Pinoy Harvard grad facing deportation released

LOS ANGELES, California - A Filipino Harvard graduate detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for allegedly being an illegal immigrant has been released.

In a phone interview with ABS-CBN North America News Bureau, ICE said they granted a "deferred action" to Mark Farrales for one year to afford him "additional time to pursue his options."

Farrales, 31, was detained at the Mira Loma Detention Center in Lancaster, California last October.

Farrales's supporters in the Filipino-American community were happy about his release.

The online petition against the deportation of Farrales was started by University of California San Diego students where Farrales is getting a doctorate degree.

Filipino organizations in LA’s Historic Filipinotown joined this effort. This is the place where Farrales grew up and graduated valedictorian of his high school class.

"When the community hears of one of its own, who went out and was doing really well, and being targeted unfairly, then of course, people will come out. There's the petition, there's the letter-writing to the senators in his support," said Jollene Levid.

"He has gone through so much and has come from nothing and been able to make a lot for himself," said Mark Ramos, a youth leader who supported Farrales.

In a statement he posted on Facebook, Farrales thanked his hundreds of supporters who actively contacted US government officials to help him.

“I am absolutely shocked and dumbfounded by this level of support. I cannot find the words to express just how I feel. It’s an overwhelming feeling, a transcendental feeling, a transformative feeling,” Farrales wrote on Facebook.

He added, “From a purely legal standpoint, my journey is far from over. My release from detention – as wonderful as it is – is but the first step. I face many months, probably years, of legal struggle. But at least I am out. And I am with my family on Christmas Day. And I have your love and support.”

“I truly feel blessed. I wish you all the best and hope that this holiday season you feel the love of your friends and family.”

Farrales was only 10 years old when his family flew to America. Jaime, Farrales’s father, filed for political asylum after he was nearly killed due to his political activities in the Philippines, according to Farrales's interview with The Los Angeles Times.

While his father's political asylum for the family was ongoing, Farrales went on to excel in school and graduated with top honors at Harvard University.

However, when his father died, Farrales's future as an American became unclear.

The Filipino-American community was dismayed when they heard about the Fil-Am Harvard graduate's immigration problem.

Filipino groups have been joining the call for US President Barack Obama's administration to consider the cases of exemplary young immigrants like Farrales.

“Every day they work so hard to try to battle and get good grades and go to college. That's what they came here for. They try so hard and all of sudden, everything can be taken away," said youth leader Ramos.

Community leaders are also asking the Filipino-American community to step up in this and other immigration cases.

"Stop your apathy. Be involved. There are 1.5 million Filipinos who have no papers or [are] undocumented. It doesn't matter if we're citizens here, it doesn't matter if we're Democrats or Republicans. Help other Filipinos. If you're a Filipino, you will help your fellow Filipinos," said Arturo Garcia, Historic Filipinotown community leader.

Because of the failure of the DREAM Act, the measure that could have paved the way for the legalization of the students who are children of illegal immigrants, many young Pinoys who have lived in America most of their lives are living in fear of deportation.

Some of them, like Farrales, are hoping to get green cards through private immigration bills that lawmakers can file for immigrants with extraordinary cases.

The US Congress and President Obama can approve these bills. Though it's a rarely approved immigration tactic, on December 22, Obama signed bills that granted legal status to 2 Japanese nationals. It was the first private immigration bill approval in 5 years.

New-look Magic face Christmas test against Celtics

ORLANDO, Florida – The retooled Orlando Magic knocked off NBA leaders San Antonio on Thursday, and have their sights set now on the league's number two team when they host Boston on Christmas Day.

"We've only seen a glimpse of what we could be and how well we could play and what we could do," said Orlando's Jason Richardson, who joined the Magic on Saturday as part of two blockbuster trades engineered by the struggling club.

Orlando acquired Richardson, Hedo Turkoblu and Earl Clark from Phoenix, and Gilbert Arenas from Washington in deals that saw them give up Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter, Mickael Pietrus and Martin Pietrus along with a 2011 first-round draft selection.

The new-look lineup lost their first two games before cruising to a victory over a weary San Antonio - ending the Spurs' 10-game winning streak.

"Boston will be another good test," Richardson said. "But time will tell how good we really are."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he didn't know if Orlando match up better now with Boston.

"I'm not sure how, since they've gotten smaller, what sense that makes," Rivers said. "They've just brought more talent and they're a better team, to me, in the long run because they've added more talent."

