#he knew about the davao city bombings

[mattcastt]

⌠ BRANDON PEREA, 22, CISMALE, HE/HIM ⌡ welcome to gallagher academy, MATTHEW CASTIGADOR! originally hailing from DAVAO, PHILIPPINES, they were exposed too much during the protest, and the academy is now in charge of their safe care. when i see them walking around in the halls, i usually see a flash of ( square frame glasses, ruffled jet back hair, knee ripped jeans, camera sling on his shoulder, bitten cap pen, worn white converse ). when it’s the libra’s birthday on 9/18/1997, on the bad nights they request their DRIED FISH WITH SALTED EGG from the school’s chefs. looks like they’re safe in witness protection.

Is he going to be my last character? Probably not. Read up to know more about my trash baby.

I’ll try to keep it short since I don’t really wanna be attached so...

JOHN MATTHEW CASTIGADOR was born and raised in Davao CIty, Philippines to a single mother, the only father figures he knew was his stepfather father who left his mother for another woman. He is a Kuya ( older brother ) of female twins Julienne and Georgina ( currently 15 and in Grade 9 ). His lola (grandmother ) also lives with them. He haven’t met his biological father...yet.

With his mother raising two kids on her own, she was barely home as she worked as a server at one of the biggest restaurant in Philippines and during her day offs, she would work as free-lance beautician meaning she will do home service if someone wants to get their nails or hair done. Because of that, he learned to become the father figure of her two sister at the early age, making sure they eat breakfast, prepares their baon ( lunch pack or snacks ) to school and even take them and fetch them from school.

Matt was never bitter about the situation. He likes taking care of them and he loves making it easier for his mother. He might not be blessed with the brightest brain but he works and studies hard and doing extra credit whenever he can so he can be with the honor roll thinking that the only way to get was to get good grades so he could get into any university he wanted that he hopes someday would get make their lives a little better.

High school graduation rolled in when he was sixteen, it was all sweet and glorious since he knew he would be able to continue studying in college until his father appeared on their doorstep during his high school graduation celebration.

Heal wounds cut open again. The family was shookt if you will. No one had really talked about Matt’s father before, he even assumed her was dead. Turns out a year or so ago, his father’s legal American wife died and then he finally grow some balls to track the family he abandoned when he first visited the country. Despite not knowing anything about his father, he didn’t really think he would a fruit of infidelity.

Long story short because again, I don’t want to be attached but yes, his father try to make amends and really wanna make up for the lost time he had with his son. He offers to support his college education. That was sweet but with one condition and that is to move to the states, live with him ( sort of ). Of course, Matt had to bargain, he couldn’t be forced to study abroad without condition. He made a deal with his father and then he temporarily moved to USA.

Surprisingly, he was welcome warmly by his father’s family. He has four Puerto Rican American half-siblings so that;s always fun. Just a little awkward because they resented their father for keeping Matt a secret from them but Matt was loved.

BEFORE THE BOMB...

After getting over his homesickness he was doing great. He had to take few more classes to be qualified to go to be accepted to the university ( bc Matt ain’t a K-12 bb ) but it was going great. If he didn’t swallow his pride and just work on the scholarship he got, he would not be able to study with the course he wanted and would still have to take a job. Currently, he was on his third year taking up Forensic Psychology as a major.

Despite his father promising to support his family in the Philippines, he still work part-time just to send some cash to his mom and siblings because that’s what Filipinos do okay. He tries to squeeze in his barista and tutoring job in between classes in the university and his role as a writer in the school news paper, he was also part of a few clubs, including Amnesty International

MORE FACTS....

Matt is like Peter Parker rolled in Clark Kent rolled in Timothy Drake...sort of. He is a detective wannabe so basically he likes poking his nose where it was not supposed to be.

Bisexual as fuck.

He likes Mountain Dew a lot, he has hyper-acidity issues tbh

He speaks Bisaya, Hiligaynon and a little bit of Ilokano because his mom is from Ilocos. He understands Tagalog but speaks Tagalog in a very heavy Bisaya accent. His English is better tbh. Living in states for 3 years got rid any of his accent except when he is mad bc aren’t we all idk

He is a very good cook. Give him meat and he’ll whip it into any Filipino dish you want.

He’ll walk your dog for free tbh. He has an dog back home name Petra.

Bitch occassionaly smokes when stressed tbh

[phgq]

Makabayan bloc members just lied before Senate: Parlade

#PHnews: Makabayan bloc members just lied before Senate: Parlade

MANILA – Instead of telling the truth, Makabayan bloc members surfaced at the Senate hearing Tuesday to spew up more lies, a ranking military official and member of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) said Wednesday.

