By Henni Espinosa, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

Feb. 3, 2012

MILPITAS, Calif. – 32-year old Glenn “The Filipino Bomber” Donaire may be the less successful, less famous one. After all, his brother, Nonito “The Flash” Donaire, Jr. is a three-division world champion and the reigning WBC Bantamweight Champion.

But more than three years after his last professional fight, Glenn said it’s his time to shine.

Last December, Glenn emerged victorious in his comeback fight against Puerto Rican boxer Alex “Nene” Sanchez, ending the fight with an eight-round technical knockout, and becoming the WBC Latino Interim Flyweight Champion.

“I’m so happy. It feels like I won the world championship. It feels like when Nonito first won the world championship. I’m happy I’ve made a comeback,” he said.

Glenn is set to fight Edgar Jimenez, the reigning Mexican Flyweight Champion from Mexico City on March 23.

He recently held a public workout at the Season’s Marketplace in Milpitas, California and showed his winning form. He said, “My technique is better now. I don’t get hit much.”

Glenn quit his job for a trucking company, to train full-time. His relatives, that own Kennel Boxing Gym where he trains, gives him a stipend of $3,000 a month.

He said his brother Nonito, Jr. gave him new boxing gear. But other than this, his father and coach, Nonito, Sr., said they don’t get help from his younger son.

Nonito, Sr. said, “I asked him if he could help Glenn financially. I told him we’d return the money used eventually. But he said no. I asked him if his brother could be part of the his undercard fights. He said he was coordinating with Top Rank about it. But it never happened.”

Glenn said he does not want anything from his brother…just for him to keep in touch with his parents. Glenn said, “He doesn’t call, even on their birthdays.”

Rather than dwell on the hurt, Imelda Donaire said she would rather support her children. She said, “As a mother, you love your son — no matter what.”

Even with his younger brother’s money, fame and success, Glenn still considers himself lucky — maybe even luckier.

He said, “You could have everything else, but if you don’t have your family’s love and support — you’re nothing.”

For his comeback career, Glenn is being promoted by all-star boxing, the same promoter for Nonito’s opponent, Wilfredo Vasquez.

Balitang America sent a detailed text message to Nonito, Jr through his wife, Rachel, to get his side of the story. The world champion has yet to respond.

You may contact Henni Espinosa at henni_espinosa@abs-cbn.com for more information.

Photo from Reena Rose Sibayan/The Jersey Journal

-By Balitang America Staff and Jersey Journal

A Filipino American faces 30 years to life imprisonment after a court yesterday found him guilty of killing his ex-girlfriend’s daughter.

Romulo Gregorio, 41, is convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend’s daughter then setting her body on fire to hide the crime.

Claire Mariano’s 20-year old daughter, Christine was found burned, beyond recognition, in their Jersey City home on September 1, 2009.

The Jersey Journals reported that Gregorio killed Christine while arguing with her about his failed relationship with her mother.

He and Mariano had broken up two weeks earlier and over that period sent her hundreds of text messages, including “I hope one of us dies, you animal,” “I will only rest when one of us is dead,” and “I want you to feel what you did to my life.

The horribly charred victim was found naked in her mother’s bed after a “sexual portion” of her body had been doused with accelerant and lit, according to prosecutors. A charred Bible was found on the bed beside her, they said.

Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Sal Rozzi reminded jurors Mariano had earlier given the defendant an ultimatum, saying he had to start going to church if the relationship was to continue. “Think of the symbolism of his putting Christine Mariano in her mother’s bed with a Bible next to her.”

In his summation, defense attorney Mitchell Nelson acknowledged that Gregorio was upset about the breakup of a relationship.

But he said his client was no threat and the Mariano family knew it. Nelson noted that “On the day of the fire, (Claire Mariano) texts my client saying ‘I miss your brown eyes.’

Nelson has contended that the police took a wrong turn when investigators quickly focused on Gregorio and stopped looking for the “real killer.” He said the state’s case was completely circumstantial and not one bit of physical evidence put Gregorio at the crime scene that day.

Gregorio’s sentencing is scheduled on March 19 at the Hudson County Superior court in Jersey City, New Jersey.

ABS-CBNnews.com

February 3, 2012

MANILA, Philippines– Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. and Puerto Rico’s Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. nearly came to blows when they engaged in a heated exchange during their pre-fight press conference at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Philboxing’s Ronnie Nathanielsz said the tension began when Vazquez suddenly turned Donaire’s cap around during the customary face-off.

This prompted Donaire to retaliate by pulling off Vazquez’s skull cap, triggering a heated verbal exchange and shoving match.

Handlers from both sides immediately stepped in and pulled the fighters apart.

Donaire’s trainer, Robert Garcia, said it was rude for Vazquez to instigate such action.

“You don’t do something like that. It’s being disrespectful… his grabbing his cap and throwing it away. You don’t do something like that to a man and Nonito took it personal,” said Garcia.

He added that Vazquez may be trying to play mental games on Donaire.

“I think he’s just trying to make us think that he’s ready and he’s going to come in and be a monster against Nonito but that doesn’t scare us. We’re ready,” said Garcia.

The trouble actually began early this week when Vazquez’s wife reportedly started a word war against Donaire’s camp through Twitter.

Donaire’s wife, Rachel, said her husband was upset because he treated Vazquez and his father, legendary Puerto Rican boxer Wilfredo Vazquez Sr., with utmost respect.

She said Donaire didn’t expect the younger Vazquez to act rudely.

