socialist – Page 22 – Author Carlo Carrasco

I Love Israel: Israel confirms it will extend support to families of four Filipinos who died during attacks by Hamas

October 28, 2023October 27, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow people of faith and supporters of Israel. Last time around, I magnified a GMA Network news report about Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss confirming that Filipinos present in Israel are being taken care of as the Jewish State’s war with Palestinian terrorist group Hamas goes on. The latest news that Filipinos should pay attention to is the Israeli government’s confirmation of extending support to the families if the four Filipinos (identified as Grace Prodigo Cabrera, Loreta Alacre, Angeline Aguirre, and Paul Vincent Castelvi) who lost their lives when Hamas launched its attacks on Israel, 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…

The Israeli government will extend long-term support to the families of the four Filipinos who were killed during the attack of militant group Hamas in Israel.

According to Sandra Aguinaldo’s report on Unang Balita on Friday, this was the information received by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) from the Israel Embassy in the Philippines.

“Sila ay treated like an Israeli citizen, so kung ano ‘yung benepisyo na nakukuha ng isang Israeli citizen, gan’un din ang ibibigay sa kanila,” said OWWA administrator Arnell Ignacio.

(They are treated like Israeli citizens, so their benefits are the same as those of an Israeli citizen.)

The four Filipino fatalities were Grace Prodigo Cabrera, Loreta Alacre, Angeline Aguirre, and Paul Vincent Castelvi.

Aside from assistance in burial and mourning expenses, the families of the four Filipinos will also receive monthly support and yearly cash benefits.

The Israeli Embassy has earlier said it would extend assistance not only to the families of the Filipinos killed in the violence but also to who were injured.

Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss confirmed that Israel will extend assistance to foreign victims of the ongoing violence, including Filipinos.

“We recognize them as victims of terrorism and for that then they will be receiving assistance, either the parents, spouses or children accordingly,” Fluss said in the Unang Balita report.

“Financial assistance, their monthly income. If they need assistance in education, in healthcare, housing… as long as they are in Israel and documented,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ignacio said 58 Filipinos from Israel are set to arrive in the country on Monday, October 30.

In relation to the above news, we Filipinos should thank the Jewish State for the assistance and other forms of support for Filipinos there in Israel who got affected by the continuing attacks by the terrorists. We should also thank the Lord God for the thriving Israel-Philippines ties which for me are truly essential and more Filipinos should value the said ties. Having been to Israel myself (click here, here, here, here, here and here), I witnessed the Holy Bible coming to life at the Holy Land sites our pilgrimage tour group visited and I developed love and support for the Jewish people in accordance to God’s Word. As my faith in the Lord is unbreakable and uncompromising, I will always stand united with Israel.

As Israel and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) keep on fighting the terrorists not only in Gaza but also in other parts of the country (across borders with nations that somehow accommodated the terrorists), we who believe in the Lord should keep on praying to Him to ensure Israel’s victory, to support the Jewish people, to support the families of the Filipino victims as well as others who became victims of terrorism. Pray also for the innocent and dissenting Palestinians who did not want to be part of the evil activities of Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

Be aware that the United Nations (UN), Hamas, Iran, the Democrats, the Palestinian Authority (PA), the woke, Black Lives Matter, the socialists/Communists/Marxists/liberals, the anti-Semitic mob, the climate change extremists, the LGBT mob, the diversity zealots and their inclusion counterparts are all doing the dirty works of Satan. Those are the worldly forces who do not even realize that they have been consumed by evil and they have members who decided to become evil. Along the way, the evil legacies (anti-Israel) of Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and murder Yasser Arafat are still being felt.

That being said, supporting Israel and the Jewish people with God watching us is the right, the moral and holy thing to do. We need to keep on praying to Him for Israel and if God commands you to do something in serving him, do it without hesitation. Ask the Lord how you can support the Jewish State and help contribute to Israel’s next victories while putting out the fire of hatred around the world. For insight about Israel’s place under the Lord and why victory with Him (crushing evil) is inevitable, refer to the holy scriptures below…

Now [in Haran] the Lord said to Abram, Go for yourself [for your own advantage] away from your country, from your relatives and your father’s house, to the land that I will show you.

And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others].

And I will bless those who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and [a]curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you; in you will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed [and by you they will bless themselves].

Genesis 12:1-3 (AMPC)

After these events, God tested and proved Abraham and said to him, Abraham! And he said, Here I am.

[God] said, Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I will tell you.

So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and then began the trip to the place of which God had told him.

On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.

And Abraham said to his servants, Settle down and stay here with the donkey, and I and the young man will go yonder and worship and come again to you.

Then Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on [the shoulders of] Isaac his son, and he took the fire (the firepot) in his own hand, and a knife; and the two of them went on together.

And Isaac said to Abraham, My father! And he said, Here I am, my son. [Isaac] said, See, here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt sacrifice?

Abraham said, My son, God Himself will provide a lamb for the burnt offering. So the two went on together.

When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there; then he laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar on the wood.

And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took hold of the knife to slay his son.

But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham! He answered, Here I am.

