By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat perspective Perhaps, nobody had so eloquently, yet so simply, summed up the road to peace than the late Senator Jose W. Diokno when, as head of the negotiating panel of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) in the peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines…
Tiglao is what he has been accusing people of: a liar and a propagandist.
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat perspective When, six days ago, President Duterte offered to host a world summit on human rights, people were aghast. It’s not as if the Duterte administration is the prime mover of respect for human rights considering the more than 7, 000 extrajudicial killings in the government’s war against illegal drugs. Two…
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat perspective During the first sixteen months of the Duterte administration, a lot has happened. The battle for the once bustling Islamic City of Marawi that lasted five long months, beginning May 23, 1017 and ended the last week of October, reduced the city to ruins. Buildings, properties, and businesses were destroyed;…
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat perspective A week ago, President Duterte threatened to declare a revolutionary government purportedly to counter destabilization moves by the Reds (communists), the Yellows (Liberal Party), the elite, and the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Once he declares a revolutionary government, he threatened to arrest those who he accuses of destabilizing his…
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat perspective The Social Weather Station released the results of its un-commissioned survey, covering the period September 23 to 27, showing that the satisfaction and trust ratings of President Duterte dropped significantly. His satisfaction rating was 48 percent, an 18 percent drop from June, and his trust ratings dropped 14 percent to…
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat perspective The death due to hazing of 22-year-old Horacio “Atio” Castillo III shocked the public once more. Castillo died while undergoing hazing by his ‘brothers’ from the Aegis Juris fraternity of the University of Sto. Tomas law school. The public discussion that Castillo’s death generated is comparable to that of Leonardo…
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat perspective Talks about President Duterte declaring martial law this week became louder and sounded more urgent five days ago when the AFP (Agence France-Presse) came out with an article with the title “Philippines’ Duterte may declare martial law: defense chief.” This triggered alarm bells and the AFP article was posted by…
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat perspective What is the impact of practically dissolving or immobilizing the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) when the House of Representatives gave it a preposterously meager budget of P1, 000? What are the implications of moving for the impeachment of another Supreme Court Chief Justice, this time around it’s Chief Justice…
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat perspective Too many things have been happening lately that may be a portent of worse things to come. First is the cold-blooded murder of a 17-year old student Kian Delos Santos. People were enraged at the brazenness, brutality, and inhumanity of it all. The murder of young Kian could have been…
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat perspective The killing of 17-year old Kian Delos Santos has enraged netizens, human rights groups, the Catholic Church, cultural artists, and has alarmed the general public. The brazenness, the impunity, and the lies being peddled as official account of the killing shocked a lot of people. Kian allegedly resisted arrest and…