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A president of lesser violence

Vociferous doubts continue regarding the legality of the US’ drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. The crucial factor remains the unknown facts, over which hinges the applicable law and its implications.

The point being made here is not that a conclusive case presently exists for Trump’s actions to be categorized as legal or illegal, but only that an argument can be made for its legality. The significance of that distinction has to do with present political and military circumstances.

UC Berkeley law professor John Yoo makes it clear that “no American law prohibits the targeting of specific enemy leaders. Neither the Constitution nor federal statutes prevent the direct targeting of individual members of the enemy.”

This is bolstered by the US’ long practiced “policy of using targeted strikes to kill enemy leaders. After the 9/11 attacks, the Bush administration launched a program of drone strikes and Special Forces attacks to kill leaders of al-Qaeda and insurgent groups in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not only did Barack Obama continue these policies, he also launched an air war against Libya that sought as one of its goals to kill its leader, Moammar Qaddafi, in order to trigger regime change. Few, if any, Democratic officials criticized Obama for engaging in illegal assassination or for launching strikes in Libya or, later, in Syria, without congressional approval.”

Constitutional law expert Alan Dershowitz agrees: “The targeting of Soleimani was more justified, as a matter of law, than the targeting of Osama bin Laden in 2011. The killing of Soleimani was in large part an act of prevention, whereas the killing of Bin Laden was primarily an act of retaliation. Would anyone doubt that if Mr. Clinton had succeeded in killing Bin Laden before 9/11, as he tried to do, such an action would have been legal under American law? So, too, was it legal for Mr. Trump to order the targeted killing of Soleimani, who was planning to continue his killing spree against Americans.

“The killing of Soleimani was also entirely legal under international law. The Quds Force commander was a combatant in uniform who was actively engaged in continuing military and terrorist activities against Americans. The rocket that killed him and a handful of others was carefully calibrated to minimize collateral damage, and the resulting death toll was proportionate to the deaths it may have prevented.

“The killing took place in a foreign country, but so did the killing of Bin Laden and others who have been targeted… All the relevant criteria for legality under international law — using authorized and proportionate force to kill a combatant who is engaged in continuing violence — have all been met in this case.”

What complicates the issue is the confused stance people have vis-à-vis the US: simultaneously hoping it goes away with depreciated power and yet burdening it with the responsibility of securing global peace and order.

Hence, the liberal progressive establishment and news media’s puzzlingly negative reaction to President Trump’s declaration that the US “will no longer surrender this country or its people to the false song of globalism,” and that the “[US should be skeptical] of international unions that tie us up and bring America down.”

Compare this with President Barack Obama’s quite interventionist (and frankly, more violent) approach to foreign policy. As The Guardian’s Medea Benjamin reported in 2017, “the Obama administration dropped at least 26,171 bombs. This means that every day last year, the US military blasted combatants or civilians overseas with 72 bombs; that’s three bombs every hour, 24 hours a day. While most of these air attacks were in Syria and Iraq, US bombs also rained down on people in Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, and Pakistan. That’s seven majority-Muslim countries.” And yet nary a complaint in media. This considering the bombings proven overall lack of strategic success.

Thus, as Foreign Policy tersely noted, “though Donald Trump loves military parades, flybys, and the other visible trappings of military power, he seems rather leery of war.” Trump’s strikes, though more publicized, are really the exception rather than the rule.

And the relative withdrawal from the world stage that Trump seeks hark back to the US Founding Fathers’ vision. George Washington, in his 1796 farewell address, wrote: “Our detached and distant situation invites and enables us to pursue a different course… Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground?… It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world… ”

All this should urge other countries to take a more grounded view of its position relative to and its expectations of the US.

This is so particularly with regard to the Philippines, considering its recent behavior towards the US juxtaposed with its history; starting from the fact that its own 1898 Declaration of Independence was done “under the protection of our Powerful and Humanitarian Nation, The United States of America.”

