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Pagasa debunks ‘three days of darkness’ hoax
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) dismissed claims that the Earth will experience three days of darkness due to passing the “Photon Belts” starting April 8 as false. The state weather and astronomy bureau said Friday there is no scientific evidence to support the claim. “DOST-PAGASA would like to.....»»
‘Shame on int’l media’
As the conflict between the state of Israel and the Hamas terror organization intensifies, international media coverage has thus far been described as dismal and heavily slanted against the Jewish nation. Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss cited as an example the Hamas missile attack on the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, which was hit directly a few days after the 7 October attack by a rocket fired from Gaza, resulting in Israeli deaths and injuries. In contrast, an explosion on 17 October at the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City that resulted in a massive number of fatalities and injuries was splashed all over broadcast and print media and was immediately blamed on an Israeli air strike, a narrative peddled by Hamas. Investigations by Israel and the United States proved that a missile launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a Gaza-based terror group more radical than Hamas, had misfired and landed on the hospital grounds. “Nobody in the media reported that an Israeli hospital was bombed in Ashkelon, which had so many patients injured and killed. The rockets were shot at the hospital. No media picked it up and condemned nobody,” Fluss lamented during an interview with Daily Tribune editors. “So, for me, this incident is a shame on the international media. These news (outfits) and (media) people sort of still live with this image that it is the ratings that must (dictate the news coverage),” Fluss said. New York Times sorry US publication The New York Times issued on Monday an unprecedented admission that it had “relied too heavily on claims by Hamas” in its reporting of an explosion at a Gaza hospital. The newspaper issued the statement five days after running a headline on its front page, above the fold, reading: “Israeli Strike Kills Hundreds in Hospital, Palestinians Say.” “The Times’ initial accounts attributed the claim of Israeli responsibility to Palestinian officials and noted that the Israeli military said it was investigating the blast,” according to NYT’s editor’s note. “However, the early versions of the coverage — and the prominence it received in a headline, news alert, and social media channels — relied too heavily on claims by Hamas and did not make clear that those claims could not immediately be verified,” the NYT continued. NYT editors also acknowledged that “the report left readers with an incorrect impression about what was known and how credible the account was.” The note said Times reporters quickly edited the story on the website, as Israeli officials denied striking the hospital. Nonetheless, it added, “Given the sensitive nature of the news during a widening conflict and the prominent promotion it received, Times editors should have taken more care with the initial presentation and been more explicit about what information could be verified.” Islamic Jihad missile Israeli officials have vehemently denied responsibility for the explosion at the Al-Ahli Hospital and have released audio files of Hamas officials admitting that the blast was caused by a Palestinian Islamic Jihad projectile that fell onto Gaza. Also provided were images showing that the parking lot where the blast occurred did not have a crater in the ground, and there was no structural damage to nearby buildings, both of which typically would have been left by an Israeli Defense Forces strike. Recurring phenomena Media bias, as Fluss indicated, is a persistent issue. Terror groups like Hamas know this and take full advantage to sway public opinion. “As a result, coverage is often selective, stories get framed misleadingly, or certain perspectives go missing,” according to the American Jewish Committee, or AJC, which is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. “Instead of focusing on Hamas’ massacre of Israeli civilians, Israel’s efforts to thwart terrorists, destroy terrorist headquarters and weapons sites, and prevent more civilian deaths, some major media outlets characterize Israel’s targeted response as attacks on innocent and beleaguered Palestinians — feeding an unequivocally false narrative,” the AJC said. It added that Western media outlets often use the term “militant” to describe Hamas and other terrorist groups. For example, in the New York Times coverage of Hamas’ unprovoked attack on Israel on 7 October, the word “terrorists” was nowhere to be found on the front page of its website. The AJC said, “Hamas is not a militant group. It is a terrorist organization internationally designated as such by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Israel, Japan, and others that has fired thousands of rockets and slaughtered Israeli civilians in cold blood.” Hamas has set two long-term goals articulated in its charter: The end of the Jewish state and the creation of an Islamic state from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. In the current conflict, Hamas has murdered over 300 Israelis and wounded nearly 2,000. “Using the term ‘militant’ to describe Hamas diminishes the true threat that the terror group poses. Media outlets need to call a terrorist a terrorist,” the AJC added. No occupation Some media accounts on the Gaza Strip often blame Israel’s “occupation” as the root cause of the conflict. Fluss pointed out, however, that Israel does not occupy the Gaza Strip and has had no presence in the coastal enclave for nearly two decades. From 1948 to 1967, the Gaza Strip was occupied by Egypt, which took control of the territory during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, also known as Israel’s War of Independence. After the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel took control of the Gaza Strip from Egypt. In 2005, Israel, facing huge political pushback, withdrew from the Gaza Strip, and dismantled its settlements and military forces in the name of peace and in hopes of creating a better future. However, those hopes were shattered after Hamas came to power through elections and, with it, violence and rocket attacks on Israeli civilian population centers. Since 2007, when Hamas violently ousted Fatah from the Gaza Strip, it began launching tens of thousands of rockets from Gaza into Israel. Hamas terrorists also infiltrated Israel through land, sea, and air incursions from Gaza to murder and abduct Israeli civilians. Over 600 Israelis were murdered on the 7 October large-scale infiltration into Israeli territory from Gaza. The post ‘Shame on int’l media’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Helper woes
