Can you guess Duterte’s title for his future book?

Pia Ranada

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

The President says he wants to write a book about corrupt politicians and priests one day. His chosen title is inspired by one of his favorite topics of all time.

PRESIDENT AND AUTHOR? President Rodrigo Duterte makes another book recommendation during a speech on January 24, 2017. Photo by King Rodriguez/Presidential Photo

President Rodrigo Duterte is a self-admitted bookworm. But can you imagine him as a book author?

If things go as planned, Duterte plans to become just that. He even has a title ready for his opus, inspired by one of his favorite topics of all time: “Hypocrisy.”

One day, I will write a book: Hypocrisy,” said Duterte on Tuesday night, January 25, during a dinner with families of the 44 Special Action Force troopers killed in the Mamasapano massacre.

His book will be about all the people he detests for being self-righteous. But corrupt priests, he said, would be a particular focus.

Lahat ‘yan politician, nagmamalinis, asus. Pero kayo (priests) ang starring diyan. I will start from the day noong bata pa kami,” said Duterte.

(All politicians claiming to be righteous. But you have a starring role. I will start from the day when we were still kids.)

He has claimed that, back in high school, he himself experienced sexual abuse at the hands of a Jesuit priest, the now deceased Mark Falvey, SJ of the Far East Province of the Society of Jesus. The priest reportedly also molested other students and was ordered to pay P16 million in damages.

Leaders of the Catholic church recently earned Duterte’s ire for criticizing his campaign against illegal drugs. They’ve said the police campaign is a “bringer of death” and that Catholics who tolerate the killings are not practicing their faith.

Duterte has big plans for his book.

“‘Pag nabasa na ng buong Pilipinas, ng mga Katoliko at sinabi nila, kung sinabi ng mga tao dito mali ako, hindi tama ang ginawa ko pagmumura sa inyo publicly?” he said.

(When the entire Philippines reads it, all Catholics, can they still say I am wrong, that my cursing you publicly is wrong?)

Books have figured prominently in many of Duterte’s speeches. Most recently, he recommended that his audience read Altar of Secrets by Aries Rufo, a book about corruption and scandals that rocked the Catholic church in the Philippines.

There was a time when he would not end a speech without mentioning the book El Narco by British journalist Ioan Grillo about the Mexican drug cartels. 

Duterte even invited Grillo to Malacañang and asked for an autograph.

For background reading on the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) dispute, he suggested in a speech that people read Asia’s Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a Stable Pacific by Robert D. Kaplan, a world-renowned expert on geopolitics and foreign policy.

The President has admitted being unable to let go of a good book, reading until the wee hours of the morning to finish it.

With his colorful communication style, one might easily imagine what reading Hypocrisy will be like. – Rappler.com

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Pia Ranada

Pia Ranada is Rappler’s Community Lead, in charge of linking our journalism with communities for impact.