The hand of America: When warnings come true

SOMETIMES, being right is painful — like now. This writer mooted as early as March 2023 that the United States, after getting access to nine bases of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), would oppose Vice President Sara Duterte becoming president ("To keep its bases, will the US take on Sara?" https://tinyurl.com/yr2cnys3).

Sure enough, starting with the May 2023 ouster of Duterte ally and adviser, Pampanga Rep. and former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, as senior deputy speaker, there have been efforts to undermine political and public support for the vice president while building up Speaker Martin Romualdez.