#LeniLeaks, elitist stupidity and a dismissive media

#LENILEAKS exploded into our social imaginations. It affirmed the fact that social media is no longer just a venue for self-affirmation of people about their looks and their food. It is where you could rise and be famous through serendipity and tenacity, or fall on your stupidity.

When Sass Rogando Sasot got a tip from a social media friend about the existence of the Yahoo groups conversations of the Global Filipino Diaspora Council (GFDC), which she passed on to Thinking Pinoy—a pro-Duterte blogger who did the sleuthing and eventually posted it in his blog site, which he shared in FB and Twitter—what was unleashed were forces that revealed the reality that some of President Duterte’s enemies may have the money, but not the brains.

In the age of the Internet, and of serious threats to privacy, a failure to secure a sensitive conversation in cyberspace is beyond forgiveness. You simply do not plot to undermine a government and wage a war on social media activists who are pro-government without first ensuring that your discussions are secure. Conversations in a group that is closed could nevertheless still be accessed by the public, unless you set it to private.

But then again, some defenders of Loida Nicolas-Lewis, her sister Mely Nicolas and their anti-Duterte and anti-Marcos cabal now argue that it is precisely the innocuousness of their conversation that made them act without any consciousness of any security concerns. In other words, they simply had no malice, that they were merely engaging in harmless strategizing to help their friend Leni Robredo, which is also a perfectly legal right of any citizen, even of dual ones like Loida.

On the contrary, I would see their nonchalant, dismissive behavior as a rather offensive exercise of arrogance. Simply, they felt so self-entitled and messianic, even referring to themselves as if they are God’s gift to our political redemption from the twin evil of Duterte and Marcos. They are used to being privileged influential voices who helped in ousting and jailing Presidents, impeaching a Supreme Court Chief Justice and neutering a front-running presidential candidate, that they thought they can get away with anything. They reeked of self-entitlement, intoxicated like brats who can simply rearrange our political lives, acting as if they have a right to move us like pawns and to decide for us like we are simply their wards. They are so full of themselves that they thought they would not need the exigency of securing their conversations. They felt like they are political royalty, and therefore untouchable. They thought they owned us and our politics.

It was hubris for them to target social media netizens whom they labeled as mere trolls.

They did not realize that some of these so-called trolls happen to be not just people on a payroll in some cramped call center in Quezon City, or some home-bound conscripted unemployed netizen paid to act as Madam Claudia. They happen to be Sass RogandoSasot, a bright graduate student based in The Hague and Thinking Pinoy, a computer-savvy blogger. Both are educated, articulate and are as committed to their politics as Leni Robredo’s protectors, funders and sponsors.

They also forgot the enormous network of support that President Duterte and even Bongbong Marcos have in social media. These are people who they all derisively insult, and therefore have every reason to declare war on them.

The arrogance of Loida and her cabal is matched by the same level of arrogance of many in traditional media, when they become dismissive of the existence and value of #LeniLeaks. One of them even had the temerity to lecture Sass and Thinking Pinoy to call a press conference, and only then would they enjoy the privilege of coverage.

#LeniLeaks has exposed those in traditional media who are self-absorbed, mechanical entities, if not closet political partisans. Some of them are probably used to privilege and pampering by political operators while others are so consumed by their own personal politics, such as their advocacies on human rights and against the Marcoses, that they forget that the job of media is to bring pure unadulterated news to the public.

A plot to destabilize the presidency is newsworthy. Elite Filipinos in the diaspora, in cahoots with local remnants of the losing political side, plotting to undermine the President is as newsworthy as his cursing. A conversation revealing the Office of the Vice President as involved and supported by rich and influential expats to attack ordinary citizens is as newsworthy as the death of a dog or Mocha’s appointment to the MTRCB.

Dismissing #LeniLeaks was a breaking point that further revealed to the people that social media bloggers like Sass and Thinking Pinoy indeed deserve more of their attention, respect and protection. One should therefore not blame the people if they see these partisan media personalities in the same light that they see Loida and her cabal, as their enemies. -BY ANTONIO P. CONTRERAS
Source: http://www.manilatimes.net/

On 16:57:00

Continue Reading

Trolls, memes and bloggers: #LeniLeaks paints a sad picture of Filipino politics

A social media war is raging in the Philippines. Powerful figures try to manipulate the conversation to fit their needs – ousting a president if they can, while the mainstream media sits on the sidelines. By Holly Reeves

Filipino netizens claim to have uncovered emails from an influential group of supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo plotting to use social media and online warfare to manipulate President Duterte out of office. What is more, the Philippine press conspires with them to “black out” the explosive allegations, they say.

