Too Dirty? Duterte
For those who don't know it, the Philippines has its own version of Trump in Rodrigo Duterte. Such are the complexities of Pinoy society that the most obviously sexist, violent is also the most progressive in terms of cleaning up crime. As mayor of Davao, he took it from being arguably the most dangerous city (in fractious Mindanao) to the safest and most well-ordered.
He reminds me a lot of Yamahito in Arisugawa Park, or Jack Bauer in 24, and I would not want to piss him off. At the same time, what is he going to do about pork barrel? Does he give a shit about sustainability, the environment? I hear he is rabidly pro mining, which is not a great sign for those concerned about the planet. (Here in Dumaguete they have an internationally funded geothermal plant right in the hills above town––yet they get all their power from a cheaper, dirty coal plant in Cebu). And oh yeah, this relatively livable town of 120,000 has as much smoke (burn plastic? okay) and smog (tricycle utopia) as a city of a couple million in the States.
Here (unedited) is a recently making the rounds rationale for Duterte's alleged rape joke about an Australian missionary killed in a botched kidnapping rescue––explaining the context in which it was made:*
"basically the full video is about the hostage taking happened in davao,1989. duterte wanted to negotiate the kidnapper but the soldiers managed underby pres cory aquino didnt let him. so he couldnt do anything. soldiers resbacked at the area early without duterte's presence.left the hostages dead including the australian lady.
the hostages was wrapped. when duterte came, a kid died in front of him. he opened another dead hostage and saw an australian white lady. these brought duterte's extreme anger. he was so angry; she was so beautiful; the mayor should have been first. if he should have been first this wouldnt led to australian's death.
he said if he should have been early & if they allowed him to enter the hostage area, he would negotiate the kidnapper, then this wouldnt happen. he could have save them. because of his anger he took the machine gun, and shot each of the kidnappers. the soldiers asked we need coffins for them but duterte refused a coffin.he said dig only 1 hole at public cemetary and 'burry all kidnappers in 1 hole before they go to hell'.
this wasnt the first hostage taking in davao with these kidnappers. before the above incident, there was also another 'kidnapping case by this group'. pres cory phone up duterte and asked duterte's help. duterte sacrifice himself, went to the area himself and talk to these kidnappers. he managed to free the hostages but offered himself to be kidnapped instead.
but that time (second time) (incident when there was australian kidnapped) the president cory wouldnt let him negotiate and he don't understand why?
all these incidents was reported on the media before."
If this represents the truth, then the question of personally machine gunning the kidnappers without due process of the law raises troubling questions. There are already rumors of "Dirty Harry" going up in helicopters while Mayor of Davao and dropping accused drug dealers out alive.
On the other hand, my old friend Lalaine had this to say, "Duterte is the peoples choice. first running president that is requested by filipinos. he is in action. he will get rid the crocodiles in the government i hope. filipinos wanted change in my country. those other 3 presidential candidates are supported by chinese business man cojuanco & aquino. very corrupt."
To say that the Phils is corrupt is an understatement: In the last month alone, there has been the matter of the Macau-Manila casino/bank Internet heist of $80 million in Bangladeshi gov funds.
That said, there must be a better alternatives for cleaning out the "pork barrel" than a violence-steeped strongman. I hear one option is the reform-minded, untainted Grace Poe. Oh wait, she may be a U.S. citizen (she definitely owns property there), pull out the reverse "birther brigades." And wait wait... she may be under Cojuanco and a secret ally of Aquino. "Grace, roxas, binay very good platform but only talking no action, same thing happen in the past."
'Tis politics, after all.
He reminds me a lot of Yamahito in Arisugawa Park, or Jack Bauer in 24, and I would not want to piss him off. At the same time, what is he going to do about pork barrel? Does he give a shit about sustainability, the environment? I hear he is rabidly pro mining, which is not a great sign for those concerned about the planet. (Here in Dumaguete they have an internationally funded geothermal plant right in the hills above town––yet they get all their power from a cheaper, dirty coal plant in Cebu). And oh yeah, this relatively livable town of 120,000 has as much smoke (burn plastic? okay) and smog (tricycle utopia) as a city of a couple million in the States.
