PINOYS IN KOREA CHARGED W/ MONEYCHANGING
[PHOTO - Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and
Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario meet at her home in
Yangon February 9, 2012. REUTERS/Soe Zeya
Tun]
MANILA,
FEBRUARY 12, 2012 (ABS-CBN)
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario met with Myanmar President Thein
Sein and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The meetings were aimed at strengthening ties between the Philippines and
Myanmar.
The Philippines is one of the most outspoken critics of the junta that
reigned in Myanmar for decades.
The meeting comes as Western powers have raised the possibility of lifting
sanctions on Myanmar if its new civilian government sustains the reforms in the
country.
Suu Kyi has been meeting with various foreign officials in recent months.
Suu Kyi, who was freed from house arrest in 2010, will run in her first-ever
election in April when she contests one of 48 by-elections for legislative
seats.
Strengthening ties
Del Rosario met with Myanmar President U Thein Sein and held discussions with
Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin.
Del Rosario said that "this visit is significant because it is taking place
when Myanmar is at its crossroads of history."
He congratulated the Myanmar leadership on its political, economic and social
reforms, such as :
•the transformation from a military-led government to a constitutional
democratic government;
•the release of political prisoners;
•the
participation of opposition political parties such as the National League of
Democracy led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; •the ongoing peace process with various
ethnic armed groups;
•the passage of a new labor law; and
•the
establishment of the Myanmar Human Rights Commission.
The Myanmar President also thanked the Philippines for its support,
especially towards the lifting of economic sanctions against the country.
He invited the Philippine business community to invest in various sectors of
Myanmar economy such as oil and gas, agriculture, mining, forestry and timber
products, development of deep sea ports, infrastructure, among others.
A Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation, which will discuss issues such
as trade and investment, technical cooperation among others, will meet in Manila
on June 5 and 6. - With Reuters
16 PINOYS IN KOREA CHARGED W/ MONEYCHANGING
ABS-CBNnews.com Posted at 02/10/2012 3:40 PM | Updated as of
02/10/2012 3:55 PM
MANILA - Sixteen Filipinos, including 12 flight attendants and a
moneychanger, are in trouble in Seoul over illegal remittances, according to
South Korea's Yonhap News.
Yonhap reported the Filipinos have been booked by police on suspicion they
were handling illegal remittances for their fellow Filipinos and pocketing
commission fees.
According to police, one of the Filipinos is a 59-year-old unregistered
moneychanger, whose name has been withheld.
The moneychanger is suspected of having exchanged some 3.2 billion won ($2.85
million) into dollars for some 2,900 Filipino workers in various parts of Korea
between January 2009 and December 2011, according to the international crime
investigation unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
The moneychanger would handle the remittances from Filipino workers, but
would unfairly pocket currency gains. He worked with several flight attendants,
who would bring the dollars back to the Philippines, for a fee of $50.
A report from Maeil Business Newspaper quoted a Korean police officer as
saying that illegal Filipino workers in Korea sent their remittances through
this process since they do not have the proper legal documents to do bank
transactions for overseas remittance. Filipino workers have also complained of
Korean banks' high fees and complicated procedures for sending remittances back
home.
There are some 45,000 Filipinos living and working throughout South Korea.
2 Pinoys nabbed in Macau for drug trafficking
ABS-CBNnews.com Posted at 02/10/2012 1:14 PM | Updated as of
02/10/2012 5:12 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Two Filipinos have been arrested in Macau for drug
trafficking, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
"Consulate officials extended assistance to the Filipinos to ensure that
their rights are respected and have been coordinating with Macau SAR [Special
Administrative Region] authorities on the matter," the DFA said in a press
statement.
The suspects--a man and a woman--were apprehended on February 1 by the
Judiciary Police (PJ) in an apartment with 46 grams of methamphetamine
hydrochloride or shabu.
The DFA said the drugs have an estimated street value of 90,000 patacas or
equivalent to US$11,392.405. Other drug paraphernalia were also recovered from
the apartment.
Another Filipino, suspected to be a buyer, was also brought in for
questioning.
As of latest count, there were 19 Filipinos currently detained in Macau on
drug cases.
The DFA reiterates its appeal to the public to avoid accepting offers from
individuals or groups to carry illegal drugs when traveling abroad in exchange
for money.
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
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