PinoyWatchDog-6th-October-2012-25th-Issue by Pinoy WatchDog

FilAms Celebrate Heritage

VOL. 2 NO. 1 • 16 PAGES •

26.5K CIRCULATED IN LOS ANGELES/ORANGE COUNTIES AND INLAND EMPIRE

Page 10

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PinoyWatchDog • SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2012

Rizal monument reinforces ties with the homeland ► Words and photos by Dionesio C. Grava

n his book Rizal Without the Overcoat, Prof. Ambeth Ocampo mentioned that although Jose Rizal was denied his request to face the execution squad, he managed to twist his body at the last mo-

ment and fell to the ground with his face to the sky. The way he wanted it. Ocampo’s book also dealt on the matter of coup de grace. The soldiers granted Rizal’s other Turn to Page 7

◄ A larger than life size statue of Dr. Jose Rizal is unveiled at the newly established International Sculpture Garden in the city of Carson, California. Among those in photo: Serena I. Diokno, chair of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and Mayor Jim Dear of Carson (first and second from left). Carson Councilman Elito Santarina is second from right.

GK’S OLAES, PARTNER WARN PWD: ‘NO MONEY TRAIL; NO LIBEL FILED’

Congen MJB Aragon was ‘not on protocol’ ► By David Casuco | PWD Contributing Writer

OS ANGELES, Sept. 29 – Filipino-Americans in this city thought they had seen everything there is to Consul General Mary Jo Bernardo Aragon. They had it all wrong.

Olaes and his partner and lawyer, Atty Jay Kopelowitz, say they will not turn over proof of $25,000 donation check to PWD. Kopelowitz warns Bander: “Olaes would not sue PinoyWatchDog.com for libel in return for this ‘settlement.”

► By the PinoyWatchDog.com Investigative Team ony Olaes of Ga- disposition of the purported 1 Milwad Kalinga USA and lion Peso ($25,000) donation made his business partner, to GK USA by Darna Umayam, the Atty Jay Kopelowitz embattled chairperson of the much have maintained a “no maligned ‘100 Outstanding Filipiprisoners” attitude towards this no Americans of USA’ Award. This newspaper’s inquiries regarding the Turn to Page 6

Tony Olaes, head of GK-USA

Don’t Sign With Your Attorney Until … ► By Atty. Joel Bander | Senior Columnist

ou go to see an attorney because you have a problem. You want the attorney to solve the problem, and the only real contract term you care about is ‘how much is it going to cost me?’ However, just like any agreement a party has to consider ‘what happens if something goes wrong?’ With an attorney that

usually means legal malpractice, but could also just mean a dispute about fees. Many attorney retainer agreements now unfortunately have ‘arbitration’ clauses which can greatly affect the client’s ability to get a fair hearing if ‘something goes wrong.’ Many times when consulting a client on a legal malTurn to Page 12

PH’s Cybercrime Law sparks netizens outrage ► By David Casuco | PWD Contributing Writer OS ANGELES – Fili- freedom of expression. pino netizens, rights The Cybercrime Law, signed groups, activists and by the President on September bloggers are outraged 12, 2012, and took effect on Oct. by the Aquino gov- 3, was essentially envisioned as ernment’s highly contentious Cy- a tool to fight Internet crime, but bercrime Prevention Act of 2012, it turned out to be monster with saying some of the law’s provi- teeth so powerful, it threatens to sions violate the Filipinos’ consti- chew off Internet users in their Turn to Page 9 tutional rights to due process and

Former L.A. Congen Mary Jo Bernardo Aragon certainly got singing talent. Photo by Lydia V. Solis. Two days before her tour of duty was to end, the hardworking, well-loved and ever politically correct Congen MJB Aragon did something “out of protocol” that left the standing room only weekend crowd at the Rizal Hall of the Philippine Consulate offices totally flabbergasted. Responding to wellwishers’ request after a Thanksgiving Mass in honor of Filipino saint Lorenzo Ruiz, Congen MJB Aragon Turn to Page 6

From Our Pen LOOKING BACK Overseas Filipinos are culturally the same wherever you find them Page 4

NO HOLDS BARRED

PERRYSCOPE

EDITORIAL

Jose Rizal Monument and Chito Mandap’s Legacy Page 4

Furor over Cybercrime law

PinoyWatchDog.com celebrates its first anniversary and we are true to our original words --- Truth is Our Reason for Being. Page 3

Page 5

Joel Bander, Attorney at Law, P.C. Criminal/ Civil /Wage and Hour

25 Years of Litigation Success | Call 213 873 4333 | Downtown L.A.

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Lifestyle

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Mark Ordono, Five Seasons Restaurant Manager, talks about his

vision

► By Rene Villaroman | Managing Editor

omewhere near the intersection of Verdugo Avenue and Colorado St., in suburban Glendale, a quiet culinary transformation is going on at Five Seasons Restaurant, an unpretentious little eatery that’s been in business for a couple of years at this Pinoy center right across from Arko Food Market. During a recent visit to Five Seasons, this writer and Carlo Sillona, PWD’s advertising manager, were treated to a culinary surprise, courtesy of Mark Ordono, the restaurant manager. The chicken wings appetizer is dubbed “Thai Coconut Curry Wings,” a Thai-Pacific Rim cuisine take on the venerable Buffalo Wings, the universal chicken snack that has been a part of the American culinary scene for many years.

Mark’s take on the Buffalo Wings is more Thai-based than the mainstream version of Buffalo Wings that I have eaten in all my US stay. The only thing that it shares with Buffalo Wings is the frying, all other particulars are originally Mark’s,

who has had stints as a restaurant and hotel worker in establishments like Chateau Marmont in Hollywood and L’ Ermitage Hotel in Beverly Hills, plus experiences gained working in a Starbucks coffee shop and a Cheesecake

Factory restaurant in Pasadena. This young culinary artist attended a culinary course at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, graduating in 2010, and scoring the highest in baking, one of the culinary specialty branches that the stu-

dents had to learn. “It was very intensive and informative,” Mark says of the culinary course. “The school taught us the right way of doing things (techniques), and it was hard work and long nights. It was a lot of fun, and it gave us a foundation of how to cook.” In layman’s language, it means that he and his classmates at Le Cordon Bleu had to master all the cooking “fabrications,” like butchering meats and filleting fish, and so on. He explained that aspiring chefs have to take up baking and patisserie, adding that he scored the highest in baking “for some reasons.” At any rate, Mark feels that he enjoys cooking over baking because it is a lot more fast-paced and an adrenalin rush. “Baking is a lot more therapeutic,” Mark explains. Today, being the manager of Five Seasons Restaurant, Mark admits that owning a restaurant and managing it is less stressful than when he was working for some. He sees his role at Five Seasons as being more of a marketing man and manager. “Today, I see my role in Five Seasons is to play with the traditional Filipino cuisine, tweaking their flavors and presentation and putting them out there. One of these newfangled tweaks is

the aforementioned “Thai Coconut Curry Wings.” That appetizer is Mark’s take on the Buffalo Wings with a Thai touch, like in the use of lemon grass kaffir leaves, coconut milk and curry. The mélange of these Thai flavors has blessed the chicken wings with a refreshing new flavor and appearance. Mark claims that it is selling well, just like their unique Pinakbet, a well-loved, simple Ilocano dish that features string beans, bitter melon, eggplant and pumpkin, seasoned with their own home-made and slightly sweetened Bagoong (salty shrimp paste). “We make our own bagoong,” Mark said with pride, “cooked from scratch and made with love.” We demolished one large plateful of Five Seasons’ Pinakbet in no time at all, and we were left asking for more. Carlo Sillona, who routinely savors his mommy-prepared Pinakbet back in Marikina, Philippines, says, this Pinakbet trumps his mother’s own recipe. “’Keep it simple, stupid’ applies to my cooking,” Mark joked. At 27, Mark had been around food and cooking most of his life. He says that the Thai Coconut Curry Wings would go very well with their own Asian Stir-fry consisting of fried tofu, bell pepper, celery, sweet sesame oil, soy sauce, chicken, pork or shrimp. The Thai Coconut Curry Wings could also stand alone as an appetizer, Mark said. What are Mark’s plans for Five Seasons? “I want to cater to a younger crowd,” he announced. “But I

am keeping the familystyle foods, like karekare, adobo, and pancit, etc. I do not want to steer the restaurant toward fine dining by making the ambiance too formal,” Mark added. “We want to bring class in a casual way.” Mark says that cuisine is all about presentation. “Also I want people to come here and see and feel the quality of our food and our service, the two most important things in restaurant operation,” Mark said. “Quality control, consistency, and making sure the food comes out great every single time,” Mark emphasized. “We have great food and a nice environment, and we intend to keep the highest level of quality always,” Mark promised. Also in the works are sandwiches, noting that there is a big high school – Glendale High-- just a couple of hundred yards in front of his restaurant. “In the future, I am looking at innovative foods as far as taste, presentation and delivery is concerned,” Mark shared. “We are going to keep traditional Pinoy dishes, but we will continue innovating and pushing the limits. Everyone’s palate has become sophisticated. Everyone now is a foodie, and everyone is looking for quality.” In ending, Mark enunciated one of his culinary philosophies: “Good food should satisfy all the tastes: sweet, salty, bitter and sour.” Five Seasons is located at 1428 East Colorado, Glendale, CA 91205. www.SEASONSRESTAURANT.com.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Editorial

