spot_img
25.9 C
Philippines
Tuesday, March 19, 2024

The weight of his words

- Advertisement -

Can a president actually endorse senatorial candidates, and long before the designated campaign period at that?

The weight of his words

Of course. President Rodrigo Duterte is doing exactly that.

One month before the start of the campaign period and four months before the polls, Mr. Duterte has had no qualms extolling the virtues of his three favorite candidates: his former Special Assistant Christopher Lawrence Go, his former Philippine National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa, and former Metro Manila Development Authority chief Francis Tolentino.

- Advertisement -

He did so during a briefing in Camarines Sur, expressing disappointment at the results of an early survey saying his friends were not anywhere near the top of the winning column.

He did so by raising Tolentino’s arm during the latter’s birthday party on Jan. 3, saying he was present at the occasion because he wanted Tolentino be senator.

He did so by insisting that Dela Rosa was “fundamentally honest. Believe me.”

He does so by appearing in advertisements, airing in prime time TV shows, showing how good a public servant Go is, and giving him credit for several government programs.

By making these pronouncements, the President hopes some of his luster and popularity will rub off on his chosen few. We will not be surprised to see these names faring better in surveys in the weeks to come. Good for them. For the public, not necessarily.

What all the undue and premature endorsement is telling the rest of us is that Mr. Duterte wants to have too obvious a hand in picking the members of the next upper house of Congress, supposedly an independent and co-equal branch of government as the Executive. The 1987 Constitution conceived of the separation of powers as a way to ensure checks and balances, and that the chief executive will not be able to singlehandedly run the government.

This also tells us that Mr. Duterte thinks noting of violating election rules if it suits his purpose. There is not even an attempt at appearing to observe them.

Because he is extraordinarily popular, even midway into his term, he gets the feeling he can do anything, just as he feels he can never be too liberal with his mouth.

Meanwhile, the people will get so caught up with either scrambling to do the President’s bidding or figuring out how he is able to get away with many things that they will forget the one and only consideration for voting anybody in the office: Will his or her presence, given background and expertise, provide value to the Senate?

Again we are being conditioned to vote on the strength of somebody’s say-so. Is it too much to wish that voters resist this, and begin thinking for themselves?

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles