Recently in the City of Parañaque, police officers arrested a man who has been wanted for the crime of murder, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
Parañaque City police arrested the Southern Police District’s (SPD’s) top most wanted person for the crime of murder last May 17.
The SPD said the suspect, alias Love Singh, 24, listed in the police gallery as top most wanted person for the month of May was nabbed at around 9:30 p.m. in Barangay Sun Valley, Parañaque City.
Singh was arrested by virtue of a warrant issued by Judge Ma. Christina De Pio Lim of Parañaque City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 296 on March 20, 2024, with no bail recommended.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be more people who committed murder still walking freely in the city?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Local authorities are investigating if the scam hub in Parañaque City is connected with the controversial raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Bamban, Tarlac, according to a GMA Network news report. Take note that Senator Sherwin Gatchalian already called for a probe as he received complaints from residents of a particular Parañaque village.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…
Authorities are looking into the possibility that the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Bamban, Tarlac is connected to a recent human trafficking and online scamming bust in a village in Parañaque City.
According to a “24 Oras” report by Mav Gonzales on Wednesday, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) believes the 10 Chinese and the Filipino bodyguard arrested in the police operations may have escaped from the recently raided Bamban POGO hub.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who had called for a probe into the incident following complaints filed by the residents of the village, agreed with Pagcor.
“Itong mga sindikato umiikot lang sila (These syndicates just switch around),” he said.
The raid was launched on May 2 following complaints from homeowners, who said that the structures violated their 3-story regulations. They also said this was not the first raid connected to POGO inside their village.
“When we saw Bamban, the structures were so similar…the process of applying for stickers, IDs, and also constructions. Some are using already local identification, passports, birth certificates, driver’s license, postal ID [and] all these things. They can’t even speak Tagalog,” said a homeowner.
Below is the related GMA news video as well as a UNTV news video for you to watch. Multinational Village was specifically mentioned as the location of the recent raid.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be a lot more Chinese nationals committing illegal activities while doing business in the city? Is your village filled with Chinese nationals and new business establishments that were set up to cater to them? How many foreigners and local residents in your village are working in a POGO? Do you think the scam hub in Parañaque is linked with the controversial Bamban POGO as PAGCOR believes?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, Mayor Imelda Aguilar welcomed the very young jiu-jitsu champion Jeon Bradley Cruz at City Hall, which the City Government confirmed via social media. For the newcomers reading this, the 6-year-old Cruz won the gold medal of the Kindergarten Rooster division of the ASEAN International Jiu Jitsu Open Championship 2024.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the City Government’s social media post. Some parts in boldface…
City Mayor Imelda Aguilar warmly welcomed six-year-old Jeon Bradley Dela Cruz during a courtesy visit at the City Hall on Thursday, May 16th. Jeon recently competed in the ASEAN International Jiu Jitsu Open Championship 2024, where he won the gold medal in the Kindergarten Rooster division.
Las Piñas City Mayor Imelda Aguilar with the young champion and family at City Hall. (photo source – Las Piñas PIO)
In addition to his recent victory, Jeon also participated in the Marianas Pro Manila Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championship 2024, where he secured another gold medal in the same division. His achievements in these prestigious competitions highlight his talent and dedication to the sport.
Mayor Aguilar congratulated Jeon on his accomplishments, expressing pride in his representation of Las Piñas on an international level. She noted that Jeon’s success at such a young age is commendable and brings great honor to the city and emphasized the importance of hard work and dedication, which Jeon has clearly demonstrated through his achievements.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you very delighted to learn about what Jeon Bradley Dela Cruz achieved for both the city and the nation?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Over P700 million worth of coins have been deposited through the many coin deposit machines (CoDMs) of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) as of May 15, 2024, as published on their website.
Based on the latest statistics, a total of P707,661,554.41 (over 9% higher than last the previous count of P648,904,160.19) in coins got deposited into BSP machines on 174,656 transactions (about 8% higher than the previous count 161,725 transactions) from customers. In terms of physical quantity, 193,901,254 in coins were deposited. The previous count of deposited coins was 179,641,987.
