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Jail guard at inmate, patay sa barilan, sa loob ng Laguna jail

Arman B. Cambe
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Jail guard at inmate, patay sa barilan, sa loob ng Laguna jail

STA. CRUZ, Laguna. Patay ang isang jail guard at isang inmate matapos ang agawan ng baril at barilang naganap sa loob ng Laguna provincial jail sa Barangay Poblacion 1, sa bayang ito.

Sa ulat mula kay Col. Harold Depositar, direktor ng Laguna Provincial Police Office, kinilala ang biktimana si Prison Guard 1 Jonathan Sombilla Buenviaje, 50 anyos na residente ng Brgy. Maulawin, Pagsanjan, Laguna. Siya ay binaril ng isang inmate na kinilalang si Romnick Balbaran Estadilla, 32 anyos na residente ng Brgy. Ibabang San Roque, Liliw, Laguna, habang naka-duty sa loob ng bilangguan.

Ayon sa imbestigasyon ng pulisya, nakatalikod si Buenviaje ng lumapit siEstadilla at inagaw ang baril nito at saka pinagbabaril ang jail guard.

Nang marinig at makita ng iba pang jail guard ang insidente, mabilis nilang hinabol si Estadilla na tumakbo sa likod ng provincial jail.

Nakipagbarilan si Estadilla sa mga pulis na nag responde na nauwi sa kan yang kamatayan.

Dinala si Buenviaje asa ospital ngunit idineklara na siyang patay pagdating doon. Namatay din si Estadilla habang ginagamot sa nasabing ospital.

Mga miyembro ng kilabot na kidnap for ransom group, arestado sa Laguna

Roy Tomandao
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Mga miyembro ng kilabot na kidnap for ransom group, arestado sa Laguna

PANGIL, Laguna. Arestado sa bayang ito kamakalawa ang mga suspek na miyembro ng DI Listed-Madriaga Kidnap for Ransom Group sa bisa ng Search Warrant no. 2023-190 at 2023-191 na iniisyu ni Judge Agripino Bravo, Executive Judge ng 4th Judicial Region, Lucena City. 

Kabilang sa lumusob ang pinagsamang pwersa ang Provincial Intelligence Unit, Laguna Police Provincial Office (PPO), Provincial Safety and Operations Unit, Pangil Municipal Police Station, Laguna Police Mobile Force Company, Laguna Police Mobile Force Company at Special Weapons and Tactics team. Kasama din ang mga tauhan ng mga police station ng Calamba Sta. Rosa, San Pablo at Binan. Sumuporta sa operasyon ang anti-kidnapping group ng Camp Crame.

Kinilala ni PCol Harold Depositar, direktor ng Laguna Police Provincial Office ang mga suspek na sina Allan Laurenciano Guevarra, 45 anyos na farm caretaker, at residente ng Sitio Logpond, Brgy. Sulib, Pangil, Laguna at Edwin Prestado, 54 anyos na farm security personnel at residente ng Rampage Madriaga Farm, Brgy. Galalan, Panguil, Laguna.

Dinakip din ang isang Jonathan Arante, 68 anyos na isa ring caretaker ng Madriaga’s Farm at tubong Talaingod, Davao Del Norte ngunit kasalukuyang naninirahan sa Rampage Madriaga’s Farm, Brgy. Galalan, Panguil, Laguna.

Nakakulong ngayon ang mga hinuling miyembro ng sindikato ng kidnap for ransom habang isinasagawa ang mga kaukulang proseso.

US expresses concern over blacklisted Chinese firm’s involvement in island-building near its Manila embassy

EDGARDO HERNAL
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US expresses concern over blacklisted Chinese firm’s involvement in island-building near its Manila embassy

MANILA, Philippines. The United States has raised apprehensions regarding major land reclamation projects in Manila Bay, adjacent to its heavily fortified embassy, due to the participation of a Chinese company blacklisted by Washington, according to a statement issued by the U.S. Embassy on Wednesday.

