MANILA — Barack Obama ended an Asian tour Tuesday with a warning to

China against using force in territorial dis-putes, as Chinese authorities accused the US president of ganging up with “troublemak-ing” allies. The barbs ensured a tense finish to a four-nation trip dominated by the worsening mari-time rows between China and US allies in the region, which have triggered fears of military conflict. “We believe that nations and peoples have

the right to live in security and peace, to have their sovereignty and territorial integrity re-spected,” Obama told a gathering of US and Filipino troops in Manila. “We believe that international law must be upheld, that freedom of navigation must be preserved and commerce must not be imped-ed. We believe that disputes must be resolved peacefully and not by intimidation or force.”Close American ally the Philippines has been embroiled in one of the highest-profile ter-ritorial disputes with China, over tiny islets,

reefs and rocks in the South China Sea.China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, which is believed to contain huge depos-its of oil and gas, even waters and islands or reefs close to its neighbours. The Philippines, which has one of the weakest militaries in the region, has re-peatedly called on longtime ally the United States for help as China has increased mili-tary and diplomatic pressure to take control of the contested areas.

MANILA - US President Barack Obama steered clear of China on Monday

night as he said that the United States’ com-mitment to defend the Philippines is iron-clad. This, after the US leader failed to cat-egorically say during an earlier joint press conference with President Benigno Aquino whether the US would defend the Philip-pines from China. “Through our treaty alliance, the United States has an ironclad commitment to de-fend you, your security and your indepen-dence,” Obama said during his toast during

the state dinner prepared for him at the Pal-ace. During his earlier joint press briefing with Aquino, Obama did not give a firm commit-ment to defend the Philippines if China at-tacks it over maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea. Obama was asked twice if he will give the same commitment that he gave to Japan last week. Japan, like the Philippines, is a treaty ally of the US, and both have maritime disputes with China. Japan has the Senkaku Islands while the

Philippines is in a tug of war over islands, shoals, and atolls in the West Philippine Sea. “We welcome China’s peaceful rise. We have a constructive relationship with China. There is enormous trade; enormous business that is done between the United States and China; So our goal is not to counter China; our goal is not to contain China,” Obama said. He added that the US does not take a specif-ic position on the disputes between nations. “But, as a matter of international law and international norms,

VOL. 2 ISSUE 27 MAY 01, 2014 - MAY 07, 2014WWW.SF-POST.COM

U.S. President Barack Obama, left, shakes hands with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III at the Mala-canang presidential palace in Manila, Philippines, Mon-day, April 28, 2014.

Are you Team Monica or Team Nicole? - page 13

Cedric Lee, cohort nabbed in Samar, taken to Manila- page 13

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Obama ignites Chinese Anger

Obama: US will defend PHObama: Commitment ‘iron-clad’

Rally pushes for full TPS for Filipinos in the US Story on page 3

PH, US sign agreement for enhanced defense

MANILA – The Phil-ippines and the

United States signed an agreement Monday to allow a bigger US mili-tary presence on Filipino territory, hours ahead of a visit to Manila by US President Barack Obama. Philippine Defense Minister Voltaire Gaz-min and US ambassador Philip Goldberg signed the 10-year pact, which is seen as another ele-ment of Obama’s effort to focus US military and economic attention more heavily on Asia. Obama said the deal would see more US troops rotate through the Philippines for joint

military training exer-cises, but emphasized there would be no return of permanent American bases. “Greater cooperation between American and Filipino forces would enhance our ability to train, exercise, and oper-ate with each other and respond even faster to a range of challenges,” Obama said in a written response to questions by local television network ABS-CBN ahead of his visit. The deal announced on Monday is only a frame-work agreement,

(Cont. on Page 10)

Donald Streling (second in pic) beside her girlfriend, V. Stiviano.(Cont. on Page 9)

NBA bans Clippers owner

Donald Sterling for life

NEW YORK - Los Angeles

Clippers owner Don-ald Sterling has been banned for life by the NBA in response to racist comments the league says he made in a recorded conversation. Commissioner Adam Silver said he will try to force the controver-sial owner to sell his

franchise. Sterling has also been fined $2.5 million, and Silver made no effort to hide his outrage over the comments.“I fully expect to get the support I need from the other NBA owners I need to re-move him,

(Cont. on Page 10)

(Cont. on Page 11)

RICHMOND, Calif. — The wreckage of a small plane that crashed into San Francisco Bay after colliding with another aircraft was located on Monday, authorities said. Crews located the Cessna but could not im-mediately say whether the pilot was also found, Contra Costa County sheriff’s spokesman Jim-my Lee said. The search began Sun-day afternoon after the Cessna 210 and a Hawk-er Sea Fury TMK 20 col-lided in mid-air.The pilot of the vintage airplane landed safely, but the Cessna crashed into the water. The names of the pilots haven’t been released. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. An NTSB official will be interviewing the pilot of a plane that made it back to land and reviewing the pilots’ backgrounds, agency spokesman Terry Williams said. The collision occurred near the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Witnesses at Point San Pablo Yacht Harbor told the San Francisco Chronicle that the Cessna spiraled out of

control and crashed into the choppy water. Debris was found in the bay after the collision.The Sea Fury’s pilot landed at Eagle’s Nest Airport in

the small city of Ione in Amador County, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said. The Sea Fury’s oc-cupants — a husband and wife —were unin-jured. It was unclear how many people were in the Cessna. U.S. Coast Guard heli-copters and vessels con-ducted search patterns in the bay on Monday, Lt.

Joshua Dykman of the U.S. Coast Guard said. Both planes had departed from Eagle’s Nest Airport to participate in the Pacific Coast Dream Machines, an annual festival at Half Moon Bay Airport that features a variety of planes, motorcycles and cars. Both planes left Half Moon Bay, about 20 miles south of San Francisco, and were on their return flight. FAA records indicate the Sea Fury, a vintage British fighter plane, is registered to Sanders Aeronautics Inc. in Ione. A man who answered the phone at the com-pany’s listed number declined to comment.

PAGE 2May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014 The San Francisco PostLOCAL

SAN FRANCISCO – City authorities have finally reached a deal for the construction of a neighbor-hood of nearly 1,700 low- and middle-income apartments and condominiums - along with a couple of parks, a restored and repurposed com-munity building, and a long-promised grocery store – at the old Schlage Lock factory site on Bayshore Blvd.The new agree-ment was an-nounced on Mon-day by Mayor Ed Lee and Supervi-sor Malia Cohen.“At long last the 20-acre Schlage Lock site, one of the largest avail-able housing de-velopment sites in our city, will be reborn and transformed from an old rail yard and factory into a new mixed-use community in Visitacion Val-ley,” the mayor said in a statement.The project is expected to generate about 2,800 construction jobs over the next 10 years and pro-vide housing for 3,800 residents. The develop-ment agreement with United Paragon Corpora-tion, the property’s owner, spells out the details of the project, including almost $12 million in city subsidies, some required zoning changes, height limits and design controls for the site.The agreement will go before the City Planning Commission in May and then to the Board of Su-pervisors, with all approvals expected by the end of June, said Ken Rich of the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, which shepherded the project.Construction could begin next year.Getting there has been quite a journey, city offi-cials admitted, with money the ultimate stumbling block.“It’s been hard,” said Cohen, whose district in-cludes Visitacion Valley.When Schlage Lock, which had been in the city since 1926, closed its San Francisco facility in 1999, the site was targeted for a huge Home Depot

store. But loud protests from merchants worried that the big-box store would devastate their busi-nesses and nearby residents looking for a more neighborhood-friendly development persuaded the Board of Supervisors to keep Home Depot out.The supervisors approved a mixed commercial-residential plan for the site in 2005 and designated it a redevelopment area. After long-running dis-

cussions with the owner and the community, an environmen-tal impact report was approved and a final agree-ment was pre-pared that pro-vided $50 million in redevelopment subsidies.But in 2012, about six months before the pa-pers were signed, Gov. Jerry Brown shut down every local redevelop-ment agency in the state. With

Brown’s order, the subsidy disappeared.“The project sat around for a while while we asked ourselves where we were going to get $50 million,” Rich said.Unlike most land in the city, the Schlage site had no power, no water and no sewers or any other in-frastructure. The price for doing the underground work combined with the cost of demolishing the buildings and doing the environmental cleanup needed on the former industrial site meant there was no feasible way to get the project done with-out some sort of city subsidy.“It just didn’t pencil out,” Rich said.But with the mayor and Cohen pushing to get more housing built in the city, city officials got creative.The city agreed to increase the number of homes from 1,250 to 1,679, boosting the potential profit for the developer. Since the new streets, side-walks, bicycle routes and off-site intersection im-provements will help traffic circulation, the city credited some of those costs against the transpor-tation impact fees the developer otherwise would have to pay.

SF reaches deal for housing, retail at Schlage Lock site

Filipino staff rattled by Daly City shootingDALY CITY, California – It was a day of cha-os and terror for some Filipinos in Northern California’s Little Manila after an 84-year-old patient allegedly fired a shot inside the Serra-monte Medical Dental building on Wednesday. Filipino health care staff working in the build-ing heard the gunshot fired around 1:30 p.m. “The doctor saw the man with the gun and he ran out and the shooting was behind him but luckily it missed him,” said Maria Armas, a Filipino healthcare staff. After 3 p.m., SWAT officers surrounded the building and searched for the gunman while es-corting people out to safety. Filipinos who live nearby said they were shocked this happened in their neighborhood. “I was pretty surprised. They actually called out the SWAT team here and if they call the SWAT team, then it’s pretty serious,” said Alex Clemente who lives a block up from the medi-cal building. Southgate resident Francis Reyes described

the incident as something which he only sees on the news. “But for it to happen in your own neighbor-hood just causes an alert to the folks. There’s a preschool nearby right behind my mom’s work. And I heard a lady that children are still in the preschool. I hope they’re okay. It’s pretty crazy that it’s happening on your own street,” said Reyes. Police searched room to room for the suspect identified as Raymond Iwase. The suspect was reportedly a disgruntled patient who allegedly targeted Dr. Kevin Wong, an internist. Police arrested Iwase without incident at his Daly City home later that evening. Authorities found a gun and ammunition in-side his home though it is not clear whether it was the same firearm allegedly used at the medical building. Iwase is currently held at the San Mateo Coun-ty Jail under suspicion of attempted murder. No court dates have been set.

Missing plane located in waters off Point Richmond

Schlage Lock closed its Visitacion Valley site in 1999. The factory had been operating since 1926. Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

IMMIGRATION SUCCESS STORY

Jennefer and Rufino were approved for green card under CSPA. Atty. Crispin C. Lozano represented their case with USCIS.

PAGE 3May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014The San Francisco Post NATIONAL

Bankruptcy will stop creditors harassmentQ. How can bankruptcy stop the

debt collectors harassment?

A. As soon as you file either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, the court

issues an automatic stay. This prevents creditors and debt collectors from contacting you, putting a stop to all creditor harassment.

Q. What are the forms of harassment that debt col-lectors do?

A. The debt collectors’ illegal action such as fol-lows:

• Need to educate you about the collection process • Cannot call you or your home continuously • Are prohibited from calling your home after speci-fied hours • Cannot call you at work • Are not allowed to call your neighbors• Using obscenity, racial slurs or insults• Sending letters which appear to have come from a court• Seeking collection fees or interest charges not per-mitted by your contract or by state law• Requesting post-dated checks with the intention to prosecute if they bounce • Filing a lawsuit in courts far from your place of resi-dence• False representations in association with efforts to collect the debt, including the false claim that the per-son contacting you is an attorney, falsely claiming to have started a lawsuit, using a false name, or using stationery that is designed to look like an official court or government communication• Using false claims to collect information about the debtor, such as pretending to be conducting a survey• Threatening you with arrest if you do not pay the debt

Q.What law protects the consumers from illegal ac-tions of debt collectors?

A. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you have the right to sue a debt collector in state

or federal court within one year from the date of the violation. If you win, you may recover damages in the

amount of any losses you suffered as a result of the violation, plus an addi-tional amount of up to $1,000.00. You

may also be able to recover court costs and attorney fees. If the same debt collector has engaged in unlawful conduct with a number of consumers, it may be possi-ble to find a lawyer who will file a class action lawsuit.

