POISED TO Follow Dreadful Record
Duterte’s democratic allies and followers are now crying foul and accusing the state of grave misuse of its strength.
The irony is that it is this same argument that inspired the terrible war on drugs as it bypassed expected approach, undermined civil rights and eroded the rule of law in the Philippines. When it takes an global court to force the cause of legal responsibilities and individual rights, it is a damning verdict of the integrity and quality of politics.
This latest season in the Marcos-Duterte conflict has added more proof that the future midterm elections in May will be defined by a polarisation between these two political groups.
It remains to be seen whether Duterte’s imprisonment will result in prison. He had registered to run for mayor of their family’s fort Davao City.
The next time a famous ex-president was detained was in 2001, when Joseph Estrada’s imprisonment led to a large political protest that nearly deposed the former government. In this “game of kings” in Southeast Asia’s oldest democracy, warring homes have usually resulted in political instability, financial ruin and democratic complacency.
Unless rulers remain constrained and institutions are allowed to operate, the Philippines is poised to replicate its dreadful history all over again.
Dr Aries A Arugay is a Visiting Senior Fellow and Coordinator of the Philippine Studies Programme at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. He is likewise Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science, University of the Philippines-Diliman.