PH hit on Nobel boycott

[jonski]

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquire...-Nobel-boycott

PH hit on Nobel boycott

Human rights activists shocked

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:09:00 12/10/2010

Filed Under: Human Rights, Awards and Prizes, Foreign affairs & international relations, Government, Trade (general), Diplomacy

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MANILA, Philippines—Human rights activists and lawmakers were shocked and disappointed at the Philippine government’s decision to align with China in boycotting the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony honoring imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo.

“The Philippines prides itself on its democratic values, which is why it is shocking to see this government turning its back on Liu Xiaobo’s nonviolent struggle for free expression in China,” Elaine Pearson, deputy director for Asia of The Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

Pearson noted that President Benigno Aquino III’s mother, the late democracy icon Corazon Aquino, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986, the same year she led the peaceful People Power Revolution that ousted Marcos.

The Philippines declined the invitation to attend Friday’s ceremony in Oslo, Norway.

Pearson said skipping the ceremony along with 17 other countries, including China’s allies such as Venezuela and Cuba, regional neighbors including Vietnam and Kazakhstan, and business partners such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, meant that the Philippines “is failing to live up to its promise to promote human rights in Asia.”

Calling the Department of Foreign Affairs’ decision disappointing, Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello said he would write letters of protest to both the DFA and the Chinese Embassy in Manila.

“We protest if the US tries to pressure us. I think we should equally protest when the Chinese do so. We should not let this superpower slap us around,” Bello said.

He noted that human rights had been central in the struggle against the Marcos dictatorship and for democracy. “This has been institutionalized,” he said.

Caving in

Bello believed that the DFA caved in to China’s pressure. “This person is a human rights activist with a great record,” he said of Liu. “What the Chinese did was an awful pressure for us not to attend.”

The DFA refused to say whether Beijing, a key trading partner, had pressured Manila to stay away from the event.

DFA spokesperson Eduardo Malaya confirmed that no Philippine representative would attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.

Malaya said Manila’s envoy to Oslo, Elizabeth Buencuceso, was out of Norway on an official consular mission. “Our ambassador to Norway has a scheduling conflict,” he said.

However, two senior government officials who did not want to be named said the move was meant to appease China, which had repeatedly warned governments around the world that ties would be harmed if they attended the ceremony.

China reacted furiously to the decision by the Nobel committee to award this year’s peace prize to Liu, who was jailed for 11 years last December on subversion charges after calling for the reform of one-party communist rule.

“We do not want to further annoy China,” said a senior diplomat at the DFA, who asked not to be named.

Avoiding irritant

A Malacañang official said President Aquino “did not want another irritant” in Manila’s ties with Beijing.

The Philippines has been working hard to repair diplomatic ties with China following the botched rescue of a bus hijacking in Manila that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead in August.

Chinese Ambassador to Manila Liu Jianchao said China appreciated the “understanding shown by the Philippine government” in joining the boycott of the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.

“We will say the move of the Philippines indicates the understanding of the Philippine government toward the stand of the Chinese government and people,” Liu said in a chance interview at the DFA.

Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo, interviewed at the same event, was tight-lipped, declining to comment on the Philippine move.

“We will see, because it’s still Dec. 10... We will see, after tomorrow, or tomorrow, OK?” he told reporters.

Blow to free expression

Harry Roque, chair of the Manila-based Center for International Law, an advocacy group promoting human rights, said the Philippine decision was a blow to the cause of free expression.

“The last thing the Philippines should be known for is as a supporter to the repressive policies of the Chinese government,” Roque said.

Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III said he was “saddened” by the government’s decision not to send a representative to the awarding ceremony, but doubted that this diminished the country’s image as a democracy.

Tightrope

In Southeast Asia, the Philippines has been one of the most vocal governments in calling for the return of democracy in military-ruled Burma (Myanmar).

A staunch US ally and host to hundreds of American counterterrorism troops in Mindanao, the Philippine government has walked a tightrope in its relations with increasingly assertive China.

Beijing has been investing in the Philippines, particularly in infrastructure projects, but the two countries are also facing off in hotly disputed South China Sea islands, where the United States is promoting the peaceful resolution of territorial disputes.
Trade between the countries has been expanding since the 1990s, with China now the Philippines’ third largest trading partner next to the United States and Japan. With reports from AFP, DJ Yap and TJ Burgonio

[Monseratto]

Hmm...this came out a few days ago. I guess ito yung kapalit for not attending. Beggars can't be choosers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11933849

7 December 2010 Last updated at 05:39 GMT
Philippines and China to sign first military deal
By Kate McGeown
BBC News, Manila

The Philippines, one of America's staunchest allies in South-East Asia, is due to agree a deal with China to supply it with military hardware.

The head of the Philippine armed forces is in Beijing to sign what has been described as a "very substantial" agreement.

A military spokesman denied that the move marked a shift in alliance from the US to China.

But this is seen as another sign of China's expanding reach in the region.

The Philippines has one of the weakest militaries in East Asia, and is fighting long-running insurgencies with both Communist and Islamic rebels.

It urgently needs equipment - a key part of its current stock is made up of second-hand assault rifles, boats and aircraft from the United States.

American forces are also based in the country to help train local soldiers.

Brig Gen Jose Mabanta, a spokesman for the Philippine military, has denied that this new deal will change his country's relations with Washington.

But the US has already expressed concern over China's arms sales and donations to its weaker neighbours - and a congressional report last year warned of the dangers of China's expanding military reach.

The deal also highlights the change in China's stance, over the years, to the Philippines' Communist insurgency.

