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Martes, Agosto 9, 2016

Marcos casket ready for Libingan

SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI If government plans push through, dictator Ferdinand Marcos will be buried at Libingan ng mga Bayani on Sept. 18 in this bronze casket. www.auroraadvantage.com

TWENTY-SEVEN years after his death in Hawaii, the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos would finally be interred, if things don’t miscarry, in a place his family had been wishing for―in a manner that is quite typical of his deposed regime.

The casket that would bear his preserved remains is made of bronze, purchased through the Philippine distributor of Aurora Caskets of Indiana in the United States, sources told the Inquirer.

His remains have been lying in a glass-encased coffin (some claim he’s actually buried under it) at the Marcos Museum and Mausoleum in Batac City, Ilocos Norte.

“It’s called an IFP Dark Brushed Bronze. It has pearl velvet interiors and gold-plated handles. It’s a full-couch casket. My guess estimate of its selling price is between $15,000 and $18,000 (about P690,000 to P820,000), excluding shipping and taxes,” the sources added.

More money is being poured by the Marcos family for food, logistics and other expense items for a grand program of activities that is scheduled to start on Sept. 15-17 in Ilocos Norte and culminate in the burial on Sept. 18 at Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.

The cemetery is reserved for Medal of Valor awardees, Presidents and other government officials, martyrs, artists and other citizens for “the inspiration and emulation of this generation and of generations still unborn.”

The new bronze casket bearing the remains of Marcos may be opened for viewing at the family ancestral house in Batac this week, before the scheduled burial at Libingan.

But officials of the Ilocos Norte government said this would depend on security measures they would implement to control waves of Marcos loyalists who are expected to come to bid farewell to the former President.

Tourists

Publicity surrounding the burial has drawn many tourists to the ancestral house where Marcos’ frozen body has been kept at the family mausoleum since September 1993.

The house has been converted into a museum, so its caretakers have cordoned off the mausoleum.

The Marcos family has stopped the release of new information on the burial preparations, in light of the security concerns.

The municipal health office is discussing how best to facilitate the transfer of the body to Manila. Dr. Alicia Agbayani, city health officer, said her office was finalizing the release of clearances that would allow the body to be transferred to Manila.

Mortician

Frank Malabed, a mortician, has been maintaining the Marcos body since his death on Sept. 28, 1989, in Honolulu, Hawaii, where the family fled following the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution.

On Tuesday, Malabed inspected Sta. Monica Parish Church in Sarrat town where the body would be taken after the commemoration of Marcos’ 99th birthday on Sept. 11.

The body will be taken to St. Augustine Church in Paoay town before it is flown to Libingan on Sept. 17.

Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), which runs the Bishop Gregorio Aglipay Shrine across from the Marcos house in Batac, is also offering prayers for Marcos.

Marcos, then 3 months old, was baptized by the IFI cofounder, Gregorio Aglipay. He was rebaptized as a Roman Catholic when he married Imelda Romualdez in 1954.

Presidents against burial

The burial of Marcos was not permitted under the administrations of Presidents Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Benigno Aquino III, either due to strong personal conviction or adverse public opinion, until President Duterte decided to honor his campaign promise that he would allow it on the grounds that “Marcos may not be a hero, but he was a soldier and former President.”

Mr. Duterte’s decision was based on his own belief that the issue “has long divided Filipinos” and that it was now time to move on and have “closure.”

But, instead, his statements have met strong opposition from various sectors. One form of protest was putting rocks with the names of the victims of the Marcos regime.

Rocks of protest removed

On June 26, members of Bantayog ng Mga Bayani Foundation, Martial Law Chronicles, University of the Philippines Samasa alumni, Claimants 1081, and Nameless Heroes and Martyrs went to Libingan to place stones bearing the names of Liliosa Hilao, Edgar Jopson, Ninoy Aquino, Archimedes Trajano, Dr. Juan Escandor and Sen. Jose W. Diokno, among other victims of Marcos’ martial law regime, on the tyrant’s supposed grave site.

The act also marked the launch of #bawatbato (each stone), a movement that Susan Quimpo, member of the Martial Law Chronicles Project, said “encourages others to do the same in different sites significant in the struggle against the dictatorship. These may include schools where many students were detained or killed.”

