In his inaugural speech, President Rodrigo Duterte emphasized the need to observe the rule of law as his administration addresses the various problems facing the country. He said corruption, criminality, the rampant sale of illegal drugs, and the breakdown of law and order have to be stopped by all means that the law allows.
Duterte likewise stressed that as a lawyer and a former prosecutor, he knows the limits of the power and authority of the president and what is legal and what is not, adding that his adherence to due process and the rule of law is uncompromising.
And to his political adversaries, he gave this piece of assurance: “I have no friends to serve, I have no enemies to harm.”
On a number of occasions, including a phone conversation with US President Barack Obama, Duterte also gave assurance he would respect human rights and uphold the Constitution.
For sure, many of the decisions of the previous government will be reviewed. And legal or administrative charges may not be very far behind for a number of people from the past administration and their allies.
Some quarters are hoping Duterte’s adherence to the rule of law and to due process will be followed by the members of the Duterte administration.
Those found guilty of abuse, favoritism, nepotism, graft, bribery or corruption should be prosecuted, but only after their guilt is proven in court.
Many are expecting President Duterte’s cohorts to go after Mar Roxas, his allies in the Liberal Party (LP), and supporters. Let us hope these fears are unfounded.
Guilty parties should indeed be prosecuted, but those whose “crime” is simply to support Roxas and the LP, Jejomar Binay, or Senator Grace Poe, but are operating their businesses legally and aboveboard should not be persecuted or made to suffer for their political choices or loyalties.
As long as they comply with rules and do not violate any laws, they should be presumed innocent of receiving undue or unwarranted benefits from their political relationships.
Duterte is no longer the presidential candidate of PDP-Laban, nor the mayor of Davao City. He is the president of the entire Filipino people, including his so-called political adversaries. As he mentioned in his speech, he cannot succeed unless he has the support and cooperation of the people he is tasked to lead and sworn to serve.
It is about time the culture or practice of political persecution or political vendetta be put to a stop. The President and his men have more important problems to solve than going after political enemies.
Bilateral rights
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has asked the Duterte administration to assist in its request to the Kuwaiti government to recognize the bilateral air services agreement between the two countries.
PAL is prohibited from carrying passengers and cargo between Dubai and Kuwait, which is not only a fifth freedom air traffic right, but also a right granted under the Philippines-Kuwait Bilateral Air Services Agreement. It allowed PAL to only fly directly from Manila to Kuwait or Dubai.
On the other hand, Kuwait Airways had operated the Kuwait-Bangkok-Manila route and had exercised 5th freedom between Bangkok and Manila and vice versa the past 20 years. It was only stopped from exercising said right by the Civil Aeronautics Board after it refused to allow PAL to exercise the same right from Dubai to Kuwait when PAL launched flights to that country (Kuwait) in January this year.
Save Our Skies Movement (SOS), headed by Robert Lim Joseph, has written Kuwaiti Ambassador to the Philippines Waleed Ahmad Al-Kandari asking the Kuwaiti government honor the agreement.
The CAB earlier granted Kuwait Airways’ request to increase its flights to Manila from six to eight weekly, which PAL opposed but to no avail.
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