 

Jemy Gatdula is a Senior Fellow of the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations and a Philippine Judicial Academy law lecturer for constitutional philosophy and jurisprudence.

https://www.facebook.com/jigatdula/

Twitter @jemygatdula

Island interlude

The island offers a brief interlude from the oppressive urban congestion and frenzy. One finds instant relief. The city’s opaque toxic haze blurs and dissipates in the distance. The white cumulus clouds and the cerulean blue sky are a serene sight for world-weary eyes.

Gradually, the body and mind relax.

The sea breeze whirls like a bracing tonic of exotic scents in mint and citrus. A heady whiff of oxygen reawakens the senses. It is easy to breathe, to stretch and expand.

Floating on the pulsating sea calms the spirit as it empties the mind of thoughts. The rhythmic swell and ebb of waves washes away the clutter and cobwebs.

Gazing at the horizon where sky and sea meet and blend into cobalt, azure, and ultramarine blue, can be a startling experience. Accustomed to the artificial glare of indoor lights, the eye is overwhelmed by the brilliant colors. One’s vision adjusts to the subtle nuances of the seascape.

The churning clear water turns into a frothy wake of salty and foam as a boat cuts the shimmering surface. White-capped waves ripple for miles and miles until they break against the craggy coastline cliffs.

Seagulls swoop to catch fish and soar around like kites. Sometimes, a flying fish springs up and plunges, playing hide and seek. Close to the surface, the electric blue and yellow angelfish dart and weave patterns in the water.

The tiny fish vanish as one plunges in.

It is a different world. Sounds are muffled and figures are blurry. One can hardly hear anything save the bubbles exhaled from the snorkel tube.

The colors of nature are brighter, more vivid in a marinescape composition. Blues, greens, yellows, and pinks shimmer and glow from a phosphorescent palette.

A solitary sea star clings to the bottom near the corals. When it is brought to the surface it turns to brown and it gasps for breath. Tossed back into the sea, the seastar instantly turns bright blue, revived once again.

One listens to the eclectic symphony of wind and water at sea. Depending on the weather, the music of nature can be dramatic as the fortissimo passage of a piano concerto or as relaxing as the well-loved strains of a Brahms lullaby.

On a mild day, the tableau of fluffy cumulus, cirrus, and nimbus clouds move across the powder blue sky. One can discern furry shapes of animals — sheep, lions, and a mirage of angels drifting.

During a storm, the clashing cymbals, pounding drums, and percussion instruments mingle with the crescendo of the woodwinds and brasses heard in the flash of lightning and roll of thunder.

One see, hears, and feels the powerful climax as the clouds unleash angry torrents, tossing flimsy boats on the heaving ocean.

The breeze fades abruptly. The air is heavy with moisture. The clouds gather into towering layers of gray.

A heavenly growl sounds like distant rolling thunder and marching drums. A flash of lightning and electric streaks brightens the graphite sky. A loud clap echoes over the island. The rain pours like a waterfall onto the forest and the beach.

A strong gust of wind ruffles the sea’s surface, causing waves to cover the sandbars and islets.

On the beach, kids frolic — defiant of the wind and rain. Blue kingfishers and yellow orioles seek shelter in their favorite trees and swimmers take cover in scattered gazebos.

The rain suddenly stops and the crickets begin to chirp. The clouds dissipate and the sky is a clear pale canvas.

Sailboats float along the seashore. People gather in clusters to watch the dramatic command performance of light and sound.

The golden orb begins to descend. Fiery gold turns to orange, vermillion, tinged with crimson.

A river of yellow gold reflects glinting specks on the sea. It spills on the ripples and fades as the sun vanishes into the horizon. The afterglow now has streaks of violet, tangerine and peach.

Twilights casts a magical spell. The colors are elements of a divine work in progress.

A strong gust rustles through the palm and coconut fronds. As night falls, tiny fireflies light up a lone tree. The crickets chirp more loudly in a staccato rhythm counterpointed by the croaks of frogs.

The full moon rising is a silver spectacle to behold. She commands attention in the dark sky. One bright star dares to peep through a translucent veil. Then the constellations start to light up the sky.

