ENTERTAINMENT | MMFF probes ‘Oro’ over dog slaughter scene

Irma Adlawan who starred as Kapitana in "Oro" won best actress. She tried to defend her mining community from armed groups threatening them. Philstar/Efigenio Toledo IV - with Rosette Adel

           

MANILA, Philippines — The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry “Oro” is now under investigation upon the orders of the executive committee after it received several complaints on one of its scenes.

Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chair Liza Diño-Seguerra said she received several phone calls and text messages from various groups about Oro’s dog-killing scene, which prompted the MMFF executive committee to conduct an inquiry into the film and its filmmakers.

Diño-Seguerra said the MMFF executive committee started its inquiry at 11 a.m. on Monday to investigate the issue. She added that the production team of “Oro” and the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) were summoned to discuss and clarify the issue.

PAWS last December 31 sent an official request for investigation to the MMFF executive committee in view of the numerous reports they received that a dog was actually killed in the filming of “Oro.” The group condemned the animal cruelty and said no animal should be killed or hurt for the sake of making a movie.

“Responsible film makers should make sure of this not just because animal cruelty is a crime but because it is the right thing to do,” PAWS said.

Diño-Seguerra clarified that she saw Oro prior to its showing last December 25, and also got disturbed by the complained scene. However, she said she verified with the filmmakers the details on how the film was made and she was told that it wasn’t true.

“I clearly remember leaving the theater right after because of a 'dog scene' that was very disturbing-- very graphic and the act of gutting the dog looked so REAL. I immediately called the representatives from ORO production to verify if real animals were harmed during the filming of the movie.They said NO---A goat was used and some prosthetics to make it look real,” Diño-Seguerra said.

“I was somehow appeased, and was also being careful about crossing the line (artistic calls of the director) so I didn't push the issue. As long as may assurance na walang pinatay na totoong aso,
subjective na if the scene should be deleted, changed or replaced. Paulit-ulit kaming nagtanong, they said magaling lang ang pagkakagawa kaya nagmukhang totoo,” she added.

Despite being convinced about the filmmaker’s explanation, Diño-Seguerra said she still received complaints on the alleged animal cruelty.

“To be clear, the MMFF executive committee does not condone such acts nor allow the Festival to be the vehicle for such actions; We acted in good faith when the producers stated that there were no such incidents of animal cruelty during the filming of the movie,” the FDCP head said.

“We take these matters seriously and take action if necessary,” she assured.

“Oro” received two awards during the Gabi ng Parangal held Thursday. It won the FPJ Memorial Award for Excellence and Best Ensemble Cast while lead actress Irma Adlawan won best actress.

NATION | Manila gov’t declares January 9 a Special holiday

Filipino Catholic devotees jostle to get closer to the image of the Black Nazarene during a thanksgiving procession on New Year's eve in Manila last Dec. 31, 2015. AP/Bullit Marquez | with By Rosette Adel 

MANILA, Philippines — The Manila City Hall declared Monday, January 9, a special holiday for Manileños in observance of the Black Nazarene feast.

According to Manila City Tourism chief Flordeliza Villasenor, classes and work in the Philippine capital are suspended due to the expected influx of devotees who will join the Black Nazarene procession or traslacion.

The concerned agencies said they are ready for the Black Nazarene procession. The theme of this year's feast is “Pag-ibig ang Buklod ng Ganap na Pagkakaisa.”

The traslacion will begin at Quirino Grandstand, Luneta Park and will traverse along Manila until the Black Nazarene arrives at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or Quiapo Church.

Penelope Belmonte, executive director of the National Parks Development Committee, advised those who will join the traslacion to avoid bringing kids. Msgr. Hernando Coronel of the Quiapo Church likewise said that if parent devotees intend to bring their children, they should bring an identification card with them.

"Dadagsa [kasi] ang tao, baka maiipit lang ang mga bata,” Belmonte warned.

Aside from Manila, a traslacion will also be held in Tagum and Cagayan De Oro.
Below appears the schedule of Black Nazarene feasts:

• January 2 to 6 – Barangay Visitation – 7 p.m.
• January 7 – Procession of the Replicas of the Black Nazarene – 2 p.m.
• January 8 – Fiesta Vigil at Quirino Grandstand Luneta
• January 9 – Eucharistic Celebration at Quirino Grandstand (Luneta) – 12 a.m.
• Hourly Eucharistic Celebration at Quiapo Church – 3 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• January 10 – Arrival of the Black Nazarene

NATION | DOH: Fireworks injuries up but still lower than 2016

Doctors treat victims for mostly firecracker-related injuries, during a raucous celebration of New Year Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017 in Manila, Philippines. The country's notorious tradition of dangerous New Year's Eve celebrations persisted after President Rodrigo Duterte delayed to next year his ban on the use of powerful firecrackers, often worsened by celebratory gunfire. AP/Bullit Marquez | with Rosette Adel

           

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday reported that the number of people injured by firecracker explosions is still significantly lower than last year.

