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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 21) It is Solicitor General Jose Calida who should “conduct a careful self-examination,” the Supreme Court said, borrowing the government top lawyer’s words when he sought the inhibition of a magistrate in the electoral protest filed by losing vice presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.
On November 9, 2020, Marcos and Calida separately moved for the inhibition of Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, noting that ever since he became member-in-charge in October 2019, there was hardly any movement in the case, and that his previous pronouncements and decisions showed his bias and partiality against the Marcoses. Calida said judges accused of prejudice should examine themselves and inhibit, something Leonen did not do.
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 19) As the Defense Department unilaterally moved to terminate a 1989 pact that prohibits the unauthorized entry of police and military personnel in University of the Philippines’ campuses, another deal has consistently been mentioned as its basis the Soto-Enrile agreement.
In an Oct. 29, 1981 letter, then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile told student groups that the police would not enter any campus nationwide unless requested by students or school authorities, and that the military would not interfere in “peaceful student protest actions.” In return, student protesters should notify the police ahead of any demonstration, the letter stated.
SunStar January 13, 2021 Again? In the dying months of the Duterte administration? The move is widely criticized. I join the chorus who are against the move to change the charter. Why so suddenly charter change became high in the menu of congress? Bad timing again, may I say so. I am emphatic here. Why ask people to consider charter change when the country is still gripped with fear because of the spreading coronavirus? Besides many sectors are apprehensive that beyond what is being promised that only the party list system and economic provisions will be introduced, the none gullible among us quickly disagreed. Sorry to say but credibility of congress is exceedingly low. Who can stop them from postponing the 2022 elections once the cha cha moves start? Once plenary debates will start, everything goes.
Paige Johnson Tan
I teach political science at Radford University. My specialty is developing countries, mostly in Asia. Over the last four years, there have been many incidences that have shocked and surprised me as politics in my home country started looking more like the tumultuous politics I study abroad.
No incident took my breath away more than the phone call released over the weekend of President Trump speaking to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. In the recording, the President tells Raffensperger itâs âpretty clearâ that âwe won very substantially in Georgia.â He asks Raffensperger to âfind 11,780 votes.â âFellas, I need 11,000 votes. Give me a break.â