Tag Archives: Politics

A Tale of Two Presiding Officers

Opinion, , , , ,

The Vice President’s impeachment trial started in an emotional, “I’m from Ateneo / UP Law, so shut up!” ruckus by the Cayetano siblings over the motion to elect Sen Chiz Escudero as the Impeachment trial’s Presiding officer. That was their first formal challenge to the new majority and directly against Senate President Win Gatchalian’s authority.

Senate President Win Gatchalian may be a veteran Senator, but he’s not a lawyer and this handicap would certainly be exploited by the Cayetanos to influence the Impeachment trial proceedings in a way that will benefit their ally the Vice President. We clearly saw that yesterday.

The Impeachment trial is not a purely legal exercise, it is also a political one, the public will be watching the trial from start to finish, and in politics optics matter. So when we saw Senate President Gatchalian move aside, figuratively and literally, to make room for Sen Chiz Escudero as the Presiding Officer of the Impeachment trial, it is tacit admission of this handicap. It is now a smear on the Senate Presidency of Win Gatchalian.

However, as demonstrated by the troublesome Cayetano siblings, such a move, a sacrifice even, by Senate President Gatchalian was the right move. Say what you will of Sen Chiz Escudero’s shrewdness, but he certainly has the legal skills and wits to keep the Cayetano siblings in check, and the impeachment trial from going off the rails.

Besides, while the Constitution is clear that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall preside over the impeachment trial of the President, it doesn’t say that the Senate President shall preside over impeachment trials of other impeachable officers. Granted that the intention of the framers of the Constitution recognized that the Senate President will preside over the impeachment trial of other impeachable officers as he is the default presiding officer of the Senate, nothing stops the Senate President from appointing another Senator to become the presiding officer as it is common practice in the Senate’s performance of its legislative functions. The election of Sen Chiz Escudero as presiding officer of the impeachment trial of the Vice President is just an affirmation of the Senate President’s power to delegate.

At the end of the day, that’s what is important for the public: to have an impeachment trial that would be as fair, orderly and sensible as possible, so that the Vice President would be given the opportunity to be heard and defend herself.

By giving the Vice President due process, we reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law, democracy and respect for human rights, the very principles that the Dutertes stand opposite of.

On being more tolerant towards theists

Opinion, , , ,

Around a decade or so ago, I’ve decided not to engage in debates about religion – the interpretation of the Bible, which religion is THE religion or trying to win over believers that there is no such thing as a divine being, etc as I’ve come to accept that it is anyone’s right whether they would believe in it or not, whether they would join one religion or another.

However, when one’s religion or their own interpretation of what ever text they consider holy, is used to abuse and mistreat, to oppress, marginalize, and limit the agency of members of certain communities including the LGBTQIA+ communities, then I would spare some time to address it, expose it and call it out for what it is. I may not have all the answers, but someone has to make a stand and speak up.

Sanae Takaichi breaks the ‘glass ceiling’ in Japanese politics by becoming the nation’s first female Prime Minister. However, don’t expect radical reforms from her government as she is a far-right conservative & ultranationalist: opposes same-sex marriage, allowing female accession to the Chrysanthemum throne, advocates for stricter immigration policies, media regulation and historical negationism that downplays Japanese war crimes in WWII.

On the other hand, Taiwan and the Philippines would find a friend in her as she is a China hawk, although she is of the view that the pacifist provisions of Japan’s constitution should be changed. It remains to be seen how long she would be able to stay in office.

My father told me something when I was very small to instill confidence in me: “Nobody in the world is worth more than you, but nobody’s worth less.” It is an egalitarian view that I’ve carried around in my life. That’s why I am for free schools, free universities, free health care, and free babysitting. Because our society could afford it. In America, people think social democracy is some kind of communism. They think capitalism is freedom. It’s not. It’s only freedom to exploit people.

Stellan Skarsgård, In Coversation – Vulture

Marcos Jr ditches cousin to deflect flood control mess

Opinion, , , ,

Pundits say no one becomes Speaker of the House without the blessing of the President, so when Marcos Jr practically scolded both Houses of Congress in his last SONA with his now infamous “Mahiya naman kayo!“, what he meant was ‘WTF gentlemen, first you fucked up the impeachment, then you didn’t exactly gave me a complete victory despite all of the ayudas even though we all knew the 2025 budget was for the election, now the people are getting wild ideas from the Indonesians because the monsoon has exposed how you all got so greedy with these shitty flood control projects!

So…some would have to be thrown under the bus, it will be somebody, not me. No, definitely not me. But surely it will be some of you.’

A little over a week ago, it was Chiz Escudero who was the first to fall after being ousted as Senate President.

Now, it’s Martin Romualdez as he will be resigning as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The Duterte propaganda machine will spin this as ‘their’ victory, but it was all on Romualdez as he brought this upon himself. He fucked up so bad, being a cousin of the President is not enough to save him. And no, all that meow meow was just a silly distraction.

That Romualdez will be replaced by Faustino Dy III, another trapo from the Dy dynasty that has lorded over the province of Isabela for decades, means the change is just cosmetic.

How this ‘adjustment’ to the current dispensation will affect or factor in the Marcos camp’s design to convert their Restoration into a continuation come 2028 remains to be seen, they have demonstrated to be able players of the long game and there’s still some time before Marcos Jr becomes a complete lame duck and the factions of the political class would have packed up and hitched their wagon to the next possible contender aside from, and if, Daughterte makes it there unscathed.

Coming back to the present, our task has become much more obvious: we must continue to demand accountability from our officials and the bureaucracy. Leadership reshuffles in Congress is not enough. Having a handful of private contractors and expendable bureaucrats facing charges are not enough. They could not have cheated and robbed the public coffers alone. It started with the preparation and deliberation of the national budget, so Congressmen and Senators are definitely involved, it would not even be a surprise if the proper investigations would lead to the President and his cabinet.

Keep following the investigations in the Senate and House of Representatives, even though we know they’re meant to distract, obfuscate, or would not reveal the complete truth, it would keep our politicians honest enough to know we are watching. Demand for the passage of the Freedom of Information bill. Demand that SALNs be made public again.

Support journalists that are really doing their job of asking the hard questions, digging deeper and providing more context beyond mere quote cards, reporting on facts rather than innuendos and gossip.

If you can spare the time, join the protests on September 21 either at Luneta or EDSA Shrine or even both. Everyone who wants a clean, honest and accountable government is welcome.