As of 6 a.m. on Monday, DOH spokesman Eric Tayag said there were a total of 524 recorded fireworks-related incidents during the holidays. 521 of which were firecracker injuries while three were due to ingestion.

This was higher compared to the tally on Sunday, when the DOH recorded 350 injuries due to firecrackers. Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial said this was lower by 60 percent compared to the 2011-2015 average.

Tayag said there were 874 fireworks-related incidents in the same period in 2016. He added that there were no recorded deaths from fireworks.

In his update, Tayag said 426 of those injured were male with age ranging from 1-year-old to 71-years-old. On the other hand, 284 were children aged 15-years-old and below.

Tayag said 297 of those injured were in Metro Manila.

He added that 177 of the recorded injuries were caused by the prohibited firecracker piccolo while 98 of the cases were eye injuries.

The Philippine National Police Community Relations Group earlier released an anti-firecracker infomercial with puppet versions of Philippines' top cop Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte warning of risks of using firecrackers.

WORLD | Police struggle in hunt for gunman in Istanbul slayings

Medics carry a wounded person at the scene after an attack at a popular nightclub in Istanbul, early Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017. Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin said that an armed assailant has opened fire at a nightclub in Istanbul during New Year's celebrations. Turkish authorities have banned distribution of images relating to the Istanbul attack within Turkey.IHA via AP | By Zeynep Bilginsoy and Suzan Fraser via Associated Press

            

ISTANBUL — Turkish police struggled Monday to track down a gunman who attacked New Year's Eve revelers at a popular Istanbul nightclub, killing at least 39 people, most of them foreigners. Close to 70 more were wounded.

The attacker, armed with a long-barreled weapon, killed a policeman and a civilian outside the Reina club around 1:15 a.m. before entering and firing at people partying inside, Istanbul Gov. Vasip Sahin said.

"Unfortunately, (he) rained bullets in a very cruel and merciless way on innocent people who were there to celebrate New Year's and have fun," Sahin told reporters.

Nearly two-thirds of the people killed were foreigners, many from the Middle East, Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency said. It said the bodies of 25 foreign nationals killed in the attack would be delivered to their families Monday.

Countries from India to Belgium reported their citizens among the casualties.

An estimated 600 people were celebrating inside the club, which is frequented by famous locals, including singers, actors and sports stars. Several shocked revelers were seen fleeing the scene after the shooting and the music fell silent.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for what authorities immediately called a terrorist attack. Turkish officials did not comment on the possible identity or motives of the gunman.

The mass shooting followed more than 30 violent acts over the past year in Turkey, which is a member of the NATO alliance and a partner in the U.S.-led coalition fighting against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. The country endured multiple bombings in 2016, including three in Istanbul alone that authorities blamed on IS, a failed coup attempt in July and renewed conflict with Kurdish rebels in the southeast.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vehemently condemned "the terror attack in Istanbul's Ortakoy neighborhood in the first hours of 2017" and offered condolences for those who lost their lives, including the "foreign guests."

Among the dead were an 18-year-old Israeli woman, three Indians, three Lebanese, a woman with dual French-Tunisian citizenship and her Tunisian husband, two Jordanians, a Belgian national, a Kuwaiti citizen and a Canadian, according to those countries' governments and a diplomat. Jordan's Foreign Ministry earlier said three of its citizens had been killed, but revised that, saying there was confusion over the nationality of one victim.

A U.S. State Department official, who spoke only on condition of anonymity, said one American man was among those wounded. Turkey's minister for family and social policies, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, said citizens of Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Lebanon and Libya were among those injured.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the gunman, who had not been identified, remained at large. "Our security forces have started the necessary operations. God willing, he will be caught in a short period of time," Soylu said.

Private NTV news channel said the assailant was wearing a Santa Claus outfit when he entered the upscale nightclub on the shore of the Bosporus straight, on the European side of the city — a claim Prime Minister Binali Yildirim denied.

Security camera footage obtained by The Associated Press from Haberturk newspaper shows what appears to be a man dressed in black and carrying a backpack as he shoots down a police officer outside the nightclub. Footage taken by a different camera inside Reina shows a figure wearing different clothes and what could be a Santa Claus hat.

