Another attempt against President Trump’s life foiled

“You're not a baby boomer if you don't have a visceral recollection of a Kennedy and a King assassination, a Beatles breakup, a U.S. defeat in Vietnam, and a Watergate.”

—P. J. O'Rourke

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

SOME critics of US President Donald Trump initially showed skepticism when a “flash” report broke out April 25 that an armed man tried to assassinate the president at the White House correspondents’ dinner.

Theories circulated on social media that the latest incident was staged or exaggerated to boost flagging approval ratings, which reports suggested were at historic lows for his second term, similar to the 2024 incident.

The doubting Thomases questioned the timing of the event, arguing that “it serves as a distraction from political challenges, including low approval ratings and opposition to his policies.”

The armed man who breached security at the White House correspondents’ dinner attended by President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, among other White House officials, wrote that administration figures were his “targets, prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest,” according to a note that law enforcement officials attributed to the suspect as reported by The New York Times.

 

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The roughly 1,000-word note shared by officials reportedly did not mention Mr. Trump by name. But it indicated that the suspect, who was detained after a shooting involving federal agents on April 25 (Saturday) night, bore deep anger at the administration and the president himself. According to the note, the suspect said he could no longer allow a “traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.”

The attack revived concerns about whether the Secret Service was sufficiently prepared to protect Mr. Trump, one of the most targeted presidents in history, according to The New York Times.

Security experts asserted that the measures had worked as intended, noting that the suspect never reached the ballroom where Mr. Trump, his wife and many top administration officials were about to dine.

“The system worked,” Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, who attended the dinner, said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “We were safe. President Trump was safe.”

The suspect, identified by law enforcement officials speaking on condition of anonymity as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was taken into custody after the police said he ran through a security checkpoint inside the Washington Hilton on Saturday night. In his writing, the suspect expressed surprise that he was able to check into the hotel with a shotgun, a handgun and a knife.

 

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With approximately 27 percent of the United States Presidents having experienced assassination attempts, including four who were killed in office, it is considered one of the most dangerous jobs globally.

This persistent danger is reportedly driven by several factors, including the extreme power and visibility of the office, intense political polarization, and the necessity of engaging in public life.

History showed assassination attempts have been a regular occurrence, with 12 presidents facing attempts since 1835.

According to experts, assassination is an inevitable risk associated with the public, powerful nature of the role.

The role is particularly dangerous during times of war, civil unrest, or when national security issues are at the forefront.

The "lifeblood of democracy" requires presidents to engage in public events, rallies, and meet-and-greets, providing opportunities for determined attackers despite security measures.

While elite, the Secret Service has faced scrutiny over complacency, miscommunication, and errors that have left presidents, such as Trump, vulnerable.

 

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ACCESSORIES MAKE THE WOMAN. A well-dressed woman is someone who knows the fine art of accessorizing. Accessories are the finishing touch that gives us our individuality and shows us just how far we can go with a little imagination.

Women drive and cross the street more safely than men. Men account for 70 percent of pedestrian fatalities since 1980. Between the ages 18 and 45, males outnumber females as fatal crash victims by almost three to one according to the Nat'l Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

TO ALL LOVERS OF CIGARETTE. Cigarette smoke contains about 4,000 chemicals. Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and nicotine are some of the major components, with lesser amounts of acetone, acetylene, formaldehyde, propane, hydrogine cyanide, toluene, and many others.

STAND UP STRAIGHT. This sounds so ridiculously simple, but it's one of the most evidential traits of those women we so admire. Stand against a wall with head, shoulder blades, and heels touching, and buttocks pushed into the wall.

Measuring life by what others do to us may disappoint us, but measuring life by what we do for others will add more meaning to our life. Let us enjoy our lunch and dinner!

Interdependence--giving and receiving affection--is the key to happiness. It is the basic human nature or natural law.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

 

Will Iloilo politicians stay away from Romualdez?

“Part of me suspects that I'm a loser, and the other part of me thinks I'm God Almighty.”

—John Lennon

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THERE have been some Iloilo politicians itching to mount a comeback in the next elections who have associated themselves with soon-to-be disgraced former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

This came before the embattled presidential cousin was linked to the multi-billion “ghost” or substandard flood control project furor. Thus, they can’t be faulted for the risky political miscalculation.

