Philippines: National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) – Young NAMFREL Members on the 2022 BSKE (08.08.2022)

Opinion: Bong Bong Marcos, what changed since 2011?

“The Philippines has no intention of rejoining the ICC” – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr (01.08.2022).

The Philippines President was only sworn-in on the 30^th June 2022 and we are now in the start of August 2022. President Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos Junior is already hit with controversy. A sort of affair he could have avoided and made disappear. However, he instead wants to show force and continue where his predecessor left off. That makes it easier for him and less obstacles, if he needs to use military means or violent aggression against “targeted groups” within the republic.

Duterte revoked the Rome Statute:

“The Philippines ’ withdrawal from the ICC, already took effect on March 17, 2019, exactly a year after Duterte revoked the Rome Statute, a treaty that created the international court. The country severed ties from the ICC after its special prosecutor Fatou Bensouda started a preliminary examination on the alleged human rights violations under the administration’s anti-drug war” (Azer Parrocha – ‘PRRD upheld PH sovereignty by withdrawing from ICC: Andanar’ 17.03.2021).

So, the Philippines has only been over 3 years outside the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Philippines is following a small or marginalized group of nations who isn’t part of it. That’s saying a lot about the values and the wills of the government in Manilla. I’m not shocked, but expected this by Marcos Jr. as his not the sort of fella who wants oversight or anyone look into his deeds. That’s the sort of thing ICC does and it could be a bad look.

What is striking however… is that the same man as a then Senator signed off on a Resolution to ratify the Rome Statute in 2011. it is the same man that is no accepting and continuing the path of not being part of the ICC. That is saying something and shows what sort of man he is. Because, he signed off and wanted it to happen in 2011.

Now in 2022 the game is different and the office is also very appealing. The President wants to look strong and spread his vision. That’s very clear here and its obvious why. In 2011 he wanted to signal and show that he was a changed man. That he possibly wasn’t like his father and wanted the nation to be changed for the better. Now in office, he don’t want investigators or independent bodies to undermine his authority. He wants to reign supreme and have a say in what’s going on. His allies and the political elite his a part of. Cannot bare the burden of burying or double-crossing the ones who helped him to office.

That’s why Marcos Jr. cannot issue a resolution or a motion, even executive order to get the Philippines to sign and ratify the Rome Statue into Philippines Law. The ones that are in dire shock and feel in disbelief haven’t followed the Malacañang politicking or how the Philippines government have operated of late. Marcos Jr. isn’t revolutionizing things, but instead following the line or policies of Duterte. No one should be surprised here.

Marcos Jr. want to seem like a big-man and a strong leader. He needs to show force and resilience. If not he will be mocked and be ridiculed. An easy of getting ahead is to use foreign interference and block foreign entities from acting on Filipino soil. That’s what his doing with the ICC and will possibly do with others.

Even if he did in his SONA speech said this:

“We will be a good neighbor – always looking for ways to collaborate and cooperate with the end goal of mutually beneficial outcomes. If we agree, we will cooperate and we will work together. And if we differ, let us talk some more until we develop a consensus. After all, that is THE FILIPINO WAY” (Marcos Junior, 25.07.2022).

So, it is ironic that he just said these words mere week apart. Also a decade later his not trying to rejoin or willing to do so. That’s because his worried about the possible investigation and what it could unravel. This would hurt his allies and his reign. Marcos Junior needs these ones to stay in office and he knows that. They wouldn’t have backed him or been supporting his campaign if not. That’s it really….

The ones who don’t get that. Should check upon the characters that threw their weight onto his campaign and the parties who aligned itself with Bong Bong Marcos. These are the ones who needs to be shielded and not worry about tomorrow. Peace.

Philippines: National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) – NAMFREL Calls for the Holding of the Barangay and Sanggunlang Kabataan Elections on December 5, 2022 as Scheduled (20.07.2022)

Philippines: Piston – Jeepney drivers challenge incoming administration to prioritize fuel crisis response, renews demand for suspension of fuel taxes (28.06.2022)

Philippines: Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Press Statement (25.06.2022)

Opinion: PPCRV cannot save COMELEC [on the 68:32 Magic]

The poll watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) cannot vindicate the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). The results are easily questionable by the action happening on the day of the polls. Especially, when there is so much news of faulty machines, SD-Cards not working and ballots not processed while the voter are in the proximity of the vote. Therefore, the rate of the announcing partial results and such begs you too question it all too.

Then you have the margins and the statistical anomaly, which was repetitive in the manner of announcement of the results of the polls. That was not showing difference of regions, areas or even amount of voters. Still, the percentage was stagnate and at the same levels without any shift. This is why you beg to question it and wonder what the heck is going on. Because, that doesn’t make sense, that the various of polling stations, regions and alike voted in comparison and within the same percentage as a total with every update. That just sounds strange too me.