Embassy spokesperson Kanishka Gangopadhyay stated that the U.S. government has conveyed concerns about the potential environmental repercussions of the reclamations in Manila Bay during discussions with Philippine officials.

Protests led by environmental groups have erupted against these government-approved reclamation projects, primarily driven by real estate companies aiming to construct islands for upscale hotels, casinos, restaurants, and entertainment centers in a bay historically marred by pollution. Critics also fear that constructing high-rise buildings on reclaimed land would obstruct the view of Manila Bay’s famous sunset for ordinary citizens.

In the statement, Gangopadhyay said, “We have expressed concerns about the potential negative long-term and irreversible impacts on the environment, the vulnerability to natural disasters of Manila and nearby areas, and on commerce.”

Moreover, the U.S. expressed unease about the projects’ links to China Communications Construction Co., which has been added to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List due to its involvement in assisting the Chinese military in constructing and militarizing artificial islands in the South China Sea.

As of now, there has been no immediate response from Chinese government officials regarding these concerns.

Companies placed on the U.S. Entity List are subject to restrictions on trading with American firms unless they obtain a special license, which is extremely difficult to obtain. China views these U.S. sanctions as illegal and has protested against them.

China Communications Construction Co., a state-owned enterprise, has disclosed that one of its subsidiaries, China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd., is involved in a project aiming to build three artificial islands in the bay near suburban Pasay city in the capital region.

Antonio Carpio, a retired Philippine Supreme Court Justice and a vocal critic of China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea, argued that Chinese companies involved in extensive dredging and land reclamations to build China’s islands in waters where the Philippines’ sovereign rights have been upheld in an international arbitration ruling should be banned from conducting business in the Philippines.

“They clearly violated Philippine environmental laws,” Carpio stated in an interview with The Associated Press. “Worse, they helped China seize Philippine island territories and maritime zones.”

In 2016, an arbitration tribunal established in The Hague under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea invalidated China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea based on historical grounds. However, China refused to participate in the arbitration and dismissed the ruling, continuing to defy it.

While the U.S. does not claim territorial rights in the South China Sea, it has emphasized the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight in the strategic passage, which handles a significant portion of global trade, and the peaceful resolution of the long-standing disputes for U.S. national interest.

China’s transformation of at least seven disputed reefs into missile-protected island bases over the past decade has raised alarm among the U.S., its allies, and rival claimant states, further escalating tensions in a region historically regarded as an Asian flashpoint.

The ongoing territorial disputes have become a sensitive front in the rivalry between the U.S. and China. In response to China’s expansive territorial claims, U.S. warships and fighter jets have conducted patrols in the contested waters, often eliciting Chinese warnings to halt their interference or face unspecified punitive measures.

AP has contributed to this report.

2022 Outstanding Nutrition Honor Award (NHA) Performer, iginawad sa Laguna

Venus L Peñaflor
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2022 Outstanding Nutrition Honor Award (NHA) Performer, iginawad sa Laguna

SANTA ROSA CITY, Laguna. Ibinigay ng National Nutrition Council (NNC)-Calabarzon ang prestihiyosong pagkilalang “2022 Outstanding Nutrition Honor Award (NHA) Performer” sa lalawigan ng Laguna sa 2023 CaLaBaRZon Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony noong Agosto 1, 2023 sa Seda Nuvali Hotel sa lungsod na ito.

Dakilang pinarangalan ni Gobernador Ramil L. Hernandez ang naturang pagkilalang ito, na itinuring niya bilang isang malaking karangalan para sa mga lokal na pamahalaan ng lalawigan na mahigit anim na taong patuloy na nagpapatupad ng mga programang pangkalusugan.

Ang parangal ay bunga rin ng matagumpay na hakbang na ginawa ng pamahalaang panlalawigan sa pamamagitan ng Provincial Nutrition Action Office (PNAO) na labanan ang malnutrisyon sa lalawigan at suportahan ang mga programa ng iba’t ibang ahensya ng gobyerno upang matamo ang wastong nutrisyon.

