Inside Philippine politics & beyond

President Gloria Arroyo gave Chinese consular officials and their relatives full diplomatic immunity

Share:
LinkedIn0
Pinterest0

By Raïssa Robles

Ordinarily, consular officials enjoy only limited diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention. This means they can be criminally prosecuted in Philippine courts, unlike diplomats who enjoy full immunity.

However, a 2009 agreement – signed by the Arroyo government represented by Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo, and the People’s Republic of China represented by Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi – broadened the diplomatic immunity of consular officials and their relatives of both countries. The agreement gave them full diplomatic immunity.

My thanks to the high government official who explained to me why China could invoke full diplomatic immunity in the double murder case in Cebu City involving Chinese consular officials and the spouse of one of them.

The official (not from the Palace) explained to me that Section 34 gives consular officials immunity from “judicial and administrative jurisdiction”.

Section 35 states that “a consular officer is under no obligation to give evidence as a witness.” However, the immunity does not extend to the administrative, technical or service staff.

Section 41 extends full diplomatic immunity to family members of consular officers.

My highly knowledgeable source told me the immunity is enjoyed by consular officials of both China and the Philippines.

I must confess, this is the first time I heard of this agreement and saw the entire agreement.

The agreement has become important in the light of the shooting in Cebu City, which left two consular officers dead and two others wounded.

Here is my story on the matter. And you can read the text of our counsular agreement with China below that:

China invokes immunity for all consulate staff related to fatal shooting in Cebu

PUBLISHED : Thursday, 22 October, 2015, 5:51pm
UPDATED : Thursday, 22 October, 2015, 6:14pm

Raissa Robles in Manila

Beijing has invoked diplomatic immunity for all its staff involved in the investigation into the killing of two Chinese diplomats in Cebu city in the Philippines.

Mayor Mike Rama, who met China’s envoy to the country, ambassador Zhao Jianhua on Wednesday night, told the radio station DZMM the Chinese authorities had invoked diplomatic immunity.

A senior government official confirmed the Chinese government had taken the step.

Two suspects, Guo Jing and her husband, Li Qingliang, were taken into custody after the shooting at a Cebu restaurant on Wednesday afternoon. Guo works in the visa section of the consulate, a source earlier told the South China Morning Post.

To read the rest, please click on this link

Comments

  1. Breaktime

    AGAIN THE SIDESHOW WHICH IS THE MAINSHOW: THE TAIL THAT WAGS THE DOG

    Analogy

    President = the dog’s main body
    Vice President = the tail

    With Binay-Honasan duo a laughing stock; Poe-Escudero duo dimming rapidly because of the probable loss of Poe in either the citizenship or residency issue and the equally dimming of Escudero’s shine; the equally laughable Santiago-Marcos duo, the spotlight have shifted to the sideshow: the VP game — the tail wagging the dog.

    A Revised View

    While still contending that among the VPs, Marcos is to be reckoned with, I thought for a while that Escudero, Marcos and Robredo are the really the three players in the VP game. It now seems to me that the three players are Cayetano, Marcos and Robredo.

    Escudero’s shine seems to have dimmed by the realization of his character and the dimming of Poe-Escudero tandem by the disqualification cases againstt Poe gaining traction, which cannot but filter down even to the masa. Thus, among the four Bicolanos — Escudero, Honasan, Robredo and Trillanes — only Robredo’s star continues to shine, with Escudero, Honasan and Trillanes stars dimming, bringing up as a consequence, Cayetano,
    Marcos and Robredo as the top three among the 6 VPs (which was the view of @vander in an earlier post).

    Part of the equation is that Cayetano, has become the prime rah-rah boy of Duterte, whose never-say-die supporters must have cast their sympathy with Cayetano. Thus, my revised view that the three VP players to watch are Cayetano, Marcos and Robredo. With the prize ultimately going to Robredo come May 2016. (The last line from a Ro-Ro fan.)

    • really want to believe that the netizens especially those inhabiting cpm courtesy of raissa are correct and when i feel disheartened by what i hear elsewhere i come to cpm to buoy my spirits up. but tonight while attending a family dinner party, i was again reminded that binay may still win because he “holds” most of the mayors outside the major cities, outocme of his relentless work since he became vp to cultivate their support through various means. i anticipate another fitful sleep as a result.
      i appeal to folks like @nherrera to use their slide rules to confirm or invalidate this thinking that binay maybe washed out among netizens but will come out the winner because of this”hold” on the local mayors in the peripheries.

