"There is more work to be done and Manong Digong is here to stay."
Well, one would’ve thought that the failed media blitz to spoil the country’s hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games is as good as it gets for the anti-administration black propaganda efforts to attract international attention.
But, apparently the tactic of fake news has misled some United States senators to draft a resolution seeking the release of detained Senator Leila de Lima and the dropping of criminal charges against Rappler CEO Maria Ressa. This is so circa 1901, when Mark Twain strongly criticized the American imperialism in the Philippines.
Obviously, too, it’s not a coincidence that the US Senate committee on foreign relations’ move came even as opposition attack dogs ex-senator Antonio Trillanes and De Lima trumpeted a statement of International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda that she may recommend next year ICC's full investigation on the Philippines' anti-illegal drugs war "extrajudicial killings (EJKs)."
Not surprisingly, Trillanes and De Lima jumped the gun and announced the “forthcoming arrest” of President Rody Duterte whom they blame for the EJKs and whom they demonize on a daily basis. Forthcoming arrest, huh. Now if that is not fake news, I don’t know what is.
Their well-oiled network of black propaganda and Yellow journalism constantly and consistently have produced slanted news and fabricated reports, overwhelming legitimate news media, beating black and blue the government’s own public information and news agencies. Never taking a day off, they have targeted the President and his known supporters, with attacks veiled as “press freedom.”
I don't even know why some government agencies subscribe to these Yellow publications, wasting people's money.
Unfortunately, it’s not only the grand-scale mass deception and misinformation that the President has had to contend with day in and day out, but also the clear and present danger to his life.
Threats to his life never ceased since the intelligence community looked into reports of assassination plots being cooked up by big-time drug lords when the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign began, implicating narco politicians, judges, police generals, celebrities, and showbiz personalities.
Muslim extremists, particularly the Abu Sayyaf Group and Maute Group, also swore to mount jihad terrorist attacks against the government even before the Marawi siege.
But there is no clearer and nothing more specifically directed threat to the President than the pronouncement of communist leader Jose Ma. Sison, ordering the CPP’s New People Army to seek out and kill the country’s Commander-in-Chief for directing the Armed Forces to intensify the anti-insurgency drive.
Increasingly, there is clear and present danger to the security of the President coming from all directions. They all want him gone, and so do Trillanes and De Lima’s misguided sympathizers in the U.S. The specter of assassination plot against Manong Digong is for real.
And, he has had to face all these threats amid the challenges of confronting the monstrous corporate giants, water concessionaires Manila Water, Maynilad and the ABS-CBN television network, the influential "kingmaker" all these years.
No chief executive before him has voiced out the fact that the people have had enough of the abuses, manipulation and exploitation they suffered in the hands of the elite, wealthy oligarchs, and profiteers who have milked the public dry over the decades.
Unfortunately for the enemies of the State, this former mayor of the rustic Davao City whom they belittled and deprived of fair media access in the 2016 elections campaign, will not go away anytime soon. He is here to stay and he will continue to drastically change the country’s political landscape, to level the playing field for the ordinary Juan dela Cruz on the street.
The government’s war against the ruthless drug menace will be relentless and chilling, and will save more communities like it did Ozamiz City, which is now thriving with Mindanao's newfound peace and order and rejuvenated trade and commerce.
There is more work to be done and Manong Digong is here to stay because we, the Filipino people, will remain vigilant and steadfast in supporting this one of a kind leader and champion of the underdog.
We got your back, Mr. President!
