Tag: pork barrel

Repeat after me: I am the Philippines and I am home to a dysfunctional society

March 26, 2014March 26, 2014 benign0 37 Comments

I realised the whole problem with the prevailing discourse within the social media space I inhabit: there is too much discussion about politics and not enough about the underlying issue with Philippine society that I have long highlighted is the real deal here — Filipino culture. Fact is, the Philippines is beset by a really…

Crime, Culture, Development, Government, Media, Politics, Society

Honor is not a strong part of Filipino tradition

March 14, 2014January 15, 2022 benign0 42 Comments

You don’t need to look far. The current political tele-dramas that have rivetted Filipinos lately point to it. Thievery on such an unprecedented vast scale perpetrated by the elected officials of a society are proof in itself. Many of them were not elected once but twice — and their offspring and kin elected despite all…

Civics, Culture, Development, Government, Society

Kim Henares’s BIR tax cheat ad fiasco: All Filipino doctors need is an extra layer of skin

March 10, 2014March 10, 2014 benign0 41 Comments

Poor Kim Henares. The beleaguered Commissioner of the Philippines’ Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is caught between a rock and a hard place — her ass is being kicked by President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III to bleed more legal revenue from the Filipino people. Trouble is, Filipino politicians derive illegal revenue from all that…

Crime, Culture, Politics

Electioneering the 2016 Philippine presidential elections: will Filipinos continue the ‘bobotante’ tradition?

March 4, 2014 benign0 38 Comments

With just a little more than two years to go, electioneering for the 2016 Malacanang power grab is starting to get into the swing of things. As in the past, showbiz celebrities, unqualified politicans’ offspring, and dynasty heirs and heiresses persist as the banes of “activists” championing a more “intelligent” vote. As expected, the usual…

Crime, Culture, Politics, Society

Just grin and bear it – Filipinos don’t like tough questions

February 26, 2014 FallenAngel 23 Comments

They don’t like asking them. They sure as hell do not like answering them. If you think about it, this is rather unsurprising for a society that does not encourage its members to question authority even the slightest. While examples of questionable things and issues in Filipino society are endless, the past few weeks have…

Civics, Culture, Government, Society

Whistleblower galore: Philippine pork barrel scam is becoming a sad trial-by-snitch circus!

February 20, 2014December 8, 2018 benign0 15 Comments

As expected, more pork scam snitches are coming out. And why wouldn’t they? Seeing how much of a celebrity treatment and the generous immunity to justice they are being showered by the government with, it makes complete sense to turn squealer. I’d hazard a guess that every other Philippine Senator and House representative is now…

Crime, Government, Politics

Raymond Fortun resignation as Cedric Lee mouthpiece highlights Pinoy dysfunction

February 17, 2014 benign0 32 Comments

Law practice in the Philippines quite simply is not that straightforward. Ask lawyer Raymond Fortun who recently resigned as spookesman for alleged Chinese mafiosi Cedric Lee who, together with starlet Deniece Cornejo, are accused of viciously mauling variety show host Vhong Navarro and framing him for rape. But Fortun has apparently been increasingly frustrated over…

Crime, Glitz and Glamour, Media, Politics, Society

Why pork barrel whistleblowers Benhur Luy and Ruby Tuason should go to jail

February 16, 2014 benign0 9 Comments

The fact that there are many whistleblowers and that the entire case the Department of Justice is mounting against several Philippine senators accused of plundering their pork barrel funds rests on these whistleblowers highlights the profound dysfunction of the country’s criminal investigation and criminal justice system. How many whistleblowers are needed to support the case?…

Crime, Media, Politics