I’d say the Philippines has more than enough to contend with in as far as foreign meddling is concerned.
Having watched and read news of Bamban Mayor Alice Guo’s now questionable citizenship and alleged connection with illegal activities in a POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) sitting on property in her town, I feel drawn towards the impression that the Duterte Administration was operating the Philippines more like a brothel house solely for his Chinese national cronies rather than protecting and serving the welfare and interests of the Filipino people.
Foreign meddling seems like an abstract concept until one considers the victims of the crime and corruption of POGO operations. In the case of the Bamban POGO, the victims were people who were lured into human trafficking or tricked out of their money through various scams. (If illegal drugs, torture, and killings somehow came into the picture, I wouldn’t be surprised because who knows what really happens in these POGO enclaves.)
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Over in Boracay, a resort town on an island North of Panay, is another sort of meddling by a 73 year old British national who makes it appear on social media that he is legally operating a media enterprise of a sort in the Philippines. Although, how he could manage to do that in a country that restricts the foreign ownership of mass media is unclear to me at this point.
The Philippine Constitution limits the ownership and management of mass media to citizens of the Philippines or corporations, cooperatives, or associations that are wholly-owned and managed by citizens.
The 12th Regular Foreign Investment Negative List (RFINL) issued in June 2022 prohibits foreign equity in mass media, except for recording and internet. The Anti-Dummy Law (ADL) also prohibits foreigners from being appointed to management positions in nationalized or partly nationalized businesses.
Foreign journalists and newsmen need to apply for a temporary visitor’s visa to visit the Philippines. They will need to provide a curriculum vitae, work credits, sample article, media organization background, administrative arrangements, equipment list, flight details, and photographs.
To operate media enterprises in the Philippines, foreign media must apply for an IPC Accreditation Form and Bio-data/General Application Form for Special Work Permit at the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID). Each crew member will need to pay P6,440.00 plus P60.
As for engaging in advertising and promotions, Section 11, Article XVI, 1987 Constitution. “xxx Only Filipino citizens or corporations or associations at least seventy per centum of the capital of which is owned by such citizens shall be allowed to engage in the advertising industry
Thing is a simple search on Facebook reveals a multitude of posts of him promoting events and places in Boracay. Below are just two recent posts by Jeffery.
Moreover, foreigners are not allowed to influence/lobby for the creation and implementation of policies. As such, a number of Jeffery’s posts on Facebook gives the impression of being able to get officials in Aklan to pass or revise a number of policies favoring foreign nationals as well as tourists.
Victor Jeffery, who portrays himself on Facebook as being married to a Filipina, has taken on the cause of championing the “rights” a Canadian couple whom he claims were victims of intimidation and forcible eviction. Likewise, the British national has also taken the cause of a lawyer who claims to be the owner of true owner of the place where the Canadians were evicted from.
Jeffery would appear to be some sort of crusader setting the heathens straight, UNTIL you learn about the other side of the story he isn’t telling on Facebook.
Since Jeffery published an account of events which took place at a place called The Cliff on Mt. Luho in Boracay, it is in the public interest to know the other side of this story which he has HIDDEN in attempt to gain sympathy for the Canadian couple and the lawyer claiming to be the owner of The Cliff.
In Jeffery’s account, which was published in the Facebook Group named Boracay Island News where he is an administrator, he states:
Boracay Community.
What’s going on up at Mt Luho?
Angry property disputes have started again at several locations in the Mt Luho area despite many court cases over the past few years.
We received the two official papers below from foreign residents who report being intimidated by armed security personnel and refused entry to their homes of around 15 years.Reports have been filed by the residents with the local police and they are awaiting action.Complaints are also being made to the Russian and Canadian Embassies of harassment to their nationals.Can we not handle these matters at local level before they blow into an international incident and bring disrepute and damage to Boracay’s reputation. (Emphasis added.)Surely, due legal process instead of heavily armed security should be the order here. These residents have rights also.
While not directly accusing Ramos of using intimidation, harassment, skirting due legal process, and disregarding rights, Jeffery’s public Facebook post containing bare allegations unfairly portrays Ramos in such a bad light that it could have already damaged her reputation. A sure sign of the bad reputation Jeffery’s Facebook post inflicted upon Ramos were negative comments that could be construed as being directed at Ramos.
Case in point is an exchange between Jeffery and a Facebook account holder named Rosemarie Sen.
Rosemarie Sen
Victor Jeffery that bothers me a lot what the police’s position is, the very emboldened actions of these land grabbers and wonder what help the Barangay is able to extend …
Victor Jeffery
AuthorSeveral people I know who are longtime occupants there hold court documents stating they own their properties Rosemarie. One is a Supreme Court ruling. Apparently, all the invading security guards have are guns – no paperwork.
