Centrist Democracy Political Institute - Items filtered by date: October 2017
DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte suspended classes in all levels, both public and private schools, and government work nationwide as drivers and operators of public utility jeepneys schedule a nationwide strike.

 

The suspension of work does not include the private sector. The President is giving private employers the discretion whether to suspend work.

 

This was confirmed by Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, who, however, said the suspension of classes and government work covers only Monday.

 

Except for Davao City, the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON) will launch a two-day transport strike to protest the government’s public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program.

 

PISTON aimed to express sentiments of the jeepney drivers and operators against the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Omnibus Franchising Guidelines, which pushes for the modernization of public utility vehicles.

 

According to PISTON Chairman Charito Junares, a majority of the drivers and operators could not afford to buy the units because it would require them to put up PHP1.2 –1.6 million to own one unit.

 

He said that if the small jeepneys or the so-called multi-cabs would be deployed to the routes of the tricycles, it could trigger trouble among the drivers.

 

Manuel “Maning” Duran, chair of the Southeastern Mindanao Diversified Drivers and Operators Cooperative (SEMDDOC), said his group is also joining the jeepney strike.

 

He said most of the chapter presidents have signified their support to the strike. SEMDDOC has more or less 6,000 members both drivers and operators with 24 routes such as Mintal, Calinan, and Toril.

 

Duran said many cannot afford the modernization program much more borrow money from the bank to buy the new jeepneys.

 

He said most operators cannot even afford to replace or rehabilitate their jeepneys. According to Duran, a real modernization program is the Mindanao railway system.

 

He said the transport strike is their way of expressing their sentiments but they cannot really do anything if the government insists.

 

Old jeepneys would eventually just fizzle out in the light of more modern transport because the commuters or passengers have become choosy, he said.

 

Duran was concerned that a driver will lose a one-day income at an average of PHP500 if he will not work.

 

The government, however, envisions the PUV modernization program to meet safety, energy efficiency, and emission standards in order to enhance commuter convenience.

 

Under the modernization program, jeepney units that are 15 years old will be replaced with Euro 4 engines or electrically-powered engines with solar panels for roofs. Units will also be equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, a GPS navigation system, an Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS), speed limiters, dashboard cameras, and Wi-Fi.

 

On Friday, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio ordered the suspension of classes in all levels in Davao City on Monday. But in anticipation of lack of public utility vehicles during the strike, the city mayor ordered the deployment of buses to cater to stranded commuters, especially the workers.

 

While she respects the planned transport strike on Monday, Duterte-Carpio enjoined protesters to practice self-restraint in their actions as authorities would not tolerate crimes that would be committed during the strike. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
Published in News
Friday, 13 October 2017 16:06

Deegong’s controversial alter egos

Part 3
Shaping culture
CULTURE in the political management context, is the personality of the collective. The Deegong is very clear on this promise of “pagbabago,” or change. All incoming administrations have their slogans related to this much-prostituted word. But the Deegong has a proven track record encompassing two decades of local governance backing up this slogan. His administration is perceived to have one of the lowest incidences of corruption in government and he intends to introduce this culture of anti-corruption applying the same methods in the national level for the desired outcome.

 

The alter egos’ task is to help him shape this culture, from one where the practice of corruption is pervasive, legitimized and a matter of course; to one where corruption is perceived to be a perversion of positive values and ethically unacceptable. These Cabinet men and women must internalize the task to do what the Deegong did at the outset in his city—to overhaul their own respective departments also. They can’t go for cosmetic changes in techniques and tactics but must go all out to stamp out this sordid practice. Initiating management controls, reeducation and training are just some of the facets of the process. The more important aspects are the firing of corrupt personnel and instituting other sanctions, including cases in court. There is now a critical need to change this culture within the departments yet the pace of change will depend upon the political management skills of the principals—the Cabinet heads. And all these changes and initiatives need to be communicated to the public, clearly and unequivocally. And this is not simply a job for the presidential spokespersons – this requires the all-out efforts of PRRD’s alter egos, the Cabinet members. They need to be the “talking heads” of their own departments.