When Philippine Communists originally set up the New People's Army in 1969, it was supported by Beijing.

Now Philippine soldiers could be using Chinese equipment against them.

[jonski]

mAY chinese blood ba si pnoy or tuta aya ng mga chinese? Ang galing nya makipag deal sa military ng chinese habang nagtatayo ang mga chinese ng lighthouse sa Spratley na sakop ng Pilipinas.

May truth comission pa sya nalalaman pero pinaboran sya sa mga human rights abuser na china.

[Monseratto]

mAY chinese blood ba si pnoy or tuta aya ng mga chinese? Ang galing nya makipag deal sa military ng chinese habang nagtatayo ang mga chinese ng lighthouse sa Spratley na sakop ng Pilipinas.

May truth comission pa sya nalalaman pero pinaboran sya sa mga human rights abuser na china.

The truth is hard to accept. The AFP has to practically beg for donations from richer countries. Again Beggars can't be choosers. Nothing is free in this world, lahat may kapalit... Even those politicians complaining should be careful, baka di na sila makabakasyon sa Hong Kong.

[IMm29]

Well, on the China Nobel prize issue, I don't think he had much of a choice. He's still pretty much butting heads with China for the hostage fiasco months back.

[oliver1013]

E ganun na nga talaga siguro yun, kapit bahay natin yan na superpower, may atraso pa tayo dahil sa hostage drama, matuto tayo makisama.

The toes you step on today might be attached to the ass you may have to kiss tomorrow.


Dati sunud sunuran tayo sa mga Kano, tuta tayo ng kano, ngayon na medyo binabraso tayo ng China at tumupi tayo tuta naman tayo ng China, e parehong superpower yan, either or lang yan. Di naman pwede na mag sarili tayo dapat may big brother tayong papanigan. Sala sa init sala sa lamig.

[IMm29]

The toes you step on today might be attached to the ass you may have to kiss tomorrow.

Sad but true. Well put. Hehe!

[jave]

USA or China.

Pick your poison.

[safeorigin]

damage control

para makalimot ang China sa palpak na gobyerno:rofl:

[jimnyeatworld]

USA or China.

Pick your poison.

i'd choose USA in a heartbeat.

you don't turn your back from the God of War, or you'll suffer talaga.

this is bad bad decision to get military hardware from the Chinese.

ang akala kasi ng Pinoy eh malakas ang China eh porkit walang pera ang US ngaun.

ang hindi nila alam, we are only in the stage wherein China is experiencing growth, and therefore they go out and spend, and when they can't spend they borrow until they in debt.

yan ang buong strategy ng US to win the brewing silent war in our region. in the end, US pa din ang panalo.

the US has already made an example of India. yumabang bigla ang India, and so what did the US, they're now shifting their entire outsourcing operation sa 'tin.

the US is our best ally today. wag nyo na sayangin pa'to Pnoy govt.

[roninblade]

wala naman makukuha ang pilipinas if we attend. good on the PH government to use this issue to secure a substantial arms deal with China.

[Monseratto]

I guess being sipsip didn't payoff handsomely...

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/12...travel-warning

Philippines 'surprised' by updated Hong Kong travel warning
Agence France-Presse
Posted at 12/14/2010 9:23 AM | Updated as of 12/14/2010 9:23 AM


MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines expressed surprise on Monday after Hong Kong mentioned the threat of terrorist attacks in an update to a travel advisory urging its residents against visiting the country.

Hong Kong has a "black" advisory in force, despite other countries lowering the severity of similar warnings issued last month over the fear of terror attacks in the Philippines, foreign ministry spokesman Eduardo Malaya said.

"We find it surprising that this updating of Hong Kong's black travel advisory comes at a time when a number of Manila-based foreign embassies have lowered their travel alerts," Malaya said in a statement.

Hong Kong issued a black travel advisory for the Philippines in August after eight of its tourists were killed by a disgraced Filipino policeman who took them hostage on a bus in Manila.

The Hong Kong security bureau's advisory discourages all travel to the Philippines, which is entering its traditional peak December to February tourism season, when many Hong Kong tourists usually visit.

And the updated advisory said: "Some overseas administrations had noted the risk on possible terrorist attacks, including places frequented by foreigners, such as large shopping malls and convention centres."

It is similar to advisories issued by several Western countries in November that warned of possible terror threats in Manila.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino strongly criticised the November advisories, saying they were not based on firm intelligence.

The Hong Kong security bureau said in a statement that the new details were intended to give more information to travellers.

The Philippine foreign ministry said its Hong Kong consulate had been told that the new details were merely a "technical upgrade and not an upgrade of content".

The Philippines has sought to placate Hong Kong after the hostage drama, carrying out an investigation of the bus hijacking and creating special tourist police to guard areas visited by foreign travellers.

[uls]

^^^

The Philippines has sought to placate Hong Kong after the hostage drama, carrying out an investigation of the bus hijacking and creating special tourist police to guard areas visited by foreign travellers.

Wanted: Tall, athletic tourist cops
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...bCategoryId=68

MANILA, Philippines - Wanted: applicants who are at least 1.7 meters (5’8”) tall, with an athletic build, between 25 and 45 years old, and proficient in English or other foreign languages.

The want ad is for a special police unit whose main task is to keep the country’s foreign visitors safe.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) signed a memorandum of agreement yesterday to create TOPCOP, or Tourist-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection.

TOPCOP

o diba?

pansin niyo mahilig sa acronyms ang gobyerno?

hehe