ANC After The Fact

The party founded by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos has named his son and namesake as its standard-bearer in next year’s presidential election. In a recorded message, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. thanked his supporters. but he was vague as to whether he was accepting the nomination. Deciding to run for president, he said, was something he couldn’t “rush.” Back in 2016, Bongbong Marcos ran and lost in the vice presidential election. but to many observers, it’s not a question of if — but when — the son of the former dictator is going to seek the presidency to complete his family’s return to power after their disgraceful fall 35 years ago.

Earlier this week, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno declared that he’s also running for president. 

This means that as of today, there are three contenders: Moreno, Senator Panfilo Lacson, and Senator Manny Pacquiao.

These same names were also being considered in efforts to unify the opposition against President Duterte’S candidate in 2022. 

Does this now mean that unity talks are over? And where does this now leave Vice President Leni Robredo who up to this point is yet to decide whether to run as the opposition’s presidential candidate next year?

After the Fact: Earlier today, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno officially announced he’s running for president of the Philippines next year.

A trash collector growing up, Moreno has a compelling rags-to-riches backstory and a powerful campaign message of hope.

If he, a poor boy who rose to become the mayor of the Philippine capital city, and now, vying for the country’s highest elective post, could do it — nothing’s impossible for the millions of poor Filipinos, suffering especially during the pandemic.

But while Moreno, a veteran politician even at only 46 years old, may tick all the right boxes for a presidential candidate — he has the looks, the message, and the track record — the Philippine political terrain remains complicated, and not exactly reassuring.

In this episode we talk about the strengths and weaknesses of Moreno’s candidacy and how the presidential campaign is shaping up.

Today, most Filipinos mark 49 years since the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos placed the Philippines under Martial Law, one of the darkest episodes in our country’s history, when thousands were killed and billions of dollars in public money were stolen by Marcos and their cronies.  But in remembering and making sure that we’ll all learn important lessons from the past, accuracy is required and is most important.  In this episode we talk about this fiction long propagated by Marcos that Martial Law was declared on September 21st when in fact he proclaimed it two days later.  And just as important — the present generation’s continuing struggle against persistent efforts to distort the truth about Martial Law and deodorize the image of the Marcoses.  

Guests: 

Manuel 'Manolo' Quezon III, Historian 

Atty. Neri Colmenares, Human Rights Lawyer

Guests

Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes 

Etta Rosales, 1Sambayan convenor

President Duterte and his allies have made it clear — his administration will not cooperate in the formal investigation into the thousands of killings under his watch.

His spokesman even predicted that the case would just “sleep” without cooperation from the Philippine government. 

But can this really derail the process at the International Criminal Court? Or will it only spell more bad news for president duterte… and those who helped implement his brutal drug war?

Judges at the International Criminal Court have approved a formal investigation into President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war, a bloody campaign that has killed thousands of people. The investigation will also cover similar killings in Judges at the International Criminal Courtfrom November 2011 until Duterte was elected president in 2016.  Duterte’s spokesman played down this important development at the ICC insisting it won’t move since his administration would not cooperate. But can a government’s refusal to cooperate in fact stall an ICC investigation? Or will it only bring more harm than good for the likes of Duterte?

President Duterte has spoken - he basically doesn’t like what’s happening in the Senate Blue Ribbon Investigation into allegedly overpriced medical equipment purchased from a company linked to his former economic adviser. But Senators are investigating anyway apparently unfazed even big threats coming from the president. Given now the inquiry has unfolded, does Duterte have anything to be afraid of? Are senators getting closer to his possible involvement in the 8.7-billion-peso deal now in question?

Guest: Sen. Risa Hontiveros

It began with a Commission on Audit report.

The senators unearthed a whopping 8.7-billion-peso supply contract bagged by a company with no track record but with links to some close to President Duterte.

In response, the president attacked the Blue Ribbon Committee investigation insulted senators and more recently made it clear — no cabinet official may appear in the hearings without his permission.

So the question is — Does the president have a point or is he simply afraid of what the Senate which he once so firmly controlled has discovered and might discover even more?

The Senate investigation into allegedly overpriced face shields the Duterte administration has bought from a questionable company has triggered quite an interesting response from the president.

Instead of cooperating or at least keeping his hands off Duterte went after the senator leading the investigation. 

It so happens that Senator Richard Gordon his ally not long ago also heads the Philippine Red Cross. 

So Duterte now wants to audit the Red Cross. And if the Commission on Audit refused he warned of a “long legal battle.”

In this episode, we talk about the implications of the president’s threats against an independent humanitarian organization which has been providing invaluable support to the government and the public at large during the pandemic all because apparently, people identified with him are now the subject of an important Senate investigation.