PHILIPPINE Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno on Thursday, August 24, shrugged off threats to remove her from the office, saying that the impeachment case build up against her does not affect her at all. Breaking her silence on the issue, the chief justice expressed confidence that efforts to oust her will not prosper. “Nothing can…
DOMESTIC violence is abuse perpetrated against a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant, a girlfriend, a boyfriend, the mother or father of your child, your child. Family Code Section 6211. Abuse is not limited to the actual infliction of physical injury or assault. Family Code, § 6203(b). A court may issue an order enjoining specific acts of “abuse” (§ 6218,…
MS. Annie Cabrera* was a retired nurse, living out her life on her life savings from years of frugality, in a Pasadena house that she paid off before her retirement. She spent her golden years volunteering in many charitable organizations. One night, she was driving home after a successful church fundraising activity. She passed through…
LET’S discuss 10 strategies as you meet face-to-face with the Appeals Officer: 1. Learn how the appeals process works. Learn how to gather, research, file, and prepare adequately. Get a coach to guide you through the survival process. 2. First address issues that are easiest to resolve and hope to establish a pattern that will…
“ No matter how hard these people work, there is never enough money to go around. In some cases, they barrow even more in order to pay other creditors and thus perpetuating this vicious borrowing cycle with no end in sight.” ONE of my clients told me: “My wife and I both work very hard to raise our two…
FOLLOWING outrage from people coming from different parts of the world over the death of 17-year-old Kian De Los Santos and thousands more in the hands of the police, President Rodrigo Duterte finally admitted in a press conference on Monday, August 21, that there may have been abuses in his administration’s war on drugs. The…
AS I reside with young men and teach them the ways to preach the Gospel and lead God’s people as future priests, I get insights on who they are and what their longings are. They come with varied backgrounds, educational attainment, experiences, and intellectual capacities. Each of them entered the seminary with particular gifts. There…
REDONDO Beach – Along with a spectacular evening of world class performances and star studded lineup, twenty (20) extraordinary young women, with an equally impressive group of nine teen candidates fought for gold at the 5th, the grandest, and final installment of Binibining Pilipinas USA. In a first, the evening was hosted by KC Concepcion…
The phenomenal advent of the internet, specifically YouTube, has remarkably taken full advantage of its consummate functionality and premeditated intention way beyond men’s wildest imagination. YouTube, an American video-sharing website created by three former Paypal employees (Chad Hurley, Steve Chem, and Jawed Kalim) on February of 2005 and headquartered in San Bruno, California, has transcended…
Achieving immigration reform at the congressional level is extremely difficult. As such, most action geared towards immigration reform has been done via Executive Order. President Donald Trump has long expressed his interests in reforming our immigration policies to a more merit-based system. With the signing of his Executive Order earlier this year, he tasked four…
The phenomenal advent of the internet, specifically YouTube, has remarkably taken full advantage of its consummate functionality and premeditated intention way beyond men’s wildest imagination. YouTube, an American video-sharing website created by three former Paypal employees (Chad Hurley, Steve Chem, and Jawed Kalim) on February of 2005 and headquartered in San Bruno, California, has transcended…
Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) will no longer pursue the plan to construct the heavily-opposed Nickelodeon theme park in an island considered as the Philippines’ “last ecological frontier.” In a statement released Tuesday, August 22, VIMN said it has reached an agreement with Coral World Park to discontinue the licensing agreement for the attraction in…
MANILA – An impeachment complaint has been filed against Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Andres Bautista for alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust. Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio and former Congressman Jacinto Paras filed the complaint before the House of Representatives on Wednesday, August 23. The complaint stemmed from allegations of the…
THERE are many myths and misconceptions about immigration law, which are simply not true. People may receive “advice” from consultants, or well-meaning friends or relatives, which is wrong. Following these myths, misconceptions and advice could have devastating effects on a person’s immigration case or result in years of delays. Here are some of the more…
THIS July, the State Bar of California reported that it obtained an interim court order to assist an estimated 2,000 clients who had paid for legal advice from a Los Angeles immigration practice operating without proper authority. According to the State Bar report, the Los Angeles County Superior Court interim order which was signed on…
