.

The Philippine Children’s Charities, Incorporated’s Ambassadors of Goodwill 2014 project was proudly sponsored by: Atty. Steve Lerman & Associates, Inc., Mallon Foundation, Incorporated, Pro Care Home Health, RSG Fine Jewelry, Megaworld, Department of Tourism, Heartland Institute for Financial Education (HIFE), House of Seafood, Elena Lapid’s Chicharon, Weekend Balita, US Asian Post, Philippine Tribune and FilAm Insider.

Philippine Children’s Charities, Inc. Presentation & Awarding Ceremonies of the (10) Ten Mothers of the Year 2014 at Hilton Hotel Los Angeles Airport, May 10, 2014, (standing L-R) Dorothea Sarming, Minda Chin, Flordeliza Lecaros, Cely Anuran, Conchita Galicia, Consul Marlowe Miranda- Philippine Consulate General of Los Angeles, Manny Ilagan-Deputy Tourism Director/OIC, Department of Tourism Los Angeles, Elito Santarina, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Carson, Darna B. Umayam, Project Director, Gloria Resurreccion, Adelina Liquigan, Edith Knoch, Brigida Sarmiento, Zeny Zoleta (not in photo). Background : Henry Sanchez & Lorian Fausto, Masters of Ceremonies.

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A Night to Remember awardees: (From top left) Adele Raspado, Ernesto Tabayan, Jr., Jovy Camesa, Gregory Onga, Grace Hamidi, Avelina Hall, (from bottom left) Virginia Davis, Annette Saunders, Josephine Mejia, Glecy Onga and James Salazar, Jr.

‘An Evening to Remember’ – Awardees…all On Tuesday, June 24, 2014, an event dubbed as “An Evening to Remember” will be held at the New Filipino American Community of Los Angeles Hall at 1740 W Temple St., Los Angeles, CA. Highlight of the event will be the awarding of certificates to selected awardees to recognize their exemplary efforts in their chosen fields.. Here is a brief profile of each: Annette Saunders. Married to a Canadian, Annette enjoys her retirement after working for many years as a nurse at the St. Joseph’s Hospital. Her children are all successful: a ship captain, a nurse stationed in Japan, and a manager of a very large company here in the U.S. Trained and skilled in dress fashion, she relishes her humble contribution to many happy celebrations of debuts and weddings with her gown designs.

Adele Raspado. She traces her roots to Jones, Isabela and Divisoria. She owns the famous Elcano Bakery which continues to serve the public up to this day. All her children are successful entrepreneurs who come to visit her every year here in L.A. Grace Hamidi. A multi-awarded social worker who recently completed her schooling at the Harvard School of Public Health. She is currently involved in providing water filtering systems to different rural areas in Central and South America.

She mentored young social workers in Leichester, England. Today, she is married to a respected Doctor of Physical Therapy and raising 2 daughters in the San Fernando Valley.

Jovita Camesa. Jovy is a banking and finance graduate from the Far Eastern University (FEU). A very humble lady, she considers raising all her children to be professionals in their chosen fields as her greatest accomplishment in life. She is a regular donor to the USO, a non-profit that provides “urgently needed services to valiant Americans” …specially those who saw combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Jaime Salazar, Sr. Jimmy hails from Legaspi City, Albay. An electrical engineering graduate, he has already reached the “four corners of the globe”. In the Ivory Coast, Africa, he encountered Pilipinas in distress, victims of white slavery. He bravely reported their plight to the authorities, leading to the apprehension of the criminals and the safe repatration of the victims.

Avelina Hall. “Madam” Avelina used to teach History in the Philippines. Today, she volunteers her time attending to FilAms who need FACLA’s services. She finances small projects in the Philippines – small

cottage industries in the countryside – usually managed by her children.

Josephine Mejia. A devout Catholic, she regards the tragic events in her life as challenges that serve to strengthen her faith. She believes GOD will take care of her children, one of whom serves in Iraq and Afghanistan. A versatile lady, she works as a nurse in the pediatric department at North Hollywood and St. Joseph hospitals in Burbank, and has experienced dipping her fingers in the construction business as well. She is independent, living by herself in a plush apartment in the heart of the City of L.A. Glecy Onga. A topnotcher in the Philippine Board of Midwifery, she caused the safe deliveries of more than 300 babies in the Philippines. In the U.S., she worked as a nurse at the medical/surgical department at the Temple Community Hospital. She spends a lot of time with her children, who are all professionals, and grandchildren.

Gregory Onga. An actor in the Nida Blanca/Nestor de Villa show, Greg flew small aircrafts as a non-commercial pilot in the Philippines. In 1978, he , together with wife Glecy, migrated to the U.S. where Greg worked in the Philippine consulate. On the side, he appeared as a monk on the CSI-Las Vegas show. Greg and Glecy recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. AMAZING!!!!

Ernesto Tabayan, Jr. Junjun specializes in computer engineering. He mentored thousands of students in the Philippines, ushering them into the wonderful world of computer technology. He helps a lot of people celebrate special events in their lives thru his knowledge of photography.

He is a very skilled handyman, as well.

Virginia Flores Davis. A native of Roxas City, Philippines. She is blessed with 5 children. Before coming to America, she raised fighting cocks and sold them to businessmen and politicians. She also worked for the Philippine Airlines. Today, she is dedicated to the cause of helping the elderly. She worked for Apex Homecare Services for over 5 years.

Other awardees will be profiled in the next issue.

Guest of Honor for the event will be the newly elected judge of the L.A. County Superior District Court #97, a “Pinay” – Teresa Pineda Magno.

Organizers are: Glo Resurrection, chairman of the board; Susan Oca,, designer of the event; Adelle Raspado, , treasury gatekeeper; Art Flores, , adviser par excellence; and Ernie Tabayan, rules enforcer.

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LOS ANGELES

Weekend, Sat. - Fri., June 21 - 27, 2014

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Fil-Am Chamber of commerce fundraiser reaches out to community The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Orange County (FACCOC), one of the busiest and most active organizations in the county of 34 cities, will earmark proceeds of its annual golf tournament on July 16 at the at the Oak Creek Golf Club as it has done so for four years in a row to a community organization in support of its advocacy.

In the effort to extend its reach out to the community as part of its avowed mission, FACCOC has

maintained a strong cooperation with various professional and business organizations in the service of Leon (949) 413-7453.

Meanwhile Reach Out is a non-profit the community. This year’s recipient is Reach Out, a nonprofit group from the organization which shares the same outreach philosophy of FACCOC that’s foInland Empire.

The annual golf tournament has been cused on “embracing communities, youth one of the highlights of FACCOC in its and families to strengthen the human bonds calendar of events that draws the members that enable community members to grow together who share the same passion for and thrive”.

Founded in 1969, Reach Out has enthe sport and serves as the only fundraising tool to raise needed funds to help the abled for its youth clients “to gain access organization to fulfill its mission of helping to various networks, education, career options and other opportunities for skills the community.

The golf tournament has been limited to development”.

Reach Out has served as a catalyst of only 144 players and offers the opportunity for the golfer-participants to win $1 mil- change by working with the local governlion, $10,000 and $5,000 in a hole-in-one ments, schools, universities, community contest as well as in others contests that organizations, neighborhoods, business will put their skills to the test like putting and others.

Reach Out has forged partnership with and driving.

Coordinating this year ’s tourna- Ontario Police Department, Fontana Police ment are FACCOC President Rodolfo Department, Chaffey Joint Union High “Jun” Jao (949) 751-8268 and Felix de School District, Ontario-Montclair School

Making it happen in Fullerton: More than two dozen former Makati residents of Barangay Olympia, some coming out of California, made it happen at their reunion in Fullerton hosted

by Nick and Tech Enciso. The weekend gathering towered in significance as some had not seen each other for decades. (Photo by Robert Co)

Elena misses a putt: Ms. Elena Lapid, proprietor of Lapid Chicharon and incoming president of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Orange County, reacts to a missed shot in a Putting Contest. The contest was part of the June Mixer at the PGA Golf Pro Shop in the City of Irvine that served as a prelude to the 4th Annual Golf Tournament on July 16 at the Irvine Oak Creek Gold Club, the organization’s major fund-raising event for the Reach Out non-profit group.

District, Foothill Family Shelter, San Bernardino County Public Defender’s Office, San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, San Bernardino County Probation Department, Fresh Start Ministries, Inc., Upland Unified School District, Rancho Cucamonga Family Resource Center, Cucamonga School District, City of Pomona, Bilingual Family Counseling, Boys and Girls Club of Pomona, Camp Fire USA/Mt. San Antonio Council, House of Ruth, Inland Valley Hope Partners, Inland Valley Recovery Services, OPARC,

Project Sister Family Services, Samaritan Counseling Center, Services Center for Independent Living.

LACFAEA Joins 116 Philippine Independence Day Celebration The members of Los Angeles County Filipino American Employees Association (LACFAEA) had always commemorated Philippines Independence with ardor and this year’s 116th Philippine Independence was a notch higher than the previous one, with the organizers led by Chair Brenda Mendoza seeing to it that it would be a meaningful celebration. This year’s event instilled pride in the Filipinos’ deeply enshrined artistry with the cultural performance of UCLA Samahang Dance Troupe featuring excerpts of Dr. Ramon Geluz’s first Filipino opera “Karim at Jasmin” and “The Life and Loves of Dr. Jose P. Rizal”.

LACFAEA was organized in 1974 “to promote and improve the status of Filipino American employees”.

Makati Natives Make it to Fullerton Reunion The City of Makati has adopted the slogan “Make it Happen, Make it Makati”.

The former residents of Makati who now call America home has gone further and made things tower in emotional impact in sprawling Fullerton residence of hosts, Nick and Tech Enciso, Realtor and Veteran Nurse, respectively. Some of the attendees had not seen each other for decades and the reunion triggered flashbacks of happy memories of their youth spent in their former residence.

While the Philippines’ premier financial hub boasts of “5 Grade AAA buildings located in the Makati CBD- Ayala Triangle Tower One, RCBC Plaza, Enterprise Center, Citibank Tower and Phil Am Tower” the June reunion towered higher in terms of strengthened relationships “and a commitment to meet regularly”.

Balita

Weekend, Sat. - Fri., June 21 - 27, 2014

BONG REVILLA From page 1

little oversight to spend on development projects of their choice.

‘Milestone’ in anti-graft fight President Benigno Aquino, elected in 2010 on an anti-graft platform, has sought to take advantage of the events by portraying the probes into politicians as an integral part of his quest to stamp out corruption.

“This is a milestone,” Justice Secretary Leila de Lima told AFP. “We’re accomplishing what some people said was a near impossible task: to

have these big personalities who are perceived as untouchable finally prosecuted.”

But Aquino’s critics have accused him of directing authorities’ efforts on his opponents, even though key allies have also been implicated.

Revilla and the other two senators indicted are members of the opposition.

One of the others indicted is Juan Ponce Enrile, a 90-year-old politician famous for his cunning who was defence minister during Ferdinand Marcos’s martial law regime three decades ago.

The other is Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada,

BLOG TARGETS From page 1

Singaporeans should refuse to be served by Filipinos in restaurants, or “accidentally” shove them in crowded places.

In a post titled “Filipino infestation in Singapore -- 5 point guide to showing displeasure without breaking the law”, the blog also advised Singaporeans not to help Filipinos involved in traffic accidents.

The blog, which surfaced on Google’s Blogger platform in May, was no longer available by late Thursday.

A Google spokeswoman said she could not comment on individual cases but confirmed that the US web giant removes material from Blogger that violates its policy on hate speech.

The Filipino community in Singapore is estimated at more than 170,000, many of them professionals seen by some Singaporeans as rivals for jobs – a sharp change from a decade ago, when most Filipinos there worked as domestic helpers.

Singaporeans make up just over 60 percent of the 5.4 million population, with a low fertility rate forcing the government to rely heavily on guest workers.

The influx of foreign workers in general, many of them from China and India, has sparked a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment.

The blog had triggered indignation among Filipinos at home and abroad, with

some calling for counter-measures against Singaporeans.

The Philippine embassy has urged Singaporean authorities to take action against the blogger.

Google’s decision to remove the blog drew mostly positive reactions from Singaporeans online, including the cabinet minister in charge of approving foreign worker permits.

PHL-US DRILLS From page 1

would take place “very far” from the Scarborough Shoal, an outcrop in the South China Sea currently guarded by Chinese government vessels, which was the scene of a tense standoff with the Philippines in 2012.

Manila, which has one of the weakest militaries in the region, has been increasingly turning to its main defense ally Washington to back it up against China.

The allies recently signed a new defense accord giving US forces greater access to Filipino bases in the former US colony.

Although the United States has taken no side in the territorial disputes, it has warned China against taking “destabilizing actions” in the South China Sea.

LOS ANGELES the son of former president Joseph Estrada who was toppled in a 2001 popular uprising triggered by his plundering of government coffers.

Like every politician implicated in the scam, all three senators have protested their innocence.

De Lima said she expected arrest warrants for Estrada and Enrile to be issued next week.

They will be held at a special detention centre for high-profile detainees at national police headquarters.

The charges of plunder against the trio carry maximum penalties of life in jail.

But the cases will likely take years to

DEAD SEAMAN From page 1

family and the Philippine consulate.

The Cap Posada, which arrived at the port’s Berth 136 Wednesday afternoon, left this morning, Sanfield said.

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complete, if they ever get to that stage.

Aquino is required by the constitution to step down in 2016 and the charges could be dropped under any new administration aligned to the now-opposition.

The case exploded last year when businesswoman Janet Napoles was accused of colluding with lawmakers to embezzle an estimated 10 billion pesos ($230 million) in “pork barrel” funds.

The scam only came to light when one of Napoles’s aides with a grudge against her gave details of the embezzling to the media.

Napoles initially denied any wrongdoing, then in a failed effort to turn state witness gave prosecutors a list implicating more than 100 lawmakers. She has also been charged with plunder.

Two of those on the list are now Aquino cabinet members, although they deny the charges and say Napoles is trying to spread false information to deflect blame from herself and the other key players.

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LOS ANGELES

Weekend, Sat. - Fri., June 21 - 27, 2014

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Poe recalls immigrant life in US

By Nimfa U. Rueda

LOS ANGELES – Sen. Grace Poe reminisced about her life as an immigrant in the United States as she addressed Filipino-Americans celebrating the 116th Philippine Independence Day. “I was once an overseas Filipino like you,” Poe, told hundreds of Fil-Ams attending the annual “Kalayaan Grand Gala” at the Westin LAX Hotel in Los Angeles Saturday evening (Sunday in Manila).

“I know how hard it is to start a new life in a foreign land. Tulad nyo, naranasan ko maging homesick, kung papaano mag drive para sa mga anak, pumasok sa trabaho, magluto, maglinis ng bahay at kung anu-ano pa (Like you, I felt homesick, I had to drive the kids to school, go to work, clean the house and do miscellaneous errands).”

After graduating in 1991 from Boston College with a degree in political science, Poe started her family life with husband Neil Llamanzares in Fairfax, Virginia.

They lived a quiet life for 12 years, raising their children – Brian, 21, Hanna, 16, and Nika,10.

Poe, the adopted daughter of movie icon and national artist Fernando Poe, Jr. and wife Susan Roces, said that just like most Filipino immigrants in the US, she decided to move to the US for economic reasons.

