Opinion: Duterte don’t need to endorse anyone, the PDP-Laban has already done it for him…

(I repeat), you better disabuse your minds about getting into guesses and assumptions. There is none. I will not be endorsing any presidential candidate now until December” – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (03.05.2022)

At this point in time and so close to the end of the campaigns, the incumbent and outgoing Philippines President Duterte don’t need to endorse anyone. However, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas Ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) did endorse Presidential Candidate Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Junior and Vice President Sara Carpio Duterte on the 21st March 2022. That’s 43 days in between and shouldn’t be forgotten so few days before the polls.

The PDP-Laban National Executive Committee Resolution No. 26 of 21st March 2022 was crystal clear and Duterte is a part of the Cursi faction. He knows the stakes and what his party did. So, Duterte is by association and the voice of the PDP-Laban endorsing the UniTeam without signing a document or release an official statement from himself. At this point… Duterte don’t need to do it, because the PDP-Laban party has already done it.

The party has done the job already and his neutrality is pointless. We knew that he wouldn’t go pink or support any other person than his family. The UniTeam is his place and we all know it. Not like he would endorse Isko or Robredo for that matter. If he did… it would be a shocker, but hard to believe, as his party has already resolved the matter long time ago.

That’s why today’s neutrality statement is pointless. He should just say that he will back the ticket of his daughter and current Davao Mayor Inday Sara Duterte. That’s something people would believe and it would be sincere. Because, the PDP-Laban doesn’t have a direct Presidential Candidate or Vice President. That’s why we know the party is endorsing and working for the UniTeam in this campaign.

The whole time there was a squabble and uncertainty, the PDP-Laban having various of tickets and candidates, which all backed out of the race, including Duterte himself. There was a month or so where the party toyed around with two three types of tickets, which all ended in a clean slate. Therefore, the UniTeam is the only for Duterte…

The PDP-Laban isn’t Switzerland or someone who acts like a neutral party. No, the PDP-Laban has already decided and you cannot backtrack that. Especially, when we know the drill and the reasoning behind it. He can hide behind his own “neutrality” but we know that it’s not totally true. The same with his party, which plenty said they would back Inday Sara. It was inevitable …. and bound to happen.

President Duterte can take us all for fools, but we know better and it’s just posing for the public. We know very well where his heart is and if it wasn’t he would betray his own family. Which we know the President would never do. He like anyone else wants a political dynasty and ushering the daughter to become VP would be the continuation of that legacy. Peace.

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Philippines: Kagawaran ng Katarungan – Department of Justice – Media Briefer (29.04.2022)

Malaysia: Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Malaysia welcomes the Adoption of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution on Standing Mandate for a General Assembly Debate when a Veto is Cast in the Security Council (29.04.2022)

Halalan2022: A memo on the top 4 Presidential Candidates 10 days to the polls…

A teddy bear, a son of a dictator, a soft-core actor and a boxer. What do these all have in common? Well, they are now a part of the final stages to the polls in the Philippines. The stage is now getting set and COMELEC is preparing things. The final preparations are in order and the last part of the campaigns are happening too.

Now, the ones who haven’t made up their mind …. they got and should. The teams are already there. The Front-Runners have been clear for month. Two candidates have run high and mighty. This being Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Junior and Leni Robredo. They are stark contrasts and very different.

Former Senator BBM or Bong Bong isn’t very transparent or accountable. No, he is very selective and defensive. Not the sort of fella that you can interview or question. By any means… he prefers prefixed questionaries and puff pieces. The sort of man who is arrogant and entitled to return to the Presidential Palace like his father did in the past. The son of the dictator who has never supported or been part of EDSA. You can wonder if he will do that in office or dismiss it. As he remembers that as the time the Republic fought his father’s tyrannical reign and the agony of the marshal law. Alas, the son might be different, but he shows utter arrogance that would linger in office.

While Vice-President Leni Robredo is open, participating and answering. You might not agree with her or every political stance she has. However, everything isn’t scripted prepared or even published as fluff. No, she is pushed, dragged and belittle all over. Not just for the colour scheme of her campaign, but for whatever she does. She has even been asked to sacrifice her candidacy for others. Therefore, Robredo has stood tall.

Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso, the mayor of Manila has created a storm and been in the wind. His campaign has never taken off and neither has his Duterte-Light approach to the campaign either. Isko is just one of those guys. He is the man who asked Robredo to sacrifice her role and called her a “bully” for standing tall. That just shows how he is a brat.