 

To understand better the political culture of the Deegong regime, we look back at where he comes from. A city mayor who ran his city successfully, boasting a good steady economic growth over two decades and imposing “law and order” on a city that was perceived to be the CPP/NPA laboratory during the martial law regime. Except for one term as a congressman, the mayor was really—as he himself admitted—“…just a local city mayor who did good by his constituency”. His no-nonsense approach to political governance was effective locally and he is applying the formula on a large scale for the whole country. This is perhaps where his critics may have some argument, on the type of people the President chooses.

 

Those within the periphery of power (not necessarily Cabinet posts) are from his intimate circle of friends and local boys and girls; some from his alma mater. The profile of his Cabinet are basically local personalities who made good in executive capacities as Cabinet members in past administrations (Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez, heads the list with Secretaries Bello, Dureza and Diokno); some have extensive experience as local government executives (Secretaries Piñol and Sueño); and some have international exposure (Yasay of Foreign Affairs and Lorenzana of Defense).

 

Some chosen personally by the Deegong are those recommended by his allies in Congress, those he relied upon during the presidential campaign and the coalition he hammered to catapult him to the presidency. No doubt these choices are qualified and may have the complete trust of the President. We don’t exactly know who these people are but we do understand their entitlements in relation to the realities of this new government, the dictates of the coalition that support it and the decisions dominated by political imperatives. The President must now pay the price for the coalition’s support, by allocating as evenly as possible, appointive positions at all levels of government to the coalition members. This is of course a logical offshoot of the politics of patronage and spoils system practiced over several generations.
To date PRRD has reportedly over 3,000 positions in the bureaucracy and government corporations still left unfilled with the holdovers of the old regime still in place. This is understandable as the PDP-Laban, the nominal party of the President, does not have enough qualified people to take over the sinecures. The old office-holders may also be protected by the large influx of the Liberal Party members into the PDP-Laban who now practically dominate Congress.
But now, these people must perform their jobs based on their discernment of the new set of values which the PRRD has brought with him. And in turn those with specific Cabinet positions will have to reshape the missions and goals of their departmental turf. To do this, each Cabinet head and his own team must remold the organization and re-inject the concepts of ethics and creating public value. Those key persons in the “old organization” who are unable to give way and submerge their personal values to the collective (new political culture) must be done away with.

 

The job of these appointed presidential alter egos are not really cut out for them. But they need to follow the lead of their principal, the President. And here is where it becomes complicated. PRRD is a self-directed public manager always setting his own goals, pushing the boundaries of discretion. He is a proven political organizer and coalition builder. It was instinctive for PRRD to build consensus for whatever endeavor he is occupied with at the moment; but the Deegong is perceived also to be cavalier in anchoring his actions on the rule of law – and even seemingly has shown contempt for it.

 

Which puts the alter egos in a quandary as to how their own personal values and those of the President are analogous. A case in point is the concession given by PRRD to the CPP-NDF where three Cabinet posts were assigned to the openly avowed leftists. In the light of the failure of the peace talks between the government and the CPP/NPA/NDF, and the indictment by PRRD of these groups as terrorists; how will these alter egos now align their beliefs with that of their principal?

 

Another consideration for the managers recruited to populate the bureaucracy is a common belief that it is easy to transition from the private sector, where many of the Cabinet members and heads of GOCCs were recruited from. This is not exactly correct. Central to their careers as public entrepreneurs are their non-aversion to risk taking. While in the private sector, the gauge of the success or failure of entrepreneurship is in the pesos earned or lost, the bottom line for alter egos is the public good and value they create. Success of the alter egos’ work in government is reflected therefore in the eventual emancipation of the Filipino from the shackles of poverty and injustice – even perhaps at a great personal risk. This is the essence of public service.
Published in LML Polettiques
Friday, 13 October 2017 14:54

Digong’s controversial alter egos

Part One
IN the light of recent events in the country that have merited glaring headlines, this column, A View from the Center, will attempt at elucidation using as a backdrop the author’s paper on political management while working on a postgraduate course at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in the 1980s (access www.cdpi.asia)
This will draw heavily too from personal experience as both an observer and a participant in political dynamics in the two decades serving under four administrations in various capacities from Presidents Cory, to FVR to Erap and with GMA. I was not in any way involved with PNoy’s regime. I too am not currently involved with the Dee-gong administration in any capacity. My observations on his presidency however will form a substantial part of this three-part article.