In a statement to the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, who is also Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) chief, scored militants for asking that he not attend the Senate hearing in exchange for their appearance and yet did not come out with something substantial that would refute the previous statements made by former rebels in the November 3 hearing.

"The Kamatayan (Makabayan) bloc showed up at the Senate just to tell lies. You even requested my absence in exchange for you to show up at the Senate but you cannot even say anything about the revelations of the former rebels in the previous inquiry. You even made your previous no-show appear as an element of suspense but you did not say anything about what the witnesses revealed regarding your involvement in the plenum of the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines) and NPA (New People's Army) during their anniversaries," he said in Filipino.

Parlade also scored Kabataan Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago for insisting that joining the ranks of the communist terrorists and calling for the downfall of the government is a justified move.

"Rep. Sara Elago even made it appear as dramatic. You even took pride in the rebels whose names were included in the Bantayog ng Kagitingan such as Barros, a Gabriela member who joined the NPA. You even included Maita Gomez who became a rebel just like many members of Gabriela. Listen to the voices of the youth calling for the government’s downfall? Encourage them to join the NPA?  Is that a good mindset of the youth claiming to be patriots?" he added.

He slammed Elago and her allies for claiming that they want a dialogue with the government to resolve the conflict but outrightly booted him out in their forum  ‘Criminalizing Dissent; Weaponizing the Law" held in Quezon City in November last year even if he was alone at the time.

Hypocrites

"You are plastics. How many times have we challenged your group to a debate but you cannot even face us. It is clear that what you want is yelling on the streets and armed revolution. Now, you are crying and claiming that your life is in danger? The former rebels are the ones who red-tagged your group to help explain to the public how your group infiltrated the youth to lure them into joining the NPA. It is their lives that are really in danger because of what they revealed," he said.

Parlade also disputed claims made by Elago and former Bayan Muna Party-list Representative Teddy Casiño that brave young people voluntarily went to the mountains to join the NPA ranks.

"Elago and Teddy Casiño said these young people voluntarily went to the mountains. Can they also say that only those who are brave join the NPA, while the cowards stay at the ranks of legal fronts, like Casiño,  (Neri) Colmenares, (Carlos Isagani) Zarate, (Ferdinand) Gaite and Elago? Their claim of the youth voluntarily going to the mountains is false. This is included (in) the 5-year program of the party for 2015-2019. It says there, 'Encourage the members of the progressive ranks to join the armed force'," he added.

Parlade said the reason for the ongoing intensive recruitment is due to the fact that communist terrorist ranks are now lacking in armed and political cadres because many have surrendered to the government.

CPP documents show

He added that they cannot lie about this as this is contained in a CPP document which states that the NPA is forcing youths to join their depleted ranks.

"Many NPA members who have surrendered revealed how they were made to fetch water and carry stuff for NPA members but they were not allowed to go down for over two years. Is that what you call voluntary? They are minors but Elago was mum when she claims that the youth’s welfare is what they are pushing for," Parlade said.

He said the claims made by Jean Lindo, the chair of Gabriela Southern Mindanao and Haran Davao, and Cristina Palabay, secretary-general of Karapatan, that their lives were placed in danger by the alleged red-tagging of the government is not true.

"I’ve been hearing that from Tinay for more than 10 years, but why are they still alive? It is not the AFP's (Armed Forces of the Philippines) policy to kill those who are unarmed. However, Karapatan has a clear policy of helping NPA members who are captured or imprisoned. Karapatan is one of the AFP’s bases to confirm whether a person we captured is an NPA member. Whenever Karapatan steps in, it is 100 percent sure that those captured or killed in encounters are NPA members," he said.

Bailing out NPA members

In fact, Parlade said, it is Karapatan that is working hard to bail out ranking leaders of the NPA.

"Honey Mae Suazo, Joland’s wife, who is an NPA commander of GF (Guerilla Front)2 and Karapatan Secretary-General in Mindanao, was the one who bailed out (Zaldy) Cañete (an NPA leader) in Davao. (Fred) Caña of Karapatan Visayas bailed out (Romeo) Nanta (head of NPA Regional Operations Command Negros Island) who was captured in Negros. All of these have official evidence which came from the court," he added.

With these facts in place, he said Lindo is now claiming that Honey Mae is missing and the government is now being accused of killing Suazo.

