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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Politics of hypocrisy

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“And Domagoso is not alone.”

It was not too long ago when President Rodrigo Duterte and presidential aspirant, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso were hogging the headlines, their verbal tussle serving as an alternative entertainment for people hooked on Korean telenovelas. Duterte even accused Domagoso of being a callboy but with a tiny “w**ner.”

Domagoso hit back at Duterte saying the President cannot take criticism regarding his failed policies accusing the latter of being deaf to the people’s complaints.

Sources say Domagoso, in the weekly flag ceremony at the Manila City Hall, would often refer to Duterte as the “P_____inang matanda sa kabilang ilog.”

Domagoso even added that in the event he gets elected as president, he would not stop the International Criminal Court from investigating the crimes against humanity cases filed against Duterte over his war against illegal drugs.

Their word war however came to a halt when rumors flew that Domagoso, despite his animosity with Duterte, is actually the President’s secret candidate.

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This was after reports came out that Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, “lent” his chief of staff Gelo Villar to the Manila city mayor. This was on top of another Duterte appointee, former Manila Economic and Cultural Office Chairman Lito Banayo, joining Domagoso’s camp earlier.

Domagoso’s camp denied Villar was joining them but was quick to add Banayo’s joining forces with them doesn’t equate to Domagoso being Duterte’s secret bet. However, last November 17, another key person in Duterte’s Cabinet, former BCDA chief and IATF contact tracing czar Vince Dizon joined Domagoso’s team.

And last week, after Go announced he would be withdrawing from the presidential race, Domagoso started singing a different tune, announcing he would not refuse Duterte’s endorsement if the latter chooses to back his presidential bid.

He justified his pronouncement saying that beggars cannot afford to be choosers and at this point in time, he welcomes support from anyone for his presidential quest.

He even started praising Duterte describing the President’s Covid-19 response as laudable. This even as he started lashing at the other opposition candidates saying all they have done so far is to criticize the administration.

A quick 180-degree turn. Political hypocrisy at its best. As American political journalist Michael Gerson would say, “using a mask to fool the public and gain political benefit.” Trying to portray himself as an opposition to the administration only to later shed his skin and show his true colors.

Domagoso, however, is not alone in employing these hypocritic acts. Pinklaw standard bearer Leni Robredo apparently has not learned the lessons of 2010 losing vice presidential candidate, 2016 losing presidential candidate and 2019 losing senatorial candidate, Mar Roxas.

Trying to reach the millennial crowd and all the anime fans, she emulated San Goku as she projected her own Super Sayad, I mean super Saiyan combat stance. She then went to the market and portrayed herself as a fish vendor, did painting masonry jobs, and what else. Weren’t these the same things Roxas did that failed to win him all the posts he had aspired for?

It’s rather unfortunate that these candidates are all willing to make a fool of themselves, but believing all along they are successful in taking everyone for a ride. When will they realize we’re all treating them merely as entertainment, although they have failed to amuse us.

Amid their antics, they have failed to convince the people they are deserving of the post they are aspiring for. They haven’t even given us a hint of their program, except for Domagoso’s foreign policy which is “Sipain ang mga tsekwa pabalik sa kanila;” and Robredo’s economic policy, that is to, “Stop the pandemic.”

Maybe it would be better if Robredo would join forces with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy who has mastered the art of stopping an earthquake.

So, what exactly can these two offer us? Maybe their mastery of the politics of hypocrisy.

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