‘Filipino mafia’ on US warship

By ELENA L. ABEN
Manila Bulletin, Monday, September 6, 2010,

Aboard the United States’ 100,000-ton nuclear-powered
aircraft carrier, USS George Washington which is now on
a four-day port visit in Manila, is a “Filipino mafia.”

This, in light banter, is how Filipino sailors described
their bond as part of the 5,000 crew of what is known as
one of the world’s largest warships dubbed “City at Sea.”

Capt. David “Too Tall” Lausman, USS GW commanding officer,
told a group of reporters given a tour of the ship as it
docked at Manila Bay their visit also serves as a homecoming
for its Filipino sailors, who comprise about 30 percent of
the crewmembers.

The USS George Washington and embarked Carrier Air Wing 5
(CVW 5) along with guided-missile destroyers, USS John S
McCain (DDG 56) and USS McCampbell (DDG 85), arrived before
dawn last Saturday near Corregidor island where she was met
by the Philippine Navy ship, BRP Leopoldo Regis (PG 847) and
escorted her to the vicinity of the SM Mall of Asia (MoA).

This is the warship’s second port call to Manila, the last
being in August, 2009, when its sailors also took the time
to enjoy Philippine culture.

“As you know from last year, about 30 percent of the crew
have direct ties to the Philippines either through aunts,
uncles, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, great uncles,
great grandmothers, etc., and this is really a homecoming
of families and cultures because they are waiting to come
back to their homes as well,” Lausman said.

He noted that during their last port call in Manila, “there
was a lot of unique family reunions” and there are some
again this year.

“I know there’s a lot of families that’s going to be welcomed
aboard for a personal tour while we’re on port and some of
them (sailors) are going on leave,” said Lausman, even
recounting that some of the returning Filipino sailors talked
about a special family gathering or reunion in their neighborhoods.

Asked how he would rate the Filipino sailors’ performance on
the ship, Lausman quickly responded,

“I don’t need to say anything, this is a great warship, they
did it.” He added, “This is great. I’m very proud to be their
shipmate.”

Meanwhile, the Filipino sailors expressed their excitement in
coming home to the country as they also shared their life on
the ship and how they anxiously await their chance to see or
visit their families, relatives, and friends even for t a brief time.

“I am glad that I get this opportunity to visit my family and
friends,” said Olongapo-born Aviation Ordnance Airman Steven
Hoffman of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 28.

“It has been six years since I was in the Philippines, so it
would be nice to see how things have changed and to talk with
my family about the things I have done in the US Navy,” he said.

For Chief Aviation Support Equipment Technician Carlo Roberto
Toledo, a port visit to Manila is the chance of a lifetime for
sailors who are from the Philippines.

With the big number of Filipino and Filipino-American sailors
on board the giant warship, some of those interviewed laughingly
said there is, in fact, what some of the crewmembers from other
nations tagged as “Filipino mafia” not for anything else, but
because of the strong brotherhood that exists among them.

Aviation Ordnance expert Gza Ione Larican, a petite lass from
Isabela province, said Filipino sailors on board USS George
Washington “stick together, that is why they call us “Filipino
mafia.”

“It doesn’t matter if someone says something bad or good, we
just stick together,” Larican said, adding while they support
one another, they also blend with fellow sailors of other
nationalities.

She also described how Filipino sailors show their friendliness
as they say hi to everyone they see or meet along the hallway
and resiliency as they just go on even in some instances they
experience a bit of discrimination.

“We always try to be happy,” she said.

But aside from the Filipino sailors, the rest of the crewmembers
of the warship, according to Lausman, are also excited to come
to Manila, having fully enjoyed their first visit last year.

He said the first area of interest of the sailors is a trip to
the SM Mall of Asia, the fourth largest shopping mall in the world.

“They are ready to go shop, shop, shop and eat. Eat. eat. And
hey enjoyed that last year, and I think some of the shop owners
are waiting for them to return as well,” said Lausman.

The sailors will also get the chance to tour Corregidor, go
scuba diving, among others.

Philippine Navy at US Navy, lilinisin ang estero

Report from Henry Atuelan
Bomba, Lunes, Setyembre 06, 2010

Magsasanib-puwersa ang mga miyembro ng Philippine Navy
at United States Navy na lulan ng USS George Washington
upang maglinis ng estero sa Maynila bukas.

Partikular na lilinisin ng grupo ang Estero de San Miguel
sa Maynila at pagkatapos, magsasagawa sila ng sports
activity sa naval station sa Taguig City.

Matatandaang Sabado nang dumaong sa bansa ang aircraft
carrier na USS George Washington para sa apat na araw na
goodwill visit sa bansa.

DENR to sue councilor for 'stealing' own motorboat

By Michelle Zoleta
The Philippine Star, Monday, September 06, 2010

LUCENA CITY, Philippines – The Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR) will file criminal and
administrative charges against a municipal councilor of
Mauban town for “stealing” his own motorboat, which was
earlier seized by the Navy for transporting undocumented
lumber.

DENR-Calabarzon Regional Executive Director Nilo Tamoria
said the department’s legal office is preparing charges
against Rodante Almacen, a councilor under Lakas- Kampi
and a political ally of Mauban Mayor Ferdinand Llamas.

Tamoria said a Navy patrol intercepted the boat that was
loaded with 482 pieces of Lauaan lumber at Lamon Bay off
Infanta, Quezon last Aug. 22.

He said the boat and the illegal cargo were turned over
to Community Environment and Natural Resources Office
(CENRO) in Real for safe keeping pending the filing of
charges against the offenders.

Forester Wilfredo Riña, DENR-Calabarzon’s chief of forest
resources conservation division, said Almacen arrived and
claimed ownership of the boat. He said Almacen requested
the CENRO personnel that the boat be brought to Mauban and
be placed under his custody, but the environment officers
rejected his request.

Riña and other CENRO personnel inspected the boat on Sept.
1 but the vessel was already missing. He said Almacen
reportedly took the boat at around 11 a.m. on Aug. 31,
telling the boat’s custodian the case had been settled at
the DENR.

Riña and his group proceeded to Mauban to look for the
boat but they failed to find the vessel.

Almacen denied the report that he stole the boat from its
custodian. He said he told another person to check up on
the boat and “he was the one who took it, not me.”

Almacen said he did not hide the boat as earlier reported,
but just put it in a safer place.

Almacen also clarified that he did not know that the boat
was transporting lumber. He said he sent some people to
fetch something from Infanta, and “I did not know that when
they returned, they brought lumber with them.”

Marines honored for poll integrity

By: Alexis Romero, The Philippine Star

Sunday, 05 September 2010

Marines who refused a bribe offer in Patikul,
Sulu during the May 2010 elections have been
awarded the Philippine Marine Corps Plaque.

In a statement, Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard
Arevalo said feted were 2Lt. Marcelo Flores
and his 15-man team deployed to secure poll
precincts in Kaumpang Elementary School.

"The team ... was reportedly approached by
campaign leaders and supporters of local
candidates who offered them money. They
wanted the Marines to leave the school to
let the unscrupulous politicians to fill
up the remaining ballots for their favored
candidates," Arevalo said.

He said Pfc. Rhomel Divina, one of the
members of the team, was approached by a
campaign leader and offered Pl00,000.

Divina turned down the offer and told the
briber that his money "cannot buy my
services."

SSgt. William Magpili was reportedly told
that he would be taken care of as long as
he would allow the men to fill up the rest
of the ballots. Magpili also rejected the offer.

"The award given to them is unique. It gives
importance to their display of integrity,
devotion to duty and incorruptibility,"
Arevalo said.

"Their heroism was displayed during the
time when people tended to doubt the outcome of
the elections... What they did was critical
since it was the first automated elections."