Tanada, Catholic Bishops and Student Leaders to File Petition Urging SC to Compel Congress to Hold Joint Session on Duterte's Martial Law

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Former Senator Wigberto "Bobby" Tanada, Bishop Broderick Pabillo of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila, Bishop Pablo David of the Caloocan Diocese, Mother Adelaida Ygrubay of the Order of St. Benedict and student council leaders from different universities will file a petition for Certiorari and Mandamus before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, June 7, 2017, Wednesday 11:30 am, to compel the legislature to do its constitutional duty to hold a joint session on President Duterte's Martial law in Mindanao.

Tanada, who was a member of the "Magnificent 12" that voted no to a new lease for the US bases in the country, said in their petition that a plain reading of the 1987 constitution leads to the "indutable conclusion that a joint session of Congress to review a declaration of Martial law by the President is mandatory."

The petitioners also said that failure to convene a joint session deprives the public of transparent proceedings within which to be informed of the factual bases of the declaration of Martial law.

It was reported that there were erronenous information in the President's report submitted to Congress regarding his Martial law declaration in Mindanao. Due to the non-holding of a joint session, there is no way of scrutinizing the said inconsistencies and errors. They now cast a dark cloud of doubt over the legitimacy and proportionality of Martial law as a response to the Marawi conflict.

The filing of the petition is initiated by the Gathering for Civil Liberties (GCL), a multi-tendency, multi-form and multi-sectoral loose formation organized by different personalities, human rights crusaders, sectoral leaders and social activists to provide safe and informal spaces to consolidate voices, perspectives and initiatives to promote democratic values and vigilance amid threats of creeping authoritarianism.

Photo opportunities and interviews will be made available.

Transpo Officials Assure the Public: “Proper Security Protocols are in Place on Major Transportation Facilities”

Wazzup PIlipinas!
 

Representatives from the different security services of major public transportation system providers in the country have assured the safety and security of citizens in transportation hubs, in light with the recent security breach in an entertainment center in Pasay City.

At the “Tapatan sa Aristocrat” on Monday morning, transportation officials from the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT3), Philippine National Railways (PNR), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the Office of Transport Security (OTS) assured the public that proper security protocols are in place in all major air, land and sea facilities and gateways across the country.

“Sa atin, pag mayroon tayong nakukuhang delikadong information, vina-validate namin yan… Yun pong sinasabi mong threats, yung threats lagi pong nariyan yan. Omnipresent yan. Hindi tayo pwedeng magrelax. So if you noticed, even the President, alerto siya,” says Undersecretary Art Evangelista of the Office of Transport Security.

Evangelista adds that airports observe meticulous security procedures before passengers are allowed to enter the aircraft. There are even independent screening protocols laid out by airline companies before their planes depart.

“If you noticed sa airport, nago-observe kami ng three-tier defense system. Meron kaming checkpoint bago mag-terminal. Meron kaming screening point bago ka pumasok sa terminal. At doon sa final [post], may screening point pa roon. Hindi pa satisfied ang airline, mayroon rin silang sariling screening point bago ka pumasok ng eroplano. Ganun katindi ang screening sa airport,” Undersecretary Evangelista explains.

Similarly, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has been observing stringent measures of identifying potential threats on all ports. They have likewise stationed K-9 dogs to detect explosive devices and narcotics in every vessel.

 “Sa port security, meron po tayong tinatawag na layering katulad po din sa airport. Meron po tayong frisking. Meron po tayong X-ray machines at saka ibang sistema upang malaman po natin kung may threat o wala. At higit po sa lahat, lingid po sa kaalaman ng karamihan, ang Philippine Coast Guard ang may pinakamaraming inventory ng K-9 na aso sa Pilipinas,” explains Commodore Joel Garcia of the Philippine Coast Guard

The PCG also conducts constant periodic review of its security protocol to ensure that port monitoring is ensured.

For its part, the LRTA said that its management is beefing up with the procurement of emergency response equipment that are necessary for rescue and other untoward incidents.

“In-activate namin and we are lining up trainings and quick-response teams. Because as we all know, marami sa ikinamatay ng mga tao sa Resorts World ay due to suffocation. And the LRTA Administrator also ordered the procurement of breathing apparatus and rescue equipment na bini-bid na po natin yan. Siguro in a few weeks e ide-deliver na,” says Mr. Dominic Cabigting, Admin Department head of LRTA.

La Estrella: A Night of Music and Flamenco Media Preview

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Portkey Events recently embarked on a project that aims to reintroduce and enrich the Spanish culture here in the Philippines through a show entitled La Estrella, A Night of Music and Flamenco. We attended the media presentation held on May 20, 2017 at 3 pm at the Power Mac Center Spotlight theater located at Circuit Makati.

La Estrella is a love triangle story between childhood friends which will be communicated through Spanish classical songs with Arman Ferrer (Philstage Gawad Buhay Awardee for Best Male Featured in a Musical in 2015; last seen on Disney in Concert, Tale as Old as Time with ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, November 2016), Spanish pop songs with David Ezra (Aliw Awards Best New Male Artist in 2015 and Aliw Awards Best Actor Nominee for 2016; son of Asia's Diva, Dulce) and different forms and style of Flamenco dance with Katsie Llave (practiced flamenco in Escuela Amor De Dios: Centro de Arte Flamenco y Danza Espanola in Madrid under legendary teachers Antonio Maya, Alfonso Losa, Miguel Canas, Immaculada Ortega, La Truco and Nino de los Reyes).

Following its success at the Insular Life Building in October 2016, Portkey Events would like to continue to run this show and gain a wider audience.

Set in the south of Spain, La Estrella follows the story of Carina (Katsie Llave), and her childhood best friends –Alejandro (David Ezra) the shy but sweet village boy, and Ricardo (Arman Ferrer) the headstrong but charming aristocrat, as they journey through life, and discover love in its purest and most steadfast form.

First of its kind, this Flamenco/Classical/Musical Theater showcase directed by Katreen Dela Cruz explores the profound simplicity of life through dance and music: the challenges of growing up, the complexity of friendship, and the pain, strength, and hope in love.