In a recent public speech, President Rodrigo Duterte falsely claimed that the founding of the Philippine republic was in 1947. He also made an inaccurate claim that his relatives – the Durano political clan – have been leading Danao City, Cebu for “almost 15 decades.”
On April 4, Duterte suggested amending the 1987 Constitution to prevent “rich” and political dynasties from misusing the party-list system, intended to give underrepresented sectors a voice in the House of Representatives. He said this in a speech before local officials of Mataasnakahoy, Batangas when he visited to inspect its new evacuation center.
Duterte claimed that being from a poor family in Danao City forced them to migrate to Mindanao to avoid a potential turf war with the ruling Durano political dynasty:
“Lahat ng pumunta [sa] Mindanao, umalis sa bayan nila kasi naghahanap ng greener pasture, kagaya ng tatay ko, mahirap man sila doon sa Danao, Cebu City — ah Cebu — Danao City, Cebu Province. Eh hawak nila Durano — Durano family matagal, ilang — about almost 15 decades. After the war, sila na … Pinsan namin because ‘yung asawa Duterte… Kaysa magpatayan — ganoon talaga ang nangyari — magkainitan, sumibat na lang siya. Dinala kami doon sa Mindanao. So laking hirap talaga ako.”
(Everybody who went to Mindanao, they left their town to search for greener pastures, like my father. They were poor from Danao City, Cebu. But the Durano family rules [Danao City]. The Durano family has been [in...
A front-page article with the byline of veteran New York Times opinion writer Nicholas Kristof is the latest poisonous example of what I call the NGO “halo effect.” Headlined “The Silence That Mee...