When a Challenger Backs Out

“Modern Lapu-Lapu,” Harry Roque gushed, referring to his boss. 

In Philippine history books, Lapu-Lapu is the first Filipino hero. He bravely fought and thwarted Ferdinand Magellan when he tried to conquer the island of Mactan, of which Lapu-Lapu was the datu (head). This courageous hero is an epitome of patriotism, unwilling to cede the country to foreign rule. 

“Like Lapu-Lapu,” Roque rhapsodized, “President Duterte has an independent foreign policy.” What the Spox omitted was that the president has been tiptoeing around China, the aggressive claimant to the West Philippine Sea (WPS). 

In fact, Duterte admitted in one speech that he is ‘inutile, cannot do anything against China’s aggression at the WPS.”  

Then, in a state of pique, the president also said in his curse-laden weekly Talk to the People, “[translation mine] This Carpio, he keeps writing decision for his brain only . . . He is stupid . . . Supreme Court justice. We are both lawyers. Do you want to debate this?” 

(Antonio Carpio, 71, a former Associate Justice and acting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court four times, works "to protect and preserve Philippine territorial and maritime sovereignty specifically in the WPS.” In 2015, he presented our historical and legal case on the dispute before think tanks and universities in 30 cities covering 17 countries. Two years later, he published an eBook titled "The South China Sea Dispute: Philippine Sovereign Rights and Jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea." ) 

Immediately, Justice Carpio accepted President Duterte’s challenge for a debate on the WPS. The Philippine Bar Association volunteered to host the event for free. 

Adrenaline hit me and I posted on social media that I will cancel all appointments to watch this high-powered event!  

Suddenly I was deluged with messages and memes from well-meaning friends. Each note was incredulous:   

“Grace! You believe this president?!” 

“Are you naive? This won’t happen.” 

“Don’t you know yet that this president has no word of honor?!” 

“He lies! What he says today is different from what he’ll say tomorrow.” 

My reply: “Hope springs eternal.”  

My hope was dashed. True enough, two days later, the challenger backed out, and pushed Roque as proxy—but not on the WPS.  Roque said, "The president would not stoop down to the level of a regular lawyer."

But, but, I thought. It was the president who dared Carpio to debate! He is the challenger!   

Below is just one of many news reports on the president's backing out: 

It got a whopping 128 thousand laughing reactions, 21K comments, and 52K shares! Incredible. All the comments echoed my friends’ stinging messages to me. 

Why did I not see this coming? 

One part of me did, but the bigger chunk of me, as a writer on grace, had hoped that my country's president is the modern-day Lapu-Lapu, a man of honor, a defender of his people, and will shun cursing to follow the basic rules of debate. 

Sob.