Here (unedited) is a recently making the rounds rationale for Duterte's alleged rape joke about an Australian missionary killed in a botched kidnapping rescue––explaining the context in which it was made:*
"basically the full video is about the hostage taking happened in davao,1989. duterte wanted to negotiate the kidnapper but the soldiers managed underby pres cory aquino didnt let him. so he couldnt do anything. soldiers resbacked at the area early without duterte's presence.left the hostages dead including the australian lady.
the hostages was wrapped. when duterte came, a kid died in front of him. he opened another dead hostage and saw an australian white lady. these brought duterte's extreme anger. he was so angry; she was so beautiful; the mayor should have been first. if he should have been first this wouldnt led to australian's death.
he said if he should have been early & if they allowed him to enter the hostage area, he would negotiate the kidnapper, then this wouldnt happen. he could have save them. because of his anger he took the machine gun, and shot each of the kidnappers. the soldiers asked we need coffins for them but duterte refused a coffin.he said dig only 1 hole at public cemetary and 'burry all kidnappers in 1 hole before they go to hell'.
this wasnt the first hostage taking in davao with these kidnappers. before the above incident, there was also another 'kidnapping case by this group'. pres cory phone up duterte and asked duterte's help. duterte sacrifice himself, went to the area himself and talk to these kidnappers. he managed to free the hostages but offered himself to be kidnapped instead.
but that time (second time) (incident when there was australian kidnapped) the president cory wouldnt let him negotiate and he don't understand why?
all these incidents was reported on the media before."
If this represents the truth, then the question of personally machine gunning the kidnappers without due process of the law raises troubling questions. There are already rumors of "Dirty Harry" going up in helicopters while Mayor of Davao and dropping accused drug dealers out alive.
On the other hand, my old friend Lalaine had this to say, "Duterte is the peoples choice. first running president that is requested by filipinos. he is in action. he will get rid the crocodiles in the government i hope. filipinos wanted change in my country. those other 3 presidential candidates are supported by chinese business man cojuanco & aquino. very corrupt."
To say that the Phils is corrupt is an understatement: In the last month alone, there has been the matter of the Macau-Manila casino/bank Internet heist of $80 million in Bangladeshi gov funds.
That said, there must be a better alternatives for cleaning out the "pork barrel" than a violence-steeped strongman. I hear one option is the reform-minded, untainted Grace Poe. Oh wait, she may be a U.S. citizen (she definitely owns property there), pull out the reverse "birther brigades." And wait wait... she may be under Cojuanco and a secret ally of Aquino. "Grace, roxas, binay very good platform but only talking no action, same thing happen in the past."
'Tis politics, after all.
There is a pretty good alternative - Grace Poe.
*I had this to say on fb a week ago: "'The video of Duterte's comment, made at a recent rally...' that is all that needs to be said on the subject. If it was 30 years ago and he had significantly changed his way of thinking about women... maybe... I cannot believe this guy is a candidate for highest office in the Philippines."
** The verdict is out on the original hostage situation. Disturbingly, it appears that the "rape" comments date back a couple decades. Though if we are to believe the viral fb post, Duterte's meaning was other than how most Filipinos interpreted it. What is clear is that Duterte issued a "shoot-to-kill order” of the kidnappers, claiming they were armed with machine guns (no one lived to refute that), and his group gunned them down on the spot.
** The verdict is out on the original hostage situation. Disturbingly, it appears that the "rape" comments date back a couple decades. Though if we are to believe the viral fb post, Duterte's meaning was other than how most Filipinos interpreted it. What is clear is that Duterte issued a "shoot-to-kill order” of the kidnappers, claiming they were armed with machine guns (no one lived to refute that), and his group gunned them down on the spot.
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