Yesterday, Feyma had an article here on LiP about the fact that Davao City Mayor, Rody Duterte, is running for President of the Philippines in 2016. I do not get involved in the Philippine politics, as it is not legal for foreign citizens to be involved in the political process here. I respect that, and I want to make it clear that I am not and will not endorse Mayor Duterte in the race.
However, after reading some of the comments on Feyma’s article, I wanted to make a few comments myself. These comments are not about who should be President, who I want for President or anything like that, no, the comments are about our thoughts and comments that we make. Are your comments fair? Well, I am not the judge, but I will just share my opinion, and you are free, of course, to express yours.
On Feyma’s article there were Duterte supporters, and detractors as well. One thing that I found interesting was that, from what I could tell, none of the people who said anti-Duterte things had ever lived in Davao. Every person who had lived in Davao, as far as I could tell, were pro-Duterte. Doesn’t that seem curious that every person who had lived under a Duterte administration said that they were supportive of him?
I would think that if Duterte were the monster that some people made him out to be, those who had lived under his rule would be against him being elevated to the highest office in the Philippines.
Another thing that I found very curious was that a number of people made comments that Duterte would be the next Marcos, a budding dictator. Talk of finding bodies along the streets, salvaging and such. Some of the people who said those things also made comments about what is good for a Democracy, and how they were very supportive of the Democratic system. Under the Democratic system, we have something called the “presumption of innocent”. Simply put, that means that you are innocent of a crime unless you have been proven guilty.
So, is Duterte a murder? Does he salvage people? Dump them in ditches along the roadside? I guess not, because over the years (even decades) many people have gone after Rody Duterte to put him in jail (or worse) for killings and human rights violations. So far, as far as I know, he has never even been officially charged with any crime, even after some pretty serious investigations. But, people say that they “know” that he did these kinds of crimes and that is why he should not be elected President. If these people “know” then why has Mayor Duterte never even been charged?
A number of years ago, I believe that it was during the Arroyo administration, Leila de Lima was the head of the Commission on Human Rights. She launched an investigation against Mayor Duterte to prove once and for all that he was a criminal. She never found anything, never filed any charges.
When Mayor Duterte runs for election as Mayor (or sometimes as Vice Mayor if term limits don’t allow for a Mayoral run), he usually gets like 70+% of the vote! Often times, nobody even runs against him, because Dabawenyos love the Mayor. If he were such an abusive man, would his constituents love him so? I doubt it.
So, anyway, for those who made such statements against Mayor Duterte, do you have proof? If so, why have you not come forward to press charges against the Mayor? If you have proof and have not come forward then you can be considered complicit in the crime. If you don’t have proof, is it right to spread innuendo against the man?
Food for thought.
Hi Bob,
I do know that you don’t like to discuss politics in the Philippines or even America to any extent which I think is probably smart.
I was actually quite surprised that you allowed or even approved your wife’s article since it it related to to the upcoming presidential race which I think that you would never write an article that resembles anything close to it on your site.
Happy post Thanksgiving in the Philippines.
Hi lgbalfa – The reason that I don’t discuss Philippine Politics on the site is because it is illegal for a foreigner to express political support for a Philippine candidate for office. You can be deported for that.
My wife, on the other hand, is a Dual Citizen, which means that she is a Philippine Citizen, and she has every right to express political opinion about politics in the Philippines. I do not, which is why I did not express support for any candidate in this article. 🙂
Given the statements that expats should not be broadcasting nor involving themselves in PH politics (which I completely agree with).. the wise (and legal) place for a Filipina to post her articles and views on PH politics should have been made on a website that is independently her own. Not… on the website of an expat.
Hi Reekay – This site is legally her own as well as mine. She has every right to post her opinions here.
The statement I made was, “..independently her own.” As you just stated, ‘this’ site is jointly hers and yours, not hers alone.
The point being that a website run solely by a Filipina with an audience who are Filipinos would be the proper place to air political views related to the Philippines. The vast majority of audience here is expats.
There is absolutely nothing illegal or improper for a Filipina to comment on politics on a blog no matter who owns it. It is perfectly legal and proper, she did nothing wrong.
