Each week I am always worried that there won't be enough material to fill up the week's post. Each week I am always surprised and overwhelmed about how much material there is. Philippine politics is a never ending well of corruption and buffoonery and absurdity. Enjoy!
[Translation: First of all, DFA should file a protest because why are they meddling in our affairs? They are the ones who have plenty of issues with other countries.]
Alvarez noted that it was the U.S. which posed a threat to global democracy.
[Translation: For me, the United States of America is the real threat to global democracy. They interfere, get involved in the independence and sovereignty of several nations in the world.]
But the House Speaker said this should not jeopardize good relations between the Philippines and U.S.
[Translation: For me, the U.S. and the Philippines are still friends. But what I'm suggesting is the creation of a United Nations of Asia, to protect our interests, just us in Asia.]
Who would the protest be filed with? The CIA? NSA? FBI? Every alphabet agency? Good luck with that!
Duterte says "might be" but those who love him will hear "IS."
This is fake news. Duterte does not have two wives. He has one wife whom he cheated on and who left him. Their annulment was finalised in 2000 but never approved by the Church. The woman he has now, Honeylet, is his concubine. And what happened to his two girlfriends?
Perception is not always reality but one must ask why this perception persists if the country is not corrupt?
The respondents purchased 17 various items amounting to P2.43 million on various dates in 2010.
These included computer units, office supplies, sports equipment and monobloc chairs, among others, from a lone supplier, BEYG Enterprises.
But BEYG Enterprises failed to submit the required procurement documents, such as audited financial statement or the invitation to bid.
Dismissed over anomalous purchases. A common scam here. They all deny any wrong doing. Who ever confesses?
It's snarky, in bad taste, and inappropriate. Why even do it? Because it's snarky, in bad taste, and inappropriate!
"We're seeing some memorandums of understanding but we're not really seeing the deals being inked and the money coming through," Corr said.
He said that at the same time that China is negotiating loans, it is also doing negotiations for the joint development of oil and gas resources in the South China Sea.
"My conclusion is the loans that China is talking about in its memorandums of understanding are actually contingent on South China Sea concessions by the Philippines to China," Corr said.
Corr said that any kind of joint development that would give special concessions to China would mean a loss of sovereignty for the Philippines.
China is occupying and militarising an area owned by the Philippines. Philippine sovereignty is already compromised. Analysts have not seen a lot of good in Duterte's financial turn towards China with Forbes last year saying it would lead to perpetual debt bondage. No doubt the Palace will speak out against this analysis as they do with every report that makes the administration look bad. But the fact is China has a history of using natural resources as leverage for debt:
http://www.atimes.com/article/sri-lanka-latest-victim-chinas-debt-trap-diplomacy
Oh look it's the official denial. Actions speak louder than words and I would not put any good faith in this denial because of the actions of the Duterte administration regarding China's activities in the SCS.
Prior to the hearing, senators will conduct an ocular inspection on some areas of the island to see for themselves the extent of the reported pollution and contamination of its waters.
Why don't they all take a nice swim to determine if the waters are so polluted as is claimed? Then they can split up and dine at various restaurants to determine if they are up to code. After that they can all take a flight to Marawi in preparation for the Marawi hearings where they will determine the causes of the attack and how to prevent another. Oh wait that's not happening at all!
(There are a few remaining provinces that have yet to join the fold of PDP, those that I have yet to visit. But most of their respective representatives in Congress have already joined PDP),” Alvarez said in a press briefing at Hotel Sibugay in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay over the weekend.
Alvarez said that more or less the PDP recruitment campaign has covered the major provinces in the country.
“Hopefully ito ay makakatulong sa kampanya tungkol sa federalism. Kasi nga yung advocacy ng PDP ay talagang itong federal form of government (Hopefully, this would help in our campaign for federalism because PDP’s advocacy is to push for a federal form of government),” Alvarez said.
