Pinoy to be executed in China Dec. 8 for drug trafficking

A Filipino who was convicted for drug trafficking in China has been scheduled for execution on December 8, after the Supreme People's Court (SPC) in Beijing affirmed his death sentence.


The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Filipino, who was not named but was described as 35 years old, was convicted for smuggling 1.495 kilos of heroin in Guangxi, China.


"He was apprehended on 13 September 2008 at the Guilin International Airport, from Malaysia, after authorities found the heroin in his possession," the DFA said.


The DFA said the Filipino's family has been informed of the decision of the SPC and arrangements are now being made for them to leave for China soonest to visit their family member.

[via GMANews]

The Road by Yam Laranas Movie Review: This is not your typical horror flick

Having known Yam Laranas as the director of the internationally-acclaimed The Echo (2008), I opted to watch his latest thriller film The Road today. The rave reviews it got from international film critics who were invited by the director himself to watch his film also made me go out today and unwind since it's a holiday.

The Road is a psychological/thriller film which took five years for Direk Yam to make. As the synopsis says,

"The Road" is a story about a twelve-year-old cold case, which is reopened when three teenagers go missing while traversing an infamous and abandoned road. As investigators try to find leads to the whereabouts of the missing teens, they also unearth the road’s gruesome past that spans two decades – a history of abduction, crimes and murders. Although the road is isolated, anyone who tries to pass through it can be sure that he is not alone. Lingering in the dark and desolate pathway is a vengeful ghost who makes sure no one leaves the road – alive!

The movie started with a lonely stretch of road being shown. It made me think what the next scene would be, and it put a bit of suspense in me.

Cinematography, I can say, is the best I've seen in Pinoy horror films. Direk Yam himself wrote, edited, and produced the whole thing. I like how he makes screen focus to the characters an eye candy - it was beautifully done! There are no monsters we all grew up knowing, no super gross killings, and no usual Sadako-style (or the likes) kid that just pops around.

I also congratulate the cast for a job well done. The way they interpreted their characters were adequately believable and non-exaggerating. Carmina Villaroel, Marvin Agustin, Rhian Ramos, TJ Trinidad, Barbie Forteza, Derick Monasterio, Lexi Fernandez, Renz Valerio, Alden Richards, Louise delos Reyes, and Ynna Asistio all did likable and interesting acts. Probably Direk Yam managed to inject to them the right emotions to bring out on a scene.

But the ones who stood out the best for me were Alden Richards, Rhian Ramos, and Carmina Vilaroel. Alden played the psycho killer here. He had a very limited dialogue, but how he has done and portrayed his character is something unforgettable. His facial expression says it all even before he drops a word.

Rhian for me, fits well in horror films. I also watched her in Ouija and I thought she improved more. Ms. Carmina, as we all know, is really good in acting especially with the way she enunciates every word. The role here as the mother of the young Alden, is such a terrifying one. I could even hear her say "Wag kang lalabas" even after I went out the theater. Such a terror mom.

The story is something that until I got home still puzzled me. It has the kind of twist that really made me think how it was done without me even realizing it would turn out that way. In short, I didn't expect the twist that was presented near the end of the film.

The Road is not the typical horror/suspense film, for it has brought something that makes us proud as Filipinos. It sets the standard of a quality film that should be noticed and appreciated by more people. It has the "it" factor that I could recommend to anyone who wants to watch more than a cheap horror flick, and looks for something that is excellently done.

Reyn's Room film rating: A

Won't Last A Day Without You showing today, November 30 (plus premiere night pics)

The Sarah Geronimo and Gerald Anderson starring movie is shown today in over 100 theaters nationwide. The movie had its premiere night showing at the SM Megamall Cinema 9 at 6pm last night. Here are some of the pics courtesy of PEx, Viva, and SarahGeronimo.ph.

And as of 11:15 today, the movie is trending in Twitter Philippines.

Will Won't Last A Day Without You surpass the box-office successes of the previous Star Cinema movies No Other Woman and Praybeyt Benjamin?