Emmanuel “Manny” Dapidran Pacquiao the senator and well known boxer. A man who has gone up the ranks and become an established politician. Nevertheless, his own party dismissed him and the PDP-Laban threw him out, as he stood for Presidency. While they instead have endorsed “Bong Bong” much later. That just shows how weak the PDP-Laban was into this election. While Manny is far from totally seasoned or had a powerful team behind him. He has fought and sells himself a people’s champ. However, he will not switch to southpaw and win this one. No, this is going down for the count and he is not close to the 3rd position even. Though his doing it by showing his true cadence and character, which is more than “Isko” and “Bong Bong” ever did.

I don’t know how this will go, but my prediction of the whole machinery behind Bong Bong Marcos was justified. That Robredo would be second or a front-runner was expected too. It wasn’t without a reason she was able to become the VP in the first place. So, now the question is… how will these two fare. That is something I don’t know and cannot tell.

What I do know… is that these will be ones to follow. The margins of error is slim. BBM haven’t really tested the waters and he will not do it now. He will continue his onslaught of prepared and prepaid content. While we can wonder what the others will do. Nevertheless, what ever Manny and Isko is doing will become more and more meaningless. It might help their next run or campaigns. But right now? Well… it won’t amount to anything. Not because they are no good, but because their reach aren’t close to BBM or Leni.

They have to fight a cute teddy and a dynasty. These two cannot match that. Neither can anyone of the not mentioned here. Since they are so far from the four mentioned. That I don’t even care to say their names. Even if one is a long standing Senator and other took a noble stance after the Withdrawal Party. Still, the facts remain…

It is a two horse race and we can just wonder who finish first at the finish-line. Peace.

 

Uzbekistan: Kamilov demoted for defending Ukraine

First of all, the situation around Ukraine is a matter of serious concern in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan is committed to finding a peaceful solution to the situation and resolving the conflict through political and diplomatic means. For this, first of all, military operations and violence must stop immediately. Uzbekistan has historically had traditionally multifaceted relations with both Russia and Ukraine. And we will continue mutually beneficial cooperation with both countries based on our national interests. We will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in these difficult times and will continue to do so in light of the current difficult situation. In turn, Uzbekistan recognizes the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We do not recognize the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics” – Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov (17.03.2022).

Today on the 27th April 2022 after three weeks of uncertainty and supposed sickness. The Foreign Minister is officially demoted and Vladimir Norov is appointed in his stead. Norov was the Foreign Minister between 2006-2010. So, he is an experienced man for the role. Kamilov is moved (appointed) to become the Deputy Secretary of Uzbekistan’s Security Council. Where Kamilov will be responsible for Foreign Policy and Security.

So, most likely the reason why he has been in the shadow and not been heard is because of his stance. He stood in defiance against Kremlin and President Putin. It is now clear that speech in the Parliament in March cost his prestigious position as the Foreign Minister.

Kamilov is a man of Uzbekistan who stood in solidarity with Ukraine. He defended Ukraine against the Russian aggression and violation of their sovereignty. That says something about him. This should be recognized as he is demoted and his future is now sealed.

Since he did that statement in Parliament he was not to be seen. That seems like a deliberate act of the Uzbekistan government and authorities. Because, they would fear backlash and the ramification of doing this. This is why his first silenced, not seen and rumours of his sickness.

Now weeks after that there is now reports of demotions and someone to overtake his role. Yes, an experienced man and someone who has held this office before. That’s why that man will not defend the “indefensible” and “offend” Kremlin. He will be careful and dance softly to the tunes of Putin.

That’s what Kamilov dared to challenge and defend Kyiv. He didn’t be another token puppet of Moscow. Kamilov stood for something and it was righteous. That’s why he was silenced and later when the fade went away demoted. This is very obvious…

The authorities and government of Tashkent might refute or rebuke this. However, the sun is set on it and they wouldn’t have hid the man. If he didn’t offend the Don or didn’t baffle the autocrats of Uzbekistan. Because, if this was supported he would have been praised and wouldn’t have been hidden. However, they took him out of the public sphere and now weeks later demoted. That is just showing that the Uzbekistan government is answering a diplomatic impasse, which was possibly created.

Nevertheless, Kamilov did something righteous and was brave to do so. The government of Tashkent is clearly afraid of Moscow and that’s why they did this… Peace.

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Pakistan: Peshawar High Court Bar Association – Press Release (27.04.2022)

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