[onlooker]

I doubt he will keep his pledge not to curse regardless of whether God told him too or not. Funny I have some cousins from Colombia SA and they've been cursing since I was a teenager and they still are

[ralfy]

Related, from 2015:

"50,629 assault rifles defective — military"

The rifles valued at P1.9 billion were supplied by the United States-based Remington Outdoor Company but the company still has to replace the defective weapons, according to Col. Noel Detoyato, AFP public affairs chief.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/news/-ma ... itary.html

"Duterte in East Asia: Good news or strategic success"

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/ ... ic-success

"Looking inside the mind of Philippines' Duterte"

In the Philippines, a decades-long strategic alliance with the United States is rapidly deteriorating, the country is pursuing closer relations with its maritime adversary China and an ongoing vigilante drug war is claiming thousands of lives. At the center of these upheavals is Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, the aggressive and pugnacious former mayor of Davao City who was elected president in June 2016.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/813727/ndf ... hing-of-us

In relation to that, there are now talks of negotiations with Muslim separatists:

"Can Philippine President Duterte be a peacemaker? (+video)"

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met with a wanted Muslim rebel leader who emerged after three years of hiding in an effort to jump-start a peace process.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-N ... aker-video

From last August, "Peace talks with NDF to boost business climate – Duterte"

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/ ... te-duterte

"NDF hails Duterte’s bashing of US"

The National Democratic Front (NDF) lauded President Duterte’s anti-US statement, calling it “unprecedented” even as the rebel group urged the President to junk unequal agreements with the US.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/813727/ndf ... hing-of-us

"Businessmen head to Palace to defend Duterte admin"

http://www.rappler.com/nation/148282-bu ... nistration

"Duterte great accomplishments in just 100 days | Peter Wallace"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njMBHS1oPdo

[SeaGypsy]

I doubt he will keep his pledge not to curse regardless of whether God told him too or not. Funny I have some cousins from Colombia SA and they've been cursing since I was a teenager and they still are

[url]
news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/04/16/duterte-says-talk-with-god-just-a-joke [/url]

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said only fools would believe his “joke” that God talked to him and made him promise to stop cursing.
“Ang mga buang, naniwala rin. Hindi naman ako Bar topnotcher pero di naman ako ganoong kagago,” he said in a speech during an event hosted by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.
(Those fools fell for it. I'm not a Bar topnotcher but I'm not that stupid.)
“Ang paborito ko sa Davao magbiro ng kung ano-ano.”
(My favorite activity in Davao was to tell all kinds of jokes.)

This idiot is a f'ken joke.

He swore his head off about the cancellation of a US rifle supply contract 3 days after he returned from Japan.

[ralfy]

Related, from 2015:

"Losing Ground in Asia: Why the U.S. Export Market Share Has Plummeted"

The decline in U.S. market share in Asia shouldn’t come as a complete surprise. One would expect some change with the rise of China. But America’s decline is the worst among all major competitors in the region, with the exception of Japan.

http://www.thirdway.org/report/losing-g ... -plummeted

"Obama Lost His Pivot in Asia and Keeps Losing Ground in Syria"

“The ongoing tectonic shift is that most Europeans, inside or outside the EU structure, are increasingly attracted by the future-oriented initiatives of the BRICS, the Chinese New Silk Road initiative and Russia’s Eurasian Economic Union. The perspective of a win-win strategy of mutual cooperation, driven by innovation and the sharing of benefits, is the only basis for a multi-polar world order and avoiding war,” Vereycken stressed.

https://geopolitics.co/2016/11/03/obama ... -in-syria/

"Rodrigo Duterte Plays U.S. and China Off Each Other, in Echo of Cold War"

The United States is no stranger to misbehaving allies. Even France, when it was led by Charles de Gaulle in the 1960s, repeatedly hedged against Western unity in the Cold War. De Gaulle withdrew from NATO, offered Mao diplomatic recognition and opposed British integration into new European institutions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/04/world ... d-war.html

"Duterte v. the United States: The empire slaps back"

Duterte’s foreign policy initiatives support a narrative that Asian tensions are reduced—and a more robust regional security architecture enhanced—by the US stepping away from Asia, and not the other way around.

http://www.atimes.com/duterte-v-united- ... laps-back/

"Will Duterte’s Pivot to China Start a Chain Reaction Across Asia?"

