In character

"DITO LANG ako nakahalik ng maraming lips to lips. Tapos, may isang kandidato, sabi niya, 'Ito si Duterte, napaka-dumi. Lahat ng babae hinahalikan.' Kita mo mga walang utak, walang libog kasi."

So ABS-CBN News quoted presidential pretender Rodrigo Duterte as having said of the libidinous turn of events during his stint in Angeles City and Pampanga last week.

“I haven’t been to a place where I’ve kissed as many girls. Lips to lips, even with tongue, because it’s delicious. Never mind if I lose, (as long as I get to kiss all the beautiful women.)”

Rappler’s translated take of Duterte’s ecstasy is even more sinfully graphic, premised thus: “Just a few days after his common-law wife said the tough-talking presidential aspirant already put his womanizing ways behind him… Duterte goes on a kissing spree in Angeles City.”

So, what’s wrong there?

Kissing babies is an American political tradition.

Kissing the Baby was a monopoly of one Philippine presidentiable in his successful campaign some years back.

Kissing not only babes but just about every woman is a Duterte affectation. Perfectly in character with the maton machismo, originally parlayed by Asiong Salonga, er, Erap Estrada, into a successful political career – mayor, senator, vice president, president, mayor.

Erap, on record, has scoffed at Duterte – “for lack of finesse” in his fornications – as nothing more than an unrated copycat, and dismissed him as good only for Davao City, sorely lacking in national perspective, if not presidential depth, much less demeanor.

Indeed, Duterte can learn a thing or two from Erap if only in matters of discretion, in les liaisons dangereuses. But why should he?

That would detract from him his boorish ways, near-barbarian means and thuggish behavior. Aye, that would totally deconstruct his very being Digong Duterte.     

Simply by being himself, Duterte shocks and awes. Which endears him all the more to his fanatical following, derisively, and most unfairly, called “Dutertards.” Which generates for him the widest, not necessarily deepest, media coverage. And makes him the most talked about among the candidates.

It works, and works well, for Duterte.

By simply being in character, Duterte can get away with murder. So, didn’t he himself correct an interviewer asking if he killed 700 by reckoning the number was 1,700?

Only Duterte can admit to his involvement in the foulest of crimes and gain much political capital from it.

Only Duterte can make a public display of his lechery and gain overwhelming acceptance, if not approval, for it.

Only Duterte can curse the Pope and be believed when he denied it, the indubitably damning video “Pope, putang ina ka…” notwithstanding.

Only Duterte. It’s all in character. Not that every Filipino is buying it though. Ay, the guy’s got to grow up too, even after growing old.  

Similarly, only in Angeles – come to think of it – can Duterte get the most number of lips-to-lips and tonguing kisses.

Like Digong, perfectly in character here too is Angeles: as Sin City.

Duterte’s (a)rousing welcome from the city denizens is a veritable throwback to the mayorship of Don Francisco Nepomuceno at the height of the American occupation of Clark Air Base.

In every affair of the city where GI Joes were present, the stock welcome address or opening remarks of Don Paquito was always: “Angeles welcomes you with open arms…and open legs.”

Which never failed to bring the house down. And upped the city’s income, particularly from Fields Avenue.

Which, perpetuated the sufferance of Angeles’ women in the national psyche as “loose, cheap and easy.” Yeah, as in that Australian flyer in the ‘80s: “Come to Angeles City. The girls are cheap, 100 pesos only.”

Which Duterte’s lip services last week virtually reaffirmed.

In character. Who was it who said, “Character is destiny”?

Indeed, as much to Duterte as to Angeles City.