Speech at Rotary Club of Manila

Greetings! It is always an honor to be speaking before the distinguished members of Rotary Club of Manila. As before, I’d be delivering a short speech so we could devote more time to the Q & A portion of the program. Here it goes…

Some time ago, there was this leader of an island nation who, immediately after being swept into power set into motion a widespread purging campaign. He openly admitted before those questioning his methods that, he is not executing innocent people; he is executing criminals and they deserve to die. He then appointed known communists into his cabinet while repeatedly denying that he is a communist. Now, fearing anti-communist sentiments, he vigorously courted the armed forces. He then used his televised speeches to issue provocative statements that eventually led to the badmouthing of the United States. In expressing contempt for the US, he reached out to its communist rival. Eventually, he started issuing statements against foreign investors.

At this point, everyone in this room is probably so sure that I’m talking about President Duterte. Yes? Sorry, but I am actually talking about Fidel Castro.

To continue, as a counterforce to a possible US-backed coup d’état, Castro created the People’s Militia and the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), a nationwide civilian organization which implemented grassroots ideological indoctrination; propaganda operations; and detection of counter-revolutionary activities. Finally, when he had consolidated his power, Castro declared that Cuba had converted into a socialist state.

Let me now direct to this short video of President Duterte in a Skype conversation with CPP founder Joma Sison shortly before the elections last May.

So, the question is, are we headed the same way as Cuba in 1960? Well, that’s probably a good starting point for our Q & A. For now, what I can say is: “If he thinks like a communist; talks like a communist; and acts like a communist; then he must be a communist.” Thank You.