Category Archives: On Distant Shore

Never again: Just another slogan?

Many Americans are up in arms again after two more apparently unarmed black men were shot down by policemen. Protests in Charlotte, North Carolina have turned violent and North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory had to declare a state of emergency after a protester was shot and a policeman was injured on the second night of protests. Earlier in… Read More »

The saga of Jun Lozada continues

He was in tears when he first surfaced in the Philippines’ national consciousness. It was 2 a.m. of Feb. 7, 2008 when Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada Jr. appeared in a hastily called press conference at the De La Salle Greenhills to reveal that he had been kidnapped at the airport upon his arrival from Hongkong by police officials, and… Read More »

Filipinos should reject Trump

I’m not sure if I even wanted to add my voice to the chorus of people from both sides of the political fence in denouncing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for his bigotry and reckless demagoguery, but with his recent attack on the Philippines and Filipinos, I know I just have to.   Trump touched the nerves of… Read More »

Slippery slope toward tyranny

Amid the relative silence that has met the deadly war against drugs launched by President Duterte since he assumed office on June 30, three female voices have stood to denounce the killings. “I must admit, the public reaction to these executions is not in favor of those who oppose it. A 91% approval rating for the President and… Read More »

A different, better Duterte

The Filipino people met a different Rodrigo Duterte on his first day in Malacanang. No curses, no threats, none of those checkered Duterte shirts. Instead, he was described as “presidential, purposeful and persuasive” during his 15-minute inaugural speech following his swearing in as the 16th president of the Republic of the Philippines in Malacanang. And he was wearing… Read More »

Like drug dealers, Abus should be eliminated

  While we agree that eliminating the growing drug problem in the country should be a priority for the incoming administration of Rodrigo Duterte, we also hope that the tough-talking President-elect would give the same importance to removing from the face of the earth the other scourge of humanity, the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).   The Abu Sayyaf,… Read More »

Will somebody tell him campaign is over?

  “Shut up!” Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte uttered these words at least three times during the presidential campaign and in his daily press conferences since it became obvious he would be the next president of the Philippines.   The tough-talking mayor told both the US and Australian ambassadors to shut up when the diplomats of the country’s… Read More »

“Daang matuwid” comes to a dead end

With Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte winning by a landslide over President Aquino’s anointed candidate Mar Roxas, it’s obvious “daang matuwid” has come to a dead end. After all, Aquino has repeatedly said the 2016 presidential election is a referendum on how the people rate his administration’s performance and whether or not they want “daang matuwid” to continue… Read More »

House of turncoats

  Why am I not surprised that despite having just three members in the House of Representatives, the PDP-Laban is almost certain to have control of the chamber?   With the election of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, the official candidate of the PDP-Laban, to the presidency, the small party headed by Sen. Koko Pimentel has suddenly become… Read More »

Federalism: Caution wouldn’t hurt

  It is almost certain President-elect Rodrigo Duterte will push hard to amend the Constitution to replace the country’s current unitary form of government to one that is federal. After all, he launched his drive to the presidency on the pretext of an information drive on the federal system of government in nationwide sorties long before the presidential… Read More »