Clark Freeport, Philippines: June 2015

The historic Clark parade grounds, site of the former Fort Stotsenburg, turns into a virtual raging sea during thunderstorms. Too many trees cut in Clark?

Mimicking San Francisco

Angeles's first parade for gays

expected to trigger protests

sept. 8, 2010

ANGELES CITY- It was tucked unobtrusively in this city's "calendar of activities" for fiesta, but a press conference on the fiesta celebrations here in October revealed it as an attempt to duplicate famous gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) parades such as those in the Castro district in San Francisco in the US.

Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan confirmed that the Freedom Parade listed in this year's program for this city's Fiestang Kuliat would be patterned after the San Francisco Pride celebration which is reportedly the biggest annual gathering of GLBT folk in the world. Kuliat used to be the name of a barangay of San Fernando that later became this city.

In a city that commemorates its fiesta in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, this new addition to the list of fiesta activities is likely to fire up protests amid attempts of local authorities to reverse Angeles' nagging reputation as Sin City.

A copy of the month-long "calendar of activities" distrubuted to local media duing a press conference the other day listed Freedom Parade as the first of three activities slated on Oct. 23. The other activities, slated from Oct. 1 to 30, include Mutya ning Angeles beauty contest, a youth summit, off-road vehicle competitions, painting contest and exhibit, cultural night, photo contests, mountain bike competition, food festival, golf tournament and a two-night street dancing called "Tigtigan, Terakan king Dalan."

While city information officer Deo Sambilay said that the Freedom Parade was "open to all regardless of sexual orientation", Pamintuan admitted it would be patterned after well-known GLBT parades in other countries, as he cited the annual San Francisco Pride parade that attracts thousands every year.

The local version, the first of its kind in this city, will start at the Bayanihan Park at the main gate of the Clark freeport in Barangay Balibago and proceed to Fields Avenue which is this city's main tourist district.

No one from the local Catholic hierarchy could be contacted for comment yesterday, as most of them were attending to activities related to the commemoration of the birth anniversary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The first GLBT parade held in San Francisco in 1970 was inspired by the so-called Stonewall Rebellion of 1969 in New York City. The so-called rebellion was actually a six-day riot triggered by a police raid of the Stonewall Inn where members of the GLBT fought back for the first time.

In San Francisco, members of GLTB who are into sado-masochism also establish booths to promote their practices. -30-

Protecting foreigners in Angeles City?

Angeles mayor, cop chief orders stop

to frame-up of foreigners in child

sex abuse, illegal drugs cases

sept. 5, 2010

ANGELES CITY- Stop framing up foreigners by building up cases of illegal drugs and sex exploitation of minors against them for purposes of extortion.

Ronnie Tiotuico, director of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in Central Luzon, said this was the essence of a memorandum jointly issued recently by Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan and this city's police director Senior Superintendent Danny Bautista upon the recommendation of Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan. The memorandum was addressed to "all police stations and unit commanders" of the local police.

"The memorandum dated last Sept. 2 was tilted 'Police Operations Related to Foreign Nationals' and it directed all police station and unit commanders in the city to immediately stop victimizing foreign national (s) allegedly involved in illegal drugs and sex exploitation of minors," Tiotuico said.

This city has remained a favorite destination of foreign nationals from the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia who often either land at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) at the Clark freeport here, or skip Metro Manila and take buses or taxis to this city immediately after landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Tiotuico said the memorandum was an offshoot of a forum held by members of the Hotels and Restaurants Association of Pampanga (HARP), led by its president Jim Dale of Hotel la Casa, with Senior Superintedent Gemma Vinluan of the Angeles City Police Office (ACPO) as resource person.

During the forum, members of HARP brought to Vinluan's attention nagging reports of foreign tourists and expatriates in this city being framed up by "criminal elements pretending to be protectors of the law" who "use women and children in their nefarious activities."

" It was revealed that foreign tourists staying in hotels are arrested without any warrant on the pretext that they are caught in the act of molesting children or exploiting minors, or involved in illegal drugs, only to fall prey to extortion from criminal elements," Tiotuico said.

Such frame up ploys allegedly involving local police have been circulating in this city for years. Many of the foreign victims reportedly opted to fly out of the country after paying up, without filing any formal complaint for fear of their safety. A few of those who chose to file charges end up being jailed.

Reports have it that in some cases, the parents are in cahoots with some cops in using their underaged children as decoys offered as of legal age to pleasure-seeking tourists. Once in a hotel or motel room, the minor sends text messages to her parents on when to alert the police to barge in so that the foreigner is caught in a situation that could boost a sexual exploitation case against him.

In other cases, illegal drugs are planted on foreigners for purposes of extortion, HARP members said.

Tiotuico said the memorandum directed all police station heads in this city “to seek clearance and approval from this (city police director's) office prior to the conduct of police operations involving foreign nationals in any circumstances and events in your respective areas of responsibility, thru the fastest means of communication.”

The memorandum also allows "all owners or managers of any establishments where (police operations) happened or where the suspect or suspects could be located or arrested to call the attention of the city police director and find out if such operation is authorized."

"Any police personnel who violates the directive shall automatically be subjected to pre-charge evaluation by his or her station or unit commander and be given corresponding administrative sanctions," the memorandum also said.

. Dale and other members of HARP said they are set to issue a board resolution thanking Pamintuan and the local police for issuing the memorandum.

Pamintuan vowed to stop all the alleged extorion ploys as soon as possible. "I want Angeles to be a safe haven for both expatriates and the many foreign and domestic tourists who continue to visit our city and thus boost the local economy," he said.

Pamintuan also all hotels, restaurants and other tourism-oriented establishments in the city to become members of HARP which, he noted, could be a venue for them to ventillate various issues and concerns needing the response of the city government.-30-

Clark Freeport, Philippines

02 June 2015

Is the bus-train coming?

Clark Freeport, Philippines

Mimicking San Francisco