Spruced up

In preparation for the burial of Marcos, workers have removed the rocks and started digging a grave in the Presidents’ section of Libingan.

The Army spokesperson, Col. Benjamin Hao, said the sprucing up of the long idle open crypt started on Friday.

Security was tightened as the planned burial of the late dictator was expected to spur protests.

“The commander on the ground wants to maintain peace, solemnity and tranquility of the place. That will be disrupted if there will be rallies inside,” Hao told the Inquirer on Tuesday.

Fenced off

The Army’s Grave Service Unit has also fenced off the burial plot.

This will prevent protesters from putting stones or rocks, Hao said. The stones of protest have since been removed.

He said the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) was the administrator of Libingan as it was the agency in charge of all national shrines with military and historical significance.

Maintenance was devolved to Army units stationed near a historical site.

“We just follow orders. On Friday, a civilian engineering company arrived. They said they have coordinated with the PVAO and they want to start the repair of the space. So, they were allowed to,” Hao said.

Selda, an organization of former political detainees, on Tuesday called on Mr. Duterte to reconsider his decision to allow the burial at Libingan.

“Despot Marcos, a murderer and a plunderer, is not a hero, and it is the height of historical revisionism to give him full national honors as a hero,” the group said in a statement.

“The move, if pursued, constitutes another act of gross injustice to the nation and tens of thousands of victims of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, illegal arrests and detention, torture and harassment perpetrated by the Marcos fascist regime,” it added.

Extravagance

The militant group Bayan slammed the extravagance of the solid bronze casket imported from the United States that is expected to be used in the interment, noting that it costs up to $30,000.

“That act would stand out as another insult to Filipinos and a grim reminder of the Marcos regime of plunder and abuse,” said Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes.

“The wealth illegally amassed by the Marcoses will again be used to ‘honor’ the late dictator in the same way it is used to whitewash his sins. State honors and the Marcos family’s ostentatious display of wealth are doubly insulting to the victims of the dictatorship,” Reyes added.

Death penalty: ‘The cheaper, the better’

SPEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez Marc Jayson Cayabyab/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

SPEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez said the debate on the method of executing death convicts should focus more on cost―the cheaper, the better.

In an interview with reporters, Alvarez said lawmakers should not make a big deal of how a death convict should be killed, whether through hanging or firing squad or lethal injection.

“[Lawmakers] should not argue if death by hanging, firing squad or lethal injection was better, all of them will end up dead anyway,” said Alvarez.

Alvarez’s preference was for a low-cost method to save on government resources.

“Whatever is cheaper. As Sen. [Manny] Pacquiao (who preferred the hanging method) said, you just kick the chair,” said Alvarez.

He proposed that the Executive branch be allowed to make the decision on the mode of execution. President Duterte has announced in his campaign he wanted the shock value of a double hanging.

Alvarez has filed a resolution reimposing the death penalty on heinous crimes which was abolished in 2006, adding he was determined to have it approved by Congress to deter the worsening crime rate in the country.

How much is Marcos' bronze casket?

This casket for the interment of former president Ferdinand Marcos is now in his hometown of Batac City, Ilocos Norte a month before his last rites at the Libingan ng mga Bayani set on September 18, 2016.

MANILA - "How much does a solid bronze casket cost?" asks Renato Reyes of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), one of the groups opposed to the burial of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani scheduled on September 18, 2016.

The Marcoses did not reveal the price of the solid bronze casket, which was ordered from the U.S.

Information available online shows shops selling similar bronze caskets, with prices ranging from $3,499 (about P158,000) to $8,390 (about P380,000).

A dark-brushed bronze casket made by Aurora Casket Company and sold online at Casketsite.comwas the most expensive at
$8,390.

A similar casket at Bestpricecaskets.com is being sold for $6,995.

A full-brushed copper with heritage bronze finish casket being sold on Overnightcaskets.com is the cheapest at $3,499.99.

The US government's Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in its website, said average caskets are sold for $2,000 while mahogany, bronze or copper caskets are sold for as much as $10,000.

LOOK: Marcos' solid bronze casket arrives at Batac, Ilocos Norte

BAYAN called the solid bronze casket for Marcos an additional insult to Filipinos.