PinoyWatchDog.com celebrates its first anniversary and we are true to our original words --- Truth is Our Reason for Being.

ctober 7, 2011. This milestone date has special significance not only to PWD founders and staff members, but also to the Fil-Am community that it serves because the birth of this fortnightly newspaper has ushered in a new paradigm in community journalism with its fearless reporting and editorial style.

PinoyWatchDog.com went through a baptism of fire unlike any other Fil-Am community newspaper. From the get-go, we always felt that PWD would fly, soar, and tickle the imagination of a Fil-Am community long inured to the usual passel of publications with similar canned and recycled stories week in and week out from the same sources in the motherland and passed as useable information. When PWD entered the fray with a truly revolutionary journalistic approach based on a mantra of “no censorship” and only original stories this newspaper gradually gained adherents, as well as detractors for our tell-it-like-it-is brand of writing and reporting. The community began paying notice. But these innovations are not enough to merit PWD with high praises. What we think we deserve kudos for are the changes for the better that we were able to achieve in the course of our one year’s existence. We now have a community strengthened with the threat of ‘if you do that I will tell PinoyWatchDog.com’. The first issue of this newspaper trumpeted the filing of a malpractice suit versus a Los Angeles lawyer that shocked the community for its audacity and originality. That investigative story was the first warning shot unleashed by PinoyWatchDog.com that as a public service organization it will not tolerate incompetence, dishonesty and other shenanigans from those who are sworn to serve FilipinoAmerican consumers. That expose against this lawyer and its supporting newspaper organization was followed by many other investigation-based dispatches coming directly from reports from the community itself, including illegal and abusive practices being fostered on the unknowing and naïve community members, some weakened by undocumented status. These PWD investigative pieces have resulted in the early retirement of a prominent bankruptcy and immigration lawyer and has served as a warning that others who are of the same ilk would not be tolerated to continue their nefarious practices and victimize members of the Fil-Am community again. These exposes have served notice, and the guilty ones paid attention. A majority of the readership believe that PWD “is controversial but it’s also a necessity.” Notwithstanding a campaign of “hate” that Darna Umayam and her water carriers have fostered against PWD we are proud that we continue to flourish and to attract supporters, as well as advertisers, who value transparency and honesty in reporting. Our growing acceptance by a list of independent-minded advertisers only proves that no amount of bad-mouthing by our detractors would dissuade them from advertising in PinoyWatchDog.com. And it demonstrates that at our core Filipinos are good, right-minded people that just have to work a little harder to ferret out the evil that is among us. This summer PinoyWatchDog.com scored a coup when it broke the numerous fundraising irregularities associated with the Philippine Children’s Charities, Inc. of Darna Umayam, who stole her PCCI non-profit organization from under the very nose of the Philippine Consulate General, which created and incorporated it for the benefit of the annual Philippine Independence Day celebrations. The irregularities would not have surfaced and found its way into this newspaper had it not for the incessant and unrelenting investigation by PWD. That dogged investigative style had produced for us our most widely-read series of reportage since we hit the streets one year ago. With the magic of the internet Pinoys worldwide hungering for genuine and original reporting, opinion and commentaries have been logging in regularly, and extensively. Through a tracking and analyzing program provided by Google, PWD is able to determine the volume of hits and the points of the globe where the hits are coming from and sometimes it is astounding. Thanks to all Pinoys worldwide. In our inaugural issue, we wrote in the editorial that PWD is the keeper of the metaphorical dog, a well-endowed watchdog, and today, one year after that historic first issue, we are proud to say that we have stuck to our original mission statement, which is to print every piece of real news without regards of who gets hurt. We stand by our stories, and we back them up with the essential documents and testimonies, then we go forward and publish them. There has never been a valid contention that anything we have printed is false. We acknowledge the compliments for having balanced reporting on sensitive issues. PinoyWatchDog.com remains to be the only Fil-Community newspaper in Southern California that publishes all the news that’s fit to print. But we are proud that we have effected change in the FilAm community, its members, civic and community leaders, and other stakeholders by encouraging transparency, truthfulness and editorial independence. With that in mind, we look forward to more years of untrammeled service to the Fil-Am community in the region where we publish. And if you know of wrongdoing out there, please let us know. PinoyWatchDog.com is here for you.

fortnightly by is published

Tanod Bayan, Inc.,

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Alfonso Gaerlan Aquino Rene Villaroman Dionesio C. Grava

Executive Editor Managing Editor Chief of Reporters

Joel Bander Francis Johann Verdote

Senior Columnist Correspondent

Lotis Kai Rosario , David Casuco & Vics Magsaysay

Contributing Writers

mailing address at Arturo Cariaga, Winston A. Marbella Manila Correspondents 1247 Arapahoe Street, # 7, Bernie Cortes-Kimmerle Arts and Entertainment Writer Los Angeles, CA 90006, Larry Pelayo Editorial Ombudsman Telephone Number (213) 261-7467 and e-mail address at editor@pinoywatchdog.com Web & SEO Strategist | Graphic Designer Lay-out and Graphics

A Celebration Of Patriotic Values

he unveiling ceremonies of the eight foot tall bronze statue of the National Hero of the Republic of the Philippines, Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal, held at the new park of the City of Carson, called Carson International Sculpture Garden, on last Saturday, September 29, 2012, was a momentous source of pride for the Filipino community, and, rightly so, an occasion that is true to the theme of the event: “Awaken The Hero In Us”. Clearly, this was a celebration of patriotic values. The icon was a youngish and happy looking Rizal, and when it was bared, the poignancy of the moment simply tugged at the heart. At that instance, I was a proud old Filipino. The City of Carson rolled out the red carpet and its officials, City Mayor Jim Dear and senior Councilman Elito Macapagal Santarina, to name a few, were on hand to welcome the crowd, very largely made up of patriotic Filipinos, and led the ceremonies, with an array of political speakers (two members of the House of Representatives, U.S. Congress, took turns in praising the life and ideals of the hero). Mayor Dear spoke of the influence of the political philosophy of Rizal on other international heroes, like Gandhi and Nehru of India, Ataturk of Turkey and Nelson Mandela of South Africa. However, the most informative treatise of the occasion, delivered in an almost perfect oratory, was provided by Hon. Maria Sereno Diokno, Chairperson of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. She averred that Rizal’s poem, “Mi Ultimo Adios”, served as the springboard that led to the discussion of the subject of independence when it was recited by a U.S. Congressman from Wisconsin on the floor of the House of Representatives, Representative Henry Cooper, in 1902 during the discussion of the Philippine Organic Act of 1902, which provided autonomy to local governments and to be run by Filipinos who will be trained in the intricacies of self-rule and eventual independence. The congressman argued that a nation who had produced the poet, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, deserved to be free and sovereign. Rightly so. Let us remember that the statue of Rizal was conceived in 2004 by Chito Mandap, and became his object of fundraising when he became chairman of the Kalayaan Committee of that year and raised $28,000.00. That money served as his seed to raise some more, as he knew that the amount would not be enough for an 8 foot bronze statue done by a known Filipino sculptor. He wanted to give something of real worth to his kababayan, and so he created the Jose. P. Rizal Memorial Movement, registered it with the state and secured a 501 (c)-3 from the IRS. From there on, he fundraised some more money till he had enough. The statue was finished in 2006 and kept in a warehouse in the Philippines. From 2006 to the present, Mr. Mandap had been scour-

