Nakakatawa ang mga pulis tingnan

Nakakatawa ang mga pulis tingnan na nagkukumpulan sa isang tabi.
Di ganito ang mga napapanood ko sa action movies ah!
haaaaay!

Fury in HK over carnage

A woman from Hong Kong cries as she enters a hospital to visit her relative who was wounded during Monday's hostage drama in Manila, Philippines. -- PHOTO: AP

HONG KONG - THE Philippines faced fury in Hong Kong on Tuesday as the territory plunged into mourning for eight tourists mown down in Manila, with flags at half-mast and share traders holding a minute's silence.
One survivor of Monday's day-long bus siege said her husband and two daughters were killed in a hail of bullets as the crisis reached a dramatic climax.
Her son was in intensive care in hospital, said the survivor, identifying herself only as Mrs Leung.
'The Philippine government.... I can't accept this. Why did they do this to us? The gunman did not want to kill us. He only shot us after the negotiations failed,' she said, sobbing.
The Hong Kong government has added the Philippines on its travel 'black' list, urging all against travelling there.
Two Cathay Pacific flights were also charted to take relatives of the hostages, as well as psychologists, doctors and social workers, to Manila. -- AFP

HP Manager Died of HeatStroke during the Milo Marathon??

I was tagged in facebook with this story by my friend in Manila.
As I read through all these..my heart broke and feel sad about what happened to Remus, 
37 years old who joined the Milo Marathon and died 2 days after he went into a coma.


I can only pray...
Pls. read on and share to your friends and loved ones.

Remus Story as told by his Father

Note: This story has been received from Rudy Fuentes and slightly edited for public posting. If you want a copy of the original document leave a comment here with your email or email Rudy Fuentes directly at ruddi47@gmail.com

REMUS FUENTES died of multiple organ failures as result of heatstroke two days after he ran the 21K in the recent 34^th Milo Marathon last Sunday, July 4, 2010.

His death was the result of fatal mistakes, sheer incompetence and gross negligence in the event organized by the Organizing Team.

My son, 37-year-old Remus ran the 21K together with a running buddy when he collapsed at 19.9 kilometer mark. There was none of organizer’s ambulance nor marshalls to respond in the incident. Policemen hailed for a taxi and they, together with his buddy, assisted in bringing him to the nearest hospital, Ospital ng Maynila. At the ER, the diagnose was suspected heart attack. My wife and me, upon being informed by his younger brother, Roy Fuentes, who also ran the 21K, rushed to the hospital and saw that Remus in coma, had seizures and struggled breathing in spite of hand-pumped oxygen and dextrose attached. His body temperature was 40 degrees C and when asked, the medical attendant told us he had fever. She introduced paracetamol intravenously twice at interval of about 15 minutes. Remus continued having seizures even until the arrival of Medical City doctor & ambulance attendants that we have arranged for his transfer. The Medical City doctor attending said his status was unstable, contrary to the earlier advice to her by the Ospital ng Maynila ER doctor. They rushed him  with the ambulance to Medical City at about 11:30 AM. There, a  series of tests were done, including blood chemistry, CT scan, etc. Cardiologist told us his heart was strong and no intervening medicine was necessary. Blood Chemistry results showed positive findings on creatinin level, an indication of  kidney failure. They suspected liver failure too. To stop his seizures, Remus was put on full sedation for 12 hours. Kidney functions further deteriorated after 36 hours. Blood pressure and heart rate went erratic. Doctors attending him in the ICU asked our permission to do dialysis and blood transfusion to stabilize his blood pressure.  Seven hours later, ICU nurse wake us up and asked us to rush to the ICU. We saw 18 medical people around him, several taking turn doing the CPR. Failing to revive him, the doctor asked our consent to stop the CPR after 15 minutes. We begged them to continue hoping for miracle. 30 minutes further, doctor told us again that all numbers in the monitoring “were bad” and asked again the consent to stop the CPR. Finally, we relented. Few minutes later, his heart rate monitor went flat. All these happened in front of my wife and me. We lost Remus 48 hours after he collapsed into coma which he has never recovered. His young wife and his eight-year old son took the news very badly.

About Heatstroke:

It usually happen in extreme sports like basketball, football, boxing and marathon.

Heat stroke is a life-threatening medical condition. The person’s cooling system, which is controlled by the brain, stops working and the internal body temperature rises to the point where brain damage or damage to other internal organs may result. The body temperature, usually at normal 37 C, goes up during the exertion of effort as result of the increased heart rate. When it reaches 40 C, the person is in danger of getting heatstroke. Above 40 C and mostly at about 42 C, the person can collapse into unconsciousness.  If nothing is done within few minutes, he can slip into coma and brain damage may occur. The proven first aid response for heatstroke is cooling the body rapidly in whatever means to the level of below 40 C before bringing him to a hospital.  Ice and water is the best way to do this, the same way it is done for a child having high fever who has convulsion.

Another way of understanding heatstroke is comparing it to the performance of car engine. At idling, the engine temp is low and safe. At sustained high speed, engine temperature increases rapidly but because of the cooling system, the heat is continuously dissipated in the radiator and safe temperature level is maintained. But when the water in the radiator is gone, Undissipated heat will rack up the engine temperature and ultimately exceeds the safe limits. At this condition, engine breakdown will occur in minutes starting with broken piston rings, rods, pistons, etc.