Yildirim said the attacker left a gun at the club and escaped by "taking advantage of the chaos" that ensued. Some customers reportedly jumped into the waters of the Bosporus to escape the attack.

Mehmet Dag, 22, said he was passing by the club when he saw a man shoot at a police officer and a bystander. He said the attacker then targeted security guards, gunning them down and entering the club.

"Once he went in, we don't know what happened. There were gun sounds, and after two minutes the sound of an explosion," Dag said.

Turkish media said the local victims included a 22-year-old police officer and a 47-year-old travel agent, both of whom were shot outside the club.

One was given a funeral Sunday in Istanbul, where his two sons joined the mourners gathered around the flag-draped casket, the private Dogan news agency reported.

Ayhan Arik, a tourism company employee who had taken foreign guests to the nightclub, was shot in the head, the news agency said.

On Sunday, heavily armed police blocked the snowy street in front of the nightclub. The entrance was covered with blue plastic sheeting below a Turkish flag. Police also patrolled the Asian side of the Bosporus on the other side of the club.

Crime scene investigators were seen inside the nightclub searching through mingled piles of chairs, tables and pieces of clothing left behind during the panic among the guests.

There were emotional scenes in front of a city morgue where the dead were taken for identification. Some relatives cried out and fell to the ground as they apparently learned the fate of their loved ones.
The U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul on Sunday warned American citizens to keep their movements in the city "to an absolute minimum." A statement reminded U.S. citizens that extremists "are continuing aggressive efforts to conduct attacks in areas where U.S. citizens and expatriates reside or frequent."

The United States denied reports in Turkish new outlets and on social media that its security agencies knew in advance that the nightclub was at risk of a terror attack. The U.S. Embassy in Ankara said in a statement that "contrary to rumors circulating in social media, the U.S. Government had no information about threats to specific entertainment venues, including the Reina Club."
Turkey faces a wide spectrum of security threats.

The Islamic State group claims to have cells in the country. Analysts think it was behind suicide bombings last January and March that targeted tourists on Istanbul's iconic Istiklal Street as well as a high-casualty suicide bomb and gun attack at Ataturk Airport in June.

In December, IS released a video purportedly showing the killing of two Turkish soldiers and urged its supporters to "conquer" Istanbul. Turkey's jets regularly bomb the group in the northern Syrian town of Al-Bab. Turkish authorities have not confirmed the authenticity of the video.

Turkey's violent 2016 also reflects the intensification of an armed conflict between the government and Kurdish rebels. Turkey-based Kurdish groups have claimed multiple suicide attacks. The government has said Kurdish affiliates in Syria and Iraq share responsibility.

Complicating matters, Turkey endured a coup attempt July 15, which the government blamed on a U.S-based Islamist cleric. A state of emergency has been in force since then, and authorities have purged key institutions, including the army and police.

The violence has left the nation on edge and kept tourists at bay. In Istanbul, a bustling city bridging Europe and Asia, the toll on the economy is evidenced in the closure of iconic restaurants and lowered hotel prices.

The nightclub attack drew quick condemnation from the West and Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram to Turkey's leader, saying that "it is hard to imagine a more cynical crime than killing innocent people during New Year celebrations."

"However, terrorists don't share moral values. Our common duty is to combat terrorists' aggression," Putin said.

The White House condemned what it called a "horrific terrorist attack" and offered U.S. help to Turkey. The U.N. Security Council condemned the "heinous and barbaric" assault in the "strongest terms."

Yildirim, the prime minister, vowed to keep fighting terrorism, adding that "the terror that happens here today may happen in another country in the world tomorrow."
___
Associated Press writer Zeynep Bilginsoy reported this story in Istanbul and AP writer Suzan Fraser reported from Ankara. AP writers Mehmet Guzel and Dusan Stojanovic in Istanbul; Dominique Soguel in Vannes, France; Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Philippe Sotto in Paris; Deb Riechmann in Washington and Robert Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.

REGION | Zero firecracker, gunshot injuries reported in Cotabato City

City police officials attributed the absence of firecracker and gunshot injuries during the holidays to the executive order issued last November by Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, which banned the sale and use of firecrackers in the city. Val Rodriguez, File By John Unson

COTABATO CITY — The 37 barangays here set in 2016 a historic record of zero firecracker or gunshot injuries during the December holiday revelries, something strangely new to local folks.

 

Muslim and Christian residents of Cotabato City, created in the 1950s, are known for their tradition of extravagant use of firecrackers and firing of handguns and assault rifles overhead to greet the Islamic Eid’l Fit’r holiday and during the Christmas and New Year revelries.

