Why do I like Duterte? BEYOND VULGARITY AND EXPLETIVES, DUTERTE IS THE BEST PRESIDENTIABLE

Many were understandably turned off by the controversies involving presidential prospect Rody Duterte over the weekend, including the joke-that-went-too-far involving Pope Francis and the monstrous traffic in Metro Manila.

I would be lying if I tell you that the cussing and the expletives which pepper his speeches are just fine with him.

I feel very uncomfortable too. In fact, after one sortie in Naga City on Dec. 15, 2014, I talked to him in Davao City and shared with him my knowledge and understanding of the Tagalog culture.

“Pare, hinay-hinay sa pamalikas labi na sa Tagalog area kay sensitive kaayo na sila, especially kadtong mga deeply religious,” i told him. (Go slow with the cussing especially in the Tagalog areas because they are very sensitive, especially those who are deeply religious.)

His response was: “I’m trying to, but it comes out almost automatically.”

In succeeding engagements, he still was at it and I realised that there’s no way anybody could succeed in getting him to stop the cussing unless he himself consciously avoids it.

Duterte is a “bugoy,” a street toughie and I believe that were it not for the political legacy of his father, former Governor Vicente Duterte, and the strict discipline imposed by his mother, the late school teacher Soledad Roa, he would have been a gang leader, a cerebral gang leader if you like.

But why do the people of Davao love him?

Why do people like former cabinet secretaries Jess Dureza, Sonny Dominguez, Pantaleon Alvarez and Jun Esperon, senators Koko Pimentel and Alan Peter Cayetano, and former president Fidel Ramos support him?

Why do I, a former governor and retired politician, go out of my way to promote him?

In a series of articles that I will post starting today, I will explain why in spite of the vulgarity and the sometimes boorish behavior of Duterte in public, millions of Filipinos would like him to be the next President.

I will start by sharing this infographic about Davao City which I saw posted in the internet.

After this series, I will ask readers of this page if indeed those who say that only idiots will support Rody Duterte were right in saying so.

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