By Ignacio R. Bunye On June 12, 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo stood on the balcony of his ancestral home in Cavite el Viejo (now Kawit) and proclaimed the independence of the Philippines from Spain. The Philippine flag, sewn in Hong Kong by Marcela Agoncillo, was unfurled for the first time, and the Marcha Filipina Magdalo …
Speaking Out
Senate pushed into uncharted waters
By Ignacio R. Bunye The Philippine Senate has always been a stage for political maneuvering, but the recent takeover by the Gatchalian group has pushed the chamber into uncharted waters. What was once a bastion of deliberation is now fractured, with two blocs claiming legitimacy, holding parallel hearings and trading accusations of coups and circus …
The ICC trial of Rodrigo Duterte is more than a courtroom drama
By Ignacio R. Bunye The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to try former President Rodrigo Duterte on November 30, 2026 is a watershed moment that forces the Philippines to confront hard questions about justice, sovereignty and the strength of its institutions. Beyond politics, the trial carries economic consequences the nation cannot ignore. Never before has …
A nation at the crossroads of justice, governance and resilience
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 …
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 …