Some of them are incumbent Iloilo City Rep. Julienne Baronda and former city mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, who became Romualdez’s “special adviser” on May 1, 2025.

Both Baronda and Mabilog were rumored to be seeking another elective position in the future and were probably hoping Romualdez, with all his influence and wherewithals, could serve as their political Big Brother.

Now that Romualdez has been thrown under the bus by the current administration, those hopes may have altogether shattered. After all, nobody loves the loser.

We can’t blame Baronda and Mabilog though if they will (or they may have already started?) soon begin to backtrack and surreptitiously distance themselves from the politically doomed Romualdez.

 

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For a while, even if his name was already in the radar of the Office of the Ombudsman for a potential plunder case, the 62-year-old Romualdez appeared to be untouchable owing to his blood relationship with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

But it seems, based on recent developments, the chips will really fall where they may.

Even Mr. Marcos Jr. might find it hard to wave the magic wand to save his cousin’s ass—unless the president will risk a turbulent public outrage if he applies arm-twisting tactics to influence the Office of the Ombudsman.

Effective April 26, 2026, the Sandiganbayan issued a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) against Romualdez due to allegations of his involvement in a multi-billion-peso kickback scheme linked to government flood control projects.

The Office of the Ombudsman sought the travel restriction, citing concerns that the lawmaker might flee to avoid potential plunder, graft, and money laundering charges.

 

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THE REAL McCOY.  Although frequently associated with Darwinism, the phrase "survival of the fittest" was coined by Herbert Spencer, an English sociologist. It is the process by which organisms that are less well-adapted to their environment tend to perish and better-adapted organisms tend to survive.

IGNORE THE EARTHQUAKE SOOTHSAYERS. The test of a hypothesis is whether it makes predictions that are borne out. Unfortunately, geologists do not yet have a clear enough understanding of earthquake phenomena to predict reliably and consistently where and when earthquakes will occur.

STAND UP STRAIGHT. This sounds so ridiculously simple, but it's one of the most evidential traits of those women we so admire. Stand against a wall with head, shoulder blades, and heels touching, and buttocks pushed into the wall.

THEY CAN BE REMOVED, AFTER ALL. Tattoos can be removed by skin grafting, by infrared coagulation treatment, or by salabrasion in which table salt is scrubbed into the anesthetized skin. The hypertonic irritant solution disperses the tattoo pigment particles. Scars will be produced.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

 

Damning pieces of evidence

“Truth is the kind of error without which a certain species of life could not live. The value for life is ultimately decisive.”

--The Will to Power

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THERE are two kinds of truth: 1. Empirical, or factual truth: "There are more than three billion monthly active X (formerly Facebook) users around the world." This is true as a matter of fact; and 2. Necessary truth: "5 + 5 = 10." This is true and cannot be possibly false.

The cat is now out of the bag.

The pieces of evidence presented in the recent House Committee on Justice hearing on the impeachment of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio are damning, to say the least, but some doubting Thomases—the die hards and fanatics—will continue to reject the truth and cast aspersions on those who brought out the truth based on solid facts and records.

Either their minds are closed, or it has come to a point where they are ashamed to admit they had been hoodwinked into believing the false gods.

We blame this to age-old aberration called fanaticism, which is often described as the most extreme form of dogmatism.

Fanaticism adds a layer of intense passion, unreasonable zeal, and often aggression to dogmatism’s rigid, uncritical holding of beliefs as absolute truth.

Fanatics often experience high anxiety and fear for their threatened values, driving them to protect their social identity aggressively.

Some of them often pretend to see or hear nothing to manage uncomfortable social situations, avoid conflict, or hide personal insecurities.

Common reasons include avoiding confrontation, saving face, managing untreated hearing loss, or protecting themselves from unpleasant truths. It is a defense mechanism used to maintain comfort, politeness, or to avoid taking responsibility.

 

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We can say that all fanatics are essentially dogmatic, but not all dogmatists are fanatics.

People can become fanatics in a bid to fulfill deep psychological needs for identity, meaning, and belonging, often driven by fear, insecurity, or social instability.

Fanaticism provides a rigid, self-confirming structure that helps individuals feel valuable, especially when they lack personal achievements or face socioeconomic hardship.

