Duterte must not skirt law
Congratulations to the people of the Philippines for turning out in full force to vote in yet another successful election — a crucial part of their country’s democratic process. Campaign attention centred on the controversial Rodrigo Duterte in the presidential race and the prospects of Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr for the vice-presidency. While both races are crucial, they are only part of a general election where Filipinos also chose members of their Senate and House of Representatives, as well as local government representatives. Monday’s poll was the fifth since the People’s Power Revolution, spearheaded by Corazon Aquino, toppled president Ferdinand Marcos after the controversial 1986 elections.
For 30 years now Filipino politics, and some of its leaders, remain as colourful as ever. But what’s most important is that the democratic process, despite its imperfections, has continued and prevailed.
From this point, however, the microscope focuses on how president-elect Duterte performs. The firebrand politician ruffled more than a few diplomatic feathers during campaigning. He gave the media a field day with his promise of jet-ski diplomacy with China, calling the Pope a “son of a whore”, and telling US and Australian ambassadors to “shut up your mouths” after they criticised him for joking about rape.
These distasteful, vulgar, offensive and inappropriate remarks were dismissed by Mr Duterte’s spokesman as part and parcel of election campaigning. He promised a different Mr Duterte will emerge as president, to deal with allies and the international community. And to be fair, even the president-elect himself admits that he needs to change — at least to curb his vocabulary. “I need to control my mouth. I cannot be bastos [rude] because I represent the country,” he said.
While he is no newcomer to politics, having been mayor of Davao, the most important city in the Muslim South, there will no doubt be a learning curve for Mr Duterte as president. All new heads of government and leaders go through a learning process no matter their past experience. What’s crucial is how they handle and tackle substantive issues that matter to the people they have vowed to serve. President-elect Duterte will be judged accordingly.
As mayor, Mr Duterte was known for his iron-fisted approach towards crime and orderliness in Davao. Controversy remains over his role in extra-judicial killings. On the back of this reputation, Mr Duterte has promised to get rid of crime across the country in six months. This is a promise he cannot deliver. But if he pursues action against crime in earnest, and ensures laws are enforced fairly, that alone would be a considerable achievement.
As national leader, Mr Duterte cannot continue to go outside the law. Amnesty International is right when it says Mr Duterte should be trying to end torture and extra-judicial killings which plague the Philippines, not threatening more. He will have to show he knows the difference between election campaign showmanship and presidential conduct — or he will quickly lose respect. He certainly does not want to be called “The Punisher” President Duterte.
The biggest challenge Mr Duterte faces is to respond to anger and frustration that has built up among the people. They want what was promised in the People’s Revolution exactly 30 years ago. They’ve had three decades of the same political culture where the country was run by the same old handful of families.
Filipinos want a better standard of living. But despite the improved economy of the past six years under President Benigno Aquino, they voted for Mr Duterte, an outsider. What they want is improved governance, with less corruption. That is how Mr Duterte’s presidency will be measured.