Bankruptcy Basics

1. Bankruptcy will actually improve your credit within one year because your unsecured debts are discharged. Although the bankruptcy will be in your records for 10 years, not filing bankruptcy will make your credit even worse until most your debts are paid.2. If you are being sued by your creditors, most money judgment can be eliminated in bankruptcy.3. Collection actions continue and you can be sued if you are in debt settlement.4. Chapter 7 will eliminate all unsecured debts. If you are near retirement age, you must eliminate most of your debts.5. Bankruptcy will stop foreclosure actions. If your trustee sale date is 10 days before, you can still file for bankruptcy.6. If your salary is being garnished, you have a court case about debts or you are being harassed by credi-tors, bankruptcy can stop garnishment, court cases, harassing creditors and eliminate the debt.7. Bankruptcy is cheaper, faster and safer than debt settlement which has no guaranteed success. 8. Preserve your health, eliminate stress and live a happy life by eliminating your debts which is the root of all problems.

Crispin Caday Lozano is an active member of the State Bar of Califor-nia, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the National Association of Consumers Bankruptcy Attorneys. He specializes in immigration law and bankruptcy law. He earned his Juris Doctor at Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, California. He is also a Certified Public Accountant, and a Bachelor of Business Admin-istration Cum Laude graduate.

By Atty. Crispin C. Lozano

BANKRUPTCY Q&A

LOUISVILLE, Miss. - A dangerous storm system that spawned a chain of deadly tor-nadoes over three days flattened homes and businesses, forced frightened residents in more than half a dozen states to take cover and left tens of thousands in the dark Tuesday. As the storm hopscotched across a large swath of the U.S., the overall death toll was at least 34, with 12 killed Mon-day and 17 Sunday in a band stretching from Oklahoma to Alabama. Forecasts showed the storm continuing to move east Tuesday, with Georgia and Ala-bama residents waking to sirens, howling wind and pounding rain. Others found their loved ones missing and their homes pulverized. Along Missis-sippi Highway 397 on the eastern edge of Louisville, firefighters picked through the remains of mobile homes, searching for three people unaccounted for after a torna-do tore through. Twenty firefighters linked hands and waded through an area where wood frame homes had also been heavily damaged. Rescue workers stepped gingerly over downed power lines and trees that were snapped in half and stripped of branches. The Louisville tornado caused water dam-age and carved holes in the roof of the Win-ston Medical Center. The emergency room was evacuated Monday. “We thought we were going to be OK,

then a guy came in and said, ‘It’s here right now,’” said Dr. Michael Henry, head of the emergency room. “Then boom ... it blew through.” Republican state Sen. Giles Ward huddled

in a bathroom with his wife, four other fam-ily members and their dog as the tornado destroyed his two-story brick house in Louisville and flipped his son-in-law’s SUV upside down onto the patio. “For about 30 seconds, it was unbe l ievable ,”

Ward said. “It’s about as awful as anything we’ve gone through.” Officials said seven people died in Win-ston County, where Louisville is the county seat, with about 6,600 people. It was unclear whether those any of those deaths were in-cluded in the state’s total tally. Another person died in Mississippi when her car either hydroplaned or was blown off a road during the storm in Verona, south of Tupelo, Lee County Coroner Carolyn Gil-lentine Green said. One of the seven victims in Winston County was a woman who died in the day care center she owned in Louisville, county Coroner Scott Gregory told The Associated Press late Monday. Authorities were return-ing to the center Tuesday. In Tupelo, a community of about 35,000 in northeastern Mississippi, every building in a two-block area was damaged, officials on the scene said.

34 dead as tornadoes hit central, southern US

WASHINGTON, DC – Rosalina Cionelo, a 70-year-old housekeeper in Manhattan, New York, says she has worked and lived in the shadows for 17 years without protection. “It is a very difficult and stressful job and every day I worry that I will be ques-tioned, arrested or deported just because I work here in the U.S. to survive and help my fam-ily back in the Philippines.” On April 25, Cionelo joined nearly 100 do-mestic workers, activists, immigration rights advocates, students and community leaders who came from all over the country to rally in front of the White House and renew their push for temporary protected status (TPS) for undocumented Filipino immigrants. Out in the open, Cionelo spoke with emo-tion about why TPS is an urgent personal matter to her. “As a hardworking and peace-loving Fili-pino immigrant in the U.S., I am asking for

TPS so I can travel to the Philippines and help my suffering family recover from the storm,” she said. “But I need a guarantee

that I will be al-lowed re-entry to the U.S. so I can continue working and earn as much as I can to sup-port my seven siblings and 15 nephews and nieces. They are depending on me.” Timed two days before P r e s i d e n t O b a m a ’ s

scheduled visit to Manila, the rally partici-pants want it publicly known that a strong endorsement from both governments and equally strong support from the American and Filipino communities in both countries are needed to secure full temporary protected status (TPS) to the Philippines. We are not giving up until full TPS is grant-ed. We urge the U.S. to continue all forms of humanitarian aid to the Philippines, in-cluding TPS, because this is another form of assistance that is critical to the long-term recovery of the country.”

Rally pushes for full TPS for Filipinos in US

KUALA LUMPUR — US President Barack Obama interrupted his diplomatic initiative in Asia Sunday to condemn “ignorant” and “incredibly offensive” racist remarks allegedly made by the owner of the NBA Los Angeles Clippers. Obama took aim at the reported comments by Clip-pers owner Donald Sterling and said he was confi-dent the National Basketball Association would ad-dress the controversy. The president, speaking in Malaysia, said the state-ments were “incredibly offensive” and “racist”.“I don’t think I have to interpret those statements for you. They kind of speak for themselves,” said Obama. “When ignorant folks want to advertise their igno-rance, you don’t really have to do anything, you just let them talk.” Obama said the NBA was beloved by fans across the United States, had many African American play-ers and was steeped in the community’s culture. “I suspect the NBA is going to be deeply concerned in resolving this.” Obama, the first African American president, and a keen basketball player and fan, also made a wider point about racism in US society, which he said was still wrestling with the legacy of slavery and segre-gation. “We just have to be clear and steady in denouncing it, teaching our children differently but also (remain) hopeful that part of why some statements like this stand out so much is because there has been a shift in how we view ourselves.” Sterling was allegedly the speaker on an audio re-cording posted on TMZ’s website. It caught a man arguing with a woman about her posting of pictures with African Americans on the Internet and asking her not to bring black people to Clippers games. “It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you are associating with black people. Do you have to?” Sterling allegedly told his girlfriend. “You can sleep with (black people). You can bring them in. You can do whatever you want. The little I ask is not to promote it on that… and not to bring them to my games.”

Obama denounces alleged racism by Clippers owner

Tornadoes tore through a stretch of central United States on Sun-day, killing at least 17 people and leaving behind a river of carnage in Arkansas.

WASHINGTON - Republican Representative Michael Grimm from New York was indicted on fraud charges in connection with a Man-hattan fast-food restaurant he partly owned, according to court documents unsealed on Monday. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The charges follow a federal probe of Grimm’s fundraising that has been going on for more than two years, and Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch told reporters a “larger

investigation” was ongoing. Grimm is a former Marine who subsequently worked as an FBI agent. He was elected in 2010 with a wave of conservative “Tea Party” Republicans advocating low taxes and govern-ment spending, but built a moderate voting record. In January, he generated headlines when he threatened to throw a television reporter off a balcony after an interview in the U.S. Capitol. The incident was caught on camera.

Speaking to reporters after a court hearing on Monday, Grimm vowed to return to work and “fight tooth and nail until I’m exonerated.” He notified House Speaker John Boehner in a letter on Monday that he would step down from the House Financial Services Commit-tee “in light of recent events,” but added that “upon a successful resolution of pending legal matters my intention is to resume said position as an active member of the committee.”

NY Rep. Grimm indicted on fraud

Rosalina Cionelo (right), joins other Damayan do-mestic workers in chanting “TPS Now!” PHOTOS BY JON MELEGRITO

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-pres-ent help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. “Selah” Psalm 46: 1-3

Twenty-eight years af-

ter the EDSA people power revolution and 23 years after the Philippine Senate kicked the U.S. bases out of the Phil-ippines, the Americans are back at the re-quest of the

Philippine government. Why? The toppling of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986 whipped up nationalistic fervor among the new in-telligentsia who saw an opportunity to create a so-ciety free of foreign influence and interference. It was a period of unbridled nationalism that blamed the malaise of the past on America’s perceived meddling in the Philippines’ national affairs. It did not then come as a surprise that the 1987 Con-stitution was crafted to prohibit foreign military bases on Philippine soil. In 1991, twelve senators voted 12-11 to reject the extension of the US-Philippines Military Bases Agreement. The vainglorious senators – who called themselves, the Magnificent 12 – justified their vote by claiming that the treaty was favorable to the U.S. but not to the Philippines. The following year, the U.S. bases were closed.

Chinese aggression Two years after the closure of the U.S. bases in 1992, China seized the Panganiban Reef (Mischief Reef) in the middle of the night. And the Philippine Armed Forces couldn’t do anything to take it back. In the past three years, China aggressively pursued her territorial claim to about 80% of the South Chi-na Sea including the Spratly archipelago. In 2012, she took possession of Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal). That didn’t bode well with President Benigno Aquino III, who, ultimately would bear a stigma of guilt should he fail to do something to deter Chi-nese aggression. While the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) is still in effect, there is no ironclad guarantee that America would come to the Philippines’ aid in a timely fashion. Recently, China attempted to take possession of Ayungin Shoal, which is only 105 nautical miles

from the coast of Palawan and within the Philip-pines’ 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). But what deterred the Chinese from taking over the uninhabited but strategically located shoal was a small detachment of Philippine marines deployed to a rusty naval ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, which lay aground off Ayungin. Consequently, China made several diplomatic ef-forts to pressure the Philippine government into removing Sierra Madre from the vicinity, claiming that China has absolute and indisputable sovereign-ty over Ayungin and the rest of the Spratlys includ-ing the proven oil- and gas-rich Recto Bank. But with a navy with no warships and an air force with no warplanes, the Philippines is defenseless against Chinese attack.

EDCA The signing of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) last April 28, 2014 came at a time when China was poised to strike at the Spratly islands. Signed hours before U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Manila, EDCA will give Ameri-can forces temporary access to selected Philippine military bases, and allow them to preposition fighter jets and ships. The question is: How significant is EDCA to the overall rebalancing of U.S. naval and air forces in the Asia-Pacific region? To answer that question, one has to be cognizant of China’s goal of control-ling the First Island Chain and Second Island Chain. The First Island Chain runs from Japan all the way to Vietnam by way of Taiwan, Philippines, Borneo, Malaysia, and Singapore. The Second Island Chain runs from Japan all the way to Australia by way of the U.S. territories of Guam and Saipan, and Papua New Guinea. Prior to the signing of EDCA, the Philippines was the weakest link in the First Island Chain. Not anymore. EDCA strengthened the chain link; thus, containing China to the confines of East China and South China Seas.

Obama’s four-nation Asian tour to Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines plays an im-

portant part in maintaining the status quo and bal-ance of power in the Asia-Pacific Region. China should realize that she couldn’t – and shouldn’t -- bully her neighbors into submission for as long as America remains a Pacific power. It was a long journey from EDSA to EDCA indeed. But it was a journey worth taking.

(PerryDiaz@gmail.com)

PERRY SCOPEBy

Perry Diaz

From EDSA to EDCA

PAGE 4May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014 The San Francisco PostOPINION

After Budget S e c r e t a r y

Florencio Abad was tagged as the alleged mentor of busi-nesswoman Ja-net Napoles in designing the P10-billion pork barrel scam, M a l a c a n a n g spokespersons were quick to

point out that Abad still enjoys the trust and confidence of President Aquino. Communications Secretary Sonny Co-loma said Aquino would not be affected by the allegations until proven, and that while Aquino and Abad had talked after the claims were made, they did not discuss the pork barrel scam involving funds of the now illegal Priority Development As-sistance Fund (PDAF). It’s hard to believe that Aquino would not be bothered by the allegations, and that Abad would not even try to deny the claim or give his side to the boss. Unless, of course, they’ve become so calloused they didn’t care what the people think about the shameless scheme.

