Latest news with #ML
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
De Lima unfazed by Pulse survey showing 50% 'disagree' with VP Sara's impeachment
ML party-list Rep.-elect and House prosecutor Leila de Lima is unfazed by the unpopularity of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment, as shown in the latest Pulse Asia survey which showed at least 50% disagreed with the move. "Wala pong epekto iyon [survey]. Para sa akin, and ganun rin siguro ang nasa isipan ng mga iba lang member ng prosecution panel, na hindi po kami magpapadala sa surveys ng ganyan," De Lima said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB on Tuesday. (Surveys have no bearing at this point. We prosecutors won't be swayed by that.) "Kasi parang yung election din ito, diba. Sa election, may mga surveys. Pero, I always believe na ang tunay na surveys, election day mismo. Nakita natin ito noong nakaraan na eleksiyon lang na hindi talaga tumugma 'yung naging surveys," added De Lima. (It happened last election; the pre-election surveys did not match the election results.) "Dito sa usapin ng impeachment, kailangan lang makita, malaman ng mga tao, during the presentation of evidence, kung gaano kalakas yung mga ebidensya. At siguro, kung malakas talaga ang ebidensya, magbabago yung kaisipan ng ilan o karamihan dun sa mga surveys na 'yan," explained De Lima. (When it comes to impeachment, the public just needs to know what the evidence is and the weight of such evidence. If the evidence is airtight, they will change their minds and the survey results will change.) Public opinion De Lima also said that it is premature to ask the public about the impeachment trial since the full-blown proceedings has yet to start. "Iyong totoong magiging public opinion rito is during the impeachment proceedings... as it goes along, habang pinepresent na lalo ng prosecution iyong mga ebidensiya," said De Lima. (The true public opinion will surface during the impeachment proceedings, once the evidence are presented.) According to the report on the survey conducted from May 6 to 9 nationwide among 1,200 registered voters, 28% agree with the filing of the impeachment case by the House of Representatives. The survey had an overall margin of error of ±2.8 percentage points. A copy of the report on the results has been posted on Pulse Asia's website. Twenty-one percent could not say if they agreed or disagreed. Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, 2025 with over 200 congressmen endorsing the complaint against her. She was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes mainly over alleged misuse of around P612.5 million worth of confidential funds and threatening to kill President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., his wife Liza and the President's cousin and Speaker, Leyte First District Rep. Martin Romualdez. The Vice President, for her part, said she is looking forward to her impeachment trial in the upcoming 20th Congress because she 'wants a bloodbath,'' noting that her legal team is on "full throttle" in their preparations. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
De Lima: Premature to ask senators VP Sara endorsed to recuse from impeachment trial
'As a lawyer and former Justice Secretary, I believe that every senator has the duty to judge the impeachment based on the evidence and the Constitution. Nothing more, nothing less," De Lima said. It is premature to ask senators whose candidacies have been endorsed by Vice President Sara Duterte to recuse themselves from her impeachment trial, ML party-list Representative-elect Leila De Lima said on Monday. De Lima, a former senator and a former secretary of justice, instead called on the senators to rule on the articles of impeachment against Sara Duterte based on the evidence and the 1987 Constitution. 'As a lawyer and former Justice Secretary, I believe that every senator has the duty to judge the impeachment based on the evidence and the Constitution. Nothing more, nothing less," De Lima said. "So ang hiling po natin ay hindi mag-recuse o mag-inhibit, kundi tumingin sa ebidensiya, at tuparin ang sinumpaang tungkulin sa mga Pilipino,' she added. (Our wish is not for them to recuse or inhibit but to look at the evidence and do their sworn duty to the Filipinos.) De Lima is a member of the prosecution panel of the House of Representatives. She said it was important to stick with the impeachment process, and senator-judges should have the chance to prove their mettle and integrity, given that the trial will air on national television for the public to witness. 'Masyado pang maaga para ikonsidera ang issue ng possible inhibition. Tingnan muna natin kung ano talaga ang mga magiging asta o mga pahayag nila kapag mag-umpisa na ang impeachment trial proceedings,' De Lima said. (It is premature to consider the issue of possible inhibition. Let's first see how the senators will carry themselves when the impeachment trial proceedings start.) 'Dahil televised ang proceedings, makikita rin ng taumbayan kung makatwiran at makatarungan ang paghuhusga ng senator-judges, at hindi lamang batay sa loyalty sa kung kaninong politiko,' she added. (Since the proceedings are televised, the public will be able to witness if the Senator judges will be reasonable and can deliver justice instead of deciding based on loyalty to a certain politician.) Under the Constitution, the conviction of an impeached official requires 16 votes or two-thirds of the 24-member Senate. For an impeached official to be acquitted, he or she needs nine. The Vice President was impeached by the House of Reentatives on February 5, with over 200 congressmen endorsing the complaint against her. She was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes mainly over alleged misuse of around P612.5 million worth of confidential funds and threatening to kill President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., his wife First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and the President's cousin, Speaker, Leyte First District Rep. Martin Romualdez. The Vice President said she is looking forward to her impeachment trial in the upcoming 20th Congress because she 'wants a bloodbath,'' noting that her legal team is on "full throttle" in their preparations. –NB, GMA Integrated News