With the human body, perspiration cools down the body so hydration by drinking water is essential. Without water, perspiration stops and body temperature goes to critical level and into heatstroke and then organs and brain begin to fail.

Big obvious difference between human body and car engine is that you can always overhaul the engine but you cannot do that on the human body.

Why Heatstroke is More Dangerous in Marathon than in other Extreme Sports?

In basketball, the player exerts extreme effort only in bursts, stopping or slowing down intermittently which slows down heart rate and cools down the body. At timeout, they drink to replenish lost body water hence you always have the waterboy. Heart stroke is rare but ask any PBA player what they do when a player collapse. They don’t move the body but cool them off with water or ice before bringing him to the hospital.

The same is true in football and in many similar sports.

In boxing, in between rounds of three minutes, boxer rests and drinks water. We can only wonder what will happen if the rule of the sport is drastically changed and will only end when one is down and out.

In Marathon, the risk of heatstroke is much higher for the following reasons:

1. The long distance runner aims for shorter time as a goal and therefore motivated to keep a sustained effort, not unlike cars at high speed in the highway.

2. Furthermore, the target minimum time set by the organizer adds more to the motivation to run faster. The cut-off time added more pressure to the marginal marathon runner, meaning if you are used to run above the target time, the tendency is to do better time, probably at pace unproven by your body in practice. (Milo Marathon set the target for 21K medal at 2 ½ hours or less. Remus collapsed at near 20^th km. with time of 2 hours 10 minutes when his previous record was 2 hours and 27 minutes. ).

3. The more critical factor is that the hydration management is not in the control of the runner. He has to rely on water availability at the water stations provided and planned by the organizer along the route. ( In this 34^th Milo Marathon, several runners including Remus brother, Roy and Remus running buddy asserted that practically there was no water to drink in the last 2~3 kilometers before the finish line, a fatal failure for Remus by the organizer when they changed the route resulting in over-traffic near the finish line. There were record 28,000 runners on that day and obviously the organizers failed to anticipate the complexity of hydration. Milo’s last year marathon participant was well below 10,000 runners.)

4. The correct life-saving response for heatstroke depends on few knowledgable people who may happen to be around the person. To mitigate this, the organizer deploys ambulances with water & ice for cooling heatstroke victims and is expected to respond within minutes. In addition, marshalls are provided along the route to assess runner situations continuously. (Obviously, the organizer failed again on this aspect because Remus was helped by policemen and his buddy instead. By this time, Remus is probably already brain damaged as evident by his seizure at the hospital. No Milo people knew of Remus case on that day until Roy, his brother, sent an email informing the organizer of the incident in the next morning).

5. The Sun Factor adds to the danger in Marathon. Running under the heat of the sun in tropical country like ours cannot be underestimated. To minimize the effect of the sunheat, Marathon run is planned to finish in the early morning avoiding the heat at later time. Organizers usually take this into consideration. (Milo organized the 21K to start at 5:30 AM , a departure of common practice of  other marathons which started at 5:00 AM.  Remus collapsed at about 7:57 AM. Roy who is a better runner than his brother Remus, complained that it was unusually hot that morning even if he was able to finish it earlier in 2 hours 45 minutes )

Clearly, Marathon is an extreme and dangerous sport even to the young, healthy and trained runners. This is not the “fun run” many people confused of.

The organizer has clear life-and-death responsibility to make sure that the conditions the runner will run under item 3, 4 and 5 above are done properly. Obviously they did not do their job properly in the 34^th Milo Marathon. In my opinion, being the father of Remus, Milo Marathon Organizers have failed my son. It is their sheer incompetence and consequently the gross negligence in their duty that results in the death of Remus …an unneccesary death.

About Remus:

At the time of his death, he was an IT project manager of Hewlett-Packard (HP) responsible in computerizing big companies like Unilab, Coke,  etc. including installation of hardwares (servers, etc.) and software system. He used to worked for Intel for 10 years before he moved to HP 3 years ago. He graduated in Computer Engineering. He left a housewife, Takako and two children, Raphael, 8 years old and Therese, 4 years old. Raphael is enrolled at La Salle Greenhills. He played basketball with his brothers regularly on weekends. He has been running since his high school days in Lourdes School of Mandaluyong. He has run many 10Ks and two 21Ks before these, the “Freedom Run” in June 13 and “Nature Valley” in May 20 only this year. He has no history nor complaint of illness and he lived clean.

My Questions for the Organizers:

1. How many died in the 34^th Milo Marathon last July 4? Is it true that there was another runner at 42K who collapsed at 33 km and later died?

2. How many runner collapsed in that marathon due to heatstroke who later survived but now are no longer the same person as before due to partial brain injury? At Ospital ng Maynila, we saw a 2^nd runner brought in unconscious and woke up later but he can no longer recognize his family. Do the Organizers of knew this? What happened to him. Are their more?

3. Is it true that another 36 year-old runner, Fidel Camson, who ran the 42K 31^st Milo Marathon in November 2007 collapsed near the finish line, brought to the Ospital ng Maynila and died later of undetermined cause? If true, what did they do avoid a repeat which apparently did not happen in this 34^th Milo Marathon? If true, why do they still keep their Marathon organizer for 10 years until now?