ing the Los Angeles area, until he found a welcoming hand from the City of Carson. The Rizal Monument finally has a home, and what a journey. Mr. Chito Mandap and the members of the Jose P. Rizal Memorial Movement deserve credit for this great service to the motherland. May your tribe increase! I cannot help but mention certain bloopers in the program. First, the general programme did not mention any date and time of the unveiling ceremony, The male emcee was not at all knowledgeable about Rizal, claiming that the “Mi Ultimo Adios” was written in Europe and was not sure of the date and time of the execution. Any elementary school graduate in the Philippines could tell you that the poem was written in Rizal’s cell in Fort Santiago on the eve of his execution the following morning. The 2 Regional Commanders of the Order of the Knights of Rizal, Sir Tom D. Rodrguez, KGOR of Arizona and Sir Eddie A. Limon of Florida noticed these mistakes and some more, like there was no marking or banner of the Order to indicate their participation of this historical Rizal event. I told them the Los Angeles Chapter was not even invited by the Jose P. Rizal Memorial Movement and Chito Mandap for that matter, to think that he is the IPCC of Los Angeles Chapter. They also questioned what has the Knights of Columbus got to do with Rizal that they are serving as the guards of honor, when there are a lot of Knights of Rizal around. To top it all, the guy who recited the “Mi Ultimo Adios” did a great disservice to the memory of the poet, instead of delivering it in a somber tone, he was screaming and yelling at the top of his voice. Lastly, a keynote speaker is for conferences, conventions, and the likes, not on ceremonial events. In my last column, I asked Mr. Chito Mandap several questions pertaining to his fundraising projects in connection with the much needed fund for the Rizal monument. I learned that he has promised certain people that he will submit a financial statement detailing all expenses incurred. Well and good. The financial statement will serve to strengthen his credibility, honesty, and leadership. I hope PinoyWatchDog.com gets a copy, too.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Overseas Filipinos are culturally the same wherever you find them

eating on a steel bench in the busy Union Station in Toronto last month, I was tempted to yell “Pssst,” and was sure that at least a couple of people would turn their heads in the direction where the call came from. That is because only Pinoys would respond to “pssst” everywhere around the world, and the Eastern Canadian city of Toronto is no exception. During my two-week vacation with my Fil-Canadian fiancée, the Union Station was my favorite spot from which to observe Torontons in general and Fil-Canadians in particular, as this busy train station is the city’s epicenter of human movement and interaction. It is like a smaller and more orderly version of New York’s subway system; the only difference is that Toronto’s Union Station is less congested and chaotic than New York’s subway other. Filipinos here, as in the United stations. My fiancée has pointed this out to me a couple of times, that “even on rush hour, there is no pushing and shoving,” with obvious pride in her tone. And I have experienced that sense of organized chaos as a two-week visitor. I was reminded of LA’s own young subway system, which I routinely use when I visit downtown LA to avoid its horrendous parking fees. The other stark difference of Toronto’s Union Station with that of New York’s is that the former has cleaner and well-maintained public restrooms (called washrooms here), with automatically flushing urinals and toilets and well-scrubbed floors and walls. In fact, I was also surprised to discover that the rest stops on Canadian highways, which are constructed differently from rest stops in US freeways, were built like welcoming homes, painted in maroon paint, and with impec-

cably manicured lawns and trees. I found myself commenting, “Are these really rest stops?” I couldn’t believe my eyes because the Canadian government has maintained their rest stops in such superlative aesthetic and hygienic condition. If I was impressed with the rest stops, I was more awed by the absence of very large billboards along the clean, mostly tree-lined highways. The largest billboard I’ve seen was like two meters long, and they were not advertising national brands, like McDonalds or Enterprise rental cars. A traveler gets the feeling that the highways are an integral part of the green landscape, not man-made intrusions in the serene and wooded terrains. With the fall colors beginning to show, the panorama unfolding through our tour bus’ glass windows has beckoned me to stay much longer than I had planned. My two-week stay and peregri-

nations in Toronto and the other Eastern Canadian cities of Kingston, Ottawa, Montreal, Old Quebec City and Rockport had imbued in me a sense of appreciation for its sparsely populated landmass and the vastness and natural beauty of our English-speaking neighbor in the North and these two nations’ cordial sisterhood and mutual respect. Canadian television networks routinely show American programs, and some of the favorites among Fil-Canadians in particular are reality and entertainment shows like “American Idol, “X Factor, America’s Got Talent,” and “Good Morning America, among many others. But TFC and GMA shows are very familiar with Filipino-Canadian families, young and old alike. That’s not all, though. Fil-Canadians share with their American relatives in the ways they interact culturally among each

States, cling to the same cultural traditions. They love to sing, dance, and entertain. They love to have parties, from potlucks to community fairs, and festivals. One weekend, we attended a meeting in the city of Vaughn of an association of Fil-Canadians who hail from the city of Urdaneta, Pangasinan, my fiancee’s hometown. It was a potluck meeting where each attendee brings something special for the dining table, and where they discussed a dinner dance that’s slated for October 27. That same day, we also attended an evening show, dubbed “Pinoy Variety Show” at the Korean-Canadian Cultural Center in Toronto. The show was a project of a charitable foundation established by newly appointed Fil-Canadian Senator, Tobias Enverga, a former banker and an alumnus of Far Eastern University That variety show prominently featured Chadwick Sabado, the youngest son of my fiancée, who is

making a name for himself as an accomplished singer and performer. In that same show, I happened to meet Senator Enverga, who was conferring with one of his foundation’s key people. I introduced myself as the managing editor of PinoyWatchDog.com, a Los Angeles-based Filipino newspaper, and I asked him for a ten-minute interview. Unbeknownst to me, the FilCanadian community and civic leaders here are in a state of fear of a particular Pinoy journalist, and he politely requested me to prepare my questions and he would return in an hour. He never came back to honor his promise. After Enverga’s departure, a member of the show’s organizers sidled up to me and asked if I knew a certain Pinoy reporter (his name to remain secret). I answered that I knew that particular reporter, but that I had not met him. Later on, I asked members of my fiancee’s family what the ruckus was all about this reporter. They told me that this reporter had been allegedly writing sensational stories that were considered unfair and unfounded by those involved in the stories. That’s how I found out why Senator Enverga eluded me like the plague. My newspaper’s name alone may have conjured fear in his mind, and he decided to junk the interview with me to safeguard his reputation from an interview that could have the potential of blowing up in his face. Maybe when I come back, soon, I would have better luck interviewing Senator Enverga, but first I would have to show him proof that I am a respected journalist, not a yellow journalist.

Jose Rizal Monument and Chito Mandap’s Legacy

hen PWD raised an issue, it is not against the person. It is against his acts or commissions; things committed which need clarification or justification. Those who did not understand what we do ended up sending us numerous letters expressing anger and disgust. When PWD started to ask for some clarifications or questioned the validity of a show or a project, people immediately jumped into conclusion, blamed us and threw curses at all our staff members. Simply stated, we expect the public to give us their patience. Remember your younger days when your mom will hit you with her “tsinelas?” Or your dad giving you “pingot” on your ear when you didn’t want to behave or listen? After that, you started to obey, and later on, justified what your mom and dad did to you. They did that to discipline you out of their wish and love for you to do things correctly. Sometimes, we questioned a person and emphasized what the public wanted to know so that he will have the chance to answer publicly the doubts of the people. We were not against Chito Mandap when he led the Jose Rizal Monument Movement. I joined the Filipino-Americans and dignitaries when they gave their applause to Chito. We saluted him for his perseverance in handling the project. Ditto for his wife Blessie Mandap who must have inspired Chito like Josephine Bracken did to Rizal. May

your tribe increase. But Chito raised funds which under the law are public money. And considering this was a continuing fund-raising years ago, he must have prepared annual financial statements to that effect. If he did, well and good. If there was an oversight, please consult your accountants and tax preparer. We do not want to destroy the success of the monument nor the purpose for which it stands for. We can only say “The end does not justify the means.” Hence, the need for financial statements for transparency. Mandap did not forget and had given publicly credits to the people and associations that backed him up. In fact, some of these groups became his breadbasket for funding. In his unveiling speech, he was magnanimous in giving thanks to all those who helped the movement. By so doing, he stood up tall in the midst of the people giving their admiration to him for a job well done. Let the Rizal monument be a symbol of a united overseas Filipino-Americans. Even the City of Carson took pride in having Rizal as the first national hero of a for-

ports, once made public, will vindicate Chito from all the criticisms he received. If not, the herculean job he started years ago will be in vain. Failure to do so will not be fair for the monument and those who contributed for its construction; rather it will be a monument of shame.

