IT’S been suggested by some friends and readers that we, in the media, should wait until the Duterte presidency unfolds in glory or infamy before subjecting it to serious analysis and criticism.

I take such counsel with skepticism because it is fundamentally irresponsible. Do we wait until the government is overrun by communists and cronies before saying a word about it? Do we wait until Duterte is already in China negotiating the South China Sea dispute before warning of its consequences? Do we wait until the first executions and vigilante assassinations before saying a word? And do we wait until Duterte has completely obliterated media coverage of his presidency, before saying that the policy is self-defeating?

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