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Review: The Fertile Earth by Ruthvika Rao
Ruthvika Rao's The Fertile Earth is a beautifully narrated tale of cruelty, power imbalance, and love that brings to life Telangana's feudal past and the rise of both the CPI(ML) and Hindutva in the region in the 1960s. Surendra Deshmukh lives with his family in a gadi, a traditional fortified mansion, that towers over the village in Irumi. As landlords, the Deshmukhs' 'authority… and their power over the lives of those who lived in Irumi was absolute.' Surendra has two nieces, Vijaya, a pre-teen girl, and four-year-old Sree. Their mother showers Sree with love and despises Vijaya, who assumes this hatred is because she is dark skinned while Sree is pale. As a result, Vijaya dislikes her sibling. Sree, unaware of this dynamic, often tails her older sister everywhere. Ranga and Krishna are sons of the washerwoman at the gadi. Ranga, the elder sibling is trusted deeply by the Deshmukhs. Krishna and Vijaya are classmates and become friends when he stands up for her against the school bully. Krishna wants to impress her, which leads him to agree to her proposed expedition into the forest to catch a man-eating tiger. Things go horribly wrong for both sets of siblings, and the incident becomes the turning point of their lives. Ranga takes the blame and is punished with the cruellest of whippings by Surendra Deshmukh in the presence of his mother and other workers. Krishna is sent away to Hyderabad to pursue his education on condition that he never return. The novel begins with the shocking image of the heads of members of the Deshmukh family on pikes. The year is 1970 and by then, the public execution of landlords by the people's court of Naxalites is a common occurrence. The book then traces the events that lead the Deshmukh family to this grisly end, taking the story back to 1955 when Vijaya and Krishna had just befriended each other as kids. Their friendship and budding yearning for each other becomes the frame within which the events unfold. Rao's writing is descriptive, sharing a vein with recent books such as Abraham Verghese's The Covenant of Water and Tejaswini Apte-Rahm's The Secret of More. Unlike Verghese, Rao's intricate detailing isn't targeted at a non-Indian readership. She creates vivid landscapes, describes the architecture, and shows the everyday life at the gadi. She even includes a few Telugu and Marathi dialogues without translating them for English language readers. It is difficult to grasp the exact meaning but the context nonetheless allows you to interpret the words. Occasionally, however, the beauty of the writing is overshadowed by errors such as a mention of the Arts College at Osmania University having five floors (it has two) or of a full moon on Diwali, which is only ever celebrated on a new moon night. Still, the reader is able to ignore these and focus on the story. Interestingly, the most powerful family in Irumi has only daughters and doesn't mourn or long for sons. The Deshmukhs are quite content with their women, even if somewhat controlling of their interaction with the outside world. As always, associations of upper-caste women with men who are not from their strata are severely frowned upon and those involved are punished. Women, despite their high status, do not have the agency to choose who they want to be with, whereas the converse is somewhat acceptable — in fact, associations between upper-caste men and lower caste women are conveniently ignored despite the negative consequences. Often, lower-caste women are sold for two rupees and a bag of grain, which leads many of them to join the Naxalite movement in search of respect. In a drunken state, Surendra Deshmukh once acknowledges the brilliance of Ranga and Krishna and wishes they too were upper-caste. It is this realisation that is the basis of his cruelty towards them; social inferiors were not supposed to be brilliant in skills and thinking. 'Two aberrations! Two who do not fit into the moulds created for them. One? One can be broken, sanded down, made to fit. But two? Two's too many, Ranga. What to do then? Break them both? No. It won't work,' he says. 