FVR on Duterte’s first 100 days: Team Philippines losing

The country is "losing badly" because the government has not hit the ground running during the first 100 days of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, former President Fidel V. Ramos said.

"In the overall assessment by this writer, we find our Team Philippines losing in the first 100 days of Du30's administration—and losing badly. This is a huge disappointment and let-down to many of us," Ramos said in the first installment of a two-part column published in the Manila Bulletin on Saturday.

This assessment of Duterte's first 100 days, he said, "is based simply on two concepts of primordial importance – LEADERSHIP and TEAMWORK – because that is where the obvious failures have emerged at this point in time."

Ramos, who had been designated as Duterte's emissary to China and tasked to initiate bilateral talks on the geopolitical issues affecting the two countries, said that much was expected of Duterte during this three-month period—principally in areas such as alleviating mass poverty, improving Filipinos' quality of life, and enhancing public safety and security by addressing threats such as climate change, terrorism, hunger and disease.

"Of course, we are talking only of the first 100 days. We do not indicate here a wish-list of our highest aspirations to be achieved in the six years of the President's term—but only what could have been do-able by P.Digong, if he had hit the ground running instead of being stuck in unending controversies about extra-judicial killings of drug suspects and in his ability at using cuss-words and insults instead of civilized language," Ramos said.

The government's war on drugs has gotten international attention, with the European Parliament, the United States, and the United Nations, among others, expressing concern over the rising number of deaths in the country.

Several foreign business groups have also voiced concern about the rise in killings.

"Certainly, the illegal drug menace is a serious threat in the Philippines, as it is in the US and elsewhere. However, the increased number of killings during the heightened anti-drug campaign is harming the country's image, as portrayed by international media, and some investors are now asking whether this campaign reduced the rule of law," the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines said.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte has let loose a string of tirades in response to the criticism, cursing the European Union and saying that nobody has the right to lecture him.

Duterte also said he wanted to confront the UN, challenging them over their allegations of extrajudicial killings of drug suspects in the country.

On his 100th day in office on Friday, Duterte said he had already written to the three bodies inviting them to the country to investigate the extrajudicial killings attributed to the government.

Hitler quip

In his column, Ramos also slammed the President for his recent remarks, saying he was willing to do to drug addicts what Adolf Hitler did to the Jews.

Duterte has since apologized to the Jewish community for his remarks.

"In the case of his recent 'Hitler quip' no amount of apology could mollify the long-suffering Jews who have done well for the Philippines," Ramos said, noting the "rich history" of the country in hosting international refugees, including Jews during World War II.

US-Philippine relations

Ramos also slammed Duterte's"discombobulating" remarks hinting at the end of the country's military partnership with the US.

Malacañang also said last week that Duterte might "break up" with the Philippines' oldest ally in the future.

"So, what gives? Are we throwing away decades of military partnership, tactical proficiency, compatible weaponry, predictable logistics, and soldier-to-soldier camaraderie just like that?? On P.Du30's say-so???" Ramos said.

For its part, the Philippine military said there is still no certainty that the war games with the US will end.

Still time to correct flaws

Ramos said there is still time to turn things around.

"Looking, however, at just the first year of P.Du30's 6-year term, there is still enough to correct the most serious flaws in both our national leadership and national team so that in the end, the Filipino people and the republic of the Philippines as a competitive country in our part of the world might still regain its rightful reputation as a vigorous and rising competitor in the family of nations—as we used to be known for in earlier days," he noted.

Ramos echoed statements of Senator Richard Gordon, who said that Duterte was "falling on his own sword" for being "too noisy."

"Ours is not to heap more brickbats on P.Du30— because he has had more than enough already—but to help enable him to transform (thru his own efforts) from a mere provincial official to a capable international player at the head of 101,000,000 multiculture Filipinos," Ramos said.

"The outcome aspired for by the majority of us is to insure the better future of our younger generations who, in due time—will assume the mantle of leadership over our nation's political, security, cultural, economic, and other interests," he added. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA News