MANILA, Philippines – Liberal Party (LP) chairman emeritus Benigno Aquino III admitted most of President Rodrigo Duterte’s first year in office was spent “reflecting on what values to accomplish” for the once-ruling party.

“Could we have done it better? Where were we wrong? And of course, everything was thrown at us as a party,” Aquino said in an interview with Rappler’s Maria Ressa, days before Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address.

The former president, who refrained from commenting on Duterte’s administration in his first year, was asked about the apparent lack of clear political opposition, particularly from the LP.

Aquino noted that several LP members, Albay First District Representative Edcel Lagman and Ifugao Representative Teddy Baguilat, among others, were vocal opposition voices in Duterte’s first year. But most of Lagman and Baguilat’s fellow LP members in the House of Representatives are part of the majority and are allied with Duterte’s PDP-Laban.

Senator Leila de Lima, Aquino’s justice secretary for almost 6 years, was also among the loudest opposition voices not just in the Senate but in the entire government. She was jailed, however, for alleged ties to illegal drugs. The senator says she is a victim of political prosecution.

The LP-led bloc in the Senate was initially part of the majority. They were kicked out of key chairmanships, prompting them to move to the minority bloc.

“Perhaps not being in power has given us the time to be able to educate our people better. As opposed to compressing everything,” said Aquino.

“Now, perhaps we can talk to the groups of our supporters first, those who want to support us. Those that used to support us. And then really explain. I’ll go back to the investments in the 4Ps,” he added, referring to one of his administration’s flagship anti-poverty efforts, a conditional cash transfer program.

While it once dominated and dictated the political area, the Liberal Party has since seen its ranks shift to the ruling PDP-Laban. The party, labelled derogatively as “dilawan,” has also been the subject of criticism and attacks from Duterte and his followers – those in government, in the streets, and online.

Despite this, Aquino mused: “Foreigners used to say you’re so courageous you won’t be producing results in your term. But you’re going to invest in that aspect. There I keep saying, I hope that most of our people recognize, first they have tangible benefits right now. But assuming we would finish that first batch – they finish high school, they have marketable skill. And then they uplift already their particular family. And then he in turn, would be able to afford an even better level for his children. Then that becomes a permanent thing.”

Asked about the danger in having a credible opposition in a democracy, Aquino said: “You know at the end of the day, I think it would be, chicken and egg. For instance, I ask myself, when people say we miss you, then after a few sentences, we need a leader. Then they look at you. I actually ask myself, what is my role right now? Then is it better for the country to have a leader? A opposition bloc?”

“The current situation is something that we have to undergo as a people. If you’re not satisfied with the situation does it prompt you to take action? Or should it be traditional? Somebody comes into your area and tries to educate you, enlighten you and mobilize you. Perhaps if it starts from the grassroots and goes up, then the permanency of change is better,” he added.

The first year of Duterte has been a painful process of rebuilding for the LP. “We’re almost finished with the transition to the new set of leaders,” noted Aquino. – Rappler.com