ABCDuterte (Philippines)

A to Z of Disinformation in the Philippines by Kristine Ong Muslim

EVERYTHING YOU NEED to know about the presidency of Duterte in one handy guide, from “A is for the Anti-Terrorism Act and its abuses” to “Z is for zero, the number of public sightings of Duterte’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities”. Yes, for the first time since the ouster of disgraced kleptocrat and dictator Ferdinand Marcos, a Philippine president restricts public access to his constitutionally mandated wealth disclosure. This and many other facts (and lies) make this small pocketbook an important read for every child and adult. For Mindanao-based writer Kristine Ong Muslim, ABCDuterte is “every earthling’s quick double take into the mayhem of disinformation, bumbling diplomacy, and third-world chicanery that props up the Duterte regime.” At the heart of ABCDuterte is also the story of the writer’s beloved home, the beautiful but conflict-ridden island of Mindanao. She hopes to shed light on the local context that enables Duterte’s continued rise as well as acceptance of his administration’s stable of digital disinformation purveyors.

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