I NEVER saw Rodrigo Duterte in a military uniform ever, except for that magazine cover, except until last Friday in his surprise visit to military troops in Iligan City.
And his attire reflects his unconventional style: a digital camouflage fatigue with sleeves rolled up and the top unbuttoned. A gray cap instead of a military cap and suede shoes instead of boots. Then there's that mini-assault gun in his shoulder.
Can you imagine the commander in chief wearing in front of his troops? As a media friend said, I kennat.
The last time I saw a president wearing military fatigue was Erap Estrada when he checked on his troops capturing the MILF's Camp Abubakar in Maguindanao way back in 2000.
Now here is Digong, in what veteran journalist Carolyn Arguillas describes as a "Type D for Digong" uniform, trying to inspire his troops.
But the reactions online on the president's new uniform range from cheers to jeers. Cheers come from his loyal supporters, who call this look "astig" (tough).
The jeers though, point out that Digong's own attire could make him pass as a Cafgu, or even a Maute.
The serious comments though, point out that as commander in chief, he has to wear the uniform with pride. One went as far as saying, the way he wore it did not show respect to soldiers past and present.
But whatever the comments are, the president wearing his type of uniform also speaks of his unconventional style of handling this country's state of wars.
The debates continue on the validity of his Martial Law and his war against the Mautes. The questions continue on when does this gonna end, and so that Martial Law can be lifted and some kind of normalcy will resume in Mindanao. The questions also raise are how this war is going to affect the deeper roots of the Moro conflict and the ongoing peace agenda with the two Bangsamoro groups, the MILF and the MNLF?
The questions from the Left raise whether Duterte is serious in pursuing peace? Yes he has released NDF consultants from prison, but why are their pronouncements of "flattening the hills" against the NPAs, the criticisms on the NPA's taxation as extortion, and the precondition of a ceasefire derailing the substantial talk of socio-economic reforms in the ongoing talks?
Duterte said during his 2016 campaign that he wants people from both government and revolutionary groups to stop fighting and talk. But almost a year later, the president said he may not see peace come in this generation, as fighting continues.
To borrow the words of his spokesperson, let us judge the president not just by his words but by his actions. That action can be seen in his uniform, it’s a symbolism, so casual, so ready to pick up a gun to fight. He is warming up to his role as commander in chief, in his unconventional style.
But historians point out how past presidents were affected by an agenda of war. Can we see this affect the presidency of Duterte?
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