Across the country, there is a ringing clamor for Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte to run for president in 2016. I was therefore deeply saddened and disappointed when I saw him in the news last Sept. 7, declaring that he had no intention of running for president and that he was retiring from public office.
Just like me, there were a lot of Filipinos from all walks of life who expressed their hopelessness about our country after he made that announcement. The younger ones turned to Facebook and Twitter to air their feelings of disappointment over Duterte’s decision—for the reason that a lot of Filipinos are convinced that Duterte has the skill and formula to address the perennial problems of corruption and criminality in our country.
We, Filipinos, have long been wanting to put an end to corruption, criminality and unpeace in our country. We go through life fearing criminal elements and haunted by a continuing feeling of insecurity even right inside our own homes. The times demand for the country a leader whose vision of governance is directed at the basic—that is, resolving the problems of criminality and corruption.
I believe Duterte can replicate throughout the entire Philippines what he has done for Davao City. He cleansed Davao City of hoodlums and all forms of criminality, making Davao today the ninth safest city in the world.
Should we make him our president, we expect an end to the protracted Muslim and communist rebellions. As a lawyer and articulate speaker, Duterte can represent our country well in international forums with world leaders.
These qualities alone are enough to qualify Duterte to sit at the helm of governance. Should he make good, the Filipinos would be forever grateful for his legacy.
But Duterte is also a man of action and he animates the legal maxim made popular by Justice Cayetano Arellano: “Let justice be done, though the heavens fall.”
Hence, in behalf of the many Filipinos, I am pleading with Mayor Duterte: Please reconsider your decision. We need you to reform our people and save the Philippines!
—LEWIN A. LUKMAN, former consultant on Mindanao concerns, Department of Interior and Local Government, 2nd Navarro Drive, San Roque, Zamboanga City, lewinlukman@gmail.com