And He said, Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear and revere God, since you have not held back from Me or begrudged giving Me your son, your only son.

Then Abraham looked up and glanced around, and behold, behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering and an ascending sacrifice instead of his son!

So Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide. And it is said to this day, On the mount of the Lord it will be provided.

The Angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time

And said, I have sworn by Myself, says the Lord, that since you have done this and have not withheld [from Me] or begrudged [giving Me] your son, your only son,

In blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore. And your Seed (Heir) will possess the gate of His enemies,

And in your Seed [Christ] shall all the nations of the earth be blessed and [by Him] bless themselves, because you have heard and obeyed My voice.

Genesis 22:1-18 (AMPC)

Again God said to him, Your name is Jacob [supplanter]; you shall not be called Jacob any longer, but Israel shall be your name. So He called him Israel [contender with God].

And God said to him, I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you and kings shall be born of your stock;

The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and to your descendants after you I will give the land.

Genesis 35:10-12 (AMPC)

Thus says the Lord: For three transgressions of Gaza [a city in Philistia] and for four [for multiplied delinquencies], I will not reverse the punishment of it or revoke My word concerning it, because [as slave traders] they carried away captive the whole [Jewish] population [of defenseless Judean border villages, of which none was spared, none left behind] and delivered them up to Edom [for the slave trade].

So I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza which shall devour its strongholds.

And I will cut off the inhabitants from Ashdod and him who holds the scepter from Ashkelon, and I will turn My hand against Ekron; and the rest of the Philistines [in Gath and the towns dependent on these four Philistine cities] shall perish, says the Lord God.

Amos 1:6-8 (AMPC)

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God’s] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says the Lord.

Romans 12:19 (AMPC)

O my God, make them like whirling dust, like stubble or chaff before the wind!

As fire consumes the forest, and as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,

So pursue and afflict them with Your tempest and terrify them with Your tornado or hurricane.

Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek, inquire for, and insistently require Your name, O Lord.

Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; yes, let them be put to shame and perish,

That they may know that You, Whose name alone is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.

Psalm 83:13-18 (AMPC)

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut. The Lord is faithful and He is capable of winning battles and wars that are too great for us to deal with. Have unwavering faith in Him knowing that victory is His that we can be part of.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your enlightenment.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

I Love Israel: Ambassador Fluss confirms that Filipinos are being taken care of in Israel as war with Hamas goes on

October 26, 2023October 23, 2023carlocarrasco

As some of you are already aware, I fully stand with Israel which is directly connected with my uncompromising faith in the Lord. The October 7, 2023 attack on Israel committed by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas is the main cause of the state of war. No matter what the terrorists and their Leftist siblings do, nothing will stop me from supporting the Jewish state as its military campaign against Hamas continues. The Palestinian terrorists are guilty of infiltration, torture, kidnapping, murdering and damages of property in Israel.

Unsurprisingly, there were also people of different nationalities in Israel who got negatively affected by Hamas. There were already a few of my fellow Filipinos there who lost their lives and the Philippine embassy has been working hard to ensure the safety of other Filipinos present.

Here is a bit of good news – Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss confirmed that Filipinos present in Israel are being taken care of, according to a GMA Network news report (which referred to an ANC interview).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…

Amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas militants, Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said Monday that Filipinos in Israel are being taken care of like family members of its citizens.

Fluss said that most of the 30,000 Filipinos in Israel “feel that they are safe” and that they wanted to stay in the Middle East country despite the fatal attacks by Hamas in Israel and vice versa.

“The Filipinos in Israel are part of us. They live with our own people… They are part of our families, they are staying in our homes. When we have to go into a sheltered room or into a bomb shelter or safety room, they come with us,” the ambassador said in an ANC interview.

“You are now joining the Israeli family which is a big family, unfortunately, of the victims of terror. And we are taking care of you as one of our big family in all different kinds of ways,” he added.

Four Filipinos were confirmed dead due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The latest casualty was an Ilongga caregiver who was one of the three Filipinos earlier reported missing.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the Philippines stands with Israel following the deadly attacks by Hamas.

To my fellow Filipinos reading this, I encourage you to accept the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be without hestitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!

In relation to the news report about the state of Filipinos in Israel, we here in the Philippines should thank and bless the Israelis in return for taking care of them as the war goes on.

We live in a very divided world. Around the world, Leftist forces have been supporting evil forces like the current regime of Iran which is known for supplying and arming the Palestinian terrorists and other terrorist groups around the Middle East. Leftist forces have been supporting the Palestinian Authority and other enemies of Israel. The Leftists and terrorists always go together and their anti-Semitism is clearly obvious. Hamas is purely evil and they are being protected by not only their fellow terrorists but also by mainstream news media outlets who are linked with Leftist forces and people who hate Israel and the Jewish people. At the same time, the Palestinian Authority and other pro-Palestine groups will do anything to mislead people and undermine Israel’s war campaigns against the terrorist group Hamas.