Late at night, one can hear a distinct melody — the soothing song of the sea.

 

Maria Victoria Rufino is an artist, writer and businesswoman. She is president and executive producer of Maverick Productions.

mavrufino@gmail.com

Tao po!

By Raju Mandhyan

SANDWICHED between the mountains Banahaw and San Cristobal in the province of Quezon, Dhamma Phala, a meditation center, is surrounded by scores of coconut and mango trees and banana plants. The sky there is so blue and clear it seems as if it is possible to reach out and touch it.

Nearly 50 men and women from across the world gather there every few weeks to immerse themselves in 10 days of sitting still and silent while learning to look at life, humanity, and world as it really is. It is a centuries-old meditation technique called Vipassana. The regimen is demanding and rigorous while the results are amazingly transformative. For 10 days you don’t make eye contact, don’t touch and speak to anyone while living on two sparse meals of pinakbet and vegetarian sinigang.

On the seventh hour of the seventh day, while sitting still and soundlessly, as a large part of my mind was focused on my own breathing and bodily sensations, I couldn’t help but be cognizant of the subtle sounds of the breeze, of chirping birds, of crickets in the grass, large tuko lizards in the thatched roof, and the smell and crackling of burning leaves in the distance. The world was eerily quiet but alive when from a few feet away outside the meditation hall, I heard a female voice gently announce herself: “Tao po!”

With my eyes closed I heard quick whispers and footsteps hustling the source of the disruption away from where other humans, sitting cross-legged, were striving to lean in and listen to their own breathing, their own beings, and their own mind.

I sensed a gentle smile steal its way onto my face. I had loved that accidental and very Filipino intrusion into our fortress of solitude and solemnity. I call it a fortress because the hall was smack dab in the middle of a three-hectare property and the neighborhood knew that its inhabitants preferred absolute silence.

For long moments thereafter, instead on focusing on myself and my breathing, I began to think about the words, “Tao po.” I know they mean to announce a visitor into your domain. I also know that it is rooted partly in superstition, necessitating the announcement that it is a person, a human being, and not a creepy creature at your doorstep. What I loved about it is that it was evidence of how beautiful and how gentle the Filipino culture is. “Tao po” translates for me as “please excuse me but, I, a human being, am at your door. I am very sorry to be disturbing your peace but could you possibly spare me a few moments of your precious time as I have a need that you might be able to fulfill.”

Yes, exactly that.

As a culture we are wary of intrusions, impositions, and like to let people be people. We seek permission for most everything. To many it may appear as timidity and shyness, but it is more than just that. It totally represents the kindness, the courtesy and the care and respect that we, here in the Philippines, hold for other human beings. It is our values lived out loud, constantly and unconsciously. It is just perfect and we ought to be proud of it. “Tao po” is a tiny peek into a vast landscape of how care, courtesy, and compassion silently thrive in these 7,107 islands.

No, it wasn’t brought to us by the Spaniards. It grew when we were numerous tribes sporadically settled in these happy and abundant islands. Yes, kindness and courtesies like these do exist in many other cultures but I am grateful it surrounds me. We all ought to be too. In fact, we ought to be proud. It is the future of being human and we are the forefront of that frontier.

Paalam po!

 

Raju Mandhyan author, coach and learning facilitator.

www.mandhyan.com

Libya explains why Turkey has no friends

By Kori Schake

IT IS HARD to credit now, but there was a time, only a decade ago, when Turkey described its foreign policy doctrine as one of “zero problems with our neighbors.” But since then, Ankara has burned its boats with Israel over the Gaza Freedom Flotilla; angered Egypt by bitterly criticizing Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi’s military coup and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood; broken with Syria by assisting anti-Assad rebels (and more recently, invading the country’s northeast, there to forcibly repatriate refugees); and antagonized Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates by siding with Qatar against their embargo.