Nonetheless, when it comes to the Philippines it is important that Washington will adjust to the ‘new normal’ in bilateral relations, whereby the new Filipino government no longer treats its relations with America as special and sacrosanct as before. America should be more forthcoming with its military commitments to the Philippines, stop equivocating on the coverage of its Mutual Defense Treaty with Manila (will it cover South China Sea disputes or not?), and build bridges with the Duterte administration on its signature policy of ‘war on drugs’. Instead of just criticizing Duterte, America should also assist in terms of intelligence cooperation (against organized crime groups) and provide aid for the creation of rehabilitation centers for hundreds of thousands of drugs users, who have surrendered to the government. Above all, America should get its own house in order after a messy election season, which has injected doubt into the robustness of American democratic and governance institutions.

http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/10/25/dut ... -to-china/

"The Limits of Duterte’s US-China Rebalance"

Getting there, however, will not be easy. The United States would need to convince Duterte that it can play a greater role in the advancement of some his administration’s priorities that are in the national interest in spite of his own personal biases against Washington. Given the state of the relationship now, simply advertising the good work that already goes on in the alliance – including drug seizures that have occurred at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport with the help of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) – will be insufficient.

http://thediplomat.com/2016/10/the-limi ... rebalance/

[ralfy]

In relation to this topic:

"In win for Duterte, Philippine Supreme Court permits hero's burial for former dictator Ferdinand Marcos"

http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg ... story.html

From 1989:

"REAGAN AND THE PHILIPPINES: Setting Marcos Adrift"

Marcos constantly - sometimes desperately - sought American approval. And for years, though he abused human rights and, with his wife, Imelda, plundered the country of billions of dollars, the United States coddled him for the sake of its Philippine bases. As Franklin D. Roosevelt had said, justifying his support of Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza, ''He may be an S.O.B., but he's our S.O.B.''

Ronald Reagan, by contrast, genuinely cherished the Marcoses. In 1969, Governor and Mrs. Reagan visited Manila, where Imelda's opulent parties dazzled them. From then on, Reagan, impressed by Marcos's exaggerated stories of his exploits as an anti-Japanese guerrilla, counted him among the world's ''freedom fighters'' in the struggle against Communism. In Reagan's eyes, as one of his aides mused later, Marcos was ''a hero on a bubble-gum card he had collected as a kid.''

http://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/19/magaz ... drift.html

From CBS News, 1986:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmFv_GlltMA

[ralfy]

Related:

"The Philippines’ ‘buwaya problem’"

So now we know what the culprits are, right? Wrong policies, weak institutions. Therefore, Reader, you should ask: Who are responsible for these? Short answer: our political leaders (now the connection to elections is clear). This I call our “buwaya problem”—which is the surfeit in this country of political leaders “whose decisions, supposedly taken for the public good, are in truth motivated by a desire for private gain and result in policies and projects that impoverish rather than enrich our country.” The “buwaya problem” is compounded by even more greed, because these politicians find “public service” so lucrative that they decide to make a family enterprise out of it, creating dynasties.

http://opinion.inquirer.net/93477/the-p ... ya-problem

"Buwaya" means "crocodile."

https://tl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buwaya

[ralfy]

Related:

"Lee Kuan Yew on Marcos and the politics of the elite"

From Lee Kuan Yew:

“Only in the Philippines could a leader like Ferdinand Marcos, who pillaged his country for over 20 years, be considered for a national burial. Insignificant amounts of the loot have been recovered, yet his wife and children were allowed to return and engage in politics…”

http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2016/04 ... tics-elite

[ralfy]

"A Trump Business Partner Is the Philippines’ New U.S. Envoy"

The timing of President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines couldn’t be better. Before Donald J. Trump’s election victory, the Philippine leader had already named Mr. Trump’s business partner in Manila as a special envoy to the United States.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/10/world ... tonio.html

[ralfy]

From last May:

"Duterte on being likened to Trump: ‘That son of whore!’"