“Noong ikasal ako, sabi ko, naku papaano ito? Kahit gaano kaganda ang edukasyon, hindi ka mabibigyan ng sweldo na makakayang bumuhay ng pamilya (When I got married, I asked myself, what am I supposed to do? Even the best education can’t get you a salary that’s enough to raise a family),” she recalled.

“Nahiya ako sa tatay ko. I felt so embarrassed because I married right after I

decided to go graduated.” home to see Poe said what I could she did not do to help,” want to said the senakeep detor. pending on Poe, who her parents. emerged No. So when 1 in the 2013 her husband senatorial got a job election, garin the US, nering 20.3 they decidmillion votes, ed to live as immigrants Sen. Grace Poe in the City of Carson’s International said she “nevin a country Sculpter Garden, where local officials and Filipino-American er expected where “op- residents celebrated the 116th anniversary of the Philippine to receive an portunities Independence Day and also the 153rd birth anniversary of overwhelmDr. Jose Rizal. ing mandate.” are limit“We were up against (candidates) with less” for those who work hard.

In 1995, when Brian was 2 years old, unlimited funds. We had very little. It was Poe started to teach at a local preschool, hard work,” she said, thanking supporters the Montessori School of Cedar Lane. who propelled her to victory.

“But more important, what helped us After three years, she left the school to serve as procurement liaison with the was a capital that my father left behind – United States Geological Survey. In 2001, his good name and reputation as a Filipino she joined the CSC Scientific, a manufac- who truly cared for his countrymen even turer of scientific equipment. Poe worked if he wasn’t in government service,” said there until she returned to the Philippines Poe, who celebrated Father’s Day in Los in 2004, when her father ran and lost in a Angeles.

Speaking before Fil-Ams garbed in Fildisputed presidential election. The elder Poe died from a stroke seven months after ipiniana attire in honor of Independence Day, Poe said the revolution started in his electoral loss.

1896 “remains unfinished.”

Hello Garci “For most of our kababayans (com“If not for Hello Garci, I would have lived a quiet life here in the US,” said Poe, patriots) today, economic independence referring to the alleged phone conversa- remains elusive and virtually impossible tion between former President Gloria Ma- to gain,” she said. “In fact, it is the quest capagal-Arroyo and then Commission on for economic freedom that drove many of Elections commissioner Virgilio Garcil- us to migrate to the US.” Freedom of Information lano during the 2004 elections. The call During the celebration of the country’s was allegedly about a plot to rig the results of the election in some areas in Mindanao. freedom day, Poe also talked about the “After what happened to my father, I Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, which

she sponsored in the Senate and was recently approved on third and final reading. “’Pag hindi naaarawan, tutubuan ng mikrobyo” (what is not exposed to sunlight gets infected with germs),” she said, using the sunshine analogy to describe the importance of the FOI in curbing corruption by exposing government transactions to public scrutiny.

The proposed law will give citizens the right to request access to government records, subject to reasonable exceptions.

“Hindi po lalala ang problema ng PDAF or pork barrel kung may FOI,” she said, eliciting wild applause from the audience.

Poe said 70 countries, including the US, have such a law and it’s about time the oldest democracy in Asia also has one.

When asked how living in the US shaped her as a person and a public official, Poe replied: “To have independent views, to rely on yourself, non-self entitlement, those I learned here in the US.” On the perennial question of whether she plans to run for president or vice president in 2016, she said: “I have no plans, but (then) we don’t hold the future entirely in our hands.”

The cultural event commemorating the 116th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence from Spain on June 12, 1898, was organized by Kalayaan Incorporated, a coalition of community groups headed by Joveno ‘Bing’ De La Vega.

Among those who attended the event were Consul General Leo Herrera Lim, Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido, Carson Mayor Jim Dear, Carson Mayor Pro Tempore Elito Santarina and Los Angeles Bishop Oscar Solis, the first Filipino bishop in the U.S.

Balita

Weekend, Sat. - Fri., June 21 - 27, 2014

Remedies for employees who suffer age discrimination Cable’s Restaurant in Woodland Hills, CA was acquired by GACN, Inc. During the acquisition, the employer promised that veteran servers Martha Aboulafia (57 years-old), Cheryl Colgin (57), Patricia Monica (66), Lesi Clothier (55), Patricia Long (74), and Regina Greene (47) will be able to keep their positions. Unknown to the servers, the employer was already advertising for replacements.

Two days after the acquisition, Aboulafia, Colgin, Monica, Clothier and year- old workers. Employer argued that Long were fired. Greene was fired months Aboulafia, Colgin and Monica were laid later. The employer replaced them with off because of their performance, and Greene was terminated because she was inexperienced employees in their 20s.

The employees sued for wrongful ter- suspected of reporting to work drunk. But mination and age discrimination, among in denying Greene’s unemployment benother things. They sought to recover lost efits, the employer said she quit without wages, emotional distress and punitive giving notice.

After listening to all the testimonies and damages. Long and Clothier settled and the four remaining servers proceeded to deliberating for less than 2 hours, all 12 jutrial. During trial, other former employees rors decided in favor of the employees and testified about the employer’s practice of awarded them a total $1.68 million for lost terminating older workers and replacing wages and emotional distress. The jury also found that the employer acted with fraud, them with younger workers.

Employer denied age discrimination oppression or malice and awarded each of saying they continue to employ 45 to 75 the four servers $1 million in punitive dam-

LOS ANGELES ages. The employer’s appeal is pending.

In California, where employment is considered “at-will,” employers may legally terminate employees at any time and for no reason at all, even if the employee’s job performance was excellent. However, a termination is illegal if motivated by discriminatory intent and targets an employee’s protected characteristic such as age, race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, medical condition, or pregnancy.

In the above case, the jury decided that the employer targeted and fired the servers because of their age. The law requires employers to evaluate employees based on their abilities and not their age. Employers cannot use age-based stereotypes or unsupported generalizations about the qualifications or job performance of persons who are 40 years or older. The law also protects against forced retirement based on advanced age.

Employers who illegally fire employees

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are liable for the following damages: back wages, future lost pay (if the employee cannot find a comparable job after the illegal firing), damages for pain and suffering, and attorneys’ fees and court costs. If a non-governmental employer acted with oppression, fraud, or malice against an employee, the employee may additionally recover punitive damages, as was the case with the four servers.

[C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is trial attorney who has obtained several million dollar recoveries for his clients against insurance companies and employers. He has been selected as a Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, featured in the cover of Los Angeles Daily Journal’s Verdicts and Settlements, and is a member of the Million Dollar-Advocates Forum. He is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center Washington, D.C. and the University of the Philippines. Visit his website at www.joesayaslaw.com or contact his office at (818) 291-0088 for a no-cost inquiry.]

Workers urge city leaders to protect workers’ rights LOS ANGELES – More than 1,500 working men and women of IBEW Local 18 were joined by members and leaders of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor in a job action to send a message to city leaders that collective bargaining agreements are binding.

This job action stems from the city leadership attempting to break collective bargaining agreements that fund critical training and safety programs within the DWP. Last summer the City and the DWP’s 8,500 workers concluded a successful collective bargaining process with the ratification of a new contract. With significant short- and long-term financial savings for the DWP, the City Council unanimously approved the contract and the City’s leadership lauded the agreement as a win for Los Angeles. However, now the City is contemplating a serious violation of the contract – unilaterally ignoring the Department’s obligation to fund the Institutes as specified under the agreement.

“Last Summer the working women and

men at the Department of Water & Power entered into a contract that was approved by the DWP Commission, the Mayor and City Council. This agreement was lauded as a win-win because it saved billions of dollars through thoughtful pension reform.

This is a binding agreement and the more than 8,000 workers at the DWP demand that the City honor all elements of this agreement.” said Brian D’Arcy, Business Manager IBEW, Local 18.

“The right of collective bargaining is a core value of the labor movement. A deal is a deal. We fully expect the City and the DWP to respect and honor an agreement they signed with its 8,500 workers, who every day provide reliable power and clean water to our communities,” said Maria Elena Durazo, Executive SecretaryTreasurer Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO IBEW Local 18 represents over 8,000 employees who are proud to serve the people of Los Angeles and provide the vital water and power that keeps the city moving every day.

Genevieve Caleja crowned Miss Santa Clarita Valley 2014 The 35th Miss Santa Clarita Valley Scholarship Pageant, “The Magic of the Crown,” enthroned new regional queens and princesses Saturday night at the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center on the campus of College of the Canyons.

A preliminary pageant held Friday evening narrowed the field of 37 contestants competing in seven age categories.

The contestants competed in poise, physical fitness, evening gown, ball gown and personal interview. Contestants are also required to perform community service activities to compete in the pageant.

The Miss SCV queens and princesses Genevieve Caleja as she is crowned Miss make appearances in the Newhall Fourth Santa Clarita Valley 2014 of July Parade, at nonprofit fundraisers and Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce grand openings.

Genevieve Caleja was born in Woodland Hills and raised in Newhall, California.

She is currently living in the Santa Clarita Valley with her parents Mr. and Mrs. Domingo/Ruth Caleja Martinez and a brother Jabez Caleja Martinez originated from the Ilocos region of the Philippines.

She is attending College of the Canyons, earning her Associates of Science degree in Early Childhood Education this summer of 2014. In the fall, she will be attending Higher Vision Leadership School to receive a Pastoral Degree and certificate with an emphasis in Children’s Ministry. As a woman of faith, her hopes and aspirations all reside in God, trusting Him in all the challenges and victories she will face along the way. Her long term goal is to receive her bachelor and master degree in Secondary Education, pursuing her dream of elementary school teaching and administration as a principal. Her heart is, and always will be in serving children and their families.

With the support of the SCV Beauty Pageant organization, friends and family, she was able to reach her goal and earned the title of Miss Santa Clarita Valley 2014.

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Weekend, Sat. - Fri., June 21 - 27, 2014

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Are you feeling hopeless about your debt problems?

The last few years have been financially difficult for a lot of people. When the real estate marked crashed a few years ago, millions of people found themselves with a mortgage they could not afford. A lot of people simply walked away from their homes out of desperation in some cases, they were forced out of their homes after the bank foreclosed. Millions went to the bankruptcy courts seeking relief and hoping to find a way to get their finances back in order. paid your taxes and have done your best Debt is a very personal matter so to pay all your bills on time. But at some most people don’t even talk about it. You stage in life, all of us get into debt. Money may not realize this but chances are that problems can easily overlap into other arsomeone close to you, perhaps a family eas of our lives. Many people feel hopeless member, a friend or a co-worker is seri- and powerless over their debt problems. ously struggling with debt at this moment I have seen marriages become unstable and have not told anyone about it. They and relationships destroyed forever. If you seriously need help but don’t even know are currently in debt, rather than allowing where to begin. your money problems to affect your life in Like most people, you’ve worked hard, such a dramatic way, filing for bankruptcy

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If your liabilities exceed your total assets, you’ve suffered a job loss, are facing foreclosure or have bills you can no longer afford to pay, Congress has enacted bankruptcy laws that can help you get your finances in order. I know that the mere thought of bankruptcy makes most people nervous so they avoid exploring their options until it’s too late. I find this unfortunate because in a lot of cases, people could have turned their situation around much sooner had they taken the time to find out what their legal rights are.

Some people wait too long to file bankruptcy even when it is their only option.

In the process, they use up hard-earned assets like their retirement plan, savings accounts, etc. but in the end they realize that this was nothing more than a temporary fix to a lingering problem.

If you’ve come to the end of your financial rope and don’t know what else to do, it is time to face your debt problems with dignity and do what your situation calls for. I am not saying that bankruptcy is for everyone but after being a bankruptcy attorney for 15 years now and having

represented thousands of clients in bankruptcy, what I have seen is that oftentimes, bankruptcy is THE ONLY WAY for most people in debt to get a fresh start when they are in over their heads in debt.

If bankruptcy is the best option for you, you don’t need to keep living paycheck to paycheck while digging a deeper financial hole every single month. Yes, bankruptcy may be a scary thing for a lot of people who don’t understand the process but once you’ve taken the time to find out how it works and how it could help you get out of debt, you may realize that it’s actually not as difficult as you first may have thought.

If you are in debt and feeling hopeless about your situation, I would like to help you. Call my office for a free confidential consultation at Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772.

We have offices in Pasadena, Valencia and Cerritos.

(None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 5,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866-477-7772).

Sacramento makes $6.7-B in revenues, but misses target SACRAMENTO – State Controller John Chiang has released his monthly report covering California’s cash balance, receipts and disbursements in May 2014.

Revenues for the month totaled $6.7 billion, missing estimates in the Governor’s January proposed budget by $389.1 million, or 5.5 percent. Year-to-date, revenues still exceed expectations by $1.8 billion, or 2.1 percent.

“While this is the first time in six months that revenues have fallen short, the overall budgetary health remains stable and there is no threat to the State’s ability to pay its bills on time and in full.” said Chiang. “As lawmakers finalize their spending decisions in the coming days, my office urges fiscal restraint with an eye toward slashing the billions of dollars in debt accrued during the Great Recession.”

Because the State’s cash position exceeded expectations by $5 billion as of the release of the Governor’s May Revision, the Department of Finance – with the concurrence of the offices of the State Treasurer and State Controller – did not produce formal cash flow projections for the May Revision. As a result, actual May receipts and disbursements are compared

against projections provided in the Governor’s January budget proposal.

Income tax collections for the month of May came in $254.2 million, or 7.4 percent, below estimates in the Governor’s January proposed budget. Corporate taxes were below estimates by $177.6 million, or 99.8 percent. Sales taxes also came in short of estimates by $98.6 million, or 3.1 percent.

As of the end of May, the State’s cash reserves exceed the Governor’s January projection by $4.9 billion. This positive reserve is comprised of $3.5 billion in greater than anticipated internal borrowable resources and a cash deficit that is lower than projections by $1.4 billion.

That cash deficit, now $8.5 billion, is being covered by both internal and external borrowing.

For more details on today’s report, read the financial statement and summary analysis.

Read a version of this press release in Spanish.

For more news, please follow the Controller on Twitter at @CAController, and on Facebook at California State Controller’s Office.

Landlords lean to making apartments smoke-free Los Angeles – Smoke-free policies for multi-unit housing complexes across the state continue to gain popularity. Smoke-free policies address the issue of drifting secondhand smoke – accommodating for the growing preference of families to live in a home where their families can be protected from dangerous levels of secondhand smoke exposure.

People’s Community Organization for Reform and Empowerment (People’s CORE) is a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization working with community members and local apartment managers and owners in Central and Northeast Los Angeles to develop smoke-free policies in apartments.

Arturo Garcia serves as People’s CORE’s Outreach Coordinator for The SmokeFree Apartments Project.

Difficulties and Advances Garcia explained, “It’s difficult to deal with secondhand smoke exposure when living in apartment complexes – especially for children and senior citizens who have respiratory conditions like asthma.

Adopting smoke-free polices in local apartment complexes have proved to be a great change that improves health in our community. ” Policies for smoke-free complexes limit or prohibit smoking in and around apartments – including outdoor common areas – and may also include the establishment of smoke-free units and smoke-free common areas. Apartment managers and owners have the right to pass smoke-free policies.

Even jurisdictions across California have adopted city-wide ordinances. Thirtythree jurisdictions across the state have adopted smoke-free multi-unit housing ordinances.

For more information about The Smoke-Free Apartments Project, please call People’s CORE at (213) 241-0995 or visit www.peoplescore.net.