eign country to be constructed in that historical park to be followed by other leaders. Mayor Jim Dear took pride in saying “we started it, and expected other nationalities to succeed in the fund-raising they started already for the construction of the heroes of their native land.” Councilman Elito Macapagal Santarina, a Novo Ecijano from the Philippines, a civic leader and educator, said “Rizal will always be a good example, not only for the Filipinos but to everybody, and his memories will always be alive like the presence of that statue which will be here in Carson forever.” Let the records which the public need be available at once. We were informed that these will be done after the unveiling of the monument to clear all the doubts and suspicions about the whereabouts of the funds. We expect the financial re-

End of Maguindanao Massacre Nowhere To Be Seen The end of the trial of the November 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre involving 57 people, 32 among them media workers, is nowhere to be seen. Witnesses went into hiding; some of them vanished without traces; nowhere to be found, or were presumed killed or silenced by the long arms of the assassins. The snail-paced hearings, if ever these were formally started, showed no favorable results to believe that justice will be served to the victims; now joined by maggots seven feet below the ground. We sympathized with the families of the victims who could not find the right approach in trying to seek punishment for the accused. At this point they can only curse heaven and sing “Whom can we turn to?” During the first few months after the massacre, newspapers, radio, tv, the social media and every means of communications available, were filled with pictures and speeches of politicians trying to showcase their crusades

for justice to the victims. Shades of “epal,” huh. When the accused and their lawyers were able to slow down the proceedings by legal technicalities, our concerned lawmakers gadually lost their interest because of the seemingly hopeless display of attention by the higher authorities. While the orphans left behind are languishing from the pains of losing their love ones, a confidential report said the accused, under the guise of physical sickness, are occupying special rooms in hospitals and converted them to suites like Club Med or furnished their prison cells with television sets, stereos and cell phones. We will not be surprised if female entertainers are even around at night with the accused and jail guards as the audience. There was a study made before on what caused the growth of dissent, anti-government movements like the NPAs and the leftist groups on remote areas of the Philippines. The answer was plain and simple. Injustice. For every victim of injustice, an equivalent number joins the NPA or terrorist groups to get even. The government should learn from its mistakes of the past. The peasant movement born out of the dissatisfaction of the Hukbalahap (Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon) from the treatment they received after fighting during the last war was a perfect example. More so when it involved the loved ones you lost.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Furor over Cybercrime law

hilippine press was once one of the freeest – if not the freeest – press in the world. Not anymore. Today, freedom of the press, as we once knew it, is a relic of the past. Members of the Fourth Estate would defend their freedom like they would defend their own lives. Indeed, 72 journalists have been killed since 1992 for investigating or exposing graft and corruption in government. Among them were 21 journalists who were part of a group of 57 unarmed civilians massacred in Maguindanao three years ago in what many believed was politically motivated.

When President Benigno “P-Noy” Aquino III signed Republic Act 10175 – known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act – last September 12, little did he know that it would unleash a torrent of protests not just from the traditional members of the Fourth Estate but from the “netizens” of Cyberspace. Indeed, no sooner had P-Noy stamped his imprimatur on the new law than concerned people filed their petitions before the Supreme Court. So far, seven petitions have been filed and more are expected to follow. At a forum organized by Sen. Teofisto “TG” Guingona – he filed the fourth petition -- last September 27, the following were some of the concerns raised: 1) Any person who writes something online that is deemed “libelous” can be prosecuted under the Cybercrime Prevention Act and the Revised Penal Code. That’s double jeopardy, a violation of the Constitution. 2) Punishment for traditional print media libel is up to four years and two months while online libel is punishable by 12 years of imprisonment. 3) Under the new law, “people can even be sued for old Internet posts.” 4) The new law also punishes those who “republish libelous content online via retweets on Twitter or sharing on Facebook.”

PinoyWatchDog.Com

New law is unconstitutional? Last September 28, a group consisting of Ellen Tordesillas, Alexander Adonis, Gisela Cascolan, and lawyers Harry Roque, Rommel Bagares and Gilbert Andres filed another petition – the fifth – that challenged Sections 4 (c) [4], 5, 6, 7 and 19. They claimed they are unconstitutional and asked the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop its implementation. The petitioners argued that R.A. 10175 was in violation of Section 4 of Article III – Bill of Rights -- of the Constitution, which states: “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.” The petitioners also hold that the new law is not in consonance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) that the Philippines ratified on Aug. 22, 1989. ICCPR provides, among others, that “Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference.” Furthermore, ICCPR states: “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either

orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.” Malacañang digs in In reaction to the seven petitions filed to date, Malacañang admitted that it didn’t see the legal challenges against the new law coming. However, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that Malacañang was standing by the new law’s legality. She said, “Freedom of expression is not absolute but comes with responsibility, and the same principle should apply on the Internet.” She added, “The Revised Penal Code provides that anybody could be liable for libel, but the responsibility has never stopped our press from being free.” She called the petitioners’ concerns “a little paranoid” for thinking that the government was planning to institute a “filtering structure,” which could be potentially used for “political and social censorship.” But Filipino netizens – estimated to number more than one million… and growing fast – would not be convinced by Valte’s arguments. Sword of Damocles In an attempt to allay the public’s fear of this frightening draconian law, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima assured netizens that their constitutional rights would be protected in the

implementation of the new law. In a statement she releases a few days ago, she said: “Any power or authority granted by the law to Department of Justice and secretary of Justice will be exercised judiciously and prudently, within the standards or parameters set forth in the law and with due regard to fundamental, human rights of individuals.” That was then. But just a few days later, October 1, De Lima’s tone changed. She told the media, “We have our law now and it is our duty to execute the law, unless otherwise declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court or unless repealed by the crafters of the law, the Congress.” What De Lima was saying is that she would be judicious and prudent to the extent that the law is not violated. It’s like putting a sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of netizens. Clearly, her message is: “Toe the line or else…” E-Martial Law? This leaves netizens feeling like they’re virtually living under martial law, and forced to follow a law they believe is unconstitutional. Interestingly, P-Noy signed R.A. 10175 nine days shy of the 40th anniversary of proclamation of martial law on September 21, 1972. And, ironically, P-Noy’s father, the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., was one of the hundreds who were arrested and

detained. One might ask, “Is the country heading the wrong way again?” During the martial law era, the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos criminalized libel and used it to suppress the freedom of the press. Today, libel remains a criminal offense and has survived many attempts to decriminalize it. And in a brazen act, the government -- instead of decriminalizing libel -- doubled down and enacted R.A. 10175, which many believe is the most repressive piece of legislation since the EDSA People Power revolution of 1986. But like the old martial law days, a lot of netizens would go “underground” to avoid detection and arrest by government enforcers. The netizens would assume aliases or pen names in social media and continue exercising their God-given freedom of expression. The Cybercrime law could not intimidate them. On the contrary, it would only embolden them to become more vocal and fiercely rebellious in the expression of their views. That’s human nature. And it’s been like that since the beginning of time. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature.” Yes, indeed. (PerryDiaz@ gmail.com)

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Saturday, October 6, 2012

GK’s Olaes, Partner warn PWD: ‘No Money Trail; No Libel Filed’ From Page 1

was announced by PWD Senior Columnist Joel Bander, who held a telephone conference with Olaes and Kopelowitz that was arranged by a GK advocate, Los Angeles lawyer Ramoncito Ocampo, on Tuesday, October 2, 2012. On July 28, 2012, Gawad Kalinga USA (GK -USA) Executive Director Tony Olaes took to the stage of Darna Umayam’s controversial and tarnished “100 Outstanding Fil Ams” awards show and announced that he was accepting one million pesos from Umayam’s group and making a personal contribution to ABS CBN Foundation’s charity, Bantay Bata for the same amount. Olaes was called in by Umayam a few days earlier after ABS CBN announced it was refusing all funds from Umayam because of her antiSemitic remarks towards PinoyWatchDog.com’s Sr. Columnist Joel Bander and her endorsement of thievery of this paper’s print edition. See related story at http:// www.pinoywatchdog.com/darnaumayam-supports-pwd-thefts-guiilty-anti-semitism/ The October 2, 2012, a conference call was held between Tony Olaes’ business partner, Atty Jay Kopelowitz, PinoyWatchDog. com’s Sr. Columnist Joel Bander and Los Angeles based Attorney