 

I don’t claim any intimacy with these past Presidents as most people privileged to work along the periphery of the high and mighty are wont to insinuate. I will not fall into the temptation of bloating my minor role, but will present my views as a student and practitioner of “political technocracy”.

 

The past few weeks’ headlines screamed for the heads of Trade Secretary Art Tugade and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre. Both Cabinet members are victims of expectations—very high expectations—mainly the public’s. We are not privy to the presidential expectations but can only assume that their appointments were for the most part the result of PRRD’s assessment of their capabilities, experiences and competencies; and as classmates or alumni from the President’s university–-a not-so-light qualification given the Filipino culture of patronage.

 

The latter is critical as they have been designated as the President’s alter egos, and as such have the complete trust of the President and are expected to speak for and in his behalf in their areas of expertise. Such responsibility is a privileged one and both must understand the nature of the relationship.

 

For one, this bond is no longer a personal one, as in classmates, schoolmates or “tsokaran”. It has transcended the familiar and morphed into one containing the majesty of the office of the presidency. By this precept, both are custodians of presidential prerogatives, prestige and power; and adding their own to it to enable the President and them to do their task well. The sum of all these is the vaunted fragile political capital of the President with a sustainability dependent largely on a fickle citizenry.

 

All Cabinet members are by inference the President’s alter egos and must understand their roles perfectly well.

 

Cabinet members are heat shields and political lightning rods of the presidency. As such, part of their job is to deflect serious criticism from their respective publics and clientele of the presidency as a result of their official functions. As an efficient conductor of political heat, these honorable secretaries must prevent damage or serious erosion to the political capital of the presidency.

 

The high expectations of the riding public to solve the oppressive traffic situation in Metro Manila, which includes the unsafe and unreliable train system, has eaten into the perception of incompetence of the department head, hence the call for his dismissal.

 

Paradoxically by the above measures, the good Secretary Tugade has done well deflecting the harm to his principal, considering the enormity of the problems inherited from the immediate past regime and having occupied his office for only half a year.

 

The same is true with the Justice Secretary who acted to deflect from the presidency the failings of the justice system (the drug proliferation in the prisons); and more particularly the perceived anomalies perpetrated by the two alumni of their law school who very early in this administration had begun to put their dirty little fingers in the Office of Immigration.

 

Both Cabinet members did their job as political heat shield, but still have to prove their mettle by serving the public by doing the job they were meant to do; but the long-suffering public has understandably short patience.

 

The third case is the curious actuations of the head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on the alleged murder of a Korean national within the confines of his office. He claimed that a massive manhunt had been ordered personally by him to apprehend the perpetrators, only to find out from the media that the main suspect has been assigned all along at an office a stone’s throw from his. His claim once that a police rub-out suspect was freed upon the instructions of someone “higher in authority” was so inane and tragically comical as, in his job description, there is no person higher in authority than the President himself.

 

This series of incidents reflect his mis-appreciation of a job that catapulted him from a local provincial sinecure to the head of a critical agency in the national government. The general was utterly clueless reinforcing an elementary rule in political management that is the first duty of a presidential appointee: discovering what one’s job is. Job description at most higher levels, and in this case the top police general, is neither defined for you exactly nor “announced in the newspapers”. It is more or less the ability to “grab” authority and responsibility and incorporating the same into your own little rectangle (in the organization chart).

 

Calls for the resignation of these three presidential subalterns could be premature considering the short time spent at their jobs; they simply need to be on top of the learning curve. But along with the perks accorded top presidential appointees should be their readiness to prevent damage to the presidency and the country even at the risk of their own.

 

Such is the essence of their function as presidential alter ego; a duty to give all in the service of the President and the Filipino—and to discern well the sequence of that duty.

 

The phrase that they hold office upon the “pleasure of the President” is an absurd one reflecting indecisiveness. This puts the onus on the President and a wasteful withdrawal from his political capital.
Published in LML Polettiques
Part 2
PRESIDENT Deegong’s breakout from an image of a small-time but effective local city mayor to a national candidate of prominence and onto the presidency was single-handedly defined by the force of his personality. Looking back these past two years from his debut on the national stage, his image as a no-nonsense mayor was projected at first by the local media and captured by the national press but, as claimed by some locals, was distorted to some extent, such that at one point, the Deegong refused any further “press-cons”.