Dear Atty. Joji, Our house helper absconded from her job without prior notice. While having to find her replacement is one issue, the bigger concern is that she owes us almost P100,000. We want to take legal action because such amount of money is hard to come by. What type of case can we file to pursue this matter legally? Maris *** Dear Maris, Based on the facts you provided, filing a “Small Claims” case before the lower-level court or the Metropolitan Trial Court is applicable in your case. A.M. No. 08-8-7-SC or “The 2016 Revised Rules of Procedure for Small Claims Cases” provides: Small claims refer to cases involving monetary disputes where the amount in question does not exceed P1,000,000, excluding interest and costs. The purpose of a small claims process is to provide a simpler and a more inexpensive and expeditious means of settling disputes involving purely money claims. The claim or demand may be: (a) For money owed under any of the following: Contract of Lease; Contract of Loan and other credit accommodations; Contract of Services; or Contract of Sale of personal property, excluding the recovery of the personal property, unless it is made the subject of a compromise agreement between the parties. The procedure on small claims cases was promulgated for faster resolution of claims. Since the amount of claim is relatively small, it is the court’s policy not to keep these cases from dragging for long periods before finally being decided. Since the proceedings must be speedy, inexpensive, and informal, the procedure was simplified. However, it is important to note that in Small Claims Cases, parties are generally not allowed to be represented by lawyers. A case for Small Claims may be commenced as follows: SEC. 6. Commencement of Small Claims Action. — A small claims action is commenced by filing with the court an accomplished and verified Statement of Claim (Form 1-SCC) in duplicate, accompanied by a Certification Against Forum Shopping, Splitting a Single Cause of Action, and Multiplicity of Suits (Form 1-A-SCC), and two (2) duly certified photocopies of the actionable document/s subject of the claim, as well as the affidavits of witnesses and other evidence to support the claim. No evidence shall be allowed during the hearing which was not attached to or submitted together with the Statement of Claim, unless good cause is shown for the admission of additional evidence. Alternatively, an action for breach of her employment contract, if any, may be filed against her for her sudden departure without providing proper notice. Hope this helps. Atty. Joji Alonso The post Helper woes appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Proving filiation (2)
A scrutiny of the records would show that petitioners were born during their parents’ marriage. The certificates of live birth would also identify Danilo de Jesus as their father. There is perhaps no presumption of the law more firmly established and founded on sounder morality and more convincing reason than the presumption that children born in wedlock are legitimate. This presumption indeed becomes conclusive in the absence of proof that there is physical impossibility of access between the spouses during the first 120 days of the 300 days that immediately precede the birth of the child due to the following: (a) the physical incapacity of the husband to have sexual intercourse with his wife; (b) the fact that the husband and wife are living separately in such a way that sexual intercourse is not possible; or (c) serious illness of the husband, which absolutely prevents sexual intercourse. Quite remarkably, upon the expiration of the periods outlined in Article 170, and in proper cases Article 171, of the Family Code (which took effect on 03 August 1988), the action to impugn the legitimacy of a child would no longer be legally feasible, and the status conferred by the presumption becomes fixed and unassailable. Thus, applying the preceding pronouncement to the instant case, it must be concluded that the petitioner —who was born on 5 March 1945, or during the marriage of Alfredo Aguilar and Candelaria Siasat-Aguilar and before their respective deaths — has sufficiently proved that he is the legitimate issue of the Aguilar spouses. As the petitioner correctly argues, Alfredo Aguilar’s SSS Form E-1 (Exhibit “G”) satisfies the requirement for proof of filiation and relationship to the Aguilar spouses under Article 172 of the Family Code; by itself, said document constitutes an “admission of legitimate filiation in a public document or a private handwritten instrument and signed by the parent concerned.” Petitioner has shown that he cannot produce his Certificate of Live Birth since all the records covering the period 1945-1946 of the Local Civil Registry of Bacolod City were destroyed, which necessitated the introduction of other documentary evidence — particularly Alfredo Aguilar’s SSS Form E-1 (Exhibit “G”) — to prove filiation. It was erroneous for the CA to treat the said document as mere proof of open and continuous possession of the status of a legitimate child under the second paragraph of Article 172 of the Family Code; it is evidence of filiation under the first paragraph thereof, the same being an express recognition in a public instrument. To repeat what was stated in De Jesus, filiation may be proven by the admission of legitimate filiation in a public document or a private handwritten instrument and signed by the parent concerned, and such due recognition in any authentic writing is, in itself, a consummated act of acknowledgment of the child, and no further court action is required. Relative to the said form of acknowledgment, the Court has further held that — given the pronouncements herein made, the Court sees it fit to adopt the following rules respecting the requirement of affixing the signature of the acknowledging parent in any private handwritten instrument wherein an admission of filiation of a legitimate or illegitimate child is made: Where the private handwritten instrument is the lone piece of evidence submitted to prove filiation, there should be strict compliance with the requirement that the same must be signed by the acknowledging parent; and Where the private handwritten instrument is accompanied by other relevant and competent evidence, it suffices that the claim of filiation therein be shown to have been made and handwritten by the acknowledging parent as it is merely corroborative of such other evidence. (To be continued) The post Proving filiation (2) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Akbayan to Sara: You don’t have to be president to speak vs China
MANILA, Philippines — Party-list group Akbayan said on Thursday that Vice President Sara Duterte does not have to be a president of the country for her to call out China’s intrusive actions over the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Empathy and a moral backbone is just what it takes to stand up with fisherfolk and frontline.....»»
