Divorce was eventually inevitable for the Marcos-Duterte “marriage of convenience,” a political analyst said Monday.
This came after the rift between the top political families came to a head Sunday night as former president Rodrigo Duterte blasted President Marcos for being an alleged “drug addict” during a prayer rally against the people’s initiative in Davao City.
“Both parties and their allies have maintained personal relationships with each other, particularly Senator Imee Marcos, but the fundamental differences when it comes to policies and other causes may have cast this rift,” Professor Ranjit Rye of the University of the Philippines told DZBB in a radio interview.
Among these differences, he said, were their stances on the West Philippine Sea and their allegiances to either the United States or China, plus the ongoing issue of Charter change or moves to amend the 1987 Constitution.
Rye also emphasized that the “constant politicking” of the electoral elite has become “less interesting for the majority of Filipinos,” citing a result from a study his department recently conducted.
“Filipinos are more concerned with prices of goods going down, but it seems this constant politicking also undermines policymaking,” he added.
Former presidential spokesperson and lawyer Harry Roque also shared his thoughts in an interview with DZRH.
“One of the reasons, in my perspective, which eventually caused this rift were the earlier comments of Justice Secretary (Crispin) Remulla on the Marcos administration’s openness to aid the ICC (International Criminal Court) in their investigation (of Duterte’s anti-drug war),” he said.
Roque said this may have been perceived by the Dutertes as an act of war, but also commented that last night’s exchange may yet prove that the “Uniteam” of President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio in the 2022 elections has decided to part ways.