 

The original talking head, Secretary Pete Lavina, who was competent enough speaking for the Deegong locally was out of his element on the national stage. His demeanor and attempt at the “English language” was perceived to be a disaster; and he was unjustly disparaged for it. Blame too could be attributed to the Deegong who may not have understood the difficult role of his spokesperson. One cannot cage a whirlwind out to proclaim his message to the four corners.

 

Atty. Panelo’s stint was even more short-lived as the Deegong’s message was deflected by the flamboyant persona of the talking head himself; redirecting instead people’s attention to his sartorial tastes, a garish multi-hued combination and his forced attempt at explaining the presidency, also in colorful language uniquely the President’s. He was better off using his excellent legal mind in the service of the President away from the public glare.

 

The two that followed, Secretary Martin Andanar, the communications director, and Secretary Ernie Abella, the presidential spokesperson, have been recruited to do almost impossible jobs. Which brings us to the issue at hand.

 

These two Cabinet members who handle the Deegong’s image and disseminate his messages are his alter egos too, and aside from being his political heat shields and lightning rods, must understand the more specialized roles assigned to them. The current problem of “vigilantism and extra-judicial killing” has entered the lexicon of the political conversation. This issue needs to be expounded in a different light projecting a different image. Changing the face of the issue is one such tool in political management. The issue must emphasize the inevitable slow but deadly slide towards narco-political abyss. Why not capture a big fat drug lord and make an example of him? A Lim Seng of the Marcos regime but going through the justice system–-and doing it fast. Surely, the political capital of the Deegong can guarantee fast justice.

 

Or project real investigations of rogue policemen and generals whom the Deegong have already shamed, but not in the TV camera-centered congressional hearings that go nowhere. Why only poor dead addicts, why not dead rogue policemen and rich corrupt politicians? Why not sample congressmen in the presidential blue list (refer to the Manila Times, “Conversations with the Deegong” Dec 15, 22, 29 2016…www.cdpi.asia)

 

And this cannot be the job only of the “talking heads”. Make it an executive department-wide concern and expand the context by bringing it to the national consciousness. Field articulate Cabinet members to several national TV and radio networks where they can defend the government action on illegal drugs as a legitimate response to a threat, menace and danger. There are countless literature and horror stories in Columbia, Mexico and some other South American countries of drug cartels and narco-politicians capturing political and economic power and sipping the life-blood of the country dry. Bring these out as illustrations of weak states! This massive government response could succeed in changing the character of the debate from one focused on human rights violations to that of the legitimate right of the people with the help of government to defend themselves and their homes from the evils of illegal drugs. But this can’t be left alone for the President to champion. This requires a well-oiled team in the highest echelons of government. But do we have that team? (This will be discussed in the last part of this 3-part article).

 

Relating with external environment
(Excerpts from the above-mentioned paper www.cdpi.asia) “A critical appreciation of a job of high officials in public service is the importance of relating with key elements of their external environment: interest groups and lobbyists who tend to see their issues as having preeminence over others (anti- and pro-capital punishment etc.); a majority of those who supported the winner’s candidacy may call upon the administration to extract their pound of political flesh for their perceived entitlements; the practitioners in the media who consider themselves the “fourth estate” and sometimes final arbiter of conflicts, and are prone to reporting controversial events and nothing else. The power of social media and the internet was also shown during the presidential campaign, which helped catapult the Deegong to the presidency, freeing him from dependence on the editorial boards. The political and legislative overseers who have a handle on the Cabinet departments’ resources (threat of budget cuts, tightening funds flow, restrictive laws and regulations); and the more important authorizing environment, Congress and more particularly the President, who, in the course of the transition from the PNoy regime also brought with him a new change in a set of dominant values.

 

“It is in relation to the realities of this new seven-month old government, the dictates of the coalition of political parties that support it and the decisions dominated by political imperatives that will have to reshape the missions and goals of each department and of each Cabinet secretary. They who are themselves the President’s personal choices should be ready to accept Usecs and Asecs whose qualifications are offshoots of the politics of patronage and spoils system—not necessarily congruent with the demands and skills needed for the jobs.”
Published in LML Polettiques
Former President Fidel V. Ramos on Thursday reminded President Rodrigo R. Duterte of the recent decline in his trust ratings, following the latter's latest outburst against European diplomats.

