By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS ONCE again, warped thinking was on full display when Yolly Reyes Junto posted on Facebook her rant against Reuters reporters Manny Mogato and Karen Lerma over the story of President Duterte comparing himself with Adolf Hitler. Junto’s Oct. 1 post started with a purported disclaimer: “I am no Duterte fanatic. I
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he would never be “foolish” enough to commit errors on his narco-lists. The next day, he apologized to public officials he wrongly linked to illegal drugs — the mistake done either through “negligence” or in bad faith. STATEMENT: On Sept. 26, the president said care should be exercised when
By CHARMAINE DEOGRACIAS Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will visit Beijing on Oct. 20 and 21, in what reliable diplomatic sources say is a move to reboot the country’s relations with China amid territorial issues in the South China Sea. Duterte had earlier announced he is visiting China and Russia but did not give the
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte never issued a “shoot-to-kill” order against drug suspects, according to the Philippines’ permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) on Sept 14. In a statement issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Cecilia Rebong, during the 33rd Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, said what the president meant was the police have
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Sept. 10 told the media to go ahead and criticize him and his government’s shortcomings, saying it is their sworn duty. Not so long ago, he dared reporters to kill and stop journalism in this country. STATEMENT: Straight from the recently concluded Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Vientiane,
President Rodrigo Duterte on Sept. 10 told the media to go ahead and criticize him and his government’s shortcomings, saying it is their sworn duty. Not so long ago, he dared reporters to kill and stop journalism in this country.
AWARE of the possible repercussions his war on drugs might cause him, President Rodrigo Duterte uses the Revised Penal Code as his battle armor. In particular, he has cited his age — he’s 71 — as one ground for his release should he be arrested. “Wala akong pakialam diyan sa ano. Sabi ko [pauses) I have a
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte invoked presidential immunity when he threatened to kill criminals and drug addicts during his Aug. 5 speech before troops in Capiz. “’Pag ayaw magpa-areglo ng kaso, patayin. Parang lahat na. Salvage dito, salvage doon. Because when I became mayor, I said, “If you’re a criminal, if you’re a drug addict, if you
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte again raked up the past against Sen. Leila de Lima in his Aug. 21 midnight press conference. He said: “De Lima, whenever she faces the microphone and TV cameras, she changes the aura, nag-iiba yung anyo. She becomes combative and she said, ‘Duterte should be punished for… Duterte should be sued
TWELVE government and police officials from Iloilo made it to the list of the Philippine National Police’s narco-politicians. Is President Rodrigo Duterte correct in tagging Iloilo, either province or city, as the most “shabulized” in the Philippines? The list, which included the names of 158 public officials nationwide, was announced on August 7 during Duterte’s
