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Vigil for Randy Gener brings together family, friends and strangers in a hopeful cry for justice
By Lorial Crowder I do not know Randy Gener personally but I joined some 60 people who, in a breezy, bitter cold night, lit candles as we urged justice for his brutal attack. I did meet Randy briefly the evening he was awarded Outstanding Artist by the Filipino American National Historical Society of Metro New […]
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Wake up, Randy, you have to read what I wrote about you
By Cristina DC Pastor I came to know you as someone who is fun-loving and spontaneous during the book launch of Ruben Nepales’ “My Filipino Connection: The Philippines in Hollywood” at the Philippine Consulate. That was in June 2012. You were singing “Otso Otso” to Bernardo Bernardo’s bouncy number. Actually, you were not singing. You […]
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Maguindanao Massacre revisited: Is the only journalist hero a dead journalist?
By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D. Hearing from Carlos H. Conde, Philippine researcher for Human Rights Watch, the largest human rights non-government organization (NGO) based in New York, this story’s author ventures to inquire from her homeland an answer to: “Four Years On, No Justice for Maguindanao Massacre Victims?” The same could be asked, how about […]
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Human trafficking is ‘joint responsibility’ of all UN countries: PHL
Preventing human trafficking is the “joint responsibility of all member-states” of the United Nations whether these are countries of origin, transit or destination. This bold statement was made by Philippine Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs for Policy Evan P. Garcia during a meeting of the Group of Friends United Against Human Trafficking held September 26 as […]
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Remembering 9/11 with reflection, respect
By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D. Once again, the threshold of 9/11 is on us. That date is such a grim reminder of what took place on September 11, a dozen years ago. More than 3,000 lives were lost that day. That date changed the world forever. Terrorism was defined in the cruelest and the most […]
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The brotherhood of the traveling guns
By Cristina DC Pastor About 10 years ago, police rookie Rex Gene Maralit sued the New York Police Department over a gym accident. That case has since been settled. Fast forward to 2013. Rex Maralit, now an NYPD officer, is accused of gun smuggling. Multiple reports say he and two brothers are involved in an […]
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A FilAm’s experience with stop-and-frisk for wearing braids and ‘gang colors’
By Kilusan Bautista A U.S. District Court has ruled recently that stop-and-frisk is “racially discriminatory” against Black and Latino populations. Although city officials have cited the practice as contributing to the low crime rate, Judge Shira Scheindlin said it is being used “in a manner that intentionally discriminates based on race.” Poet and performance artist […]
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Unless Aquino acts, journalists killings ‘are not going to stop:’ Human Rights Watch
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III should speak out against the recent killings of three journalists and ensure that the authorities expedite their investigation, the New York based Human Rights Watch said on August 9. While the killers and motives are unknown, these and past unresolved attacks on journalists have a chilling effect on media freedom […]
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I am not Trayvon Martin
By Hernan Hormillosa I am not Trayvon Martin. I am much older than he was, but I can visualize the fear he must have shown on his face mixed with anger, this 17-year-old dark-skinned human being. I had experienced being followed by a security guard who didn’t know I have a Bachelor in Chemical Engineering […]