Philippine news

StrategyPage on the Philippines, on the various "insurgent" groups,  and on the Chinese war to take over our fishing grounds (and the sea lanes to Japan)

key quote:

Duterte has said he will follow an independent policy with regard Chinese aggression but is not cancelling previous deals that have American and other friendly nations sending more armed forces to the Philippines to help their Filipino counterparts and get in the way of Chinese aggression. China also has to be careful because Duterte is apparently incorruptible so their usual “how much do you want” tactics would probably backfire with Duterte who is willing to consider other options in the South China Sea as long as they are legal and do not harm Filipino interests. That is not good news for the Chinese.

the background of that part about bribery is HERE.

There were allegations that the Arroyo government’s sell-out of Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea was connected to a number of multi-million dollar Chinese loans for projects that became riddled with graft and corruption.- See more at: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/223510/opinion/china-s-spratlys-intrusions-connected-to-gloria-arroyo-deal#sthash.MryV8BsX.dpuf

More from SP: Austin Bay HERE.

Beijing's audacious island manufacturing strategy in the South China Sea has provoked fierce Vietnamese and Filipino resistance. China creates artificial islands then says they are Chinese territory. The larger pseudo-islets now have air bases capable of handling jet fighter-bombers.

hear the protests of the green/environmentalists over the destruction of the ecology! (anyone? anyone?). Nah, because the greens are essentially leftists who only hate the west...and are too busy parroting China's green claims to notice (and ignoring their pollution, contaminated food, and counterfeit goods).

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that part about corruption? all the low level crooks politicians are worried... The rumor here is that the new mayor got a photo of the previous mayor buying votes and may prosecute her for corruption.

the joke is that everyone buys votes here... and the poor figure they all are crooks so why not take the money and run?

There is sort of a feud between the clans behind the local elections, since her father ordered a hit on his family that killed several of them (and killed our nephew in the crossfire).