All
these people jumping ship to PDP-Laban are now towing the party line which is federalism. It doesn't meant they understand federalism enough to actually be for it. It only means
they are loyal
party members. PDP-Laban is stacking the deck in order to get their agenda pushed through.
A lawmaker has filed a bill which seeks to require all public officials and employees to execute a written permission to allow the Office of the Ombudsman to examine, inquire or look into their bank deposits.
The Philippines is so corrupt that politicians are not allowed to have any privacy because they will inevitably be hiding something. If this bill passes you can count on politicians fooling the law by having any dirty money deposited into someone else's account.
Senior Supt. Jose Chiquito Malayo, head of the police’s anti-scalawag unit Counter Intelligence Task Force (CITF), said the two rookie policemen from Caloocan City demanded P300,000 from a person they arrested in Cielito Village in Barangay 177 in Camarin 2 on February 20.
Oh those scallywags! When will they ever learn!?
Sara Duterte visited Macau and Hong Kong to check in on OFWs. Why? Her father just appointed an OFW envoy to do this very thing and she is the Mayor of Davao. Checking in on OFWs is not part of her job description. It's because she is politicking. Look at the poster for the event.
Sara Duterte has big political ambitions. She says she is only going to run for Congress but it seems as if she has her eyes on the Presidency. Though now she says she will not be running at all. She is a classic flip-flopper just like her father who, after much hemming and hawing, only jumped into the presidential race at the last minute.
Sen. Cayetano, Mocha Uson, and RJ Nieto aka ThinkingPinoy also came along for the ride. Did Mocha and Cayetano come in their capacities as government workers or as a private persons? Who paid their way? Doesn't this violate Duterte's order about not taking unnecessary trips? Don't tell me that the Duterte administration is not controlling bloggers when ThinkingPinoy is in bed with the Dutertes visiting them at home in Davao and now travelling abroad with Sara and her brothers on a political junket.
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) admitted on Monday, February 26, that Chinese survey ships have a record of illegal entry in Benham Rise.
Where is all the nonsense about faith in China's goodwill? They have never shown any goodwill and either Duterte is a fool to trust them or something more sinister is happening.
“We are getting firearms somewhere. I am not at liberty to divulge it. But in the next few days, we will have about 5,000 more, a shipment coming from a friendly country. We will survive and we will win these pocket wars. And we will be a great nation someday,” Duterte said in a speech during the inauguration of the ARMSCOR Shooting Range in Davao City.
Duterte does not believe the Philippines is a great nation.
Mocha Uson continues to be a liability to the Duterte administration with her antics. As the Assistant Secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office she should be held accountable for what she posts on her Facebook page and realise that at while in office she is a public and not a private figure who, like it or not, speaks for the administration. Insinuating that the EDSA Revolution was a product of fake news and therefore illegitimate makes it appear that this is the opinion of the Duterte administration. It would be best if they let her go.
The Sandiganbayan has sentenced a former mayor of a town in Abra to a maximum of 11 years in prison over his unliquidated cash advances.
Former Baay-Licuan mayor Aunnielyne Castillo was found guilty of three counts of malversation of public funds. He was also ordered to pay a fine of P2,154,141.79.
Investigation showed Castillo received two checks worth P1,250,000 and P260,000 and a disbursement voucher worth P644,141.79 from April to June 2001.
“No legally specified purpose was given for the issuance of the cash advances…Considering that the accused named herself as the payee, the municipal funds essentially became her personal piggy bank from which she could easily obtain cash and... utilize the same with unfettered discretion,” it added.
Is this lady a man or is this just a typo? It's the Philippines so you never know!
Purisima allegedly failed to declare a property of his wife, Maria Ramona Lydia Purisima, covered under Certificate of Land Ownership (CLOA) number CA-25916, in his SALN for 2006 and 2007.
Aside from this case, Purisima is facing graft charges over the alleged anomalous courier service deal the PNP entered in 2011.
He is also charged with graft and usurpation of official function in relation to the bloody Mamasapano encounter in 2015 that killed 44 PNP Special Action Force commandos.