Parlade also raised the question of why Lindo does not tell the public that Suazo is facing a malversation charge — the reason she is hiding from the NPA.

"It’s just like their accusation that the government was behind the murder of (National Democratic Front consultant) Randy Malayao. Why doesn’t the CHR (Commission on Human Rights) release the results of their probe so that the public would know that Malayao has a case of sexual opportunism when he eloped with his wife who is also a rebel, and financial opportunism just like Suazo‘s case?" he added.

Targets own members

While they continue to rail against the government for these killings, Parlade said it is common knowledge that it is the CPP-NPA that targets their members who have committed atrocities or crimes against their comrades.

He said this is proven by the statement of former NPA assassin James Durimon alias "Juros" who disclosed how the CPP-NPA killed ordinary activists in Negros and make it appear that the government did it.

"He killed over 15 ordinary farmers and human rights advocates, all of them were sacrificed by the CPP so that these would be included in the investigation conducted by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights. This is how shameless and treacherous the CPP-NPA is. This is the propaganda and lies propagated by the minions of (CPP founding chair) Jose Maria Sison. Now, are the representatives of the Kamatayan (Makabayan) bloc really honorable?" he said.

Hate for country

This, he said, includes Sister Mary John Mananzan whose mind speaks just like Sison thus, putting the reputation of other nuns, who are the government's partners in serving the poor and oppressed, in a bad light.

"What are you saying that the government is suppressing activism and dissent? Those are the words of the KM (Kabataang Makabayan) and Makibaka who are all underground. You claimed that you are an activist for 45 years, from the Martial Law era up to the six administrations of this country. Now, you are saying, 'That I am not proud of your country at this time'? You hated six presidents, it seems you forgot what you are saying. Because of your hatred caused by the CPP’s brainwashing, Sister, I think you would never be proud of your country unless Sison leads it," Parlade said.

He then asked Mananzan where is forgiveness on her part as taught by the Bible because she did not spare all governments as all are evil to her.

"You want a dialogue so that we would know your sentiments but did you let the organizers of the Forum on Criminalizing Dissent and Weaponizing the Law to send me away from that forum?

Mananzan, he said, talks of ethics and yet she cannot condemn the abuses of the NPA towards their women fighters and ordinary civilians and former rebels who are unarmed.

"You tell us that we don't know our history. Of course, we do, sister. We know how the Catholic friars abused and raped our women, brutalized our men, plundered our resources and wealth, grabbed our private and public lands in the name of religion. Until now, we hear about pedophile priests and sexual predators," he added.

Parlade also challenged Mananzan on how well she knew Philippine history and had she accepted the fact that it was the CPP-NPA who bombed Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, Manila to force then-President Ferdinand Marcos to declare Martial Law.

"You will never get to love your country because of the unsisterly hatred you have in your heart, developed through 45 years of fighting each government.  You now have a closed mind, Sister. You are still thinking of Martial Law. Where is forgiveness and admission of wrongdoings? Sorry sister, you are not a good example of a nun and a citizen," he added.

Masters in the art of lies

Communist terrorists, he said, are masters in the art of telling lies as this is what their recruits first learn upon entering the "Pambansang Demokratikong Paaralan" (PADEPA) of the CPP.

"In the CPP, they sometimes call it the People’s Academy The reference persons of the Kamatayan (Makabayan) bloc took an oath but what we heard from them in the Senate hearing were all lies," he added.

Parlade also laughed off Casiño's claims that they want reinstatement of peace talks despite earlier CPP is never really serious pursuing this.

"It is now clear with this government that the CPP never desires for peace in the past peace talks. We heard that from (NDF negotiator Fidel) Agcaoili himself but Casiño did not bother because they are now cornered. Over 15 witnesses are on standby and have yet to speak up. How many pieces of evidence do the Kamatayan (Makabayan) Bloc need to hear for them to admit who they really are? With the voluminous information we have heard from the former rebels at the Senate, can Rep. Zarate still claim that the NTF-ELCAC’s revelations are baseless?" he added.

"Let us watch out for the next chapter while we are undressing these hypocrites who are destroying the future of our youth," he said.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)

***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "Makabayan bloc members just lied before Senate: Parlade." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1123013 (accessed November 26, 2020 at 08:32PM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "Makabayan bloc members just lied before Senate: Parlade." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1123013 (archived).

[cawalinglucyllebiancatse]

Eulogy for my Grandmother

Lucita Villas Tse, my grandmother, was simple but extraordinary in her kindness.

