https://www.scmp.com/rss/5523/feed Raissa Robles has written for the SCMP since 1996. A freelance journalist specialising in politics, international relations, business and Muslim rebellion, she has contributed to Reuters, the Economist Intelligence Unit, Daily Mail, Times of London, Radio Netherlands and Asiaweek. She runs the award-winning investigative and opinion blog, raissarobles.com. Her book, Marcos Martial Law: Never Again, a brief history of the dictatorship won the 2017 National Book Awards for Non-Fiction. Her Twitter... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine Senate has witnessed political coups, scandals and the occasional shouting match. It had never, until this week, seen a sitting senator sprint down its corridors in a muddy olive shirt, knocking aside female investigators like bowling pins, to avoid an international arrest warrant for crimes against humanity. That was Monday. By Wednesday night, gunshots were ringing out in the building that houses the upper chamber of the country’s Congress. “I worked in the Senate for 15 years... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353668/gunfire-farce-and-fugitive-philippine-senator-bato-dela-rosa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353668/gunfire-farce-and-fugitive-philippine-senator-bato-dela-rosa?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 09:00:07 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio was impeached for the second time by the House of Representatives on Monday, but her immediate Senate trial was thrown into uncertainty after a surprise leadership coup in the upper chamber. Analysts told This Week in Asia that the “razor-thin” majority of Alan Peter Cayetano – the newly installed Senate president and a long-time Duterte ally – could set off another Senate coup and even reinstate Vicente Sotto III, the ousted Senate leader who had... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353156/philippine-lawmakers-impeach-sara-duterte-set-stage-senate-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353156/philippine-lawmakers-impeach-sara-duterte-set-stage-senate-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 09:30:42 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The recently concluded Balikatan joint drills have marked a shift in the Philippines’ defence strategy alongside Japan, with Tokyo offering the transfer of warships to its Southeast Asian ally, while a top Filipino official for the first time voiced “serious concern” over islands claimed by Beijing and Tokyo. Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr on Wednesday said Manila now considered the uninhabited Diaoyu Islands, which Japan calls the Senkaku Islands, a security flashpoint in the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352942/philippines-shifts-defence-strategy-japan-eyes-wider-security-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352942/philippines-shifts-defence-strategy-japan-eyes-wider-security-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 12:25:52 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine House of Representatives has moved Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment closer to a decisive vote, the first step in a week-long process that will test whether allies of President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr have enough support to send the case to a Senate trial. The House placed the impeachment on its plenary agenda on Tuesday, a day after its justice committee endorsed the case, setting up a possible vote by all lawmakers on whether Duterte-Carpio should stand trial in the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352525/philippine-vp-sara-dutertes-impeachment-case-heads-plenary-vote-amid-coercion-claims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352525/philippine-vp-sara-dutertes-impeachment-case-heads-plenary-vote-amid-coercion-claims?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 12:25:33 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles As impeachment looms, Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio and her spouse are firing back at allegations of ill-gotten wealth, with the couple’s combative responses seen as damage control over what critics say will be “smoking gun” evidence to be presented to the Senate. A handful of lawmakers are expecting the House of Representatives to submit Articles of Impeachment against Duterte-Carpio to the Senate soon. “I think she will be impeached by the first week of May. My guess is 160 to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3351660/philippines-sara-duterte-hits-back-against-wealth-allegations-impeachment-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3351660/philippines-sara-duterte-hits-back-against-wealth-allegations-impeachment-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 05:54:12 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines has emerged as the clearest example of what observers say is Japan’s shift towards a more active defence role abroad, with both countries deepening their military cooperation in areas ranging from joint drills to technological partnerships. Japanese forces are taking part for the first time in this year’s Balikatan military exercises hosted by the Philippines, while bilateral cooperation is set to expand after Tokyo eased its defence export rules on Tuesday. These activities... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351190/how-philippines-became-japans-closest-security-partner-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351190/how-philippines-became-japans-closest-security-partner-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:55:22 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Families of victims of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs hailed as a “vindication” on Wednesday the International Criminal Court Appeals Chamber’s refusal to throw out the crimes against humanity case against him. Duterte has been held by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague since March 2025 over killings linked to his anti-drugs campaign while he was in office. His lawyers argued that the court had no authority to try him because the Philippines... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351050/icc-chamber-rules-case-against-rodrigo-dutertes-war-drugs-killings-proceed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351050/icc-chamber-rules-case-against-rodrigo-dutertes-war-drugs-killings-proceed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:37:40 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Balikatan, the flagship annual military exercise between Manila and Washington, begins in the Philippines this month without a single neighbouring Southeast Asian member taking part, despite the drills’ growing scale and multinational reach. Analysts say that hesitation helps explain Balikatan’s place in the region: for some Asean members, it is a reassuring sign of US commitment, but joining it risks looking like a strategic choice in the sharpening rivalry between Washington and Beijing. “To... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350190/why-southeast-asian-nations-are-hesitant-join-major-us-philippine-balikatan-drills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350190/why-southeast-asian-nations-are-hesitant-join-major-us-philippine-balikatan-drills?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:00:12 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine military on Tuesday rejected Beijing’s claim that Manila had staged a “cyanide stunt” near a contested reef in the South China Sea, after Filipino officials accused Chinese fishermen of using cyanide around a grounded warship that serves as a military outpost. “We reject any statement that this is fabricated news,” said Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, a spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines. At the centre of the dispute is the BRP Sierra Madre, a derelict navy... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350083/philippines-rejects-chinas-claim-it-staged-cyanide-evidence-disputed-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350083/philippines-rejects-chinas-claim-it-staged-cyanide-evidence-disputed-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:16:13 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The International Criminal Court (ICC) is expected to issue a written decision by April 28 on whether former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte will stand trial on charges of crimes against humanity over his war on drugs. However, even if the judges decide to proceed with the trial, observers predict that the proceedings will progress at a “glacial pace”, potentially taking years to reach a ruling. Duterte, who governed the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, was surrendered to the ICC in March... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349504/will-philippine-ex-president-duterte-stand-trial-icc-and-how-long?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349504/will-philippine-ex-president-duterte-stand-trial-icc-and-how-long?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles As Japanese combat troops prepare to join war games in the Philippines next month – their first return to Philippine soil since 1945 – some Filipinos say the real issue is not only what Japan is doing now, but what it still has not fully reckoned with from the past. For survivors, activists and historians, Tokyo’s expanding security role in the Philippines has revived what one campaigner called “the elephant in the room” – the absence, in their view, of a formal state apology and official... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348443/japans-wartime-past-weighs-growing-military-role-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348443/japans-wartime-past-weighs-growing-military-role-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles At least 1,000 Japanese armed combat troops will set foot on Philippine soil next month for the first time in 81 years since World War II. Their return, as part of the joint Philippine-US Balikatan military training drills, also signals a dramatic shift in the development of the Indo-Pacific security architecture from a “hub-and-spoke” strategy to one of multiple, overlapping minilaterals, with the region seen as one undivided theatre, experts say. Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief-of-Staff... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348064/japanese-combat-troops-return-philippines-significant-indo-pacific-defence-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348064/japanese-combat-troops-return-philippines-significant-indo-pacific-defence-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 02:01:47 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3347654/traditional-gender-roles-prevail-philippines-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3347654/traditional-gender-roles-prevail-philippines-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines ranks among Asia’s most gender-equal societies by several international measures. Yet ask Filipino women where they truly belong and most will still tell you: at home. A new survey has found that 83 per cent of Filipino women agree “being a housewife is just as fulfilling as working for pay”, up from 70 per cent when the same question was posed in 1994. The findings, released by independent pollster Social Weather Stations earlier in March to coincide with National Women’s Month,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346760/most-filipino-women-think-womans-place-home-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346760/most-filipino-women-think-womans-place-home-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 10:30:11 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles The mountains of the Philippines are quieter now. The jungle bases that once sustained Asia’s longest-running communist insurgency are mostly emptied out. Its tens of thousands of guerrilla fighters have been reduced, by the military’s account, to something “very, very negligible”. After 56 years, the Philippine military thinks the fight is almost over – and that conviction is transforming the armed forces from the inside out. Commanders are overhauling training and strategy, moving away from... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345929/philippines-says-its-communist-rebels-are-defeated-are-they?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345929/philippines-says-its-communist-rebels-are-defeated-are-they?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 06:00:14 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Philippine lawmakers have moved two impeachment complaints against Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio a step closer to formal proceedings, advancing a case that could ultimately threaten her political future as a potential contender for the presidency in 2028. The drawn-out process also carries political risks for both camps, with some lawmakers arguing that a failed Senate conviction could ultimately strengthen Duterte-Carpio ahead of the 2028 race. The House of Representatives’ justice... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345604/philippines-advances-sara-duterte-impeachment-case-not-cakewalk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345604/philippines-advances-sara-duterte-impeachment-case-not-cakewalk?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:25:50 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte have amplified viral claims that Iran could target the Philippines in retaliation for US actions in the Middle East, a narrative analysts say is being used to portray the country’s defence ties with Washington as a threat to national security. The rumours spread widely enough online that the Armed Forces of the Philippines felt compelled to issue a public rebuttal. On Tuesday, armed forces spokeswoman Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said there was... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345317/duterte-allies-use-iran-war-threat-attack-philippines-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345317/duterte-allies-use-iran-war-threat-attack-philippines-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 01:00:11 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s decision to promote coastguard officer Jay Tarriela – despite Beijing’s calls for him to be sanctioned – is being read by analysts as a calibrated signal of how the Philippines intends to manage its maritime dispute with China. Rather than a routine personnel move, they say, the elevation of one of the government’s most outspoken maritime voices suggests Marcos is doubling down on a strategy that pairs public exposure of Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345174/philippines-promotes-coastguard-officer-deliberate-signal-south-china-sea-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345174/philippines-promotes-coastguard-officer-deliberate-signal-south-china-sea-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 13:17:04 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A nationwide mural contest backed by Philippine government agencies has been launched in Manila, the latest in a string of cultural initiatives aimed at shaping public narratives around the South China Sea dispute. Organised by a Manila-based maritime think tank and supported by state institutions including the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the competition invites artists, students and ordinary Filipinos to create large-scale works inspired by the “West Philippine Sea” – Manila’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344326/art-advocacy-philippine-mural-contest-adds-south-china-sea-messaging-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344326/art-advocacy-philippine-mural-contest-adds-south-china-sea-messaging-push?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Public anger in the Philippines over the multibillion-peso flood-control scandal has reopened a debate that has simmered for years: will this finally force politicians to tackle a tax system many Filipinos see as unfair, inefficient and tilted against them? A Senate inquiry late last year heard that politicians and local officials had worked with contractors to siphon off at least 200 billion pesos (US$3.5 billion) earmarked for flood-control projects across the country, with some structures... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343490/anger-over-philippine-flood-fund-theft-fuels-debate-unfair-tax-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343490/anger-over-philippine-flood-fund-theft-fuels-debate-unfair-tax-system?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 09:15:48 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A leaked letter from the Philippines’ foreign secretary has exposed a fault line in the country over how to publicly confront Beijing in the South China Sea, days before the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) created its own maritime spokesman role. The new position was in addition to existing voices from the Philippine coastguard, armed forces and the National Maritime Council. The episode has cast a spotlight on a delicate balancing act in President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s China policy:... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343226/leaked-letter-exposes-fault-lines-philippines-south-china-sea-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343226/leaked-letter-exposes-fault-lines-philippines-south-china-sea-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:55:45 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines “will consider” an invitation from US President Donald Trump to join his proposed “Board of Peace”, Manila’s envoy to Washington said, a move that has drawn scepticism from critics who warn Manila could be embarrassed by signing up to what they see as a volatile, personality-driven initiative. Trump had personally invited President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr to be part of the board, but the Philippine leader had not yet decided whether to accept, Jose Manuel Romualdez said. While... