'I have forgiven those
who tried to kill me'
"Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names." John F. Kennedy
By Alex P. Vidal
Two years after he survived a murder attempt, Iloilo broadcaster Fernando "Kapid" Gabio said he has forgiven his assailants.
"We have agreed to settle the case. I have forgiven them," Gabio, 64, told me during a chance meeting at the La Paz public market April 30. "Part of our settlement is for them to pay my hospital expenses."
"During the settlement in court, I told the triggerman he was a lousy shooter because he hit me only on the leg. I told him had I was given the chance to shoot him back, I would make sure he was dead," said Gabio, who always carried a gun even before the incident. "I agreed to settle the case when they admitted they were merely hired to finish me off."
The gunman, he said, is the nephew of a colleague in media, who was his former partner in a radio blocktime program. "When I learned that the shooter was connected to (name of his colleague), I decided to divorce from him," he said in jest. "I told him how come he did not alert me when his nephew was planning to liquidate me. He is a traitor."
THIGH
Gabio showed to me his right thigh and the scars of the gunshot wound he suffered when two motorcycle-riding men shot him at around 7 o'clock in the morning on March 2, 2012 while he was cleaning his car outside his house on Democracia St., Jaro district.
"I have identified the mastermind," quipped Gabio, who requested not to name him here. "I told the Lord ikaw na bahala sa iya (Lord, please take care of him)."
At least three of the "John Does" in the frustrated murder charges he filed against suspects Jenel Chiva, Rodel Almoete and Oliver Panes are already dead, Gabio said. He identified one of them as "a notorious cop who was recently killed by his own cohorts in Negros."
Gabio lamented that some of his friends abandoned him when he was in the hospital, especially when he pursued his tormentors in court. He said Calinog Mayor Alex Centena also tried to rescue one of the accused.
"Pati si Rommel Ynion nadula na. Ako nag bira bira depensa sa iya sadtong nag padalagan sia meyor tapos sang natirohan na 'ko wala na sia kitaa (Rommel Ynion was nowhere to be found. I worked hard to defend him when he ran for mayor, but when I was shot, nothing has been heard of him)," he narrated.
MONTHS
The attack on Gabio occurred seven months after his other co-host on a political blocktime program in Iloilo City, Niel “Lito” Jimena, was shot dead on August 22, 2011 in E.B. Magalona town in Negros Occidental.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists ranked the Philippines as the second-deadliest country for journalists next to Iraq at the time Gabio was attacked.
It was my first meeting with Gabio, a fellow city hall beat reporter in the 90's, since 2008. We last met at a coffee shop in front of a mall in Delgado-Valeria Streets, where he showed to me his "brand-new" .45 caliber pistol "given to me as a gift by my (sailor) son."
"I know you were not around when I was shot," said Gabio, who now wears a bullet-proof vest in public. "How did you know what happened to me when you were in the States?"
"I monitored the news on the internet," I told Gabio, a former anchorman at RMN Radyo Agong in the late 80s. "The Lord still wants you to live. You must celebrate your second life."
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
No concrete answer why 26 journalists have been killed
"If you have to kill a snake, kill it once and for all."
--Japanese Proverb
--Japanese Proverb
By Alex P. Vidal
As community journalists, we have heard in brutal details how some of our colleagues were killed in cold blood by hired assassins. Sometimes they died in the line of duty like cops and soldiers in the battlefield.
When we joined the press after the EDSA Revolution, the country was already becoming one of the most dangerous places on earth for journalists, a notoriety that hasn't changed until today.
Extra-judicial killings and other forms of harassment continued unabated under the Cory administration -- even after Marcos has fled. FVR, Erap and Gloria have failed to curb the culture of impunity, as well.
Journalists, labor leaders, and other activists disappeared like shallow lakes in the summer season. They were summarily executed sometimes in front of their family members and in broad daylight.
Back in November 2009 at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California, an American soldier asked why I was in tears while I was reviewing the news in the internet. "My colleagues were massacred in the Philippines," I replied in cracked voice. I cried in horror because of the magnitude of that massacre.
MAGUINDANAO
I was referring to the Maguindanao massacre on November 23, 2009. Of the 58 victims, 34 were community journalists. Two of them were my former roommates at the Hyatt Hotel in Manila way back in the 90s when we were still active members of the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI).
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called the Maguindanao massacre the single deadliest event for journalists in history. Until now, justice continues to elude the victims and their families.
When an American journalist, who accompanied President Barrack Obama in Manila last April 28, brought the matter of media killings during a joint conference, President Noynoy Aquino was caught flat-footed.
In fact, he failed to satisfy this very straight-to-the-point and simple question: "President Aquino, as a journalist, I’d like to ask you why 26 journalists have been killed since you took office. And I understand that there have only been suspects arrested in six of those cases. What are you doing to fix that?"
In fact, he failed to satisfy this very straight-to-the-point and simple question: "President Aquino, as a journalist, I’d like to ask you why 26 journalists have been killed since you took office. And I understand that there have only been suspects arrested in six of those cases. What are you doing to fix that?"
President Aquino's answer: "With regards to the killing of journalists, perhaps we should say from the outset that I don't have the figures right here before me. But we did set up an inter-agency committee to look on extralegal killings and forced disappearances, torture, and other grave violations of right to life, liberty and security of persons.
FIGURES
"And in this particular body, there has been -- I have the figures for labor-related issues -- there were 62 suspected cases of extrajudicial killings referred to it, and of the 62 investigations before this committee, there have been 10 that have been determined to fulfill the criteria and the definitions of what constitutes an extrajudicial killing. Of the 10 cases that have been determined to be possible EJK cases, only one happened during our watch -- the case of Mr. Estrellado.
"Now, as far as journalists are concerned, perhaps the track record speaks for itself. The Maguindanao massacre involved something like 52 journalists, and there are presently something like over 100 people who have been indicted for this crime and are undergoing trial. That doesn’t mean that we have stopped trying to look for others potentially involved in this particular killing. And may we just state for the record that even when it comes to journalists, it is not a policy of this state to silence critics. All you have to do would be to turn on the TV, the radio, or look at any newspaper to find an abundance of criticisms.
INVESTIGATIONS
"Now, having said that, investigations have been done. Anybody who has been killed obviously is a victim, and investigations have been ongoing. If at times we do not reveal the discoveries by our intelligence agencies and security services, perhaps we are very sensitive to personal relationships by the people who are deceased who were killed not because of professional activities, but, shall we say, other issues. But having said that, they were killed. That is against the law. And the people will have to be found, prosecuted and sent to jail."
Why they were killed and what is the president doing to fix the killings? President Aquino has failed to break the camel's back in this very fundamental question. No assurance that the culture of impunity will end. No assurance that justice will soon be served on the fallen members of the Fourth Estate.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Full transcript of the Remarks of President Aquino and President Obama in their Joint Press Conference
Full transcript of the Remarks of President Aquino and President Obama in their Joint Press Conference
Obama, Aquino hold joint press conference, April 28, 2014
3:40 P.M. PHT
PRESIDENT AQUINO: The honorable President of the United States Barack Obama and his official delegation, members of the Cabinet present, members of the press, ladies and gentlemen: good afternoon.
Today, the Philippines welcomes President Obama and his delegation on his first state visit to the Philippines. The United States is a key ally, a strategic partner, and a reliable friend of the Philippines.
With this visit, we reaffirm the deep partnership between our countries, one founded on democratic values, mutual interest in our shared history and aspirations, and one that will definitely give us the momentum to propel our peoples to even greater heights.
We witnessed the most recent and tangible manifestations of this in the immediate outpouring of assistance from the government of the United States and the American people in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, or Yolanda, and your nation’s clear expression of solidarity with the typhoon survivors.
Mr. President, in your State of the Union address earlier this year, you spoke of how American volunteers and troops were greeted with gratitude in the affected areas. Today, I reiterate formally the Filipino people will never forget such kindness and compassion. On behalf of my countrymen, I thank the United States of America once more for being a true friend to our people.
The friendship and partnership between our countries, however, are evident not only in times of crisis and immediate need, but also in other aspects of our relations. Our defense alliance has been a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region for more than 60 years. And our strategic partnership spans a broad range of areas of cooperation, contributing to the growth and prosperity of both our nations, and fostering closer bonds between our peoples.
As such, President Obama and I met today with the shared resolve to ensure that our deepening relations are attune to the realities and needs that have emerged in the 21st century, which affect not only our two countries, but also the entire community of nations.
I thank President Obama for the U.S.’s support for our government’s efforts in modernizing and enhancing its defense capabilities. The Philippines-U.S. Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement takes our security cooperation to a higher level of engagement, reaffirms our country’s commitment to mutual defense and security, and promotes regional peace and stability.
Both President Obama and I shared the conviction that territorial and maritime disputes in the Asia Pacific region should be settled peacefully based on international law. We affirm that arbitration is an open, friendly and peaceful approach to seeking a just and durable solution. We also underscored the importance of the full and effective implementation of the Declaration of Conduct and the expeditious conclusion of a substantive and legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea -- all towards fostering peace and stability in our part of the world.
We, likewise, welcome the active participation of the United States in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit.
Typhoon Haiyan showed the entire world how vulnerable the Philippines as well as other developing countries are to natural disasters. As such, humanitarian assistance and disaster response is an essential component of our cooperation. As the United States and the American people have always been ready to support us in the aftermath of disasters, so too do we look forward to the continued cooperation of the United States and the rest of our partners in the international community as we undertake the task of building back the communities affected by Typhoon Haiyan.
This morning we made a promising start as we discussed how our partnership can be enhanced through building climate resilient communities. These kind of strong communities are important not only in withstanding disasters, but also in fostering inclusive growth across the entire country.
President Obama and I recognize the importance of strong economic engagement for the continued growth of both the Philippines and the United States.
On this note, we expressed our appreciation for the U.S.’s support for our government’s programs under the Partnership for Growth framework, which enhances the policy environment for economic growth through US $145 million total plan contribution from the USAID. U.S. support is also coursed through the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which supports the implementation of projects and road infrastructure, poverty reduction, and good governance, with $434 million grant from 2011 to 2016.
Recently, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration reinstated the Philippines to a Category 1 status. This will redound to mutual benefit for our countries from opening more routes for travel between the United States and the Philippines to creating more business opportunities to facilitate the increased tourism and business travel.
We welcome the substantive agreement between our countries on the terms and concessions for the U.S. to support the Philippines’ request for the extension of special treatment for rice imports until 2017.
We also discussed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which is a high-standard trade agreement that will shape the global and regional economic architecture in the 21st century. The Philippines is working to assert in how participation in TPP can be realized.
The signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro last March 27 brings a just and lasting peace within our reach -- a peace that will serve as a strong foundation for stability, inclusivity, and progress in Mindanao. This was born of the steadfast commitment and the hard work of our administration, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and other partners and stakeholders, the U.S. included.
We thank President Obama for the United States’ significant assistance and support for the Philippine peace process. Our meeting today was comprehensive, historic and significant, embodying our shared values and aspirations. It afforded President Obama and myself the opportunity to build on the relations between our countries, and discuss our strategic mission for the future of the Philippines-United States relationship -- a relationship that is modern, mature and forward-looking, and one that allows us to surpass challenges towards the benefit of our peoples, the entire region and the world.
Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Mabuhay. Thank you, President Aquino, for your warm welcome and your very kind words.
With the President’s indulgence, I want to begin by saying a few words about some terrible storms and tornadoes back home in the United States. Over the weekend, a series of storms claimed at least a dozen lives and damaged or destroyed homes and businesses and communities across multiple states, with the worst toll in Arkansas. So I want to offer my deepest condolences to all those who lost loved ones. I commend the heroic efforts of first responders and neighbors who rushed to help.
I want everyone affected by this tragedy to know that FEMA and the federal government is on the ground and will help our fellow Americans in need, working with state and local officials. And I want everybody to know that your country will be there to help you recover and rebuild as long as it takes.
Now, this is my first visit to the Philippines as President, and I’m proud to be here as we mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, when Americans and Filipinos fought together to liberate this nation during World War II. All these years later, we continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder to uphold peace and security in this region and around the world.
So, Benigno, I want to thank you and the Filipino people not only for your generous hospitality today, but for a friendship that has spanned generations. And I’d add that our friendship is deeper and the United States is stronger because of the contributions and patriotism of millions of proud Filipino-Americans.
As I’ve made clear throughout this trip, the United States is renewing our leadership in the Asia Pacific, and our engagement is rooted in our alliances. And that includes the Philippines, which is the oldest security treaty alliance that we have in Asia. As a vibrant democracy, the Philippines reflects the desire of citizens in this region to live in freedom and to have their universal rights upheld. As one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, the Philippines represents new opportunities for the trade and investment that creates jobs in both countries.