Now, Turkey is providing direct military assistance to the government of Libya, while the UAE and Egypt — along with Russia — back the rebel army of General Khalifa Haftar. After the failure of cease-fire talks sponsored by Turkey and Russia, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised to teach Haftar “a lesson.”

If anything, Turkey’s foreign policy now seems designed to aggravate problems with all of its neighbors.

How did it come to this? In the past 10 years, Turkey has descended from a vibrant Islamic democracy into a repressive authoritarian state. But this doesn’t explain its antagonistic relations with its neighbors: most governments across the Middle East are also repressive authoritarian states with predominantly Muslim populations.

The answer is that Erdogan has actively sought to advance the cause of political Islam, both domestically and internationally. This aligns him with Qatar and against most of the other Arab nations, especially Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE.

Within Turkey, Islamization initially advanced with democratization. The Turkish military had been a stridently secular force; as its hold over the state waned, religion returned to politics, primarily in the shape of Erdogan’s Islamist AK Party. The military leadership formally opposed the AKP’s 2007 presidential candidate for being an Islamist, but Abdullah Gul was elected — a major turning point in Turkish politics. The political emasculation of the military allowed Erdogan, who had previously described democracy as “a vehicle, not a goal,” to dominate the scene.

The failed 2016 coup attempt can be seen as an opportunistic bid by some elements in the military to capitalize on growing dissatisfaction among Turks over Erdogan’s consolidation of power. It also represents a deep and ongoing contest between Erdogan’s Islamists and other political forces.

The fragility of Erdogan’s hold on power is illustrated by last year’s election of opposition party mayors in Istanbul and other major cities, and the fact that longtime political allies — including former Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who conceived the “zero problems with neighbors” policy — have broken away from the AKP.

This domestic trajectory has its parallel in Turkey’s foreign policy, which has grown more Islamist and militarist as Erdogan’s political hold has become more brittle.

The falling out with Egypt holds the keys to understanding Turkey’s intervention in Libya. After the 2011 Arab Spring, Erdogan supported the Muslim Brotherhood’s ascent to power in Egypt and assisted the government of President Mohammed Morsi. When Morsi was overthrown by the military in 2011, Erdogan described it as “state terrorism.” He seems to view events in Libya as a reprise of those in Egypt: a military leader threatening to unseat a government conducive to Turkey’s worldview.

Turkey has deep linkages to Libya, which is home to 25% of Turks living outside their country. Just as important, $18 billion in Turkish business contracts are underway in Libya, and the two countries share an exclusive economic zone. The Government of National Accord in Tripoli, backed by the United Nations and led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, has Islamist elements — natural allies of Erdogan and the AKP.

The GNA has been under sustained military attack by the Libyan National Army under Haftar, who opposes a political role for Islamists, as do his Egyptian and Emirati backers — potential allies of forces within Turkey that threaten Erdogan’s hold on power.

Long-suffering Libya has become the battleground for a proxy war about the role of Islam in Middle Eastern politics. Neither Turkey nor the Middle Eastern states arrayed against it are likely to concede their objectives.

With the failure of cease-fire talks, attention will return to the frontlines, where a bloody stalemate prevails. If Haftar had the military strength to take Tripoli, he would have done so by now. Significant increases in Turkish assistance could turn the tide in favor of the GNA, unless Haftar’s allies ratchets up their support for the LNA. Turkey’s problems with its neighbors, meanwhile, are only liken to get worse.

 

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Gin Kings go for closeout of PBA Governors’ Cup finals

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

HOLDING a commanding 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup finals series, the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings are out to close out the Meralco Bolts in Game Five today at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Thrust themselves on the cusp of another league title after dominating their opponents in Game Four, 94-72, on Wednesday, the Kings said they will go out and finish things off in their scheduled 7 p.m. match, and reclaim the championship in the season-ending PBA tournament.

“I would love to end the series on Friday obviously. And we will try our best. But this team showed a lot of character in the past when we played them. We went up, 2-0, on them and they came back to beat us two straight in one series. So we know they are capable of coming back,” said Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone following Game Four.

