‘Ngipin ng batas:’ Why Chel Diokno embraced Duterte’s jab vs appearance

Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno after he filed his certificate of candidacy on Oct. 7, 2021. Photo from Chel Diokno’s Twitter

MANILA, Philippines — Senatorial aspirant Chel Diokno said he considers  as somewhat of a “gift” President Rodrigo Duterte’s earlier jab against his appearance—particularly his teeth—to push for his advocacy to strengthen the justice system in the Philippines.

“I think it’s a great way to deliver the message of my advocacy. And that is something you take advantage of whatever is given to you in politics,” Diokno said in an INQside Look interview.

“Yun ay regalo niya sakin, sabihin na natin na ganon, e bakit hindi natin tatanggapin?” he added.

In April 2020, Duterte insulted Diokno for his appearance, calling him buck-toothed.

This, as he accused the human rights lawyer and members of the opposition of resorting to black propaganda amid the government’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to this, Diokno, at the time, said that while it was okay for him to be the subject of Duterte’s insults, the president should also focus on the needs of the people as well.

Why will Diokno run again?

Diokno is seeking a Senate seat for the second time around with an aim to make justice within the reach of everyone, promising to strengthen alternatives to court proceedings, arbitration, mediation and even the barangay justice system.

In filing his candidacy last Oct. 7, Diokno was seen wearing a customized mask bearing an animated drawing of his smile with the words “Chel Diokno: Ngipin ng batas.”

This morning, I filed my certificate of candidacy for Senator. Samahan nyo ako tungo sa isang makatarungang Pilipinas. BIGYAN NATIN NG KAGAT ANG HUSTISYA. LAGYAN NATIN NG NGIPIN ANG BATAS. Mag-volunteer sa https://t.co/jY13OeR13S.#ChelDioknoSaSenado #NgipinNgBatas pic.twitter.com/cDn7QKgVLd

— Chel Diokno (@ChelDiokno) October 7, 2021

“I think one of the major factors is the fact that this admin wants to continue with its policy through its bets in the next election,” Diokno said when asked what pushed him to run for the Senate once again.

“It’s to me, very important that we preserve our democracy, we ensure that rights are respected and that justice is strengthened in the country,” he added.

‘Quite a ride’

Diokno, who is the current chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), first ran for senator in 2019 under the opposition slate Otso Diretso, but failed to secure a seat in the so-called Magic 12.

“That was quite a ride, 2019 was really something outside of my comfort zone. If these were ordinary times I would never even have considered running for a position like that but given the situation we were in and we are still in today, the imperatives I think were what led me to run,” he said.

While Diokno admitted being a “newbie” in mounting an election campaign in 2019, he said had “learned so much” then.

“That’s different now, I have much more experience. I have learned how to manage a campaign, how to run it. The kind of organization you need as well as the ground operations as well the comms, or the ‘air war’ as they call it,” he said.

“I could say that I am much, much more prepared now that I was in 2019,” he added.

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