Thread by @tonyocruz

“ACHIEVEMENTS” OF RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

(A thread)

SURRENDERED Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and Exclusive Economic Zone over the West Philippine Sea to a foreign power. Including the right of access of Filipino fisherfolk and scientists.

PERPETUATED ELITE AND OLIGARCHIC RULE, as he chose to ally himself with traditional politicians, Big Businesses and Big Landlords.

SIDED WITH PLUNDERERS AND THIEVES like the Marcoses and Arroyos. In exchange, he restored them to power.

RAISED TAXES ON THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE UNDER TRAIN. Removed/lowered income tax rates and other taxes for the elite and oligarchs, while raising or adding new taxes for the majority. Next: tax on “tuyo”.

EXTRAJUDICIALLY KILLED THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN in the name of “fighting drugs” while providing due process for druglords.

EMPLOYED NINJA COPS AND CORRUPT GENERALS LIKE ALBAYALDE who engaged in self-promotion and re-sale or confiscated illegal drugs.

PERPETUATED AND DEFENDED “ENDO” and other policies inimical to Filipino workers.

SHUT DOWN LUMAD SCHOOLS, and called on the Lumad to sell their ancestral lands to foreign mining and plantation companies.

SOLD OUT FARMERS THROUGH RICE TARRIFICATION, resulting in historic low palay prices and ultimately in the near-bankruptcy of farmers.

SOLD OUT COMMUTERS AND JEEPNEY DRIVERS in favor of banks, loan sharks and vehicle manufacturers who wish to impose and to cash in on “jeepney modernization”.

APPOINTED AND REAPPOINTED INEPT, INCOMPETENT AND CORRUPT OFFICIALS like Uson, La Viña, Faeldon, and others.

DESTROYED THE ISLAMIC CITY OF MARAWI, SUBDIVIDED THE WAR-TORN CITY AMONG OLIGARCHS AND FOREIGN MULTINATIONALS, AND DISPOSSESED THE BANGSAMORO RESIDENTS OF MARAWI.

IMPOSED UNLI MARTIAL LAW IN MINDANAO in favor of warlords, traditional politicos, dynasties, and foreign interests eyeing to control the Land of Promise.

PROMOTED MISOGYNY, BIGOTRY, HATE SPEECH, DISINFORMATION AND ANTI-COMMUNIST HYSTERIA.

PRESIDED OVER THE BREAKDOWN OF MASS TRANSPORT IN METRO MANILA.

FIRED/LET GO INCORRUPTIBLE AND REFORMIST OFFICIALS LIKE ROBREDO, LOPEZ, TAGUIWALO, MARIANO AND MAZA in favor of incompetent and corrupt trapos and retired military officers.

FILED TRUMPED-UP AND HARASSMENT CASES against @rapplerdotcom @mariaressa
@VPPilipinas NDF consultants, as well as lawyers, bishops and others perceived to be critical of the regime.

ENDED PEACE TALKS with the Communist Party of the Philippines, while engaging in sellout talks with the Communist Party of China.

SOLD OUT THE PRESENT AND FUTURE of the Philippines in unfair, onerous and expensive loan agreements with China.

CORRUPTED THE GOOD CONDUCT TIME ALLOWANCE to favor the likes of Mayor Sanchez and others convicted of heinous crimes.

Also: Allowed the likes of Bato to get away with it, and even campaigned for him.

PRESIDES OVER THE CONTINUED AND WORSENING CORRUPTION IN THE BUREAU OF CUSTOMS

ABUSED POWERS BY ENGAGING IN RED-TAGGING against activists, artists, filmmakers, journalists, lawyers, farmers, trade unionists, and other advocates of genuine change. Instead of addressing their legitimate grievances, they are demonized and then targeted for harassment.

We can’t reduce this to a recitation of negatives vs positives.

Duterte himself as well as his apologists have admitted/defended the *principal* attributes of the regime: tyrannical, pro-China, anti-poor, anti-accountability, pro-plunderers, pro-oligarchy, pro-war.