Markey's desperate gambit
There is only one plausible reason why Edward John Markey, the junior United States senator from Massachusetts, is taking on Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines half a world away. In his reelection bid in November this year, he is facing really serious challenges from his fellow Democrats, including from Joe Kennedy III, of the family whose name is almost synonymous with the state.
Duterte is not a political threat to Markey, but Markey can use a little political help from wherever it may come. In a tight race, a few votes from what he describes as a "vibrant Filipino-American community in Massachusetts" could go a long way. And he thinks he can get those precious additional votes by attacking Duterte, on the mistaken notion that Filipinos everywhere hate the foul-mouthed former mayor of Davao City.
But Markey attacked without scouting the terrain. At no time has Duterte been more trusted and popular. All the surveys indicate this, as they always have for the past three years plus. Markey chose to stand by Philippine senator Leila de Lima, who is in jail facing drug-related charges, and Rappler founder Maria Ressa, who has been charged with violating constitutional provisions on foreign business ownership.
Markey, in his statement, said he is "siding with the Filipino people" in their fight for democracy. Somebody should tell Markey that in that case he is standing virtually alone. Not only are most Filipinos with Duterte, as the surveys show, but it is only Markey and a couple of other hypocritical US senators who think democracy is dead in the Philippines. Well, it isn't, Mr. Markey. And if you insist, then you better take again your annual physical.
Had Markey done any proper research, he would have discovered that in the last elections, dutifully monitored even by American observers, no one from the political opposition managed to win a Senate seat. In overseas voting, even in Markey's beloved America, the vote for Duterte's candidates had been overwhelming. The 2019 election was a validation of Duterte and Philippine democracy, leaving the American observers speechless.
When Duterte issued a tit for Markey's tat and banned him and his ilk from entering the Philippines, Markey played the victim card by saying Duterte is mistaken if he thinks he can silence him. Again Markey did not get his facts straight. Nowhere in the actions of Duterte is there an attempt to silence Markey. How can he when he is in the Philippines and Markey is in the United States? Markey can go on freely making a fool of himself.
But of course, Markey can always find out for himself if Duterte truly wants to gag or even ban him. All he has to do is come to the Philippines if he is truly brave, instead of just shooting his trap from across the safety of the Pacific. Come to the Philippines Mr. Markey and find out where Filipinos truly stand instead of jumping to conclusions based on your own long distance idea of what life is like in the Philippines.
Markey is free to employ whatever means necessary to get reelected. But please not at the expense of the sovereign nation of the Philippines and its people. Do not patronize us Filipinos, Mr. Markey, whether in the Philippines or in America, because we are not as dumb as you think we are. The Philippines is no longer your colony. You gave us independence, remember? You cannot tell our courts how to decide cases or who to free from jail.
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