Katataspulong

On Political Dynasties

by Sonny Pulgar | May 8, 2026 | Articles

The Constitution is explicit in its intent to abolish political dynasties. During the 1986 Constitutional Commission, Prof. Emmanuel Nolledo described political dynasties as a “social malady.” No doubt, Nolledo personally witnessed the proliferation of political dynasties prior to the drafting of the 1987 Constitution.

Regrettably, when Corazon Aquino acquired vast powers after the People Power Revolution, the constitutional prohibition against political dynasties became more of a scarecrow than an enforceable safeguard. The Commission failed to include specific implementing provisions against political dynasties. The Constitutional Commission could easily have inserted a provision—perhaps no more than ten to fifteen words—that would have made the anti-dynasty policy self-executing. But they did not. Why? Because many of the incoming victors fresh from the revolution had family members who believed, at the time, that their surnames carried political magic.

Among these were the Aquino family, the Binay family, the Guingona family, and others ad infinitum. Cory Aquino herself may have been contemplating the future of her family’s political legacy. Perhaps she envisioned her only son, Benigno Aquino III, eventually succeeding her, with the Filipino people viewing it not as dynastic succession but as an exception born out of gratitude for the sacrifice of their family patriarch in service to the nation.

Another reason the anti-dynasty provision was left non-self-executing may have been the expectation that the media would serve as the principal critic of political families whose dominance violated the spirit of the Constitution. Cory Aquino and her anti-Marcos allies relied heavily on journalists and columnists who, by track record, had been deeply critical of political dynasties during the Marcos era. However, many of those prominent columnists—such as Max Soliven and Joe Guevara—have long since passed away and were replaced by a new generation of opinion writers whose principles, some critics argue, are less steadfast.

KUNG MAMALASIN KA NGA NAMAN, BABY!!

by Sonny Pulgar | Feb 19, 2026 | Articles

Mukhang minalas si BMW Aguirre dahil he was appointed DoJ Sec noong June 2016 kung saan miembro pa ng Rome Statute (crimes vs humanity treaty) ang ‘Pinas. Sinipa sya noong April 2018 dahil sa pangongotong sa mga STL franchisees at high rollers tulad ni Jack Lam sa local casinos. By May-June 2016 sumipa na ang Tokhang Pogrom. Libo agad ang dedo. Style ni Digong gulatin ang nababaliw na bansa sa pagkain ng pangulong ala Dirty Harry. Dinala nya sa mga 5-star hotel ang kanyang mga testigo vs Leila de Lima, arch enemy ni Rody. Acting super lawyer sa Kongres na puro bahag ang bayag sa bagong presidente. Tawanan. Hagalpakan. Kapag sumasagot ang testigo sa mga tanong ni Vit Aguirre. “Panu tinatawag ka ni Sec de Lima, Joniel?” Sagot ng testigo, “sir…Joooonnnielllll…!” At “Kung bagyo ang pagtatalik nyo ni Sec Leila, anung signal ito?” Sagot ng testigo, “signal number 5 po!”

During the 2016 House of Representatives congressional inquiry into allegations against then-Justice Secretary Leila de Lima involving the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) drug trade, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II announced that a group of high-profile Bilibid inmates were brought (and later presented) under oath to testify before the House Justice Committee against De Lima.

According to contemporaneous reports and the New Bilibid Prison drug trafficking scandal summary, the inmates who were presented or identified as testifying during the hearings included:

Inmates Brought/Testifying Against De Lima
• Herbert “Ampang” Colangco – Convicted drug lord and robbery gang leader.
• Noel Martinez – High-profile inmate.
• Rodolfo Magleo – High-profile inmate.
• Jaime Patcho – High-profile inmate.
• Jojo Baligad – High-profile inmate.
• Froilan Trestiza – High-profile inmate.
• Hans Anthony Tan – High-profile inmate.
• Peter Co – High-profile inmate.
• Jaybee Sebastian – Noted gang leader and convicted inmate included among witnesses/testifiers.

These figures were identified in press coverage and documented summaries of the House proceedings as the inmates whose testimonies or statements were used by Aguirre’s DOJ team to allege De Lima’s involvement in coddling or benefiting from drug trafficking inside the NBP during her tenure.

