By Hannah Torregoza
Opposition senators on Friday balked at President Rodrigo Duterte’s defense of his leadership style saying his “dictatorial style” of governance has no place in a democratic country like the Philippines.
President Rodrigo Duterte (Manila Bulletin File Photo)
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said that as far as he is concerned the country has not benefited from this style of leadership of Duterte in the past two years since he became president.
In a speech before communist rebels on Wednesday night, Duterte said that, if it not for his dictatorial style, the country wouldn’t have made any progress.
“If you say dictator, well, I am really a dictator. Because if I don’t dictator, nothing will happen to our nation. That’s true,” Duterte was quoted saying in Cebuano.
“I had to. Besides you have chosen me as your president,” he added.
“Bakit, wala pa naman magandang nangyayari pagkatapos ng two years na dictatorial style niya (Why, nothing good has really happened to the country in the two years of his dictatorial style of leadership),” Trillanes replied in a text message when asked to comment on the matter.
“Ginulo lang nya ang Pilipinas. Pinatay ang mga mahihirap, pinahirap ang buhay ng mga Pilipino at giniba ang mga democratic institutions (He just made the Philippines more chaotic. He killed the poor, made Filipino lives more miserable, and destroyed the democratic institutions),” said the former soldier.
Sen. Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV said Filipinos do not need a dictator as he recalled the suffering the people underwent during the time of Marcos.
"Filipinos do not need a dictator. A dictatorship is what caused the violence and the killing, the lack of jobs and freedom, corruption and a very huge debt,” Aquino said in a statement.
Aquino recalled how Filipinos fought back against a dictatorship, citing the EDSA People Power movement.
"The nation fought back during the People Power movement believing that a dictatorial style of governance is not the solution for one to have a sufficient livelihood, quality education, and security that all Filipino families aspire for,” the senator said in the vernacular.
"We don’t need a dictator, but a leader who can lead with the heart for the nation, especially for our poor fellowmen,” he concluded.