Tuesday, June 16, 2009

72 Filipinos arrested in Saudi for 'gay' behavior


MANILA, Philippines- Wearing drag at a private event may be harmless fun in many societies, but 72 Filipino men found out they could suffer imprisonment and lashing in Saudi Arabia for such activities after they were arrested for immorality recently.

An article in the Arabic news site www.sabq.org said several “deviants," a term used by Saudi Arabia’s English-language media to describe people who engage in gay behavior, were rounded up during a concert inside a compound in an eastern Riyadh neighborhood.

The report quoted unnamed police officials as saying a "large number of foreign workers" were arrested in the incident, and 72 of them have Philippine citizenship.

Vice Consul Roussel Reyes of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh told GMANews.TV by phone on Tuesday that they are still confirming the identities of the Filipinos and will seek their employers’ help to bail them out.

Open display of homosexual behavior is strictly prohibited under Saudi Arabia’s Sharia’h law. In extreme cases, such as when the unless the government feels that homosexuals are challenging state authority, the maximum punishment for the act is public execution.

Normally, however, other punishments such as fines, imprisonment, and whipping as alternatives. Individuals caught wearing even just one article of women’s clothing could face three to six months imprisonment, and suffer between 50 and 100 lashes with a rattan stick.

Reyes said nearly 50 other Filipinos have been arrested and jailed in the past for similar violations.

Only sponsors are able to bail out foreign workers who are imprisoned, as long as they provide assurance that the accused would show up in court during trial.

In August last year, Saudi Arabia’s Commission for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice arrested several Filipinos in a gay party in the country’s eastern province for "lewd behavior" as well as possession of drugs and alcohol. Arrested foreign nationals are often deported after serving their jail sentence. -

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Pussycat Nicole too busy to have love life


Right at the NAIA when she arrived with the three other Pussycat Dolls at noon last Monday, Nicole Scherzinger said she was overwhelmed by that “coming home” feeling.

“I felt the warmth as soon as I got off the plane,” recalled Nicole during a one-on-one with Funfare yesterday at the Executive Lounge of Sofitel Hotel (formerly Westin Philippine Plaza) where the Dolls are billeted until Friday when they fly back to the States after their concert at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Concert Grounds tomorrow night.

“Everybody was calling my name and I was so touched,” added Nicole who is half-Filipino (her father is surnamed Valiente, from Batanes), part-Russian and part-Hawaiian. “I felt that I belong here.”

She felt even more so when she saw her face on the huge billboards advertising Clear, the shampoo she’s endorsing.

“Then I saw the commercial on TV and I realized why everybody knew my name,” she sounded amused. “In the commercial, I said, ‘My name is Nicole.’ No wonder, at the airport they were calling, ‘Nicole, Nicole!’ I was teary-eyed.”

The presscon and the photo session, which lasted no longer than 20 minutes, was held at the hotel’s Seven Pecados where Nicole and fellow Pussycat Dolls Melody Thornton, Kimberly Wyatt and Ashley Roberts sat on stools onstage while fielding questions from the press and flashing sweet smiles at the photographers.

Asked why one member, Jessica Sutta, was missing, Nicole explained that Jessica sustained a broken hip during the Dolls’ concert in Australia and had to beg off from their Manila gig and fly back home.

Presented by MTV Philippines and Clear Shampoo, A Clear Doll Domination: Pussycat Dolls Live in Manila is the Dolls’ second time to perform in Manila, the first having been in 2006. Their album, also titled Doll Domination, is released locally by MCA Music, Inc. Nicole recorded Jai Ho a year before it won a Best Song Oscar along with A.R. Rahman who composed it for Slumdog Millionaire which won Best Picture.

“It came as a surprise. I felt honored. I was happy for Rahman and for the Slumdog kids.”

It was Funfare’s third time to interview Nicole. The first was last year in Kuala Lumpur where the Dolls performed at the MTV Music Awards and the second time was two weeks ago in a phone interview from Australia where the Dolls had a concert and I was in Hong Kong for an exclusive interview with Kelly Clarkson, the first American Idol (watch for it in next Sunday’s Conversations with Ricky Lo). Nicole was consistently sweet and friendly during those interviews, looking at you straight in the eye while answering your questions. It was only Nicole who did one-on-ones yesterday.

She has been vocal about her admiration for Lea Salonga whom she first saw in Miss Saigon when she was 15, inspiring Nicole to audition for the megahit Cameron Mackintosh musical. Told that Lea is in the States for a series of shows, Nicole said she would have wanted to meet her idol.