Ramoncito Ocampo. The conference was arranged by Ocampo after a prior telephone conference he had with Tony Olaes about the damages to GK - USA’s standing in the community based on all the questions regarding whether funds were actually tendered, received, deposited, and the source of any funds. On September 19, 2012, Umayam supporter and benefactor Anthony Castillo made a Facebook posting of a cashier’s check dated August 1, 2012, for $25,000 to GK along with a deposit slip and a separate document indicating something had been deposited. Castillo is a member of the Press Photographers of the Philippines— USA, a known Umayam ally and suspected by PWD as the culprit in a series of defamatory illustrations against PWD and its staff members that were posted on Facebook immediately following the Darna Umayan donation brouhaha. (See related story at http://www.pinoywatchdog.com/umayam-hijackedpcci-non-profit-from-independence-day-committee/). However, two months after the event neither Umayam, and her supporters, nor Olaes and GK USA have yet to show a cancelled check that the funds were in fact transmitted and deposited. PinoyWatchDog.com has been told that many members of the

community question the validity of Castillo’s posting considering Umayam’s past nefarious fundraising activities and Tony Olaes’ complete refusal to make public comment or answer questions about these activities. “Tony Olaes stood in front of almost a thousand people on July 28, 2012 with an envelope in his hand that supposedly had check for a million pesos,” PinoyWatchDog. com’s Executive Editor Al Aquino said, “but there was obviously no check, because even their own posting had a check for a different amount dated August 1, 2012. Did they just have an empty envelope for show to fool everyone?” Also in question is Olaes’ publicly stated promise before the large dinner crowd that he would also pay Bantay Bata one million pesos from his own funds as that charity principally refused Umayam’s bigoted, theft-stained funds. See related story at http://www.pinoywatchdog.com/abs-cbn-signals-areturn-to-honesty-integrity-andrespectability-in-fund-raisings/. However, the PinoyWatchDog. com Investigative Team has learned that Tony Olaes traveled to Manila and had a private dinner with ABS CBN’s Gina Lopez, tendering a check for $25,000 from a GK USA account, not personal funds as publicly promised by Olaes. It has also been learned that Olaes made

this end run effort to avoid the principled U.S. director of Bantay Bata Mr. Robbie Fabian. The October 2 telephone conference was arranged by Ocampo to resolve lingering issues and doubts that the Fil Am community has about these funds, and questions about Olaes’ management of GK -USA. However, Olaes’ attorney, Jay Kopelowitz, flatly refused to turn over the alleged cancelled check from Umayam to GK – USA unless all documents provided were printed in PinoyWatchDog.com in full, along with the full explanation of the ‘money trail’ of various transactions, and a promise that this news organization would no longer print anything about Olaes. Kopelowitz stated Olaes would not sue PinoyWatchDog.com for libel in return for this ‘settlement’. Bander stated that he was ‘outraged’ that Olaes felt he could dictate the text of any news organization, and that PinoyWatchDog. com stood for being ‘uncensored’ news. Bander also asked Kopelowitz “why there should even be a ‘money trail’, why should this be so complicated?” Bander scoffed at contentions of liability. “All of our reporting has been factually accurate. Darna Umayam does not even say our stories are false.” Both Bander and Kopelowitz were ready to terminate the confer-

ence call when Attorney Ocampo stepped in. “Let’s not end this here. I am a Gawad Kalinga Advocate. Many of us here in L.A. are concerned about the image of the organization. I have met Tony Olaes and felt he was a nice, decent guy. But he needs to understand that people here are concerned about the organization’s image, and really seek transparency.” Ocampo urged Kopelwitz to go back to his partner and reconsider GK – USA’s position and provide the transactional documents and ‘money trail’ details without condition. The ‘money trail’ issue has become important as PinoyWatchDog.com has learned that ABS CBN Foundation’s Bantay Bata is concerned that GK – USA is being used a money laundering tool for Darna Umayam’s tarnished funds that they refuse to accept. One ABS CBN insider told PWD “why is Tony Olaes allegedly coursing his private funds first to GK – USA, and then to Bantay Bata when he publicly said he would provide his own money with this private dinner in Manila with Gina Lopez?” PWD Executive Editor Aquino said “it is time for Tony Olaes to come clean, provide documents and answer questions. Why does he want this situation to just keep dragging on?”

Congen MJB Aragon was ‘not on protocol’ From Page 1

flaunted her musical side; obliging with a couple of standard dutties while the crowd swoon and sway to her music. “Don’t you think that’s a bit out of protocol?” a woman next to me asked jestingly.“The Congen’s got talent. The heck with protocol.” says another. A couple of hours earlier, Congen MJB Aragon granted this writer an exclusive interview for a human-interest story, which will come out in a separate run. The Congen appeared sprightly and engaging, visibly satisfied with the success of the work that she did in Los Angeles. After six years as head of mission of the Philippine Consulate General in L.A. or PhilcongenLA Congen MJB Aragon leaves the post a lot smarter and wiser, an experience that put her in a high perch with an elite league of diplomats who survived the tough “L.A. assignment.” Generally regarded as the most daunting of all the Philippine foreign missions, the L.A. Assignment has jurisdiction over one million Filipinos and Filipi-

no-Americans living in Southern California, Southern Nevada (covering counties of Clark, Nye and Lincoln), and the entire states of New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. “The ‘L.A. Assignment’ certainly tested my diplomatic skills to the fullest, maybe even much more than my five-year stint at the Philippine Mission to the United Nations,” Congen MJB Aragon told this writer. “It enriched me, in a way, that it made me a stronger person.” The large area of jurisdiction and the over 1.4 million Filipino population is intimidating enough, but the greatest challenge doing the “L.A. Assignment” is dealing with the highly fragmented and very demanding FilipinoAmericans, and serving the over 600 community organizations. The Philcongen-LA is seen as the waterloo to many Philippines foreign affairs career diplomats. It is here where a government envoy can be jettisoned back home unceremoniously because he messed with the Filipino media, or he earned the ire of a clannish Fil-Am group, or his wife did not patronize the Pinoy couturiers.

“There are situations during our consular outreach services when the people simply get unreasonable. Some look at us as inefficient government bureaucrats. However, we are trained to deal with those kinds of situations. My father has taught us never to harm anybody because it will comeback to haunt us,” said Congen MJB Aragon. “I want to be remembered as friend to all and any enemy to none. If I get criticisms for my action or lack of action, I will deal with it. Life is too short to be consumed with enmity and antagonism.” It was not a total smooth ride with the media for the quicksmiling Congen. Actually, there were a couple of testy encounters between some Filipino media men and the Consular staff that could have turned into a full blown conflict like the Congen Victor Garcia vs. the Fil-Am media in the early 90s, but Consul MJB Aragon handled it her own effective way each time. Perhaps it is because of Congen MJB Aragon’s “friend of all, enemy to none” mantra that she endeared herself even to the less friendly Filipinos in Los Angeles.

The traditionally critical Filipino journalists were her friends; she easily connected with them, a luxury that was never enjoyed by the envoys that came before her. The writers even accorded her the moniker“Darling of the Fil-Am Media” or “The Most Beautiful Congen Ever.”Of course, the second title – although in great part true –was more of an endearment because Congen MJB Aragon was the first woman L.A. consul general to hold the L.A. post. The caveat here is that makes futureFilipino lady diplomats pretenders to her L.A. throne. “My secret is perhaps because I have no secret. I am glad I established rapport with the media effortlessly. Maybe because I try to be accessible to them; but maybe it is for the media people to respond why (they like me),” she said. Told that she is a success story and it seems she has a perfect life, the Congen, who is married to Las Vegas-based Dr. Romualdo Aragon Jr., said the obvious chink is her being an absentee wife and mother. She wished she had enough time for her family. “Of course there are regrets.

My regret is I cannot always be there for my family. That’s the hardest part because my profession and the profession of my husband do not allow us to be in one place together,” she said. “I am married to my husband for 25 years now and the time we had been together could only translate to five years. But in a way, it has its advantage because when we see each other we are like sweethearts again.” Amazing as it is, Congen Aragon’s married life is yet another proof that distance has no power over love that is nourished by total trust. On Oct. 3 Congen MJB Aragon will rejoin her husband and 18-year old daughter in Las Vegas. The L.A. assignment done, the home full of life, love, and laughter beckons. Then it will be another season, a time to celebrate and sing a new song. (David Casuco writes for Mabuhay News Service and Pinoy Watchdog on the Filipino-American community in Southern California, sports, and tourism-travel. He has a journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas).

