Blind eye to Duterte

Blind eye to Duterte

It is unfortunate that Thailand will not get the privilege of meeting and getting to know the new president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, just yet. Two weeks ago, Mr Duterte said he expected to visit Thailand before the end of September. Apparently, schedules clashed, and it was hoped he would come to Bangkok this weekend for the 2nd Asia Cooperation Dialogue Summit which is to begin on Sunday. Instead, he will send his secretary of energy, Alfonso Cusi.

Courtesy calls to each Asean neighbour are traditional for every new political leader. Mr Duterte has visited most of the group's members since his election on June 30, but a proper window to visit Thailand has not opened. Hopefully Thai and Filipino officials will overcome scheduling difficulties as soon as possible.

To call Mr Duterte "controversial" is an understatement. Elected by a landslide just over three months ago, he has certainly carried out his major campaign promises. Those were simple. He pledged to implement the tough and violent strategies he used as mayor of Davao City onto the national stage. He openly encouraged the murder of drug suspects around the Philippines, and with his blessing, police and hired guns have killed more than 1,000 suspects a month.

This has brought condemnation from much of the world, but by no means all. In fact, one of the most prominent countries not to criticise Mr Duterte's murderous campaigns is Thailand. It is a disappointment that the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has made no reference at all to the murder of thousands of Filipinos by their own government, given the similarity to the murderous campaign by Thaksin Shinawatra shortly after he became prime minister.

But China has provided an even greater shock. Beijing last week enthusiastically backed the bloody campaign. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Mr Duterte "enacted policies that prioritise combating drug-related crimes. China understands and supports that".

That is hard to swallow but in a perverse way it is understandable. Mr Duterte is, without doubt, currently the key player in a rapidly evolving policy change on the South China Sea. Nothing is set yet, but the Philippines' leader has turned Manila's strategy on its head. The confrontation with China over ownership of disputed shoals and islands in the Spratlys is likely to end. The Philippines, followed by Vietnam and then others in the grouping, could be set to award China its dream of official control of most of the South China Sea. In return, Mr Duterte may propose joint exploitation of limited areas.

It is a bold and unforeseen policy switch. In doing so, Mr Duterte has not just decided to shed the Philippines' longest-term ally, the United States, but he has taken the low road to do so. According to him, US President Barack Obama is a "son of a bitch" for questioning his anti-drug war, and the United States is the actual source of the Philippines' problems. He has declared that this week's joint naval manoeuvres, Phibex 33, "will be the last military exercise", ever. That is not a good idea and Asean leaders should immediately work with him to ameliorate that decision. All joint military exercises are useful, but war games with the US and regional allies make the region more secure.

Mr Duterte seems to be caught between his ego and his duties to the Philippines and the region. The extra-judicial killing of drug suspects and unilateral abandonment of long-standing Asean policy are two sides of the same coin. Mr Duterte is on the verge of upsetting everyone's plans, and that serves the interests of nobody in the region.

Editorial

Bangkok Post editorial column

These editorials represent Bangkok Post thoughts about current issues and situations.

Email : anchaleek@bangkokpost.co.th

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