With all that said, it is a must we pray to the Lord God in support of Israel and believe that He will guide the Israeli forces to another victory which means finishing off Hamas. Read Joshua 11:1-20 in the Holy Bible for relevance and truth.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your enlightenment.

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AFP says Communist insurgents have been greatly weakened

October 24, 2023October 20, 2023carlocarrasco

Let’s be clear here – the Left is inherently evil. That being said, we should focus on the current state of conflict between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Left as the military announced recently that the Communists have been greatly weakened during the first eight months of this year, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

The New People’s Army (NPA) and its allies have been greatly weakened after suffering heavy losses from January to August this year, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Thursday.

In a forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), Brawner said the AFP has neutralized 2,658 NPA members and their supporters from Jan. 1 to Aug. 17 this year.

Of this number, 124 were killed during encounters with military forces, while 87 were arrested and 2,447 surrendered to the government, he said.

“As far as the communist terrorist group is concerned, we are again happy to report that we have already neutralized most of the guerrilla fronts operating in the country. We have weakened a lot of them and there are now just a few armed elements operating in the country,” Brawner said.

With these constant losses, he said, they are seeing a “downward trend of the number of communist coddlers” caused by the neutralization of many of their ranking leaders.

“We are very happy because since last year, with the neutralization of their top, their key leaders, we have seen a widespread surrender of fighters, and also with the death of (Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria) ‘Joma’ Sison, now we see that they (are) losing the ideology,” Brawner said.

“And with this decline, many of the surviving NPAs could be just classified as bandits as they are engaged in extortion rackets.”

He noted the possibility of the AFP “neutralizing” the NPA by the end of the year.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Satanic Left here in the Philippines are still a threat to your family and your local community? Are there many Leftists living in your local community right now? Are you aware that mainstream news outlets like CNN, The New York Times and MSNBC all emphasize Leftist concepts in their so-called news reports? Are you aware that Democrats in America are inspiring young Filipinos to become socialists, Marxists, Communists, SJWs, homosexuals and terrorist supporters?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Carlo Carrasco’s Movie Review: Sound of Freedom (2023)

September 27, 2023September 25, 2023carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from watching the movie 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, readers and movie enthusiasts! Chances are you must have heard about the controversy and debates over Sound of Freedom, a movie about the child trafficking which was made years ago but only got released this year after overcoming many hurdles. The film starring Jim Caviezel as real-life hero Tim Ballard and directed by Alejandro Monteverde, was released at a time when wokeness in Hollywood got so feverish a lot of movies were no longer interesting for me.

In case you missed the news, the low budget Sound of Freedom performed beyond expectations in the American box office and has since been making waves gradually in cinemas around the world. The film opened officially here in the Philippines on September 20 and I finally saw it in the local theater.

With regards to the controversy about Sound of Freedom, I urge you to reject the Leftists’ constant ranting against it and make the effort to see it yourselves. If you take into account the conceptualization of the movie, it is almost a decade old now and efforts to write the script happened years before QAnon even started (for context, watch Midnight’s Edge video by clicking here). Blatant accusations of QAnon conspiracy theory against this film are simply false and officially denied by Tim Ballard. Communist-filled Hollywood (Commiewood) and the woke mob are simply lying to stop people from seeing the movie.

With those details laid down, here is my review of Sound of Freedom.

Early story

The story begins in Honduras when a pretty lady visits the home of a father who has one young daughter and one young son, and convinces him to have them audition into modeling. The audition happened in a different location (filled with the man’s two kids and many others) and as the father was not allowed to be present, he was asked to return in the evening. By the time he returned, the place was empty and the children were kidnapped. They secretly shipped to another country.

In America, Tim Ballard and his time successfully apprehended a man for possessing and distributing child pornography. Tim’s teammate points out to him that although they have arrested many child predators, they could not even save a single child from exploitation and abuse…

Quality

I will start first by saying that this movie was not made to entertain viewers but to emphasize the real-life problems of child trafficking, kidnapping, the abuse of minors, sex trafficking and why slavery today still has many millions of victims (including minors).

This movie closely examines the struggles that come with fighting the syndicates (that kidnapped children and sell them) and the customers (who paid to illegally acquire children for their wicked desires) as told through the eyes of Tim Ballard (Jim Caviezel) who is clearly feeling the heavy stress of his US Homeland Security job (which takes a lot of strength, sacrifice and sheer will to do). Ballard himself has many kids with his faithful and supportive wife (Mira Sorvino) and therefore he can easily relate with the parents whose children got kidnapped and sold in other countries.

Caviezel is mostly subtle with expressing Ballard’s emotions as well as his verbal expressions with the other people he interacted with. This is not to say that Caviezel’s act is wooden, rather he is straightforward with portraying a man who feels disturbed by the collective stress of his duty (but still far away from the breaking low-point). Even though he is getting worn down, Ballard’s sheer determination to save a specific kidnapped-and-abused daughter for a Honduras-based father is nicely captured by Caviezel.

