Archive - Commentary

Boxing champ and Sen. Manny Pacquiao and President Rodrigo Duterte used to be allies.

I read with amusement and disappointment retired Justice Antonio Carpio’s 1 July 2021 piece in the Inquirer. Let me take this opportunity to point out falsehoods and inaccuracies in his story, and tell the nation a few facts about this interesting case.

While campaigning, or even during official public events, Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III did not kiss the Philippine flag to show his respect and love for the country. He raised it with dignity by his actions to earn the respect of the international community.

Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao wants to run for president in the 2022 elections. But based on his stated plans for the country, he seemingly has the illusion of becoming a superhero instead.

After a 10-year hiatus, Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. is trying to make a political comeback by offering himself up as a vice-presidential running mate to Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, one of the administration's potential contenders for president in next year's elections.

Last Friday afternoon, June 11, I got a call from an unidentified number while I was attending a VERA Files activity. The caller introduced himself as “Bishop Ted Bacani.”

Veteran cultural writer and impresario Pablo Tariman noticed it and wrote about it in Vera Files. An announcement from the Facebook account of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts caught his attention: “Everyone’s excited to witness the revival of the Metropolitan Theater! Now called the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Metropolitan Theater (NCCA Metropolitan Theater), this Philippine architectural heritage surely holds a significant part in the lives of the Filipinos.”

There is very little to celebrate as we observe our 123rd Independence Day.

Those egging President Rodrigo Duterte to run for vice president in the May 2022 elections are doing a grave disservice to the country. Mark them for their self-serving push.

Several times, President Rodrigo Duterte has proudly taken responsibility for the killings in his bloody campaign against illegal drugs. It goes without saying, therefore, that the prosecution of the drug-related killings would have to reach his level.

The unanimous vote by the House committee on justice on May 27 dismissing on its first hearing the impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario Victor “Marvic” Leonen was the right thing to do. It should not even have reached that stage, wasting legislative time and resources.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) thinks it’s doing the Filipino people a favor in allowing the Department of Justice (DOJ) access to records of 61 cases of killings involving police officers in Duterte’s bloody drug war.