      • don’t worry too much about it dalisay. most LCEs who are with binays (sister cities/municipalities) are now slowly distancing with them because of the outcome of the senate committee investigation.

        they cannot afford also to be associated with the binays now. true that they still have the clout in the D & E but eventually he will lose his grip upon them when the catholic church would issue “sermon” on morals & ethics soon.

        hold on tight dalisay. God bless our country!

      • I wished I had the magic slide rule to calculate the answer to the question that bothers you. I hope these will help:

        1. People like myself, who are not paid to comment here, one way or the other, may support our comments with sound reasoning. But we should still be read with caution. Meaning that however sound our reasoning are, everyone, yourself included, @dalisay, should read it with healthy skepticism — does it jibe with facts or does it jibe with equally sound reasoning by others you respect.

        2. Even SWS or PA surveys are probabilities good only at the period of the surveys and may change as we approach the Election. Your readings from here, the links to further reading, and your own external sources and readings are the tools which may guide in going from A, where we are now, to B, the possible outcome of the election.

        3. The matter of Makati sister cities that Binay has cultivated over the years is indeed a factor to take into account. But as the SWS/PA surveys themselves indicated, this may not be as strong as it was about a year ago. “Marami nang tubig and dumaan sa ilalim ng tulay.”

        4. Our social media comments here may help — even in some small way — towards the outcome we desire, especially now that Binay’s ranking from a year ago has considerably eroded.

        5. Now that the ranking has changed so that Roxas and Binay — as of the last surveys of SWS/PA — are statistically tied, our keeping on with the social media may help some more.

        6. No, dalisay, how I wish I have that magic slide rule to calculate.

        Goodnight to you.

        • sorry po, at makisawsaw ako rito kahit walang slide rule. si pope francis mismo nagsabi na ‘not all questions have answers’. it has been said that the only certain things in life are death and taxes.

          and, as for binay being voted in as president dahil local mayors lalo na sa mga sister cities ng makati will vote for him, hearsay lang yan, the mayors did not sign affidavits claiming thus. mayors may have ‘dalawang mukha’ but when comes to voting, they can only vote once, hindi pwedeng padoble-doble ang boto nila. one person, one vote.

          elenita may swear that her husband will make it to the presidency, but many of us here say, he certainly cannot!

          dalisay, be comforted in the fact that many of us dont want binay as president.

    • I agree with JoeAm, good assessment. What it brought home to me is that Alan Peter Cayetano is a big sissy who can’t stand on his own two feet.
      His constant harping on about Duterte, despite the writing on the wall, shows that in spite of all the Blue Ribbon bluster Cayatano is just a big girl’s blouse who needs a big brother to protect him.

      • we have to understand APCayetano.
        duterte’s body language was opposite of his pronouncements.
        i myself believed the latter(D30) will shoot for P.
        it might be for a reason that one big individual or more backed-out to support him that he suddenly switched to aim mayoralty again.
        but i heard from a buried “burnay”, a jar, that it is still possible he’ll take the challenge.
        pwede pa po ba?

      • ikaw na, dapat baliktarin ni cayetano and modus niya. kung siya mismo ang siyang tatakbo bilang presindente, baka duterte will jump at the chance at being cayetano’s vice. switcharoo. duterte’s popularity should be enough to catapult both he and cayetano to malakanyang. cayetano and duterte dont need money for campaign, they dont have to pay npa for the right to campaign in the barrios and lalawigans dahil padrino nila si duterte, at hindi rin sisingilan ng pabuya si cayetano. and because duterte team is so much loved and cherished kuno, people will them give free transport in airplanes, and hire cars, restaurants will also give them free food to sustain them all through campaign period, and lastly, top hotels will give them free accommodation. I really hope cayetano is not being wuss and show guts for once, take the bull by the horn and run for the top job. not be like bong marcos na paligoy-ligoy.

  2. CJ Sereno says –

    “Citing the parallel roles of journalists and magistrates in nation building, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno has called for brave and independent journalism based on facts and not on “unconfirmed leaks.”

    (1) Journalists’ reporting based on facts. (2) Courts, in their decisions, yes.

    On (1) may limit freedom of the press and of speech.

    The CJ . . . “The chief magistrate drew similarities between journalism and judiciary work, and the importance that both fields play in the public sphere.”

    What about the dissimilarities? Is it limited or ignored? Can a journalist last long, I mean really continue to be one for a good lenght of time in his/her occupation, to always ‘factually report’ his/her work? It surely will help the courts. But will it help him/her?

    . . . “x x x judges and justices to deliver a just and honest ruling the same way it expects journalists to do fair and accurate reporting,” she added.” (CJ)

    Without ‘facts,’ would a journalist stil be considered doing a ‘fair and accurate reporting like judges and justices making their judgments?