The supposed plot, uncovered by outspoken activists Sass Rogando Sasot and her friend behind the ThinkingPinoy blog, is rooted in America but has links around the world. Their discovery shows a group of high-profile individuals planning ways to use the media, online communities and key social influencers to promote the Vice President and force Duterte to resign.

High-profile people are involved and the mainstream media is under fire for a lack of reporting

Influential members caught in the headlights of this public relations disaster include the billionaire lobbyist Loida Nicolas-Lewis, Loida’s sister and Commission on Filipinos Overseas Chairman Imelda Nicolas and prominent human rights lawyer Ted Laguatan. Other bureaucrats, journalists and senior civil society organisers are also on the distribution lists.

But for many the issue is bigger than a strategic communications push to defend a politician. Instead, it is the initial reluctance of the mainstream media to touch the story that has brought howls of disgust. One national network even stands accused of deleting related comments from its social media page. By Sunday the #lenileaks scandal did finally reach the front pages of national papers, but the social media fire had already been burning for days.

The story began several days ago when a sympathetic person alerted Sasot to the Global Filipino Diaspora Council Yahoo! Group. Although set to restricted, the group’s conversations were not made private – making them publicly viewable and easily shared around the world.

The group’s Robredo supporters want Duterte to resign 

One from Loida Nicolas Lewis, read, “The only way to fight this evil plot to unseat Vice President Leni Robredo is to ask Duterte to resign. After all, he promised to resign in six months if he has not solved the drug epidemic in the Philippines.” She adds, “He asked for an extension of another six months. Extension denied!”

The numerous exchanges, now hidden but available on archived links, lay out a clear social media strategy to defend the Vice President through placed media stories and attacks on bloggers. The most recent issues for the group seem to be the criticism of Robredo over her remarks about rehabilitation efforts in typhoon-hit areas, and her time spent in the US after the disaster hit.

The messages lay out a digital strategy for defending the Vice President

The leaks are a fascinating insight into the murky world of modern political communications. “The dissatisfaction with [Vice President] Leni does not come from Bikolanos,” it says. Instead, “It comes from troll influencers (Mocha, Sass, Thinking Pinoy) who never organised or mobilised efforts to help out the typhoon victims.”

But if the response from the group is to send out waves of memes, comments, postings and carefully collected photos that undermine the President, then surely they have become trolls themselves. Sitting silently on the edges of the edges of everyday politics they push and tweak what is publicly seen to get the reaction they want? And how much of Philippine politics was influenced by these murky groups before their methods could so easily be laid out for all to see online?

Robredo says she is not involved

The Vice-President herself has distanced herself from the growing hubbub, saying, “I am sure that I did not take part on any plot to oust Duterte, if there is indeed such a plot. First of all, I am being accused of joining rallies against him. That is not true. The president was misinformed on that.”

She adds, “For me, I criticise the president so he can hear us out on issues we feel strongly about, like extrajudicial killings. But my criticisms are not tantamount to calling for his ouster.” But is that true, is the Liberal Party, and its rich friends overseas, plotting to remove the President?

Senator and Liberal Party President Francis Pangilinan denies such an allegation saying support for the so-called yellows is weakening, “The alleged plot is untrue. There is no such plot. In fact, the bulk of the so-called ‘yellows’ have abandoned the [Liberal Party] ship and are now card-carrying members of other parties and aligned with Malacañang [the presidential office].”

“Campaigns” like this are highly damaging for public trust and support

However, whether the plans by the group were “official” or not the scandal shines a light on the dark face of modern politics. Where conspirators may once have met in dark rooms, they now huddle in dark corners of the web. And the interests of the people can no longer be considered safe in the fourth estate of the press, now bloggers and netizens are those with the determination to speak out.
Robredo’s reputation has to be damaged by this. But so is the reputation of the political system as a whole. And perhaps the media more than most. One influential national columnist has defended his name being on the distribution list for the group’s messages by saying, yes, he received them, but he never read them. So is the mainstream media silent? Or just absent? In our digital world, nothing can be hidden for long. The truth finds a way. 

http://www.aseantoday.com/

On 17:08:00

Continue Reading

#OustDuterte: Inside Leni Robredo's international propaganda machinery

 

January 6, 2017

#OustDuterte: Inside Leni Robredo's international propaganda machinery 

Oh, Georgina! I pity you.

