31/10/2024
Enough with the Hypocrisy – Stop the Witch Hunt Against Former President Rodrigo Duterte
By OPTIC Politics | Editorial
October 30, 2024
There is something deeply disturbing about the recent pronouncements of Representatives Benny Abante and Dan Fernandez, along with Senate President Chiz Escudero. In their callous, politically charged statements, they demand that the Department of Justice file criminal charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte. For what? For speaking the truth. For accepting responsibility. For courageously standing by his administration’s actions against a flood of drug-fueled crime that was destroying families, claiming lives, and tearing apart the social fabric of our country. Their words are not just wrong—they are dangerous, hypocritical, and a grave affront to justice.
The Weaponization of “Command Responsibility” as a Political Tool
Abante and Fernandez, with their sanctimonious invocation of “command responsibility” under Republic Act 9851, are reaching for legal principles they barely understand. They hurl these words around as if they automatically equate to criminal guilt, weaponizing the concept to fit their agenda. “Command responsibility” was never meant to criminalize leadership but to prevent abuse when there is “effective control.” These accusations ignore the reality of Duterte’s actions—meant to protect the Filipino people, not oppress them. His words were not confessions of guilt; they were admissions of responsibility—a stark difference that Abante and Fernandez seem blind to in their self-serving quest for relevance.
This knee-jerk rush to prosecute Duterte based on his frank statements reeks of political convenience. When a leader refuses to hide behind bureaucracy, when he speaks openly about the choices made in the heat of his administration’s drug war, they twist that honesty into something nefarious. If there is any justice in our democratic process, it demands that we protect leaders who dare to be transparent, not punish them for daring to be accountable.
A Bias as Clear as Day
Both Abante and Fernandez have revealed their hand, showing an undeniable bias by making Duterte’s testimony a scapegoat rather than respecting due process. From the moment Duterte took the stand, they barely concealed their prejudice, turning what should have been an impartial inquiry into a kangaroo court of preconceived judgments. They were never interested in a fair investigation—only in pushing Duterte into a corner, trampling on his legacy, and scoring cheap political points.
Their actions send a dangerous message to all Filipinos: transparency and responsibility are liabilities, not virtues. Abante and Fernandez’s words convey a thinly veiled message of intolerance for anyone who stands in their way. This is not about justice. It’s about revenge, about tearing down a leader who dared to confront one of the most dangerous enemies of our time: the drug cartels and criminals who preyed upon our communities.
Senate President Escudero’s Hypocrisy
Senate President Chiz Escudero’s statements further reveal this tragic hypocrisy. His commentary about “the right to life” rings hollow and reeks of political opportunism. Escudero, the same politician who has overseen countless hearings without shedding a tear for the countless lives destroyed by drug lords and their cohorts, suddenly develops a conscience over “due process.” Where was this empathy for victims of drug crimes, for families torn apart, for neighborhoods crippled by addiction and violence?
Escudero’s grandstanding on “taking the law into one’s own hands” ignores the basic truth of Duterte’s fight: his administration worked within a law enforcement system tasked to protect, not harm. When Escudero implies otherwise, he grossly oversimplifies Duterte’s entire administration, painting an image that erases the reality of communities finally feeling safe from the terror of drug cartels.
Twisting Accountability into Guilt: A Dangerous Precedent
The very essence of Duterte’s statements was accountability—not guilt. The former president stands before the Senate as an unwavering public servant who took on a role that few could handle, much less accept. In a country drowning in drug-related violence, Duterte’s commitment to combating crime was not only courageous but necessary. Abante, Fernandez, and Escudero want to twist that commitment into a liability. But let’s be clear: accountability is not guilt, and taking responsibility is not a crime.
By distorting Duterte’s openness into a supposed “confession,” they disregard the essence of his leadership. Unlike many leaders who distance themselves from tough decisions, Duterte embraced the hard truth of his administration’s actions. Instead of hiding, he stood up and faced the consequences. Yet, Abante, Fernandez, and Escudero seem desperate to manipulate his integrity, hoping to redefine accountability as criminality.
Defending Duterte’s Legacy and the Safety of the Filipino People
We cannot allow the legacy of former President Duterte to be dismantled by those who never understood the depth of his dedication to the Filipino people. When the nation cried out for safety, it was Duterte who answered. His policies, while controversial, were backed by the support of countless Filipinos who felt safer, who saw their neighborhoods change, who watched as the government finally prioritized their right to security over appeasing the criminals who would steal, maim, and kill without a second thought.
The opposition’s attempt to deflect from this undeniable legacy of restored safety is not just disrespectful to Duterte—it is a slap in the face to the Filipinos who supported his fight against crime. Abante, Fernandez, and Escudero conveniently ignore this reality, hoping that empty accusations will erase Duterte’s lasting achievements. But we remember the fear that gripped our nation before Duterte’s administration, and we see through this charade.
The Call to Justice: Stand Against Politically Driven Witch Hunts
This so-called investigation is not an inquiry for truth—it’s a calculated political maneuver to rewrite history, to strip Duterte of his legacy by any means necessary. Filipinos deserve better than the divisive agendas of politicians who would sacrifice justice for headlines. We need leaders who honor the courage it takes to stand up to corruption and crime, not those who exploit it for their own gain.
The justice system is not a weapon for silencing political rivals; it is a shield to protect the truth. Duterte deserves the right to be heard without prejudice, without grandstanding, without biased interpretations. If we allow Abante, Fernandez, and Escudero to turn this investigation into a witch hunt, we risk more than Duterte’s legacy. We risk setting a precedent where transparency and responsibility are crimes, and where the courage to lead becomes a punishable offense.
Defending Duterte Is Defending Our Right to Security
Former President Duterte’s actions spoke louder than any accusation ever could. He was a president who held the line against crime, who prioritized safety over fear, who took on the burden of a battle most would have feared. Abante, Fernandez, and Escudero’s biased statements are not just an attack on him—they are an attack on every Filipino who found hope in Duterte’s strength.
We call on the Filipino people to reject this hypocrisy, to stand against the politically charged rhetoric that seeks to dismantle a legacy of strength, and to demand justice—not for Duterte alone but for every citizen who believed in his mission to protect our nation. Let us not be swayed by the hypocritical agendas of politicians who never understood the value of true accountability.
Duterte did not stand by while crime ravaged our communities—he fought back. And now, as he faces this unjust scrutiny, we owe it to him to fight back as well. Let us defend the legacy of leadership that chose safety over appeasement, strength over silence, and courage over complicity. Enough with the hypocrisy—justice for Duterte is justice for the Filipino people.
📸 🖊️ OPTIC Politics