Roque bares Duterte, China agreement to respect status quo in WPS
Roque bares Duterte, China agreement to respect status quo in WPS.....»»
Marcos: Philippines won’t be ‘cowed into silence, submission’ by China
“We seek no conflict with any nation, more so nations that purport and claim to be our friends but we will not be cowed into silence, submission, or subservience. Filipinos do not yield,” Marcos said. .....»»
7 nanlaban drug suspects dead after Baste Duterte declares drug war
Less than a week after Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte declared a "war on drugs" in the city, at least seven drug suspects were killed during a buy-bust operation in the city — violence that highlights the seriousness of the mayor's recent threat of outright killing persons caught using illegal drugs......»»
CHR alarmed by war vs drugs in Davao City
THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is alarmed by Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s “war against drugs”, as seven drug users were killed from different barangays in the city over the weekend, just a few hours after his declaration......»»
Revisiting Uniteam (Last of 2 parts)
THE Uniteam coalition of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, described by many political analysts as the "dream team", had come a long way since sweeping the 2022 elections......»»
Roque: Xi, Duterte agreed to keep West Philippines Sea status quo
The Philippines under former president Rodrigo Duterte had a “gentleman’s agreement” with China to keep the status quo in the West Philippine Sea, a former Cabinet official said yesterday, as fresh tensions surround the WPS due to recent incursions by Beijing that targeted a Filipino resupply mission and a research team......»»
Russian Spy Chief Makes Bizarre Claim of US, UK, and Ukraine Involvement in Moscow Attack
In a recent development, the director of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has made startling accusations against Ukraine, the US, and the UK, claiming they.....»»
CHR probes Davao drug war deaths
The Commission on Human Rights yesterday expressed grave concern over Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte’s recent declaration of a war on drugs in the city......»»
Davao police clueless on Quiboloy’s whereabouts
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 March) — Police authorities in the Davao region claim they are still clueless on the whereabouts of Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy. The Senate had earlier ordered the arrest of Quiboloy for his continued refusal to attend its investigation of alleged human trafficking and child abuse. Police major Catheine Dela Rey, Police […].....»»
Agdao Public Market vendors want variety and vegetable sections merged
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 March) – Vendors of Agdao Public Market here are asking the city government to merge the Variety and Vegetable Sections into one section claiming they have difficulties in getting customers because of their location. In a letter addressed to Mayor Sebastian Duterte, the City Administrator’s Office, the City Economic Enterprise […].....»»
7 dead after Davao City Mayor Duterte declares war vs. drugs
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 March) – Two more drug suspects died in separate buy-bust operations in Toril District here before dawn Tuesday, after they allegedly resisted arrest, a police official said. This brought the number of fatalities to seven since Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte declared a “war” on illegal drugs last March […].....»»
EcoWaste Coalition: True Radiance Comes from Within, Not from Skin Lightening Products with Mercury
23 March 2024, Quezon City. The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition, which has been tracking mercury in skin-lightening cosmetics in the Philippines since 2011, reiterated its support for the global effort to put an end to the persistent production, trade, and consumption of racist beauty products with mercury content that claim to whiten the skin and deal with other.....»»
Nexperia workers decry mass ‘lay-offs’, claim union-busting
The lay-offs are set to begin while Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations are underway. The post Nexperia workers decry mass ‘lay-offs’, claim union-busting appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
3 araw magdidilim ang mundo fake news, pero may solar eclipse –PAGASA
HINDI totoong makakaranas ng “three days of darkness” ang mundo. Ito ang nilinaw mismo ng Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) matapos kumalat ang naturang fake news dahil umano sa pagdaan ng tinatawag na “Photon Belts” simula April 8. Ayon sa weather bureau, walang scientific evidence ang magpapatunay sa balitang ito. “The news.....»»
EcoWaste Coalition: True Radiance Comes from Within, Not from Skin Lightening Products with Mercury
23 March 2024, Quezon City. The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition, which has been tracking mercury in skin-lightening cosmetics in the Philippines since 2011, reiterated its support for the global effort to put an end to the persistent production, trade, and consumption of racist beauty products with mercury content that claim to whiten the skin and deal with other.....»»