The US intelligence community’s assessment is myopic and speculative at best.

For one, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is no autocrat nor has autocratic tendencies. He adheres to the rule of law and remains loyal to the Constitution. An autocracy is not prevalent, as they would like everyone to believe. Our media are still able to broadcast and print what they want–“fake news” included. Our judiciary and the courts are functioning as usual. Our legislature remains independent and basic services are still being delivered.

There is no revolutionary government or nationwide martial law, which US intelligence officials are saying that the President might declare or impose.

While it is true that the Administration uses and maximizes social media to promote government messages and accomplishments, members of the political opposition and other cause-oriented groups use the same media platform to advance their agenda.

We have to understand the use of social media has become an important part of the daily lives of Filipinos. It is therefore foolhardy not to tap social media as a tool when the technology exists for free. I don’t know of any government in the free world which does not use the internet and social media to promote its agenda. This is very true especially in the case of the US. This latest intelligence assessment is a classic case in point.