Faces of the News: December 1, 2024
Romeo Brawner Jr.
Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. rejected former President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for the military to “correct” the “fractured governance” of his successor, President Marcos.
“That is not our job,” Brawner said at a military leadership summit at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Nov. 27, adding that the military would remain nonpartisan and loyal to the Constitution in the face of deteriorating rift between Mr. Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte.
The AFP chief said the military would remain professional and competent, after the former president called for a military action while asking: “Until when will you support a drug addict President?” Brawner assured the Filipinos that the military would make sure “our country is stable because, if we heed the call of others for the AFP, our country will be miserable.” “Military adventurism” like what happened in the past won’t prosper, he said, and “we will not take the law into our hands.”
Brawner also called on men and women in uniform to refrain from airing their political views, for “if we want to do that, better to just resign [and] take off our uniform.” —NESTOR CORRALES
President Marcos
Comparing the matter to a “storm in a teacup,” President Marcos on Friday admitted to asking allies in Congress not to file an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, despite their growing animosity toward each other.
He said it would just be a waste of time and keep Congress from doing its more important duties. In an interview in Lucena City on Nov. 28, Mr. Marcos said he indeed sent a text message to an unnamed ally that he was not keen about such moves against Duterte despite their very public feud.
The President said an impeachment complaint against his onetime political ally won’t make a difference in Filipino lives and would only tie down both chambers of Congress “for nothing.” “As far as I’m concerned, it’s a storm in a teacup,” he stressed.
In the text message, which made the rounds of social media the day before, Mr. Marcos also said Duterte was “unimportant” in the “larger scheme of things” and that trying to impeach her “will only distract us from the real work of governance, which is to improve the lot of all Filipinos.” —JULIE M. AURELIO
Zuleika Lopez
The House detention of Zuleika Lopez, the most senior aide of Vice President Sara Duterte, triggered a most bizarre behavior in her boss.
Duterte, with a contingent from her VP Security and Protection Group, arrived at the Batasan Pambansa complex on Nov. 22 and then refused to leave, locking herself up inside her congressman-brother’s office and joining Lopez in detention.
Going online from the House, a raging Duterte then held the now infamous press conference where she threatened the life of President Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez.
All these transpired because of Lopez, who was cited in contempt during a hearing into her boss’ alleged misuse of confidential funds.
On Saturday, the 10th day of her detention, while she was still in a hospital after suffering a panic attack at the House, lawmakers ordered her release from the chamber’s custody. Lopez, who earned a law degree from San Beda University, has been Duterte’s close aide since 2007 when she was hired as Davao City council secretary by the then vice mayor. —JEANETTE I. ANDRADE
Kevin Quiambao
For the second straight season, La Salle’s Kevin Quiambao was the UAAP men’s basketball tournament Most Valuable Player.
Quiambao led the statistical points race with 81.357 after averaging 16.64 points, 8.63 rebounds, 4.07 assists and a steal to lead the Green Archers to a 12-2 (win-loss) record at the end of the elimination round and advance to the Final Four as the top seed, protected by a twice-to-beat advantage. “KQ (Quiambao) … really put in the work.
It’s not an overnight thing that he just became the person that he is or the player that he is. And it’s just a testament of how he set the barometer for this team [and] he inspired his teammates,” La Salle coach Topex Robinson said, referring to his ward.
The 23-year-old forward became the first Archer to win back-to-back MVPs since Ben Mbala in 2016 and 2017 and the first local to win two consecutive MVPs since Ateneo guard Kiefer Ravena in 2014 and 2015.
“KQ really brought this team to a different level. And it’s always going to be nice to have somebody that really is a part. I’m just fortunate to be a part of KQ’s journey,” Robinson added. –ANGEL B. DUKHA III
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin issued fresh threats to Ukraine on Thursday, saying he could order the firing of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missile at Kyiv in response to strikes into Russia using advanced Western weapons.
He warned that multiple Oreshnik hits would have the effect of a nuclear strike or a “meteorite” blast. Putin spoke hours after Russia bombarded Ukraine with about 100 missiles and 90 drones, damaging Kyiv’s energy infrastructure, according to Agence France-Presse.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy— who pleaded with his Western allies to use their missiles against targets deep inside Russia—called the threat a form of “blackmail.”
The warning came after Putin on Nov. 19 revised the Kremlin’s nuclear doctrine which lowered the threshold for when he could order the use of atomic weapons.
In the new policy, Putin could order such an attack if Russia would be struck by a non-nuclear country that is allied with a nuclear power. The Kremlin could it to be a joint assault by the alliance and retaliate “accordingly.” –PRESS RELEASE