 

"The declines in Presidential trust and credibility are sharper than before," he told reporters on the sidelines of the ASEAN Leadership Forum in Makati City.

 

Ramos was asked to comment on the recent remarks of Duterte against the European Union, threatening its diplomats to leave the Philippines within 24 hours. He did not elaborate.

 

The latest tirade comes after a seven-member delegation of the Progressive Alliance and Party of European Socialists, who warned that the Philippines' Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus(GSP+) may be affected should killings in the country persist.

 

The GSP+, currently under review by the EU, is a tariff mechanism that gives developing countries — including the Philippines — the privilege of exporting zero-duty merchandise to EU member states.

 

It requires the Philippine ratification of 27 international conventions that cater to human and labor rights, environmental protection, and good governance, among others.

 

According to results of a Social Weather Stations (SWS)n survey released on Sunday, Duterte's net satisfaction slid by 18 points to the "good level" in the third quarter.

 

This translates to a +48 score, the lowest the President has received so far during his term, and the first time his score fell below +60.

 

 

Ramos said he was only "playing [his] role as an older brother in (the) family."
"I am free to fiscalize him but anyone out there, please don't try to do what I'm doing because you might be put into jail," he said. — BAP, GMA News
Published in News
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Thursday, October 12, urged government officials and members of the media to always uphold the truth in line with their duty of communicating the government’s platform to the people.

 

“To my fellow workers in government, especially those who form part of the Communications Office, I enjoin you to remain committed to your duty of upholding the truth at all times,” the President said in his speech during the re-launching of the newly renovated press briefing room at the New Executive Building in Malacañan.

 

President Duterte reminded his colleagues in government to refrain from exaggerating, misinterpreting, or agitating any information as they disseminate the administration’s platform of governance.

 

“In the same vein, I call on our friends from the media to also remain committed to the truth at all times. Never, never lie because we are not up to it anyway,” President Duterte also told members of the press.

 

“Never confuse your search for answers with the need to engage the public through sensationalized news and overpublicized political propaganda,” he added.

 

The Chief Executive then expressed his dedication to upgrade the country’s state media to keep it at par with international standards.

 

He further cited the need to foster a more vibrant relationship with the press, as it plays an important role in providing information to the people regarding the government’s policies.

 

“The role of the media is vital if we are to successfully educate our people about the much-needed constitutional reforms that would lead to a more responsive federal-parliamentary form of government that welcomes foreign investments as a catalyst for economic growth,” the President noted.

 

“The press will also play an important role in the dissemination of accurate information on the gains that we are reaping from our country’s successful chairmanship of ASEAN, our improved relationship with our neighbors, and our role in maintaining peace and stability in the region,” he added.

 

Meanwhile, the Commander-in-Chief echoed his earlier declaration to strengthen the country’s state forces to ensure better protection for future generations of Filipinos.

 

“This is no threat. I said it is my mandated duty to keep this country safe and sound. And the only way I can do it is I have to build a strong army and police,” he said.

 

President Duterte warned that serious consequences could ensue if the aspirations of various rebel groups in Mindanao are not met. He said groups like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) might be pushed to declare an independent state in the region.

 

“The point is we are not ready to embark on another war again; this time on a large scale throughout Mindanao. I just know what will happen,” he said.

 

The President said his administration continues to welcome assistance from foreign nations in upgrading the country’s law enforcement capabilities.

 

According to President Duterte, two more arms shipments are expected to be donated by China, whereas Russia is set to deliver arms to the country later this month.

 

The President however remained firm that he would not allow any country to dictate the affairs of his government. (PND)
Published in News
Thursday, 12 October 2017 16:37

Palace hands off on Bautista impeachment

Malacañang prefers to keep its hands off on the impeachment of outgoing Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista.

 

This came after the House of Representatives voted to impeach the poll body chief Wednesday afternoon, following his resignation that morning.

 

According to Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, the Congress should be the one to decide on the fate of Bautista.

 

“Congress should decide what to do with this impeachment in view of his resignation,” Abella said during the Palace press briefing Thursday.

