By Ade S. Fajardo The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has canceled the certificate of candidacy filed by Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro who now aspires to be congressman representing the city’s first district. The poll body ruled that Teodoro misrepresented his place of residence when he said he has transferred his residence back to a …
Come To Think Of It
What Digong forgot
By Ade S. Fajardo Several columns ago, we mentioned that there exists a law that mirrors the provisions of the Rome Statute. In December 2009, the Philippines enacted Republic Act 9851, otherwise known as “the Philippine act on crimes against international humanitarian law, genocide and other crimes against humanity.” It anticipated the possibility that the …
Enough time for Senate to render judgment?
By Ade S. Fajardo As this is being written, the Makabayan bloc at the House of Representatives is said to be in a race to convince at least 106 signatories to the impeachment complaint it submitted to the secretary general last week to unseat Vice President Sara Duterte. The target date to complete the signatures …
Strengthening community-based interventions against HIV
By Ade Fajardo The steady rise in HIV cases in Iloilo province has become a cause for alarm, particularly in municipalities identified as hotspots. Areas like Pavia, Oton and Pototan, among others, have emerged as epicenters of new infections, with 223 fresh cases recorded from January to September 2024 alone. This calls for targeted and …
Legal problems wrought by Mary Grace Piattos
By Ade S. Fajardo A pending plunder case is not enough to unseat the Vice President. The reason why Akbayan and other groups filed an impeachment complaint against her. Plunder would manacle her though in many ways. The VP will need to assemble and spend for a crack legal team that will try to have …
Problems that will go away when Sara assumes the presidency
By Ade S. Fajardo The other day, the Vice President reversed herself and said her threats against the President and his family are not real. It is more like “revenge from the grave.” Was she trying to dodge prosecution for grave threats, at the very least? She added that she could think of no benefit to …
What is Duterte hiding in his bank?
BY ADE S. FAJARDO Former President Rodrigo Duterte had bragged that he was willing to waive the protective provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act and allow the Quad Com of the House of Representatives to look at entries to his deposits with the Bank of the Philippine Islands in Pasig. But as the hearing wore …
Will local warrant of arrest issue sooner for Duterte, Bato, et al.?
By Ade S. Fajardo Rodrigo Duterte and his followers constantly pose this challenge: Why rely on the International Criminal Court (ICC) when the local justice system is truly working? Why not file complaints in Philippine courts if there is indeed evidence of crimes against humanity in the drug war waged by the previous administration? …
Did the Senate try to steal the thunder from Quad Com?
By Ade S. Fajardo Why was Police Colonel Hector Grijaldo invited to the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing last week? Grijaldo does not figure in the roster of personalities that the International Criminal Court is investigating with an eye towards arrest and prosecution. That elite list so far includes only Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, former …
Did judges turn a blind eye to murderous intent?
By Ade S. Fajardo Now retired Police Colonel Jovie Espenido testified in Congress that when Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa was in his custody, he executed an affidavit that contained controversial allegations. It identifies police officials who received money from Espinosa’s drug operations. Jovie Espenido says the logbook containing payout entries is still with the Philippine …