The PPCRV can say it’s “Big Data” and “Big Numbers” but even they got to understand why people are wondering. The 68:32 Magic will follow this election cycle. Just like all the scrutiny for every voter who was not allowed to enter and vote. All the voters who didn’t get receipts and could verify if their vote was really cast. Because, of technical difficulties.

The PPCRV who is canvassing and checking the results of the polls is most likely right about their assessment, but the facts remains that the COMELEC didn’t fulfil their mission and that’s why people are questioning the results. If everything had gone well, if there wasn’t discrepancies and electioneering on the polling day. Then we wouldn’t be here and we wouldn’t wonder if everything was on the up-and-up.

For me this isn’t about the candidacy of Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Junior or such. No, this is systemic issues and the manner of which things went down. If the COMELEC had everything sorted out and there was no outcry of technical difficulties. If there was no one who was turned away and didn’t close the polling stations early. While there was also so swift ability to get the results announced after the hardships of actually casting the ballots. Therefore, the reasons for wondering isn’t about Marcos, but about the ones who was running the show.

The problem is the perception and what went down. The PPCRV can say it and it can be true. However, at the same time… they are vindicating COMELEC for their lacking and unprofessional manner of which they were not technically prepared for the polls. While they hired companies, appointees secured the venues and the ballots too. They had the time to prepare for this and ensure it all would end well. Nevertheless, it wasn’t all free and fair… and it wasn’t without it’s faults.

That’s why people are speculating and wondering about the announced results. This is why I questioned it too, because it didn’t make sense and how the partial results was announced without any shift or significant change of percentages between the two main candidates for President. That is what’s the issue and this cannot be taken away with a statement.

COMELEC should release the servers and the numbers for scholars to crunch and show what went down. The results forms should be digitally available and make it possible for a mathematician to break the numbers down. Alas, PPCRV cannot save the COMELEC here. They are indirectly trying to salvage it, but it doesn’t patch the hurt.

The only thing it does… that people like me want more transparency and don’t want to be fooled. Who won? Well, most like BBM, but we need it to be proven, as the margins of error is there and they shouldn’t have been here in the first place. Peace.

Philippines: Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) – Press Statement (12.05.2022)

Opinion: COMELEC needs to explain the 68:32 Magic

The thing as an outsider and with the knowledge of the irregularities, the questionable speed of the announcement of the election results. The numbers was trickling in at amp-speed. Nearly quicker than the average speed of the internet networks of the Philippines. While polling stations had troubles with SD Cards and ballots unaccounted for. There was thousands of VCM machines that was defunct and not working. Therefore, it is pure magic how the COMELEC was able to bring the results at such vast pace.

The results was coming quicker than the polling material to the polling stations. Heck, the polling results was nearly coming in quicker than the voters actually voted. There was long lines and machines which wasn’t accepting or registering the ballot itself. Therefore, something doesn’t add up.

Also, the lack of celebration and parades after the announced numbers. There was more celebrations for the landslide of Duterte. If he was winning this big and by these vast margins the people should be cheering in the streets. There should be big rallies and such, as their popular candidate to get ushered in. However, there only been small pockets of the public showing up and celebrating. Not in the manner of which you would think a man of over 30 million votes would get. Unless, there is buyers-remorse from the on-set, which would also be weird. Since, the product or campaign you bought into hasn’t even entered into office. So, there should just be joy and happiness that the dude you believed in won the elections.

That’s why it is even more striking when people are looking into it and they are seeing a pattern. This being the magical 68:32 Magic or the , which is automatically 68 percentage to Marcos Jr and 32 percentage to Robredo. Even if you don’t favour any of them… it is weird. It doesn’t add up, because the numbers should vary and be different. One region would give more support to one and more support to another. There should be variation of the numbers and percentages. Unless, they had pre-programmed this and wanted it to be believable. However, it only make you think that the people are fools.

When all of these things are happening, as well as the intimidation, electioneering and the running speed of announced results. It all begs the questions, if this was the real deal or a manufactured one. Because, the COMELEC could easily favour the UniTeam and their candidates, because they are continuation of the Duterte era. It is both in the family and follows the powerful dynasties control of the high ranking offices in the Republic.

All of these factors are leaving a bitter taste in your mouth. The COMELEC has already come into question with shady deals, shoddy VCM machines and everything else opens up a can of worms. Which needs to be addressed and investigated. The opposition and the losers should petition the courts, challenge the results and see what the authorities can explain or not. Since, you cannot just announce and proclaim someone the winner without a shadow of a doubt. The COMELEC and everyone else needs to be tested and prove their worth.

