Duterte and the emergence of a surveillance state

It was at this space I think, when I wrote about President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in 2015 and left it with an enigmatic question--whether he, a provincial, has the guts to fight it out with the "Big Boys." This is my simplistic analysis of Mr. Duterte and an attempt to gauge the rate of success a Duterte administration would have ranged against the interests of what Benedict Anderson once described as a "cacique elite." Anderson's description of our present-day oligarchs is, I think, still holds true because though we ascribe certain industries to those names listed in Forbes' Billionaire lists as " food czar", " Mall czar", etal, the basis of most of the wealth of these oligarchs is still land. However, there is a noticeable shift in the way wealth from land is produced, from maximising land as resource to land rents. Renting space is now the basis of fantabulous wealth by these Filipino oligarchs and this involves, wittingly or unwittingly, government. This explains why skyscapers now jutt the urban landscape, and medium-rise ones populate cities and towns in the provinces.

The danger of this shift is it created an inevitable dependency between the economic or business with those of the public or government. Goaded by optimistic estimates of rent driven by the growth of retail businesses and in a way, by tourists and foreign expatriates, firms of these oligarchs are now busy erecting medium-rise apartelles, hostels and shopping malls, a sign that Big Businesses are anticipating the growth of the retail sector and the need of space is still seen as high and spaces seemed inadequate. The expansion therefore is good for the economy in the long run.

However, having a strong relationship with local government units is now a necessity even for global businesses operating in this country. The lack of a definite and standardized set of policies leads to the inevitable, as companies need governmental support (thru permits, etal) for the continuation of its operations in the country. As every single thing has already been regulated, the globalizing effects of the entry of these firms into the country is beginning to suffer a strangle-hold. Though the global landscape is transforming into a more liberal one, in the Philippines, the exercise of liberality remains a privilege and often, with a price. So, to avoid complications, businesses now have to deal with government to assure continuity of business operations.

Business continuity therefore in this country rests not on anything except having a good relationship with those in government. Nothing wrong except that, in our kind of democracy, our leaders interpret this relationship as fiduciary based. Regulators dangle their powers with one hand extended and the other holding a mallet. The bureaucratic corruption has become endemic due to the politics of the caciques.

Mr. Duterte came with guns a-blazing, and promising the moon and the stars of change. He boasted how Davao became a mega city by curbing criminality that discourages trade. The logic is simple--elect me into office and I shall rid this country of the menace of crime so that businesses may prosper and thrive.

This may be the Dutertismo that made several well-meaning people like the President but among those who profess their love for him, they have a more sinister and simplistic analysis of what ills this country. And the more they profess love for Duterte, the more they show how they misunderstand the President when they interpret his style as a dictatorship.

Nearly two and a half years in office, and Mr. Duterte had probably already realized the enormity of the problem which he already did when he threw his hands in the air over EDSA traffic and the drug menace. Big-time crimes are being handled by these Big Boys who have turned this bureaucracy into their personal fiefdoms. These elites have turned the bureaucracy into a gigantic louse which sucks the blood from the people's veins and which these elites feed their bellies with it.

Worse, the legal and structural framework of this government had been designed to favor these "Big Boys." Mr. Duterte was made to believe that Federalism is the probable answer to deconstruct this framework but this proposal is full of risks especially now that the country is nearing an economic crisis of epic proportions. The solution is really social engineering but due to the character weaknesses of some well-meaning people fooled into a Rizalist thinking, the solution is being shelved every single time this is mentioned.

Mr. Duterte is now facing a serious dilemma and which I think he knows-- in its attempts at securing a more stronger position than these "Big Boys", he unwittingly gave the AFP most of his powers as Chief Executive. Wittingly or unwittingly, Mr. Duterte dragged everybody down to a path which leads to an uncertain consequence.

By appointing retired military officials to sensitive posts in the bureaucracy, Mr. Duterte has created a surveillance state preparatory towards an autocratic state. Not only does the presence of military officers in government a sign of a structuring of the government as a military institution, but the appearance of these officers' civilian supporters and funders is now being seen as a threat to democracy.

More on this in the next blog...