Even the PNP Chief is a scallywag.
“Do not be offended, but I’m okay with the Armed Forces. But I have a problem with the PNP and it has not begin today nor yesterday. It has been a perennial pain in the a** ever since. But it’s only in Manila,” the president said during the inauguration of an Armscor shooting range in Davao City.
It is not clear whether he was referring to the Manila Police District or the larger National Capital Region Police Office that operates in Metro Manila.
“There seems to be a breakdown there. I don’t know what causes them to be derelicts. But the problem is the perception, although it has gained the traction of respect from the Filipino people, the momentum cannot be sustained because every now and then, may mga pulis na talagang matigas (there are hard-headed policemen),” he added.
Even Duterte can't stand the PNP. But he is wrong when he says "it's only in Manila." The PNP are corrupt and a pain all over the country.
In another comment, he called for Duterte supporters to punch politicians they are angry at, or those who they think didn’t do anything, like the Liberal Party.
It would appear that Duterte’s endeavors have changed course in the past two months. Now that he is no longer bound by propriety in conduct, and expectations and responsibilities that come with being a public official, he seems to have embraced his newfound freedom and leeway in expressing his personal and political opinions.
Ex-Vice Mayor of Davao and son of Duterte, Paolo is now unleashed and giving it raw to everyone he dislikes. He was also with his siblings in Macau and Hong Kong. Will he also be eyeing a national post? Or will he perhaps stay in the background working for his sister like Bong Go?
“Charges await politicians who support and protect the kidnappers and NPA,” Dela Rosa said in Filipino during a press conference at Camp Crame yesterday.?“We are on a case build up. It’s being used for fund-raising and politicking, to kill and intimidate political rivals,” he added.
These are enormous charges and allegations against anonymous politicians. Will the mask come off? Will the PNP actually charge politicians for colluding with kidnappers and the NPA? Or is this all for show? Watch this spot for updates!
According to the source, a justice initiated the discussion in which he told Sereno to take an indefinite leave.
Sereno balked at the suggestion but the same justice said that the magistrates would be forced to go public and call for her resignation.
Even the Supreme Court is not free from shenanigans and infighting.
Ifugao Lone District Rep. Teodoro “Teddy” Baguilat Jr. was charged by the Office of the Ombudsman over his alleged purchase of an overpriced second-hand vehicle amounting P900,000 during his term as governor in 2003.
Not even the native tribes are free from corruption!
NFA Chief Jason Aquino told the media the government's emergency supply of rice was low. He defended his actions by insisting he was being transparent. The Senate responded with:
If there is no buffer stock, didn't you think you should have kept quiet because you failed to do your job? Do your work. -Sen. Cynthia Villar
You're right in wanting to be transparent. But you must offer a solution. -Sen. Grace Poe
It seems as if these Senators are not all for absolute transparency in government operations.
It's too late for the Philippines to complain about China's maritime activities. If they don't like it leave!
China has just announced that President Xi Jin Ping will likely be president for life and now at the PDP-Laban anniversary party they are hawking his book on governance. This is a much cheaper plan than flying all their members to China for lessons in governance.
Will there be book discussions at local PDP-Laban offices? Why is there a war against the CPP?
“This is a free country.”
This was how Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III defended on Wednesday the partnership of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) with the Communist Party of China (CPC).
“The PDP-Laban can choose who to partner with especially if iniimbita kami. Kung ‘di kami iniimbita ng American parties wala kami magagawa,” Pimentel told reporters.
He talks about freedom and yet is allies with the communists who are the most anti-freedom political group in all of humanity's existence. That is irony.
Consular officer Elmor Maglunsod filed an official complaint against Ambassador Shirley Ho-Vicario for allegedly violating Republic Act No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct of Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employee, and Republic Act No. 3019 or Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Some embassy staffers backed Maglunsod’s complaint, which they said was strongly denied by Vicario, who assumed her post in May 1, 2017 after being appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte.