Doing the math on the latest statistics, customers averaged P4,051.74 per transaction (versus the previous month’s P4,012.39 per transaction) at the machines. As for the grand total Peso amount divided by the number of coins deposited, the average is P3.6496 per coin deposited (versus the previous average of P3.6122 per coin deposited).
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Were you able to deposit your excess coins into a BSP coin deposit machine in your locality recently? Did the BSP coin deposit machine in your locality break down often?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1984 to examine a small part of the Marvel Comics universe through a tale of the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series.
By now, you readers should be aware that I reviewed a lot of comic books about Spider-Man and his deadliest enemy Venom. It is already established through comic book history that the iconic webslinger is responsible for the establishment of Venom as he brought into the world the alien costume (the symbiote) coming from deep space (as told in the Secret Wars limited series), and he also became responsible for the destruction of Eddie Brock’s career in journalism. Of course, Venom did not debut immediately after Spider-Man’s return from Secret Wars and there was a lot more about the symbiote when it was with Peter Parker.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Amazing Spider-Man #252, published in 1984 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Roger Stern and Tom DeFalco, and drawn by Ron Frenz. This comic book marked the first appearance of the alien costume.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins inside the New York headquarters of the Daily Bugle. It has been observed that several superheroes such as Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, Iron Man, the X-Men and the Avengers have been missing this resulted in a rise of crime. Publisher J. Jonah Jameson and editor-in-chief Joe Robertson discuss the newest edition of their newspaper.
Meanwhile over at Central Park where police officers and others stand by an area that was closed off, a physical structure suddenly appears spreading bright light to onlookers. Suddenly Spider-Man (wearing a new dominant black costume) leaps out of the structure carrying Dr. Connor (the Lizard) surprising the people.
After realizing they have returned home at last after spending lots of time and struggle in deep space (Secret Wars), Spider-Man could not help but feel jubilant to be home. As the police officers don’t realize that they are talking with the same webslinger due to the new costume, one of them was about to draw his gun which prompted the superhero to use his web on him.
Suddenly, the Avengers, Captain America, Thor and Iron Man emerge from the physical structure which provided Spider-Man relief as he thought that only he and Dr. Connors made it home. With the people focusing on the other superheroes, Spider-Man and Dr. Connors slowly exited. Connors asked him what are they going to tell the world about all they have seen and experienced in deep space…
Quality
Spider-Man’s first night in New York wearing the alien costume .
I really like this story. I first read this a long time ago and I re-read it all over again for this retro review, and still this story engaged me a lot. There is a lot of richness in the script and you will get to see Peter Parker transitioning into a series of major changes that await him. Without spoiling the plot, there is no hero-versus-villain element here at all. It is all about Spider-Man who just arrived home from a major conflict (and also one of the most significant comic events ever published by Marvel Comics) and the alien costume saga truly began right here. The Venom debut did not happen until a few years later in reality.
In accordance to what was established in Secret Wars (not to be confused with the 2015 series of the same name) and the standards of then editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, the creative came up with a tale that not only showed a different Spider-Man but also portrayed him in ways that defied the tropes and creative ideas the preceded this comic book.
For one thing, Peter Parker is literally like a fish out of water here. As far as the whole world is concerned, only days passed when the superheroes went to deep space. But for the webslinger, a lot more time passed as so many battles, discoveries and intriguing events took place for him along with the others. That being said, Peter Parker’s perception of reality and track of time really got messed up and the weight of Secret War’s events really turned out overwhelming on him. This was well dramatized in the scene wherein Peter – who realized that so much time had passed – he had to call his aunt May fearing that she must be worried sick over him. There was also the moment when by walking down the street, he realized how much he missed not only his home but also the local surroundings.
It was also in this comic book when Peter started getting more oriented with the alien costume he first got in Secret Wars #8 (which was actually published after this comic book) and started to enjoy the benefits with the way it responds to his thinking. Of course, at this stage, he has yet to realize the unfortunate truth about the living costume he brought home and this story really kicked off a new and profound stage in the comic book history of Spider-Man
Conclusion
When Spider-Man finally arrived home after spending so much time during Secret Wars.
