There is no doubt Filipinos love telenovelas, not only our own but those from other countries.
What we are seeing now is an Ilocano version—and a real one, too, starring Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos and Rep. Rody Fariñas, who enjoys the support of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
Both Marcos and Fariñas are in their last terms of office, and the latter is looking to replace the former as governor.
Fariñas has accused provincial officials of irregularities to the tune of P66.5 million. This is for the allegedly anomalous purchase of vehicles without the benefit of public bidding.
Strangely, the six Ilocos Norte officials also used to be the people of Fariñas but are now with Imee. Fariñas has in fact been declared as persona non grata by the provincial government.
The Ilocos Norte Six are now detained at the House of Representatives. This despite a Court of Appeals ruling that the House must release them, as a result of a habeas corpus petition by lawyer Estelito Mendoza.
Fariñas and Alvarez did not honor the decision of the appellate court and said that the House was an independent body.
The House has also threatened Marcos that if she continues to snub the hearings, she would be held in contempt, arrested and detained.
The story gets more interesting by the day.
The Supreme Court must step in to prevent a constitutional crisis.
All I can say is… “Abangan!”
* * *
It has been six weeks since the Maute siege of Marawi City. The IS-inspired terrorists are now holed up in mosques and man-made tunnels. They use hostages as human shields.
Will the government be finally able to liberate Marawi next month? What about the desecration of Catholic churches?
I am not being an alarmist when I say that the Maute and Abu Sayyaf Group will not stop in Marawi. Their goal is to create a caliphate in this part of the world.
Being a former mayor of Davao City, President Duterte had reason to declare martial law in Mindanao.
The world is actually in a state of war against one enemy: Terrorists.
* * *
The Senate must investigate the downgrading of the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa from murder to homicide, not the killing itself. The Senate and the National Bureau of Investigation head earlier both found that the killing was premeditated.
President Duterte said earlier that if the police were to be found guilty of crimes committed in relation to the war against drugs, he would pardon them.
However, I don’t believe Mr. Duterte really meant this. He just likes to exaggerate.
The Senate must investigate Aguirre and the DoJ prosecutors.
* * *
The peace initiatives of President Duterte with the Muslims and the communists remain a big challenge especially now that the problem of terrorism is upon us.
It would seem that both the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front would rather have their autonomous regions under the Bangsamoro Basic Law that wait for the federal system of government to materialize under the Duterte administration.
Again, the constitutionality of such autonomous governments will be questioned because this would in effect be dividing the country.
With all that is happening now, Mindanao is sure to remain a war front.
* * *
Speculation on the health of the President will never end. This will always happen every time he disappears from public view.
To end all these, the President’s doctors must regularly issue a medical bulletin on the health of the President. I want my president strong and healthy.