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Permanent residency through marriage to US citizen spouse The economic crisis of the past few years and changes in immigration legislation has made it more difficult to pursue certain traditional paths to obtaining permanent residency in the United States. Employment based immigration has been affected by long wait time in priority under the EB3 category.

H1-b visas has been affected by the visa annual visa cap and does not lead to a greencard.

In addition, it is a viable option only if the immigrant is fortunate enough to find a job or an

employer to offer them a job.

However, one traditional way of obtaining a family petition or a labor certification permanent residency which has remained has been filed for the benefit of that alien unchanged is through a petition by a US prior to April 30, 2001. If the alien was not inspected nor grandfathered under seccitizen spouse.

As a spouse of a US Citizen, an alien tion 245(i), such as if the alien crossed the is considered an immediate relative and border illegally, the alien cannot obtain his entitled to immediately apply for a green or her green card inside the United States. card inside the United States. This is usu- Along with the application and petition, ally done by simultaneously filing an I-130 the alien is also required to take a medical Petition for Alien Relative and an I-485 examination by a physician designated by Application to adjust status. However the USCIS. The result of that physical in order to do this, the alien spouse must examination is reported in a USCIS form have been inspected when the alien entered and sealed in an envelope submitted with the United States or if not inspected must the Petition and Adjustment Application. be grandfathered by section 245(i) of the The alien spouse may also apply for a immigration and nationality act. Being in- work authorization card with the Petition spected means that the alien entered using a and Adjustment application. The work auvalid visa, paroled inside the United States, thorization card will allow the alien spouse entered using the visa waiver program. The to work legally in the United States, obtain alien is grandfathered by section 245(i) if a social security card, and a driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license

New relief for illegal entrants married to vets (Paul Choi is an immigration attorney and professor of law located at 5900 Sepulveda Blvd. Ste 303, Sherman Oaks, CA. 91411. Atty Choi will answer all questions regarding immigration and naturalization for free. Address questions to pchoi@pchoilaw.com or telephone 818 714-2226. Atty.

Choi is pleased to announce that his administrator is Philip Abramowitz who has 30 years of experience in immigration

a parole. law.)

A parole is essentially a new entry into Question: I entered the U.S. by jumping ship in 2008. I had a crewmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visa to the U.S. By having this new entry, the prior meet my ship in Miami but I did not go to unlawful entry is forgiven and forgotten. the ship. Instead I stayed here in the U.S. The applicant, of course, does not have to I met a U.S. citizen man and we started actually leave the U.S. to make this new dating. Last year we got married. We saw entry. This is why it is called Parole in an immigration lawyer last year who told Place-because the USCIS can give you a me that I did not qualify for my greencard new lawful entry without ever having to because I entered as a crewman. I was very leave the country.

PIP is a legal fiction that can work mirasaddened and disappointed. I do not want to go back to the Philippines because I am cles. Suddenly, a person who was ineligible now pregnant and will have a child here for permanent residence because he had no soon. My husband served in the U.S. Army legal entry, now has a legal entry and can in Iraq and is a veteran. Can he help me get immediately file for adjustment of status. my greencard? Is there anything I can do? The PIP has been used sparingly by the Answer: Your question is excellent and USCIS in the past six or seven years and we just may be able to help you because it has really big one of the biggest secrets you are married to a U.S. veteran. Let me of the USCIS. Few persons knew about it and very few asked for it or received it. explain the problem first.

Now the cat is out of the bag so to In order to adjust status in the U.S. to lawful permanent resident based upon speak. The USCIS has published rules on marriage to a U.S. citizen, you must have how PIP works and it is official. It is not entered the U.S. lawfully. This means very well known and very few attorneys persons who entered the U.S. illegally by are aware of it. Now we are spreading crossing the border without a visa, persons the word to help those select persons who who were in transit in the U.S. without a are married to veterans and wish to seek visa, and persons who entered as crewmen permanent residence without ever having as not eligible to adjust status in the U.S. to leave the U.S. So, if you entered without a visa, as a to permanent resident.

There are a few exceptions to this harsh transit without visa entrant, or as a crewrule. The most recent and far reaching ex- man, you may be eligible to apply for PIP if ception concerns those persons who were you are married to a veteran or soldier. The petitioned for permanent residence before process is relatively fast and now available.

April 30, 2001 under a law known as 245i. Being granted PIP is not guaranteed howIf a person qualifies because he had a labor ever and there are some risks that should certification or immigrant visa petition be considered before applying. It is a good filed on his behalf on or before April 30, idea to speak with a knowledgeable immi2001, he can adjust status through marriage gration attorney before seeking PIP. Howto a citizen even if he entered unlawfully or ever, if you qualify, your path to permanent as a crewman. He just has to pay a penalty residence just got easier. Congratulations to our veterans and their spouses. fee of $1000 to the USCIS. (Paul Choi will answer all questions reApart from this limited exception there is a new procedure authorized by the US- garding immigration and naturalization for CIS for persons who are married to active FREE. Address questions to pchoi@pchoilmilitary personnel or U.S. veterans of any aw.com or call 818 714-2226. He is located age. It is called Parole in Place or PIP. at 5900 Sepulved Blvd. Ste. 303, Sherman Under PIP, a person who is married to a Oaks, CA. 91411. Phil Abramowitz can be veteran or active duty soldier can request reached at pabramowitz@pchoilaw.com or the USCIS to give him what is known as on his cell at 818 324-8110)

while that person is waiting for his or her green card interview. Work Authorization card are usually issued in about1 to 2 months from filing the application.

The green card interview is usually set in about 5 to 6 months from the time the Petition and Application is filed. The green card interview is the most important step in the process. It is through this process that the USCIS officer usually determines whether the marriage, which forms the basis of the Petition, was entered in good faith. The adjudicating officer usually asks detailed questions about the marriage relationship between the US Citizen spouse and alien spouse. If the couple do not have children, the marriage are usually subject to closer scrutiny. Along with this inquiry process, the USCIS would usually request for certain documents that proves a bonafide marriage. Some of these documents may be in the form of pictures, joint utility bills, health insurance documents, and many more.

If everything goes well, the USCIS officer will approve the case and a green card will be mailed to the alienâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; address within a reasonable time period. If the couple has been married for 2 years or more, the alien spouse will receive a permanent greencard. If the couple has been married for less than 2 years, the alien will receive a conditional green card. The alien spouse will have to file a petition to remove the condition 3 months prior to the expiration

of the conditional greencard which is good for 2 years.

Obtaining legal status in the United States is a one shot deal. People should seek the assistance of an experienced Attorney to guide them through this important and and once in a lifetime process.

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice.

The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information.

This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation.

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com. Web: usimmigrationatty.com or kenreyeslaw.com.

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FAMILY LAW â&#x20AC;˘ Divorce â&#x20AC;˘ Community Property Division â&#x20AC;˘ Child Custody and Spousal Support â&#x20AC;˘ Domestic Violence Restraining Order â&#x20AC;˘ Legal Separation and Nullity â&#x20AC;˘ Parentage â&#x20AC;˘ Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements

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OPINION

Rocky road to Mexico, US for undocumented youth

By Yemeli Ortega

TIJUANA, June 18, 2014 (AFP) – Unlike most teenagers, Gabriel doesn’t dream of becoming a rock star or a football player.

Instead, his fondest wish is to become a bricklayer in the United States, so he can help support his struggling family in Mexico.

But getting across the border as a kid, without working papers, is the hard part, the 17-year said.

“You have to sleep in the hills, and you’re always on the run,” the boy told AFP. Even more unnerving is the fear of being caught and sent back home

by US immigration officials, who are always on their trail.

“They can find you by your tracks,” said Gabriel. “And if they get you, it’s all over.”

The boy spoke to AFP a short time after being deported from the United States to the border town of Tijuana, Mexico after a recent failed attempt to cross the border.

He’s like a growing number of minors fleeing poverty and violence in Mexico and Central America.

Legions of adolescents are making the dangerous journey unaccompanied by adults, and their numbers have grown so great US officials are calling it a humanitarian crisis.

US President Barack Obama earlier this month said his administration would provide special assistance to children arriving to the US alone after making the treacherous overland journey, including medical care and housing—and would prioritize efforts to reunite them with their parents.

The United States re-purposed three military barracks to serve as temporary housing for the youngsters.

American dream, undeterred Gabriel said he’s undeterred by his recent failure to make it across the border.

“What I want to do is work in the United States,” the teen said, envisioning that would allow him to buy “a little house, a car, and send some money back home.”

In Mexico, by contrast one can barely “earn enough to feed oneself,” said the youth, who possesses a maturity and self-assurance far greater than his years.

“We have to remind your parents that you’re just a kid,” interjected Roberto Rendon, who runs the shelter where Gabriel is temporarily housed.

Between October 2013 and the end of May 2014, US border officials intercepted more than 47,000 unaccompanied minors trying to illegally enter the United States, almost twice the number registered between October 2012 and the end of September 2013.

Sometimes the kids don’t know what they are getting into by embarking on such a dangerous trip, and, like 17-year old Antonio, are relieved to be caught.

“I’m happy to be going home,” said Antonio, who looks younger than his years, in his oversized rapper-style pants.

In his case, his parents are also thrilled to see him come back home to the central Mexican town of Guanajuato. But his case is not typical.

PHL mulls seeking faster ruling on arbitration case vs. China MANILA, June 18 (Mabuhay) – The Philippines plans to seek a faster ruling on an international arbitration complaint it filed to invalidate China’s sweeping territorial claims in the South China Sea after Beijing formally declined to join the case, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said late Tuesday.

Manila is also studying whether to ask the Netherlands-based tribunal to ask China to stop its constructions and other expansion activities in the disputed waters while the five-man tribunal operating under a United Nations convention is hearing the case, Del Rosario added.

“Since China is not participating, perhaps we could get a quicker resolution from the tribunal,” he said.

“What we want to do because China is not participating and because the situation is getting worse every day in the South China Sea, I am asking our retainers in the US if we can present a request to the tribunal if they can hasten the process,” he added.

Manila’s plan demonstrates the alarm the Philippines, Vietnam and other rival claimant countries’ have harbored over a spike in Chinese actions in recent times to consolidate and cement its massive territorial claims in the South China Sea and the East Sea. China’s expansion moves have also alarmed the international community, which has called for a stop of such actions and the use of coercion and threats that could escalate tensions and lead to a

major armed conflict.

The Philippines recently revealed that China is engaged in construction activities and reclamation of at least five disputed areas. These features, Philippine officials say, fall within the country’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.

Del Rosario earlier proposed a moratorium on construction activities in the disputed zones – an initiative that met strong opposition from China.

“We obviously have a situation that is exacerbating there and we need to do something urgently to be able to curtail a possible jeopardy,” he said.

China rejects the claims of its smaller neighbors like the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan, saying it has indisputable sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea – a resource-rich body of water where undersea oil and gas deposits have been discovered in several areas.

It maintains its “relevant activities” there are “legitimate” and “fall totally within China’s sovereignty.”

“There is a term called provisional measure and we’re looking into that. It’s a study that is in progress,” Del Rosario replied when asked if the Philippines plans to ask the tribunal to order China to halt expansion activities while it’s hearing Manila’s complaint.

The Philippines filed a case against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in January 2013 to try to declare its massive claim illegal. (MNS)

Fear at the border: Cambodian migrants flee Thailand

By Suy Se

POIPET, June 17, 2014 (AFP) – In a flight fuelled by rumors of killings and arrests, construction worker Chim Phon joined 180,000 fellow Cambodians in a mass exodus from Thailand and to an uncertain future back home.

Panicked over a threatened crackdown under the military junta that took power last month, the migrant workers have quit their jobs and rushed to the border carrying children and meager belongings.

“It is not safe for us. We are scared. I heard Cambodians were killed,” said 45-year-old Phon who had labored on a building site on the outskirts of the sprawling capital Bangkok.

“We will never go back again,” he told AFP as he clutched some Thai baht waited with hundreds of others to change his savings into Cambodian riel.

Tens of thousands of Cambodians, carrying suitcases, bundles of clothes and even electric fans – anything they could carry as they fled in haste – have arrived in Poipet, the main border crossing in recent days.

Rumours that Cambodians had been killed during anti-immigration raids have spread like wildfire across Thailand, despite official denials.

The junta triggered the crisis last week with a warning that it viewed illegal migrants as a “threat” and that they faced arrest and deportation.

Shaken by the response and the potential impact on the economy, they have now insisted there is no “crackdown” and denied forcing Cambodian workers out of the country.

But such is the panic, among people whose country is no stranger to upheaval and disaster, that it appears nearly the entire Cambodian migrant worker community may have fled.

‘We were scared’ The International Organization for Migration estimates there are around 180,000 undocumented Cambodian labourers in Thailand, the vast majority of whom work in construction and agriculture.

“We didn’t feel safe. We were scared of being arrested. The situation is not good for us there,” said Phon, adding that all 20 of the Cambodians he shared a dormitory with at the construction site had left.

“When we saw a lot of Cambodians were leaving

we followed them,” he said, hauling two backpacks stuffed with clothes and a bag of kitchenware.

Looking older than his years, and with a worried expression at odds with his jaunty green floral shirt, he and his wife pondered their fate back in Cambodia, where he had been a rice farmer.

“My employer said it was up to us if we wanted to leave but he cannot guarantee our safety as we are illegal,” he said, adding that he had little education and that finding work in Cambodia would be difficult.

In the 1970s, emaciated Cambodian refugees fleeing the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime poured across this same border crossing into refugee camps in Thailand.

Now, newly repatriated migrants sit glumly under tarpaulins waiting for transport to take them back to their native villages in interior provinces.

Some Cambodians have become improvised currency brokers, winding through the crowds with bundles of Cambodian riel, helping desperate returnees to change their Thai baht.

Many migrants do not have much to come home to, and the loss of comparatively lucrative jobs in Thailand will hit their family finances hard.

Little to return to According to the World Bank, about 20 percent of the Cambodian population lives below the poverty line, or less than $1.25 per person per day.

Phon said he worked an eight-hour day at a construction site, earning 300 baht per day (some $9), a decent salary when compared to a minimum wage of just $100 a month in Cambodia’s garment factories.

He said he spent 1,200 baht on bus tickets to get him out of Thailand and was carried the final distance by a Thai police car. Now, he will be heading back to his family in Kompong Thom, in central Cambodia. Phon’s wife Lach Thy said the couple had only left their native Cambodia for Thailand a few months ago, hoping to earn enough money to buy a motorbike, after seeing many people in their village make money by migrating.

“But now we have only a little money, not enough for a motorbike,” she said, laughing drily at their misfortune as they prepared for the drive back to their bamboo family house.

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Binay: Vote for Vigan in New 7 Wonders poll MANILA, June 18 (Mabuhay) – Vice President Jejomar Binay is urging the public to vote for Vigan as one of the New 7 Wonders Cities of the World.

The campaign recognizes places that “best represent the achievements and aspirations of our global urban civilization.”

“Vigan reflects our country’s rich culture and history. As Filipinos proud of our own heritage, let us help make Vigan our very own world wonder,” urged Binay.

Being the lone Philippine city in the list of nominees, Binay hopes that by being included in the New 7 Wonders, “Vigan will be able to attract more local and foreign visitors, and inspire appreciation of

our heritage.”

“This is an opportunity for us to showcase the beauty of our country, and motivate others to protect and preserve their cultural legacy so future generations will be able to appreciate and cherish it,” the Vice President said.