4.  Do they keep tally of deaths in the 34 years of Milo Marathon? Do they study the statistics and establish how many died of heatstroke, the preventable one?

5. What is the corporate culture of the Organizers regarding its respect of the value of life? Upon knowing the death of my son Remus, A Senior Vice President of one of the organizing team, who head its Beverages Business Unit went to see me and among other things, he told me that the Marathon is continuously improved and but sometimes “lapses occur and they will learn from these lapses”. Lapse is defined as  a ‘mistake’. People learn from ‘error’, a deviation from being correct but a ‘mistake’ is caused by a fault: the fault could be misjudgment or carelessness.  We learn from ‘error’ but we take action on ‘mistake’ and more drastic action when people die of this ‘mistake’. So death in my son’s case is a mere  learning process for this person? Is this the culture that pervades in their Organization? or only in him?

6. Is the measly “humanitarian” offer to help the family shoulder medical & funeral expense to the family had become an SOP too often? Was it their expectation that as appreciation of this help, the family will keep quiet about the whole thing? Do they really think that the waiver signed by the runners protect them from being liable? Do they know that this waiver won’t apply if negligence of their duty as organizer can be established?

7. What did the Organizers do, if any, to keep the news of Remus death from appearing in the media even after one week? Not one news item of his death appeared in the newspaper, TV or radio. Could  the news  of “ HP Manager Died of HeatStroke during the Milo Marathon” not interest the public? Were they afraid that the bigger news is when the subline “Father charged Milo Marathon Organizer of Incompetence and Negligence” which may damage the public image of the company?

The answers to these questions will help enlightened the public whether Milo Marathon is safe or not for the runner. To the runners, their parents, wives and relatives…they all better asked these questions before the runners decide to run in Milo Marathon.

Last Words from Remus Father:

I am not condemning the sport but the organizer who failed to make sure runners will not die of heatstroke, when the risks can be grossly minimized with proper route planning, hydration management and quick medical response. I am condemning the contribution of the apparent culture of the sponsor of diminished value of human life as indicative of its senior executive’s attitude calling my son’s death a result of lapses. My hope is something good will come out of his death and as result of improved organizing of the marathon run,  few lives will be saved from heatstroke. My other hope is to get justice and for the Organizing team to  answer for his untimely death. I am working on it.

Rudy Fuentes, Father of Remus

Note: This story has been received from Rudy Fuentes and slightly edited for public posting. If you want a copy of the original document leave a comment here with your email or email Rudy Fuentes directly at ruddi47@gmail.com

AGA MUHLACH - Philippine Governance

Noynoy, pakinggan mo si Aga Muhlach .
Sana may makuha kang idea.
Malay mo tsumamba.

I pray, sana maayos mo ang Pilipinas.
Amen.

HUGE Sinkhole in Philippines Found

I received this email from a friend in Aussie right after I posted a link about the Guatemala sinkhole.
Filipinos are the best! hahah! upssss. 


--------
8 Amazing Holes!
These holes are not only amazing, but some of these are really terrifying - especially #8! The sheer scale of these holes reminds you of just how tiny you are. 


1. Kimberley Big Hole , South Africa

 Apparently the largest ever hand-dug excavation in the world,
this 1097 meter deep mine yielded over 3 tons of diamonds
before being closed in 1914. 

2. Glory Hole , Monticello Dam, CA 

A glory hole is used when a dam is at full capacity and water needs to be drained from the reservoir.

 
This is the 'Glory Hole' at Monticello dam,
and it's the largest in the world of this type
of spillway, its size enabling it to consume
14,400 cubic feet of water every second. 

3. Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah

 This is supposedly the largest man-made
excavation on earth. Extraction began in 1863 and still continues today, the pit is increasing in size constantly. In its current state the hole is
75 miles deep and 2.5 miles wide. 

4. Great Blue Hole , Belize

  This incredible geographical phenomenon known as a
blue hole is situated 60 miles off the mainland of Belize 
There are numerous blue holes around the world,
but none as stunning as this one. 

5. Mirny Diamond Mine , Serbia

 

I'm pretty sure most people have seen this one.
It's an absolute beast and holds the title of largest
open diamond mines in the world. A t 525 meters
deep, with a top diameter of 1200 meters, there's
even a no-fly zone above the hole due to a few 
helicopters having been sucked in.

6. Diavik Mine , Canada

 

 

 

The mine is so huge and the area so remote
that it has its own airport with a runway large
enough to accommodate a Boeing 737.
It looks equally cool when the surrounding
water is frozen. 

7. Sinkhole in Guatemala

 

These photos are of a sinkhole that occurred
early this year in Guatemala . The hole swallowed
a dozen homes and killed at least 3 people.. 

8. And the really terrifying one?

 

This is the famous Malacanang Palace 'Rat Hole' that you have heard about where there are many A_ _holes. It is capable of swallowing trillions and trillions of Pesos... Annually! Never to be heard from again.

 

 THE LAST ONE IS TRULY AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! HE HE  HE……..

 

How to Ride the Jeepney in the Philippines

ONLY HOPE For The Philippines

This is the BEST email that I received today.

Loved this. Yes I agree.
God is our only HOPE for the healing and Full restoration of our country, The Philippines.

Not rallies , complaints or anger.
Just PRAYER and talking to Him..

Blogging and spreading this out.