Amazing Spider-Man #252 (1984) is still a great comic book to read all over again. This was released during the time when Secret Wars (1984) was still being published and years before Venom’s big debut in the series’ 300th issue. In my view, the alien costume saga was a big turning point in the literary history of Spider-Man and the creators who got involved in this comic book really sowed the seeds of compelling and intriguing events that followed. What is intriguing is that all of these significant developments started when a Marvel Comics reader from Illinois came up with the idea of a new costume for Spider-Man, wrote to them and the publisher responded to acquire his idea for over $200 (click here).
This comic book is also a reminder of how significant Jim Shooter’s rule at Marvel Comics really was and I can say that the Marvel’s literary universe of the 1980s should not be ignored.
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, police officers arrested a man whom they suspect to be responsible for the killing of three people (including the suspect’s live-in partner) whose bodies were discovered in a residence, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The suspect in killing of an employee and two students in Las Piñas were arrested during a follow-up operation conducted by the police on Saturday, May 18.
Las Piñas police Chief, Col. Sandro Tafalla, said the suspect identified as Vicente Karagy, 36, mechanic and was arrested at around 10:15 p.m. along Aurora Drive Extension, Vergon Ville, Pulanglupa Dos, Las Piñas.
Tafalla said the victims were identified as Mary Jean Avellna, 27, live-in partner of the suspect, Natalie Jane Cabintot, 19, and Oliver Bula, 11, both students.
The lifeless bodies of the victims were discovered after Princess Kanagy reported to the barangay, a foul odor originating from the room of the victims located at Charles St., Saint Joseph Subdivision, Barangay Pulanglupa Dos, Las Piñas.
Authorities immediately responded to the scene and discovered the bodies on the floor and the place in total disarray.
According to the family of the victims, they were last seen alive on May 15.
Police suspect jealousy as the motive of the killing as Mary Jean was allegedly having an affair according to Karagy.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do you think the suspect was indeed responsible for the deaths of the three victims?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, the city health office stated that there are no cases of the new variants of COVID-19, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City Health Office said there are no cases of the new variants of Covid-19 in the city amid the start of screening for arrivals at the country’s points of entry.
Dr. Juancho Bunyi, CHO head, said as of May 28, there are only four active Covid-19 cases with mild and moderate symptoms in the city confined at the city-run Ospital ng Muntinlupa in Alabang.
“No new variants reported as per DOH [Department of Health],” said Bunyi.
The country’s Bureau of Quarantine ordered the screening at points of entry on all arrivals from countries where Covid-19 FLiRT cases have been reported.
The DOH said based on the update by the World Health Organization (WHO), the three new variants of Covid-19 being monitored are JN.1.18, KP.2 and KP.3, which are “descendants of JN.1.”
It said KP.2 and KP.3 are known as the “FLiRT” variants, “a nickname coined by some researchers to describe amino acid changes in the COVID-19 virus’ spike protein, specifically from phenylalanine (F) to leucine (L) at position 456, and from arginine (R) to threonine (T) at position 346.”
WHO observed that “there are currently no reported laboratory or epidemiological reports indicating any association between VOIs/VUMs and increased disease severity.”
In the Philippines, the DOH reported that from May 7 to 13, a total of 877 new Covid-19 cases were recorded with an average of 125 reported cases per day.
It said that while there is an increase of Covid-19 cases in the country recently, it is small and lower compared to previous observed increases.
Of the 877, seven had severe or critical disease and five people died, which occurred from April 30 to May 13.
“All Philippine regions remain to be at low risk for COVID-19. There is no scientific basis for travel restrictions to any country because of an increase in COVID-19 cases. The Department remains to be in close coordination with international health authorities, and its Bureau of Quarantine is keeping watch over points of entry nationwide. The voluntary use of face masks should be done properly, along with standard precautions like hand washing, avoiding crowds, and choosing good airflow,” the DOH said.
