https://www.scmp.com/rss/524298/feed The latest news and top stories on Joseph Estrada, former President of the Philippines. He transitioned from a popular film actor to a career in politics, serving as Mayor of San Juan, Senator, and Vice President. Elected President in 1998 on a pro-poor platform, his administration focused on agricultural support, healthcare, and anti-crime initiatives, including an "all-out-war" against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. He was ousted in 2001 following corruption allegations and an impeachment... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Allegations that a small group of retired generals is trying to push the Philippines military to abandon President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr have intensified concerns about how susceptible the armed forces are to political pressure and extra-constitutional manoeuvres. Observers told This Week in Asia the retired officers appear to be drawing inspiration from the 2001 “EDSA Dos” uprising – when mass protests and a unified military command helped force President Joseph Estrada from office – but argued... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3335346/philippines-vulnerable-another-military-triggered-political-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3335346/philippines-vulnerable-another-military-triggered-political-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 10:00:14 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Philippine military chief Romeo Brawner Jnr has revealed he recently rebuffed a group of eight retired generals and colonels who urged him to tackle rampant corruption in the country, a call sources have described as a push for a “soft coup” to withdraw support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and back Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio. General Brawner, who spoke to This Week in Asia after a briefing with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (Focap) on Friday, said the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3328049/how-philippine-military-chief-foiled-soft-coup-bid-undermine-marcos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3328049/how-philippine-military-chief-foiled-soft-coup-bid-undermine-marcos?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 02:00:12 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A growing wave of anger in the Philippines over corruption-tainted flood control projects is spurring activism among university students and other Filipinos that observers say evokes the spirit of past political uprisings. At the University of the Philippines’ main campus in Quezon City, over 3,000 students and lecturers left their classrooms to rally on Friday against what they described as systemic corruption. The university has long been a cradle of student activism and political dissent. Its... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3325392/chilling-corruption-over-flood-projects-philippines-fuels-campus-activism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3325392/chilling-corruption-over-flood-projects-philippines-fuels-campus-activism?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 07:30:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Philippine defence and military chiefs rejected a call for the country’s armed forces to withdraw support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr in response to public outrage over allegations of massive corruption in flood control projects that have implicated several congressmen and public works officials and sparked pockets of street protests. Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr and military chief of staff General Romeo Brawner Jnr issued a joint statement late on Friday expressing their... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3325425/philippine-defence-military-chiefs-slam-call-dump-marcos-over-flood-control-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3325425/philippine-defence-military-chiefs-slam-call-dump-marcos-over-flood-control-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Sep 2025 06:26:53 +0000