There is no telling what people could be capable of doing when they are overcome by emotions, blinded by hero worship, or driven by zeal.
Developments involving former President Rodrigo Duterte this month has brought these tendencies to fore. The arrest and eventual detention, coinciding with the former leader’s birthday, his daughter’s looming impeachment, and even the coming May 12 elections – all have stoked a sense of duty among his loyalists to show their force in numbers. They have done this both in physically, in mass gatherings of different sizes in Davao and in other parts of the country or world, and virtually, through the misleading or downright false narratives being pushed on social media.
The refrain has been the same: the arrest was illegal, we are allowing ourselves to be dominated by foreign rules, Duterte’s war on drugs and the manner with which it was undertaken were warranted, the former leader is too sick and frail and does not dereve the injustice or indignity he was subjected to, and that all this is political vendetta, nothing more.
Nobody denies that the Dutertes can still claim a large following in some parts of the country. This, as well as their noise on social media, has enabled calls to bring him home.
The wrath of Duterte supporters have even reached the profiles of ICC judges and other legal professionals involved in the case. Meanwhile, some overseas Filipino workers who are also Duterte supporters have been threatening to suspend their remittances to the Philippines. Since the economy relies significantly on these remittances, then it could be a good way to make the government feel their wrath.
But such ideas seem to have backfired. For example, some 17 OFWs in Qatar have been detained for illegal assembly on Friday, Duterte’s birthday. In The Hague, a permit for Duterte supporters merely indicated they would be there for a picnic.
And, of course, while the economy could eventually feel the effects of lower remittances, it would be the OFWs’ families who would most feel the effect of their act. Our migrants, after all, did not really decide to work abroad driven by a desire to help the economy, but to give a more comfortable life to their loved ones.
The Duterte camp itself has asked that supporters now refrain from commenting on the case, after being warned that the vitriol could in fact do his cause more harm than good.
Make no mistake about it: anyone can fall into the trap of unconditionally and vociferously supporting a larger-than-life personality. Today it could be Duterte, tomorrow it could be someone else. That people could suspend their critical thinking and blindly follow or defend a leader, insisting on their greatness despite evidence to the contrary, is a human failing anyone could commit. Its likelihood is assured by rejecting outright other points of view, appreciating someone based on the personal benefits we derive, and seeing only similarities instead of profound differences, among others.
Let us not be too simple and too arrogant to distinguish between rational support and thoughtless backing. The stakes are much too high.