WE are Zulfiqar Motors Co. Ltd., used cars exporter in Japan, are writing you today to make a complaint about your news article dated Aug. 26, 2016, regarding the seized automotive and truck spare parts at Mindanao International Container Terminal (MICT) in Tagoloan by the Bureau of Customs. (https://mindanaogoldstardaily.com/customs-bureau-seizes-p10m-worth-of-spare-parts-in-tagoloan/)
We just shipped the vehicles from Japan on the basis of customer (consignee) request. Therefore, we never committed any illegal activity but your news service published our company’s name unnecessarily, and it gave a false impression to the public and our customers that we are involved in a crime. And yet the consignee’s name or the actual concerned person who committed crime was not published.
It is a biased coverage, and the news given to the public showed no neutrality on your part.
As we think it is an infringement of our right for fair trade by defamation of character, we request you to delete our company’s name from the article, and publish your apology. –K.Nakamura, Zulfiqar Motors Co. Ltd.
(Editor replies: You may want to address your complaint to the Philippines’ Bureau of Customs that identified your company. We cannot apologize for a news report that was based on available data provided by the Bureau of Customs.)
Peace is more Important
I AM an avid reader to the opinion portion of every newspaper. I find most of the opinions published interesting and amazing, although I must admit that some of those I have read are annoying. Even so, I dreamt that one day I get to read my own thoughts in the newspaper but I am still waiting for the right time. Right time means having a something nice to write about, something that interests the readers or the editors, perhaps.
Yesterday was a loose day for me and daughter, so we opted to go to the mall. As we are bumming around, we noticed displays in the activity center and the decorations says, “Davao Peace Fair 2016 in Celebration of the International Day of Peace.” She got interested with one of the booths for kids so I left her there and proceeded to the center to listen to what the speaker has been saying. Bingo! It was worth of my time.
The “Pillars of Peace” were discussed and I have learned the following: sound business environment, high levels of human capital, low levels of corruption, free flow of information, good relation with neighbors, acceptance of rights of others, well-functioning government, and equitable distribution of resources. As defined, pillar means support in which case, the eight points mentioned are requisites so peace could be attained.
But looking into what we have in our society, the question on where we are now in our attainment of peace or if we are at least 50 percent compliant with the pillars, plays on my mind. Honestly, I do not think we are or we have all these and I am worried. How can we attain peace?
The good thing is, at least I am imparted with the idea on how to attain peace and what are the necessary things we should do or have to attain it. Having this idea gives me another opportunity to think and rethink what would be my participation as a citizen of this country towards peace.
We are now in peace talks with the National Democratic Front. The statement that really made me think hard is, why are we talking too much about Matobato, about de Lima, when we have a much more important issue, and that is peace–and the peace talks that are happening now between the two parties?
I do not say that what the House of Representatives and Senate have been discussing now aren’t important. I am also supporting that the issues they are tackling now, and I hope these would be resolved in the soonest possible time. However, I think it is high time that we Filipinos decided which is more important and what our priority is because for me, the issue on peace is far more important than the controversies being tackled in Congress.
Personally, I think that the controversies that have been tackled in Congress could sidetrack or worst, disrupt the ongoing talks on the insurgency problems of this country especially that it is capitalized in the media. The worst may come after the result of the Congress inquiries but the discussion for peace and on peace should continue and should be supported. –Rodney Santos, 82rodneysantos@gmail.com
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.