Vigan, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was dubbed as the “best preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia,” joins 27 other finalists in the New7Wonders Cities campaign.

The other finalists are: Athens, Greece; Bangkok, Thailand; Barcelona, Spain; Beirut, Lebanon; Casablanca, Morocco; Chicago, USA; Doha, Qatar; Durban,

7 congressmen file bill establishing Cordillera Autonomous Region BAGUIO, June 18 (Mabuhay) – Seven congressional representatives have filed House Bill (HB) 4649 or the Act Establishing the Cordillera Autonomous Region.

Representatives Nicasio Aliping Jr (Baguio City), Manuel Agyao (Kalinga), Teddy Baguilat Jr (Ifugao), Eleanor Bagtang (Apayao), Maximo Dalog Sr. (Mt. Province), Ma. Jocelyn Bernos (Abra), and Ronald Cosalan (Benguet) signed and filed the bill last week.

Cosalan said he fears that the proposal on the sharing and exploitation of the region’s natural resources will not pass.

Cosalan cited the 1986 Constitution stating that only the national government has control over the exploitation and use of natural resources.

If this happens, the Cordillera region

will not have full autonomy as it will not be able to control authority over its natural resources.

Cosalan said he signed the bill for the sake of unity and insists that while the HB4649 is being processed, the Cordillera region should enjoy the privileges and benefits of a “regular region.”

In the last Congress, Cosalan and Bernos did not support a similar measure, HB5595, which was eventually shelved.

The HB4649 proponents believe that an autonomous region will help in achieving sustainable development and provide primary management of the resources in the region.

Cosalan is hoping that the concerned agencies will be convinced that there is an accord among the Cordillera representatives that resulted in HB4649. (MNS)

South Africa; Havana, Cuba; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Istanbul, Turkey; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Kyoto, Japan; La Paz, Bolivia; London, United Kingdom; Mendoza, Argentina; Mexico City, Mexico; Mumbai, India; Perth, Australia; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Prague, Czech Republic; Quito, Ecuador; Reykjavik, Iceland; St. Petersburg, Russia; Seoul, South Korea;

Shenzhen, China; and Vancouver, Canada.

The Philippines’ Puerto Princesa Underground River was named among the New7Wonders of Nature in 2011, joining the Amazon Rainforest in South America, Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, Iguazu Falls in Argentina/Brazil, Jeju Island in South Korea, Komodo National Park in Indonesia, and Table Mountain in South Africa. (MNS)

Beijing sends another oil rig to South China Sea BEIJING, June 20, 2014 (AFP) – Another Chinese oil rig is set to arrive Friday in the South China Sea, authorities said, as Beijing and Hanoi trade accusations over an increasingly heated territorial row.

The move marks a fresh escalation of the dispute, which has seen a wave of deadly anti-Chinese riots in Vietnam as well as accusations from both sides of ramming by the other’s vessels following China’s dispatch seven weeks ago of a rig into waters Hanoi claims.

Talks in Hanoi between Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi and Vietnamese Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung over the dispute ended in deadlock on Wednesday.

The new rig was dispatched that same day, according to a statement posted online by the China Maritime Safety Administration.

It remains unclear whether the rig will be deployed in waters that are in dispute.

Asked Thursday about the move, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying responded that the rig’s operations would take place “within the coastal waters off China’s Hainan Island”, off the southern tip of the country.

Relations between China and Vietnam

have plummeted over the oil rig row, with Beijing saying last week that Vietnamese ships have rammed its vessels more than 1,500 times since early last month, while Vietnam has released footage showing a large Chinese ship near the rig chasing and ramming one of its fishing boats, which then sank.

Hanoi has demanded that China withdraw the rig, which is in waters near the Paracel Islands claimed by Vietnam.

Anti-Chinese riots sparked by Beijing’s dispatch of the deep-sea rig claimed three Chinese lives in Vietnam last month, according to Hanoi. Beijing says four Chinese citizens died.

The dispute is only the latest between China and its southeast Asian neighbours, which challenge Beijing’s expansive claims to the South China Sea that began last year.

The Philippines on Thursday asked a UN tribunal to speed up its ruling on whether China’s claims in the region are in violation of international maritime law.

Beijing has resolutely refused to participate in the proceedings.

Beijing has also been accused of undertaking land reclamation projects in disputed areas, further stoking tensions.

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Woman to be first charged under PHL cybercrime law MANILA, June 15, 2014 (AFP) – A woman has been indicted for computer fraud in the first such case under the Philippines’ controversial cybercrime law, justice department records showed Sunday.

Karla Martinez Ignacio could face up to six years in jail if found guilty of transferring thousands of dollars to her bank account using fraudulent computer data.

She was indicted by a prosecutor in the city of Las Pinas, outside Manila, and is set to be charged under the Philippines’ Cybercrime Prevention Act. The law is designed to stamp out online scourges like fraud, identity theft and child pornography, but

critics say it could be used to stifle dissent as it imposes heavy prison terms for online libel. Facebook and Twitter have become popular ways of organising major political street protests in the Philippines.

The law was passed in 2012 but its implementation was suspended after coming under challenge from various groups.

The Supreme Court ruled in February that the law was not unconstitutional, paving the way for its implementation.

But the court ruled against a provision giving authorities sweeping powers to shut down websites or record Internet traffic data in real time.

Liquor firm wants to register ‘Tacloban’ for branding – Cayetano MANILA, June 18 (Mabuhay) – Senator Pia Cayetano slammed Destileria Limtuaco, Inc. (DLI) for allegedly desecrating and trivializing the names of historical figures and places, including Tacloban.

Cayetano also twitted the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) for giving the firm the go-signal.

The senator, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, said DLI’s plan to register as its own trademarks the names of “Rizal,” “Bonifacio,” and “Gomburza” only “threatens to desecrate, misappropriate and trivialize their national and historic significance.”

“Dr. Jose Rizal, Gat Andres Bonifacio and the three martyred priests (Padre Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora) all laid their lives for the freedom and rights we enjoy today, and this is how Destileria Limtuaco intends to honor them?

Or are they simply taking advantage of

Senator Pia Cayetano

their good names to reap the benefits by having their names and images emblazoned on their bottles of whisky, gin, brandy and rhum?” the senator asked.

She said the company is so “un-Filipino” to link the names of heroes to products that are known vices.

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Sandiganbayan convicts ex-Pangasinan mayor for overpriced computer MANILA, June 18 (Mabuhay) – The Sandiganbayan has convicted a former mayor of a town in Pangasinan province for violation of the anti-graft law for the procurement of an overpriced computer unit in 1998, the Office of the Ombudsman said.

In a statement, the Ombudsman said former San Manuel town Mayor Salvador Perez sentenced to six years and one month to eight years of jail time for violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft Corrupt Practices Act. Also, he is disqualified from holding public office, the Ombudsman said.

Section 3 (e) involves, “causing any undue injury to any party, including the government, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.”

The statement Also said the anti-graft court found that no public bidding was conducted for the procurement of a computer unit amounting to P120,000.

“Inconsistencies in documents showed that P120,000.00 was paid to Starlet Sales Center in Tondo, while the Purchase Order was issued to Mobile Link Enterprises in Mandaluyong City,” it added.

On the other hand, his co-accused former Municipal Treasurer Juanita Apostol has extinguished her criminal liability with her death in 2011, the Ombudsman added. (MNS) Cayetano also said she could not comprehend why the IPO, a government office, initially approved the DLI’s application to register “Intramuros” as a liquor brand.

“I cannot understand how the IPO, a government agency that is tasked to uphold the law and the national interest, would allow the name of a national heritage site to be reduced into a brand of an intoxicating beverage? The IPO could have used its authority instead to reject the application outright.”

She noted that the Intellectual Property Code sets strict guidelines in registering marks associated with national symbols.

She cited, among others, Sec. 123.1.a which states: “A mark cannot be registered if it consists of immoral, deceptive or scandalous matter, or matter which may disparage or falsely suggest a connection

with persons, living or dead, institutions, beliefs, or national symbols, or bring them into contempt or disrepute.”

She also noted DLI registered with the IPO the name “Tacloban” last March 31, or four months after super typhoon Yolanda wrought havoc there.

“Tacloban has become a global symbol of Filipino resilience, hope, recovery and cooperation. And this liquor company has the gall to misappropriate it for selfish ends and corporate profits,” she said.

She added IPO should rectify its glaring oversight on the matter.(MNS)

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Should I take equity out of my house to purchase a new home?

Caller : I currently own a home that is a 3 bed and 1 bath older home, we are quickly outgrowing this house and needing more space. I would like to take some equity out of this house to buy our family a bigger home. What I would like to do is to be able to rent out our existing house so we would have a renter to supplement the mortgage payments. Our currently financial situation is that our total mortgage payment per month is about $2150.00. We currently have a combined income of about $87 K and we the first few months it will be vacant for have a car payment of about $390/mo. All cleaning, may repainting and some minor our other debts are at a minimum and we repairs. To get a house nowadays rented are getting a gift amount for a down pay- out, the house has to be in move-in condiment from our parents. We would like to tion. So, an estimated $5K will be needed take out our equity to be able to do a 20% to get the house in a rentable condition. down on a new house down the street that We now have to give it about two months is much newer and completely remodeled. of mortgage payments plus the $5K cost Our estimated value of our house is about to clean and fix up to a rentable condition. $390-400K. What would you be able to With their new house payment if they advise us on how to proceed with these were to rent out the departing home, it scenario? will be in the $2700.00 all in payment per Ken: Thanks for the call, these bor- month. So, let’s do the math on this, new rowers are in a great position now based mortgage payment of $2700.00 month, on my phone interview. They bought the negative rental income of $350 ( lender house in 2004 at a discount directly from will use negative 800.00 / mo as qualifying the sellers. They owed about $300K on negative income ) add the car payment of it and has about an estimated 80-90K in $390 plus misc credit debt of $50.00. Total equity. After reviewing the entire financial lender considered obligation is $3940.00 package, I came to a conclusion that, these per month, we divide that amount by homeowners are better of selling their monthly income of $7250.00 ( based on existing house and moving all the equity to the new home. Let me explain, they literally only have about $4K in savings, most of the down payment will be a gift from their parents whom just sold their home and will be moving in with these couple. Therefore, if they were to rent the existing older house for about $1800.00 they would have a monthly negative of about $350.00 per month, not including

SunTrust Banks pays nearly $1 billion for mortgage abuse

WASHINGTON, June 17, 2014 (AFP) – SunTrust Banks agreed Tuesday to pay $968 million to settle US charges, rooted in the 2008 financial crisis, that it mislabeled huge numbers of defective mortgages as quality loans, abusing borrowers.

The Atlanta, Georgia-based SunTrust’s deal with three federal government agencies and 49 states includes $500 million in relief to consumers who suffered from its practices between 2006 and 2012.

Another $418 million in cash goes to resolving potential charges against the bank for originating and underwriting loans that it claimed adhered to the standards of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).

The balance, $50 million, will be mostly distributed to borrowers and homeowners who suffered from alleged mortgage abuse.

SunTrust admitted to the poor and abusive practices in the settlement, but avoided criminal charges.

“SunTrust’s irresponsible FHA lending practices caused grievous harm to homeowners and the housing market, as well as wasting hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds,” said Justice Department Assistant Attorney General Stuart Delery.

“This agreement with SunTrust is another step forward in the Obama administration’s ongoing effort to hold mortgage lenders accountable,” said Helen Kanovsky, acting deputy secretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, another party to the settlement.

SunTrust, ranked 18th in the country among banks by assets of $175 billion at the end of 2013, was a leading mortgage lender in the early 2000s.

Chairman and chief executive William Rogers said the bank is “pleased to have resolved these legacy mortgage matters.”

“Like most major financial institutions, we are addressing issues related to mortgage matters stemming from the financial crisis and recession period.”

87K / yr ) we are getting a 54% back end qualifying ration. Lenders now will not approve any loans over and above a 45% debt to income ratio.

I explained to the called that not only will you have negative rental from your departing home but you will have maintenance cost too. Every time the tenants has some kind of a problem, you will get a call to fix the problem, the negative rental income of $350.00 does not include maintenance and vacancy factors. They might be in over their heads.

I therefore suggested that they should sell their house, that will drop their new mortgage payments to $2350.00 and they will then have a debt to income ratio of 38% which is perfect for them. Now, they

can enjoy the new home with their family and have no worries. If they can sell their house at high 300’s without putting too much money into it, I think they are getting a good deal. The house is smaller therefore it has a ceiling that I believe it might not go over.

When I suggested to their family, they then realized that it actually might be smarter for them to go about this scenario by selling their existing house to move in to the new one.

I am glad I am able to direct them to a smarter way to enjoy their income and new home. Thanks for the inquiry. Please call Ken Go of 1st Innovative Financial for your mortgage or real estate inquiries. Call Ken at 562-508-7048. Thanks

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Older women should choose calcium, vit D supplements carefully: study (Relaxnews) – In a departure from typical clinical conclusions, researchers at the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) say common supplements could elevate calcium levels too high, putting them at risk for kidney stones, among other health problems.

Women approaching menopause are commonly advised to take supplements containing calcium and Vitamin D to fend off diseases like osteoporosis to which they are particularly prone.

“I would recommend that women determine how much calcium they typically get through their food sources before taking a hefty calcium supplement. They may not need as much as they think,” says NAMS Executive Director Margery Gass, MD. In the randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 163 women between the ages of 57 to 90 were examined.

Each subject had been told her Vitamin D levels were too low and had been taking calcium citrate tablets of 1,200 mg per day.

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All participants took Vitamin D supplements, ranging from 400 to 4,800 IU per day.

The dosages of both supplements all fall into the normal range in terms of meeting daily intake requirements.

The trial was limited to white women due to differences across ethnicity groups in the rate at which they metabolize Vitamin D. Collected at three-month intervals during the oneyear study, blood and urine indicated that nine percent of the women had an excess of calcium in their blood, and 31 percent had an excess of calcium in their urine.

Researchers were particularly concerned because they claim to have eliminated the possibility of hyperparathyroidism, a hormonal condition that could lead to Supplemental calcium and Vitamin D might not be such results.

They were encouraged, necessary for some senior women, according to recent research.©Monkey Business Images/shutterstock.com however, when they discovered that a 24-hour urine calcium level vember and an abstract is available online. above 132 mg indicated the likeliness Although numerous studies recomof subjects developing excessive cal- mend supplements of calcium and Vitamin cium levels after normal supplement use. D for everyone and particularly older For these women, the authors caution that women, research is beginning to question even a modest 500 mg per day calcium how much is too much. citrate supplement may be too much.

A recent example is a 2013 BritThe study will be published in the print ish study cautioning pregnant women addition of the journal Menopause in No- against such supplements.

Seniors: A good night’s sleep is essential for cognitive health (Relaxnews) – In an innovative study on a commonplace subject, researchers at the University of Oregon compiled data from aged populations in six middle income nations that concludes six to nine hours of sleep per night is imperative for seniors’ cognition.

The results indicate that improving sleep patterns could be critical in preventing and treating dementia.

“We wanted to look at aging, particularly dementia and cognitive decline as people get older, and the importance of sleep.

Our results provide compelling evidence that sleep matters a lot,” said lead author Theresa E. Gildner, a doctoral student in the UO’s anthropology department.

While the importance of sleep for clearer thinking is hardly a new discovery, similar studies in the past have been limited to populations in economic powerhouses such as the United States, Western Europe and Japan.