That isn’t only for the losers or the opposition, but for the belief in the whole system and keep COMELEC accountable for its own actions. They need to answer these things and ensure the grounds of trust between them and the public. Because, the COMELEC and their actions should be trusted and be transparent as well. That’s not what you can say about the Presidential Elections of 2022, which is really tragic and a loss.

This is why some people are grieving and felling a loss. While the victor isn’t really celebrating or throwing big feasts for their achievement, which it should have if it was an honest affair and a deserved result. Peace.

Philippines: De La Salle University (DLSU) – Office of the Chancellor – Election Statement (10.05.2022)

Philippines: Marcos Jr. will not be the knight in shiny armour…

“I know that the count is not yet done. It’s not yet over. Kailangan pa rin tayong magbantay. But I want to issue a statement of gratitude to all of those who have been with us in this long and sometimes very difficult journey. That is why we are very grateful to all of you… Besides, I would like to thank my countrymen for being there and for supporting the candidates, our party, and the bright future of our beloved Philippines. As I said, the counting is not over and many are saying that it is over but not really. So let’s wait until it’s very clear, the counting is 100 percent. Any endeavor as large as this does not involve one person. It [involves] many, many people working in very, very, many different ways. If we prosper, I hope that your help will not be boring. Your trust will not be tired because we have a lot to do here in our future” – Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Junior (09.05.2022).

The way things are looking and announced… Marcos Jr. is scheduled to become the 17^th Filipino President and the next to enter Malacañang Palace. The one following up the term of incumbent President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Marcos Jr. will have a lot to answer for himself. His families own wealth, plunder-cases, lack of paying taxes and all the stories that is floating about him. For a man that supposed to govern. He sure has a lot to answer for and to address. The incoming President cannot sit on the high horse and think the peasants, farmers and such are supposed to pay taxes. While he himself as a wealthy man and a part of a political dynasty is left of the hook. He got to take the bull by the horn, but we shouldn’t expect that much.

What is also already striking, as his running mate and daughter of the incumbent Inday Sara Duterte said this today:

“First of all, I will be a vice president who is committed to working for the Philippines. That’s our campaign, we seek out the support of all Filipinos in campaigning that we will remain committed for our community, for the nation, for the cities… and of course we will be a supportive and loyal vice president to Apo BBM in the event he wins” (Sara Duterte, 09.05.2022).

So, there will be a one-way street and little to no opposition to the rule of Marcos. Just as the Senate is also set in favour of the BBM-Uniteam. All of the former dynasties and the Duterte loyalists are getting elected by the current announcements. The Filipino nation will now feel the blunt and sooner or later realize what sort of man they elected to be President.

This is a man that did his best to look like a man who has achieved things, who has served and been a representative. However, he has been a lazy and rich brat. That will now takeover after Duterte. He will not bring change or hope. This is a man who has disrespected and tried to forget the EDSA. That man will now be the President and if things suddenly disappears. Well, you gave him power and he will use it to re-instate the glory of his father. So, the names of Aquino or the fallen martyrs of People Power will be lost.

That’s what you should expect isn’t someone who is serving, caring or showing gratitude. No, this man is entitled and arrogant. He is used to get away with things and expects so too. If he don’t uses the term to clean the slate and clear the air. The Marcos name will always linger with speculations, just like the questions remains, how could a man who dodge paying taxes become the head of state?

Alas… here is the window and he showed his opportunity. He showed he was willing to compromise and get involved by the machinery. In such a manner that the UniTeam didn’t need to play by the rules, but by the reach of power. That’s what he has done and there will be consequences for this.

We can just await the final announcement and stop of the partial releases of results. The numbers are made for and created for him. Don’t expect much in the up-coming term. You shouldn’t expect anything. Because, this man only made fancy pledges and flavourful campaign material. That will all go out the window when he enters office. This man doesn’t honour these things. Heck, he haven’t honoured or respected the Courts in the past either. So, what worth do you think a manifesto has? Really?

Well… the Filipino nation deserves better, but name and dynasties are the ones who forging it all. If you thought the Duterte era was bad. I hate to tell you, but Marcos Jr. will be 10 times worse. Duterte at least has some morals and a compass he follows. While Marcos Jr. is a self-serving, arrogant narcissist and it shows. He cannot must courage or heart.

Still, that man is projected to win. It is disheartening. However, there is always hope. That someone is able to unravel the possible rigging and prove the falsehood in the numbers. Until that happens in the courts. Well… Marcos Jr. will be crowned “king” and be the next President. Peace.