Coloma said Aquino remains very fo-cused on reforms and that he would not be affected by the allegations until they are proven. We would have understood his focus on reforms except that the allegations tend to shatter the very foundation of his much-ballyhooed campaign against corruption, Abad being one of his most trusted aides and the Department of Budget Manage-ment (DBM) that he heads being the cen-tral agency from which all those billions were released to the allegedly fraudulent non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to fund ghost projects. And from the many bits of information being leaked by former Sen. Ping Lac-son, who is one of the few lawmakers not tainted by the pork barrel stigma, and Na-poles’ lawyer Bruce Rivera, it would seem that Abad was not the only Aquino ally and aide who are being tagged by Napoles in her “tell-all” affidavit, but over a hundred other government officials. Among those allegedly named as co-con-spirators in the biggest heist of public mon-ey ever were Agriculture Secretary Proce-so Alcala, another Aquino trusted aide and who also remains in Aquino’s confidence; a leading senator and prominent member of Aquino’s Liberal Party; an agriculture undersecretary; and a former agrarian re-form secretary. “They instructed me about the procedures and taught me the process of how to under-take the PDAF cycle,” Napoles was quoted as saying in her affidavit. The alleged mastermind of the pork barrel scam says persons very close to the Aquino administration were the real masterminds of the scheme, and Aquino is not bothered and remains focused on reforms? Because he believes they are innocent until proven guilty? But why did the President not accord former Supreme Court Chief Justice Re-nato Corona the same presumption of in-nocence until proven guilty, and instead proclaimed him guilty of so many viola-tions before the House of Representatives could even vote for his impeachment and before the Senate could start his trial? Why can’t the President and his allies accord the same presumption of innocence to all the senators and congressmen that have been maligned and unfairly tried in the court of public opinion? Why did Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, obviously on the say so of Malacanang, so easily released all damning information about the roles of leading opposition Sena-tors Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla, and is now overly care-ful to release the names of all those tagged in the signed written affidavit of Napoles, which De Lima claims seemed very cred-ible. If the affidavit were credible, then why is she hesitant to release the names or its contents? Is she really concerned about the harm it would do to the “innocent” persons that may have been dragged into the con-troversy, or is she worried about the harm it would to Aquino’s allies in the list and to the Aquino administration’s “clean” im-age? Now we know why the Aquino adminis-tration has been forestalling the approval of the Freedom of Information Act. If an FOI law were in place, the people, through court action, can compel De Lima to re-veal the contents of the affidavit since it is a signed document submitted to a gov-ernment agency, making it a public record and, therefore, subject to public disclosure. (val.abelgas@aol.com)

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INSPIRATIONAL VERSESCompiled by Atty. Crispin C. Lozano

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My personal belief:

As long as we seek the LORD for help in any eventuality, whether natural calamities such as fire, earthquakes, ty-

phoon, or war, famine, accidents, personal sickness and pain, we should not fear because the LORD is our refuge, our strength and He will help us conquer all our fear. This psalm encourages to hope and trust in God; in his power and providence, and his gra-cious presence with his church in the worst of times. We may apply it to spiritual enemies, and the encouragement we have that, through Christ, we shall be conquerors over them. He is a Help, a present Help, a Help found, one whom we have found to be so; a Help at hand, one that is always near; we cannot desire a better, nor shall we ever find the like in any creature. Let those be troubled at the troubling of the waters, who build their confidence on a floating foundation; but let not those be alarmed who are led to the Rock, and there find firm footing. Here is joy to the church, even in sorrowful times.

by:Atty. Crispin Caday

Lozano

MINYA, Egypt -- An Egyptian judge sen-tenced to death the Muslim Brotherhood’s spiritual leader and 682 other people Monday in the latest in a series of high-stakes mass trials that have been unprecedented in scope, drawing sharp condemnation from interna-tional rights groups. The verdicts - which were appealed by gen-eral prosecutor- come as the military-backed government has launched a massive c r a c k d o w n against Is-lamist sup-porters of ousted leader Mohammed Morsi, under the banner of “war against t e r r o r i s m ” while tight-ening its grip on the Arab world’s most popu-lous nation. Suggesting there might be room for reversal, the same judge also reduced the sentences against 529 defendants indicted in a similar case in March, upholding the death penalty for only 37 and commuting the rest to life imprisonment. Still, the three dozen death sentences that were upheld was an extraordinarily high number for Egypt, compared to the dramatic trial in the wake of the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat, when only five people were sentenced to death and executed. Judge Said Youssef said he was referring Monday’s death sentences - which were for convictions of violence and killing policemen - to the Grand Mufti, the nation’s top Islamic official - a requirement under Egyptian law that is usually considered a formality but also gives room for the judge to change his mind. Of the 683, all but 68 were tried in absentia. The government has conducted a series of mass trials of Brotherhood supporters after a crackdown in which hundreds were killed and nearly 16,000 detained. It also branded the Brotherhood a terrorist group, a claim the group denies.

Several secular-minded youth activists have been imprisoned for holding protests against a new law that prohibits the right to hold po-litical gatherings without prior police permits. On Monday, a court ordered ban of April 6 youth group and confiscation of its offices. The group was among several that engineered the 2011 uprising against longtime leader Hosni Mubarak that set off nearly three-year

turmoil. “Egypt’s judiciary risks becoming just another part of the authorities’ repressive machinery, issuing sentences of death and life imprison-ment on an industrial scale,” Amnesty International’s Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui said. She added that the case “once again expose how ar-bitrary and selective Egypt’s criminal justice system has become” and urged authori-

ties to “come clean and acknowledge that the current system is neither fair nor independent or impartial.” The highest profile defendant convicted and sentenced to death on Monday was Mohamed Badie, the Brotherhood’s spiritual guide who - like several other heavy-weight Mus-lim Brotherhood leaders- had no official post in Morsi’s government but was believed to wield extensive influence on decision making during Morsi’s year in power. If his sentence is upheld, it would make him the most senior Brotherhood figure to receive capital punish-ment since one of the group’s leading ideo-logues, Sayed Qutb, was executed in 1966. Badie was not at the hearing in Minya on Monday but in another court, in Cairo, where he faces charges of murder and incitement to murder along with 16 other Brotherhood leaders in a case connected to deadly protests outside the group’s headquarters last June. The trials were linked to deadly riots that erupted in Minya and elsewhere in Egypt where Morsi’s supporters allegedly attacked police stations and churches in retaliation for security forces violent disbandment of sit-ins held by Morsi supporters in Cairo last August that left hundreds dead.

PAGE 5May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014The San Francisco Post WORLD BRIEF

Kim warns soldiers to prepare for war

PYONGYANG -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has warned his soldiers they must be ready for “im-pending conflict with the United States,” Pyongyang media reported on Saturday as satellites showed a nuclear test could be near. The report comes as US President Barack Obama finishes up a two-day visit to South Korea, where he warned the North it faced tougher sanctions if the un-derground detonation went ahead. Obama described North Korea as a weak “pariah state”. It also comes after Pyongyang claimed it had been holding a young American for two weeks.Kim, the supreme commander of the North’s 1.2-mil-lion-strong armed forces often visits military units to deliver on-the-spot “guidance” on ways to strengthen preparedness. He usually lavishes them with praise and presents gifts such as rifles or binoculars as symbols of their vigilance. But after watching a shelling drill by an artillery sub-unit on Friday, he upbraided soldiers for their lax ap-proach, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. “Dear Supreme Commander Kim Jong-Un said noth-ing is more important than preparing for combat now, in the face of an impending conflict with the United States”, KCNA reported. North Korean state media regularly carries colour-fully-phrased warnings that the isolated state is on the verge of war. Pointing at a map, Kim ordered the unit to establish a firing position and start the shelling exercise, the agen-cy said, without revealing the location. “Watching the drill, he severely criticised the sub-unit for failing to make good combat preparation” citing the time it had taken to deploy, it said. He blamed a lack of enthusiasm over training among the sub-unit’s com-mander and his superiors. AFP “The minds of the commanding officers of this sub-unit and relevant unit seem to be away from the battle-field”, he said, KCNA reported. It is unusual for the agency to carry direct quotes from Kim. “Of course, they might do sideline jobs for improving service personnel’s living conditions and do their bit in building a rich and powerful nation. “However, they should always give priority to combat preparations”, he said. Speaking in Seoul on Friday after satellite imagery revealed the North was advanc-ing preparations for a nuclear test, Obama warned it of sanctions with “more bite” unless it fell into line.

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis on Sun-day proclaimed as saints his influential predecessors John Paul II and John XXIII at a historic ceremony at-tended by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square. “We declare and define as saints the blessed John XXIII and John Paul II,” the Catholic leader said in a Latin prayer, as pilgrims and foreign dignitaries ap-plauded and chanted: “Amen!” Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, 87, who is the first pontiff to step down since the Middle Ages, made a rare public appear-ance in his white papal cassock and Fran-cis embraced him before the ceremony. Commentators defined the event as a “four-pope day.” Many faithful waved the red-and-white flags from John Paul II’s native Poland and one pilgrim held up a banner reading: “Two pope saints in heaven, two in St Pe-ter’s Square.”“We are followers of all four popes who have all been close to the people. This is a historic day but one that you really feel inside,” said Luisa Tomolo, a member of an Italian religious movement.

Thousands also followed the ceremony on giant screens set up in picturesque spots of Rome, witnessing an event seen

as a way of unit-ing conservative and reformist wings of Catholi-cism. The ceremony was shown in 3D at hundreds of cin-emas across the world from Fran-cis’s Argentina to Lebanon and was live tweeted by

the Vatican’s vicariate of Rome under the hashtag #2popesaints. Francis was co-celebrating the Mass with Benedict XVI and hundreds of bish-ops and cardinals— the first time that two living popes say Mass together. It was also the first time that two Catho-lic Church leaders were being declared saints on the same day.The charismatic, globe-trotting John Paul II helped topple communism in Eastern Europe and John XXIII is best remem-bered for launching a process of reform of the Catholic Church in the 1960s. By sainting them together, Francis “is speaking not just to the outside world but to rival camps within the Catholic fold who see John XXIII and John Paul II as their heroes,” said US-based Vatican ex-pert John Allen from the Boston Globe.

Sainthood for two popes in historic rites

Mayor of second Ukraine city wounded in assassination tryKIEV -- The day began with the police station and administration building in Kostiantynivka being overrun; next the airport at Kramatorsk was attacked with rocket propelled grenades and then the mayor of Kharkiv was shot in the back. While America and the European Union impose new sanctions on Russia, violence and turmoil continues unabated in eastern Ukraine. The attempted murder of Gennady Kernes, the mayor of the country’s second-largest city, raised fears that prominent public figures were being targeted for assassination. On Monday night he was “fighting for his life” after surgery, said his

spokesman. The blame was levelled at both the Kremlin and extreme right-wing groups. Kernes was gunned down while he was out cy-cling, jogging, or swimming, according to differ-ing accounts. Valeriy Boyko, the director of the Institute of Surgery in Kiev, said the mayor had “suffered a very serious wound with a number of organs damaged”. The 64-year-old billionaire businessman had been a fervent supporter of Viktor Yanukovych, the overthrown President, and a fierce critic of Kiev’s Maidan protest, banning similar protests in Kharkiv. Since then he had spoken out against

those who want to take the region under Mos-cow’s rule. Zurab Alasania, the director-general of the state-run National Television Company, said: “The Russian Federation is identifying and liquidating key centres of resistance.” There were other possible motives for the am-bush. Mr Kernes, who has convictions for theft and fraud, was allegedly linked to organised crime. He is also one of the most prominent Jews; there has been a rise in anti-Semitism re-cently, but his colleagues say he had not re-ceived threats on religious grounds.

