by jun asuncion
The Filipinos should vote the presidential candidate who has a platform that is built upon the good works of his predecessor, a candidate who is credible and has a flair for statesmanship and a good international image. Above all, he must have a moral ascendancy and incorruptible character. Only then is the next step in building a democratic constitutional state further possible.
Several issues in this ongoing election campaign should be treated with caution:
Fighting corruption is not automatically equal to building a democratic constitutional state. A candidate should be seen against the totality of his picture, against his personality make up, against his open and hidden track records as well. If a presidential candidate promises a bloody cleansing of all criminals in the Philippines during the first three months of his term if elected, then, as in the case of Duterte and assuming he could not prove that his undeclared assets of hundreds of millions of pesos were not stolen from the government coffers, he should rather start this bloody cleansing in his own household first – with himself and his family.
Duterte, the hambugero and barumbado in his ways – both in words and actions – is the biggest joke in this presidential election. It went well for him in a mayoral format with his warlord character and hot temper as many other mayors in our country are. However, presidential format is too big for him. it would be a national suicide to elect such a rude candidate. His good achievements in Davao do not in any way permit him to rule over the entire Philippines for he is a tyrant in character, cloaked as fighter for the rights of common people. He is impulsively unpredictable, no self-control and given to fits of anger, obviously as compensation for his mediocre, if not primitive communication skills. How would you send him to the United Nations or to other countries for diplomatic missions? There he would only talk about raping, killing and barilan (shootings).
A president should show finesse, education and culture and the ability to communicate though fine language, not through primitive gestures, facial grimacing, gang and gutter language. On day one in office he would quarrel with Japan, America China and so on. The Philippines would be isolated. He would be a tyrant capitalizing on his fight against corruption and drugs. It needs more than these to be a national leader and a nation builder. Democratic constitutional state would be trampled down if a self-righteous person becomes the chief executive and commander in chief of the armed forces. He would not solve the problems of the Filipinos; he would be the biggest problem, a national liability, not a national asset.
You may say that he could be a good president, that at last, somebody has arrived in Malacanãng who would fix all our problems of corruption and poverty and catapult us to a first world nation in Asia. Well, it could be, but this is too good to be true – and our nation is too big to fail again! Hence, avoid the gambling when it comes to the highest office. He could also be the Philippines Kim Jong Un! His records in Davao tell us that he would not freely leave his office but would pass it to Sarah and sons, in effect, building up a new national political dynasty. His undeclared enormous wealth and properties are now robbing him his sleep and his presidential chance. Dirty Harry or Duterte? In any case, come clean, Duterte.
Federalism? Duterte advocates Federalism. Although this may be a good solution to a multi-ethnic nation like the Philippines, the present conditions in the Philippines do not call for a Federalist form of government. Not yet. With such a numerous secessionist movements, rebel groups, still a weak national government, economy and armed forces of the Philippines to re-enforce the laws, Federalism could easily slide to separatism, to several states proclaiming their independence -especially Mindanao. Duterte hates Luzon, that is his complex. He dreams for an independent Muslim country called Mindanao with his daughter and sons as rulers.
The next joke in this election is Binay. His main motivation in joining this race for the highest office is to save himself from all the pending cases of corruption against him.This is a public knowledge. Hence, all of his words and actions during the whole campaign period are worthless. He lacks this moral ascendancy and credibility as a person and as a politician. Only corrupt people would vote for him. After this election period, the senators should work for his arrest for all his evasion tactics.
Miriam Santiago is a sacrificial pawn in this election. This tandem with Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is inauspicious, and the most brilliant proof that she’s no longer in command of her senses.
Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is an echo of the past dictatorship. This thankful Marcos, Jr. didn’t know about martial law, conjugal dictatorship, the national plunder committed by his parents, the countless human rights abuses, tampering of the Constitution, liquidation of the opposition, etc. This is a public knowledge, local and international, yet the son doesn’t know the recent history of the country from which he is (vote) buying the vice-presidency. Suffering from amnesia and yet run for vice-presidency? But we all guess that it’s all about indecency in this election for some presidential candidates and supporters alike. But nomen est omen. His defeat lies in his name. The Marcos supporters of today are just like him: People who want to return to the good old days of politics where they could enrich themselves at the expense of the poor and helpless.
Grace Poe is a trap set by Danding Cojuangco and Joseph Estrada, two old wolves of dirty Philippine politics. Three years only in senate, a neophyte in looks and in speech, and now wanting to be the commander in chief. Big dream being financed by big dads. She might really have good intentions for her country but she has chosen the wrong people behind.Greed begets greed.
President Aquino may not have been perfect during his term. Six years are too short to fix such a broken and sick country after all those decades of corruption and plundering by public officials. But given such a scope of destruction and short tenure, Pres. Aquino succeeded in laying down a solid foundation for a democratic constitutional state by exemplary leading his Tuwid na Daan (Good governance), of modernizing the armed forces, of elevating the Philippine’s image abroad and its investment status.
It’s just a matter of common sense that the next who should take over his place should be somebody who would continue and further develop this legacy. Another twelve years of continuous good governance would finally upgrade the Philippines’ economic and political landscape and the dream of Federalism would no longer be impossible.
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Bulan Observer 