Philippine Asian News Today | Page 10

A10 OPINION / LOCAL NEWS PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY April 16 - 30, 2016 The Presidentiables The Tall Order By Ramon Datol Duterte, First ‘Gagong’ Presidente? Mar Roxas and Jojo Binay stood tall during the last Comelec-sanctioned presidential debate held in Dagupan City last April 24 with Sen. Miriam Santiago coming off with the usual feisty stance. She could have dominated the debate kung di lang kitang-kitang iniinda ang sakit niya. If Madam Miriam is in A-1 condition and physically fit, hands down, she’ll eat to the bones her foes and be the next president after May 9 elections. Kahit sina Ka Digong at Ka Jojo idolo si Madam Miriam, eh, kaya lang… Madam Miriam is ‘low-bat’ and only 50% charged up for the long battle. ***** Mar and Jojo both presented their programs of government ng maliwanag, Grace Poe used her being a woman in presenting her program na parang Nanay. We already have two woman presidents at walang nangyare. Enuff na for a third. Digong exploited his kalyeng salita at image to the hilt anew with ‘sasakay siya sa jetski, pupuntahan ang barkong pandigma ng China at ilalagay ang Philippine Flag sa lugar nila.’ Everyone knows na ‘bola’ lang salita ni Digong para mapatawa ang audience. Never na magagawa or gagawin yon ni Duterte or any other Pinoy. And his other program of government? Dahil Grade 1 pa lang, nangongopya na raw siya… Kokopyahin na lang ni Duterte yong ke Sen. Miriam! ***** And besides, Duterte made himself ‘Gago’ when he stressed it in his statements about the rape of a woman. “Iyong mga gago, ganoon magsalita.” Iyon ang pinakatotoo sa sinabi ni Rody Duterte noong pinagtanggol niya ang kanyang “rape joke.” (Panoorin ninyo sa YouTube, nasa 13:48.) Ang problema lang, ang daming dinamay ni Mayor Digong sa pagiging gago. Kasi hindi lang kababaihan ang nilapastangan ni Duterte noong pinagtanggol niya ang kanyang “rape joke.” Ininsulto rin niya ang mga mahihirap, lalo ang ang mga kalalakihan. Ang tingin ni Duterte, matapos makipag sagupaan sa mga kriminal e natural lang na magbiro tungkol sa panggagahasa sa mga biktima? Tingin ni Duterte, dahil sa sobrang galit, ‘alang problema kung sabihin mong sana nakasali ka sa rape? Ganoon talaga e. Ganoon talaga ang mga galing “sa ibaba,” silang mga galing sa hirap. Ito ang tumingkad dahil sa mga pinagsasabi ni Duterte, lalo na’t marami pa ring sumusuporta sa kanya: Lakas pa rin talaga ng kulturang pa-macho sa mga Pilipino. Marami sa atin dumaan dito, tinuruang isipin na lampa ang mga babae, sexual object, walang alam. Gago lang pala ang dapat maniniwala ke Duterte? ***** Malapit na ang eleksyon. Daming pinangako ni Duterte. Na susugpuin daw niya ang lahat ng krimen. Na wawasakin daw ang mga pwersa ng korupsyon. Na gagawin daw niyang tahimik at maginhawa ang buhay sa buong Pilipinas. Na uubusin niya ang lahat ng drug pushers at users sa buong bansa sa loob ng 3 hanggang 6 na buwan. Balikan ninyo lahat ng sinabi ni Mayor Rody Duterte. Tapos sa bawat isang sinabi, sa bawat pangako, balikan ninyo rin iyong isa pa niyang sinabi….. “Iyong mga gago, ganoon magsalita.” ***** Condemnation of Mayor Duterte continues with the camp of Liberal Party presidential candidate Manuel Roxas II calling him an embarrassment to the nation and a threat to the security and well-being of overseas Filipino workers after Duterte challenged Australia and the USA to cut ties with the Philippines after the two foreign envoys reacted on Digong’s rape joke on Australian lady missionary raped and killed in 1989. Various women’s groups have filed a complaint with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) against Duterte over his comments on a rape victim. The letter-complaint, filed by a group representing “women insulted, shocked and outraged” by the tough-talking mayor’s remarks urged the CHR to probe Duterte for violating the Magna Carta of Women. They said Duterte’s actions put “in peril the future of many children and young women who are potential victims of violence against women.” “What protection and redress would they expect in a society where men tolerate such violation?” the complaint stated. Ang what was Digong’s reaction on the women’s complaint? Simple lang naman po…. ‘You go to hell.’ ***** The Filipinos who are among the most active social media users had also acquired the ability to filter which among the messages can be trusted and those that go “viral,” which means messages that are passed on the most, are taken as gospel truth. The recent YouTube that went viral, that of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte expressing what appears to be his hidden lust for an Australian missionary who was slain after being raped during a 1989 prison riot in Davao, attested to the power of social media. The video, the moment it was posted, generated thousands of views that resulted in regular broadcast and print media to take notice. By the end of the day, the dirty Duterte joke had circled the world as it also called the attention of global news outfits. Duterte tried to rationalize his actions, saying that the joke was his way of expressing anger at the slaying of the missionary, who, by the way, he kept saying looked like an American movie actress. Duterte’s refusal to acknowledge his mistake, nor even show had an ounce of remorse, made matters worse. Instead of the issue dying down, it reignited, and circled the world for the second time, in a matter of two days. There were even suggestions in some stories of poking ridicule on Filipinos for even considering a person with an unstable mind for the presidency, not saying that a comedian has lately been made CONT B14 WWW.PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY.COM