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