    . . . “Help others hone their skills so that they ably investigate the facts and not end up just peddling gossip,” she said.” (CJ)

    Journalists likened to be graft investigators? Police detective works? O.k. for that. But still even with factual reportings, gossips will still be there. Facts or no facts, it will be a topic for gossip nevertheless.

    What then is the Free Market for Ideas theory under free speech and of the press? Are facts in the free market and nothing more?

    In the US case, NY Times v. Sullivan, the US Fed. Sup Ct said –

    “The Court ruled for The Times, 9–0.[6] The rule of law applied by the Alabama courts was found constitutionally deficient for failure to provide safeguards for freedom of speech and of the press, as required by the First and Fourteenth Amendment. The decision further held that even with the proper safeguards, the evidence presented in this case was insufficient to support a judgment for Sullivan. In sum the court ruled that “the First Amendment protects the publication of all statements, even false ones, about the conduct of public officials except when statements are made with actual malice (with knowledge that they are false or in reckless disregard of their truth or falsity).”

    Protect the publication of all, ALL STATEMENTS,even FALSE ONES, about the conduct of public officials (except when statements are made with ACTUAL MALICE.

    Living in true democracy even in true facts and false facts.

        • leona, peer reviewed articles in law and medical journals may be factual and backed by evidence, but those articles in tabloids are just for daily consumption, panis paminsan. like teleserye with thousands of fans and followers, tabloids also have thousands reading them, and over time, readers knew they’re reading fiction. the actors in teleseryes are only acting to script, their jobs depend on their popularity. same as tabloids, they aim for wider readership, and their writers must be creative, inventive and imaginative in order to capture readers. what writers write and said can be classified as ‘fair comment’ not really factual. and fair comment cannot be libelous.

    • Thank you for that, and I’m glad it came out in the Inquirer, where ethical violations seem the rule on some day. Maybe Inq editors will read the article.

      In addition to using weak and unverified sources (“Whitie killed in Mamasapano raid”), the Inq commonly runs editorials in the headlines and MAKES the news by pitting one party to a battle against the other, on alternate days. In the latter case, they should take their time and do one balanced, factual report.

      Three forms of ethical violations that occur over and over:

      Weak and unverified sources
      Editorializing the news
      Making the news instead of reporting it, journalistically

      • he, he, he, cant stop laughing, white killed in mamasapano raid. what a gumption.

        generally, all people turned white at death. there is no more red blood circulating, kaya namumutla yong katawan, pale with bluish tinge, cyanotic. a dead body is pale and may appear white to some. at night, the dead body may appear to glow in the dark too. in death process, the phosphorous in the bones may leak to the surface of the skin and gives eerie glow.

        • Too much information, moonie! Too much information!! Gadzooks, you should write for the zombie movies. creepin’ me out.

  3. paumanhin po. ang kumentong ito ay nakabaon sa ilalim ng mga kung anu-ano. nabasa ko lamang dahil may panahon ako ngayon.. sayang naman na hindi ito mabasa ng marami. kaya nilalagay ko ngayon sa unahan.
    enigma says:
    October 16, 2015 at 10:17 pm
    hindi nyo lang alam ang totoong nangyayari sa loob ng bahay ni Jun at Maid Mirriam. Kung malalaman nyo lang, maawa kayo kay Jun Santiago. At lalong mandiri kayo sa totoong Mirriam Santiago. Kulang pa ang katagang BRENDA sa kanya. Meron kasi kaming kakilala na close din sa amin. Dalawang pamangkin nya ang hiniling ni jun Santiago na magsilbi bilang katulong nila sa bahay sa Quezon City. Hiniling ni Jun na dapat college graduate sila kasi yan ang gusto ni Maam. Alam nyo ba kung paano trinato ni MDS ang dalawa? Hindi asal ng isang sibilisadong tao ang asal ni Maam. Pag may kinaiinisan sya, pinapapila ang mga utusan at sampalin dahil galit sya. Walang magreklamo dahil nanunutok ng baril si Maam kung lalong magalit. Pag may inutos sya sa labas para ipabili ng kahit ano sa kanto na Sari Sari Store, balik agad dahil pag may kunting kabagalan, tututukan nya ng baril ang pobreng katulong. Halos sila pakainin at palaging may parusa pag nainis si Maam. Minsan, may inutos sya sa isang katulong na bumili sa kanto at hindi nakabalik agad. Nagwawala si Maam at sinabing papatayin nya ang pobreng katulong pag dumating na. Alam nyo ba ano ang ginawa ni Jun Santiago at ng security nila? Sinundo ang katulong at sinabihang huwag ng bumalik at nilikas sa isang lugar para pauwiin dito sa Bisayas. Hindi man lang nakuha ng katulong ang mga gamit nya. Binigyan sya ni Jun ng pamasahi para makauwi agad. Ang siste, naiwan yong pinsan nya doon at tawag ng tawag sa tiyahin nya dito na pauwiin na lang sya dahil hindi nya na kaya. Ngunit walang nangyayari dahil ayaw nga ni Maam na pauwiin sya. Sa huli, lumapit ang tiyahin sa isang mataas na opisyal na kakilala nya(ito ang hiningan ni Jun Santiago ng tulong para makuha ang dalawang ito)at sinabihang dapat gawan nya ng paraan para makauwi ang pamangkin. Tinawagan ng taong ito si Jun Santiago(kaibigan to ng mataas na opisyal si Jun)at sinabing pauwiin ang katulong dahil sobra ng nag alala ang mga magulang nito. Pinatakas din ni Jun ang isang katulong na to para makauwi. Ipinakita pa nila ang mga natamo nilang mga sugat at pasa sa katawan na kanilang inabot sa kalupitan ni Maam MDS. Kaya sabi ko, kulang pa ang katagang BRENDA sa kanya. Isa siyang PSYCHOTIC na tao. Napakalupit nya at totoong hindi matino ang kanyang pag iisip. Kaya hindi sya bagay sa posisyong Presidenti. Madrama lang sya masyado at madali nya mauto ang mga taong hindi sya masyadong nakilala ng personal. Pag nakilala nyo sya ng personalan, baka mandiri din kayo.

