KAKAMMPI News

Malaysian authorities have sent to jail a Filipino after being arrested while in possession of 3,000 turtle eggs.   In its report, the  Daily Express  identified the arrested Filipino as Kuyuk Lisin, 48.   Lisin was arrested last November 13 in waters off Pemaguan after Malaysian authorities seized 3,000 turtle eggs from his boat.   The Filipino was on his way to Taganak Island in Tawi-Tawi when spotted by Malaysian authorities.   The report said Lisin admitted before Sessions Court Judge Egusra Ali admitted to keeping the 3,000 turtle eggs on his boat.   Lisin was convicted of violating Section 41 (1) of Malaysia's  Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 , which states that no person shall "possess any animal of a species listed in Part I of Schedule 1 or an animal product of an animal listed in Part I of Schedule 1 unless authorized in writing by the Minister."   Turtle egg collection is restricted to certain areas wh...

Filipina Photographer Xyza Bacani was among BBC 100 Women 2015. A former domestic helper in Hong Kong, Bacani shared her story through her snapshots. This year, BBC 100 Women focused on octogenarians sharing life lessons, "good girl" filmmakers discussing expectations, nursing, five high-profile women, and "30 under 30" entrepreneurs. BBC noted Bacani's usual subjects, who are victims of human rights violations against overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong. "I left the Philippines at 19 to start work as a maid and nanny in Hong Kong and looked after six children in total. I fell in love with the city’s vibe - very different from where I come from. I started doing street photography as a hobby," she told the BBC. "When I started visiting abused domestic workers in Bethune House Migrant Women's Refuge... I realised that I was in a privileged position to give them a voice," Bacani added. Because of her tal...

The family and lawyers of Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina convicted in Indonesia for drug smuggling, expressed hope Friday that Indonesia’s decision  to stop prioritizing executions  will lead to the permanent abolition of death penalty or her clemency this Christmas. In a press statement Friday, Veloso’s family and counsels said Indonesia’s decision was certainly welcome not only for Mary Jane but for all concerned. “The purported rationale for the non-priority of executions as pronounced by Indonesian authorities (i.e. to focus on the economy) may be amorphous and not self-evident but the objective net effect is that lives are saved and will be saved,” the statement stated. The statement was released by the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers whose secretary general, lawyer Edre Olalia, is one of the those representing Veloso in the case. Veloso’s family and lawyers said they are praying that Mary Jane's own temporary reprieve will be made permanent or that she be gra...

A Filipino was hurt and is now recuperating following a Friday the 13th road accident in San Francisco, an online report said.   Luther Canga was with his brothers Martin and Virgil in their car when it figured in a three-vehicle collision along Union Square, a busy shopping district in San Francisco, according to a  report on SF Gate .    Aside from Luther, 19 others were hurt in the accident, seven of them critical, the report said.   Citing Virgil, the SF Gate report said the brothers were in their BMW when it was rammed by a car that was hit by a careening double-decker tour bus.    It said Luther was flung "like a rag doll" at the back seat, and had to be extricated by rescue workers and put on a stretcher. He was rushed to the St. Francis Hospital.   Virgil said he was told by the doctors that Luther "would be OK."   Despite the accident and the ominous date, Virgil said they still consider themselves lucky....

The Fil-Am Media Band and friends   A concert and a photo exhibit in Los Angeles organized by Filipino-American media groups will honor the memory of the journalists killed in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre. On November 22 (November 23 Manila time), members of the media will hold ABAKADA: Children Helping Children at the Celebrity Centre International in LA. It will feature music icon Florante, youth band Back2Jupiter, and the newly formed Fil-Am Media Band. “ABAKADA is the title of Florante’s popular song promoting the value of education,” said Benny Uy, public relations officer of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines' (NUJP) US chapter and the producer of the show. “It’s also a fitting title because this project will help us support the education of the orphans of slain journalists.” While the concert will be held on the sixth anniversary of the massacre, it will also honor other journalists who had been killed in the line of work. NUJP-US is pro...

An Australia-based Filipino journalist was recognized for her coverage of a Filipina nurse's fight to stay in Australia together with her autistic son.   Violi Calvert, community blog editor of The Filipino Australian (TFA), won the award for Coverage of Community Affairs of the 2015 Multicultural & Indigenous Media Awards (MIMA), marking the third time the TFA won an award from MIMA.   Calvert's story focused on the struggles of nurse Maria Sevilla to stay in Australia with her son Tyrone, who has autism.      Sevilla and her son were eventually granted permanent visas after more than 120,000 signed a petition asking Immigration Minister Peter Dutton to allow them to remain in the country.   The TFA won the Inaugural Award for Coverage of Community Affairs in Australia in 2012, while publisher and photographer Romy Cayabyab won the Photographer of the Year award in 2014 for his “Walk for Respect” photos.   MIMA, now on i...

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday clarified reports on the supposed moratorium on the execution of Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina convicted in Indonesia for drug smuggling.  In a text message to GMA News' Ivan Mayrina, DFA spokesperson Charles Jose, citing Philippine officials in Jakarta, said the Indonesian government just reiterated its earlier statement that executions are not among its current priorities.  "Our embassy in Jakarta clarified that what the Indonesian government said was that executions are not a priority for now," Jose said. Reports on the supposed moratorium circulated after Adam Harvey, ABC correspondent in Indonesia, tweeted about it, citing Luhut Panjaitan, Indonesia's security chief. Jose said the Indonesian government's statement on executions "was a general statement, without specific reference to Mary Jane's case." "But of course that's good news," he added. Veloso, who has always...