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Social media is vibrant with people voicing their outrage. (Although, malevolent forces are actively at work sowing confusion.) The public demands accountability. That’s democracy functioning! The Trillion Peso protest rallies last Sept. 21, and another one being organized on Nov. 30, are vivid demonstrations of people participating in governance.It is lamentable that the senators are taking it negatively.
With mining-backed partylists securing seats in Congress, there is fear that these groups would use their position to advance policies that favor mining industry interests, like legislation that could affect environmentally critical areas.
Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV disclosed in our meeting in Brussels this last weekend that even as the ICC,based in The Hague, has accepted Royina Garma as witness against former president Rodrigo Duterte for crimes against humanity, The Netherlands has denied her request for asylum. The reason: The Netherlands’ policy of denying asylum for seekers who have committed documented crimes, especially those related to violations of human rights.
For those returning to the protest scene, seeing young people attending a rally for the first time, Sept. 21 was a signal of hope.
The message that day outside the Peace Palace, The Hague was crystal clear and there was no mincing of it – Duterte must rot in jail. One placard summarized it all – No pardon for a butcher
A disturbing increase in the number of minors being victims of state-related violence has been noted by Sandatahang Dahas in its August 2025 monitoring.
At the very least, this might be worth considering: that for six years under his leadership, from 2016 to 2022, we all actually had a President who had “significant cognitive deficiencies” with a “limited capacity for complex reasoning.” This makes it Duterte’s default. This is Duterte’s normal. And if he was fit enough to be President, then he is fit enough to stand trial.
Kontratista and kongresista.Their appellations rhyme. And it should. Both share a commonality – they dip their fingers into funds that do not belong to them. In the process, both enrich themselves with the perks of the ultra rich, at taxpayers’ expense. Both are thieves.
“Karne” gets under one’s skin, leading one to wonder why Filipinos perpetually “simmer” in crises. Resilience is laudable until it isn’t. “Karne” runs at the FEU Center for the Arts Studio on Sept. 11–13, 18–20, 25–27; Oct. 2–4, 9–11, 16–18, 23–25, 30; and Nov. 6–8. The show starts at 6:30 p.m.For tickets, connect with FTG on Facebook: Far Eastern University Theater Guild, Instagram and TikTok: @feutheaterguildofficial, and Twitter/X: @ftg1934.
With all their government-funded wealth, the Cruz sisters can easily take flight as British citizens. Is the government acting now to prevent another miscarriage of accountability?
