Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been attending “prayer rallies” in opposition to the charter change (ChaCha) planned by the government of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. On January 28, Duterte and his family joined a “prayer rally” in Davao. He attended a similar event in Cebu on February 25 and in Manila on March … Read more
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has again stated that his administration will not cooperate with an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into his predecessor’s violent “war on drugs.” Speaking to reporters yesterday, Marcos said that he saw the ICC probe as “a threat to our sovereignty.” “Let me say this for the 100th time. I … 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
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said that he would come out of retirement if his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, is impeached by Congress. “You know what, if you do that, I shall be returning to politics, I will be forced, either I run for senator or vice president even if I am old already,” … Read more
Advertisement Allies of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are squabbling over the allocation of confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs), which could undermine the “unity government” that rose to power in 2022. CIFs are not subjected to normal auditing rules because it is assumed that law enforcement agencies use them for sensitive national security matters. During … Read more
Advertisement Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has defended her use of confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) and accused her critics of being “enemies of the state.” The CIF is commonly used by law enforcement agencies to conduct surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations. These funds are not subjected to standard auditing rules because they are supposedly linked … Read more
Advertisement Opposition lawmakers in the Philippines are questioning the use of confidential funds by Vice President Sara Duterte in 2022, which they claim were in some cases even allocated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. without the authorization of Congress. The Marcos government assumed power on June 30, 2022, which means the budget it used for … Read more
ASEAN Beat | Politics | Southeast Asia Recent events suggest that the Marcos-Duterte “UniTeam” that stormed last year’s presidential election may not make it to the next election in 2028. Advertisement An apparent rift among allies of Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. could undermine his “unity” government barely a year after being sworn into power. First, former President … Read more
Sara Duterte, the Philippines’ vice president and education secretary, speaks to students at Capalayan Elementary School in Surigao City, Philippines, May 12, 2023. Credit: Facebook/Inday Sara Duterte Advertisement Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday announced her “irrevocable resignation” from the country’s ruling party due to “political toxicity,” adding to the intrigue that has surrounded … Read more
Advertisement Several initiatives could lead to an overhaul of the Philippine education sector under the government of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. First, legislators have already convened the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom), which set a three-year timetable to evaluate the impact of the legal reforms implemented in 1991. Second, the Department of Education … Read more