My comment was not on ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, read it again. To post about Philippines politics on a predominantly expat website is inviting such expats to then comment on the politics.
Expats cannot vote in the PH, but Filipinos can so a website with a Filipino audience is the wiser choice. Your assumption about right/wrong has nothing to do with it.
I really can’t put it any simpler, so I’ll just leave it at that.
Reekay – You said:
So you did indeed say it was improper (even illegal) for Feyma to post her views here. You even said (above) that a Filipina should not post her articles (of any nature?) here.
I do not tell you what to make videos about or dictate your content in any way. I don’t see why you feel you should be telling me what I can or should publish on my site.
I have a large portion of my readers who are Filipino (both local Filipinos and Filipinos who live abroad).
Nothing written by Feyma was improper or illegal (although you did say that in your original comment). Please move on.
But there are also Dual Citizens on these site who reads the article regarding their home country either living here or abroad. So politics could be informative for us
Exactly correct.
Reekay,
There is a huge difference between demonstrating by a foreigner about a particular political individual (illegal) and talking about him or her.
My wife, a Filipina, and Bob’s wife, a Filipina, can say all the positive things they want about a candidate, right?
Try living in any country without dealing with the government. In my opinion who is in charge of the government has everything to do with this site.
My wife is 100 % for mayor Duterte.
Rusty
Why do we … myself included unfortunately … find it so easy to find fault, even when none exists?
Is it possible that we get our value from trying to seem better than someone else … or even, seem better than we really are?
If there really is a wrong that we are aware of, it seems we are doing someone a service by pointing it out, when really, the only right thing we can do is make it right.
If we wallow in feeling powerless, we don’t serve anyone … but somehow we convince ourself that griping and complaining is service.
Thank you for your article Bob!
I am not sure why we are like that,Byron, but it is interesting. It is an interesting thought, though.
so much for staying out of politics ? AHahahaah
I don’t think there is anything at all political about this article, Tom. I am not advocating for any candidate for any office.
You are 100% correct Bob. I do not and never plan to live in Davao or any part of Mindanao for that matter. My comments yesterday are because of what I have read in the news. I know that the news is not always accurate, but three different news stories pretty much said the same thing. What I see as abusive for making a guy eat a spent cigarette from the ground and what the great people of Davao do seem to be two different things. I fully support the idea of innocence until proven guilty. I also believe that the letter of the law should be followed. I am not in Davao and I don’t smoke anymore, but what is the process for someone found smoking in public? Is it a citation, arrest or the mayor coming down to make the smoking individual eat the butt by whatever means?
Here in the north everyone loves the former President Marcos. Was he ever convicted of a crime that was not overturned? No, he was not convicted but alot of people in other parts of the country are still very against him and his family for that matter. A lot of people loved him for his discipline but there was a lot that didn’t.
It’s all a matter of perception and opinion. Does the Philippines need more discipline? In my opinion yes. Is Rody Duterte the right man to run this country? That is not for me to decide, I will let my in-laws make that decision. In the end I will still have my opinion though.
Hi GaryM – Interesting comments on Marcos, and I must say that I don’t really have an adequate answer for that. All I can say is that there was never really a chance to charge and convict Marcos because he fled the country, and then died before the opportunity was available. But, I would consider you to be right on that.
I will say, I see no problem with people saying that they don’t support a certain candidate because of his policies, or even if they don’t like the color of his hair, that is their right. But, to come out and say that they don’t like a man because he is a killer or something of that nature… well, there is no proof or even charge against the man, so I don’t feel it is right to make such an accusation unless you have evidence to back it up and file charges.
As for smoking in Davao, Davao has had an anti-smoking law far longer than the rest of the Philippines, and it is strictly enforced with jail sentences. As for the “eating the butt” incident, yeah, it has been widely reported, but I don’t know for sure exactly what happened. I don’t think you do either. We only know what was in the newspapers. If it was really handled exactly as described in reports, the man could have pressed charges against the Mayor, and he did not, so it is hard to say if it went down just as reported. When you get a guy like Mayor Rody, there is a lot of “urban legend” that goes around. Kind of like all of the Chuck Norris jokes about how tough he is… Many such “false but fun” stories spread about Mayor Rody, and some of them are even in the paper, even though I know then to be greatly exaggerated.
