Tag Archives: 2016 Elections

Who Won And Who Lost In The First Philippine Presidential Debate In 24 Years

February 21, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – It’s been 24 years since Filipinos saw a televised presidential debate so many were looking forward to this historic media event held last night in Cagayan de Oro City.

The five so-called presidentiables (those who COULD become president), all showed the stuff they were made of: Vice President Jejomar Binay, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Senators Grace Poe and Miriam Defensor-Santiago, and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

As always in a high-profile debate such as this, pundits, critics and viewers alike have their own opinions on who won in this oral encounter.

Here’s ours:

Best one-liner responses: Miriam Defensor-Santiago. She also gets the award for best bi-lingual debater, often aswering Tagalog questions in English.

Best pa-porma to impress: Mar Roxas. He was trained well by PNoy on the Daang Matuwid strategy.

Best x-rated performance: Rodrigo Duterte. He answered questions the way he always does — in prime time or during bedtime.

Barbie-doll Award goes to Grace Poe. She was cute and nice and smiley all night; who would ever think she was the most inexperienced among the bunch?

Was there a fifth debater? Oh, about Jejomar Binay…

Government, Law Enforcement, Politics

Presidential Candidate Rodrigo Duterte Wants Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. To Be His Successor

February 20, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Duterte, left, meets with Ilocos Governor Imee Marcos

LAOAG, Ilocos Norte (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, candidate for Philippine president, has anointed his successor should he be elected in the coming May elections. And it is not his VP running mate Senator Alan Cayetano. Rather, it is Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.

Duterte is running under the banner of the PDP-Laban Party while Marcos is the VP candidate of the People’s Reform Party.

The mayor made the statement in a meeting with Ilocos Governor Imee Marcos, during which he extolled the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos whom he considers a friend.

In the same meeting, Duterte said that if as president, he does not solve the criminality and other problems of the country within three to six months, he will turn the presidency over to Bongbong Marcos.

Cayetano has not returned our calls for comment, but we suspect he is very heartbroken.

International, Politics

Ted Cruz Plans To Meet With Philippine Presidential Candidate Grace Poe Over Citizenship Status

February 17, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

DALLAS, Texas (The Adobo Chronicles, Washington Bureau) – Republican presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz has found an unusual ally in the Philippines — Senator Grace Poe. Both senators are candidates for president in their respective countries and are facing questions about their citizenship status and their eligibility to run for office.

Poe is facing disqualification cases before the Philippine Supreme Court by virtue of her being a foundling. Her political rivals claim that she is not qualified to run for president because she has not established her being a natural-born citizen.

Cruz, on the other hand, who was born in Canada to a Cuban-Canadian father and American mother is facing the wrath of birther Donald Trump, the frontrunner in the Republication contest for nomination to be the GOP presidential candidate. Trump has threatened to sue Cruz over his non-citizenship candidacy.

The Adobo Chronicles just learned that Cruz is planning to fly to Manila this weekend to personally meet with Poe. While the Cruz campaign has not disclosed the purpose of the meeting, many are speculating that both candidates will discuss strategies to deal with birther and citizenship issues they face in their respective quest for the presidency.

The Adobo Chronicles will follow Cruz as he crosses the Pacific Ocean to meet with Poe. Stay tuned.