'No. What you do is break one and make the other watch. Sever what binds them. That's how you get them to fit.' And so Surendra Deshmukh is completely cruel to Ranga, and to all others who need to be controlled. Krishna isn't as transgressive as his brother. In fact, when he comes to the forefront of the Hindutva movement questioning land rights in Hyderabad in the 1960s, he chooses not to participate. His friend Gagan, the one who starts the movement, reminds him of his past in Irumi, a past that separated him from his family. But Krishna simply wants to live a decent life, get his doctorate, and marry Vijaya, if she agrees to spend her life with him. Rao writes all her characters with empathy; she shows all sides of a situation through them without advocating for right or wrong. Even when she describes Surendra, she ensures that his unspoken love for his nieces is apparent. No one is villainised or glorified. They are presented in all their (in)humanity, which frees the reader from seeing them only through the binaries of good and bad, right and wrong. The novel incorporates a lot of research on the feudal system and the politics of the Telengana region in the 1950s and '60s. However, Rao prioritises telling a good story with its many twists and turns over putting her research efforts on display -- a temptation that many experienced authors worldwide cannot resist. A real page turner, The Fertile Earth is a spectacular debut. Akankshya Abismruta is an independent writer.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Apple offers additional trade-in discounts for new iPhones in China
Apple is offering additional trade-in discounts for new iPhones in China until June 18, according to its website on Friday. Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories
GMA Network
6 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Lawmakers react to Cabinet shakeup: ‘Necessary reset if done right'
President Bongbong Marcos speaks during Presentation of Newly Enacted Laws to Stakeholders in Malacañang on Thursday, May 22, 2025, during which he joked about his Cabinet being "in flux." President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. must show that he is sincere and decisive in his bid to "realign" his administration, ML party-list Representative-elect Leila de Lima said Thursday, in the aftermath of Marcos' asking his Cabinet members to tender courtesy resignations after the midterm elections. 'I take note of the President's decision to reorganize his Cabinet following the administration's performance in the midterm elections. It reflects an awareness that the public expects more—more coherence, more competence, and more decisive leadership from this government,' de Lima said in a statement, one of several congresspeople who reacted to the news of the shakeup on Thursday. 'A Cabinet revamp, if done right, can serve as a necessary reset in the remaining half of his term. Pero, kailangan munang ipakita ni PBBM [But Marcos must show]: first, his sincerity, and second, his decisiveness and firmness in his governance. Otherwise, magpapatuloy ang nagiging perception ng marami na isa na siyang lame duck na pangulo [the perception that he is a lame duck will linger],' de Lima added. House Quad Committee chairperson and Surigao del Norte Representative Ace Barbers, for his part, said the President's move will enable him to replace underperforming top government officials, including those who do not defend him during times when he and his government are under attack from critics or from the opposition. 'I believe he should appoint to the Cabinet people who have unquestionable integrity and loyalty to him and his administration…people who as his alter ego can deliver their respective mandates to the people that we serve and will not think twice in condemning Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea and defend him on other national issues thrown against him and his administration,' Barbers said in a separate statement. 'The President is on the right track. And he must act promptly and decisively in order to preserve the gains of his administration,' he added. House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan of 4Ps party-list, on the other hand, said the Cabinet reshuffle shows the President's commitment to responsive and effective governance. 'The reorganization presents an opportunity to reinforce institutional coherence, improve policy implementation, and deepen public engagement,' he said. 'Change, when led by a clear vision and strong leadership, can infuse new energy and sharpen focus in tackling the pressing challenges of our time. We fully support the President's efforts to advance a dynamic and inclusive national agenda,' he added. Policy change, not personnel change But for Kabataan party-list representative elect Renee Co, a Cabinet reshuffle should always be done in the name of performance, not loyalty, to effect policy changes. 'Pagbabantayan ito ng kabataan. Ayaw na nating ma-scam ulit. Sa totoo lang, trying hard masyado na magmukhang in charge si Marcos Jr., pero hindi tayo convinced. This is part of their political war preparations for 2028 against the Dutertes,' Co said. (The youth will remain vigilant about this. We do not want to get scammed again. In truth, they're trying hard to make it look like Marcos Jr. is in charge, but we are not convinced.) Co said as it is, several big issues—including the jeepney modernization program; the K to 12 program that added two more years to high school; contractualization; red-tagging; and low wages—are still burdening the public. 'The people have been presenting him solutions, but the President is not even agreeable to a wage hike. Ang bara ay nasa mga mismong polisiya at programa, hindi sa mga tao lang na nagpapatupad,' Co said. (The bottleneck in government programs is with the policies, not with the people who implement them.) 'Kung legitimate effort ito, hindi lang tao-tao dapat ang magbago, pero ang pamumuno at programa ng gobyerno na bola ni Marcos Jr. mismo,' Co added. (If this is a genuine push for reform, changes should go beyond top officials.) — BM, GMA Integrated News
