MANILA Mayor Francisco Domagoso aka Yorme Kois is currently the rock star of Philippine politics. If a poll will be taken today who is the most admired government official, hands down he will emerge on top! And maybe followed by Vice President Leni Robredo, Mayor Sarah Duterte-Carpio and Senator Manny Pacquiao. He is succeeding in feeding the imagination of many of us that if ever he become the Malacañang tenant, he may do wonders for our country. President Duterte is well loved. The common tao can relate with him, because he speaks their language. Same thing for Moreno. The Manila mayor is young, good looking and articulate. We never hear him cuss, unlike someone you know.
To recall, Rodrigo Duterte is a provinciano thrust into the national limelight and caught the imagination of many. The image of a tough talking man who told his audience that he will feed to the fishes in Manila Bay drug pushers and jail corrupt government officials excited many. He said he can lick the drug problem in six months. Those promises penetrated even rural areas and backstreets of urban centers. They wanted him to be president. Remember, he said he will not run for president and declared will just watch over his safe and beautiful city of Davao. He said he will just ride on weekends his big bike and sing some songs with his friend Manny Piñol. Fate prevailed.
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This is another interesting story. Throwback. Some national newspapers wrote about a meeting of some local officials with Ramon S. Ang, aka RSA, the top honcho of the San Miguel conglomerates. If I recall it right, they were from Bulacan. Said so seriously by one official: “Mr. Ang you’re such a business wizard, a honest individual and you have the capability to move Philippines as a first world country. Why don’t you run for president and we will campaign for you?”
Before Mr. Ang replied, he gave his biggest smile that reached up to the farthest corner of his mouth, and in jest he said “I don’t want to land in jail”. The last sentence may be said jokingly but it has so many far reaching meaning. Of course, we all know that President Joseph ‘Erap’ Estrada wasn’t able to finish his term and was incarcerated. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo finished her term and few months later he was arrested. Lucky is Noynoy Aquino, he is still free as a bird though he is facing some cases filed in court. We can’t predict what will happen when Duterte will step down. He admitted he is sick, illnesses associated with getting old. Yet he is still articulate. (Malayo pa sa bituka).
Once I viewed on History channel a documentary titled A Day in the Life of a Dictator which featured three world known presidents, namely Joseph Stalin of United Socialist Repuplic of Russia, Idi Amin of Uganda and Moamar Khadafi of Libya. All of the three after sometime in office became paranoid, paralyzed by fear of being overthrown, landing in jail and getting killed by their own people. All of the three were betrayed by the people whom they trusted.
Some centuries ago, Julius Ceasar was so surprised that when he was killed in the Roman Senate, his best friend and most trusted ally, Brutus was a conspirator. Remember Julius last word? “Et tu Brutus”. (Pati ba naman ikaw Brutus?) In the Philippine scenario, the Brutuses around Duterte aren’t carrying daggers, but cannot wash off their sticky fingers.