Somalia: Puntland Political Forum (PPF) – Press Release (31.10.2021)

RDC: Mouvement de Liberation du Congo (M.L.C) – Communique de Presse (29.10.2021)

Opinion: Isko Moreno lacks courage too

You cannot blame a person for accepting the money due to the hardships of life today. But the Filipino is intelligent. They know who is the leader who truly cares for them and who are the fake ones. Politicians cannot underestimate human understanding. The Filipino is intelligent”Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso (Gabriel Pabico Lalu – ‘Moreno: Money can’t sway Filipino voters, but can’t blame them if they take it’ 27.10.2021, Philippine Daily Inquirer).

Yesterday, we saw that the Liberal Party Presidential Candidate Leni Robredo didn’t go ahead and settle the score of bribing voters. Now, the Manila Mayor and Aksyon Demokratiko Presidential Candidate Isko Moreno is no difference.

It is a reason why its a battle of mediocrity. Especially, when these supposed to be good candidates are selling themselves so cheap. Yes, Pacquiao is doing his bidding and ”Bong Bong Marcos” is trailing on the end in concerns with the bribery, which is currently going on. Yes, we should expect differently from people who wants to stand-out and be different then the current regime.

Isko Moreno clearly is a set-for-life politician when he speaks like this. His career as a actor is long gone. When his trading waters like this. It is trying to be bright, but still selling himself short. Instead of taking the easy stance, as everyone should. He deflects and hope nobody gets concerned.

How can you expect to fight corruption, graft and plundering cases? When you accept a informal bribery in the midst of campaigning? Why would we believe you then? When you cannot do it now ahead of the highest office?

Voting bribery and the means to an end. Only shows the willingness of politicians to misuse their office and their finances for personal gains. They are willing to trade away all policies and standing for a quick trade-off. Where they hope they can give an incentive to secure another term or get into office. It is not noble or righteous. Just a breach of contract between the citizens and their representatives. Which is why it should be easy to blatantly state: “It is wrong and nobody should do it”.

Alas, the politicians and the Presidential Candidates know the money is good for the citizens. Who is getting additional funds in the troubling times. Alas, the citizen is getting a small portion of the vast funds some people have access too. However, it is not for long and only for one cause. It is not like these funds will be open or could be applied through government schemes. No, these funds are just for one purpose and that is to secure an office. Therefore, the means to an end is more important than actually doing what is right.

Isko Moreno and Robredo could have stood for something. They could have shown some courage and character. Instead, this mediocre response and willingness to bend… is just disgusting. Your either for a practice or against it. It is either illegal or it’s justified. The bribes cannot be seen as both. That is just how the world works and the same should be for these candidates too.

Isko Moreno just show his cards and his ways. Not that I have faith in him either. His the next sort of Duterte’esque politician. He just wants to prolong the government programs and call it a day. Isko Moreno isn’t a game-changer and that’s proof with his belief here. Trying to play patriotic over a bribing voters. That says it all, really. Peace.

Opinion: Robredo – getting bribed or not to get bribed… that is the question

I have said this in the past: Accept it because it may have been from tax money. What they used to buy your votes, could be the money of the people. Accept it but vote whoever your conscience says. Don’t just vote because you think you would be indebted to them after receiving the money. For me, accept the money, but vote based on your conscience. We should arrest them because that’s wrong. But now it’s easy. Because today, we have apps like GCash, right? We have those, so vote buying would be easier” – Vice President Leni Robredo (26.10.2021).

The current day OVP and Liberal Party Presidential Candidate in the up-coming election in 2022 Leni Robredo. She has clearly taken a stance now. This trying to be popular and really politicking. In one way… she is against it, but still says people should accept it. That’s where I’m failing her on it.

Robredo needs guidance if she wants to be different and sincere. Than she should flat-out say the bribing voters is wrong. That this usage of funds, plunder and whatnot shouldn’t exist in the first place. This is a misuse of the state reserves and making the candidacy expensive. That’s because everyone needs their cut and their peso’s. It is also striking that it is commercialization of politics. Buying voters and giving them a short-term gains for a vote. Just like some come with soap, rice and whatnot too. It is the same, but that is it really.

Robredo isn’t tricking anyone with this. Let’s “accept the bribe” but not be “swayed by it”. Take the “free” money but don’t expect any sort of justification for it. Yes, the politician and the candidate cannot see what the voter does. However, the reality is that the citizens and the local communities will know who took the pesos. This is why the candidates are doing this. Because, they know which families and barangay’s where they will take the money. Therefore, they know who will most likely vote and be “swayed” into voting for someone.

It is not like Robredo doesn’t know this. It is a pay-off for a service. It is a bribe and no matter what size the bribe is. It is still a bribe and blatant misuse of funds, especially if this is taken from the state coffers. That shouldn’t happen in the first place and why should the citizens accept that? Why receive that? Aren’t they validating and participating in the illegal transaction?

If that is all true. Than the citizen shouldn’t take the money. They are on the receiving end and could be liable too. However, we know that the citizens cannot all be criminal and part of conspiracy to corrupt the system. Nevertheless, the politicians doing this is catering to the culture of this and they know the expectations too.

This is embedded and this is why she speaks of it in this way. Trying to influence, but also downplay the significance of it. Alas, there is the problem. She should be vocally against it. If you are against corruption and bribes. It should be a simple stance. The pork-barrels and the plunder cases is a worry for a reason. The same should voter-bribing be. No matter what method you use or sort of scheme of giving operations you have. It is still a way of paying-to-play and buying a favour. That is really it.

The peso’s is becoming more important than what sort of policies, political program or what gut-feeling you have. The politician can instead become a winner, because they are the ones who pays the most. They are the ones who are giving enough peso’s to make a difference. Because, everyone will hear the talk of the vast amounts and what sort of pay-off that is coming their way. The political allegiance will either get decent pay-off or a budget Jolibee menu.

Robredo should have just said: “I am against it and it’s a ghastly tradition. We are better than this and the COMELEC should disqualify anyone who does this or participate in it. Bribes is never acceptable and shouldn’t be in campaigns”.

Instead she went into mediocre tea territory. Robredo acted soft and meagre …. not having a stance worth mentioning. This is really it. We should expect more from her, but this is disappointing. The pesos are clearly more powerful than anything else. Peace.

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Philippines: Oxford Philippines Society (OPS) – Official Statement on the Oxford Philippines Society on “BongBong Marcos”

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