"It will be investigated. The President takes this very very seriously," Roque said.
Although Vicario would not surmise on Maglunsod's possible motivation in filing the complaint, she admitted that their relationship has not been harmonious ever since she recently rejected his request to travel to the Philippines.
She said she thumbed down the request because at that time, Maglunsod had just came from a vacation in the Philippines in December.
Even thousands of miles away, on a another continent, in the heart of Africa, Pinoys cannot stop fighting and bickering and being corrupt!
According to the PNP Public Information Office, of the 398 dismissed officers, 151 were found positive for drug use while 16 were involved in drug-related activities. Of the number, 91 others were dismissed for being absent without official leave (AWOL); 10 for kidnapping; 22 for murder; six for homicide; three for rape; two for parricide; and three for illegal arrest and detention.
Twenty-three others were dismissed for involvement in robbery and extortion; one for graft and malversation; and 70 others for grave misconduct due to immorality, dishonesty, estafa, and violation of Batas Pambansa 22 or the Bouncing Checks Law, the PIO added.
Kidnapping? Murder? Robbery? Rape? That's the PNP for you.
Since May last year, the number of MMDA traffic constables has dropped by over 30 percent, from 3,180 to just 2,158 this month.
According to Jojo Garcia, the agency’s acting general manager, bulk of the constables who are no longer with them have opted to resign or not to report for duty after being summoned by top officials. Garcia said that this may be because they were “guilty” of the allegations against them, such as extortion.
Prior to its purging of erring constables, the MMDA was already way below the ideal 7,000 constables for it to effectively manage traffic in Metro Manila. To compensate their lack of manpower, Garcia said that they are fully utilizing the agency’s CCTV cameras to catch erring motorists through non-contact apprehension.
Corruption hurts everyone. How to root it out I have no idea. Corruption is to a Filipino government employee as water is to a fish.
Malacañang appeared to be sending fewer invitations to live coverage and transcript of speeches of President Rodrigo Duterte given his habit of making controversial remarks.
Tired of always having to explain his jokes, Duterte has taken the bold step of limiting press coverage of his speeches. Reporters are sometimes handed a transcript and sometimes just a press release. Limiting press coverage of his speeches is a great way to keep Duterte's controversial remarks out of the news but it leaves everyone in the dark about what he is doing and saying and reinforces the narrative that Duterte is strangling the press.
China is the only one exploring the area without permission. Does this apply to them? Or is this just a joke and hyperbole?
How can there be co-ownership when the West Philippine Sea is sovereign Philippine territory? Maybe that analyst is right and China is using natural resources as leverage on debt.
Lying is bad enough but lying before an international body that KNOWS you are lying? Well that is just how Filipino politicians roll.
Maybe Duterte was only joking again and the conditions he set for Camallard are just hyperbole and for a laugh? He's only psyching her out.
"I'd like to announce. I will repeat. I announced it before. Back up ko kayo (I have your back). When the human rights (advocates) or any rapporteur come, my order is do not answer. Do not bother," the president said during the National Special Weapon and Tactics Challenge in Davao City.
"Why would we be answering? Who are they? And who are you to interfere in the way I would run my country? You know very well that we are being swallowed by drugs," he added.
"Do not answer. You're investigating us, fact-finding? Well sorry. Do not f*** with me," the president of the Philippines said.
Duterte doesn't want Camallard or anyone else here in the country investigating the war on drugs.
Tempers flared when Teves said Cam accused PCSO officials and lawmakers of corruption.
He said Cam should not be making baseless accusations.
Cam refuted Teves’ remarks, saying she could prove her allegations.
She claimed that Teves was involved in STL operations in his province.
“I am not!” Teves said with a raised voice.
“You are involved!” Cam insisted.
The two called each other liars.
Cam told reporters that she would not walk away from a fight with Teves or any lawmaker.
“He called me stupid, he too is stupid!” she said.
They are ALL stupid!
