Update on the 3 pinoys that were arrested by the FBI's

PH OFFICIALS TO ATTEND GRAND JURY HEARING FOR ACCUSED GUN SMUGGLERS

Steve Angeles, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

January 12, 2012

LOS ANGELES–Since agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Filipino nationals Sergio Santiago de Leon Skyjack, Cesar Paolo Inciong Ubaldo and Arjyl Revereza on charges of weapons smuggling, the Philippine consulate in Los Angeles has been watching the case.

Consular officials will be at the suspects’ next court appearance on February 6th, when they will be indicted.

“I will be monitoring that closely I will be attending that hearing also. There will be a grand jury at that session,” said Deputy Consul General Dan Espiritu.

Investigators claim that in 2010, FBI agents posed as members of a Mexican drug cartel and met with the group in the Philippines to buy about $50,000 worth of automatic assault rifles, grenade launchers, armor, and other military grade accessories.

The affidavit said Syjuco and Ubaldo were selling the weapons while Revereza was “a corrupt customs official that could deliver the weapons.”

The three Filipinos are charged with importing weapons without a license and face 20 years in prison if convicted.

The consulate has been in contact with the U.S. attorneys of the accused smugglers as well as their families in the Philippines.

Espiritu said, “Of course they’re very much concerned. They’re trying to see the blow-by-blow proceedings of the preparations that are going on but of course I could not discus this more extensively.”

The consulate met the accused on Tuesday at the Metropolitan Detention Center to check on their welfare while in prison.

“They’re doing well inside and secondly the other objective of the visit was to see if their rights as accused are protected and safeguarded. They’re now properly represented by their respective legal councils,” explained Espiritu.

The three men were arrested Thursday when they arrived in Los Angeles expecting to meet an undercover agent posing as a buyer from the Mexican drug cartel.

The American-made weapons have been seized by U.S. authorities since the shipment arrived in Long Beach last June.

source: http://www.balitangamerica.tv/ph-officials-to-attend-grand-jury-hearing-for-accused-gun-smugglers/

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Again, people, please refrain from cursing your own kababayan. Yes, they chose the wrong thing, they were blinded by money (but you have to admit that we all dream to have an easy life, free of worries, but we chose the hard way and long way and the honest way. These three Pinoy's chose the short way. It's a bad choice. But it's their choice, not ours.) 

I really find it in a bad taste that instead of being more compassionate to our fellow citizen some would hurl bad words, swear at them and laugh and say, "that's what you get for being a crook! Good luck on your jail life!"

I am not saying these just because I know one of them so, I feel sympathy for them. It's not that. I always feel these way when a fellow Filipino would be sentenced to jail or death in other country because they made the wrong choice, done illegal thing or broke the law in a foreign country. I always empathized with our OFW's. I simply look up to them. Life outside of our country is not a picnic in the park. Yes, they earn more than what we can earn in our country but they did it and work outside so that they can provide for their family.

These people may have done the wrong thing but they did it for their family. You have your own family, right? You would protect, love and care for them and do anything for them. These men are not that different from us. So, stop throwing stones at them. Let's just pray for them.

Be Safe!

Today is Friday and it's also the 13th day of the month. Some says that its a bad luck so better be careful on that day. Anyways, old people have these beliefs and we the younger generation just took it in stride. We even have movies pertaining on that day, and people die on that day.

I don't really believe in superstitions but I grew up in an environment that there are some things that you have simply to follow. I have no choice there, I am still young and the elders should be followed, and that being is my grandma. :)

A year ago my younger sister and her boyfriend took a vacation leave and went to our province but on the day that they we're supposed to go to Caramoan Island, Camarines Sur, our Mom forbid the to go out and guess what is the reason? Yes, it's because it's Friday the 13th! When I heard about it, yes, cruel me, I laughed at her. But if I were her I can't do nothing about it because even if I am old already I still have to follow my parents. It's just simply a sign of respect. So, my sis just reschedule their trip for another month and which does not have Friday the 13th! So, lesson learned, Don't go out on Friday the 13th or if you want to don't tell Mom!

Let's have a look on Megan Fox New ad

"Transformers" star Megan Fox is the latest Hollywood celeb appearing in a foreign commercial wherein she puts her her sex appeal to work in this Brazilian foreign-language school CCAA. The ad is about a pair of teenage boys that were wash up on a remote island after a plane crash. They were greeted by Ms. fox and welcome them to "Megan Fox Island, and the whole island is full Megan Fox clones. It's every boy's dream, but the teens does not know how to speak in English thus cannot communicate with Megan. Megan sent them back to the sea and then turned up to another Island -- "Mike Tyson Island", and there's also various clones of Mike Tyson and the Island is not as nice as the previous one.

So, what better way for young Brazilian boys to learn English but on this school. :)

When I stumbled upon this video I find it funny, but I have to admit the ad is good.

Everyone should know English. I don't want to imposed on other people but yes, we should learn it so that we can be able to communicate with other different nation. Yes, one should love their own language but we have to be open minded that there are other races out there and if we go out and maybe go to other country, in order to communicate we have to know or have a good grasp of the English language.