“It will be silly of us to think that it’s going to be over in the next game but it’s going to be silly for us as well to say that we won’t be going to try to win it all on Friday,” he added.

The PBA’s winningest coach, with 21 titles, went on to underscore that holding a 3-1 series lead does not guarantee an outright title, having lost such a lead in a PBA finals in the past — 2006 Philippine Cup where Cone-coached Alaska lost to Purefoods.

“We are aware that a team could come back. That is why you should not give them the momentum that they need to in doing so,” he said.

In Game Four on Wednesday, the Kings were simply unrelenting when they found their collective groove in the second quarter.

After a tied count of 14-all at the end of the opening quarter, Barangay Ginebra outscored Meralco, 80-58, in the next three quarters en route to the dominant win.

Import Justin Brownlee paced the balanced Kings attack, finishing with 27 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, five steals and four blocks.

Stanley Pringle had 21 points while Scottie Thompson finished with 16 for Barangay Ginebra, which is gunning for a third Governors’ Cup title in the last four years.

For Meralco it was best import awardee Allen Durham who showed the way with 21 points, 27 rebounds and seven assists.

Raymond Almazan, who was expected to miss Wednesday’s game after injuring his knee in Game Three, had 12 points and nine boards.

Chris Newsome also had 12 markers for the Bolts

Meralco coach Norman Black admitted that his team was badly outplayed by Barangay Ginebra in Game Four and that moving forward they either sink or swim.

“They outplayed us. We did not give them a good fight. And as a coach I’m pretty embarrassed of the effort we put out there,” Mr. Black said postgame.

“I told the players after that we have two choices — either we pull together and play well in the next game or have of the same,” he added.

In the ongoing finals the Kings are looking to add a 12th PBA title in franchise history while the Bolts are gunning for their first-ever league championship.

The two teams met in the 2016 and 2017 Governors’ Cup finals with Barangay Ginebra claiming the title both times.

Executive Kennedy says Boston Red Sox won 2018 title fairly

BOSTON — Whether the Boston Red Sox’s 2018 World Series title was won legitimately is up for debate after Alex Cora was involved in sign-stealing scandals in back-to-back seasons with the 2017 champion Houston Astros and Red Sox.

The Red Sox held a press conference on Wednesday — one day after parting ways with Cora — and team president Sam Kennedy made it clear he doesn’t believe the World Series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers is tainted.

Kennedy was asked, “Do you believe you beat the Dodgers fairly and squarely?”

His reply: “Absolutely, yes.”

The Red Sox repeatedly declined to answer questions involving their 2018 title, citing that Major League Baseball’s (MLB) investigation is still ongoing.

Cora was identified by MLB on Monday as a ringleader in the Astros’ scheme to steal signs en route to their 2017 World Series championship, when he was Houston’s bench coach. He became the Red Sox’s manager the next year and led his new team to the title — albeit with lingering suspicions regarding similar illegal sign-stealing.

On Monday, MLB announced major sanctions against Houston, including one-season suspensions for manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow, who were subsequently fired by the Astros.

On Tuesday, Red Sox brass met with Cora and all parties agreed that parting ways was necessary.

“Alex by his own admission, and we agreed, played a central role in what went on in Houston and we all agreed that it was wrong and that we had a responsibility as stewards where that sort of behavior is unacceptable,” Red Sox chairman Tom Werner said during the press conference.

Werner requested that the team’s fans withhold judgment on the 2018 team until the investigation is complete.

Kennedy said that it wasn’t anything that occurred in Boston that led to Cora no longer being the manager.

“It is also important to recognize that this collective mutual decision yesterday was related exclusively to the incidents that took place in Houston,” Kennedy said. “… Alex came to the conclusion that he could not effectively lead the organization going forward in light of the commissioner’s findings and the ruling and we came to that conclusion as well.”

While Cora was tabbed as the ringleader of the sign-stealing scheme in Houston, also mentioned was then-player Carlos Beltran, who was recently hired to be manager of the New York Mets.

