Rappler's latest stories on Tony La Vina
[OPINION] Surviving and fighting the anti-terror law
'From targeting a universe of a few dozens or at most a few hundred terrorists, the law can be used against thousands, even tens of thousands of activists, critics, and dissidents'
[OPINION] The moment of truth for the ABS-CBN franchise
'Already, many people in the provinces and our islands have lost access to their only sources of news. This has life and death implications for many...'
[ANALYSIS] Leila de Lima's bail application
'Clearly, the testimonies against De Lima are inadmissible, being hearsay, have little probative value, and are irrelevant, immaterial, and self-serving'
[ANALYSIS] The global significance of the Ressa-Santos convictions
'To think that the conviction will only last for at least 6 years is wrong. This imprisonment will last for generations and lifetimes to come, and haunt the national memory.'
[ANALYSIS] Understanding the Ressa-Santos convictions
'How can an offense deemed to be so minor such as libel and a right so fundamental such as the freedom of speech and of the press stir so much conflict and confusion?'
[OPINION] We can’t breathe
'Today, we are breathless, but we cannot be breathless for too long, for we may not have anything left to fight for and anything left to fight with'
[OPINION] De Lima’s incommunicado detention
'The current pandemic...provided another opportunity for the Duterte government to further torment her in an attempt to break her will'
[OPINION] No charter change during pandemic
'It is tone deaf on the part of government to create campaigns that will further divide its populace, especially during a pandemic'
[OPINION] Laudato Si', 5 years later
Laudato Si' has become one of the most influential social encyclicals that has been released by a pope
[OPINION] A crossroads for Meralco
'As a private company, Meralco is accountable to its customers, who pay expecting reliable service. But that unfortunately has not been the case.'
[OPINION] Dura lex sed lex is obsolete
'Every time we say dura lex sed lex, we speak of oppression. Every time we call for dura lex sed lex, we advocate for injustice.'
[OPINION] Fighting a pandemic and the climate emergency
'One has to remember that like pathogens, climate change is not hampered by borders'
[ANALYSIS] ABS-CBN closure: An attack on citizen rights
ABS-CBN will be back, and soon, because it has the support of the people
[ANALYSIS] Duterte and Congress closed down ABS-CBN
Yes, the NTC is wrong in its cease and desist order. But President Duterte is overall responsible; House leaders are complicit.
[OPINION] Excluding De Lima and others
(UPDATED) Unfortunately, in the face of this clear need to close ranks, the national government is undermining such unity
[OPINION] An intergovernmental tug of war during the coronavirus outbreak
'There is a reason why Philippine law assigns the main responsibility for disaster response to local governments'
[ANALYSIS] Ecological irresponsibility and pandemics
'Today’s pandemic is the worst scenario but it has been foreseen. We can actually say we told you so to decision makers and to businesses who did not listen to us.'
[OPINION] Media and the coronavirus: Frontliners against the 'infodemic'
'To say that the media is a frontliner is not metaphorical, and definitely not an overstatement'
'Not time to keep score': Robredo focuses on frontliners, not politics
In a nation overwhelmed by a pandemic, Vice President Leni Robredo shows how government can effectively work with private citizens to fight COVID-19
[OPINION] Constitutional basics in a pandemic
The actions being taken by the government to suppress dissenters are unconstitutional
[OPINION] Business unusual: When the business community responds to a virus
'We will see in the days ahead whether workers will be made to bear the brunt of the COVID-19 disaster. If employers act badly, the government must step in to correct the wrong.'
[OPINION] A national unity government to combat the coronavirus
'If we do not unite, many of us will die and there might be no country left to fight over'
[OPINION] Good governance to combat the coronavirus
'There might have been a window in late January to stop the novel coronavirus from entering our islands. But by delaying action for political and diplomatic reasons, we lost that chance.'
Rappler Talk: Weaponizing the law against democratic dissent
We will talk to Antonio La Viña to understand 'lawfare' – the perversion of the law and its weaponization as a tool to silence dissent
[OPINION] Motorcycle taxis and inclusive mobility (Part 2)
There is a clear pathway so that motorcycle taxis can be mainstreamed into our public transport system
[OPINION] Regulating motorcycle taxis and ensuring competition (Part 1)
The online platform industry – which is easy to enter, is relatively inexpensive, and is clearly innovative – is simply for now, difficult to regulate
[ANALYSIS] Aetas and New Clark City: Trampling on human rights of our first peoples
As we commemorate International Human Rights Day on December 10, let us remember that recognition begins at home and with our first peoples, the Aetas
Rappler's 2019 Board of Directors
Lawyer and former Ateneo School of Government Dean Tony La Viña joins Rappler Inc's 2019 Board of Directors
[OPINION] The illegal and immoral Kaliwa Dam ECC
The Kaliwa Dam ECC is illegal and immoral. It violates the Filipino people’s right to a sound environment and disregards the rights of affected indigenous peoples and local communities.
