TV5’s chairman Manny V. Pangilinan revealed in a recent interview the TV network already considered May 14 as the comeback date for the show, even as the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) suspension will be lifted on May 9.

Pangilinan said more time is needed to make more enhancements on the show. He said they also came up with new games and gimmicks for the show’s live audience and its television viewers, adding that the show will be housed in a new studio.

Meanwhile, Shalani Soledad also confirmed that the show will be back when she appeared for an interview in the show “Paparazzi” last April 24. She also revealed that their set now has a new state-of-the-art LED flooring.

According to the “Willing Willie” website, there has already been a dress rehearsal for the show last May 4.

Channel 5 voluntarily pulled off “Willing Willie” from the air last month after the controversy where a six-year old boy was dancing like a “macho dancer” in a segment of the show’s March 12 episode.

Show host Willie Revillame have been the target of criticism and was accused of child abuse by some government agencies, children’s’ rights groups and even private citizens. Complaints flood the MTRCB office urging them to conduct an investigation on the said incident.

After almost a month, the MTRCB imposed a one-month suspension on the show, but considered the date the show went on voluntary suspension in the suspension. The board ruled that the show “Willing Willie” may resume on May 9, but said that it will be on a probationary status which means it has to secure a permit for every episode.

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The show has been the subject of complaints after show host Willie Revillame was said to have prodded six-year old Jan-Jan to gyrate like a macho dancer in one of its episode in March. The MTRCB found the show’s network ABC-5 and network executive Ramon del Rosario guilty of violating Presidential Decree 1986, which created the MTRCB and empowered it to disapprove broadcast content found to be immoral or indecent.

The board, before deciding to impose the one-month suspension, took several factors into consideration. They commended the network for its formal apology and its voluntary suspension. It resisted calls by outraged critics to impose a more severe punishment, including termination of the show. The MTRB also considered the fact that Willing Willie was a “first-time offender.”

Regarding the probation, MTRCB adjudication committee chairman said they will be issuing a permit for Willing Willie to resume programming on May 10. From then on, they will be requiring the producers to bring recorded videotapes that will be reviewed daily before issuing permit.

Leonard Vera, Revillame’s lawyer, said that while they considered by decision of MTRCB unacceptable, they were still respecting it.

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He is regarded by his fellow artists as part of the new wave of musicians who do everything. Bruno Mars sing, play, write and produce.

“There are a lot of people in this world who can sing and play the piano and guitar. Hell, I sing and play the piano and guitar. But there’s something different about Bruno Mars. He has a musicality, a presence in his voice that I’ve never heard from anyone else,” said singer, rapper, musician and record producer B.o.B. when interviewed by TIME.

“When he performs live, nothing is prerecorded or fudged. It’s a straight up, classic performance. That’s so rare these days. We needed only two sessions to record “Nothin’ on You.” But when we perform live is when you really see our chemistry in action.” he added.

Other artists who were also in the list of the TIME 100 were Justin Bieber and Glee star Chris Colfer.

To see the complete list, log on to the TIME Magazine website.

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The Philippine delegates, led by Domingo, attended the recent ASEAN-India Business Fair and Conclave held in New Delhi in its bid to penetrate India’s trillion dollar market. Other members of the Philippine mission were the Department of Agriculture, Department of Tourism, Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine India Business Council of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Domingo said he was able to convince Indian businessmen to invest in the Philippines during his first official trip, and the trade department’s first mission to India. “India is emerging as a source of foreign direct investments (FDIs) for the Philippines. Apart from BPO companies which are directed by their principals to open delivery centers in the Philippines, more Indian companies are continuing to realize the potential of the Philippines as a gateway to the lucrative ASEAN market,” he said.

The investment pledges acquired by DTI include two 20-megawatt stand-alone liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plants in Tawi-Tawi and in Cagayan as well as a 1.5-megawatt mini hydro electric power project in Abra.

According to Domingo, the trade department is working on several initiatives for Indian businessmen locating in the country which include the improved business registration procedures; and relaxed visa norms for senior executives of IT and BPO companies. Add to this, he also announced the recently inaugurated direct flights from Manila to New Delhi of the Philippine Airlines (PAL).