The efforts of fighting the criminals who pounced on children involves a lot of hurdles to overcome. I’m not just talking about Homeland Security agents taking down people in America who engaged in child pornography but also going after the very criminals overseas who kidnapped children, shipped them from one nation to another and sell them as “models” to pedophiles. As such, Ballard’s efforts involves spending time overseas (away from his family), making local connections and secretly working his way into different locations where the risks of getting killed are high.

Again, this tale is not about entertaining viewers as it works on emphasizing to them how extremely difficult it is to bring down the criminals in real-life. The good news is that this film is nicely directed by Monteverde whose cinematic style is simplistic and yet engaging to watch. There is a clear subtle approach on showing what little violence the film has. As for scenes of child abuse, there is nothing graphic to see (left ambiguous) nor was there anything intense about them. While I am certain that some parts of the story involved liberties in order to establish a functional cinematic narrative, this movie strives hard with realism while also avoiding becoming preachy with its message (expressed in subtle fashion) about human trafficking, child slavery and the business involving pedophiles and kidnappers.

Conclusion

Sound of Freedom was clearly made to inform the world that children are still being kidnapped, used for illegal transactions, transported around the world and sold to the predators. This real-world problem continues to happen somewhere every single day and there are simply not enough law enforcers who could fight the criminals and rescue the kidnapped minors. Nor do the law enforcers have the resources to stage major rescue operations while facing off with armed criminals and their bodyguards.

While it is told through Tim Ballard, this movie is not about him and his profession. It is about the extreme difficulties that law enforcers – both domestic and overseas – have to go through to save the very young victims. The story was told with consistent realism and subtlety which make it very believable to watch. Jim Caviezel is indeed a solid performer and his portrayal of Tim Ballard will easily remind you that true heroes are the ones who bravely face tremendous odds to achieve their goals (for good) while still maintaining their sanity no matter how hopeless the situations appeared.

Sound of Freedom is a cinematic call to action to make others aware about the ongoing menaces of sex trafficking, kidnapping, abuse of minors and the cartels (demonic people) that profited from their evil trade. Like Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, this film was made for reflective viewing and not for amusement. Indeed, God’s children are not for sale and this is the truth that the bashers of this movie do not want you to realize. There is also the biblical truth to the popular quote from the film. Read the holy scripture below…

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

1 John 3:1-10 (NKJV)

To put things politically, you must be wondering why the Satanic Left – Democrats, Communists, socialists, Marxists, liberals, the SJWs and the woke extremists – keep on bashing and hating Sound of Freedom. Here is why…because the Leftists are themselves pro-crime (example: “Defund the police.”) and they have made efforts to weaken law enforcement which emboldened the criminals such as robbers, murderers, kidnappers, smugglers, rapists, terrorists, molesters, illegal immigrants and, of course, the pedophiles. The Leftists are clearly wicked and they are lots of them present not only in government but also in showbiz, the mainstream media and other sectors of societies. The Leftists care less about the children and nuclear family, and this is why they want more drag queens and homosexuals to go after the children without law enforcers blocking them. The Leftists are okay with children getting kidnapped, abused and raped. In short, those in the Left are okay with being evil and doing what Satan wants.

*I saw Sound of Freedom at the local cinema.*

The Leftists are very afraid of Sound of Freedom and remember that it is the one notable movie that almost never got released. That being said, you must watch the movie whenever you have chance to do so.

Overall, Sound of Freedom (2023) is recommended!

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Chinese national apprehended in Parañaque City for possession of firearm and illegal drugs

September 13, 2023September 11, 2023carlocarrasco

Recently in Parañaque City, a Chinese national was arrested for bringing a gun with live ammunition as well as illegal drugs that were hidden in his bag, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

A Chinese national was arrested for possession of firearms and drugs upon entering a hotel and casino hub in Parañaque City on Sunday, September 10.

The Southern Police District (SPD) said the suspect, identified as Wan Liang, 40, was arrested at around 3:00 p.m. at the Pearl Entry of Okada Manila, Entertainment City in Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City.

The police said security personnel noticed suspicious items inside Liang’s bag during the routine bag screening before entering the hotel and casino hub. The security immediately prevented Lang from entering the establishment.

Police recovered a .45 caliber pistol with one magazine loaded with seven live ammunitions, a zip-locked sachet containing 1.77 grams of shabu worth P12,036 and two alleged ecstasy tablets worth P3,400, along with assorted IDs and P710.00 cash inside the bag.

The suspect was immediately turned over to the Tambo police substation by Jaafar after the discovery of the illegal items.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? Are you concerned that there could be Chinese nationals moving around Parañaque secretly carrying guns and illegal drugs with them?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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

A Look Back at Punisher 2099 #3 (1993)

September 6, 2023September 3, 2023carlocarrasco

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, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1996 and explore a part of the Marvel 2099 comics universe through a tale of the Punisher 2099 monthly series.

In my previous retro review, the futuristic Punisher moved on from the deaths of his family members. Influenced strongly by the writings of the late Punisher Frank Castle, Jake Gallows begins operating as a vigilante even though he still has a full-time career as a law enforcer with Private Eye. Not only that, he gets opportunities to face off once again with Kron Stone (Venom 2099 himself) who is responsible for the deaths of Jake’s family.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Punisher 2099 #3, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Pat Mills and Tony Skinner, and drawn by Tom Morgan.

