PHILIPPINE CIRCUIT COURTS DELUGED WITH LIBEL CASES

February 18, 2014 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Philippine Supreme Court in session (file photo)

Manila, Philippines – Since the Philippine Supreme Court upheld a cyber libel law in this democratic nation of almost 100 Million people, the circuit courts of Manila, Quezon City and Makati City reported a sudden upsurge in libel cases filed by famous and infamous individuals. The Philippines’ top court ruled on Tuesday that a cyber crime law penalizing online libel is constitutional, and many critics fear this would all but legalize censorship and crush freedom of speech.

Records from the Clerks of Court from the three metropolitan cities showed dozens of libel cases filed in just the last 24 hours. The Adobo Chronicles obtained the following high-profile law suits prompted by the Supreme Court decision.

Janet Lim-Napoles vs. Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago. Napoles sued Santiago for being grilled and humiliated by the senator during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing relative to the investigation of the 10 Billion-peso pork barrel scam for which Napoles is among those charged.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada vs. Senator Teofisto Guingona III. Guigona is being sued for “pre-judging” Estrada in last week’s Senate hearing on the pork barrel scam.
Congresswoman Imelda Romualdez Marcos vs. The Estate of Corazon Aquino and former President Fidel Ramos. Marcos is suing for defamation of character in connection with her alleged 3,000 pairs of shoes. She claims she only had 2,686 pairs.
Businessman Cedric Lee vs. National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Lee, the alleged mastermind in the mauling of television host Vhong Navarro is suing to dispute NBI’s claim that Lee kissed model Deniece Cornejo in the elevator during the night of the mauling. Lee claims the CCTV video was “doctored” by the NBI.
President NoyNoy Aquino vs. Maria Teresa Martinez, mother of Filipino Olympic figure skater Michael Christian Martinez. Aquino is suing to clear his name in the allegation that Mrs. Martinez sent an email to the Office of the President asking for financial aid for the young Martinez so that he can compete in the Olympics. Aquino said he never received such email.
Senator Nancy Binay vs. The Adobo Chronicles. Binay is suing us for this article we posted on our news site.

As of this writing, dozens of other politicians, television personalities and business executives were lining up in the three courts with legal papers in hand. The Adobo Chronicles will update our readers as soon as we confirm additional libel suits received by the Clerks of Court.

The Philippines’ top court ruled on Tuesday that a cybercrime law penalising online libel is constitutional, disappointing critics who argue it could curb Internet freedom in one of Asia’s most freewheeling democracies.Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-02-philippines-court-cyber-libel-law.html#jCpLe

International, Politics, Sports, The Media

NORWAY POLITELY DECLINES PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT’S OFFER OF FINANCIAL AID TO FILIPINO-NORWEGIAN OLYMPIC FIGURE SKATER

February 18, 2014 Pol Pinoy 25 Comments

Fil-Norwegian figure skater Anne Line Gjersem

Oslo, Norway – The Philippines’ Aquino government, in an apparent move to focus attention away from its failure to provide financial help to its lone athlete in the Sochi Winter Olympics, has offered some money to help with the expenses of Norway’s first Olympic figure skater in 50 years. The skater, Anne Line Gjersem, is half Filipina, born to a Norwegian father and Filipina mother. Gjersem’s mother, Perlita Bangug, hails from Ilagan, Isabela in Northern Philippines. Anne Line has a twin sister who is also a figure skater.

The Aquino administration has come under fire after it was revealed that it had not provided a single penny to help with the expenses of the Philippines’ and Southeast Asia’s first Olympic figure skater, Michael Christian Martinez. Presidential spokesperson Herminio Coloma has been on the defensive about Martinez’s case, telling reporters that budget allocation, competitive edge in sports, and lately, spam mail, were among the reasons that Malacañang (the Philippine presidential palace) failed to support Martinez’s Olympic quest.

In a diplomatic cable sent to the Oslo government, President NoyNoy Aquino said: “On behalf of the proud Filipino people, please accept our offer of PH 44,000 Pesos to go towards the Olympic expenses of Anne Line Gjersem who is of Filipino heritage. We will be cheering for Gjersem when she takes to the ice this week.” (PH 44,000 pesos is roughly U.S. $1,000).

Norway sent Aquino an immediate cable reply, saying “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Gjersem is the 15th skater to perform at Wednesday’s Figure Skating Ladies’ short program.

(Update: Gjersem made it to the finals and finished 23rd out of 24 skaters in the free skates.)

the first Norwegian and the only figure skater to qualify for her country in an Olympic event after 50 years since 1964. – See more at: http://philnews.ph/2014/02/18/anne-line-gjersem-fil-norwegian-figure-skater-compete-sochi-olympics/#sthash.9CtkkxDw.dpuf

International, Politics, Sports, Technology

AQUINO ADMINISTRATION ON OLYMPIAN MICHAEL MARTINEZ’S REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL HELP: ‘WE DO NOT OPEN SPAM’

February 18, 2014 Pol Pinoy 3 Comments

Manila, Philippines – The administration of Philippine President NoyNoy Aquino continues to go on the defensive as more and more people have criticized the government’s zero financial support for Filipino figure skater Michael Christian Martinez. The lone Filipino athlete in the Sochi Winter Olympics made an impressive Olympic debut last week, finishing 19th out of 24 skaters. He is the first Filipino and Southeast Asian to qualify for the Olympic figure skating competition.

Martinez’s mother said that she had sent Malacañang, the Philippine Presidential Palace, a request for help to finance her son’s participation in the Olympics but never received a response.

Today, presidential spokesperson Herminio Coloma said that the request “may have come into Malacañang as ‘spam,’ and that per our policy, we do not open spams. We receive hundreds and hundreds of requests, gifts and what have you, including imported cans of SPAM, but for security reasons we never open canned goods or other wrapped gifts.”