#ThewRap: Things you need to know, December 6, 2016

Rappler.com

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

#ThewRap: Things you need to know, December 6, 2016
Hello! Here's a round-up of news you need to know this Tuesday

Dear Rappler reader,

The Vice President’s resignation Monday woke us from our weekend stupor, but the news just keeps coming. The President’s decision to exclude the VP from the Cabinet rippled through the fabric of political alliances in the Senate with the Liberal Party thinking of bolting the Senate and House. On another issue that refused to die, here’s the latest chapter on PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa’s admission that the President did order him to reinstate a suspected drug lord coddler he had already sacked. The president, always eager to explain a decision, this time said there’s no need to explain why he ordered Police Superintendent Marvin Marcos kept in his position. 

Below are the big stories we think you shouldn’t miss.

Robredo: It felt like I had been fired

Since she was asked not to attend Cabinet meetings, Vice President Leni Robredo has been thinking back on the unconventional, even flippant, way she was excluded from the Cabinet. At one point, she wanted it on paper, and said she would still attend unless she got a formal letter. Until she got the text from Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco telling her to “desist from attending Cabinet meetings starting Dec 5.” It eventually dawned on her that she had been fired. She said “This is the last straw, because it makes it impossible for me to perform my duties.” Robredo believes it was her condemnation of Ferdinand Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani that was the clincher. In a press conference Monday afternoon, she said she will continue to serve the Filipino people adding, “This is not the time for fear. It is a time for conviction. It is a time for courage.”

To bolt or not to bolt: What’s next for LP?

The Liberal Party is rethinking its next political plans, as it considers a separation from the majority blocs in the Senate and the House of Representatives in the aftermath of the Robredo exclusion from the Cabinet. But Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III expressed confidence the LP would not leave the “supermajority” in the chamber just yet.

Duterte: No need to explain order to retain Marcos

President Rodrigo Duterte said he doesn’t need to explain to Filipinos why he ordered Police Superintendent Marvin Marcos, accused of coddling drug lords, kept in his position. Marcos led the jail raid in which Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr was killed in a shootout. He said standing near the newly-lit Malacañang Christmas tree, “They are questioning my motive. They are now assuming maybe I knew about the operation. Whatever the reason be, that’s my discretion.” The President said, “As head of government and chief executive, the police is under me so the PNP chief is under my supervision and control. I do not have to explain to you why I made the order for him to sit down.” 

Alan on ‘Quietano’ tag: not my role to be fiscalizer

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano defended his silence on the hero’s burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos – an issue he has strongly opposed until recently. Cayetano said it is enough that President Rodrigo Duterte knows about his opposition. It is not his job to voice out his opinions on the streets, said the staunch Duterte supporter. “As for me, it is not my role now to be a fiscalizer.

Trillanes, De Lima hit ‘script’ in Senate probe

Fix your script because it’s all tied up in knots,” Senator Sonny Trillanes said as he pointed out several inconsistencies between the testimony of alleged Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa and Ronnie Dayan, Senator Leila De Lima’s former security aide and boyfriend. The woman accused of receiving money from drug lords, de Lima, at one point said, “I’ve had enough of you. All of you liars.” 

Military, police raid Maute compound in Marawi City

The military and police take the fight against the Maute group from Butig to Marawi city with the raid on the Maute compound in Marawi City, Tuesday morning. The search warrant was against Farhana Maute, mother of the leaders of the the local terrorist group. Entering the compound, the troops triggered an improvised explosive device, wounding one SAF trooper. The Maute brothers – Omar and Abdullah – grew up in Marawi City. 

Gore meeting raises hopes Trump will soften on climate

Donald Trump met former Democratic vice president turned environmental campaigner Al Gore on Monday, in the latest sign that the president-elect might rethink his hardline campaign promises on the environment. Trump first suggested he might be willing to support global accords on climate change last month, saying he had “an open mind.” Gore said, “It was a sincere search for areas of common ground.”

Acceptance of torture in war higher

A vast Red Cross survey indicated that acceptance of torture during war has increased dramatically in recent decades. The survey of more than 17,000 people carried out in 16 countries showed that only 48 percent of respondents said it was wrong to torture enemy combatants to obtain important military information, while a full 36 percent said that doing so is permitted and 16 percent said they did not know. In a similar survey conducted in 1999, 66 percent of those questioned said it was blatantly wrong to use torture in such cases. The International Committee of the Red Cross said the result was “shocking” and “disconcerting”. 

Watch Vice President Leni Robredo’s press conference Monday.

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!