It thrives on in-group loyalty and intense devotion to a cause or leader, often leading to hostile opposition toward outsiders.

When fanaticism becomes socially entrenched, it transforms into a closed system of thought - and ultimately into a mechanism of domination, according to Epicureanfriends.

“Fanatical discourse rejects phronesis (prudence) banishes doubt, equates difference with threat, and finally legitimizes violence as divine command or moral restoration,” it adds.

“For Epicurus, this is the point where pleasure in life is lost and existence becomes distorted. Thought is replaced by mechanisms of submission.”

 

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STRESS CAN DESTROY OUR SKIN. A continual menu of stress causes the skin to become sensitive and prone to breakouts. Regular exercise and mediation will help diffuse its effects. Lying on a bed with our head hanging down off the side is a super destresser.

Self-centeredness inhibits our love for others, and we are all afflicted by it to one degree or another. For true happiness to come about, we need a calm mind, and such peace of mind is brought about only by a compassionate attitude. (How to develop compassion, The Compassionate Life)

In the UK, the average age at which both boys and girls lose their virginity is 16. But statistics are of little importance: the essential thing is not to rush into it and make sure you wait for the right moment. If you want to enjoy your first time, you need to want to do it. –SOFEMININE

What facts will prove the existence of God? Theist's proof: It is stated in the Bible. Atheist's reply: Not all statements in the Bible are true. Theist's proof: It experiences God in a vision. Atheist's reply: Mere hallucinations, doesn't prove anything.

Millions of people today know of Nebuchadnezzar, and have never heard of Pericles, simply because Nebuchadnezzar is mentioned prominently in the Bible and Pericles, the father of Athens, is never mentioned at all.

All the major religions have the same potential to help humanity. It's not just Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

A smorgasbord

“I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.”

—Margaret Thatcher

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WHEN it rains, it pours.

With so many controversial and big events happening in unison in the Philippines nowadays, Juan dela Cruz is overloaded, stressed out, irritated, confused.

It’s like a macro film festival happening in one fell swoop.

Stories that have competed for headlines were the Philippine peso succumbing anew vis-a-vis the US dollar (P60.15 against $1), the International Criminal Court (ICC) judges rejecting the bid to release detained former President Rodrigo Duterte, the impeachment case against his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, the “capture” of fugitive former solon and flood control project accused Zaldy Co in Prague and the government’s effort to bring him back soon.

Also queuing for front page attention were stories about the Ombudsman’s decision to block the travel abroad of presidential cousin, former speaker Martin Romualdez, the possible indictment of former Senate president Chiz Escudero and Romualdez (they are considered as “big fishes” in the flood control project imbroglio), the heat index alert where three areas were forecast to register the highest record of heat index at 41°C.

 

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Also in the headlines were the Supreme Court ordering President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Executive Secretary Ralph Recto to comment within 10 days on a petition for a writ of mandamus filed by former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and others, on the petition that sought to compel the President to undergo mental/physical exams and a drug test, citing concerns about his fitness to govern.

There’s also the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) confirming that at least 18 bank transactions involving Vice Presiden Duterte-Carpio, her husband Mans Carpio, and other family members matched the bank records former senator Antonio Trillanes IV presented in his affidavit.

Trillanes alleged during the House Committee on Justice hearing April 22 that the Duterte family received P181.6 million in payouts from a suspected drug lord via cashier's and personal checks.

There was also the Palace decision to approve the 22-day travel abroad of the vice president which happened after the April 22 House Committee on Justice hearing on her impeachment case.

It has become a smorgasbord.

 

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LET'S SAY "OM," NOT "OUCH". Many studies have shown that meditation can ease chronic pain, but most of these have depended on lengthy--and pricely--training programs. New research at the University of North Carolina shows that a few 20-minute sessions may be all we need. (Goodhealth News)

WE MUST BEWARE OF Perchlorate, an oxidant in rocket fuel found in drinking water, soil, some vegetables. It disrupts thyroid's hormone production. Environmental groups have been urging the government to lower perchlorate levels in drinking water.

Some sources indicate that one recycled aluminum can save as much energy as it takes to run a TV set for four hours or the energy equivalent of one half gallon (1.9 liters) of gasoline.

