Colombia's high court allows adoption by same-sex couples

BOGOTA, Colombia -- Colombia's highest court ruled Wednesday that same-sex couples can adopt children, lifting the last restriction on gays raising kids.

Until now, such adoptions were allowed in this traditionally Roman Catholic country only if one of the partners in the couple was already the child's biological parent.

Even that limited right was established only as recently as February.

The restriction was swept away by the new ruling at the Constitutional Court by a vote of 6-2 after hours of debate.

It said gay couples can adopt children just as heterosexual ones can, so long as they meet all the legal requirements.

"A person's sexual orientation or gender are not in and of themselves indicative of a lack of moral, physical or mental suitability to adopt," chief justice Maria Victoria Calle Correa told a news conference after the court announced its decision.

The Constitutional Court has slowly expanded the list of rights accorded to homosexual couples in this socially conservative country in recent years.

In 2007, it recognized de facto unions for gay couples and granted them joint health insurance coverage.

In 2008, it granted them shared pension rights, and in 2009 it ruled they were also entitled to inheritance rights.

source: interaksyon.com

James Yap says Kris badmouthed him to Bimby, threatened him using PNoy’s name

Basketball star James Yap tearfully refuted on Wednesday the allegations made by his ex-wife Kris Aquino in the petition for temporary protection order (TPO) she had filed against him at the Makati Regional Trial Court.

Last Friday, Kris asked the court to order James to stay away from her, their son Bimby, and her housemaids by a minimum distance of 100 meters. She alleged that he tried to seduce her during a visit to her condominium unit last December, and that he hurled “mean and malicious statements” at her when she rejected his “overt sexual advances”.

The incident, she claimed, was witnessed by their son Bimby, 5, who suffered emotional and psychological trauma as a result.

James denied that he tried to seduce Kris and said he merely tried to show Bimby how the boy could be more affectionate to him by demonstrating a kiss on Kris.

“Ayaw talaga ako i-kiss ni Bimby so pumunta ako kay Kris. Hinawakan ko siya rito,” he said, meaning her upper arm.

“‘Bimb look o iki-kiss ko na mama mo’… Tapos si Kris biglang nagsabi na ‘Sinasaktan mo ako’. Parang sinasabi niya ‘Bimbs o, sinasaktan ako ng papa mo. Tapos ‘yung bata akala talaga sinasaktan siya,” James narrated.

He said Kris then embraced Bimby to calm the boy, with Bimby’s back to James and Kris facing James. At this point, James claimed, Kris made faces at him.

James said he had no reason to seduce his ex-wife because he had already moved on after they separated in 2010 and their marriage was annulled last year. He said he has a girlfriend.

“Wala na,” he said, sobbing. “Wala na naman ako pakialam kay Kris e. Ang gusto ko lang makasama na ‘yung anak ko… Bakit niya ako sinisiraan sa anak ko?” he lamented.

James said that before the incident he sensed that Bimby was mad at him because Kris had badmouthed him to their son.

“Sobrang nasasaktan ako kasi sinasabihan ako ng anak ko na ‘I don’t like you. You’re a liar!’ Iniisip ko, ano ba ang ginawa ko?… Sino nagsasa… (pauses, crying) Sino nagsasabi sa ‘yo niyan? Sabi niya ‘Huhu Mama, mama.’

“Pag sinasabihan ako masasakit na salita ang ginagawa ko, ‘Bimb tingin ka sa mata ni Papa. Ito lang masasabi ko sa ‘yo… Love na love ka ni Papa,” he said, sobbing again.

James said he confronted Kris about this, but she only responded with a threat that name-checked her brother, President Noynoy Aquino.

“Sabi niya… baka nakalimutan mo may three years pa ‘yung brother ko. Sabi ko ah ganun? Grabe ka naman. Grabe ka naman, ang yabang mo!… ‘Yun na yung last namin. Galit na galit siya,” he recounted.




James’ lawyer, Atty. Lorna Kapunan, said the incident that Kris cited in her petition happened three months ago. She said she believes her real motive for filing the TPO can be traced to James’ refusal only last month to sign adoption papers that would take away his rights as a father to Bimby.

“She files one month after he did not sign the adoption. That’s our only inference,” Atty. Kapunan said.

Kris’ counsel, Atty. Frank Chavez, doesn’t believe that Kris had filed a petition for Bimby’s adoption with any court.

“Kung meron man, hindi ‘yan dumaan sa opisina namin at nabanggit sana ‘yan ni Kris sa ‘kin,” he said.

Atty. Chavez said Kris did not need to badmouth James to Bimby.

“Lahat ito hindi siya tinuturuan. Alienating the child from him needs no help from anybody. James yap is succeeding,” he said.

Atty. Chavez said James had been remiss on his twice-weekly visitation schedule last year. “If you look at the records it was just 22 to 24 visits out of 104,” he said.

Atty. Chavez said Kris is not inclined to talk to James about letting him visit Bimby again.

“He should deserve it! He should work for it! It’s not something he could claim,” he said.

source: interaksyon.com

Charlize Theron Not Too Hard On Herself As A New Mom

Given Charlize Theron's colorful, always-entertaining personality, we never know quite what to expect from the actress (other than being consistently entertained by whatever she does in her films, interviews, etc.). We expect the unexpected from Theron. Nevertheless, when news broke that she had adopted a baby boy named Jackson in March, we were pleasantly surprised.

Theron has kept the details of the adoption private, but when MTV News caught up with her recently during the press day for "Snow White and the Huntsman," we asked her about the adjustment associated with first-time parenting and how she plans to keep her potty mouth under control in front of her son.

"A lot of people have sent me these children's books, and there's this amazing book, a best-seller [called] 'Go the F--- to Sleep.' This book was fantastic for me because it made me realize that I don't need to judge myself right now," Theron said of getting used to parenting.

"The whole book is just basically, 'Please, go the f--- to sleep.' [Jackson] doesn't understand anything right now, and so he just wants my face to look a certain way."

Although parenting is a full-time job, we're confident that Theron will figure out a way to be a terrific mother and continue to be a terrific actress. You can catch the Oscar-winner playing Evil Queen Ravenna in "Huntsman," which opens June 1.

Speaking of "Huntsman," don't forget to tune in to MTV and MTV.com for our extra-special Sneak Peek Week, which kicks off Tuesday (May 29) with a screening of "Huntsman" and a very special Q&A with stars Kristen Stewart and Sam Claflin.

source: mtv.com