TAX CORNER

WASHINGTON — The In-ternal Revenue Service

reminds U.S. citizens and resi-dent aliens, including those with dual citizenship who have lived or worked abroad during all or part of 2013, that they may have a U.S. tax liability and a filing re-quirement in 2014. The filing deadline is Monday, June 16, 2014, for U.S. citizens and resident aliens living over-seas, or serving in the military outside the U.S. on the regular due date of their tax return. Eligi-ble taxpayers get one additional day because the normal June 15 extended due date falls on Sun-day this year. To use this auto-matic two-month extension, tax-payers must attach a statement to their return explaining which of these two situations applies. See U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad for details. Nonresident aliens who re-ceived income from U.S. sources in 2013 also must determine whether they have a U.S. tax obligation. The filing deadline for nonresident aliens can be

April 15 or June 16 depending on sources of income. See Taxation of Nonresident Aliens on IRS.gov. Federal law requires U.S. citi-zens and resident aliens to report any worldwide income, includ-ing income from foreign trusts and foreign bank and securities accounts. In most cases, affected taxpayers need to fill out and at-tach Schedule B to their tax re-turn. Certain taxpayers may also have to fill out and attach to their return Form 8938, Statement of Foreign Financial Assets. Part III of Schedule B asks about the existence of foreign accounts, such as bank and securities ac-counts, and usually requires U.S. citizens to report the country in which each account is located. Generally, U.S. citizens, resi-dent aliens and certain nonresi-dent aliens must report specified foreign financial assets on Form 8938 if the aggregate value of those assets exceeds certain thresholds. See the instructions for this form for details. Separately, taxpayers with foreign accounts whose aggre-gate value exceeded $10,000 at any time during 2013 must file electronically with the Treasury Department a Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Form 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts

(FBAR). This form replaces TD F 90-22.1, the FBAR form used in the past. It is due to the Trea-sury Department by June 30, 2014, must be filed electroni-cally and is only available online through the BSA E-Filing Sys-tem website. For details regard-ing the FBAR requirements, see Report of Foreign Bank and Fi-nancial Accounts (FBAR). Taxpayers abroad can now use IRS Free File to prepare and electronically file their returns for free. This means both U.S. citizens and resident aliens living abroad with adjusted gross in-comes (AGI) of $58,000 or less can use brand-name software to prepare their returns and then e-file them for free. A second op-tion, Free File Fillable Forms the electronic version of IRS paper forms, has no income limit and is best suited to people who are comfortable preparing their own tax return. Check out the e-file link on IRS.gov for details on the various electronic filing options. This article was provided by the IRS to help consumers on making tax preparation choices. Al Maglan is a CPA licensed in California and Nevada. You can contact him @ 510 432 7438. You may e-mail tax questions at amaglan@aol.com or taxsaver-spro@gmail.com.

IRS Reminds Those with Foreign Assets of U.S. Tax Obligations

by: Alvin C. Maglan, CPA

MANILA – US President Barack Obama announced new sanctions against some Russians on Monday in an attempt to stop President Vladimir Putin from fomenting the rebellion in eastern Ukraine, but held off from broad measures that would hit Rus-sia’s economy. The new sanctions, to be outlined in detail later on Monday, will add more people and firms to a list an-nounced last month of figures whose assets are frozen and who are denied visas to travel to the United States. Some high tech exports will also be targeted, Obama said. But the mea-sures do not yet include the wider sanctions, like curbs on the Russian financial and energy sectors, that would do the most serious damage to Russia’s economy. Obama said Washington and its al-lies were keeping the threat of such sectoral sanctions “in reserve” in case the situation should “escalate further”. He conceded he did not

know if the measures he has ordered so far will work. U.S. officials have said the new list will include Putin’s “cronies” in the hope of changing his behavior. “The goal is not to go after Mr. Pu-tin personally; the goal is to change his calculus, to encourage him to walk the walk, not just talk the talk” on diplomacy to resolve the crisis, Obama said in Manila during a trip to Asia. Nevertheless, such measures have done nothing so far to deter Putin, who overturned decades of post-Cold War diplomacy last month to seize and annex Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula and has since massed tens of thousands of troops on the frontier. He acted after Ukraine’s pro-Russian president was ousted by protesters demanding closer links with Europe. Moscow has in the past shrugged off targeted sanctions like those Obama announced on Monday as pointless.

Obama bares new US sanctions on Russia

Egypt sentences 683 to death

The San Francisco PostPAGE 6May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014 HOMELAND

9 more politicians endorsed Napoles projectsMANILA —The lawyer of some whistle-blowers in the pork barrel scam has released a document linking nine more former and current lawmakers to suspected mas-termind Janet Lim-Napoles—among them an aunt of President Aquino and three other former senators, two former representatives, two incumbent allies and the el-der son of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Lawyer Levito Baligod showed the Inquirer the docu-ment amid rife speculation on the who’s who in Na-poles’ tell-all affidavit in which the wannabe state wit-ness revealed more names of lawmakers she had dealt with. The document pertains to a P407-million information technology project in 2002 and 2003 that was cornered by Napoles and endorsed by the nine legislators: for-mer Senators Manuel Villar, Tessie Aquino-Oreta (an aunt of the President), Robert Jaworski and the late Robert Barbers (who died in December 2005); former Representatives Zenaida Ducut of Pampanga (current-ly chair of the Energy Regulatory Commission) and Federico Sandoval II of Malabon-Navotas; Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II and Deputy Speaker Car-los Padilla, and former Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo.The project proponents, the Department of Transpor-

tation and Communications (DOTC) and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), spent P95 million in 2002 and P312 million in 2003 for the pur-chase of computer hardware and software ostensibly to establish municipal telecenters nationwide. The supplier was Jo-Chris Trading, owned by Napoles and run by her eldest daughter, after whom the com-pany was named. Baligod said that based on testimony of former Na-poles employees at JLN Corp., these projects involved “ghost deliveries.” They claimed Napoles simply made up the list of beneficiaries and faked the delivery re-ceipts. “Jo-Chris Trading would present the same set of equipment to all the lawmakers as proof of purchase and delivery of the equipment. As far as the whistle-blowers know, there were no deliveries made,” said Baligod, the counsel of whistle-blowers Merlina Sunas, Nova Kay Macalintal, Lily Abundo and Adelina Lingo. Baligod explained that the funds were congressional initiatives or budgetary insertions made by the lawmak-ers at a time when then President Arroyo was currying favor with the minority bloc, while rewarding those who were instrumental in ousting former President Jo-seph Estrada in 2001.

Graft raps vs Arroyo, son junked

MANILA —The Ombudsman has dismissed the complaint for graft and plunder filed against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her son, Camarines Sur Rep. Dato Arroyo, in connection with the Libmanan-Ca-busao Dam and Skybridge 1 and 2 projects in Camarines Sur. Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ap-proved on April 22 the recommendation of its Field Investigation Office (FIO) to terminate the case as the evidence did not warrant crimi-nal charges against the Arroyos. In a 28-page investigation report, the FIO said there was no evidence to show the Arroyos actively participated in the planning or imple-mentation of the projects. It said funding for the Libmanan-Cabusao Dam and Skybridge 1 and 2 projects did not come from the President’s Social Fund or Rep-resentative Arroyo’s Priority Development As-sistance Fund, but was an infrastructure project of the National Irrigation Administration and Department of Public Works and Highways. Thus there was no proof the respondents amassed, accumulated or acquired ill-gotten wealth directly or through their subordinates in the NIA and DPWH as both projects were funded through the regular budget of the re-spective agencies. Nor was there evidence to show the Arroyos demanded and received the amount of not less than P50 million as “SOP” from the projects.

US troops now enjoy access to PH basesMANILA —With the dotted lines signed and the hands shook, the access of American troops to Phil-ippine bases for the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement is on full swing. When Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and United States Ambassador Philip Goldberg signed the 10-page document, it ushered in the dawn of a strengthened cooperation between the Philippines and the US. According to the document posted on Malaca-ñang’s official website, American forces and contractors are allowed to conduct “security co-

operation exercises, joint and combined training ac-tivities, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities,” together with Philippine forces inside the bases. Military equipment, vehicles, and aircraft from the US can also be used inside the bases during training exercises. US troops can also use Philippine bases to store their equipment vehicles and construct new build-ings if both parties decide on the matter.Also, to dispel fears of radiation damage, nuclear weapons would not be used during the 10-year stay.

There is no doubt that

taxes, and the proper payment thereof is the prime engine mover of the economy. After all tax payment is a financial charge or other levy imposed upon a taxpayer by a state or the

functional equivalent of a state such that fail-ure to pay is punishable by law. That is how tax payment is defined in all of its web definitions. That is why there is old adage that goes to say in a man’s life there are only 2 things that we are sure of. First is death and the second is taxes. …..In the case of Manny Pacquiao, people here in the US are 100% and positively and absolutely sure that Manny pays his fair share of taxes in all of his winnings with Internal Revenue Ser-vice. As a matter of proof his promoter Bob Arum has set up a tax payment system that al-locates certain amount of money for taxes even before money is drawn from his winnings. There is also with absolute positivity that his tax rate here is much bigger than his tax rate in the Philippines. …..What I am trying to drive at right now is how I hate the manner by which our national gov-ernment represented by Bureau of Internal Revenue or BIR Commissioner Kim Henares on Manny Pacquiao. I am not saying Manny is correct as he has his shortcomings especially on tax settlement. But please be gentle on Manny. Come to think of it a lot of tourists come to visit the Philippines both for business and pleasure mainly because they are intrigued as to where Manny comes from. In other words, Manny is one of our big draws in tourism. Proof of that is that there are reportedly a lot of celebrities have sneaked secretly in the Philippines just for a look see to a country called the Philippines. Thanks to Manny. …..

Maybe and just maybe, the government may want to see this the other way around. Why in-stead of harassing Manny make him an Ambas-sador of our country (which he is already do-ing by giving us pride and honor everytime he wears the glove to fight) and without any title on hand. We might as well declare him not only as a national treasure but as an “International Treasure.” After all, every citizen of the world connects Manny to the Philippines and the Phil-ippines to Manny Pacquiao even according to President Barack Obama in his speech before Malacanan Palace. So how about that Kim? Why don’t we do it? With Manny’s charm and his greatness coupled with the worlds’ love for boxing, why not make him officially our Inter-national Treasure. Stop Harassing Manny! …..SHORTS. Look at Vice President Jojo Binay. He knows where his bread is buttered. As soon as Manny won in his fight Binay came up with a press release praising the victory of Manny Pacquiao…Meantime, the Court of Tax Ap-peal gave Manny a first round victory on his tax woes. The bad news though is that the bond he has to raise is pegged at 3 billion pesos. Sus-maryosep…Meanwhile, bad luck has again hit the camp of Secretary Mar Roxas. He was as-sessed a 2 month suspension at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club for shouting unprinta-bles to the staff of Wack Wack. Is it goodbye, Presidency? I don’t think so. After all, we are not in South Korea…..Incidentally, Secretary Jose Rene Almendras in a press conference an-nounced that ERAP is just a part of the team that went to Hongkong to settle the issue on apology. Well, we know whom to give credit to Secretary….A whitewash in progress, that is how critics call the new Napoles affidavit. It has been days and so far the government has not released the list. Who is in and who is out. Abangan…Chalk up another victory for former President Gloria Arroyo. She and her son Dato Arroyo has been cleared from another mess that involves an infrastructure project in Camarines Sur where Dato is Congressman….My Friend Amado Ramos is asking for some more ERAP jokes and told him that I will have one starting next week…. For comments please email me at don.orozco@sf-post.com

Appeal in behalf of our Manny Pacquiao

LET’S HAVE COFFEEBy

Don Augusto Orozco

MANILA -- Budget Secretary Flor-encio “Butch” Abad still enjoys the trust and confidence of President Benigno Aquino 3rd despite recent reports linking him to the pork barrel scam. In a radio interview on Sunday, Presiden-tial Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. defended the Budget chief, say-ing the President will not be affected by the allegations until the are proven. “The President re-mains very focused on pushing for re-forms. His view is clearly based on concrete evidence. Only evidence would direct the investigations,” Coloma said. Last week, news reports named Abad as the real mastermind be-hind the scheme to funnel Prior-ity Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations to bogus non-government organizations put up

by businesswoman Janet Lim-Na-poles. There were speculations that Napoles pointed to Abad as her

mentor during her meeting with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima Monday last week. De Lima supposedly had to consult with Aquino on how to handle Napoles’ revelations. Abad has denied the report and said the contents of Napoles’ affi-davit has not been made public. “These fresh allegations that

I ‘tutored’ Janet Lim-Napoles in designing the PDAF scam are simply not true. I have never dealt with Janet Lim-Napoles, much less acted as a mentor in execut-ing her alleged schemes,” he said in a statement sent to the media last Friday.