Bilang karagdagan, ipinaabot din ni Gobernador Hernandez ang kanyang pagbati kay Teresita S. Ramos ng PNAO na tinanggap ang parangal bilang 2nd Place, 2022 Regional Outstanding Provincial Nutrition Action Officer. Kasama rin sa pagbati at pasasalamat ang lahat ng iba pang mga Lagunense na tumanggap ng pagkilala mula sa NNC-Calabarzon.

Senado: P20M multa sa fraternity, sorority na sangkot sa hazing deaths

Venus L Peñaflor
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Senado: P20M multa sa fraternity, sorority na sangkot sa hazing deaths

Nakatakdang amyendahan ng Senado ang Anti-Hazing Law of 2018 upang magpataw ng multang P20 milyon sa sangkot sa pagkamatay o malubhang pagkasugat ng sinumang neophyte sa hazing, ayon sa isang committee report.

Ayon sa ipinalabas na report ng joint panel ng Senate Committees on Justice and Human Rights at Public Order and Dangerous Drugs nakatakdang amyendahan ang Republic Act 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Law of 2018 upang “papanagutin ang fraternities, sororities, at iba pang organizations na pangunahing sangkot sa pagkamatay o pagkasugat ninuman sa initiation rites ng kanilang asosasyon.”

Binanggit din sa report na ipinalabas kamakailan ang mga datos hinggil sa isinagawang imbestigasyon ng Senado sa pagkamatay ng hazing victim ng Adamson University student na si John Matthew Salilig, na dapat kasama na sa amendment ang P20-million multa sa fraternities, sororities, at katulad na organizations “for any death or physical injuries that results from any of the initiation activities of their organization”.

“The organization shall likewise must shoulder the litigation fees of the victim’s family,” ayon sa ulat.

“Any death or physical injury brought about by the initiation activities of a fraternity, sorority, or any similar organization will cause the automatic cancellation of the SEC certificate of registration of the fraternity, sorority, or other similar organization and the corresponding declaration of the group as an illegal organization making its founders, officers, and members punishable under the law. Fraternities, sororities, and similar organizations, whether school-based or not, shall be required to register each of their local chapters, including the list of their officers and members in that chapter, to the local police station that has jurisdiction over their locality,” batay pa rin sa report.

Itinakda ng panel na kokolektahan ng PNP ang listahan sa isang “national database” ng fraternities at sororities at katulad na organisasyon o grupo. Sakaling tumanggi o mabigo itong tumupad sa requirements, magsisilbi itong prima facie presumption sa illegal activities ng organisasyon.

“An insightful analysis of the matters discussed during the hearing would lead to the conclusion that the root cause of the problem in our midst really is the culture of violence that is prevalent and being perpetrated by fraternities, sororities, and other organizations. It is the tradition of these organizations of using violence as a requirement for admission and retention of membership in its supposed ‘brotherhood’ that is causing the deaths in these organizations. Thus, we should not leave the fraternity out of the equation when we talk of liability,” ayon sa report.

“When asked by the chairperson of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs if the suspects were aware that the conduct of hazing is prohibited and actually punishable by law, the suspects admitted that they are aware of such statutory prohibition. When asked why they still proceeded with the hazing despite the knowledge that it is prohibited by law, the suspects stated that they were merely following tradition for fear of being imposed a D.A. (disciplinary action) by their fraternity,” dagdag nito.

Gusto ring isama ng Senate panel sa amendments ang papel ng eskwelahan sa pakikipag koordinasyon sa gobyerno upang maiwasan ang hazing sa pamamagitan ng pagtatakda na magkaroon ng mandatory orientation sa estudyante, magulang at kanilang guardians.

“Failure of the school to conduct such mandatory orientation and failure to submit compliance report to the CHED and the Congress shall make the schools liable to pay a fine of Five Million Pesos (P5,000,000.00) and shall be a ground for the CHED to deny a school’s autonomous status. The fine of Five Million Pesos (P5,000,000.00) shall be paid to a Trust Fund to be created by the CHED, which fund shall be used solely for the support of victims of hazing,” batay sa report.