“When you give that kind of respect you don’t expect someone to be so rude and unprofessional. It would be different if it was like the [Vic] Darchinyan fight where all they did was talk back to each other but this fight they weren’t even doing anything and they come out taking cheap shots and playing little mind games,” said Rachel.

Rachel said Donaire will make Vazquez pay inside the ring.

“They are playing mind games and I don’t know what they think it’s going to do. He’s just going to go down faster,” she said.
The Donaire-Vazquez bout serves as the co-main header of the “Welcome to the Future” fight card, which also features WBO middleweight title clash between Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Antonio Rubio.

Welcome to the Future is slated to take place at the Alamodome this Saturday (Sunday in Manila). — With a report from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News

By Henni Espinosa, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

Feb. 3, 2012

MILPITAS, Calif. – 32-year old Glenn “The Filipino Bomber” Donaire may be the less successful, less famous one. After all, his brother, Nonito “The Flash” Donaire, Jr. is a three-division world champion and the reigning WBC Bantamweight Champion.

But more than three years after his last professional fight, Glenn said it’s his time to shine.

Last December, Glenn emerged victorious in his comeback fight against Puerto Rican boxer Alex “Nene” Sanchez, ending the fight with an eight-round technical knockout, and becoming the WBC Latino Interim Flyweight Champion.

“I’m so happy. It feels like I won the world championship. It feels like when Nonito first won the world championship. I’m happy I’ve made a comeback,” he said.

Glenn is set to fight Edgar Jimenez, the reigning Mexican Flyweight Champion from Mexico City on March 23.

He recently held a public workout at the Season’s Marketplace in Milpitas, California and showed his winning form. He said, “My technique is better now. I don’t get hit much.”

Glenn quit his job for a trucking company, to train full-time. His relatives, that own Kennel Boxing Gym where he trains, gives him a stipend of $3,000 a month.

He said his brother Nonito, Jr. gave him new boxing gear. But other than this, his father and coach, Nonito, Sr., said they don’t get help from his younger son.

Nonito, Sr. said, “I asked him if he could help Glenn financially. I told him we’d return the money used eventually. But he said no. I asked him if his brother could be part of the his undercard fights. He said he was coordinating with Top Rank about it. But it never happened.”

Glenn said he does not want anything from his brother…just for him to keep in touch with his parents. Glenn said, “He doesn’t call, even on their birthdays.”

Rather than dwell on the hurt, Imelda Donaire said she would rather support her children. She said, “As a mother, you love your son — no matter what.”

Even with his younger brother’s money, fame and success, Glenn still considers himself lucky — maybe even luckier.

He said, “You could have everything else, but if you don’t have your family’s love and support — you’re nothing.”

For his comeback career, Glenn is being promoted by all-star boxing, the same promoter for Nonito’s opponent, Wilfredo Vasquez.

Balitang America sent a detailed text message to Nonito, Jr through his wife, Rachel, to get his side of the story. The world champion has yet to respond.

You may contact Henni Espinosa at henni_espinosa@abs-cbn.com for more information.

Feng Shui expert Lani Ortega and Leung’s White Crane Dance Troupe of San Francisco join us in our studio to celebrate the last of the Chinese New Year celebration and to tell us what kind of luck the year the Water Dragon will bring us.

By Don Tagala, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

February 3, 2012

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – One of the Philippines’ most bankable Kapamilya star, singer/actor Sam Milby is now in New York to chase his Hollywood dreams.

In one of his Heartthrobs concerts last year, Sam Milby’s looks, talent and stage charm impressed a New York ABC Network TV executive who happened to be watching the show.

The TV executive then invited Milby for a meeting followed by screen tests and interviews.

Milby is making New York his temporary home so he could focus on auditioning for acting roles in US mainstream TV offered by numerous casting agents, thanks to the ABC TV executive.

Sam Milby said, “All emotions wrapped into one, nervous, excitement,siyempre nam-imi-miss sa Pilipinas, but most of all excited.”

Milby arrived from the Philippines Wednesday to move into his new fully-furnished apartment in Brooklyn, New York.

Milby had two pilot TV show auditions scheduled, just a day after he arrived from Manila – one for giant network ABC – makers of hit shows like Desperate Housewives, Greys Anatomy, and Lost.

The other is for CW TV network, known for shows like Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl and 9-0-2-1-0.

Milby said, “My ultimate goal, of course, the whole point of me auditioning is to get into one of the pilot shows and not only to get into a pilot show to have that pilot show be picked up by the network to be put into full production.”

Leaving his lucrative career in the Philippines was not an easy decision for Milby.

Now he’s back to square one, after making it in the Philippine Showbusiness – he has accomplished a lot in the Philippines including an Emmy nomination for the teleserye “Impostor,” where he was the lead actor.

Milby said, “I have to take risks in life, you know what I mean, when I moved to the Philippines, wala naman akong trabaho nun eh, you know, I have no idea what I was getting myself into, with this I have an agency, I have good feedback naman, It’s just going by faith, you know, believing that something good will come out of this.”

The pressure to land a job in Hollywood may be high but Sam keeps himself grounded to the reality that the he may or not make it to Hollywood in just three months in the U.S.

Milby said, “Even if nothing happens, it’s still something good kasi, the experience you know, this is something that will help me grow as a person talaga, no matter what I’ll come out of this a different person and that’s a good thing.”

Milby says, if he makes it then he may stay longer in New York, if not, he will definitely come back again next year when pilot TV shows open its 2013 casting season.

Lady in Black, the newest thriller in theater this weekend, stars Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe in a very different role.
Find out how many kisses Manny the Movie Guy will throw at this blockbuster.