And given its strategic location, the Philippines is a vital partner on issues such as maritime security and freedom of navigation. And let me add that the recent agreement to end the insurgency in the south gives the Philippines an historic opportunity to forge a lasting peace here at home, with greater security and prosperity for the people of that region.
I was proud to welcome President Aquino to the White House two years ago, and since then we’ve worked to deepen our cooperation and to modernize our alliances. Our partnership reflects an important Filipino concept -- bayanihan -- the idea that we have to work together to accomplish things that we couldn’t achieve on our own. That’s what we saw last year when Typhoon Yolanda devastated so many communities. Our armed forces and civilians from both our countries worked as one to rescue victims and to deliver lifesaving aid. That’s what friends do for each other. And, Mr. President, I want to say to you and the people of the Philippines: The United States will continue to stand with you as you recover and rebuild. Our commitment to the Philippines will not waver.
Today, I’m pleased that we’re beginning an important new chapter in the relationship between our countries, and it starts with our security -- with the new defense cooperation agreement that was signed today. I want to be very clear: The United States is not trying to reclaim old bases or build new bases. At the invitation of the Philippines, American servicemembers will rotate through Filipino facilities. We’ll train and exercise more together so that we’re prepared for a range of challenges, including humanitarian crises and natural disasters like Yolanda.
We’ll work together to build the Philippines’ defense capabilities and to work with other nations to promote regional stability, such as in the South China Sea. And I’m looking forward to my visit with forces from both our nations tomorrow to honor their service and to look ahead to the future we can shape together.
As we strengthen our bilateral security cooperation, we’re also working together with regional institutions like ASEAN and the East Asia Summit. When we met in the Oval Office two years ago, Benigno and I agreed to promote a common set of rules, founded in respect for international law, that will help the Asia Pacific remain open and inclusive as the region grows and develops.
Today, we have reaffirmed the importance of resolving territorial disputes in the region peacefully, without intimidation or coercion. And in that spirit, I told him that the United States supports his decision to pursue international arbitration concerning territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
Finally, we agreed to keep deepening our economic cooperation. I congratulated President Aquino on the reforms that he’s pursued to make the Philippines more competitive. Through our Partnership for Growth and our Millennium Challenge Corporation compact, we’re going to keep working together to support these efforts so that more Filipinos can share in this nation’s economic progress -- because growth has to be broad-based and it has to be inclusive.
We discussed the steps that the Philippines could take to position itself for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. And I encouraged the President to seize the opportunity he’s created by opening the next phase of economic reform and growth.
Today, I’m announcing that my Commerce Secretary, Penny Pritzker, will lead a delegation of American business leaders to the Philippines this June to explore new opportunities. And I’d add that we’ve also committed to work together to address the devastating effects of climate change and to make Philippine communities less vulnerable to extreme storms like Yolanda.
So, Mr. President, let me once again thank you for everything you’ve done to strengthen our alliance and our friendship. I’m looking forward to paying tribute to the bonds between our people at the dinner tonight and to working with you as we write the next chapter in the relationship between our two countries.
QUESTION: Good afternoon, Your Excellencies. President Aquino, President Obama -- welcome to the Philippines. My questions are: How did the United States reassure the Philippines that the U.S. is genuinely committed to countering an increasingly assertive China in the region? Will the U.S. defend the Philippines in case the territorial dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea or the South China Sea becomes an armed conflict? And how do you think will China react to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement? And what are you going to do with this that is consistent with your position to have the territorial disputes resolved in arbitration? Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, I’ve been consistent throughout my travels in Asia. We welcome China’s peaceful rise. We have a constructive relationship with China. There is enormous trade, enormous business that’s done between the United States and China. There are a whole range of issues on the international stage in which cooperation between the U.S. and China are vital. So our goal is not to counter China. Our goal is not to contain China.
Our goal is to make sure that international rules and norms are respected, and that includes in the area of maritime disputes. We do not have claims in this area territorially. We’re an Asia Pacific nation and our primary interest is the peaceful resolution of conflict, the freedom of navigation that allows for continued progress and prosperity. And we don’t even take a specific position on the disputes between nations.
But as a matter of international law and international norms, we don’t think that coercion and intimidation is the way to manage these disputes. And for that reason we’re very supportive of President Benigno’s approach to go before the tribunal for the law of the sea and to seek international arbitration that can resolve this in a diplomatic fashion.
With respect to the new Defense Cooperation Agreement that’s been signed, the goal here is wide-ranging. We’ve had decades of alliance with the Philippines, but obviously in the 21st century we have to continue to update that. And the goal for this agreement is to build Philippine capacity, to engage in training, to engage in coordination -- not simply to deal with issues of maritime security, but also to enhance our capabilities so that if there’s a natural disaster that takes place, we’re able to potentially respond more quickly; if there are additional threats that may arise, that we are able to work in a cooperative fashion.
This is consistent with, for example, the agreement that we have with Australia, in Darwin. Obviously, we’ve had a longstanding alliance with Australia, but we also recognize that as circumstances change, as capacities change, we have to update that alliance to meet new needs and new challenges.
And so, I think this is going to be a terrific opportunity for us to work with the Philippines to make sure that our navies, our air force are coordinated, to make sure that there’s information-sharing to allow us to respond to new threats, and to work with other countries, ASEAN countries -- Australia, Japan. My hope is, is that at some point we’re going to be able to work cooperatively with China as well, because our goal here is simply to make sure that everybody is operating in a peaceful, responsible fashion. When that happens, that allows countries to focus on what’s most important to people day to day, and that is prosperity, growth, jobs. Those are the things that we as leaders should be focused on, need to be focused on. And if we have security arrangements that avoid conflict and dispute, then we’re able to place our attention on where we should be focused.
MR. CARNEY: The next question comes from Margaret Talev of Bloomberg.
QUESTION: Mr. President, later today we are expecting to hear about new sanctions on people close to President Putin. And I wanted to ask you, do you see this as a way to get to Mr. Putin’s personal wealth? Do you believe that he has amassed personal wealth that’s unreported? Or is it just a means of ratcheting up pressure before a move to sectoral sanctions? You mentioned yesterday specifically the defense industry as an area where it doesn’t make sense to move without Europe moving. I wanted to ask you, are we likely to see defense sanctions soon, banking and energy sanctions soon? What kind of timeframe?
And then, President Aquino, if I may, I also wanted to ask you about China and the new agreement. What I wanted to ask you is what message should China take away from the U.S. and the G7’s approach to Russia and Ukraine when it comes to territorial disputes? And do you believe that the military agreement that we’ve just been talking about will in and of itself deter China from being aggressive territorially, or should the U.S. begin developing military options that could be possible contingencies if you needed to go that course? Thanks.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: You’re right, Margaret, that later today there will be an announcement made, and I can tell you that it builds on the sanctions that were already in place. As I indicated, we saw an opportunity through the Geneva talks to move in the direction of a diplomatic resolution to the situation in Ukraine.
The G7 statement accurately points out that the government in Kyiv, the Ukrainian government, has, in fact, abided by that agreement and operated in good faith. And we have not seen comparable efforts by the Russians. And as a consequence, we are going to be moving forward with an expanded list of individuals and companies that will be affected by sanctions. They remain targeted. We will also focus on some areas of high-tech defense exports to Russia that we don’t think are appropriate to be exporting in this kind of climate.
The goal here is not to go after Mr. Putin, personally. The goal is to change his calculus with respect to how the current actions that he’s engaging in in Ukraine could have an adverse impact on the Russian economy over the long haul, and to encourage him to actually walk the walk and not just talk the talk when it comes to diplomatically resolving the crisis in Ukraine. There are specific steps that Russia can take. And if it takes those steps, then you can see an election taking place in Ukraine; you can see the rights of all people inside of Ukraine respected.
The Ukrainian government has put forward credible constitutional reforms of the sort that originally Russian-speaking Ukrainians in the south and east said were part of their grievances, the failure to have their voices heard and represented. Kyiv has responded to those.
And so there’s a path here to resolve this. But Russia has not yet chosen to move forward, and these sanctions represent the next stage in a calibrated effort to change Russia’s behavior. We don’t yet know whether it’s going to work. And that’s why the next phase if, in fact, we saw further Russian aggression towards Ukraine could be sectoral sanctions, less narrowly targeted, addressing sectors like banking or the defense industry.
So those would be more broad-based. Those aren’t what we’ll be announcing today. Today’s will be building on what we’ve already done and continue to be narrowly focused but will exact some additional costs on the Russians. But we are keeping in reserve additional steps that we could take should the situation escalate further.
PRESIDENT AQUINO: First of all, I think China shouldn’t be concerned about this agreement, especially if you look at what is being contemplated -- for instance, training for emergency disaster relief operations.
I’ll give you a perfect example. The Americans have the V-22 Osprey aircraft, which is quite a significant upgrade in capabilities in terms of reaching out to very remote areas. We don’t have a comparable aircraft. We have smaller helicopters. And we had 44 of our provinces devastated by Typhoon Haiyan. Now, the training will not just train our people on how to operate this particular aircraft, but more importantly, even help the Office of Civil Defense, for instance, manage this resource in case a storm or another natural disaster of the scale that transpired does happen.
Secondly, I think the statements that America has been making with regards to Ukraine are the same message that has been said to China, and I guess not only by America but so many other countries. China itself has said repeatedly that they will and have been conforming to international law. And the rest of the world is I think saying we are expecting you to confirm and, by actions, that which you have already been addressing by words, and not distort international law.
The Philippines has not just won through arbitration, but we did remind obviously the President and our dialogue partners that in 2002 they tried to come up with a code of conduct with regards to the South China Sea and the portion which the Philippines claims, which we call the West Philippine Sea. And in 2012, the 10th anniversary, there had still been no progress even -- in the meeting. So the Philippines felt it was timely to raise the matter up and to remind everybody that there is no code of conduct that binds us that sets the operational parameters for all to manage any potential conflict. And as a result of that, there have been preparatory meetings towards the formal meeting to try and constitute a code of conduct.
So at the end of the day, we are not a threat militarily to any country. We don’t even have -- and I have said this often enough -- we don’t even have presently a single fighter aircraft in our inventory. Now, we have I think legitimate needs. We have a 36,000 kilometer coastline. We do have an exclusive economic zone. We do have concerns about poaching on our waters and preserving the environment and even protecting endangered species. So I think no country should begrudge us our rights to be able to attend to our concerns and our needs.
QUESTION: Good afternoon, Your Excellencies. This question goes to President Obama, but I would also like to hear the thoughts of President Aquino. I understand the tough balancing act that you need to do between China and your allies in Asia. But do you believe that China’s expansionism is a threat to regional peace and stability? And will the Mutual Defense Treaty apply in the event that the territorial conflict with China escalates into an armed conflict?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, let me repeat what I said earlier. I think that it is good for the region and good for the world if China is successfully developing, if China is lifting more of its people out of poverty. There are a lot of people in China, and the more they’re able to develop and provide basic needs for their people and work cooperatively with other countries in the region, that’s only going to strengthen the region -- that’s not going to weaken it.
I do think that, as President Aquino said very persuasively, that China as a large country has already asserted that it is interested in abiding by international law. And really, our message to China consistently on a whole range of issues is we want to be a partner with you in upholding international law. In fact, larger countries have a greater responsibility in abiding by international norms and rules because when we move, it can worry smaller countries if we don’t do it in a way that’s consistent with international law.
And I think that there are going to be territorial disputes around the world. We have territorial disputes with some of our closest allies. I suspect that there are some islands and rocks in and around Canada and the United States where there are probably still some arguments dating back to the 1800s. But we don’t go around sending ships and threatening folks. What we do is we sit down and we have some people in a room -- it’s boring, it’s not exciting, but it’s usually a good way to work out these problems and work out these issues.
And I think that all the countries that I’ve spoken to in the region during the course of my trip -- Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and now the Philippines -- their message has been the same everywhere I go, which is they would like to resolve these issues peacefully and diplomatically. That’s why I think that the approach that President Aquino has been taking, putting this before international arbitration, is a sound one.
And if China I think listens to its neighbors and recognizes that there’s another approach to resolve these disputes, what China will find is they’ve got ready and willing partners throughout the Asia Pacific region that want to work with them on trade and commerce and selling goods and buying goods. And it’s inevitable that China is going to be a dominant power in this region just by sheer size. Nobody, I think, denies that. The question is just whether other countries in the region are also able to succeed and prosper on their own terms and tend to the various interests and needs that they and their people have as well. And that’s what we support.
