HIS speech writers must be getting frustrated or lazy. Because whatever script they prepare, will all be for naught.
It would not matter if his “alalays” tag along or listen. The speech will vary in the reason for the occasion, but will launch into the same topic--his war against drugs.
Expectedly, too, his speech will segue into cursing the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), and Amnesty International (AI) about extrajudicial killings (EJK).
It will have crucified the church officials and priests, and cuss former US president Barack Obama. But President Rodrigo Duterte is obviously still seething over their cancelled meeting.
Duterte might see Obama as “stupid,” but Obama gave the elegantly classic putdown; Duterte was “an interesting guy.” Didn’t Michelle Obama say, “When they go low, we go high”?
So, at the convention of the Philippine Association of Water Districts, Duterte gave his usual spiel. Ho-hum.
But his speech did take a dramatic turn, though jugural. Duterte frowned on his son (assumedly Sebastian) who’s more interested in hovering around actress (Ellen) Adarna.
The unexpected deviation from the spiel was clearly disconcerting to the audience; no less than the President was washing the family’s dirty linen in public.
Duterte hurriedly justified that he himself was never close to his own father. Still, the revelation left a bitter taste in the mouth.
Duterte lamented that while he was used to having his way in Davao, he had to consider his moves vis-à-vis Congress, the CHR and AI. The bugoys of the streets would smirk and say, “Og nganong ni enter.”
The thickening reports, Duterte says, contain names of judges, mayors, barangay officials and policemen in cahoots with drug lords.
The complicity of policemen is, of course, not surprising nor new. Haven’t exposes always shown policemen or military men either masterminding or perpetrating big crimes?
It’s, therefore, good that Police Chief Rolando dela Rosa is now focusing on cleansing the PNP ranks. Indeed, how could SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel’s coffers amount to P 17.3 million?
While House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez asked for the resignation of dela Rosa after the Korean businessman’s kidnap-slay, others did not echo his call.
I, too, do not support Alvarez’ call. In any change, there is always resistance. That Bato rode on the coattails of Duterte, thus becoming PNP chief and outranking others waiting in the wings, was a bitter pill to swallow for those who believed in seniority as premium.
That the resistance has also translated into sabotaging the PNP operations against drugs, is not surprising either. It was always suspected that the rogues in the PNP would abuse the “Tokhang” operation and send Bato and Duterte red-faced.
But Bato needs to lead the cleansing, rather than be immobilized. Let’s see that laundry list soon.