Good comment, Gary.
Well said, Bob.
Take care.
Thank you Chasrand. I appreciate that.
Hilary Clinton…. has never been charged or convicted. …. Atleast I can comment on that…. Atleast I think I can… so she must be innocent…. sorry Bob I just had to get that in there to draw a parallel
You are right, Hillary has never been charged with anything, even though she has been through so many investigations. However, my personal reason for not voting for her would be her policies, not that she is a criminal. I don’t like her policies and that is my right. I think it is a much better basis on which to base my vote, rather than something speculative.
Good articles on the Mayor running for President of the Philippines. From all that I have read about the Philippines, it seems that Davao under this mayor is one of the best cities in the country. With a record like his, in turning around a dangerous city (before he was mayor) I think he would be a good candidate to run for the presidency of the country.
Hi Richard – Thanks for your comment. Just to be clear, this particular is not about Mayor Duterte running for President, Feyma wrote about that yesterday. This article is more about the reader reaction to the article yesterday!
Thank you, though, for sharing your thoughts.
just curious bob, what kind of reaction did you expect from an article that is political from a controversial candidate?
I did not have any specific expectations. I just comments about the reactions that did appear. Nothing wrong with that, is there? Am I not free to write about my own personal thoughts?
sure, i did not think you would get defensive on my question though.
lgbalfa – If you felt that I was defensive you misinterpreted what I wrote. I did not dislike your question at all, I only answered it honestly and without malice. I am sorry if the way I wrote it did not come across that way.
no offense taken.
Tall poppy syndrome Bob!
One of the reasons I left Australia was the jealousy and tall poppy syndrome.
If somebody appears to be happy and successful, many will go out of their way to bring them down.
Its called the “crab mentality” here.
Surprised me very much that it’s just as bad, if not worse here than in Australia.
I even resort to telling people here that I am bankrupt. Seems to please them. lol
From what I have heard and read, the mayor of Davao is doing great things.
Corruption needs to be wiped out in this country! Question is, do the people want no corruption?
Yep, Adam, you are right! I don’t like the crab mentality or the tall poppy syndrome or whatever name it goes by. It has no place in my life, but it sure seems like a lot of people have the need to feel they are “better” than you are! 🙂 Who needs it?
I live half the year in Davao, one over riding reason is I consider it the safest city in the Philippines. It has to be a super discount airfare to even get me to fly through Manila.
I feel the same, Paul.
Bob, you said that your post today is a comment on yesterday’s reader reaction on Feyma’s post about Duterte. Which reader was that? I assume that I was one of them judging on what you said about people not residing in Davao, Duterte considered innocent till proven guilty, the possibility of Duterte becoming another Marcos.
But I will comment on your arguments. You are being pilosopo by saying that Duterte couldn’t have ordered summary executions of suspected criminals because no one has ever come forward with solid proof that he did. I guess we could say the same thing about Ferdinand Marcos being innocent in the deaths of all those people during martial law.
However, just because I am arguing against a Duterte presidency here, it doesn’t necessarily mean I am making an innuendo or actually accusing him of a crime. I have to be very careful about that because of the online libel law. There is a fine line between personal opinions and libellous statements.
OK, Duterte never ordered summary executions. So I guess all those bodies popping up there were simply murder victims. If that is so, that doesn’t support the crime-free Davao argument. Have the police ever caught the perps? Have the police ever determined if those dead people were criminals or murder victims? If they were criminals, weren’t they also entitled to a fair trial and to be presumed innocent until proven guilty?
So I guess Duterte was badly misquoted by the press in this news story published earlier this year. http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/05/25/15/duterte-admits-links-davao-death-squad-says-hell-kill-100000-criminals
The possibility of Duterte becoming another Marcos later on? That can happen to any politician in this country. You don’t even have to declare martial law. Just look at how politicians act like kings and are so full of themselves on the road — and they call themselves public servants.