Last night, my friend Sass Sasot informed me about the existence of a “restricted” Yahoo group called “Global Filipino Diaspora Council” (GFDC) [Yahoo].

The more prominent GFDC members include:  

1.        Billionaire Fil-Am lobbyist Loida Nicolas-Lewis    

2.        Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Chairman Imelda “Mely” Nicolas, Loida’s sister    

3.        CFO Commissioner Jose Molano, Jr.  

4.        Inquirer US Bureau columnist Ted Laguatan    

5.        ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau correspondent Atty. Gene Alcantara    

6.        Northern Europe civil society leader Filomenita Mongaya Høgsholm   

Judging from this list of very influential people, I now have a better idea why international media acts a certain way against President Duterte. Just look at the list: a billionaire financier, two bureaucrats who have access to overseas grassroots organizations, an Inquirer journalist, an ABS-CBN journalist, and a civil society leader.  

Now, the chronically negative Western coverage of the Duterte Administration, along with the two Media Blitzes [TP: Mainstream; Plan 0117], suddenly make so much sense now.

For example, we all know that the 30 November 2016 anti-Marcos rally had relatively negligible attendance. A real people power requires over 200,000 people, and attendance on that day did not exceed 15,000, probably much less.

Despite the failure of the anti-burial rally, it was still reported throughout the world, and I think one of the message threads explain why.

Let's look at the 28 November 2016 [GDFC] message thread entitled “5878Re: [globalfildiaspora] dan and jojo, noted and all these groups have copies of this exchange of emails among us and them. thanks Mely Re: To Susan/other egroups, here are the email addresses of those in the US that people can contact re rallies Fwd: These are some suggested PLACARDS for the Nov 30 rally”.

Part of that thread contains the following message:

On Mon, Nov 28, 2016 at 12:19 PM, Dan Songco wrote: 

Mely, can you request the groups abroad if they can photo document their rallies and send them to you so we release them to local media? Thanks.  

Who is Mely? It's CFO Chairmain Imelda Nicolas.

Another section of the same thread provides us some insight into the size of GFDC's network, as it has people in San Francisco, New York, Chicago. Add that to GDFC's reach in Mainland EU via Sweden's Filomenita Mongaya Høgsholm and Italy's Rowena Sabugo; and the UK via Gene Alcantara and Loline Reed.

Yes, if there is a well-organized, well-funded propaganda machinery, this is it.

But wait, there's more! 

NOTE: SHOULD LP/LOIDA/LENI DECIDE TO DELETE THE YAHOO GROUP, I HAVE ALREADY SAVED ALL THE MESSAGES IN THAT GROUP AS PDFS, SO JUST LET ME KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY DEAD LINKS.

Robredo's OVP Socmed pulls the strings 

While set as “Restricted”, the group administrator seemingly forgot to make conversations private, and that is how Sass stumbled the group's publicly viewable message board, where CFO chairman Imelda Nicolas happens to be the most active contributor.

I am pretty certain that no one in GFDC intended the messages to be publicly available, especially since several of these messages are damning not only for their group, but also to embattled Vice-president Leni Robredo [TP: Thief] and the Liberal Party of the Philippines.  

Take, for example, the message Imelda Nicolas posted on 04 January 2017 at 06:55 AM entitled “5915 From the Social Media Group of OVP” [GFDC], which reads:  

--------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Facebook

Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2017 at 12:05 AM

Subject: New message from Pete Silva

To: Imelda Nicolas


Pete Silva

Pete Silva 11:35pm Jan 3

FROM OVP SOCMED:

Good morning!

Pro BBM/Duterte groups and influencers have launched simultaneous attacks on VP Leni starting 12 midnight today (Please check Maharlika, Sass, and Mr. Riyoh).

