Success trumps dissent

Newly-appointed Palace spokesperson Harry Roque warned dyed-in-the wall Duterte bashers not to try their luck too far saying "for every stone that the critics throw at the President he will throw back hollow blocks". Well, with the bull-headedness and desperation of the Yellowtards and their associates from the flock of pious religious sector, the radical left and paid demonstrators Harry may try throwing instead the rock of Gibraltar to bring them to accept reality.

However, Secretary Roque could use the best weapon that the administration has not used yet. Consider, for example how the garrulous political suddenly quieted down when President Rodrigo Duterte announced the liberation of Marawi. Add to that the adulation of the world leaders when the Armed Forces of the Philippines wiped out the ISIS caliphate in Lanao and in one anticipated moment ended the life and adventurism of the vicious Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute, the former Emir of ISIS in this part of the world and the head of the Maute ISIS. Nobody has taken note of the impact of the neutralization of these two Islamic extremists on the marauding Abu Sayyaf terrorist band.

SUCCESS. This is the best weapon and argument against those who try to denigrate and demonize the President. Consider these too. In his recent trip to Japan, Duterte came home with a bagful of surprises from his host, newly re-elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The salivating and moribund opposition must be jaundiced in envy over the $6-billion investments package Finance Sec. Sonny Dominguez has incubated with his pals in Japan led by Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso. And what about the $9-billion aid committed by Japan to help in the restoration of Marawi and jumpstart new projects in Mindanao? And the new aircrafts? And the subway train in Manila the construction of which is to be undertaken by a Japan contractor?

Now who can quarrel with success? Sen. Antonio Trillanes, dubbed by BBC's Stephen Sackur as consistently "out of tune", is the last man standing but opted to do his battle in the USA where the big financial backer of the opposition, Nicolas Lewis, resides. Trillanes can stay there for good. Sooner or later Pres. Donald Trump will catch up with him. Trillanes will also be the last man the US President, a phone pal of Duterte, wants to have in the American soil. Trump has just declared his own all-out war against opioids and the Filipino senator who are among those who stand in the way of Duterte's campaign against drug syndicates must be a marked character in the USlandia. Already Filipino-Americans have thrown invectives at him in fora arranged and funded by the US-based anti-Duterte lunatics.

These are but a drop in the bucket of the Duterte government foray to redeem the Philippines from the failed legacy of the Aquino administration. Space is not enough to write about what we expect are going to happen next year. It will be killing the opposition softly.

A few days from today, we will see another significant and dramatic event happening in the country as the ASEAN leaders and other heads of state will converge in Manila. The opposition as well as the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines have mounted a desperate effort to diminish the popularity of Duterte. The devil among them cannot even spare the President's partner Honeylet Avancena. Tell you what, even in her own private endeavors, Honeylet is a successful businesswoman. We are seeing in this couple a personification of success, an attribute which the hungry detergents of the past administration are terribly wanting.