[OPINION] Radical change stops sexual violence
The ground has shifted everywhere on due process – the main objective of anti-sexual harassment and anti sexual abuse mechanisms is no longer punishment or liability, but protection and safeguarding of vulnerable persons
Business groups in favor of easing restrictions on foreign investments
But ex-Ateneo School of Government dean Tony La Viña argues that lifting these constitutional restrictions would be 'very, very dangerous'
[OPINION] Duterte's best and worst
The Duterte administration has achieved some successes that many Filipino appreciate, but it has also done very badly in some other areas as well
Not right for Palace to pit two constitutional provisions vs each other – law expert
The charter's order for the government to keep resources in the Philippines' EEZ for exclusive use of Filipinos is not in conflict with the provision requiring the government to 'serve and protect' Filipinos, says law professor Tony La Viña
[ANALYSIS] The dangerous Cardema precedent
The fact that he also used his position as NYC chair to campaign for Duterte Youth and other Duterte-endorsed candidates is also a possible election offense
[ANALYSIS] Avengers and Aryas for Congress
Here's what a Duterte-controlled Senate can do. On May 13, think about how you want the Philippines to become, and then cast your vote for the future.
[OPINION] Universities should take strong stance against the Marcos dictatorship
An Ateneo professor and a student leader respond to Tony La Viña's piece published in Rappler, saying that his concern about the university's decision on the Irene Marcos controversy is, among others, oversimplistic
[OPINION] Should we ban the Marcoses from our campuses?
I would think I have succeeded more as a teacher if my students were more angry at the Duterte administration's human rights record than being upset at the Marcos children visiting us
[OPINION] Part 2 | Road to damnation through Chinese-funded dams
We predict that future administrations will have to cancel the Kaliwa and Chico projects and default on the Chinese loans, which will result in the Philippines being sued by China in arbitration proceedings that have been designed to favor the creditor
[OPINION] Part 1| Kaliwa and Chico Dams: More than just debt of money
The Chico River loan agreement may prove to be a template for future loan agreements that the Philippines enters into, effectively compromising our patrimonial assets
If Duterte declares revolutionary gov’t, Robredo becomes president – Macalintal
'Once President Duterte declares a revolutionary government, he ceases to be President having divested himself of the presidency,' says opposition senatorial bet Romy Macalintal, a veteran election lawyer
Rappler Talk: Cleaning up Manila Bay
Rappler talks to Gil Jacinto of the UP Marine Science Institute and Tony La Viña, former DENR Undersecretary, to make sense of the problems surrounding Manila Bay's rehabilitation
[OPINION] Pablo Virgilio David: The shepherd of Caloocan
We need Church leaders who will describe rightly what we are facing: a death of conscience by those who justify the killings
[OPINION] To Yesha and the Ramos children
To the children of Ben, I can assure you that wherever you go from now on, once people know that you are the children of Ben and Yesha Ramos, you will be looked up to, admired
[OPINION] Coffee and the blood of indigenous peoples
The government's intensified campaign against communist rebels makes indigenous peoples vulnerable to violence; the specter of death underpins their lives like an active fault line
[ANALYSIS] Leila de Lima and the Nobel Peace Prize
It's just a matter of time before Senator De Lima starts getting considered for the ultimate global award of all
[ANALYSIS] At stake in Trillanes amnesty case
One can only hope the judiciary, through Judge Andres Soriano and eventually through the Supreme Court, draw the line here and save the country from a future without the possibility of peace and national reconciliation
[OPINION] Urgently needed: Department for disaster resilience and climate change
We have been calling for the new department for 5 years now, even before the 2013 Yolanda disaster. It would be fitting that we finally get this done on the fifth anniversary of that terrible event.
[OPINION] 5 years after Yolanda, imperatives for addressing disasters
Right now, our efforts have been marred by bureaucratic squabbling and largely isolated activities
[ANALYSIS] Voiding Trillanes' amnesty: Illegal, unwise, immoral
We seem to be inexorably sliding towards an extraconstitutional regime