That is why there are democratic safeguards in the 1987 Constitution. Actually there are already laws in place that have martial law implications such as libel, which is a criminal offense. There is also the law on online libel. You can go to jail for simply stating your opinion while waiting for the outcome of your trial, which easily takes five years.
The 2006 state of emergency declared by Gloria Arroyo? Compare Arroyo’s Proclamation 1017 with Marcos’s Proclamation 1081. The Supreme Court didn’t overturn the legality of 1017, which means that the next president can use it to declare a state of emergency.
Why am I paranoid about this? Because I lived through martial law. Can thousands of people like me be faulted for that? I find it very insensitive for people to just dismiss the suffering of other people. I really don’t want to go through that trauma again.
By the way, Duterte supports Bongbong’s bid for the vice presidency. Never mind that Bongbong tried to move the Marcos Swiss accounts and he simply dismisses the victims of martial law, saying that it brought law, order and discipline. Never mind the dead and desaparecidos, I suppose.
I wonder if Duterte backed Ferdinand Marcos and martial law during those days. Does anyone know?
Ah, another thing I don’t like about Duterte: his stand on our territorial dispute with China on the West Philippine Sea. Like Bongbong, he also mouths the same crap about having bilateral negotiations with China, the very thing that China wants.
Of course, China wants bilateral negotiations. We are the runt. What leverage do we have? Beijing can say that they didn’t violate UNCLOS because they negotiated with us. They can easily say “we will let you fish, jointly develop the area, and do all you want as long as you recognize our sovereignty.” That is territorial grabbing, no different from China’s occupation of Tibet.
The Philippines’ territorial integrity is expressly protected in the 1987 Constitution. The president, Congress, the courts — no one — can just give Philippine territory away. I find it strange that there are public officials in this country who don’t back up our own government’s policy on the West Philippine Sea issue while we are currently in an international arbitration. Never mind the fishermen who are now deprived of their livelihood because of the Chinese, I suppose. Well, Filipinos selling out their own country are nothing new.
To say that Duterte was only being realistic undermines the argument about him being tough on enforcing the law. Well, the Constitution IS the law. Duterte is a lawyer, and he should be the first to uphold the Constitution if he becomes president. And there is UNCLOS, which trumps the Constitution because it is international law.
Hi Norman – I would say that most of those who commented, who had not lived in Davao, were anti-Duterte, and presuming him to be guilty of the things they read in the newspapers. Let me clarify, I NEVER said that “Duterte couldn’t have ordered summary axecutions”. I only said that no court had ever convicted or even tried him of such crimes, so he could be considered innocent.
Is there a possibility that he could become another Marcos? Sure, anything is possible. If you were elected, Norman, it is possible that you could too. I don’t think that you would, though, and I also don’t think that Rody Duterte would, based on my living under his administration of the city for many years.
Your comment about libel is very true, and I suspect that the vast majority of those who comment on this site and others are unaware that they cross the line and commit libel in their comments. If they come to the Philippines then can be arrested. In the USA, libel is not a criminal matter, but here it is and you go to jail for it. And, another thing about libel here in the Philippines is that unlike in the USA, the truth is not a defense. Even if what you say is true, it is possible that you can go to jail for it.
I am aware that Duterte has made many comments over the years about killing people and such. Has he done it? Maybe, I don’t know. But, a person with a reputation like Duterte often says many things like that if only to add to the urban legend myths that make them popular. I would not want to cross our Mayor, but I also do not fear him because I abide by the laws and I don’t mess around in situations which are none of my business in most cases.
I can tell you that Rody Duterte fought against Marcos (I am not saying he fought like with weapons, rather he opposed). He worked with Cory in terms of furthering her agenda in this region. I do not believe that he ever supported martial law under Marcos, but I am sure others would know more than I.
In regards to giving away Philippine territory… which President gave up Sabah? I am really unsure, but I know that it was given away to Malaysia.
Norman, you are my friend, and I respect you, I also think you are a pretty damn smart guy. I only think that nobody should judge a man guilty of crimes when it is nothing buy innuendo. If there are facts that you are aware of that could convict the man of a crime, come forward and make sure that justice is served.
