News Roundup 19 April 2024
Apr 19, 2024 • 6 min Read
First lady hits Sara: She has crossed the line ‘ | PHILSTAR.COM – Bad shot na yun sa akin’
MANILA, Philippines — As rumors swirl about the supposed falling out between the Marcoses and the Dutertes, First Lady Liza Marcos revealed that she now views Vice President Sara Duterte negatively.
The First Lady admitted being hurt when the Vice President, also the education secretary, supposedly laughed after President Marcos was accused of being “bangag” or high on drugs in a rally led by the Dutertes.
“I mean, for me, nasaktan ako (I was hurt) because my husband will do everything to protect you,” Liza said in a teaser for an interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna, which was posted on Facebook.
“You ran together, di ba? Sama-sama tayo babangon muli. Pupunta ka sa rally, tatawagin yung presidente mong bangag, ‘di ba (We will rise together again. You will go to a rally, your president will be called a drug addict), you’re going to laugh. Tama ba yan (is that right)? Even (former vice president) Leni (Robredo) never did that,” the First Lady said.
Liza was apparently referring to a recent prayer rally in Davao City, where Sara’s
father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, claimed that Marcos is a drug addict. The President just laughed off the allegation.
The First Lady said she was always kind to Sara, who ran for vice president under the Marcos-led UniTeam alliance in 2022.
Taberna then quoted the First Lady as saying that Sara has “crossed the line” and asked her if a reconciliation is still possible.
Liza was then shown saying, “Bad shot na yun sa akin” although it was not clear what was the question she was responding to, since the teaser consisted of spliced video clips.
Full Story at: First lady hits Sara: She has crossed the line ‘ | Philstar.com
Marcos Jr. makes TIME’s ‘100 Most Influential People of 2024’ | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos is among this year’s 100 most influential people of Time magazine, which depicted him as someone who rewrote history but who has “elevated the Philippines on the world stage.”
Time’s description of Marcos, the only Filipino in this year’s list, was not flattering. It called the President’s late father and namesake a dictator and attributed his 2022 electoral victory to the “whitewashing” of his family legacy and “clever” social media manipulation.
However, Time also cited his efforts to stabilize the post-pandemic economy, enhance the Philippines’ image and stand up to China, which has sparked fears and tensions because of its aggressive actions in the South China Sea.
“For Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos to make history, he first needed to rewrite his nation’s. His dictator father plundered billions of dollars from state coffers and stood accused of grievous human-rights violations until his ouster in 1986,” an article written by Time correspondent Charlie Campbell read.
“Yet Bongbong’s desire to rehabilitate the Marcos name has resulted in other shifts. He brought technocrats back into government, steadied the post-pandemic economy, and elevated the Philippines on the world stage,” it added.
According to Time, Marcos has “stood steadfast” against China’s aggression in the South China Sea and bolstered the Philippines alliance with the US in the face of rising regional and global tensions.
“Many problems persist, including extrajudicial killings and journalists routinely attacked. But by trying to repair his family name, Bongbong may reshape his country too,” the article read.
Full Story at: Marcos Jr. makes TIME’s ‘100 Most Influential People of 2024’ | Philstar.com
When words, actions speak loud: Duterte’s honeymoon with China | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines—“I would say ‘this is ours and do what you want with me’.”
This was the declaration of Rodrigo Duterte in 2016, less than a month before he was elected as president of the Philippines.
At that time, he said that should China disregard the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which was still pending then, he would ride a jet ski to the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to assert what is “ours”.
It came on as a strong statement of patriotism that even then senator Panfilo Lacson expressed belief that it helped turn the tide for Duterte’s victory as many Filipinos believed the then presidential candidate would really ride a jet ski to assert Philippine sovereignty.
Back then, only a few had considered defending the WPS as an issue they were most concerned about, based on a survey conducted by Pulse Asia.
But only a few months later, already as president, Duterte said the Philippine Navy would no longer take part in joint patrols in Philippine exclusive economic zone with its main defense ally, the United States.
In so many words, Malacañang then pointed out that Duterte did not want to be viewed by China as hostile even as the Asian giant continued its intrusion into the WPS despite the PCA ruling that its then nine-dash line claim on Philippine waters and other parts of South China Sea was illegal and without basis.
Duterte tried to swallow the strong statement he made in the campaign to ride a jet ski in asserting Philippine sovereignty. He said it was, after all, just “nonsense” and empty talk since it’s impossible in the first place to reach WPS on a jet ski.
Full Story at: When words, actions speak loud: Duterte’s honeymoon with China (inquirer.net)
Woman power: Cadet who was a working student tops PNPA Class of 2024 | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines – A Batangueña who used to earn P25 per hour as a working student at a photocopy center and selling siopao has emerged as the top graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Class of 2024.
Beyond her resourcefulness in earning money for her education, Police Cadet Ma. Camille Cabasis has been an impressive academic achiever from her elementary days.
The Lian, Batangas native, graduated cum laude from the Batangas State University with a degree in criminology passed the licensure examinations in 2019.
She also emerged as the top criminology board exam passer in Region 4-A.
“It wasn’t easy”
“Hindi naging madali ang buhay sa akin, pero dahil sa aking motivation in life to succeed, I was able to attain kung ano naman mga goals ko sa buhay,” Cabasis said in a Pulis News Network interview.
(My life hasn’t been easy, but because of my motivation to succeed, I have been able to attain my life goals.)
Full Story at: Cadet Cabasis: From working student to PNPA top graduate (inquirer.net)
