SUMMARY
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
Dear Rappler reader,
Death, sacrifice and persecution. As the Holy Week ushers itself in, these themes play out in the political landscape, with President Rodrigo Duterte morbidly telling kids he will kill for them, Secretary Leonor Briones endorsing the deadly war on drugs, a sacked cabinet member saying he’s a sacrificial lamb and Duterte diehards organizing a rally to kick-out the Vice President.
Below are the big stories we think you shouldn’t miss.
“They say I kill people. I really kill people if they destroy our children.” Speaking before Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte told kids as young as 4 years old last Monday that he has killed and will kill again for their sake. He also told them about “generations” of criminals.
“I strongly decry the senseless and violent murder of two innocent female students last Sunday April 2, in Siquijor.” Education Secretary Leonor Briones on Thursday, April 6, said the deaths dramatizes the need to support the Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.
“The first station of the Cross: Jesus is condemned to death.” So goes the voice of Paterno Esmaquel, who reads the Bible verses that go with 360 degree videos, as Rappler takes us on a virtual tour of 14 churches across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao this Holy Week.
“We will operationalize the ceasefire as soon as guidelines are approved in subsequent meetings.” Chief peace adviser Jesus Dureza said as negotiators of the Philippine government and the communist National Democratic Front, on Wednesday, signed an agreement to forge an interim joint ceasefire that will silence the guns while the two parties hammer out a final peace deal.
“We haven’t gone through an administration that, at one point or another, has not had some issue with the media in general and ABS-CBN in particular,” ABS-CBN Chairman Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III said of President Rodrigo Duterte’s tirades against the media giant. Lopez made the statement in response to a question from a concerned stockholder at the firm’s 2017 annual stockholders’ meeting. Duterte had accused ABS-CBN and the Philippine Daily Inquirer of “unfair” reporting on his administration.
“I tried to explain to the President but he wouldn’t listen.” Surrounded by teary-eyed employees, his family, and top officials of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), former interior secretary Ismael Sueno described himself as a “willing victim” in President Rodrigo Duterte’s fight against corruption. He was unceremoniously sacked Monday, after Duterte confronted him about corruption allegations in front of the Cabinet.
“My wish is for the success of President Duterte because his success is the success of the country.” Former President and now Pampanga representative Gloria Arroyo celebrates her birthday for the first time in Pampanga after being cleared of plunder charges last year. She had been under hospital arrest from 2012 to 2016.
“If a President asks you to serve in whatever capacity, you cannot say no, that’s for the country.” Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr said Wednesday, he would accept a Cabinet post if offered by President Rodrigo Duterte. Marcos will be eligible for a government post once the one-year appointment ban on losing candidates lapses in May.
“Stop shaming the President.” Detractors of Vice President Leni Robredo chanted over and over again in Luneta, calling for the ouster of Vice President Leni Robredo. Dubbed “Palit Bise” (Change the Vice President), the rally came as Duterte supporters campaigned hard to take Robredo out of office after she criticized Duterte’s bloody war on drugs abroad. The police estimated that there were around 4,500 people who participated in the April 2 rally which spilled over to the early hours of April 3.
“Ang trip nya, chick pala. Wala tuloy akong napala.” So goes the song “Leslie” about falling in love with a gay girl by band Rocksteddy. Since coming together in 2003, Teddy Corpuz, Jeff Cucullo, Christian Sindico, and Juven Pelingon have since taken the Pinoy music scene by storm, and have released 4 studio albums. v– Rappler.com
Add a comment
How does this make you feel?
There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.