 

Halima Satol-Ibrahim, city information officer, told The STAR Monday that all of the city’s four hospitals have not recorded any firecracker or bullet injury during the Christmas and New Year’s Day.

 

Chiefs of the four police precincts here confirmed the feat, a record-setting precedent.

 

City police officials attributed the absence of reported revelry-related injuries to the executive order issued last November by Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, which banned the sale and use of firecrackers in all of the 37 barangays here.

 

There were 10 reported cases of firecracker injuries in December 2015.

 

More than twenty residents sustained accidental gunshot wounds during revelries in the past three decades.

 

The ban issued by the iron-fisted Guiani-Sayadi, a lawyer, also prohibited the use of firecrackers by Muslims in revelries marking the Eid’l Fit’r, which signals the culmination of the Islamic Ramadhan fasting season.

 

The mayor also led policemen in preventing revelers from riding motorcycles without mufflers to create noise from nighttime December 31 to early January 1.

 

The city’s information office said Guiani-Sayadi is thankful to barangay officials for helping her office enforce the restriction on sale and use of firecrackers during the Yuletide Season.

 

The executive order the mayor issued also explicitly regulated the use of pyrotechnics for special occasions.

 

Any permitted use of fireworks anywhere in Cotabato City must be supervised by personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection.

Our Daily Bread: Welcome Home

Storyline By James Banks

Read: Luke 15:11-24

While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him.

Luke 15:20

When we were going through a particularly challenging time with our son, a friend pulled me aside after a church meeting. “I want you to know that I pray for you and your son every day,” he said. Then he added: “I feel so guilty.”

“Why?” I asked. “Because I’ve never had to deal with prodigal children,” he said. “My kids pretty much played by the rules. But it wasn’t because of anything I did or didn’t do. Kids,” he shrugged, “make their own choices.”

I wanted to hug him. His compassion was a reminder, a gift from God, communicating to me the Father’s understanding for my struggle with my son.

No one understands the struggle with prodigals better than our heavenly Father. The story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is our story and God’s. Jesus told it on behalf of all sinners who so desperately need to come home to their Creator and discover the warmth of a loving relationship with Him.

Jesus is God in the flesh seeing us in the distance and looking on us with compassion. He is God running to us and throwing His arms around us. He is heaven’s kiss welcoming the repentant sinner home (v. 20).

God hasn’t just left the porch light on for us. He’s out on the front porch watching, waiting, calling us home.

We ask again today, Lord, that our prodigals would come home.

James Banks is author of Prayers for Prodigals by Discovery House.

_________________________________________________________

Our loved ones may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons—but they are helpless against our prayers. J. Sidlow Baxter

_________________________________________________________

Our Daily Bread: This Could be the Year

Storyline By Joe Stowell

Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

We who are still alive and are left will . . . meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. - 1 Thessalonians 4:17

My dad was a pastor, and on the first Sunday of each new year he preached about the return of Christ, often quoting from 1 Thessalonians 4. His point was always the same: “This could be the year that Jesus will return. Are you ready to meet Him?” I’ll never forget hearing that sermon at age 6, thinking, If that’s true, I’m not sure I will be among those He’s coming for.

I felt certain that my parents would be going to heaven, and I wanted to go too. So, when my dad came home after church, I asked how I could be sure. He opened the Bible, read some verses to me, and talked to me about my need for a Savior. It didn’t take much to convince me of my sins. That day, my dad led me to Christ. I will be forever grateful to him for planting these truths in my heart.
In an increasingly chaotic world, what a hopeful thought that this could be the year Jesus returns.

More comforting still is the anticipation that all who trust Him for salvation will be gathered together, relieved from this world’s suffering, sorrow, and fear. Best of all, we’ll be with the Lord forever!

_________________________________________________________

Lord, keep me always mindful of Your inevitable return. Thanks for the assurance that this world is not all we have but that a blessed eternity awaits all who trust in You.

_________________________________________________________

Perhaps today! Dr. M. R. De Haan

INSIGHT: 

Part of Paul’s purpose in writing to the Thessalonians was to answer questions they had apparently sent to him, perhaps through Timothy (1 Thess. 3:6). It is helpful to remember that during the first century Scripture was still being written, so followers of Christ had incomplete information about many topics. In this case, the concern is what happens to believers who die before the Lord’s return. Paul answers that believers who have died will be resurrected first (vv. 14–16). Then those who are still alive will be “caught up together with them” to meet Christ in the air (v. 17).