Themes

Duterte as an Attentive Guardian

In this particular speech delivered during the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Regional

Convention, Duterte became expressive of the rigors he has been facing solely by governing the

country; the difficulties and downside of being a President. He reiterated that he run the elections

for the reason that, the issues they were facing in Mindanao were not catered in the national

arena. He stated that “if somebody won’t do it, then Mindanao could probably be a fractured

island; if not totally lost from the rest of the Republic” (See Appendix A, paragraph 1). For him

who was once a Mayor of Davao City, the survival of Mindanao against the threat of terrorism,

has become his driving force to run and win in the presidential position. Alongside with this,

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X: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte served as the guest of honor and keynote speaker in the 10th
Regional Convention of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ (IBP) Greater Manila Chapter at
the Manila Hotel last November 4, 2016. Source: “Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ (IBP)
Regional Convention (Speech) 11/4/2016,” RTVM - Youtube, Accessed December 17, 2018.
https://youtu.be/ffd7n6pELQM.
Duterte is committing himself to his promise of abolishing drug trafficking, corruption, and

criminality in the country.

Going further, in building up his ethos and over-all image to this audience, Duterte

referred to his past experiences of being a prosecutor, a mayor and a vice mayor of Davao City,

as well as a member of the Congress. This would reflect that Duterte is someone who knows how

to practice the law very well and how its structures and systems work. He asserted:

“I’ve been a prosecutor for 10 years. I did trial work for 8 years. And then, I became
mayor for 23 years sa Davao, one term with Congress and another term 4 years being
the Vice-mayor of my daughter.”(See Appendix A, paragraph 6)

In addition, he presented in paragraph seven (7) the measures he has taken in order to

make Davao City known to be one of the safest places in the country. One of the measures

include giving blunt threats to the people about killing those criminals who continue doing

unlawful acts during his term. He stated:

“Sa panahon ko, when I was mayor, I was strict. And so people died, people went out of
Davao and made my City safe. And that’s why, Davao grew and it out smarted everybody
by having a growth rate of 4 then 5, then 6. That is hard to achieve in an island full of
violence and explosion. And yet, we made it. And the last blast, did it affect us? No,
because why? Because I told them, it’s coming.”(See Appendix A, paragraph 7)

Moreover, Duterte also utilized analogy (use of comparison) during his term as the

Davao City Mayor and now that he is the current President of the country. He revealed that while

he was still the City Mayor, he was able to intimate the criminals by handing over threats. All

because he was protecting the community and ensuring everyone’s security. He claimed:
 “I was very strict, and of course, I made threats, of course, I intimidated people, mostly
criminals… [w]e are all lawyer, at one time, I was also defending a client, securing to
him all of his constitutional rights. But when I became mayor, I had to take care of the
community.” (See Appendix A, paragraph 4)

Subsequently, now that he became the President, he also used the same threats that he

employed in Davao City. Such threats include killing criminals who will be caught in drug

trafficking as well as kidnappers going against the law. After which, he posed rhetorical

questions about being tagged as “uncultured” and “unstatesman” because of intimidating those

criminals. He then urged the public, especially his critics, to provide him a law that would say he

could not threaten people. In paragraph four (4) of this particular speech expressed in front of

lawyers and public servants in the country, Duterte paid most attention in eradicating criminality

to foster a bright future for the next generation. His claims are as follows:

“At noong nag-Presidente ako, I used the same threats, yung nanghimago dito sa
Maynila and the cultured people, sinabi ko, “putang-ina kayo, pag hindi kayo umalis ng
Davao, if you continue to play drugs, I will kill you.” Sinabi ko sa mga kidnapper, “if
you do not leave Davao, by the time I take my oath of office, I will kill you, pag makita
kita.” What’s wrong with this threat? Uncultured? Unstatesman? Is it wrong to threating
criminals? Give me a law which says I cannot threaten to kill bad people. And when, I
say, “Do not destroy my country because I will kill you. Do not rob us of the next
generation because we need them for this Republic to continue. And I will kill you.” Eh,
kung hindi pa naman klaro iyan, was in Davao and same here.” (See Appendix A,
paragraph 4)

Furthermore, it is quite notable in paragraph 12 of this speech that Duterte have

acknowledged the difficulty of attaining peace and order in the country. Despite that, Duterte

spoke of God’s will and promises to continue the anti-drug trafficking and anti-corruption

campaign until the end of his term.

 “Ganoon ang Pilipinas. Ang droga, hindi nadadala ito ng tapik-tapik. … Matagal ‘to.
Pero ang promise ko sa inyo, inshallah, inshallah – God willing. That promise you, that
this campaign against drug and criminality will not stop ‘til the end of my term. I want to
see every pusher/user out of the streets and all the drug lords killed. Hindi ako hihinto.”
(See Appendix A, paragraph 12)

At this point, Duterte utilized tough language to induce fear among the criminals around

the country. He even put his presidential position on the line saying that he will push through

even if it would cost him his life. He stated:

“Oh, pakinggan ninyo akong mabuti, I’ll say it before the nation: Even it will cost me
and the presidency, even it would cost me my life, bet talaga ako. … I will assure you, I
will stop corruption during my term.” (See Appendix A, paragraph 13)

More than just fighting drug addiction, criminality, and corruption, Duterte also presented

in this speech the current state of Mindanao and the main cause of terrorism attacks. He further

utilized allusion in tracing the history of the Moro people having independence even during

Spanish and American colonization. He emphasized:

“You have to understand that in 1521, when Magellan landed in Leyte, Islam was
already thriving as a religion for the whole island of Mindanao. And therefore, in their
conquest and everywhere, the Spaniards, of course, comes with the territory massacred
there and massacred here. And maybe the Visayans and the guys from Luzon were not so
imbued, kasi medyo malayo eh. It was not a contiguous place like Mindanao, easy to
travel and easy to conquer. But along the years, the Spanish tried, and the most that they
could do was to build that Fort Pilar in Zamboanga.” (See Appendix A, paragraph 2)

Likewise, he claimed that the killing and massacres happening around Mindanao are all

rooted to the old age problem of hatred.