Here in the Philippines, as early as grade school/primary level, English is taught. So, It's more fun here in the Philippines! Because anyone in the Philippines have the basic knowledge of the English knowledge, no communication barrel or whatsoever with the foreigners who would want to take a vacation here.

So, kudos to the ad! I like it :)

A Mother's Story

A Mother's story is about Medy (Pokwang), a make-up artist, who became an illegal immigrant in the United States to save the life of her infant daughter. The film deals with what OFW's go through in the United States. 


Plot:

Medy (Pokwang), a make-up artist, was given the chance of a lifetime to accompany a concert star to the United States for a performance. She promised her family that she will return after a week. However, while in America, she stumbled upon a former classmate Helen (Beth Tamayo) who convinced her to stay for good in the land of milk and honey. She initially refused, but eventually gave in, when she got a call one night from her husband that they need a big amount of money to bring her youngest daughter to the hospital. America has not been the friendliest to her and our story begins with her coming home to Manila literally with nothing.

Medy’s two kids, King (Rayver Cruz) and Queenie (Xyriel Manabat) are now 19 and 7. King struggles with the return of his mother. Animosity, resentment, shame, and anger are issues he has built with Medy. For the young Queenie, it’s getting to know the mother, who she thought would one day come out of a Balikbayan Box. And as for her husband, Medy discovers something she least expected.

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When I watched the trailer I was convinced to watch it because I find the story moving. A lot of our OFW's goes trough a lot of hell just to provide financial freedom to their families in the Philippines. The movie makes the life out of the OFW's so real and maybe by watching the movie our kababayan's would have an ample idea that living in the States is not a picnic out in the park but nutty.  

Sad news :(

Yesterday, I heard a news that is so tragic.

Every time we listen to the news every other day or just simply reading the newspaper, the content of that is just nothing to us. We would know or have a fair idea on what is the news all about, what happened and the names of the people involved. But if YOU know of someone that is on the news, then it would be different because you know that person and you just can't get enough of the news. You simply have to know all the facts, what happened and how did it happened.

This is the news that simply left me baffled and until now I am waiting of what will happen.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/01/11/12/3-pinoys-nabbed-smuggling-military-weapons-us

http://www.philippinenews.com/latest-news/5412-3-pinoys-arrested-for-smuggling-grenade-launchers-ak-47-riffles.html?tmpl=component&layout=default&page=

I know one of them and one thing that entered my mind was -- what was he thinking of ?!? Was he thinking at all? I don't blame some of our kababayan's to be mad at them. It was just sheer stupidity -- but forget about the shame they gave to us and to their family. I just felt pity--their life would be wasted if they really are guilty. My heart simply went out to his mom and family. It was just so sad. Don't you feel it? I felt it.

Please, my fellow blogger/s, I know that what they did  is wrong and yes, brought shame to us all, but we are all humans, we make mistakes. Can we just be more compassionate to our fellow Pinoy? Let's not judge them too harshly. 

Movie review of ENTENG ng Ina mo

With all the entries for the Metro Manila Film Festival, my sister wanted to watch Enteng ng Ina mo (I was rooting to watch Segunda Mano. I want to watch horror flicks. But yes, she has a point that most horror films here are not that scary, so I we just watched ENTENG NG INA MO).

It was a 2 hour bus ride from our house just to watched that movie! We we're spending the holidays in our province. So, from our house we would ride a tricycle then ride a bus bound to Naga City. I never watched Enteng Kabisote Series (EK has four movies) but watched all Tanging Ina Series (has three movies). The trailer did not really made me or urged me to watch it the first day it was shown in the movie house. I am not expecting much from the movie but I've read and heard great reviews of the movie so, I just went along with my sis.

At the end... the movie was not that great. I find it tasteless. Yes, there are some parts that I laughed but the movie did not left a great impression on me. The movie is nice since it was starred by two big icon's in the movie industry but at the end I just find it too plain. It's just another movie that made me say, Okay I watched it, BUT watching it once is enough. When would there be another movie, a tagalog/Filipino movie that would pull my heart strings and would make me watched the movie again and again? 

So, that's it, peepz! I don't know if you watched it already, and if we have different opinions -- let's just respect it. I'm just sharing what I thought of the movie ;)

Happy New Year!

Hi, Everyone!!!! sorrrryy! I was not able to write for a few months because I was banned from using my sister's laptop. So, I have to wait for December to have my very own laptop. ^___^

So, I would like to thank my brother in law, Mr. Rod Bulaong, for being kind and thoughtful, for giving me such a wonderful gift! I'm in bliss for having this one! So, thank you! Thank you!!! You have no idea that being a blogger, it's really a must to have their own PC or lappy or a netbook. It just give us much more ease in typing our piece ;)

Friends, I'm baaaack!!! hehe

I'll be able to blog again and blog walk and just blog, blog, blog! Miss you much! mwaaah!