The Mets haven’t indicated how they plan to handle the situation with Beltran at a time when Cora and Hinch have lost their jobs.

ESPN analyst Mark Teixeira, a former teammate of Beltran on the New York Yankees, says Beltran has to go.

“They have to fire Carlos Beltran,” Teixeira said on ESPN. “There’s no way that Carlos Beltran, especially in the pressure cooker of New York, there’s no way he can be the manager of the Mets. …

“You cannot have that guy lead your team. The New York papers, the Daily News and the Post and all of the tabloids, will eat up Carlos Beltran every single day until he’s fired.” — Reuters

Red Sox part ways with GM Cora for role in Houston’s sign cheating

BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox said on Tuesday they were parting ways with General Manager (GM) Alex Cora in the wake of a sign-stealing scandal involving the Houston Astros, where Cora had been the bench coach, during their World Series-winning 2017 season.

The Astros on Monday said they were firing both manager A.J. Hinch and GM

Jeff Luhnow for their roles in the scandal after Major League Baseball (MLB) imposed one-year bans on each.

In its judgment on Monday, the league said Cora had arranged for the installation of a monitor showing centerfield camera shots, giving players the ability to decipher the signs and alert batters.

The Red Sox said it would not be possible for Cora to remain with the team given the league’s findings.

“This is a sad day for us,” Principal Owner John Henry, Chairman Tom Werner and CEO Sam Kennedy said in a statement.

“Alex is a special person and a beloved member of the Red Sox. We are grateful for his impact on our franchise.”

Cora said in a statement released by the team: “I do not want to be a distraction to the Red Sox as they move forward.

“My two years as manager were the best years of my life.”

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred had said on Monday that Cora “implicitly condoned” the Astros players’ conduct.

He said the MLB would withhold any disciplinary action against him until the completion of a separate investigation of allegations the Red Sox engaged in sign-stealing in 2018, when they won the World Series in Cora’s first year as manager.

Along with the suspensions of Hinch and Luhnow MLB also fined the Astros $5 million and took away the club’s first- and second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021. — Reuters

Standhardinger credits BPC award to ‘working’ Batang Pier system

BIG MAN Christian Standhardinger won his first major individual award in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) on Wednesday after being named the Best Player of the Conference (BPC) in the ongoing Governors’ Cup.

It is an accolade he is very proud of and something he largely credits to the system they have at Northport Batang Pier which allows himself and the rest of his teammates to thrive and contribute.

Acquired by Northport in a mid-tournament trade with the San Miguel Beermen for fellow big man Mo Tautuaa, Filipino-German Mr. Standhardinger did not waste much time making his presence felt and pushing the Batang Pier to be an instant contender.

In 11 games in the Governors’ Cup with Northport, the 2017 top overall rookie pick had averages of 22.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals.

They finished as the eighth seeds at the end of the elimination round but went all the way to the semifinals, upsetting top seeds NLEX Road Warriors in the quarterfinals by negating a twice-to-win disadvantage.

Mr. Standhardinger, 30, said his role considerably changed after being shipped to Northport from powerhouse San Miguel but the transition was made easier as he got a lot of support from his teammates and coaching staff, apart from his family and friends. “I appreciate what my teammates have done to me at Northport. They put me in a great position to be able to do my thing. It was fun playing with them and fight with them,” said Mr. Standhardinger.

“It’s a team award more than anything else. I’m thankful to my coach at NorthPort (Pido Jarencio), and to my teammates that worked hard. I’m honored,” he added.

The 6’8” big man went on to say that while he is happy with the award, primary still for him is to achieve team success, something he hopes to be able to do with the Batang Pier.

Prior to being shipped to Northport, Mr. Standhardinger won two PBA titles with the Beermen.

“A championship is so much more than a personal award. Ten out of 10 times, I’d exchange it for one championship,” he said.

In winning the award, Mr. Standhardinger bested former teammate at San Miguel June Mar Fajardo, TNT’s Jayson Castro, Columbian’s CJ Perez and NLEX’s Kiefer Ravena.

