It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption and murder in Philippine politics.
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| http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1042195/cop-on-narcolist-3-other-persons-killed-in-talisay-city-shooting |
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| https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/10/12/5-relieved-narco-cops-undergoing-pre-charge-evaluation/ |
Narco-cops. Nothing new here.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1042182/lorenzana-no-more-red-october-plot |
How convenient.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1043314/red-october-gives-way-to-white-december |
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday admitted that the Red October plot was quashed from the time it was discovered.
Lorenzana said there was no other plot brewing.
“Maybe there’s still ‘White Christmas’ because the holidays are coming,” he added in jest.Now they are just being silly. Why would they joke about such a serious matter if in fact this plot existed? Who jokes about plots to overthrow the government?
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1042107/duterte-appoints-faeldon-as-new-bucor-chief |
President Rodrigo Duterte has chosen Nicanor Faeldon to replace Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa as head of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
Last year, the DOJ cleared Faeldon and several others of illegal drugs charges filed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Right so whats happening here is Duterte is recycling a man who has more than a whiff of corruption about him over to the BuCor which oversees New Bilibid prison which is a major source of drug running. Doesn't really matter if he was cleared since he was still implicated and was even placed under Senate arrest for refusing to testify. A lot of major cabinet reshuffling going on as Duterte attempts to stack Congress with his men.
If elected, Gadon said that he would not back down to his critics in the Liberal Party (LP) citing that he did not even turn his back on his fight against former chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno
“Ang question doon ay kung paano nila ako ihahandle dahil di ko naman sila uurungan. chief justice nga hindi ko inurungan, sila pa?” Gadon said when asked how would he handle LP members that are part of the Senate.
(The question here is how they would handle me because I will not withdraw from them. I didn’t back down from the chief justice, what more against them?)
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/10/12/1859490/oops-gadons-senate-dream-hits-snag-after-filing-wrong-form |
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| http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1042308/reelectionist-town-official-survives-slay-try-in-zamboanga-del-sur |
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1042404/village-councilor-shot-dead-in-sorsogon |
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| http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1042344/line-of-succession-vital-no-matter-who-succeeds-president-palace |
It doesn’t matter who succeeds the President in a federal form of government, as long as there is a line of succession, Malacañang said on Friday.
Newly appointed presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo noted that the move to restore Vice President Leni Robredo to the line of succession was not yet final as this would need the people’s approval.
“The amendments to the federal Constitution are all subject to the ratification of the people . . . [T]here will still be deliberations,” he said at a press briefing.
“What is important is that there should be a line of succession, regardless of who these people are,” Panelo said.
This is to avoid a power vacuum when there is no one to succeed the President during the transition period, he said.
He made the remarks after the House of Representatives restored Robredo to the line of succession to the presidency during the transition to the federal system.
This deal with attacking the Office of the Vice President has been happening for a few years now. Previously the OVP was completely removed from the drafted federal constitution. Now there is a controversy about succession during the transition period to the the federal form of government. There are two things to keep in mind here.
1. Everything depends on there actually being a plebiscite wherein a federal constitution is approved and that looks like it won't be happening since the Senate is not so keen on making moves toward ratifying the draft federal constitution. Could this be why many of Duterte's men are running for elected office?
2. These people are being short sighted and not looking past the current administration. The ire here is not against the OVP per se but against Leni Robredo herself. If BBM was the VP none of this nonsense would be happening. This is Petty Pinoy Politics 101©.
1. Everything depends on there actually being a plebiscite wherein a federal constitution is approved and that looks like it won't be happening since the Senate is not so keen on making moves toward ratifying the draft federal constitution. Could this be why many of Duterte's men are running for elected office?
2. These people are being short sighted and not looking past the current administration. The ire here is not against the OVP per se but against Leni Robredo herself. If BBM was the VP none of this nonsense would be happening. This is Petty Pinoy Politics 101©.
3. According to this logic the Senate janitor would be just as good as anyone to succeed the President.
Another dead politician. That's three dead and one attempted killing in only two days.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1042458/town-councilor-1-other-die-in-separate-masbate-shootings |
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| https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1768879/Pampanga/Local-News/Tarzan-charges-former-village-chief-4-others |
Former city mayor and congressman Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin, who is an incumbent village chief of Barangay Balibago, has filed usurpation of authority against five councilmen including former barangay chairman Rodelio “Tony” Mamac.
Lazatin filed the charges against Mamac and other councilmen including Abel Reyes, Fernando Yambao, Arnold Ibay, and Leonardo Yambao, before the Provincial Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday, October 10.
The village chief said Mamac, in conspiracy with the other councilmen, “knowingly, intendedly and falsely represented himself to have the authority to act as the punong barangay of Balibago.”
On September 10, 2018, Mamac and his group, “in bad faith” passed Resolution Number 9 Series of 2018 declaring temporary vacancy in the office of the village chairman due to Lazatin's physical sickness, according to Lazatin.
Mamac and his team claimed that Lazatin was incapacitated for 29 days prior to the passing of the resolution.That's not so bad. They passed a resolution declaring "Tarzan's" office empty because he had been absent for so long due to sickness. It's not graft at least!
