“These reckless operations are clear violations of IHL. Earlier incidents in the island showed that the army has no regard for the lives of indigenous peoples as these air strikes have no clear targets. They are basically carpet-bombing large portions of the island, endangering civilians far from the areas where clashed have happened,” IMPDSL argued.
Why can’t the Marcoses come to grips with the truth that martial law was a horrible, bloody chapter in the nation’s history? Or that their patriarch amassed between $5-billion and $10-billion during his 21-year misrule? Or that they lost $683-million in bank deposits when Swiss courts determined that the money were truly ill-gotten.
Now that they are back in power, they will attempt to rehabilitate their patriarch in the autumn of their rule. “Injustice makes the rule and courage breaks them,” said Ursula K. Le Guin. Courage also swims in the ocean of truth, Jane Fonda will remind them.
It is only now that the Comelec will tackle the political dynasty issue, the elephant in the room for the poll body that in search of a law to back up whatever its decision will be. Put to task by Garcia are Erwin, his brother Ben Tulfo, ACT-CIS Rep. Jocelyn Pua-Tulfo, Quezon City 2nd District Rep. Ralph Wendel Tulfo, and Turismo first nominee Wanda Tulfo-Teo, who quit the tourism over the P60-million scandal surrounding an ad contract for the company controlled by Ben and Erwin.
Eight years after the University of the Philippines (UP) Faculty Center (FC) was gutted, the UP administration still has not completed the construction of the building, which has also affected students and academics of the College of Arts and Letters (CAL) who have to hold classes on the cramped CAL New Building and wait for an eternity until the FC is completed.
Did the 1,000 sacks end up in the pantries of the poor people of San Juan, or did they get resold in less than 24 hours by retailers in the public markets and groceries? The well-milled NFA rice sold could be sold with a charitable mark up of P5 a kilo at P38, which means a clean P250 per cavan.
Looking at the Trump timeline, his connection to the KGB could have been developed when he was still shacking up with Ivana, whom he married in 1977, just as he was venturing into a business inherited from his father, along with more than $400-million that he deployed to build several casinos and hotels that he eventually bankrupted.
The Comelec chairman advised the agency to be careful in sending threats and warnings against the commission. “Don’t ever challenge the power of the Commission, especially this election. Our mandate is provided under the Constitution. We weren’t simply created by an executive order,” he declared.
The game of musical chairs at the PCO will continue and Ruiz, of Ilocos Norte, must already prepare for his exit even before taking the job as acting chief. He should devote 25 hours a day to protect Marcos Jr., listen to what first lady Liza Cacho Araneta Marcos has to say, and must not meddle with the railways.
Sen. Koko Pimentel is right, the Dutertes may need psychiatric assessment, like the many members of the 140 or so political dynasties in the country.