*THE ONLY HOPE FOR THE PHILIPPINES*

by Father James Reuter, S.J.

By her own admission, GMA (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) rightfully assessed that over the last decades; our republic has become one of the weakest, steadily left behind by its more progressive neighbors.' Forty years ago, we were only second to Japan in economic stature, and way ahead of Singapore , Hong Kong , Malaysia , and Thailand . Today, at our present growth rate, it will take us 30 years to get to where Thailand is.

1.. A population of 160 Million;

2. Of those, 70 to 90 million (equivalent to our current population) will live below the poverty line;

3. Our national debt is estimated to be at US$200B (compared to US$28B when Marcos fled, and US$53B today);

4. We will be competing, not against Thailand or even Vietnam , but against Bangladesh ;

5. We will be the most corrupt nation in Asia , if not in the world (we're already ranked 11th most corrupt nation by Transparency International) .

The signs are clear. Our nation is headed towards an irreversible path of economic decline and moral decadence. It is not for lack of effort. We've seen many men and women of integrity in and out of government, NGOs, church groups & people's organization devote themselves to the task of nation-building, often times against insurmountable odds.

But not even two people's revolutions, bloodless as they may be, have made a dent in reversing this trend. At best, we have moved one step forward, but three steps backward.

We need a force far greater than our collective efforts, as a people, can ever hope to muster. It is time to move the battle to the spiritual realm.. It's time to claim GOD's promise of healing of the land for His people. It's time to gather GOD's people on its knees to pray for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation.

Is prayer really the answer? Before you dismiss this as just another rambling of a religious fanatic, I'd like you to consider some lessons we can glean from history.

England 's ascendancy to world power was preceded by the Reformation, a spiritual revival fueled by intense prayers.

The early American settlers built the foundation that would make it the most powerful nation today - a strong faith in GOD and a disciplined prayer life. Throughout its history, and especially at its major turning points, waves of revival and prayer movement swept across the land.

In recent times, we see Korea as a nation experiencing revival and in the process producing the largest Christian church in the world today, led by Rev. Paul Yongi Cho. No wonder it has emerged as a strong nation when other economies around it are faltering.

Even from a purely secular viewpoint, it makes a lot of sense. For here there is genuine humbling & seeking of GOD through prayer, moral reformation necessarily follows. And this, in turn, will lead to general prosperity. YES, we believe prayer can make a difference. It's our only hope.

Today, we launch this email brigade, to inform Filipinos from all over the world to pray, as a people, for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation. We do not ask for much. We only ask for 5 minutes of your time in a day, to fwd this email to your close friends and relatives.

This is the kind of unity which can make a big difference. Of course, if you feel strongly, as I do, about the power of prayer, you can be more involved by starting your own prayer group or prayer center.

We have tried people power twice; in both cases, it fell short. Maybe it's time to try prayer power. GOD never fails. Is there hope? YES! We can rely on God's promise, but we have to do our part. If we humble ourselves and pray as a people, GOD will heal our land. By GOD's grace, we may yet see a better future for our children.

'If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land...'(2 Chronicles 7:14).

If you care for your children and grandchildren, PLEASE pass this on. .. ...
Let's not just abandon the Philippines



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

BEWARE in taking a cab in Philippines

Saw this link in my facebook and just wana share.
Be cautious in taking a cab, anywhere.
Pinas, how are you gona deal with this?




January 13, 2009
Superklasse Wednesday


After four months of not going to a club (LITERALLY), I finally did to show some support for one of my best friends, Mel and to see friends who I haven’t seen for the longest longest longest time. It was the first time I’ve ever set foot in Encore (to think I used to go to Embassy every week). It felt surreal to be out and without my boyfriend, LJ, who couldn’t come due to an early class the following day.

I only had 4 drinks: 3 Amaretto Sours and a Mai Tai. It felt good seeing a lot of my friends. We took so many pictures that my fully charged camera went low bat. Anyway, Mel and I decided to leave Encore by 2:30 A.M. Our friends stayed behind since the club closes at 3 A.M. Mel and I were taking separate cabs since she goes home to Mandaluyong and I to Makati. I WAS COMPLETELY SOBER. Not even a bit tipsy.

I remember telling her as we were leaving the club “It’s my first time going home in a cab alone from this club.” Mel was a bit concerned, even offering me to stay over her place for the night.. I told her not to worry, I ALWAYS get home safely.

So we went to get our cabs and I made sure Mel got into her cab first. Then I was looking for a cab who wouldn’t fix the price (you know how it is at The Fort) and there was one who volunteered that he’d use the meter. So I took his offer. I distinctly remember most of the waiting cabs were DAVIS cabs. Mine was not. And I was so damn stupid not to get his taxi’s name and plate number.

In the middle of the ride, I started changing into regular shorts and top. The driver wasn’t looking though but suddenly his hand reached for behind and I was surprised. He was saying, “MAY NAHULOG. Wallet mo ata.” I found a 50 peso bill on the floor. Then he said, “Ang dami mo sigurong pera. Mayaman ka noh?” I didn’t answer. I started getting nervous. I started looking for the cab’s number (which is usually written on the side of the doors). There were faint markings but it couldn’t be understood. The driver noticed my agitation and said, “Anong hinahanap mo? Plate number? Bigay ko sayo.” I was like, “Never mind.” I did NOT want him to know I was getting nervous already. Plus we were so near my house. I thought, what could go wrong?