 

“After his successor is named, we look forward to a smooth transition and preparations for Barangay and SK (Sangguniang Kabataan) Elections next year, the midterm polls, and if possible, BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) and Charter Change plebiscites in 2019,” he added.

 

The Palace, however, said it acknowledge the services of Bautista as Comelec chair.

 

Comelec chairman Andres Bautista, for his part, said it will be up to Malacañang to decide whether to keep or replace him as the head of the poll body before the effectivity of his resignation in December.

 

In a radio interview, Bautista disclosed he was ready to vacate his post at an earlier date if Malacañang will be able to immediately find his replacement.

 

However, he noted, he was also prepared to stay if President Duterte decides to set aside his resignation.

 

“The Dec. 31 date is not cast in stone…it aims to give the President enough time to make the transition (for my resignation) smooth and orderly,” Bautista said during an interview.

 

“At this point, I would just wait for the decision of the President,” Bautista said. (With reports from Samuel Medenilla)
Published in News
President Rodrigo Duterte has not abandoned his promise to bring lasting peace to the country as government chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III said the peace talks have not been officially terminated.

 

Despite Duterte’s repeated remarks that he would no longer pursue talks with the communist rebels, Bello said no formal letter of termination had been sent to the other party.

 

“[I]n order to terminate the talks, the either of the parties have to serve the [other] party with a written notice of termination and the termination takes effect 30 days after receipt of that notice of termination,” Bello said in a Palace briefing.

 

Duterte has repeatedly said he would no longer push through with the peace talks with the communist rebels, saying it’s “a waste of people’s money.”

 

The fifth round of peace talks with the rebels was suspended on May 27 when the government panel withdrew from the negotiating table after the CPP ordered NPA guerrillas to intensify attacks against security forces. Another round of peace talks was supposed to be held but didn’t push through.

 

In July, Duterte ended the peace talks with the communists following a series of attacks carried out by the NPA against government forces.

 

But Bello said the President was only referring to the next round of talks and not the entire peace talks.

 

“Well, when the President mentioned about not talking to them, probably our President was referring to the two cancelled talks that we were supposed to hold,” he said. “He ordered that cancelled for a very good reason.”

 

“But that did not mean that the talks were cancelled or terminated and we have been consistently saying that,” he added.

 

Despite Duterte’s claims of abandoning the peace talks, his chief negotiator said otherwise.

 

“If you recall, when the president came in as our President, he made a very clear statement that his legacy to our country and our countrymen is a lasting peace for our country. So, I don’t think that the President has abandoned that legacy,” Bello said.

 

In a speech on October 5 before soldiers in Taguig, Duterte said he would leave it up to the next president to pursue the peace talks with the communists.
But Bello downplayed the President’s remarks.

 

“I don’t know but the talks are alive and we are just waiting for the President to give us the instruction to go back to the peace table,” he said. /je
Published in News
The Catholic church will launch on November 5 the “Lord Heal our Land Sunday” as part of its 40-day “Stop the Killings” campaign to pray and mourn the deaths of the victims of the recent killings, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Archbishop Socrates Villegas said on Thursday.

 

The CBCP started its campaign since September 23 until November 1 this year, through daily rosary, church bell tolling and candle lighting every 8 p.m.
Villegas said to kick off the campaign, there will be a mass at the Edsa Shrine on November 5, at 3 p.m.

 

“After the mass, the image of Our Lady of Fatima that was brought by devotees to Edsa in the 1986 People Power revolt will be brought in a candlelight procession to the People Power monument a kilometer away from the Edsa Shrine,” Villegas said in a statement.

 

“We believe that our national healing, which only the Lord can grant, will come to us through the hands of His mother,” he added.

 

The Dagupan Archbishop urged Filipinos to join the event and for priests nationwide to hold masses in provinces for those who cannot go to Edsa.

 

“We are inviting the men and women in consecrated life, the youth and their teachers, the poor and the rich, the healthy and the persons with disability, the laborers and the entrepreneurs, the police and the military, the majority and minority political parties, in other words EVERYBODY, to join this observance of the ‘Lord Heal our Land Sunday,’” Villegas said.

