Populist authoritarianism against the “Firewall” of rights and due process

Not long after he assumed office, President Rodrigo Duterte railed against the “firewall” of human rights and due process that stood in the way of waging his war against drugs, criminality, and corruption. The “firewall” metaphor not only aptly reflects Duterte’s attitude toward human rights and the rule of law but also hints at the deployment of populism as a political strategy to surmount the wall while remaining a popular leader (based on national surveys). A populist strategy sits comfortably with traditional Philippine politics, as both owe their popular appeal to promises of an earthly paradise in a land where the incidence of poverty is at 21.6% (as of 2015, Philippine Statistics Authority, 2017). This chapter demonstrates how populist and traditional political party politics have combined to exert a negative impact on human rights and democratic institutions in the Philippines.