Careless, stupid, or both?

This time, it doesn’t look like the "tanim-bala" extortion scheme, but "nakalimutang- bala-sa-bag" at the NAIA. 

You would think that with all the furor over "tanim-bala" in the newspapers and on radio-TV over the past several weeks, airline passengers would know better and examine their handcarried bags and luggage before leaving for the airport.

Yet, despite constant reminders from authorities, at least two airline passengers were still apprehended in airports this week for carrying bullets.

An OFW departing for Riyadh was arrested at the NAIA Terminal 2 for carrying four live bullets for a .38 caliber pistol. The OFW did not deny that the bullets were his. It was given to him, said the passenger, a former security guard, and he forgot to take it out of a pouch.

Meanwhile, in Naga City, a female doctor was apprehended in the airport for carrying five live 9mm rounds and two empty .45 shells in her bag. She claimed the bullets may have been left in her bag by her husband, who is a practical pistol shooter. The doctor said her husband borrowed the bag when he applied for a license for his pistol.

Well, these two unfortunate airline passengers will have to do a lot of explaining to authorities, or even face criminal charges—and possibly jail time—for their carelessness. Or should we say, stupidity?

Image by: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Islamic State in Mindanao?

Latest news reports indicate that Marines killed eight suspected terrorists, including an Indonesian jihadist linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), in Sultan Kudarat last Thursday.

Indonesian Ibrahim Alih, alias Abdul Fatah, is said to be one of the suspects in the Oct. 12, 2002 Bali bombing. The eight belonged to the Ansar Al Khalifa, an ISIS terror cell operating in various areas of Mindanao. Formed in Sarangani, the terrorist cell is named after its founder, Ansar al Khalifa.

Marines clashed with the terrorists at around 5:40 a.m. at Sitio Sinapingan, Barangay Butril, Palembang, Sultan Kudarat. Soldiers recovered during clearing operations the bodies of the dead terrorists, including Abdul Fatah, whom the Indonesian government identified as a former member of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). Troops also recovered various firearms and five pieces of the ISIS flag.

At least three Syrian members of ISIS have slipped into the country and joined the Khalifa cell, according to the military

If the Islamic State is already in Mindanao, this would not be an unexpected development. We already have a virtual cell of ISIS in the Abu Sayyaf Group which is engaged in the same terrorist methods, including beheading of hostages and bombing of civilian targets.

The military should heighten its vigilance and closely monitor the situation so that the ISIS does not expand its reach and recruit more members for its terrorist activities.

Image by bbc.com 

Political phenomenon

 Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and his runningmate Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano have emerged as the biggest gainers in the latest Pulse Asia survey of voters based in the National Capital Region (NCR) for the period Nov 11-12, 2015.

If even residents of Metro Manila, the seat of political and economic power, are now willing to elect Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as the next President, then the other presidential bets have every reason to be worried as to the outcome of the 2016 polls.

A survey conducted by Pulse Asia Research Inc. two weeks ago—that is, at a time when Duterte had not made up his mind about running— showed that one in every three voters (34 percent) in Metro Manila said he or she would vote for Duterte if elections were held then.

Poe got 26 percent; Vice President Jejomar Binay, 22 percent; former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, 11 percent; and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, 7 percent.

Results of a Pulse Asia survey in September showed that Duterte got 27 percent, lower than the 31 percent obtained by Poe. Binay came in third with 26 percent, Roxas was fourth with 13 percent.

What appears to be going  for Duterte is his tough stance against crime in Davao City. With rampant criminality, especially in Metro Manila, no wonder that  city residents prefer someone who will really go after criminals with hammer and tongs.

What is remarkable in the latest survey is that Duterte's support in Metro Manila comes from a broad section of the population, from the rich  to the middle class to the poor.  

Will this survey result hold in the coming months? That remains to be seen.  But if voter preference for Duterte continues, this is undeniable proof that Filipinos are as mad as hell against crime and want someone in charge who will give criminals the punishment they deserve.

                                                          

China's 'nine-dash' line is balderdash

 

It is correct for the Philippines to send a full delegation to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands to defend our position that China's claim of ownership over practically the entire South China Sea has no basis at all, historical or otherwise.

 

In fact, China is using gunboat diplomacy to enforce its will on the other claimants in the territorial dispute.

 

In short, might is right.

 

But this attitude runs contrary to the rule of law and could spark armed confrontation if allowed to get out of hand.

The principal counsel, Paul Reichler, stressed that China's historic right claim over the disputed sea do not exist under the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Another lawyer, Andrew Loewenstein, argued that China has failed to satisfy the requirements to establish the claim, namely: a continuous exercise of exclusive control for a long period of time over the area. He showed eight maps dating back to the Ming Dynasty showing that China's territory did not include the nine-dash line.

The Philippine government is on right track in arguing its case in the arbitral proceedings. If we manage to convince the judges that our cause is just, then we score a moral victory that could prompt China to review its position and eventually submit to a rules-based Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.  

Fancy that faulty new car?

 

Congress is now investigating consumer complaints alleging that Mitsubishi’s sports utility vehicle (SUV)  Montero Sport has a defect that can cause it to suddenly accelerate forward or backward without the driver intending to do so.

Those familiar with automatic transmission vehicles know that it is but normal for such vehicles to start moving forward once it is on “drive” and the driver lifts his foot off the brake pedal.

But as described by the complainants, that is not the case with the Monteros because, as alleged, they could just accelerate from standstill to uncontrollably fast in just a matter of seconds.

A lady driver has come forward to say that her Montero fell off a hill because of that alleged fault, while a man has the same complaint while swearing that it was not driver’s error on his part because he’s been driving for decades now.

While there’s already an Anti-Lemon Law in the country, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), said to be in receipt of almost a hundred complaint against the Monteros, have admitted to lacking the expertise to act on the complaints.

This admitted helplessness by the DTI should prompt our legislators to enact a law that would create a national vehicle testing and specification board that would look into the safety of vehicles being sold in the Philippines.

This board must be populated with scientists and engineers and must have the facilities and equipment to be able to issue definitive rulings on vehicle safety.

Global vehicle recalls are nothing new. In fact, Toyota Motors Corp. recalled 6.5 million vehicles world-wide this year over power-window switches at risk of fire.

The 6.5 million recalls are on top of more than 34.5 million vehicles recalled in the first seven months of 2015 – a sobering thought amidst the easy car financing available today.