Four more years
He is already tired. This was the reason why President Duterte wanted to step down, during a recent speech. But there is a twist. He does not want Vice President Leni Robredo to succeed him, saying Naga was a hotbed of drugs. Whether that is true or not, it is obvious Duterte does not have any intention of following the Constitution when it comes to succession. He suggested two men that he preferred to replace him, just in case. Even going as far as saying that if one of them would win the electoral protest against Robredo, he would step down. A scenario many are fearing, given Duterte’s admiration for the Marcos family.
This is the latest of many statements from the president that humor some but are ridiculed by others. Such statements are no longer new from him. Many do not believe he will resign. Some lawmakers even see it as another political gimmick. Or perhaps another joke. Or maybe another hyperbole if the Palace will come out and explain. But who really is the legal substitute for him, just in case? If we follow the Constitution, Robredo is the rightful successor. The top two officials of the country are elected by the people, not by a single person, even if he is the president of the country. Because that is the law, that’s what we must follow.
But Duterte also said that he prefers a military junta in case he resigns. Also called a military dictatorship, we know that many do not like that word, after over 20 years of dictatorship under Ferdinand Marcos. In a military junta, the military has a complete control over the political system, and they choose a leader among themselves. In other words, people do not vote or have participation. Such is a scary situation for the country. Having armed individuals running the country is scary indeed.
In history, a military junta occurs when the military perceives widespread corruption in the government, so they step in to “save” the nation. Military juntas are therefore temporary, until a new civilian government, voted by the people, is in place. But we have also seen in history that some military juntas are prolonged, also become mired in graft and corruption, and even violence and crime, because of its absolute power. Duterte can only state his opinions, but in the event that he does step down, there are laws in place that must be followed.
We can only speculate why Duterte would even say something like that, almost two years into his term. Perhaps the promises he made during the campaign, such as the elimination of illegal drugs, can no longer be fulfilled. Perhaps he now sees how deep corruption in government is, no matter who sits in Malacañang. Perhaps he now sees how different it is to run a city from running a nation. Even federalism, one of his goals, is floundering on many levels. Duterte still has four more years to go. If he is tired now, what happens in the next four years?
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