With the closure of the Philippines largest television network ABS-CBN this week, press freedom looks at its weakest since the Marcos era. Dr Tom Smith argues that the move has merely cemented what many suspected – Rodrigo Duterte has embraced dictatorship.
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has become one of the most deadly and powerful dictators in the world. In shutting down the major mainstream news platform ABS-CBN, the ‘family’ network as it is known, he has cemented his already murderous grip on the country.
In just four years Duterte has surpassed the 14-year Marcos regime which also murdered its own people with absolute impunity. Just as then, when dissent toward any aspect of the regime’s pervasive influence was severely curtailed, so is true again today.
The sheer scale and speed of Duterte’s reign of death and abuse is not just brazen, Duterte is proud of his endorsements from Donald Trump and elsewhere.
His style and actions are popular . Du30 has become a powerful brand if not now a violent and well-connected clan. Du30ism is undeniably a cultural and political juggernaut that shows very few signs of being curtailed.
The regime has now also begun to target the education sector, as cruelly cynical as that is, robbing the next generations of a more progressive future. Mandatory military training is being pushed in high school education to further militarise society. Students are being falsely targeted in the drug war and in the fight against communist insurgents.
Without a free media, new forms of public inquiry will be needed but social media is no salvation of course; it was the horse Du30 rode in on.
When unapologetically racist, sexist and misogynistic leaders have this degree of power there is little hope that his brand of populism is on the wane anytime soon
This article was written by Tom Smith
To read the full article, please click on the following link: https://southeastasiaglobe.com/philippines-duterte-dictatorship/
That is 'Dugong', the man of the day. Shutting a newsroom is no good.