GOD BLESS YOU PRESIDENT CORY!

GOD BLESS YOU PRESIDENT CORY!
Showing posts with label Daniel Smith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daniel Smith. Show all posts

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Filipino Judge Benjamin Pozon Stands By His Conviction of Daniel Smith

25 April 2009

Judge Benjamin Pozon who convicted US Marine Lance Corporal Daniel Smith of the crime of rape in 2006 stands by his decision.

"Hindi nila nakita ... hindi nila napagmasdan ... hindi nila narinig yung mga witnesses." His words are an indictment of the Court of Appeals decision rendered by three Filipina justices acquitting Daniel Smith of rape.


For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

Mabuhay si Judge Benjamin Pozon! Mabuhay ang Pinoy!

More when I return.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Daniel Smith's Acquittal Increases the Pressure to Scrap the VFA

24 April 2009

It seems that legally, there is nothing to stop Daniel Smith from walking away as a free man. The fact that the Regional Trial Court (RTC) verdict penned by Judge Benjamin Pozon was overturned by three female justices will only serve to enhance whatever "credibility" Daniel Smith's acquittal has.   

However, I doubt whether "Nicole" will really be able to move on with her life. The stigma she carries in her person is no longer that of a rape victim but of "a girl who cried wolf." When a woman is raped, she is clearly the victim. But when she cries "Rape!" and then the whole nation comes over to her side, wins her case and then, all of a sudden she cries "No Rape!" without even talking to her lawyer, let alone the nation that stood united behind her, then what do you call that?!

I'm not saying this to pass judgment at "Nicole." She's been through a lot. But she does have some responsibilities to a nation that has shown tremendous concern and caring for her during the darkest hours of her ordeal. 

Depending on how it handles this development, the Supreme Court of the Philippines could turn out to be one of the biggest losers here. The CA decision clearly jumped the gun on our highest tribunal. 

The question is, will the magistrates of the Supreme Court just say "Moot and academic!" or are they going to address the moral and ethical issues that are embedded in the actuations of the Court of Appeals and the lawyers of Daniel Smith?  The next few days and weeks should give us the answer. 

It goes without saying that even the credibility of the moral force movement launched by Chief Justice Reynato Puno is also at stake here.

But the biggest loser in this drama is the Philippines.  Are we going to search for a way to redeem Filipino honor by say, scrapping the VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement), or are we, as a nation just going to give up and say, "there's no more Filipino honor to redeem!"

I say let's SCRAP THE VFA!


Here are related videos courtesy of gmanewstv.  They show Senator Chiz Escudero calling for the scrapping of the VFA, interviews of Attys. Evalyn Ursua and Jose Justiniano, a reaction from the mother of  "Nicole," and a report on the possible whereabouts of Daniel Smith:







24 April 2009 12:44pm UPDATE

I'm watching QTV's Balitanghali and they've just reported an
announcement by the US Embassy that Daniel Smith has left 
the Philippines for the United States.


Thursday, April 23, 2009

US Lance Corporal Daniel Smith, Acquitted by the Court of Appeals


PRESSURE TO SCRAP THE VFA INCREASES

BREAKING NEWS

23 April 2009  5:30pm, Manila time

American Marine Lance Corporal Daniel Smith has just been acquitted by the Court of Appeals. The decision was promulgated  by the CA's 11th Division with the ponencia rendered by Associate Justice Monina Arevalo-Zenarosa and concurred in by Associate Justices Remedios Salazar-Fernando and Myrna Dimaranan-Vidal (did you notice that all of there lady associate justices have hyphens between their surnames?)  

The Court of Appeals decision overturns the guilty verdict on Smith handed down on December 4, 2006 by Judge Benjamin Pozon of the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 139.  
 
This development comes amidst calls for the Supreme Court to look into the submission by Smith's counsel to the Court of Appeals of "Nicole's" retraction affidavit and the leakage of the CA ruling.  

The following video is an interview by Igan Arnold Clavio with Atty. Evalyn Ursua, former lawyer of "Nicole," aired at Unang Balita over GMA-7 on March 25, 2009:


For a quick refresher on the Daniel Smith-"Nicole" rape case, here's an excellent timeline courtesy of gmanews.tv.

The way I see it, this acquittal will increase pressure on our lawmakers to revoke the VFA. If "Nicole" does not "retract" her "retraction," scrapping the VFA appears to be the only way of redeeming Filipino honor.  





