Sara Duterte has talent in the theatrics of the bizarre. Calling a press conference at two o’clock in the morning accompanied by a meltdown has redefined political theatrics. Only a person of Sara Duterte’s caliber can accomplish this. What triggered Sara Duterte’s latest performative political act is the detention of her
November 30, 2024
Rodrigo Duterte dominated the national conversation in the past weeks with his appearance in both Houses of Congress. Prior to his attendance in the hearings of both Houses, the elder Duterte played coy, acting both uninterested and insulted for the invitations. He titillated the nation with his ambiguous response to the
November 23, 2024
Resentment is a powerful political tool. The return to US presidency of Donald Trump once again demonstrated the power of resentment as a pathway to power. The sociology of resentment is a sub-field of sociology of emotion. The rise of populist authoritarianism in recent decades, with Trump 2.0 once again drew
November 16, 2024
“So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause,” Senator Padme Amidala sighed in Revenge of the Sith. Replace “liberty” with “democracy” and this aptly describes the result of the just concluded election in the United States (US). In place of Sith, put Donald Trump. Trump made the most sensational political
November 9, 2024
The November 5, 2024, election is the most consequential election for the United States (US) in modern times. The result of the election is a turning point for America for it will determine the fate of its democracy. Will democracy in the US die on that day or will it experience
November 4, 2024
A bizarre spectacle unfolded last week, shocking or amusing the audience depending on their political stance. Vice President Sara Duterte held a press conference, unleashing a torrent of sentiments that overwhelmed the media. For two hours, Inday Sara ranted in what seemed like an emotional meltdown, reminiscent of her father’s midnight
October 26, 2024
Sordid details of the flagship program of the Duterte administration — the bloody and gory “war on drugs” — continue to emerge in the hearings of the Quad Committee of Congress. The super congressional committee was created to probe the connection between Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), Chinese syndicates, the illegal
October 19, 2024
Ilonggos do not appreciate being toyed with, yet this is precisely what the Baronda and Treñas camps have done to the people of Iloilo City and the Ilonggo community as a whole. A cruel political game was played by their so-called leaders, who claim to have the Ilonggos’ best interests at
October 12, 2024
Three-Body Problem is a popular Netflix series based on the novel by Chinese science fiction author Liu Cixin. In the series, Earth faces an alien invasion from Trisolarans, who live on a planet in a solar system with three suns orbiting each other, creating a “three-body problem.” In a two-body system,
October 5, 2024
Not even in the wildest imagination of the Dutertes did they expect the day of retribution to come so soon. In their calculation, the day of reckoning would never come. Back in 2021, the Duterte patriarch remained popular, even as his presidency neared its end. The opposition, or “dilawans,” had been
September 28, 2024
“Never again!” This has been the rallying cry of activists who lived through the horrors of martial law and the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. The phrase also serves as the vow of those opposed to the return of the Marcoses to power. Having experienced firsthand the oppression, brutality, and corruption
September 21, 2024
The administration of Bongbong Marcos (BBM) turned out to be a beautiful disaster for the Dutertes. The Dutertes’ elevation of BBM to the presidency has become their dreamy nightmare or a “nightmare dressed like a daydream.” At the twilight of his presidency, how to protect himself from possible prosecution was the
September 14, 2024