PRESIDENT AQUINO: I think from the onset, our message to China has been I think we’re all focused on achieving greater prosperity for all our respective peoples, and prosperity and continued prosperity does not happen in a vacuum. There has to be stability. And in turn, they have responded that the disputes in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea are not the end all, be all of our relationships. And we have had good cooperation with them on so many different fronts, and perhaps one could even argue that this is the only sore point in our relationship.
Now, having said that, perhaps -- we have tried to work on that particular premise of building up our ties on different aspects where there is no conflict or very little conflict. And in this particular instance, I have to find the way and means by which we can both achieve our respective goals, which I believe are not -- or should not be mutually exclusive, but rather should be inclusive if at the end of the day, we do want to strive for the prosperity of our respective peoples.
That I think has to be the primordial concern, rather than disputes on a few rocks that are not possible to be inhabited. And I think in due time, given the fact that there’s so much commerce that traverses this particular -- both in the maritime and the air domain -- China, which has achieved its goals of improving the life of its people, will see the soundness of this proposal and perhaps will act more, shall we say, consistently and actively towards achieving that stability for all. That is our hope.
QUESTION: Thank you to both Presidents. President Aquino, as a journalist, I’d like to ask you why 26 journalists have been killed since you took office. And I understand that there have only been suspects arrested in six of those cases. What are you doing to fix that?
President Obama, as you grappled here with all these national security challenges, I have two questions. One, back home we’ve learned that 40 military veterans died while they were waiting for health care, a very tragic situation. I know you don’t run the Phoenix Office of Veterans Affairs, but as Commander-in-Chief, what specifically will you pledge to fix that?
And, secondly, more broadly -- big picture -- as you end this trip, I don’t think I have to remind you there have been a lot of unflattering portraits of your foreign policy right now. And rather than get into all the details or red lines, et cetera, I’d like to give you a chance to lay out what your vision is more than five years into office, what you think the Obama doctrine is in terms of what your guiding principle is on all of these crises and how you answer those critics who say they think the doctrine is weakness.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, Ed, I doubt that I’m going to have time to lay out my entire foreign policy doctrine. And there are actually some complimentary pieces as well about my foreign policy, but I’m not sure you ran them.
Here’s I think the general takeaway from this trip. Our alliances in the Asia Pacific have never been stronger; I can say that unequivocally. Our relationship with ASEAN countries in Southeast Asia has never been stronger. I don’t think that’s subject to dispute. As recently as a decade ago, there were great tensions between us and Malaysia, for example. And I think you just witnessed the incredible warmth and strength of the relationship between those two countries.
We’re here in the Philippines signing a defense agreement. Ten years ago, fifteen years ago there was enormous tensions around our defense relationship with the Philippines. And so it’s hard to square whatever it is that the critics are saying with facts on the ground, events on the ground here in the Asia Pacific region. Typically, criticism of our foreign policy has been directed at the failure to use military force. And the question I think I would have is, why is it that everybody is so eager to use military force after we’ve just gone through a decade of war at enormous costs to our troops and to our budget? And what is it exactly that these critics think would have been accomplished?
My job as Commander-in-Chief is to deploy military force as a last resort, and to deploy it wisely. And, frankly, most of the foreign policy commentators that have questioned our policies would go headlong into a bunch of military adventures that the American people had no interest in participating in and would not advance our core security interests. So if you look at Syria, for example, our interest is in helping the Syrian people, but nobody suggests that us being involved in a land war in Syria would necessarily accomplish this goal. And I would note that those who criticize our foreign policy with respect to Syria, they themselves say, no, no, no, we don’t mean sending in troops. Well, what do you mean? Well, you should be assisting the opposition -- well, we’re assisting the opposition. What else do you mean? Well, perhaps you should have taken a strike in Syria to get chemical weapons out of Syria. Well, it turns out we’re getting chemical weapons out of Syria without having initiated a strike. So what else are you talking about? And at that point it kind of trails off.
In Ukraine, what we’ve done is mobilize the international community. Russia has never been more isolated. A country that used to be clearly in its orbit now is looking much more towards Europe and the West, because they’ve seen that the arrangements that have existed for the last 20 years weren’t working for them. And Russia is having to engage in activities that have been rejected uniformly around the world. And we’ve been able to mobilize the international community to not only put diplomatic pressure on Russia, but also we’ve been able to organize European countries who many were skeptical would do anything to work with us in applying sanctions to Russia. Well, what else should we be doing? Well, we shouldn’t be putting troops in, the critics will say. That’s not what we mean. Well, okay, what are you saying? Well, we should be arming the Ukrainians more. Do people actually think that somehow us sending some additional arms into Ukraine could potentially deter the Russian army? Or are we more likely to deter them by applying the sort of international pressure, diplomatic pressure and economic pressure that we’re applying?
The point is that for some reason many who were proponents of what I consider to be a disastrous decision to go into Iraq haven’t really learned the lesson of the last decade, and they keep on just playing the same note over and over again. Why? I don’t know. But my job as Commander-in-Chief is to look at what is it that is going to advance our security interests over the long term, to keep our military in reserve for where we absolutely need it. There are going to be times where there are disasters and difficulties and challenges all around the world, and not all of those are going to be immediately solvable by us.
But we can continue to speak out clearly about what we believe. Where we can make a difference using all the tools we’ve got in the toolkit, well, we should do so. And if there are occasions where targeted, clear actions can be taken that would make a difference, then we should take them. We don't do them because somebody sitting in an office in Washington or New York think it would look strong. That's not how we make foreign policy. And if you look at the results of what we've done over the last five years, it is fair to say that our alliances are stronger, our partnerships are stronger, and in the Asia Pacific region, just to take one example, we are much better positioned to work with the peoples here on a whole range of issues of mutual interest.
And that may not always be sexy. That may not always attract a lot of attention, and it doesn’t make for good argument on Sunday morning shows. But it avoids errors. You hit singles, you hit doubles; every once in a while we may be able to hit a home run. But we steadily advance the interests of the American people and our partnership with folks around the world.
QUESTION: The Veterans Affairs --
PRESIDENT OBAMA: You got me all worked up on the other one. (Laughter.)
The moment we heard about the allegations around these 40 individuals who had died in Phoenix, I immediately ordered the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, General Shinseki, to investigate. We also have an IG investigation taking place. And so we take the allegations very seriously.
That is consistent with what has been my rock-solid commitment to make sure that our veterans are cared for. I believe that if somebody has served our nation then they have to get the benefits and services that they have earned. And my budgets have consistently reflected that. That's why we’ve resourced the Veterans Affairs office more in terms of increases than any other department or agency in my government.
That doesn’t mean, though, that some folks may still not be getting the help that they need. And we're going to find out if, in fact, that's the case, and I'm interested in working with everybody, whether it's our outstanding veteran service organizations or Congress, to make sure that there is not a single veteran in the United States who needs help -- whether because they’re homeless, because they’re sick, because they’re looking for a job. I want to make sure that they are getting the help that they need.
PRESIDENT AQUINO: With regards to the killing of journalists, perhaps we should say from the outset that I don't have the figures right here before me. But we did set up an interagency committee to look on extralegal killings and forced disappearances, torture, and other grave violations of right to life, liberty and security of persons.
And in this particular body, there has been -- I have the figures for labor-related issues -- there were 62 suspected cases of extrajudicial killings referred to it, and of the 62 investigations before this committee, there have been 10 that have been determined to fulfill the criteria and the definitions of what constitutes an extrajudicial killing. Of the 10 cases that have been determined to be possible EJK cases, only one happened during our watch -- the case of Mr. Estrellado.
Now, as far as journalists are concerned, perhaps the track record speaks for itself. The Maguindanao massacre involved something like 52 journalists, and there are presently something like over 100 people who have been indicted for this crime and are undergoing trial. That doesn’t mean that we have stopped trying to look for others potentially involved in this particular killing. And may we just state for the record that even when it comes to journalists, it is not a policy of this state to silence critics. All you have to do would be to turn on the TV, the radio, or look at any newspaper to find an abundance of criticisms.
Now, having said that, investigations have been done. Anybody who has been killed obviously is a victim, and investigations have been ongoing. If at times we do not reveal the discoveries by our intelligence agencies and security services, perhaps we are very sensitive to personal relationships by the people who are deceased who were killed not because of professional activities, but, shall we say, other issues. But having said that, they were killed. That is against the law. And the people will have to be found, prosecuted and sent to jail.
The fourth plank of my promise when I ran for election was judicial reform, and this is still a work in progress. We want to protect all the rights of every individual but also ensure that the speedy portion of the promise also happens. Unfortunately, speed is not a hallmark of our current judicial system and there are various steps -- laws, amendments, particular laws -- even a rethink of the whole process to try and ensure the speedy disposition of justice.
Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you very much, everybody.
END
4:22 P.M. PHT
(Source: News Release of the Embassy of the United States and the White House Office of the Press Secretary)
Obama, Aquino hold joint press conference, April 28, 2014
3:40 P.M. PHT
PRESIDENT AQUINO: The honorable President of the United States Barack Obama and his official delegation, members of the Cabinet present, members of the press, ladies and gentlemen: good afternoon.
Today, the Philippines welcomes President Obama and his delegation on his first state visit to the Philippines. The United States is a key ally, a strategic partner, and a reliable friend of the Philippines.
With this visit, we reaffirm the deep partnership between our countries, one founded on democratic values, mutual interest in our shared history and aspirations, and one that will definitely give us the momentum to propel our peoples to even greater heights.
We witnessed the most recent and tangible manifestations of this in the immediate outpouring of assistance from the government of the United States and the American people in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, or Yolanda, and your nation’s clear expression of solidarity with the typhoon survivors.
Mr. President, in your State of the Union address earlier this year, you spoke of how American volunteers and troops were greeted with gratitude in the affected areas. Today, I reiterate formally the Filipino people will never forget such kindness and compassion. On behalf of my countrymen, I thank the United States of America once more for being a true friend to our people.
The friendship and partnership between our countries, however, are evident not only in times of crisis and immediate need, but also in other aspects of our relations. Our defense alliance has been a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region for more than 60 years. And our strategic partnership spans a broad range of areas of cooperation, contributing to the growth and prosperity of both our nations, and fostering closer bonds between our peoples.
As such, President Obama and I met today with the shared resolve to ensure that our deepening relations are attune to the realities and needs that have emerged in the 21st century, which affect not only our two countries, but also the entire community of nations.
I thank President Obama for the U.S.’s support for our government’s efforts in modernizing and enhancing its defense capabilities. The Philippines-U.S. Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement takes our security cooperation to a higher level of engagement, reaffirms our country’s commitment to mutual defense and security, and promotes regional peace and stability.
Both President Obama and I shared the conviction that territorial and maritime disputes in the Asia Pacific region should be settled peacefully based on international law. We affirm that arbitration is an open, friendly and peaceful approach to seeking a just and durable solution. We also underscored the importance of the full and effective implementation of the Declaration of Conduct and the expeditious conclusion of a substantive and legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea -- all towards fostering peace and stability in our part of the world.
We, likewise, welcome the active participation of the United States in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit.
Typhoon Haiyan showed the entire world how vulnerable the Philippines as well as other developing countries are to natural disasters. As such, humanitarian assistance and disaster response is an essential component of our cooperation. As the United States and the American people have always been ready to support us in the aftermath of disasters, so too do we look forward to the continued cooperation of the United States and the rest of our partners in the international community as we undertake the task of building back the communities affected by Typhoon Haiyan.
This morning we made a promising start as we discussed how our partnership can be enhanced through building climate resilient communities. These kind of strong communities are important not only in withstanding disasters, but also in fostering inclusive growth across the entire country.
President Obama and I recognize the importance of strong economic engagement for the continued growth of both the Philippines and the United States.
On this note, we expressed our appreciation for the U.S.’s support for our government’s programs under the Partnership for Growth framework, which enhances the policy environment for economic growth through US $145 million total plan contribution from the USAID. U.S. support is also coursed through the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which supports the implementation of projects and road infrastructure, poverty reduction, and good governance, with $434 million grant from 2011 to 2016.
Recently, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration reinstated the Philippines to a Category 1 status. This will redound to mutual benefit for our countries from opening more routes for travel between the United States and the Philippines to creating more business opportunities to facilitate the increased tourism and business travel.
We welcome the substantive agreement between our countries on the terms and concessions for the U.S. to support the Philippines’ request for the extension of special treatment for rice imports until 2017.
We also discussed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which is a high-standard trade agreement that will shape the global and regional economic architecture in the 21st century. The Philippines is working to assert in how participation in TPP can be realized.
The signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro last March 27 brings a just and lasting peace within our reach -- a peace that will serve as a strong foundation for stability, inclusivity, and progress in Mindanao. This was born of the steadfast commitment and the hard work of our administration, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and other partners and stakeholders, the U.S. included.