First, about Sabah. No president since 1946 has ever given Sabah to Malaysia. The sultan of Sulu passed the problem of reclaiming Sabah to the Philippine government. But the sultan of Sulu continues to receive rent payments from the Malaysian government. Malaysia simply didn’t return Sabah to the Philippines when the British relinquished Sabah and ended its lease with the sultan of Sulu when they left and Malaysia became independent.
Which president are you talking about? PNoy? That is very big news. Who are your sources? You’re certain that Sabah was given away but you’re not sure who did? When did it happen? Who were the negotiators? Where did the negotiations happen? I will need more than ‘I know that Sabah was given away to Malaysia but I am not sure which president did’.
One more thing, I don’t take it lightly when people say that I was making innuendos. I ignored it the first time in your post, but you repeated it again in your comment above. Very, very few people have ever said that to me.
“I only think that nobody should judge a man guilty of crimes when it is nothing buy innuendo. If there are facts that you are aware of that could convict the man of a crime, come forward and make sure that justice is served,” you said. That sounds pretty much directed at me, unless my comprehension escapes me.
For the record, I take great care when I write even if it’s just a Facebook or Twitter post because I take my journalism very seriously and I have the power to influence public opinion. I don’t make innuendos. I make very reasonable arguments in discussions, at least in my view. But if you believe otherwise, fine.
And thank you for telling me that ‘hey even you could someday become a dictator if I were ever elected into public office’, and you were quick to take it back. I didn’t see that coming. Why say it at all if you doubted that I could become a dictator? Do people normally go around and tell friends that ‘hey I think you have the makings of a future dictator.’ Considering my beliefs about democracy and all the work that I have put in it, honestly I felt insulted. I know, you never meant to insult me.
Well, I have no plans to run for public office. Not for my frame of mind. I had a chance to join the government in 2010 because I was in the election campaign bureau of PNoy. I turned down a friend’s invitation to join her at DSWD. Yes, I know people in high places. But you will never hear about me boasting about it because I believe in democracy. But if you doubt that because you think I have the makings of a future dictator, well, friends tell each other things to their faces. I suppose.
Also, don’t worry about me pushing for a candidate here. I respect your site enough to know that it is not about politics.
Norman – I can assure you, I consider you as a friend, I really like you, and I respect you. I never in any way meant anything to be an insult to you. When I read what you say and think about it, I know that we have a cultural misunderstanding. It is a language thing there some ways of saying things are very common in my culture, yet I now see could come across as insulting in the Philippine culture. Like when I said that it is possible that you could become a dictator, of course I don’t think you would. You asked me if it was possible that Duterte could, and I answered in a way that is common among those from my culture. Anything is possible – even x – y or z. In other woreds “even this outrageous example is possible, because ANYTHING is possible.” It does not mean at all that I think there is any chance of you being a dictator. But I alse see it as very very remote that Mayor Duterte would do so either.
Anyway, again, I assure you that I had no intention or thought of insulting you in any way with anything I said, and I hope you can accept that we simply had a cultural misunderstanding in the use of the English language. That is sincerely how I feel.
I know enough Tagalog to understand that direct definitions do n always apply. The word pilosopo in common usage refers to a person who is sarcastic and believes they are smarter and wittier than everyone else. In other words, it is somewhat of a derogatory term applied to someone who believes that they are something more special than they actually are.
Not sure if you meant it that way, but as a student of everyday Tagalog it jumped out at me directly.
Norman is my friend, so I will consider it to be used in a positive way. If what I said offended Norman I have apologized and hope to hear back from him.
Hi Bob, have you ever read any of the many books and articles documenting what happened to those that openly opposed or tried to bring charges against those supporting the Marcos dictatorship? Just because nobody has filed charges against someone in the Philippines is by no means proof that accusations of criminality are unfounded.
Hi Malcolm – I never said that the charges were unfounded. I said that he should be presumed to be innocent until he is proven guilty. Are you arguing otherwise?
No longer in the USA oboma passed a law that u can be locked away under suspicion
I am happy not to be in the USA….
Bob Martin I wish I was over there.
There are problems here too, but generally, I really enjoy life here.
That’s not true. Quotes are made on the internet that lie about what Obama did or didn’t do.
