Context Dispatch

Senator Risa Hontiveros is optimistic that Lin Xunhan, the alleged kingpin of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs), will testify at the Senate hearings. Hontiveros believes Lin, also known as Lyu Dong, may connect to dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo. Captured by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission last week, Lin's testimony could be pivotal in shedding light on the illegal activities associated with POGOs, which have been implicated in various scams and criminal acts, including torture.

In a significant announcement, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has asserted that no one will be exempt from scrutiny in the reopening of cold cases related to extrajudicial killings linked to the previous administration’s controversial “war on drugs.” Remulla emphasized that even former President Rodrigo Duterte could face investigation as authorities delve into the killings of drug suspects, which were reportedly sanctioned by his administration. The Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation are now gathering testimonies that allege rewards were given for these killings.

The ongoing feud between former allies President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte has taken a shocking turn, with Duterte threatening the Marcos family over recent attacks. In a bold statement during a recent interview, she warned Senator Imee Marcos that she would unearth the remains of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the family patriarch, if the attacks on her do not cease. “If you don’t stop, I will dig the grave of your father and throw him into the West Philippine Sea,” she declared. The late president is buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, a resting place designated by Duterte's own father during his presidency.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former Vice President Leni Robredo, who faced off in the 2022 presidential elections, shared a handshake during the inauguration of the Sorsogon Sports Arena. Senate President Francis Escudero noted that Robredo waited for Marcos’s arrival, unlike other guests who left early. He described the meeting as “symbolic” and a potential step toward healing their political differences.

While a 6 percent economic growth rate is commendable, it is insufficient to reduce the Philippine poverty rate to single digits by 2028, according to economist Bernardo Villegas, known as the “Prophet of Boom.” He asserts that an 8 percent annual GDP growth is necessary to lower the poverty rate to 9 percent within the next four years. The poverty rate has decreased to 15.5 percent in 2023, down from 18.1 percent in 2021.