As of May 12, only 11 percent (119/1,117) of dedicated Covid-19 ICU (intensive care unit) beds were occupied and only 13 percent (1,238/9,571) of dedicated Covid-19 non-ICU beds were occupied, the DOH added.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you concerned FLiRT variants of COVID-19 could be detected in the city soon?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that more than four million voters were removed from the official record of voters which is the result of voters failing to vote in two successive elections or for other reasons, according to a GMA Network news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…
Some 4.2 million names have been removed from the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) official list of voters, Unang Balita reported on Friday.
Most of those delisted were from Region IV-A (Calabarzon).
Reasons for the delisting were failure to vote in two successive preceding regular elections, by court order, loss of Filipino citizenship, and having non-valid documents.
Comelec earlier said that as of May 5, 2024, more than 2.5 million new voters were already registered for the 2025 national and local elections, nearing the three million target set by the poll body.
The voter registration period for the May 2025 midterm polls started on February 12, and will end on September 30, 2024.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you anyone in your local community who got delisted by the COMELEC? Are many members of your local community aware of the ongoing voters registration process? Do you find it surprising that most of the 4.2 million voters who were taken off the official list were from the CALABARZON region?
Recently in Batangas, police officers arrested a lady for allegedly stealing money from senior citizens at automated teller machines (ATMs), according to a GMA Network news report. As it turned out, the arrested suspect scammed victims in multiple locations and she was previously arrested for the same crime. The suspect’s tactics include the pretentious assistance of senior citizens at ATMs and using glue on keypads of the machines.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…
A woman dubbed the “Glue Lady” was arrested for allegedly stealing money from senior citizens withdrawing from ATM Machines.
According to a 24 Oras report by John Consulta on Friday, the woman was arrested in an operation in Lipa, Batangas.
“Ang modus niya ay kunwari aalalayan niya ang mga matatanda para makapagwithdraw. Yun pala, gagamit siya ng glue at pag umalis na yung biktima, siya na ang magwiwithdraw ng pera,” said PNP PRO4A Regional Director Police Brigadier General Paul Kenneth Lucas.
(Her ploy is that she pretends to assist senior citizens in withdrawing. All along, she uses glue and withdraws money when the victim leaves.)
Based on police reports, the suspect puts glue on the ATM keypad so that it appears broken.
When the suspect persuades the victim to ask for help from the guards, she removes the glue and withdraws from the account.
The suspect was able to scam victims in Rizal, Batangas, and other areas outside of CALABARZON. She had previous arrests for the same crime five years ago.
“Ngayon ay naisilbi na ang 9 na warrant of arrests, may paparating na 9 pa, ang isa doon ay non bailable. Importanteng nahuli na natin siya para di na siya makaperwisyo,” added Lucas.
(We have now served nine warrants of arrests, and nine more are coming with one non-bailable case. It’s a good thing that we have apprehended her so that she can’t trouble anyone else)
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you know anyone who got scammed by the apprehended suspect? Did you notice suspicious people standing near you whenever you visit an ATM to withdraw cash?
Welcome back, my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1NHK World’s Game Planet Documentary – If you are very passionate about video games and you want to see gaming through the views of the Japanese and the Chinese, then you should see NHK World’s documentary here. This video documentary is also a must-see for those who love playing the Street Fighter video games. Lots of creative talents from Capcom and Tencent interviewed.
#2 Square Enix decides to drop PlayStation exclusivity and go multiplatform with their business – It was indeed bound to happen and I was not surprised about it. In case you missed the news, Square Enix announced it will drop PlayStation exclusivity in favor of going aggressive with a multiplatform strategy. This is because there was a massive 70% profit drop on the part of Square Enix and sales of the PlayStation 5-exclusive Final Fantasy VII Rebirth were undeniably disappointing. To understand the details better, posted below is one analytical video and one critical video.
