PRES. DUTERTE ON RED OCTOBER AND EJK REMARKS

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte admitted in at least two of his speeches that he likes "shaking the tree" once in a while to see what falls out. His revelation on the Red October plot and his remarks on Extra-Judicial Killings may just be aimed at doing that. Ex-Pres. Arroyo confirmed that the President receives intelligence report that no one else gets. We know that he probably meant that while he has been accused of EJK, no one can point a finger on him for corruption and political persecution. His opponents just pounced on the statement literally because it suits their agenda.

The New York Times, in their article titled "Becoming Duterte: The Making of a Philippine Strongman", wrote: "He has alienated many with outrageous comments and irrational behavior, yet remains wildly popular. His gangland approach to
combating crime and drugs has largely endeared him to Filipinos who have suffered high rates of violent crime and who see him as a refreshing change from the sophisticated but out-of-touch elite who have ruled this country for most of the last three decades."

Filipinos are fed-up with two-faced tra-pos (traditional politicians) who may be sophisticated or statesman-like and charming but may likely won't speak what is truly in their mind. Most Filipinos probably just want a strong and decisive leader. Nothing is wrong with a benevolent strongman or dictator, Lee Kuan Yew was accused of being such during his 30-years as Singapore leader. Look at Singapore now.

Credit: Excerpts from The New York Times March 2017 article.