It’s been more than two years since President Rodrigo Duterte was elected into office by more than 16 million Filipinos. But on the internet, a few netizens who voted for him have expressed their regret.
On Tuesday, a singer and theater actress joined this group of disheartened former supporters. Bituin Escalante posted this message on her Twitter account: “I was the 16M but I love my country more than the president.”
I WAS the 16M but i love my country more than the president.
— bituin escalante (@gobituin) September 25, 2018
Aside from expressing her dismay, the tweet also seemed like a dig at people who stubbornly continue to support the president. Called the Duterte Diehard Supporters (DDS), these fans lash out at people who criticize the president for his questionable and sometimes violent policies.
The DDS are known to even rationalize his drug campaign, which has been estimated to have left more than 12,000 drug suspects dead.
But Escalante’s tweet, which has been retweeted more than 1,200 times, was not met with backlash. She received mostly supportive responses.
@CarolDelRosar10 told Escalante that she admires her for speaking out.
I admire you for speaking out on this. May more of those who believed that Du30 would bring about change realize that he has not delivered at all. We all need to stand up now for the sake of our country. Too much bloodshed, too much vindictiveness and self-interest now.
— Carol Del Rosario (@CarolDelRosar10) September 25, 2018
Escalante explained that she voted for Duterte out of misplaced anger.
Many of the 16 Million voted for him with reluctance. I did so out of a misplaced anger.
But I’m rather thick skinned so I have no reluctance putting this out there. I cannot speak for the rest though. The backlash is awful.— bituin escalante (@gobituin) September 25, 2018
User @meangranger used it as an opportunity to explain why she voted for Duterte. “I voted for him because I thought the change he would bring would be good. But it’s a different change. What he’s doing isn’t right.”
I voted for him kasi kala ko maganda ang magiging change. Pero ibang klase sya. Di na tama mga ginagawa
— Mean (@meangranger) September 25, 2018
This led @clintoy to tweet that he voted for Duterte because like the president, he too was also from the Mindanao region. He wrote: “I believed in the promise of change. My fault is, I didn’t ask if the change was for the better.”
I voted for him too as Mindanawan. Naniwala din ako sa promise na change. Ang kasalanan ko, di ako nag tanong kung change for the better ba.
— FarmBoy (@clintoy) September 25, 2018
@lamighangin told Escalante to ask the other people who voted for Duterte to call out his government for its controversial policies.
Thank you for this. Please enjoin other 16M to call him and this admin out on policies, actions that you all did not sign up for.
— B🌀rth☁l💨m⚡w (@lamighangin) September 25, 2018
Are you a former supporter of the president? What led you to change your mind about him? Leave a comment below or tweet to @CoconutsManila.
