There have been many analyses of President Rodrigo Duterte’s first year in office. Often, it depends on the political affiliations of the analyst.
Some say the President failed to deliver on his promise of bringing about change, and ending illegal drugs, criminality and corruption.
Others say he delivered.
I believe President Duterte’s own assessment of his first year in office is best—turbulent, with plenty of hits and misses.
I think too that one can hardly achieve anything in just one year. This is why I am reluctant to pass judgment.
Take, for instance, the war on illegal drugs. Eliminating the menace altogether cannot be done in just one year. Going after drug lords, financiers and pushers cannot be done in so short a time. That’s only half the story, too.
The other part of the problem is the rehabilitation of more than four-million users. How can they be made into productive and responsible members of society once again?
The war against illegal drugs has also spawned a collateral problem—extrajudicial killings that have earned for us notoriety in the eyes of the international community.
There is also the issue of congested jails. Inmates exist in sub-human conditions. One cannot also solve this in one year.
Criminality and corruption cannot be ended, only minimized. Both problems are endemic to a democracy.
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If there is one thing that can be said of the President, though, it is his strength of will. He is resolute in doing what he thinks is right for the country. The people love him for that—we now have a strong President we can believe in and trust. This is real change from his immediate predecessor.
We look to the economy and foreign affairs for change. Mr. Duterte has decided to pivot to China and Russia. The economy remains stable, and the Build Build Build program is expected to bring in the golden age of infrastructure. The tax reform program bears watching.
The second year of President Duterte opens with the issue of terrorism.
Marawi City still has not yet been liberated. It was attacked on May 23 by IS-inspired terrorists—the Maute and Abu Sayyaf Groups. They want to establish a caliphate here.
When President Duterte finally liberates Marawi, will that be the end of the terror threat here?
I think it is impossible to negotiate with terrorists. It is their nature to create panic and terror anywhere. This is why I am wary about engaging the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in talking with the terrorists.
How can we expect the MILF to mediate when the Mautes were once with them? We know that historically, a Moro will always side with another Moro.
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The alleged entry of some 100 jihadists from Indonesia into Mindanao to aid terror groups already there can only mean the liberation of Marawi may yet be far off.
Even now, our military is wondering where the guns and ammunition of terrorists are coming from.
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Another problem I see is the communist insurgency. The New People’s Army is taking advantage of the war in Marawi where government forces are concentrated. The communist insurgents have been attacking police and military posts and stepping up their extortion activities.
The President himself has warned them that there is an ongoing peace negotiation with a bilateral ceasefire. The leaders of the Communist Party, Joma Sison and Luis Jalandoni, cannot seem to control the NPA.
As I said, the communists cannot be trusted. They have blood on their hands.
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For the longest time, I have been advocating the privatization of the casinos of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. There is a clear conflict of interest here because Pagcor is also a regulator.
I am glad that Pagcor chairperson Andrea Domingo agrees with the Finance department in its bid to privatize all casinos nationwide.
San Miguel president and COO Ramon Ang has offered P10 billion to buy out all Pagcor’s casinos, but the latter has rejected it.
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House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has threatened to impeach Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno for siding with the Court of Appeals justices in the controversy over the “Ilocos 6.” These provincial officials have now been detained for weeks over an alleged anomaly, to the tune of P66.5 million, from tobacco excise funds.
Alvarez called the CA justices idiots.
I don’t know what has gotten into Alvarez’s head. Impeaching the chief justice for pursuing what she thinks is right? It’s insane!
As for the future of the Ilocos 6—we can only speculate.
As I said before, the conflict between Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas and Gov. Imee Marcos promises to be a telenovela.
Abangan!
