Repeated issues and advices

After more than one and a half years in office, Duterte must have already realized that being the President of a country especially like the Philippines is not as easy as being the mayor of a relatively small city. By now, he should know that there are a lot of people who may disagree with him or who may dissent with his mode of thinking and acting and openly voice them out. There is really a whale of a difference between running the affairs of the State and that of a relatively smaller unit like a city. So it is about time that he should adapt to the actual workings of his present position and avoid his dictatorial tendencies by being more tolerant and transparent.

The same is true with his diehard supporters more commonly dubbed as the DDS. They should also learn to listen and consider the views of those who disagree with them in their blind obeisance to their most admired idol. They must stop getting mad at these people or insult them and call them all sorts of degrading names even to the extent of hurling abusive languages at them in the social media.

There are indeed a number of raging issues that have not died down and continue to surface because they are not properly addressed and satisfactorily resolved. Very apparent nowadays is the practice of using social media to establish the truth or to find out what is right or wrong by the number of people who agree or disagree with the opposing sides.

One of these controversial issues that refuse to die down is the alleged hidden and unexplained wealth of Duterte and his family. This issue first came out way back during the election and continues to rage up to now because it is not directly and clearly settled. If Duterte is really against graft and corruption in government as he has repeatedly professed and demonstrated by firing several officials, he should convincingly erase all doubts about this subject matter. And the best way is simply to sign a bank waiver on the secrecy of his deposits including that of his family. If he has nothing to hide, he should readily sign this waiver. Otherwise, more and more people will be convinced that he is really hiding some unexplained wealth. He and his people cannot simply remove this lingering doubt by personally attacking and insulting those who repeatedly bring it up and who already “sound like a broken record.” This irritating sound will continue to resound if he will not definitely show that he has nothing to hide.

Then there is also this “fake news” that appeared only during his term. Obviously there are “fake news” nowadays especially in social media because Duterte and other officials in his government keep on subsequently denying statements that they have previously and openly declared, by claiming that they are just “joking” when they made those statements. This is the first time indeed when the Presidential Spokesman has been so busy and hard put in denying or explaining the various pronouncements of Duterte and his officials. People are really confused and at a loss in ascertaining when they are serious and when they are only joking. In fact some of them, especially Duterte sound so serious in throwing expletives and abusive languages against their critics and dissenters as to lead people into believing them.

Then this is also the first time that an administration is showing its performance record to be much better by citing and comparing it with the alleged failures and anomalies of the past administration. It is trying to shine and to be praised by putting others down instead of just relying and using its own achievements under the well accepted maxim of “Res ipsa loquitur” or the thing speaks for itself.

Indeed there is truth to the saying that “action speaks louder than words” as shown in Duterte’s dealings with China concerning the Scarborough Shoals or the Benham Rise located at the West Philippine Sea between Zambales and Palawan. This disputed area has already been declared to be within the Philippine territory in a United Nations decision way back in 2016. But when Duterte assumed office, he tried to have a more friendly relation with China than with our long standing ally and benefactor, the United States of America (USA). In doing so, he chose not to enforce the UN decision and allowed China to develop and build facilities in some isles situated thereon for use as airfields and shipyards. As it now appears, China has control of these areas within the Philippine territory. Because of these moves, some sectors are now claiming that he has supposedly committed treason which is an impeachable offense. So, they are clamoring for an in-depth investigation of this questionable action to find out whether his moves here are really treasonous and his explanations or reasons for doing so. Why indeed was China able to develop the area within Philippine territory and establish shipyards and bases thereon? This is really quite perplexing and must be satisfactorily explained.

Again, as it have written before and as I write again about these oft repeated controversies under the Duterte administration, let me point out that my only intention here is to help Duterte succeed in his Presidency. Hopefully, he and his DDS will positively look at my observations and comments and take the necessary steps to finally settle these controversies and remove all doubts still hounding his administration. There is still enough time for him to do so.