I am not an Obama supporter but saying people can be locked up over suspicion isn’t right.
Are the people guilty of violating a law?
Did a judge sign a warrant for their arrest?
What sources do have that actually say Obama passed a law about what you quoted?
Rusty
Bob I understand that Feyma is a fan of Mayor Duterte and clearly you are too and I believe not without reason. However I think that a blog about living in the Philippines should be one without political bias towards any side of politics from any of its posters. After all its about living in the Philippines and planing to live in the Philippines and I think there is no place for politics in that apart from dealing with any difficulties local politics causes or will cause people when they are living there or are planing to live there.
I have made a comment on Feyma’s post and some people will find it extreme and over the top. But the fact is that the 2 leaders I mention from history were extremely popular with the people in there electorates for several years until they went too far.. After that it was too late and they could not be stopped (without bloodshed). Just food for thought.
Tim, I am glad that you have formed such a solid opinion of what belongs on a blog and what does not, it seems that you have really thought that out deeply. Congratulations for that. Whever you start your own site you can quickly put those policies into practice! Good luck to you.
Tim,
As I said earlier try doing business, or living here, without dealing with the government?
Rusty
Bob;
Is it too late for me to bring up the subject of religion? (LOL)
With my wife’s brothers after a few Empara-Flu’s on a Friday night the subject of politics will come up. Kuya Paul; who do you think the next president of the Philippines should be? My standard answer will always be “Who’s the president now? Hey open me a beer.”
Ha ha.. I was waiting for you to kick off the religion discussion, but you pivoted back to politics… very tricky, Paul!
Should presumption of innocence apply to criminals who have been warned to leave town or face death?
Hi Mike – Has that happened? If so, please report it and let the trial begin, because that would be illegal, and you should not let it go if it is true. If there is evidence that will convict, I am right there with you. That is how justice is supposed to work.
Bob – I asked “should presumption . . .”. You then asked “Has that happened?” If you are refering to my question, then yes those statements were made, and they are easy to find using google search. If you are asking something else, please clarify what “Has that happened” means in your question to me.
Presumption of innocence should extend to every person until they have been proven guilty.
Newspaper reports are not proof of guilt. If anybody is proven guilty of any crime then he should no longer be considered innocent.
Then we both agree.
I am happy to hear that, Mike. It is the right way that things should be.
Hey Bob,
I am with you, I do not have any business in Philippine politics. Not my circus, not my monkeys. I am just a person who is allowed to stay and enjoy life there (when I am not back in Atlanta). I go by what my daddy told me all my life, “avoid talking about religion and politics unless you are looking to get into a fight.” I find the best tactic to change the subject is to ask where a good place to eat is. Everyone eats and food hardly ever starts a fight.
Ha ha… good advice. Had any good sandwiches lately? 😉
Check this out: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/11/punisher-run-president-philippines-151127120714925.html
More unsubstantiated information… did you notice toward the beginning of the video they said “most people believe…” that Duterte did it?
Give some evidence.
Looks to me like they are pretty clear in their headline that: Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who has admitted links to death squads in Mindanao, shakes up the 2016 presidential race.
This came straight off of Yahoo! News
So you trust Yahoo news even when they openly say “everybody knows” but there has been no trial or charges pressed?
In the video (part of the article) and also in the article they keep saying “everybody knows who did it”. OK, I live in Davao, and I don’t know who did it because nobody has been charged, tried, or convicted. That is the whole point of this article.
I thought Tagaytay had trouble makers (right Paul). I see they are everywhere. Yep, I agree with your smarter readers. Avoid politics and religion. Took me many many years to finally fit in with the smart kids. Let it go, everyone is has a right to their own opinions.
Yep, I even said it in the article, everybody can have their own opinion.
i am confused Bob, and i know you can help me. according to the news, approximately 1,000 unsolved murders have occurred in Davao City during the reign of Duterte as either mayor or vice mayor or power behind the scenes. if so, in the USA, we would call such a mayor soft on crime. 1,000 unsolved murders is a very ineffective police force. why do you think Davao is safer, with all those unsolved murders? if i smoke in Davao, i go to jail, if i park on the wrong side of the street, i go to jail. if i tell the truth about anyone, i go to jail … but if i murder someone in cold blood. i am free forever????????????????