During their trip, Domingo also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOUs) between the Associated Chamber of Commerce in India (ASSOCHAM) and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and between the Federation of Indian Mining Industries and the Philippine Chamber of Mining Industries represented by Philip Romualdez, to promote trade, investments, and economic relations between India and the Philippines.

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Led by the current president of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) Olgie Alcasid, the group composed of Vice-president Noel Cabangon, Cookie Chua and Mitch Valdes, will start their free concerts at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo on April 27, together with the pop band Syato Banda. The concert is dubbed “Himigsikan 2011: ROCKrakan para sa Kapayapaan.”

Performing with the celebrities on the stage will be three military bands – the Philippine Marine Corps. Combo, the Philippine Navy Seabees, and the Philippine Air Force 710th SPOW Combo. Together with them on list is Navy Lt. Chat Alvaro.

The OPM president said they’d rather entertain soldiers than join noisy anti-government protests. Alcasid said he thought of the idea of entertaining soldiers in February to boost their morale after learning how troop morale had been affected by a corruption scandal involving former AFP chiefs of staff.

“It must be difficult for them. It’s just our way of saying, we performers, we artists, we’re here for you. We are behind you. We support you, we support the new leadership and let’s start anew,” Alcasid said. He added the performers also planned to visit at least two other camps.

AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (J3) Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. welcomes the gesture by the OPM officers. “This is a big booster. You know we’ve been getting it from all sides and we certainly appreciate this. We are really happy that friends are helping us.” He admitted that the corruption scandal had affected the troops.

The Camp Aguinaldo concert will be held on April 27, 2011 at 6 p.m. at the AFP grandstand. The event will be kicked off by a multicultural gathering and a “boodle fight” among 100 delegates from Muslim youths, indigenous people, Christians and young officers.

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In the said commercial, the little girl asked the boy if she was already his girlfriend, to which the boy replied no. He said girlfriends are too demanding and asking for so much. But when the little girl said that all she wanted was french fries from McDonalds, the boy’s face flashed and he changed his as he counted his coins in his pocket totaling P25, which is the price of the fries.

Vice President for Marketing Margot Torres of McDonald’s Philippines said that they have decided to pull out the TV ad because they respect the call of Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez. She added, “So by Wednesday, a different McDonald’s ad should be seen on TV.”

Bishop Iñiguez said that they were happy that McDonald’s listened to their plea and that it agrees with the sentiment and the reflection of the church about the commercial. The bishop also said earlier, “The two children are not even at the right age for this kind of relationship… It  might also pave the way for us to lose sight of the good ways of shaping the values of our children.”

Executive Secretary of CBCP on Family and Life, Fr. Melvin Castro said earlier that the commercial is “very shallow” and “cheapens human relationships.” He also said that, “If the ad attempted to teach commitment, it failed because it was too superficial to point to a packet of french fries as the basis of a relationship.”

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Joe Suan and wife Diana filed their complaint before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office against blogger Froilan Grate, child psychologist Ma. Lourdes Carandang, and former senior consultant of the National Museum, John Silva.

The couple said Silva posted in his blog a statement alleging that Willing Willie and TV5 “like boys doing macho dancing.” Carandang was said to have sent a letter to Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chair Grace Poe Llamanzares, urging the agency to take action against Willing Willie and its host Willie Revillame for subjecting the boy to child abuse.

Grate, on the other hand, also wrote a complaint to the MTRCB asking Revillame and the show’s producers to issue a public apology to Jan-Jan and the other guests whom they have allegedly humiliated in the past.

Jan-Jan’s parents said in their complaint,   “We will not allow Jan-Jan to be exploited for sinister ends by certain people. We strongly object to his being used as an example or ‘poster boy’ for child abuse. He was not abused and we will not allow anyone to abuse him.”

The boy performed a dance number during the March 12 episode of Willing Willie, which many televiewers saw was as an act of child abuse because the dance was sexually suggestive and was similar to macho dancing.

Because of the pressure of media and bloggers, big sponsors pulled out their ads one by one, causing the show to be “temporarily” off-the-air.