Surely the ‘rule of law’ should be upheld and provide adequate protection for those who have already had legal rulings on their cases.
Rosemarie Sen
Victor Jeffery Are they still in their houses or they left because of these intimidation, gangster, and thuggery tactics? (Emphasis added.)
It is really mind boggling where Rule Of Law is non existent on these cases!
Jeffery didn’t stop with one Facebook post in Boracay Island News, he made another post on May 11 which he updated a few days later on May 18.
On May 11, Jeffery wrote:
Boracay Community
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has been asked to revoke the permit of a security agency over its role in the alleged illegal takeover of a property at world-famous Boracay Island in Malay town, Aklan province.
Lawyer Lucas C. Licerio urged the PNP Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (SOSIA) to terminate or suspend the permit of Safety Protection Yielders Security Agency (SPY) Security Agency over the incident.
Licerio pleaded in a letter dated May 2 to Police Col. Marlou Roy Alzate, SOSIA chief, to act against SPY Security Agency. “The security agency is implementing unlawful orders from its client,” Licerio said.
He said that SPY security guards have taken over armed men and assumed jurisdiction over the Licerio Estates since April 24.
SPY security guards reportedly denied entry to individuals who have private villas inside the Licerio Estates, including foreign nationals from Canada and Russia.
This was the latest incident in a more than a decade-long legal battle over the Licerio Estates.
Licerio, who represented his family as co-heirs, initially sold 700-square meters of the more than one-hectare property to Dolora Khanna in May 2007.
Not long after, Khanna filed an injunction plea against Licerio to vacate the entire property.
The injunction plea that was eventually denied by the court in Kalibo, Aklan led to the discovery that Khanna falsified documents that made it appear that she owned the entire Licerio Estates. She also sold portions of the land that she did not own.
Khanna would later be convicted of estafa through falsification of public documents by a court in Kalibo. She had a warrant of arrest but she reportedly has fled the country.
Licerio said that before Khanna left the country, Khanna tapped Marichi Ramos of Bacolod City to be the attorney-in-fact to manage the Licerio Estates.
Ramos allegedly took over the management of the estate that Khanna does not legally own while claiming she has legal rights over the land.
Police reports said Ramos and German national Charles Schmidt went to the Licerio Estates on the night of April 23 with armed men to physically take over the property.
By April 24, SPY guards came to the Licerio Estates to render duty for the camp of Ramos and Schmidt.
“The SPY guards, therefore, are committing illegal and criminal acts either as principals or accessory in violation of their sworn duty as deputized agents of the PNP to uphold the law,” said Licerio in the letter to Alzate.
Licerio called on SPY Security Agency “to immediately cancel or terminate its contract with Ramos or anybody acting on her behalf involving Licerio Estates.”
A copy of the letter was also furnished Police Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky, Police Regional Office-6 chief.
Again, Jeffery puts out a one sided story where he claims lawyer Licerio alleges that Ramos had illegally taken over his property and it would have been believed by the PNP SOSIA if Ramos hadn’t written to the office to counter Licerio’s allegations.
In her letter to Philippine National Police PRO Region VI Regional Commander, Brigadier General Jack Wanky, Ramos alleges that Licerio, without contributing anything to the construction, forcibly took over the resort using armed men pretending to be police officers, and has been illegally selling and leasing the property ever since. She further claims that Licerio turned over the villas to Canadian nationals who were not authorized to own properties in the Philippines, and that they engaged in human trafficking by operating a brothel.
Ramos also mentions a previous complaint filed against Licerio for the illegal takeover, where the Security and Investigation Services of the Philippine National Police (SOSIA) ruled in her favor. This order, Ramos argues, prohibits Licerio from deploying any security agency at The Cliff Resort without complying with certain requirements.
The letter presents a complex case with multiple allegations of wrongdoing, including:
Illegal takeover: Ramos alleges that Licerio forcibly took over the resort using armed men, violating her property rights.
Fraudulent activities: Ramos claims that Licerio has been illegally selling and leasing the villas, defrauding potential buyers and renters.
Human trafficking: Ramos claims that the Canadian nationals who took over the villas engaged in human trafficking by operating a brothel.
Violation of SOSIA order: Ramos argues that Licerio is violating the previous SOSIA order by deploying another security agency without fulfilling the necessary requirements.
(It’s important to note that these are just allegations made by Ramos. The veracity of these claims requires further investigation and legal proceedings.)
Writer.
What determines who should be in control of what? I think the concept of sovereignty needs to be clarified for arguments to have solid grounding. Don’t keep people in the dark just because they’re too busy or oblivious to what’s happening.