Here are some of the issues that need immediate response from our communities:

1. Late visit for the victims of Typhoon Nina + VP Leni’s “rehab is slow” statement.

-The attacks from their camp:

A. Everything she’s doing now is too late and just for a PR Spin.

B. VP Leni has no right to say the rehab is slow because she was not even there.

C. PRRD has visited way before she did.

-The Responses:

A. VP Leni has always been on top of things. The team was mobilized even before Typhoon Nina hit. She has organized and mobilized private efforts to donate for Bicol, Marinduque, Batangas, and Mindoro.

B. She does not have the mandate and financial capacity to do this, but she has made sure that efforts are consolidated and communicated the needs of the victims to the donors.

C. The dissatisfaction with VP Leni does not come from Bikolanos. It comes from troll influencers (Mocha, Sass, Thinking Pinoy) who NEVER organized or mobilized efforts to help out the typhoon victims.

C. VP Leni cannot shoulder everything. The national government (and other agencies eg DSWD) is the one who needs to step up.

D. Rehabilitation is different from relief operations. It needs building houses, electrification, and making sure that sources of livelihood pre-typhoon are working. We need to call out the national government on this, and take the offensive against their camp for having a simplistic view of the problem.

E. Compare the Duterte and the Robredo visit in Bicol. Digong just gave a speech for the “ceremonial giving of donations”. He did not go to the far flung areas to know their concerns. He never interacted with his constituents. He went there with the media only because he needs to be seen there. VP Leni, on the other hand, visited far flung areas and met with the people. She is on ground zero.

2. The BBM Camp has released several memes to have a “show of force”. Their messaging is to make their memes viral to make it appear like more people voted for BBM as the real VP.

Our attack:

-Flip the memes and show unflattering pictures with controversies of BBM and use their “the real VP” narrative. (suggestions: Cocaine addict, fake diploma, did not graduate college, Sandro is stupid – not even from Oxford which they are claiming)

-Call out BBM and ask where he was during Typhoon Nina (he was in Balesin! ITO BA ANG REAL VP???).

-Use the photos of BBM supporters during the Luneta rally and/or Duterte youth during the Marcos burial rally. The messaging should be: they’re numerous online, but they never deliver the real bodies needed when the battle is offline. They are a fake and paid army. 

We would also like to request you and your communities to coordinate with us whenever a new campaign is launched for them and/or against her. You are a very crucial ally in protecting the truth, democracy, and the real mandate of the people. Let us continue fighting the good fight.
--------- End of Message ---------  

The Email's Implications  

Okay, I am not a BBM supporter, but it's stupid to blame BBM for being in Balesin when the fact of the matter is that unlike VP Robredo, HE IS NOT A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL RIGHT NOW.

But I digress.

Chairman Nicolas' email containing Pete Silva's Facebook message has several mind-boggling implications:  

FIRST, that the Office of the Vice-president (OVP) actively manipulates its supporters. Here, we see that no less than the Office of the Vice-president is instructing Robredo's supporters how they would act on social media, even going as far as instructing Leni supporters to denigrate the president just to prop up the VP's problematic image.  

SECOND, that the Office of the Vice-president's propaganda machine is supported by GFDC, a small group of people who wield great international influence and, by virtue of Loida's inclusion, wealth.  

I can vividly remember the time when Rappler's Maria Ressa accused Duterte-aligned pages of being a part of some well-oiled PR machinery [TP: Ressa's Pride], when it appears that it actually is the other side that actually has the means to have such a thing.  

THIRD, that the publicly-funded OVP is using government resources to undermine the government. Who pays for the salary of that OVP personnel who sent that message to Pete Silva.  

Is it lawful to use government funds for the purpose of undermining the government? This, my friends, is a betrayal of public trust, if not a culpable violation of the Constitution. I have forwarded this email to a few high-profile lawyer-friends for examination.

Off the top of my head, however, I believe that this email may constitute Inciting to Sedition [RPC Art. 142], if not Sedition itself [RPC Art. 139], and/or a violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act [RA 3019 Sec. 3(e)]. While the Vice-president's immunity from suit is still contended, the OVP's social media personnel, which may include OVP Spokesperson Georgina Hernandez, may still be sued in a court of law. This also includes Pete Silva, and GFDC members who participated in disseminating the OVP's controversial email.  

It's more than just THAT email  

A deeper look at the message board showed what GFDC's “Sister Act”, Loida Nicolas-Lewis and Imelda Nicolas, have been doing the past several months.