Early story

The story begins on one snowy night within the city. A lady who has grown very addicted with Total Reality makes a deal with a sinister merchant and makes her escape out of reality and into a living digital realm without caring about the consequences she will physically experience.

A black ambulance arrives and out comes the Punisher who hits the merchant hard enough with his weapon for a quick knockout. He then takes off the lady’s optical device (note: this should remind you somewhat of Microsoft’s HoloLens in terms of physical similarities) which brings her back to reality. Gallows knows fully well that Total Reality can actually kill users who do not practice any restraint, and he then crushes the lady’s device. Instead of thanking the Punisher, she expresses her frustration and anger to him before leaving.

Afterwards, Gallows brings the merchant into the black ambulance and puts him on stretcher. There are sharp devices nearby that can kill the merchant if he makes any attempt to escape…

Quality

*Among his colleagues at work, Jake Gallows simply acts as he himself is the Punisher captured on video (but his face has been protected digitally).*

While the first two issues of this monthly formed the origin and establishment of Punisher 2099, this comic book shows him doing vigilante work and acting as judge, jury and executioner all together. Going back to issue #1, the creative team made it clear that in 2099, justice can be bought and punishment for criminals is much softer compared to how it was in the 20^th century. This alone serves as a powerful motivation for Jake Gallows to bring back old-fashioned, harsh punishment for criminals even if it means he has to do it by himself outside of the law. This is the core concept of this comic book and along the way, there is this build-up of the villain Fearmaster and his henchman Multi-Fractor.

More on the story, the creative team took their time to develop Jakes Gallows and emphasize how his mind functions each time he works secretly as a vigilante (who cannot be identified visually) and privately as a Private Eye cop (the organization’s psychologist noticed something about him). More on his secret as the Punisher, it turns out Gallows was able to establish a secret prison complex, equipment for crime-fighting and even a deadly chair underground.

As he continues to be obsessed with fighting criminals with the harsh ways of the past, the futuristic Punisher symbolically becomes a questionable protagonist. On face value, he seems to be good by simply opposing crime and yet he seems to be evil as he commits acts outside of 2099’s laws.

Conclusion

*Clearly acting out of the law, the Punisher of the future imprisons criminals and acts as judge, jury and executioner without hesitation. This also shows his dark side.*

With its simply concept, Punisher 2099 #3 (1993) succeeds in defining the futuristic Punisher’s motives, intentions and execution. Compared to Frank Castle Punisher, Jake Gallows lives in a society which has laws that are so weak to push back against crime, justice becomes hollow and even laughable. That being said, this comic book is very socially relevant (note: Leftists in America weakened laws which benefited criminals, supported illegal immigrants at the expense of citizens, and have varied movements of arrogant protesters and activists who intimidated people and caused serious damage around the country) and what has been happening in America under the influence of the Democrats makes the dark future of 2099 looking like it could happen. At the same time, the Punisher in this story incidentally became somewhat unlikable as his crime-fighting obsession is gradually turning him into becoming as bad as the bad guys. This is a lively reminder that even in a society that is plagued with crime and weak justice, vigilantism is still a big no-no and it is also very destructive. To be a vigilante means becoming wicked.

Overall, Punisher 2099 #3 (1993) is satisfactory.

+++++

A Look Back at Spider-Man 2099 #41 (1996)

August 31, 2023August 28, 2023carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, the futuristic webslinger encountered Goblin 2099 (note: the futuristic take on Green Goblin) who proved to be very dangerous not with weapons nor physical attacks but with influence members of the local society to rebel against him believing that he is a corporate asset. How much influence Goblin had on the people at the expense of Spider-Man is just waiting to be discovered.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man 2099 #41, published in 1996 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Peter David and drawn by Andrew Wildman

Early story

The story begins with Miguel O’Hara visiting a ruined place with armed personnel escorting him. It turns out the site was the White House and Doom 2099 has already fallen as President of the United States. Miguel seeks closure as he spends time at the ruins and eventually finds the name plate from the office of Tyler Stone (Miguel’s biological father).

Meanwhile at Alchemax, corporate personnel got surprised to see Tyler Stone return confined to a hovechair due to his fragile and weakened state. This turned out to be his first time to be at work since he got shot.

Inside the laboratory, Tyler sees his deranged son Kron (Venom 2099) contained behind solid glass like a mere scientific specimen for study. After learning key details about the symbiote and how it affected his son, Tyler gives the order to have Kron executed…

Quality

*Even though Goblin 2099 was not present, this scene shows how much the said villain poisoned the minds of people to harm Spider-Man.*

Let me start with the writing by Peter David. It is clear to me that David confidently wrote this story to maintain the flow of intrigue, emphasize how local society’s changing, how the external events affect others and, most notably, managing to push Spider-Man 2099 to the edge complete with a brewing conflict with the very powerful Tyler Stone.