Sinabi rin sa naturang panukala na kailangan magparehistro ang lahat ng fraternity, sorority at katulad na organisasyon sa paaralan sa halip na ipagbawal ang ganitong uri ng pagkilos.

Musk threatens to sue researchers who documented the rise in hateful tweets

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Musk threatens to sue researchers who documented the rise in hateful tweets

WASHINGTON. X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has threatened to sue a group of independent researchers whose research documented an increase in hate speech on the site since it was purchased last year by Elon Musk.

An attorney representing the social media site wrote to the Center for Countering Digital Hate on July 20 threatening legal action over the nonprofit’s research into hate speech and content moderation. The letter alleged that CCDH’s research publications seem intended “to harm Twitter’s business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims.”

Musk is a self-professed free speech absolutist who has welcomed back white supremacists and election deniers to the platform, which he renamed X earlier this month. But the billionaire has at times proven sensitive about critical speech directed at him or his companies.

The center is a nonprofit with offices in the U.S. and United Kingdom. It regularly publishes reports on hate speech, extremism or harmful behavior on social media platforms like X, TikTok or Facebook.

The organization has published several reports critical of Musk’s leadership, detailing an increase in anti-LGBTQ hate speech as well as climate misinformation since his purchase. The letter from X’s attorney cited one specific report from June that found the platform failed to remove neo-Nazi and anti-LGBTQ content from verified users that violated the platform’s rules.

In the letter, attorney Alex Spiro questioned the expertise of the researchers and accused the center of trying to harm X’s reputation. The letter also suggested, without evidence, that the center received funds from some of X’s competitors, even though the center has also published critical reports about TikTok, Facebook and other large platforms.

“CCDH intends to harm Twitter’s business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims,” Spiro wrote, using the platform’s former name.

Imran Ahmed, the center’s founder and CEO, told the AP on Monday that his group has never received a similar response from any tech company, despite a history of studying the relationship between social media, hate speech and extremism. He said that typically, the targets of the center’s criticism have responded by defending their work or promising to address any problems that have been identified.

Ahmed said he worried X’s response to the center’s work could have a chilling effect if it frightens other researchers away from studying the platform. He said he also worried that other industries could take note of the strategy.

“This is an unprecedented escalation by a social media company against independent researchers. Musk has just declared open war,” Ahmed told the Associated Press. “If Musk succeeds in silencing us other researchers will be next in line.”

Messages left with Spiro and X were not immediately returned Monday.

It’s not the first time that Musk has fired back at critics. Last year, he suspended the accounts of several journalists who covered his takeover of Twitter. Another user was suspended for using publicly available flight data to track Musk’s private plane; Musk had initially pledged to keep the user on the platform but later changed his mind, citing his personal safety. He also threatened to sue the user before allowing him back on the platform under certain restrictions.

He initially had promised that he would allow any speech on his platform that wasn’t illegal. “I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means,” Musk wrote in a tweet last year.

X’s recent threat of a lawsuit prompted concern from U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who said the billionaire was trying to use the threat of legal action to punish a nonprofit group trying to hold a powerful social media platform accountable.

“Instead of attacking them, he should be attacking the increasingly disturbing content on Twitter,” Schiff said in a statement.

Most Wanted Person na lolo na may kasong rape sa Bicol arestado sa Laguna

Kevin Pamatmat
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Most Wanted Person na lolo na may kasong rape sa Bicol arestado sa Laguna

SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna. Inaresto ng mga pulis ng San Pablo City Police Station (CPS) ang isa sa mga pinaka mahigpit na pinaghahanap na kriminal sa CALABARZON, sa kasong panggagahasa sa Camarines Norte.

Kinilala ni  Laguna Police Provincial Director na si PCOL Harold P. Depositar ang suspek na si alias “Lolo Deng,” 69 taong gulang at residente ng San Pablo City, Laguna.