Abad still enjoys President’s trust, confidence: Palace

Our goal is not to counter China – ObamaMANILA— After reaching a new defense pact with its treaty ally, President Barack Obama said on Mon-day that the United States does not intend to counter China’s perceived increasing aggression in the West Philippine Sea.In a televised joint press conference with President Benigno Aquino III in Malacañang, Obama said their goal is to simply ensure that countries are operating in a peaceful and responsible manner “Our goal is not to counter China. Our goal is not to contain China. Our goal is to make sure that interna-tional rules and norms are respected and that includes in the area of maritime dispute,” Obama told reporters after holding an expanded bilateral meeting on Monday afternoon.

Obama, however, assured that the US is supportive of the Philippines’ move to bring the territorial dispute before an arbitration tribunal. He said this approach by the Philippine government is a “sound” one. The American leader said the US is not taking a spe-cific position on the territorial disputes between nations.However, he said that as a matter of international law and international norms, Obama said coercion and in-timidation is not the way to manage the overlapping ter-ritorial claims in the West Philippine Sea. Obama described the Philippines as a vital partner in maritime security and freedom of navigation. “Today we reaffirm the importance of resolving ter-ritorial disputes in the region peacefully without intimi-dation or coercion,” Obama said.

Lee now eager to testify at SenateMANILA -- Globe Asiatique presi-dent Delfin Lee is now eager to be subpoenaed to the next Senate hear-ing on the alleged housing fund scam.In a letter sent to the Office of Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, chair-man of the Senate housing commit-tee, lawyers of the detained business-man said certain protocols prevented him from attending and testifying in the Senate hearing last April 8. “At any rate, Mr. Lee has remained hopeful especially when Your Honor announced at the hearing that a sub-poena will be issued by your com-mittee for him to attend in person and testify in the next committee hear-ing,” Lee’s legal counsel, Rony Ga-ray said in the letter to Ejercito. Lee had earlier denied involvement in the P6.6-billion syndicated estafa case which involved former officials of the Home Mutual Development Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund, including former Vice President Noli De Cas-tro. Garay said Lee wishes to be given a chance to present “an honest, fair, truthful and factual narration or ac-count of the events” that eventually led to his “persecution, illegal arrest and unlawful detention.”

“Likewise we pledge not to invoke our constitutional right against self-incrimination in the Senate hearing as we remain steadfast in our stand that we have nothing to hide pro-vided the questions are relevant and material to the issues at hand,” the lawyer said. During the last hearing, De Castro categorically denied that Pag-IBIG board gave Lee’s Globe Asiatique special treatment when it partnered with Lee’s firm on a special housing project in 2008. De Castro was head of the Hous-ing and Urban Development Council (HUDCC) and concurrent ex-officio chairman of the Pag-IBIG Board when he was the country’s vice presi-dent. Globe Asiatique had entered into a Funding Commitment Agree-ment with Pag-IBIG for a hous-ing project and eventually got at least P6.6 billion in housing loan proceeds for home buyers. But a probe conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) later alleged that Globe Asiatique made false represen-tations and submitted spurious documents to secure the loans.

Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad

PAGE 7May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014The San Francisco Post

The 2014 Honda Accord HybridThe Honda Accord has long

been a favorite for families looking for a comfortable, safe, reliable, yet reasonably priced mid-size sedan. Now those same fans can add ultra-fuel ef-ficient to that mix of attributes with the arrival of the 2014 Ac-cord Hybrid. The latest Accord Hybrid is not a rehash of the disappoint-ing V6 Accord Hybrid we first tested during the 2005 model year. The 2014 Accord Hybrid uses an entirely new hybrid system that has already earned class best fuel economy ratings of 50 City, 45 Highway, and 47 Combined. Those ratings put the new Accord Hybrid in the same ball park as the smaller Toyota Prius. In daily operation, however, the new Accord is more like the Chevrolet Volt in that it uses the gas engine primarily to generate electricity. The Accord Hybrid uses a new 2.0 liter Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder gasoline mo-tor/generator combination to power a 124 kW electric drive wheel motor, as well as charge a small lithium ion battery that

resides in the trunk. The system provides the 2014 Accord Hybrid with three dis-tinct modes of operation. The first, EV mode, is for short dis-tance battery only operation. The second mode is called ap-propriately enough, Hybrid, where the gas engine generates power for the electric drive motor which alone turns the front wheels. The third mode is known as Engine, where the gas engine is allowed to mechani-cally couple to the drive wheels through a single speed trans-mission. This mode is mostly used at speeds of 60 MPH and above. After extensive driving, we found the drivertrain to be smooth when transitioning from one mode to another. The re-generative brakes were notice-able at slow speeds, but overall not at all intrusive. In mixed city and highway driving we saw fuel economy in the mid-to-high 40’s giving credence to the hybrid’s lofty claims. Oth-erwise, the new Accord Hybrid drives just like any other tried and true Honda Accord.

The 2014 model year marks the 10th anniversary of the Maz-

da3 compact series. And in that brief time it’s not only become one of our favorite small cars, but Mazda’s biggest seller. For its 3rd generation, it undergoes the most changes in its brief history, being all new from the ground up.For starters the Mazda3’s wheel-base is over 2-inches longer than before, but the overall length is al-most 2-inches shorter. We think the new proportions work great with Mazda’s slick KODO “soul of mo-tion” design theme. It’s easily the best looking car in the compact segment, particularly as a 5-door hatchback. A more conservative 4-door sedan body style is also available. The interior of the Mazda3 has been completely reworked. The re-sult is a cleaner layout with much improved materials. In our test-ing we sampled a highly equipped Grand Touring model. The 2014 Mazda3 left us wanting for little with navigation, a Bose sound sys-tem, leather-trimmed sport seats, dual-zone climate control, and even push button start are all included. Our car even had a head-up display which is most unusual for the com-pact class.

The GT Technology package adds a lane departure warning system, automatic high beam control, active grille shutters, and Mazda’s new i-eloop system that stores braking en-ergy to help run the car’s electrical components. A pair of SKYACTIV-G 4-cylinder engines are also available; a 2.0-li-ter and a 2.5-liter. With this vehicle there’s very little fuel economy penalty for stepping up to the larger four, and its stronger 184-horse-power and 185 lb-ft. of torque will be welcomed no matter what kind of driving you’re planning. As to fuel economy, the 2.5 engine has very acceptable numbers with Gov-ernment Fuel Economy Ratings of 28 MPG City, 38 MPG Highway, and 32 MPG Combined.Though a performance car by any stretch, the Mazda3 has always been a well performing one and that continues with the 2014 mod-el. SKYACTIV body and chassis enhancements make the new 3 both stiffer and lighter, and the fully in-dependent suspension setup con-sists of MacPherson struts up front with a multi-link setup in the rear, with twin-tube shocks all around. Brakes are all-discs on all models while most rivals still sport stan-dard drum brakes at the rear.Available advanced safety features include blind spot monitoring,

backup camera, and rear cross traf-fic alert. The Mazda3 also features a new Mazda Connect infotainment system which merges all of your connectivity needs into a dash top screen with an easy to use central controller. Our only real reservation about the Mazda3 is that, de-pending on how it is equipped, it can be rath-er pricey for a small car. That said, the 2014 Mazda3 of-fers style, fine fuel e c o n o m y, a d v a n c e d f e a t u r e s , and a fun nature that’s hard to find in this seg-ment. That makes the Mazda3 one small car we could re-ally learn to love.

The all-new 2014 Mazda3

MANILA -- Global debt watcher Moody’s Investors Service said continued improve-

ment in the Philippines’ main debt metrics and growth dynamics provides positive implica-tions, a statement widely taken as an indication of a further rating upgrade for the country. In a credit opinion, Moody’s said that the struc-ture of Philippine government debt continues to improve, mitigating currency and refinancing risks. The ratings agency explained that the propor-tion of government debt denominated in foreign currency continues to fall, while the Bureau of Treasury continues to proactively address refi-nancing risks by lengthening the average ma-turity of its debt to about 10 years, from about seven years as of end-2009. “In addition, well-managed inflation and fa-vorable liquidity conditions have contributed to lower interest rates that have enhanced debt af-fordability,” it said. In terms of economic growth, Moody’s said it expects the country’s growth conditions to be robust in 2014 with real gross domestic product forecast to increase by 6.5 percent this year. “Reconstruction and rehabilitation of disas-ter-stricken areas, along with the government’s

renewed focus on infrastructure development, should support domestic demand,” it said, not-ing that domestic consumption will also be sup-ported by steady remittance inflows and the still-accommodative monetary policy of the central bank. Moody’s said that revenue mobilization, on the other hand, continues to improve as tax receipts increased 12.8 percent in 2013. The ratings agency also said that the cessa-tion of Priority Development Assistance Funds likely contributed to the lower disbursements in the latter half of 2013 and should contribute to greater budget transparency and spending re-straint going forward. Administrative reforms implemented at the Bureau of Customs in late 2013 are showing preliminary signs of gaining traction with as-sociated revenues up 21.7 percent year-on-year through the first two months of the year, it add-ed. In October 2013, Moody’s granted the Philip-pines an investment grade rating as it upgraded the country’s sovereign rating to Baa3 from Ba1, while the outlook for the rating was also revised to positive.

Moody’s hints at rating upgrade for PH

PAGE 8May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014 The San Francisco PostBUSINESS

LRT project gets P5B subsidyMANILA -- The government will grant a P5-billion capital subsidy to the winning bidder of the P64.9-billion Light Rail Transit Line 1 Cavite extension project, the Trans-portation Department said over the week-end. Transportation Un-dersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla said in a general bid bul-letin posted on the agency’s Web site the project would receive a viability gap fund-ing of P5 billion, inclusive of taxes. It was reduced from the original amount of P6 billion, as stipulated in the National Economic and Develop-ment Authority Board approval on Nov. 21, 2013. A viability gap funding is extended to the winning bid-der for a public-private partnership project to subsidize the gap between the project cost and the price quoted by the bidder. Under this bidding procedure, the bidder which asked for the lowest subsidy will win the project. Lotilla, who heads the special bids and awards com-

mittee, said the reduction in the subsidy was consistent with the deletion of the obligation of the concessionaire to fund the relocation under Section 11.7 of the draft concession agreement up to the amount of P900 mil-lion. Meanwhile, the spe-cial bids and awards committee denied the request of prospec-tive bidders’ for a resubmission of the financial proposal in case of a tie.

The committee said there would be “no change” in the submission of financial proposal. “Bidders should have necessary approvals to be able to comply with the provi-sions, for example, several bid prices approved,” it said. The Transportation Department postponed the bid sub-mission date to May 28, on the request of prospective bidders to give them enough time to gather documents. The government made several improvements in the multi-billion rail project since it declared a failure of bidding last year.

How is your Honda? How much mile-age does it have? How is its perfor-

mance? Is it going to last? Is it fuel effi-cient? Questions pop up so on and so forth when buying a car. In San Jose, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Mil-pitas, Sunnyvale, Fremont and Newark or in California’s 17th Congressional District, the heart of the Silicon Valley we rely in only one and we mean only one Honda. This is of course no other than Congress-man Mike Honda. Although he may have put in a lot of

mileage in his long years of public service, Congressman Honda has remained a top performer in the Lower House. He has out-lasted critics and has remained as efficient and as reliable as ever. Congressman Honda has always been promotes and very supportive of diversity. He relates very well in all ethnic group and has remained the eyes and the ears of the common people. He has been a champion and an advocate of different causes for the Filipino American community here in the Bay Area. He recently sponsored and sent

a letter to the Department of Homeland Security with about 33 other Congress-men signing, urging the DHS to desig-nate to the Philippines the Temporary Protective Status (TPS). Go to his website (www.honda.house.gov) and you will note that his site is translated into several languages and one of them is in Filipino (tagalog). That is why Honda is the only Mem-ber of Congress to win the Gold Mouse Award for the best congressional web-site and social media. His latest piece of legislation, The Freedom of Faith Act will also be ben-eficial for the Fil-Am community as it will make permanent the immigrant pro-vision for religious workers who are non-ministers. For the Filipino American communi-ty in the Bay Area we look up to him as strong ally. He has upheld the cause of our World War 2 Filipino Veterans, and is in the forefront of the comprehensive immi-gration reform and the relief efforts for the Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda victims. Here is what some Filipino American community leaders says on Congressman Mike Honda: Rose Flores, a Life & Health Agent in the Bay Area; “ I work as an insurance agent dealing mostly on medicare for veterans. I support Congressman Honda because a lot of his legislative agenda is for the benefit of our Filipino American Veterans.” Sarah Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Filipino Youth Coalition of Santa Clara; “ I am supportive of Mike Honda because the Filipino community is very attached and cares for us irrespective of your ethnic af-filiation.” Angel Sangalang, Convenor of Ameri-

can Bayanihan Spirit, “ We should re-elect Congressman Honda. He is the leader in civil rights, social services and specially our Filipino Veterans.” When Congressman Mike Honda first run as representative in 2000 he garnered 54.3% of the total turnout. From then on up to his 7th term his lead has grown and ballooned to 73.5% in 2012. When asked about his chances on his 8th term as Representative, Congressman Mike Honda simply replied, “ I will con-tinue bringing real life to Congress by tire-lessly serving the people of California’s new 17th Congressional District.” Vivek Kembaiyan, Communications Di-rector for Mike Honda for Congress, “ Just like the Filipino American community the Indian American Community like a lot of other communities here in the Bay Area they want a person that would best repre-sent them. In that respect, the clear choice is Congressman Mike Honda.” There you have it. Congressman Mike Honda of the 17th Congressional District of California. The choice is yours.