Even Magic coach Stan Van Gundy isn't quite sure how the mid-season moves will pan out for Orlando against the Eastern Conference's elite teams.

"I think Miami and Boston are very, very good. Chicago, Atlanta and New York are all playing well and are good. And I think we're a total unknown," Van Gundy said.

But win or lose against the Celtics on Saturday, Orlando center Dwight Howard said the real test of the changes will come later, in the playoffs, when Orlando will be hoping to improve on their performance of last year when they were knocked out by Boston in the Eastern Conference finals.

"We're not playing for December or January," Howard said. "We're playing for June."

Lakers, Heat, downplay Christmas clash

LOS ANGELES – The defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers get their first face-to-face look at the new Miami Heat on Saturday, with many on both teams downplaying the significance of the Christmas Day clash.

"I don't think it's a measuring stick for us," said two-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James, who created a stir in the offseason as he linked up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form a superstar trio in Miami. "It's just another game."

Lakers star Kobe Bryant said much the same in a television interview last week, but the contest may have taken on more importance for Los Angeles after their shocking 19-point loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.

Bryant was ejected for two technical fouls in the waning minutes of that game and has since kept his thoughts to himself.

It was a disappointing performance for the Lakers, who own a 21-8 record but have often looked lackluster in taking on a series of soft-target teams.

"I thought their come-uppance might come against Miami, but Milwaukee delivered the blow," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "So maybe it got their attention so they can get focused on basketball."

While James and Bryant have denied the game has any extra significance, Lakers point guard Derek Fisher admitted it was an intriguing matchup.

"The personalities that are going to be matching up in this game, I don't know if it can get any bigger," Fisher said. "Although there will be other games in this regular season that can mean more, from a personality standpoint and a star-power point, I don't know if it can get any bigger."

Star-power notwithstanding, James insists the real tests will come in the playoffs.

James led Cleveland against the Lakers on Christmas last year in a Cavaliers victory that saw frustrated Lakers fans throwing souvenirs and water bottles on the court in irritation at their team.

But the Lakers went on to win it all and Cleveland failed to advance from the Eastern Conference playoffs -- prompting James to move to Miami.

"I was in Cleveland and we beat the two-time champs twice in one season, and it didn't get me anything," James said.

"It's one game," he said of Saturday's contest. "The media guys hype it up, but when that time is over and done with, we've got to move on to the next one."

OFWs campaign for justice in Canada

WINNIPEG – When Antonio Laroya, Arnisito Gaviola and Ermie Zotomayor left the Philippines for Canada in 2007, they never expected they would be jailed and face deportation 3 years later.

The 3 fathers came to Canada under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) to work in a gas station in High Prairie, Alberta. Although it is illegal in Alberta for recruiters to charge workers a fee for finding employment, the 3 were charged $3,000 each for the jobs.

Like many other foreign workers, they went to Canada to escape poverty and to provide a better life and opportunity for their families.

“I am the breadwinner, not only of my own family, but also of my mother, 62, and my brother and sisters,” said Gaviola, 42.

As of 2009, over 280,000 foreign workers were in Canada, according to the Citizen and Immigration Canada, 2010.

From 2007 to 2009 alone, almost 50,000 foreign workers from the Philippines entered Canada via the TFWP.

3,900 Filipinos leave daily

The chronic unemployment and lack of opportunities in the Philippines has resulted in the daily exodus of approximately 3,900 Filipinos who find jobs outside the country, according to data from IBON Foundation in 2009. Many of these university-educated workers find employment in remote communities doing jobs which locals are unwilling to do.

Just last year, 3,649 foreign workers entered Manitoba to work in the service and agriculture sectors to fill the labor shortages in these industries.

After almost 2 years of working, the 3 were laid off from the gas station. They obtained work permits and employment at a restaurant in Peace River, Alberta where they lived together in a mobile home. They asked their restaurant employer if they could be sponsored under Alberta’s Provincial Nominee Program but unfortunately the employer could not, and the 3, once again, found themselves looking for jobs once more.

After a friend found a job at a gas station in Thompson, Manitoba, the 3 packed their belongings and headed to the distant town with the promise of new work permits and low-wage jobs. Their new employer insisted they start working at once and promised that the work permits would soon follow.

Unfortunately after waiting for 3 months, the employer still failed to obtain the new work permits as promised even after repeated follow-up.

This caused the workers to be "out of status".

Arrested for having no work permits

On June 24, 2010, the trio was arrested by the Canadian Border Services Agency and jailed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for not having proper work permits. When they were released, all their identification cards were confiscated including their Philippine passports.

