A MISOGYNIST and a coward hiding behind the bluster of machismo, Rodrigo Duterte still pursues his chauvinistic antics as he attempts to eliminate his political critics who are, apparently, mostly women whose intelligence is evidently superior and bolder than his own primitive logic and sissy ways.
As if concretizing the last chapters of his martial law plot, Duterte currently targets the judiciary as he pushes for the impeachment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, the first woman to lead the Supreme Court.
On March 8, the House justice panel, overwhelmingly filled with Duterte lap dogs and voting 38-2, “found” probable cause to impeach Sereno over alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, betrayal of public trust and other high crimes, voting 38- 3.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte had nothing to do with the ouster of Sereno. But what was he expected to do but defend his boss who last October had directly pointed his finger at Sereno and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales for allegedly conspiring with Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV who had accused him of racking up more than P2 billion in bank transactions in 2006 to 2015.
“We will file an impeachment case against her and I would tend to believe (Morales) was part of the conspiracy, the fabricated papers,” Duterte said.
Duterte indicated he wanted the same for Sereno, noting his Congress allies had already initiated her impeachment.
It is curious that despite his vehement denials, Duterte has not shown anything to prove his innocence. All he could do was to accuse Trillanes of allegedly keeping fat accounts in two Singapore banks, which the senator promptly answered by going to Singapore and getting certifications from the two banks that he didn’t have any account with them. In short, Duterte resorted to what his presidency has been very good at—fake news.
Vulgarity and crudity
Vulgarity has always been Duterte’s style even before he was elected as president. His words have always involved crudity with swear words and bawdiness which are largely unbecoming of a state leader.
One of the several instances when his behavior became controversial was when he catcalled broadcast reporter Mariz Umali in a press conference in September 2016. The incident sparked public outrage but Duterte never apologized. His camp stupidly defended him, saying that he was always being taken out of context and the media had always been biased.
Even during the campaign, Duterte had been sexist and insensitive and even downright brutal. We recall here his disgusting remark in defense of ordering rioting prisoners involved in the 1989 Davao prison crisis killed. Saying he did so after the prisoners raped an Australian missionary, he said: “Nagalit ako kasi ni-rape? Oo, isa rin ‘yon. Pero napakaganda, dapat ang mayor muna ang mauna. Sayang,” Now, who in his right mind would crack such a vicious joke amid tragedy? Did Duterte apologize for such a joke? Never. In fact, he lashed out at the Australian embassy for protesting. That’s the person elected as president.
Such irresponsible, narcissistic, demonic comments come fast and quick from Malacanang these days—and they’re mostly directed at women. In fact, he’s fond of saying the “PI” word. He’s just cursed just about everybody’s mother except his own, whom he had betrayed by allowing a hero’s burial for the macho despot Ferdinand Marcos, whom his mother opposed.
Of course, Roque and his lap dogs would always defend him. But “misinterpretation” and “language barriers” are now worn-out alibis. He’s clearly a chauvinist and he picks on women because he’s a sissy and cannot pick on Trillanes or China.
De Lima, VP Robredo
Sen. Leila de Lima and Vice President Leni Robredo are probably the most hard-pressed victims of the president’s disdain and mockery of women—specifically, women who threaten to dismantle his autocratic administration.
Filipinos would never forget how disturbing it was to allow De Lima’s alleged sex tape to be shown in the House probe last September 2016 just to establish the relationship between the senator and her former bodyguard, Ronnie Dayan. Robredo then condemned this move by labeling it as a “public shaming of a woman and the infliction of grave harm on her dignity as a human person.”
Alas, on December 2016, Duterte gave instructions for Robredo to “desist” from attending Cabinet meetings, which also prompted her to resign from the Cabinet.
Barbarian, anti-poor
His barbarism has made the Philippines an international pariah.
In the wake of his tirade against the United States, European Union and the United Nations last October 2016, former senator and diplomat Leticia RamosShahani advised him not to make enemies but to take a “beginner’s course” in diplomacy. It was in an earlier speech in Butuan City that he once again threw shade upon the international bodies which had been very critical about his war on drugs in the country.
Also, on September that year, it can be recalled that Barack Obama cancelled a meeting with him at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Vientiane, Laos, after Duterte “cursed” the US leader for alleged human rights violations of the government’s anti-drug campaign.
At present, if Duterte’s supporters’ lone motivation for blind loyalty is his promise of “change,” they should have already seen how his anti-drug campaign was a huge flop. It is largely anti-poor, resulting in 7,080 people killed since July 2016.
Moreover, they should have already realized how the murder of these thousands of men, most of them perhaps breadwinners of the poorest of the poor Filipino families, left mothers, widows and daughters weeping and cursing the tough-talking mayor who once promised to uplift the impoverished sectors of the society.
They should have perceived by now that Duterte’s war is neither against narcotics nor corruption, but against democracy, the poor, and women.