But something did. Three streets away from my house, the cab driver “hit” a pothole or hump or whatever. He pulled over to the side and said, “Tangina, pano na yan? Na-lock yung steering wheel. Hindi ko maikot.” I was just looking at him, confused. I have no knowledge of cars so I do not know if he was bluffing or not. The meter was 75. I gave him a hundred. He had no change daw so I was like, “Fine, whatever. There’s nothing I can do about it.” I stepped out of the cab, in the middle of Bautista Street, a long street but near my house. It was almost 3 A.M. When I looked back, the cab was gone.

HOW IN THE WORLD WAS HE ABLE TO DRIVE AWAY IF HIS STEERING WHEEL WAS “LOCKED”?

I called my boyfriend up AND THANK GOD HE ANSWERED HIS PHONE. He was sleeping already, good thing the call woke him up. I was trying to remain calm. I told him my dilemma. Suddenly an empty cab drove by. A DIFFERENT ONE. I hailed it. I had probably less than half a kilometer to my house which was three streets away. The cab took me in and I ended the call.

Two more lefts, it was my house already. It was Camalig Street, then Bigasan Street. Suddenly the driver went left, the street just right before my house, Camalig. I said very politely, “Kuya, MALI. Atras ka, atras ka. Sa kabilang street pa. One more left.” The driver just kept driving like he didn’t hear. I said it again. Then he stopped and looked at me. Then he said, “Bayaran mo na.” I was weirded out. I was like, “Why? This is not even my house. It’s on the next street.” Besides, we haven’t traveled far. The meter was still at 30 pesos.

SUDDENLY, without warning, the driver grabbed my neck and jumped to the back. My first thought was, “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?!?!?”. But his grip was getting tighter and tighter. I literally couldn’t breathe and felt my consciousness slipping. As we were struggling, I kept scratching at his eyes and reaching for the lock of the left door. He was on top of me hitting my head repeatedly while his other hand around my neck. I was choking and choking when I realized the left side HAD NO FUCKING LOCK, which means I couldn’t get out. Which means I had to try my luck on the right side. Imagine my struggle to get to the other side as a full grown, heavyset man kept bashing my head, scratching my face, pulling my hair and hitting me. I kept scratching his eyes. It was all I could do. When his grip loosened a bit, I managed to open the right door with so much effort. Unfortunately he pulled me back with my hair. Imagine MY TERROR as the door closed again!!!!! I couldn’t scream anymore. Besides, who would hear me I was inside a fucking car. My neck was so sore and I was close to fainting. I kept scratching his eyes and reaching for the door until by some miracle, I opened it fully and screamed with what was remaining of my voice.

The driver said something like, “Tangina, it’s not worth it.” And literally kicked me out of the car. I rolled out onto the street with my shoulder bag which was slung around me the whole time with its remaining contents. The driver suddenly sped away. Till now, I don’t know his motive, whether it be rape or hold up. Or both. Or murder.

So there I was in the middle of the street, barefoot. Then I realized why the hell am I so wet?! I realized I was sitting in a pool of my own blood. There was so much blood dripping from the right side of my head, it was like a half-closed faucet if you get what I mean. I started screaming for help.

This time the apartment I was right in front of lights’ went on. Imagine the horror on these people’s faces as I literally crawled towards them bloodied and barefoot. When I reached out to them for help, I saw my arm. It was covered in blood. And I could feel that I was losing so much more. I asked for a cellphone. I still had the consciousness to call my boyfriend. The people who took me in were nice enough to let me call. They talked to LJ and informed him of what happened. They even cleaned me up. Suddenly there was the barangay people and witnesses. That’s when everything became hazy. The barangay people said that they had to take me to the hospital because I was losing so much blood.

I was taken to Makati Medical Center ER. I still remember as I was being loaded onto the wheelchair the horrified looks of the people outside the hospital. I even had a high school batchmate who was assigned as my nurse, Erika Bautista (THANK YOU SO MUCH). In her own words she said that when I came in I looked like I was already in critical condition. I am not exaggerating when I say this: I WAS LITERALLY COVERED IN BLOOD. Head to foot.

Everything was in a daze after that. All I remember was the blood. Under my nails, on my face, on my hair, on my neck, my chest, my legs, my toes. Even my armpits had blood. Truly, I have never seen so much in my whole life. My face started bruising up so much I could see my right cheek even if I look straight ahead. I also had so much hair falling out because the guy kept on pulling it. But what bothered me was the blood that kept dripping continuously from the right side of my head… and the pain. The doctor said the cut was so deep it LOOKS LIKE I WAS STABBED. It was really bad. I wouldn’t stop crying. I hate the sight of blood and here I am, a walking bloody blob. My first medical gown was drenched in blood. So they had to change it. I changed my medical gown four times before I was discharged. That’s how bad the bleeding was.

When LJ arrived the hospital, I forced myself to be cheerful. I smiled and said “HAPPY MONTHSARY!” It was our 2nd monthsary. Geez what a way to spend it. Till now this hurts me, thinking how ironic the situation is. He said the wounds on my head were like the claw marks in the Jurassic Park movie logo. B, no words can express what I feel towards the situation and how grateful I am that you were there. Basta alam mo na yun.

