Contrary to the narrative that no opposition candidates won because of Duterte Magick and that voters were too wise to fall for the black propaganda against Duterte's twelve apostles the truth is that Filipinos voted out of sheer stupidity for the candidates they loved the most. Everyone knows the Philippine political system is a popularity contest. This does not mean the candidates with the most votes win. It means the candidates with the most name recognition get the most votes.
Did voters vote in favour of the drug war? Did voters vote in favour of federalism? Did voters vote in favour of martial law? Was the vote a referendum that affirmed all of Duterte's policies? How can anyone be so dumb as to actually think that? Take a look at the 12 winners and tell me with a straight face that Bong Revilla was voted into office because of his hard stance on drugs and his desire to split the Philippines into a federal system and not because of his dancing commercial. What a joke.
Let's take a look at each of the winners and see why they really won.
1. Cynthia Villar
In 2013 Villar squeaked by in 10th place. Six years later she is sitting at the top. The Queen of the Senate. For three years she sat in her office while Aquino was president. But at the end of three years of Duterte she is at the top. Is it because she supports the drug war and martial law and all of Duterte's programs? No it's because as the wife of a billionaire she had the resources to travel all over the country and meet people on the ground. She had the resources to get her name into the public and spread her advocacies of agrarian reform and lifting people out of poverty. Her star has been on the rise for a long time and it began to shine greatly when last March she topped two early surveys, SWS and Pulse Asia. You can read all about her story here. If anyone owes their political success to anyone it is Duterte who has to thank the Villars and not the other way round.
Bottom line: People voted for her because her billionaire husband's extensive resources including money and network supports allowed her to build up her name.
2. Grace Poe
This lady has also been perennially popular. Did people vote for her because she is all for Duterte's policies? Doubtful. Poe was number one when she was elected in 2013. She was number one for the longest until Villar knocked her off the throne. As the adopted daughter of famous actor Ferdinand Poe Jr her name resonated with voters. She has also not been 100% behind the drug war saying, “And the sad thing is, I think that the war on drugs is being used as a smokescreen for political killings.”
Bottom line: Poe has always been popular without Duterte's help.
3. Bong Go
How could the people not vote for this man? His face has been everywhere. He started campaigning last June sticking up banners and huge billboards all over the place. Did he get 20 million votes because of his polices? Or because of name recognition? It could not possibly be due to his policies as he has never been a politician and only ran because Duterte told him to do so. Does he support everything Duterte supports? Undoubtedly. Why would anyone be so stupid as to believe otherwise?
Bottom line: Bong Go's ubiquitous face compelled the masses to vote for him despite being a complete unknown policy-wise. Duterte's support definitely propelled him to the top.
4. Pia Cayetano
Pia is a Cayetano. A daughter of a very powerful political clan. Having been a Senator from 2004 - 2016 she knows how it works and the people know her. After a stint in the Senate she won a seat in the House. She is not an unknown. She claims she supports Duterte's vision but not necessarily his specific polices and will not be his yes-woman.
Bottom line: Voters picked a woman who is not unknown and has been serving in the national government for 15 years.
5. Bato Dela Rosa
Bato Dela Rosa is the architect of the war on drugs. Clearly and unequivocally Bato supports the drug war, martial law, and more of Duterte's policies. But is this why people voted for him? Or did they vote for him because he is very well-known and the President thinks he is just great? He didn't espouse any policies and he admits he does not even know what a Senator does. He also claims he will not be a rubber stamp for Duterte.
Bottom line: Bato is a popular man who has Duterte's backing and, like Bong Go, that support certainly helped him.
6. Sonny Angara
Another long term politician who has been in office since 2004 starting with the House and since 2013 in the Senate. He placed 6th both times! Clearly he is not an unknown. As for the drug war he is for it but against all the killings even calling for a Senate investigation. And isn't that what everyone is against? Who is against the drug war in principle? It's the bloodshed that is the problem.
Bottom line: Sonny is a professional politician the people have known since 2004 at least and as an incumbent he has the advantage.
Bottom line: Sonny is a professional politician the people have known since 2004 at least and as an incumbent he has the advantage.
7. Lito Lapid
A former Senator and actor the following headline says it all:
A former Senator and actor the following headline says it all:
“When I go around the palengke (market) area, the people keep on shouting, ‘Si Cardo, si Cardo!’ looking for Coco (as the cop Cardo). Then, they asked, ‘Bakit namatay ka sa Probinsyano (Why did you die on Ang Probinsyano)?’ The show is helping me a lot,” he said.Bottom line: Lito Lapid was voted into office because he is a beloved actor everyone knows.
8. Imee Marcos
Just how did Imee Marcos get elected? She has lied about her educational attainments, she has been charged with graft by the Ombudsman, her family stole billions from the nation and refuses to admit this or return the money, and she has no policies to speak of. How did this airhead get elected? Because she supports Duterte's drug war? No doubt Duterte's endorsement helped but her brother Bong Bong was a Senator before her and many believe he is the rightful Vice President. It has to be the name recognition and the current trend of romanticising the Marcos years that put her in 8th place.
Bottom line: Imee Marcos is well-known and has name-brand recognition.
9. Francis Tolentino
This man was advisor to Duterte. He had Duterte's full backing. He had also run for Senator in 2016 but was beat out of 12th spot by Leila Delima who he claimed sabotaged his campaign. The man is not an unknown face. Maybe less known than others. Did the voters pick him as an affirmation of Duterte's drug war? Did Duterte Magick help him out?
