Philippine politics and economics

[Wicked Roger]

This is HK but it's a chilling reminder to those who believe they have nothing to be concerned about here.

Man acquitted of drug trafficking sues Hong Kong police for more than HK $3. 9 m over 'planted evidence'.

Writ says computer technician Lam Wai-IP, 51, who was detained for over a year, had no pockets on him the day police claimed they found drugs in his pockets.

http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law...ampaign=buffer

GE and I and posted earlier about an Aussie in Red Planet Makati, but this happened every day before D30 was president so why not comment on that. Plenty examples but you only now blame 1 person when really the corruption is endemic IMHO.

Look to YouTube find "Big Trouble in Thaliand" and read the Thai police complaints and see it happens there also (so it is alledged). Happened in Australia long time ago for sure (I think was NSW police).

But then I did not see complain one iota about those incidences. So why now? Nothing new and people should be vigilant wherever in the world they not just PI. Yes?

[Amavida]

Interesting follow up:

Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu expressed doubts over police claims of a shootout with Dimaukom and nine of his men.

Mangudadatu told a television interview he doubted the police claim that Dimaukom was an illegal drug suspect.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/20...mayors-killing

[GoodEnough]

Agreed, every day this madness is allowed to continue the job of closing Pandora's box becomes less likely. So sad to see this beautiful country being trashed. Not my fight. I'm out of here.

Though you've made the reasoning leading to your decision clear, I think it's based on a series of unproven assumptions, the most questionnable of which is that the street-level instability will increase to the point where you and other expats will be in danger. I don't think this will be the case though it is within the realm of possibility. The more I listen to educated, rational Filipinos, the more I agree with RK's prior statement which I've adopted to some extent: I'll continue to be wary, but for the moment I'm not panicking or packing my bags.

You speak of "this beautiful country" as if to suggest that prior to the ascension of Duterte, the place was somehow Edenic; the fact however is that it was a corruption-ridden kleptocracy kept afloat by continuous exploitation of the poor, and falling rapidly to the bottom of the ASEAN barrel. It's my opinion that a significant segment of the population saw Duterte as a means of finally changing the status quo that developed literally over more than three centuries. I also think it's much to early to know whether he will be successsful and to know how this will all play out.

I've now lived in Davao for about 14 years, and Duterte--aside from a brief stint when his daughter was in charge--was the Mayor for all of that time. It occurs to me that if his reign in Davao provides any clue to his term as the president, then I'll be quite safe.

I can always exercise the option of leaving, and that will remain available to me. For the present however, I'm staying put.

GE.

[Amavida]

Maybe the cops in Philippines don't have throwdown guns. Or maybe it is as it appears.

They don't need to. AFP & PNP are officially above the law now.

[Amavida]

I have a long term chatmate whose father had previously (pre Duterte) spent time in jail for drug usage. My chatmate friend assures me he stopped drugs after he got out. During the week police swooped on him as he was walking to work and arrested him finding drugs on him. Fortunately there was no threats to his life. They are demanding 11 k to release him and not prosecute. Now my chatmate friend could be creating the story to scam me (unlikely I have known her too long) or maybe the father is lying to his kids about drug usage (unlikely they see him every day). It is naive to think that you can give law enforcement / government carte blanche to ignore the rule of law to achieve one specific goal and not have blowback and undesirable results beyond that one goal. Now maybe this corruption within the police was occurring before anyway and maybe one isolated example does not create a theme. But I can't help but think the cat has been let out of the bag and it will be very hard to catch the cat even when all the mice are dead.

Agreed, every day this madness is allowed to continue the job of closing Pandora's box becomes less likely. So sad to see this beautiful country being trashed. Not my fight. I'm out of here.

[Amavida]

This is HK but it's a chilling reminder to those who believe they have nothing to be concerned about here.

Man acquitted of drug trafficking sues Hong Kong police for more than HK $3. 9 m over 'planted evidence'.

Writ says computer technician Lam Wai-IP, 51, who was detained for over a year, had no pockets on him the day police claimed they found drugs in his pockets.

http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law...ampaign=buffer

[Jack Burton]

Your cynicism is well placed. Look at the pics of the scene. All vehicles sprayed with rounds. This was a hit.

Maybe the cops in Philippines don't have throwdown guns. Or maybe it is as it appears.

[Jack Burton]

Trump advocates increases in defense spending. Not sure where the fight is.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/06/politi...ing-sequester/
Let's see the voters decide. Not sure if the college educated, women and minorities are considered oligarchs. The built in advantage for the US is. Wait for it, immigrants. The much maligned group has helped out age demographics.
(no comment)

We (in the USA) are behind on the demo curve, and that is a great thing. Philippines are too far behind, not so good. I am helping that by moving. Soros, Gates, Buffett, Damon, heads of ABC / CBS / NBC / Comcast / Fox are white male oligarchs, last I checked. Government jobs (best paying regular jobs) run 20% white male. Lot of college degreed over 60 white males doing fun things like greeting at Walmart, or asking if you'd like fries with that. So Asia looks like a land of opportunity, teaching English to eager learners. Beats teaching in an urban USA School. Oh, I don't support Trump. Just another wannabe oligarch.

