Author: Ellen

Do we take President Duterte seriously?

Published by Ellen on August 11, 2016

Duterte threatens to declare martial law before troops in Camp Evangelista, Cagayan de Oro.

I take him seriously because the president of the Republic of the Philippines is so powerful that with a stroke of a pen, he can save a life or send the nation to war.

Last Tuesday, President Duterte threatened to declare martial law.

“ Please, ‘wag mo akong… hindi ako gago. If this continues, pigilan mo ako eh ‘di sige. ‘Pag nagwala na...or would you rather that I will declare martial law?, he said before the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division in Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro.

Duterte was lashing out on Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno who stood up to him by reminding him of the separation of powers and other provisions in the Constitution which he could have violated when he read a list of alleged illegal drugs protector including seven judges. Others in more than 150 names in the list were congressmen, military officials, police officers, mayors, and vice mayors.

Side effects of Duterte’s war against illegal drugs

Published by Ellen on August 4, 2016

Photo-journalists capture the moment.Photo by Vincent Go

Do you feel sick watching daily images on TV and newspapers of people killed, lying lifeless on the sidewalks covered with newspapers or plastic with only their dirty feet and worn-out rubber slippers seen?

And of course near the corpse, the cardboard sign “Drug pusher ako, huwag tularan”, which has now become a standard accessory in President Duterte’s war against illegal drugs.

Studies have shown the ill-effects of being exposed to traumatic images.

In an article in the website of Association for Psychological Science, psychological scientist Roxane Cohen Silver of the University of California, Irvine and colleagues said “repeated exposure to vivid traumatic images from the media could lead to long-lasting negative consequences, not just for mental health but also for physical health. “

The article said Silver and her colleagues “speculated that such media exposure could result in a stress response that triggers various physiologic processes associated with increased health problems over time.”

That’s for those who are exposed to disturbing images in media. How much more with members of media who are up close to those gruesome scenes to capture them for the people to know what’s happening in the country.

Duterte: a poor drug user is also a pusher

Published by Ellen on August 2, 2016

Photo by Raffy Lerma of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

A drug user who is rich is not necessarily a pusher because he has the money to buy the illegal substance. But if the drug user is poor, he is also a pusher.

That’s according to President Duterte.

In the President’s meeting with soldiers and policemen in Camp Nakar in Lucena City last July 28, he said “But a user is a pusher. Pwera na lang kung anak ka ni Ayala o ni Consunji o ni Gokongwei, ‘pag nalulong ka sa droga eh maghanap ka ng tao na isusuporta rin ang — sa bisyo mo. Then the other idiot will also contaminate and this must not happen.”

That explains why those killed (465 since Duterte assumed the presidency on June 30, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer) were all wearing rubber slippers. Too poor to even afford shoes .

Duterte does a delicate balancing act

Published by Ellen on July 31, 2016

Duterte announces lifting of unilateral ceasefire July 29. Photo by Rene Lumawag of PPD

Last Monday, July 25, in his first State- of-the- Nation- Address, President Duterte was applauded when he declared a unilateral ceasefire in the armed conflict with the communist rebels.

He said: “To immediately stop violence on the ground, restore peace in the communities and provide enabling environment conducive to the resumption of the peace talks, I am now announcing a unilateral ceasefire with the CPP/NPA/NDF effective immediately. And call on our Filipinos in the National Democratic Front and its forces to respond accordingly.”

Before the week ended, he withdrew that headline grabbing announcement. At 7 p.m. of Saturday, July 30, Presidential Spokesperson Ernie Abella read the President’s statement:

Photo-journalists debunk doubts on ‘La Pieta’ picture

Published by Ellen on July 28, 2016

Proof of the greatness of a creation is the emotion that it evokes, favorable or unfavorable.

Such is the picture of Jennelyn Olaires cradling the dead body of her partner, Michael Siaron, a 30-year-old pedicab driver, who was shot dead by motorcycle-riding men while he was waiting for passengers past midnight of July 22 in Pasay City.

Inquirer captioned the heart-wrenching photo by Raffy Lerma, “La Pieta,” after the famous sculpture by Michelangelo Buonarroti of the sorrowful Mary holding the dead body of Jesus.

Like Andanar, I cried listening to the President’s speech

Published by Ellen on July 26, 2016

President Rodrigo R. Duterte delivering his first State of the Nation Address at Batasang Pambansa. Photo by King Rodriguez/PPD

Press Secretary Martin Andanar, who said he cried when he read the draft of President Duterte’s first State of the Nation Address, was not being melodramatic.

