A slide from the presentation by Dr. Vo Xuan Vinh in a New Delhi conference on South China Sea.
A Vietnamese academic pierced whatever illusion about the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea being worked out between ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and China and being coordinated by the Philippines.
Speaking in aconference on South China Sea in New Delhi, India November 29, 2019, Dr. Vo Xuan Vinh of the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences said, “It is unlikely that ASEAN and China could conclude a COC as scheduled (2021).”
“If they do, “ Vo said, “the COC is not meaningful.”
Senator Leila de Lima waves to supporters on her way to a court hearing, June 7, 2019. Photo from Senator de Lima’s office.
Why is Malacañang panicking over the U.S. visa ban on officials involved in the “wrongful imprisonment” of Senator Leila de Lima that has yet to be implemented?
The panic was obvious in the President’s order at the beginning of the New Year that aside from banning the three American senators – Richard Durbin of Illinois, Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Edward Markey of Massachusetts from entering the country – he had wanted “to require all Americans intending to come to the Philippines to apply and secure a visa.”
The order would trash the current policy of a 30-day visa free privilege for U.S. citizens.
Human Rights advocate Aileen Bacalso accepts the 2019 Franco-German Prize for Human Rights award from French Ambassador Nicolas Galey (left) and German Ambassador Anke Reiffenstuel (right).
It could not have been given to a more deserving person.
Last Dec. 12, two days after the universal observance of International Human Rights Day, human rights advocates gathered at the Novotel in Quezon City to applaud the awarding to Aileen Bacalso, the Franco-German Ministerial Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law.
Bacalso was one of the 15 in the world who were honored this year for the work they are doing in protecting human rights. The others were: Ales Bialiatski (Belarus), Li Wenzu (China), the Nadim Center (Egypt), Ameha Mekonnen Asfaw (Ethiopia), Robin Chaurasiya (India), Nasrin Sotoudeh (Iran), Amina Hanga (Nigeria), Miluska Del Carmen Luzquinos Tafur (Peru), Irina Biryukova (Russia), Delphine Kemneloum Djiraïbe (Chad), Asena Günal (Turkey), Luz Mely Reyes (Venezuela), and Vu Quoc Ngu (Vietnam).
The countries where the other recipients come from is a commentary on the notorious company that the Philippines keeps, despite the fact that the preamble in its Constitution speak of building “a just and humane society.”
Senate President Vicente Sotto and Sen. Ronald Bato de la Rosa watch the Pacquiao-Thurman fight in a movie house in Makati in July 2019. Permission granted by Inquirer.net for the use of this photo by Neil Arwin Mercado.
Remember this photo of Senate President Tito Sotto and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa watching the Las Vegas fight between Senate colleague Manny Pacquiao and American boxer Keith Thurman fight at a theater in Rockwell last July?
We wondered then why de la Rosa, who was investigated by the Ombudsman for accepting an all-expenses paid trip to watch the Pacquiao-Jesse Vargas fight in Las Vegas in November 2016 when he was police chief, opted to stay in Manila when President Duterte cleared him of any wrongdoing. (In fairness to the former police chief, he also skipped the Pacquiao -Jeff Horn fight in Brisbane, Australia in July 2017.)
A source told us that De la Rosa actually wanted to watch the Pacquiao-Thurman fight but his United States visa was cancelled in connection with The Asia Reassurance Initiative Act (ARIA).
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo was wrong when he said that there is no song that embodies the whole Philippines.
“Tama si Mayor Sara. We need to have a song that will reflect not only Manila but the entire Philippines. Wala pa eh,” he told reporters when asked about complaint of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio of the use of the song, “Manila, Manila” by the Hotdog band in the opening ceremonies of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games last Saturday.
For the information of Panelo there is a long list of Original Pilipino Music that embraces the Filipino people. Right off, there’s Yoyoy Villame’s playful “Philippine Geography”.
Tribute to the Filipino people. Opening ceremonies. from SEAG2019 Facebook page.
I enjoyed watching the opening ceremonies of the 30th Southeast Asian Games. Salute to director Floy Quintos. Just enough dazzle to showcase the beauty of Philippine culture.
I liked the use of the iconic song, “Manila, Manila” by the 70’s band, Hotdog, as the athletes entered the arena. It set a happy and bouncy mood for the event.
Presidential daughter Sara Duterte Carpio exposed her parochial mind when she complained through her Instagram account, “Di po ba Philippine flag ang dala? Why would you play the song Manila? Did Lapu-Lapu die for Manila? Wag po natin gawing excuse ang upbeat danceable song. Kami nag-imbento ng budots. Kaloko man oi.'”
