MOST QUINTESSENTIAL ‘BALIMBING’

THE editorial “Moment of reckoning” (3/23/21) zeroed in on presidential spokesperson Harry Roque who has “completely transmogrified” from being a “champion” of human rights into a veritable doofus heaping praises on the worst human rights violator who has ever occupied Malacañang. In his “war on drugs,” President Duterte is said to have killed more people “without due process” (5,000 plus according to some estimates, and still counting) than the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, with “only” 3,000 plus.

Be that as it may, the editorial missed the most quintessential “balimbing” of all: Teodoro Locsin Jr., now Mr. Duterte’s foreign secretary. A sterling, sober, and subdued figure during the presidency of Cory Aquino who brought the evil Marcos dictatorship to its knees, he is now kowtowing to Mr. Duterte, whose idea of heroism was exemplified by Marcos. Mr. Duterte adored Marcos so much that he became fixated with the thought of providing him a niche in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Mr. Duterte and Locsin are now seen as kindred spirits. Both “gifted” with foul mouths, they have no problem with cussing, cursing, and spewing all kinds of obscenities and profanities in public against anyone who gets in their crosshairs. While Roque may seem polite by talking out of both sides of his mouth, Locsin brutally gives it to everyone straight from the horse’s mouth. When it comes to bad manners and wrong conduct, Locsin wins the “trophy” hands down. What the heck has happened to this guy?

ROMANO MORANO MONTENEGRO, romor_monger@yahoo. com