#3 Nick Anderson’s notorious 4 missed free throws and disrespect towards Michael Jordan – If you are long-time basketball fan, you would at least be aware of significant events during the NBA Playoffs and the Finals in 1995. I am talking about Nick Anderson who is still remembered as the guy who missed four free throws as his team (Orlando Magic) was already leading by three points ahead of the Houston Rockets (defending champions) during Game 1 of the 1995 NBA Finals. As history recorded, the Houston Rockets swept the Magic 4-0 to win their 2nd straight NBA championship. Going back to Anderson, he is also the same guy who disrespected Michael Jordan during the Eastern Conference semifinals. Posted below are three videos for you to watch.
#4 Reggie Miller’s 8 points in 8.9 seconds – Still with the 1995 NBA Playoffs, here is a look back at the miraculous achievement of Reggie Miller scoring eight points in less than nine seconds during a game against the New York Knicks at the Madison Square Garden. For the newcomers reading this, the playoff rivalry between the Knicks and Indiana Pacers started in 1994 and by the time their rematch in 1995 was realized, collective fan anticipation was already high. There was no better way to raise the stakes in the rematch than Miller’s unexpected 8 points in 8.9 seconds. Watch the video below.
#5 Popcorn in Bed’s reaction video of Deep Impact – In 1998 here in the Philippines, I saw the sci-fi film Deep Impact in a cinema during its first week of release. It was entertaining to watch given the sci-fi spectacle, the concept and, of course, the wide cast of actors that includes the legendary Robert Duvall in a really solid supporting role. What is most notable about Deep Impact is the fact that it was made to spark emotion from viewers and that is most inevitable in the movie reaction video by Popcorn in Bed. With the current number of Deep Impact reaction videos available on YouTube as of this writing, the best one is viewable right below…
#6 HolyLandSite’s video of the tour of the Oaks of Mamre in Israel– Recently HolyLandSite released their newest Holy Land video focused on the Oaks of Mamre in Israel which is the historical and biblical site where the Abrahamic Covenant was given. Oaks of Mamre is filled with evidence that it is indeed the very place where Abraham met God. God’s covenant has always been with the Jewish people (read Genesis 17:15-21 in the Holy Bible). This video also has biblical lessons for those who follow Lord Jesus and the Word of God. May this also remind you that the ties between Jews and Christians are biblical.
#7 Retrospective video about Konami’s X-Men arcade game – Just a few years before Capcom and Marvel Comics teamed up for the production of arcade games featuring superheroes and the publisher’s own characters, Konami literally rocked the arcades with a lot of fun with the X-Men arcade game of 1992. Using the established character designs from the 1989 cartoon X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men, the arcade game allowed players to choose one of six superheroes to play as (listed were Cyclops, Wolverine, Dazzler, Storm, Colossus and Nightcrawler) and engage in side-scrolling beat-them-up action fighting the many minions of Magneto. The X-Men arcade game was undeniably successful and impacted the way people enjoyed multiplayer sessions in the arcades. You can learn more from this in-depth retro gaming video by PatmanQC.
#8 FilmComicsExplained’s Demolition Man video analysis – When I first saw Demolition Man (1993), I perceived it as a Sylvester Stallone action movie laced with futuristic science fiction (sci-fi) concepts. I noticed the film’s portrayal of what future society could become and what futuristic technologies could be used by people. By today’s standards, Demolition Man is perceived to be prophetic with its presentation and the video by FilmComicsExplained takes an in-depth look into it. It is a must-see!
#9 The death of wicked Iran’s president – Since 1979, Iran became wicked and its government has officially been sponsoring terrorists and terrorism activities in the Middle East for far too long. In case you missed the news, the president of Iran died in a helicopter crash recently and there were other fatalities with him. The president of Iran not only publicly called for the destruction of Israel, he is also responsible for harming minorities and political opponents, hurting protesters in Iran and more. There are reasons why the dead president has been called the Butcher of Tehran. For a clear view and analysis over the death of the president of Iran, watch the selected videos below. Do not trust Islamo-Leftist mainstream news media as they support terrorism.
Author Carlo Carrasco 