Even if we're overweight, ditching butter for a drizzle of olive oil may help you fend off diabetes, heart disease, and other ills associated with ab flab. The fat facts: Scientists puts 20 people with big bellies on diets high in either saturated fats (the kind in red meat and dairy) or monounsaturated fats.

WE MUST AVOID Decabromodiphenyl ether (DECA), a flame retardant found in electronics, furniture, carpets. It can cause permanent learning and memory deficits; hearing defects; decreased sperm count in animals. The good news is that the industry has begun phasing out the chemical in December 2009.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines. —Ed)

 

The Peter Principle in the Philippines

"I feel incompetent to perform duties which have been so unexpectedly thrown upon me." 

–Andrew Johnson

By Alex P. Vidal 

JOSEPH "Erap" Estrada was the first classic example of The Peter Principle in the Philippines.

From a movie actor, he became city mayor, senator, vice president, and eventually president.

He rose to his level of incompetence in a hierarchy.

Sara Duterte-Carpio or Raffy Tulfo, front runners in the presidential survey, could be the next candidates for The Peter Principle if one of them will win in 2028.

There's a lot of incredible personalities in different fields – incompetent teachers, incompetent police and military top brass, incompetent public officials, incompetent supervisors, and so on and so forth.

In almost all areas of human endeavor, we can actually always encounter employees that tend to rise to their level of incompetence in a hierarchy like Erap.

A book written by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull tells why Utopian plans never generate Utopias, why prosperity fails to produce happiness, why courts do not dispense justice, why governments cannot maintain order, why schools do not bestow wisdom.

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Dr. Peter, a Canada-born former associate professor of education at the University of Southern California, coined the term "occupational incompetence", which has become a universal phenomenon.

"We see indecisive politicians posing as resolute statesmen and the 'authoritative source' who blames his misinformation on 'situational imponderables.' Limitless are the public servants who are indolent and insolent; military commanders whose behavioral timidity belies their dread-naught rhetoric, and governors whose innate servility prevents their actually governing," writes Dr. Peter.

"In our sophistication, we virtually shrug aside the immoral cleric, corrupt judge, incoherent attorney, author who cannot write and English teacher who cannot spell."

The author reveals that we see proclamations at universities authored by administrators whose own office communications are hopelessly muddled; and droning lectures from inaudible or incomprehensible instructors.

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Seeing incompetence at all levels of every hierarchy – political, legal, educational and industrial – Dr. Peters says "I hypothesized that the cause was some inherent feature of the rules governing the placement of employees. Thus began my serious study of the ways in which employees move upward through a hierarchy, and of what happens to them after promotion."

He collected hundreds of case histories for his scientific data and discovered that all such cases had a common feature. The employees had been promoted from a position of competence to a position of incompetence. This could happen to every employee in every hierarchy, says Dr. Peter.

This led him to formulate The Peter Principle and inadvertently founded a new science, hierarchiology, the study of hierarchies.

The term "hierarchy" was originally used to describe system of church government by priests graded into ranks. The contemporary meaning, explains the author, includes any organization whose members or employees are arranged in order of ranks, grades or class.

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Dr. Peter believes that hierarchiology, although a relatively recent discipline, appears to have great applicability to the fields of public and private administration.

His principle "is the key to understanding of all hierarchal systems, and therefore to an understanding of the whole structure of civilization."

A few eccentrics, he explains, try to avoid getting involved with hierarchies, but everyone in business, industry, trade-unionism, politics, government, the armed forces, religion and education is so involved. All of them are controlled by the Peter Principle.

Dr. Peter elaborates: "Many of them, to be sure, may win a promotion or two, moving from one level of competence in that new position qualifies them for still another promotion. For each individual, for you, for me, the final promotion is from a level of competence to a level of incompetence."

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So, given enough time – and assuming the existence of enough ranks in the hierarchy – each employee rises to, and remains at, his level of incompetence, he further stresses.

Peter's Corollary states: In time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out his duties.

"You will rarely find, of course, a system in which every employee has reached his level of incompetence. In most instances, something is being done to further the ostensible purposes for which the hierarchy exists," Dr. Peter explains.

Work is accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence, the book further states. 

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines. —Ed)