OK just re-read it and get them now.
A couple of errors to start with:
"Veering away from AFP modernisation". Defence budget increased by 15%.
"In the face of economic woes". What economic woes?
I think it is either of the following (or a combination):
- he has a big mouth, lacks diplomatic skills and hates the American government for the reason I gave above
- he is pushing for an Asian based but independent foreign policy and slagging off America never does any harm with those countries
Hull they are not wild claims and you know they are not. First off, and I will say this again once only, is that the victims of the purge have been and mainly are poor people. Not the rich. You can have all the lists you want in the world but if only the most vulnerable are targeted then there is an issue. So some rich have been arrested. Boo hoo. So what. They are still alive. Hope that's clear enough for you. That's not a wild claim, that's whats being reported. And yes PH media is available outside of PH. Shock there!
Secondly what proof do you have that EJK's are being investigated? With the full resources of the law at their disposal? Hmm, don't worry let's get onto the next point. Let's discuss this in 12 months, maybe 24 if you think the odds are stacked in your favour. I can't see many of these killings being solved.
He is a dictator in the Latin American style. That's an opinion and a belief, not a claim. Several of us have worked and lived in many countries in various stages of their development and have seen and been aware of what happens. I genuinely think Duterte is a mirror of Latin American dictators. Time will tell, at the moment the PH's are still in a honeymoon period and how things are in a couple of years really will tell if Duterte is your hero in a cape or my version of a LA dictator.
And you can be voted in and not. This he is a tyrant, dictator, etc - this appears to be the standard western line. No evidence of him doing anything yet though I know he was only elected less than 4 months ago. What would a tyrant do and what am I missing?
Press - no restraint
Laws - no curtailment or imposition (the state of emergency changes nothing)
Protests - still happen, no problem
Institutions - no change
Judiciary - no change
Tyrants are cruel or oppressive rulers. I don't think being voted into power or not has anything to do with it. Historically, most rulers inherited power from their parent, yet some were deemed tyrants and others weren't. Being voted into power doesn't mean that the ruler can't become a tyrant either, and yea Hitler's a good example of it.
If I had to make my prediction for the future he will be assassinated followed by martial law. He has already primed the army for this as he does not expect to make it to the end of his term.
Of course the poor are more likely to be killed.
The poor outnumber the rich by about 1000: 1 here so if it was just random there would be hardly any rich killed (about 3).
The rich have lots of bodyguards, they are the poor suckers who get killed and several have.
Drug pushing and addiction is much more prevalent among the poor.
Do the rich get better treatment, yes but they are not immune.
Of the over 2000 murders per month in 2015 under Aquino how many were rich?
I see it all time, though to be honest more in the comments than in the article itself.
I know I come across as a deluded, obsessional twat but I get angry with all the false information.
Yesterday "many expats are frightened and are thinking of leaving". I know about 50 expats I guess and all support Duterte. It is much safer now than it was before. I used to think it was just sensationalist journalism but now I am pretty sure much of it is deliberate.