Since their arrest, the 3 have not been allowed to work, which has caused great distress for their families.

“I’m also depressed because my daughter stopped studying. She’s a smart girl. She did not want to stop, but what can I do?” said Laroya, 45, a career overseas worker who worked in Israel for almost 3 years prior to coming to Canada.

The 3 tried to seek legal advice in Thompson after their release but the Legal Aid Manitoba office said they were not eligible.

After seeking the advice of a Philippine consular official, they applied for another job with the help of an immigration consultant who charged them $4,500 to process their permits.

However, because of their arrest and pending court hearing, the work permit, which they paid the consultant to process, could not be granted.

Migrante Canada is assisting the 3 in their campaign to stay in Canada and is asking for support from Filipinos and the wider community. About 100% of the proceeds from their campaign will go to help the 3 men.

Migrante Canada and the 3 are also asking Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney to consider their appeal to stay in Canada after their trial on December 23 in Winnipeg.

“We never had any intent to violate any laws. Our only wish has always been to work to provide for our families and one day be reunited,” said Zotomayor, 45.

Migrante Canada is an alliance of 16 organizations in Canada advocating for the rights and welfare of migrant workers.

Toyota pays crash victims’ family $10M

CALIFORNIA - Japanese carmaker Toyota Motor Corporation has agreed to pay a Filipino American family $10 million to settle a lawsuit over a car crash that resulted in the death of 4 people in San Diego last year.

California Highway Patrol officer Mark Saylor, his wife Cleofe Lastrella, daughter Mahala, and his brother-in-law Chris died on the spot after the Toyota Lexus they were riding went out of control and crashed in August 2009.

In accepting the settlement, surviving family members agreed to drop the lawsuit against Toyota.

Toyota has recalled millions of vehicles in 2009, most notably its best-selling hybrid Prius, due to complaints of sticky gas pedals.

The wretched of the sea: piracy's 600 anonymous hostages

NAIROBI - Huddled together in the dark sooty hulls of their ships, often abandoned to their Somali pirate captors by governments and shipowners, as many as 650 seamen await their fate on the edge of the Indian Ocean.

Last month's release of British yachting couple Paul and Rachel Chandler grabbed the headlines but the hundreds of Filipino, Yemeni or Ukrainian seafarers who are going to spend New Year as hostages are causing a storm of indifference.

The Iceberg, captured on March 29 in the Gulf of Aden, is a typically average catch: a 4,000-ton vessel flagged in Panama, owned by a Dubai-based company and carrying a cargo of generators.

Its crew is almost a perfect sample of the most represented nationalities on the thousands of merchant vessels plying the world's trade routes; they hail from Yemen, India, the Philippines, Ghana, Sudan and Pakistan.

"Diseases have appeared among crew members, some have hemorrhoids, one has lost his eyesight and another has serious stomach problems," the ship's Yemeni captain Abdirazzak Ali Saleh told Agence France-Presse by phone.

"The water we have is unclean and we have only one meal a day, boiled rice, that's it. The crew is suffering physically and mentally," he said, adding they had been locked up in a room of five meters square for close to nine months.

In October, the Iceberg's 3rd officer Wagdi Akram, a father of four, jumped overboard in a fit of dementia. The pirates fished him out dead.

A video shot last month and obtained by AFP shows two crewmen unzipping an orange plastic casing to reveal the Yemeni sailor's body kept in a freezer with a few bags of ice to keep it cold.

"The body is still in the freezer but we have no diesel to run the generators," the captain said.

Saleh said the crew was banned from calling their families.

The dead seaman's relatives cannot receive inheritance benefits without a death certificate and their demands for financial assistance have been rejected by the owner's agent in Aden.

While pirates are not politically motivated and have tended to spare the lives of their hostages, the crews' detention is no less traumatic and often lasts longer than needed to conduct a successful negotiation.

"The longer a hijacking lasts, the more money shipowners with the right insurance and their intermediaries can get paid," said Ecoterra International, an environmental and human rights NGO monitoring piracy in the region.

"If no party with the interest of the crew at heart is applying pressure, negotiations that could be conducted in a matter of three to four weeks can last many months," an Ecoterra spokesman told AFP.

In the case of the Faina, a Ukrainian ship hijacked in September 2008 with a controversial cargo of weapons and on which the captain also died, the ransom paid after four months was the exact amount demanded after two days.