Note: Some news reports also listed alternative names in smaller batches (e.g., Engelberto Durano, Nonilo Arile, Vicente Sy, Jojo Baligad, Jaime Patio), but the fuller compilation from the New Bilibid Prison drug trafficking scandal account represents the broader set of inmates linked with presenting testimony during the formal House Justice Committee inquiry.

Aguirre was animated by the 100% cooperation of the House Committee on Justice where his cumprovinciano Danilo Suarez was a member of. For 20 months he was the sitting DoJ Secretary with full sway of the NBI, PDEA and the Bureau of Immigration. Any independent initiative to investigate salvaging was botched, thanks to the classmate of the president at San Beda Law. But Aguirre wanted to surpass in terms of wealth his kababayan businessman DC Garcia who is a Mulanay native. His son Aris Aguirre, now mayor of Mulanay, was routinely heard bragging in all Barangay celebrations, “mas mayaman na kami kesa kay Ka Doming!” The Aguirres flaunted their wealth during the 2022 local elections where ?5k per voter’s budget was openly distributed.

Kung mamalasin nga naman

Vit Aguirre, fresh from removal of his prostate, settled in Mulanay, his Kamhantik Hotel finally operational after his mayor-son swiftly issued occupation permit despite encroachment of a riverbank.

Upon his dismissal from the DoJ, he still cozied up to Digong begging for replacement position. Then the unexpected happened: A lawyer backstopped by Sonny Trillanes filed a case before the ICC invoking the Rome Statute indicting Duterte of crimes against humanity. [The first lawyer who filed a complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC) alleging crimes against humanity was Filipino attorney Jude Josue Sabio. He submitted the initial communication to the ICC on April 24, 2017 on behalf of his client, self-confessed former hitman Edgar Matobato, accusing Duterte and several senior officials of involvement in extrajudicial killings linked to the Philippine “war on drugs.”]

The patakbuhing lawyers of Duterte, the likes of Marcoleta Medialdea and Panelo prevailed upon Duterte to withdraw from the treaty. They were rebuffed by the SC. Notwithstanding withdrawal, the effects of the treaty remain outstanding while RP was a member: until date of withdrawal. From withdrawal, Vit Aguirre was the Justice Secretary from July 2016-April 2018.

Sapol ang Bopol!

Here’s a more complete list of the Philippine House of Representatives members involved in the 2016 congressional inquiry tied to allegations of drug proliferation at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) — the inquiry often associated with criticisms and accusations against then-Justice Secretary Leila de Lima (later senator). The investigation, initiated under House Resolution No. 105 in the 17th Congress, was handled by the House Committee on Justice, led by its chair, and supported by several House leaders who filed and backed the resolution.

Committee Leadership
• Reynaldo Umali – Chairman, House Committee on Justice, who presided over the hearings into the NBP drug syndicate issue.

Authors and Supporters of House Resolution No. 105 (Probe Initiators)

These members authored or co-authored the resolution that led the House Justice Committee to conduct the inquiry (passage in August 2016):
• Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez – House Speaker and principal author of HR 105.
• Rodolfo “Rudy” Fariñas – House Majority Leader.
• Raneo Abu – House Deputy Speaker/author.
• Eric Singson – Deputy Speaker/author.
• Karlo Alexei Nograles – Committee member/author.
• Romeo Acop – Committee member/author.
• Michael John Duavit – Committee member/author.
• Jerry Treñas – Committee member/author.
• Abraham Tolentino – Committee member/author.
• Paulino Salvador Leachon – Committee member/author.
• Danilo Suarez – Committee member/author.
• Eric Martinez – Committee member/author.

Notes on Committee Participation
• Some of these members were part of the House Committee on Justice or participated in related hearings and proceedings concerning the inquiry into the NBP drug trade and oversight of the Department of Justice.
• While these names were tied to the resolution’s filing and early stages of the investigation, not all may have sat on every hearing as active questioning members; a few were supporting sponsors of the directive that triggered the full committee to act.

What if the SC sets due process parameters on the validity of ICC warrants of arrest?

by Sonny Pulgar | Feb 18, 2026 | Articles

If the Supreme Court of the Philippines (SC) sets due process parameters on the validity of arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), the impact would be significant — legally, politically, and constitutionally.

