Duterte and Aesop’s fable about the frogs who desired a king

The frogs desiring a king (Illus by Harrison Weir, John Tenniel, Ernest Griset)

The frogs desiring a king (Illus by Harrison Weir, John Tenniel, Ernest Griset)

The frustration of the people over the ineptness of the Aquino government has made the “kamay na bakal” brand of leadership that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte appealing to many.

Former Human Rights Commission Chair Etta Rosales warned about the dangers of a leader who wants to play God.
Rosales said, ““These people who say we need a Duterte, they don’t think of the law. They don’t realize that if you don’t respect the law, it would affect also you and your family.”

She adds: “The moment you take the law in your hands and you think you can get away with it, then you become part of the problem, and that has been the way of all authoritarian rulers.”

Yesterday, Martin Diño, whose filing of the certificate of candidacy for president and subsequent withdrawal is still being processed by the Comelec, said in case Duterte wins, the latter will reimpose the death penalty six months into his presidency and have weekly executions of convicts of heinous crimes.

“Once na nanalo siya, itong death penalty ay [restored] within six months. Kapag ito ay na-restore na, we will implement it weekly. Gusto niya magkaroon ng atmosphere ng katahimikan,” Diño was quoted in an ABS-CBN interview.

This situation reminds of Aesop’s fable about the frogs who desired a king.

Illustration by Arthur Rackham. 1912 edition.

Illustration by Arthur Rackham. 1912 edition.

“A long time ago, when the frogs lead a free and easy life in the lakes and ponds, they became disgruntled because everyone lived according to his own whim and chaos reigned.

“They gathered and petitioned the god Jupiter to let them have a king who would bring order into their lives and make them more responsible.

“Knowing how foolish the frogs were, Jupiter smiled at their request and threw down a log into the lake. ‘There’s your king, ‘he declared.

“The log made such a splash that it terrified the poor frogs, who dived under water and into the mud. No one dared to come within ten leaps of the spot where it lay in stillness. Eventually, one frog, who was bolder than the rest, ventured to pop his head above the water and watch their new king at a respectful distance.

“When some others soon perceived that the log was lying stock-still, they began to swim up to it and around it. At last they grew so bold that they leaped upon it and treated it with the greatest contempt.

“Dissatisfied with such a tame ruler they immediately petitioned Jupiter a second time to grant them a more active king.

“This time Jupiter sent them a stork and no sooner did the bird arrive than he began seizing and devouring them one by one as fast as he could.”

Moral of the story: When you desire for change, make sure it’s an improvement. Don’t make the mistake of jumping from the frying pan to the fire.

The latest from Duterte

Thanks to Philippine Star for this photo

Thanks to Philippine Star for this photo

The May 2016 elections is now more fun with the entry of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in the race.

Last Monday, Duterte, after months of flip flopping – even writing an open letter last Oct. 12 saying, “The country does not need me” – he declared last weekend in a birthday party in Cavite, that he is after all running for president in the May 2016 elections.

But, in the first place, can he join the presidential race? Although a member of the PDP-Laban ((Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan), he filed his certificate of candidacy for Davao City Mayor as candidate of Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod.

The slot that he is supposed to take for the presidency is the one filed by former Quezon City Barangay captain Martin B. Dino, who has already withdrawn his candidacy after it was reported that he would be declared a nuisance candidate by the Commission on Elections.

But wait, didn’t Duterte said on Oct. 16, “Hindi ako pang-substitute. Pang original ako.”

Sen. Aquilino “Koko”Pimentel III, PDP-Laban president said the issue about whether Duterte can substitute Dino is “a non-issue.”
What the PDP-Laban did just to keep open the legal window while Duterte took his own sweet became a comedy of errors. Dino arrived at the Comelec main office minutes before the 5 p.m. Oct. 16, 2015 deadline. In the rush, the form that Dino filled up was not for President but for “Pasay Mayor.” The Comelec is in Manila.

Pimentel said the “minor clerical error” won’t nullify the certificate of nomination and acceptance from the PDP” that Dino was running for President.

In the afternoon of the last day of the filing of certificates of candidacy set by the Comelec, Duterte was reported to be aboard the plane sent to Davao by businessman Manuel Pangilinan bound for Manila . It turned out to be false. True, there was a private plane sent to fetch him but he said he declined and decided to stay home.

Lito Banayo, Duterte’s political adviser said, the Davao mayor will be withdrawing the certificate of candidacy that he filed for Davao City mayor. His daughter Sarah will be the substitute candidate.

Duterte has up to Dec. 10 to file his certificate of candidacy as substitute for Dino. That means eating his own words about not wanting to be just a substitute and always keeping his word. “Isang salita lang ako,” he had told those who wanted him to run for president.

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal seriously doubts if Duterte can substitute for Dino. One, Dino’s COC was defective.

Also, as quoted by the Inquirer, Makalintal said, “If [the] Comelec later determines that Dino is a nuisance candidate for President then the more reason Duterte cannot sub for Dino. When a candidate is declared a nuisance, his COC is denied due course, or canceled, the effect of which is that it is as if no COC was filed.”

After telling those who were with him in his nationwide crusade for federalism “.., there was no ambition for me to aspire for the presidency. The country does not need me. I find no need for it… my destiny is to end years and years of public life in the service of Davao City and every Dabawenyo,” Duterte is saying now that he decided to run for president after the Senate Electoral Tribunal dismissed the disqualification case against Grace Poe, the candidate leading in the presidential race according to surveys.

That’s from the man who sells himself to the public as “decisive” and “isang salita lang.”