Tag Archives: Philippines

Duterte Honors His Word, Quits Presidential Race Following Supreme Court Decision On Grace Poe

March 8, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – When Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte first officially announced that he will run for president of the Philippines in the 2016 elections, he said that what prompted his decision was the Senate tribunal vote throwing out the disqualification case (DQ) against Senator Grace Poe’s presidential bid.

Duterte believed then that Poe, being a foundling, is not a natural-born citizen and thus not qualified to seek the highest post in the land. The decision of the tribunal, he said, “cheapens the Constitution, the only thing that holds the country together.”

Since then, the Commission on Elections has disqualified Poe, prompting the DQ case to come before the Supreme Court.

Well, yesterday the high court ruled in favor of Poe, in a 9-6 decision, affirming the senator’s status as a natural-born citizen, paving the way for her presidential bid.

Today, saying he was a man who has a word of honor, and being a lawyer who respects the law and constitutional process, Duterte suspended his campaign to run for president.

‘With the Supreme Court ruling, my primary motivation for running is now moot and void,’ Duterte said.

So the presidential race is now down to three candidates. Four if you count VP Jejomar Binay.

Government, International, Politics

Mexican, Philippine Legislators Vote To Ban Donald Trump

March 6, 2016 Pol Pinoy 2 Comments

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (The Adobo Chronicles) – Legislators in Mexico City passed a proposal asking the federal government to ban Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from entering the country, citing his repeated anti-Mexican and anti-immigrant comments.

The proposal was approved unanimously, according to Deputy José Manuel Delgadillo of the conservative National Action Party.

Taking its cue from Mexico, members of the Philippine Congress unanimously passed a resolution similarly condemning Trump and banning him from visiting the country.

Although, Trump has not singled out Filipinos in his anti-immigrant comments, Filipino legislators felt that his statements might as well pertain to their countrymen who are among the largest immigrant populations in the United States. They also cited the fact that Mexico and the Philippines have a long history of friendship dating back to the Acapulco Trade. “We’re doing this in solidarity with the Mexican people,” one congressman said. (In fact, there is a town in the Philippine province of Pampanga named Mexico, in honor of the friendship between the two countries.)

When he launched his presidential bid last year, Trump called Mexicans ‘rapists’ and ‘bad people.’ One of his campaign promises is to build a great wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. He has repeatedly said that he will ask Mexico to pay for the cost of building the wall.

The Filipino legislators fear that if elected president, Trump will totally ban all immigrants to the United States and deport Filipinos currently residing therein.

Government, International

Another World Record For The Philippines: Blacklisted For Lack Of Transparency In Foreign Aid

March 5, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

PARIS, France (The Adobo Chronicles, Berlin Bureau) – Under the administration of President NoyNoy Aquino, the Philippines has received numerous accolades and has made it to the top of world records — from the economy to the Internet, not to mention several Guinness records.

The Philippines has just made the list of 17 countries blacklisted by the French government for lack of transparency on foreign aid and non-cooperation in investigating fraud. As a result, the country will not benefit from French banks in as far as the distribution of development funds are concerned.

Aside from the Philippines, other countries blacklisted by the French government include Botswana, Brunei, Nauru, Guatemala, Switzerland, Lebanon, Panama, Costa Rica, the United Arab Emirates, Dominica, Liberia, Trinidad and Tobago and Vanuatu.

A spokesperson for President Aquino told The Adobo Chronicles that “thanks to the efforts of this administration, the Philippines is becoming well known in the international community, and we’re not just talking about boxing and beauty pageants.”