The movie is the latest offering from Star Cinema and Viva Films and gets a General Patronage (GP) rating from MTRCB, thus anyone of all ages can get to watch the film.

Watch Won't Last A Day Without You trailer below.

Google Doodle pays Tribute to Mark Twain

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, more popularly known as Mark Twain, is honored today as Google commemorates America's most famous literary icon's 176th birthday today thru its Google Doodle.

The full-width illustration greeting shown in the search giant's homepage portrays an episode in the novel in which the protagonist is made to whitewash a fence. Resembling a drawing from the popular children's story book and 1876 novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the picture appears to show Tom Sawyer who gets his friend Huckleberry Finn to paint a Google Doodle for Mark Twain's birthday.

Google Doodle presenting Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, the characters from Mark Twain's novels. (click to enlarge)

Twain is known and loved for his combination of rich humour and sharp social commentary on life along the Mississippi river during the pre-civil war period, and noted for his pioneering use of the vernacular. His treatment of slavery and racism has been the subject of much debate.

Twain died April 21, 1910.

Andres Bonifacio at 148: Celebrating the Philippines' Most-Searched Hero

Credit

When I was a kid, I used to distinguish our national hero Jose Rizal to another well-known Filipino hero, Andres Bonifacio, with one belief: Rizal used his "pen and writing" to fight the Spaniards while Bonifacio used his "force and might" to commence a revolution.

The comparison between these two heroes have long been a topic of debate among different institutions and scholarly researches. But, is it fair to compare them?

If Rizal and Bonifacio still live today (they'll be 150 and 148 year-old gramps literally), the first might ask the latter,

"Who are you?"

And the latter will respond,

"I'm your number one fan!".



In short, if Rizal haven't known Bonifacio in his entire existence, then it wouldn't be fair at all to compare them.

Rizal made two novelas to awaken the national consciousness and patriotism of Filipinos back then against the Spanish ruling, thus resulting to the insulted and outraged Spaniards, and then setting up a firing squad to shoot Rizal in front of his many kababayan.

Bonifacio, from the time he learned about Rizal's deportation and exile, founded the Katipunan who aimed to arm a revolt, thus starting the Philippine revolution that ended the Spanish ruling in the Philippines.

Due to false accusations of betraying the government, Bonifacio was executed by his co-Katipuneros five months after Rizal's death.

Several years after their deaths and despite all the unclear bits of Philippine history, Rizal and Bonifacio remain admired and revered for their roles on achieving the freedom we are experiencing now.



And both of them, being among the most-searched heroes in 2010 according to Google, is a proof that their legacy is passed on even after a long time since their heroism.

And whoever between Rizal and Bonifacio would you personally like to become the nation's national hero, would it change a thing in history? Would it make the Philippines prosper (more)? Heroes, after all, should not be legislated, but more of, and should be appreciated. And we will better just leave the appreciation to textbooks for our sons' and daughters' future readings.

And whoever between the two should be deserving of the title, we should always give thanks that we can go out and spend the whole day freely every June 19 and November 30 of the year - for these are the days we commemorate their birthdays, and of course, the holidays!

Three-year old dies after dad puts him in washing machine for punishment

33-year old French father was charged with murder after allegedly killing his three-year old son after putting him inside a washing machine and switched it on for "punishment" on throwing a fellow nursery classmate’s drawing down the toilet late Sunday, Paris time.

Christophe Champenois is accused of bundling son Bastien's naked body into the machine at the family home near Paris and running a cold wash cycle. The boy's mother, Charlene, 25, was also charged with failing to prevent a crime and failing to assist a person in danger.


It was only after the incident that the mother released her son and ran to a neighbour's house with his limp body in her arms, claiming he had fallen down the stairs.


Both charges were held without bail.


Neighbors have reported to authorities that the father repeatedly abused the boy, anywhere from locking the boy in cupboards, to making him sit on the window sill naked wrapped in a blanket.



Bastien's grandmother said he was as unwanted child.

"On the day he was born, his father was out drinking and when I told him he had a son, he said that he didn't want him."


