Sing me a Song Again, Daddy

He’s at it again. We didn’t get something like this with former President Noynoy who at some point, had to respond to allegations on Dengvaxia, or with former President Arroyo who still came back as a Congresswoman. I guess former President Erap may have said something against the incumbent administration at that time, since he still ran for president. Now, I’m sure we didn’t get something like this from former President Ramos. The same could be said with former President Cory.

I guess it is but natural for one person to sympathize with friends, more so with flesh and blood. We would understand when passions would get high. After all, family is family. Some level of frustration would be understandable. Recently, Vice President Sarah Duterte was denied of her massive confidential funds by the Congress which I would take the opportunity once again to congratulate for such a bold move. (Just look at the other lawmakers who blindly consented to such questionable allocations.)

I suppose, other fathers would act in a level-headed manner and still maintain respect for the institution despite their disappointment. Ohno, we can’t have that from the immediate former President. Why, he even went to the extent of directly stating wanting to kill communists. Come on; yes, we are citizens of a democratic nation, but that doesn’t justify killing communists or socialists or any other people who adhere to other ideologies. Christian should not be killing Muslims, nor should Muslims be killing Christians. Coffee drinkers should not be hating those who drink tea. Hey, communists are people too. It is simply evil for someone to want to kill them.

This should bring to light a few things. The former President and incumbent Vice President are in close consultations on their political moves. Well, I guess that’s only natural. I guess, we should not be surprised if Atasha Muhlach consults her father Aga on decisions in show business. I guess, we would not e surprised if Lala Sotto consults her father, former Senator Tito Sotto on her decisions in the Movie and Television Review Classification Board regarding the suspension of any noontime show. (oh, wait, I would be surprised with that.) But Daddy Duterte’s fiery attacks seem to convey that the father and daughter saeem to be moving with one agenda, despite the former not being in position anymore. I guess, we could say that Inday and the father are one. Dad seems to be fuming with frustration over the loss of the billions of funds. That makes me wonder. Does he, did they plan to …?

As a matter of fact, the father president has clear knowledge of how the funds will be spent. Was he on the board meetings of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education? Then, maybe, those funds are not really intended for projects of the OVP or DepEd, but projects of the office of the father and daughter.

It is only from former President Duterte and his close cohorts do we hear the great and high placement of priority of programs against communists. Some politicians focus on poverty, the economy, tourism, OFWs, information and communication technology, education, small-scale industries, but their camp seems to harbor this mad obsession against communists. What makes it further more curious, is their disdain against local communists while at the same time, singing praises for China which is a big communist empire. Maybe, it’s not really communism that they’re against. Maybe they just don’t have a liking for the Filipino leaders who have leftist leanings. If those same leftist policies are promoted by foreigners, it would be okay. Wait, that reminds me. The former President is also chummy with Russia.

The former President calls Congress, “rotten”. Wasn’t he a former congressman? Is Congress “rotten” only now or has it been “rotten” even when he was still part of it? Wait, we’re forgetting something. There’s one more member of the family. Is not Paolo duterte an incumbent congressman? So, is he “rotten” also? Oh no! In the process of protecting the daughter, he accidentally dropped the son.

Now, here comes a solon who says that the public has not been used to the former President’s tirades. So, should we be “used” to violent statements against public officials? Should we accept declarations of wanting to kill a certain group of people as “normal”? Isn’t DepEd pushing for Good Manners and Right Conduct, and the return of ROTC for the development of discipline among the youth? Then, should we accept behavior that is blatantly contrary to good manners and right conduct and discipline as “customary” and “normal”?

James 3:5: “The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body.”