Aquino: A bitter, divisive loser

In his final State of the Nation Address (Sona) last year, exiting President Noynoy Aquino bravely announced that this year’s elections were “a referendum” on his presidency.

Aquino must have taken this spiel seriously, and which is why the unfortunate matuwid na daan (straight path) theme was apparently imposed on the Palace’s losing bet, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

Well, the Filipino people spoke, and spoke clearly. In the aftermath of the polls, both Roxas and Aquino emerged as losers. Roxas lost the elections and Aquino pitifully lost that “referendum” on his presidency. Some 80 percent of Filipino voters refused to vote for his bet and resoundingly rejected whatever it is about his presidency that he wants people to laud and hail.

That double rejection by 80 percent of Filipino voters must be the very reason why the exiting Palace occupant sounded bitter and very divisive in his last Independence Day speech over a week ago.

Not only was he bitter and divisive, he also appeared to be conveying a veiled threat to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.

In that speech, Aquino heaped praises on his administration. This is a major departure from the usual theme of Independence Day speeches where praises are instead heaped on the martyrs and heroes of the revolution against colonial powers. Couldn’t Aquino wait for historians to give him credit for whatever gains there may have been for the country under his watch?

Some media colleagues were quick to rib Aquino for what they referred to as an “Edsa revolution speech” being delivered in June 12 instead of February 25.

In heaping praises on his administration, Aquino sounded like a hurting brat whose good deeds were not recognized by his playground cronies.

Was his litany of accomplishments part of his trademark “patutsada” directed at those who apparently did not reward him for his good deeds by voting for his bet and in the process make him win that unfortunate “referendum” on his presidency?

Here’s a loose translation into English of what appears to be the divisive part of that speech:

“We won these gains that we are enjoying today while respecting processes, the law and the right of every person. We were able to do this without suppressing the voice of anyone, and while giving importance to the freedom that those who came before us fought for. We maintain our position: real progress cannot be attained if we surrender our dignity and our rights.”

Are these the words of a bitter loser planting fear in the hearts of the very people who rejected him and his bet in the last elections? Are these the words of a bitter loser subtly calling on the country to distrust his duly elected successor?

In another part of that speech, the referendum-loser warned: “Our freedom was once taken from us by fellow Filipinos; if we’re not vigilant, this can happen again.”

When, sir? Under the Duterte presidency? By which fellow Filipino, sir? By President Duterte? So, are these the words of a bitter loser driving a wedge between the people and their next leader with the use of that age-old technique called fear?

In that speech, Aquino also paid tribute to the 1986 People Power Revolution, saying it was that event which brought back democracy to the country.

That’s debatable. What is not debatable is that it was that event which put his family and cronies in power.
The outgoing President appears to be confused or may have simply been disoriented. The June 12 celebration of Independence Day was not about the collision between political forces in the country. It was about Filipinos wanting to decide and design their own destiny.

The country wants change. At this point, the champion of that change, based on the mandate of a plurality of voters, is Duterte.

Aquino, as a Filipino, has every right to be bitter. He should be. His rejection has been resounding. After all, Roxas could have had a better chance at winning were he not compelled to be Aquino’s dummy in that “referendum” on the supposed gains of his presidency.

Now, the Filipino people want to move on.

We expect Aquino to sustain his attempts at driving a wedge between Duterte and Filipinos clamoring for change.

Aquino, however, must realize that he has had his chance.

Now, it’s Duterte’s turn. The people will give him that chance as they did to Aquino.