Earlier this month since the end of the school holidays, Bastien's school, parents and sister had noticed a change in the boy's behaviour as he was more "disturbed, careless and a problem for his parents," a local official said.

Britney Spears Tops Google Plus' Most-Followed User

Britney Spears has recently dethroned Google CEO Larry Page as Google Plus’s most-followed person with 776,406 followers, beating Page by a little over 14,000.

The "Queen of Pop" just took two months to hit the 100,000 follower mark since the launch of the site in July, and just around 10 days to quadruple that count.

In comparison, 15.5 million fans “Like” her Facebook page and 11.4 million followers monitor her Twitter updates.

Big-name celebrities and brands who regularly post and attract most users were usually included in the top most-circles users. Three of them in the top five are Spears, Snoop Dogg, and Tyra Banks, according to Social Statistics.

In the fourth place is Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who doesn’t have any public posts.

Some companies appear to have tapped into the relationship between celebrities and their fans on social networks, getting high profile stars to promote their products with subtle tweets. It has been reported that big stars could earn around $10,000 for one tweet mentioning a particular product, according to ContactMusic.com.

Was Dingdong Dantes jailed in Las Vegas?

It all started with veteran newscaster and anchor Arnold Clavio's blind item about a popular actor who was arrested in a bar by Las Vegas police.

The issue grew bigger and Paparazzi host Ruffa Gutierrez became involved in the blind item, however, the Kapatid and former beauty queen already cleared the rumors Sunday during her show.

Pops Fernandez was also involved but Ruffa refuted as well the blind item pertaining to the concert queen because Pops was not in Las Vegas during the Pacquiao-Marquez III bout.

Until Zoren Lagazpi, also a Paparazzi host, and now coined as the "Boy Laglag", revealed that it wasn't an actress, but an actor, and then named Dingdong Dantes as the one in the blind item.

According to Journal Online, Arnold Clavio clarified the one who was arrested in Las Vegas was a Kapuso artist.

The actor just went outside the bar, leaving his girlfriend inside.

When the actor tried to come inside the bar again, the guards didn't allow him to when they saw the actor had no stamp in his arms as proof he was a customer and just went outside.

Because his pretty and sexy girlfriend was still inside, the actor raved and become mad and vehemently tried to come inside the bar.

Because of the rage, police came and arrested the actor.

Piolo apologizes to KC

Piolo Pascual apologized to KC Concepcion Monday night saying his break-up with the host-singer-actress is a "very sensitive issue", and asked the public to respect his privacy.

"I apologize to the public for the breakup and both of us are undergoing [a] personal crisis.", Piolo said.


The hunk actor just came back from Japan, with another Kapamilya actor Enchong Dee.


"Ang hinihingi ko na lang ay pag-iintindi sa mga tao. Hindi madali ang proseso. Hindi rin madali yung maraming nakaabang, maraming naghihintay at maraming nakikialam. Ang sa akin, hayaan na lang muna kami, especially si Kristina. It's not easy." he pleaded.

The actor however, declined to comment on KC Concepcion's "tell-all" interview on The Buzz last Sunday.

Santiago says Gloria may post bail

Detained former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo may post bail and escape jail if it can be proven that the evidence against her is weak, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said Sunday.

“All talks (about her detention) are still premature. They are already [neglecting] the fact she might be allowed to post bail. Kung magpiyansa siya, libre siya,”” Santiago said in an interview over DZBB radio.

The government first needs to show that the evidence of guilt against Arroyo is strong before Supreme Court sets a bail hearing.

“If the evidence is weak, there is a need to bolster evidence. If she can post bail, she is free. If she is not allowed to post bail, then we can start talking about where she should be detained,” the senator and former judge added.

Santiago also reminded some public sectors not to try to humiliate Arroyo, who, according to her, enjoys the “presumption of innocence.”

“Bago siya ma-convict, dapat muna sundan natin ang presumption of innocence. Huwag natin ipapahiya,” she said.

Sources: GMA News, MB