By Junex Doronio

MANILA — With the widening rift between the camps of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, opposition Liberal Party (LP) president and Albay Representative Edcel Lagman has expressed hope that eventually the President will allow the investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the “bloody” war on drugs of the previous administration of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Conflicting reports said government data shows that at least 6,252 people were killed in police anti-drug operations from July 1, 2016, to May 31, 2022 while human rights groups estimate to be between 27,000 and 30,000.

“Palagay ko naman ang ating Pangulo ay titignan yung sentiment ng Kongreso, ng House of Representatives at sa mundo naman wala namang na-close, pwede ma-open. Yung mga Executive agencies ay pwedeng magpalit ng isip kung talagang nakikita nila na tama talaga na mag-cooperate ang ating bansa sa imbestigasyon ng ICC,” Lagman told reporters on Wednesday, November 22.

In July 17, 2023 report of the Vera Files, aside from FPRRD, Vice President Sara Duterte and Senators Bong Go and Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa were named in documents submitted to the ICC.

On Tuesday, November 21, the Albay solon filed the third resolution at the House of Representatives urging relevant agencies to work with the ICC Prosecutor on the probe.

Noticeably, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has softened his stance on the ICC when way back in July he said the international body “is not welcome here and has no business to be in the country.”

“[It] needs a serious study on our part, at the DOJ, considering we are no longer members,” Remulla declared.

With this development, Lagman expressed his belief that there has been a shift in the perspective of the majority bloc in the House.

“Kami naman e talagang matagal na naming hinihiling yun na mag-cooperate na. Palagay ko may mga pagpapalit sa mga pananaw ng majority na talagang kailangan na sundin natin ang rule of law at yung world order, kailangan mag-cooperate fully ang ating bansa sa imbestigasyon ng prosecutors ng ICC. Uulitin ko, we shouldn’t be a renegade in the international order,” he said.

Some political observers told Maharlika NuMedia that the entry of ICC early next year is possible with the obvious cracks in the UniTeam.

On Monday evening, November 20, VP Duterte was caught in video “snubbing” Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez who arrived at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City with the Philippine delegation of the President from the US.

(ai/mnm)

By Junex Doronio

MINCING NO WORDS, former Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV has directly charged former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte as the brains behind the destabilization efforts against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that will benefit Vice President Sara Duterte if a coup d’etat succeeds.

Trillanes, who was once involved in the July 23, 2003 Oakwood mutiny in Makati City against then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, noted that the destabilization efforts did not ripen to a coup plot because of the absence of a military component due to perception among some military officers that FPRRD is pro-China.

“And besides kung si Duterte, ang feedback ha ng mga junior officers atsaka mid-ranking officers ay natu-turn off sila dahil pro-China siya. So they won’t join him. Kasi otherwise, alam nila na ang ending nito is basically letting China in again, similar to what he did from 2016 to 2022,” Trillanes bared in his interview with “Facts First” podcast hosted by Christian Esguerra on Thursday, November 16.

The former Philippine Navy lieutenant who served as Magdalo military rebel group spokesperson said the Marcos Jr. administration should be “paranoid” amid reports that only the retired generals were involved in the destabilization efforts.

Trillanes recalled that the so-called “Edsa Dos” transpired due to the instigation of some retired generals like the late President Fidel V. Ramos and former Defense Secretary Renato de Villa.

Then President Joseph “Erap” Estrada was ousted president following corruption allegations when the police and military withdrew support from his administration as several top government officials resigned and thousands of people protested on Epifanio delos Santos Ave. (EDSA) in Mandaluyong City from January 17 – 20, 2001.

Then Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took over as acting president.

As a former coup plotter himself, Trillanes noted the various techniques of what he called Duterte influencers in agitating the public against the Marcos Jr administration and build up a “social volcano” that would later explode.

“Itong Duterte camp, they have mastered the propaganda games in social media whether gaslighting, outright lies, fake news, lahat lahat yan, gagamitin nila yan para ma-pursue nila ang agenda nila kaya naghahanap sila ng iba’t ibang isyu para ma-agitate (the public),” he said.

But they have the same narratives like saying “grabe na yung mga addict ngayon nagbalikan, grabe na ang drugs, grabe na ang crimes nawala lang si Duterte. By implication kaya kailangang bumalik ulit ang Duterte, di ba?”

