IN A community of nations, the Philippines has an important role to perform to help promote the world's peaceful existence. It is a give-and-take affair and in every dealing or transaction, mutual respect for any nation is imperative.
One of the issues where the Philippines is deeply criticized is in the field of human rights and the Duterte administration's much-ballyhooed war on drugs has attracted considerable attention and concern. It has been repeatedly criticized and even formally indicted in international fora and opinion.
The Iceland-sponsored resolution lambasting the country's extra judicial killings has inflamed the country's top leader who is sensitive to a fault and has even infuriated him to the point of ordering his minions to temporarily suspend aids and grants from countries that supported the United Nations' probe of alleged human rights abuses in the Philippines brought about by Duterte's brutal war on illegal drugs.
The 18 countries led by Iceland are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, Iceland, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and Uruguay plus the countries of France, Germany and Sweden.
Finance chief Carlos G. Dominguez III clarified the presidential directive thus: It does not mean a permanent cancellation of the talks, but only meant a deferment pending the assessment of the Philippines' relations with these countries.
But remember, Secretary Dominguez, sir, we cannot be choosy as beggars.
Question: Does the suspension mean that we will eventually sever diplomatic relations with the aforesaid nations?
Dominguez answered this query: The suspension only covers those under negotiation and will not affect existing loans and grants that are already being implemented. So there...
The Philippines' brutal war versus illegal drugs has resulted to thousands being killed, warranting the tag "extrajudicial killings" since no judicial process obviously was observed as the common excuse of the apprehending police officers on apprehended drug pushers or users is: "Nanlaban kasi eh." Sus!
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I had a brief but cordial encounter with First District Board Member Cherry Manalo last Saturday, September 28, 2019 at her residence in Barangay San Joaquin, Mabalacat City and she exuded confidence on her accomplishments not only for her cabalens in Mabalacat City but also for the entire first district of Pampanga.
I submitted to her the documentary requirements for a college scholarship at the Mabalacat City College of my daughter Kristine which she promptly certified as priority. Thanks, BM Cherry!