In a statement, BAYAN said the casket serves as a "grim reminder of the Marcos regime's plunder and abuse."

"The wealth illegally amassed by the Marcoses will again be used to 'honor' the late dictator in the same way it is used to whitewash his sins. State honors and the Marcos family’s ostentatious display of wealth are doubly insulting to the victims of the dictatorship," the group said.

Source:http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/09/16/how-much-is-marcos-bronze-casket

'Jump, jump, jump!': How burning Emirates flight evacuated so quickly

(CNN) — Within minutes of skidding across the runway, all 282 passenger on board an Emirates flight, which exploded in flames in Dubai on Wednesday, were safely evacuated.

In a life-or-death moment, what goes through the mind of an air steward?

Training is key, a former Emirates crew member who asked not to be identified, told CNN.

At the Emirates Aviation University on the outskirts of Dubai, aspiring crew must pass a seven-week course, complete with full motion simulators for all types of aircraft in the Emirates fleet.

"That covered everything imaginable. We had written tests as well as practical exams in the simulators, which gave us every possible scenario: Severe turbulence, ditchings [emergency landing on water], cargo fires, engine fires etc," said the former crew member.

Once training is complete, the airline requires staff to return to the training college for annual refresher courses, without which staff are grounded. Additionally, the crew hold safety and security briefings before every flight and are regularly alerted to any updates or changes to aircraft or procedures, says the former crew member.

Speaking to the crash after landing in Dubai, the ex-airline steward said in preparation for release of emergency slides, the crew would have been aware of outside conditions and are trained to blockade the aircraft doors as they inflate. Once ready, the command "jump and slide" would be given repeatedly as the passengers escaped the plane. And staff would have been trained to do it all in under 90 seconds.

"It's extremely impressive... For an evacuation to operate so efficiently, every member of that team would've been ready," they added. "The crew obviously didn't struggle with their tasks or responsibilities."

'Jump!' Video shows burning jet chaos

Dramatic footage from inside the Emirates flight shows passengers escaping the burning plane on slides and then on foot.

In the footage, shared on social media, passengers begin grabbing bags and hand luggage from overheard lockers before being told to leave them and "jump on the slide."

A nervous female voice can be heard screaming at passengers to leave their bags behind and "jump, jump, jump!"

As passengers wait on the slide, the camera lingers on one of the Emirates flights' engines, which is clearly on fire.

All 282 passengers and 18 crew members on board the Boeing 777 were successfully evacuated, with only 13 suffering minor injuries, before the plane exploded on the runway.

One firefighter, identified as Jassim Essa Al-Baloushi, was killed battling the fire – the Dubai government's media office said he died "saving the lives of others."

Images taken of the gutted plane after the explosion show the entire top half of the aircraft's fuselage is missing, with the plane slumped on the tarmac.

There is still no official word on what caused the fire.

'I saw an engine separate from the wing'

Flight EK521 was on its final leg after traveling from Trivandrum International Airport in Thiruvananthapuram, India, to Dubai, when suddenly the lights went off.

In an interview with The Indian Express, passenger Abraham Thomas, who was on his way to a wedding, said many passengers felt like they were choking as smoke filled the plane.

"After touching the ground, it seemed like the pilot tried to lift off again. I was at a window seat on the right side. When the aircraft landed, I saw an engine separate from the plane," he said.

"The plane kept moving on the runway for about five minutes before coming to a halt. Suddenly, emergency doors opened and the crew asked everyone to escape."

The majority of people on board the plane were Indian nationals.

Investigation into fire still ongoing

No official reason for the incident has been announced as of Thursday, but CNN aviation correspondent Richard Quest said images of the plane suggest the front landing gear of the aircraft could have collapsed.

"Either the landing gear collapsed... or one of the wings touched the ground or the engine touched the ground, but certainly in the process of the skid, that right engine becomes disengaged from the aircraft [and] a fire ensues," he said.

In a press conference, Emirates Chairman Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum said he didn't want to "jump to conclusions" on what had caused the fire and subsequent explosion.

Quest said aircraft were designed to be able to be evacuated within 90 seconds if there is an accident. "This clearly appears to be what has happened," he said.

Flights were beginning to return to normal at Dubai Airport on Thursday morning, after a delay following the fire.