    • nalulubos na ang pagkakilala sa kanya.
      dati ay isang haka-haka lang ang nailahad mong istorya ng pagkamatay ng anak niya.
      ngayon ay may corroborative statement na at nagiging maliwanag na ang isang bagay na dating malabo.
      nakikita na natin ang linya ng pag-iisisp niya nang maging biased siya sa mga paghahanap natin ng hustisya:
      1. sa pagkiling niya sa napatalsik na TJ.
      2. sa pagharang niya sa pag-imbestiga sa nabaril niyang anak.
      3. pagkiling niya ng panahong dinidinig ang impeachment ni erap.
      4. sa pagpuri niya sa diktador at pakikipagtambal sa anak ng berdugo.
      5. ipinapakita niyang siya ay kapareho ng pag-iisip ng diktador.

      • meron yata tayong kasambahay law ngayon. hindi na dapat magtiis pa ang mga kasambahay, they’re protected under the kasambahay law recent passed in the senate, maybe a year ago.

        sana, sinabi ng mga kasambahay na natanggal sa trabaho kung talaga bang may stage 4 cancer si miriam. kung mga college graduate sila, they should know how miriam’s cancer treatment regimen looks like, and able to understand same. sana, alert sila and can elucidate about miriam’s true state of health, has picked up from miriam’s personal rubbish bin yaong mga medical receipts na tinapon, and been keeping them for future use. there are people in the media who would like to have copies of those medical receipts.

        • kasambahay must have also heard private conversations between miriam and her doctors, I’d appreciate if they say what was being discussed, now that they’re no longer working for miriam and no longer owe loyalty to her.

        • @moonie,
          naniniwala ka bang may cancer si mds?
          ako kasi hinde.
          ang alam ko may katas siya.
          baka yung kanser ek-ek na yan ay panakip lang sa madalas niyang topak o tantrums.
          isa ring alibi para kaawaan at hindi sitahing kung nag-aala-pacman sa senado(absenteeism)

        • As usual, laws are merely suggestions. Saka sino pupuder sa kasambahay kung kalaban mo ay si Brenda na maraming koneksyon sa Gobyerno plus Senadora pa? Sa tingin ko alam na iyan ng mga propesyonal sa sikolohiya kung anong sakit ang meron si Brenda.

        • marahil, yong mga propesyonal will not talk about miriam dahil bound sila ng confidentiality, paying client kasi si miriam, on going at pangkasalukuyan pa.

          it does not matter kung kasambahay o hindi, if they got strong evidence, case will likely to proceed against miriam. but, unlike bong who did not finish his study, miriam finished hers at constitutionalist pa siya. there is probably only one chance to bring her down, but it must be done properly, or it cannot gather momentum.

    • @dalisay, @vander, @moonie

      Yung kuwento ni enigma — kung inbento man yun, madaling maniwala dahil sa pinakikita nya sa ibang bagay ng “factual” gaya ng aktuasyon nya na ni-lista ni vander. Gaya ng sinabi nya na “I lied” nuong tinanong sya tungkol sa pagtalon sa eroplana. Nuong pag asta-asta nyo nuon impeachment trial ni Corona — ang pagbanat nya sa kay abogado na si aguirre; nuong pagbanat nya sa magkapatid sa audience dahil sa pagtawa sa kasira-an nya. Hindi nga BRENDA. PSYCHOTIC o dili kaya PSYCHOPATH pa.

