FIRING LINE

FIRING LINE: The 2 antecedents By Robert B. Roque Jr. | July 2, 2026 Let me be clear from the outset: I have no intention of rushing to EDSA in defense of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta or his legal battle over what he insists was merely a campaign donation. I am not a member of Iglesia…

FIRING LINE: Black plastics and CKD By Robert B. Roque Jr. | June 30, 2026 As health tips grow ever more visible in my social media feeds, I’m certain many of my age experience the same shock and insecurity about chronic kidney disease and food safety risks we never thought twice about. The deeper you…

FIRING LINE: The only right Beijing has By Robert B. Roque Jr. | June 25, 2026 China has banned our Defense Secretary, the well-versed Gilberto Teodoro, from setting foot on its mainland. Nothing really surprising there. Beijing’s sanctions on the tough and truth-telling Gibo extend to barring his wife and child from entering mainland China,…

FIRING LINE: Classrooms of fear By Robert B. Roque Jr. | June 23, 2026 I can’t stop thinking about it: two incidents, three days apart, both in Cavite. On June 16, a 14-year-old Grade 8 student walked into a Grade 5 classroom in General Trias — teachers were away at a meeting — and stabbed seven…

FIRING LINE: Distraction and shifting alliances By Robert B. Roque Jr. | June 18, 2026 The events of last Tuesday at an event venue on EDSA in Mandaluyong were an absolute circus — shameful! What exactly was Mike Defensor doing? Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian killed that stunt with a simple statement saying Defensor is…

FIRING LINE: PhilHealth: A heartless failure  By Robert B. Roque Jr. | June 16, 2026 There are tragedies that no amount of commentary can improve upon. This one hits hard. Over the years, Firing Line has repeatedly taken the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and even the Department of Health to task over corruption, misplaced…

FIRING LINE: Joel, hear the warning shot By Robert B. Roque Jr. | June 11, 2026 First, let us establish that the photograph circulating on social media First, let us establish that the photograph circulating on social media showing Sen. Joel Villanueva cozying up with Senators Win Gatchalian and Migz Zubiri is an old one. Having…

FIRING LINE: Rainy days and flood days By Robert B. Roque Jr. | June 9, 2026 School Year 2026-2027 is in, and so is the rainy season in the country. And for all its worth, the Marcos Junior administration deserves credit for at least being honest about one thing: it is not making a promise…

FIRING LINE: Jinggoy who cried wolf By Robert B. Roque Jr. | June 4, 2026 The title says it all. For the third time in his political life, Senator Jinggoy Estrada is telling the public he is innocent. The first time was during the jueteng scandal in 2001 that accompanied the downfall of his father,…

FIRING LINE: No-el and the sibling feud  By Robert B. Roque Jr. | June 2, 2026 Using her standing in the Senate, presidential sister Imee Marcos held a political grenade at her brother. She hurls more of a wild accusation than a warning on a supposed “No-el” or no-election scenario in 2028. The thing is…