I, too, cried listening to the President’s speech.

I don’t know which part made Andanar cry. As for me, it was the part when he lambasted media for likening to Michaelangelo’s “The Pieta”, the heart-wrenching photo of Jennelyn Olaires cradling the dead body of Michael Siaron, a 30-year-old pedicab driver, who was shot dead by motorcycle-riding men while he was waiting for passengers past midnight last Friday in Pasay City.

The unidentified gunmen left a cardboard sign, “I’m a drug pusher, do not emulate me.”

This is the picture (July 24 Inquirer) that Pres. Duterte dismissed as "drama.' — This is the picture (July 24 Inquirer) that Pres. Duterte dismissed as “drama.’

Duterte gives Yasay a graceful exit

Published by Ellen on July 21, 2016

Now I see how astute President Duterte is.

He can appear to be assuring you of his trust and confidence while actually cutting your neck.

That was what his July 19 video statement released by Malacañang on the status of Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay, Jr. showed.

In the video, a very formal Duterte in barong tagalog with the emblem of the President of the Republic of the Philippine behind and in front of him, said:

How much did PH pay for foreign lawyers in case vs China?

Published by Ellen on July 21, 2016

(I did this article for VERA Files.)

The government paid $7 million in legal fees to the international team that gave the Philippines its landmark victory against China over the disputed features in the South China Sea, a member of the Philippine delegation to The Hague hearings said.

The source who asked for anonymity said the $7 million was a ceiling in lawyers’ fees the government of President Benigno Aquino III insisted on, having learned a costly lesson from the case against the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco) where, under an open-ended agreement, the lawyers’ fees reached $65 million.

The Philippines was represented in the two-and-a half year litigation by Foley Hoag LLP. The case against China was filed with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands on January 22, 2013.

Counsel for the Philippines Paul S. Reichler. Photo from Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The $7 million (P328,996,500 at P47 to $1) was the third ceiling set, more than 65 per cent higher than the original contract fee of $4,212,000 agreed upon in December 2012 by then Solicitor General and now Supreme Court Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza and Paul S. Reichler of Foley Hoag.

Questions remain about some senator winners in May election

Published by Ellen on July 20, 2016

Sen. Serge Osmeña. Photo by Josh Lim (Sky Harbor)

When 17th Congress opens on July 25, the Senate will have a new set of 12 legislators -winners of the senatorial race in the recent May 9 elections.

Not all are new faces in the Senate because there were re-electionists like Franklin Drilon, Tito Sotto, and Ralph Recto. There were also the balik-Senado, former senators who ran again like Panfilo Lacson, Richard Gordon, Francis Pangilinan, and Miguel Zubiri.

The first timers are boxing champ Manny Pacquiao; Risa Hontiveros, who is dubbed as the Senate’s Pia Wurtzbach because like the 2015 Miss Universe, she made it to the Senate on her third attempt; TESDAman Joel Villanueva; former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima; and former Valenzuela (1st district) Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian.

They join the 12 other senators whose term will be ending in 2019. Four of the last termers ran for vice presidebt last election but lost: Alan Peter Cayetano, Franciz Escudero, Gregorio Honasan, and Antonio Trillanes IV. One, Grace Poe, was not successful in her presidential bid.

The rest of the members of the 17th Senate are Loren Legarda,Aquilino Pimentel III, Cynthia Villar, JV Ejercito ,Sonny Angara,Bam Aquino, and Nancy Binay.

FVR wants to clarify role as special envoy to China

Published by Ellen on July 17, 2016

Former President Fidel V. Ramos with Vietnam Ambassador Truong Trieu Duong and Madame Dinh Thi Thu Huong.

Former President Fidel V. Ramos said there are some things he has to discuss with President Duterte before he agrees to be the latter’s special envoy to China.

Duterte made the announcement during a tribute to him by his fellow Bedans at Club Filipino in Greenhills last Thursday and Ramos said, “It was noisy, there was no time to talk about it.”

Ramos said he is elated by Duterte’s confidence in him for the important job of repairing relations with China especially in the wake of the humiliation that had been rendered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration to the Asian behemoth in the case filed by the Philippines against its nine-dash lines and other activities in the Spratlys. But he said he is 88 years old.