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342946/manila-will-consider-joining-trumps-board-peace-philippine-envoy-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342946/manila-will-consider-joining-trumps-board-peace-philippine-envoy-us?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:13:05 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr may have dodged two impeachment complaints against him, but critics warn that many Filipinos remain sceptical of the move by lawmakers to quash his cases. The complaints were linked to an ongoing corruption controversy over phantom flood control projects, with Marcos accused of swindling taxpayers of billions of pesos. On Wednesday, the president hailed the dismissal of the cases by a congressional committee as a victory, urging the public: “Let’s move... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342549/philippine-activists-decry-failed-bid-impeach-marcos-not-verdict-innocence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342549/philippine-activists-decry-failed-bid-impeach-marcos-not-verdict-innocence?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:43:21 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Dual impeachment cases were filed on Monday against Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte, marking a historic first with the nation’s top two officials each facing twin complaints accusing them of betrayal of public trust. Observers told This Week in Asia that the political exercise, while risking economic collateral damage, could show how a political crisis could be tackled through “institutionalisation” using constitutional means, instead of military intervention. Former congressman Neri... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342147/philippines-faces-historic-dual-impeachments-marcos-duterte-political-crisis-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342147/philippines-faces-historic-dual-impeachments-marcos-duterte-political-crisis-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 14:54:57 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine military and coastguard have stepped up security around a newly announced natural gas discovery off Palawan, treating the operation as a test case for protecting future offshore energy projects in contested waters, according to officials familiar with the deployment. The expanded patrols cover Malampaya East-1, a fresh gas and condensate find about 5km from the existing Malampaya gas field, the country’s most important domestic energy source, which supplies fuel to power plants on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341473/philippines-steps-patrols-around-significant-gas-find-amid-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341473/philippines-steps-patrols-around-significant-gas-find-amid-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 02:00:19 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A 2024 letter signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s Executive Secretary Ralph Recto has become central to a renewed attempt to impeach the Philippine leader over allegations that billions of pesos meant for public health were diverted into infrastructure spending linked to politicians. Left-wing lawmakers and activists refiled an impeachment complaint against Marcos on Monday, accusing him of “betrayal of public trust” for allowing state health insurance funds to be channelled into flood... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341255/critics-philippines-marcos-step-impeachment-calls-cite-smoking-gun-letter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341255/critics-philippines-marcos-step-impeachment-calls-cite-smoking-gun-letter?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:14:38 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles French shipbuilder OCEA is looking for a local partner and site in the Philippines to establish its first shipbuilding venture in Asia, under a France-backed patrol boat programme that Philippine Coast Guard leaders say could be a “game changer” for maritime enforcement. The project, which combines local shipbuilding, French-backed financing and technology transfer, is expected to significantly expand the coastguard’s fleet at a time of growing operational demands in Philippine waters. “OCEA …... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340588/philippines-eyes-game-changer-maritime-defence-french-shipbuilding-boost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340588/philippines-eyes-game-changer-maritime-defence-french-shipbuilding-boost?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 03:00:20 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The first impeachment complaint against Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr was filed on Monday, a move observers said may be aimed as much at pre-empting stronger challenges as at holding the president to account. Filed by lawyer Andre de Jesus, the complaint accuses Marcos of constitutional violations, corruption and betrayal of public trust, citing alleged failures to veto unconstitutional budget provisions and address anomalous flood-control projects. However, several political figures... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340462/impeachment-complaint-against-philippines-marcos-seen-some-inoculation-tactic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340462/impeachment-complaint-against-philippines-marcos-seen-some-inoculation-tactic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 13:00:57 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles For the Philippines, 2026 promises to be a roller-coaster ride of political intrigue as President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his deputy lock horns in an existential clash that risks tanking the economy, dividing military loyalties and derailing Asean’s regional diplomacy. “It will be a very messy year both in politics and the economy,” Philippine Congressman Edgar Erice told This Week in Asia. A showdown now seems all but inevitable: Vice-President Sara Duterte enters 2026 with an approval rating... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340193/philippines-enters-its-hour-danger-marcos-duterte-clash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340193/philippines-enters-its-hour-danger-marcos-duterte-clash?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A visiting forces military deal to be signed between the Philippines and France has put the focus on “operational intimacy”, with observers noting that Paris has a presence in the Indo-Pacific and would serve Manila’s interests well in the contested waters of the South China Sea. The term was coined by French Ambassador to Manila Marie Fontanel, during a freewheeling discussion on Tuesday at her residence. In a bid to balance the implications of the alliance – a first for the Philippines with a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340187/philippines-france-near-defence-pact-boost-operational-intimacy-contested-waters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340187/philippines-france-near-defence-pact-boost-operational-intimacy-contested-waters?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:38:13 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles A Philippine army colonel relieved for his anti-Marcos stance has “voluntarily” returned to his unit and will face charges and psychiatric evaluation, according to his superior. Audie Mongao was on Friday discharged from command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Training Support Group after he publicly withdrew support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr in a social media post, saying “it’s too much, enough already”. Army spokesman Louie Dema-ala said Mongao was “put into attached/unassigned... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339488/philippine-army-colonel-faces-charges-after-anti-marcos-post-goes-viral-amid-coup-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339488/philippine-army-colonel-faces-charges-after-anti-marcos-post-goes-viral-amid-coup-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines has expressed confidence in countering China’s widening influence in contested waters as its navy presses ahead with expanding its fleet, joint activities with foreign partners and the use of unmanned systems. Analysts say these measures would boost the interoperability of the Philippine military across the sea and air, as the South China Sea dispute continues to dominate its security planning. “We are up to the challenge [posed by] … the People’s Liberation Army Navy, Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339264/philippine-navy-confident-it-can-navigate-south-china-sea-dispute-challenge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339264/philippine-navy-confident-it-can-navigate-south-china-sea-dispute-challenge?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 04:00:14 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine military has opted to keep Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio in charge of an army reserve command despite her incendiary public remarks, even as it recently expelled a pro-Duterte lawmaker from the reserve force for politicised conduct. Military officers and defence observers said the contrasting treatment underscores how power, political risk and legal grey zones shape how the Armed Forces of the Philippines disciplines its reservists, as the rift between the president and his... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339179/uniform-justice-why-philippine-military-expelled-lawmaker-not-vp-sara-duterte?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339179/uniform-justice-why-philippine-military-expelled-lawmaker-not-vp-sara-duterte?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:30:09 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Armed Forces of the Philippines has hailed the sudden arrest of retired air force general Romeo Poquiz over inciting to sedition as within the “rule of law”, after a video surfaced of him openly urging the military chief to withdraw support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, whom he described as a drug addict. The country’s leader is grappling with a spiralling corruption scandal over billions of pesos squandered on anomalous flood control projects. Amid mounting public outrage, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338819/philippine-military-backs-rule-law-after-ex-general-arrested-over-sedition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338819/philippine-military-backs-rule-law-after-ex-general-arrested-over-sedition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles “Outraged” medical professionals across the Philippines are urging Congress to curb or scrap what they call “medical pork” – tax money for patient assistance that is channelled through politicians via personally signed guarantee letters – as lawmakers finalise the 2026 national budget. At least 72 medical and health professional organisations have signed a joint petition denouncing the practice, arguing it allows politicians to influence who receives state medical aid in ways that can be used... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3337119/outraged-philippine-doctors-call-congress-rein-lawmakers-medical-pork?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3337119/outraged-philippine-doctors-call-congress-rein-lawmakers-medical-pork?