“ Pero titingnan nyo yung mga nahuhuling drugs, ito yung mga kasangkot doon sa sindikato nila ng Davao group no? Kumbaga nabuko. Yung mga dating hindi hinuhuli, ngayon hinuhuli na, di ba? Tapos yung mga pulis na ginawa nilang part ng criminal syndicate, yun yung mga pinagtatanggal sa puwesto, di ba? Ngayon ang hindi magandang naririnig namin is pwede silang gumawa ng mga high profile crimes tapos ang by implication ang lalabas doon ano na weak yung ano, nagkaroon ng gulo, magulo na, chaotic yung administrasyon kaya kailangan ng pumasok.”

When asked of the Magdalo’s stance with regards to the present dispensation, Trillanes declared: “Kami sa aming grupo, talagang inalyze namin yung situation and we came to the conclusion  na it’s in the interest of the country na matapos ng Marcos administration yung kanilang termino hanggang 2028. Dahil pagka ito ay na-cut short at mag-assume ang Sara Duterte as president, babalik tayo doon sa 2016 to 2022 nightmare na I hope na talagang wag naman na nating pagdaanan muli kasi para na tayong mga masokista noon kung ihangad pa natin yun, yung pangyayaring iyon.”

He was apparently referring to the six-year period of the government being subservient to China and the number of extra-judicial killings (EJKs) in the bloody campaign against illegal drugs which critics claimed to be a failed approach.

(AI/MnM)

By Junex Doronio

PLAIN CITIZEN Rodrigo Roa Duterte was “commanded” Wednesday (15 November 2023) to appear before the City Prosecutor’s Office on December 4 and 11 at 2:30 p.m.

This was learned on Wednesday as the subpoena was signed by Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Ulric Badiola.

“The counter-affidavit, together with the annexes and the affidavits of witnesses shall be in eight copies and shall be subscribed and sworn to before me,” the subpoena said.

Further, the subpoena read: “No motion to dismiss shall be entertained only counter-affidavits shall be admitted. Otherwise, Respondent/s is/are deemed to have waived the right to present evidence. Furthermore, no postponement shall be granted unless for exceptionally meritorious grounds.”

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro following the statement of Duterte in an interview with Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) that Castro is the first target of the confidential fund of the former president’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.

To recall, during his “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa” TV show on SMNI in October, Duterte was  discussing with his reputed spiritual adviser and staunch supporter, Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy about the controversial issue of VP Sara’s refusal to explain how she spent P125 million of government funds in just 11 days, saying only it was for “intelligence purposes”.

“Pero ang una mong target d’yan [sa] intelligence fund mo, kayo, ikaw France, kayong mga Komunista ang gusto kong patayin,” Duterte said.

While the statement only mentioned “France,” the ACT Teachers party-list representative said she felt alluded to because her full name was mentioned earlier in the interview.

(AI/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

DESPITE BEING INCARCERATED for nearly seven years for what she described as trumped up drug charges, former senator Leila de Lima still wished for God’s forgiveness for former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

On Monday, the 13th of November, seemed to be a lucky day for De Lima when she was released from her nearly seven years of detention after a Muntinlupa court allowed her to post P300,000 bail for a drug case.

“God forgive him and God bless him. ‘Yun lang muna ngayon,” De Lima told the media.

She has always maintained that the drug charges against her were baseless and politically motivated.

De Lima was arrested in February 2017 over allegations of being in cahoots with inmates at the New Bilibid Prison to sell illegal drugs to fund her senatorial bid.

A known critic of FPRRD, De Lima said she doesn’t want to be “political sounding” immediately after regaining her freedom.

“Marami pa akong gustong sabihin sa kanya pero ‘wag muna. I don’t want to be political sounding tonight, because this is a moment of joy. This is a triumphant moment for me, so as much as possible I want to be gracious. God forgive him and God bless him,” the former senator said on Monday night, November 13.

She added: “He knows what he did to me.”

(ai/mnm)

By Junex Doronio

WHO’S AFRAID OF DIGONG?

Definitely not ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro who filed on Tuesday a criminal complaint against former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte over his alleged threats against her life, which were aired on national television and livestreamed online.