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/10/13/1859701/duterte-nothing-govt-can-do-vs-soaring-prices |
“This is not the end of the story, guys,” said Duterte. “If things will move forward in accordance with the present calculations, we will have more difficult times ahead. If you want to go berserk, let’s all go berserk because I am affected by hardship too. That’s the problem now,” Duterte said in Filipino.
“Try to solve the problem. They said: Duterte’s pan de sal is as small as mung bean. What can I do? We don’t have oil,” the President said.
As this developed, Sen. Cynthia Villar pushed yesterday for urban vegetable gardening as the right community response to the high cost of commodities, especially food products, to ensure food-sufficiency among families.
Villar, chair of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, said families should learn to practice urban gardening so they can produce their own greens and vegetables and save hard-earned money for other basic needs.
“Inflation is high. Everything is so expensive now, especially our food products. Vegetables are among the food produce the cost of which has gone considerably up,” Villar said.
“But we can counter this. Urban gardening is possible even in the most crowded areas. You should seriously consider this new norm to ensure not only food on your tables, but the health of your family as well,” she said.
She said every centavo saved from growing vegetables can be used to pay for other expenses.Duterte admits the government can do nothing about inflation after saying the government is doing all it can to fight inflation! Then Senator Villar suggests people plant vegetable gardens as if that is a real solution to the inflation problem. How about fasting every other day? Then you can use the money you save to pay for other expenses.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1042636/samar-ambush-ex-mayor-of-san-jose-buan-town-dies |
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1042582/politicians-on-narcolist-down-to-85-pdea |
The number of “narcopoliticians” has been trimmed down to 85 after the arrest and death of 8 others, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said.
When pressed what the positions of the more than 6,000 individuals were, Aquino said that it covers all.
“Lahat na yun, kasama na ang uniformed service doon, government elected officials, mga civilians, even media, celebrities, judges, andoon na po lahat doon sa 6,000 plus na yon,” Aquino said over an interview with dzMm.
(It’s everything, including the uniformed service, government elected officials, civilians, even media, celebrities, judges — they’re all there in the 6,000 plus.)
“Even PDEA, even police, andoon lahat sa listahan na iyon (they’re all on the list),” he added.
If they kill them all then there won't be any more names on that list.
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/10/15/1860279/roque-changes-tune-says-dutertes-playful-act-kissing-ofw-was-inappropriate |
Asked why he defended it before, Roque said that it was “his job.”
“I believe that serving the countrymen is through serving the president, which includes defending him when he did not do anything wrong,” Roque added.
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/10/15/1860283/roque-drops-senate-bid-house-comeback |
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| http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1042699/charter-change-plebiscite-may-be-held-in-february-2019-rep-veloso |
“If we finish [the plenary debates], we can have the plebiscite in February. It will be earlier than the (May 2019) elections,” Veloso said. “We are not slow in [doing our legislative duties] as perceived by the others there in the [Senate]. I think we will be able to finish this by December.”
Reminded that most of the senators had agreed that the charter change attempt would be “dead-on-arrival” once it reached the Senate, he said: “As I have said, the Senate is only the other half of Congress.”
Why so confident? And what does he mean that the Senate is only the other half of Congress? Rather obvious. Even more obvious is that the House of Representatives cannot foist charter change unilaterally on the public. They need the Senate to ratify their proposed constitution. Who says people know about or even want this kind of change anyway?
She could not have picked a better party-list than one linked to a huge scam. She also did not name names so she did not call out any terrorist sympathisers in Congress. Wonder if she knows Duterte said just pay the NPA tax when he was mayor of Davao!
Four years later and they are still filing cases about the pork barrel scam.
"Join the fun?" What proof more do we need that politics is all a game to these people. They do not care about the nation at all.
This article covers the Villars, the Cayetanos, the Binays, the Estradas, and the Marcoses but leaves out the Dutertes, the Pacquiaos, and all the other many families who have made Philippine politics a family tradition.
From October 5th:
From October 16th:
If you follow the trail you will see the BSP says every month is peak inflation! What a ride!
A derby? More like a cannonball run with all those assorted clowns!
All the problems in the Philippines and this lady wants to ban two popular online video games?
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| http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/671328/her-party-list-linked-to-pork-barrel-scam-mocha-calls-out-terrorist-sympathizers-in-congress/story/ |
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| http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1043229/ex-president-aquino-former-cabinet-officials-senators-sued-over-dap |
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| http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1043470/breaking-enrile-wants-to-join-the-fun-announces-bid-for-senate-in-2019-polls |
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1043458/look-political-families-vying-for-seats-in-the-2019-polls |
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| http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/671149/phl-seat-in-unhrc-repudiates-critics-of-war-on-drugs-palace/story/ |
In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo described the victory as "recognition that our government respects human rights and will not tolerate abuse by those in authority."
Panelo also considers the reelection as a "repudiation of the critics and detractors on President Duterte's unrelenting war against illegal drugs."
