Time to quit

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‘Instead of figuring in the escalating squabbles in the PDP-Laban ruled by President Duterte as chairman, Sen. Manny Pacquiao should “shake the dust off his feet” and venture into more insightful and productive efforts.’

TO President Manuel Quezon, it was the right thing to do, and he couldn’t believe other countries were not doing it. It was giving asylum to about 2,000 Jews who were trying to escape Hitler’s police forces.

As Afghans are forced to flee their country that has fallen to the Taliban, their wretched situation is the least of our government ‘s worries. The Biden administration, remorseful over the chaos and confusion triggered by the sudden withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, is taking in as many refugees as possible. Quezon in the distant past was not facing a pandemic, but the country was bracing for a world war. Wrecked economies today are not expected to lend a hand. Yet, the Philippine government seems inclined to provide sanctuary to Afghans only if, as Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin has stressed, the arrangement is made government-to-government to douse the possible entry of terrorists disguised as refugees.

Even in the middle of this virus surge, our Christian ethic should still resonate with love and mercy to “the least of our brethren” in whom we see Jesus Christ who does not qualify any dark or paralyzing condition to exempt us from obeying or following Him this way. But logic, not virtue, dictates that we ignore the fate of the homeless, the poor and the hungry who are not any of us.

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The death of 13 US servicemen and more than 100 Afghans in two bomb blasts carried out by an ISIS affiliate in Kabul again exhibits the shocking brutality that has fed on fundamental Islamic beliefs. Evangelical movements in the Middle East have turned scores of extremist commanders and their operatives into Christian believers, which seem to be only way to neutralize the widespread religious violence. Many of them, despite the violent reprisals and continued threats from their leaders, have brought families and whole communities to the Lord. Military action and huge resources from Western governments have stalled but not stemmed the tide of Islamic blood and gore even after the death of Osama bin Laden.

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Instead of figuring in the escalating squabbles in the PDP-Laban ruled by President Duterte as chairman, Sen. Manny Pacquiao should “shake the dust off his feet” and venture into more insightful and productive efforts. The very toxic party atmosphere “will make his work more difficult than boxing,” as Pacquiao himself admits, is something the eight-time world champ does not deserve. Ousted as chairman the President is poised to raise the heat against Pacquiao, who had to swallow his pride and quit the party.

But he has his world record in boxing history, along with the attendant international adulation, that should carry him through. His stature should take him above the fray, over the political hogwash and bickering.

When Ferdinand Marcos knew he could not get the party nomination from the Liberal Party, he switched to the rival Nationalista Party, and the rest was history. Early on, Pacquiao had hoped that he could straighten out the President with the untraditional agenda and moral vision of the PDP-Laban. Or so he thought for a President who did not want to cling to power.

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