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/787285/dut ... of-a-whore

[ralfy]

Mentioned previously, from last August:

"Trump: Filipinos are terrorists and animals"

According to Agence France-Presse, the Republican Party presidential bet Donald Trump strengthened his fight against immigrants in his rally in Portland, Maine on Thursday (Aug. 4). “We are letting people come in from terrorist nations that shouldn’t be allowed because you can’t vet them,” said Trump. He then named these countries as Afghanistan, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Uzbekistan, Yemen and the Philippines, and piped up, “We’re dealing with animals.”

http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/0 ... nd-animals

[ralfy]

Related:

"Pres Duterte appoints Igorot lawyer as Justice Dept envoy"

President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Cheryl L. Daytec-Yangot, an Igorot lawyer with vast experience in human rights, environmental, indigenous, labor, criminal and administrative law practice and litigation, as assistant secretary of the Department of Justice.

http://www.baguiomidlandcourier.com.ph/ ... /life1.txt

"Igorot people"

Igorot, or Cordillerans, is the collective name of several Austronesian ethnic groups in The Philippines, who inhabit the mountains of Luzon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igorot_people

[vox_mundi]

Philippines' Duterte to U.S. over aid: 'Bye-bye America'

President Rodrigo Duterte threatened Saturday to terminate a pact that allows U.S. troops to visit the Philippines, saying "bye-bye America" as he reacted with rage to what he thought was a U.S. decision to scrap a major aid package over human rights concerns.

A U.S. government aid agency, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, said earlier in the week that its board deferred a vote on a renewal of the development assistance package for the Philippines "subject to a further review of concerns around rule of law and civil liberties."

The agency has clearly not voted to scrap or approve the aid package, but Duterte unleashed an expletives-laden tirade upon his arrival in his southern hometown of Davao after back-to-back visits to Cambodia and Singapore. Referring to a 1998 accord that governs American forces visiting the Philippines for joint combat exercises, he said ...

... "We can survive without American money," ... "But you know, America, you might also be put to notice. Prepare to leave the Philippines, prepare for the eventual repeal or the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement"

Speaking with reporters Friday, Duterte also told U.S. workers or troops to “ “Start packing your things and get out of my country,” “You want to come back here? You pay us. You want bases here? Pay us.” .”

"You know, tit for tat ... if you can do this, so (can) we. It ain't a one-way traffic," Duterte said, adding tauntingly, "Bye-bye America."

As many as 600 U.S. troops are currently stationed in the Philippines, and at least two major training exercises involving American and other forces are held in the country each year.

While calling Americans "sons of b------" and "hypocrites," Duterte praised China as having "the kindest soul of all" for offering what he said was significant financial assistance. "So, what do I need America for?" he asked.

He also said Russia can be a very important ally. "They do not insult people, they do not interfere," he said.

Like Trump, he jokes a lot ...

After ‘disgusting’ gang rape joke, Philippine presidential contender Duterte widens lead

While referencing a 36-year-old Australian lay minister named Jacqueline Hamill, who was held hostage, raped, had her throat slashed and was shot in 1989, he said, “I was angry because she was raped, that’s one thing. But she was so beautiful, the mayor should have been first. What a waste.”

And yes, he was referring to himself.

Duterte on threat to leave UN: Just joking

Philippines: Duterte confirms he personally killed three men; not serious

Rodrigo Duterte Says His Admission of Opioid Abuse Was a Joke but Concerns Remain

Duterte said that his doctor ordered him to stop using the powerful painkiller because he was “abusing the drug” by going beyond the prescribed dosage, reports the Philippine Star.

