Apparently one of the only ways of distinguishing the military from the NPA [insurgents] in the countryside is that the latter wear crocs instead of military boots. Who would have thought those hideous pastel sandals would be insurgent footwear of choice?

That is one of Suresh Naidu’s many reflections on the Philippine election, where he’s been an observer.

Suresh is probably the most interesting young political economy researcher I know, and he has more publications than some tenured profs. See his work here.