Opinion 11/28/15 (Philippines, presidential elections, Duterte, law, Marcos, ISIS)
Inquirer on Imelda Marcos and wealth
It was 1975, the fourth year of martial law, and Ferdinand Marcos was at the zenith of his power. All his opponents were in jail, Congress had been padlocked, and media offices were either shuttered or under new management by his cronies. [...] While belonging to a distinguished clan, her family was not known to be particularly wealthy. Where did all that fabulous new wealth come from? There could only be one logical explanation: The Marcoses were using the Philippine treasury as their private account, and on such a scale that they would. [full text]
Sun.Star Cebu about Duterte, presidential elections, and criminal law
DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has declared his candidacy for president in the 2016 elections, although the Commission on Elections (Comelec) still has the final say on that. [...] “If I become president, I advise you people to put up several funeral parlor businesses because I am against illegal drugs…I might kill someone because of it,” he also said. [...] When a presidential candidate campaigns on a program dependent on body bags and funeral parlors--and that candidate wins—wouldn’t it be time to say God bless this country? [full text]
Manila Bulletin
A new – and highly volatile – front in the violence in the Middle East may have been opened with the downing of a Russian war plane by Turkey this Tuesday. [...] The downing of a Russian plane by Turkey revives memories of the old animosity between Russia and NATO. [...] Such a conflict would set back the campaign to stop the Islamic State, the common enemy of all the states now involved in the Middle East fighting. [full text]
Philippine Star about the possibility of ISIS in Philippines
Five black flags similar to those used by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria were found at the site of an encounter the other day between the military and eight members of a bandit group in Sultan Kudarat. [...] ISIS has shown its capability for ruthless mass murder. In the Philippines where Islamist extremists have operated for decades, it is prudent to consider the likelihood of ISIS influencing more violent activities. Every effort must be made to prevent this from happening. [full text]
