All posts by Pol Pinoy

Donald Trump: If Duterte Wins, I Win

May 2, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (The Adobo Chronicles, Washington Bureau) – All eyes are on the Philippines as the 7-day countown to the 2016 presidential elections has begun. Everyone is watching, including Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump who told supporters in Indiana today: “If Duterte wins, I win!”

Many have compared Trump to the tough-talking, foul-mouthed mayor of Davao City who has gone from hesitant candidate to possibly being the next president of the Philippines.

Others consider Duterte worse than Trump.

While Trump wants to build a wall along the U.S. southern border with Mexico, Duterte has challenged countries like Australia and the U.S. to completely cut ties with the Philippines, just because their ambassadors criticized him for his controversial remarks about the rape of an Australian missionary.

While Trump frequently asks his supporters to “take out” hecklers and protesters at his campaign rallies, Duterte promises to take out (translation: kill) criminals and drug users himself.

While Trump wants to repeal laws passed during the Obama administration, Duterte warns he will abolish congress if members criticize him or give him a hard time.

Both men continue to rise in the polls, and more so each time they utter some controversial statements and espouse policies that border on the autocratic and dictatorial.

So, on May 9, 2016, if Duterte wins the Philippine presidency, will it be a foreboding of a President Donald Trump being sworn in Washington D.C. next January?

Politics, Religion

Philippine Elections: New, Two-Party System Emerges

May 1, 2016 Pol Pinoy 1 Comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – There may be four major political parties — not to mention coalitions and independents — that have a stake in the upcoming May 9, 2016 Philippine presidential elections. But in reality, a new two-party system has emerged in just the last few months.

For generations, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), boasting of close to four million members, has always voted in Philippine elections as a unified block. Its church leaders dictate who its members should vote vote. That’s one party.

The latest party to emerge is the Catholic Church of the Philippines. Its leaders, members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) have never been “hands-off” from politics. Separation of church and state is a myth.

The Catholic bishops have always had a hand — and the pulpit — in influencing political decisions and developments — from the first EDSA People’s Power Revolution to legislation and debate on divorce, abortion, women’s rights, gay marriage, health policy, etc.

Catholics comprise about 80% of the total Philippine population. That would translate into at least 40 million votes, based on the 54 million registered in this election.

Supporters of administration candidates Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo have taken to social media to try to convince all Catholic voters to rally behind the presidential and vice presidential candidates. It will be the ‘other’ block vote.

Now, wouldn’t it make the voting process in the Philippines much simpler and less expensive if, with the two-party system (INC and CBCP), we just let the heads of the two churches vote on behalf of their constitutents?

Let’s pray.

Government, Politics

Robredo: If Elected Vice President Of Duterte, I Will Immediately Resign My Post

May 1, 2016 Pol Pinoy 192 Comments

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Vice presidential candidate and Camarines Sur 3rd district Representative Leni Robredo said that it would be difficult to work with presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte, the current survey front-runner for president, if he should win.

“I accepted the Liberal Party’s vice presidential nomination because I was assured by President Aquino that Mar Roxas and myself will win as a tandem — as president and vice president, respectively.”

“Duterte and I are the exact opposites and I don’t see working with him even remotely possible.”

With those words, Robredo said that if Duterte becomes president and she is elected vice president, she would resign from her post on the first day in office.

What happens if the office of the vice president is vacant?

According to the 1987 constitution, the next in line to the vice president is the president of the Senate, followed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.

The only way Senator Bongbong Marcos or any of the vice presidential losers can succeed Robredo is for them to become Senate president.

All the vice presidential contenders, except Robredo, are incumbent senators.