Inconsistencies

ONE of the most common flaws of human beings is the tendency to be inconsistent. This is further fueled by selfish interests and biases. And this is nowhere more pronounced than when the issue at hand deals with partisan politics. The inconsistencies do not manifest only in the actions of those who execute decisions, but also in those who justify them, particularly the loyalists and apologists. In fact, it is in the latter where the inconsistency becomes most pronounced.

The government of President Rodrigo Duterte, including its various instrumentalities, has been at the forefront of committing grave inconsistencies, particularly in its implementation of quarantine rules. On Friday, September 18, the Makati Police arrested 34 individuals for violating curfew rules and physical distancing when they partied and engaged in a drinking spree in a rooftop bar. However, over the weekend, a huge crowd of onlookers descended on Roxas Boulevard to ogle the so-called white beach in that small strip of Manila Bay, effectively violating not only the rules against large gatherings, but also on physical distancing. And yet, neither a single arrest nor even a crowd dispersal was done by the Manila City Police.