Ayon kay PLTCOL Wilhelmo S. Saldivar Jr.,hepe ng San Pablo CPS, inaresto ang akusado noong ika-31 ng Hulyo, 2023 sa Brgy. San Jose sa nabanggit na lungsod sa ilalim ng isang manhunt operation sa bisa ng warrant of arrest na inisyu noong June 5, 2023, ng Regional Trial Court, Branch 64, Labo, Camarines Norte sa kasong rape through sexual assault.

Ayon pa rin kay Saldivar, ang dinakip ay rank number 2 sa listahan ng most wanted persons ng PRO-Calabarzon.

Nakakulong siya ngayon sa San Pablo City detention cell. Katulad ng karaniwang gawain, ipagbibigay-alam ng mga awtoridad sa korte ang pagka aresto kay Lolo Deng, alinsunod sa kahalagahan ng pagrespeto sa proseso ng batas.

“Sa pakikipagtulungan ng bawat mamamayan sa Laguna ay hindi magiging taguan ng mga akusado ang probinsya ng Laguna,” dagdag ni Depositar at iginiit na ang mahalagang papel ng bawat mamamayan sa Laguna sa pagtulong sa awtoridad upang mahuli at mapanagot ang mga kriminal.

Sapat ba ang teknolohiya upang epektibong magturo? Mga aral mula sa PIDS

DC Alviar
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Sapat ba ang teknolohiya upang epektibong magturo? Mga aral mula sa PIDS

Sa husay at lalim ng mga pagtalakay na pinangunahan ng mga mananaliksik mula sa Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) noong ika-27 ng Hulyo 2023, hayaan ninyong ibahagi ko rito ang webinar nilang pinamagatang “Transforming Education in the Philippines: Insights and Innovations.”

Mismong si Dr. Aniceto Orbeta Jr., pangulo ng PIDS, ang nagbahagi ng isang pag-aaral hinggil sa tatlong sub-sektor ng edukasyon (basic ed, higher ed, at technical and vocational ed and training), pagtingin sa kalagayan nila, mga hamon at rekomendasyon. Isa pang pag-aaral ang ibinida sa araw na iyon – ang mEducation – na inalam kung gaano kaepektibo ang paggamit ng mobile phone-based instruction sa higit 3,400 kabahayan na may mga batang nasa mga baitang 3 at 4 noong kasagsagan ng pandemiyang COVID-19 na may layong paunlarin ang pagkatuto. Tinalakay ito ni Youth Impact Co-founder Dr. Noam Angrist na isa ring University of Oxford Senior Fellow. (Paumanhin kung may pag-aaral at detalyeng hindi mababanggit dahil sa interes ng espasyo.)

Sa “Building Resilient Education Systems: Cost-effective Mobile Tutoring in the Philippines and Beyond,” sinabi ni Angrist na meron mga epektong katumbas ng isang taong “high quality schooling per USD 100” sa Botswana ang SMS at tawag sa telepono kung saan nakasuporta ang mga magulang sa kanilang mga anak. May mga pangmatagalang implikasyon ang teknolohiya (kahit low-tech) at ang mga magulang para isulong ang edukasyon sa kabila ng pagkakaantala sa mga paaralan. Tinukoy din niya sa pag-aaral ng limang bansa – Botsawana, Kenya, Nepal, India, at Pilipinas – ang ilan sa mga di-mamahaling pero epektibong edtech at “pedagogy interventions.” May pagkatuto pa rin (nasa positibong puntos) sa SMS at tawag, kaysa sa wala, at iyon daw ang mahalaga. Tinatayang nasa USD 12 o Php 650 kada bata ang gastos dito. Kapag walang intervention, mababa ang pagkatuto, ngunit mataas naman ito kung gamit ang programang SMS + Phone Call Tutoring batay sa datos na pinakita ni Angrist na nakadepende sa bahagdan ng mga mag-aaral na sumagot nang tama sa mga operasyong pangmatematika.

Sa mEducation, may mga positibong epekto rin daw katulad ng sa pagsusumikap, sa ambisyon, at sa pagsasaya sa paaralan. Doon sa mga kabahayang hindi naabot ng programa, maraming caregiver (nasa 97%) ang nagsabing interesado silang makatanggap ng mga tutorial mula sa tawag sa telepono. Lahat naman halos ay may mga hawak na telepono, depensa ni Angrist sa dami ng interesado.

