Pro Patria Filipina

Without realizing it, our country is now undergoing a very serious rift and deep division which may have grave repercussions later on. It is about time that we start taking cognizance of it and do something to stop it. This is actually an offshoot of the political feud and bitter struggle for power we experienced in the presidential elections last May 9.

It is of common knowledge that since we became a Democratic Republic our elections have always been tainted with so many irregularities that invariably put the over-all results under a cloud of doubt. Most of our countrymen have grudgingly accepted the fact that our elections do not reflect the true voice of the people. In this part of the world, “Salus populi est Suprema lex” (The peoples’ will is the Supreme Law of the land), does not hold true anymore. As seen in previous elections, candidates who win elections or retain power are usually those who have the guns, goons and gold; those with a well oiled political machinery, or, as it is now turning out, those who belong to the ruling political dynasty and political oligarchy.

People have learned to accept, though grudgingly, the common belief that candidates of the party in power are always favored to win the elections. In weighing their chances of winning, their party affiliations and ability to get votes because of popularity and name recall are considered more important than their qualifications. So those leading in the polls conducted during the campaign period usually have the edge especially because they also get the “command votes” of some religious sects. Our politics have indeed deteriorated into politics of personalities than politics of principles.

In the last presidential elections, a change has apparently happened. Five candidates aspired to be our next president and the most favored among them is of course, Mar Roxas the ruling Liberal Party’s bet to be the next president. He is backed by then incumbent President P-Noy who went all out to support him. In fact to pave the way to his victory, the other aspirants who appeared to have better chances of winning were considerably weakened by exposing and over stressing their dark past, undesirable record, or questionable qualification particularly Jejomar Binay and Grace Poe. Of course Miriam Defensor Santiago and Rodrigo Roa Duterte were also considered as dark horses. Hence the last presidential elections could really be considered as a five-way fight.

At the start of the campaign, Duterte already caught the attention of quite a lot of people. The controversy surrounding the filing of his certificate of candidacy already captured the imagination of a good number of undecided voters. He projected the image of a reluctant candidate who did not actually want to be President but was only persuaded to run. In fact he failed to file his certificate of candidacy within the prescribed period. So he became a candidate merely as a substitute for another lesser known aspirant who gave way. Media even played up the supposed technical defect in his certificate because it was made to appear that the candidate he substituted for was running for Pasay City Mayor and not for President.

Apparently, Duterte’s “strategy” was very effective. The regular poll surveys conducted at the early stage of the campaign period already indicated a trend showing him as eventually catching up with the leading bets. He gained a large number of rabid supporters especially among the poor sectors of our society who came to believe that he is one of them and cares for them and their plight. In fact some Senators, specifically Senator Trillanes who apparently belong to the yellow army of P-Noy and Mar Roxas started exposing his hidden wealth stashed while in office as Mayor of Davao City. Then P-Noy himself even asked the other leading candidates, particularly Grace Poe to withdraw from the race and join forces with Roxas in order to stem the surging tide of Duterte’s ever increasing supporters coming from all sectors including not only the poor but the middle and upper middle class of intelligent voters. Obviously they look up to “Tatay Digong” as the best man, the “white knight in shining armor” who will bring about the change we have been longing for, ever since we became a Republic that is supposed to have a government “of the people by the people and for the people.”

One of the concrete products of the last election we are now seeing is the emergence of real “dyed in the wool” supporters of Duterte who has become so diehard as to be dubbed as “Dutertards.” They have become so intransigent as to be rendered completely blind to any defects or mistakes of Duterte in running the affairs of the State. They seem to believe that Duterte is really the “savior” of the Philippines who will solve all our problems particularly the rampant trafficking of prohibited drugs and other crimes as well as graft and corruption. Like their idol, they have become so belligerent and so sure that they can do no wrong when it comes to this war against drugs and other forms of criminality. To them, Duterte is always right in all his moves and pronouncements both here and abroad, never mind if they are laced with vulgarities and expletives. Indeed they are even entertained and seemed to prod Duterte to talk in such manner.

Very dangerous and alarming in this regard is that when other people try to point out Duterte’s defects, mistakes and apparent failures, they react with so much belligerence, hatred, malice and spite. They continue to heap praise on their idol while at the same time personally attacking those who differ or oppose him. They vehemently get mad when people single out the many inconsistent, vague and flip flopping statements of Duterte that always call for clarifications and explanations by his subordinates.

This is a clear and present danger we are now facing. Our people have become so divided by so much hatred and malice due to the differences in their assessment of Duterte as a private individual and as President. Let us erase this division and be united once more by being Pro Patria Filipina and not pro or anti Du30.

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