FACES OF THE NEWS
Reynato Puno
Nearly eight years after his retirement from the judiciary, former Chief Justice Reynato Puno took on a new role as head of the consultative body created by President Duterte to propose changes to the 1987 Constitution. Puno, who said that the country’s unitary government system made it a “failing democracy,” quickly doused speculations that the draft federal Charter would pave the way for Mr. Duterte to extend his term beyond 2022. He said the 22-member body, which unanimously approved the proposed new Constitution on July 3, explicitly stated that the President cannot run in the wouldbe federal government. “His term will end in 2022 and that’s it,” the former chief magistrate said. However, other committee members offered conflicting views, fanning fears that Mr. Duterte’s version of Charter change was really aimed at term extension.
Nestor Espenilla Jr.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor vowed more aggressive moves to arrest rising prices of local goods and services. This came after the government announced on Thursday that inflation for June hit 5.2 percent, its highest level in at least five years. The central bank and Espenilla, who marked his first year as the country’s top inflation buster, have come under criticism for failing to anticipate and act preemptively against price hikes caused by soaring crude oil prices abroad, and aggravated by local tax hikes earlier in the year. Having already raised interest rates twice over the last two months, Espenilla said the central bank would not hesitate to tighten monetary policy further—potentially at the expense of faster economic growth—to stabilize prices. Inflation was expected to average 3.4 percent in 2019, he said.
Najib Razak
Reeling from the public outrage against him and his family, former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak sought a gag order on the corruption charges against him, and sued the three investigators probing the multibillion-dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and its subsidiary, SRC International. The disgraced leader pleaded not guilty to three counts of criminal breach of trust and one for abuse of power, related to $10.39 million allegedly transferred from SRC into his personal bank account. Najib, who led Malaysia from 2009 until his parliamentary defeat in May, has cried “political vengeance” against him and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, despite the hundreds of boxes of cash and luxury items seized by police at several of their residences. The 1MDB scandal has been raging since 2015, but Malaysians are only now discovering its extent.
Whang-od
Maria “Whang-od” Oggay received the Dangal ng Haraya Award for Intangible Cultural Heritage from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) on June 25. The NCCA board described the 102year-old Kalinga master tattooist as “a living vessel of a traditional practice” and credited her for “bringing to greater attention the indigenous practice of tattooing, and Filipino culture in general.” Tourists and tattoo enthusiasts from all over the world continue to flock to the mountaintop village of Buscalan in Kalinga to get inked by her. Using soot, water, bamboo sticks and thorns, Whang-od leaves a permanent mark on them, like she did on the warriors of Butbut, her tribe. It is believed that Whang-od has single-handedly kept the 1,000year-old tribal tradition alive, and has trained younger Kalinga womenwithin her bloodline to continue the craft.
LeBron James
This time around, it didn’t take long for LeBron James to decide. Diving into free agency for the third time in his career, the “King” agreed to a four-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, ending a long-drawn guessing game and thrusting the NBA’s glitziest franchise back to relevance. James has a second home in LA to go along with a budding Hollywood production company. It was a major coup for Lakers boss Magic Johnson, who had promised the team owners that he would reel in a major free agent this summer. James will play in LA on a contract worth $154 million. He is undoubtedly the best player on the planet today, and at 33, doesn’t show signs of slowing down. James owns three NBA titles—with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013, and with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. He was also Finals MVP in all those championships.
Chot Reyes
It wasn’t the best way to get in the headlines but Chot Reyes found himself there anyway after an unexpected brawl between Australia and Gilas Pilipinas during their Fiba World Cup qualifying match pushed the mercurial mentor back into the limelight. The melee broke out in the third quarter of the game at Philippine Arena and made the news here and abroad. Reyes was in the middle of it, defending his wards in what he felt was an emotional, retaliatory gesture to an Australian squad that was “bullying” the Filipinos right on home court. The fracas started when Aussie Daniel Kickert blindsided Roger Pogoy with a wicked forearm blow. The country continues to be divided on Gilas’ accountability, and the team has formally apologized over the matter. Reyes, meanwhile, charged his players’ error to a strong bond of brotherhood within the team.