Ernesto Abella: Ex-pastor, ex-kidnap victim, a political virgin
One of the most interesting officials of the fiery-tempered and tough-talking President Rody R. Duterte is his seemingly always unruffled and mild-mannered presidential spokesman Ernesto “Ernie” Abella, who used to be an evangelical Christian pastor, ex-businessman, former newspaper columnist and college professor.
During Presidential Spokesperson Abella’s Jan. 3 press conference at Malacañang Palace, he quoted my name due to my Instagram, Twitter and Facebook posts about Duterte having been honored as “Person of the Year” by Hong Kong-based and globally circulated Yazhou Zhoukan (Asia Weekly) magazine.
Presidential Spokesperson Abella gave the Philippine STAR an exclusive, no-holds-barred interview over dinner the night before a court ordered the arrest of opposition Senator Leila de Lima. Abella said De Lima is a topic he wouldn’t comment on “to avoid being perceived as politicizing that issue.”
Excerpts of our interview:
THE PHILIPPINE STAR: How long have you known President Duterte and how did you meet?
ERNESTO ABELLA: Since 1996 when I was kidnapped in Davao by people who claimed to be MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front), but they were mainly tribal bandits. I was kidnapped for only 24 hours. I think the plan was to really eliminate me, because I was not blindfolded, so I could identify my kidnappers. They asked for P5 million as ransom, but due to the intervention of then Davao City Mayor Duterte, that amount just became “board and lodging” kasi hindi sila puwede mapahiya (because they cannot be publicly shamed).
In effect, you owe your life to Duterte?
You’re the first person to tell that to me and I agree. You know, after I thanked him, he just replied: “Trabaho lang ‘yan (It’s only my job).” He never expected my loyalty or anything. Even up to now, he always says this: “Don’t be loyal to me, but be loyal to the nation.”
What is your reaction to criticisms that he’s boorish, and is often mouthing unprintable expletives?
President Rody Duterte is really a courteous person, in fact, hindi siya bastos sa pagkatao (he is not vulgar in personality), he is very civil and actually soft-spoken. He is very humble, wala siyang yabang (he has no conceit).
Critics complain about the president’s “colorful” language and humor. You once told Al Jazeera TV that it was due to his “Cebuano subculture.” Can you explain what you meant?
The Visayan humor is medyo (a bit) complex. When I said that, Margot Osmeña said that her dad is Visayan “but he’s not like that.” What I actually said was “some Visayan.” The Tagalog language sounds more courteous with a lot of “po” or “oho” expressions of respect, but the Visayan language has tonalities. By the way, President Duterte is very courteous, he keeps addressing people with “po” and “ma’am.”
It is just different, even what they (Visayans) find funny is different, and the way they say it, and they like puns. It’s a different sort of funny. But when Duterte speaks that way, even the Tagalogs and other non-Visayans laugh at his humor. I’ll cite an example, Duterte’s speech to 6,000 to 7,000 OFWs inside a gym in Singapore, they kept shouting his name. When he spoke, they kept listening and also laughing. When he said: “P____ I____!” There was loud laughter. May I correct the wrong perception? It’s not vulgarity, it’s a common touch.
How did an ex-pastor and ex-businessman like you end up in the middle of national politics, speaking for and interpreting the President to the public? Did Duterte hear you make speeches before?
He had seen me deliver homilies in Davao. Actually I’m a political agnostic, a political virgin before this position. I didn’t even know what (former presidential spokesman) Lacierda or (former Communications Secretary) Coloma looked like.
After I stopped being a pastor, I went to the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) to take my master’s degree in social entrepreneurship, after which I invested in a fertilizer business that lost money. Next, I invested again in a fertilizer business, which again lost money. I gave up, went to Tagaytay; it was then that a call came for me to go to Davao after the election victory of Duterte.
I was asked what I wanted to do for the new administration. I replied that I wanted to be a speechwriter. When I met Duterte face to face, he said, “Actually, I need a spokesperson.” I asked, what is the work of a presidential spokesperson? Duterte said, “A spokesman is a conduit between the president and the media and the people.” That’s it, what better definition can one have?
Why is Duterte angry at the country’s traditional power elite?
It’s because the elite had the chance to do the right things for the Philippines, but they didn’t. Why did the nation fail? They did a lot of things that caused the nation to fail. Why is it that 30 years after EDSA, there’s no genuine progress? It’s not President Duterte’s fault.
At President Duterte’s recent speech at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), he said he wants “bayang nararapat sa Pilipino at Pilipinong nararapat sa bayan (a nation worthy of the Filipino and Filipinos worthy of the nation).” That’s his cry; isn’t that also the cry of our hearts?
Is President Duterte a religious person?
He’s spiritual but not religious. I can say he has deep spiritual understanding. He is, okay, how do I put it… In the first US-Philippines meeting, the one in Davao City attended by Negroponte, Loida (Nicolas Lewis), MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan), (Joey) Cuisia, etc., I was there listening. Out of nowhere, President Duterte just says: “There’s a God and I believe in destiny.” He sees life in terms of destiny, in terms of providence.
President Duterte seems to be very Zen. He’s not attached to anything, not even to reputation. He is very simple. He’s not simple-minded, but simple. He has reached a stage where he’s beyond pleasures; it’s legacy that’s a big deal for him.
What books has the President recently read?
He reads a lot. One of the books we bought is Asia’s Cauldron. Another book he has read is If Mayors Rule the World.
(Asia’s Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a Stable Pacific is by Robert D. Kaplan; If Mayors Rule the World: Dysfunctional Nations, Rising Cities is by Benjamin R. Barber.)
By the way, what was your Christmas gift for the President? What was his gift to you?
I think I sent him a book. He sent me glasses.
Eyeglasses? Why?
No, water glasses. He sent all of us Cabinet secretaries water glasses.
What do you think will eventually be the legacy of the enigmatic, colorful, controversial and totally non-traditional President Rody R. Duterte?
President Duterte is not only about peace and order. At the end of the day, the end game, he’s a nation-builder. He wants a just, peaceful and progressive nation. Gusto niya ibalik ang dignidad ng Pilipino (He wants to restore the dignity of the Filipino).
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