Positive perspectives
I want to sound as much of an optimist as I can. There are just few things that are not doing well in the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, instead of the negative "there are bad things happening in President Duterte's rule." I will try to look positive not to please Duterte but to nurture a different perspective among his constituencies.
One. Duterte sacked former Department of Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre just few days after Aguirre divulged a sworn statement of alleged drug courier Jumbo Diaz. Diaz claimed to have delivered millions of pesos to a city mayor. The alleged delivery was made in two tranches and the purpose was to help defray his medical expenses. More importantly, Aguirre quoted the money was from suspected drug lord "Jaguar."
Duterte did the right thing in kicking Aguirre out. We must remember when Aguirre revealed the affidavit, he mentioned Mayor Tomas Osmeña was the drug protector and DOJ would file charges in court! That revelation that Osmeña was the drug protector contradicted the statement of Duterte that another person protected the illegal drug trade in our midst. In effect, Aguirre exposed Duterte as a liar, theoretically speaking. When a subordinate issues a statement contradicting the declaration of a superior, the former loses confidence in his boss and should be removed from office.
Two. The inability of our government to pursue the victory we achieved at the International Arbitral Tribunal over our territorial claim over the islands in the West Philippine Sea is one of those things not doing well. To me, this monumental failure of Duterte makes him the least nationalistic among those who have ruled our land from Emilio Aguinaldo to Simeon Benigno Aquino III. But to continue with my positive frame of mind, let me say what the heck. Duterte was (maybe will be) right in suppressing our national pride and international dignity in allowing China to usurp our lands because we are a poor country. It is certainly not unimaginable for him to throw away the independence by asking China to annex our land, subjugate our people and desecrate our form of government.
Three. The lawyer in me frowns at what happened to Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno. Her removal is one of those wrong things happening in government. I view this event personally because most of the relevant teachings I lecture in Constitutional Law these four decades are shaken. But, then again, it is good for Duterte, as chief executive of the republic, to rule our country with no plausible checks from the Judiciary or otherwise the "strongman" label given him by Time magazine is misplaced. As strongman, the president can save our country from narcotics. How? By pursuing his war on drugs with relentlessness ferocity, exemplified by the killing of suspected drug lords in mayors Espinosa and Parohinog without having to contend with the demands of due process.
If this article disappoints the Duterte bashers, I suggest they take these up with the presidential fans.
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