CONGRESSMAN MIKE HONDACalifornia’s 17th Congressional District

THE SF Post Special Feature : MEET YOUR CANDIDATES Part 3

Q.What is considered a conviction?

A: First it is important to note what constitutes a conviction for im-

migration purposes. According to USCIS, “conviction” means a formal judgment of guilt entered by a court, or an adjudication of guilt is withheld if a judge or jury has found the person guilty, or a no contest plea was entered, or sufficient facts were admitted to warrant a finding of guilt and the judge has ordered a form of punish-ment, penalty, or imposed a restraint on the alien’s liberty. For immigration purposes, if there is no admission or finding of guilt, then the offense may not count as a convic-tion.

Q: How does a finding of moral turpi-tude affect a finding of good moral

character?

A: According to 8 CFR § 316.10, “an applicant who has committed or ad-

mits the commission of two or more crimes involving moral turpitude ... is precluded from establishing good moral character, even though the conviction record of one or more offenses has been expunged.”

Q: What happens if I committed one or more CIMTs in statutory period?

A: An applicant who is convicted of or admits to committing one or more

CIMTs during the statutory period cannot establish GMC for naturalization. If the applicant has only been convicted of (or admits to) one CIMT, the CIMT must have been committed within the statutory period as well. In cases of multiple CIMTs, only the commission and conviction (or admis-sion) of one CIMT needs to be within the statutory period.

Q:What if the CIMT is a “petty of-fense”?

A: An applicant who has committed only one CIMT that is a considered a

“petty offense,” such as petty theft, may be eligible for an exception if all of the fol-lowing conditions are met:• The “petty offense” is the only CIMT the applicant has ever committed; • The sentence imposed for the offense was six months or less; and• The maximum possible sentence for the offense does not exceed one year.

Q: What if I committed more than one petty offenses?

A: The petty offense exception does not apply to an applicant who has

been convicted of or who admits to com-mitting more than one CIMT even if only one of the CIMTs was committed during the statutory period. An applicant who has committed more than one petty offense of which only one is a CIMT may be eligible for the petty offense exception.

Q: I pleaded guilty of a crime and the judge sentenced me to community

service after which my conviction was discharged and my record sealed. Will my conviction impact my citizenship applica-tion?

A: It depends on the nature of the crime, but U.S. immigration law considers

you to have been convicted. That is despite the discharge and any sealing of your re-cord.

Q: What if I was sentenced to more than five years for the crime?

A: An applicant may not establish GMC if he or she has been convicted of two

or more offenses during the statutory period for which the combined, im-posed sentence was five years or more. The underlying offenses must have been committed within the stat-utory period.

Q: If the offense was drug-related, can I establish GMC?

A: No. An applicant cannot establish GMC if he or she has been convicted

of or admits to having violated any con-trolled substance-related federal or state law or regulation of the United States or law or regulation of any foreign country during the statutory period. This bar to es-tablishing GMC also applies to an admis-sion to committing acts that constitute the essential elements of any controlled sub-stance violation.

Q: If the violation was only once and was only for simple possession of

marijuana, does the conditional bar apply?

A: No. The conditional bar to GMC for a controlled substance violation does

not apply if the violation was for a single offense of simple possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana.

Q: Can I establish GMC if I was impris-oned for more than 180 days?

A: No. An applicant cannot establish GMC if he or she is or was impris-

oned for an aggregate period of 180 days or more during the statutory period based on a conviction. This bar to GMC does not apply if the conviction resulted only in a sentence to a period of probation with no sentence of incarceration for 180 days or more. This bar applies regardless of the reason for the conviction. For example, this bar still applies if the term of imprison-ment results from a violation of probation rather than from the original sentence. The commission of the offense resulting in con-viction and confinement does not need to have occurred during the statutory period for this bar to apply. Only the confinement needs to be within the statutory period for the applicant to be precluded from estab-lishing GMC.

SUCCESS STORIES

1. On April 21, 2014, we received an ap-proval of green card after the denial was appealed to the Board of Immigration Ap-peals.2. On March 31, 2014, we received an ap-proval of green card for a client under Vio-lence Against Women Act.3. On March 25, 2014, we received another approval from the Immigration Court for waiver of misrepresentation for a client who entered the U.S. as single but actually married.4. On January 24, 2014, we received an-other approval for waiver of misrepresen-tation from the Immigration Court for an alien who entered as single but actually married.5. On January 14, 2014, we received an ap-proval from USCIS of a green card under law on Registry for a person who has been in the U.S. since before 1972. 6. On January 6, 2014, we received an ap-proval of waiver of misrepresentation from Immigration Judge for a client who entered as single but actually married.

7. On November 21, 2013, we received an approval from USCIS for adjustment of sta-

tus under SAME SEX MARRIAGE.8. On November 14, 2013, we received an approval of adjustment of status from Im-migration Judge for a client who was origi-nally denied adjustment by USCIS.9. On November 4, 2013, we received an approval of waiver of misrepresentation from the Immigration Judge for a client who entered the U.S. as single but actually married.10. On October 24, 2013, we received an approval by an Immigration Judge on the review of I-751 Application to Remove Condition on Residence that was previ-ously denied by USCIS.11. On October 2, 2013, we received an approval of adjustment of status based on SAME SEX MARRIAGE.

12. On June 3, 2013, we received an ap-proval from USCIS of a petition that con-tinued despite the death of the petitioner under Public law 111-83.

Crispin Caday Lozano is an active member of the State Bar of California, the Ameri-can Immigration Lawyers Association and the National Association of Consumers Bankruptcy Attorneys. He specializes in immigration law and bankruptcy law. He earned his Juris Doctor at Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, California. He is also a Certified Public Accountant, a Real Estate Broker and a Bachelor of Business Administration Cum Laude graduate. He has offices in San Francisco, Hayward, San Jose, and Cer-ritos, California. You can contact him at 1-877-456-9266. Email questions to crispinlozano@gmail.com/. Visit our web-site at www.crispinlozanolaw.com.

Convictions that bar naturalization applicationBy Atty. Crispin C. Lozano

PAGE 9May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014

The San Francisco Post IMMIGRATION

with the de ta i l s — such

as how many US troops will rotate through the Philip-pines and when — to be negotiated and announced later.Obama was due to arrive in the Philippines from Malay-sia on Monday afternoon for a two-day visit, the final leg of an Asian trip that also took him to Japan and South Korea.The United States and the Philippines are already long-time allies bound by a mutual defense pact, and engage in regular war games that see thousands of US troops and state-of-the-art American military hardware brought to the Philippines.The Philippines had been eager for an agreement to ex-pand the arrangement to boost its weak military capabili-ties and emphasize its close ties to the United States, at a time of deep tensions with China over competing claims to parts of the South China Sea.China claims most of the South China Sea, even waters close to the Philippines and other countries in the region.Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam, as well as Taiwan, also have overlapping claims to the sea.Obama reassures PhilippinesAs tensions over the South China Sea have heated up, the United States has sought to strike a balanced strategy by seeking to reassure its allies in Asia while emphasizing to China it takes no sides on the dispute.In his comments to ABS-CBN, Obama again emphasized the United States remained deeply committed to support-ing the Philippines, a former US colony, referring to the

two nations’ 1951 mutual defense treaty.“We’ve pledged ourselves to our common defense for more than six decades. Our treaty obligations are iron-clad,” Obama said.“The United States stands by its allies, in good times and in bad. In fact, one of the main purposes of my visit will be to reaffirm our treaty commitments to the Philippines and to make it clear that just as we’ve relied on each other in the past, we can count on each other today.”Nevertheless, the mutual defense pact does not specifi-cally state that the United States must come to the Philip-pines’ defense over remote islets and reefs in the South China Sea.Obama made no mention of the hotspots when referring to the mutual defense pact, but did again call on China to not use intimidatory tactics to assert its claims.“I’ve been clear and consistent in stressing that the Unit-ed States and China need to support efforts among claim-ants to peacefully manage and resolve maritime and terri-torial issue through dialogue, not intimidation, including in the South China Sea,” the US leader said.Obama said the deal would give US forces “greater ac-cess to Filipino facilities, airfields and ports, which would remain under the control of the Philippines”.“US forces would not be based in the Philippines. In-stead, they would rotate through for joint training and exercises, as some US forces already do.”Filipino officials have previously said the deal would also allow the United States to store equipment that could be used to mobilize American forces faster — particularly in cases of natural disasters.

(Cont. from page 1..PH, US signs)

PAGE 10May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014 The San Francisco PostAROUND TOWN

,” Silver said.The rebuke, which came three days after the scandal broke, is the harshest penalty ever issued by the league and one of the stiffest punishments ever given to an owner in profes-sional sports. Silver said a league investigation found the NBA’s longest-tenured owner was in fact the person on the audiotapes that were released over the weekend.“We stand together in condemning Mr. Sterling’s views,” Silver said. “They simply have no place in the NBA.”Sterling acknowledged he was the man on the tape, Silver said.Sterling is immediately barred from attending any NBA games or practices, be present at any Clippers office or facility, or participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team.He also cannot participate in any league business going forward. It’s unclear how he will respond, and a lawsuit certainly seems possible.“This league is far bigger than any one owner, any one coach and any one player,” Silver said.The fine will be donated to organizations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts that will be jointly se-lected by the NBA and the Players Association, Silver said.“This has all happened in three days, and so I am hopeful there will be no long-term damage to the league and to the Clippers organization,” Silver said. “But as I said earlier, I’m outraged so I certainly understand other people’s out-rage. This will take some time and appropriate healing will be necessary.”After the announcement, the Clippers’ website had a sim-ple message: “We are one,” it read.“We wholeheartedly support and embrace the decision by the NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver today. Now the healing process begins,” the Clippers added in a statement released to the media.Sterling’s comments were released over the weekend by TMZ and Deadspin, and numerous NBA owners and play-ers have condemned them. Even President Barack Obama weighed in on the crisis, the first of Silver’s brief tenure as

commissioner.The league’s investigation started Saturday and players immediately began expressing intense dis-

pleasure with the situation, even going so far as to ask Sac-ramento Mayor Kevin Johnson to get involved on behalf of the players’ union.“Commissioner Silver thank you for protecting our beauti-ful and powerful league!! Great leader!!,” Miami Heat star LeBron James wrote on Twitter.Before Silver took the podium, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tweeted out a photo of the NBA Constitution, saying “It exists for a reason.”The announcement of the sanctions came just hours before the Clippers will play Golden State in Game 5 of a knotted-up Western Conference first-round playoff series.Several sponsors either terminated or suspended their busi-ness dealings with the team on Monday, though individual deals that some of those companies have with Clippers stars like Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will continue and were not affected. Still, it was a clear statement that com-panies, like just about everyone inside the league, were outraged.“Commissioner Silver showed great leadership in banning LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life,” Magic John-son, who was referenced on the taped conversation involv-ing Sterling, tweeted shortly after the league’s decision was announced.Johnson’s role on the tape stemmed from Sterling’s female companion apparently posting a photo of her and the Hall of Fame player on her Instagram account. That photo has since been deleted, but raised Sterling’s ire nonetheless.“It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?” Sterling asks the woman on the tape.Silver said when he first heard the audio, he hoped it had been altered or was fake - but also said that from his 20-year relationship with Sterling, he suspected the voice was his.The issues raised when the tapes were released over the weekend represent just another chapter in Sterling’s long history of being at the center of controversy.