Bagamat may bagyo (typhoon “Rai”) noong Disyembre 2021 na gumulo sa pagkatuto sa 2 milyong bata at sumira ng 4,000 silid-aralan, meron namang ConnectEd na nakatulong umano para “may pagkatuto pa rin”, kaysa wala. “ConnectED proved feasible and effective (as) learning increased by 0.23 SD with phone tutoring compared to control in typhoon-affected areas,” banggit ni Angrist sa bandang dulo ng kanyang presentasyon kung saan dinala niya ang mga lumahok sa kontekstong pawang normal lamang na may mga emergency sa edukasyon sa mga datos noong 2002-2022 sa 29 na bansa gaya ng lindol, walang tubig, foot and mouth disease, swine flu, ebola, baha, halalan, smog, polusyon sa hangin, pagputok ng bulkan, at monsoon rains.

Tanong ni Orbeta: “What do enrollment by learning modality and household characteristics tell us?”

Sa kanilang pag-aaral, gumamit sila ng regression analysis upang matantya ang kaugnayan ng merong internet sa bahay at broadband na makapagpapaliwanag umano kung available ba ang internet sa bahay. Gamit ng pag-aaral ang 2020 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey at kabilang sa datos ang iba’t ibang teknolohiya para masabing naroroon ang learning modalities (e.g., internet access, TV, radio, and cell phone), pati bilang ng mga batang mag-aaral (enrollment) sa level at klase ng paaralan.

Nagkaroon ng pagbabawas o streamlining ng K-to-12 curriculum sa 14,171 competencies na naging 5,689 na lamang o bawas ng 60%. Sang-ayon pa rin sa datos noong 2020, naglunsad ng face-to-face sa mga lugar na may kaunting panganib; distance learning mapa-print, online, TV, at radyo; blended learning o pinaghalong face-to-face at distance learning; at ang pang-apat, homeschooling sa ilalim ng DepEd Order 12).

Noong 2022-23, mas marami raw ang naka-F2F na mga mag-aaral sa pampublikong paaralan kaysa pribado; mas maraming nasa blended mode kapwa publiko at pribado; bumaba sa single digits ang bahaging online mode sa mga pribadong paaralan; at isa sa sampung pampublikong paaralan ay meron pa ring mga modyul na nakalimbag.

Mas mataas ang bilang ng mga mag-aaral sa pribadong paaralan na nakagagamit ng internet, kaysa sa mga pampublikong paaralan.

Pinahalagahan ni Orbeta ang suporta sa pamamahay. Part of his bullet points: “Quality of home is affected by the availability and the ability of parents to support their children’s education needs (i.e., level of parent’s education); quality is lower among children in more impoverished families.”

Orbeta’s recommendations/insights: “(1) Online mode of learning will not reach most public-school students. Even if made available in public school, most students do not have access to it at home. The desire to build online learning capacity in public schools will not be the most effective intervention at present;

“(2) Primary and exigent concern is to support learning of the most popular mode – printed modules. As the most popular mode of learning, it is critical to support printed modules. Support may include provision of cell phones and cell phone load to improve interaction among teachers, students, and parents.

“(3) Education delivery through TV and radio needs to be improved. Despite high proportion of households owning TV and radio, enrollment data by modality does not show commensurate use of these modes of delivery. Issues that prevent greater use of these broadcast modalities need to be identified and addressed.”

Discussant sa webinar si Dr. Karol Mark Yee, Executive Director ng Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2). Pinansin niya ang hindi paglikha ng isang Center for Leading Edge Educational Technologies para isulong ang pangarap sa edukasyon – mga abot-kayang teknolohiya. Nagpaulit-ulit ang paghingi ng papeles at datos sa mga gurong dapat sana’y nakapokus lamang sa pagtuturo dahil umano sa hindi rin paglikha ng mga tanggapan/ahensya para sa education statistics, national testing and evaluation (ilan sa mga hindi naisakatuparang rekomendasyon noon).