 “In Mindanao particularly, not really to offend any conquering but there were lots of
killing and massacres and this has contributed to the old age problem of hatred.” (See
Appendix A, paragraph 3)

Then, as a response to the state of lawlessness in Mindanao, Duterte said that he was

impelled to command the military and the police force to prompt for disciplinary action.

“There’s only one thing there [in Mindanao], that’s— its lawlessness. And I have to or I
had to decide to call in the military for the simple reason that I am short of warm bodies,
kulang yang PNP, 130 and I take care of all the islands, 7, 000 islands comprising the
Philippines. I had to, kulang eh, even in the matter of just being there for punitive police
action. Pero kung sabihin mo talaga, prangkahan ko kayo, that my burning desire would
be really to be President. I’m telling you now, is God is there, Allah, hindi ho.” (See
Appendix A, paragraph 3)

In line with this, Duterte, who identifies himself as a Moro, insisted to stop the killings

and the threat of terrorism. In here, he slightly hinted about the idea of federalism that he wants

to propose for the country, he asked:

“What is wrong to talking to Misuari and embracing him? Eh Moro ako eh, and I want
to talk to him because ang sinabi ko, “Nur, we have been fighting for 40 years. Do you
want another 40 years?” At sinabi ko sa mga komunista and the soldiers, kayo, “We
have been fighting the NPAs. Do you want another 45 years?” Kayo, kung iyan ang
gusto ninyo. Because if you do not get the federal system to work, then babalik itong— I
assure you, as sure as the sun will rise in the east, ‘cause this time, there is the looming
threat of mindless violence without any purpose but to kill— ISIS.” (See Appendix A,
paragraph 11)

However, this request for a federal system cannot be easily forwarded due to the terrorists

namely the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) coming from the Middle East with the sole

intention to kill and destroy. Hence, Duterte admitted that Philippines is open for an attack.
 “When? I really do not know. But are they coming? They will come. Itong ISIS ngayon,
they are being edged out of the Middle East. The heaviest fighting now is in Aleppo and
in Mosul. ‘Pag nawalaan iyan ng bailiwick and they do not have the mass lands, where
do you think will they go? Malaysia; Brunei; Indonesia; Philippines, where do we belong
there? For lack of a better world, saan tayo diyan?” (See Appendix A, paragraph 12)

Lastly, Duterte made his point clear that it was never his life-long desire to become a

President. He stated:

“Pero kung sabihin mo talaga, prangkahan ko kayo,that my burning desire would be

really to be President. I’m telling you now, is God is there, Allah, hindi ho. (See
Appendix A, paragraph 3)

Despite this, he still exerts his tremendous effort in serving the country and in serving the

people. And as we are clearly divided by cultural differences, he urged everyone to cooperate

with him. In here, he utilized the imagery of the Philippine flag to assert that we are all united by

it, thus, with one desire – to attain peace and order in the country. He asserted:

“So, that flag is the symbol of our unity. Were it not for that flag, ah wala, watak-watak
na tayo. Eh sa salita lang, pati ugali magkaiba na eh. Sa pagmumura, iba rin.” (See
Appendix A, paragraph 16)

Table X: Summary of Speech A

Persuasion Style Used Duterte as an Attentive Guardian
Ethos  By establishing that he is someone attentive to the rule
of law, Duterte referred to his past experiences as a
prosecutor, a mayor and a vice mayor of Davao City,
as well as a member of the Congress. He also
presented the measures he took (as the City Mayor) in
order to make Davao one of the safest places in the
country. Duterte claimed that he run the presidential
elections because he paid utmost consideration to the
issues they were facing in Mindanao as they were not
catered in the national arena.
Pathos  Duterte utilized tough language to induce fear among
 the criminals around the country. He put his
presidential position on the line saying that he will
push through with his radical leadership over his
constituents even if it would cost him his life.
Logos  Duterte asserted that he was impelled to command the
military and the police force to prompt for disciplinary
action as a response to the state of lawlessness in
Mindanao. He highly suggested federalism as a
remedy to these countless terrorist attacks, but at the
same time, he also admitted that this cannot be easily
implemented due to the ISIS terrorists themselves.
Rhetorical Strategies
Employed
Identification  Duterte identifies himself as a Moro and insisted to
stop the killings as well as the threat of terrorism.
Rhetorical Devices Used
Analogy  Duterte utilized analogy comparing his term as the
Davao City Mayor and now that he is the current
President of the country. He said that handing over
threats to the criminals was already his way of
protecting the community and ensuring everyone’s
security.
Rhetorical Questions  Duterte posed rhetorical questions about being tagged
as “uncultured” and “unstatesman” because of
threatening criminals. He urged the public, especially
his critics, to provide him a law that would say he
could not threaten people.
Allusion  Duterte utilized allusion in tracing the history of the
Moro people having independence even during
Spanish and American colonization.
Imagery  Despite cultural differences, Duterte used the imagery
of the Philippine flag to assert that we are all united by
it, thus, with one desire – to attain peace and order in
the country.