Adding to the trauma, crews are often still onboard when hijacked vessels are used by the pirates as "mother ships" from which to launch fresh attacks.

Few seamen have access to counselling when they get home.

The MV Iceberg's crew is confined to its hold and no contact has been made with the ship owner for six weeks, the captain and one of the pirates said.

"When a yacht is caught, the sailors are worth more for the pirates than the boat. But in most piracy cases, the value of the vessel itself and its cargo is what guarantees to the captors that a ransom is paid," Ecoterra explained.

"The crew's welfare becomes a very low priority, with pirates wishing they didn't have more people to feed and shipowners sometimes wishing they didn't have a crew preventing them from pulling off an insurance scam and sinking the vessel," the spokesman said.

On Thursday, relatives of Kenyan seamen held on three different hijacked vessels organized a vigil in the coastal city of Mombasa to demand news of their loves and financial support.

Families are often kept in the dark by governments hiding behind a "no negotiation with pirates" policy and by the complex onion-layered ownership structures of many vessels.

Caregivers lose jobs as employer faces embezzlement charges

EL CAJON, California – These are the final hours of operation for live-in caregivers at Park Villa Care Center. The end of their work here came as a surprise as their administrator Maria Corazon Park was arrested and charged last week with embezzling over US$600,000 from former patients.

“We have no work. That’s the bottom line. We don’t have a job and Christmas is coming. It’s so sad,” Priscilla Cumilang, a caregiver at the site for 2 years, said.

Park is facing 26 counts of elderly financial abuse, embezzlement, and money laundering. Prosecutors said she endeared herself to former patients so they can grant her access to their money. They eventually gave her power of attorney. But when they died, instead of distributing the money as instructed, Park spread them throughout several of her bank accounts and went on extravagant shopping sprees.

In another incident, Park allegedly tried to withdraw money from a deceased patient’s bank account, which raised suspicions among bank employees.

The Department of Social Services has ordered a closure of the 3 care homes administered by Park.

Cumilang said none of them were employed during the alleged scheme, but they said they are the ones suffering. A total of about 10 caregivers, most of them Filipinos, will be out of work. They worry more about their elderly patients that will also be stressed from the sudden change in living arrangements.

“The seniors are used to this place. It’s sad because all of a sudden, they’re in a different environment.”

Today, all the patients were relocated to nearby care homes.

Park is due to appear before a San Diego County Superior Court on Monday for preliminary hearing. She is currently held in prison on a $500,000 bond

Pinoy jai alai player makes a name for himself in Florida

DANIA, Florida - A Filipino athlete is making a name for himself in a fast-paced sport that until recently was banned in the Philippines.

At a sports complex in Dania, 24-year-old Charlie Medrano plays one of the fastest and most dangerous ball games in the world—the jai alai.

"I'm very happy. I'm blessed. This is an opportunity and a dream come true for me. So I grabbed it," Medrano said.

It’s a court sport played with a ball using one's hand and a basket.

In a jai alai game, Medrano said the ball travels through the air at 180 miles per hour.

“Mayroon akong experience, tinamaan ako sa kaliwang tenga and talagang 6 stitches ang aking nakuha,” Medrano said.

Jai alai was banned in the Philippines due to illegal gambling in 1986, but it got reinstated in March this year in Cagayan.

Medrano was only 11 years old when he first learned how to play jai alai.

He turned pro when he was discovered by a Dania Jai Alai executive who was impressed with his performance at the World Amateur Championship Competition in Mexico where he represented the Philippines in 2007.

“He's a very solid player. He's very sure. He has good core positioning which gives him the advantage when he does catch an easy ball to put the point away,” said Dania Jai Alai players’ manager, Benny Bueno.

But it was a rough start for Medrano. In his first year, he lost his first 72 games. When he finally won game 73, his winning streak began.

Today, he is one of the strongest and most admired players in Dania. He ranked number 2 overall in the last 2010 jai alai season.

“He's improved quite a bit. He's put on some weight. Last year, I believe, he won more games than any other player in the United States. So that's quite a change for a kid who lost 72 straight games," Hal Lesser, a fan from Delroy, Florida, said.

Medrano's goal is to make it to prime time jai alai as a featured game player--the league of elite players in Dania Jai Alai.

He also plans on going back to school to become a businessman or an accountant.

“Jai alai is not forever. As long as you're young, you're competitive. But if your age is above 30, not like in the Philippines, they still compete at age 40,” said Medrano.

At the rate his career is going, fans say he could be the next big thing in the fastest sport in the world.