"I was only given a fourth of (the whole patch), but no more, because of course my doctor learned that I was using the whole patch because I felt better," he said. "When he knew it, he made me stop and he said, 'The first thing you would lose is your cognitive ability.'"

Such a Funny Guy! /sarc Goodfellas Video

Duterte says 'talk with God' just a joke


Last 6 months

[dbruning]

I assume if the agreement with the US is ended, China will get their 3rd point they need to claim the South China Sea?

If Trump actually made those comments, I can see why China is working so hard to be friendly.

Does the man not look ahead at all?

[ralfy]

Related:

"Ignoring Mexico, ICC picks on Philippines"

http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2016/10 ... hilippines

From 2014:

"Extrajudicial killings remain biggest rights problem under Aquino - US report"

http://interaksyon.com/article/81778/ex ... -us-report

From 2010:

"Philippines poll 'hit by drugs trade'"

Narco-politics has become a major issue in the Philippine election campaign following the release of a US state department report in which it expressed concern that the illicit drug trade may influence the outcome of the May 10 poll.

http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/as ... rugs-trade

[ralfy]

Related:

"How Countries Like the Philippines Fall Into Vigilante Violence"

But the true roots of the problem can be traced to the administration of Mr. Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno Aquino III. That is because, experts say, the true cause of this kind of extrajudicial violence is the public’s loss of confidence in state institutions and its turning instead to more immediate forms of punishment and control.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/12/world ... lence.html

[SeaGypsy]

That is utter bullshit. I was living there & the same crap was entrenched, back since about 6 months after Corazon Aquino's inauguration. The people hoped EDSA & the overthrow of Marcos would inevitably fix things. Fact is entrenched endemic corruption of a very violent nature has been standard behaviour in the Philippines since anyone paid attention. Blaming a particular President is absurd.

[onlooker]

Yep, I hear about it so much from South America as my parents are from Colombia. Corruption has been around forever and crime and violence also. Seems like we owe it to the Conquistadores ie. Spaniards. Well, guess Philippines also has to thank the Spaniards for all that. It is almost like a Mafia type governments.

[SeaGypsy]

Nothing almost about it Onlooker, but in this case the Godfather is a total crackpot. In the last 2 weeks before Christmas in the only Catholic country in Asia, he- stated repeatedly he murdered suspects to show the guys how it's done. Called the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights an idiot for calling on the authorities to investigate said muders. Had a hissy fit about non renewal of US aid grants, calling China a beautiful friend, for giving aid no strings attached, never mentioned the fact that already in his term the Chinese have militarised every installation they have in the South China Sea. Bragged that in his time only beautiful women were raped, lamenting druggies who these days rape anyone. Anyone who still thinks this guy is in any way normal needs their head read.

[ralfy]

Related:

"Meth gangs of China play star role in Philippines drug crisis"

In President Duterte's war on drugs, there's an elephant in the room. Even as he seeks closer ties with Beijing, the mainland is his country's main source of narcotics - and drug-control officials say little is being done to stanch the flow.

http://www.reuters.com/investigates/spe ... ugs-china/

"Mexico's war on drugs: what has it achieved and how is the US involved?"

Felipe Calderón launched the war after being elected in 2006, and since then the US has donated at least $1.5bn – but the biggest costs have been human

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/d ... s-billions

[ralfy]

"US ex-envoy plotting Duterte fall – source"

Not only did former United States Ambassador Philip Goldberg leave the Philippines with a legacy of fractured relations between the two countries, he allegedly left behind a “blueprint to undermine Duterte,” a strategic recommendation ostensibly to the State Department for the ultimate removal of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte from office, according to a highly placed source. It is not clear, however, if the State Department in Washington DC had given its imprimatur to the recommendation by its former ambassador to the Philippines.

http://www.manilatimes.net/us-ex-envoy- ... ce/303868/