Badoy echoes a national policy that espouses state-instigated violence against civilians. Portraying activists and journalists as “enemies of the state” justifies human rights abuses perpetrated by state agents. Badoy’s line is as dangerous as Duterte’s marching order to “kill, kill, kill.”
Why is there a legacy “report” halfway into Duterte’s term of office?
By pounding on ABS-CBN, Duterte aims to create a chilling effect among media practitioners. If he could bully the biggest broadcast network, what could stop him from doing the same to others? He and his minions in the House wield the franchise renewal like a Damocles sword, ready to maim freedom of speech and whatever is left of our democracy.
Nobody from the Duterte administration wants to admit that the Republic Act 11203, which has liberalized rice importation, is the culprit behind the miserable state of our farmers right now.
Albayalde’s statement justifying Oplan Sauron reeks of impunity. Like Oplan Tokhang, the Philippine National Police wishes the public to regard as normal the butchering of civilians.
It should be pointed out that these organizations are being targeted for the invaluable work they do – the defense of human rights of the poor and marginalized.
How could he muster the courage to continue speaking the truth against the mighty China when the betrayal came from the country’s highest seat of power?
Rather than blame the poor and the victims, let us blame and seek solutions for this obviously flawed, foreign-patented, non-transparent automated elections system in an elite democracy.
Painting a conspiracy among the media groups and lawyers — all perceived as enemies by Duterte — might be used to justify further draconian measures and blatant attacks.
What we are witnessing is a war against civilians since Duterte assumed the presidency. He started with the thousands of poor drug suspects, using anti-drugs campaign as a veil. Now, authorities are mouthing anti-criminality and counterinsurgency for going after civilians.
Since the arrest and eventual posting of bail of news site Rappler’s chief Maria Ressa, Malacanang’s spin doctors have been attempting to absolve the president from allegations of curtailing press freedom and grave abuse of power. Still, the political backlash that the Duterte administration is getting has been unforgiving, and rightly so. Even the simplest…