When the Zamboanga crisis erupted, he forewent the dialogue-negotiation route and opted for a military solution. In the process, he alienated a significant part of Moro and Mindanaoan public. It also awakened hotheads on both sides of the fence who opposed the terms of the Kuala Lumpur negotiations between the GPH and the MILF.
When the Yolanda super-typhoon ravaged Tacloban City, his immediate presence would have made for a great reconciliation with the opposition and unity with the victims. However, he lost the opportunity immediately by immediately laying the blame for Tacloban’s disaster on the local government unit, who happened to be from the Romualdez clan—a bitter political enemy. He also berated local businessmen when one of them suggested the declaration of martial law to counter the widespread looting in the city. A diplomatic answer would have sufficed but he had to rub it in by saying: “Ok lang, buhay ka pa naman (It's ok, you're still alive anyway).â€
His unrepentant statements trying to downplay the casualty figures and the horrific scope of the typhoon’s destructive impact made many people uneasy. Likewise, there are opinions that the relief operations should still be pursued and that the shift to the rehabilitation phase (and its highlighting) is premature and tends to gloss over the need for more relief.
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Topic: Political suicide path (Read 710 times)