      Iyan ba ang gusto natin maging Presidente ng Pilipinas. At mag Vice President etong Bobong Marcos na ito?

      Huwag naman sana.

      • Kaya siguro ayaw dumikit ni Bongbong sa kanya kasi may topak nga sa ulo hahahahaha…. Tutal si Brenda lang ang nagpahayag na ka-tandem niya si Bongbong. Napaisip ako tuloy kung bakit siya ginawang miyembro ng ICJ para di na siya manggulo sa politika ng Pilipinas….kaso nakalusot dahil kung ano-anong sakit ang inilabas para manatili dito…..

      • thank you, guys. myself does not believe miriam has overcome stage 4 cancer. I was one of the few who 1st doubted miriam cancer story. as well, I had previously posted lengthy comment on the matter: that miriam made up the cancer story as excuse for being absent from work, continually absent. and her colleagues at the senate stupidly took her word, took her at face value too. unlike us, we cannot be absent from work for a long time without doctor’s certificate, evidence of sickness.

        what I think may not be important, at saka, hearsay lamang, o kaya, heavens forbid – false lead. but what the kasambahay saw and heard concerning miriam may be weighty corroborating evidence. specially the ones coming from the kasambahay tasked with buying miriam’s gamot sa botica. also, there must a kasambahay who must have picked up miriam’s empty bote ng gamot sa basura, o kaya, copies of miriam’s medical correspondence thrown away. I can imagine the volume of paper work found in miriam’s garbage bin. and that’s what modern anthropologists would usually do: dig up garbage, dig up dirt from the past and find evidence needed to corroborate, or assassinate the present.

        still, I would not want to give miriam my vote, not even my sympathy vote. same with her underling bong marcos, big no to him being vice president.

      • Nong panahon na medyo sumisikat ang pangalan ni Miriam, fan na fan talaga ako niya. Pero napansin ko na habang nagkakaedad siya, nagiging inconsistent ang mga pronouncements niya. Ang nasasaisip ko ngayon, either na pinaglalaruan niya ang mga tao kasi isip siguro niya mga ignoramus tayo, o kaya naman ay nagiging unstable na ang kanyang pagiisip. O kaya naman ay may psychological problem na siya. Tingnan nyo ang pattern ng behavior niya. Kaya mahirap ipagkatiwala sa kanya ang ating bansa. At saka may health problem siya.

        • agree ako dyan, hindi pwedeng ipagkatiwala ang ating bansa kay miriam. she does not only have health problems, may mental health problems din yata. kung umpongin yan, baka utusan pa ang military na barilin ang lahat na tao, starting with bong marcos. you’re coming with me, toy boy! anya, the after life awaits. le’t go and visit apo.

  4. Off-topic:

    News item: “Purisima, Petrasanta, 9 other PNP officers dismissed from service”

    http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/701733/ombudsman-dismisses-alan-purisima-from-service

    It’s very sad that these two gentlemen (Purisima and Petrasanta) have allowed themselves to desecrate their high sounding names.

    From the defunct college Spanish 101,”purisima” comes from the root word “pura” (pure). When broken down into its comparative degrees, it becomes: pura (pure), mas pura (purer) and purisima (purest) or la mas pura (most pure).

    On the other hand, “petrasanta” means “rock” (petra) combined with “holy” (santa), or better “holy rock”.

    Oh well, perhaps personal character is completely detached from name signification. If the former is East and the latter is West, didn’t Rudyard Kipling say: ‘East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet.”

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/east-is-east–and-west-is-west–and-never-the-twain-shall-meet

  5. Namumunga na ang mga puno ng prutas na naitanim ni Presidente Aquino. Kaya lang, maraming nang hindi makahintay at gustong kainin ang mga prutas, tapos hindi na aalagaan ang mga puno.

    – iyong isa diyan, kakainin ang mga prutas, tapos magtatayo ng babuyan.

    – iyong isang sira-ulo, aalipinin tayong lahat, kasabwat niya anak ng berdugo.

    – iyong isa, gagawa ng pelikula, Alice in Wonderland, pababayaan ang mga puno.

    Si Mar, marunong mag-alaga at magpalago ng negosyo. Si Leni, marunong sa tao at may pagmamalasakit. Sa ganoon, laging may makakain ang lahat, konting tiyaga lang ang kailangan.

    • –” iyong isa sira-ulo, aalipinin tayong lahat, kasabwat niya anak ng berdugo”.

