On February 14, Indonesia held its long-anticipated presidential election. While the General Elections Commission has until March 20 to announce the final results, based on a preliminary quick count of the votes, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, a former army general, is on track to win the presidency with a significant majority of the total votes … Read more
Indonesia’s President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has congratulated his Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, after unofficial counts showed the gruff former general clinching Wednesday’s presidential election by a decisive margin. “Congratulations, congratulations. I met them in person, last night,” Jokowi told reporters yesterday, when asked if he had offered his congratulations to Prabowo and his vice-presidential running … Read more
The quick answer to the question posed in the title of this article is no. They are criticizing members of Congress and even Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., but their party is still part of the ruling coalition. The Duterte political dynasty is led by former President Rodrigo Duterte, who “retired” after the end … Read more
Vietnam and the Philippines have agreed to boost cooperation between their coastguards and work to prevent incidents in disputed parts of the South China Sea, against a backdrop of growing Chinese assertiveness. The two countries, which have overlapping maritime claims in the sea, signed the two memoranda of understanding on the second day of Philippine … Read more
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is throwing allegations at his successor, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and even raising the prospect of removing him from office, bringing into the open a long-rumored split between the two. In an expletive-laden speech late Sunday, the former populist leader alleged that Marcos’ legislative allies are plotting to amend the constitution … Read more
The Taiwanese people have spoken: the long-time Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) politician, Lai Ching-Te, will be the next president and possibly sustain and improve upon his predecessor’s efforts to stand up for the island nation’s interests. Unprecedentedly, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. publicly congratulated President-elect Lai in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that he looks … Read more
Several initiatives promoting the amendment of the 1987 Philippine Constitution have garnered the support of the leadership of both houses of Congress, even if the campaign could further cause political disunity and public dissatisfaction. There are three ways to change the Constitution: electing delegates in a Constitutional Convention, Congress convening into a Constituent Assembly, and … Read more
China’s government summoned the ambassador from the Philippines yesterday and warned the country “not to play with fire” after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. congratulated Taiwan’s president-elect Lai Ching-te on his election victory. In a press briefing in Beijing yesterday, Reuters reported, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that Marcos’ remarks “constitute a serious violation … Read more
Defense and energy cooperation topped the agenda during yesterday’s meeting between Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his Indonesian counterpart Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. Jokowi arrived in the Philippines on Tuesday for a three-day state visit, part of a regional tour that will also take him to Brunei and Vietnam later this week. He was received … Read more
A Philippine regulatory board has suspended former President Rodrigo Duterte’s TV show, reflecting a deepening discord within the ruling coalition. Supporters of the former president insist that the move is a violation of press freedom, but human rights advocates assert that those who make death threats on live TV should be held accountable. The Movie and … Read more