The study began in 2007 and involved 30,000 participants of at least 50 years of age in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, the Russian Federation and South Africa.

“In all six countries, which are very different culturally, economically and environmentally – despite all these differences – you see similar patterns emerging,” says Gildner.

Findings indicate that women are more likely to struggle with sleep quality, while men reported shorter sleep durations.

The only exceptions were Russia and Mexico, where men reported sleeping

longer than women.

Men and women in South Africa sleep the most of the countries concerned, while those in India sleep the least.

While the importance of sleep should never be underestimated, too much of it can also compromise cognition, according to the study.

Individuals who reported sleeping more than nine hours per night had lower cognitive test scores, as did those who sleep less than six hours per night.

Participants were interviewed and tested by trained native speakers in each country.

Data was averaged from sleep quality reports, based on a five-point scale, and the number of hours participants had slept in the past two nights.

Next, participants were given standard cognition tests that included but were not limited to immediate recall of a list of words, followed by delayed recall of those words, numerical tests and a verbal fluency test in which they listed as many animals as possible without repetition.

Gildner remarked on the gender differences in the results of the study, which could reflect the hormonal changes of menopause and the stress of losing a spouse.

First-wave results were published in the June issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, although the investigation is ongoing.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Sarah Geronimo: Matteo is my boyfriend After months of speculation, pop star Sarah Geronimo finally admitted on Thursday that she is in a romantic relationship with actor Matteo Guidicelli.

The 25-year-old actress confirmed this on the sidelines of a thanksgiving party for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maybe This Time,â&#x20AC;? her movie co-starring Coco Martin.

Geronimo was asked about the recent admission of Guidicelli that he calls her â&#x20AC;&#x153;mahal,â&#x20AC;? after the actor mistakenly sent a text message meant for her to Wenn Deramas which the director then posted on Facebook. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oo naman [ganoon po ang tawagan namin]... Sige, sabihin ko na po, boyfriend ko na po si Matteo. Kasi marami ding

nagsasabi na paligoy-ligoy... So, ganoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;n po,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Geronimo added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hindi naman maganda na magtatawagan kaming â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;mahalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; kung wala kaming relasyon, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;di ba? So, opo.â&#x20AC;?

Geronimo had been evasive of answering questions about Guidicelli, particularly leading up to the premiere of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maybe This Timeâ&#x20AC;? early this month.

The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ikot-Ikotâ&#x20AC;? hitmaker said it would be disrespectful to her director and co-stars to discuss her personal life when they are meant to promote the film.

Rumors romantically linking the Kapamilya stars first surfaced in 2013 when Guidicelli was reported to be the only showbiz personality seen at Geronimoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Paulo on real score with KC: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not yet over Paulo Avelino said his special relationship with KC Concepcion hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t taken off but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s definitely not yet over.

This comes two weeks after he first admitted that they tried to bring their relationship to the next level but didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work out.

Avelino was asked to finally clarify the real score between him and Concepcion, following reports that they are no longer dating.

Avelino then said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ang masasabi ko siguro hindi pa talaga nagte-take off but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not over.â&#x20AC;?

Avelino said one of the factors that affected their â&#x20AC;&#x153;relationshipâ&#x20AC;? was the long distance. Concepcion recently took a short course on acting in New York City but is now back in the Philippines.

Concepcion confessed last April that she loves Avelino. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No comment exceptâ&#x20AC;ŚBasta, mahal ko siya. Yun lang. :)â&#x20AC;? the 29-year-old actress was quoted as saying.

Avelino first admitted dating Concepcion in November last year, weeks after he confirmed his separation from former girlfriend, actress LJ Reyes, with whom he has a son.

private birthday party in July.

In January this year, an entertainment magazine reported that the two are indeed a couple, but neither confirmed this when asked in the following weeks.

However, the two appeared to be more open with their romance in March, when Geronimo attended Guidicelliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday party. The two were spotted holding hands at the gathering, with photos of their apparent sweetness making the rounds online.

(MNS)

Matteo Guidicelli and Sarah Geronimo

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FOOD & DINING FAMILY FEATURES

H

ere comes the sun — and the fun of dining al fresco.

When it comes to summer fare, familiar favorites are always welcome, such as burgers on the grill, sandwiches, salad, lemonade and dessert. But if the tried-and-true choices are getting a little too familiar, maybe they need a makeover.

New al fresco favorites These deliciously doable ideas start with time-saving, quality prepared products, such as Aunt Nellie’s jarred vegetables and READ classic bean salads, that provide real homemade flavors. Here’s how:  Elevate burgers from basic to sensational with a dollop of Red Cabbage, Onion & Bacon Jam, made with sweet-and-sour red cabbage, sauteed onions and smoky bacon.  Need a new sandwich inspiration? Mediterranean Bean & Pita-Wiches are a combination of 3 or 4 bean salad, vegetables, olives and feta cheese stuffed into whole grain pita pockets.  Trade the traditional greens or potato salad for Herbed Beet & Tomato Salad, an updated combo of colorful sweet-tangy pickled beets, garden-fresh yellow tomatoes and herb vinaigrette.  What’s for dessert? Try Fudgy Beet Brownies, which are made with Harvard beets to keep them extra moist and yummy.  Lemonade is always a welcome thirst quencher, especially if it’s pink. Here’s the simple secret: Just stir pickled beet liquid into prepared lemonade — it’s pink in a wink.

Cheers to a new twist on favorite al fresco fare. For additional recipes and serving suggestions, visit www.auntnellies.com and www.readsalads.com.

Fudgy Beet Brownies Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: Per package directions Servings: 24 brownies 1 jar (15.5 ounces) Aunt Nellie’s Harvard Beets, not drained 1 box dark or milk chocolate brownie mix (for 13-by-9-inch pan)* 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 eggs 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks Confectioners’ sugar (optional) Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray bottom of 9-by-13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place beets in blender or food processor. Puree until smooth; set aside.

Combine brownie mix, oil, eggs and pureed beets in large mixing bowl; stir until well blended.

Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into

prepared pan. Bake as directed on package, checking after shortest recommended baking time. Remove from oven; cool.

Lightly dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. *Note: Package sizes may vary according to brand.

rice vinegar 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs (such as thyme, parsley, basil, oregano or chives) 1 clove garlic, minced Salt and pepper Drain beets well.* Cut beets in half. Cut tomato slices into quarters.

For vinaigrette, whisk together oil, vinegar, herbs and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place tomatoes in large bowl. Toss with dressing.

Gently toss in beets. Serve immediately or chill. *Reserve liquid for pink lemonade, if desired.

Pink Lemonade Makes: 2 quarts Add 2 to 4 tablespoons pickled beet liquid to 2 quarts prepared lemonade; stir.

For deeper pink color add additional beet liquid.

Mediterranean Bean & PitaWiches

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 clove garlic, minced Black pepper, coarsely ground Drain bean salad; reserve 2 tablespoons liquid.

In large bowl, toss together bean salad and next six ingredients.

For dressing, whisk ingredients together. Add dressing to bean mixture; toss. Fill pita pocket halves with bean mixture.

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Prep time: 30 minutes Servings: 6 1 can (15 ounces) READ 3 or 4 Bean Salad 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes Herbed Beet & 1/2 cup coarsely chopped baby Tomato Salad spinach Prep time: 20 minutes 1/4 cup sliced celery Red Cabbage, Onion & Bacon Servings: 4 1/4 cup sliced pitted black or Jam Kalamata 1 jar (16 ounces) Aunt olives Prep time: 20 minutes Nellie’s Sliced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Cook time: 25 minutes Pickled Beets oregano 2 medium yellow 1 jar (16 ounces) Aunt Nellie’s or basil tomatoes, sliced Sweet & 6 whole grain pita pocket halves 1/4 inch thick Sour Red Cabbage Dressing: 1/4 cup olive or 1/4 pound bacon (thick cut or 2 tablespoons reserved bean vegetable oil regular) liquid 1/4 cup white wine or 1 large yellow onion (about 8 2 tablespoons olive oil ounces) 2 tablespoons granulated or brown E. Gladstone St. sugar 2 tablespoons white balsamic or 468 W. ARROW HWY. white COVINA, CA. 91722 wine vinegar 1–2 tablespoons fresh thyme (or 1 W. Arrow Hwy teaspoon dried thyme) Malaki Po ang Parking Lot Natin!

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper DINE IN - TO GO - CATERING Pasyal na Kayo!

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste) : s SPECIAL CATERING PACKAGES Green onion or parsley (optional) Special Holiday Drain cabbage; reserve liquid.

Chicken Relleno Cut bacon into pieces (about 1/4 inch).

Bangus Relleno Cook Embotido Chicken and Pork in large skillet over medium to mediumFREE DELIVERY W/IN 20 MI FREE DELIVERY W/IN 10 MI FREE DELIVERY W/IN 5 MI low heat until browned and crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate; reserve.

FULL TRAY HALF TRAY SMALL TRAY Measure 2 tablespoons drippings and return to skillet. Discard remaining drippings.

SMALL TRAY FULL TRAY HALF TRAY Meanwhile, cut onion lengthwise in quarters. Cut crosswise into very thin slices FULL TRAY HALF TRAY SMALL TRAY ! y a d (about 1/8 inch thick). y & Sun Saturda FULL TRAY SMALL TRAY HALF TRAY Heat bacon drippings over medium-low heat until hot. Add onion slices, reduce heat HALF TRAY FULL TRAY SMALL TRAY to low and cook 5 minutes or until onions begin to soften, stirring occasionally.

FULL TRAY SMALL TRAY HALF TRAY Stir in sugar, vinegar, thyme, peppers, bacon and 1/2 cup reserved liquid. Add 1 FULL TRAY BUKO PANDAN FREE 1 HALF TRAY SMALL TRAY cabbage and continue cooking over and and medium-low to low heat 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and mixture is very soft 1 HALF TRAY CASSAVA CAKE FREE 1 HALF TRAY SMALL TRAY and thick, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with thinly sliced green onion or chopped parsley before serving, if desired.

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COMMUNITY

LA City Council commemorates 116th anniversary of PHL Independence Day Los Angeles, 16 June 2014 – Philippine Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim received the City Council Proclamation honoring the 116th Anniversary of Philippine Independence Day from the Council members in session at the John Ferraro Council Chamber, City Hall of Los Angeles on 13 June 2014.

District 13 Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell presented a resolution declaring the City’s commemoration of 12 June 2014 as the 116th Anniversary of Philippine Independence and was signed by all members of the L.A. City Council including former District 13 Councilmember and present City Mayor Eric Garcetti.

In Consul General Herrera-Lim’s remarks to the City Council, he is deeply honored in representing the Philippines and the Fil-Am community in Los Angeles and recognized the best support from District 13 of Councilmember O’Farrell

in honoring and recognizing the 116th Philippine Independence Day as also the 1st Republic in Asia with the biggest Asian community in Los Angeles. He also said that Filipino-Americans found Los Angeles a welcoming home, sharing a lot of values with America, education oriented and contributing to the neighborhood.

This event was organized by the Los Angeles Filipino Association of City Employees (LAFACE) headed by its President Linda Granados, and was sponsored by the office of Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell.

The council session was followed by an Independence Day celebration organized

by LAFACE at the City Hall’s Historic Spring Street Steps. The program included a parade of historical flags of the Philippine revolution and cultural performances and food for everyone.

During the celebration Consul General Herrera-Lim was invited by LAFACE

Photo above shows at the podium (from left) Los Angeles Filipino Association of City Employees President Linda Granados, Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell presenting the City Resolution to Consul General Herrera-Lim, Tourism Deputy Director Manny Ilagan.

President, Ms. Granados, to deliver his Independence Day message before the Filipino community at the City Hall Forecourt. He remarked on Filipino Americans

efforts on continued support for families and relatives back in the Philippines and actively participating in civic and national life in the Americas.

Envoy recognizes US in PHL Embassy Independence Day rites WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Philippines marked the 116thanniversary of the proclamation of its independence in Washington, D.C. by paying tribute to the United States and the American people for extending a helping hand in the immediate aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan.

“Typhoon Haiyan took many lives and left a trail of incomprehensible destruction, but it did not defeat the Filipino spirit.

Very much like our courageous ancestors who made great sacrifice to witness that day in 1898 when the Philippine flag was raised, our people have begun the difficult task of recovery and rehabilitation,” Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. said in his Independence Daymessage at the Kennedy Center.

“As our government and people buckle down to this task, we are uplifted by the support and generosity of our friends: from the US government, which has committed more than US$ 86 million for Haiyan related efforts, to US businesses and NGOs, who have pledged approximately $60 million,” he said.

“We are particularly touched by the many American men, women and even children, as well as our kababayans in the US, who have reached out to us to donate their resources, time and energies,” Ambassador Cuisia added.

Two people who donated their resources and energy towards recovery in typhoonaffected areas were honored that evening – the armless pilot Jessica Cox and performer Allan Pineda Lindo, more popularly known as apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas.

The Embassy of the Philippines presented Cox with a plaque of achievement for her excellence as a motivational speaker and advocate for the disabled. Cox’s family is from Guiuan where Typhoon Haiyan first made landfall. She has partnered with Handicap International to provide support for those who were disabled as a result of Typhoon Haiyan.

Apl.de.ap received a plaque for his achievements and valuable service to the Philippines and the United States, and for making significant contributions in building the image of Filipinos and the Philippines in the US. Apl.de.ap has done philanthropic work in the Eastern Visayas after Typhoon Haiyan and is set to conduct a music and arts camp for children affected by the typhoon in the near future.

Among the dignitaries who attended were US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel R. Russel , Virginia Rep. Bobby Scott, CoChair of the US-Philippines Friendship Caucus at the House of Representatives; and Ambassador John Negroponte, CoChairman of the US-Philippine Society.

Also present were members of the diplomatic corps, US officials, businessmen, and the Filipino Community.

In his remarks, Ambassador Cuisia also cited President Obama’s visit to the Philippines in April, which, he said, further manifested the strength of the PhilippineUS alliance.

“We are heartened by President Obama’s support for the Philippines’ decision to seek arbitration to address maritime claims in the South China Sea, recognizing our contribution to strengthening international law and peaceful avenues for the settlement of disputes,” Ambassador Cuisia said. “We will always remember President Obama’s reiteration of the US’ ironclad commitment and his statement that “allies never stand alone.”

He said another milestone of President Obama’s visit is the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and economic deliverables that will promote trade and investment. “We are optimistic that the visit of Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker to Manila last week opened doors for more business exchanges,” he added.

For his part, Assistant Secretary of State Russel said the relaxed atmosphere and the rapport between Presidents Aquino and Obama underlined the long-standing friendship and alliance between the US and the Philippines.

“We have a close relationship, based on democratic values, shared prosperity, mutual interests, intertwined history, and close people-to-people ties,” he said as he cited the more than 3.5 million FilipinoAmericans in the US and the more than 200,000 Americans living in the Philippines.

“With the Defense Cooperation Agreement we just agreed to, our commitment to regional security and stability is now even stronger. And this agreement will improve our ability to work together to deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,” Assistant Secretary Russell said.

“As the recovery from Typhoon

Yolanda continues, America stands with the Philippines. Tonight’s concert will support recovery efforts. We admire the strength and resilience of Filipino people, especially in the affected areas. We know your nation will bounce back from this tragedy stronger,” he added.