She is the eldest child of Marciano and Dolores Villas, among the 8 children, and spent most of the time helping her parents with their little store, in Hindang, Leyte. During the World War II, when the bombs were dropping down the sky, she kept herself hidden inside the cabinet where the statue of Mama Mary was on top. As she grew up, she said she doesn’t want to remember it and reflected that people easily fight today, easily calls war all because they do not know War. Her experiences molded her into the woman we knew, peace loving, kind, religious and strong.

She married my grandfather, Pablo Tse also known as Abio at the age of 21 and continued her studies to become a teacher. He was a lot older than her and upon knowing her love to travel, he supported her, to pursue her studies and dream of becoming a teacher. This is how she became your favorite Math, History, and Practical Arts teacher.

Over the years, she may had become your best friend, your choir mate, your church mate, your co-mother butler, the woman who you can buy rice from or haggle the selling price of your palay, or also the woman who gives you sacks of rice for free.

To me, she was my grandmother that I can always rely on. When I got sick as a baby, I needed these particular expensive injections that needed to be bought somewhere else. If not given I could die. But, the family didn’t have a lot of money back then, so they have to borrow some money and sell things to buy the medicine I needed. She started going to church every morning and offered mass daily for my cure. Mama said, she promised she’d hear mass every day, for God to heal me. Truly, I remember her for this great effort, because she did what she promised. Ma’am Lourdes, Gloria, Beth, and others who unfailingly goes to church as well, could testify her daily mass attendance over the years.

She also came to my first group art exhibit when I was enrolled to a summer Art class, when I thought my mother would not come. I thought then, at least she was there. She helped pay for my eye surgery, when I was 5 years old, and told me she would be at church praying for me during the operation. She also told me to be strong, and prayed with me every time I slept with her. 12 years later, I needed another eye surgery, as the lens implanted on me was getting dim, and this time, she paid it by herself in full.

She also taught me many things, like how to pray properly, taught me about God and Mama Mary which was plastered on their wooden walls in their old house. She also taught me how to put up a mosquito net on the bed as we slept together with my grandfather.

There came a time when my family moved to Sorsogon City, Bicol. I never knew her grief when we were away, but I knew her happiness when we come back here in Ormoc City to visit. She would always buy Lechon before we arrive and we would eat it during dinner. Most of all, even if the doorbell rings and the sound is only heard at the second floor, she would always beat the helper to the door and open it for us. But when it was time for us to go, she always wakes up earlier than she used to, just to see us go. She would be in the bathroom and the office for some time alone, then emerge with good luck money for us. I would see her standing by the door as we go. I want to remember her for her efforts, for her sympathy and her kind heart. Most of you here knew her kindness, but not to what extent, so I am sharing this to you, so that you will know too.

Before she retired, she was remembered as a math teacher but to us her grandchildren, she was our kind but scary employer. As we become old enough to be trained in the family business, we began to help her and eventually she was able leave us in the office. However, her bedroom is the room beside it, so she is really close. She made us good at math with our training, because in business, miscalculation is not an option, as miscalculation means no income.

Her temper grew difficult with age, but she always gives or buys us food that made all of us 10 grandchildren gather at her small office. It also doesn’t help when she has a TV and a DVD player in her office for us to watch a movie there. In fact, one time, we watched a horror movie and some of us screamed that the customers outside wondered loudly what was going on, and she would scream from the other room “Na unsa man mo diha? Pag ma sayop gani mo diha bantay lang gyud!” (What happened to you? If you would get wrong there, be on your guard.) and she would emerge later to check on us and then go back.

She also has a cabinet of food in her office and it was always almost full of food. When summer comes, she would then find her food cabinet exhausted. We, her grandchildren, were free to get anything we want to eat from this cabinet, but if she knew that we didn’t like to eat what was left in this cabinet, she would ask us what we want. Then, she would give us money to buy them. We were spoiled in this way, truly, ask Jade and Chikay, they got big. They usually order cheeseburger or pizza, for everyone, and she would pay for it. One time, we even ordered 8 boxes of pizza.

My grandmother was also an active member of the church. Apart from her morning routine of going to church early, she was also a member of the choir, particularly the Sunshine Choir. You would see her singing, and if not, you’d see her reading the gospel, as she is part of the lector’s group too, reading twice to thrice a week before she got too sick. She is also an active member of the Mother Butler Association, participating in regular meetings, monthly and annual conventions. The last Mother Butler convention she attended in fact was in Davao. Since she also owns a Palay and Rice business, she gives sacks of rice to priests and other organizations. She complains about people asking her to lend them money, and it will take them awhile, and if not forgets their debt, but she still lends them money. This was how kind she was.

