The Dondon Lanuza Case

Mahigit isang buwan nang nakaraan, sa dinami-daming FB page na pinupuntahan ko, lalo na sa official page ni PNoy, palagi ko lang nababasa yang Dondon Lanuza post na OCW on deathrow sa middle-east na humihingi ng tulong sa pamahalaan at prayers. Parang eerie diba? Until recently, after persistent and numerous posting, sinagot na rin siya sa PNoy Page. Basahin mo sa baba.

Ang comment ko lang, eh matagal na pala meron na palang action ng Philippine Government eto eh. Bakit hindi sinasagot agad? Bakit parang nag-ke-create pa ng band-wagon ng sympathisers? Kaya pala-pa-ulit-ulit araw-araw eto nilalagay dito sa Facebook page ni PNoy para PASIKAT ANG ADMINISTRATION NA ETO NA MAY ACTION SILA!

Bakit pa nila sabihin na "A formal letter was written during the previous administration to Prince Mohammad bin Fahd seeking to spare the life of Lanusa." Eh pwede naman nilang sabihin na "A formal letter was written by the Philippine Government to Prince Mohammad bin Fahd seeking to spare the life of Lanusa." Parang hindi yata alam ng Administration Aquino na ang ginusto niyang manahin ay iisang gobyerno lamang.

Mas masahol pa etong ganitong style ng Administration Aquino sa mukha ng politiko na nakalagay sa mga project billboards! Yan ang problema sa mga Elitista, hihintayin pang lumuhod at lumuha sa kaka-hingi ng tulong ang masang bayan bago sagutin at pag-bigyan para ma-establish ang UTANG NA LOOB! Pag si Dondon ang nag-post mahigit isang buwan na araw araw eh hindi nyo sinasagot. Pag si Joji Magno eh sinasagot agad. Sino yan? Influence Peddler?

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ON DONDON LANUZA CASE
Noynoy Aquino (P-Noy) [Adm-01]. 17 November 2010.

We just got word from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that they are closely monitoring the case of Mr. Dondon Lanusa.

From the DFA:

For instance, in the case of Mr. Dondon Lanusa, the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh hired a private defense lawyer to ensure that due process is observed and that Mr. Lanusa is given his day in court.

A formal letter was written during the previous administration to Prince Mohammad bin Fahd seeking to spare the life of Lanusa. The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh is also in constant communication with the victim’s family to convince them to grant forgiveness and settle the private aspect of the case.

Mr. Lanusa was arrested for the death of Mohammad Al-Qahtani on August 10, 2000. The Dammam Grand Court found him guilty of murder and sentenced him to death by beheading last June 10, 2002. However, the implementation of the sentence is suspended until the minor son of the victim, who is now 10 years old, reaches the age of majority.

Note: The DFA and the Philippine Embassy in Riyahd continue to extend assistance to Mr. Lanusa and work for the grant of pardon for him, by his victim's family as well as by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

OCWs are Modern Jose Rizals

Hindi tayo tulad ng Rome, Mecca, and America na walang tigil ang dating ng mga toristang nag-wawaldas ng pera. Ang bansa natin ay nakaka-higop lang ng pera galing sa ibang bansa dahil sa mga OCW natin. Kaya tratohin natin ng maayos at tingalain ang ating mga OCW pag bumabalik sila dito para mag-bakasyon.

Ganun din ang mga Balikbayan na dumadalaw paminsan-minsan dito sa bansa natin. Ipakita natin sa kanilang mga anak (na doon na lumaki sa ibang bansa) na freindly tayo, maganda ang kultura natin, at maayos ang pag-aalaga natin sa ating mga kalikasan.

Tanungin din natin sila at pa-kwentohin natin kung anong mga nakita nilang best practices sa ibang bansa na dapat nating gayahin. Yon si Jose Rizal, siya ay mahusay nung kapanahunan nya dahil na-expose siya sa ibang bansa at marami siyang natutunan doon na gusto niya i-apply dito sa ating bansa. Ganun din yang mga Pilipino na nakaka-punta sa ibang bansa, marami yan silang idea paano pa-unlarin ang bansa natin. So, pakinggan natin sila.

Maganda din iboto yang mga Balikbayan na tumatakbo for local positions natin dahil maraming new ideas yan na tinatawag nating INNOVATION. Atsaka, yang mga balikbayan na yan ay nasubukan na nila mismo kung gaano ka-sarap mamuhay sa ibang bansa na sumusunod sa batas ang mga mamamayan. Ideal talagang ipa-pwesto sa politika sa Pilipinas yang mga balikbayan natin -- parang si Jose Rizal ang mga yan.

