Opinion
Duterte: noisy like an empty tin can
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Posted on September 14, 2016
I can’t be accused of being blindly and unthinkingly against President Rodrigo Duterte. While I have often been critical of him, specifically his tendency to be a blusterer, my last column called on “all good (citizens) to come to the aid of their country,” in the face of the internal threats the Duterte government is facing -- threats that have prompted him to declare a “state of national emergency on account of lawless violence.”
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But Duterte’s antics and rants before and during the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit in Laos set a new record of boorishness, imprudence and bluster in an international gathering of leaders.
I don’t think there’s any point in expecting Duterte to change his ways. He never denied it during the presidential campaign -- in fact, he went out of his way to show himself at his worst: a womanizer, inclined to vulgar language, with a tendency to make a lot of noises like an empty tin can, and quick to deny ill-intent or seriousness when unable to justify his foot-in-mouth disease.
The last trait was in full display when he vigorously denied calling President Barack Obama a “son of a whore” before the media prior to his departure for the ASEAN Summit in Laos. Playing the underdog card, Duterte clarified, “I’m not fighting America.”
Duterte and Obama were scheduled to meet in the course of the summit to discuss mutual concerns of our two countries, including Obama’s views on Duterte’s controversial methods in his anti-drug campaign. But Obama canceled the meeting upon learning of Duterte’s rant.
In truth, Duterte did not call Obama a “son of a whore” although the local and international media slanted their accounts to make it appear otherwise. But, frankly, Duterte might as well have said that expletive, instead of weaseling his way around what he threatened to do should Obama talk to him about human rights violations. He could, at least, have been as manly as he would like to portray himself. Following are excerpts of Duterte’s rant:
“You know, the Philippines is not a vassal state. We have long ceased to be a colony of the United States. Alam mo, marami diyan, sa mga kolumnista, they look upon Obama and the United States as if we are the lap dogs of this country. I do not respond to anybody but to the people of the Republic of the Philippines. Wala akong pakialam sa kaniya (I don’t care who he is). Who is he?”
Duterte had every right, as President of a sovereign country, to dispel any misconceptions that “the Philippines is a vassal state” of the United States -- and one can argue that he could have couched this in more diplomatic language -- but as my friend Louie Morales put it, “Digong is Digong. Hindi plastic.” In other words, what you see is what you get.
But when he declared, clearly referring to Obama, “Wala akong pakialam sa kaniya. Who is he?” Duterte crossed the line, insulted and disrespected the president of another sovereign state who was scheduled to meet him in an official capacity.
That alone was reason for Obama to cancel the meeting with Duterte. Why would anyone bother to meet with someone who disrespects and insults you?
And when Duterte concluded his rant with the threat, “Hindi ako bilib diyan sa America. Gusto mo sipain ko pa ‘yan sa harap mo, eh!” (I’m not impressed with America. If you want, I’ll kick him in your presence), he was no longer just disrespectful, he was downright threatening to inflict harm on the president of another country.
Duterte may act and talk the way he does in order to bolster his macho image -- no matter that he often sounds as noisy as an empty tin can. But he is President of a country of over 100 million whose security and economy depend on a mutually respectful relationship with other nations.
Assuming that Duterte isn’t afraid to be kicked out of office -- or worse -- for his bad manners, has he stopped to consider the impact that his juvenile thoughtlessness will have on the country whose interests he is supposed to promote and protect? Does he realize that he is acting like a drunk driver recklessly driving a car packed with innocent passengers?
In contrast, Obama blithely brushed off Duterte’s boorishness by saying, “Clearly he’s a colorful guy.” It shouldn’t take a brain surgeon to spot the biting sarcasm.
But the stakes in a US-Philippine relationship are more important than Obama’s personal opinion of Duterte. And so he added: “What I’ve instructed my team to do is to talk to their Philippine counterparts to find out: Is this in fact a time where we can have constructive, productive conversations?” In other words, Obama left the door open for future engagement. Like a true diplomat.
As bad as Duterte’s capers have been, Malacañang’s mouthpieces have been frantically downplaying the frayed relations with the US and the spectacle that Duterte made of himself at the ASEAN Summit. They have been grabbing at every opportunity to portray a successful international debut for Duterte. Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay, Jr. described it as “brilliant” and rated it “8.5 out of 10.” Yasay must be so anxious to keep his job, he has resorted to deluding himself.
Communications Secretary Martin Andanar went as far as describing his boss as a “rock star” in Laos: “President Duterte is a rock star not only in our country but also in other countries like Laos and Japan. Other foreign ministers have scrambled to get a selfie with our President.”
You can almost hear the same foreign ministers amusedly showing off their selfie with Duterte to their staff and saying, “Look, this is the President of the Philippines with rocks in his head.”
At least Obama’s description was more elegant: “He’s a colorful guy.” Read that to mean crass, uncouth, vulgar.
What’s unfortunate is that Duterte presumed that Obama would be as undiplomatic as he during the meeting. And like a juvenile, he went into his rant in what he must have considered a preemptive and defensive move.
Blame should fall as much on Duterte’s advisers as on him, because they could at least have done research on the first meeting between Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro in March this year.
Obama came prepared, not just to thaw the relations between the US and Cuba but also to reiterate America’s opinion about Cuba’s record on human rights and political liberties. Castro was also prepared for Obama with his own laundry list of complaints against America.
In a frank and open exchange befitting mature heads of state, Castro and Obama stated their views on the sensitive issues without anyone threatening to “kick the other guy” or insulting each other and declaring, “Who are you, anyway?”
In fact, after his meeting with Castro, Obama said to the media: “I actually welcome President Castro commenting on some of the areas where he feels that we’re falling short, because I think we should not be immune or afraid of criticism or discussion as well.”
As I said, it’s futile to expect Duterte to change his ways.
Let’s just pray that the fallout from this president’s recent and future rants and vulgarities does not affect our country and our people where it hurts the most. Our international security. Our economy. And our political stability.
Even if Duterte “doesn’t give a shit,” maybe we should.
Greg B. Macabenta is an advertising and communications man shuttling between San Francisco and Manila and providing unique insights on issues from both perspectives.
gregmacabenta@hotmail.com
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