[PODCAST] Seat of Power: Duterte readies ammo for 2022 campaign season

MANILA, Philippines – Lacking a dog in the fight for the presidency, President Rodrigo Duterte has no direct stake in the 2022 elections. But he is also free to conduct negative campaigning on all the candidates.

That’s exactly what he warned he would do in his remarks last Monday, January 24. Some say it’s a ploy to remain relevant in a political race Duterte lost control over when he failed to secure a presidential candidate to back.

In this new episode of Seat of Power, Rappler reporter Pia Ranada speaks to political science professor Aries Arugay about the ammunition Duterte is readying against the people who seek to replace him in 2022, what this means for the candidates themselves, and what it says about the sitting president’s role in the upcoming elections.

You can also listen to this episode on Spotify.

Listen to all Seat of Power episodes:

• Episode 1: COVID-19 ward doctor assesses Duterte’s pandemic response
• Episode 2: Duterte’s hands all over ABS-CBN franchise rejection
• Episode 3: The frightening future of Duterte’s anti-terror law
• Episode 4: Duterte’s 2020 SONA in 5 minutes
• Episode 5: What happens if Duterte gets COVID-19?
• Episode 6: Duterte, Trump, Bolsonaro: The ‘medical populists’
• Episode 7: Pandemic leadership: Duterte vs Leni
• Episode 8: Duterte’s secretive Malacañang
• Episode 9: Duterte’s vaccine dreams vs reality
• Episode 10: Duterte’s role in the Cayetano-Velasco Speakership tussle
• Episode 11: 4 reasons why Duterte’s ratings are still high
• Episode 12: ‘Corruption crackdown’ by a master of spectacle
• Episode 13: Covering a President who lies
• Episode 14: Tarlac shooting: Blood on Duterte’s hands
• Episode 15: Unpacking the PSG vaccine mystery
• Episode 16: China’s new Coast Guard law and Duterte
• Episode 17: Duterte’s VFA threats: Negotiating tactic or rash outburst?
• Episode 18: Is Duterte responsible for ‘Bloody Sunday’?
• Episode 19: What is Duterte’s actual role in pandemic response?
• Episode 20: Duterte, despite bluster, makes big climate pledge
• Episode 21: A conversation with Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade
• Episode 22: Rodolfo Biazon on what the President should keep to himself
• Episode 23: 2022 political moves start now
• Episode 24: Duterte supporter on why President still popular on last year
• Episode 25: What will Sara decide?
• Episode 26: Jess Dureza on how Duterte leads the Cabinet
• Episode 27: Who is editing out key portions of Duterte speeches?
• Episode 28: Who is Michael Yang?
• Episode 29: Duterte’s ‘unconstitutional’ memo
• Episode 30: Sara-less, Go-less Duterte prepares to play hedging game in 2022

– Rappler.com