MANILA
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte won by six million votes last May 9. And he holds on to that margin as his license to do as he wants for the next six years. He didn’t lose any time giving his Cabinet members their marching orders.
Duterte’s national chief of police has been in media eerily aping his boss, even sounding like him. They both want to do the same thing, kill as many criminals as possible within six months. That was Duterte’s promise during the campaign and nothing will stop them from doing it.
Already, petty troublemakers in neighborhoods are shaking in fear. But that’s the thing: So far all they’ve rounded up are petty neighborhood nuisances and juvenile vagrants. Suspected small-time drug pushers have been killed without trial. Where are the big drug lords?
Duterte promised a hand of steel to eliminate criminality in six months. Fine, that’s what’s needed to rid society of criminals and the plague of illegal drugs.
But is shooting-first and don’t-worry-about-due-process the right way? Aren’t excellent intel operations, efficient rounding up of drug dealers and financiers, and speedy court decisions the right way? Why resort to legal shortcuts and risk killing bystanders in the process of gunning down suspected criminals?
When you encourage civilians to shoot down suspected criminals, aren’t you signaling that your police force isn’t up to the job of apprehending and jailing criminals?
Duterte’s approach indicates that collateral damage — innocent bystanders getting killed in the crossfire — is acceptable just so he can fulfill his campaign pledge of eliminating crime in six months.
Mr. Duterte has said he wanted to heal the nation. Is disrespect for due process and people’s basic rights the way to heal?
Mr.Duterte has alienated certain segments of society, including the Catholic church, human rights activists, and the media. Is that the way to heal?
Mr. Duterte has shown disdain toward Vice President-elect Leni Robredo by simply ignoring her, not even giving her a chance to pay a call on him, and shunted her aside in the traditional swearing-in ceremonies. Is this the way to heal?
Mr. Duterte has warned Congresspeople to “not get in my way,” ignoring the independence of a co-equal branch of government. Is this the way to heal?
Mr. Duterte has shown disrespect toward women, not even showing regret when it’s obvious he has been offensive toward them. Is this the way to heal?
A nation’s president must be a healer, a unifying figure, a compassionate leader, magnanimous not vengeful, a consensus-builder, a good listener, and someone who is loved not feared.
Maybe Mr. Duterte prefers to be feared rather than loved or respected. Is that the kind of president we need and want? Is scaring people the right way to govern? Is it the right way to heal a divided nation?
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