Mr. Standhardinger got 1,011 points in the race ahead of Messrs. Fajardo (657), Castro (615), Perez (506) and Ravena (481).

Accounted for in the award are statistical points, media, player and PBA office votes.

Next for Mr. Standhardinger is a national team stint for the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup in February.

After a rough 2019, Eduard Folayang angles to start new year better in ONE Championship

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

FILIPINO fighter Eduard “Landslide” Folayang begins 2020 with ONE Championship later this month as he is featured in the main card for “ONE: Fire & Fury” on Jan. 31 against Pakistani Ahmed “The Wolverine” Mujtaba.

It is a fight that the veteran mixed martial artist is viewing with much significance after a rough ride he had in his career last year.

Mr. Folayang (22-8), the former ONE world lightweight champion, seeks to begin the new year on a winning note, all in the hopes of having it set the tone for him as he makes another push to reclaim the title in his division.

Last year, 36-year-old Mr. Folayang went 1-2 in three fights, losing his first two fights against Shinya Aoki of Japan in March, where he lost his title, and to American Eddie Alvarez in August, before hacking out a win against Tsogookhuu Amarsana of Mongolia by way of technical decision in November.

The 2019 result he had, he said, left him greatly motivated heading into his upcoming fight.

“[The year] 2019 [was] an absolute roller-coaster ride for me. I started the year as champion but fell short of victory against Shinya [Aoki] in Tokyo. That’s a loss that I learned a lot from and it was a very tough experience to deal with,” Mr. Folayang said.

“After facing Eddie Alvarez of course, it was another learning experience for me,” he added.

In pushing for a turnaround, the Team Lakay stalwart said solid work has to be put in, something he has been mindful of doing as he prepares for Mr. Mujtaba (7-2).

“As a martial artist, I’m always learning and growing. I still feel like I’m at the top of my division, and I want to get back in contention in 2020. The lightweight division is one of the toughest in ONE Championship, and I want to reclaim the title again for my Filipino fans. I’m hungry as ever for victory. I will be back on top. It’s all about that mindset. With the help of God, I’ll be champion again,” said Mr. Folayang.

The Folayang-Mujtaba fight is part of ONE: Fire & Fury which is headlined by the world strawweight title fight between Joshua “The Passion” Pacio of the Philippines an Alex “Little Rock” Silva of Brazil.

Other Filipinos set to see action in the event are flyweight Danny Kingad, strawweight Lito Adiwang, and women atomweight fighters Gina Iniong and Jomary Torres.

Fire & Fury is to happen at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Wozniacki to head into retirement, loved but legacy unsure

MELBOURNE — Caroline Wozniacki will, fittingly, take her final bow over the next fortnight at Melbourne Park, the scene of her only Grand Slam victory in a career that earned her praise for her tenacity and approachable character but also saw her acquire detractors.

The 29-year-old said last month that the Australian Open would be her final tournament, ending a 14-year professional career that delivered 30 singles titles, 71 weeks as the world number one and elevated Danish tennis to the global stage.

Wozniacki only revealed in late 2018 that she had been battling with rheumatoid arthritis, a painful autoimmune disease that affects the joints and produces fatigue, but made it clear last month that her illness had nothing to do with her decision.

Instead, she was keen to move on with her life after getting married to former basketball player David Lee, a two-time NBA All-Star, last June.

“In recent months, I’ve realized that there is a lot more in life that I’d like to accomplish off the court,” Wozniacki wrote on Instagram in making the announcement.

Injuries to her knees, ankles, back, calf and shoulder in recent years, however, may have made the decision to hang up her racket a little easier.

She also made just one final last year and dropped to 38th in the world, her lowest year-end ranking since 2007.

Coached by her father Piotr from age seven, she played her first WTA event just weeks after her 15th birthday, earning the first $1,260 of her $35.2 million in prize money in a first round loss to Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder in Cincinnati.

After bouncing between the WTA and lower level tours, she came of age in 2008 when she won her first senior titles and finished the year ranked 12th.