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Sabi nga nila, na-ngangapkap daw ng dollar ang mga immigration checkers sa Airport entry. Mga walang-hiya talaga yang mga checker dyan sa Airport. Maraming naka-pansin nyan na OCW na para bang naging parte na ng kultura natin na ang mga Immigration Personnel ay parang mga hold-upper, mga extortionist, mga pulubi, mga patay-gutom, mga walang ethics --- ayyy naku ewan. Ehhh ako nga merong kakilala, bagong graduate pa, nagpapa-endorse sa Immigration dahil gusto raw niya doon dahil marami daw dollar pinamimigay mga OCWs -- susmaryosep kinilabutan ako.

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I dedicate this blog to my FB friends who celebrate their birthdays today.

Angelica Bontuyan, Dominic Rosauro O. Duque, Dominick Lacamento, Kitchz Ferrer, Marjo Abellar Tan, Pilyang Mhanika, Regina Palmero, Riza Alelei Laserna

Labor, Our Greatest Export

Our greatest exportable resource is skilled labor (seamen, nurses, maids, construction workers, security guards). We just have to triple the production, invest in education and skills training of this particular exportable resources, institute labor exportation tarrif policies, limit the exportation to foreign nations that has no OCW protection Treaty with our country, I think the survival of our nation will be sustained in the long run.

Return of Investment on OCWs

There is no difference between foreign exploitation of our natural resources and highly-skilled human resources. Exploitation means our local resources are imported by other countries but our motherland is not benefiting any wealth of this exportation.

What benefit will out motherland get in return for the taxpayers expenses (govt subsidy) on the healthcare, primary education, secondary education, scholarship in State University, and skills training of a person who leaves the country to work in a foreign land? Why should government invest in the person without a guarantee that the Philippines will benefit from the person in the future?

Blacklist the Discriminating Employers

If our OCWs in Hongkong feel unsafe and discriminated after the Hostage Tragedy, I think the Philippine Government will have to respond by implementing a ban for Filipinos to work as domestic helpers in Hongkong. There are other non-discriminating countries with high demand for our skilled domestic helpers.

At the very least, the employers who fired their Filipino DH over the Hostage Tragedy should be identified, put in the database, and be put on alert status in the Philippine accredited recruitment agencies. We should not allow any Filipino DH to be exposed in the risk of working in the household of those HK families with proven record of racial discrimination.

Advice to a Kababayan in Hongkong

QUESTION: Sir John, we can sense hatred of Chinese against Filipinos here in Hongkong. The Philippine Embassy closed because of Chinese protesters. Some of our kababayan are fired by their employers over this bloody Mendoza Hostage event. What will I do? ANSWER: I would suggest you to be always ready to come home, & if you sense strange panic among the Filipino community, make sure that you are first to decide to come home.

‎"The Chinese government demands the Philippine government launch a thorough investigation into the incident and inform the Chinese side of related details as soon as possible," Yang said, according to a statement posted on his ministry's website. In Foreign Service lingo, the use of the word DEMAND is very strong. It asks for something or else.

The Chinese Government in Hongkong has already issued statement to discourage their people for outbound travels to Philippines.

So please, the decision to come home is on you, but you have to be very alert, be ready, and be very quick in deciding what is best for your safety.

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MY IMMEDIATE ADVICE TO PNOY

PNoy, I have received a report by our kababayans in Hongkong. There is a growing scare among our people there. Some of their friends are fired by their employers over this hostage drama. The Philippine Embassy there closed because of Hongkongian protesters. You must organize a think-tank team to be ready to manage the sudden rush of Filipinos in Hongkong wanting to come home, just in case any eventuality will happen.

Bakit Maraming OCW na Inaabuso sa Ibang Bansa

Kung gaano kadami ang inaabusong hayop, ganun din karami ang inaabusong Pilipino sa ibang bansa. Yan ay sanhi nga mababang pagtingin ng ibang mga tao sa ating lahi, dahil tayo mga Pilipino ay parang hayop na hindi nakaka-intindi at hindi sumusunod ng batas ng tao -- lahat tayo ganun, pati ang ating mga mambabatas at ganun din ang mga taong gobyerno na nagpapatupad ng batas.

Parang May Kulang

QUESTION: Sir John, pa-score ka naman ng mensahe para sa mga OCW dito sa Dubai. May gathering kami mamaya mga Pinoy.

ANSWER: Malungkot mag-bakasyon sa magagandang lugar o mag-trabaho sa ibang bansa habang mag-isa. Babagabagin ka ng isip mo na sana nakikita rin at na-eenjoy ng na-iwang mahal mo ang magandang tanawin na nakikita mo.