Bottom line: Duterte's backing gave him prominence but he was not an unknown before.
10. Koko Pimentel
Koko is a longtime politician. He is a Duterte ally. He was President of the Senate. He was also endorsed by Duterte but is that why he was elected? A man the whole country knows is running for the Senate. Will they choose him because he backs the drug war or because he is a safe bet? He also called for a Senate investigation into all the killings!
Bottom line: Pimentel is an incumbent and has the advantage.
11. Bong Revilla Jr.
Bong was dropped by Duterte from his Magic 12 slate which means he absolutely did not benefit from any Duterte magic. Fact is he is a very famous actor and former Senator. The people love him even if he is a crook.
Bottom line: Bong Revilla is a famous actor that everyone knows and his campaign featured dancing and not anything about policy.
12. Nancy Binay
Another incumbent from a political dynasty. Did the voters choose her because she is all for the drug war? Or because Duterte backed her? No. She placed 5th in 2013 showing her popularity as a Binay and she has voiced concerns about the killings in the drug war and she has backed comprehensive drug education and prevention which is not the approach the Duterte administration has chosen to take.
Bottom line: As an incumbent and as a Binay she had the advantage over newcomers and relative nobodies such as Samira Gutoc and General Pederalismo.
Out of these 12 five are incumbents, three are former Senators, two are professional politicans, and only two are newcomers with zero political experience. Let's take a look at a fuller list which includes a few of the losers.
Numbers 13 and 14, Ejercito and Aquino, are not that far from the mark losing only by a few hundred thousand votes. If we were to remove Bato and Bong Go, the only two men who were actually helped by Duterte's support (they both admitted they only ran for office because Duterte told them to do so), then Ejercito and Aquino would be moved into the winners circle. Clearly those two mean are not unpopular though the narrative would have you believe otherwise. JV Ejercito was even endorsed by Duterte! Where is the Duterte magick now?
Being that there are still opposition members in the Senate and being that the winners have promised an independent Senate and being that the winners are not exactly gung-ho for the bloody drug war or even federalism it is not at all possible to say Election 2019 was a referendum on Duterte's policies. The drug war will continue. In fact it has never stopped. The Dangerous Drug Board was created in 1971 to deal with illegal drugs. The only difference with Duterte is that he has stood in front of the nation and has said over and over that he will kill users and dealers and the result has been that thousands have died. There is no one in the House or Senate is opposed to the drug war per se. What they are opposed to are all the killings. That is a huge distinction that seems to have been lost on the Palace and the public.
Being that there are still opposition members in the Senate and being that the winners have promised an independent Senate and being that the winners are not exactly gung-ho for the bloody drug war or even federalism it is not at all possible to say Election 2019 was a referendum on Duterte's policies. The drug war will continue. In fact it has never stopped. The Dangerous Drug Board was created in 1971 to deal with illegal drugs. The only difference with Duterte is that he has stood in front of the nation and has said over and over that he will kill users and dealers and the result has been that thousands have died. There is no one in the House or Senate is opposed to the drug war per se. What they are opposed to are all the killings. That is a huge distinction that seems to have been lost on the Palace and the public.
I don't believe in Duterte Magick and neither should you. If he has any magick it is the reverse midas touch where everything he touches turns to dirt. We see this in his handling of China, in his flip-flopping in dealing with the communists, in the weak peso, in the weak GDP, unilaterally removing the Philippines from the ICC which was the resultant hard work and effort of many, in his constant lying and joking thereby making it impossible to believe anything he says thus denigrating the Office of the President, and in the worsening drug problem despite all the killing.
If you think I am wrong then read these two articles and know I am not alone in my thoughts. I only came across these articles after I began my own.
http://www.interaksyon.com/trends-spotlights/2019/05/16/148959/locsin-referendum-drug-war-midterm-election/
http://www.interaksyon.com/trends-spotlights/2019/05/16/148959/locsin-referendum-drug-war-midterm-election/
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/05/15/1918023/duterte-and-drug-war-won-midterm-polls-locsin-tweets
Postscript: Duterte isn't the only one who received a mandate on election night. The Makabayan Bloc of Bayan Muna Partylist did as well.
Postscript: Duterte isn't the only one who received a mandate on election night. The Makabayan Bloc of Bayan Muna Partylist did as well.
Voters re-elected and gave a fresh mandate to the Makabayan Bloc of Bayan Muna, Gabriela, ACT Teachers, and Kabataan partylist representatives in the last election.
Bayan Muna won the maximum three seats a partylist could win in any election. Veteran public sector unionist Ferdinand Gaite and Lumad leader Bai Eufemia Cullamat are set to join Rep. Carlos Zarate as Bayan Muna congresspersons.
On the day the Comelec proclaimed the senatorial and partylist winners, the people groaned their disappointment over the newly proclaimed, mostly pro-Duterte senators. But they gleefully greeted the partylist victories of Bayan Muna, Gabriela, ACT Teachers, and Kabataan.
The 2019 re-election of progressive lawmakers is a repudiation of the regime’s objective to wipe them out of Congress through unlawful electioneering, illegal campaigning, misuse of public offices and funds for partisan ends, and other acts prohibited by law.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/05/25/hard-fought-hard-won-mandate/
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