      “This is the same woman who with Enrile shouting LUSOB! LUSOB! commanding the crowd to attack And install Erap in malacanang. This is the same woman who said..” Pag inaresto si Erap tatalon ako sa helicopter” and said later after Erap was arrested..” I lied..I lied..This is the woman who supported and defended corrupt GMA whom she wanted to be kick out and install Erap. This is the same woman who wanted corrupt Corona to remain CJ of the SC. This is the same woman who claimed she is against the crook Enrile and yet teaming up with the son of a CROOK. This woman is MIRRIAM DEFENSOR SANTIAGO.” – Noel Basco

      • a pair of balls, si miriam ay may isa, imelda got the other pair and together, they had the balls son of berdugo hoped to grow, but never have. imelda’s last hope of resurrecting past glory days, the lone son and gene carrier, is going to be president via the back door. son is cowardly kasi at takot sa pintakasi sa front door, baka masaktan. kaya, vice presidency o back door na lang ang entrance niya. and imelda is keeping very close eye on him, watching his every step, baka madapa at magasgas ang nuo ng bata musmus.

        and miriam is going to be the son’s foot soldier, the sedan chair he will be sitting on that will take him all the way to malakanyang, huffing and puffing.

      • if she is defending the corrupts, it follows that she is licking them.
        no to lickers.
        no to mds.
        no to brenda…

      • “This is the woman who supported and defended corrupt GMA whom she wanted to be kick out and install Erap. This is the same woman who wanted corrupt Corona to remain CJ of the SC.”

        Kasi nga na-patay/matay yung anak nuong panahon in Gloria. Unawain na lang natin.

        Indeed, the US Pinoys for Good Governance (USPFGG) made an online Petition for the rejection and expulsion of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago from the International Criminal Court. One reason, among others, was:

        “Obstruction of apprehension and prosecution of a criminal offense. When her son Alexander Robert violently died in her house in La Vista, Quezon City, on November 20, 2003, respondent claimed it was “suicide.” Law enforcement agencies of the government were not allowed to conduct scene of the crime investigation. She had the cadaver of her son immediately cremated, thus destroying, suppressing and concealing the very corpus delicti of the offense;”

        Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/159955/miriam%e2%80%99s-mental-health#ixzz3pXfsppxZ

        • maaari pa bang buksang muli ang ganyang kaso?
          nakakatako kasi.
          hindi man ako naniniwalang mananalo ang tandem nila, pero papaano kung manalo?

        • . . . mostly ‘suicides’ have also entry wound at right or left temples, exit wound likewise or to other spots.

          But entry wound at nape? (center of rear part of the neck) and exit wound at the face. . . (another person must have held a gun at level position at the back of the victim), is highly unusual if that’s the initial fact. An awkward and difficult way to squeeze a gun trigger with right or left thumb or both at the nape area. Try with it with index or forefinger even without a gun, feel or know that the barrel is pointing UPWARDS away from the head unless the palm is 13 inches long before connected to the wrist.

          hmmm. . .

        • also, soco might have old pictures taken from crime scenes, picture of the entry wound and exit wound. pictures dont lie, whereas memories sometimes lie for they can be rusty and corrupted, changes with time too.

          I think, cold cases can only be opened if there is new and compelling evidence.

        • Cops investigators were refused ‘entry’ unlike the entry wound. So, no ‘exit’ like the exit wound.

          So, no pics were made ’cause they didn’t get to the crime scene. If any were made, CREMATED na rin yun.

          Sen. Bong2, mag ingat ka when she is president if you are the VP. Delikado!

          hehehe

        • baka magdilim ang pananaw ni miriam at barilin si bong, hay! possible, very possible ito. bad joke, he, he, he, imelda will surely die of heart attack.

  6. Kung nagkataon na si Pres Aquino ang nag apruba sa ganitong klaseng kasunduan sa Tsina, anong batikos kaya ang aabutin niya? Kung yung para sa national security na lamang, yung Edca meyrong nagkinikwestyun kay PNoy.

      • as always, the prez wil be threatened with impeachment yet again, makabayan bloc will be burning his effigy, the aktibistas will be marching and leaving sangkatutak na garbage behind. there will be noise barrage, at mabibingi na naman ang taumbayan. though things may not be easy for aktibistas dahil people are now shouting back, iniirapan sila, others curse and accuse aktibistas of adding to traffic woes.

        pero, duda ako na si prez aquino ay basta-basta na lang na gumawa ng ganitong kasunduan without much thought and consultation. is this best for the nation? yan daw ang palaging nasa isip ng pangulo before making decision.

