Maniolas

In the contest for most delusional, self-aggrandizing and least diplomatic politician in all the world, it had been neck-and-neck between the double Ds: Duterte, president Rodrigo of the Philippines, and the Donald of Trump, fortunately not president of anything really important, at least for the time being. But then there was Prez RoDEE DEE mentioning the “H” word and it was all over. Jaw-drop moment. You don’t ever mention Hitler without a willingness to go straight to rhetorical hell. But really, killing millions of drug addicts in the Philippines, just because you’re president? There he was at a news conference, he must not have thought anyone was watching, except for OFW Filipino channel subscribers around the world. It was really classical Duterte delusion. He began with saying he was just a mayor when most of the extrajudicial killings happened, and that not a single case was filed against him. Then he challenged his detractors around the world on the letter of the local law and that there was nothing legally that “would make a mayor liable if he threatens the criminals or intimidates the wrongdoers.” “You can read the penal codes, criminal laws of this land, you’ll find nothing,” Duterte said, acting as if weak local laws or omissions would protect him against any charges of human rights violations. It sounded like Marcos for a second. But, of course, to make a point, invoking Marcos wasn’t good enough. Duterte will use him later this month on the burial scheme. No, Read More …

The defense ministers of the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia have agreed to explore joint air patrols during their trilateral meeting in Hawaii for the Asean-US Dialogue. “The three ministers agreed to explore joint air patrols even while their respective armed forces are finalizing the parameters for maritime patrol in the agreed upon transit corridor in what the three countries consider as maritime areas of common concern,” the Department of National Defense (DND) said in a statement on Monday. Last month, the three countries signed a document on standard operating procedures for trilateral maritime cooperation to secure regional waters. READ: Indonesia to start joint sea patrols with Malaysia, PH The agreement to launch joint patrol in the seas after an increase of kidnappings led by the Abu Sayyaf this year. “Primarily driven by the need to address the rising incidents of armed robbery at sea, kidnapping and piracy in the three countries’ areas of common concern, the trilateral meeting has evolved to be a platform for the defense ministers to address other emerging common concerns to include violent extremism,” the DND said. “The phenomenon of returning fighters from the conflict in the Middle East could eventually create security challenges for the three countries, something which the ministers recognized and hence their decision to further get their act together,” it added. JE/rga Latest Cousin of rob convict Herbert Colanggo shot, wounded in Ozamiz ‘Igme’ exits PAR Majority floor leader advises Duterte: Less talk, more work ‘Ang Probinsyano’ turns 1, ends in December Recommended Read More …

President Rodrigo Duterte. AP FILE PHOTO Brussels is now thinking twice whether or not to push through with its scheduled royal visit to the Philippines next year, according to a report by The Brussels Times. The report came after President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial remarks that drew parallels with Adolf Hitler’s killing of Jews during the Holocaust and his repeated tirades against the European Union and the United Nations on the issue of human rights amid his administration’s bloody war on drugs. Brussels State Secretary for External Trade Cécile Jodogne told La Libre Belgique that “it will be difficult to ensure” that the trade mission to be supposedly led by Princess Astrid to the Philippines in May 2017 would go ahead. The report said Jodogne sent an email to the Agency for External Trade’s partners on Friday requesting for an emergency meeting “to discuss whether the royal visit to the Philippines should still go ahead.” “I will ask for the visit to be moved to a different country. If Federal authorities and the two other regions don’t agree, Brussels will not send a political representative. I’m not saying no-one should go to the Philippines at all, but the problem right now is timing,” she was quoted as saying. Duterte on Friday said he would be “happy to slaughter” three million drug addicts in the Philippines by himself in the same way that Hitler had murdered millions of Jews before and during the Second World War. READ: Duterte ‘Hitler’ talk reaps international Read More …

‘VIETNAM IDOL’ Janice Buco was adjudged winner of the seventh season of “Vietnam Idol.” CONTRIBUTED PHOTO THEY told her she couldn’t make it in “Vietnam Idol,” a popular singing tilt. But 28-year-old Janice Buco was destined to prove them all wrong. On Friday night, Buco wowed even her fiercest detractors and was adjudged the winner of the seventh season of “Vietnam Idol.” She is the first Filipino and foreigner to ever join and win the contest, which only opened its doors to non-Vietnamese singers this year. Buco, who adopted the stage name of Janice Phuong, chalked up her victory to sheer determination and a lot of guts. “I didn’t have an inkling that I would win. I thought I’d only end up in second place because I was a Filipino and not Vietnamese,” she said on Saturday. On the night of the finals on Friday in Ho Chi Minh City, she could not believe her ears when the host called her name as the victor, defeating a 22-year-old local. “Up to now, it still hasn’t sunk in. I couldn’t help crying when they announced that I won,” she said. She won 54.25 percent of the audiences’ votes with her powerful alto, taking home a cash prize of 600 million Vietnamese dong ($28,600). “Vietnam Idol” is based on the show, “American Idol.” From Bohol Buco, a native of Bohol province, has been staying in Hanoi for a couple of years with her Vietnamese husband, Minh Que. She was supposed to perform Read More …

President Rodrigo Duterte. AP FILE PHOTO MANILA — President Duterte threatened on Sunday (Oct. 2), to stop the implementation of the Philippines-US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) as he revealed he would soon announce a new policy that his government would observe in connection with the country’s ties with the United States. Mr. Duterte said his government has been reviewing the EDCA, reminding the US government that while it might be an official document, it was just an executive agreement not even signed two years ago by then president Benigno Aquino III, but only by his official representatives in the negotiation for EDCA. He said EDCA, which was signed in 2014 but was not implemented until the Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality in January, was only signed by then defense secretary Voltaire Gazmin and a US aide. “Better think twice now because I would be asking you to leave the Philippines altogether,” President Duterte said to the US government. That would happen, said the President, if the US were “unable to produce the signature bearing the permit to conduct war games.” The President made the statement as he reiterated he would strengthen the country’s ties with China and Russia, disclosing for the first time he had talked to Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev while he was in Laos for the Asean summit last month. The President said he met with Medvedev and told him about the way the US was humiliating him and that the latter told him he would Read More …