by Renato Reyes Jr., BAYAN president
US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is often associated with the infamous quote regarding Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza García: “He may be a son of a bitch, but he’s our son of a bitch.” Whether Roosevelt actually uttered those words or not, what remains undisputed is Washington’s long history of backing tyrants and dictators—from supporting the Marcos dictatorship to its current backing of the genocidal Netanyahu regime in Israel.
Amid a chorus of condemnation targeting the Dutertes over their alleged links to China—as highlighted in the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte—US Ambassador Lee Lipton paid a courtesy visit to Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte. The visit seems to douse cold water on claims that the Duterte family is strictly “pro-China” and underscores their political importance in the eyes of Washington.
The US is notorious for playing all sides in political conflicts. While it has backed the Marcos Jr. regime throughout its corruption-plagued term, Washington is keenly aware of who leads the race for the 2028 presidency. The US is never above cozying up to a political faction its own surrogates previously branded as “pro-China national security threats.” The Davao visit demonstrates that Washington stands ready to work with the Dutertes should they return to Malacañang in 2028. Baka tanggap na nga ng US na mananalo nga sa 2028 ang mga Duterte.
Washington’s primary concern is ensuring its strategic, economic, and geopolitical interests remain protected regardless of who triumphs in 2028. Whichever reactionary faction prevails, the US will ensure its interests—including initiatives like Pax Silica—are preserved. We will remain a US neocolony whichever faction of the local ruling classes wins in 2028. Just as in 2022, Washington had no qualms embracing the Marcos Jr. administration despite the legacy of the Marcos dictatorship and a $353.6 million contempt order against Marcos Jr. himself from a Hawaii District Court.
The US will never place the interests of Filipinos above its own and it is best to stop relying on the US for anything related to national security and development. The US cannot be trusted to stand on the right side of history. It can only be expected to secure its own economic, political, and military interests in the Philippines. In the eyes of Washington, it matters little if a leader is an “SOB”—so long as he is their SOB.#
