COMPARE the theories publicly espoused so far on what or who are trying to depose President Duterte and/or subvert his administration:
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Tattoo on Duterte’s hand
The president has a small tattoo on his right hand, just below the fold of his thumb and index finger. (Location of the tattoo supposedly identifies the area where the member belongs.)
The tattoo stands for the “Magic Group” of the Guardians Brotherhood, a soldiers group the Davide Commission found to “have been in nearly each coup attempt since July 1986,” including that which tried to topple Cory Aquino and reinstate Marcos.
The Guardians Brotherhood started in 1976 during martial law as an informal soldiers’ group known as the “Diablo Squad.” Later they got civilians as members, including Duterte and his peace negotiator Jesus Dureza. The English-language “South China Morning Post,” which broke the story last Aug. 5, noted that Duterte is “the first ever Philippine head of state to sport a tattoo.”
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Obituary on Page 1
Overheard at City Hall:
Every morning, a bitter critic of the mayor would buy a newspaper at the street corner newsstand, look at the front page, swear and throw the unread paper into the trash can. One day, the news vendor couldn’t contain his curiosity any more and asked his customer what he was doing day after day.
“I want to see an obituary,” the man said.
“But sir, the obits are in the inside pages, toward the back. Not on Page 1.”
“Believe me,” the man said, “the obit I’m looking for will be on the front page.”
[bzzzzz@sunstar.com.ph or paseares@gmail.com]