Emirates, which began operations in 1985, has never had a fatal accident with any of its aircraft.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "'Jump, jump, jump!': How burning Emirates flight evacuated so quickly."

Source:http://cnnphilippines.com/world/2016/08/05/how-burning-emirates-flight-evacuated-quickly.html

ISIS captures up to 3,000 people fleeing violence in Iraq, UN says

(File photo)

(CNN) — ISIS militants have captured up to 3,000 people displaced from their homes trying to flee conflict zones in northern Iraq, the United Nations said Friday, reportedly killing 12 of them.

The UN refugee agency said it had received reports that ISIS rounded up the thousands of internally displaced people Thursday from villages as they tried to escape to the city of Kirkuk.

"Reportedly, 12 of the IDPs have been killed in captivity," the agency said in its daily Iraq update, using an acronym for internally displaced persons.

The battle for Mosul

The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights said Thursday that an estimated 100 to 120 ISIS militants had captured around 1,900 civilians.

It said the militants were using the captives as human shields in fighting against Iraqi forces.

The move is the latest by ISIS militants to retain a grip on swaths of the country as Iraqi forces, backed by US-led airstrikes, try to recapture Mosul, ISIS' most significant stronghold outside Syria.

The operation to liberate Mosul has been months in the making and involves coordination between Iraq's military, Kurdish forces and the US-led airstrikes.

There are more than 4 million internally displaced persons in Iraq, according to data from the UN refugee agency, which said the fall of Ramadi in May 2015 "resulted in significant levels of new displacement, mostly in Anbar Governorate." Iraq subsequently recaptured Ramadi from ISIS.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday that ISIS had committed "heinous crimes" that may constitute war crimes and genocide.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "ISIS captures up to 3,000 people fleeing violence in Iraq, UN says."

Source:http://cnnphilippines.com/world/2016/08/06/isis-captures-people-fleeig-iraq-violence.html

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/08/10/1612042/us-wont-pull-out-aid-despite-dutertes-remarks-vs-goldberg

President Duterte is giving his personal guarantee to have the back of policemen in case they get in trouble while performing their duty.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Malacañan Palace defended on Friday President Rodrigo Duterte's shoot-to-kill order on local government officials involved in the illegal drug trade.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, the President's statement on "narco-politicians" was in line or "congruent" with the administration's stance to maintain and protect peace and order in the country.

"He has given due and ample notice that the clear and present danger of drugs engulfing the nation will be addressed and law enforcers will neutralize those who resist or endanger the lives of arresting officers," Abella said in a statement.

Duterte made the statement earlier in the morning in Davao City — warning mayors and governors that they would be killed if they were using their position "to enhance your pocket at the expense of the Filipino."

He had previously mentioned that there were about 27 mayors and governors on his drug watchlist — and he would publicly name them soon like what he did with high-ranking police officials and big time drug lords.

But the President also clarified to the police and military that he would fully back them up should they kill drug suspects "for as long as it is done in the performance of a duty."

He said he would answer for these officers should they face probes or charges.

"That is my official and personal guarantee," Duterte said.

The President justified deadly force against drug addicts, whom he described as armed and dangerous — thus, willing to fight back against authorities.

"Pagka-paranoid ang tao may baril talaga iyan, maniwala kayo. Iyang pulis na iyan hindi yan pina-plant," he said.

[Translation: "Once a (drug addict) becomes paranoid, believe me, they will be armed. Those are not planted by the police."]

He also explained the reason why fatalities were usually suspects.

Duterte said this was because of the police's "sheer number and fire power" — they would be better armed and would patrol as a team compared to the usually lone criminal.

He also defended his tough stance against drug personalities against human rights advocates and the United Nations — saying the country was "reeling under a crisis."

Source:http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/08/05/Palace-Duterte-defend-shoot-to-kill.html

US won't pull out aid despite Duterte's remarks vs Goldberg

President Rodrigo R. Duterte welcomes United States of America Ambassador Philip Goldberg at the Music Room in Malacañan Palace on July 19. Presidential Photographers Division/King Rodriguez

MANILA, Philippines — There are no discussions to withdraw or suspend financial aids to the Philippines despite the remarks of President Rodrigo Duterte against Ambassador Philip Goldberg, United States Department of State spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau said on Wednesday.