Her kindness makes it hard for us to watch her go, but her struggle with her disease gives us inspiration on how we should do the same. She was suffering with Diabetes for years now, and upon finding a cyst in her Pancreas, the doctor told her she would live up to six months only. But she lived twice more, and helped countless people.

We are truly blessed to have known her in our lives, but now the Lord has taken her back in his arms. It is truly hard to watch her go, but I am happy to know she will be happy and live a life full of everlasting happiness with the Lord God Almighty. May God bless you.

March 18, 2017

[medicalmarijuana-news]

Philippines: Ex-Cop Says President Paid Him, Others to Kill Crime Suspects

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A retired Philippine police officer said Monday that President Rodrigo Duterte, when he was a mayor, ordered and paid him and other members of a so-called liquidation squad to kill criminals and opponents, including a kidnapping suspect, his family and a critical radio commentator.

Human rights lawyers who presented Arthur Lascanas at a news conference said the allegations could be grounds for impeaching Duterte, adding that his alleged role in the killings may not be covered by his presidential immunity.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who helped the lawyers from the private Free Legal Assistance Group present Lascanas in a news conference at the Senate, said he would ask his colleagues to immediately investigate the explosive allegations.

Duterte’s communications secretary, Martin Andanar, dismissed the claims as a “demolition job” by unspecified people affected by Duterte’s reforms and aimed at forcing Duterte from power. He did not respond to Lascanas’s detailed claims.

“The press conference of self-confessed hitman SPO3 Arthur Lascanas is part of a protracted political drama aimed to destroy the president and to topple his administration,” Andanar said, without elaborating or offering any evidence.

Duterte has denied his administration backs unlawful killings of suspects in his crackdown on illegal drugs that is feared to have killed more than 7,000 mostly poor drug users and petty drug pushers since he took office last June.

The killings under the crackdown, an expansion of his anti-drug campaign when he was the longtime mayor of southern Davao city, have alarmed the United States, other Western governments and U.N. human rights officials.

In many public speeches, Duterte has ordered policemen to defend themselves if drug suspects fight back and has openly threatened drug lords and dealers with death.

Lascanas’s comments came after he denied to a Senate hearing last year that he had been involved in any extrajudicial killings in Davao, Duterte’s hometown. He testified at the inquiry last October after he was implicated by another witness, Edgar Matobato, a former militiaman who said Duterte ordered him and others to kill criminals in gangland-style assaults that left hundreds of people dead.

Breaking into tears at one point, Lascanas said Monday he was speaking up now because he was bothered by his conscience, including his role in the deaths of his two brothers, whom he ordered killed because they were drug users.

“I had my own two brothers killed. Even if I end up dead, I’m content because I’ve fulfilled my promise to the Lord to make a public confession,” he said.

Lascanas described several killings and attacks that he said Duterte had ordered, permitted or financed as mayor of Davao, including the 1993 bombing of mosques as retaliation after Muslim rebels were blamed for bombing a Roman Catholic cathedral.

One of their first victims, a suspected drug lord, was gunned down and left with a message that warned others: “Don’t emulate.” Lascanas said he and other killers identified their group in the message as “Davao Death Squad,” which spread and sparked fear in the sprawling city.

Lascanas said he and his group shot dead a kidnapping suspect along with the man’s pregnant wife, young son, father-in-law and two others in another attack with Duterte’s approval.

After his group informed Duterte about the capture of the suspected mastermind of a kidnapping in Davao, Lascanas quoted the mayor as saying, “All right, make it clean.”

Another target was radio commentator Jun Pala, who had angered Duterte with critical commentaries. He was killed in 2003 by gunmen, who Lascanas said included him. They twice failed to kill him but succeeded in the third attempt, Lascanas said, adding that he personally received a financial reward from the then mayor.

“I’m one of those who killed Jun Pala,” Lascanas said.

Another criminal suspect, an ex-soldier, was captured and presented to the mayor, who ordered his men to “kill him,” Lascanas said.

Killing the suspect was problematic, he said, because policemen from another town knew he was alive when he was arrested. Lascanas said he and his companions convinced a police official to sign a logbook stating that the suspect was arrested but later escaped.

Lascanas said he and his companions later killed the suspect and dumped his body in a nearby province.

You can keep up with all of HIGH TIMES’ news right here.

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