[Wicked Roger]

I have a long term chatmate whose father had previously (pre Duterte) spent time in jail for drug usage. My chatmate friend assures me he stopped drugs after he got out. During the week police swooped on him as he was walking to work and arrested him finding drugs on him. Fortunately there was no threats to his life. They are demanding 11 k to release him and not prosecute. Now my chatmate friend could be creating the story to scam me (unlikely I have known her too long) or maybe the father is lying to his kids about drug usage (unlikely they see him every day). It is naive to think that you can give law enforcement / government carte blanche to ignore the rule of law to achieve one specific goal and not have blowback and undesirable results beyond that one goal. Now maybe this corruption within the police was occurring before anyway and maybe one isolated example does not create a theme. But I can't help but think the cat has been let out of the bag and it will be very hard to catch the cat even when all the mice are dead.

PNP and corruption is nothing new and I can provide simialr examples pre D30. I can tell about the corrupt traffic police in Burgos who tried to scam an friend who has lived in Manila for 25 years. The police reaction to his reaction was amusing especially when he called the chief of police LOL.

Unfortunately this is the Philippines, too many examples to write about and is yet another issue the new administration has to try and resolve as nothing was done under the previous ones and some could say it was left to flourish as they would not give the police a decent salary. Many examples of police rubbing out others (was one about 2-3 years ago), police holding up a car on EDSA in what people thought was an arrest but turned out to be a shake down (again roughly 2 years ago).

Too many to mention and anyone who says this is only happening now has had his head in the sand or is called Amavida.

11 k seems a small amount IMHO but who I am to judge. There are undesirables in all walks of life just IMHO many more in the police, judiciary and political elite in this country than say many other countries I know of.

If you know her well maybe was not a scam but I have some ask cash for odd reasons even though I knew / know her well. One recently wanted a passport renewal so asked for 10 k until I pointed out the fees (I already know them) on places like a web site (official) and facebook.

So it is your judgement MA.

[Ms Account]

This whole dirty mess is far from the noble cause some would have it -.

The "war against drugs" is now being used as a convenient excuse by the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to undertake illegal arrests against citizens. Cristina Palabay, secretary general, Karapatan.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/opini...gs-ruse-506348

I have a long term chatmate whose father had previously (pre Duterte) spent time in jail for drug usage. My chatmate friend assures me he stopped drugs after he got out. During the week police swooped on him as he was walking to work and arrested him finding drugs on him. Fortunately there was no threats to his life. They are demanding 11 k to release him and not prosecute. Now my chatmate friend could be creating the story to scam me (unlikely I have known her too long) or maybe the father is lying to his kids about drug usage (unlikely they see him every day). It is naive to think that you can give law enforcement / government carte blanche to ignore the rule of law to achieve one specific goal and not have blowback and undesirable results beyond that one goal. Now maybe this corruption within the police was occurring before anyway and maybe one isolated example does not create a theme. But I can't help but think the cat has been let out of the bag and it will be very hard to catch the cat even when all the mice are dead.

[Amavida]

This whole dirty mess is far from the noble cause some would have it -.

The "war against drugs" is now being used as a convenient excuse by the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to undertake illegal arrests against citizens. – Cristina Palabay, secretary general, Karapatan.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/opini...gs-ruse-506348

[Amavida]

Dude. Umm, did you need to flood it with multiple posts? Could you just consolidate into one post?

Yeah.

I did.

I feel better now. . 😜

[Amavida]

Seemed a little fishy, but who knows. 10 guys in 2 different vehicles and they only had 13 baggies of shabu. (and all 10 guys died, but no Police were injured.) Ok, maybe they were the worst criminals ever. Too stupid to just throw out the 13 baggies before the checkpoint. Too dumb to be able to fire a gun properly and / or take cover behind their vehicles.

Your cynicism is well placed. Look at the pics of the scene. All vehicles sprayed with rounds. This was a hit.

[Random99]

The latest headline from the WSJ: "Philippine Police Gun Down Mayor in Antidrug Campaign. " Perhaps we underestimated Duterte and he is really serious about his war on drugs.

Here is a link to the report. http://www.wsj.com/articles/philippi...ign-1477643054.

Seemed a little fishy, but who knows. 10 guys in 2 different vehicles and they only had 13 baggies of shabu. (and all 10 guys died, but no Police were injured.) Ok, maybe they were the worst criminals ever. Too stupid to just throw out the 13 baggies before the checkpoint. Too dumb to be able to fire a gun properly and / or take cover behind their vehicles.

[Random99]

Fox.

The foul-mouthed Philippine president, who once called the pope a "son of a *****" and told Barack Obama to "go to hell," says he has promised to God he won't spew expletives again.

http://foxbaltimore.com/news/offbeat...o-stop-cursing

Dude. Umm, did you need to flood it with multiple posts? Could you just consolidate into one post?