Listen to what President Duterte had to say when he fired Government Corporate Counsel Rudolph Philip Jurado last week for allegedly granting a gambling franchise to the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (Apeco): “May I call the government corporate counsel are you in this, andito ka (are you here)? Kasi kung andito ka lumabas ka p********. You… Read More »
As the nation marked the 120th anniversary of the declaration of Philippine independence, many Filipinos are beginning to question if the country can really call itself independent 120 years after General Emilio Aguinaldo declared the Philippines free from Spain and almost 72 years since the United States granted us our freedom. For one, Filipino fishermen are realizing that… Read More »
MANILA Some people here are hoping for karma. Others are looking for an extrajudicial intervention. Some pray for intervention from an even higher authority. The Filipino people are experiencing trauma. Today’s generation hasn’t experienced anything like it before, even if you count in Ferdinand Marcos’ martial law. That’s because today’s younger generation wasn’t around when Marcos imposed his… Read More »
President Duterte probably thinks all Filipinos are simpletons. He oversimplifies his defense of his policy of appeasement with China and thinks Filipinos are so gullible they would accept it hook, line and sinker. He says he did not want to confront China on its transgressions on Philippine territory and sovereignty because he didn’t want to antagonize our powerful… Read More »
MANILA “China will not allow you to be taken down from office….and will not let your country go to the dogs.” There goes President Rodrigo Duterte again. Is that one of his yarns that he himself tells us he throws at us every now and then? I don’t know whether the President does it for his amusement or… Read More »
My two week’s Commentary from South of the border. SPYGate, etc. My recent FB commentary on John Brennan and his likely role in using an “informant” (spy) to infiltrate the Trump campaign solicited 1000s of replies particularly Jill B. of Texas reminding me of a story that came out last year in POLITICO. Since that time, of course,… Read More »
A reference notes that June continues to be the marry-est month of the year. How about merriest? ***** Many still believe that a wedding in the month named after the Roman goddess Juno is conducive to success and prosperity, as Juno is known to protect women, especially in marriage and childbearing. Juno was the daughter of Saturn, the… Read More »
Across the border my latest comments on the US – Iran nuclear deal, and Trump secures prisoner release. Despite former (repeat: FORMER) Secretary of State John Kerry’s intense and highly inappropriate efforts to save Obama’s ill-advised Iran deal and preserve Obama’s damaging legacy, President Trump has fulfilled a campaign promise to step away from the deal, outlining a… Read More »
The 42nd Ontario general election is set on June 7, 2018. “Brod, sino ang iboboto mo?” “Kandidato sa riding ko.” ***** “Ano’ng partido ang kikilingan mo?” “Saranggola ni Mang Kepweng.” ***** “Sa tingin mo, sino ang magiging premier ng Ontario?” “Wala nang iba kundi yung nanalo.” ***** “Naniniwala ka ba sa mga pre-election surveys?” “Ano ‘yun? Mapapagkitaan ba?”… Read More »
MANILA Only the dullest observer would still be thinking Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was being honest when he promised to solve the country’s drug and crime problems, annihilate the state’s ideological enemies, and ride a jetski to the Spratly Islands to spite China, all in three months, during the 2016 election. He said all of those just to… Read More »