The tie that binds presidents Duterte, Xi Jinping, and Putin
Although the Philippines is but a small dot compared to the superpowers China and Russia, by strange coincidence in contemporary history, the leaders of our country and those of the Peoples' Republic of China and Russia are somehow bound by common threads of some core leadership principles. First, the three leaders believe in consolidating political powers in the hands of one dominant party. Second, the three are not known for tolerance for dissent or legitimate opposition. Third, they seem to believe that political expediency may be opted for even at the expense of legal procedures and due process.
Russia's strongman, President Vladimir Putin was ''reelected'' for another six-year term in what appears to be a ceremonial ''coronation'' in the same fashion that China's Xi Jinping was enthroned by the 13th National Peoples' Congress, which is largely composed of members of the powerful Communist Party of China. If Putin has his ever-loyal Prime Minister Medvedev, Xi Jinping has his alter ego Li Kequiang, who was also re-elected as prime minister. Our President Duterte has a triumvirate of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, and the national photobomber, Bong Go.
By their track record, we can very well opine that the three: Putin, Xi, and Duterte are firm believers of the determined need for a nation to be ruled by a strong leader who consolidates powers and makes broads strokes of decisive actions indicative of firmness and iron hand. They also hardly tolerate dissent, and are inclined to isolate and marginalize those who dare question their decisions or belittle their actions. These three also appear inclined to bypass the rule of law, or the fixations for due process in the name of urgency and decisiveness.
In the context of American principles of governance and leadership, Putin, Xi Jinping, and Duterte are more Republicans than Democrats. They believe in the imperatives of a strong leader for every nation, in the same manner that Lee Kuan Yew used to govern Singapore, and in the same style that Mahathir used to wield power in Malaysia. And also, very similar to President Ferdinand Marcos' leadership philosophies. And, yes, somehow akin to US President Donald Trump's mode of leading and controlling. Are strong leaders still fit for today's culture and paradigm?
I don't know if Putin is really good for Russia, or Xi Jinping best for China. I have a feeling, however, that somehow most Filipinos need a strong leader like President Duterte, one who doesn't hesitate to discipline the wayward, punish the recalcitrant, and eliminate the slowfooted and inept.
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