Anyway, after a few hours, I got a CT scan to detect hemorrhages and X-Rays. Good thing it all came out negative. But I had so many wounds and lacerations on my head. They had to STITCH THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY TEMPLE AND ANOTHER ONE AT THE BACK OF MY HEAD. But there are still minor wounds all over my head, even the inside of my ear has blood till now. Till now my hair is all stiff and sticky from the blood. They shampooed my hair in the hospital but a lot of it still haven’t come out. (I woke up today with dried blood on my pillow).

The first time I saw a mirror, I could not believe my eyes. I thought it was just dirt and dried blood but then I realized I had a giant bruise on my right cheek and deep scratches on my face. I got a Wet One but it just won’t come off. I had to face it, my face was really fucked up. My neck had strangle marks, my jaw was swollen, I had two semi-black eyes, my cheeks were patches of black and blue and the abrasions and cuts were deep on my face. I look like the Bride of Chuckie.

After they sutured me, I became delirious for sometime. Not knowing what I was saying to LJ but he said I was acting strange and started rambling about random things that I don’t remember.

The police came and they got the license plate of the cab DAW from the witnesses but they weren’t sure if it’s accurate. We’re still planning an investigation. I lost my school ID, cellphone, cash and camera. The only things that I salvaged from the incident were my shoes, a brush and a dress. They were covered in blood as well. Now, the question is, are the first and second cab incidents related? Is it a Modus Operandi?

Anyway, I’m out of the hospital now. My body is aching all over and my face looks like Pacquiao practiced on it.

The reason why I am writing this note is TO WARN EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU PEOPLE TO BE CAREFUL. I never ever thought such a thing could happen to me. I thought it only happens in the movies. Imagine, I was just a street away from my home and THIS HAPPENED. A STREET AWAY. Thank God I wasn’t drunk, Thank God the guy did not have weapons (I think), Thank God some kind souls helped me. Thank God I had the presence of mind not to remove his hands from my neck but to scratch his eyes out and reach for the lock. Some girls initial defense would be to un-strangle themselves but I didn’t. I let him strangle me. My main objective was to get the damn door open and escape.

The doctor told my boyfriend I was lucky to be alive, before leaving the hospital. As I was struggling inside the taxi, I did not see the whole “your life flashes before you when you’re dying” thingy.

NO. That’s why I fought against him as much as I could. I told myself over and over again, “NOT TODAY… NOT TODAY… This isn’t how I should die. I’m too good for this.”


I SAW the reason why I should keep on living. That’s why I’m still here today.

PXG 725 or PSG 725
White Taxi

Military: Cops attacked in Philippine Maguindanao province

Military: Cops attacked in Philippine Maguindanao province

www.chinaview.cn 2009-12-08 12:09:53 Print

SHARIFF AGUAK, Philippines, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Philippine policemen were fired upon late Monday night when they were patrolling in a town in the southern province of Maguindanao, the second such incident since Sunday night, a military spokesman said Tuesday.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Ponce, a local military spokesman, told reporters that the shooting occurred at the border of Datu Saudi and Datu Unsay townships but there is no casualty on the government side.

It was the second clash since Manila imposed a military rule in the province following the Nov. 23 mass killing of 57 people, including 30 journalists there. Andal Ampatuan Jr., mayor of Datu Unsay, was arrested and charged as a prime suspect of the massacre.

Patrolling cops were fired upon late Sunday night in Datu Unsay town, which prompted law enforcement men to fire back. No government casualties were reported in the shooting.

The authorities are going after other members of the Ampatuan clan and said the family's around 2,300 para-military soldiers running at large pose a serious threat to the peace and stability in the region.

Earlier, Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, martial law administrator in the province, told reporters that several armed followers of Ampatuans have joined forces with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a claim denied by the rebel group.

The Ampatuans have ruled Maguindanao since 2001.

Maguindanao massacre "ampatuan vs mangudadatu"

When can there be peace in Mindanao and Philippines? :(

Troops in Manila ready vs possible spillover of Maguindanao turmoil

The military is bracing for a possible spillover of the current turmoil in Maguindanao province, which under martial law as the government continues its crackdown on the people behind the grisly November 23 massacre in Ampatuan town.

This was after reports that at least 300 supporters of the powerful Ampatuan political clan, the suspects in the massacre that killed 57 people, have left for Metro Manila to escape the ongoing operations by government security forces in Maguindanao.

A report by GMA News' Susan Enriquez aired over the special edition of "24 Oras" Sunday night said two tanks are currently on standby in Camp Aguinaldo ready for possible deployment any time.

The report said the military's National Capital Region Command (NCRCom) has placed its troops on blue alert - the second highest alert level in the military - last Friday, the day Malacañang issued Proclamation 1959 placing the entire Maguindanao under martial law.

"The organic personnel of the NCRCom are on ready section, ready to be deployed any time if the situation so arises," said Lt. Col. Jesus Nava, head of NCRComs' command operations center.

The report said troops from the Army, Navy and Air Force have already been alerted for possible deployment any time. Intelligence information gathering has also been intensified.

So far, Metro Manila remains safe from any threat related to the Maguindanao turmoil, Nava said. "The [Armed Forces of the Philippines] is in control of the situation in Manila in coordination with the [Philippine National Police]."

The PNP, on the other hand, said the happenings in Maguindanao, about 545 miles (880 kilometers) south of Manila, are unlikely to reach the nation's capital, according to a separate report in "24 Oras."