(Cont. from page 1..NBA bans Clippers owner)

Officers and members of Filipino American Society Inc. pose during their Valentine’s Celebration for 2014.

FASI is a Filipino American society of seniors, retirees, students, businessmen and profes-sionals who gathered themselves together for the purpose of keeping the Filipino values, history, culture, hospitality and the honest industrious patient working habits with belief in the God of the Bible. We are a 26 years old organization that used to be called aka Pilipino American Seniors Inc. (PASI). We welcome you to join us if you are with Filipino ancestry or a spouse to a Filipino as long as you will abide with our Constitution & By Laws and submit to the Core Values of FASI which is FIRE Fairness, Integrity, Respect and Excellence. FASI of North CA holds meeting that is full of fun every 3rd Sunday of the month with an environment that is informative, educational and entertaining for we believe that life is fun and that education is a continuous process. As we said, you can join us in our 3rd Sunday monthly meetings at the Fremont Seniors’ Center, Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont CA 94538 But only those who pay their annual dues has the right to vote and be voted upon to our every two years election. We also intend to network with other Filipino Americans in this great country USA.

THEFT OF FREE NEWSPAPER IS A CRIME IN THIS STATE.

we don’t t h i n k that co-

ercion 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 tri-bunal for the law of the sea, and to seek international arbitration that can resolve this in a diplomatic fash-ion,” Obama said. “My hope is that, at some point, we’re going to be able to work cooperatively with China as well,” he added. China has rejected joining the arbitration case the Philippines filed before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). When asked if the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty be-tween the Philippines will apply in case of war with China, Obama was also evasive. “Our message to China consistently in a whole range of issues is we want be a partner with you in uphold-ing 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 con-sistent with international law,” he said.

A comparison of the language of the US treaties with Japan and the Philippines shows major differences. Article 5 of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the US and Japan reads, “Each Par-ty recognizes that an armed attack against either Party in the territories under the administration of Japan would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common danger in accordance with its constitutional provisions and processes.” Article 4 of the 1951 MDT between the Philippines and the US says, “Each Party recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes.” The maritime disputes between the Philippines and China covers areas in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) -- like the Spratly Islands, Scarborough Shoal, the Reed Bank and the Second Thomas Shoal.China stakes its claims on a map drawn up by the Kuomintang, while the Philippines bases its claims on the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea and its exclusive economic zones.

(Cont. from page 1..OBAMA:US

Here are some tips to stay motivated in your fitness regimen:

1. Set goals - Start with a short term goal that’s attainable. Be realistic and build from that short term goal. Accomplishing your short term goal will eventually help you establish a long term goal. For instance, if you have not exercise for a while, you can set a short term goal of walking 15 minutes a day 3 times a week. Then, set a long term goal of joining a 5k race.

2. Make it fun - Find a physical activ-ity that you like. If you like lifting weights, then join a gym or workout from home. It’s hard to stay motivated if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing.

3. Make exercise as your regular routine - Make it part of you. Create a schedule within your daily routine that specifically involves exercise. You can train before work or afterwards. It requires very little time.

4. Make your self accountable - Write down your goals. For example, you want to lose 10 lbs in 3 months. Put it on a calendar.

5. Don’t do it alone - ask a friend, a family member, a neighbor or join a sup-

port group that have the same fitness goal. Having a support makes it a lot easier to accomplish your fitness goals.

6. Reward yourself - savor the moment of finishing a tough workout. Pat yourself in the back. Be proud of your accomplish-

ment. For ex-ample, if you lost inches on your waist, buy your-self a new pair of pants.

Stick to these tips and surely you will suc-ceed with your fitness goals.

Remember, Rome was not built on a day. Slow progress is better than no progress.

About the contributor:

John Pangan is a Certified Per-sonal Trainer, Champion Natural Bodybuilder and the co-founder of Bfitandlive web-site. For more diet and excercise tips, email john@bfitandlive.com. Download the bFi-tandLive Freebook at www.bfitfree-book.com.

PAGE 11May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014The San Francisco Post HEALTH & FITNESS

Tips on how to stay motivated?

The Philippines and the United States signed an agreement on Monday that will allow a greater US military presence on Filipino bas-es.Obama pledges support And Obama sought on Tuesday to reassure the Philippines that the United States would support its ally in the event of being attacked, citing a 1951 mutual defense treaty between the two nations. “This treaty means our two nations pledge, and I am quoting, ‘our common determination to defend themselves from external armed at-tacks’,” Obama said. “And no potential aggressor can be under the illusion that either of them stands alone. In other words, our commitment to defend the Philippines is ironclad. The United States will keep that commitment because allies will

never stand alone.” Nevertheless, Obama did not specifically mention coming to the aid of the Philippines if there were a conflict over the contested South China Sea areas, as his hosts had hoped.On the first leg of his Asian tour in Tokyo, Obama had made such a pledge of support to Japan, which is locked in its own dispute with China over rival claims to islands in the East China Sea.Obama’s nuanced position on the Philippines was part of a tight-rope act he had tried to per-form during his trip — reassuring allies wary about China’s perceived increased hostility while not antagonizing the leadership in Bei-jing.While offering pledges of protection to Japan and the Philippines, Obama also insisted the United States was not seeking to counter or contain China.

(Cont. from page 1..OBAMA IGNITES)

Lowering cholesterol without medication

Medications are just one way to deal with high cholesterol. There are many other natu-ral options to bring down your levels, too.A healthy diet without saturated fat will help decrease your LDLs, also known as the “bad” cholesterol. Here are some tips to lower your cholesterol without needing a prescription. Avoid foods like egg yolks, fatty meats and full-fat dairy products. Incorporating salmon, nuts and oatmeal into your diet can also help to lower your cholesterol naturally. Exercising is another solution. And it doesn’t require being an extreme athlete or

running marathons. It doesn’t matter what you do, just get moving—anything that will get your heart rate pumping will help.Being overweight can contribute to high cholesterol levels. So if you drop some extra pounds—chances are, your LDLs will fol-low. Still not happy with your cholesterol level? You can also try supplements. But check with your doctor before you try them out. Niacin and soluble fiber can help, and studies show that artichoke leaf will do the trick as well.

Spring allergy relief: Here’s what to try first

Sneezing, congestion, runny noses and itchy eyes. For people with seasonal nasal allergies — commonly known as hay fever — these symptoms are nothing new. They are as predictable as the explosion of tree pollen happening now in many parts of the country and the bursts of grass and ragweed pollens still to come. But when it comes to treating those symptoms, there is some news this year. First, consumers can now buy one kind of allergy medi-cine, a steroid nasal spray, without a prescription. Nasa-cort is the first drug in that class to make it to drugstore shelves. Second, the Food and Drug Administration has just ap-proved the first two of several dissolvable pills that may replace allergy shots for some patients. The pills con-tain grass pollen extracts and, taken over time, will help some patients build up tolerance – without having to re-turn to a doctor’s office for months or years of injections.But those medications are not the first things to try, doc-tors say. In fact, some tried and true strategies don’t in-

volve medication at all. Among them:• Pay attention to pollen counts. “In many parts of the country, pollen counts are highest between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. and start to rise again after dusk,” says Michael Foggs, an allergy specialist in Chicago and president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunol-ogy. Fit in your jog or gardening between those peaks or right after a cleansing rain, he suggests.• Close your windows. “What I tell people with signifi-cant pollen allergies is that if they open the windows to get the breeze and fresh air, they also are inviting a cloud of pollen into their houses,” says James Li, an allergy specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology• Turn on the air conditioner. Or at least run the fan on your heating and cooling system. Good ventilation, combined with a high-efficiency filter, will help clean indoor air.

“Start with a short term goal that’s attainable.”

PAGE 12May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014 SPORTS The San Francisco Post

MANILA – The National Basketball Association (NBA) on Friday announced that the first NBA Cafe in the world will of-ficially open on April 25 at the SM Aura at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. NBA Cafe Manila is a first-of-its-kind NBA destination that features a unique dining and entertainment experience that captures the energy and feel of the NBA. Managed and operated locally by Haute Couture F&B Concepts, Inc., NBA Cafe Manila will fea-

ture larger than life NBA dis-plays, unique memorabilia, and basket-ba l l - t hemed accents and fixtures, all complemented with an excit-ing menu. It is the first sports bar and restaurant in Manila catering specifically to basketball fans

where patrons will enjoy quintessential American bar and grill favorites. “Basketball is the most popular sport in the Philippines and it makes sense that the first NBA Cafe anywhere in the world

would open for our pas-sionate fans in Manila,” said Carlo Singson, NBA Country Manager, Philip-pines. “NBA Cafe Manila is a unique one-stop destination for casual and avid sports fans alike and is another great way for them to expe-rience the NBA first-hand,” Singson added. Gordon Hayward of the Utah Jazz and WNBA Leg-end Tina Thompson will be the featured guests at the

grand opening of NBA Cafe Manila. Hayward was selected 9th overall by the Utah Jazz in the 2010 NBA Draft and Thompson was a four-time WNBA champion, nine-time WNBA All-Star, and was the first-ever draft pick in WNBA history.

World’s first NBA Cafe to open in Manila today

BAGUIO CITY—Mark John Lexer Galedo made his most significant attack when it mattered most, finish-ing second in the extremely crucial stage to become the sec-ond Filipino to win the Le Tour de Filipinas.Galedo, a two-time winner of the local Tour, joined the hon-or roll of the only Interna-tional Cycling Union race in the country, finishing a strong second in the 134-km roller-coaster Stage Four from Bayombong City to the Summer Capital behind Laos’s Ariya Phounsavath. Phounsavath, 22, the reigning Southeast Asian Games champion riding for the CCN Continental Team of Brunei, won in four hours, 32 min-utes and 42 seconds, grabbing the lead from Galedo in the last 15 kilo-meters to finish a minute and 14 sec-onds ahead of the Filipino stalwart of the 7-Eleven Continental Team. But Galedo hoisted the biggest tro-phy in the end, dislodging two rid-ers of the OCBC Singaporean team from the top two in the general clas-sification, finishing the four-day, 616.10-kilometer race that started in Clark in 17:12:05, 1:03 ahead of runner-up and first leg winner Eric

Timothy Sheppard of the Singapor-ean team and 4:12 in front of Alireza Asgharzadeh of the Iranian Tabriz

squad. “Ma-saya ako at ma-saya ang t e a m . Para sa Pilipino i t o , ” s a i d Galedo, 28, who w a s s i x t h

in last year’s race won by Mizbani Iranag Ghader of Iran. Besides win-ning $2,710, he also earned 53 UCI points that catapulted him to the top 30 in the Asian rankings, making him eligible for more top-caliber interna-tional races. “Nagkaroon lang ako ng chance umagwat. Di ko ini-expect na mai-wan sila ng ganun,” said Galedo, who pedalled all alone for nearly 55 kilometers, mostly in nearly 40-de-gree climbs until he was overtaken by Phounsavath. Singaporean Go Choon Huat, who wore yellow jersey for the last two days with a 3:33 lead over Galedo, the second stage winner, go-ing into the final lap, reared his weak-ness in the climb over the Cordilleras and, finishing 16th place in the stage and falling 11th overall, 12:57 behind the race presented by Air21.

Galedo crowned tour king

Overall leader Mark Galedo (right) of 7-Eleven enters the third King of the Mountain point in the fourth stage of the Le Tour de Filipinas as Terengganu Team’s Hamed Pasbankhajeh of Iran gives chase.

