Philippine Democracy Online

by Christopher Ryan Maboloc, PhD  The Nepalese Government banned social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram in the country, causing anger among GenZs who are considered as digital natives. The youth have used social media to express their sentiments against the state. The government wants to silence online dissent. However, social media is also part of the daily life of the youth since many use these platforms to communicate to each other, do business, or maintain contact with their relatives abroad.  Banning the use of social media platforms made the youth feel that they have been deprived of their rights. The violent protests started on September 4, 2025. Some youth protesters have stormed and burned the Parliament and the homes of some government officials despite the presence of government security forces. Twenty-two people died on the first day of protest, including a 12 year old. The protests have forced the prime minister to step down. But what was really the ro...

Dr. Godiva Eviota-Rivera, whose life’s work turns the hope of peace into a living reality. In a world often overshadowed by division and despair, the pursuit of peace can seem elusive—an ideal glimpsed but rarely grasped. Yet for those who dedicate their lives to reconciliation, peace is not merely an end goal; it is, above all, a gift. A friend and mentor once shared a conviction that continues to shape my own understanding: “Peace is a gift that should be given fairly.” This deceptively simple truth reshapes our imagination of peacebuilding. It moves us away from viewing peace as a negotiation or a prize for compliance, and instead toward seeing it as an act of grace—a commitment to mutual recognition, compassion, and justice. Peace as a Gift To see peace as a gift is to acknowledge its sacredness. It cannot be demanded, purchased, or coerced. It can only be offered—freely, with dignity, and with fairness. Such a vision changes how we approach conflict resolution. Peace should never ...

  By Francis Jeus Ibañez  Justice as Ethical Governance, Not Political Theater Justice in the Philippines must be more than a punitive reaction—it must be a sustained ethical and political commitment. And in this light, Vice President Duterte represents something often absent in today’s polarized leadership landscape: constitutional restraint coupled with administrative discipline. Her track record is not mere political decoration: A legal education that informs her approach to governance Executive experience as Davao City mayor marked by firm, lawful administration A leadership style that favors rule-based action over populist theatrics This is not to say she is beyond scrutiny. No public official is. But to turn her into the central villain in a moral drama robs the public of more pressing institutional reforms and buries the real questions about how to rebuild trust in governance. If justice is to have any lasting impact, it must be seen not only in the removal of perceived...

  By Francis Jeus Ibañez Why Justice in the Philippines Demands More Than Political Spectacle In recent months, a wave of calls for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte has swept through political conversations, media reports, and social platforms. With each trending hashtag and televised interview, the public is increasingly being presented with a deceptive choice: either impeach Sara Duterte or accept the death of justice in the Philippines. But this binary framing is not only misleading—it is intellectually dishonest, democratically immature, and constitutionally dangerous. What we are witnessing is not a movement for justice, but a political spectacle wrapped in the rhetoric of accountability. It is time to deconstruct this false dilemma, expose the pitfalls of such reductionist thinking, and reclaim the broader, deeper pursuit of ethical governance.  Beyond Binary Thinking: The Myth of “Impeach or Perish” Philippine society has long been vulnerable to binary nar...

  By Givheart Carmelo Dano  Politics as usual. The phrase says it all about what is happening in the country today. The South is in turmoil over the Supreme Court’s decision surrounding Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment case. The final arbiter unanimously decided on the unconstitutionality of the charges in favor of VP Sara. Indeed  her critics are not happy.  However, Mr. Richard Heydarian, a fierce critic, again fell short in his analysis. UP people and retired justices argued that the SC is wrong in its unanimous decision. Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña labeled the SC as the “Supreme Coddler.” Coddler, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, means a person who protects someone too much or treats them too kindly. But the decision of the SC is none of the descriptions of what some critics are barking about. What the SC did was founded on the principles of natural and positive law. First, natural law emphasizes that law is grounded in universal principl...

  By Francis Jeus Ibañez  The rule of law must be both respected and feared, for only through its uncompromising authority can justice prevail and truth emerge with clarity. Those who seek to tamper with its sanctity must reckon with inevitable accountability, as the time approaches when the Supreme Court—our ultimate arbiter—must act to restrain, if not eliminate, those who manipulate the legal order. Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc explains: "In the Upanishads, it is stated that the law is the king of kings, which means that it is higher than the king. The concept of the rule of law means that "no one is above the law" or that "all are equal before the law". This was clearly stated in the Magna Carta, written in the 12th century. In fact, the concept, which is the spirit behind every constitutional democracy, is a reaction to the divine rights theory.  The rule of law hence defines the essence of a democratic government. Maboloc adds that for Plato, if the law i...