 

“In asking the Lord to heal our land, we will pray to Him together because we are God’s children wherever we may be,” he added. /jpv
Published in News
Davao City Mayor and Presidential daughter Sara Duterte exposed on Thursday the alleged presidential ambitions of three senators who are part of the group “Tindig Pilipinas,” which she mocked as “Hunger Games Pilipinas.”

“Lahat ito hindi chismis kasi personal knowledge ko at may corroborative witnesses ako. Matanong ko lang, nu’ng mga panahon na humingi kayo ng tulong, may isyu ba kayo sa governance ni PRD (President Rodrigo Duterte)? Wala,” Sara said in a Facebook post.

(These are not rumors because I have personal knowledge and corroborative witnesses. If I may just ask, during your time of need, did you have any issue with the PRD’s governance? None.)

“Ngayon na nanalo na siya? Meron. Hunger Games, Pilipinas: Plastic na, oportunista pa. Kayo 3 may ambisyon mag-Presidente, I grew up in politics, mas matagal pa ako sa pulitika kesa sa inyo 3 combined. I smell ambition a million miles away. Akala ninyo ‘yung circus ninyo ngayon magpapanalo sa inyo sa 2022? Hindi,” she added.

(Now that he has won, you have. Hunger Games, Pilipinas: A group of plastic, opportunistic people. You three have presidential ambitions. I grew up in politics, and was in politics longer than the three of you combined. I smell ambition a million miles away. You think your circus will make you win in 2022? No.)

The presidential daughter was referring to Senators Francis “Kiko” Panglinan, Risa Hontiveros, and Antonio Trillanes IV.

Sara claimed that Pangilinan met her years ago to get her father’s endorsement.

“Kiko Pangilinan- Several years ago nagkita tayo dito sa Davao, sa isang golf club, pinuntuhan mo si PRD. Gusto mo tumakbo Presidente, ansabe mo? ‘With Sharon’s [endorsement] and your (PRD) [endorsement] I’m sure I can make it.’ Dati pa-[endorse] ka sa kanya ngayon may pa Hunger Games salute effect ka,” Sara said.

(Kiko Pangilinan—several years ago, we met at a golf club here in Davao when you met with PRD. You wanted to run for President, right? You said that with Sharon’s endorsement, and with PRD’s endorsement, you were sure you would make it. Before, you sought his endorsement, now you have younger Hunger Games salute.)

She also said Hontiveros sought her help during her campaign.

“Risa Hontiveros – Sa picture ikaw ang pinaka makapal ang foundation acheng. Habang tinutulungan ko si PRD at ang nanay ko mangampanya, nasa byaheng du30 ako, ilang beses mo ako inabala, kinulit at tinawagan para humingi ka ng tulong sa boto mo sa Davao City? I can remember your bored face listening to me in our law office just so you can get support for Davao,” Sara said.

(Risa Hontiveros- In pictures, you have the thickest foundation. While I and my mother were helping PRD campaign, how many times did you approach me, bother me and call me so I would help you get votes in Davao City? I can remember your bored face listening to me in our law office just so you can get support for Davao.)

The Davao mayor said that aside from the two, Trillanes requested for President Rodrigo Duterte’s help in his campaign as vice president.

“Trillanes – Years ago, nagrequest ka makipag kita sa akin dito sa Davao,nasa Damosa ka, ano sabi ko sa emissary mo? No. You know why? I never liked your circus sa Manila Peninsula. Pero meron ako picture na nakipagkita ka kay PRD kasi humingi ka ng tulong niya sa VP campaign mo,” she said.

Sara, meanwhile, said she would reserve her remarks on Vice President Leni Robredo since she said the latter claimed she was not part of the “Hunger Games Pilipinas” anyway.

(Trillanes—years ago, you requested to meet me in Davao while you were in Damoso. What did I tell your emissary? No. You know why? I never liked your circus sa Manila Peninsula. But I have a picture of your meeting with PRD because you sought his help for your VP run.)

Sara also slammed as “Paninindigang Trapo” the criticisms the three senators hurled against Duterte.

“Mamuyboy ko? Yes. You don’t use PRD whenever convenient para sa pulitika ninyo (for your political ambitions). Kung wala ang boto ng Mindanao, mananalo kaya kayo (If you did not have Mindanao’s vote, would you win)?” the mayor added. /idl
Published in News
Page 3 of 5