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Dec 2025 07:30:10 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Washington is set to deepen its defence support for the Philippines after approving billions of dollars for a loan and a grant to its Southeast Asian ally next year to counter what an American senator has called “serious threats” from China and its partners. Philippine defence officials have welcomed the approval by the House and Senate in Washington as further evidence of the US commitment to their alliance, even as analysts caution that the bill under the US National Defence Authorisation Act... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336962/philippines-get-us35-billion-defence-aid-counter-serious-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336962/philippines-get-us35-billion-defence-aid-counter-serious-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:11:49 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has urged Congress to fast track a long-delayed law banning political dynasties, but a bill filed by the speaker of the House and his eldest son is drawing sharp criticism for aiming to do the opposite. Days after the president met House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos and others, Dy and the younger Marcos filed the bill on Friday. Lawmakers and critics have slammed the proposal for legitimising and entrenching... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336488/anti-dynasty-bill-philippines-slammed-ridiculous-and-weak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336488/anti-dynasty-bill-philippines-slammed-ridiculous-and-weak?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:38:32 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A plunder complaint filed against Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio has reopened scrutiny of her use of “confidential funds” and opened a new legal front in a political stand-off that could shape the early dynamics of the 2028 presidential race. A highly placed source, who told This Week in Asia about the complaint a week before it was filed, said the move was intended to blunt Duterte-Carpio’s prospects in the 2028 presidential election by tying her down in a prolonged... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336367/plunder-complaint-against-philippine-vp-sara-duterte-attempt-blunt-her-2028-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336367/plunder-complaint-against-philippine-vp-sara-duterte-attempt-blunt-her-2028-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 09:30:09 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A former spokesman for Rodrigo Duterte has claimed that the International Criminal Court is preparing to arrest two of the ex-Philippine leader’s closest allies over his administration’s bloody war on drugs. Harry Roque told This Week in Asia that President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr intended to use such arrests to “destroy the [political] opposition”, arguing that clearing Duterte-allied senators from the chamber would secure the votes Marcos needed to oust Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio – his... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3335662/could-icc-warrants-against-duterte-allies-alter-philippines-senate-balance-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3335662/could-icc-warrants-against-duterte-allies-alter-philippines-senate-balance-power?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:13 +0000 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 The International Criminal Court’s ruling that Rodrigo Duterte is too politically connected to be trusted on interim release – citing his entrenched networks and even a “joke” from his daughter about breaking him out – has entwined the former president’s legal predicament with the political dynamics shaping the 2028 race. Analysts told This Week in Asia that the decision has narrowed the 80-year-old’s room for political manoeuvre while potentially strengthening, under some circumstances, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334797/iccs-denial-dutertes-release-raises-philippines-political-stakes-ahead-2028-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334797/iccs-denial-dutertes-release-raises-philippines-political-stakes-ahead-2028-race?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:48:45 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Mounting corruption scandals and an impeachment push have prompted calls for the Philippine president and vice-president to resign, with legal experts saying a little-known constitutional clause provides for a snap election to be called if the roles are vacated at the same time. A growing chorus from civil society groups and politicians is urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio to step down, with Marcos accused by a political veteran of playing a leading... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334413/what-happens-if-philippine-president-and-vice-president-both-resign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334413/what-happens-if-philippine-president-and-vice-president-both-resign?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 14:18:47 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A former prominent lawmaker now in hiding has released new videos accusing Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s family of orchestrating massive corruption, escalating a scandal that is fast becoming a test of accountability for one of Southeast Asia’s most politically influential dynasties. Observers told This Week in Asia that although Zaldy Co’s allegations remained unverified and required rigorous fact-checking, they struck at the core of a system where budget power, patronage and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3334274/philippine-scandal-escalates-marcos-family-accused-budget-corruption-patronage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3334274/philippine-scandal-escalates-marcos-family-accused-budget-corruption-patronage?