When the world was much less interconnected, it was already difficult to keep the internal conflicts of nations from spilling beyond their borders.  It seemed axiomatic even then for protagonists in civil wars to seek outside support.  At the same time, external forces tended to see in civil wars opportunities to expand their influence or … Read more

In the light of the P10-billion pork barrel scam allegedly masterminded by Janet Lim-Napoles with the implied consent of members of Congress, some groups now seek to focus public attention on President Aquino’s own pork barrel. So as not to muddle the issues, we might usefully sort out the various meanings attached to the term … Read more

The correct term is “state’s witness,” says Dr. Sylvia Ventura, my professor in English at the University of the Philippines. To turn “state’s witness” is for a suspect, an accused, or a convicted person to give testimony against his or her accomplices or associates in a crime in exchange for immunity from prosecution, or reduced … Read more

It’s been almost two months now since the pork barrel scam was first reported by the Inquirer. The newsworthiness of this event has been unusually protracted. People ask how this will end and what good things, if any, might come out of it. Apart from the prosecution and jailing of the individuals who took part … Read more

A “double take,” Webster’s Dictionary tells us, is “a delayed reaction to some remark, situation, etc., in which there is at first unthinking acceptance and then startled surprise or a second glance as the real meaning or actual situation suddenly becomes clear…” That is exactly what many probably experienced after President Aquino proclaimed he was … Read more

Rather than heed the growing public clamor to scrap the pork barrel portion in the current national budget, President Aquino has justified retaining it while calling for tighter control over its use.  He argues that the system of reserving funds for projects identified by legislators has the advantage of benefiting communities and addressing needs often … Read more

The pork barrel scam—whose intricate web of ghost projects, fictitious beneficiaries, and fake nongovernment organizations is unraveling before the nation’s eyes—is a good example of a “discrepant event.” This is a term used in science education to refer to something that happens contrary to expectation, a phenomenon without a visible cause, begging for explanation. I … Read more

The Inquirer periodically hosts no-holds-barred sessions with people in the news who seek to air their views on current issues.  On such occasions, newsmakers get to meet the paper’s reporters, editors, photographers, and columnists like myself who sometimes write about them.  A mutuality of interests drives these discussions.  The newspaper gets an exclusive close-up snapshot … Read more

During certain periods, crime acquires a high visibility, the result usually of diligent reporting by the mass media. “Moral panic” sets in, putting pressure on the police and the courts to show that justice is not asleep. Thus, for a while, the public may be treated to a flurry of arrests and a surge of … Read more

In the three years he has been president, P-Noy has been able to maintain exceptionally high trust and approval ratings.  This is perhaps not too difficult to explain.  Observe him: He is the first chief executive of this country to consistently speak to Filipinos in the Filipino language.  He has done this in every State … Read more