“Malubhang pagbabanta ito sa aking buhay dahil nagkaroon din naman ito ng epekto lalo na sa panahong ako ay kasalukuyang nagdadalamhati sa pagkamatay ng aking tatay, doon pa nya talaga pinagbantaan ang aking buhay,” Castro told reporters after the filing of the criminal complaint against the feisty ex-Chief Executive.

She was accompanied by current and former Makabayan bloc representatives and her lawyers from the Movement Against Disinformation (MAD) when Castro filed a grave threats complaint against the former president at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.

It was the first known criminal rap filed against Duterte since he stepped down from office.

Castro apparently caught the ire of FPRRD when she questioned the Office of the Vice President (OVP) on its P125 million confidential funds that were only spent in 11 days in 2022.

Last October 10, FPRRD defended his daughter, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, over the use of confidential funds in both the OVP and the Department of Education (DepEd) justifying that it would be used for the creation of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program.

“Pero ang unang target sa intelligence fund mo, kayo! Ikaw France, kayong mga komunista ang gusto kong patayin. Sabihin mo na sa kanya,” the elder Duterte said, referring to the ACT Teachers party-list lawmaker.

Castro claimed she was at her father’s wake when she heard Duterte’s remarks.

“Talagang na-shock po ako doon sa ginawang threat ni dating Presidente Rodrigo Duterte sa aking buhay… Talagang masakit. Parang dobleng sakit ang naramdaman ko noong panahon na ‘yon na naka-receive pa ako ng pagbabanta sa aking buhay,” she said.

(ai/mnm)

By Ismael Amigo, Sr.

ISA lang po ang ibig sabihin nito: hindi na po sila takot mag-voice out ng kanilang saloobin.

No, not anymore po, people.

House leaders are unfazed, they’re not afraid of former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte anymore, it seems.

In the world of Philippine politics, it seems that former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is not one to back down from a fight. His recent threat towards party-list congresswoman France Castro for bringing to light the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) expenditure of P125 million confidential funds in just 11 days in 2022 has left many wondering, “Who’s really afraid of Digong?”

But, in a bold and resolute response, Santa Rosa City’s very own Rep. Dan Fernandez has made it clear that the House of Representatives, under the steadfast leadership of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, cannot be easily swayed by distractions or intimidation.

Despite the session adjourning in late September, the House’s various committees have been given the authority to hold hearings to expedite the passage of essential measures.

Fernandez emphasizes that the commitment to the people is unwavering. The duty to the nation remains paramount, and they will not allow political noise to divert their attention from the work that needs to be done.

In a time when political bickering and distractions seem to be the norm, this unwavering commitment to the people’s welfare is a refreshing departure from the status quo.

Duterte’s latest “kill you” threats against Cong France Castro was in defense of his daughter, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, over the use of confidential funds in both the OVP and the Department of Education, that raised not only a few but many eyebrows.

He justified the (CIF) allocation for the creation of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program but targeted Rep. France Castro and others, leaving no room for compromise.

It’s important to note that both the OVP and DepEd sought a total of P650 million in confidential funds, but House leaders rejected it and instead realigned these funds.

Fernandez, who chairs the House Committee on Public Order and Safety, made it clear that the redistribution of P1.23 billion confidential funds is essential.

Redirecting these funds toward agencies tasked with providing security for the nation is a strategic move that aligns with their commitment to reinforcing programs that improve the lives of Filipinos.

Fernandez states, “Our intent is to ensure that these funds contribute effectively to the well-being of our citizens and the advancement of the nation’s interests.”

In a time of political posturing and power plays, this commitment to the nation’s welfare is something that the Filipino people can look to with hope.

As it is, the political landscape in the Philippines continues to be marked by confrontations and controversies, the unwavering commitment of leaders like Rep. Dan Fernandez to prioritize the nation’s interests is a reassuring sign.

The House of Representatives, under his and Speaker Romualdez’s leadership, is resolute in its mission to serve the people and to ensure that the country’s resources are directed toward the betterment of Filipino lives.

So, “Who’s afraid of Papa Digs now?”

It seems that the answer, at least in the House of Representatives, is resoundingly clear: not them.

Ngunit, kagaya ng dati sa mga katulad ni Cong Dan na tumayo at nanindigan, kasunod nito ay ang tiyak na pagbalikwas ng kampo ni Papa Digs, upang gibain ang kredibilidad ng sinumang bankala na kagaya ni Cong Dan.

Abangan!