Thread: Rodrigo Duterte

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

I saw a good article in the Philippine press today about how many generations it would take for the Philippines to switch from a century of training with, and use of, US military hardware.

Duterte simply doesn't understand the issues. And the press here is pointing that out daily, as politicians try to shut him up. The honeymoon period is quickly fading.

You've been the barometer I've used to judge him, and it appears your earlier optimism ( his heart is in the right place or something like that) seems to be fading quickly.
Sad, I saw the miserable poverty in Manila and wish things would improve for people in the Philippines.

^I had great hopes. To break the grip of a few wealthy families on the country would/could have been a real game changer. I indeed was optimistic, however I did, I believe, express some concerns on how an unpolished regional Mayor would handle global issues and the world stage. Sadly, it appears not well.

Of the many issues here requiring major fixing, drugs is but one. But, all of his focus has gone into the 'drug war'. A DEA Agent I knew once told me, "it's not a war, in a war one side wins eventually".

Poverty, overpopulation, a crumbling, archaic infrastructure, crippling traffic, mass exodus of skilled labor....the list goes on.

But, he has let his ego and his mouth control him, rather than focusing on the substantive issues.

Originally Posted by OhOh

When the new poster adds something to the discussion rather than her image and girlishness she may become more welcome, until then she is judged, by me, as tinsel.

Maybe a few threads for the ladies might be in order, from any corner of the world. Lets see how the ladies threads last or expand.

Maybe a few threads for the simple minded might be in order as well.

Well her latest riveting thread is basically (despite the tabloid headline) How do you have your coffee.
Deep.

Has all the charm of Baghdad, hope he really was a drug dealer. I could imagine what it would be like allowing the lowest class Thai males the ability to kill with impunity.

Vigilantes execute drug dealer on city street in Philippines | New York Post

Hey Mr. G, female poster on here! I've no pic on my sig, but Bld & Terry have met me on separate occasions, and can attest to my femaleness. Heh...

Anyway, back to Duterte, many of my colleagues are also not in favor of this killing spree, as well as the senseless remarks he's made the past few months.

If he keeps on rocking the boat but w/ no real results, I wouldn't be surprised if he's ousted like Erap or worse, silenced.

I didn't vote for him, but accepted him as prez & had high hopes too. The hope meter is falling...

I can just see it:

Duterte: You mofucker! You started it!

Pres Trump: Did not! You started it! There's a wall comin' your way, pal!

Originally Posted by katie23

Hey Mr. G, female poster on here! I've no pic on my sig, but Bld & Terry have met me on separate occasions, and can attest to my femaleness. Heh...

OK by me, Katie23. Nice to meet you.

Originally Posted by katie23

many of my colleagues

Undraped, full length photos are the acceptable currency of proof here. Both of your "colleagues" and yourself. A copy of your birth certificate and DNA wouldn't go amiss.

Originally Posted by BobR

hope he really was a drug dealer

Originally Posted by katie23

The hope meter is falling...

"Hope and change", isn't that what somebody else promised and got 8 years to not provide it, along with a Noble prize.

Your giving up in 4 months. How the world differentiates between the "accepted"/good guys and the villains/bad guys.

@ohoh- Why should I post copies of my identity or workplace here, in a forum draped with Sophia et al? If you don't believe that I'm a Filipina, posting from PI, that's your choice. I've met Terry57 and Bld in separate trips, so they've seen me & can vouch for me in the TD world, as if that matters. I also have several travel threads, in the PI section & elsewhere. Do a search if you want. You could also check my IP.

I didn't vote for D30 and don't agree with all he has said the past months. He needs to control his mouth and focus on other important issues and not just drugs.

"Your giving up in four months"

I believe that's supposed to be "you're" - and I'm not a native English speaker!

Philippines: Duterte dares US, EU to withdraw aid

Tough-talking leader says the country won't beg for foreign assistance after criticism over his deadly drug campaign.

President Rodrigo Duterte has told the United States and the European Union to "go ahead" and withdraw financial aid to the Philippines if they're unhappy with his bloody anti-drug war.

"Go away, bring your money to somewhere else. We will survive as a nation," Duterte said in a speech to police officers on Thursday in the southern city of Butuan.

"How do you look at us, mendicants? We will survive. Even if we'll go through hardships, we will survive. But we will never, never compromise our dignity.

"If you think it is high time for you guys to withdraw your assistance, go ahead, we will not beg for it," Duterte said, adding he doesn't expect the US, EU, and human rights group to understand his policy.

More than 3,680 people have been killed by police and unidentified attackers in the Philippines since June 30, when Duterte took office.

Last week, two US senators raised alarms about the mounting death toll linked to the anti-drug war, and called for a review of American foreign aid to the Philippines.

Senator Ben Cardin said what Duterte is advocating and endorsing "amounts to mass murder".

Senator Patrick Leahy said: "No amount of killing will result in reforms that improve the judiciary, end corruption and impunity in law enforcement, or rehabilitate those caught in the vicious cycle of addiction."

According to US data, the Philippines is expected to receive a total of $188m in 2017. In 2015, the country received $236m in US aid.

