Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
September 3, 2002
FILIPINA DEPORTEES TURNS SEX SLAVE
===================================
The sad plight of Filipino deportees from Malaysia doesn't end
from being maltreated and deported back to the Philippines.
No less than Senate Majority Leader Loren Legarda revealed a
numerous number of Filipina has been raped and abused by several
authorities from Malaysia specifically from the ranks of
Malaysian police who allegedly threaten to kill them should they
refuse to give in.
Alarmed on this report, Senator Legarda filed a resolution
seeking a formal inquiry into reports that Malaysian policemen
who have virtually turned undocumented Filipino women in Sabah as
their sex slaves.
The resolution directed the committee on foreign relations, which
is currently being chaired by Sen. Manuel Villar Jr., and the
committee on women, youth and family relations chaired by
opposition Sen. Loi Estrada, to conduct the probe.
She stressed there is an urgent need to conduct the probe in
order to determine the veracity of the alleged sexual-assault
incident against Filipino women in Sabah.
" Such occurrence, if true, is a serious threat to the human
rights and dignity of the victimized Filipino women,"
Legarda said.
Same view was echoed by Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. who support the
move to file appropriate charges against Malaysian policemen if
reports that they raped Filipino women deported from Sabah were
true.
" Enough is enough. This kind of affront to the dignity of
our women must not be tolerated," Villar, chairman of the
Senate committee on foreign relations, said.
The senator said the special team sent by President Arroyo to
Malaysia must look into allegations that Filipino women were
raped by Malaysian lawmen, and if there is sufficient evidence to
back up the accusation, criminal charges must be filed against
the suspects.
" This matter cannot be taken while sitting down. We must
fight for the proper treatment of our countrymen in other
countries at all times. Enforcing immigration laws is one thing,
inhumane treatment and abusing our women is another," Villar
said.
He pointed out that if the country's laws are tough against local
criminals especially those accused of rape, the Philippine
government likewise must not tolerate sexual abuses of Filipino
women committed by non-Filipinos.
" If these Malaysian policemen are found guilty, they must
be made to face the full consequence of their country's
laws," the senator said.
He disclosed that under Sharia' law, the punishment on crimes
against chastity is castration.
" Whatever the penalty for rape is in Malaysia, this should
be applied if these policemen are found to be guilty of abusing
our women. They must face no less than the full consequences of
their actions," Villar said.
Senator Tessie Aquino-Oreta on her part urged the government
specially the Department of Foreign Affairs to dig deeper into
the alleged report.
Oreta said the report is a violation of human rights and should
not be taken lightly.
She cited the need to bring the matter to the attention of
international community in order to get the appropriate sanction
against this inhumane treatment from unscrupulous officials from
Malaysia.////
Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
Sept. 3, 2002
DRILON STORY ON SHOES ISSUE
===========================
"Unbecoming of an officer."
Thus described by Senate President Franklin M. Drilon who
disclosed that he felt so embarrassed after have made to take his
shoes off at the San Francisco International Airport on his way
back to the Philippines.
Drilon delivered last week a speech before a Filipino community
in San Jose, California which is south of San Francisco. He
arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) aboard a
Philippine Airlines (PAL) at 4 a.m. the otherday.
"I was angry. I already introduced myself. I showed them my
diplomatic passport," Drilon, the third most ranking
government official of the country, said.
Drilon, however, said he did not try to make an issue of the
demand by airport authorities that he take his shoes off.
But the word got around that Drilon did take his shoes off but
angrily banged them on a flat surface, probably a table, after
acknowledging the futility of going against the orders of airport
authorities trying to enforce anti-terrorist measures.
Following the discovery of a bomb in shoes of passenger aboard a
Paris-Boston flight several months ago, US authorities have
required the inspection of the shoes of passengers.
During the debate on nuclear armament at the United Nations
during the Kennedy administration, then Russian Premier Nikita
Kruschev banges his shoe on a table in an apparent bid to silence
critics on the deployment on Russian.
Opposition Senator Gregorio Honasan defended Drilon asking the US
government to give a little courtesy to officials specifically
those with diplomatic passport.
Honasan said considering the fact that Drilon was the third
highest official, it is just imperative that he be given due
respect by these people who allegedly even showed arrogance in
implementing the said procedure.
Meanwhile, the Senate President on the other hand disclosed
Filipinos abroad especially those working in the United States
are supportive of two pieces of legislation that affects them -
the proposed Absentee Voting and Dual Citizenship laws.
"Filipinos abroad are keenly aware of political and economic
developments back home and continue to have a stake in the
passage of laws that will shape the country's future and affect
Filipinos all over the world," Drilon said.
Drilon disclosed that very important to Filipino communities
abroad are Senate Bill No 2130 or the bill allowing for the
retention of Filipino citizenship by those who have become
naturalized citizens of foreign countries, and Senate Bill No.
2104, a bill providing the policy framework on absentee voting
for Filipinos overseas.
"These two proposed measures will encourage our kababayans,
armed with their innate Filipino values and acquired
competencies, to play an active role in strengthening democracy,
progress and stability in our government that will help push our
country towards a strong republic," Drilon said.
The two bills were highlighted in the 1st State of the Nation
Address of President Arroyo as important pieces of legislation
that would enable Filipinos overseas to meaningfully participate
in nation building.
Drilon also said that the bill amending the Electric Power
Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) and a bill granting franchise to the
Transmission Corporation likewise enjoyed full backing of
Filipinos overseas.
These two bills are designed to lower electricity rates and make
them more competitive in the Asian region. Amendments to the
EPIRA seek to liberate Filipino consumers from the burden of the
purchased power adjustment (PPA), while the Transco franchise
bill provides for the sale of said corporation to private
investors and the eventual privatization of the National Power
Corporation.
Drilon said he will also push for the inclusion of a provision in
the Transco bill that will give the government a "golden
share" in the privatized entity. ///camille p. balagtas