  7. Off-topic:

    News item: “Record-breaking Hurricane Patricia slams into Mexico”

    “The US National Hurricane Center says Patricia weakened marginally at landfall, but is still packing maximum winds of 270 kilometers per hour.”

    http://www.rappler.com/world/regions/latin-america/110461-hurricane-patricia-landfall-mexico

    “I’ve had to give away tape to people who weren’t prepared,” said Ramiro Arias, a frame shop owner. “We’re procrastinators. We don’t react until we see the situation.”

    Hindi kayo nag-iisa Mr. Arias; Filipinos are like that too.

    But wait! Didn’t Spain rule the Philippines thru Mexico for two centuries and a half?

    “For 250 years — from 1565 to 1815 — Filipinas was ruled by the Viceroy of Nueva Espana (Mexico) for the Spanish Crown. Those who succeeded Legazpi as governor-general were all Mexicans until 1815 when Spain took direct control of the Philippines.”

    http://globalbalita.com/2004/10/01/when-mexico-ruled-the-philippines/

    Two hundred fifty years is a long time. Maybe it’s safe to say that Mexicans have acculturated the Filipinos.

    The last paragraph of above article “Record-breaking Hurricane…” says:

    “Mexico faces the double threat of Atlantic and Pacific tropical storms during the hurricane season, which ends November 30.”

    If it is of any consolation at all, at least the Philippines faces only a single threat of Pacific tropical storms during the hurricane season.

    • sorry po, I’ve bad sense of humor, he, he, he, ayaw yata ng mga mehicano na mag-alsabalutan dahil baka maiwan ang mga paninim nilang marijuana, at nakawin ng iba. they have to guard them plants with their lives, baka parusahan at mabaril pa sila ng mga drug lords. at saka, their new religion, the one with the death god, is going to be looking after them, protecting them, ensuring their survival. anting-anting yata nila ang death god. plus, there are many drug labs in mexico supplying the americas with meth and ice, the labs have to be protected, not easy to move those expensive equipment at ibakwit, he, he, he, and the burros are too stoned to be carrying anything around.

  9. Off topic

    Now that the Supreme Court has issued a Writ of Amparo against Eduardo Manalo of INC concerning the release of former INC Minister Lowell Menorca, do we hear comment such as “the SC has other important items to attend to; why focus attention on this case?” — from the likes of Binay, Poe and Escudero who were so protective before of the vote-rich INC? Or is that kind of statement intended only for De Lima? Come on guys, follow-up; you still want those votes don’t you?

  10. i’m struggling with this one. My immediate reaction is, “So what?”. The deal was reciprocal and if the shoe had been on the other foot and the victims and criminals had been Filipinos would we be fussing about it?
    What is all the fuss about? The circumstances are extraordinary but, a deal is a deal.

    • The reciprocal-ness does give reasonableness to the deal. Question is: were there some such deal with other countries? Or is this special only with China? Why the exception if there are no other such deals with other countries? The suspicious may say — there must be something in China that made GMA agree to such a deal.

      • Nice question, what’s special with China? Why didn’t GMA strike a deal also with, for example, Saudi Arabia, where a great number of Filipino OFWs work, so that, once one Filipino has killed another Filipino, the killer is immediately given diplomatic immunity and be sent home.

        Another intriguing question to me is: Is the granting of diplomatic immunity by the Philippine government to any country a function of the executive or the legislative? Hindi ba pinag-uusapan o pinagdedebatehan pa yan kung karapat-dapat o nasa interes ng nagbigay o hindi?

        Isa pang issue na nakaka-intriga dito kay GMA, binigyan niya ng agad-agad na pardon si Erap at sinabi ni GMA na kapalit ng pardon kay Erap, hindi na siya (Erap) puedeng kumandidato ulit sa ano mang posisyon. Pero bakit pumuede siyang (Erap) kumandidato bilang Mayor ng Maynila at nanalo pa.

        Pagkatapos sinasabi pa ni Erap ngayon na kung hindi matuloy na tumakbo bilang Presidente si Binay at Poe ay baka siya (Erap) ang tatakbo bilang Presidente.

        • I think, technically, hindi na pwedeng tumakbo si erap bilang presidentiable come 2016 election. the date for the filing of candidacy has already closed. hindi na pwedeng humabol si erap. one of the good reason the poe SET case is dragging its decision is erap is put on the waiting list. na-wait and see tuloy siya.

        • parang walang imposible sa comelec.
          pwede ko yatang gawing example ang pagtakbo muli ni erap sa pagka-P.
          at nitong huli ay sa pagka-mayor. di ba dapat na-DQ na siya?
          tila isang malawakang pinilakang tabing din ang ating komelek?

