Political dynasty prevails because ‘people clamor for it’: PRRD
The
dominance of the political dynasty would continue because it is still being
backed by no less than the Filipino people, President Rodrigo Duterte said
Tuesday.
In a speech
delivered in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte, Duterte said influential political
clans are holding several positions in government because Philippine “leaders”
have asked for it.
Duterte
cited the case of the Aquino political dynasty which produced two presidents --
the late president Corazon “Cory” Aquino (1986-1992) and her son Benigno
“Noynoy” Aquino III (2010-2016).
“Ang mga
tawo man guy muingon kagaya ng mga Aquino
(But it’s the people who clamor for it just like with the Aquinos),” he said
during the campaign sortie of his ruling party, the Partido Demokratiko
Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
Duterte,
whose three children are also elected to public office, said he felt
“embarrassed” that his family is one of those political dynasties that
continues to dominate the Philippine elections.
Vice
presidential aspirant and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, Davao City 1st
District Rep. Paolo Duterte, and Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte
followed their father’s political footsteps.
Duterte
said he and his children had no choice but to heed the leaders’ calls for them
to run for public office.
“Kani bang political dynasty, ako gusto kong muatras, ihatag pud
nako’g — galing kadtong pagkahawa na nako pagka Mayor, pag-election, giingnan
nako mangita ta’g lain kay kaning akong anak nga babae medyo blowing
hot and cold ba. Usahay, maybe to
please me, ‘O sige pa, tan-awon ta lang. Let’s see what develops (In the matter of political dynasty, I am not in
favor of it and give others the opportunity. But when I stepped down as Mayor,
I told them to look for somebody else because my daughter’s temper, it’s
somehow blowing hot and cold. Sometimes, maybe to please me, “Okay pa, let’s
see. Let’s see what develops),’” Duterte said.
“Ingnon
nagbalik-balik mi, dili namo na gusto, nakakahiya nga eh. Ang problema ang mga lider man maoy di gusto. Ang mga barangay captain muadto, ‘Mayor, ang imong anak.’ ‘Ayaw
lang na kay kana sila may apan.’ So mapugos ka gyud (They
say we keep coming back. We don’t want to because it’s embarrassing. But the
problem is that’s what the leaders want. The barangay captain would approach
us, saying, ‘Mayor, we choose your children.’ ‘No, not them because they, too,
have their faults.’ So you are left with no choice),” he added.
In November
last year, Duterte said the prevalence of political dynasty is “not bad,”
except if the influential families are involved in unlawful activities such as
the illegal drug trade.
The 17th
Congress has rejected the proposal of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Federalism
and Constitutional Reforms on the 1987 Constitution to include the ban on
political dynasties in the proposed revisions to the 1987 Constitution, saying
the suggested provision is “anti-democratic.”
Several
anti-political dynasty measures have also been filed before the 18th Congress
but remain pending at the committee level.
Fulfilled
promises
Duterte,
who is set to step down from office in June 2022, said he would leave the
presidency with gratitude because he has been able to fulfill his promises,
including maintaining law and order in the country.
“Nahinumdom
mo ang meeting ngari ug sa tanang tibook Pilipinas, wala ko manaad og daghan
kay hibaw ko lisod og mubuhi ka'g istorya nga dili nimo dayunon og imo bang
sala o di man gyud puwede nga maabot sa imong kapasidad. So ang una nakong gisaad ninyo ituman nako tanan (Can
you remember that in all the meetings I had here and throughout the entire
Philippines, I never promised many things because I know how difficult it is to
make promises that you can’t keep regardless whether it was your fault or not
or that it’s beyond your capacity. So I’ve fulfilled all the promises I made to
you in the beginning),” he said.
Duterte
added that he still has time to live up to “all” of his promises.