Cong Corrales THERE is no doubt about it. We are surely heading towards what would presumably be interesting times. Like what Inday Espina-Varona posted on her Facebook wall: Whether we like it or not, whether we agree or not, this is one unprecedented societal phenomenon--or something to that effect. Never has a political narrative brainstormed and packaged in recent history capture the imagination of the people. It has even captured the world stage. Time magazine lost no time featuring Davao City Mayor and now President-elect Rodrigo Duterte on the cover of its May issue. An old journo friend even suggested the messaging and packaging were allegedly brainstormed by aliens. Not the extraterrestrial kind, idjit, alien as in not Filipino. The alien trolls started it and then local hacks followed through. That’s what my friend claims, anyway. American pundits were also enamored by the gruff and cussing city mayor from Mindanao. A study of stark contrast when compared with the incumbent urbane and apathetic landed gentry administration of President Benigno Aquino III. However, only a day after the automated synchronized national and local elections, Duterte would  exhibit a commanding lead from Aquino’s bet Manuel Roxas II. The people spoke decisively. They were aching for change, which Duterte was offering during one of the most polarizing presidential campaigns in Philippine electoral history. Just the other day, one of our printing staff told me traffic gridlocks in Davao City has worsened. What with the influx of giant news networks jockeying for a piece of the probinsyano president-elect. Add to that the hangers-on, the homegrown media shepherds, gloating at their counterparts from Imperial Manila. Plus, the losers, job seekers all, groveling for positions in the incoming administration of Duterte. Lest we forget, the Palace rent seekers are coming to collect the “interests” of their investments to make the incoming administration a reality. Davaoeños should get used to this migration of people. Davao City, after all, is the new seat of power of the republic. I have joked about it on my Facebook wall. I posted: Move over imperial Manila. Imperial Davao is the new “empire” of the republic. However, the past weeks leading to his inauguration at the end of the month have shown that Duterte is onion-skinned and possibly stressed out with the seeming deluge of attention that he lashed at media in general. Mr. President-elect, not taking any bull crap from the press and shutting them out completely are two very different animals. About a fortnight ago, we saw how Duterte ordered the media barricaded out of “Panacañang.” He said he was not giving any interviews and press briefings to the media, with special mention to “Manila media.” Had his lackeys thought of this in the first place, this unprecedented hatred against media in general would not have happened. As I have always reminded friends, in our practice of our right to freedom of expression and speech we have forgotten we also have that right to remain silent. Frankly speaking, I find the events funny. As is stand-up comedy funny. When he was still labeled a presumptive president he could not shut his trap and now that he is the president-elect, he now chooses to clamp up. In Bisaya street parlance this is called “kakak.” But make no mistake, the sleeping empire of the south has awakened. Duterte has even released the “Kraken.” In the past weeks, even before his inauguration, we have seen suspected drug lords, criminals--dregs of society all--falling down left and right like flies at the hands of the republic’s armed institutions inspired by a charismatic leader who has a penchant for shortcutting due process of the criminal justice system. These are interesting times indeed. Change, whether this be for the good or bad, will be painful to most, and  I hope we survive the next six years when the sleeping empire strikes back.