We thank President Obama for the United States’ significant assistance and support for the Philippine peace process. Our meeting today was comprehensive, historic and significant, embodying our shared values and aspirations. It afforded President Obama and myself the opportunity to build on the relations between our countries, and discuss our strategic mission for the future of the Philippines-United States relationship -- a relationship that is modern, mature and forward-looking, and one that allows us to surpass challenges towards the benefit of our peoples, the entire region and the world.
Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Mabuhay. Thank you, President Aquino, for your warm welcome and your very kind words.
With the President’s indulgence, I want to begin by saying a few words about some terrible storms and tornadoes back home in the United States. Over the weekend, a series of storms claimed at least a dozen lives and damaged or destroyed homes and businesses and communities across multiple states, with the worst toll in Arkansas. So I want to offer my deepest condolences to all those who lost loved ones. I commend the heroic efforts of first responders and neighbors who rushed to help.
I want everyone affected by this tragedy to know that FEMA and the federal government is on the ground and will help our fellow Americans in need, working with state and local officials. And I want everybody to know that your country will be there to help you recover and rebuild as long as it takes.
Now, this is my first visit to the Philippines as President, and I’m proud to be here as we mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, when Americans and Filipinos fought together to liberate this nation during World War II. All these years later, we continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder to uphold peace and security in this region and around the world.
So, Benigno, I want to thank you and the Filipino people not only for your generous hospitality today, but for a friendship that has spanned generations. And I’d add that our friendship is deeper and the United States is stronger because of the contributions and patriotism of millions of proud Filipino-Americans.
As I’ve made clear throughout this trip, the United States is renewing our leadership in the Asia Pacific, and our engagement is rooted in our alliances. And that includes the Philippines, which is the oldest security treaty alliance that we have in Asia. As a vibrant democracy, the Philippines reflects the desire of citizens in this region to live in freedom and to have their universal rights upheld. As one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, the Philippines represents new opportunities for the trade and investment that creates jobs in both countries.
And given its strategic location, the Philippines is a vital partner on issues such as maritime security and freedom of navigation. And let me add that the recent agreement to end the insurgency in the south gives the Philippines an historic opportunity to forge a lasting peace here at home, with greater security and prosperity for the people of that region.
I was proud to welcome President Aquino to the White House two years ago, and since then we’ve worked to deepen our cooperation and to modernize our alliances. Our partnership reflects an important Filipino concept -- bayanihan -- the idea that we have to work together to accomplish things that we couldn’t achieve on our own. That’s what we saw last year when Typhoon Yolanda devastated so many communities. Our armed forces and civilians from both our countries worked as one to rescue victims and to deliver lifesaving aid. That’s what friends do for each other. And, Mr. President, I want to say to you and the people of the Philippines: The United States will continue to stand with you as you recover and rebuild. Our commitment to the Philippines will not waver.
Today, I’m pleased that we’re beginning an important new chapter in the relationship between our countries, and it starts with our security -- with the new defense cooperation agreement that was signed today. I want to be very clear: The United States is not trying to reclaim old bases or build new bases. At the invitation of the Philippines, American servicemembers will rotate through Filipino facilities. We’ll train and exercise more together so that we’re prepared for a range of challenges, including humanitarian crises and natural disasters like Yolanda.
We’ll work together to build the Philippines’ defense capabilities and to work with other nations to promote regional stability, such as in the South China Sea. And I’m looking forward to my visit with forces from both our nations tomorrow to honor their service and to look ahead to the future we can shape together.
As we strengthen our bilateral security cooperation, we’re also working together with regional institutions like ASEAN and the East Asia Summit. When we met in the Oval Office two years ago, Benigno and I agreed to promote a common set of rules, founded in respect for international law, that will help the Asia Pacific remain open and inclusive as the region grows and develops.
Today, we have reaffirmed the importance of resolving territorial disputes in the region peacefully, without intimidation or coercion. And in that spirit, I told him that the United States supports his decision to pursue international arbitration concerning territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
Finally, we agreed to keep deepening our economic cooperation. I congratulated President Aquino on the reforms that he’s pursued to make the Philippines more competitive. Through our Partnership for Growth and our Millennium Challenge Corporation compact, we’re going to keep working together to support these efforts so that more Filipinos can share in this nation’s economic progress -- because growth has to be broad-based and it has to be inclusive.
We discussed the steps that the Philippines could take to position itself for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. And I encouraged the President to seize the opportunity he’s created by opening the next phase of economic reform and growth.
Today, I’m announcing that my Commerce Secretary, Penny Pritzker, will lead a delegation of American business leaders to the Philippines this June to explore new opportunities. And I’d add that we’ve also committed to work together to address the devastating effects of climate change and to make Philippine communities less vulnerable to extreme storms like Yolanda.
So, Mr. President, let me once again thank you for everything you’ve done to strengthen our alliance and our friendship. I’m looking forward to paying tribute to the bonds between our people at the dinner tonight and to working with you as we write the next chapter in the relationship between our two countries.
QUESTION: Good afternoon, Your Excellencies. President Aquino, President Obama -- welcome to the Philippines. My questions are: How did the United States reassure the Philippines that the U.S. is genuinely committed to countering an increasingly assertive China in the region? Will the U.S. defend the Philippines in case the territorial dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea or the South China Sea becomes an armed conflict? And how do you think will China react to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement? And what are you going to do with this that is consistent with your position to have the territorial disputes resolved in arbitration? Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, I’ve been consistent throughout my travels in Asia. We welcome China’s peaceful rise. We have a constructive relationship with China. There is enormous trade, enormous business that’s done between the United States and China. There are a whole range of issues on the international stage in which cooperation between the U.S. and China are vital. So our goal is not to counter China. Our goal is not to contain China.
Our goal is to make sure that international rules and norms are respected, and that includes in the area of maritime disputes. We do not have claims in this area territorially. We’re an Asia Pacific nation and our primary interest is the peaceful resolution of conflict, the freedom of navigation that allows for continued progress and prosperity. And we don’t even take a specific position on the disputes between nations.
But as a matter of international law and international norms, we don’t think that coercion and intimidation is the way to manage these disputes. And for that reason we’re very supportive of President Benigno’s approach to go before the tribunal for the law of the sea and to seek international arbitration that can resolve this in a diplomatic fashion.
With respect to the new Defense Cooperation Agreement that’s been signed, the goal here is wide-ranging. We’ve had decades of alliance with the Philippines, but obviously in the 21st century we have to continue to update that. And the goal for this agreement is to build Philippine capacity, to engage in training, to engage in coordination -- not simply to deal with issues of maritime security, but also to enhance our capabilities so that if there’s a natural disaster that takes place, we’re able to potentially respond more quickly; if there are additional threats that may arise, that we are able to work in a cooperative fashion.
This is consistent with, for example, the agreement that we have with Australia, in Darwin. Obviously, we’ve had a longstanding alliance with Australia, but we also recognize that as circumstances change, as capacities change, we have to update that alliance to meet new needs and new challenges.
And so, I think this is going to be a terrific opportunity for us to work with the Philippines to make sure that our navies, our air force are coordinated, to make sure that there’s information-sharing to allow us to respond to new threats, and to work with other countries, ASEAN countries -- Australia, Japan. My hope is, is that at some point we’re going to be able to work cooperatively with China as well, because our goal here is simply to make sure that everybody is operating in a peaceful, responsible fashion. When that happens, that allows countries to focus on what’s most important to people day to day, and that is prosperity, growth, jobs. Those are the things that we as leaders should be focused on, need to be focused on. And if we have security arrangements that avoid conflict and dispute, then we’re able to place our attention on where we should be focused.
MR. CARNEY: The next question comes from Margaret Talev of Bloomberg.
QUESTION: Mr. President, later today we are expecting to hear about new sanctions on people close to President Putin. And I wanted to ask you, do you see this as a way to get to Mr. Putin’s personal wealth? Do you believe that he has amassed personal wealth that’s unreported? Or is it just a means of ratcheting up pressure before a move to sectoral sanctions? You mentioned yesterday specifically the defense industry as an area where it doesn’t make sense to move without Europe moving. I wanted to ask you, are we likely to see defense sanctions soon, banking and energy sanctions soon? What kind of timeframe?
And then, President Aquino, if I may, I also wanted to ask you about China and the new agreement. What I wanted to ask you is what message should China take away from the U.S. and the G7’s approach to Russia and Ukraine when it comes to territorial disputes? And do you believe that the military agreement that we’ve just been talking about will in and of itself deter China from being aggressive territorially, or should the U.S. begin developing military options that could be possible contingencies if you needed to go that course? Thanks.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: You’re right, Margaret, that later today there will be an announcement made, and I can tell you that it builds on the sanctions that were already in place. As I indicated, we saw an opportunity through the Geneva talks to move in the direction of a diplomatic resolution to the situation in Ukraine.
The G7 statement accurately points out that the government in Kyiv, the Ukrainian government, has, in fact, abided by that agreement and operated in good faith. And we have not seen comparable efforts by the Russians. And as a consequence, we are going to be moving forward with an expanded list of individuals and companies that will be affected by sanctions. They remain targeted. We will also focus on some areas of high-tech defense exports to Russia that we don’t think are appropriate to be exporting in this kind of climate.
The goal here is not to go after Mr. Putin, personally. The goal is to change his calculus with respect to how the current actions that he’s engaging in in Ukraine could have an adverse impact on the Russian economy over the long haul, and to encourage him to actually walk the walk and not just talk the talk when it comes to diplomatically resolving the crisis in Ukraine. There are specific steps that Russia can take. And if it takes those steps, then you can see an election taking place in Ukraine; you can see the rights of all people inside of Ukraine respected.
The Ukrainian government has put forward credible constitutional reforms of the sort that originally Russian-speaking Ukrainians in the south and east said were part of their grievances, the failure to have their voices heard and represented. Kyiv has responded to those.
And so there’s a path here to resolve this. But Russia has not yet chosen to move forward, and these sanctions represent the next stage in a calibrated effort to change Russia’s behavior. We don’t yet know whether it’s going to work. And that’s why the next phase if, in fact, we saw further Russian aggression towards Ukraine could be sectoral sanctions, less narrowly targeted, addressing sectors like banking or the defense industry.
So those would be more broad-based. Those aren’t what we’ll be announcing today. Today’s will be building on what we’ve already done and continue to be narrowly focused but will exact some additional costs on the Russians. But we are keeping in reserve additional steps that we could take should the situation escalate further.
PRESIDENT AQUINO: First of all, I think China shouldn’t be concerned about this agreement, especially if you look at what is being contemplated -- for instance, training for emergency disaster relief operations.
I’ll give you a perfect example. The Americans have the V-22 Osprey aircraft, which is quite a significant upgrade in capabilities in terms of reaching out to very remote areas. We don’t have a comparable aircraft. We have smaller helicopters. And we had 44 of our provinces devastated by Typhoon Haiyan. Now, the training will not just train our people on how to operate this particular aircraft, but more importantly, even help the Office of Civil Defense, for instance, manage this resource in case a storm or another natural disaster of the scale that transpired does happen.
Secondly, I think the statements that America has been making with regards to Ukraine are the same message that has been said to China, and I guess not only by America but so many other countries. China itself has said repeatedly that they will and have been conforming to international law. And the rest of the world is I think saying we are expecting you to confirm and, by actions, that which you have already been addressing by words, and not distort international law.
The Philippines has not just won through arbitration, but we did remind obviously the President and our dialogue partners that in 2002 they tried to come up with a code of conduct with regards to the South China Sea and the portion which the Philippines claims, which we call the West Philippine Sea. And in 2012, the 10th anniversary, there had still been no progress even -- in the meeting. So the Philippines felt it was timely to raise the matter up and to remind everybody that there is no code of conduct that binds us that sets the operational parameters for all to manage any potential conflict. And as a result of that, there have been preparatory meetings towards the formal meeting to try and constitute a code of conduct.
So at the end of the day, we are not a threat militarily to any country. We don’t even have -- and I have said this often enough -- we don’t even have presently a single fighter aircraft in our inventory. Now, we have I think legitimate needs. We have a 36,000 kilometer coastline. We do have an exclusive economic zone. We do have concerns about poaching on our waters and preserving the environment and even protecting endangered species. So I think no country should begrudge us our rights to be able to attend to our concerns and our needs.
