Duterte’s hyperbole

Many perceived that the House Quad Committee investigation last Wednesday, with former president Rodrigo Duterte as one of the resource persons, turned out to beneficial for him, as he was given the platform to explain to the Filipino people the hyperbole of his previous admissions.

During our high school days, we learned that hyperbole is one of the figures of speech. The dictionary defines it as an exaggerated statement or claim not meant to be taken literally.

Common examples include: “That man is as tall as a flagpole”, “This bag weighs a ton”, “I’m so hungry, I could eat an anaconda”.

Hyperbole is often used by leaders in speeches when they want to exaggerate or emphasize a point. It makes their message sound bigger and more dramatic. I have noticed that many strong leaders around the world frequently use hyperbole, especially when delivering speeches about war.

Going back to Duterte, recall that during the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearing, he made admissions about maintaining a death squad in Davao City. While these admissions had no bearing on actual court proceedings, some people treated them as big deals. It was Sen. Risa Hontiveros who prompted Duterte to make these admissions.

However, in the recent house Quadcomm’s hearing, Duterte was able to dismiss the allegations made by alleged Davao Death Squad member Arturo Lascanas, who claimed that Duterte had ordered him to kill people. He also explained his earlier admission of having a death squad in Davao City as a hyperbole, clarifying that there is no such thing as a Davao Death Squad (DDS).

He provided another example of hyperbole when asked by Congressman Benny Abante, explaining it this way:

Cong Abante: I do not need you to confirm this statement, but you said publicly and I quote “If you are corrupt, I will fetch you using a helicopter to Manila and I will throw you out. I have done this before, why would I not do it again?” Na fefeel ko po sir, that you are justified in doing so basta sa tingin nyo corrupt.

Duterte: Hyperbole yun sir.

The former president admitted to being accustomed to using hyperbole in his speeches. While his supporters easily understand his hyperbole, his detractors take a different view. Some do not want hyperboles, they want facts.

During the Quadcomm inquiry, Rep. Drixie Mae Cardema cited facts in her manifestation. She said, “Tayo dito mga kinatawan ay ibinoto lamang ng ilan libong Pilipino. Ngunit ang kasama natin ngayon ang pungulong Duterte ang most voted Philippine leader ng 2016. At ang kanyang anak Vice President Sarah Duterte ang most voted Philippine leader naman ngayong 2022.”

Such a statement is no longer a hyperbole, but a fact. But then again, people on different sides of the political fence have different views on the matter. Well, it is better to simply respect each other’s understanding and opinions. After all, we live in a democratic country.