Asked who her other role models (musical influences) are, she named Whitney Houston, Beyoncé Knowles and Shania Twain.

What did she remember from the Dolls’ first visit to the Philippines?

“The warm reception,” smiled Nicole. “I remember getting off the plane and being also greeted by many people. Everybody was smiling at me. I was blown away by the warm reception. The short time that I was here was very emotional. It was something that I waited for all my life — going to the Philippines. I couldn’t forget our show. I think that was the best crowd reaction we ever had. Unbelievable! I was just very proud to be there.”

And what did she tell her fellow Dolls about the Philippines?

“That the Filipinos are so warm.”

Nicole said that most of her relatives are in Hawaii. She has no idea if some are still in the Philippines. She begged off from talking any further about her family.

I asked Nicole, as I did during the first two interviews, if there’s any “friendly” rivalry among the Dolls and her answer was the same, “We are just human, you know. But generally, we are supportive of each other. We are like sisters. We don’t compete with each other; we compliment each other.”

With the Dolls’ tight schedule (they’re either on the road or in the studio recording), does Nicole have time for her love life?

She gave a straight, unblinking answer, “No. But I don’t think I’m missing out on anything because I am surrounded by my family, my friends and my fans, and I love what we are doing.”

But for sure, she does pamper herself every now and then.

“Yesterday afternoon, a few hours after we arrived, I went to the hotel’s Les Spa. I had a massage. It was so soothing and relaxing. My tired muscles were relieved. That’s the way I usually pamper myself.”

Saturday, June 6, 2009

'Dismayed' Lacson abandons presidential plans


MANILA, Philippines Â- Citing what he called a setup favoring the moneyed, Sen. Panfilo Lacson announced Friday evening he is "retiring" from the presidential race for 2010.

Lacson made the announcement through a pre-recorded message at a leadership forum featuring prospective presidential bets at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.

"Reaching out to the voters, particularly those in the D and E income levels, which altogether comprise some four-fifths of the population, does not come easy. It is most expensive in a political system which has neither strong institutions nor correct procedures," he said in his message.

"The time has come to face the reality that the intent to lead in this land in order to do good, has become an enterprise only for those who have access to unlimited funds... I bow to that reality, which is why I have chosen not to participate any more in this laudable forum of those who seek the presidency of the land," he added.

LacsonÂ's surprise announcement came a day after former police Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II, who was extradited to the Philippines from the United States, told media that he was ready to reaffirm his affidavit implicating Lacson and former President Joseph Estrada in the Dacer-Corbito double murder case in 2000.

He did not make any mention of Mancao in his recorded message, but his camp earlier said they were expecting the government to have hatched a "sweet deal" as part of move to derail his political plans.

Mancao has claimed in a sworn statement submitted to the Department of Justice that he overheard Lacson, who was then Philippine National Police (PNP) chief in 2000, instructing Senior Superintendent Michael Ray Aquino to dispose of veteran publicist Salvador Â"Bubby" Dacer on orders of Estrada.

Lacson has denied having any hand in the twin murders and claimed the issue implicating him was just being revived because of his unrelenting attacks against the Arroyo administration.

His "retirement" is expected to be welcomed by the political opposition, which is finding it hard to unite behind one candidate. Apart from Lacson, members of the opposition who have announced interest in seeking the presidency are Sen. Manuel Roxas II, Loren Legardo, Francis Escudero, Manuel Villar, and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay,

Lacson hinted he may support a leader who can "best deliver our people from the bondage they now suffer."

"Rest assured that in time, we will all join together to support a leader who could best deliver our people from the bondage they now suffer. That leader must have both the competence and character that are the preconditions to purposive leadership so imperative in these crossroads of the nationÂ's life," he said.

The message was also posted on his website (http://www.pinglacson.net/news/54) Friday night.

False democracy

Lacson said what the country has today is a "feudal setup foolishly labeled as democracy," where transactional politics is entrenched both in the bureaucracy and local government units.

Under such a setup, he added the poor are deluded into believing that throwing candies or giving instant noodles or occasional help in distress is the be-all and end-all of public service.

"In the grind for survival, the poor forget all too often that the occasional goodies they get are mere scraps from the tables of the immoderately greedy powerful who plunder public coffers, or abuse power for self-profit," he said.

Lacson admitted that he was tempted to avail of his P200-million pork barrel allocation for his campaign.