The annual EU assistance to the Philippines is estimated at $65m.

Philippine police stand on guard during a raid in a slum area in Metro Manila [Reuters]
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Phelim Kine of Human Rights Watch warned that foreign aid to the Philippines could go into funding "mass unlawful violence" by authorities.

But in defending his police on Thursday, Duterte said foreign governments "will never understand the pain that we are suffering.

"We have a problem here trying to preserve our society," the president, nicknamed "The Punisher", said.

'America has failed us'

Duterte's statements follow a Facebook post by his foreign minister, Perfecto Yasay, who wrote that the president wants to liberate the Philippines from a "shackling dependency" on the US.

In the post titled AMERICA HAS FAILED US, Yasay said Duterte was "compelled to realign" Philippine foreign policy and not submit to US demands and interests.

"Breaking away from the shackling dependency of the Philippines to effectively address both internal and external security threats has become imperative in putting an end to our nation's subservience to United States interests," Yasay wrote.

He said in the South China Sea, the US could not guarantee it would help the Philippines to protect its sovereignty, as it is bound to by a 1951 bilateral treaty.

"Worse is that our only ally could not give us the assurance that in taking a hard line towards the enforcement of our sovereignty rights under international law, it will promptly come to our defence under our existing military treaty and agreements."

On Monday, Duterte said US President Barack Obama should "go to hell" and hinted he might "break up" with the United States.

Molly Koscina, a spokeswoman for the US embassy, said Yasay's comments ran counter to close relations between the two countries.

"We have seen the post. We've already spoken to this sort of rhetoric," Koscina told reporters. "Frankly, it seems at odds with the warm relationship that exists between the Filipino and American people".

Philippines: Duterte dares US, EU to withdraw aid - News from Al Jazeera

Originally Posted by OhOh

Undraped, full length photos are the acceptable currency of proof here. Both of your "colleagues" and yourself. A copy of your birth certificate and DNA wouldn't go amiss.

You first, SoSo.
Just warn me first so I don't have to look.

[quote=Davis Knowlton;3367016

If Duterte doesn't want US assistance, the US should take their gear and go home. It's an effort paid for by the US, solely to assist the Philippines - the US has no strategic interest there. Why stay?[/quote]

The Us has how many bases in how many countries? 600 bases in 38 countries is a very conservative estimate, all for altruistic reasons off course, most would be glad to see them pack up and go home, they have "created" enough wars!

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

Why stay?

One assumes somebody back in Ameristan has decided that a military base in the area and control of the Philippine economy brings some benefits. But as you say if the current Philippine President has the will of the people for this move, the Ameristanis should say "Thank you and Goodbye".

Originally Posted by katie23

I've met Terry57 and Bld in separate trips

I look forward to terry's confirmation and hidden camera video.

Originally Posted by MrG

You first, SoSo.

As "katie" has responded, it's your choice and rightly so. At my age the "handsome man" calls are diminishing rapidly.

If ever there was a double entendre...

Should get very interesting as Duterte has now decided to make his bed with China.

Originally Posted by Takeovers

Paging Davis Knowlton

My wife just talked about a new contender for the next Philippines presidential election. She and her friends seem to think very well of him. He has a good trackrecord as mayor of Davao City.

Anything else known of him, any opinion on his bid?

How time flies in less than a year.

I'm sure Duterte made no mention of his potential diplomatic turn towards China while Shoals were bei ng contested nor during his Presidential bid.
Does he make his shyte up without any advisors...is dictatorship his style of leadership ?

Possibly the Philippine people and military might now be beginning to calculate moving forward in earnest.

^Rest assured the Philippine government is as confused as everyone else. He consults with nobody in the government, leaving them to guess what he means. He makes broad, sweeping statements designed for his audience of the moment.

As politicians here scrambled trying to decipher and back off from his latest, the Palace spokesperson said quit trying to explain what he meant. Maybe he'll tell us when he gets back.

He has always been known as anti-US, pro-Chinese, and as a leftist. Still, I don't think voters expected this. Social weather station polls here continue to list around 80% of Filipinos as trusting the US, vice around 20% trusting China. Yet Duterte's popularity numbers are still sky high.

It's confusing.

From a purely economic standpoint good relations with China make sense.

"The top export destinations of the Philippines are China ($19B), Japan ($11.1B), the United States ($9.4B), Singapore ($5.54B) and Hong Kong ($5.01B). The top import origins are China ($13.8B), South Korea ($7.51B), Japan ($7.02B), the United States ($6.65B) and Singapore ($4.84B)"

^I don't think anyone questions that. What confuses folks is why he believes he must damage ties with the West in order to enhance ties with Asian countries.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

What confuses folks is why he believes he must damage ties with the West in order to enhance ties with Asian countries.

Makes no sense. No wonder folks are confused. Balance is the key for all nations. Duterte's anti-western rhetoric is contrary to sentiment of majority of folks in the PI and certain to damage relationships with nations who the PI will need in future. All your baluts in one basket not wise.

^Just took a stroll through the local press. He's getting blasted by Senators, Congressmen and others. Comments on the various articles are about 80% negative. Never seen "Dumbterte" or "Idioterte" before.