Saturday, March 28, 2009

Jobapalooza '09, The Biggest Job Fair in the Philippines

28 March 2009

The following news item is taken from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) website.  The article is entitled "Labor unions to spearhead Labor Day Jobapalooza '09. "  Jobapalooza '09 is billed  as the biggest simultaneous job fairs event in the country. It brings the promise of local and overseas jobs across the country for those who will be fortunate enough to find favor with participating employers and recruitment agencies.   

To hasten assistance to workers affected by the global crisis, the country's largest labor unions will lead the conduct of the biggest simultaneous job fairs in all regions nationwide on May 1, 2009, Labor Day, in collaboration with the government and the private sector, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) today said.

Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito D. Roque said the social partners have recognized the need for collective action and mutual collaboration in mitigating the effects of the global crisis on the workers and the economy, adding they agreed to lend a hand in helping workers particularly the displaced as well as new graduates find jobs locally and overseas through the conduct of job fairs all over the country.

Roque said the trade unions and labor groups unanimously approved to celebrate Labor Day with the conduct of what would be considered, so far, the biggest job fair dubbed "Labor Day Tayo Na! Trabaho Na! Jobapalooza 09," which will be held simultaneously in 16 regions on May 1 in collaboration with sponsoring firms, employers, recruitment agencies, local government units, Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs), and the DOLE and other government agencies.

He said that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo would launch the main celebration on May 1 at the SMX Convention Hall at SM Mall of Asia (MOA) in Pasay City. The DOLE with the social partners in other regions would also spearhead a similar event in their areas of jurisdiction.

The DOLE Chief also said that about 1,000 employers and recruitment agencies nationwide would participate in the Labor Day Jobapalooza to offer hundreds of thousands of local and overseas jobs to workers particularly the displaced and new graduates.

He said that even as the economy continues to exhibit resiliency, efforts are needed to facilitate the employment of workers through job fairs to diminish the crisis' impact on the people.

Roque hailed the organized sector and the sponsoring firms for cooperating with the DOLE in planning for the conduct of the Labor Day Jobalooza on May 1 as part of the national efforts to promote employment and, thus, mitigate the effects of the global crisis on the workers and the economy as a whole.

Apart from the job fair, there will also be skills demonstration, livelihood products display and sales, and distribution of training and scholarship certificates. To cap the night, an "Alay sa Manggagawang Pilipino" concert featuring the country's top bands will pay tribute to the country's working men and women at the MOA grounds near the SMX.

The participating trade unions are the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Federation of Free Workers, Associated Labor Union, Philippine Transport General Workers Organization, All Workers Alliance Trade Union, Trade Union of the Philippines and Allied Services, Alliance of Filipino Workers, Philippine Organization of Labor Unions, and the National Association of Trade Union.

The sponsoring partners are Globe Telecom, Banco De Oro, SM, Jobstreet,com, STI, Philippine Online Chronicles, and the City Government of Manila.

I'm just a little curious as to how large or how small a percentage of those who attend these job fairs actually land jobs.  Those who have had experience with these job fairs are most welcome to send in their comments and share their experiences.


30 April 2009 Update:
Please see the latest Jobapalooza '09 post, I Hope It's True — They're Saying 200,000 Jobs in Jobapalooza '09.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

"Nicole," Victimized Again? Where to, Filipino Honor?!

19 March 2009

Everyone knows the story by now.  It's all over the papers, the radio and the primetime TV news.  "Nicole," the Filipina rape victim who won her case against US Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith is in the news again.  This time, through an affidavit submitted to the Court of Appeals by Smith's lawyer, "Nicole" is telling another story and saying that she was probably too drunk to know what really happened to her.

This story is wide, broad and deep and has far-reaching implications especially in the face of renewed calls for the scrapping of the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) which allows the temporary stationing of US military forces in Philippine territory.  

But the call coming from "Nicole's" lawyer, Atty. Evalyn Ursua, that it's too early to judge "Nicole," should be heeded.  

In a press statement, Senator Francis Pangilinan said that "we cannot blame Nicole and her family," and asserted that this is "an indictment of our justice system that is perceived to favor the wealthy and the powerful and ... to be biased against the ordinary folks like Nicole." He added that "Nicole did not fail us; our justice system did."  But to which we should all add that before human systems fail, individual humans themselves fail first.

However, "Nicole" and her family do owe the Filipino nation a clear and honest explanation, at least, if only to provide all of us with a concrete starting point in resolving this big politico-historic, socio-cultural crisis. It is not only the Philippine justice system that is indicted here but our culture and value systems as a nation.  We have to confront this reality and deal with it right here, right now.  What really happened here?!   Filipino dignity demands nothing less.  The honor of all Filipinos -- not just every Filipina -- is at stake.  Not only here, but around the world.  



 
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