Opinion: Is this the war-chest for Duterte’s campaign?

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 3) — The Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives on Friday terminated the briefing for the proposed ₱8.2-billion budget of President Rodrigo Duterte’s office for 2022. ₱4.5 billion of the Office of the President’s budget request is for intelligence and confidential funds” (CNN Philippines – ‘House terminates briefing for ₱8.2-billion 2022 budget for Duterte’s office’ 03.09.2021).

In December 2020 President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed the Congress to look into the usage of the confidential funds in the 2021. Now, there is yet another questionable move, as the Office of the President has another budget post on the National Budget, which is for intelligence and confidential funds.

When the President haven’t allowed the committee and inquiries into the previous spending of these billions of pesos. You can wonder…. What is he spending this money on? Is this spend on his side-dishes? Is this the porkies of the budget and the ones used for “private projects”?

It is also striking that he gets these funds in his final year as President and as his the Vice Presidential candidate for PDP-Laban. In my mind… these funds could easily go to campaigning and greasing the wheels. This would be a nice war-chest for a campaign and paying a team to secure another office.

What is also striking for a man that is speaking so publicly about anti-corruption and red-tape. A man who is supposed to be against greed and misuse of office. The President usually use these methods to strike at his enemies. However, here is a budget post made for open corruption with no accountability or transparency. That’s why this can go to his baby-mama’s, side-dishes and build another story on his private resident in Mindanao.

Let’s be clear, if the President wanted to be honest and sincere. He wouldn’t have vetoed the same funds last year. Now, the committee isn’t allowed to look into similar funds of next year. Meaning, he could spend these billions of pesos recklessly and whatever he deems fit. It is confidential and the Congress isn’t allowed to get the audits of it either.

Duterte could easily use this to boost his campaign or secure the VP seat. That’s how it looks to me… as he has a fountain of money and nobody can look into it. It is confidential and at bay for whatever things he see fit.

It is naturally to question this and the need for it in this manner. Why can’t the AFP or any agency need these funds more? Can’t the military intelligence or agencies allocate or appropriate the funds for this without the privy of the President before the possible usage of it. That just seems like a wasted hurdle and a way of disbursing funds to complicate the end-game.

President Duterte should be open about it, if his not … I will claim it is for his “war-chest” and preparation for the up-coming elections. If not it is for his side-dishes or secret affairs, which he doesn’t want the general public to know about. Because, why should he need to veto it and now they are not allowed to discuss it.

That just shows to me that something is up and these funds are not spent in the interest of the Filipino people. If they were than there would be nothing to hide or shield the public from. The President acts like there is hidden skeletons in the closet and he doesn’t want anyone to see them. Peace.

Maldives: Progressive Congress Coalition – Press Statement (31.08.2021)

Opinion: Are Duterte prepared to be as relevant as Robredo?

On the 24th August 2021 the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas Ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) released a Press Release stating that the current day President Rodrigo Duterte will be the parties candidate for Vice President. This is clearly in the vision of being granted a further role in government, because he cannot stand again as the President.

In the most recent election in 2016 Leni Robredo won the Vice-Presidency on the Partido Liberal or Liberal Party (LP) ticket on the Roxa-Robredo, where she won but the Presidential candidate lost. That’s the one that Duterte won in the last election.

Now, it’s steaming ahead of the next. The PDP-Laban has lots of infighting lately and the roles are changing ahead of the elections. Clearly, the VP position isn’t enough to fight for. The other politicians and high ranking officials wants more. That’s why they are all out to get their gains and possible benefits ahead of costly campaign.

The only way Duterte can be relevant or have any sort of significance if the President is an ally or he has a favourable character there. That’s why there is talks of a possible Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Tesoro Go or “Bong Go” as the PDP-Laban Presidential Candidate. At this very moment that is hard to know, but that would seal the control of PDP-Laban by Duterte and him alone. At this very moment that wouldn’t be shocking, but a very clear signal.

If there is suddenly a swift change and another party gets the Presidency. A party which haven’t been allied or working indirectly with PDP-Laban at the Presidency. At that very moment Duterte will be as vital and as important as Lobredo. Yes, Lobredo have used her time to challenge the President and his reforms. The OVP have questions the means to an end. That has been needed and shown character, but not gained her any well deserved credit.

Still, that role will not beneficial for Duterte. With has erratic and hectic rants. His change of moods and sudden irrational behaviour will not be helping him. Especially, when his Presidency has made the OVP seemed like a godforsaken to office to seek. Where has mocked and ridiculed her on a regular basis. Is he prepared that might happen to him? That someone above him will take away his authority and kick him of the pedestal?

Because, if he becomes the OVP with his popularity today. He might as well possibly not only seek safe-haven from prosecution. However, his also seeking a term of misfortune and possibly hit-pieces. Especially, if others than his “Yes-Men” and token allies takes power after him. Since, a new breed might show-up and make a mockery out of him.

Duterte might think of this as a safeguard for himself. However, he should be prepared for a possible role of damnation. Where he will be under the same toils and peril as Robredo. Not like his going for a office without perks and benefits. Yes, he will have that, but he only has as much power as the President bestows upon him. That means that he will be at mercy of the one winning the next election. That is huge bargain and a risk.

If he stands as the VP he should make himself ready for days of bad press and possible scandals leaking from his term. Plus he should be secured of more headlines speaking of his temperament and erratic behaviour. Which will not be backtracked as easy or have enough spin-control to avoid humiliation. Maybe Duterte should consider this… but don’t expect it.

President Duterte and his handlers seems like everything will go as smooth as in 2016. However, times are changing. He has shown what he does and we don’t know what sort of poll he will have now. There might be more questions than answers. Therefore, PDP-Laban should question themselves, if they are willing to risk this. It will be a circus and wonder if the people will be joining them for the ride.

