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New Philippines leader details plan to end corruption

FORUM Staff

Newly elected Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has announced sweeping policy changes aimed at fulfilling campaign promises to end crime and corruption within three to six months in office — a plan his critics call too aggressive and unrealistic.

During a May 2016 news conference, Duterte (pictured above) pledged to begin a military offensive to destroy the extremist Abu Sayyaf Group operating in the southern Jolo Island, offer cabinet posts to communist rebels and amend the Constitution to give more power to provinces, according to The New York Times newspaper. He also plans to reinstate the country’s death penalty.

Duterte’s vows to restore law and order in the Philippines may have resonated with enough voters to secure the presidency, but not everyone agrees with his policies. Police officials, in particular, have remained skeptical. Some suggest Duterte hasn’t proven himself as an effective leader, noting that crime remains rampant in Davao City where Duterte served as mayor for 22 years. Duterte’s camp has been quick to fire back at his naysayers.

“Leftist groups have rejected the hands of friendship and cooperation by the incoming Duterte administration by mouthing their usual criticism of others but not undertaking their own criticism — self-criticism,” Peter Lavina, a Duterte spokesman, said, according to The Standard, a Filipino newspaper. “I am truly sorry for these leftist groups which will be left out in the march of history with their dogma and belligerent styles and methods of work. They need to right their wrongs and stop becoming roadblocks to genuine change.”

The Philippines military has fought for decades against the Marxist insurgency in the countryside, but Duterte insists working with communist rebels on environment and natural resources and social welfare would be a good move for his government, according to The New York Times.

“They are the most vigilant group in the Philippines about labor, so they would get it,” he said, according to the newspaper.

Some news reports described Duterte’s comments as “comical” at times during his policy announcement as he vented about corruption and bad governance during his tenure as Davao City mayor. He called on corrupt officials to “retire or die” and stood by his stance of supporting police to use deadly force against criminals, according to Fortune.com.

He warned that police generals deemed “contaminated” by his government would be sent to fight the Abu Sayyaf Group militants.

“And if you are taken hostage there, say your Our Fathers, because I will never, never pay anything to retrieve you,” Duterte said, according to The New York Times.

While some internal dissatisfaction exists in the Philippines as Duterte’s administration takes control, his Southeast Asia neighbors say they hope to continue their strong ties under Duterte’s leadership.

Both Singapore President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong sent congratulatory letters to Duterte, according to Channel NewsAsia. Bilateral relations between Singapore and the Philippines will reach a milestone in 2019 with 50 years of diplomatic ties. In his letter, the Singaporean prime minister said that as founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), it remained important that the two countries work closely to promote regional peace and prosperity, according to Channel NewsAsia.

“I wish you good health and success in your new position,” the prime minister’s letter said, “and look forward to working with you for the benefit of our countries, peoples and ASEAN.”

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