At this stage of the monthly series of the 1990s, Miguel O’Hara’s rise within the corporate structure of Alchemax got emphasized again and Peter David inserted growing tensions for the protagonist effectively blurring the boundary that separates personal life from the corporate career. That being said, the futuristic Spider-Man in his civilian identity literally entered a gray area which will compel readers to speculate if he was still in control of matters or if he was slowly becoming evil as he gains power (this makes him comparable with the tycoon Tyler).

Still on the character development aspect of this comic book, Miguel here still showed his fragile side as the death of Dana left him with a lot of pain deep inside (which was dramatically emphasized by Andrew Wildman through his art in one very particular page). This furthers adds to questions about the sanity and mental stability of the protagonist who already wields so much power as Spider-Man and as an Alchemax executive.

Speaking of Alchemax, Tyler Stone here appeared more sinister than before and being unable to stand did not hinder him at all. His cold-hearted move to have his own biological son Kron (the futuristic Venom and the same guy responsible for the deaths of Punisher 2099’s family) executed clearly shows not only his sadistic nature but also the fact that he is living with pure worldly beliefs. His believes are so worldly, he does not really care about his own offspring. Ironically, this suggests that Tyler could be as twisted and evil as his murderous son Kron. Lastly, the connections between the late Dana and Tyler and Miguel is indeed morally disturbing.

While the cover art showed Goblin 2099, the new antagonist is nowhere to be found in this comic book. However in a very symbolic fashion, Goblin’s influence remained lively through a number of people who condemned Spider-Man 2099 so much, they went as far as actually hurting an idolater of the webslinger. This part of the story is a strong reminder that idolatry is unholy and foolish, that religion is corrupted and will never lead believers to salvation, and that socialism attacking capitalism remained a social disease in the far future.

Conclusion

*Tyler Stone and his son Kron (Venom 2099) are both very evil. They have different ways of being evil.*

Spider-Man 2099 #41 (1996) is indeed a great comic book to read from start to finish. Not only will you get to see the futuristic Spidey struggle with the tension both personally and professionally, you will see the big impact of Dana’s death on him too. The portrayal of negative changes in the local society (at least the society Spider-Man is part of) is pretty dramatic and what Peter David imagined about Marvel 2099 still remains socially relevant to this day. Lastly, this comic book ended very powerfully and was enough to convince me to see what happens next.

Overall, Spider-Man 2099 #41 (1996) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Spider-Man 2099 #40 (1996)

August 25, 2023August 22, 2023carlocarrasco

To put things in perspective, there were these notable changes with both the storytelling and the character development of the futuristic webslinger as a result of the Venom 2099 saga (read my retro reviews here, here, here, here and here) as well as Doom 2099 becoming the new President of the United States (click here). Issue #39 saw the return of Vulture 2099 and the sudden appearance of Green Goblin 2099 (AKA Goblin 2099).

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man 2099 #40, published in 1996 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Peter David and drawn by Andrew Wildman.

Early story

The story begins with the tycoon Tyler Stone helplessly on bed in a medical center’s room still recovering from the gun shot incident. He tells the doctor near him that he wants to speak to Dana and demands to know what has been going on. Stone also demanded to get into contact with President Doom. In response to Stone’s demand to know the truth, the doctor regretfully tells him that Dana is dead.

Meanwhile, a swinging Spider-Man gets hit from the back by Goblin 2099. As the webslinger asked who he is, the Goblin introduces himself and tells him that he intends to expose him as a fraud. As the green/purple colored mask freak keeps on attacking, Spider-Man moves out of the way. While in movement, Goblin tells Spidey that he has betrayed the good people of downtown New York and must be forced to confess.

As he falls down fast, the webslinger suddenly finds himself clamped and restrained by the Goblin…

Quality

*Goblin 2099’s main weapon against the futuristic Spidey is influence on people and being able to convince them to reject the webslinger.*

This comic book has a very intriguing tale crafted by Peter David. While this marks the first ever encounter between the futuristic versions Spider-Man and Green Goblin, this one has a strong social theme that prevented the conflict from becoming a generic good-versus-evil match-up. Goblin 2099 went after the webslinger not for the satisfaction of killing, not for the intention of dominating the whole world but for achieving social change for the members of the downtown community by destroying Spider-Man’s credibility once and for all (by exposing him as a fraud and a tool of the corporate world who should not be trusted).

This version of the Green Goblin clearly has an agenda that he seems very willing to die for and the mere fact that he interacted with Kasey (an important person for both Miguel and Gabriel O’Hara) further adds to the complexity on both the new villain as well as the downtown community. Given his obsession of destroying the hero by blaming him as a corporate stooge, Goblin 2099 here is symbolically with the Satanic Left (Communist/Marxist/liberal). These factors effectively raise the stakes and risks for Spider-Man who already has a lot of problems to deal with.

Through the fight between Spider-Man and Goblin, you will see how the people of downtown react in accordance to their perception as well as their inability to realize the truth behind Spider-Man’s social standing. The way they reacted shows impact on Spidey who himself struggles to understand their collective thinking and why they allowed themselves to be strongly influenced by the Goblin.