QUESTION: Good afternoon, Your Excellencies. This question goes to President Obama, but I would also like to hear the thoughts of President Aquino. I understand the tough balancing act that you need to do between China and your allies in Asia. But do you believe that China’s expansionism is a threat to regional peace and stability? And will the Mutual Defense Treaty apply in the event that the territorial conflict with China escalates into an armed conflict?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, let me repeat what I said earlier. I think that it is good for the region and good for the world if China is successfully developing, if China is lifting more of its people out of poverty. There are a lot of people in China, and the more they’re able to develop and provide basic needs for their people and work cooperatively with other countries in the region, that’s only going to strengthen the region -- that’s not going to weaken it.
I do think that, as President Aquino said very persuasively, that China as a large country has already asserted that it is interested in abiding by international law. And really, our message to China consistently on a whole range of issues is we want to be a partner with you in upholding international law. In fact, larger countries have a greater responsibility in abiding by international norms and rules because when we move, it can worry smaller countries if we don’t do it in a way that’s consistent with international law.
And I think that there are going to be territorial disputes around the world. We have territorial disputes with some of our closest allies. I suspect that there are some islands and rocks in and around Canada and the United States where there are probably still some arguments dating back to the 1800s. But we don’t go around sending ships and threatening folks. What we do is we sit down and we have some people in a room -- it’s boring, it’s not exciting, but it’s usually a good way to work out these problems and work out these issues.
And I think that all the countries that I’ve spoken to in the region during the course of my trip -- Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and now the Philippines -- their message has been the same everywhere I go, which is they would like to resolve these issues peacefully and diplomatically. That’s why I think that the approach that President Aquino has been taking, putting this before international arbitration, is a sound one.
And if China I think listens to its neighbors and recognizes that there’s another approach to resolve these disputes, what China will find is they’ve got ready and willing partners throughout the Asia Pacific region that want to work with them on trade and commerce and selling goods and buying goods. And it’s inevitable that China is going to be a dominant power in this region just by sheer size. Nobody, I think, denies that. The question is just whether other countries in the region are also able to succeed and prosper on their own terms and tend to the various interests and needs that they and their people have as well. And that’s what we support.
PRESIDENT AQUINO: I think from the onset, our message to China has been I think we’re all focused on achieving greater prosperity for all our respective peoples, and prosperity and continued prosperity does not happen in a vacuum. There has to be stability. And in turn, they have responded that the disputes in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea are not the end all, be all of our relationships. And we have had good cooperation with them on so many different fronts, and perhaps one could even argue that this is the only sore point in our relationship.
Now, having said that, perhaps -- we have tried to work on that particular premise of building up our ties on different aspects where there is no conflict or very little conflict. And in this particular instance, I have to find the way and means by which we can both achieve our respective goals, which I believe are not -- or should not be mutually exclusive, but rather should be inclusive if at the end of the day, we do want to strive for the prosperity of our respective peoples.
That I think has to be the primordial concern, rather than disputes on a few rocks that are not possible to be inhabited. And I think in due time, given the fact that there’s so much commerce that traverses this particular -- both in the maritime and the air domain -- China, which has achieved its goals of improving the life of its people, will see the soundness of this proposal and perhaps will act more, shall we say, consistently and actively towards achieving that stability for all. That is our hope.
QUESTION: Thank you to both Presidents. President Aquino, as a journalist, I’d like to ask you why 26 journalists have been killed since you took office. And I understand that there have only been suspects arrested in six of those cases. What are you doing to fix that?
President Obama, as you grappled here with all these national security challenges, I have two questions. One, back home we’ve learned that 40 military veterans died while they were waiting for health care, a very tragic situation. I know you don’t run the Phoenix Office of Veterans Affairs, but as Commander-in-Chief, what specifically will you pledge to fix that?
And, secondly, more broadly -- big picture -- as you end this trip, I don’t think I have to remind you there have been a lot of unflattering portraits of your foreign policy right now. And rather than get into all the details or red lines, et cetera, I’d like to give you a chance to lay out what your vision is more than five years into office, what you think the Obama doctrine is in terms of what your guiding principle is on all of these crises and how you answer those critics who say they think the doctrine is weakness.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, Ed, I doubt that I’m going to have time to lay out my entire foreign policy doctrine. And there are actually some complimentary pieces as well about my foreign policy, but I’m not sure you ran them.
Here’s I think the general takeaway from this trip. Our alliances in the Asia Pacific have never been stronger; I can say that unequivocally. Our relationship with ASEAN countries in Southeast Asia has never been stronger. I don’t think that’s subject to dispute. As recently as a decade ago, there were great tensions between us and Malaysia, for example. And I think you just witnessed the incredible warmth and strength of the relationship between those two countries.
We’re here in the Philippines signing a defense agreement. Ten years ago, fifteen years ago there was enormous tensions around our defense relationship with the Philippines. And so it’s hard to square whatever it is that the critics are saying with facts on the ground, events on the ground here in the Asia Pacific region. Typically, criticism of our foreign policy has been directed at the failure to use military force. And the question I think I would have is, why is it that everybody is so eager to use military force after we’ve just gone through a decade of war at enormous costs to our troops and to our budget? And what is it exactly that these critics think would have been accomplished?
My job as Commander-in-Chief is to deploy military force as a last resort, and to deploy it wisely. And, frankly, most of the foreign policy commentators that have questioned our policies would go headlong into a bunch of military adventures that the American people had no interest in participating in and would not advance our core security interests. So if you look at Syria, for example, our interest is in helping the Syrian people, but nobody suggests that us being involved in a land war in Syria would necessarily accomplish this goal. And I would note that those who criticize our foreign policy with respect to Syria, they themselves say, no, no, no, we don’t mean sending in troops. Well, what do you mean? Well, you should be assisting the opposition -- well, we’re assisting the opposition. What else do you mean? Well, perhaps you should have taken a strike in Syria to get chemical weapons out of Syria. Well, it turns out we’re getting chemical weapons out of Syria without having initiated a strike. So what else are you talking about? And at that point it kind of trails off.
In Ukraine, what we’ve done is mobilize the international community. Russia has never been more isolated. A country that used to be clearly in its orbit now is looking much more towards Europe and the West, because they’ve seen that the arrangements that have existed for the last 20 years weren’t working for them. And Russia is having to engage in activities that have been rejected uniformly around the world. And we’ve been able to mobilize the international community to not only put diplomatic pressure on Russia, but also we’ve been able to organize European countries who many were skeptical would do anything to work with us in applying sanctions to Russia. Well, what else should we be doing? Well, we shouldn’t be putting troops in, the critics will say. That’s not what we mean. Well, okay, what are you saying? Well, we should be arming the Ukrainians more. Do people actually think that somehow us sending some additional arms into Ukraine could potentially deter the Russian army? Or are we more likely to deter them by applying the sort of international pressure, diplomatic pressure and economic pressure that we’re applying?
The point is that for some reason many who were proponents of what I consider to be a disastrous decision to go into Iraq haven’t really learned the lesson of the last decade, and they keep on just playing the same note over and over again. Why? I don’t know. But my job as Commander-in-Chief is to look at what is it that is going to advance our security interests over the long term, to keep our military in reserve for where we absolutely need it. There are going to be times where there are disasters and difficulties and challenges all around the world, and not all of those are going to be immediately solvable by us.
But we can continue to speak out clearly about what we believe. Where we can make a difference using all the tools we’ve got in the toolkit, well, we should do so. And if there are occasions where targeted, clear actions can be taken that would make a difference, then we should take them. We don't do them because somebody sitting in an office in Washington or New York think it would look strong. That's not how we make foreign policy. And if you look at the results of what we've done over the last five years, it is fair to say that our alliances are stronger, our partnerships are stronger, and in the Asia Pacific region, just to take one example, we are much better positioned to work with the peoples here on a whole range of issues of mutual interest.
And that may not always be sexy. That may not always attract a lot of attention, and it doesn’t make for good argument on Sunday morning shows. But it avoids errors. You hit singles, you hit doubles; every once in a while we may be able to hit a home run. But we steadily advance the interests of the American people and our partnership with folks around the world.
QUESTION: The Veterans Affairs --
PRESIDENT OBAMA: You got me all worked up on the other one. (Laughter.)
The moment we heard about the allegations around these 40 individuals who had died in Phoenix, I immediately ordered the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, General Shinseki, to investigate. We also have an IG investigation taking place. And so we take the allegations very seriously.
That is consistent with what has been my rock-solid commitment to make sure that our veterans are cared for. I believe that if somebody has served our nation then they have to get the benefits and services that they have earned. And my budgets have consistently reflected that. That's why we’ve resourced the Veterans Affairs office more in terms of increases than any other department or agency in my government.
That doesn’t mean, though, that some folks may still not be getting the help that they need. And we're going to find out if, in fact, that's the case, and I'm interested in working with everybody, whether it's our outstanding veteran service organizations or Congress, to make sure that there is not a single veteran in the United States who needs help -- whether because they’re homeless, because they’re sick, because they’re looking for a job. I want to make sure that they are getting the help that they need.
PRESIDENT AQUINO: With regards to the killing of journalists, perhaps we should say from the outset that I don't have the figures right here before me. But we did set up an interagency committee to look on extralegal killings and forced disappearances, torture, and other grave violations of right to life, liberty and security of persons.
And in this particular body, there has been -- I have the figures for labor-related issues -- there were 62 suspected cases of extrajudicial killings referred to it, and of the 62 investigations before this committee, there have been 10 that have been determined to fulfill the criteria and the definitions of what constitutes an extrajudicial killing. Of the 10 cases that have been determined to be possible EJK cases, only one happened during our watch -- the case of Mr. Estrellado.
Now, as far as journalists are concerned, perhaps the track record speaks for itself. The Maguindanao massacre involved something like 52 journalists, and there are presently something like over 100 people who have been indicted for this crime and are undergoing trial. That doesn’t mean that we have stopped trying to look for others potentially involved in this particular killing. And may we just state for the record that even when it comes to journalists, it is not a policy of this state to silence critics. All you have to do would be to turn on the TV, the radio, or look at any newspaper to find an abundance of criticisms.
Now, having said that, investigations have been done. Anybody who has been killed obviously is a victim, and investigations have been ongoing. If at times we do not reveal the discoveries by our intelligence agencies and security services, perhaps we are very sensitive to personal relationships by the people who are deceased who were killed not because of professional activities, but, shall we say, other issues. But having said that, they were killed. That is against the law. And the people will have to be found, prosecuted and sent to jail.
The fourth plank of my promise when I ran for election was judicial reform, and this is still a work in progress. We want to protect all the rights of every individual but also ensure that the speedy portion of the promise also happens. Unfortunately, speed is not a hallmark of our current judicial system and there are various steps -- laws, amendments, particular laws -- even a rethink of the whole process to try and ensure the speedy disposition of justice.
Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you very much, everybody.
END
4:22 P.M. PHT
(Source: News Release of the Embassy of the United States and the White House Office of the Press Secretary)
Mom Judy's silence is deafening while son Mar Roxas is hurting
Mom Judy's silence is deafening
while son Mar Roxas is hurting
"He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words."
Elbert Hubbard
By Alex P. Vidal
Nanay Dionisia summoned all the saints in heaven and cursed anyone who hurt or insulted Manny Pacquiao to show her "deep love" for a son.
Each time the popular boxer was caught in a web of scandals, nanay Dionisia was always there to pick up the cudgels and carry the bolo to defend her son.
When Capiz Rep. Gerry Roxas Jr., popularly known as Dinggoy, was still alive, her socialite mother, Mrs. Judy Araneta-Roxas, never allowed any detractor to besmirch Dinggoy's reputation. Our friend, Boggie Gonzalez, said he defended Dinggoy from media attacks and risked his life for the country's youngest congressman "because that was what Inday Judy wanted me to do."
Gonzalez challenged airport cops who allegedly found marijuana leaves in Rep. Dinggoy Roxas' possession to a duel. "They framed him up," Gonzalez bewailed. "Congressman Dinggoy is not a drug addict." The duel did not materialize and the incident "died a natural death." No case was filed against Rep. Dinggoy Roxas, who died of colon cancer on April 15, 1993, at 32.
BROTHER
He was replaced in congress by older brother, Mar, who became a senator after a stint as secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry.
Now the DILG secretary, no doubt the most recent media blitzkrieg portraying Mar Roxas as a bully and arrogant public official, has caused a dent on his quest for presidency of the country in 2016, in one way or the other.
The Wack Wack golf club brouhaha had been played up in tri-media, including the internet, with much frenzy and magnitude of a sex scandal involving a religious preacher.
Although most versions of the story corroborated with what really happened when Roxas allegedly lost his cool and badmouthed the staff of the exclusive golf club, Roxas caught himself in a very tragic circumstance for being a politician and a future presidential timber.
Faced with a tidal wave of criticism left and right, Mar Roxas was forced to apologize. As of this writing, he was still reportedly nursing from the backlash of his unsavory behavior.
