Editorial 7/29/16 (Philippines, Congress, politics, police, violence, crime, transportation, China, dispute)

Philippine Star "Super tiny minority"

It’s not easy being a member of the opposition when the president enjoys a trust rating of over 90 percent, with a near-total 97 percent in Mindanao. A democracy, however, needs a functioning check and balance system, which is normally provided by the political opposition. Even an immensely popular president is vulnerable to the abuse of power and needs a credible opposition to discourage this. Beyond promoting the proper use of power, the opposition can also help ensure that the annual national appropriation is utilized for the intended purposes, with projects and programs implemented properly. In short, the political opposition has an indispensable role to play in promoting good governance and making democracy work. Under the current setup, the opposition in the House of Representatives is also expected to initiate proceedings to remove from office a president, vice president, justice of the Supreme Court or head of a constitutional body who betrays the public trust. [full text]

Sun.Star Cebu "Taliño’s stance on vigilantism"

POLICE Regional Office (PRO) 7 Chief Noli Taliño took the correct stance about the sinister development in the government's intensified drive against the illegal drugs trade, which is the surfacing of so-called vigilantes that hide in their anonymity to battle criminality with crime. “Bawal sa batas ang vigilantism. That is against the law and we will not allow that to happen here. Yung pulis lang ang may karapatan na mag-implement ng mga batas,” he told reporters recently. The hope is that Taliño is sincere in his stand about vigilantism and that his words would be taken as a command by his subordinates, considering the suspicions that some police elements are themselves behind the operation of so-called vigilantes. Taliño should also follow that statement up with orders for concerned police units to go after these vigilantes and arrest and prosecute them. [full text]

Mindanao Times "Hoping for the best"

ON MONDAY, when he delivered his first state of the nation address, President Rodrigo R. Duterte mentioned the plan of his administration to set up the Mindanao Railway System, mass transport system that will make movement of goods and people easier. “I assure you because it is going to materialize,” he said as he emphasized the determination of his administration to pursue the project. The business sector, particularly the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, welcomed the pronouncement of the President because the facility will help hasten the growth of Mindanao economy. Several other former presidents made similar promises in their respective states of the nation address but it was then President Fidel V. Ramos who was the first to do it when he visited the city immediately after taking oath in 1992. [full text]

Manila Times "UN PCA ruling helps disputants worldwide"

ANALYSTS have criticized the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) for doing China’s bidding, which was championed by Cambodia, China’s agent country in Asean, to disregard the UNCLOS Tribunal’s landmark ruling granting the Philippine petition against China’s takeover of the Philippine territories in the South China/West Philippine Sea and ordering China to stop its aggressive activities. Some of the analysts also warned that Asean’s “watered-down” statement at the end of the group’s foreign ministers summit in Cambodia “could diminish the grouping’s already waning clout.”
The Japan Times report by Jesse Johnson said, “The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) avoided mentioning in its annual foreign ministers’ communiqué the July 12 ruling by the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration, instead offering the equivalent of a slap on the wrist to China, the group’s biggest trading partner, over its moves in the disputed waters.” The report quoted the Director of the Center for Strategic Studies at Victoria University of Wellington, David Capie, who said, “The choice was between a weak statement or no statement. This isn’t the first time Asean has avoided mentioning the elephant in the room in order to get consensus. But it underscores Asean’s weakness and raises questions about its relevance.” [full text]

Inquirer "The majority’s minority"

The rules of the House of Representatives clearly define who the Minority Leader ought to be. “The Minority Leader shall be elected by the Members of the Minority and can be changed, at any time, by a majority vote of all the Minority Members.” At the same time, the tradition of the House, as it is in the Senate, is that the minority fields a candidate for Speaker (or Senate President); upon losing the contest, that candidate becomes the Minority Leader. In the Senate last Monday, Sen. Ralph Recto of the Liberal Party contested the position of Senate President. When he lost to Sen. Koko Pimentel, he became Senate Minority Leader. At almost the same time, Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez was elected by an overwhelming majority in the House. Rep. Teddy Baguilat of the Liberal Party came in second with eight votes, while Rep. Danny Suarez of the United Nationalist Alliance ended up third, with seven votes. A total of 21 representatives abstained. Tradition should have moved the minority to proclaim Baguilat Minority Leader. But instead, in a subsequent meeting boycotted by Baguilat’s group, Suarez was elected leader by those who voted for him in plenary and, crucially, by many of the 21 who abstained. [full page]