Knowing the real Rody Duterte ‘ONLY THE FILIPINO PEOPLE COULD CONVINCE ME TO RUN’

‘ONLY THE FILIPINO PEOPLE

COULD CONVINCE ME TO RUN’

By Manny Piñol

“When I close my eyes and compare being mayor to being President, I see not much difference except that Davao City is a lot smaller and easier area to govern than the whole country.”

Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte was not playing coy when he repeatedly declared in the past that “I do not covet the Presidency. I don’t need it.”

Duterte meant it and believe it or not, he may not really run for President at all, that is unless the call for him to lead the country is overwhelming.

Political analysts, including Senate President Franklin Drilon, have suggested that Duterte, who is being pushed by his party, PDP-Laban, and hordes of supporters to vie for the Presidency, is either a hypocrite or a wise politician for denying that he eyes the highest post of the land while at the same time making a nation-wide tour promoting Federalism.

These people do not know Duterte and are showing political ignorance by lumping the colourful Davao City Mayor with the group of traditional politicians who proverbially “beg, steal, lie and cheat” just to win a coveted political post.

“Duterte is a different breed of politician,” said Maribojoc Mayor Jun Evasco, a former priest and long-time political adviser of the city mayor.

People who have followed his colourful political career spanning 23 years, as mayor for three 9-year terms, as one term congressman and as vice mayor, swear that never had they heard Duterte ask people for vote for him.

“He will just go up the stage during campaign sorties, tell funny stories, endorse his party mates and sometimes national candidates and then end his speech by telling people to decide whether they needed him to serve them or not,” said lawyer Pantaleon Alvarez, a close friend of Duterte and former congressman and secretary of transportation.

Duterte is known to have refused political contributions, especially if the funds would come from groups with business dealings with the city government.

In the last elections, contributions from big business establishments in Davao City were returned on orders of Duterte saying he did not need campaign funds because he was running unopposed.

Perhaps, one of the biggest reasons why Duterte is a reluctant candidate is because he feels at home in Davao City.

He would buy fish being peddled by ambulant vendors in the low-cost housing subdivision where he lives and enjoys eating what usually is a late breakfast using his bare hands.

The people of Davao City have come to accept him for what he is and what he does.

In spite of and despite his crassness and vulgar language, Davaoeños look at him as just another “barkada” who talks about his love life in public and admits being grateful to Pfizer, the maker of Viagra.

As a leader, however, people of Davao City know he is strict emphasising that the law applies to everyone.

Even his daughter, former City Mayor Sarah Duterte-Carpio, was not spared by traffic cops who apprehended her for going beyond the 30-km speed limit within the city.

The Mayor also submitted himself to traffic policemen when he realised that he was riding his motorcycle without a safety helmet and voluntarily underwent a driving seminar.

Perhaps, what endears him to Davaoeños is his unequalled concern for their safety and security, especially the children and youth.

Davao City is the only city in the Philippines with a working 911 Emergency Response which responds to calls for assistance in 10 minutes and the service is free.

HIs focus on security and peace as the foundation of his governance transformed Davao City from a killing fields of communist assassins in the late 1970s up to the 1980s to one of the world’s safest cities today.

Duterte’s 23 years of public service has stood out untainted by issues of corruption.

It is in this light that people will have to understand that Duterte is not dying to become President.

He will not go around the country with open hands to beg for financial contributions or strike deals with political groups to become President.

That is simply not the Rody Duterte the people of Davao know.

“If the people really need me to lead, I have to see a genuine call. Otherwise, I would rather enjoy my life in Davao,’ he said.

Will Duterte run?

That is a question not for Duterte to answer.

That is a question that the Filipinos today who are confronted with problems of corruption, drugs, criminality, joblessness and poverty in the countryside and the lack of discipline have to answer.

Rody Duterte is ready when the nation is ready for a new kind of politics.