Dennis Garcia, the other half of the brothers who formed the band, explained in his Facebook post, “
Rene & I created ‘Manila’, not thinking of ourselves as Tagalogs, Bisayans or Ilokanos but as Filipinos missing the Philippines.”
Vice President Leni Robredo: comforting the afflicted, afflicting the comfortable, especially those with a lot of rot to hide.
Ngayon ang tanong ko: Ano bang kinatatakutan ninyo?
Ano ba ang kinatatakutan ninyong malaman ko?
Ano ba ang kinatatakutan ninyong malaman ng taumbayan?
Now my question: what are you afraid of?
What are you afraid of me to know?
What are you afraid of knowing the people?
With those questions, Vice President Leni Robredo painted to the public the real problem in the Duterte government’s battle against illegal drugs which has not shown signs of decreasing despite the loss of more than 20,000 lives (government will admit to only about 6,000).
Robredo asked the question after he was fired by Duterte as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs late evening of Sunday for reasons that Malacañang has muddled in its nine-page statement.
In one paragraph, the statement said, it was “in response to the suggestion of Liberal Party President, Senator Francis Pangilinan, to just fire the Vice President from her post” and to the “taunt and dare of VP Robredo for the President to just tell her that he wants her out.”
If Vice President Leni Robredo succeeds in dismantling the illegal drugs network and reducing the menace without the killings that have characterized President Duterte’s failed drug war, it would be a slap on Duterte’s much vaunted iron hand strategy.
Vice President Leni Robredo holds press conference with ICAD co-chair PDEA chief Aaron Aquino
Sen. Bong Go’s statements betray this concern even as he expressed “full support”for her as c-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) together with the head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In his press release after his visit to Leyte to witness the groundbreaking ceremony of housing projects for typhoon Yolanda victims in Tanauan and to give aid to fire victims in Tacloban Nov 8, Go took exception to Robredo’s statement about no killing of innocent lives in the drug war.
Retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio
(The following piece was my remarks during the testimonial dinner given last Oct. 29 by some members of media for Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio, who retired Oct. 30, 2019, at the Manila House in BGC. Disclosure:I’m a trustee of VERA Files.)
Sometime ago, Justice Carpio had a lecture on West Philippine Sea at the UST. Charmaine Deogracias of NHKTV, Dana Batnag of Jiji Press and I called up his office to ask if we could attend and we were told our names will be submitted to the organizer as his guests. So, off we went.
Charmaine arrived first and as instructed, she said, “Guest of Justice Carpio.” The guard asked for her ID and she showed her Press ID. She was told that Media is not allowed and was told to go to the University’s Public Affairs Office.
A staff in UST’s Public Affairs Office said a media request to attend a forum at UST will have to be approved by the higher-ups and that will take time. Taking pity on Charmaine, she smuggled her to the auditorium through a side door. Charmaine then texted us not to tell the guard we are “Media.” Just “guest of justice Carpio.”
New lawyer Dana arrived in denims and backpack and informed the guard “guest of Justice Carpio.” The guard asked, “Are you from media?” Dana said, “No” and showed her IBP ID. She was let in.
I was the last to arrive, wearing a dress. The guard asked me, “IBP ka rin?” I was tempted to say “Yes” but that would be misrepresentation. The guard might also ask for an IBP ID. With emphasis, I said, “Guest of Justice Carpio.” And I was let in.
One has to be resourceful to get to a lecture by Justice Carpio.
Duterte and Go’s motorcycle show. Photo from Go’s Facebook page.
I am not wishing President Duterte ill but the lying and the manipulation about his health must stop. It insults the public’s intelligence.
Last Friday, Bong Go, who has been elected “senator” but continues to be the president’s aide, posted in his Facebook page three photos of him and a sad looking Duterte riding a motorcycle with a caption: “Father Digong and I are ready!!! Wanna come with us? Ready Set Go!!!”
This was three days after Duterte cut short his trip to Tokyo for the ascension of Emperor Naruhito to the Chrysanthemum throne Nov 22 “due to unbearable pain in his spinal column near the pelvic bone as a consequence of his fall during his motorcycle ride last Thursday, Oct. 17,” Malacañang said.
Netizens immediately noticed something amiss with the motorcycle photo. The website Coconuts Manila asked: Why is the lighting on Duterte and Go’s faces different? Why does Duterte’s outline look different in two versions of what is clearly the same image? And finally, why does Go’s left leg appear to be cleanly lopped off at the knee?
