The election of Mayor Rody Duterte to the presidency is a clear repudiation of the failed leadership of the Aquino administration who has done nothing, or very little, to improve the lives of millions of destitute Filipinos. Filipinos all over the country are expecting President-elect Duterte to effect a meaningful and radical change in leadership and how to rid the government of corrupt public officials.
The People also expect Duterte not to renege on his campaign vows that he will restore law and order to curb criminality and eradicate the illegal drug syndicates that have corrupted law enforcers in the country.
I am hoping, like the rest of you, that a Duterte presidency will bring hope and a bright future for millions of Filipinos who were disappointed with the failed and weak leadership of President Benigno Aquino and also of his predecessors.
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I admire Duterte’s for being magnanimous after his victory in the polls. He immediately offered a hand of reconciliation to all his political opponents and told them to begin a national healing to foster unity among Filipinos, regardless of their political affiliations.
Despite all the black propaganda orchestrated by the Aquino administration against Duterte, from being a killer, womanizer and plunderer, with millions of pesos deposited in several banks, the feisty mayor’s supporters never wavered in their conviction to elect him as their new president.
Duterte dominated all surveys as the campaign was winding down during the homestretch that prompted the President to make a desperate plea to all presidential candidates to unite against a possible “Digong” presidency to no avail. The President later admitted that he brokered the proposed alliance of all of Duterte’s presidential rivals to thwart a “Digong” presidency who he said is a threat to democracy.
Fortunately, no one, except Roxas, heeded his desperate call for unity. Senator Grace Poe Llamanzares, the Malacañang Palace “secret” candidate, even labeled the President’s call for unity as “too late” and suspicious.
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The large margin of Duterte over Roxas in the early tabulation of votes made it very difficult for the Aquino administration to manipulate the results. But they may succeeded in manipulating the election results between Senator Bongbong Marcos and Congresswoman Leni Robredo for the vice presidential derby.
The President has been campaigning hard all over the country to prevent “Bongbong” to be elected as vice president. His disdain for the young Marcos was very evident.
Investigations are reportedly underway regarding a reported breach in the transparency server of the Comelec done by Smartmatic officials to ensure a Leni Robredo victory in the VP race. An accredited observer of then poll watchdog Parish Pastortal Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) came out in the open and claimed that he has in possession an evidence that will show that Smartmatic officials may have rigged the results of the elections.
This is not good for Congresswoman Robredo who has been advocating for transparency and honesty as a pre-requisite for candidates to have in running for public office. Robredo, who has been lagging behind in the VP surveys up to last few days of the campaign leading to May 9, suddenly bolted to number one and erased the one million margin of Marcos votes late Monday evening.
This will be interesting to watch. In the event Marcos decides to lodge a protest, he can be assured of a fair treatment since Duterte will be sworn in as the new president in less than seven weeks.