SHOCK
The news shocked Capiznons and friends of the Roxas family, who have known Mar Roxas to be "soft-spoken" and "somebody who always runs away from unnecessary trouble."
They were particularly more startled when mommy Judy hasn't come forward to at least defend her embattled son, which she usually did in the past, especially when critics called the late Rep. Dinggoy a "drug addict."
Even when media rapped Mar Roxas for the government's "delay" in the response to help victims of "Yolanda" super-typhoon in November 2013, mommy Judy did not issue any terse statement to belie the accusations against her son.
People in Capiz and all their supporters in Western Visayas, for that matter, have been waiting for Mrs. Judy Araneta-Roxas to come to her son's rescue. The matriarch of the Roxas family is still considered until today as one of the most powerful and influential mothers in Philippine politics, having been wounded in the 1971 Plaza Miranda bombing along with husband, the late Senator Gerardo.
TROUBLES
In all the scandals and troubles that Mar Roxas had been involved with under the present administration, mommy Judy has not been heard of and nowhere to be found. Is she not happy with her son's performance?
Was she not satisfied when her family's dreams for Mar Roxas to become president was not realized after he paved the way for fellow Liberal Party stalwart Nonoy Aquino? Or has she relinquished the role to defend Mar to daughter-in-law, Korina Sanchez, and isn't anymore inclined to tolerate a spoiled brat?
Whatever was the reason for her cold participation in all the controversies that bedeviled Mar Roxas recently, the silence of Mrs. Judy Araneta-Roxas is deafening.
while son Mar Roxas is hurting
"He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words."
Elbert Hubbard
By Alex P. Vidal
Nanay Dionisia summoned all the saints in heaven and cursed anyone who hurt or insulted Manny Pacquiao to show her "deep love" for a son.
Each time the popular boxer was caught in a web of scandals, nanay Dionisia was always there to pick up the cudgels and carry the bolo to defend her son.
When Capiz Rep. Gerry Roxas Jr., popularly known as Dinggoy, was still alive, her socialite mother, Mrs. Judy Araneta-Roxas, never allowed any detractor to besmirch Dinggoy's reputation. Our friend, Boggie Gonzalez, said he defended Dinggoy from media attacks and risked his life for the country's youngest congressman "because that was what Inday Judy wanted me to do."
Gonzalez challenged airport cops who allegedly found marijuana leaves in Rep. Dinggoy Roxas' possession to a duel. "They framed him up," Gonzalez bewailed. "Congressman Dinggoy is not a drug addict." The duel did not materialize and the incident "died a natural death." No case was filed against Rep. Dinggoy Roxas, who died of colon cancer on April 15, 1993, at 32.
BROTHER
He was replaced in congress by older brother, Mar, who became a senator after a stint as secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry.
Now the DILG secretary, no doubt the most recent media blitzkrieg portraying Mar Roxas as a bully and arrogant public official, has caused a dent on his quest for presidency of the country in 2016, in one way or the other.
The Wack Wack golf club brouhaha had been played up in tri-media, including the internet, with much frenzy and magnitude of a sex scandal involving a religious preacher.
Although most versions of the story corroborated with what really happened when Roxas allegedly lost his cool and badmouthed the staff of the exclusive golf club, Roxas caught himself in a very tragic circumstance for being a politician and a future presidential timber.
Faced with a tidal wave of criticism left and right, Mar Roxas was forced to apologize. As of this writing, he was still reportedly nursing from the backlash of his unsavory behavior.
SHOCK
The news shocked Capiznons and friends of the Roxas family, who have known Mar Roxas to be "soft-spoken" and "somebody who always runs away from unnecessary trouble."
They were particularly more startled when mommy Judy hasn't come forward to at least defend her embattled son, which she usually did in the past, especially when critics called the late Rep. Dinggoy a "drug addict."
Even when media rapped Mar Roxas for the government's "delay" in the response to help victims of "Yolanda" super-typhoon in November 2013, mommy Judy did not issue any terse statement to belie the accusations against her son.
People in Capiz and all their supporters in Western Visayas, for that matter, have been waiting for Mrs. Judy Araneta-Roxas to come to her son's rescue. The matriarch of the Roxas family is still considered until today as one of the most powerful and influential mothers in Philippine politics, having been wounded in the 1971 Plaza Miranda bombing along with husband, the late Senator Gerardo.
TROUBLES
In all the scandals and troubles that Mar Roxas had been involved with under the present administration, mommy Judy has not been heard of and nowhere to be found. Is she not happy with her son's performance?
Was she not satisfied when her family's dreams for Mar Roxas to become president was not realized after he paved the way for fellow Liberal Party stalwart Nonoy Aquino? Or has she relinquished the role to defend Mar to daughter-in-law, Korina Sanchez, and isn't anymore inclined to tolerate a spoiled brat?
Whatever was the reason for her cold participation in all the controversies that bedeviled Mar Roxas recently, the silence of Mrs. Judy Araneta-Roxas is deafening.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Mayor reports for work on bicycle; 1st Iloilo bikefest
Mayor reports for work on
bicycle; 1st Iloilo bikefest
"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving." Albert Einstein
By Alex P. Vidal
In Vancouver, I covered the city hall beat, among other offices and cities in the British Columbia for a Filipino community newspaper, Philippine Asian News Today, where I briefly served as editor.
It was in this world's most livable city where I saw Mayor Gregor Robertson report for work on a bicycle. He went to city hall riding on a two-wheel bike like an ordinary cyclist without any bodyguard.
After parking his bicycle, he changed cloths right there in the parking area from jersey to office attire before proceeding to the mayor's office on 453 West 12th Avenue. Only tourists could not recognize that the cyclist changing cloths in the parking space was the chief executive of the City of Vancouver.
Because he loves cycling, his proposal to create more cycling lanes in the streets snowballed. It was not hard for Robertson to get the support of the Vancouver city council which had voted unanimously to spend Canadian $25 million to create and improve bike lanes throughout the city, re-writing the city's map on how people get around.
KILOMETERS
The money would be spent building about 55 kilometers of new bike lanes and construction is on-going. It was expected to also enhance and improve connections from south Vancouver to the Canada Line Bridge.
Other notable changes expected in the project included extending separated bike lanes along Burrard Street and the Dunsmuir Viaduct, a pedestrian cycling greenway along Helmcken Street and an east-west bike route along 45th Avenue.
On March 10, 2010, we witnessed the smiling Robertson, an avid cyclist, open the Dunsmuir Viaduct bike lane. People in Vancouver have high regards for cyclists, who are treated with utmost respect in the roads because of the mayor's influence and advocacy for this mode of transportation.
The last time I was with Robertson was when we watched the 2010 World Cup finals between Spain and The Netherlands on Dunsmuir. I sat beside him on the pavement together with hundreds of soccer fans. "Where's your bike, mayor?" I asked him while he was about to leave after the Spaniards bundled out the Dutchmen, 2-0. "I parked it at city hall," he retorted with a smile.
EVENT
I recalled the biking event last April 1, 2014 when I witnessed the 1st Iloilo Bike Festival with routes passing the Lizares Mansion, Casa Mariquit, Jaro plaza, cathedral and belfry, Sanson-Montinola house, Nelly Garden, Museo Iloilo, the old provincial capitol and Arroyo Fountain, Calle Real, Fort San Pedro, Plaza Libertad, City Hall, San Jose Church and Sto. Rosario heritage houses, Customs House, Molo Church and Iloilo River Esplanade.
More than a hundred cycling enthusiasts joined the fun ride and helped promote the “Share the Road” movement.
Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, who joined the cyclists, led the ceremonial countdown together with Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas and other city councilors and city hall officials.
“All of us are concerned in making our respective communities a better place to live in,” Senate President Franklin Drilon said in a speech and called the activity as timely amid the growing concern about the environment.
We've noticed that bike lanes were being built in some highways in the city especially in the Diversion Road. Mabilog, incidentally, is a friend of an Ilonggo cycling association that spearheaded the bike fest. Are we seeing Iloilo City as the next Vancouver when it comes to recognizing the rights of cycling enthusiasts to have separate bike lanes in major roads?
bicycle; 1st Iloilo bikefest
"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving." Albert Einstein
By Alex P. Vidal
In Vancouver, I covered the city hall beat, among other offices and cities in the British Columbia for a Filipino community newspaper, Philippine Asian News Today, where I briefly served as editor.
It was in this world's most livable city where I saw Mayor Gregor Robertson report for work on a bicycle. He went to city hall riding on a two-wheel bike like an ordinary cyclist without any bodyguard.
After parking his bicycle, he changed cloths right there in the parking area from jersey to office attire before proceeding to the mayor's office on 453 West 12th Avenue. Only tourists could not recognize that the cyclist changing cloths in the parking space was the chief executive of the City of Vancouver.
Because he loves cycling, his proposal to create more cycling lanes in the streets snowballed. It was not hard for Robertson to get the support of the Vancouver city council which had voted unanimously to spend Canadian $25 million to create and improve bike lanes throughout the city, re-writing the city's map on how people get around.
KILOMETERS
The money would be spent building about 55 kilometers of new bike lanes and construction is on-going. It was expected to also enhance and improve connections from south Vancouver to the Canada Line Bridge.
Other notable changes expected in the project included extending separated bike lanes along Burrard Street and the Dunsmuir Viaduct, a pedestrian cycling greenway along Helmcken Street and an east-west bike route along 45th Avenue.
On March 10, 2010, we witnessed the smiling Robertson, an avid cyclist, open the Dunsmuir Viaduct bike lane. People in Vancouver have high regards for cyclists, who are treated with utmost respect in the roads because of the mayor's influence and advocacy for this mode of transportation.
The last time I was with Robertson was when we watched the 2010 World Cup finals between Spain and The Netherlands on Dunsmuir. I sat beside him on the pavement together with hundreds of soccer fans. "Where's your bike, mayor?" I asked him while he was about to leave after the Spaniards bundled out the Dutchmen, 2-0. "I parked it at city hall," he retorted with a smile.
EVENT
I recalled the biking event last April 1, 2014 when I witnessed the 1st Iloilo Bike Festival with routes passing the Lizares Mansion, Casa Mariquit, Jaro plaza, cathedral and belfry, Sanson-Montinola house, Nelly Garden, Museo Iloilo, the old provincial capitol and Arroyo Fountain, Calle Real, Fort San Pedro, Plaza Libertad, City Hall, San Jose Church and Sto. Rosario heritage houses, Customs House, Molo Church and Iloilo River Esplanade.
More than a hundred cycling enthusiasts joined the fun ride and helped promote the “Share the Road” movement.
Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, who joined the cyclists, led the ceremonial countdown together with Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas and other city councilors and city hall officials.
“All of us are concerned in making our respective communities a better place to live in,” Senate President Franklin Drilon said in a speech and called the activity as timely amid the growing concern about the environment.
We've noticed that bike lanes were being built in some highways in the city especially in the Diversion Road. Mabilog, incidentally, is a friend of an Ilonggo cycling association that spearheaded the bike fest. Are we seeing Iloilo City as the next Vancouver when it comes to recognizing the rights of cycling enthusiasts to have separate bike lanes in major roads?
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
G.R. are you a Trojan horse?
G.R. are you a Trojan horse?
"We are only falsehood, duplicity, contradiction; we both conceal and disguise ourselves from ourselves." BLAISE PASCAL
By Alex P. Vidal
Long ago--more than 3,000 years--a band of Greek princes and heroes made a war on the city of Troy, in Asia Minor.
They laid siege to the city, but the Trojans were not easily beaten and the war went on for 10 years. It might not have ended even then had not Odysseus, the cleverest of the Greeks, devised a scheme to overthrow the city.
The Greeks pretended that they were giving up the siege and began making preparations to leave. One of the things that they did was to build a gigantic wooden horse. They left this on the shore, and then went on board their ships and sailed away.
WARRIORS
When the Trojans saw the Greek warriors depart, there was great rejoicing. Believing the horse to be a luck offering to the gods, they opened their gates and hauled the horse inside as a prize of victory.
During the night, however, when the feasting was over and the Trojans were asleep, a door was opened in the side of the hollow wooden animal and out crept a band of Greeks who had been concealed inside. These men opened the gates of the city and let in the main army of the Greeks, who had sailed back again as soon as darkness had fallen.
Thus Troy was captured and destroyed.
POET
Long ago the blind poet of ancient Greece, Homer, told about the Trojan horse in his Odyssey. Even today the name is applied to a person or persons who get inside enemy territory and help outside forces to get in and conquer it.
Gigi Reyes, are you a Trojan horse?