Urdaneta City Association of Ontario Meeting in Vaughn, Ontario

► By Rene Villaroman

he Urdaneta City Association of Ontario (UCAO), recently held a luncheon meeting to finalize its plans for a dinner dance slated for October 27 at the Garnet A. Williams Community Center,

in Vaughn, Ontario. The association is headed by Jose Oliva, President, and the meeting was held at the home of Engineer Leonardo and Mrs. Helen Nerona in Vaughn in late September. Other UCAO members who attended the meeting were Miguel and Dolores Mamaat,

Dorotea C. Dulay, Mercedes de la Cruz, Danny Tabion, Angelita Oliva, Ludy Marzan, Lina Marzan, Lucille and Leonardo Consolacion, Mercedes L. Acosta, Pilar T. Semella and Manuel E. Semella, and Leonardo and Helen Nerona, and Rita Sabado.

Members and officers of UCAO meeting at Vaughn, Ontario, Canada.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Community

Rizal monument reinforces ties with the homeland

From Page 1

request that his head be spared from the damage of gunfire but that in the end the squad leader delivered a fatal shot on that very same spot to make sure Rizal was not feigning death. That much was ascertained about the martyrdom of the national hero and portrayed during a recent reenactment of that historic Dec. 30, 1896 execution. But even as suspense gripped the crowd culminating in the volley of blank ammunition fired by rayadillo-attired Spanish soldiers -- the finishing shot delivered by actor Frank Paras, Jr. -- many controversies remain unsettled about Rizal: the women in his life, his alleged retraction from Freemasonry and return to Catholicism, whether or not he incited the revolution as charged by authorities or instead repudiated it or was he an American-made hero intended to safeguard that country’s own colonial rule. Members of the Filipino community, city officials and invited guests were gathered in a grassy area next to the Carson Community Center on September 29 to witness the unveiling of the eight-foot tall bronze statue of the Philippine national hero. Mounted on a six-foot granite pedestal, the monument is said to be one of its kind in the whole U.S. The Carson event was a fitting start for the yearly observance of Filipino American History Month in October. In his remarks, Mayor Jim Dear said that the city sent out 50 identical letters to the legations of different countries inviting them to donate an art piece each for the newly established sculpture garden. The Rizal statue, the work of Filipino sculptor Toym De Leon Imao, is the first in the site a gift of the people of the Philippines to the people of Carson, Mayor Dear said. No tax money was involved. The Carson executive explained that being the most diverse city of its size, Carson needs to have a public art showcase reflecting that fact. He got the inspiration from the sculpture garden in the nearby city of Cerritos, he said. The word international was suggested by FilAm alderman Elito Santarina of the Carson city council. The mayor fore-

sees that other countries will follow the gesture of the Filipino community and turn the place into a truly International Sculpture Garden in the near future. Councilman Santarina was assigned the task of introducing the many community and business leaders and other guests who attended. Among the dignitaries were US Representatives Janice Hahn and Laura Richardson, Philippine Consul General Mary Jo Aragon, Chair Serena I. Diokno of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, Deputy Consul General Daniel Espiritu, city officials of Cerritos, Torrance, Gardena and Carson. There were delegations from various entities and organizations including the Knights of Rizal, the Knights of Columbus, Harbor City College, La Salle-California, Philippine Scouts, the consulate

to relinquish her post for reassignment to the home office in Manila. She intoned that “before I leave Los Angeles as consul general I bear witness to the unveiling of the Rizal monument” after which Mayor Dear and Community Library Manager Leticia Tan, a Filipina, were requested to come over to accept a few copies of donated books about FilAms in Carson. Congresswoman Richardson commented about how the generations yet to come would benefit from knowing about the history and good works of Rizal. She will be filing a resolution in Congress to declare October Filipino American History Month, she informed. Congresswoman Hahn likewise congratulated all those responsible for the historic event and said that the significance of Rizal is not just for the Philippines

Jose Rizal (Teddy Ortega of the reenactment group) grimaces as the volley of blank cartridges marked his martyrdom.

Mary Children’s Choir, an invocation by Rev. Thomas Naval, a message by Tom Rodriguez of the Knights of

Dante Basco read Rizal’s poem, A La Juventud Filipina, and another work of the hero, “My Last Farewell,” was given stirring performance by Teddy Ortega of the reenactment group. Emcees of the program were Janelle So and Alex Cainglet. Chairpersons for the historic event were Mayor Dear, Councilman Elito Santarina, Chito Mandap and Antero Pagunsan. A Glimpse at Greatness From his bio we learn that Jose Rizal wrote a Tagalog poem, “Sa Aking Mga Kabata,” when he was eight years old and had an AB degree (sobresaliente) at 16. At age 17 he passed the Surveyor’s examination and was conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine at 23 by the Universi-

est honors. A polymath, he was an artist who dabbled in painting, cartoons, sketching, sculpting and woodcarving; a prolific poet, journalist, novelist, an architect, businessman, educator, economist, agriculturist, ethnologist, historian, inventor, musician, mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, ophthalmic surgeon, propagandist, psychologist, theologian, scientist and sociologist. He was also a polyglot, conversant in twenty-two languages and native dialects; an expert swordsman and a good shot. He preceded Gandhi and Sun Yat-sen in the art of political agitation. Many of his writings dealt on nationalism and zeroed in on the arrogance and abuses of the Spanish colonizing

The Knights of Rizal-Los Angeles Chapter headed by Henry von Seyfried, right, is among the groups represented in the event. general, Filipino American regional associations, the Fleet Reserve, ERB Foundation, Guardian Angels, Ateneo Alumni Association and others. California Senator Ted Lieu sent a representative. Two descendants of Jose Rizal -- Renato and Benjamin Rizal -- were also present. Congen Aragon expressed thanks to the city and officials of Carson and all those responsible for making the project a reality. She noted that it took all of eight years to arrive at that moment in time and she touched on the special significance of the occasion for her because the following day she was scheduled

but for the U.S. as well. Rizal will forever remind us to strive for peaceful resolutions of conflicts, she said. In her keynote speech, Chairperson Diokno saluted the Filipino community for uniting and successfully coming up with the monument. She cited some highlights in the life of Rizal and at one point mentioned that being a humble guy, he would not have approved of the grand scheme were he around today. Other parts of the program were the entrance of colors, the singing of the national anthems of the USA and the Philippines by the Immaculate Heart of

Teddy Ortega instructs members of the reenactment group how to load a Springfield rifle with blank ammo to be used during the event. Rizal and remarks by Chito Mandap of the Jose Rizal Monument Movement. Hollywood thespian

dad Central de Madrid. In 1885, at the age of 24, he finished a course in Philosophy and Letters with high-

regime and the friars who controlled much of poliTurn to Page 11

Saturday, October 6, 2012

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Entertainment & Arts

T ?? False rue

Angelica Panganiban & John Lloyd Cruz

Who is the other girl for Dingdong aside from Marian?

►By Vince Concepcion

Dingdong Dantes & Marian Rivera

ell, well , well ! It’s chismis time again . We hear so many rumors circulating about old flames, new love and burning passions for celebrities in the Pinoy Tinseltown. I have just heard that fresh from Dingdong Dantes’ short vacation and work for the Manny Many Prizes , there is talk that he is having another girl which will make Marian Rivera’s hair raise. Is this true or false?

Dingdong obviously will answer, “I’m very happy with my relationship with Marian.” So definitely no room for another girl. He reports that right after the Bench 25th anniversary runway stint, he flew to the US to perform at the Manny Pacquiao game show. He said he enjoyed this little vacation as he bonded with his friends Perry, Paolo Luciano and Rochelle Pangilinan. He remembers his last performance in LA was a concert with Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid and loved one - Marian Rivera. So no third wheel for Dingdong Dantes and love triangle is not his cup of tea. In the meantime, a lot of Los Angelenos are raving about a love triangle in the silver screen, “The Mistress” which is showing in Cerritos. What I have heard is that tickets are always sold out and you have to wait for

the last full show to catch the movie. Directed by Olivia Lamasan and set in an urban landscape of restricted passions, the love triangle presents the best acting skills of very fine actors -- John Lloyd, Bea Alonzo, Hilda Coronel and Ronaldo Valdez. Speaking of hidden affairs and John Lloyd, there is another newsbreak. I just gathered another chismis that John Lloyd is leaving for Nice, France with Angelica Panganiban. How true is this that they have a rendezvous in Europe far from the madding crowd. Well whatever it is, it seems like the two are heading to become seriously a coosome twosome. But why France? According to my good friend, there is nothing controversial about this trip as this is an official trip for ABSCBN’s “Kapamilya Karavan” in Nice, France where they will

be screening ‘The Mistress”. Okay Adieu for both of you and may both of you have love in your sojourn to Europe. Angelica Panganiban seems to be happy in her new direction but here is another chismis hounding her.

