Category: 2019 elections

‘Ang Probinsyano’ emerges as top kingmaker

Published by Ellen on May 22, 2019

The single most formidable political force in the country today as shown by the results of the May 13 elections is not President Duterte nor his daughter, Sara, who made her debut in the national political scene with her newly-formed party Hugpong ng Pagbabago.
It is ABS-CBN’s top-rating soap opera “Ang Probinsyano. “

It also affirms what surveys have been showing that television, not social media, is still the number one source of information by the electorate.

Just to show how much the Filipino people believe in the longest running soap opera in the country, two partylist groups bearing the name “Probinsyano” – Ang Probinsyano and Probinsyano Ako – are in the top ten, assured of seats in the House of Representatives.

For wanting to have it all, Erap lost everything

Published by Ellen on May 18, 2019

Former President and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada accompanies son Jinggoy for the latter’s filing of certificate of candidacy. Oct.15, 2018 . Photo from ABS-CBN.

A report by ABS-CBN’s Christian Esguerra said former President and former Manila mayor Joseph Estrada cannot understand why he lost the mayoralty race to Isko Moreno, whom he once promised to hand over the reins of the city after one term but later reneged.

Esguerra quoted the 82- year old politician as, “Di ko alam paano nangyari, hanggang ngayon iniisip ko… sobrang bigat,” he said.

It’s a crushing defeat for a former movie actor turned politician, who for a time was winning easily all political contest he entered into: San Juan mayor, senator, vice president and the presidency.

One wonders which is harder for Estrada to take: this election’s defeat or his ouster from the presidency in January 2001 and his imprisonment for plunder for seven years.

Trust and elections

Published by Ellen on May 12, 2019

Trust is supposed to be an essential element in an election.

You vote for a candidate that you trust will serve the country well. You vote for a candidate that you trust will not steal the people’s money. You vote for a candidate that you trust will help stop abuse and violations of the law.
You vote for a candidate that you trust will fulfill the promises they made during the elections.

Trust is what you have when you go to the polling place and cast your vote.

You trust that your vote will be counted.

Loren wants to Antiqueños to feel proud about Antique

Published by Ellen on May 5, 2019

Senator Loren Legarda is running for representative of the lone district of Antique, my province.

Loren, who comes from Gella family from Pandan is offering her experience and expertise for the province. It’s my fervent hope that my province mates appreciate Loren and vote for her.

Sen. Loren Legarda teams up with Antique Gov. Rhodora Cadiao to give Antiquenos the province they can be proud of.

In her 18 years as senator, Loren has never been involved in graft and corruption. She has undertaken not so popular causes like protection of environment and promotion of arts and culture.

A conference on how disinformation erodes democracy

Published by Ellen on April 21, 2019

Almost every day, from my place of work to my residence is almost three-hour energy-sappy travel, one way.

In those three hours, I witness scenes that re-affirm my admiration to the suffering Filipinos — from the kilometer-long queues for a ride to the sardine-like situation in the MRT and many more.

In the three years of the country under Rodrigo Duterte, 27,000 have been reported killed in drug-related incidents, more than 4,000 of them during police operations, most of them small-time drug runners. None of the big-time suppliers have been arrested.

Until last week, when more than 300 Chinese vessels surrounded Philippine –occupied Pag-asa Island, the government didn’t complain about China’s aggressive activities in the disputed areas in South China Sea.

Every day we read about misgovernance, incompetence and mis-use of funds.

Yet, the Filipinos are satisfied with him as leader.

Duterte wants Bong Go, not Sara to succeed him

Published by Ellen on March 27, 2019

Who of the two -Bong Go and Sara- would the President want to succeed and protect him? Malacanang photo during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping Nov. 20, 2018.

A political analyst-friend has an interesting observation about how Pres. Duterte is preparing for post- 2022.
He said contrary to what many assume that Duterte is grooming his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, to succeed him in 2022, it’s actually his most reliable, ever loyal aide, Bong Go, that he wants to install in Malacañang after his term.

“No, no, it’s not Sara, without an “H,” he said. He explained father and daughter don’t see eye to eye on many issues and choice of people. ‘He can’t control Sara. He does not want that,” the analyst said.
He makes sense.

With Bong Go, it will truly be an extension of the Duterte presidency. Unlike Sara, Bong Go will do what Duterte says. He knows his role in this world: a Duterte gofer.

Duterte echoes Imee Marcos’ line

Published by Ellen on March 3, 2019

Pres. Duterte and senatorial candidate Imee Marcos. Malacañang photo by Toto Lozano.

In front of an impressionable audience, Pres. Duterte usually gets carried away with his story-telling and says things that are false and vulgar.

Spewing out false claims has become a standard practice for Duterte. I think it has come to a point when he believes his own lies.

That is dangerous because he is president and many of his statements are basis of government policies. The most glaring example is his figures on the number of drug addicts in the country, which is his justification for his brutal anti-drug war which has killed more than 27,000. At the start of his presidency, he said there are three million drug addicts in the country. Then it became four million. Yet, the Dangerous Drug Board reported in 2016 only 1.8 million drug addicts in the country.

‘Pres’ Sara 2022 is Duterte’s insurance from ICC arrest when he is no longer president

Published by Ellen on February 23, 2019

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte accompanied her father, Pres. Duterte, to the BoaO Forum in Hainan, China on April 201, 2018. Malacañang photo by Simeon Celi.

Early last week, fellow Malaya columnist JB Baylon posted this shout out in his Facebook wall:

After DU30, Sarah
Accept it.
Sorry na lang for those who sucked up hoping for an endorsement.
She’s the “term extension”

Last week also, as Davao City mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio went around campaigning for her 13-member Hugpong ng Pagbabago senatorial slate, there had been a lot of comments about her being a strong contender for the 2022 presidential election.

Why Duterte has to knock Estrada and Revilla out of Magic 12

Published by Ellen on February 21, 2019

Pres. Duterte is not lending his political clout to Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla,both charged with plunder.

It’s not because he hates plunderers despite his public declaration of “I hate corruption.” That is as hollow as his “I hate drugs” mantra.

The reason he gave for not including the two in his chosen 11 was, they asked for his support “too late,” long after he had completed his list.

(By the way, his grandson, Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II – son of Paolo – posted an opposition poster on his Facebook wall showing the pictures of Estrada, Revilla and Juan Ponce Enrile with the hashtag “zerovoteplunderers.”)

The grandson of Pres. Duterte shared this post in his FB wall

Hilbay: Beware of Duterte’s strategy of distraction

Published by Ellen on December 11, 2018

Florin Hilbay. Photo from Hilbay’s Facebook page.

Former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, who is running for senator in the May 2019 elections, showed his keen observation of the desperation of President Duterte about things getting out of control and his resorting to a “policy of distraction.”

Knowing that media are always on the lookout for something out of the ordinary, Duterte has been feeding us with outrageous things – from one fake news to another. From saying that he should have been the first to rape the Australian missionary to cursing the Pope, U.S President Barack Obama and ordering European Union diplomats to leave the country in 24 hours. He keeps media pre-occupied with the avalanche of fake news that he unleashes every time he makes a speech.

In one speech last month, he spewed out nine falsehoods. Not surprising considering that he admitted having made up the fake bank accounts of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV which he showed in a televised interview.