Hi William – If you study a bit more you will learn that the people who have shown up dead are the criminals… murderers, rapists and such. You don’t see them dying much anymore, because there are few criminals left in Davao. Who killed them? I don’t know, maybe you had one group of criminals killing their competition
Mayor Duterte has been in power in one way or another for 28 years now, so much of this is old history.
Or maybe Duterte gave the green light. Guess murder is o.k., as long as they are criminals.
The key word you used is MAYBE. Maybe is not evidence. Many people have gone after Duterte, but there has never been any proof.
it is much easier to overhaul a city (davao)from crime and corruption then an entire country.
i wish him well if he gets elected which i don’t think he will but he has my vote.
Only time will tell.
Hi Bob, if mayor duterte has been in power for 28 years one way or another he must be doing something right, I don’t get involved with politics in the Philippines if someone asks
I will give an opinion but it’s better not to get involved, my wife who is a Filipino citizen
Believes he will make a good president and will install some much needed discipline and
She will vote for him, me I’m just a guest in this country but like you said a man is innocent until proven guilty and that’s the way it should be, Derek in pasig.
Hi Derek, it sounds like we are in similar situations. I don’t get involved in politics either, and this story was not written about Duterte himself, but about the reaction to Feyma’s article.
It does make for an exciting time to have a local leader running for President. Lots of people down here are quite excited about it.
What is a fact is the whole Duterte Family has run Davao in one form or the other for several years, which makes it a dynasty. Dynasties breed corruption. Enough said.
Interesting. Can you give any facts of what corrupt acts the Mayor has committed.
Is the Kennedy family in the USA also corrupt? Just curious since that is a super dynasty.
PapaDuck,
The late Lee Kuan Yew governed Singapore for over 3 decades and was still a big influence in Gov’t until his death 25 years later. His son now Governs.
So in your book they are a corrupt Dynasty, don’t make me laugh!
I was thinking of the exact same example but wanted to see what PD had to say before bringing it up.
Well I think, and of course it’s my opinion….that most expat folks whether they will ever agree in public or not, benefit from the oligarchic and dynastic nature of the Philippines.
Economic stagnation and plunder by government employees whether it is actual corruption or not is why it’s cheaper and in many cases easier to live in the Philippines. After all many expats would not be IN the Philippines if it was run as an efficient concern.
This all started during the maharlika period and in my estimation will never ever be eradicated in the Philippines unless and until there is a major CULTURAL revolution. that sadly is not in the cards, and is not possible given present day cultural norms that we have all known and loved for years.
Just enjoy the show, because that’s what it will be…again. We have seen this before, some fella or gal willing to step up…only to be denutted by the ruling elite.
I personal would wish Hizzoner Duerte the very best, after all how much worse could he make things? he won’t really be in charge anyway. dynasty or not….he is not one of the landed oligarchs, so good luck.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
BTW, economic growth in the Dav;ao region is the hightst in the Philippines. http://www.interaksyon.com/business/115187/davao-region-topped-other-14-regions-in-grdp-growth-posting-9-4-in-2014
People dislike:
1. Those they might know who are successful.
2. They’d rather continue to make Wal Mart, or a SM in the Philippines, richer than a struggling friend or neighbor.
3. One just can’t reason with them. Life is too short to try.
Why don’t they like others success:
1. They might have tried being an entrepreneur, or politician, but failed. So they don’t want others to be successful. Thus they make up stories, or change facts, to compensate for their lack of success.
I would fully agree. What it really comes down to is jealousy. My experience is that a large percentage of people are like that, perhaps as many as 75%.
Hi Bob, I have been an admirer of Duterte for many years and have been looking forward to getting over there and hopefully having the opportunity of shaking his hand one day and telling him how much I like his city.
That will be a bit harder if he makes president.
Nick
Hi Nick – I have met the Mayor a few times. Even had dinner “with him” at a restaurant once.. OK, I admit.. we did both have dinner at the restaurant, but he was not at the same table as I was, he was at the next table over! I also admire Duterte and think he has done a good job as Mayor.