Advertise on podcast: Saksak Sinagol

Best wishes for the Philippines in this new year 2024. Malaumon kita nga kining bag-ong tuig maghatag ug bag-ong kahigayunan alang sa kalambuan sa atong nasud nga Pilipinas.

Do we really need to vote when election day comes? October 30, 2023, was the schedule of the Barangay and SK elections in the Philippines. I exercised my right of suffrage yesterday and voted in the precinct where I was registered. I have noted a lot of things that I am discussing here on this episode.

FIVE policemen from the Mambaling Police Station in Cebu City are facing various cases including kidnapping, rape, and other offenses over alleged acts done during anti-illegal drug operations.The suspects were identified as Police Corporals Johnrober Rebusa, Jeffrey Alabata, Keven Gilbuena, and Police Staff Sergeants Donald Balansag and Joy Marie Alad-ad. Policemen are also accused of being the gunmen in the killing of Governor Ruel Degamo in Negros Oriental. Do you still trust the PNP?

Convicted pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles has been acquitted by the Sandiganbayan in the 16 counts of graft raps relating to the pork barrel scam involving Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., the Sandiganbayan declared. In its decision released and dated May 22, 2023, the anti-graft court’s First Division dismissed the cases against Napoles for the failure of the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in terms of violation of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Aside from the acquittal, the Sandiganbayan has also ordered that the Hold Departure Orders against Napoles, in connection with these cases, be lifted. Why?

The Dept. Of Health said that a total of 131 additional cases of the Omicron subvariants of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) have been detected in the Philippines.Based on the latest Covid-19 Biosurveillance Report, the Department of Health (DOH) said 131 of the 137 samples sequenced from May 9 to 11 were found to be Omicron subvariants and sublineages. This is alarming since it showed Covid-19 is still a threat to the country. Sadly, Filipinos are no longer wearing face masks to protect themselves from the virus and are actively participating in a lot of social activities like concerts, sports events among others. Is it about time that mandatory wearing of face mask be implemented again in the country?

It came as a surprise when former President and senior deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was stripped of her Senior Deputy Speakership last Wednesday, May 17, 2023. It was a move by Congress that has caused speculation of a power struggle in the House. Earlier, there were reports that Arroyo was planning a quo in the House as she wants to return as the Speaker of the House, a position she was holding during the Duterte regime. A day after, on Thursday, Vice-President Sarah Duterte resigned as the Chair of Lakas-CMD, a political party once chaired by Arroyo. Former President Arroyo is a known friend and supporter of Former President Rodrigo Duterte, Sara Duterte's father. Is the relationship between Arroyo and Duterte now getting sour?

Karong Abril 27, saulugon sa mga Pilipino ang Kadaugan batok sa mga buot moulion nato nga mga langyaw. Atong handumon ang kadaugan sa mga Pilipino batok sa mga Katsila nga buot mosakop kanato. Buot natog handumon ang kabayanihon sa gibuhat ni Datu Lapu-Lapu nga nibarug batok sa mga langyaw. Ang Kadaugan sa Mactan kadaugan natong tanan.

The call for all PNP Generals and Colonels to submit their courtesy resignation on made by DILG Secretary Benjur Abalos was a shock to the high ranking officials. Abalos said this is to clean the PNP ranks from the involvement of the law-enforcement department in the illegal drug trade. Abalos described the situation as very severe that the best solution they see is to have all high ranking officials resign and those they see still fit for the position will be left. A 5-man committee has already been created who will assess the PNP official and will recommend to the president whose resignation to accept and declined. The members of the 5-man committee was not named but Abalos assures they are competent and reliable. Abalos explained that the judicial process is too long and arduos if they were to charge the accused PNP Generals and Colonels involved in the drug trade. Asking them to resign is the quickest and most fitting move to give clean the PNP from scalawags. Abalos assured that those who will submit their resignation will still be considered active until the resignation is accepted by the President. The PNP Chief, General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. is not excluded from the call to resign from his post. He even encouraged the General to be the first to do it to set an example to his subordinates. Abalos described the illegal drug trade involving high-ranking police officials as now becoming worst.

On the first day of 2023, around 60,000 passengers all over the country were experiencing problems with their flights, both inbound and outbound. All airports in the country were packed with stranded passengers waiting for their flights, due to a technical problem encountered by the Air Traffic Management Center. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) admitted that their equipments are outdated and should be upgraded to cope up with the required equipment for safe and secure air traffic. Who should we blame for the problem?

The 2022 National Elections in the Philippines can be considered the most successful election in the Philippine history. There were very few election related violence recorded and only very few issues related to counting machines Within just 24 hours, more than 98% of the votes were transmitted and counted. Leading in the Presidential race is Ferdinand Marcos Jr or fondly called Bongbong Marcos or BBM by people. BBM got more than 31 million while his closest rival, Leni Robredo got only more than 14 million votes, less than half of what BBM got. Sara Duterte, BBM's running mate got also more than 31.million votes while her closest rival, Kiko Pangilinan only got more than 9 million votes. The victory of the BBM -Sarah tandem is opposed by the desperate supporters of Leni -Kiko tandem. They are calling for the UP students, who are state scholars but are activists or supporters of the leftists, to walk out and not to report to school and join them in their rallies.

The Inauguration and opening to the public of the Mactan-Cebu bridge on April 27 was very successful.

In this episode, we discussed the devastation of Typhoon Odette to our place and what are the current updates after the Typhoon. We also discuss current events and the Operation Baklas of Comelec in the country after campaign period for national position candidates starts.