On Duterte Presidency (032318)

Rodrigo Roa Duterte, a former mayor of Davao city was elected president of the Philippine republic with a winning vote of around 16 million.  He bested the administration bet then (Mar Roxas), a sitting Vice President (Jejomar Binay) and two sitting senators (Mirriam Defensor Santiago and Grace Poe).

Out of nowhere, a nobody from the poor island of Mindanao captured the presidency.  A politician perceived to be a thug, whose only claim to national exposure is his willingness to kill just to rid himself of drug personality low-lives.

When he won the presidential contest, the country was ecstatic, it was a grand display of a working and a functioning democracy.  He was from the opposing side and the administration used all the known tricks and methods in electioneering, and yet, - the underfunded, the provincial and a political outsider won the electoral contest.

Underfunded, because the campaign run on donations from supporters who believed in the brand of politics of the Davao city mayor and there was no national support whatsoever, all the national support were extended to the administration bet.  Provincial, because he came from the southern island of Mindanao and not from imperial Manila and was commonly regarded as not classy enough for a national office.  A political outsider because he was a long shot, compared to other candidates who have a national office to back them up, in terms of political organization and savvy.

History smiled kindly on this notorious mayor and he was elected and proclaimed president.  At the onset, there was universal support and acclaim.  The proverbial honeymoon was in effect, and just like any newlywed couples, all flaws were temporarily ignored though they were already manifested and telling during the run of the presidential campaign.

A lot of things happened since the election of Duterte.  The former dictator was finally buried like a thief in the night in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.  Being a self-confessed Marcos admirer, Duterte paid the late dictator the ultimate honor of agreeing to his burial in a cemetery reserved for heroes.  The favorable ruling that the republic acquired was shelved and China got a foothold in the Philippine territory.  There will be no more protest just a joint exploration in the West Philippine sea.  Extra-Judicial Killing became an operative word in the press, and suddenly, people connected with the drug trade are fighting back, hence the necessity of killing them and executing them outright.  As the PNP used to say and proclaim as a rationalization, “nanlaban daw”.  As of this writing, the unofficial figure is around 10 000 deaths attributed to tokhang, but the official PNP will only acknowledge 3000 to 4000 deaths only.

Duterte, once acknowledged publicly that he regularly uses fentanyl, an addictive pain killer but when he realizes the contradiction of such (with his all-out drug war), doesn’t talk about this subject anymore.  He once boasted that he personally killed people but when asked who are these people, he clams up, fearing legal ramifications.  Now these things are facts, the internet is filled with videos where Duterte admitted to such and yet, people still supports him.  His trust rating is still high and waning is still far from the horizon.

Despite his many flaws, his brand of Filipinos still clings to the notion that he will bring the nation to the promised land, improved the economy, bring peace and order, eradicate illegal drugs and bring prosperity to all.

Marawi City, in Mindanao was captured by Muslim hardliners, declaring a caliphate state in the south.  Martial law was declared in the whole island of Mindanao.  A fierce war was staged to retake Marawi and after months of war, Marawi was inevitably won back by the military.  And yet, the big riddle of extension of Martial Law when there is no longer an actual threat is still upon the island of Mindanao.

The bigger question is that why does the Legislature allow such an illegal act to remain and why did the Supreme Court validated the such proclamation?  Mindanao is still under the military rule via the martial law, there is no basis but to humor and patronize a sitting president, an extension was upheld to satisfy the cravings of a sitting president. 

The legislature, both the Philippine Senate and the House of Representatives are already compromised and are in the dark influence of the executive, the judiciary is institutionally being bullied with the impeachment of the Chief Justice, the military is beholden to the occupant of the palace and the Philippine National Police is already paid for (with their current unreasonable salary increase).  The beauty of democracy is that there is a check and balance system in place to correct the excesses of either the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.  In this current equation however, there is no system.  The legislature and the judiciary is bullied to a pulp and there is just no fight in them, to challenge the bully, which is the executive.

Just where are we headed?  Duterte will continue with his unstated policy of extra judicial killing.  China will bite more chunk of the Philippine territory.  The opposition to his bloody rule will intensify and increase, there will be a push back resulting in more deaths for the poor while the rich and connected will largely remain untouched by the hated OPLAN Tokhang: Reloaded.

There will be more abuses on the side of the military and the police, but Duterte will be compelled to support them since his principal power emanates from the barrel of a gun.

Historically, there will be a movement that would oust this unfit Philippine ruler from his plum office.  Duterte would get his comeuppance in one way or another, sooner or later.  But if history taught us one great lesson, it is this, people with power covets more power.