"We are only falsehood, duplicity, contradiction; we both conceal and disguise ourselves from ourselves." BLAISE PASCAL
By Alex P. Vidal
Long ago--more than 3,000 years--a band of Greek princes and heroes made a war on the city of Troy, in Asia Minor.
They laid siege to the city, but the Trojans were not easily beaten and the war went on for 10 years. It might not have ended even then had not Odysseus, the cleverest of the Greeks, devised a scheme to overthrow the city.
The Greeks pretended that they were giving up the siege and began making preparations to leave. One of the things that they did was to build a gigantic wooden horse. They left this on the shore, and then went on board their ships and sailed away.
WARRIORS
When the Trojans saw the Greek warriors depart, there was great rejoicing. Believing the horse to be a luck offering to the gods, they opened their gates and hauled the horse inside as a prize of victory.
During the night, however, when the feasting was over and the Trojans were asleep, a door was opened in the side of the hollow wooden animal and out crept a band of Greeks who had been concealed inside. These men opened the gates of the city and let in the main army of the Greeks, who had sailed back again as soon as darkness had fallen.
Thus Troy was captured and destroyed.
POET
Long ago the blind poet of ancient Greece, Homer, told about the Trojan horse in his Odyssey. Even today the name is applied to a person or persons who get inside enemy territory and help outside forces to get in and conquer it.
Gigi Reyes, are you a Trojan horse?
Monday, April 14, 2014
Why Ilonggos love Manny Pacquiao
Why Ilonggos love Manny Pacquiao
"The strength of a man's virtue should not be measured by his special exertions, but by his habitual acts."
Blaise Pascal
By Alex P. Vidal
Ilonggo fans were among those who cheered heartily and prayed hard for Rep. Manny Pacquiao, 35, to regain his WBO welterweight title from previously unbeaten Timothy Bradley Jr. last April 12.
Aside from being a sports celebrity, Ilonggos remember Pacquiao (56-5, 38 KOs) both as a "sympathizer" and "friend."
When typhoon "Frank" ravaged Iloilo in 2008, Manny Pacquiao, fresh from a 9th round TKO against David Diaz for WBC lightweight title in Las Vegas on June 28, 2008, went straight to Jaro district in Iloilo City to donate cash for typhoon victims through Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, then president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
His presence bouyed the spirits of Ilonggos who identify themselves with the puglist who speaks pure Hiligaynon whenever he is in the Visayas and Mindanao.
I speak to Pacquiao in Hiligaynon and he answers in Hiligaynon. I don't speak Tagalog when I converse with Pacquiao so he can easily recognize me. In fact, he is surrounded by Hiligaynon-speaking staff. Among them are Ben Delgado, a former assistant trainer, and Danny Halibas, caretaker of his apartment in La Brea, Los Angeles.
GOODBYE
I personally bade goodbye to Pacquiao in his vehicle at the parking lot of Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino the night he dismantled Diaz, telling him I could not join with the entourage in going back to L.A. the following day, June 29, because I would fly to Laredo, Texas. Before the Diaz duel, Pacquiao announced he wanted to go to Iloilo City to help the typhoon victims. I could not make it also to Iloilo City as I would be in L.A. by that time, I quipped.
As I walked inside the hotel and was already about 20 meters away, Alex Oreto, Pacquiao's driver, who works as hospital instrument technician in L.A., loudly called me to comeback: "Tokayo Alex, tinatawag ka ni Manny (Tokayo Alex, Manny is calling you)."
When I went back to Pacquiao's vehicle, the champ handed to me several crumpled $100 bills without much ado.
"Sa iyo 'to (This is for you). Happy trip," he quipped, grimacing in pain from a broken left fist he used to steamroll Chicago-based Diaz. I thanked the champ and left without counting the crumpled papers.
'THANK YOU'
I never asked anything from him, but it was probably his own way of saying "thank you" for all the articles I wrote about him since I started covering his fights in the United States. My stories were not for sale. No strings attached. It was heartily-given by an ebullient champion.
In Iloilo City, he gave interviews to reporters and met with church leaders and city officials. Pacquiao showed his concern for typhoon victims not only by donating cash, but also by telling them he felt sad when he heard about the destruction and damage wrought by the howler on properties and infrastructures. When he was not yet a superstar, Pacquiao surreptitiously honored an invitation by then Guimbal mayor and now Iloilo first district Rep. Oscar "Richard" Garin Jr. to go to Guimbal, Iloilo, 30 minutes ride from Iloilo City, together with Cebu promoter Sammy Gello-ani, to grace a small-time professional boxing event in 2006.
When Pacquiao fought Antonio Margarito for WBO 147-lb belt in Arlington, Texas on Nov. 13, 2010, I saw Mayor Garin in the lobby of Gaylord Hotel waiting for his complimentary ringside ticket. "I was invited by Manny to watch his fight," Garin told me when I asked him why he was there.
"The strength of a man's virtue should not be measured by his special exertions, but by his habitual acts."
Blaise Pascal
By Alex P. Vidal
Ilonggo fans were among those who cheered heartily and prayed hard for Rep. Manny Pacquiao, 35, to regain his WBO welterweight title from previously unbeaten Timothy Bradley Jr. last April 12.
Aside from being a sports celebrity, Ilonggos remember Pacquiao (56-5, 38 KOs) both as a "sympathizer" and "friend."
When typhoon "Frank" ravaged Iloilo in 2008, Manny Pacquiao, fresh from a 9th round TKO against David Diaz for WBC lightweight title in Las Vegas on June 28, 2008, went straight to Jaro district in Iloilo City to donate cash for typhoon victims through Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, then president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
His presence bouyed the spirits of Ilonggos who identify themselves with the puglist who speaks pure Hiligaynon whenever he is in the Visayas and Mindanao.
I speak to Pacquiao in Hiligaynon and he answers in Hiligaynon. I don't speak Tagalog when I converse with Pacquiao so he can easily recognize me. In fact, he is surrounded by Hiligaynon-speaking staff. Among them are Ben Delgado, a former assistant trainer, and Danny Halibas, caretaker of his apartment in La Brea, Los Angeles.
GOODBYE
I personally bade goodbye to Pacquiao in his vehicle at the parking lot of Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino the night he dismantled Diaz, telling him I could not join with the entourage in going back to L.A. the following day, June 29, because I would fly to Laredo, Texas. Before the Diaz duel, Pacquiao announced he wanted to go to Iloilo City to help the typhoon victims. I could not make it also to Iloilo City as I would be in L.A. by that time, I quipped.
As I walked inside the hotel and was already about 20 meters away, Alex Oreto, Pacquiao's driver, who works as hospital instrument technician in L.A., loudly called me to comeback: "Tokayo Alex, tinatawag ka ni Manny (Tokayo Alex, Manny is calling you)."
When I went back to Pacquiao's vehicle, the champ handed to me several crumpled $100 bills without much ado.
"Sa iyo 'to (This is for you). Happy trip," he quipped, grimacing in pain from a broken left fist he used to steamroll Chicago-based Diaz. I thanked the champ and left without counting the crumpled papers.
'THANK YOU'
I never asked anything from him, but it was probably his own way of saying "thank you" for all the articles I wrote about him since I started covering his fights in the United States. My stories were not for sale. No strings attached. It was heartily-given by an ebullient champion.
In Iloilo City, he gave interviews to reporters and met with church leaders and city officials. Pacquiao showed his concern for typhoon victims not only by donating cash, but also by telling them he felt sad when he heard about the destruction and damage wrought by the howler on properties and infrastructures. When he was not yet a superstar, Pacquiao surreptitiously honored an invitation by then Guimbal mayor and now Iloilo first district Rep. Oscar "Richard" Garin Jr. to go to Guimbal, Iloilo, 30 minutes ride from Iloilo City, together with Cebu promoter Sammy Gello-ani, to grace a small-time professional boxing event in 2006.
When Pacquiao fought Antonio Margarito for WBO 147-lb belt in Arlington, Texas on Nov. 13, 2010, I saw Mayor Garin in the lobby of Gaylord Hotel waiting for his complimentary ringside ticket. "I was invited by Manny to watch his fight," Garin told me when I asked him why he was there.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Pacquiao's win crystal clear as early as 7th
Pacquiao's win crystal
clear as early as 7th
By Alex P. Vidal
It looked like Timothy Bradley was made of stone and was a symbol of ring savagery in the first and fourth rounds. Until he changed tactics in 6th and everything turned tupsy turvy in as far as Team Bradley defense was concerned.
Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs) had the WBO welterweight title in the bag as early as 7th round when Bradley (31-1, 12 KOs) started to miss and absorbed Pacquiao's combos each time the defending champion from Palm Springs, California was pinned on the ropes.
If it was a battle for the gold medal in the Olympics, Pacquiao was a run-away winner. The judges confirmed this with scores of 116-112, 116-112, 118-110. Pacquiao, 35, more determined than the first duel with the unbeaten Bradley, took advantage of Bradley's change of style midway in the fight by unleashing powder puff but punches that came in volumes.
Bradley tagged Pacquiao with crisp jabs and hooks early in the fight but these were not enough to overrun the Filipino challenger's lead that hiked in the 8th, 9th, 10th and 12th. Bradley secured round 11 with a hit and run tactic but his fate was sealed.
DESTRUCTIVE
Bradley was destructive when he tackled Pacquiao from a distance where he used left jabs effectively to put the American ring enemy at bay. Bradley elected to brawl with the hard-hitting Filipino congressman in the third stanza and wanted to end the event with a single blow.
He started to miss wild punches when Pacquiao cut the ring and refused to give space for his showboat display actually meant to avoid Pacquiao's solid left. Bradley spent the rest of the rounds backpedaling after 7th and slowed down the rest of the fight. Bradley got tired and his work rate declined entering the second half of the 12-round rumble.
Team Bradley sensed they were trailing on points entering the 9th round. A knockout was all they needed to upset Pacquiao for the second time. By the 10th, Pacquiao's lead was insurmountable and even if he did not throw a punch and use only his lateral movements, he was already a sure winner.
It was Bradley's third defense of the WBO 147-lb crown he wrested from Pacquiao on a controversial 12-round split decision on June 9, 2012 also at the MGM Grand.
VACANT
No one has beaten Pacquiao convincingly on points except Erik Morales. In a rare display of unanimous agreement, three judges submitted similar scores when they awarded two vacant boxing titles to Morales, the first and only man in history to ever beat Manny Pacquiao convincingly by unanimous decision.
There was no uproar or storm of protest when Morales, nicknamed "El Terible", subdued Pacquiao for vacant WBC international super featherweight and IBA super featherweight titles at the MGM Grand on March 19, 2005.
Judges Paul Smith, Dave Moretti, and Chuck Giampa all scored an identical 115-113. Referee Joe Cortez had no problem controlling the action as both Morales and Pacquiao played professionally and did not employ dirty tactics.
DANCE
"I erred when I allowed him to dance and avoid my heavy blows," Pacquiao said in Tagalog when pressed to recall the first of his three encounters with the Mexican heartthrob.
Pacquiao destroyed Morales in their next two meetings, the only trilogy in the Filipino's career, winning by TKO in 10th on January 21, 2006 and KO in 3rd on November 18, 2006. Both massacres occured at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Prior to losing a unanimous verdict to Morales, Pacquiao's two other previous defeats were clean knockouts inflicted by unheralded fellow Filipino Rustico Torrecampo and Medgoen Singsurat of Thailand.
Pacquiao, then a skinny flyweight prospect, fell flat like a sack of potatoes in 3rd after being hit in the chin by Torrecampo's powerful wallop in a 10-round non-title header in Mandaluyong City on Feb. 9, 1996.
VICTORIES
After chalking up 13 straight victories, Pacquiao again wiped the canvas with his face after being blasted by Singsurat, then nicknamed "3-K Battery", in a gallant and failed bid to retain his WBC flyweight crown in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand on September 9, 1999.
He had to leave the flyweight division and move up after the Singsurat debacle where he racked up 11 straight wins as a super bantamweight terror that included a spectacular KO win over the late Lehlo Ledwaba to claim the IBF super bantamweight diadem at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on June 23, 2001.
The controversial split decision loss to Bradley came 14 fights after his loss to Morales, winning 13 and drawing one against Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12, 2011.
Aside from Morales, no boxer has beaten Pacquiao on points convincingly. Because of the gravity of pressure and force Pacquiao applies in all his fights, either his opponents end up snoring in the canvas or he is the one counting the stars after falling head first like in his December 8, 2012 duel against Marquez.
By Alex P. Vidal
It looked like Timothy Bradley was made of stone and was a symbol of ring savagery in the first and fourth rounds. Until he changed tactics in 6th and everything turned tupsy turvy in as far as Team Bradley defense was concerned.
Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs) had the WBO welterweight title in the bag as early as 7th round when Bradley (31-1, 12 KOs) started to miss and absorbed Pacquiao's combos each time the defending champion from Palm Springs, California was pinned on the ropes.
If it was a battle for the gold medal in the Olympics, Pacquiao was a run-away winner. The judges confirmed this with scores of 116-112, 116-112, 118-110. Pacquiao, 35, more determined than the first duel with the unbeaten Bradley, took advantage of Bradley's change of style midway in the fight by unleashing powder puff but punches that came in volumes.
Bradley tagged Pacquiao with crisp jabs and hooks early in the fight but these were not enough to overrun the Filipino challenger's lead that hiked in the 8th, 9th, 10th and 12th. Bradley secured round 11 with a hit and run tactic but his fate was sealed.
DESTRUCTIVE
Bradley was destructive when he tackled Pacquiao from a distance where he used left jabs effectively to put the American ring enemy at bay. Bradley elected to brawl with the hard-hitting Filipino congressman in the third stanza and wanted to end the event with a single blow.
He started to miss wild punches when Pacquiao cut the ring and refused to give space for his showboat display actually meant to avoid Pacquiao's solid left. Bradley spent the rest of the rounds backpedaling after 7th and slowed down the rest of the fight. Bradley got tired and his work rate declined entering the second half of the 12-round rumble.
Team Bradley sensed they were trailing on points entering the 9th round. A knockout was all they needed to upset Pacquiao for the second time. By the 10th, Pacquiao's lead was insurmountable and even if he did not throw a punch and use only his lateral movements, he was already a sure winner.
It was Bradley's third defense of the WBO 147-lb crown he wrested from Pacquiao on a controversial 12-round split decision on June 9, 2012 also at the MGM Grand.
VACANT
No one has beaten Pacquiao convincingly on points except Erik Morales. In a rare display of unanimous agreement, three judges submitted similar scores when they awarded two vacant boxing titles to Morales, the first and only man in history to ever beat Manny Pacquiao convincingly by unanimous decision.
There was no uproar or storm of protest when Morales, nicknamed "El Terible", subdued Pacquiao for vacant WBC international super featherweight and IBA super featherweight titles at the MGM Grand on March 19, 2005.
Judges Paul Smith, Dave Moretti, and Chuck Giampa all scored an identical 115-113. Referee Joe Cortez had no problem controlling the action as both Morales and Pacquiao played professionally and did not employ dirty tactics.
DANCE
"I erred when I allowed him to dance and avoid my heavy blows," Pacquiao said in Tagalog when pressed to recall the first of his three encounters with the Mexican heartthrob.
Pacquiao destroyed Morales in their next two meetings, the only trilogy in the Filipino's career, winning by TKO in 10th on January 21, 2006 and KO in 3rd on November 18, 2006. Both massacres occured at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Prior to losing a unanimous verdict to Morales, Pacquiao's two other previous defeats were clean knockouts inflicted by unheralded fellow Filipino Rustico Torrecampo and Medgoen Singsurat of Thailand.
Pacquiao, then a skinny flyweight prospect, fell flat like a sack of potatoes in 3rd after being hit in the chin by Torrecampo's powerful wallop in a 10-round non-title header in Mandaluyong City on Feb. 9, 1996.
VICTORIES
After chalking up 13 straight victories, Pacquiao again wiped the canvas with his face after being blasted by Singsurat, then nicknamed "3-K Battery", in a gallant and failed bid to retain his WBC flyweight crown in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand on September 9, 1999.
He had to leave the flyweight division and move up after the Singsurat debacle where he racked up 11 straight wins as a super bantamweight terror that included a spectacular KO win over the late Lehlo Ledwaba to claim the IBF super bantamweight diadem at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on June 23, 2001.
The controversial split decision loss to Bradley came 14 fights after his loss to Morales, winning 13 and drawing one against Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12, 2011.
Aside from Morales, no boxer has beaten Pacquiao on points convincingly. Because of the gravity of pressure and force Pacquiao applies in all his fights, either his opponents end up snoring in the canvas or he is the one counting the stars after falling head first like in his December 8, 2012 duel against Marquez.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
'We dramatize and dance in Bantayan Festival with feelings'
'We dramatize and dance in
Bantayan Festival with feelings'
"God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple." Chanakya
By Alex P. Vidal
GUIMBAL, Iloilo -- One area that makes the celebration of Bantayan Festival here different from other festivals all over the country is that "we dance and dramatize the history of our town with feelings," said Iloilo first district Rep. Oscar "Richard" Garin, Jr.
When Guimbalanons showcased their talents in the Tribal Dance Drama Competition last April 12 at the Guimbal Amphitheater, they shed tears while reenacting the atrocities of Moro raiders who abused women and children and sold able males to slavery in Mindanao during the Spanish era.
"We are proud of our history and heritage. We want to tell the world how resilient we are and how we defended our municipality against the pirates," explained Garin, a former mayor of this coastal municipality located at the southwestern part of Iloilo province.
CELEBRATE
Garin, whose sister Christine is the incumbent mayor, said they started to celebrate Bantayan Festival in 2003. Guimbal was established as a pueblo civil in 1703 and Bernardo Angan was the town's first mayor.
Garin said "Guimbal" originally meant drum, which was used by Guimbalanons to warn villagers of the coming of Moro raiders in the sea. The first reference to Guimbal by such name in Spanish records appeared in Father Coco’s appendix to Medina’s “The History of the Agustinian Order in the Philippines” Where it referred to the establishment of a convento in Guimbal, Iloilo in 1590.
BEAT
"The beat of our drums is different. The choreography is intense and the dance is based on our culture," Garin said. "We don't allow our participants to dance while eating a chewing gum. They have to do it with feelings in order to really deliver the message to the people."
This year's 2014 Bantayan Festival Tribal Dance Drama Competition was won by Tribu Igsibad. Other winners were Tribu Camagong (second), Tribu Tumandok (third), Tribu Canaca (fourth), Tribu Abunil (fifth).
As this year's champion, Tribu Igsibad, will re-enact the Moro raid in Banyan beach resort, where the watchtower is located, in the festival next year.
Bantayan Festival with feelings'
"God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple." Chanakya
By Alex P. Vidal
GUIMBAL, Iloilo -- One area that makes the celebration of Bantayan Festival here different from other festivals all over the country is that "we dance and dramatize the history of our town with feelings," said Iloilo first district Rep. Oscar "Richard" Garin, Jr.
When Guimbalanons showcased their talents in the Tribal Dance Drama Competition last April 12 at the Guimbal Amphitheater, they shed tears while reenacting the atrocities of Moro raiders who abused women and children and sold able males to slavery in Mindanao during the Spanish era.
"We are proud of our history and heritage. We want to tell the world how resilient we are and how we defended our municipality against the pirates," explained Garin, a former mayor of this coastal municipality located at the southwestern part of Iloilo province.
CELEBRATE
Garin, whose sister Christine is the incumbent mayor, said they started to celebrate Bantayan Festival in 2003. Guimbal was established as a pueblo civil in 1703 and Bernardo Angan was the town's first mayor.
Garin said "Guimbal" originally meant drum, which was used by Guimbalanons to warn villagers of the coming of Moro raiders in the sea. The first reference to Guimbal by such name in Spanish records appeared in Father Coco’s appendix to Medina’s “The History of the Agustinian Order in the Philippines” Where it referred to the establishment of a convento in Guimbal, Iloilo in 1590.
BEAT
"The beat of our drums is different. The choreography is intense and the dance is based on our culture," Garin said. "We don't allow our participants to dance while eating a chewing gum. They have to do it with feelings in order to really deliver the message to the people."
This year's 2014 Bantayan Festival Tribal Dance Drama Competition was won by Tribu Igsibad. Other winners were Tribu Camagong (second), Tribu Tumandok (third), Tribu Canaca (fourth), Tribu Abunil (fifth).
As this year's champion, Tribu Igsibad, will re-enact the Moro raid in Banyan beach resort, where the watchtower is located, in the festival next year.
Only Erik Morales could beat Pacquiao on points
Only Erik Morales could
beat Pacquiao on points
By Alex P. Vidal
In a rare display of unanimous agreement, three judges submitted similar scores when they awarded two vacant boxing titles to Erik Morales, the first and only man in history to ever beat Manny Pacquiao convincingly by unanimous decision.
There was no uproar or storm of protest when Morales, nicknamed "El Terible", subdued Pacquiao for vacant WBC international super featherweight and IBA super featherweight titles at the MGM Grand on March 19, 2005.
Judges Paul Smith, Dave Moretti, and Chuck Giampa all scored an identical 115-113. Referee Joe Cortez had no problem controlling the action as both Morales and Pacquiao played professionally and did not employ dirty tactics.
DANCE
"I erred when I allowed him to dance and avoid my heavy blows," Pacquiao said in Tagalog when pressed to recall the first of his three encounters with the Mexican heartthrob.
Pacquiao destroyed Morales in their next two meetings, the only trilogy in the Filipino's career, winning by TKO in 10th on January 21, 2006 and KO in 3rd on November 18, 2006. Both massacres occurred at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Prior to losing a unanimous verdict to Morales, Pacquiao's two other previous defeats were clean knockouts inflicted by unheralded fellow Filipino Rusteco Torrecampo and Medgoen Singsurat of Thailand.
Pacquiao, then a skinny flyweight prospect, fell flat like a sack of potatoes in 3rd after being hit in the chin by Torrecampo's powerful wallop in a 10-round non-title header in Mandaluyong City on Feb. 9, 1996.
VICTORIES
After chalking up 13 straight victories, Pacquiao again wiped the canvas with his face after being blasted by Singsurat, then nicknamed "3-K Battery", in a gallant and failed bid to retain his WBC flyweight crown in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand on September 9, 1999.
He had to leave the flyweight division and move up after the Singsurat debacle where he racked up 11 straight wins as a super bantamweight terror that included a spectacular KO win over the late Lehlo Ledwaba to claim the IBF super bantamweight diadem at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on June 23, 2001.
The controversial split decision loss to Bradley came 14 fights after his loss to Morales, winning 13 and drawing one against Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12, 2011.
Aside from Morales, no boxer has beaten Pacquiao on points convincingly. Because of the gravity of pressure and force Pacquiao applies in all his fights, either his opponents end up snoring in the canvas or he is the one counting the stars after falling head first like in his December 8, 2012 duel against Marquez.
beat Pacquiao on points
By Alex P. Vidal
In a rare display of unanimous agreement, three judges submitted similar scores when they awarded two vacant boxing titles to Erik Morales, the first and only man in history to ever beat Manny Pacquiao convincingly by unanimous decision.
There was no uproar or storm of protest when Morales, nicknamed "El Terible", subdued Pacquiao for vacant WBC international super featherweight and IBA super featherweight titles at the MGM Grand on March 19, 2005.
Judges Paul Smith, Dave Moretti, and Chuck Giampa all scored an identical 115-113. Referee Joe Cortez had no problem controlling the action as both Morales and Pacquiao played professionally and did not employ dirty tactics.
DANCE
"I erred when I allowed him to dance and avoid my heavy blows," Pacquiao said in Tagalog when pressed to recall the first of his three encounters with the Mexican heartthrob.
Pacquiao destroyed Morales in their next two meetings, the only trilogy in the Filipino's career, winning by TKO in 10th on January 21, 2006 and KO in 3rd on November 18, 2006. Both massacres occurred at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Prior to losing a unanimous verdict to Morales, Pacquiao's two other previous defeats were clean knockouts inflicted by unheralded fellow Filipino Rusteco Torrecampo and Medgoen Singsurat of Thailand.
Pacquiao, then a skinny flyweight prospect, fell flat like a sack of potatoes in 3rd after being hit in the chin by Torrecampo's powerful wallop in a 10-round non-title header in Mandaluyong City on Feb. 9, 1996.
VICTORIES
After chalking up 13 straight victories, Pacquiao again wiped the canvas with his face after being blasted by Singsurat, then nicknamed "3-K Battery", in a gallant and failed bid to retain his WBC flyweight crown in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand on September 9, 1999.
He had to leave the flyweight division and move up after the Singsurat debacle where he racked up 11 straight wins as a super bantamweight terror that included a spectacular KO win over the late Lehlo Ledwaba to claim the IBF super bantamweight diadem at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on June 23, 2001.
The controversial split decision loss to Bradley came 14 fights after his loss to Morales, winning 13 and drawing one against Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12, 2011.
Aside from Morales, no boxer has beaten Pacquiao on points convincingly. Because of the gravity of pressure and force Pacquiao applies in all his fights, either his opponents end up snoring in the canvas or he is the one counting the stars after falling head first like in his December 8, 2012 duel against Marquez.
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