She made her first Grand Slam final in 2009, losing to Belgium’s Kim Clijsters at the U.S. Open before she became the first Dane to reach the number one ranking in 2010.

That rise caused some controversy, with Wozniacki — like Dinara Safina and Jelena Jankovic before her — reaching the pinnacle of the rankings without having won a Grand Slam singles.

The ranking system itself was pilloried and she was criticized for playing too many tournaments that affected her play at Grand Slams, while her tenure also coincided with serious injuries to all-time great Serena Williams.

Wozniacki politely batted the criticism away, although her father was more pointed.

“Caroline is in tennis history,” Piotr Wozniacki told the New York Times in 2012. “It takes only one Grand Slam, and Caroline is a legend.”

Her 2018 victory on a sweltering Rod Laver Arena over Romania’s Simona Halep, another player to reach the top ranking before winning her first Grand Slam, should help in debates over her legacy.

It at least stopped the question she suspected she had been asked “100,000 times.”

“It’s really nice not to have to answer the ‘no Grand Slam’ question ever again,” she told reporters.

In three weeks, she will not need to answer any more tennis questions. At all. — Reuters

UTP recognizes top tennis athletes

THE country’s premier tennis organization has given recognition to 2019’s tennis superstars who have brought home glory to the Philippines in a recent awarding ceremony held on Jan. 7 in Makati.

Among the athletes present is Alexandra “Alex” Eala who has earned the title “Philippine Tennis Phenom” after clinching the championship in various international tournaments such as 2019 ITF Asia Oceania 14&U Junior Qualifying Tournament in Malaysia, Under-18 ITF Juniors Grade A Singles Tournament in South Africa, and in the 2019 Junior Orange Bowl Tennis Championships in USA, more so, Mr. Eala has also achieved an all-time high ranking of number 9 in the ITF World Junior Rankings.

Joining Alex is Francis “Nino” Casey Alcantara and Jeson Patrombon, who just came from their gold medal win in the 30th South East Asian Games for the Men’s Doubles Tennis event.

Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) President Jean Henri Lhuillier also awarded Raul Guerrero for his contribution to the longstanding Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis, which has been continuously reaching more and more youth and has been providing them with an avenue to play tennis in their own hometowns. The recognition honored Raul Guerrero for his work in laying the foundation for the country’s most successful tennis tourneys.

The UTP is backed by Cebuana Lhuillier and Palawan Pawnshop.

Father-daughter to compete in 3rd Chooks-to-Go National Rapid Chess Championships

FORMER Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Chess Team standout Roberto M. Racasa and his daughter (country’s youngest Woman Fide Master) Antonella Berthe M. Racasa will showcase their talents in the upcoming 3rd Chooks-to-Go National Rapid Chess Championships slated on Jan. 25 at the Exhibition Hall 5/F, Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City.

“We would like to invite all chess players regardless their sexes and ages to participate in the 3rd Chooks-to-Go National Rapid Chess Championships on Jan. 25, 2020,” said Dr. Alfredo “Fred” Paez, newly elected president of the Philippine Executive Chess Association.

Others participants are siblings Ivan Travis Cu and Jericho Winston Cu of San Juan City, Jeremiah Luis S. Cruz and Daniella Bianca “Betchay” S. Cruz of Malolos City, Bulacan, Jeremy Marticio and Jersey Marticio and Alexandra Sydney Paez of Cabuyao City, Laguna, Wayne Diaz Ruiz and Trishia Ann Paez of Santa Rosa City, Laguna, Christian Peter Aristorenas and Rafael Jose Buhay of San Pablo City, Laguna, Io Aristotle Nikolai Calica of Balanga City, Bataan, Bonjoure Fille Suyamin and Geraldine Mae Camarines and Dastan Bueno of Ederwin Estavillo Chess Academy.

The FIDE event is sanctioned by the NCFP and is organized by the Philippine Executive Chess Association and Rotary Club of Nuvali with Parañaque City. Ayala Malls, Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc.. — Marlon Bernardino

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