By Ignacio R. Bunye The past week’s headlines have been nothing short of seismic. From the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) rejection of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s appeal, to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) order to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, to the Senate’s scheduled impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, the Philippines finds …
Speaking Out
A crisis inside the Senate: What the Bato incident reveals about our politics today
By Ignacio R. Bunye The events that unfolded inside the Senate last week read like a scene lifted from a political thriller: armed men, raised voices, a sudden burst of gunfire, and a sitting senator slipping out of the building under the cover of confusion. But this was no fiction. It happened in the heart …
Asean Summit in Cebu: Unity amid global uncertainty
By Ignacio R. Bunye When Southeast Asian leaders gathered last week in Cebu under the banner, “Navigating Our Future, Together,” it wasn’t just about handshakes and photo ops. It was about standing together as stewards of a region facing storms — geopolitical, economic and digital — and trying to anchor unity in uncertain waters. The …
Accountability vs. confidentiality: The Sara Duterte impeachment vote
By Ignacio R. Bunye Today, the House of Representatives faces a defining moment as it prepares to vote on whether to transmit the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte to the Senate. The justice committee has already found probable cause, citing allegations that range from the misuse of confidential funds to unexplained wealth flagged …
Trials of trust: From ICC to impeachment
By Ignacio R. Bunye In the span of a single week, the Filipino nation has been confronted with headlines that cut to the core of our collective conscience: the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirming charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte, the overwhelming public sentiment favoring an impeachment trial for Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, and President …
From police exams to pump prices: Trust and relief for Filipinos
By Ignacio R. Bunye It was a striking image yesterday: Thousands of young men and women filing into exam halls across the country, clutching pens and prayer beads, ready to take the Philippine National Police (PNP) entrance and promotional exams. For them, this was more than a test — it was a chance to prove …
Energy crisis calls for everyday heroes
By Ignacio R. Bunye The energy crisis is no longer an abstract policy debate — it is the rising cost in our bills, the strain on our transport, and the uncertainty in our future. For Juan and Maria, conserving energy is not just about saving pesos; it is about safeguarding the nation’s resilience. We often …
Justice beyond borders: Why the ICC hearings matter to every Filipino
By Ignacio R. Bunye The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) hearings on the Duterte administration’s war on drugs have once again thrust the Philippines into the global spotlight. At the heart of the proceedings lies a fundamental question: Can a leader’s words be divorced from the actions they inspire? Defense lawyers argue that President Duterte’s fiery …
Juan and Maria at the crossroads of crisis
By Ignacio R. Bunye The peso has fallen to its weakest level in history — P60.10 to the dollar. For Juan and Maria, this is not an abstract figure on a trading screen. It is the rising price of rice, medicine and school supplies. It is the shrinking value of their hard-earned wages. It is …
Muntinlupa City @ 31 — A reflection on systems, service and people
By Ignacio R. Bunye If you had been at the newly refurbished Muntinlupa Sports Center during Muntinlupa’s 31st cityhood anniversary, you would have felt it right away — this wasn’t just another program with speeches and plaques. It felt more like a reunion of an entire ecosystem. City officials, councilors, barangay leaders, DepEd and court …