How @Richeydarian spins causal linkage to Duterte’s government where none exists

Heydarian used to be an excellent objective political and economic analyst. All of a sudden, he’s changed his tone.

Each of his points in the paragraph below can easily be repudiated. If by his second year in office Duterte isn’t able to deliver, people will start questioning his capability too. His political detractors haven’t given him a honeymoon but the public has.

Heydarian’s latest piece is similar to the video of Robredo. It discounts all the positives and emphasizes the negatives even if the cause and effect isn’t directly attributable to the actions of the President.

Critics will of course point out that under Duterte, economy-wise, the situation is far from impressive: while growth rates is still robust, business confidence is down, investors are jittery, credit rate agencies are warning of regulatory uncertainty and potential downgrade, big-ticket infrastructure projects are in limbo, and the Philippine Peso is the worst performing in Asia. Not to mention criticism of Duterte’s war on drugs and human rights record by the mainstream media, Catholic Church, and civil society groups at home, and the Western world without.

[About paragraph lifted from Richard J Heydarian’s ABS-CBN News article OPINION: Why Duterte Is So Popular.]

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RG San Luis as posted on Facebook.