At Friday's election in New York, the Philippines secured a seat in the 47-member council along with Bahrain, Cameroon, Somalia, Bangladesh, and Eritrea. A 97-vote majority from the 193 nations that make up the UN's General Assembly is needed for approval.
Panelo conveyed the Philippine government's gratitude to the Geneva-based body for "affirming the Philippines’ brand of human rights advocacy under the Duterte administration as truly responsive to our people’s needs and aspirations for a better and more dignified life."It is a huge leap of logic to assume that being voted onto the UNHRC means that the UN in toto approves of Duterte's drug war in all of its aspects. In fact many countries who have served and who currently serve on the UNHRC are major violators of human rights which is a sad irony of the UNHRC.
From October 5th:
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| https://business.inquirer.net/258476/ph-inflation-rate-may-already-peaked-september-bsp-says |
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| https://business.inquirer.net/259056/bsp-inflation-peak-october-november |
If you follow the trail you will see the BSP says every month is peak inflation! What a ride!
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| http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1043835/enrile-political-scions-join-senatorial-derby |
A derby? More like a cannonball run with all those assorted clowns!
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| https://www.rappler.com/nation/politics/elections/2019/214491-jinggoy-estrada-enrile-revilla-charged-in-pork-barrel-scam-running-again-for-senator |
Revilla is currently detained, while Estrada and Enrile are out on bail.Former politicians accused of plunder running for the Senate. No shame in their game. No delicadeza.
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/10/17/1860800/cops-military-going-after-election-guns |
As the campaign season nears, the police and military are poised for tougher and more coordinated operations against gun-for-hire groups and owners of loose firearms who could end up as private armed groups (PAGs) or security escorts of candidates and politicians – and potential perpetrators of poll-related violence.
This was according to Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde, who stressed that the PNP – along with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) – would be working vigorously to ensure peaceful and orderly polls in May 2019 under the supervision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
The official campaign season begins in February.
“As deputized agencies of the Comelec, the AFP and PNP shall take frontline initiatives to carry out aggressive operations against loose firearms and gun-for-hire groups, some of which are known to double as PAGs during elections,” Albayalde said.
Durana said that as of the second quarter of 2018, the PNP has detected at least 77 active PAGs with 2,060 members and 1,574 firearms.
Of the 77 armed groups, 72 are reportedly based in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
He said the police are also monitoring 226 inactive groups with 2,028 members and about 1,000 firearms.
The PNP spokesman noted most militias are “seasonal” in nature and mostly based in Mindanao.Most militias are seasonal? Who knew!? Political violence happens year round so expect more blood to be shed.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1043939/harry-roque-changes-mind-to-run-for-senator-in-2019 |
He will run under the People’s Reform Party (PRP), which was also the party of late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.
“Ang aking babala ay ‘yung mga korap, mga bobo, mga tiwali sa gobyerno ay mumultuhin na po ni Miriam Defensor-Santiago sa pagkatao ni Harry Roque,” he said in a press briefing.
(My warning to the corrupt and to the fools in the government is they will be hunted by Miriam Defensor-Santiago in the personality of Harry Roque.)
He said he refused a certificate of nomination offered by President Rodrigo Duterte’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), but maintained that he was grateful for the offer to run under the ruling party.
Roque also revealed that it was presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte who arranged his candidacy under the PRP.The big take away here isn't that Roque has risen to new heights of shamelessness by sullying of Miriam Defensor-Santigao's name by associating her with himself but that Sara Duterte arranged for Roque's candidacy. That is some fine backdoor politicking proving her power is growing and the country can expect more to come from her.
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| https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1769767/Manila/Local-News/FDA-Chief-Nela-Charade-Punos-convoy-ambushed-3-cops-killed-3-others-wounded |
In a report, the Camarines Sur police said the ambush, perpetrated by at least 20 members of the communist New People's Army, transpired around 9:10 a.m. along the national highway of Lupi, Camarines Sur.
Puno was unharmed.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde said investigators have yet to find out if Puno was the target of the attack and if there was failure of intelligence on the part of the police.
Just before the ambush, Albayalde said an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in the area.
“Baka masyadong complacent mga kapulisan doon, 'kala dahil baka walang insidenteng mga ganyan sa lugar nila, 'kala na hindi na pwedeng mangyare dun sa lugar na ‘yun mga ganyang pangyayari,” he said.
(The police in the area might have become complacent. They might have not considered the possibility that something like this would happen.)Wouldn't be surprising if there was a failure of intelligence on the part of the police or if they were complacent.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1044642/duterte-be-careful-with-sara-she-can-even-oust-the-speaker |
“Be careful with that woman. She can even oust the Speaker. She operated in Davao. Tingnan mo ang nangyari sa Congress, natanggal si…(Look at what happened in Congress, someone was ousted),” Duterte said in his speech before the 44th Philippine Business Conference and Expo.
Duterte seemed to have confirmed his daughter’s role in the ouster of his closest ally at the House of Representatives, Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.He did not seem to do anything. He actually did confirm it. Will his new spokesman claim it was just a joke and not to take him seriously?