The US Department of State summoned the Philippines' charge d'affaires in Washington to clarify the remarks of Duterte.

"The first, specifically on the remarks, we’ve seen those inappropriate comments made about Ambassador Goldberg. He’s a multi-time ambassador, one of our most senior U.S. diplomats. We have asked the Philippines charge to come into the State Department to clarify those remarks," Trudeau said in a press briefing on Monday.

Following the meeting on Wednesday, Trudeau refused to give details about the meeting between the US Department of State and the Filipino envoy.

Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose confirmed that the Philippines' charge d'affaires in Washington was invited to the State Department to discuss the entire Philippines-US relations.

"We cannot, however, discuss details of the conversion. What I can tell you is that PH-US relations remain strong," Jose said in a statement.

In a speech before soldiers in Camp Lapu-Lapu in Cebu City last Friday, Duterte openly called Goldberg a "gay" and "a son of a bitch."

"Kaya nga sabi ko nung si (US Secretary of State John) Kerry, kasama kami ni (Defense) Secretary, si Delfin (Lorenzana), kausap namin si Kerry. Okay naman siya kasi, nag-away kami ng ambassador niya (Philip Goldberg). 'Yung ambassador niyang bakla, p*****i**, buwisit ako diyan. Nakikisali doon sa election, giving [a] statement," Duterte said.

In an interview with The Manila Times in March at the height of election campaigns, Goldberg said that the US will stay out of politics but hinted that "continuity is better than change" which is contrary to Duterte's campaign slogan, "Change is coming."

Source:http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/08/10/1612042/us-wont-pull-out-aid-despite-dutertes-remarks-vs-goldberg

Smart to give away free data access to Pokemon GO

Photo shows how Pokemon virtually appears in real-life scenes on Pokemon GO Smart/Released

MANILA, Philippines — Smart has announced that it will be giving away seven days of free data access to hit mobile game Pokemon GO.

Upon the launch of the game in the country, Smart and TNT subscribers can enjoy playing the game for free for seven days. The offer is available to both Android and iOS users.

Pokemon GO is a location-based augmented reality mobile game that lets players assume the role of a trainer who discovers and catches a “Pokemon” or “pocket monster” as if in real life, using the GPS and camera technologies of smartphones.

Players level up their Pokemon and battle other trainers to gain Pokécoins that can be spent on in-game items.

Developed by Niantic Labs in partnership with Nintendo affiliate The Pokemon Company, Pokemon GO has swept gamers since it was first launched in the USA, Australia and New Zealand on July 6. The game is now available in over 30 countries, including Japan, where the original Pokemon game and anime series came from.

#PHforPokemonGO campaign

“Smart is one with the whole nation in waiting for Pokemon GO to finally go live in the Philippines, and we are very excited to welcome the game in our own big way,” Kathy Carag, head of Smart mobile business, said.

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“Smart subscribers nationwide can look forward to more special treats and promos that will allow them to make the most of their Pokemon GO experience,” she said.

Drumming up the excitement among millions of Filipino fans, Smart joined the rally for #PHForPokemonGO on social media since the game was released in select markets last July 6. On Twitter alone, the anticipation and clamor for the game reached more than 14 million impressions on over the last couple of weeks for Smart and Pokemon GO.

Leveled-up Pokemon GO experience

Smart and TNT subscribers can easily level up their gameplay via convenient and secure Pokemon GO in-app purchases even without a credit card.

With Smart’s Google Direct Carrier Billing for Android users, subscribers can easily purchase Pokecoins, Pokemon GO’s currency mainly used for buying items that will help gamers catch Pokemons—directly charged to their prepaid load or postpaid account.

Smart Postpaid subscribers who are iPhone users can also conveniently buy Pokecoins, charged to their monthly billing, through Smart’s Pay-With-Mobile service.

Catch the latest updates on Pokemon GO by following Smart’s official accounts on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SmartCommunications), Snapchat (LiveSmartPH), Twitter and Instagram (@LiveSmart).

Smart unboxes latest digital products, services

Source:http://www.philstar.com/gadgets/2016/08/05/1610032/smart-give-away-free-data-access-pokemon-go

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