In his remarks, Congressman Bobby Scott, co-chair of the US-Philippines Friendship Caucus, along with Congressman Darrell Issa, highlighted the im-

portance of the strong social, economic, and political ties between the US and the Philippines.

“The United States is among the Philippines’ top trading partners, and it traditionally has been the Philippines’ largest foreign investor. Further, there are over 3 million Americans of Filipino ancestry in the United States today and I am proud to say that I am one of them,” said Congressman Scott.

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6,000 Mexican kids repatriated after illegal border crossings MEXICO CITY, June 14, 2014 (AFP) – More than 6,000 Mexican children and teens who crossed unaccompanied and illegally into the United States were repatriated in the first four months of this year, Mexican officials said Saturday.

In nearly all cases, the children had already been arrested at least once, and some more than five times, in attempts to cross the US border.

The children make the grueling journey of hundreds of miles (kilometers) through Mexico to escape dire economic conditions and violence in their home countries, and to join relatives in the United States.

“From January 1 to April 30, 2014, the Mexican consular network offered assistance to 6,233 unaccompanied Mexican minors... in the process of their repatriation

to Mexico,” a statement from the foreign ministry said.

Of them, nearly 77 percent had been detained more than once in attempts to cross the border, and 21 percent had been previously been held more than five times.

Once intercepted by US border agents, “the unaccompanied minors are transported to border patrol stations and are placed in holding rooms” before being turned over to Mexican immigration agents.

In recent months, a surge of unaccompanied children has flooded the southwestern US border, most from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.

More than 47,000 children crossed the border illegally without an adult between October and May, nearly doubling the figure from the six months prior.

Border Patrol Riverine Unit rescues child stranded on Rio Grande river bank. A Border Patrol Riverine Unit conducts patrols in an Air and Marine Safe-Boat in South Texas along the Rio Grande river. They rescue a child who is stranded on the river bank of the Rio Grande.

Photographer: Donna Burton

72 gang members linked to murders, robberies and drug sales in Los Angeles nabbed LOS ANGELES – More than 1,300 FBI agents and LAPD officers this morning arrested 50 people associated with the Five Deuce Broadway Gangster Crips, a street gang that claims control of a South Los Angeles neighborhood and drug sales in an area just west of the “Skid Row” district of Los Angeles. Those taken into custody are among 72 defendants named in a 213page racketeering indictment that outlines two decades of criminal conduct, including murders, robberies, extortion, witness intimidation and narcotics trafficking.

The investigation into the Broadway Crips was called Operation “Gremlin Riderz,” because authorities focused on a particularly violent “clique” – or subset of the gang – called the Gremlin Riderz.

According to the 112-count indictment that

was unsealed this morning, the Broadway Crips, which has an estimated 200 members, operated as a criminal enterprise that used violence and intimidation to control an area centering on the intersection of 52nd Street and South Broadway in South Los Angeles. The gang was formed in the 1970s to confront other African-American street gangs, according to the indictment, which alleges that the enterprise has grown into a violent and criminal enterprise that conducts annual meetings and enforces a strict set of rules.

“Criminal street gangs make their livelihood by ruthlessly preying on the innocent people that live in the neighborhoods they claim as territory,” said United States Attorney André Birotte Jr. “What makes the conduct of this gang particularly insidious

is not only the violent crimes alleged, but also the exploitation of Skid Row drug users who are already living in difficult circumstances.”

The defendants named in the federal indictment face various charges, including conspiracy to engage in racketeering activity in violation of the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act; violent crimes in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to interfere with commerce by conducting a series of robberies that targeted bank customers; weapons offenses; and various drug trafficking activities involving crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine, phencyclidine (PCP), Ecstasy, marijuana and codeine.

The indictment specifically alleges that members of the gang: committed four mur-

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ders, dating back to 1987, that include fatal shootings of unarmed men with no gang affiliations in 2003 and 2012; threatened a surviving victim of the 2003 shooting, which followed a concert at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip; conspired to murder a fellow gang member who had provided a statement to law enforcement in relation to the 2012 murder incident in which a total of four people with no gang ties were shot, including a 10-year-old girl on a bicycle; fired shots at California Highway Patrol Officers who were pursuing gang members two years ago; engaged in a series of violent, “follow-home” robberies that targeted customers of South Bay banks; and participated in numerous narcotics sales near schools and playgrounds.

In addition to committing crimes in its claimed territory east of the Harbor Freeway, the indictment alleges that the Broadway Crips sell drugs near the Skid Row section of downtown Los Angeles.

“This area is desirable to the gang because it is close to Skid Row, where there is a large and vulnerable customer base of drug addicts and mentally ill persons,” according to the indictment. Out of 72 defendants named in the federal indictment, 48 were arrested this morning. Two more people were arrested on local charges, meaning that a total of 50 were arrested today. Seventeen defendants named in the grand jury indictment were already in custody on unrelated charges. Authorities are continuing to search for eight defendants, including one who faces local charges.

All 72 defendants named in the racketeering indictment face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years in federal prison if they are convicted. Many of the defendants face potential sentences of life without parole. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in court.

The investigation into the Broadway Crips was conducted by agents and officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Los Angeles Police Department.

Considerable assistance was provided during this investigation by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Torrance Police Department, the Buena Park Police Department, the El Segundo Police Department, the San Bernardino Police Department and the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office. Additionally, several agencies provided substantial assistance during this morning’s takedown, including the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, the Hawthorne Police Department, the Pasadena Police Department, the Inglewood Police Department and the Los Angeles Fire Department.

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Fed sues firm for discriminating â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;non-English-speakingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; workers EEOC sues Wisconsin plastics for discrimination against Hmong and Hispanic employees workers fired for lacking English skills they did not need GREEN BAY, Wis. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Wisconsin Plastics, Inc. (WPI), a metal and plastic products manufacturer based in Green Bay, violated federal law by firing a group of Hmong and Hispanic employees because of their national origin, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charged in a lawsuit.

According to John Rowe, director of the EEOCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chicago District, which includes

Wisconsin, the EEOCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pre-suit administrative investigation revealed that WPI fired the Hmong and Hispanic employees based on 10-minute observations that marked them down for their English skills, even though those skills were not needed to perform their jobs. All of those fired had received satisfactory ratings on their annual performance evaluations while working for WPIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Modern Plastics Division.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects employees from discrimination based on national origin, which includes the linguistic characteristics of a national origin group. The federal agency sued after first trying to resolve the matter without litigation through its statutory concilia-

tion process. The suit, captioned EEOC v.

Wisconsin Plastics, Inc. (Civil Action No. 1:14-cv-00663), was filed in federal court in Green Bay and assigned to U.S. District Judge William Griesbach. The EEOC seeks lost wages and compensatory and punitive damages for the discharged employees and injunctive relief to end the discriminatory practices. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our experience at the EEOC has been that so-called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;English onlyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rules and requirements of English fluency are often employed to make what is really discrimination appear acceptable,â&#x20AC;? said EEOC Chicago Regional Attorney John C. Hendrickson. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But superficial appearances are not fooling anyone. When speaking English fluently is not, in fact, required for the safe and effective performance of a

job, nor for the successful operation of the employerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business, requiring employees to be fluent in English usually constitutes employment discrimination on the basis of national origin â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and thus violates federal law.â&#x20AC;?

The EEOCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chicago District Office is responsible for processing charges of discrimination, administrative enforcement, and the conduct of agency litigation in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin with Area Offices in Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting discrimination in employment.

Further information about the Commission is available on its website at www. eeoc.gov.

City Attorney Feuer files lawsuits against alleged gang-controlled properties Los Angeles â&#x20AC;&#x201C; City Attorney Mike Feuer has filed lawsuits against the owners of three South Los Angeles homes allegedly controlled by the

Five Deuce Broadway Gangster Crips and used for gang activity including narcotics sales. Feuerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suits follow yesterdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successful effort led by

Wealthy couple sued for holding three house workers as modern-day slaves LOS ANGELES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Three Indonesian women filed suit yesterday in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging a wealthy Hancock Park businessman and his family fraudulently lured them to the U.S. to serve as caregivers and nannies and then subjected them to unlawful and inhumane working conditions in violation of Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anti-trafficking law and other related laws. According to the lawsuit, filed by attorneys from the law firm Jones Day, Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, and the Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST), the family withheld the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passports and used threats and other psychological abuse to prevent the women from escaping. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As the complaint details, our clients were forced to work under inhumane conditions, and were deprived of anything that could be remotely considered fair compensation for their labor. Unfortunately, this scenario is all too common for immigrants in California, and we applaud our clients for having the courage and resolve to pursue justice and reclaim their lives,â&#x20AC;? said Brian Hershman, a partner at Jones Day, adding that labor trafficking is not uncommon despite Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strong anti-trafficking laws. The lawsuit alleges that Hendra Anwar, a wealthy businessman, and his wife Astati Halim, lured the victims here from Indonesia with promises of good wages and working conditions for their service as caregivers and nannies. Once the workers arrived in Los Angeles, they faced a dramatically different reality. The couple forced the three women, all with physical disabilities, to perform grueling manual labor. The women were kept at the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beck and call, required to work 14 hours a day, seven days a week.

Anwar and Halim confiscated the victimsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; passports, denied them their promised wages and scared them into believing they would be kidnapped or thrown in jail if they contacted the police or strangers. When the victims pleaded to return to Indonesia, the couple refused, claiming they were under contract for several more years of service. When one of the women managed to escape, Anwar, Halim, and their agents intimidated her friends and family in the U.S. and Indonesia. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As someone who was trafficked from Indonesia, I know how hard it is to come forward,â&#x20AC;? said Ima Matul, CASTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s survivor organizer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Traffickers make you feel very

ashamed and guilty. They have a lot of power and influence in Indonesia and they scare you with threats of hurting you and your family.

The only way to stop modern slavery is to hold traffickers responsible.â&#x20AC;?

The victim who escaped contacted the FBI. Federal agents raided the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main residence and rescued the two other trafficked workers. Earlier this year, Halim and Anwar pled guilty in federal court to fraud in procuring the victimsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; visas to the U.S. and violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act and were sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay restitution. On June 3, 2014, the Los Angeles Police Department arrested the couple on three criminal charges of human trafficking.

The lawsuit seeks to recover civil damages for the victims under Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anti-trafficking statute, as well as under the California labor code and other state laws. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We hope that our clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bravery in coming forward with their stories will encourage other victims of labor trafficking to come forward to seek justice,â&#x20AC;? said Justin Ma, supervising attorney at Asian Americans Advancing Justice - LA, one of the lawyers for the plaintiffs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We urge anyone who knows exploited workers who were brought to the U.S. under similar circumstances to direct them to organizations like ours who can be a resource for them,â&#x20AC;? he added.

For immediate help, victims should call CASTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emergency hotline at 888-KEY2FRE(EDOM), 888-539-2373.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles is the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) legal and civil rights organization and serves more than 15,000 individuals and organizations every year. Founded in 1983 as the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Advancing Justice - LAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to advocate for civil rights, provide legal services and education, and build coalitions to positively influence and impact Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and to create a more equitable and harmonious society. Through direct legal services, impact litigation, policy analysis and advocacy, leadership development and capacity building, Advancing Justice - LA seeks to serve the most vulnerable members of the AANHPI community while also building a strong AANHPI voice for civil rights and social justice.

FBI agents and LAPD officers which resulted in the arrest of 50 people associated with the Broadway Crips. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Among the most important work my Office does is to bring nuisance abatement lawsuits, targeting chronic crime havens, often controlled by gangs,â&#x20AC;? said City Attorney Mike Feuer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Taking back these problem properties from criminals has a tremendous and lasting impact on the quality of life of a community.â&#x20AC;?

Feuer filed suits against the owners of single family homes located at

142 W. 56th Street, 218 W. 58th Street, and 328 W. 45th Street, Los Angeles, 90037.

These nuisance abatement actions are based on site-specific evidence of drug sales and criminal gang activity by and for Broadway Crips gang members, and known allies, at the above properties located in their â&#x20AC;&#x153;turf.â&#x20AC;? Two of the properties are within a block of the Estrella Elementary School.

The litigation was spearheaded by members of the City Attorneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Safe Neighborhoods and Gang Division.

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PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT Holy Spirit Thou who make me see everything and show me the way to reach my ideal, You who give me the divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me and who are in all instances of my life with me. I, in this short dialogue, want to thank You for everything and con¿rm once more that I never want to be separated from You no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with You and my loved ones in Your perpetual glory. Amen. A person must pray this for three consecutive days without stating his wish. After the 3rd day the wish will be granted, no matter how dif¿cult it may be. Promise to publish this as soon as your favor has been granted.

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*NOVENA of CONFIDENCE O Lord Jesus Christ, To your most Sacred Heart, I con¿de this/ these intention. (Here, mention your request.) Only look upon me, then do what your Heart decides. I count on You. I trust in You. I throw myself on Your mercy, Lord Jesus! You will not fail me. Lord Jesus, I know You will not fail me Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in You.Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in Your love for me. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I have asked you for many favors, but I earnestly implore this one. Take it, and place it in Your Sacred Heart. When the Eternal Father sees it covered with Your precious blood. He will not refuse it. It will no longer be my prayer, but Yours. O Jesus, Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in You. Let me never be confounded. Amen.-RICHARD

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Haiyan benefit concert in DC a huge success WASHINGTON, D.C. – “After The Storm” – the star-studded benefit concert for the Philippines held here on Sunday was a huge success, drawing a diverse crowd and calling attention to the post-Typhoon Haiyan recovery and rehabilitation efforts.

Young and old, Filipinos, Americans, members of the United States Congress, US government officials, diplomats and many others filled the Concert Hall of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Art for performances by an all-star lineup led

by Filipina Broadway artist lea Salonga and Hollywood star Lou Diamond Philips.

The Philippine Embassy said the concert was a tribute to those who lost their lives in Typhoon Haiyan and to those who helped in rescue, recovery, and rehabilitation efforts. It was also a celebration honoring Filipinos and their resiliency as the country rebuilds after Typhoon Haiyan.

Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., who initiated the concert with his wife Maria Victoria, after Typhoon Haiyan struck in November, expressed his gratitude to those who lent a helping hand to the Philippines during the difficult times following the typhoon.

“I am truly heartened by the compassion and kindness shown by the American people and other friends throughout the world, who rallied to come to the aid of those in need. I hope this spirit of solidarity will persist long after we overcome this adversity. I look forward to continue working with you all and contribute to rebuilding the lives of our brothers and sisters in Central Philippines,” Ambassador Cuisia said.

President Benigno S. Aquino III, in a video message, also thanked the US Government and the American people for their assistance to typhoon victims in the Philippines. He also congratulated the US-Philippines Society and the Philippine Humanitarian Coalition for organizing the concert.

Vice President Joseph Biden, in a message read for him by his daughter in law Kathleen, reiterated the commitment made

by President Obama when he visited the Philippines in April. He said the US will continue to stand by the Philippines not only during troubled times but also as the country gets back on its feet and rebuilds after Typhoon Haiyan.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his video message to those at the concert said: “I visited the Philippines after the typhoon. But there was a little something that kept the people going.”

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. Del Rosario also sent his greetings to the artists and concert attendees.

Ambassador John Negroponte, CoChair of the US-Philippines Society, said he was delighted to see how effectively Americans and Filipinos joined in making the benefit concert such a success.

“Performers and presenters, sponsors and patrons all pulled together to send a “message of hope,” assuring people in the central Philippines that they can succeed and are not alone in rebuilding their lives after Typhoon Haiyan,” he said.