Aside from lobbying in the United Nations against the appointment of Philippine Ambassador to the UN Teddy Boy Locsin [GFDC], Loida Nicolas-Lewis has been active in organizing protest actions calling for President Duterte's resignation.

Part of an Nicolas-Lewis' email dated 04 December 2016 states:  

The only way to fight this evil Plot to unseat VP Leni is to ask Duterte to Resign.  

After all, he promised to resign in six months if he has not solved the drug epidemic in the Philippines.

He asked for an extension of another six months.

Extension Denied!!!

Join "Duterte Resign Movement"  

A cursory look at the email gives me the impression that while absurd, it is still within legal bounds to issue such a statement. A closer look, however, suggests otherwise.

It's clear that Nicolas-Lewis believes that VP Robredo will certainly be unseated if Duterte does not resign, but Nicolas-Lewis is no innocent college activist who would hope against all hopes that the old man will vacate Malacanang.

Now, what would you do you're certain that your bet Leni will lose her position, Duterte refuses to resign (ergo stays in power), and you have $600 million at your disposal?

Yes, that's one of the reasons why Malacanang accused Nicolas-Lewis of hatching an ouster plot. Malacanang appears to be so certain about its existence that it sent trusted Cabinet Sec. Jess Dureza to the US to meet no less than Nicolas-Lewis herself [GMA].  

Duterte refuses to resign 

I think it's clear by now that Duterte will not resign in the foreseeable future.

In response to those who are supposedly planning to oust him, Duterte said in December [CNNPH]:  

“I'll give you a good fight, I'll give you a bloody nose.”  

Loida is a billionaire lawyer-businesswoman. She is not stupid. Her initial attempt at calling for Duterte's resignation must have been made for acoustic effect and little else, as it appears that she is actively supporting Leni's election-related cases.

Here is part of an email from Nicolas-Lewis dated 4 December 2016 [GFDC]:  

Ely, pls call Lilly my exec asst 212-756-8958 and ask her to connect you to me.

God's blessings,

Loida

>Show message history  

Loida,

How do we go about supporting Leni's Legal Defense ?

Ely N.  

The phone number mentioned in the email is registered under the Reginald Lewis Foundation, named after Loida's late husband [RLF].

Now, Loida is a billionaire, so what else would Leni need from Loida but... ?

And isn't it interesting that Leni Robredo visited New York City just last week, in absolute defiance to common sense [TP: White Christmas]?

Did Leni and Loida talk about something very important, so important that Leni totally forgot about those in the laylayan?

These discoveries fit perfectly to my article “#OustDuterte: Leila, Leni, Lourdes, Loida, LP and Plan 0117”.

Yes, LP is likely to have its last hurrah soon. Very soon.

Ressa, you have been looking at the wrong place... or was it deliberate?

Oh, and Daddy D, alam mo na. KThxBye! [ThinkingPinoy]

DONT FORGET TO SHARE!

Source: http://www.thinkingpinoy.net/

On 22:32:00

Continue Reading

Rodrigo Duterte: A singular man

President Rodrigo Duterte has always marched to his own beat: He has his own ideas about what needs to be done, and he waits for no one to do it. Even as drug-related killings happen more often and bodies begin to pile up, he has not once pointed his finger at anyone else, but himself.

Manila (CNN Philippines Life) — There's a reason why the President's code name is the number one. The President is not just a man who stands at the very top, he is also a man who very often walks alone.

When asked about his New Year's resolutions, Rodrigo Duterte says he wants for nothing. "What other ambitions would I have?" Duterte motions around the Malacañang Palace, telling CNN Philippines, during his first one-on-one interview since taking office: "I'm already here."

Maybe he means his ultimate victory, maybe his newfound loneliness, but he adds, "There's nobody else here."

In the presidential residence of Bahay Pagbabago, Duterte says, there's nobody else there either. He tells his staff to shut off the lights and the air conditioning. Pack up the Christmas tree, even, and put it somewhere else.

"It's all very beautiful, but there isn't anybody here to enjoy it. There aren't any children here," he says.

Behind the fist fights, the curse words — and there are many — the interview briefly breaks to show Duterte not as the myth, but as the man. Well into his 70s, living away from his grandchildren, his bed and mosquito net, his favorite carinderia and karaoke joint.