Kim Chiu & Xian Lim How true is it that former beau Derek Ramsay took her Mini Cooper car? Derek Ramsay quickly replied “This is not true.” The Mini Cooper which was a gift by Derek to Angelica was already sold before they had

a break up. Derek said that the car was not really used much so they decided to sell the car. “We are both happy now” Derek said, seven months after he had a break up with Angelica. Good for both Derek and Angelica. All’s well that ends well! For Xian Lim, another love angle is coming up as he is working with former crush Kim Chiu. He says he is happy to work with Kim Chiu again after the very successful teleserye “ Binondo Girl!” Is it true that he is out to court Kim Chiu ? Xian Lim says he is nervous again to star opposite with Kim Chiu in the film “Ina, Kapatid, Anak. So we are at the end of the line as we have sneaked in the newfound loves and affairs of our fave celebrities. We are ready for more chismis in the next issue!

Saturday, October 6, 2012

PinoyWatchDog.Com

PH’s Cybercrime Law sparks netizens outrage From Page 1

comfort zones. In social sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube; websites and blogs, the mounting anti-Cyber Crime Law protests are palpable as they in full manifest. Posting her sentiment on Facebook, A.J. seeth: “Hindi matatabunan ang kapalpakan ng administrasyon nila bagkos lalong makakasama sa imaye ni pnoy and pinaggagagawa nila. (There is no way to they can hide the Palace’s errors; their moves will harm even more the President’s image). Pedro Marcen on FB: “Cybercrime Prevention Act has actually done what the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect International Property Act (PIPA) sought to achieve in the United States, which was to curb illegal sharing and downloading of copyrighted music and videos online. Both bills were defeated. Justine Mauricio waxed sarcastic on FB: “This (cybercrime law) was supported and brought to you by the “honorable” Senator Sotto who is never been involved in cybercrime such as plagiarizing bloggers and a dead U.S. senator.” Cryptic that they are, the reactions on Tweets are nothing but furious. Says dafnyduck: “Senators who passed the cybercrime law, you will feel our vengeance on election day.” @pbaologist: “Let us keep democracy going. Let us continue to be heard.” @princesscita: “grabe kaya natutulong ni pnoy. Tingnan nyo mga priorities: Wang-Wang, Corona, & Cybercrime Law are his biggest contributions (It’s terrible. Look at his priorities: Wang-Wang, Corona; and Cybercrime Law his biggest contributions of all). Filipino-American progressive groups, likewise, are into the anti-cybercrime law bandwagon. Bernadette Ellorin, Chairperson of Bayan-USA, said in her website post: “Laws drafted by the ruling class to prevent ‘internet crimes’ benefit a privileged few: big corporations and ruling regimes who want to maintain power and control over ideas and facts,” she explained. “Efforts to criminalize the development and dissemination of opposing ideas and facts forces (sic) the people under surveillance by a fascist state. When every status update and blog post is under strict scrutiny, the people will not be silenced as the government hopes. Our protest will only multiply and find other ways to spread.” (By David Casuco)

Saturday, October 6, 2012

PinoyWatchDog.Com

FilAms Celebrate Heritage T ► Words and photos by Dionesio C. Grava

The Pandanggo dancers

his time of year is Filipino American History Month. Expect a number of activities celebrating “425 years of heritage and culture of Filipino Americans and their achievements, contributions, and the historical presence of Filipinos in the United States Filipino.”

The number cited is counted from October 18, 1587 when a landing party that included Filipinos from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Buena Esperanza touched ground in Morro Bay near San Francisco. In 1595 Filipino sailors were aboard the San Agustin when it was shipwrecked near Point Reyes in San Francisco Bay. In 1793 an article in the national magazine, Harper’s Weekly, detailed the story of the “Manila Men” and their 50-year-old village named St. Malo on the outskirts of New Orleans, Louisiana. In

The ancient Babaylan ritual seeks the blessing of good spirits for the event.

Native-attired revelers led by an Ati-Atihan group snaked through the mall of Pavillion South Bay in Carson to the pleasant amazement of shoppers and shop owners alike.

1788, 1789 and 1848 Filipinos were recorded aboard ships of British, American and Spanish registries that landed in Alaska. That pretty much say about our early ancestors establishing roots in this country. Today, the estimated 3.4 million FilipinoAmericans constitute the second-largest Asian ancestry group after Chinese Americans. The quote at the start of this article is from Cora Aragon Soriano, president of the Los Angeles Filipino Association of City Employees (LAFACE). She invites everyone to the 2012 Fil-Am History Awards to be held October 12 at City Hall. Earlier that day the City

Council will proclaim October as Philippine History Month. Also at City Hall is an ongoing exhibit of contemporary art by Filipino artists called UGAT: Filipino American Roots. In the city of Carson, home to a large number of Filipinos about 14 miles south of Los Angeles, a month-long series of activities are also scheduled. In fact “Pagbabahagi, Pagbayanihan, Pagbubuklod” (Sharing, Community Spirit, Unity) kicked off last Saturday, September 29, the same day that the statue of Jose Rizal was unveiled at the Carson International Sculpture Garden. At 1:11 that afternoon, native-attired participants of the program Our Cultures, Our Traditions snaked through the mall of Pavillion South Bay to the pleasant amazement of shoppers and shop owners alike. Initiated by the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce - South Bay Los Angeles Area (FACC-SLAA), the program featured a Babaylan rite in which a priestess sought the blessing of good spirits for the event. It was followed by colorful folk dance presentations from different regions of the Philippines. Robert Shroder, director of the Filipino Turn to Page 11

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Saturday, October 6, 2012

FilAms

Celebrate

Heritage From Page 10

American Symphony Orchestra, did a medley of beloved Filipino songs with a clarinet. Lady troubadour Malou Toler and Mon Concepcion were also crowd favorites with their respective song numbers. The Sampaguita Youth Dance of Long Beach presented the Palayok Dance and the Golden Girls of Gardena like-

wise elicited nostalgia with their dances. There was a Pandangguhan, Igorot dance, a Kulintang Ensemble and Fe Koons’ Ati-Atihan group did the “Hala Bira” in honor of the Santo Nino. Carson City Mayor Jim Dear and Councilman Elito Santarina and Consul General Mary Jo Bernardo Aragon provided the usual goodwill talks to the audience.

Event emcees were Gelo Francisco, Yong Chaves and John Mina. The next events in Carson will be the Medical Health, Sports and Wellness Day on October 6; Business, Professionals and Career Expo on October 13; Community Pillars & Role Models Day on October 19; and on October 27, a staging of the Filipino Americans Got Talent competition.

Kulintang Ensemble

Doing the Igorot Dance

The venerable Tinikling of the Visayans

Rizal monument reinforces ties with the homeland From Page 7

tics and society during that time in Philippine history. The “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo” particularly gained the ire of the church and Spanish authorities prompting his incarceration in Fort Santiago. Later he was exiled in Dapitan where he continued to engage in peaceful activities benefiting the people. In 1896 the revolutionary movement in the country was getting to be a serious threat to the occupying regime and it didn’t take them long to link Rizal to it. In November of that year he was back in a prison cell at the fort. Convicted of trumped-up charges, Dr. Jose Rizal met his martyrdom in Bagumbayan (now Luneta Park, Manila) soon after.

Outgoing Consul General Mary Jo Aragon and Deputy Consul General Daniel Espiritu (sixth and third from left) and the consulate staff in a pictorial with some of those involved in the historic event: Gil Mislang, Councilman Elito Santarina, Mayor Jim Dear and Chito Mandap (fourth, fifth, seventh and ninth from left).

