Stooping to New Lows: The Erosion of Integrity in Philippine Politics

Since the start of its campaign, the Marcos-Duterte alliance–“UniTeam” as they call themselves–has been grounded in the concept of unity; yet, within these past few months, it all seemingly collapsed with various heated exchanges between President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and former President Rodrigo Duterte at the frontlines of the controversy. For instance, the former president accused President Marcos Jr. of being a drug user, to which the latter lashed out, blaming the fentanyl use of the former president for his unfounded allegations.  Duterte later denied making such comments. However, just recently, Duterte once again made a dig at his successor, criticizing him for using his official foreign trips for leisurely activities, which Marcos quickly shut down. This act of negative campaigning or mudslinging is already deeply rooted in Philippine politics. Where substantive discourse and discussion should exist, mudslinging has replaced it. This shift not only diminishes public trust but also hinders our ability to give attention to the pressing issues plaguing our society. As mudslinging continues to run rampant in the political landscape, the public must be aware of its implications on the current system in order to advocate for positive change. 

Mudslinging has been around for as long as society has, even dating back to ancient Rome in the first century BC. This tactic of going after an opponent’s reputation with malicious attacks and slander remains one of the go-to’s of a vast majority of politicians. With the influence of the media added into the mix, it has become easier than ever to manipulate the public’s perception of an individual with just a few words, regardless of the validity. Many of these officials take advantage of the media’s influence to propel their own political agenda, thereby undermining the media’s function in a democracy. What should be a staple source of information to encourage check-and-balance and critical thinking is instead clouded with petty conflicts among our politicians that simply project unprofessionalism and ignorance. 

Morally speaking, mudslinging is self-evidently wrong. It aims to diminish a person’s dignity through accusations fueled by malice and untruth. With such misuse of the power and influence that comes with their positions, these politicians risk further skewing the public’s perception of the government in a negative light. After all, a government should be transparent, trustworthy, and effective, always in the pursuit of attaining certain goals for the betterment of a greater community. Mudslinging muddles the truth by creating noise, all to serve the interest of a single politician while causing an unnecessary divide in a country already wrought with various geopolitical issues and internal conflict. 

As Chinese aggression continues to increase in the West Philippine Sea and talks of Mindanao’s secession were recently brought back to the table, it is more vital than ever for our politicians to take a united front to better address our country’s needs, regardless of political and personal agenda. From the citizens’ perspective, we mustn't engage in needless bashing and mudslinging that simply serve to add fuel to the fire. In the age of social media, where comments are so easily and carelessly thrown around, we must learn to assess situations with a critical eye, drawing back the public’s attention to the issues that really should matter.