If Duterte wins--who guards him?

I am highly cognizant of what is happening at ground level--and I commend Duterte for accomplishing what no other leader or revolutionary leader had in five centuries---that of arousing the sleeping giant, the Filipino People, from its deep slumber.

The effects of his revolutionary rhetoric have now seeped deep within the socio-economic layers of Filipino society in such magnitude as to again, spur Filipinos to take action. From all parts of the archipelago and even abroad, thousands of Filipinos are now decisively behind Duterte, who has now, wittingly or unwittingly, achieved rock star status. From across several socio-economic classes, Filipinos are doing their own gimmicks---printing their own shirts, dabbling into advertising and creating their own slogans for Duterte.

People are calling for him to lead them. The question really is---where? Where does Duterte intend to lead the people?

Another question really is---if Duterte does indeed get the top plum this May 9, who will guard him?

As they say--power corrupts. Even Duterte's idol, the late strongman Ferdie Marcos Senior suffered a severe case of megalomania when he stayed in Malacanang long after his legitimate and constitutional term of office expired. The people fell behind Marcos when he declared martial law but left him 14 years later when several oppositionists exposed how corrupt he and his family were during the dictatorship.

Don't tell me that Duterte is infallible that he is immune from the sheer smell of wealth and the frenzied and dazzling brilliance of power? Nakakatakot because Duterte has roused the people from their sleep and the question really is---does he really have the wherewithal to control the mob who now is acting like how it did in that May 1 revolt several years ago?

Remember the French in their revolutions, the Africans in theirs, and most especially the Asians who underwent the harrowing experience of revolutions! In all of these case studies, the worse model came from strongman-inspired revolts supported by a people almost hypnotized by the sweet aroma of quick fixes. Thousands of people died of PolPot's revolution and nearly a million went either missing or dead in Idi Amin's reign of terror. The possibility that this humongous Spirit which Duterte invoked from its comatose existence and for spooking the people to acquiesce will go on a wayward path is huge! For until now, Duterte has not given anything concrete, especially on how to lead this revolution which he lit--wittingly or unwittingly. This is dangerous. It has placed the entire country in the brink of uncertainty and doom.

Duterte must recognize that it is a disservice to the country and to its people if he does not lead this movement towards its logical end--that of changing and overhauling the very system that had enslaved the people for so long. It would be extremely dangerous for Duterte if he invokes the people into action and then, at midstream, Duterte does a Pnoy--that would finally shatter the strongman concept and eventually, would lead to chaos and destruction.