RP Azkals unfazed despite loss to Indonesia

RP football team coach Simon McMenemy a day after his team lost to Indonesia in the Suzuki Cup semifinals.

MANILA, Philippines -- The morning after a loss is normally one of the toughest ones to wake up to as you deal with the reality that the loss indeed happened.

But the Azkals we saw Friday morning looked far from devastated. It seemed that they knew what they have in their hands now, and they are not about to let this situation and opportunity slip away.

Phil Younghusband, one of the team's strikers who had 2 solid attempts early in the game that were saved by the Indonesian keeper, felt that more than the intimidation of the home crowd, it was the noise level that affected them.

Younghusband said he had never played in a stadium louder than that. Even if a teammate was just a meter away, they could not hear each other due to the nonstop screaming and cheering of 70,000 strong spectators at the Bung Karno Stadium.

He conceded that Indonesia had some great defense as well, particularly the goal keeper who saved both his shots early on.

"They pulled back a bit more than we expected and that took us a bit by surprise ‘cause we normally expect them to attack and we prepare with our counterattack," he said.

As for Coach Simon McMenemy who has seen the best football all over the world, he likewise admitted that

RP football team striker Phil Younghusband a day after his team lost to Indonesia in the Suzuki Cup semifinals.

Indonesia's crowd and noise level was out of this world.

He likened it to a disco where you have to scream at someone's ear to get a word across.

Coach McMenemy felt that was one of the reasons why they gave up the first goal when Goal Keeper Neil Etheridge bumped into defender Rob Jonsson.

Nevertheless Coach McMenemy is confident the boys are over the loss and they have what it takes to bounce back.

Younghusband believes a tweak in the offensive strategy may be needed in the second half of Game 2 if the score is still close as the Azkals need to win by 2 to advance to the Finals or win 1-0 and get to a penalty shootout.

The team had lunch with the Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Vidal Querol on Friday after a short limbering and swim session.

No practice has been set on Friday as team officials felt it is more important for the team to relax a bit and return to the pitch on Saturday before Sunday's Game 2.

Pacquiao all set for 32nd birthday party

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxing hero and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao is all set to receive his guests in his birthday bash in General Santos City on Friday.

The boxer-turned-politician is celebrating his 32nd birthday with a lavish party at the KCC Convention Center, which was set up with a modern Greco theme.

Pacquiao is expecting at least 1,500 guests, which will include politicians, celebrities, athletes and fans.

Among the “very important personalities” attending are boxing promoter Bob Arum and his wife; Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson, beloved boxing coach Freddie Roach, Puerto Rican boxing champion Juan Manuel Lopez and musician Lito Camo.

Already on display in the venue are prizes to be raffled during the party. The prizes include a Toyota Vios, 2 motorcycles and 3 flat screen televisions.

Also on display is a classic 1962 Lambretta motorcycle with the life story of Pacquiao drawn all over it.

Mommy D’s wish

Pacquiao’s mother, Mommy Dionisia, has already greeted her beloved son.

“Sabi ko sa kanya, ‘happy birthday, anak’… antok pa siya niyakap ko,” she said.

Mommy D said she will appeal to Roach to convince her son to retire from boxing.

She said she is afraid that his work might take its toll on his health.

Pacquiao’s children Queenie, Princess, Michael and Jimuel also greeted their daddy.

Jimuel, the eldest among the four, even made a birthday card.

“I wish you all the success in life, I love you so much,” said his message written in the card.

A good political career

Pacquiao’s wife, Jinkee, said she wants the boxing champ to have a good career in politics.

“Sa boksing kasi lahat nakuha na so kung ano iyong gusto niya pa gawin sa pag serve, iyon [ang hiling ko],” said Jinkee.

She said she is willing to support her husband all the way, even to the vice-presidential or the presidential seat.

“Kung God's will, why not? Hindi natin alam kung ano pa ang wish ni Lord,” said Jinkee.

All geared up to party

Pacquiao, meanwhile, is already wearing his birthday get up.

He is clad in Burberry polo, Hermes belt and an expensive Patek Philippe watch given to him by Arum.

Pacquiao also received a rose-gold colored Rolex watch as a gift from Jinkee.

Before heading to the venue, Pacquiao and Jinkee attended a mass in Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage church.

There he prayed for his birthday wish.

“Hiningi ko [sa Diyos] na gabayan ako kung anong gagawin ko para makapag silbi, makatulong ng tao…para malaman ko kung ano gusto niya, gagawin ko,” said Pacquiao.