Tag Archives: duterte

Are the Dutertes the New Opposition in the Philippines?

By admin | September 13, 2024

Written for The Diplomat The quick answer to the question posed in the title of this article is no. They are criticizing members of Congress and even Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., but their party is still part of the ruling coalition. If the split becomes irreconcilable, the Dutertes are expected to mobilize their […]

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Marcos Allies Quarrel Over Confidential Funds

By admin | July 30, 2024

Written for The Diplomat Allies of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are squabbling over the allocation of confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs), which could undermine the “unity government” that rose to power in 2022. CIFs are not subjected to normal auditing rules because it is assumed that law enforcement agencies use them for sensitive national […]

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‘Destabilization’ and Disunity in the Philippine Government

By admin | May 24, 2024

Written for The Diplomat The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff has disclosed that some retired officers have been agitating against the government of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., while in Congress, the House Speaker lashed out against key allies of the president. The realignment in the House leadership and even the […]

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A tale of two murderous military regimes

By admin | April 24, 2024

Published by Bayan Metro Manila Myanmar’s junta and the Philippines’ Duterte government are among the worst violators of human rights today. After grabbing power on February 1, the Tatmadaw (armed forces) detained the country’s duly elected leaders and brutally suppressed the anti-coup resistance. The Philippines is among the many countries which expressed concern over the […]

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Rodrigo Duterte Sued Over ‘Grave Threats’

By admin | April 6, 2024

Written for The Diplomat An opposition lawmaker has filed a criminal complaint against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for making “grave threats” against some members of Congress on his TV show. A day after the House of Representatives confirmed the removal of the confidential funds of Vice President Sara Duterte, the former president, her father, […]

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Philippines’ Top Leaders Accused of Making Irregular Budget Transactions

By admin | March 22, 2024

Written for The Diplomat Opposition lawmakers in the Philippines are questioning the use of confidential funds by Vice President Sara Duterte in 2022, which they claim were in some cases even allocated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. without the authorization of Congress. Naturally, it doesn’t look good that almost five billion pesos are allotted for […]

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A year of surviving the pandemic and Duterte’s misgovernance

By admin | December 17, 2023

Published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer This week marks the first year since the Duterte administration imposed harsh lockdown measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The failure of the militarist approach is reflected in the surging COVID-19 cases, livelihood losses caused by unnecessary restrictions, and worsening human rights abuses. The remorseless incompetence of the […]

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The naughty and nice of 2020

By admin | October 3, 2023

Published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer This has been a terrible year because of the pandemic, but there are people who made the lives of Filipinos more miserable. The “naughtiest” is President Duterte, whose incoherent late-night speeches did nothing to ease our worries. His militarist mindset proved ineffective and counter-productive in dealing with the health […]

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A call for relief, accountability, and climate justice

By admin | August 1, 2023

Published by Bayan Metro Manila The pandemic and typhoon disasters tested the resilience of many Filipinos. But even the most resilient won’t survive if the government is slow to respond, refuses to be held accountable which prevents it from learning where it failed, and prefers to be indifferent even if the poorest in society are […]

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IFEX Asia Brief: April, May, June 2022

By admin | May 16, 2023

April 2022: Political crises, anti-Muslim violence, and Maria Ressa’s pushback. South Asia’s civic space is on fire: Massive protests in Sri Lanka, rising anti-Muslim violence in India, continuing crackdown in Kashmir, and intensifying political conflict in Pakistan. In the Philippines, Nobel laureate Maria Ressa countered the latest government harassment with a legal pushback. May 2022: […]

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