Revillame’s lawyer Leonard de Vera insisted that Jan-Jan’s dance is known as “body wave” and was not sexually suggestive, stressing that it is not the same as the “macho dance” performed in bars. “Beauty, like perversity, lies in the eyes of the beholder. The child simply wanted to show his talent,” he said.

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The controversy started on the March 12 episode of “Willing Willie” where  six year old Jan-Jan, who was one of the show’s contestants, was show dancing and gyrating his hips as if stimulating a striptease as show host Revillame was laughing and egging him, together with the show’s live studio audiences. All throughout, the boy was crying as he was dancing. This triggered strong rebuke from the public, government’s rights and social welfare agencies, child’s rights advocates and hundreds of concerned public.

Revillame, however, maintained that he did not abuse the boy and even hit broadside critics and telling government agencies to instead focus on helping the poor. He also threatened with lawsuit those who attacked him on Twitter. He said “Willing Willie” will be on hiatus for two weeks and after the Holy Week, the management of TV5 would decide if the show will continue to air or not.

Internet activist even created a page in active social media calling for Revillame’s oust from “Willing Willie” and a product boycott of the show’s sponsor, which thus far is unprecedented in the country’s history of consumer activism.

Taking on the cue, major sponsors started pulling their ads from show. Jollibee Foods Corporation last Saturday said it was “holding off” ad placements of its newly-acquired Mang Inasal restaurant chain. Procter & Gamble Philippines likewise suspended advertising on the show. Del Monte Pacific Ltd. followed suit and pulled off its sponsorship of the beleaguered primetime game show.

CDO Foodsphere Inc. also announced that it was withdrawing sponsorship of the show. A brief note in its website states that while the company they were jolted “out of our comfort zones” even as they maintained that they were “in no position to pass judgment” on the issue. Cebuana Lhuillier Pawnshop also announced it would stop advertising on the show beginning Monday.

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The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), compelled by the ordeal that the 6-year old boy went through, condemn Revillame’s action and asked for the censorship of the show. DSDW Dinky Soliman wrote to Manny Pangilinan asking for censure of Revillame and to stop having children on his show. She also sent MTRCB a copy of the letter she sent to Pangilinan.

The latest on the news was Willing Willie show producer, Revillame and TV5 have already issued a public apology on the said segment featuring the 6-year old Jan-Jan, and said that there was never any intention to humiliate or abuse him or any contestant on the show.

The apology continued that “Willing Willie” is a program  conceptualized to bring joy and hope and shine the spotlight on ordinary Filipinos.  The program aims to provide a venue for everyone to show their talents, tell their stories and make their dreams come true. This is the thrust of everyone involved in the program, particularly its host,  Revillame. It ended with the TV station and Wil Productions expressing “profound regret” for any insensitivity on their part, and thanked all those who have expressed concern.

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A subsidiary of network giant ABS-CBN Corp., SkyCable has approximately half a million subscribers as of last year, most of which are from Metro Manila. Almost 85 percent of cable users in Metro Manila are already using digibox, which is essential in viewing digital television programs. The CATV firms hopes to increase that number to 95 percent by the end of the year.

SkyCable is also intensifying its marketing effort to increase the number of its broadband subscribers. “We had flat growth from 2006 to 2009. We started growing again only last year, where we had 35,000 subscribers,” Montinola said. “Our target is to grow our broadband subscribers significantly by about 70,000 by the end of this year,” he added.

Montinola also announced the availability of the DigiBox iRecord, a personal video recorder (PVR) set, a top box capable of simultaneously recording two TV programs while the subscriber watches a third. The box has a 320-GB drive that can store up to 145 hours of standard definition video or 85 hours of high-definition (HD) video. This is equivalent to over 70 movie titles, over 100 episodes of one-hour TV shows, or over 80 documentaries of National Geographic HD. The device also allows for slow-motion and frame-by-frame playback of recorded shows.

The company is optimistic that the new service would lure in at least 3,000 users in the first year of rollout. They are eyeing medium to heavy TV users, as well as busy working people who can’t always catch up on the schedules of free or cable TV.  Existing subscribers in Metro Manila can get the DigiBox iRecord for a refundable deposit of P4,999 plus P399 service fee of using the Digibox iRecord on top of their monthly CATV fee.

