Tag: rodrigo duterte

Justice Carpio tells Duterte to bring to UN Xi’s threat to go to war

Published by Ellen on May 20, 2017

Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio said today the Philippines can to bring to the United Nations the matter of China’s President Xi Jinping threatening President Duterte that China would wage war if the Philippines starts drilling oil in disputed areas in the South China Sea.

In a statement, Carpio said: “The threat of China to go to war against the Philippines if the Philippines extracts oil and gas in the Reed Bank, or in any area within Philippine EEZ in the West Philippine Sea, is a gross violation of the United Nations Charter, UNCLOS, and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia to which China and the Philippines are parties. As a nation that under its Constitution has renounced war as an instrument of national policy, the Philippines’ recourse is to bring China’s threat of war to another UNCLOS arbitral tribunal, to secure an order directing China to comply with the ruling of the UNCLOS arbitral tribunal that declared the Reed Bank part of Philippine EEZ. The Philippines can also ask for damages for every day of delay that the Philippines is prevented by China from exploiting Philippine EEZ. “

Veteran diplomat tells Duterte to stop joke about Mongolia and Turkey joining Asean

Published by Ellen on May 19, 2017

This story first came out in VERA Files.

Pres. Duterte and Mongolian Prime Minister Jargaltulgyn Erdenebat held bilateral talks in Beijing. Malacañang photo.

On the sidelines of the first One Belt, One Road summit in Beijing last week, President Duterte met with Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Jargaltulgyn Erdenebat, prime minister of Mongolia.

In his press conference upon arrival in Davao City May 16, Duterte said h is sponsoring the application for membership of Turkey and Mongolia into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The Philippines is this year’s chair of the meetings of Asean, which coincides with the golden anniversary of the regional organization.

“Ay oo, kasi nandiyan ka sa ano…By the way, I had a talk with the President Erdoğan and the Prime Minister of—si Erdenebat sa Mongolia. They also want to… Gusto nila na magsali sa ASEAN. And since I was—I am the chair, ang Pilipinas ngayon, they wanted me to sponsor their entry and I said, “Yes, why not?,” he said.

Duterte forgoes EU aid, sticks to his ‘kill, kill’ policy

Published by Ellen on May 18, 2017

EU ambassador Franz Jessen lead celebration of Europe Day in the Philippines last May 9.

President Duterte’s solution to the country’s problems is “kill, kill.”

The 28-member state European Union has made it clear that they will not allow their money to be used to kill people.

Anticipating a removal of the Philippine’s favored status under EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences wherein tariff on Philippine goods for export to the EU is lowered or removed based on the Philippine government’s compliance with at least 27 agreements and treaties on human rights, labor, environment and governance, the Duterte government announced that it will no longer receive aid from EU.

ICC will be the next battleground

Published by Ellen on May 16, 2017

Rep. Gary Alejano during the House Justice Committee hearing on the impeachment complaint against Pres. Duterte. Photo from Philippine Star.

It was not surprising that the Malacañang-friendly congressmen killed without much fuss the impeachment complaint against President Duterte filed by Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano Monday.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, also a member of the Magdalo group (which started as a group of young military officers advocating for reforms in the military), lamented the quick dismissal of the impeachment rap saying that the members of the House Justice committee didn’t even study the content of the complaint when they decided that although it was sufficient in form, it was not sufficient in substance.

But Trillanes, one of the few who dare oppose Duterte, said it’s not the end of the quest for a better government for the Filipino people.

In fact, the dismissal of impeachment complaint would even bolster the communication filed by lawyer Jude Sabio against Duterte before the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Why it’s finally Cayetano at DFA?

Published by Ellen on May 14, 2017

Incoming foreign secretary Alan Peter Cayetano has been a regular part of Pres. Duterte's delegation in all the latter's foreign trips. This Malacañang photo was taken on board the presidential plane to Malaysia. — Incoming foreign secretary Alan Peter Cayetano has been a regular part of Pres. Duterte’s delegation in all the latter’s foreign trips. This Malacañang photo was taken on board the presidential plane to Malaysia.

The appointment of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as foreign secretary is an indication that the Duterte administration is feeling the heat of a negative international image and needs somebody who can passionately defend the President’s human rights record as what the senator did last week before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

No one among the foreign service officers would be brash enough to counter the antipathy that Duterte has elicited with his “Fuck u U.N.” and “Fuck u E.U.”

Malacañang needs someone who can say with conviction that white is black and black is white just like what the incoming secretary said when he declared that under Duterte’s anti-illegal drugs campaign, “drug personalities have been arrested. Arrested your Excellencies not killed.”

Mocha Uson and Duterte deserve each other

Published by Ellen on May 11, 2017

Why are the non-fans of President Duterte protesting the appointment of dancer – singer Mocha Uson as assistant communications secretary?

They deserve each other perfectly.

Why are they questioning the appointment citing lack of qualification of Uson for the job that pays between P87, 000 and P106, 000 a month?

Uson’s qualification is unassailable: she and her group of sexy dancers campaigned for Duterte.

“Utang na loob ko iyan sa kanila, because they offered their services free at a time na wala akong pera, because they believe in me. Now it’s my time to believe in them,” Duterte said.

ICC investigation would affect Duterte’s foreign travels

Published by Ellen on May 3, 2017

Pres. Duterte boards presidential plance after APEC meeting in Peru.Malacañang photo.

In dismissing the case filed against him at the International Court of Justice at The Hague, Netherlands last week, President Duterte cited the principle of territoriality.

“The fundamental thing in our Revised Penal Code is territoriality. You can only be prosecuted in the country where you committed the crime, “he said.

Lascañas says Duterte paid him using Davao City’s ‘ghost” employees

Published by Ellen on April 2, 2017

Lascañas on ghost employees from VERA Files on Vimeo.

By Ellen T. Tordesillas
VERA Files

In the business of death, self-confessed hitman Arturo Lascañas had reaped a ghastly reward: He became a “ghost” employee of the Davao City Hall, whose paycheck got a boost from the salaries of other “ghost” employees.

Lascañas, who retired in December with the rank of senior police officer 3, said in an interview with VERA Files that he received P68,000 every month from the Davao City government as a member of the Davao Death Squad (DDS). The amount, he said, was pooled from 10 to 12 ghost employees whose salaries ranged from P5,000 to P7,000 a month.

Impeachment vs Duterte ‘in the larger scheme of things’

Published by Ellen on March 17, 2017

Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano files the first impeachment complaint against Pres. Rodrigo Duterte.

There are things that you do knowing that its chance of success is not high but you do it because you know it’s the right thing.

Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano filed Thursday an impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte. It’s the first against the President who was elected with 16 million votes and enjoys high trust and satisfaction rating nine months into his presidency.

The complaint alleged committed culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.

Malacañang shaken by Lascañas exposé

Published by Ellen on March 11, 2017

However Malacanang tries to discredit SPO3 Arturo Lascañas explosive exposé about President Duterte’s direct role in the Davao Death Squad, it’s obvious that the President and his men are shaken.

Davao Death Squad:the thing that binds President Duterte and SP03 Arturo Lascañas.

Take a look how they have acted silly trying to counter it.

The grand bungle was committed by Press Secretary Martin Andanar when he floated the rumor that reporters were paid $1,000 each to cover the press conference of Lascañas held at the Senate last Feb. 20.

The allegation was so incredible, it was hilarious.