President Rodrigo Duterte should not resign. Instead he should just take a break from the back-breaking pressure and stress of the presidency. This wise counsel was suggested by Romulo Macalintal, the lawyer of Vice President Leni Robredo.
Macalintal is handling the poll protest against the Veep filed by former senator Bongbong Marcos. Pending resolution of the case by the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, there is no legal impediment against Robredo as acting president even for a brief period of one or two weeks. It would give a chance for Robredo to disprove Duterte’s claim she is not capable of being president. How much damage can Robredo do in a brief stint? If she commits blunders, then Duterte would have proven his point of her alleged incompetence.
We are not saying President Duterte cannot handle stress. He can—but anyone who has been at the pinnacle of power can succumb to stress even if he or she doesn’t want to admit it. Those who were president the longest—Ferdinand Marcos (22 years) and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (nine years)—at some point must have thought of relinquishing power. That both Marcos and Arroyo stayed on is a tribute to their own strength of character and resiliency.
Marcos won a second term when it was still allowed in the Constitution and kept his grip on power for nearly 23 years through martial law. Arroyo, on the other hand, served nine years after taking over the remaining three years of deposed President Joseph Estrada who was consequently convicted of plunder. GMA, now the Speaker of the House, served out the remaining three years of Erap’s term and then sought her own six-year mandate to be president.
Mr. Duterte is scheduled to make an official trip to Israel on Sept. 2 to 5 at the invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It is a good time as any to take that break after his visit to Israel. He could, if he’s confident enough, designate Robredo as caretaker president. It would show his own strength and adherence to the provision of the Constitution. Why leave the presidency to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea or to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra? And certainly not to Special Presidential Assistant and close-in friend Christopher “Bong” Go. For sure, Guevarra and Medialdea are competent officials.
We just want to make sure Robredo also has the leadership quality of a president. If not, then Digong can always cut short his break and reassume the presidency. Then he would have proven his point that Robredo is not capable of holding the highest office in the land.
Digong cannot leave the presidency to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenza who has to accompany him to Israel. Certainly, defense cooperation and weapons deals would be taken up in the country that has one of the best military and air forces in the world. Israeli gained the distinction by buying most of its military hardware from the United States. The Jewish state, however, now manufactures its own weapons like the world-famous Gallil and Uzi sub-machine guns. Its pistol, the Jericho, can compete with the best-made US small firearms like the Smith and Wesson. Israel also has its own version of the US rifle Armalite M-16 which experts say is an effective assault rifle lighter in weight than its American counterpart Israel. Because it is surrounded by hostile Arab neighbors like Syria, Egypt and Iran, it has developed the Israel Defense Force, one of the best armies in the world.
The Israelis, which conscript women to be part of its fighting force, have proven their mettle during the Six-Day War in June 1967 when Israel defeated a combined force of Egypt, Syria and Jordan. Former foes Egypt and Jordan have made peace with Israel while Syria is embroiled in a bloody civil war between dictator Hafez al Assad and rebel forces that want to topple him.
President Duterte has drawn the concern of Washington when he announced he would buy weapons from Russia. He has spewed curses at a US defense official for criticizing his plan to purchase Russian weapons including a submarine. Duterte can secure weapons from Russia and China. But if he’s going to Israel, why not also buy from Israel to diversify the country’s armaments?
Duterte has diversified the country’s foreign policy as he veered toward China and Russia. Last week, in a rare remark against China, he warned Beijing not to send its war planes against a Philippine aircraft that flew over the Chinese-made artificial islands turned into military bases.
Is there a falling out between Manila and Beijing?