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Pacquiao just claimed the top spot in the Ring Magazine’s welterweight list. Known as the “bible of boxing,” the Ring Magazine considers Pacquiao to be its best boxer for the welterweight division after his very convincing victory against his recent opponent, Mexico’s Antonio Margarito. He achieved the victory at the 150-pound catch weight.

The Ring Magazine’s editor-in-chief Nigel Collin has this to say in RingTV.com, “Due to the fact that Manny Pacquiao is more active and weighed in as a welterweight for the Antonio Margarito victory, he has overtaken Floyd Mayweather.”

Aside from his recent title victory, Pacquiao also holds the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion. He tipped the scales at 144.6 pounds at the official weigh-in the day before the match. He also holds six more boxing titles from different weight division, the only boxer who held as much title from different weight category.

Weighing as a welterweight, the Ring Magazine’s editorial board said that Pacquiao’s dominance over Margarito is an accomplishment that enhanced his standing in the 147-pound division. The same also explained that Pacquiao’s victory over Margarito has no effect on the magazine’s 154-pound ratings because the Mexican boxer is unranked as a super welterweight.

“The WBC junior middleweight belt at stake will look nice in Manny’s trophy case, but really doesn’t mean very much, especially as Margarito was unranked by the The Ring going into the fight,” said Collins.

Pacquiao is also the Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound champion.

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As the finals wind up on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum, Jovit Baldovino, the 16-year old “siomai” vendor from Rosario, Batangas emerged the grand winner.

Starting from his audition piece, “Faithfully” last February, down to his final song, “Too Much Love Will Kill You” last Saturday, Baldovino sang his way to the heart of many Filipino audiences. He has in fact became another local YouTube sensation as his soaring and searing vocal prowess was even compared to Arnel Pineda, another Filipino YouTube sensation who became the lead vocals of the American band, Journey.

For being the grand prize winner, Baldovino received P2 million cash prize. He dedicated his victory to the Batangueños, his family, fans, and The Filipino Channel (TFC) subscribers.

Baldovino bested other finalists, Keith Clark Davila, the Ezra Bank, singers Ingrid Payaket and Sherwin Baguion, multi-instrumentalist Maria Jeline Oliva, ventriloquist/puppeteer Ruther Urquia, Fil-Norwegian singer Markki Stroem, the Luntayao Family and magician Allan “Alakim” de Paz, who all received P100,000 each for making it to the finals.

Here’s Baldovino and his winning piece on the grand finals of PGT:

Even before making it big in PGT, Baldovino was already singing when he was still a child at baptismal and birthday parties to help augment the family income.

Congratulations Jovit Baldovino!

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At least that’s the plan of Mediaquest Holdings Inc. for its newly-acquired television network – to launch it as an international business.

Mediaquest and TV5 president and chief executive Ray Espinosa said that the international business was part of the company’s plant to make the TV network at par with country’s top two TV networks. He expects the station to turn around its operations in three years, and with overseas operations already launched by that time.

The TV station executive cited North America, Europe and Italy as a big market where there is a large concentration of migrant Filipino workers. He also said that the Middle East and Japan could be major markets of TV5 as well.

Espinosa admits that they lagged behind GMA Network Inc. and ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp., the country’s two leading TV networks, that is why their initial plan is to improve TV5’s signal coverage.

According to TV5 executive vice president and chief operating officer Bobby Barreiro, the network’s signal just covered 60 percent of the Philippines when Mediaquest acquired the TV network. “By the middle of next year, we will be able to blanket the whole country,” he said, adding that they would equal ABS-CBN in terms of signal in 2011.

Mediaquest, a member of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone  Corp. (PLDT) group, earlier earmarked P7 billion for the capital expenditures of TV5 this year, P5 billion of which would be for the improvement of the television network’s transmission, reach and signal strength and the rest for programming and talent acquisition.

For next year, Espinosa said, Mediaquest would again allot another P5 billion in capital outlays to make TV5’s coverage nationwide. “We are prepared to put in capital. To a large extent, it’s about investments,” he said.

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Ray Espinosa, PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund vice-chairman and Mediaquest director, they are also in talks with owner of the remaining 25% stake in ABC-5. He said the 75% stake acquired will be paid in cash but did not disclose the amount,  because the owner is a private individual and therefore there is no duty to disclose.

