GEN. JOVITO PALPARAN: WE SHOULDN'T LEAVE A MAN BEHIND

Gen. Palparan may be accused of many things but he was also credited with keeping in check the NPA banditry wherever he was assigned. He was recognized to have done his designated missions very effectively, whether as a young Gold Cross Medal-decorated Lieutenant in Sulu or as a passionate anti-communist commanding General.

Whether or not he is guilty of the charges filed against him in the course of trying to fulfill his missions – government should have afforded him the best lawyers for his defense. Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte should see to it now considering that Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo failed to do so then. It is the least a grateful nation can do. It just isn’t right to leave a fallen soldier behind.

PRES. DUTERTE ON RED OCTOBER AND EJK REMARKS

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte admitted in at least two of his speeches that he likes "shaking the tree" once in a while to see what falls out. His revelation on the Red October plot and his remarks on Extra-Judicial Killings may just be aimed at doing that. Ex-Pres. Arroyo confirmed that the President receives intelligence report that no one else gets. We know that he probably meant that while he has been accused of EJK, no one can point a finger on him for corruption and political persecution. His opponents just pounced on the statement literally because it suits their agenda.

The New York Times, in their article titled "Becoming Duterte: The Making of a Philippine Strongman", wrote: "He has alienated many with outrageous comments and irrational behavior, yet remains wildly popular. His gangland approach to

INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE'S TRIBUNAL (IPT): A KANGAROO COURT FOR SHAM VERDICTS

The so-called International People's Tribunal (IPT) came out with a verdict that Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is guilty of various crimes. IPT can come out with other absurb verdicts as much as it wants, it means nothing in practical jurisprudence.

IPT has no teeth and is powerless because major nations like the U.S., Russia, China, Israel and other world powers do not recognize its so-called rulings or verdicts. And that's the simple truth. It is no different from the so-called "people's court" held during political rallies by militants and leftists in the Philippines.

HIGHLY POLITICIZED ICC: MAJOR NATIONS DON’T RECOGNIZE ITS AUTHORITY

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a highly-politicized body that is not recognized as a judicial authority by major nations like the U.S., China, Russia, Israel and many others. Just today, the U.S. threatened the ICC with sanctions if its judges or prosecutors make a move against the U.S., Israel or any of its allies (https://ph.yahoo.com/news/us-threatens-arrest-icc-judges-probe-war-crimes-174349613.html). The fact is, the ICC prosecutors and judges can only go after weak and vulnerable nations in its supposed “pursuit of justice” for human rights abuse victims. If you’re powerful enough, the ICC can’t go after you.

And like in the United Nations (UN), politics play a major part of how it operates. Israel had refused to be a party to the ICC because it has concerns that political pressure on the Court would lead it to reinterpret international law or to "invent new crimes".

PEOPLE POWER ONLY HAPPENS EVERY 15-YEARS: 1986, 2001 and 2016

Yes, 2016. People Power by the ballot happened on that fateful year. Political experts and veteran politicians didn’t see it coming and neither did most of the over 16-million Filipinos who overwhelmingly voted to catapult an unassuming Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte to the highest government position of the land. Davao City’s loss was the nation’s gain.

Scholars will probably be studying what happened for a long time. A humble Pres. Duterte dismisses it as an act of fate because he himself didn’t aspire for it or plan for it like most of his rivals did, but for many Filipinos – it was a deliverance from the decades of traditional politics that hound our unsteady system of government. Populism may be a recent global

THESE GALLANT MEN AND WOMEN DESERVED THEIR HOLY LAND TRIP AND MUCH, MUCH MORE.

A grateful nation salutes our valiant men and women of the Armed Forces who have sacrificed so much and ask for so little. These gallant men and women deserved their Holy Land trip and much, much more. Thank you, Pres. Duterte, for your compassion and appreciation for them.

Watch Asec. Mocha Uson's video coverage of wounded-in-action (disabled) AFP personnel who joined Pres. Duterte's state visits to Israel and Jordan: https://www.facebook.com/Mochablogger/videos/885053348366931/?t=13

ISRAEL TRIP: A GRATEFUL NATION KNOWS HOW TO THANK ITS MEN IN UNIFORM

A grateful nation owes these men-in-uniform much more. PRRD is right to bring them along. This is no gov't junket wherein an official has been in and out of the country 10 or so times in a year coz these men are retiring after serving our country well.

Pres. Duterte knows how to show his gratitude for men-in-uniform who has served their country with honor and patriotism. I’d like to think that this is part of his style for successfully managing Davao City. Uniformed men and women who served with

METRO MANILA LGUs SHOULD PAY MMDA FOR DOING LGUs’ JOB

True, it is unrealistic to expect LGUs to keep their sidewalks and streets clear of obstruction less they ignore the risk of losing votes come next election. To a lot of their constituents, doing this may be like “biting the hand that feeds you”. That is why MMDA should expand their street and sidewalk clearing operations task force to cover more ground and operate with more frequency. And since this is the LGUs’ job that they’re doing for them – the LGUs should pay for the costs equitably.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER: SHOW OF BRAZEN ARROGANCE

Show of brazen arrogance by a motorist (claim to 15-minutes of infamy dubbed "5-minute girl"). She deserves more than just a ticket for hitting the MMDA enforcer's motorbike and refusing to produce her license for a very long time. I'm so disappointed that Col. Nebrija let her and her husband get away with just a ticket. Shameless couple.

I remember Pres. Duterte said that once when he was still mayor of Davao that he told a Davao judge to move his illegally-parked vehicle OR ELSE. The message was - you can't do anything you want just coz you're a gov't official. The message got through to this judge and every Davao City gov't officer after that incident. I hope that PRRD teaches this couple a lesson in a

DESTINED TO BE AN AVENGING ANGEL?

The “Avenging Angel" is seen by David to stand "between the earth and the heaven, with a drawn sword in his hand stretched out against Israel's enemies.” There has never been, and there will never be, another president like Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Nobody had, or will ever have, the courage to go against criminals, big business interests and the oligarchy – like Duterte has. The 1% elite, backed by the upper middle class who dream of membership into the club, have always had their way - before The Punisher came and ruffled their neatly-pressed feathers.

Let’s hope that the institutions and policies that he’ll establish during his term will be carried on by someone or by a party who believes the same ideals that he sought to promote.

PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE ONCE OFFERED ME HIS HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE

“Rodrigo Roa Duterte is officially the country’s 16th president. But for what it’s worth, allow me to recall an experience with the man a few years ago that convinced me he should be the one to hold the top government post of the land.”

To say the guy’s reputation preceded him is an understatement. Back then, he was already popular for bringing back order to the once-chaotic Davao City. Whether his policies were appropriate is still subject for debate, but they were effective.

Tourism Malaysia officials accompanied us on this trip, and they requested me for some photos of Digong visiting the Sepang Circuit for promotional use. No problem, I reckoned. Plus, I supposed I would have the chance to meet one of the most colorful