"As far as the information that we have received... there are no spillovers here in Metro Manila. We're just reckoning with Maguindanao," said PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina.

He belittled reports that 300 men associated with the Ampatuan clan are now in the metropolis.

"We have received those reports but these are relatives [of the Ampatuans] who have transferred for the meantime here in Metro Manila because of the ongoing operations in Maguindanao," Espina said.

Of the arrested Ampatuan clan members, only Andal Ampatuan Jr., the prime suspect in the massacre who is also the mayor of Datu Unsay town, is in Manila. He is detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) compound to face the murder charges filed against him.

Most of the victims of the massacre were members of the rival Mangudadatu clan. Dozens of journalists were also killed in what is now considered as the worst case of political violence in the country. - KBK, GMANews.TV

Ampatuan lawyer files petition for bail (1:01 p.m.) (Sun Star)

Ampatuan lawyer files petition for bail (1:01 p.m.) (Sun Star)

LAWYER of Datu Unsay, Maguindanao Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. filed a petition for bail before the Regional Trial Court in Cotabato City Monday.

Ampatuan Jr. remains detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Manila. He was earlier charged with 25 counts of murder after being tagged as the primary suspect of the massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao last November 23. (Sunnex)

Philippine troops found ammunition in Ampatuan house in Maguindanao

Philippine troops found ammunition in Ampatuan house in Maguindanao
www.chinaview.cn 2009-12-04 14:03:17 Print

SHARIFF AGUAK, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Philippine government troops searched Friday morning the house of detained Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. for weapons and ammunitions.

Lt. Col. Leo Ferrer, commander of the Army's 601st Brigade, said troops recovered boxes of ammunition at Andal Jr.'s house here.

Andal Jr., a scion of the powerful Ampatuan clan, is the top suspect for the Nov. 23 massacre which claimed 57 lives including journalists and members of a rival clan. He is now detained in Manila and has been charged with 25 counts of murder.

Philippine police and military, carrying search warrants, also searched the houses of Andal Jr.'s two siblings and his father, former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr.

Thursday, government soldiers unearthed a cache of sophisticated weapons and ammunition at a vacant lot near the Ampatuan's compound.


Editor: Anne Tang
www.newsrunner.com

UN Experts: Maguindanao massacre must be the start of a major reform process

GENEVA — The brutal killing of 57 people in Maguindanao, including some 30 journalists, should be seen as a watershed moment for the Philippines, according to two United Nations human rights experts. Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, and Frank La Rue, Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, said that “the pre-meditated killing of political opponents, combined with a massive assault on the media, must be tackled at various levels that go well beyond standard murder investigations.”

In a statement, the two UN experts indicated that the initial responses of the Government had been encouraging. “The first step”, they noted, “is to ensure that the police investigation is comprehensive and independent, and employs the highest professional standards. It must also be followed by effective prosecutions of all those responsible for the killings.” They added, however, that the massacre also demanded a more extensive reflection on the elite family-dominated manipulation of the political processes and the need to eliminate such practices in order to assure the future of democracy in the Philippines.

“This will require a thorough-going investigation of the broader context to be undertaken by a credible and independent body, appointed with full legal powers to carry out an effective inquiry and make recommendations.” The UN experts expressed their particular dismay at the wholesale killings of journalists and emphasized that any broader inquiry into the political system would need to focus on the ways and means of enhancing protection for journalists in the future.

A third, but even more urgent step is also required according to the UN experts. “Elections in the Philippines have traditionally become occasions for widespread extrajudicial executions of political opponents. There is every indication that the run-up to the May elections will sound the death knell for many political activists.” Alston and La Rue added that “the Government should acknowledge this likelihood and immediately establish a high-level task force, with broad political support, to identify the measures that should be taken to prevent killings that occur in the lead-up to the elections”.

“The Maguindinao killings are a tragedy of the first order”, said the experts. But the challenge now is to go beyond a criminal law response and to take measures designed to protect the media in particular, and freedom of expression in general, and to prevent election-related violence in the months ahead. “The international community will be monitoring the Government’s response very carefully”, they added.

Disclaimer | What you are reading is either a press release/ statement or a manifesto. These materials do not go through the editorial process of HowAreYouPhilippines and do not reflect our policy or position.

Filipino press group launches fund drive for Maguindanao journalists

Responding to the murder of more than 30 news media people in a massacre in Maguindanao southern Philippines, members of The Filipino Press Group of Sydney launched an appeal today for funds to help relieve some of the pain now experienced by victims’ families.

Funds raised will be delivered to the families through the National Press Club of the Philippines (NPCP), according to Bayanihan News editor-publisher Domingo ‘Nonoy’ Perdon.

Newspaper columnist Neria Soliman said the group would seek further contributions from affiliate organisations of the Philippine Community Council of NSW.

”At least one reporter who died in the massacre had a family of wife and five children,” said NewsPinoy editor Titus Filio, who had lived in the Maguindanao area in his youth. ”News media people do not earn much, so their families must be really suffering.”

His sentiments were echoed by Mr Perdon, who had proposed the appeal as a grave emergency measure, Ms Soliman, Philippine Sentinel editor Dino Crescini, TheFilipinoAustralian web publisher Romy Cayabyab, and Radio Sandigan producer Jaime Pimentel at a special meeting in Rooty Hill this morning, Saturday, November 28.