"Minsan ay sumagi na rin sa aking isipan na tanggapin na ang 200 milyong pisong pork barrel bawat taon para sa isang senador upang magamit at makasabay man lang sa isang magastos na pangangampanya. Nguni't, at mabuti na lamang, nanaig pa rin sa aking isipan na ipagpatuloy ang isang adhikain at paniniwala na higit sa ano pa mang bagay, mas mahalaga ang integridad sa isang tulad kong inihalal ng bayan upang maglingkod nang tapat at walang halong pag-iimbot [It had crossed my mind to avail of the P200-million pork barrel fund for senators just to keep up with the other candidates. But I thought better of it. In the end, integrity and honest service are more valuable]," he said.

He also cited a quote from Charles de Gaulle of France, who put order back in a land wracked by anarchy, that Â"in order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant."

"Like his forebear Nostradamus, he might have foreseen the Philippine political scene of this generation," he said.

"But I refuse to lie. And I refuse to purvey make-believe storyboards and saturate the airwaves with fairy tales," he added.

Lacson lamented that even if he tried to communicate the truth to people given "extremely limited resources" he could raise from well-meaning friends, "the time has come to face the reality that the intent to lead in this land in order to do good, has become an enterprise only for those who have access to unlimited funds."

"I bow to that reality, which is why I have chosen not to participate any more in this laudable forum of those who seek the presidency of the land. And I beg your favor that you read this message that springs from my heart," he said.

Lacson appealed to the learned and the highly educated in society to share their thoughts and help guide the vulnerable 80% of the Filipino electorate to vote wisely and conscientiously, "not for their day to day personal needs, but for a country that we all love and care for."

"Magkaisa po tayong tumulong sa isang taong batay sa karanasan at sa ugali, ay alam nating hindi magnanakaw at hindi gagamitin ang kapangyarihang hiram para magpasasa sa sariling interes. Maraming salamat po. Mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino (Let us unite to support a leader who will not steal and use stolen power to advance his own interests. Thank you. Long live the Filipino people)!" he said.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Angelina Jolie tops Forbes celebrity 'power list'


NEW YORK (AFP) – Superstar actress and humanitarian advocate Angelina Jolie has unseated talkshow diva Oprah Winfrey as the world's most powerful celebrity in a new survey published by Forbes magazine Wednesday.

The top ranking is based on income over the past 12 months as well as web references, press clippings, broadcast mentions and major magazine covers devoted to the celebrity, Forbes said.

Oscar winner Jolie, 33, one half of the Hollywood golden couple dubbed "Brangelina" with Brad Pitt, earned 27 million dollars between June 2008 and June 2009.

Her earnings and "famous face," Forbes said, were enough to dethrone media maven Winfrey, who earned 275 million dollars.

Jolie, who came in third last year, is known for balancing her movie career and work as a goodwill ambassador for the UN refugee agency with her ever-growing six-child family with Pitt.

In third place was pop legend Madonna -- absent from last year's top ten -- whose tabloid antics and hit world tour "Hard Candy" boosted her profile and earned her 110 million dollar, the magazine said.

In fourth place was singer and actress Beyonce Knowles with earnings of 87 million dollars, who was lauded by Forbes for her "multi-platform empire."

The top male power-player Tiger Woods came in fifth with 110 million dollars in earnings. Despite a year beset by injury, the star golfer remained the world's highest paid athlete.

A lucrative touring schedule was enough to catapult rock legend Bruce Springsteen to the sixth spot with 70 million dollars in earnings, and bump director Steven Spielberg to seventh, whose work on the Indiana Jones sequel earned him 150 million dollars.

Actress Jennifer Aniston took the next spot, a cut above her former husband Pitt, with movie hits and tabloid splashes earning her the eighth spot.

With earnings of 28 million dollar, Pitt came in at ninth with his headline-making family life with partner Jolie and a blockbuster turn in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

Rounding out the top ten was basketball wizard Kobe Bryant, whose first appearance in the upper echelons of celebrity power came thanks to big-bucks endorsement deals after the Beijing Olympics.

Anthemic, soul-searching band Coldplay were the most powerful Brits on the list this year with a debut at the 15th spot, following a sold-out world tour and a smash hit album, "Viva la Vida."

Also debuting, at number 49, was Barack Obama -- the first head of state to hit the Forbes's Celebrity 100.

With his historic election to the US presidency in November 2008, the former Illinois senator and bestselling author became "the most famous person in the world," Forbes said.