EDITORIAL - Duterte's dilemma may not be at all

The big question now is whether the flap over Rodrigo Duterte's alleged undeclared bank accounts can seriously affect not only his survey ratings but his real chances in the presidential race just a week later. That it will have an effect is out of the question. But will it be strong enough to deprive him the presidency, or will it be too little too late to stop the momentum of a man who, just weeks ago, everyone had all but conceded as the next president.

The view from the ground is that the allegation came a bit too little too late. Most people have already made up their minds. Those who haven't are more likely to be swayed in significant numbers toward the man who has captured the imagination of an entire nation than to those who, until today, still struggle for attention. Like in game shows, human nature always pushes the undecided to where the lines are longer. Winners do love company.

Besides, people have grown tired of Antonio Trillanes. His own vice presidential ratings is a serious and revealing indictment of how he stands before the public eye. Gone are the days when people were willing to overlook his redneck refusal to submit to duly-constituted authority in favor of principles that seemed tall only because that authority has severely undermined its own stature.

But people have wised up. They always do. Trillanes cannot keep on attacking only the leading presidential contenders, like what he did with Jejomar Binay in another time, without people wondering why and questioning his motives. It does not help Trillanes that, in espousing supposedly just causes, he is always on the wrong side of the law - Oakwood, Peninsula Hotel - and the wrong side of personal endearment - arrogant, self-righteous.

Still, how should Duterte handle this challenge to his integrity? Sufficiently miffed, he can of course play up to Trillanes and gamble all his marbles which, by most popular reckoning, will last him until election day. Or he can ignore Trillanes completely and still bank on the same marbles to carry him through to election day. Either way, the matter of Duterte is a popular matter, subject to the people's will.

Trillanes himself can go to hell. It is not up to him to determine who people choose to be their leaders. This is not to say, however, that if Duterte pulls through and gets elected leader, his will be secure up there. If what Trillanes unleashed is any indication, the enemies of Duterte will not rest until they can exact revenge.

Mudslinging is the single most basic flaw in the manner the Philippines elects its leaders. It is a reflection of the immaturity of our political leaders. The ideal manner would have been the submission of platforms and promises to public scrutiny and let the determination of character be the subject of another process, of which our laws do not have a surfeit of. So let the best man win. Let impeachment or whatever the law reserves come later.