Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
‘This impeachment…is novel for one reason: It was filed in an election season.’
Between a Sara Duterte talking about exes in reaction to her impeachment to a Bato dela Rosa shaming an Akbayan party-list candidate who’s a stroke survivor, you’ve got every reason to tune out these days.
Add to this the hemming and hawing of Senate President Chiz Escudero on how to handle the impeachment complaint that’s already been transmitted to the upper chamber, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s poor articulation of his supposed distance from the moves against his vice president.
“Wala akong pakialam diyan,” he blurted, sounding almost pissed. Ilocos Norte Representative Sandro Marcos outclassed his father when asked why he was the first signatory in the complaint: Well, if someone had threatened to assassinate your parents and throw the remains of your lolo out into the sea, wouldn’t you do the same, he asked.
Constitutional lawyer John Molo argues in this piece that whatever motives are behind the impeachment, “there’s no better justice than enforcing the clear terms of the Constitution now.”
- Nearly 70% of lawmakers in Duterte’s region, Mindanao, signed the impeachment complaint against the Vice President
- All House representatives from the Negros Island Region signed as well. (Here’s the complete list of those who supported the impeachment — and those who did not.)
- What are the grounds for impeaching Ms. Duterte? Read about them here. Who will prosecute her? Rappler’s James Patrick Cruz and Dwight de Leon profile them here.
- To the vice president, here’s a piece of advice from Rappler senior editor Herbie Gomez: impeachment is serious business, not some dating app.
This impeachment, compared to the last one that convicted a chief justice, is novel for one reason: It was filed in an election season.
The senatorial and party list campaigns kick off on Tuesday, February 11. As Rappler reporters Bea Cupin and Bonz Magsambol write in this scene-setter, the polls “are as much a referendum on Marcos’ promise of a ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ as it is a gauge of the power of the Duterte name.” (President Marcos will campaign on Tuesday with his administration’s bets in Laoag City in his home province of Ilocos Norte. Check the final list of senatorial bets here.)
While then-president Joseph Estrada was also impeached months before the 2001 midterm races, the streets were already on fire over exposés against his corruption, that only a few doubted he’d last long enough to campaign for his candidates.
Some food for thought, though:
- Estrada was ousted and later on convicted of plunder by the anti-graft court. But no less than Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who had replaced him as president (and whom he suspected had plotted for his ouster), quickly pardoned him. He was able to run again for president in 2010, but lost, and ran for mayor of Manila (and won in 2013 and 2016). Estrada was crushed in his third mayoral bid in 2019, along with the other Estradas who ran for office then.
- In the case of the late ousted chief justice Renato Corona, the anti-graft court eventually dismissed the forfeiture case against him and his wife.
Beyond our latest impeachment season, America continued to rattle the world with President Donald Trump’s orders, in particular the freeze on funding for USAID, and its decapitation as an independent institution that helps the poorest communities worldwide. Elon Musk and his platform are leading the charge against USAID, spreading false claims that were amplified by right-wing online networks — and Trump himself.
What comes after the USAID shutdown? The Brookings Institute wrote: “USAID’s efforts to prevent conflict around the world, encourage democratic and pluralistic processes and protect human rights, reduce suffering from death and disease, encourage sustainable economic growth, and prevent environmental destruction reflect the essence of the United States. They help build an international environment that services US interests and values.” Read more about the implications of Trump’s decision here.
Trump has also signed an order to cut financial assistance to South Africa. Why? Read the story here.
Here are some of Rappler’s bests that you shouldn’t miss:
- Rappler’s Community Head Pia Ranada-Robles walks us through the potholes in the capital’s footbridges, and the flawed logic behind them.
- Rappler security and foreign affairs reporter Bea Cupin tells us more about the typhon missile launcher from the US that’s now in the Philippines.
- Rappler senior producer and reporter JC Gotinga takes stock of the Bagsamoro dream — and how tough it is to chase it.
- So, is there a plan to phase out the bus carousel on EDSA? Rappler researcher James Patrick Cruz reports how government officials are not on one lane on this issue.
- A UN agency reported a 534% increase in HIV cases here from 2010-2023. Rappler contributor Ana Santos shows what led to this, and what we can do about it.
Here’s to a week of discernment.
[In This Economy] The manufactured crisis that is Marcos’ ‘food security emergency’
Is the food crisis for real?
– Rappler.com
Rappler’s Best is a weekly newsletter of our top picks delivered straight to your inbox every Monday.
To subscribe, visit rappler.com/profile and click the Newsletters tab. You need a Rappler account and you must log in to manage your newsletter subscriptions.
The views expressed by the writer are his/her own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Rappler.