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 14:22:34 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine military has confirmed that plots to oust President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr were “not far-fetched”, but downplayed fears of a coup led by troops and said there was “no junta” forming within its ranks. “There is no such thing as a military junta within the [Armed Forces of the Philippines],” military spokeswoman Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said on Tuesday. Her comments come amid rising public anger over a corruption scandal linked to flood-control infrastructure amounting to 100... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334133/philippine-military-says-no-junta-its-ranks-warns-against-destabilisation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334133/philippine-military-says-no-junta-its-ranks-warns-against-destabilisation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 12:53:15 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A searing public broadside by Senator Imee Marcos accusing her younger brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jnr, of using cocaine and cannabis has stunned the Philippines’ political establishment and intensified a bitter feud inside one of the country’s most powerful clans. Delivering her claims to a crowd of 600,000 at a rally organised by Iglesia ni Cristo – a religious group with historic ties to the Marcos family whose name translates to Church of Christ – Imee, 70, said she felt... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3333262/marcos-family-feud-philippine-president-microdoses-cocaine-sister-claims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3333262/marcos-family-feud-philippine-president-microdoses-cocaine-sister-claims?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 10:30:09 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The death of Juan Ponce Enrile has brought an end to one of the most complicated lives in Philippine politics – a man I covered for decades, whose brilliance, ruthlessness and endless reinventions shaped the country as much as they confounded those who tried to understand him. A central figure in the Philippines’ modern history, Enrile served as Ferdinand Marcos Snr’s defence minister during martial law, defected during the 1986 People Power revolt, and eventually reclaimed power as Senate... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3333147/philippines-political-chameleon-juan-ponce-enriles-complicated-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3333147/philippines-political-chameleon-juan-ponce-enriles-complicated-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 02:00:44 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Two of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s most senior cabinet members have resigned, as mass protests and corruption allegations intensify pressure on his embattled administration over the widening flood control corruption scandal. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman quit late on Monday, days after being implicated in the scandal by fugitive ex-lawmaker and former Marcos ally Zaldy Co. The resignations came as a rally, which started on Sunday and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3333145/2-top-philippine-officials-marcos-cabinet-quit-amid-flood-control-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3333145/2-top-philippine-officials-marcos-cabinet-quit-amid-flood-control-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 14:12:45 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The new speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives has pledged to push through a long-stalled law banning political dynasties – despite hailing from one of the country’s most prominent clans and sharing the chamber with multiple relatives. Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, elected speaker in September with near-unanimous support, told lawmakers on November 11 that he would prioritise legislation to finally implement the constitution’s ban on dynasties. Observers say the move could address public... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333121/philippine-speakers-anti-dynasty-push-just-lip-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333121/philippine-speakers-anti-dynasty-push-just-lip-service?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 10:26:32 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A fugitive former Philippine lawmaker has accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr of directing him to add 100 billion pesos (US$1.7 billion) worth of dubious public works projects to the national budget, a claim that throws new fuel on the corruption scandal that has dogged his administration for months. Analysts say the explosive allegation, made in a video sent to reporters by ex-appropriations chairman Zaldy Co, could feed a wider destabilisation push by rival political blocs, including allies... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332876/fugitive-ex-philippine-official-accuses-marcos-ordering-bogus-flood-control-projects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332876/fugitive-ex-philippine-official-accuses-marcos-ordering-bogus-flood-control-projects?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 13:45:26 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles When Typhoon Fung-wong roared towards Luzon this weekend, forecasts invoked grim memories of Haiyan, the 2013 superstorm that killed more than 6,000 people in the Philippines. In Metro Manila, residents braced for disaster. But by dawn on Monday, the capital woke instead to light rain and an uncanny calm. Once again, Luzon’s Sierra Madre mountains – the island’s natural shield – had absorbed the storm’s worst blows. Scientists and environmentalists hail the range as a silent guardian. But they... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3332239/mountains-protect-philippines-typhoons-why-isnt-it-protecting-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3332239/mountains-protect-philippines-typhoons-why-isnt-it-protecting-them?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 13:06:53 +0000