MANUEL “MANNY” P. MOGATO is Editor-at-Large and opinion writer, writing under the column “In the Trenches.” As Reuters Manila correspondent, he and two other colleagues won the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 2018 for their coverage of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
Deception and Disinformation
China has taught Harry Roque well. In the years when he served Rodrigo Duterte as his spokesman, Roque mastered what China does best regarding strategic communications.
Secession
Recently, there was a new proposal to break away from the Republic as former president Rodrigo Duterte suggested gathering signatures to petition the government to allow Mindanao to become a separate and independent state.
News media: A vanishing tribe
Like dinosaurs, journalists are vanishing in today’s society, replaced my social media influencers and ordinary vloggers who draw much attention to the most mundane issues but which so many people can relate to.
The US, too, is disregarding international laws
Big powers, like the United States and China, have been pushing their own national interests, disregarding international laws and infringing on the rights of weaker and smaller neighbors.
Bringing the dictator back to life
The new form of parliamentary government may start in 2031, perpetuating the Marcos-Romualdez political clan in power and preserving the dictator’s legacy.
