The great test of Philippine democratic institutions

It is clear that President Rodrigo Duterte has little respect for the rights of individual Filipino citizens. He doesn’t care about the Constitutional promise of safety or the fairness of presumed innocence. He doesn’t care if they die. Furthermore, other individuals, even members of important democratic institutions like the Supreme Court and Senate, are regularly … Continue reading →

Filed under Citizenship/Patriotism, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government

“The heaping corpses, the endless bodies to stumble upon!”

w by Wilfredo G. Villanueva Swirling events. Corpses everywhere. A discombobulated populace. No public outcry. Democrats speaking to one another, preaching to the choir. In the meantime, bodies continue to pile up. Is anyone out there? God is. I have taken to waking up early, around 3:30, to read the Catholic mass readings, and pray … Continue reading →

Filed under Citizenship/Patriotism, Crime/Corruption, Philippine Government, Philippine Politics, Religion

“Okay, when do we get to the CRIME part?”

There are a lot of things about President Duterte’s statements and deeds that confuse me. Some are more important than others. Some will get worked out in time, which is fine. I can wait, and hope they work out well for the nation. One thing the Philippines teaches well is patience. But crime is the … Continue reading →

Filed under Crime/Corruption, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government

Why does the President show the world an ugly Philippines?

Let me ask, a year ago, did you consider the Philippines to be an ugly place? Did you see it as broken down and at the edge of self-destruction? I didn’t. I saw it as a poor and underachieving nation finally getting its act together with a good government and a whole lot of productive work going … Continue reading →

Filed under Citizenship/Patriotism, Crime/Corruption, Philippine Government

Who polices the police? Is NAPOLCOM doing its job?

The purpose of this article is to gain insight into how the Police discipline themselves, and what happens if they break the laws. My main concern is that current police killings represent “excessive force” and no official office of government is doing anything about it. I want to work on gaining a very basic understanding of the … Continue reading →

Filed under Crime/Corruption, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government