Here is Rodrigo Duterte, the world now at his feet. But as much as the Presidency giveth, it also taketh away.

President Rodrigo Duterte with CNN Philippines senior anchor and correspondent Pinky Webb during the first one-on-one with the president since he took office. Photo by JAKE VERZOSA

It's a good thing Duterte has always been a singular man.

He has his own ideas about what needs to be done, and he waits for no one to do it. He will act alone if he must and by god, he has. This, after all, is a candidate who successfully ran on the platform: I will copy what everyone else plans to do, but because I will be the one doing it, you know it will be done.

Suspend mining firms? Take down Roberto Ongpin? Scare drug lords out of the woodwork? Done, done, and done. Many a President have tried and failed to accomplish any of those. Some didn't even try.

And what's interesting is, Duterte will happily soak up the applause for his actions, but he will just as readily stand by their consequences as well.

The drug war has not run short of critics — and for good reason. But even as the killings happen more often and the bodies begin to pile up, Duterte has not once pointed his finger at anyone else but himself.

He will not call them victims, and he will not apologize for their deaths, but he will look you straight in the eye and say, yes, people are dying, and it was my call. Not Bato's, not an errant policeman's, but mine.

We may or may not agree with the President's choices, but it must be said: that is a rare kind of bravery.

The thing about lone wolves, though, is that while they are often stronger than everyone else who stays in a pack, they are also often the most dangerous and unpredictable ones in the wild.

The flashpoint in Duterte's administration so far has been his declaration he would cut ties between the Philippines and the U.S.

Now, Duterte has cursed the U.S. to hell and back even before that. Headlines screamed, conservatives clutched at their pearls, and analysts questioned the wisdom of such strong words. But many also felt Duterte said what has always been on everyone's minds — though probably with a far too many censors than they would like.

This time, though, there were no two ways about it. He said plainly, "In this venue, your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States. Both in military — not maybe social — but economics also. America has lost."

It wasn't a poor translation, a bad joke, or an unguarded moment with the press. It was a keynote speech to Chinese leaders at an official state visit. It wasn't a personal opinion or political posturing. It was a policy pronouncement.

The backlash was immediate. Industry groups called emergency meetings as their American investors wondered what would happen to their operations. (The U.S. alone accounts for up to 70% of the booming business process outsourcing sector in the Philippines.) Foreign envoys pressed Malacañang for an explanation. Ordinary Filipinos feared what the split would mean for their daily lives.

Duterte's economic team immediately had to issue a joint statement reeling back — taking back — what the President said. In an appearance before legislators, his own Defense chief admitted the Cabinet isn't really consulted before the President makes statements. As Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella tells CNN Philippines, he still regards that incident as his most difficult moment in office.

Even if we didn't have strong opinions about geopolitics, it's still a bit unsettling when you see your government so misaligned in making a major policy decision.

It's one thing for Duterte to take the road less travelled. Many great leaders have, and to great success. But it's another for him to walk into the unknown, when his own team is desperately trying to hold him back.

Behind the fist fights, the curse words — and there are many — the interview briefly breaks to show Duterte not as the myth, but as the man. Well into his 70s, living away from his grandchildren, his bed and mosquito net, his favorite carinderia and karaoke joint. Photo by JAKE VERZOSA

***

In the next six years, there will be some situations that will need a strong hand, and others, a light touch. It's a fine balance, but Duterte would do well to explore both.

He has it in his arsenal. The President may have made his name as a lone maverick, but he is just as strong as a coalition-builder. It's a lesser-known skill, but it has served him just as well in his political career.

Duterte was popular in Davao, not just within the local government, but also among the business community, the police, women, LGBTs, and more.

Running his campaign, he built support both from the provinces but also in the capital, the poor and the wealthy.

And in a political masterstroke, Duterte organized his team in the same vein. Capitalists, leftists, an environmentalist and the odd celebrity — they sit alongside each other in the Cabinet. He has appointed political old-timers but also brought in fresh faces, many — finally — from Mindanao. Even without Vice President Leni Robredo, now turned opposition leader, the bench is deep.

The Presidency may be a lonely job, but Duterte need not isolate himself even further.

By Claire Jiao, Jan 5, 2017 http://cnnphilippines.com/

On 22:16:00

Continue Reading