Duterte as the VP will be entertaining, but is that the value of governance at this very moment? The value of headlines and gossip. No, it shouldn’t be. Nevertheless, I don’t doubt the will of having another pointless figurine as the VP in yet another term. Peace.

Maldives: Secretariat of Kudafari Council – Kudafari Council calls for immediate stop on fossile fuel reliance and seeks support to address the Climate Emergency (30.08.2021)

Philippines: Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas Ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) – Press Release (24.08.2021)

Philippines: President Rodrigo Duterte – Message on Ninoy Aquino Day (21.08.2021)

Burma: Justice for Myanmar – More proof of Russian complicity in Myanmar war crimes and crimes against humanity as Myanmar military joins International Army Games (21.08.2021)

Malaysia: Proham – Put the People above Political Gains (20.08.2021)

Phillipines: Department of Health – Western Visayas – First Lambda variant in the Philippines detected in Western Visayas (16.08.2021)

Opinion: The Soviet and the U.S. lost in Afghanistan [and when will the imperial wars stop?]

Afghanistan Map

The Soviet Union was occupying and had too withdraw from Afghanistan after a ten year long war between 1979 to 1989. Today and in the recent week the United States has also withdrawn most of their troops and given way to Taliban. Just like the Soviets withdrawal gave way to Mujahidin.

The United States and the “coalition of the willing” entered Afghanistan in 2001 and now 20 years later in 2021 the U.S. and their allies have withdrawn their troops from the republic. This is giving a new vacuum and the one who has both political and army power at the moment is Taliban.

This is just showing that the whole enterprise and promises of the imperial forces was all a lie. Just like the Soviets failed to install their puppet government. The U.S. and allies is failing to do so as well. While Taliban is furthering their control by taking control of Kabul and the former Government of Afghanistan will be toppled by them.

That is happening, because the current “legitimate” government have been there because the U.S. has anointed fellow leaders and their system. They have been puppets of the Pentagon and the U.S. State Department. Now, the Afghanistan government will be represented by Taliban, which has to govern after decades of wars and lack of peace.

Now all that worked with the U.S. and their allies will be endangered, but that is what happens when you take a chance or get hired by invasion forces. That is happening everywhere and some allies are saying their “hired” local personnel wasn’t for the future purpose of becoming asylum-seekers. However, when you work for foreign invasion forces, these individuals are in difficulties and needs help, as they worked for invaders and for imperialists. Plus they might be easily seen as traitors by the new rulers. Therefore, the “coalition of willing” who needed locals and native speakers to “colonize” Afghanistan needs to repay these civilians and ensure their safety. That should be the easiest thing to do after needing them for 20 years.

The Taliban will do what is expected to do. They will issue decree and show their strength in the times ahead. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will prove their points and start governing. They have waited for this for decades and now finally have a shot. These has been radicalized and extremists, because the invaders has taken away their ability to rule themselves and used sophisticated methods to defeat them.

The U.S. and their allies hasn’t delivered hope or democracy. The invaders haven’t shown they cared about these values or tried to build it. No, they were instead there to keep control and have fellow loyal puppets in Kabul. That’s why the current government, advisors and civil servants are fleeing from the Kabul Airport today. Together with the total withdrawal of the armed forces from the US. This is why the whole project is failing and nothing is left behind.

Afghanistan has been destroyed, depleted and a war-zone decades. This is why Taliban is able to regain strength and recruit. This was inevitable and there was nothing saying the U.S. allies and government in Kabul would gain any real popularity. If the current President would have any real power or ability. He wouldn’t have fled the first second, as Taliban is knocking on the door. Because, he knows his a nobody without the imperial support of him.

Now Taliban not only have to rebuild the Republic, but they have to build trust and build up a functional government. While the U.S. and allies are fleeing the Republic. When the Embassies are closed and the diplomats has left the scene.

Taliban will issue their decrees and sharia law. The freedoms and liberties that the U.S. forces enforced will be taken away. That was a long time coming. No one should be shocked by that, but the imperial forces would fall eventually … just like the Soviets did too. This is two superpowers losing in Afghanistan.

There so many who has lost their lives in this conflict. Plenty who die because of the recent days and the Taliban will retaliate against the ones they deem fit. The new rulers will enforce their rules and dogmas, just like the U.S. did. That is what any government does and we can dislike it. But that is how things are going.

W. Bush ordered this and Biden is stopping it. The Pentagon and the U.S. cannot invest in a war they are losing. The U.S. isn’t winning anything in Afghanistan and only breeding more extremists, which was the reason for the conflict in the first place. However, delivering the war and not properly implement a “legit” government. The U.S. and allies didn’t get love or care, no they were imperialists and they didn’t build a functional government to leave behind. Neither, did they train or build a national army to secure the territory. If they had… then the Taliban wouldn’t have done this so quickly and won the war.

This is why the U.S. as a superpower is failing. Just like Soviet did. The U.S. haven’t administrated this correctly. They haven’t even with 2 decades of control used the time and manpower to build a strong national army. If they had, today would have been differently and the U.S. allies would still have puppets in Kabul. However, they only used own men, arms and technology to beat Taliban. Now, that those withdrawn … the current leaders has to leave and seek political refugee elsewhere.

That says it all about the humiliating loss of the U.S. here. The U.S. is as broken as the Soviet was. Taliban is taking over just like the Mujahidin did and we are repeating history. Time will tell how this goes, but it is not in the hands of Moscow or Washington D.C.

It will be in the hands of Taliban and their structures. No matter how we think of their beliefs and the way they rule. It is their time and they will in the end be held responsible by the Afghan people themselves. So, we just have to see and in the end … that is uncharted territory and we can only wonder the consequences of it. Peace.