Noon pa man, maigting ko nang kinokondena ang panggigipit sa malayang pamamahayag, kabilang na ang pagbabanta at pag-atake ng rehimeng Duterte sa ABS-CBN.
Ngayong nagtagumpay ang kasalukuyang gobyerno sa pagpapatigil sa operasyon ng ABS-CBN, hindi nangangahulugang magwawalang-kibo at mananahimik na lang tayo. Lalo lang dapat nitong palakasin ang ating paninindigan at pakikipaglaban para sa malayang pamamahahayag.
Roque's revelation that Duterte had a "gentleman's agreement" with Xi Jinping not to repair BRP Sierra Madre two years after leaving Malacañang only shows the duplicity of the past administration because of the fact that the agreement was kept secret from the public. (1/4)
Regardless, BBM is not bound by such a secret agreement. A president cannot be bound by agreements secretly entered into by a predecessor for the simple reason that he has no way of complying with an agreement the details of which are subject to the recollection of those (2/4)
who knew about it, and therefore are highly unreliable. Parang utang lang yan na nilista sa hangin.
In the end, a gentleman's agreement heavily relies on the integrity of the parties, as the name implies. (3/4)
The Liberal Party commends the Philippine Senate, particularly Senator Risa Hontiveros, for their assertion of their institutional mandate and pursuit of truth in the case of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. (1/4)
The issuance of an arrest order underscores our commitment to a legal system that is blind to power and privilege.
Alongside the Senate's efforts, the Department of Justice's filing of criminal charges is a crucial step in ensuring justice and accountability. (2/4)
This reinforces the principle that everyone, regardless of background or faith, is subject to the rule of law.
We urge Filipinos to remain vigilant and participate in safeguarding the integrity of our justice system. (3/4)
The 2nd installment of Arturo Lascañas’ interview on Vera Files is as shocking as the first part. In part 2, Lascañas goes on to describe how Duterte planned the assassination of several prominent personalities: Fr. Pete Lamata of Davao City, Ozamis Mayor Aldong Parojinog, (1/8)
Clarin, Misamis Occidental Mayor David Navarro, and myself. Duterte’s attempt on my life during the 2009 CHR site investigation of the DDS dumping ground in Brgy. Maa was already revealed by Edgar Matobato during the Senate inquiry that I conducted in 2016. (2/8)
What is chilling is Lascañas’ added detail that Duterte casually cooked sausages for them while they planned my assassination. They agreed to assassinate me by using one of Duterte’s sniper rifles. Lascañas’ revelations also further reinforced his stories about Duterte’s (3/8)
China says refurbishing our post at Ayungin Shoal is a violation of their sovereignty and int'l law. We know China is lying when it claims sovereignty over Ayungin Shoal bec. Ayungin is neither an island susceptible of a terrestrial claim nor anywhere near China to be (1/10)
claimed as part of its EEZ. Ayungin is a marine feature below low tide elevation & well w/in our EEZ.
Besides, if Ayungin is truly a part of China, they won't waste time issuing public releases about their claim of sovereignty. They will just use outright force to oust us (2/10)
like they would w/ any real territory of China, say like Hainan.
The fact that China is not treating Ayungin as it would Hainan, i.e, with an outright expulsion of Philippine forces and the destruction of BRP Sierra Madre, only means that they know that they have no right (3/10)
Are they afraid of the Truth? Why are they blocking it? DOJ’s refusal to transfer 11 inmate-witnesses in my last remaining drug case from Sablayan to NBP only shows the agency’s continuing attempt to stand by its former secretaries’ (Aguirre & Guevarra) bogus charges vs me.(1/12)
Until the very last moment, this agency which I also led for five years opposed my application for bail, despite its willful and deliberate use of manufactured evidence and perjured witnesses just to sustain Duterte’s persecution cases against me.
Now, DOJ wants the (2/12)
truth-telling by these witnesses to be made more difficult, by keeping them isolated & almost inaccessible from the hills of Sablayan Penal Colony in Mindoro, if only to prevent them from divulging who among DOJ officials, past & present, connived & conspired to fabricate (3/12)
6 years that my persecutors hoped would be spent in futility, submission and silence.
Instead, it has been 6 years of fighting the good fight... perhaps the most important 6 years of my life.
When they thought I would buckle under the pressure of their oppression, I proved that my commitment to the Rule of Law, to Human Rights and, specifically, to speaking up for the victims,
mostly poor and defenseless, of the so-called "War on Drugs", is stronger than any wall they can put between me and the outside world.