OPINION

FIRING LINE: 2 decisions from whom? By Robert B. Roque Jr. l October 15, 2026 While in Singapore, President Bongbong Marcos announced to a quizzing media crowd that his DICT Secretary Henry Aguda is out, and so is his PCO Secretary Dave Gomez. Those two Cabinet exits in a single weekend subsequently raised more questions…

FIRING LINE: Badge of exposure By Robert B. Roque Jr. l October 13, 2026 The government has every right to write rules meant to serve the greater number, if not all the citizens it serves. Regulating online commerce in order to appropriately identify legitimate sellers and curb fraud is a sensible aim of concerned agencies like…

FIRING LINE: Enough of patronage politics By Robert B. Roque Jr. | April 21, 2026 There is nothing novel about enforcing order in the streets. What is new Enough of patronage politics Senator Robin Padilla is one of the names being floated in discussions for the vice presidency in 2028, largely on account of his winnability….

FIRING LINE: The irritating cost of government seminars By Robert B. Roque Jr.  l March 17, 2026 A few months ago, social media was abuzz over Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) delegates who reportedly went to Thailand for a “seminar,” accompanied by more telling photos of their “major, major” itinerary, including riding elephants. That alone raised eyebrows…

FIRING LINE: 7 deadly signs By Robert B. Roque Jr.  | February 5, 2026 What the proud Philippine National Police (PNP) organization presented last Monday were numbers that are certainly impressive — on paper. A reported 24.32 percent drop in “focus crimes” nationwide in January, from 3,236 cases last year to 2,449 this year, is…

FIRING LINE: Political breeding  By Robert B. Roque, Jr. | December 30, 2025. I want to think young Congressman Leandro Leviste is straight as an arrow, and in the habit of putting himself out there in the naked light of social media to bare uncomfortable truths for the public good. He has certainly cast himself…

FIRING LINE: Another time for Torre to shine By Robert B. Roque, Jr. | December 25, 2025. A few days after the unceremonious axing of Gen. Nicolas Torre III as PNP chief, Malacañang rushed in front of seething opinions by way of an assurance. Press Officer Claire Castro said there was no fault in Torre…