Manila (CNN Philippines Life) — To say that being a Duterte supporter is difficult would be an understatement. Based on everything that has transpired over the past few months, there is clearly a stereotype attached to people who are in favor of the Davao City mayor. There is a lot of pressure to be as diplomatic, objective, calm, and collected as possible, lest you be called a “Dutertard.”
Let me tell you one thing: There is no such thing as a Dutertard.
What we have, rather, is a proliferation of online trolls, those who take pleasure in anonymity, fake profiles, and bashing at the expense of others. These are people who probably don’t have any idea that their comments and actions have implications, people who resort to ad hominem attacks instead of engaging in proper, respectful, intellectual discourse. They are not exclusive to the Duterte camp, nor are they only prevalent in politics. They are everywhere, and it just so happens that Duterte is the most polarizing of all presidential candidates. That said, the likelihood of online trolls popping up on a Duterte-related Facebook post is much higher than on posts about other candidates.
My roots being in Davao, I’ve always been a supporter of the mayor. However, I admit that he has a lot to improve on. Heck, I even call him out on all his problematic statements and actions. He is far from being a perfect leader (I mean, who is?), but his legacy in Davao, his platform, and the many testimonials from people — who are driven not by fear but by respect for their leader — are reason enough for me to vote for him.
I can still remember the time I came out online as a Duterte supporter. It was the least popular choice in the circles I moved in, and my life would’ve been much more peaceful had I kept my opinions to myself. The moment I realized there were too many online trolls who hurt the candidate’s reputation instead of helping it, I knew I had to do something.
My goal was clear: Converting and convincing others to vote for him would be a much-appreciated bonus, but I wanted to show my peers that not all Duterte supporters fall into the frankly ableist stereotype of a Dutertard, that we can also converse rationally, and that we also have valid points for choosing our candidate. Since I made my support of Duterte public on Facebook, I had come across fellow supporters from all walks of life. Some of them already openly supported him, while others were more discreet, sharing with me their thoughts in private.
I can still remember the time I came out online as a Duterte supporter. It was the least popular choice in the circles I moved in, and my life would’ve been much more peaceful had I kept my opinions to myself.
From what I have observed, not everyone is as articulate and objective in defending Duterte, especially when provoked about things like moral integrity. It would be so easy to just snap at those who resort to guilt-tripping us Duterte supporters for our chosen candidate. However, although it can be expected that any kind of political difference is likely to breed judgment and remorse, I believe that one’s personal character cannot be judged solely by political views. This is the trickiest part, as most of us blur the lines in between.
While we may all feel passionate about our own choices, and while there are many others who are still undecided and could use some of our insight — as long as they are backed by factual information — I believe that much thought and courage must be exercised in choosing whom we vote for, and whom we don’t.
Thanks to social media, political discourse is now more accessible than ever to everyone. It has become a battleground for opposing groups to come up with the best arguments. Sure, it can be toxic, and more often than not, people engage in these discussions not so much for the cause that they are fighting for but to prove that they are better, smarter, and more articulate. To be honest, I too have fallen into this trap a few times. They say, “Kill them with kindness,” but it is easier to let our egos and emotions take control. The usual solution? Just agree to disagree. I propose a better solution: Stop boxing supporters into stereotypes. There’s more to people than their political choices.
And whether we’re supporters of Duterte or any other candidate, we are all dreaming of and hoping for a better Philippines.
Editor’s note: The views expressed in this essay are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of CNN Philippines.