Here’s what that could mean:

1. It Would Clarify the Philippines’ Judicial Role

Even though the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019, the SC could rule that:
• Any ICC warrant enforced within Philippine territory
• Or any arrest carried out by Philippine authorities at ICC request

must comply with constitutional due process guarantees, such as:
• Valid judicial review
• Probable cause standards
• Protection against unreasonable arrest
• Right to counsel

This would not invalidate the ICC itself — but it would regulate how ICC processes operate domestically.

—–

2. It Could Require Local Judicial Review Before Arrest

The SC might say:

An ICC warrant cannot be automatically enforced; it must first be reviewed by a Philippine court to determine compliance with constitutional rights.

If that happens:
• Arrests based purely on ICC warrants could be challenged.
• Philippine courts would act as a constitutional filter.

This reinforces the principle that international law operates domestically only within constitutional limits.

—–

3. It Raises the Sovereignty Question

The core issue becomes:
• Is an ICC warrant self-executing?
• Or must it pass through domestic constitutional safeguards?

If the SC requires strict due process review, it signals:
• The Constitution remains supreme over treaty obligations.
• International cooperation must respect national sovereignty.

This aligns with past SC doctrine that treaties are valid but remain subject to the Constitution.

—–

4. It Could Affect ICC Cooperation

If due process standards are set very high:
• It may delay or complicate arrests.
• It could create procedural hurdles for ICC cooperation.
• It might discourage automatic compliance with future ICC actions.

However, it would not necessarily prevent cooperation — only regulate it.

—–

5. It Could Set a Global Precedent

Few countries have squarely ruled on how ICC warrants must align with domestic constitutional protections.

If the Philippine SC lays down detailed due process parameters, it could influence:
• Other constitutional courts
• International law scholarship
• The balance between sovereignty and international criminal justice

—–

6. Politically, It Would Be Sensitive

This would likely affect:
• Ongoing ICC investigations related to the drug war
• Executive–Judiciary dynamics
• The Philippines’ relationship with The Hague

The ruling could either:
• Be seen as protecting constitutional rights, or
• Be viewed as shielding individuals from international accountability

depending on how it’s framed.

—–

Bottom Line

If the Supreme Court sets due process parameters for ICC warrants:
• ICC warrants would not be automatically enforceable.
• Domestic constitutional protections would govern arrests.
• The ruling would redefine how international criminal law interacts with Philippine sovereignty.

The Resurrection of Sara Duterte

by Sonny Pulgar | Jun 21, 2025 | Articles

The Dutertes are a Clear and Present Danger Part 2

by Sonny Pulgar | Jun 12, 2025 | Articles

• They will secede or
• They will tinker with the Constitution
• Dynasties will be institutionalized
• Suspension of the Bill of Rights
• Rappler is muzzled, for one including TM
• Enforcement to the hilt of Anti-Terror Act
• The Supreme Court will be fielded into three divisions in three major islands: Luzon Visayas Mindanao (all packed with the likes of Sal Panelo or Harry Roque (who is forthwith(!) pardoned))
• Civil Society and the Church are threatened with ‘bloodbath’
• Opposition or what remains thereof is labelled as ‘Tambaloslos’
• Romualdezes driven out of the country their assets sequestered under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt practices
• And what takes the cake: Tokhang is here to stay
• NPA will be amnestied and will be co-opted under the Misuari strategy: ‘Buy ‘em!’ anyway we are friend with China
• China? Well, we deliver our mines and soil (for reclamation at China Sea). UNCLOS is a bad word
• Dante Marcoleta is the Chief Legal Counsel
• INK is part of the government Council of Elders
• PACQ? He is pardoned and his media empire resuscitated
• Marcoses? Imee suffers the fate of Elon Musk
• Pharmally becomes the official procurement supplier
• Bong Go retains his romantic caregiving services to RRD in his (RRD) remaining years
• Bato is the permanent Chief of Staff via a Presidential Decree
• Kitty is now DC mayor
• Honeylet Avanceña’s turf is the BoC
• And the FG? Atty. Mans Carpio has the New InFirm and houseband to Sara and father to Stonefish
• Remember: Sara is 50 years old only in 2028.
• Under the Dutertes, we soon realize what the fairy tales last sentence means: We leave happily ever after!

Between Scylla and Charybdis

by Sonny Pulgar | Jun 8, 2025 | Articles