Ambassador John Maisto, President of the US-Philippines said the concert featured an exceptionally broad repertoire that included Broadway tunes, hip-hop, ballet, opera, contemporary and classical music in a spectacular display of entertainment by world-renowned artists from the Philippines and the United States. Everyone left wanting more.

“Despite the seriousness of the occasion, let’s all have a good time,” said Sa-

longa, a Tony Awardee, before she sang a medley of “I Dreamed a Dream” and “On My Own” from the musical Les Miserables and a duet of “A Whole New World” from Disney’s Aladdin with Filipino-American singer and songwriter Darren Criss, who is best know for his role in Glee, the television musical.

As with anything involving music, Filipinos know how to have a good time.

Members of the audience danced to “We Can Be Anything” sung by Arnel Pineda Lindo, more popularly known as Apl. De.Ap of the Grammy Award-winning group Black Eyed Peas, as well as his rendition of “Where is the Love” with Criss.

The concert line up was a mix of various performance styles. Other artists who performed where Charice Pempengco; violinist Philippe Quint; ballerina Christine Rocas; and tenor Rodel Rocel. Filipina fashion designer Josie Natori was among the presentors.

Other artists who shared their music that evening were soprano Melissa Mino, Kennedy Center’s principal cellist Amy Frost Baumgarten, concert pianist Lisa Emenheiser, the Broadway Community Chorus, the National Broadway Chorus, and the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra conducted by Luke Frazier under the direction of Christopher Zimmerman.

The performers and even those who were not able to be at the concert sent their well wishes and reminded the audience of the resiliency of the Filipino people.

Those who sent their messages include Gloria and Emilio Estefan, James Caan and Suze Orman.

Vice President Biden’s second son, Hunter, a representative of the World Food Program, also went on stage to tell the audience how impressed he was with the resilience of the Filipino people. He said he was particularly amazed at seeing typhoon victims, among them children, welcome him with smiles along the roads of typhoon-devastated Tacloban.

After the Storm: A Benefit Concert for the Philippines, was produced by Emmy Award nominee Robert Pullen and directed

by Baayork Lee, was also made possible through the help of generous sponsors from both the US and the Philippines.

Sponsors included the Philippine Nurses Association of America, Primescape Solutions, SM Investments Corporation, and the Manuel Pangilinan Group of Companies, which includes Meralco, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation and Smart Communications, Ayala Corporation, Banco de Oro Foundation, Fluor Corporation, Gawad Kalinga USA, International Container Terminal Services, Jollibee Foods Corporation, Philam Foundation, Philip Morris International and Procter & Gamble.

Charice

Apl.de.Ap

Lea Salonga

Philippine Ambassador to U.S. Jose Cuisia Jr. offers a toast (top left) during Philippine Airlines’ “Something Big is Happening” night at Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills last June 12, where PAL’s very own President Ramon Ang (bottom left receiving a plaque of recognition). Photo: Benny Uy

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mel Recana (top left) and former U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis who served the first term of President Barack Obama (bottom right) grace the 116th Philippine Independence Day Celebration last June 13 at the scenic Castaway Restaurant in Burbank hosted by the Los Angeles County Filipino American Employees Association led by its President Antonio Mendoza (with Sec. Solis, bottom right). Photo: Benny Uy

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SPORTS

Olympics: US considers SF, three other cities for possible 2024 bid

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti

LA mayor fetes Stanley Cup win...with expletive LOS ANGELES, June 17, 2014 (AFP) - Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti set tongues wagging when he used an expletive on live television as he celebrated the LA Kings’ Stanley Cup triumph, forcing TV bosses to apologize.

Garcetti said he did not want children to repeat what he said when he took the microphone at a victory rally Monday after the Kings won their second National Hockey League title in three years last week.

“They say never, ever be pictured with a drink in your hand and never swear, but this is a big f_ _ _ing day,” he told the Staples Center crowd, drawing a roar from fans and laughter from the Kings players.

His office then tweeted: “There are a few rules in politics, one is never swear, but this is a #BFD.” Fox Sports West, which was broadcast-

ing the event live, was forced to apologize after failing to censor the offending word.

Garcetti admitted to late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel Monday that he should have thought before he spoke.

“I got a little ahead of myself ...You’ve got to remember, we didn’t win at lawn bowling. We won in hockey,” he said.

“Kids out there, do not say what your mayor said today.”

LA City Council President Herb Wesson sprang to Garcetti’s defense on Tuesday, saying it was time to move on. “I think he was genuine and he was excited and he was emotional,” he said.

The Kings wrapped up the title on their home ice on Friday with a double-overtime victory over the New York Rangers that gave them a four-games-to-one win in the best-of-seven NHL championship series.

COLORADO SPRINGS, June 13, 2014 (AFP) – Four cities are in the running to lead a possible US bid to host the 2024 Summer Games, the US Olympic committee announced on Friday.

“Boston, LA, San Francisco and Washington have each given us reason to believe they can deliver a compelling and successful bid, and we look forward to continuing to explore the possibilities as we consider 2024,” USOC chief executive Scott Blackmun said.

Dallas and San Diego had also expressed interest in a bid, although New York city officials had said last month that they would not pursue a bid.

The narrowing of candidates came after

a 16-month process that began with the USOC reaching out to approximately 35 American cities to gauge interest in a bid.

USOC leaders then spent the last six months focusing on discussions with a smaller group of interested cities that met the initial requirements of hosting the world’s largest sporting event.

“Simplifying the domestic bid process has been a major priority for us,” Blackmun said. “We were able to have exploratory conversations with a greater number of cities while avoiding unnecessary costs.”

From here, the USOC will continue in-depth discussions with each of the four cities.

End of an era for Heat’s Big Three?

By Greg Heakes

LOS ANGELES, June 17, 2014 (AFP) – The three-peat was not to be.

And now, with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all possibly soon to be free agents, the future of the Miami Heat is up in the air.

“For all three of us, the last thing we are thinking about right now is what’s going on this summer,” James said after the Heat’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs in game five of the NBA finals on Sunday.

The All-Star trio lost steam in their fourth consecutive trip to the National Basketball Association’s championship round, a run that included back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013.

They eventually succumbed to the Spurs – a decisive four-to-one victory for San Antonio in the best-of-seven series.

“It hasn’t been much of a series, not even close. They played like they wanted it more,” Bosh said.

The superstar trio – who came together in Miami in the 2010 off-season – have options.

They can test the free agent market or they can delay free agency for another year. They can also re-sign with the Heat.

Asked after game five how many more years the Big Three would be together, the 30-year-old Bosh said, “We got plenty of time, hopefully. We are all young men and hopefully we are all healthy.”

In the finals, Wade – the oldest of the three at 32 – looked like a shadow of the player who dominated the 2006 finals.

He has said he wants to come back, and Bosh has said he was likely to do the same.

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Serena targets six appeal at Wimbledon

By Steven Griffiths

LONDON, June 19, 2014 (AFP) – Serena Williams has set her sights on erasing the bitter taste of a disappointing 2014 campaign by re-establishing her supremacy at Wimbledon.

Williams heads to the All England Club mired in something of a slump following earlier than expected exits from both the Australian and French Opens.

After suffering a shock fourth round loss to Sabine Lisicki at Wimbledon 12 months ago, Williams embarked on an extraordinary run that saw her finish 2013 by winning 32 of her 33 matches, a sequence that brought her a 17th Grand Slam title at the US Open.

Since then, she has lost her momentum and although she has won titles in Brisbane, Miami and Rome, she has also suffered underwhelming losses to the likes of Petra Kvitova, Jana Cepelova, Ana Ivanovic and Alize Cornet.

Serena’s struggles have prompted some to suggest she is finally in decline at age 32.

But those chastening defeats have only strengthened her desire to make amends in south-west London and few would bet against the ferociously competitive American adding a sixth Wimbledon singles title to her glittering CV by the time the women’s tournament comes to a conclusion on July 5. She starts her 15th appearance at the grasscourt Grand Slam as the world number one and top seed, and should she move one title ahead of her sister and fellow five-time Wimbledon winner Venus, Serena might well label the defeat against Garbine Muguruza at Roland Garros as the turning point.

That second-round exit was a hammer blow to Serena, who lives in Paris for part of the year and works with French coach Patrick Mouratoglou, and, before heading home to Miami, she vowed to step up her practice in a bid to avoid a repeat at Wimbledon, which gets underway on Monday.

“I’m going to go home and work five times as hard to make sure I never lose again,” she said.

“If I couldn’t play better I would be even

more disappointed. But I know I can, so I know I have something to look forward to.”

10 years on for Sharapova With Marion Bartoli now retired following her maiden Grand Slam triumph at Wimbledon 12 months ago, this will be the first time since Steffi Graf in 1997 that the reigning women’s champion hasn’t returned to defend her crown.

In Bartoli’s absence, it is the fired-up Serena who most expect to carry off the Venus Rosewater dish awarded to the female champion and the 29-year-old Frenchwoman agrees with that verdict.

“Grass is a very specific surface and you have to have some experience on that,” Bartoli said.

“I very highly favour Serena for it. Not only as she has won so many times but it is a surface that suits her game so beautifully.

“When you saw her winning at the Olympic Games, the way she played, the way she beat everyone.

“She destroyed Maria Sharapova in the final and I don’t think all those young players will be able to challenge her.”

Sharapova, fresh from winning the French Open for the second time, is seen as the biggest threat to Serena.

But the Russian, who is seeded five, has lost her last 15 matches against Williams, and even the memory of her famous Wimbledon final win over the American as a teenager 10 years ago may not be enough to slay those demons.

Other potential contenders include China’s Li Na, who started the year in fine style by winning the Australian Open, although the 32-year-old second seed has never been past the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.

Romania’s Simona Halep, who has won more titles in the last 12 months than any woman other than Serena, is the third seed after an impressive surge up the rankings capped by her run to the French Open final.

Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, beaten

by Serena in the 2012 Wimbledon final, is seeded fourth, while former world number one Ivanovic looks capable of challenging after winning on grass in Birmingham last week.

Wimbledon young guns take aim at gang of four

By Steven Griffiths

LONDON, June 19, 2014 (AFP) – As Grigor Dimitrov celebrated his Queen’s Club title by blowing a kiss to girlfriend Maria Sharapova, the emerging Bulgarian star was already dreaming of an even greater achievement just down the road at Wimbledon.

After reigning supreme at the All England Club for over a decade, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and defending champion Andy Murray return to the grasscourt Grand Slam, which gets underway on Monday, widely expected to maintain their dominance.

Not since 2002, when Lleyton Hewitt took the title, has Wimbledon been won by someone outside of the sport’s current four super-powers.

The gulf is just as big at the other three majors, with only four of the last 42 Grand Slams won by someone other than those four.

But fans wanting to see some new talent at the top will be heartened by the emergence of a handful of candidates, spearheaded by Dimitrov, Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Canada’s Milos Raonic, who appear poised to push the old guard for the title.

Nishikori, 24, has the tenacity and desire to rise even higher than his current position of 12th in the rankings, a berth he achieved by winning the claycourt title in Barcelona in April in the midst of a fine run that also saw him reach the semi-finals in Miami and the final in Madrid.

Big-serving Raonic, 23, has the weapons to pose a threat on grass and the world number nine showcased his power game at Indian Wells earlier this year when he came from a set down to defeat Murray.

But the most highly-regarded of the trio is Dimitrov, a 23-year-old who is seen as the best bet to shatter the gang of four’s stranglehold on the sport’s top prizes.

Dimitrov’s dominant displays during the Wimbledon warm-up at Queen’s capped an impressive six months which has seen him rise to the fringes of the top 10 after becoming the first man since Federer and David Ferrer in 2012 to win titles on grass, clay and hard courts.

Dimitrov leads next generation Dubbed ‘Baby Fed’ as a teenager, Dimitrov has the perfect game for grass and believes he can upset the odds at Wimbledon.

“Wimbledon is special for me and it’s definitely on my list to win,” he said.

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MOTORING Out-of-state uncle able to co-sign nephew for a car at Victory Autos Ralph Jose (left) needed a co-signer to purchase a car.

His uncle agreed, however, he is based in Chicago. But with Victory Autos, even out-of-state co-signers can help their relatives or even friends to buy any vehicle at Victory Autos. In photo with Ralph are Merlina Dichoso and Danilo Tirante of Victory Autos.

in order to make a bigger impact in the community, Victory Autos has come up with a new logo that was designed to show Victory Autos’ commitment to high quality service and a friendly staff that is ready to help any customer.

Hi! I’m a working student, I work part time and not making enough money. My dad bought me a 1999 ML 320 three years ago from other dealership. Since it was an old car so, it wasn’t that reliable anymore.

We bumped into Victory Autos and tried my credit, but I have no credit history so I asked my uncle from Illinois to co sign for me. We thought that it’s gonna be a big problem since he is out of state. But thanks to Victory Autos nothing is impossible.

They helped me got my dream car. Staff of Victory Autos are friendly and reliable.

Above is yet another satisfied Victory Autos customer. This is because the people at Victory Autos work very hard to help out any customer in any situation. – Ralph Jose Backed by their 25 years in car business, Victory Autos is dedicated to offering highquality, pre-owned vehicles to our customers. And in order to make a bigger impact in the community, Victory Autos has come up with a new logo that was designed to show Victory Autos’ commitment to high quality service and a friendly staff that is ready to help any customer.

From the moment you walk through our door, “we’re committed to providing you with a great car-buying experience.

With our skilled sales staff and financing options, we’ll help you get the vehicle you want, at the great price you deserve,” Victory Autos owner and proprietor Heddy Trinidad said. And if you think you need a new car, a pre-certified vehicle, or a luxury automobile, “I urge you to call my very reliable staff in Danilo Tirante who can help you with your car needs.”

Victory Autos is dedicated in providing the ultimate automobile buying experience.

Victory Autos is your #1 source for buying a quality pre-owned vehicle at wholesale price. We have extensive relationships in the dealer community allowing us to purchase a wide variety of lease returns and new car trades at exceptional values. This enables Victory Autos to pass along huge savings on the highest quality vehicles of your choice. In addition, we offer a full array of financing options to meet your needs.”

For more details, please visit Victory Autos Showroom at 791 E. Arrow Highway, Azusa, CA 91702, (626) 859-9199 or (626) 969-6169; Victory Auto Broker at 1579 E. Amar Road, West Covina, CA 91792, (626) 253-7576; and Victory Auto Care at 352 S. Irwindale Avenue, Azusa, CA 91702, (626) 334-7573.

For more information, please call Victory Autos’ toll free number at 1-877821-7145. Or, visit their website at www. victoryautoconnect.com.

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2014 228i Coupe

2014 X1 sDrive28i

$280 $280 VIN VW56329 / STOCK 195876

Alpine White | Black

plus tax for 36 months

MSRP $35,325

On above average approved credit. $2,995 due at lease signing. No security deposit required. Lessee responsible for mileage over 10,000 per year @ .20c per mile thereafter.

$349

Glacier Silver | Black

Mineral Gray | Black

On above average approved credit. $3,495 due at lease signing. No security deposit required. Lessee responsible for mileage over 10,000 per year @ .20c per mile thereafter.

On above average approved credit. $4,995 due at lease signing. No security deposit required. Lessee responsible for mileage over 10,000 per year @ .20c per mile thereafter.

