seems to be the central idea of many pro-Duterte people. Senator De Lima is in jail, Trillanes is “next” and trolls are trying to make Vice-President Robredo’s late husband look corrupt or worse. Strange that there was never any indication whatsover of anything while he was alive, or during his widow’s campaigns for Congress and Vice-Presidency, given the viciousness of Filipino politics. Even those who were critical of many of Aquino’s policies praise Jesse Robredo (link) – and Tony La Viña is known as having been critical of the Arroyo and Corona cases and Mamasapano/Purisima.
Journalist Inday Espina-Varona has this to say about Filipino hyperpartisanship (link): And there’s the major cause of this country’s problems. We rail against injustice. We condemn short-cuts. We fulminate against abuse of power. And then we turn around and do the same things all over again. It’s very tribal – and that’s an insult to tribes. It reduces our democracy to a battle among playground bullies. Kill all those who won’t come to our side. We insist on slapstick and simplistic solutions. It’s a never ending settling of IOUs and payback against others.
In that article, she described how now Secretary of Justice Aguirre covered his ears when Senator Miriam Santiago berated him. And in a recent comment on Facebook, she reminds some people (link): Remember how you made Vitaliano Aguirre into a “hero”? The Corona impeachment trial showed the fault lines of our so-called political democracy … And yet another article shows the dangers of hyperpartisanship (link): Thoughtlessness makes group membership more important than ideas.. If the source is my group, it is wise and good. If the source is the enemy, then it is evil.
Santiago of course had the behavior of a strict principal – but also very firm principles. This could have been one reason why she was considered “crazy” in the Philippine setting. Many Filipinos are like kids – they behave when the principal is around, and revert to their real selves when she isn’t. Then all that counts is one’s barkada. Or by extension, one’s KKK, ka-whatever the context is. So it becomes like fraternity rumbles – one brod complains, the others come out to defend regardless of the cause. And possibly, there is someone delivered to UP Infirmary at night, with ice pick wounds.
Of course President Duterte does not like the testimonies of people like Lascañas and Matobato – but they should be faced and dealt with, especially by one who has boasted about killing in the past. There are no more strict American principals around to admonish anyone! If you want a code of killing as the new Constitution that reflects “true Filipino values”, just have the balls to do it! Will it be like the (fake) code of Kalantiaw (link) which says when to feed to crocodiles or to ants, or punishes those who go against chiefs? I would not be surprised at that, just a little bit sad for everyone.
Irineo B. R. Salazar
München, 5 March 2017