‘Anti-poor’ syndrome By Ermin Garcia Jr.   IF you’ve been up to speed with the current events, particularly the barrage of criticisms leveled at the Duterte administration for its adamant position to continue the war on drugs and the restoration of the death penalty, you will note that the much…

Why I am pro-death penalty By Ermin Garcia Jr.   EVERY time a discussion in a group or among friends leads to the issue on death penalty, I’m almost always asked whether I support the call for the restoration of death penalty or not. My reply – a categorical YES,…

Well-placed Pangasinenses By Ermin Garcia Jr.   HERE’S a piece of good news that should warm the cockles of hearts of Pangasinenses, and at the same time, a case for transparency on the part of The PUNCH. Know that there are now three Pangasinenses in the Motion and Television Review…

Waste segregation is here By Ermin Garcia Jr.   AT the rate things are going, it’s likely that many Dagupeños will wake up one morning to see their unsegregated garbage floating around their homes, with all the stench permeating through their doors and windows soon as floods hit the city….

Anguish of Fallen 44’s families By Ermin Garcia Jr.   I HAVE a footnote on the day the nation, particularly the families of the Fallen 44 (or  Gallant 44) SAF me-mbers who were massacred two years ago in Mamasapano. Arranged by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, the bereaved families had the…

Legalizing 5-6 lending By Ermin Garcia Jr.   THE campaign of the Duterte administration contra 5-6 lending is sorely misunderstood.  The campaign is not about arresting lenders but simply prodding those that made it their business to register their activity, and pay the taxes due the government. In fact, by…

Thinking the unthinkable By Ermin Garcia Jr.   THE notion of change has not permeated mindsets of our province’s 1,334 barangay kapitans. Where things stand for most, they are either still in complete denial about the impact of President DU30’s war on drugs in the country, or simply believe they…

Spines and the veterans By Ermin Garcia Jr.   IF there is one legacy that former Gov. Amado Espino Jr (now 5th District congressman) will surely be remembered for, it was his vision to memorialize not only the heroism and patriotism of Pangasinan veterans during the WW II, but the…

Open letter to PPPO By Ermin Garcia Jr.   WE had wanted to update our readers this week on the status of the war on drugs in the province but a new bureaucratic policy at the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office prevented us from doing so. We asked for an update…

Untold stories about war on drugs By Ermin Garcia Jr.   BEFORE we move on to 2017, I need to point out serious misimpressions being conveyed about drug of war by supposed human rights groups and the Catholic Church. Two weeks ago, Rappler came out with a summary of the…