Mediaquest is wholly owned by the PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund, the fund entity of the PLDT. Mediaquest is also the major media and content partner for PLDT and Smart Communications.

After acquiring controlling stake in ABC-5, Mediaquest also entered into an agreement to purchase Primedia, a local corporation engaged in developing programming content for television and marketing of airtime, specifically for TV5.

Mediaquest’s acquisition of ABC-5 and Primedia is in line with the company’s strategy of developing media content and production resources to complement its other media assets and platforms such as Cignal, a direct-to-home satellite service which was launched last July.

At present, the local broadcast industry is dominated by ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. (Channel 2) and GMA Network Inc. (Channel 7). But Mediaquest hopes to cut into the share of these two network giants, in fact it said TV5 has already established its position as a strong number three in the Philippine’s televisions industry.

Mediaquest said this is more evident by the rise of its shows, “Talentadong Pilipino” and “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” as the top rating programs for primetime weekends.

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The week-long IP festival is pursuant to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Presidential Proclamation No. 486, it is also consistent with the Presidential Proclamation 1124 of former President Fidel Ramos, as well as the United Nations’ General Assembly declaration of the years 2005 to 2014 as the Second Decade of the World’s IPs.

Tanco added, “Capiceños hospitality and generosity in the accommodation of the visitors will erase the negative impression about Capiz.”

Meanwhile, Provincial Tourism Officer and festival director Alphonsus Tesoro, for his part added that Capiznon dances particularly Escotis will be showcased by the various school-based dance troupes during the celebration of the festival.

The festival will showcase 15 IP houses including the boat house of Sama in Tawi-Tawi will be established at Villareal Stadium’s swimming pool area aside from the various interactive and participative activities, among others.

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Mayweather knocked down Marquez in the second round and continued dominating the fight with punishing assault for the rest of the bout. Capturing his 40th win, Mayweather remains unbeaten, while Marquez slipped to 50-5-1 with the result of the fight.

The three judges scored 188-109, 120-107 and 119-108 in favor of Mayweather, underlining his dominance in his comeback match. His last fight was in December 2007 where he beats Britain’s Ricky Hatton.

Before the fight, the two boxers had been weighed in and Mayweather exceeds the agreed pound and incurred a $600,000 penalty. But penalty notwithstanding, it definitely gave him an advantage over a lighter Marquez, aside from his advantage in height and reach.

However, in spite of the his victory over Marquez, some boxing analysts and enthusiasts weren’t amazed by the fact that he was not able to put his smaller opponent and it took all of 12 rounds to take the victory via unanimous decision.

Mayweather said, “I’ve been off two years, but I can get better.”

With his victory, Mayweather is now looking for a showdown against Filipino boxing great Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao who is now the current “best pound for pound fighter” in the planet. Mayweather was the holder of the said title prior to his retirement. This makes the bout between the two “pound for pound kings” worth waiting for.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, will have to face Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto first on November 14 on Nevadan City.

Marquez, who offered no excuses for his defeat said, “I really felt the difference in weight.”

“He’s tough as nails. He’s a great little man,” were Mayweather’s words on Marquez.

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Aside from the said award, the film also won the Luigi de Laurentiis Award for a debut film, where it defeated all first-timers including some who are included in the main completion. Diokno was in Venice together with star of the film, Felix Roco, one of veteran actor’s Bembol Roco’s twin sons.

The Venice Film Festival is one of the oldest in the world and considered to be among the most prestigious including those in Cannes, Toronto, New York and Berlin. The Orizzonti, on the other hand, provides a spectrum of new trends in cinema.

“The cast and crew are honored to represent the Philippines, side by side with world cinema’s most respected names,” said Diokno before they flew to Venice.

Engkwentro was inspired by true events. It tells the story of two teenage brothers on opposite sides of a gang war. One of the brothers was tasked to kill the other at a deadly midnight clash (engkwentro). And while all of this is happening, the City Death Squad, a group of vigilantes which was funded by a Big Brother-type mayor, is hot on their trail. The two brothers must find a way of out in order to stay alive.

