By Atty. Florante A. Zagada. I am saddened by the decision of the majority senators in their votes yesterday to allow them to vote to adjust the threshold votes below 16 based on the ATTENDANCE of members in deciding whether to convict or acquit VP Sara. As a lawyer and professor of law, I believe…
The Constitution is supposed to be the one document in our political life that stands above political convenience. That is why the controversy now unfolding in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte deserves more than partisan applause or condemnation. At the heart of the dispute is a simple constitutional phrase: “two-thirds of all…
Economic optimism must be matched by economic honesty There is nothing wrong with a President being optimistic about the country’s economy. Confidence matters. Investors need it, businesses need it, and ordinary Filipinos certainly need something to believe in. But optimism has one limitation: “It cannot change the numbers.” During his recent BRICS participation, President Ferdinand…
For more than two years, a large section of the ruling elite has joined forces to marginalize, if not erase, the Dutertes from the Philippine political map. The six-year presidency of Rodrigo Duterte was a nightmare for those privileged classes accustomed to entitlement. Once in a while, they may be at odds with one another….
In a democracy, there is one document that stands above presidents, senators, judges, political parties and every other government institution: the “Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines.” It is not a suggestion. It is not a guideline that government officials may adjust whenever circumstances become inconvenient. And it certainly cannot be rewritten simply because…
Thousands of young Indians have crossed the sea and chosen the Philippines—particularly Davao City—as a place to pursue one of the most demanding and respected professions in the world: MEDICINE. That choice is more than an educational decision. It is a vote of confidence. For many Indian families, sending a son or daughter thousands of…
“Authority Is Not a License to Humiliate” There is something deeply troubling when a person entrusted with the power of the people forgets the very people from whom that power came. Recent televised impeachment proceedings have once again placed the conduct of our elected officials under the public microscope. Senator Raffy Tulfo’s repeated branding of…
Kong akoy pasultihon, adunay mga ideya nga magsugod lamang sa usa ka siyudad apan mahimong panulondon sa tibuok nasud. Usa niini mao ang 911. Ikatulo ang Davao City nga nagmugna niini sa tibuok kalibutan. Una ang New York City, USA, ikaduha ang Canada ug ang ikatulo mao ang atong siudad sa Davao. Sa Davao City,…
Photo courtesy: CIO The successive storms battering Luzon, leaving large portions of Metro Manila and other areas submerged in floodwaters, should serve as more than a reminder of the country’s vulnerability to extreme weather. They should be a warning—especially to local governments here in Mindanao—that “the next disaster may already be on its way.” Flooding…
Photo: United States Department of State The growing opposition to the proposed PAX SILICA project is not driven by fear of technology or resistance to progress. It is driven by a simple but fundamental belief: development should serve people first. Across affected communities, residents, farmers, environmental advocates, indigenous peoples, and cultural groups are raising legitimate…