$179

$199

MSRP $36,825

5 to Choose from On above average approved credit. $4,995 due at lease signing. No security deposit required. Lessee responsible for mileage over 10,000 per year @ .20c per mile thereafter.

2014 X3 xDrive28i

2014 z4 sDrive28i

plus tax for 36 months

MSRP 43,025

On above average approved credit. $4,995 due at lease signing. No security deposit required. Lessee responsible for mileage over 10,000 per year @ .20c per mile thereafter.

plus tax for 36 months

MSRP $45,525

2014 328d Sedan

$259 plus tax for 24 months

VIN K155583 / STOCK 194284

Mineral Grey | Black

MSRP 41,025

On above average approved credit. $4,995 due at lease signing. No security deposit required. Lessee responsible for mileage over 10,000 per year @ .20c per mile thereafter.

2014 535i GT

$349

$399

Crimson Red | Black Kansas Leather MSRP $57,875

Orion Silver | Venetian Beige Leather MSRP $66,350

On above average approved credit. $4,995 due at lease signing. No security deposit required. Lessee responsible for mileage over 10,000 per year @ .20c per mile thereafter.

On above average approved credit. $4,995 due at lease signing. No security deposit required. Lessee responsible for mileage over 10,000 per year @ .20c per mile thereafter.

$299 Jet Black | Black

VIN K154962 / STOCK 194358

plus tax for 24 months

On above average approved credit. $4,995 due at lease signing. No security deposit required. Lessee responsible for mileage over 10,000 per year @ .20c per mile thereafter.

VIN 0D25052 / STOCK 193500

$349

plus tax for 36 months VIN VV99286 / STOCK 195218 Black Sapphire | Black Dakota Leather MSRP $37,625

plus tax for 24 months

VIN VW1978 / STOCK 597056

2014 328i Diesel Sedan

2014 328i Sedan

2014 x1 sDrive28i

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plus tax for 24 months

VIN J105708 / STOCK 597118

plus tax for 36 months

VIN D085464 / STOCK 597049

Pacific BMW 818-246-5600 *Qualified customers only. Available at Pacific BMW through BMWFS NA, LLC. Applies only to specific model years. Plus government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document processing charge, any electronic filing charge, and any emission testing charge. Ad expires at close of business date of publication.

pacificbmw.com 800 S. Brand Blvd.

Glendale, CA 91204

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From left: Christian Marilla, Chris Garchitorena, Bobby Cheng and Jojo Diala of Subaru of Glendale.

Subaru USA reports best-ever May sales Cherry Hill, N.J. - Subaru of America, Inc. today reported 44,170 vehicle sales for May 2014, a 11 percent increase over May 2013 sales of 39,892 and the best-ever May sales month in company history. Year-to-date sales for Subaru total 196,641 - a 19 percent increase over the same period in 2013. The company has now seen 30 consecutive months of yearover-year growth and is already on its way to its sixth successive annual sales record.

Year-to-date, the Forester model increased sales 51 percent over the same period in 2013.Sales of the small crossover, XV Crosstrek were also notably strong with 28,331 vehicles reported sold year-to-date.

“With very positive press reaction to the all-new Legacy and Outback models we expect even stronger demand as we enter the summer months and we remain on track for another record year.” said Thomas J. Doll, president and chief operating officer, Subaru of America, Inc. “We are having another great year” said H. William Cyphers, senior vice president of sales. “Every model line is in demand and our challenge is to keep supply levels high enough to keep the customers coming in our showrooms satisfied.”

While Subaru celebrated its best-ever

May sales, “Safety is one of our brand tenets and so we are extremely proud to have earned a TSP rating for our performance models” said Thomas J. Doll, president and chief operating officer, Subaru of America, Inc. “we are committed to providing engaging driving together with safety and this award is testament to that commitment.”

But while we all ponder as to why Subaru continues to become a favorite of many, come to Subaru Glendale where you will find that indeed these cars are selling like hotcakes just get in touch with our kababayans at Subaru Glendale, who have been serving the Filipino-American market and who have made Filipinos love the Subaru brand and the Subaru vehicles’ versatility.

What are you waiting for, come on down to Subaru Glendale and our kababayans Christian Marilla, Bobby Cheng, Chris Garchitorena and Jojo Diala will be more than happy to inform you why Subaru is becoming a favorite of Filipinos and the whole American market. Subaru of Glendale is located at 1308 S Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91204.

You can reach them at 1-855-230-1547 or you can visit their website at www. subaruofglendale.net.

US probes Chrysler ignition switches WASHINGTON, June 18, 2014 (AFP) – US auto-safety authorities said Wednesday they are investigating Chrysler vehicles for ignition switch problems that could prevent air bags from deploying.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it had opened two formal investigations related to the air bag system in certain Chrysler cars.

The NHTSA is already investigating similar ignition-switch problems with General Motors vehicles that are linked to at least 13 deaths.

The agency said that one Chrysler probe is looking to see if there is a safety defect in 2006-2007 Jeep Commanders and 20052006 Jeep Grand Cherokees.

The second investigation involves further review of vehicles that already under recall: the Chrysler 2008-2010 Grand Caravan, Town and Country and Dodge Journey vehicles.

Both investigations are looking at airbag design and performance related to the position of the vehicle ignition switch.

The NHTSA said it had received complaints of stalling.

“The investigations involve issues of inadvertent ignition key rotation from the run position to the accessory position,” the NHTSA said.

The NHTSA said it had received complaints of the Chrysler vehicles stalling, but that it was not aware of any related incidents involving airbag non-deployment.

Chrysler is now owned by Italian automaker Fiat, which took full control of the number three US automaker in January.

Meanwhile, General Motors is set to begin processing compensation claims from victims of poorly designed ignitions linked to 13 deaths, GM chief executive Mary Barra said Tuesday.

Barra, who returns to Congress on Wednesday for another grilling on the faulty ignition recall scandal, said in prepared testimony the US automaker was making swift progress in setting up the compensation fund.

Attorney Kenneth Feinberg, the disaster response expert in charge of establishing the fund, was expected to provide the criteria for victims and compensations levels by the end of June, she said.

“We also expect to begin processing claims by August 1,” Barra said in testimony to be delivered to the House of Representatives oversight panel.

GM is facing multiple lawsuits for the ignition-switch problem, which analysts say could ultimately cost the company billions of dollars in damages.

The company says it knows of 54 ignition-related accidents and 13 deaths since 2004. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the death toll could be higher.

The company has recalled 20 million cars overall since the start of the year, including about six million for ignitionswitch problems, the latest Monday’s recall of 3.4 million cars.

GM has set aside $2.0 billion to cover recall-related costs in the first half of the year.

Barra, who last appeared before the House panel on April 1, will be updating lawmakers on an internal GM report published on June 5 that absolved top management in the failure to recall millions of cars for more than a decade after the problems with the ignition switches were discovered.

But the report, prepared by former US attorney Anton Valukas, found a “deeply troubling” history of “incompetence and neglect” at the largest US automaker.

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Hamer Toyota Filipino Sales Department

MATT MORENTE

MARYLOU SANTIAGO

DONNE MENDOZA

RENO REYES

WENCY MAGNO

TONY PIJUAN

RICO AYALA

Floor Manager

VIP/Internet Coordinator

Internet Coordinator

Leasing & Sales

Leasing & Sales

Leasing & Sales

Leasing & Sales

Toyota Motor sales reports best month in six years TMS no. 1 retail manufacturer; Toyota Camry, Corolla and Prius post double-digit gains TORRANCE, Calif. (June 3, 2014) – Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported May 2014 sales results of 243,236 units, an increase of 12.6 percent from May 2013 on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. On a raw-volume basis, unadjusted for 27 selling days in May 2014 versus 26 selling days in May 2013, TMS sales increased 17 percent from year-ago month.

Toyota division posted May 2014 sales of 216,315 units, up 12.2 percent year-over-year on a DSR basis.

Volume-wise, Toyota division sales increased 16.5 percent over May 2013.

“Industry sales in May soared as consumer confidence improved and demand for new vehicles continued to strengthen,” said Bill Fay, Toyota division group vice president and general manager. “Toyota had its best month in six years led by strong Camry, Corolla and Hybrid sales.”

Other Highlights: Camry up over 26 percent with sales of almost 50,000 units All-new Corolla up 30.8 percent, best month since August 2009 TMS hybrids up over 9 percent Prius up 14 percent with sales of 26,793

units Toyota division trucks up 11 percent All-new RAV4 leads trucks with sales of 23,465 units, up 13 percent All-new Highlander posts sales of 12,329 units 4Runner up 70 percent Sienna up nearly 13 percent Toyota pickups post sales of 25,267 units All-new Tundra up 14.5 percent Tacoma posts sales of nearly 14,000 units Isn’t it about time that you too own a

Toyota? Or, why don’t you get a new one?

If you need to “adorn” your garage with a brand-new Toyota, all you have to do is come down to Hamer Toyota located at 11041 Sepulveda Blvd., Mission Hills, CA 91345 and get in touch with any of our kababayans Matt Morente (Floor Manager), Marylou Santiago (VIP/Internet Coordinator), Wency Magno, Reno Reyes, Tony Pijuan, Donne Mendoza and Rico Ayala (Leasing & Sales). Call our kababayans now toll free at 1-855-592-7077 and make your dream of owning a new Toyota vehicle a reality today.

A supercar disguised as a limousine: Bentley reveals the Continental GT3-R (Relaxnews) – With a 0-100km/h time of 3.8 seconds and a limited production run of just 300 examples, expect it to fly out of the dealership as fast as it goes round a track.

Rumors have been circulating for a number of weeks that Bentley has been building a snarling, ferocious supercar version of its luxury-focused Continental GT; and on Tuesday, the British brand confirmed the reports by unveiling the very new, very fast and very exclusive Continental GT3-R.

Inspired by the Continental GT3, Bentley’s latest race car, it manages to retain a host of the creature comforts clients have come to expect – so lashings of leather covering a hand-built interior – while dialing up the performance to new levels.

When information first started leaking that Bentley was planning something special, sources were claiming that the GT3-R would have rear-wheel drive and a 700bhp engine.

And, while the actual car ‘only’ has 572bhp on tap and that power is delivered

to the road via all four wheels, it’s still enough to catapult the car from a standstill to 62mph in 3.8 seconds, more than enough to keep up with Porsches and Ferraris.

As Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors, comments: “The experience of driving a Continental GT3-R is awe-inspiring, and takes the dynamic abilities of our Grand Tourer to new heights. We were inspired to create something extremely special for the road by the performance of our Continental GT3.

It is a celebration of the Bentley passion for building outstanding drivers’ cars. To be a true Bentley, the GT3-R had to be the most luxurious track-inspired Grand Tourer ever, and this car pushes our trademark combination of luxury and performance to a new level.”

To achieve all of this, the V8 engine has been given new, specially developed turbochargers and the car’s four-wheeldrive system has been overhauled so that it is capable of torque vectoring for the first time.

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The go-anywhere, do-anything 2015 Honda Pilot adds even more value with new special edition trim level TORRANCE, Calif., June 3, 2014 – With the new Special Edition (SE) trim level, class-leading fuel efficiency and a go-anywhere, do-anything capability that fits the lifestyles of active families, the 2015 Honda Pilot goes on sale today with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) starting at $29,870.

Honda’s renowned engineering excellence and quality combine to produce a practical and versatile three-row, eightpassenger family SUV with a class-leading EPA highway fuel economy rating of 25 mpg (2WD models) and towing capacity of 4,500 pounds (4WD models). Add a low cost of ownership and five featurerich trim levels and the 2015 Pilot is the “Ultimate Family Adventure Vehicle.”

New for 2015, the Pilot Special Edition (SE) is positioned between the EX and EX-L trim levels and includes sporty pewter gray aluminum alloy wheels, special SE badging, a one-touch-open power moonroof with tilt feature, Sirius XM radio and a Honda DVD Rear Entertainment System. Standard features on all 2015 Pilots include remote entry, rearview camera and an integrated Class III trailer hitch.

All 2015 Pilots are powered by a refined and fuel-efficient 250-horsepower 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine with Variable Cylinder Management (VCM). The engine is paired with a five-speed automatic transmission with Grade Logic Control to help maintain the most appropriate gear when climbing or descending steep grades. All trims are available with 2-wheel drive or

with Honda’s Variable Torque Management 4-wheel-drive system (VTM-4) that adds fully automatic 4-wheel-drive capability and features a “lock mode” that can deliver the maximum-possible torque transfer to the rear wheels to aid extraction from extremely low traction or stuck conditions.

Meanwhile, if you want to belong to the select group of Honda owners, all you have to do is visit the Diamond Honda of Glendale and get in touch with our kababayans Tito Adriosula, Orly Roque and Helen Park at Diamond Honda of Glendale who are more than ready to serve you and find you your new Honda Hybrids or any other Honda vehicle and be assured of top fuel efficiency as well as safety and maintenance.

These are just some of the reasons why are the Pinoys coming in droves to the dealership. Above all, at Diamond Honda of Glendale, customers are treated like Diamonds! That statement is backed up

by General Manager Philip Keung, who has endeared himself to Filipino customers because of his professionalism and his recognition and vast understanding of Honda’s multi-ethnic market. “He is a great anchor. We rely on his wisdom and professional savvy all the time. He is very helpful to the Filipino salesmen and customers alike,” says Tito.

Diamond Honda of Glendale is located at 138 S. Glendale Avenue, Glendale, CA 91205. Its toll-free number is 888.856.2420.

Honda makes good investment in music with Honda Stage TORRANCE, Calif., June 11 – Honda Stage program expected to garner billions of impressions through interactive and online distribution agreements with music industry leaders Building on its deep foundation in bringing music to fans, American Honda has brought together an unprecedented group of entertainment and technology leaders, including Clear Channel Media and Entertainment (iHeartRadio), Live Nation, REVOLT, Vevo and YouTube, to produce and distribute some of the best original, high-quality, music content available under the new Honda Stage name, through dozens of live events and exclusive online content.

Honda Stage is a unique 360-degree, multi-platform music program designed to meet music fans in environments where they are already searching for and consuming music, providing Honda an opportunity to further build brand awareness and loyalty. Launching in phases starting today, Honda Stage will offer music fans access to custom live and online music programming and performances, behind the scenes content, artist interviews and more at www.youtube.com/HondaStage. With the launch of this channel, Honda becomes a major music curator, as YouTube is the largest distributor of music content.

®

Honda Pilot 2015 in and out

CARSON NISSAN #

1 RATED* NISSAN DEALER IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

SHORT TERM FINANCING

G NA TAWA AYO! PO K

HENRY BAUTISTA

IRVIN VASQUEZ

Sales Manager

Internet Sales Manager

310-347-2886

818-422-8865

MATULUNGIN! MAUNAWAIN! PINOY NA PINOY ANG DATING!

2014 NISSAN ROGUE

www.carsonnissan.com

2014 NISSAN ALTIMA

888-532-1835

JOHN ANCHETA Sales Associate

714-376-8483

WALA NA KAYONG HAHANAPIN PA! FREE VACATION PACKAGE!

1505 East 223rd St.Carson, CA 90745

*Source: dealerrater.com, #1 top rated Nissan dealer YTD as of 9/9/11.

JAN JOSEF “JJ” ANGLO Sales Associate

310-525-9262

46

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Visit www.Balita.com

LOS ANGELES

Weekend, Sat. - Fri., June 21 - 27, 2014

Balita