Pagbati

Sa tagubilin ng Pampanguluhang Proklamasyon Blg. 1041, s. 1997, pinangungunahan ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) ang pagdiriwang ng Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa sa Agosto 1-31. Akma at napapanahon ang tema ngayong 2023, “Filipino at Mga Katutubong Wika: Wika ng Kapayapaan, Seguridad, at Inklusibong Pagpapatupad ng Katarungang Panlipunan.” Maligayang Buwan ng Wika.

The saga of a great writer and poet

Melinda Bagsic Evangelista
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The saga of a great writer and poet

series finale

Missed moments: The wife denied her husband’s deathbed farewell

I had to deal with Romy’s unusual behavior brought by his physical condition aggravated by his desire to see his children ASAP. I tried to convince him to stay but he refused, contending that he already said yes to the kids and as a man of honor, he had to keep his word. His nanny on the other hand was saying one thing to me and another thing to the children, a scheme she carefully used to realize her dream of going abroad at my expense.

That double-face bastard! She even told me that if she was confronted by the kids about their father, she would simply say “hindi n’yo kilala ang Tatay n’yo! Hindi siya tunay na mabait!” But of course it is better said than done. On May 12, 2021, my husband finally left home with his nanny. I was scared and sad we might not see each other anymore considering his health condition.

I had to vent all my frustrations in writing what I considered a “Grand Conspiracy” – something that did not sit well with the kids especially to Ruth who took it as an affront to their family. She said in a post that I was lying “to gain sympathy which is the lowest kind”. I retorted that God knows who was telling the truth and who was peddling lies.

After this exchange, there was complete silence for months. Later, Romy called via zoom and asked for forgiveness for all the faults and indiscretions he might have done to me knowingly and unknowingly. I thought he finally realized the pain and the sleepless nights I went through when he left home for petty reasons.

Even Ronel asked me to forgive his father and narrated to me he had suffered enough for being blind and for being on and off in the ICU for his lingering COPD (Chronic Oppressive Pulmonary Disease). Without vocalizing, I knew deep in my heart that I had already forgiven him.

In January of 2023, Mayor Vic B. Amante and Romy’s bosom friend Boyet Marcelo visited him in Dubai. Pictures were taken and sent to me by the kids. They were in tears as they sung ‘Happy Birthday’ and hugged each other like brothers.

Pareng Boyet narrated to me when he came home that his friend Palasig was weak and from his own personal assessment, he may not last long enough to come back home. According to Boyet, Palasig appeared to have suffered from a stroke because of the manner in which he talked and moved his arms.

Days later, Ronel informed me that his father was again admitted to the ICU and on February 20, 2023, he finally gave his last breath to join his Creator.

I was invited to come to Dubai for the scheduled cremation on February 25 but it’s not practical anymore considering the intricacies of securing travel documents, plane tickets and everything.

Had I been invited when he was still in the ICU, I could at least have held his hands and kissed him for the last time.

On the day of his cremation, all of us at home including our closest friends witnessed the entire trip from the hospital to the crematorium. Thanks to modern technology. While he was being cremated, Pastor Rico Albano was doing a prayer ritual for the dead here at home with Fiscal Ante Gonzales and wife Joy, Irene Albajera, Cristy Villamor and some of my relatives praying with us.

That ends the saga of a great writer and a poet.

In summer heat, bear spotted in Southern California backyard Jacuzzi

Venus L Peñaflor
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In summer heat, bear spotted in Southern California backyard Jacuzzi

BURBANK, Calif. With the summer heat wave in full swing in Southern California, a backyard pool is a tempting place to take a dip.

Even for a bear.

Police in the city of Burbank responded to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighborhood and found the animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes.

After a short dip, the bear climbed over a wall and headed to a tree behind the home, police said in a statement Friday.

Police released a video of the animal in the neighborhood, which is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Los Angeles and near the Verdugo Mountains.

The Burbank police have issued warnings for residents to avoid bears and to keep all garbage and food locked up to discourage bears from coming to their residences.

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