DAVAO CITY – The incoming President of the country could be the Philippines’ version of Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez.
The negotiator of the National Democratic Front, in an interview with Davao Today on Wednesday night, May 18 gave three reasons how presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte differed from the past Philippine Presidents that they have engaged.
Experience with the revolutionary movement
For one, Duterte is well experienced in negotiating with the revolutionary movement.
“Not only with the facilitation of the releases of the prisoners of war, but also with facilitating for the release of political prisoners and helping the legal democratic mass organizations,” Agcaoili said.
Agcaoili said the President-elect, who won in a landslide victory during the national elections, cited Duterte’s help with the concern of farmers who protested in Kidapawan City. It can be recalled that Duterte had pledged to deliver 15,000 sacks of rice from the city’s calamity fund to aid the drought-stricken farmers of North Cotabato province.
First left president
Duterte is also the first President who claims to be a leftist, Agcaoili said.
“Hindi lang leftist, Socialist pa nga eh. Batay dun meron kang pwedeng panghawakan (He even declared that he is a Socialist. From there you can have something to hold on to),” he said.
Agcaoili said as a leftist, Duterte should be pro-poor and pro-people. “And when he said that he’s a Socialist, then he is really committed on the issue of social justice and no other previous president has said that he is left.”
In his previous public speeches, Duterte said he is hurt with a government that is “ruled by elitists” and even branded the government as has not been helping its people.
“It pains me to see that for how many years that the government is taxing the people, the people gained nothing. Our government is ruled by elitist, that is true. And the people remain poor,” he said.
Duterte’s pronouncement has even opened the public’s perception about the Left on a nationwide scale, said Agcaoili.
“There seems to be a change in paradigm. Because before,when you say Left, there’s a scare. But here is a candidate who says that he is a leftist and he gained support,” he said.
Willing to talk peace
Duterte was also the first to declare that he is ready to resume the peace negotiations with the NDF.
“He said that he is ready to talk and is ready to go to Utrecht (Netherlands) to talk to (Prof. Jose Maria Sison) and to release the political prisoners,” he said, adding that there was no previous president who said that.
Asked if Duterte could be considered the Hugo Chavez of the country, Agcaoili said they welcome the thought of having a president who will stand up against the imperialists.
“The problem with the ruling class in the country is that they have never given space to accommodate the demands of the oppressed,” he said.
“Talagang mahilig na magpayaman nang magpayaman at mang-api (They are bent on getting richer and richer and oppress the people),” Agcaoili added.
In Latin America, he said, leaders who are anti-imperialist and anti-neoliberalization appears. “And they gain the support of the people, that the US cannot do anything,” he said.
If Duterte can stand by his promise to build a government that is for the people, Agcaoili said a government of national unity and peace and development is possible. (davaotoday.com)