Along the way, there was a scene that emphasized Xina showing how Dana’s death affected her and another scene that took place at a very old New York City cathedral that clearly was crafted to build up on something for future tales of this series.

Characterization and plot aside, this comic book has a good amount of superhero action that will keep you entertained and Andrew Wildman really knows how to make action attractive to your eyes.

Conclusion

Spider-Man 2099 #40 (1996) is another solid tale from the David-Wildman duo. Apart from the big impact Goblin 2099 had on Spider-Man and the people of just one community, this story successfully built-up the tension and complexity on the part of the protagonist while executing suitable pay-offs in relation to the build-up that started in the previous issue. Also I should state that it is very clear that the feature match-up in this comic book is not a rehash of classic Spider-Man and the Green Goblin. This is indeed a very intriguing Spidey 2099 tale that convinced me to look forward to the next issue.

Overall, Spider-Man 2099 #40 (1996) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Creepshow (1982)

August 11, 2023August 9, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back fellow geeks, pop culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Way back in 1982, the horror comedy anthology film Creepshow was released in cinemas featuring the combined talents of author Stephen King and the late director George Romero who were clearly inspired by the 1950s horror comic books published by EC Comics. That being said, Creepshow was a comic book movie that was not even based on a comic book.

To make things clear, the movie was first shown on the big screen in France during the Cannes Film Festival in May 1982. The comic book adaptation of Creepshow (note: read my retro comic book review) was released in July 1982 and the art it contained is not the same as the in-movie comic book (also titled Creepshow) that appeared in transition scenes. The movie’s general release in America happened on November 10, 1982 and it was successful commercially and critically. In recent times, Creepshow was released on 4K Blu-ray with lots of extra stuff for fans and moviegoers to enjoy. The said 4K Blu-ray release can be ordered online now.

Some of you might be wondering if the Creepshow movie has aged well and what exactly does it offer for younger moviegoers and movie collectors to enjoy. Some of you might be wondering if King and Romero were ever a special creative duo for cinema.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at the horror-comedy anthology film Creepshow (1982) directed by George Romero, written by Stephen King and starring Hal Holbrook, Leslie Nielsen, Adrienne Barbeau, Tom Atkins, E.G. Marshall, Viveca Lindfors, Ed Harris and more.

Early stories

Prologue – A father very angrily berates and hits his young son after discovering the horror comic book titled Creepshow was with him. The father called the comic book’s content crap.

Father’s Day – Sylvia Grantham, her nephew Richard, niece Cass and Hank (husband of Cass) enjoy time together at the Grantham estate anticipating the arrival of Bedelia for the annual family dinner. There is a dark secret regarding Bedelia and her late father…

The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verril – A lonely farmer named Jordy witnesses the unexpected arrival of a meteorite from out space which landed violently on his farm. After realizing what it is, he touches it without any protection and gets his fingers burned…

Something to Tide You Over – a prominent man named Richard visits Harry at his home. It turns out, Harry has been having an affair with Richard’s wife Becky. Even so, Richard maintains his cool and made clear his uncompromising determination of always keeping what is his. Richard plays an audio recording of Becky’s voice which even includes a call for Harry to help her….

The Crate – In the basement level of Amberson Hall (science building of Horlicks University), a janitor accidentally finds a very old wooden crate located right under the staircase. The writings “Ship to Horlicks University via Julia Carpenter – Arctic Expedition – June 19, 1834” were marked on the crate…

They’re Creeping Up on You – A cruel businessman named Upson Pratt is alone in his well-lighted apartment. He has been suffering from mysophobia and has been living in isolation and only communicates with others using the telephone and other electronic methods. Slowly but surely, cockroaches begin to multiply in his apartment…

Quality

*Two couples from different short stories of the movie: At left were Hal Holbrook and Adrienne Barbeau. At right were Elizabeth Regan and Ed Harris.*

To begin with, I’d like to focus on the combined creativity of Stephen King and director George Romero. While all five short stories, the prologue and epilogue each have varying levels of quality, engagement and entertainment value, it is safe to say that Creepshow as a whole remains entertaining and intriguing to watch. This is a cinematic horror-comedy anthology that is still fun to watch from start to finish.

Very clearly, the King-Romero team were heavily inspired by the EC Comics-published horror comics of the 1950s and along the way, they added their own creative touches to make each short story not only unique but also memorable. Given the fact that Romero remains remembered for his zombie movie works, two of the five short stories can be viewed as shorter zombie tales by the director but with notable differences – the comic book-inspired visuals used (note: moody lighting, stylish backgrounds and comic-inspired frames) and the fine performances from the actors involved. As for the three other short stories that have nothing to do with zombies, I felt they reflected more of Stephen King’s concepts (note: King himself acted as Jordy) which Romero apparently directed to be reflective of the author’s works while still injecting EC Comics-inspired visuals. Speaking of comic books, the filmmakers used traditional animation (note: hand-drawn) specifically in the transition scenes when the movie moved from one segment to the next. Within the context of the movie was the comic book Creepshow which made the father mad at his son.

