Governance – Page 8 – ellen tordesillas

The power of conscience

Published by Ellen on February 22, 2017

SP03 Arthur Lascañas relates the murders he committed in a press conference at the Senate. With him are Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, human rights lawyers Alex Padilla, ArnoSanidad, and Cel Diokno.

“The torture of a bad conscience is the hell of a living soul.”

John Calvin -French theologian and reformer

The turnaround of SP03 Arthur Lascañas on the murders he committed as a member of the Davao Death Squad must have stunned Malacanang, all that it can come up with was Press Secretary Martin Andanar’s preposterous allegation that Senate reporters were given $1,000 each to attend the press conference morning of Wednesday at the Senate.

Senate reporters and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines slammed Andanar for the irresponsible allegation.

Andanar immediately backtracked finding himself trapped in quicksand of dubious press statements with his destabilization angle. The more he tried to wiggle out of his “destab” story, the more that his credibility sank.

Duterte can’t decide kung siya ay anak mahirap o anak mayaman

Published by Ellen on February 18, 2017

VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Duterte flip-flops on family’s wealth

Bernard Ong’s update from “Bansang Fentanilia”

Published by Ellen on February 16, 2017

Satire is the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.

Satire is a survival tool in an environment when one’s sense of right and wrong is being assaulted from all directions.

Don’t cry. Read Bernard Ong’s Facebook post, “Ganito kami sa bansang Fentanilia” and laugh:

There’s method in Duterte’s martial law ‘madness’

Published by Ellen on January 20, 2017

“I will not declare martial but …”Pres. Duterte talks about martial law in his keynote message during the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Premier Medical Center in Cabanatuan City on January 18, 2017. Malacanang photo by Karl Norman Alonzo.

“Just be quiet all of you.”

Spoken like a despot ordering his minions what to do.

President Duterte barked that order during the 20th founding anniversary of the Premiere Medical Center in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija Wednesday.

He was reacting to negative reactions to his earlier statement about declaring martial law unilaterally without following the process stated in the Constitution.

Advice to Duterte: check on your hubris

Published by Ellen on November 27, 2016

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. Photo from Ombudsman's Facebook. — Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. Photo from Ombudsman’s Facebook.

The statement of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales that the plunder and graft case filed by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV against then presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte is being investigated reassures those who are worried that the issue would be buried with the election of Duterte to the presidency.

Many were afraid that the Ombudsman ‘s office would just sit on the case because of Morales’ relations with the President.

Morales is the sister of lawyer Lucas Carpio Jr, the father-in-law of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, daughter of the President.

In a talk with reporters after she delivered a stirring speech at the UP Alumni Homecoming Friday, Morales said although she has inhibited herself from the case, “ it is undergoing investigation.”

The public’s right to know about the President’s health

Published by Ellen on November 22, 2016

Pres. Duterte boards the plane at Jorge Chavez International Airport, in Lima Peru at the end of the 2016 APEC Leaders meeting. Malacanang photo by Simeon Celi, Jr.

President Duterte’s absence in two traditional events in the 2017 summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC once again raises the need for Malacañang to inform the public of the health of the 71-year old chief executive.

We know it’s a sensitive subject for Duterte but the public’s concern is valid and recognized by the Constitutional provision of “the right of the people to information on matters of public concern.”

Section 12 of Art. VII states that, “In case of serious illness of the President, the public shall be informed of the state of his health. “

Lack of public outrage emboldens Duterte to float writ suspension

Published by Ellen on November 13, 2016

"Ayaw ko..ayaw ko...but.." Duterte floats suspension of writ of habeas corpus. — “Ayaw ko..ayaw ko…but..” Duterte floats suspension of writ of habeas corpus.

Two things came to our mind when we read about President Duterte’s threat of suspending the writ of habeas corpus if lawlessness in Mindanao worsens.

Number one, his “Kill, Kill” strategy in eradicating the illegal drug problem is not solving the problem despite 4,000 killed.

Number two, the public has been desensitized by all these killings. Duterte knows the public won’t might if he takes his violation of human rights a notch higher.

In a speech at the launching of the Pilipinong May Puso Foundation in Davao City on Friday, he made his usual narration of the gravity of the illegal drug problem in the country. This time, he added the “rebellion” in Mindanao (“Grabe ang bakbakan…”).

“At kung magkalat itong still lawlessness, I might be forced to..” he paused saying it is not something he likes; “Ayaw ko, ayaw ko. Warning ko lang sa kanila ‘yan, ayaw ko kasi hindi maganda.”

FVR has earned the right to critique Duterte

Published by Ellen on October 12, 2016

The critique of former President Fidel V. Ramos of President Duterte’s first 100 days should be a warning to the latter that he cannot go on with his “Kill, Kill” mantra with five years and nine months more to go in his presidency.

FVR burst the bubble of Malacañang’s euphoria over the President’s 76 percent satisfaction rating (Social Weather Stations September 24-27, 2016 survey) with a commentary in the Oct. 9 issue of the Manila Bulletin that “..we find our team Philippines losing in the first 100 days of DU30’s administration – and losing badly. This is a huge disappointment and let-down to many of us.

“Team Philippines” refers to the 101 million Filipinos.

My question to God: why did you give us President Duterte?

Published by Ellen on September 27, 2016

President Duterte asks if there is God at the oathtaking of Malacanang media.

President Duterte finally hit the highest target: God.

After taking on the holiest of the living figures – Pope Francis; the president of the world’s superpower – U.S. President Barack Obama; and the Secretary General of the United Nations – Ban Ki Moon, he had ran out of adversaries.

The leader voted by “the National Aeronautic and Space Administration as the best president in the solar system”- a title Duterte fanatics applauded and shared in social media, went beyond earthly realm and questioned the existence of God.

The Filipino people will survive Duterte

Published by Ellen on September 27, 2016

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

In the traditional first 100 days assessment of a President’s performance one does not really expect concrete results knowing the complexities of governance but within the first three months, the public should have an idea the direction that the president is leading the country to.

Duterte has made clear what the public can expect in the coming months: there will be more killings.

The numbers vary and are difficult to ascertain but the figure being mentioned in news reports of illegal drugs related deaths under Duterte’s rule range from 1,500 to 300,000. The numbers continue to increase every day.

Category: Governance