Duterte-Cayetano tandem, 3 senatoriables attend forum on elections

DLSU hosted the #TheLeaderIWant Forum on January 20 at the Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium,with over a thousand members of the audience in attendance. Although the event, organized by social news network Rappler, was originally intended to be a tandem forum, the only pair present was the tandem of presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and his running mate Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. Senatorial hopefuls Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares, Atty. Lorna Kapunan of the Poe-Escudero coalition, and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez of United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) were also present. Rappler CEO and Executive Editor Maria Ressa served as the forum moderator.

“Our CEO and Executive Editor, Maria Ressa, personally invited the candidates to attend,” explains Zak Yuson, head of Citizen Journalism at Rappler’s MovePH. He says that while Rappler received positive responses from the other tandems prior to the event, one had backed out on Saturday, another on Sunday, and yet another on Monday evening. “Rappler respects their decision not to come.”

Plans and platforms

Peace and order, regional developments going into federalism, and equality under the law are the three key points of the Duterte-Cayetano platform.

“The country can’t improve without law and order,” Duterte claimed when asked about specific stands on Philippine issues. He mentioned that several problems are prevalent in the Philippine society and crime and oppression remain among them. According to Duterte, the oppression that the Filipinos experience is caused not only by the criminals but also by the government.

The mayor — described by many to be “the Iron Fist of Davao” — was vocal about his distaste for drugs and what he termed as bloodless cleansing. “My god, I hate drugs. I had to kill people because I hate drugs,” he stated. “If I become president, there’s no such thing as bloodless cleansing.”

Duterte also described Filipinos’ obedience to the law as “almost optional.” He assured the audience that he is willing to do everything, even offer his life and liberty, in order to make the Filipino people feel safe in their own country.

On the shift to federalism, Duterte responded that such a proposition “will take time.” Cayetano further explained that it would take up to three to four years before a country can shift into federalism. According to the tandem, federalism and regionalism will address the issue on much of the Philippine national budget being poured into Metro Manila.

Should Duterte be elected into the highest position of the land, he promised to fight crime, eradicate illegal drugs, and eliminate corruption in a matter of just three to six months. If he fails to do so, he vowed to step down from power. Cayetano added that he will support the presidential hopeful in this endeavor.

Meanwhile, believing that strict compliance to the law is strengthened by law enforcement, Cayetano explained the plans to raise the salaries of policemen to get rid of “pangongotong” or corruption in the police. Cayetano described that an increase in the salaries of professionals for them to meet the costs of living is needed. However, such an increase in the salaries across all professions is “unrealistic,” which is why the tandem aims to start with increasing the salaries of law enforcers. Cayetano further explained that whoever promises to raise all salaries at once are “nambobola” (misleading), and those who do not promise any such increase fail to solve the issue of corruption.

#PHVote

The event was conceptualized as an avenue for questions crowdsourced from social media platforms.

One Facebook user asked about the tandem’s take on Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). “An ideal autonomous region is preferred, either the Manila Development Plan or federalism,” responded Cayetano. Both Duterte and Cayetano stated their preference for an autonomous region and belief that federalism can settle the issue.

Another online user from the Ateneo Youth Agenda asked about how the government should respond to urbanization in Metro Manila and its effect on transportation and the livable rate. Duterte claimed, “In the long term, Manila will no longer be a viable urban city.” He commented that improving the economy by inviting investors, opening ports in both Visayas and Mindanao to decongest the “overloaded” Metro Manila, importing in the open market, and family planning can utilize the problem.

On what he would do if his endeavors would run contrary to what his financial backers would push for, Duterte answered that he would rather lose in the elections rather than be compromised. “Ayaw kong tumatanggap [ng pera] sa mga negosyante. I would rather lose. I have never tasted defeat in the elections, but I do not want to be compromised,” he stated.

The senatorial aspirants

Aside from Duterte and Cayetano, senatorial candidates Colmenares, Kapunan, and Romualdez were also present.

Colmenares presented his platform, which is based on three key points: genuine agrarian reform, industrialization, and taxation reform. He stated his belief that genuine agrarian reform, a tool for both social justice and development, should be directed in giving government-subsidized lands to farmers. In addition, he emphasized the need to build factories locally so that the country would not remain dependent on international products. “Industrialization is a must for us to develop. Support and capital should be given to local businesses,” stressed Colmenares. Pension reforms on the Social Security System and Government Service Insurance System were also mentioned.

Kapunan, who claimed her platform revolved around fighting for the oppressed, described plans of legislating free laboratory expenses and increase in Philhealth coverage, nationalism in educational system, removal of contractualization, and upholding of human rights. Kapunan also expressed her support for divorce in the Philippines, saying that the non-support of the Church for divorce
is “a hypocrisy” since there exists an option for annulment. Kapunan was also thrown the issue of having been the ex-lawyer of alleged Priority Development Assistance Fund scam mastermind Janet Napoles, to which Kapunan simply countered that she was the one who surrendered Napoles to the palace.

Finally, Romualdez, who stated that he was greatly changed by the destruction brought about by Super Typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban, Leyte, described his platform centered on #Malasakit, which he deemed critical to public service. He stated his plans to give support and capital for micro enterprises following the success of Go Negosyo, an increase in internet speed bandwidth to give way for online learning, and universal health care. “A healthy citizen translates to a productive nation,” emphasized Romualdez.