There comes a time in the life of every lawful permanent resident (LPR) in this country to make the decision to be an American. When the country’s immigration “situation” is fraught with uncertainty and fear (imagined or not), such personal decision becomes a “no brainer.” U.S. immigration statistics data show a significant increase in…
“…Anything less makes the man nothing but a selfish egocentric sperm donor and the woman only a cold and cruel human incubator.” Every child is a blessing from God, and having children, natural or adopted, is one of the greatest privileges a couple or a person can have. But just like any privilege in life,…
THE Philippine government maintained that it will not hand over any part of the country’s territory and will continue to assert its maritime claims in the disputed South China Sea. Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano made the assurance on Tuesday, August 22, amid reports that Chinese vessels have been recently spotted near Pag-asa Island…
THE Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), has formed a retrieval team to secure ballot boxes being questioned in connection with former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s electoral protest against Philippine Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo. According to the court’s resolution dated August 8, the retrieval team is tasked to…
Our jobs occupy a big chunk of our lives. That’s why it’s no surprise it is called occupation. To quote Apple founder Steve Jobs, “The only way to do a great work is to love what you do.” Sure, it is easier said than done, because at some point, loving what we are doing can…
REST in peace, Kian delos Santos, who was 17 years young when he was killed by police during an anti-drug operation last Thursday, August 17. People all over the world, including international media organizations, government officials and even ordinary citizens, have expressed their outrage and called out Duterte for the gruesome killings in the Philippines….
The Philippine Court of Appeals (CA) has upheld with finality its earlier decision convicting United States Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton for killing Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude in October 2014. In a resolution issued on Tuesday, August 15, the appellate court’s former Special 16th Division dismissed the appeal filed by Pemberton seeking…
Malacañang on Tuesday, August 22 assured that President Rodrigo Duterte remains “in full control” of the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s enforcement of the administration’s crackdown on illegal drugs. In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella refuted accusations that Duterte has lost control of the police amid the controversial killing spree—particularly of the recent killing…
MANILA – Any conditions on assistance the Philippines may receive from a foreign aid agency must be aligned with the policies of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, a Palace official said. Malacañang issued the statement on Sunday, August 20 after Washington-based Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC) announced that the Philippines is among the candidate countries to receive…
LAST August 2, 2017, the Trump Administration endorsed new legislation called “Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment (RAISE) Act” that would change the system of granting legal permanent residency. The act was introduced by Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and David Perdue (R-GA). (This is not a law yet. The bill must be approved by both…
MAYRA Casas and Julio Fernandez worked as sales clerks for Victoria’s Secret in California. Victoria’s Secret required them to follow two shift schedules: 1) the traditional shift which required them to show up at the store at the scheduled time; 2) the Call-In shift, where they were required to first call their manager two hours…
AFTER losing an IRS audit, you can either pay or fight. If you choose peace and quiet—pay. If you choose to fight—go to appeals. Here are 10 tips on how to prepare for the appeals conference: 1. Research the issues at hand. Read the most current cases to counter older cases that the agent may…
DO you want to simplify your life, reduce stress and regain control over your financial future? If you are one of the millions of people in this country who are drowning in debt, maybe you are feeling a sense of urgency and desperation about your situation but don’t know what to do. A lot of…
QUESTION: I want to open up my own company. Can you let me know some specifics? For example, I have a friend from Iran. Can he get an E-1 or E-2? A: As for E-2s, Iranians can apply for that type of visa anywhere. Question: Are there any restrictions where the money comes from for…
PRESIDENT Donald Trump has been in office for only 30 weeks but his self-inflicted wound coming from his statement that counter-protestors share the blame with the hate groups — the White supremacists, Neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), and the “Alt-Right” — during their fatal clash on August 12, may be the worst in his…