The whole movie was shot using a hand-held type camera, and premiered in the Philippines at the recent 2009 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. Diokno said the story was inspired by actual “death squad” killings in some cities in the country where, in the last decade, over 814 people have murdered by hit men allegedly sponsored by the government.

Diokno added that many of the victims then, according to reports, were minors, including gang members, petty criminals and street children.

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They first stormed to a 3-0 advantage where two capitalized on two errors of the Germans, including Hohmann’s miss on the brown 7 in the second rack and Souquet’s poor counter-safety on the blue 2 in the next frame.

Reyes still showcased his magic touch, while Bustamante showed his precision in his pocketing in what could be one of the most thrilling encounters in World Cup history.

But as the breaks of the game would go, Reyes and Bustamante had their share of blunders on the eighth and ninth racks. Django misfired on an easy shot on the brown 7 while Bata rattled out the green 6.

A loud roar reverberated throughout the jampacked SM City North Annex when Reyes finally pocketed the 9 ball that would clinch the win for the Filipino pool legends.

Bustamante said, “Although we are old, we are still winning.” Reyes thanks all who came in to watch and show their support. The billiard legends won the $60,000 purse in the four-day tournament which ended a string of disappointing results in the past two years.

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The release of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album in November 30, 1982 was a historic event for the music industry. Almost 27 years after its release, “Thriller” remains to be the best-selling studio album in the United States, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

The RIAA, which has certified the album 28-times platinum, estimated that the album sold more than 50 million copies worldwide.

The album’s success, however, can’t be measured solely on its sales. “Thriller” set a new standard for music hits. More importantly, it changed MTV, shattered the network’s racial barriers and raised the bar for video quality.

Epic Records which produced “Thriller” made it the first major release to debut worldwide simultaneously and the first album to spin off seven singles to radio. Soon after that, several record labels followed suit.

Ron Weisner who was co-managing Jackson with Freddy DeMann in 1982 said that it has always been Jackson’s plan to take “Thriller” to “the next giant level”. This meant “marrying the album with the visual extension.”

Thus with high hopes, Weisner went to MTV with a rough cut of “Billie Jean.” It immediately went into heavy rotation, playing eight times per day. It was the video that shattered the color barrier. This brought Jackson and MTW into a different level of success.

“‘Billie Jean’ set the standard that day for what excellence in music video stood for,” Les Garland, VP of Programming at MTV Networks at the time said. He said it opened the door to more R&B videos being made and allowed us a wider variety of music.

Although video for “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” heightened Jackson’s fame, the video for “Thriller” became an instant pop culture sensation.

America was so captivated with the video that Epic created an hourlong documentary called “Making Michael Jackson’s Thriller”. This aired on MTV and was eventually sent to retail. The documentary “started a commercial market for videos,” says former RIAA CEO Hilary Rosen.

“Thriller” was on the Billboard 200 for 122 weeks, steering Epic to one of its most prosperous period.

With the current drop in album sales and the rise of digital downloads, no other album will probably affect the collective consciousness the way “Thriller” did.

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For the past two years, Jackson’s “Thriller” has been performed by the inmates almost every month, as many curious audiences have been visiting the prison up the hills in Metro Cebu’s Opra city. Their four-minute video clip continues to generate hits in YouTube, and has reached more than 23 million after it was posted last 2007.

They were in fact performing the said dance routine on Thursday afternoon at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) for the delegates of the Philippine International Tourism Fair (PITF), just a few hours before Jackson died.

With the death of the legendary music icon, the inmates performed four of his songs in a row on Saturday to pay their final tribute to their idol.

1,581 inmates, all clad in the orange jail uniform, with sentences ranging from 1 to 10 years, over murder, rape and drug cases filed one by one into the fenced exercise yard of the CPDRC where officials had hang a picture of the star.

The tribute started with a prayer for the eternal repose of Jackson’s soul, after which the inmates performed to songs Ben, I’ll Be There, We Are The World and the final number was Thriller. The whole presentation which was witnessed by around 500 visitors and an army of local and international journalists started shortly after 4 PM and lasted for an hour.

Byron Garcia, security consultant of the CPDRC said the said to the King of Pop last Saturday, will also be uploaded on YouTube soon for the rest of the world to see.

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