Whose Side is He On?

Like a hero from an action movie, Rodrigo Duterte took the mantle of a crusader against illegal narcotics and corrupt politicians during the 2016 Presidential Elections. He portrayed himself as the savior who can rid the country of these ills, a “strongman” who could get the job done. It is nine months into his administration and […]

Who Were the Senators on Napoles’ List?

Reports have emerged of the impending acquittal of the central figure in the Pork Barrel Scam Janet Lim Napoles for her conviction in the illegal detention of her cousin, Benhur Luy.

The Scapegoat

It has been three months and yet the enmity felt by the public towards the immorality of the Priority Development Assistance Fund, informally called the ‘pork barrel’, has not abated. The rage against the misuse of the ‘pork’ as well as the disgraced politicos and private individuals involved in the so-called ‘mother of all scams’ […]

The Dog in the Manger

One of my favorite Aesop’s fables growing up was the anecdote of the dog in the manger. It was not only the curious caricature on the cover page that made it memorable for me, but the underlying moral lesson of the story in general. Imagine a mongrel enclosed in a holding pen, unable to roam […]