*With moody lighting combined with Leslie Nielsen’s convincing terrified expression, this image captures the look and feel of similar moments in the horror comic books of EC Comics.*

As it is clear that each short story has different concepts and varying levels of quality, entertainment and engagement, I can describe them in short results as follows: Father’s Day really looks and feels like it was written for EC Comics in the 1950s; The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verril is a clever mix of dark humor, science fiction and horror; Something to Tide You Over is very intriguing to watch and Leslie Nielsen pulled off a very unique portrayal of a villain; The Crate is a fine combination of monster horror and struggling characters with a university setting; and They’re Creeping Up on You is symbolically a socialist mobbing against someone powerful in the most unusual fashion, and it definitely is the weakest of all the five short stories as it was made to disgust viewers who are afraid of bugs. Creepshow’s prologue and epilogue meanwhile carried an anti-family theme that supposedly reflects the moral outrage against EC Comics in the 1950s made to resonate with people who love comic books at the expense of morality and family. I personally dislike the anti-family theme because I truly believe that minors should never read adulterated comic books and they should never become rebellious.

As each short story, the prologue and epilogue were strongly presented to be entertaining and engaging in varying ways, there is one aspect of the creativity that made Creepshow stand the test of time – the respective performances of the actors.

Leslie Nielsen’s portrayal of the villain Richard is the performance highlight of the entire film. Here’s a powerful man dealing with pain as a result of being betrayed by his wife by being in full control of his emotions and he keep moving on with uncompromised determination to proceed with his diabolical plans patiently and orderly. He is a very angry man who happens to be very calm. He is definitely evil who happens to be very principled. You will even see little traits of comedy in Richard and this should remind you of Nielsen’s eventual move into comedy in his later years. In the same short story, Ted Danson is believable as the man who had the affair with Richard’s wife.

In another short story, Adrienne Barbeau really stands out as the obnoxious and unhinged Wilma (AKA Billie) who is the complete opposite of her mild-mannered husband Henry (played by Hal Holbrook). She is so wild, she easily embarrasses her husband and the others who were present in the faculty social gathering. Quite symbolically, Barbeau’s act as Wilma is easily the most lively thing to watch in the said gathering. Without spoiling the plot of The Crate short story, I can say that Hal Holbrook has a nice range of displaying emotions within Henry as the story progressed. Even the guy who played the professor Dexter Stanley (Fritz Weaver) had his own share of the spotlight and displayed a good acting range as well.

Even author Stephen King himself acted in a leading role in another short story as Jordy. King is surprisingly good in being comedic and he really knows his character in and out. In the first short story Father’s Day, you will see a very young Ed Harris as part of a family waiting for the arrival of Bedelia (Viveca Lindfors). The waiting family members were nicely played by Elizabeth Regan, Warner Shook and the late Carrie Nye. They were convincing as relatives. In the final short story, the late E.G. Marshall played Upson Pratt to be so ruthless, he will irritate you.

Conclusion

*Comic book-style visuals implemented cleverly in the movie.*

It is clear that Creepshow (1982) remains fun and engaging to watch thanks to the combined creative efforts of the King-Romero team as well as the fine performances of the actors involved. Although the final short story starring E.G. Marshall is the least interesting tale to watch, this horror-comedy anthology has lots of good stuff to entertain viewers. By today’s standards, Creepshow (1982) is very unique and also fun to watch. If you want to see this movie with the best visuals possible today, I urge you to buy the 4K Blu-ray release.

Overall, Creepshow (1982) is highly recommended!

+++++

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Parañaque abortion clinic raided and seven suspects arrested!

June 22, 2023June 20, 2023carlocarrasco

There is no denying the fact that abortion is definitely wicked as it is the murder of the unborn child. Very shockingly, a secretive abortion clinic in Parañaque City was uncovered and raided by elements of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) resulting in seven suspects – almost all were Chinese nationals – arrested for their involvement, according to a Philippine Daily Inquirer news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Inquirer news report. Some parts in boldface…

Six Chinese nationals and one Filipino were arrested by police for allegedly conducting abortion procedures and selling abortion drugs in Parañaque City, said the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Tuesday.

According to the NCRPO’s police report, the seven were arrested in Tambo, Parañaque City, after weeks of surveillance.

NCRPO said the arrest stemmed from an informant alerting the police of the sale of medications used in abortion and their purported performance of abortion procedures.

Arresting officers seized one package of 25 milligrams (mg) of mifepristone tablets, one box of 100 mg cefixime dispersible tablets, and one pack of Golden Throat Lozenge and metronidazole tablets.

The suspects are now in the custody of NCRPO to undergo investigation. They will be charged with the illegal practice of medicine contained in the Republic Act (RA) 2382 or the Medical Act of 1959 and violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act also known as RA 3720.

Meanwhile, GMA Network released their own news video about the same raid which you can watch below…

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? Are you concerned that there could be even more secretive abortion clinics operating elsewhere within Parañaque City? Did you notice the presence of abortion-related drugs circulating within your local community? Who do you think is the mastermind behind the raided abortion clinic?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

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