Saturday, October 6, 2012

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Don’t Sign With Your Attorney Until … From Page 1

practice case I am asked ‘what does arbitration mean?’ Arbitration is an agreed upon legal process that a single person decides all issues, as judge and jury, usually with streamlined evidentiary procedures. Essentially, the parties go into a conference room and prove their case to a retired judge or experienced lawyer and it is all over in a few hours or days. While that is advertised as being cost efficient and quicker, substantively it favors the attorney because in arbitration you have less ability to obtain information through discovery (written questions, asking for documents, taking depositions) then in court. Most importantly, the client waives their right to a trial by a jury of their peers, a panel of common citizens, and instead must have a single person hear the case. Consider your common agreements with credit card companies, financial institutions, auto dealers, cell phone and internet providers. These large institutions always have ongoing claims, and hence the same arbitrators keep seeing the same defendants, but never the same plaintiff. How many times is the common consumer bringing an arbitration claim? So there is an ongoing relationship between defendants and arbitrators. And who pays the arbitrators? Well the parties do, meaning credit card/cell phone/auto dealer keeps paying the arbitrators again and again, but the consumer does it once. If you were an arbitrator, are you going to keep ruling against the company that keeps coming back with more business? Additionally, lawyers representing claimants generally would prefer to have the cases heard before common folk ju-

rors than experienced arbitrators commonly considered as ‘jaded’ because they have heard so many cases that little impresses them anymore. However, a juror does not hear about disputes and misdeeds all the time, and is more apt to be compassionate to an injured victim. And the reality is that lawyers are not particularly well liked when they have screwed up someone’s case. Unfortunately, clients often sign these agreements quickly because they are more focused on the ‘problem’ and how much will it cost. But then you ask, well how often is my lawyer having to pay for an arbitrator? Answer, hopefully not very often, but their defense counsel will be retained by an insurance company that will keep large dossiers on arbitrators, obviously rewards those ruling favorable for them with more business. And they are constantly hiring arbitrators. So now you have read this far along and are now thinking ‘but I have already signed the contract.’ Unlike your cell phone or auto dealership agreement nothing prevents any client from going back to the attorney and saying ‘I did not know what that arbitration clause meant. Now I know and I want to strike it out.’ Of course, the attorney can refuse, but the client, at that point, can take their case file and go to an attorney willing to have a dispute on an equal playing field, the courts, instead of with an arbitrator. However, the concept of arbitration is not always bad in all circumstances when dealing with your lawyer. For a legal malpractice case with larger damages most individuals should seek to avoid arbitration. However, when legal fees are in dispute the fairly universal method for resolution is arbitration because the only issue is the amount of and necessity of

services performed, and the reasonableness of the fees. Local bar associations have streamlined procedures with attorneys selected from a random panel. The issues are usually more mundane, and evidence usually just involves the parties. So what do you do now? If you are going to hire an attorney, READ the agreement and tell them you do not want the arbitration clause. (Doctors will usually not treat you if you try the same thing in their offices, as their malpractice premiums are tied to these provisions. However, attorney malpractice coverage usually does not require arbitration agreements.) If you have a pending case, take a look at the agreement. If your attorney wishes to deny your right to trial by jury and send you to an arbitrator, consider getting a writing that removes that arbitration provision so you can be on a fair ground if an unfortunate problem does arise.

Andres Bonifacio Should Have Been Our National Hero

e pt e mb e r 29, 2012 was a day of celebration among Filipinos in Southern California. But, of course, they have a reason to celebrate. An 8 foot statute of the Philippine National hero, Jose Rizal, was unveiled in the City of Carson in the morning and a thanksgiving gala was held at the Westin LAX in the evening. The events had all the elements of festivities and the usual incidents that come along Filipino organized events. There were minor issues on seating arrangements, sound system glitzes and not only numerous but long speeches. The program was too long that some attendees, including a lady seated by our table (who happens to be a President of one organization) fell asleep during the program. In general, however, I did enjoy the evening. It was an opportunity to see and be with friends

and do a couple of dance pieces. What I want to take a closer look in the midst of all this celebration is whether Jose Rizal deserves all of the accolades. Should he be our National Hero? Or is Andres Bonifacio more deserving of the deference? Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio opted for different courses of action. Rizal fought against the friars with

the use of his pen. Bonifacio advocated for revolution. There is nothing wrong with advocating for something without revolt. In fact, a nonviolent means is the best way of achieving political change. Although I admire Rizal’s accomplishments, it seems like Rizal opted against the revolution because he was for the preservation of the status quo. This is why according to author Renato Constantino, the reason Rizal was given

special attention as a hero by the American colonial administration because Rizal was interpreted to represent peaceful political advocacy, unlike more radical people whose ideas could inspire resistance against American rule. If we look at Rizal’s life circumstances, he is among the rich. His family is one of the landed gentry of the province of Calamba. Rizal was able to travel and study abroad at a time when most Filipinos were not even able to leave their home province. The success of Bonifacio’s Revolution may mean that Rizal’s family would lose their privileged position. There are also some historians who believe that Rizal did not actually advocate independence but merely wanted representation and better rights for Filipinos while remaining under Spanish rule. Bonifacio’s cause was more people-oriented. There was no indication of any type of self-service or of any type of self-preservation. He just fought to end the foreign rule. No properties to protect, no interest group

to favor, no allegiance to anyone other than to the Filipinos. Contrary to popular belief and urban legends, Bonifacio was not an uneducated brute. He was self-educated and was well-read. He spoke Tagalog and Spanish and a little English as well. Despite this, his image is still that of the bare-chested insurgent and common man who launches himself into battle without regard for his safety. Choosing Rizal as the national hero is for the benefit of the ruling class who will always favor preservation of the status quo. But in terms of nobility of the cause, passion, dedication and price of sacrifice, Bonifacio is by far more deserving of all accolades. It bears noting that Jose Rizal is not the official national hero of the Philippines. In fact, the country does not have any official national hero. There has never been any law passed to recognize a national hero in the country. Any Rizalitas out there? What do you think?

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Paint Recycling a Boon for Acrylatex

he future looks even brighter for Acrylatex Coating & Recyling, an Azusa-based paint recycling company in California. A state law that will take effect on October 2012 looks set to boost the company’s business. “It’s a win-win situation,” said Gary Erb, coowner of Acrylatex. “We need to keep recycling our products. We can’t just keep dumping our leftovers into the landfills.” Erb’s business collects old paint, then processes and resells it for uses ranging from architectural coatings to asphalt sealers, and no, they don’t have paint strippers who peel off paint from the walls of homes and buildings. What Acrylatex actually does is reprocess unused, surplus, excess and mistint paints which they collect from paint distributors, retail stores, painting contractors and hazardous household waste site vendors. Acrylatex started in 2004 as a disposal company for hazardous waste. In 2008, the company went into the paint-recycling business. “We did some paint recycling before then, but we started getting so much paint that we decided

to change the business to paint recycling,” Erb said. Acrylatex, like the other three paint recyclers in California, only recycles latex paint. After putting the old paint through a proprietary chemical process, five main products are made in more than 20 colors each. Most of them are sold to contractors and the like and used as regular paint. Some of the paint is used for graffiti abatement and a low-quality grade is made into asphalt sealants. For folks on a budget, Acrylatex sells the products for about half of the price of new paint, with a minimum purchase of five gallons at $8 to $12 a gallon. The paint is sold through retail distributors nationwide. Customers can also make online orders or stop in at its headquarters. Sales for the company topped $1 million last year. The key to its future success will be AB 1343, a bill signed into law in 2010 and will take effect in October 19, 2012. The law requires a paint manufacturer’s surcharge, which is passed on to customers. The surcharge ranges from 35 cents for a pint to $1.60 for a five-gallon container. The revenue will be funneled to Paint Care, a non-profit or-

ganization that works with paint, hardware and homeimprovement stores to help create drop-off locations for consumers, and is contracting with transportation companies to send the paint to recycling companies. Acrylatex will benefit most from a state law that will funnel revenue to PaintCare, a non-profit organization backed by the paint industry. PaintCare works with paint, hardware and home-improvement stores to help create drop-off locations for consumers and it contracts with transportation companies to send the paint to recycling companies. Revenue will be generated from a manufacturer’s surcharge which will be passed on to consumers. PaintCare is expecting to receive $25 million to $35 million in fees from the program in its first year. In addition to public education, marketing and staff, the money will pay the recycling companies for processing the paint and contractors to deliver it from the drop-off sites. Meanwhile, Acrylatex is getting ready for an expansion. The company employs 14 and expects to hire five more to handle the additional paint, even as it automates several jobs.

PinoyWatchDog.Com

Saturday, October 6, 2012