Donations will be accepted by the Group’s spokesman Jaime Pimentel over the next two weeks, starting Monday, November 30, 2009. Mr Pimentel will open a trust account in the Burwood branch of ANZ Banking for the sole purpose of collecting the donations. Mr Perdon, who has direct connections with officials of the NPCP, will arrange for delivery of funds.

For further details, ring (02) 9744 9966 after hours or (02)9588 8730 work hours.

Arroyo vows justice for massacred journalists in Maguindanao

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Thursday pledged justice before the grieving families of journalists who were killed in Maguindanao as she visited their wake in General Santos city.

"I am attending the wake of some of the victims of the Maguindanao massacre as a modest expression of the nation's outrage and my personal grief and shock on the acts that befell these men and women. What happened continues to shock me. This is a black mark to our nation," Mrs. Arroyo said.

"I am really very grieved because I have fought everyday in office to bring peace in this island (Mindanao) and I will continue to do so until the last minute of my term," she added.

At the same time, Mrs. Arroyo also pledged to provide the families with jobs and educational and financial assistance.

Sandra Aguinaldo of GMA News said Mrs. Arroyo even offered to become the godmother of the newly-born child of Marc Ariola, the cameraman of UNTV who was among the 31 journalists killed in the massacre.

Mrs. Arroyo first visited the wake of six journalists in Collado Funeral Parlor along Pendatun and Laurel North Streets. After which, she proceeded to the UNTV Broadcast Center to sympathize with the families of four other journalists.

She was accompanied by Interior and Local Governments Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Secretary for Mindanao Affairs Jesus Dureza.

The relatives of the journalists, for their part, became emotional.


"Justice talaga kailangan at saka education ng mga apo ko kasi hindi ko kaya (What we really need is justice, and also education for my grandchildren because I can't afford it)," said Nancy dela Cruz, the mother of Gina dela Cruz of Today who orphaned a seven-month old baby.

For her part, Merly Perante, the widow of slain Gold Star Daily staffer Ronnie Perante, called on the witnesses to surface to shed light on the killings.

"Sana makonsensya naman sila, sana hindi patulugin ng konsensya para mag-witness sa nangyari para mabigyan hustiya lahat ng biktima (I hope they get conscience-stricken, I hope their conscience makes them sleepless until they turn witness so that justice is given to all the victims)," said Merly, who is seven months pregnant. - Aie Balagtas See/JV, GMANews.TV

Army battalions surround capitol, Ampatuan mansions

Hundreds of additional troops have been sent to Maguindanao province to protect the Ampatuan clan from "possible retaliation" in connection with last week's massacre of 57 people, which is being blamed on the powerful Arroyo-allied family.

The augmentation force, numbering around 400, would provide security to the provincial capitol and the Ampatuans' residences in Shariff Aguak town, according to Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., chief of the Armed Forces' public information office.

"This is to maintain the peace and order situation and prevent retaliation from the victims’ family. At the same time, they (soldiers) were sent to prevent other groups from taking advantage of the situation," Brawner said.

At present, there are four infantry battalions and two mechanized units in Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato city - the three areas placed under state of emergency after the massacre.

Normally there are only two battalions deployed in the area, Brawner said, with each battalion composed of 400 to 500 soldiers.


Threat

Brawner said the troops would provide security to two of the Ampatuans' "main houses" in Shariff Aguak, one of which is in front of the capitol.

"One of the purposes why we deployed troops right at the residences of the Ampatuans is to prevent authorized people from getting into the compound. People with bad intentions may slip inside by posing as supporters," he said.

Outdoor trips of the Ampatuan family members have also been limited, according to Brawner.

"We are also controlling their movement out of their residence because there are threats to their lives. They cannot just go out of their residence and go elsewhere because of (the) specific threats to their lives," he said.

He noted the possibility that supporters of the Ampatuans' rival clan, the Mangudadatus, may avenge the grisly deaths of several Mangudadatu family members in the massacre.

Aside from members of the Mangudadatu family, 31 journalists and several unsuspecting motorists were also killed in the mass killing that has received worldwide indignation, including from the United Nations and the European Union.

The victims were on their way to Shariff Aguak to file the candidacy documents of Buluan Vice Mayor Ismael "Toto" Mangudadatu when waylaid by dozens of armed men allegedly upon orders from Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., who is now detained in Manila his arrest Thursday last week.

Brawner said they are also protecting the Ampatuans against Moro rebels.

Backup force

Brawner said the troops were also deployed to assist the Philippine National Police (PNP) in serving arrest warrants, suspension orders and help maintain the peace and order situation. [See: AFP all set to serve warrants, other orders vs Ampatuans]

There is no timeline up to when the military would stay in the province, Brawner said, adding the troops would stay there “as long as they are needed."

On Wednesday, the PNP have recommended the filing of charges against Ampatuan Jr. and five other members of the Ampatuan clan, including its patriarch Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., the incumbent governor of Maguindanao.

The recommendation against Andal Jr. was on top the 25 murder charges the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed against him in Cotobato city on Tuesday. He is now under the custody of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after witnesses claimed that he was present at the massacre site during the killing.

The Ampatuans, for their part, have repeatedly denied involvement in the killing. - KBK, GMANews.TV