        • comelec officials are paid handsomely, they should do their jobs properly, be gatekeepers and learn to screen candidates, not just approve ng approve candidates, come one, come all. as citizens, may karapatan daw silang tumakbo bilang government officials. but they still have to be screened, gaya ng mga taong gusto magtrabaho sa public service, they have to undergo series of exam and interview. even going to primary school in grade one, there is also screening.

          also, it’s best to weed out nuisance candidates early on, not let them waste ballot space.

          as for erap, he ought to retire now. he’s already slurring his speech, and has been delegating more of his job to isko moreno, ang deputy niya. now, isko is gunning another job out of erap’s reach.

    • ancient, I’m of the same sentiment. let the chinese go home and sort out their own problems. back in china, they’ll end up killing each other, bribing, revenging, throwing acid on each other’s faces, and whatnot. once deported, they’d be no need for them to clog our already crowded prison, only for them to ask for hospital arrest, etc, etc. where we could end up feeding them, providing security and spending money on them, housing them, giving them specialists medical care, etc. etc.

      • I’m glad that in the shooting, walang pinoy ang nasawi. restaurant staff and customers may have been traumatized, but chinese embassy should be able to offer and provide counselling for them, the restaurateur compensated for loss of earning. chinese embassy may have to pay for damage to the restaurant building too.

        • The two suspects in the killing of two Chinese diplomats in Cebu have been flown back to Xiamen, China, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed Saturday.

          DFA spokesperson Charles Jose said Beijing authorities accompanied suspects Gou Jing, a visa officer at the Chinese Consulate, and her husband, Li Qing Ling, in a chartered flight.

          The two are suspects in the killing of two Chinese diplomats, Sun Shan and Hui Li, and injuring Chinese Consul General in Cebu Song Rong Hua.

          Investigation showed that the .45-caliber pistol that was used to kill the victims has the same serial number as that of a licensed firearm in Valenzuela City.

          This, however, will have no effect as there is no case filed against the suspect due to the full dip-mo-moneytic immunity given to them.

          Dip-mo-moneytic immunity given to them.

          hehehe

  12. What a shame! Gloria deciding on her own in conspiracy with her staff! Monetary consideration? Pweh…

  13. Before anything else, reading that 2009 Full Immunity Agreement, isn’t this supposed to be APPROVED by Congress or by the Senate as it’s kind of a formal TREATY?

    Secondly, if there was confirmation/approval by Congress or the Senate, isn’t this an ULTRA VIRES act as against the Constitution and invalid?

    Thirdly, can the Filipino gov’t officials who proposed and approved this agreement be held criminally LIABLE if found to be ultra vires?

    Maybe, we really have a NEED for the FOI law from Congress SOON.

    你说什么？Nǐ shuō shén me? (What say you?)

    • @ leona, what a question! is there a possibility that these 3 questions stated above be addressed at the SOONEST before election time? taking into consideration that gma is unopposed in her district for her third term.

      Was the incident in cebu city another unforeseen intervention for us filipino to open our eyes – MORE WIDER?

      • Chinese ‘immunity’ is clearly ‘Chinese sovereignty’ lumalago sa Filipinas in that agreement made by detained-ex-pres. GMA.

        Can Pres. Aquino issue a presidential order REVOKING such agreement?

        Kaya niya kaya? Looks like it should be done considering China Gov’t is already revoking or disregarding our interests on our islands-ownership in area disputed with China.

        Revoking that immunity agreement is . . . MORE WIDER! (acc to kalakala). I agree.

        • is there a connection noong 2007 pinahinto ni gma ang ZET deal dahil involved ang kanyang mahal na kabiyak sa corruption nito at malagay sa alanganin ang kanyang termo bilang prez? 2 years after, nagkaroon pala ng”2009 agreement – signed by the Arroyo government represented by Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo,..” after 6 years lang nalaman ng sambayanan.

          can somebody erase my doubt why roman romulo, the son of sec. alberto romulo, is running for senator under grace poe-chiz party. is he true believer of daang matuwid?

        • Hindi ‘kabiyak’ . . . kundi ‘KABUOHAN’ nilang dalawa involved!

          The two put themselves together INSIDE one BASKET like ‘twin-eggs’! Have you seen one? Look at it. . . in one pouch.

          hahaha

      • …this story,

        Japanese PrimM. Mori going to US to meet Pres. Barack. Mr. Mori was tutored to saw a few English words: ‘When you meet him, say “How are you?”; ‘He’ll answere “I’m fine. How about you?”; You say to him “Me too.”

        Mr. Mori did meet Mr. Obama: Asked Mori – “Who are you?” Obama, bit confused…replied “I’m Michele’s husband.” Mr. Mori: “Me too!” Crowd listening, so QUIET.

        hahaha