Marcos-Duterte word war: ‘dictatorship’, ‘father of fake news’

Metro Manila, Philippines - The word war has turned nasty in this campaign season - from dictator to father of fake news.

A number of lawmakers countered the claim of former President Rodrigo Duterte that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is veering towards dictatorship, and called the former president “father of fake news.”

In a press briefing on Monday, Feb. 24, House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega echoed Malacañang’s response that described the former president as a one-man factory of “fake news” for his accusations.

“Father faker. Father ng fake news. Mother-faker. Hindi ko alam kung ano tatawag natin sa kanila… Anong tawag sa mga anak nila, ‘fakerist’?” said Ortega, coining a new term for Duterte.

[Translation: He’s a “father-faker”. Father of fake news? “Mother-faker?” I don’t know what to call them… What would you call their children? “Fakerist?”]

Zia Adiong, House assistant majority leader and Lanao del Sur representative, also defended the president and seemingly took a swipe at impeached Vice President Sara Duterte.

“Diktador ba iyong minumura ka? Ang tatay mo sinasabi…tatanggalin, i-e-exhume. Itatapon sa West Philippine Sea? I-threaten ang buhay mo, i-threaten ang wife mo, i-threaten ang Speaker of the House at pinsan mo?” he said, in reference to Duterte’s previous remarks.

[Translation: Is that a dictator whom they curse? Your father saying... he will remove, exhume, and throw [the body of the late former President Ferdinand E. Marcos] into the West Philippine Sea? She threatens your life, threatens your wife, threatens the Speaker of the House, and your cousin."

The National Bureau of Investigation previously recommended the filing of inciting to sedition and grave threat charges against Duterte over her “kill” remarks against Marcos and his family members, which was also among the grounds of her impeachment.

‘Don’t be fooled’

For a political analyst, it was odd for the former president to raise the specter of a dictatorship in light of his leadership style.

In an interview with NewsWatch Plus, Dennis Coronacion, chairperson of the University of Santo Tomas political science department, said there were signs of a Duterte strongman rule.

He recounted instances where the former chief executive was heavily criticized for extrajudicial killings at the height of his anti-narcotics campaign.

“The former president, during his term, there were many scholars, many concerned citizens who expressed their worry na the president might be veering towards authoritarianism at the time…ngayon baliktad na, siya na nagsasabi, nag-a-alleged na ang presidency ni Bongbong Marcos ay mapunta sa ganoong klase,” he said.

[Translation: During the former president's term, there were many scholars and concerned citizens who expressed their worry that the president might be veering towards authoritarianism at that time...Now it's the opposite, he is the one saying, alleging that Bongbong Marcos' presidency could go in that direction]

Duterte ordered the transfer of the late president’s remains to the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani in 2016.

Coronacion, meanwhile, reminded voters to be discerning come election day.

“Iyang kanilang rhetoric yung kanilang salita maaring sinasabi na that they are virtuous, they are fighting for profound goals….When actually behind all these words, behind these rhetoric is their self interest,” he said.

“Huwag natin i-swallow hook line and sinker lahat ng sinasabi nila. Let’s always be doubtful,” the analyst added.

[Translation: They may be saying that they are virtuous, that they are fighting for profound goals… When, actually, behind all these words, behind these rhetorics, is their self-interest…Let’s not take everything hook, line, and sinker. Let’s always be doubtful.]