REAL ESTATE

WASHINGTON -- More Americans felt rich enough to invest in vacation homes last year as the economy continued its re-covery. Annual sales jumped nearly 30% to 717,000 homes, according to the National Association of Realtors. Vacation home sales represented 13% of the total market, their highest share since 2006. The median price rose to $168,700, up 12.5% from a year earlier. The sales were spurred by a strong stock market, according to Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. The S&P 500 piled up a whop-ping 30% return in 2013, its best perfor-mance in 16 years. That provided investors with the funds and the confidence to pur-chase recreational property. Some of the buys were made by specu-lators looking for quick profits. About 5% of buyers turned the properties over before

the year was out and another planned to sell within 12 months of purchase. The main reason cited for buying was to use the homes as family vacation retreats. But 31% of buyers also said they planned to eventually use the homes as primary residences, often after they retire. More than a quarter of buyers said the purchase was to take advantage of good deals or to diversify their assets. Almost as many planned to rent to others, at least part of the year. NAR’s report also covered purchases of second homes for investment purposes. Those sales fell 8.5% year-over-year to 1.1 million. “Investment buyers slowed their purchas-ing in 2013 because prices were rising quickly,” said Yun, who also cited the drop in the number of foreclosures available for the decline.

Vacation home market heats up

Pacquiao, wife told to post P3-b bondMANILA -- In the much-touted square-off between boxing icon Man-ny Pacquiao and his nemesis, BIR Commissioner Kim Henares, the boxing lawmaker has dealt the tax chief a setback by way of a Court of Tax Appeals ruling. The CTA on Wednesday lifted the BIR garnishment order on the as-sets of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao for alleged failure to pay P3.2 billion in tax. But the tax court also required Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee to either deposit P3.2 billion as cash bond or file a surety bond with the court. In a resolution penned by Presiding Justice Roman del Rosario, the tax court granted Pacquiao’s motion to lift the BIR order that prevented the boxing lawmaker from transacting and accessing his bank accounts. The CTA stressed that “failure to post the required cash or surety bond and submit the above-stated requirements within 10 days from receipt of the resolution will warrant the setting aside of the suspension of col-lection of taxes as herein granted.”Associate Justices Erlinda Uy and Cielito Mindaro-Grulla concurred with the ruling. The BIR welcomed the ruling of the CTA, saying it did not suffer a knockout punch from the court decision. BIR Deputy Commissioner Estela Sales told reporters the bureau was “happy” with the tax court ruling because it preserves the interest of the government, while the garnishment case against Pacquiao is still being resolved by the CTA. “If they fail to put up the bond, we will continue with our garnish-ment and use all the modes by which we can enforce collection,” she stressed.

Pacquiao’s lawyer Tranquil Salvador said his client is ready to com-ply with the court’s order. “He still has options, which is to ask for the reduction of the bond, or secure a corporate surety, in this case, he only pays the premium of the amount just like in an insurance,” Salvador said. Pacquiao sought relief following BIR’s move to collect his alleged back taxes, which ballooned to over P3 billion last year from the initial assessment of P2.229 billion in 2010.Pacquiao’s lawyers said their client paid the appropriate taxes, showing documents from his promoter. Records showed that Top Rank Inc. paid the boxer-lawmaker a total of $12,948,439.00 for 2008 and $14.9 million for 2009, and the US government withheld $3,884,531.00 and $4,470,000, respectively. In ruling against the BIR, the CTA stressed that it can order the sus-pension of tax collection under Section 11 of Republic Act 1125, which created the Court of Tax Appeals if the interest of the government and/or the taxpayer would be jeopardized. “This court may, in proper cases, issue the writ of injunction to re-straint/distraint and levy ordered by internal revenue officials to collect taxes under dispute,” the appellate tax court stressed. The CTA noted that the revenue agency is collecting a total of P3,298,514,894.35, which represented Pacquiao’s income and value-added taxes for taxable years 2008 to 2009, including surcharge and interests, as of Oct. 13, 2013. However, the tax court said that the amount “appears to be way beyond” the Pacquiaos’ net worth, which was pegged at P1.186 billion as of July 1, 2013.

PAGE 13May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014The San Francisco Post SHOWBIZ

Cedric Lee, cohort nabbed in Samar, taken to Manila

MANILA — Cedric Lee and his friend Simeon Palma, also known as Zimmer Raz, were taken directly to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Headquar-ters in Manila upon their ar-rival at the Ninoy Aquino Inter-national Airport Terminal 3 at around 8 a.m. on Sunday. NBI authorities took the mug-shots and finger-prints of the two who were wear-ing almost match-ing polo shirts shortly after they were taken into

custody in a detention area inside the NBI facility where they are currently staying. Investigators also said that Lee’s sister Berniece,

who was arrested last week but managed to post bail, also arrived the NBI office on Sunday with lawyer Howard Calleja. Cedric Lee, Palma and several others have been charged with serious illegal detention and seri-ous physical injuries for mauling and de-taining actor Vhong Navarro whom they had tried to frame for rape and to extort money from.

Cedric Lee (left,orange shirt) and Simeon “Zimmer” Raz (center, red shirt) are brought by agents to the NBI headquar-ters in Manila.

‘The Legal Wife’ Star breaks down over cheating; Draws strong rating for the

Prime Time Show“The Legal Wife” character played by An-gel Locsin broke down in tears over the aware-ness that her hus-band is cheating on her with her best friend. “The Legal Wife” eas-ily zoomed up as the most talked about topic on Twitter as the ep-isode was aired. At one point, the episode’s official hashtag, “#TL-WTheTrueLies,” was the No. 1 trend both in the Philippines and worldwide at the same time, ABS CBN News reported. In an episode of the primetime series, Locsin, under the titular character Monica, comes across a necklace on the beach, which she rec-ognizes as the item bought by Adrian (Jericho Rosales) but never turned up as a gift for either her, his mother, or sister. The doubtful Monica comes to the conclusion that Adrian’s mistress must be at the same resort where they are staging a bikini compe-tition for a client. In an at-tempt to identify the owner of the necklace, Monica asks all those present at the pageant rehearsals if any of them lost the ornament, only to find out that Nicole (Maja Salvador) owns it and claims it. As quoted from the report, “Faced with the realization that Nicole may be her hus-band’s mistress, Monica remembers details of her best friend’s past interactions with Adrian, which on hindsight appear to have

clued her in on the affair. Monica calls a client about a gift it recently sent to Nicole, in the hope of hear-ing that it was the company that sent her the necklace. She breaks down in tears when she gets confirma-tion that the cli-ent sent Nicole an electronic tablet, and not the necklace.” Later in the episode, Monica caught the “ille-

gal” couple holding hands. The Legal Wife, which is under the direc-tion of Rory Quintos and Dado Lumibao, airs weeknights after “Ikaw Lamang” dur-

ing ABS-CBN’s primetime block. It also stars Christopher de Leon, Rio Locsin, Mark Gil, Maria Isabel Lopez, JC de Vera, Joem Bascon, Ahron Villena, Ja-nus del Prado, and Matet de Leon.

Angel Locsin as Monica, Jericho Rosales as Adrian and Maja Salvador as Nicole.Ryzza Mae visits fans in CanadaBETTER sooner than later. Eight-year-old child star Ryzza Mae Dizon had her first white Christ-mas in April during a recent “working” trip to Toronto, Canada.“Akala ko, malamig,” she said of the snow. “Pero pagtagal, umiinit din.” Ryzza Mae joined the “Eat Bulaga” cast (the “Dabarkads,” led by Tito and Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon) for a concert held at the Sony Center for the Performing Arts on April 12. Ryzza Mae frolicked in the ice with Dabarkads Paolo Ballesteros and Ruby Rodriguez. “Ang saya-saya!” she told the Inquirer. She visited the famed Niagara Falls. “Akala ko mahuhulog po ako sa lakas ng hangin,” she recalled. She marveled at the CN Tower, which has glass floors, offering views of the street below. “Noong una, nahilo ako pero pag tagal, OK na. Humiga ako sa floor at nagpa-picture-picture.” It was the pint-sized superstar’s second trip abroad. “Ang first time ko po, sa Hong Kong Disneyland.” (The GMA 7 morning program, “The Ryzza Mae Show,” taped an episode in the theme park last year.) The Canada trip, she noted, was her longest plane ride ever. “Natulog po ako sa airplane.”

Aside from the sights, she said, meeting Filipi-no-Canadian fans made the otherwise exhaust-ing trip well worth it.

(GMA Cor-porate Com-munica t ions reported that 3,000 fans watched “Eat Bulaga Live in Toronto.”) Ryzza Mae related an e n c o u n t e r with foreign ( “ b l o n d e ” ) fans who turned up at

the hotel at night, when she was already in her pajamas: “Tinanong ko po sila: ‘Do you watch my shows?’ Sabi nila: ‘You’re amazing!’” The girl received all sorts of gifts from admir-ers. “May nagbigay ng chocolates, dolls, mga dress at teddy bear.” “Eat Bulaga Live in Toronto” was copresented by the GMA Network global channels: GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV and GMA News In-ternational.

Frolicking in the snow for the first time.

Rumor has it that Ai Ai de las Alas is cur-rently hooked on one of her co-stars, Jay Gonzaga who plays the role of a merman in the primetime series Dyesebel. While there is no confirmation yet of their budding relationship, the two are often pic-tured together, especially in the uploaded photos of their respective accounts on In-stagram. Hailing from Agusan del Norte, Gonzaga started out as a model and tried his hand at stage acting. He was the lead actor in Oros-man at Zafira and was Crisostomo Ibarra in Kanser. In an interview with Business Mirror, he said he has been “loving the experience” in Dyesebel as he is able to work with “won-derful actors,” “especially Ai-Ai de las Alas who has become a dear friend.” Gonzaga and de las Alas are often seen together in group photos. At one point, the actress posted a short video of the hunky model dancing, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts. Before that, she uploaded a photo of them together in what seems to be a dressing room, with the caption, “Taga bura ng tat-too my cf @jay_gonzaga hehe may iba ka na namang powers.”

Gonzaga is in his mid-twenties, while De las Alas is 49 years old.

The actress recently told Inquirer that she will never get married again after an ugly divorce with businessman Jed Salang, whom she accused of physical abuse. However, she said she is “still hoping to find a partner, not necessarily a husband.”

Has Ai Ai fallen deeply with ‘sireno?’

Jay Gonzaga and Ai Ai de las Alas

Claudine Barretto faces theft charges anewCLAUDINE Barretto is facing theft charges anew, this time from two personal assistants whom the actress also accused of stealing from her. The “Mula sa Puso” star alleged in a qualified theft com-plaint that Jennifer Mu-rillo and Ma-lou Pecher, both former h e l p e r s , stole from her Louis Vuitton bags in August 2013. The com-plaint was junked in a r e s o l u t i o n announced Friday by the Marikina Regional Tri-al Court, where Murillo and Pecher earlier filed counter-charges against their former employer. The court has since dismissed the cases of grave coercion and grave threat against Barretto, but will hear the robbery complaint against the actress, ac-cording to Murillo and Pecher’s camp. Murillo accused Barretto of stealing several of her belongings, including a portable media player, a cellphone, a speaker, as well as her passport and ID’s. Pecher, on the other hand, alleged the actress stole her two cellphones.

The qualified theft case against the two were dismissed with the help of Barretto’s estranged husband, actor Raymart Santiago, who testified in support of Murillo and Pecher’s sworn statements.

Asked why she thinks Barretto accused her and Pecher of theft, Murillo said, “Hindi ko po alam. Ano lang, dahilan lang niya ‘yon kasi wala siyang mai-ano kay Sir Raymart, kaya pati kami dinad-amay niya.” Barretto has filed for a motion to sus-pend proceedings, Murillo’s camp said, to temporarily stop a possible issuance of an arrest warrant against the her. Santiago similarly helped another for-mer employee, Dessa Patilan, who was jailed for 10 months after she was ac-cused by Barretto of stealing a watch worth P1.8 million, and several jewelry amounting to P8.5 million.

As with Murillo and Pecher’s case, Santiago testi-fied in favor of Patilan when her camp applied for bail. Barretto’s estranged sister, actress Gretchen, posted the P60,000 bail for Patilan in March. Santiago also has ongoing legal battle with Bar-retto, who accused him of “physical, sexual, psy-chological and economic” abuse. In the actor’s counter-affidavit responding to Claudine’s allegations, Gretchen and two other Barretto siblings, JJ and Marjorie, alleged their youngest sister is mentally ill and has a history of drug abuse.

Claudine Barretto’s former personal assistants Malou Pecher and Jennifer Murillo.

Team Monica or Team Nicole?

Are you

PAGE 14May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014 CLASSIFIED The San Francisco Post

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PAGE 15May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014The San Francisco Post

PAGE 16May 1, 2014 - May 7, 2014 The San Francisco Post