“Things are not going their way.”
“Things are not going their way.”
The noose, it seems, is tightening for the opposition. The weak political coordination among the political stalwarts is symptomatic of a much deeper problem.
Let us begin with the 1Sambayan. Nobody knows whether this an aggrupation of political opportunists coming from different political parties or a new name given to the struggling Liberal Party.
It could not even complete its line-up for president and vice president. Among the members of the steering committee are Chel Diokno, a defeated candidate of the Liberal Party; Grace Poe, independent; Vilma Santos, from the 6th District of Batangas, claiming to be Nacionalista Party; Leni Robredo, vice president, Liberal Party; Antonio Trillanes IV, Magadalo, and Eddie Villanueva of Bangon Pilipinas.
The biggest hole in 1Sambayan is in selecting who from among them should be their frontrunner. In fact, the six are still in quandary about whom to field as candidate against the administration, whether it be Davao City mayor Sara Duterte- Carpio, Senator Bong Go, or Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos. The leadership remains undecided on Leni Robredo despite her rank as vice president. Another noticeable ramification is the dropping of the Liberal Party to carry the ticket of the opposition. Either the members no longer have the trust and confidence of the party to catapult them to victory, or that they equally doubt whether Robredo can deliver the goods if chosen as their natural frontrunner. This is strange because the post of vice president is incontestable that it should be handed to whoever is seated.
The 1Sambayan as an aggrupation having an equal number of political parties that form the coalition is more of a problem than a solution. As one observed, the more the number of political parties invited to the coalition, the more it becomes difficult to synchronize their platform of government. The party might just end up in the destructive contest called in Tagalog “pataasan ng ihi.”
The Reforma Party. The supporters of Reforma Party and the conservative members of the Liberal Party, particularly the obscurantists identified with the Catholic Church would avoid supporting Lacson. These hypocritical elements in our society think that voting for a party that has a parallel of bloody episodes with that of the administration is like voting for Duterte and Marcos. The hypocrites always have in mind of favoring a ruthless policy. This is the wedge that separates the Reforma Party from the Liberal Party and the 1Sambayan.
People are also asking — where have these two been in all these years? Reforms, progress and development have been going on since the coming of the Duterte administration in 2016. Maybe the reforms initiated failed to meet their expectations or felt that reforms should have been introduced by them. There is hubris in the conduct of these two politicians like what the yellow animals claim that they alone can bring about progress for this country.
The Reforma Party of Lacson refuses to admit that even the Liberal Party, which claims to be the champion of freedom and democracy, shuns the idea of alliance for Lacson knows it has hidden bones in the closet. Lacson cannot truly speak for himself as “Mr. Clean.” In fact, his charge of corruption against those responsible for corruption and overpricing in the supply and medical kit for COVID-19 patients has turned out to be a mere political stunt intended to boost his candidacy. All that is needed is the evidence of damage to the government.
On the candidacy of Senator Manny Pacquiao, many are wondering up to now whether he is running as a candidate or just doing the work of trying to check Secretary Alfonso Cusi from usurping the party claimed to belong to senator Pimentel. Such is odd because there are two PDP-Laban candidates gearing for the highest position. This explains why many are hesitant to vote for one whose ambition is not focused on what he wants or in preparing the political ground for Pimentel.
Maybe Pacquiao has a noble intention on why he is aiming for that position. But to raise the issue of poverty as his battle cry for people should elect him no longer holds true even to the downtrodden. Fortunately, the President has already signified his decision not to run in abeyance to the provision of the Constitution. Admittedly, many of the politicians were elected on the basis of their humble beginning, but often, many of them turn out to be the most notorious crooks in government. They absorb the issue of corruption but often the government they promised to clean often ends up in a worse situation.
As early as two years ago, this column predicted that Pacquiao would run for president. I suspect the Americans are behind his ambition. Remember, the empire is now running out of cash, and the US no longer has enough cash to support puppets and lackeys. Pacquiao fits into this category. Pacquiao helped the US generate income through television rights for every fight he made in Nevada. He owns most of his properties in the US, and pays a sizable tax there. So, what more can the US ask except for Pacquiao to save their sagging empire?
Finally, the political unification between the Duterte and Marcos camp is about to come into fruition. Circumstances are not of their making. First, Duterte is prohibited by the shabby Cory Constitution from seeking re-election.
Admittedly, Duterte has the instinct of betting for sure. He cannot trust his luck on one who will be mobbed by the hypocrites threatening to hand him to the ICC to the delight of the US and their Left chihuahua.
Second, the two are united by circumstance because most of their political rivals have distanced themselves from supporting Duterte’s rapprochement with China, or to put it bluntly, this coming election will be a battle royale between the US and China, expressed in the form of ballots.
Third, the US and its supporters have already marshalled their supporters. The Catholic Church and its vast holdings in the Philippine economy, together with the oligarchs that own big businesses and the mass media are ready to put to test the strength of the US.
The possible amalgamation of Duterte and Marcos is unavoidable. First, the opposition equates the imposition of martial law by Marcos to the mailed fist policy of Duterte against illegal drugs. Second, like Marcos, Duterte is determined to strengthen the country’s ties with China which the US and its local allies strongly resent. Third, the election of Duterte saw the continuation of the Marcos policy of asserting the country’s sovereignty, in securing our national interest and independence. Many pro-Americans feel that Duterte might just follow the footsteps of Marcos of eventually ordering the removal of the US bases. Fourth, both Marcos and Duterte are firm believers that only by strengthening our relations with China could we attain a degree of economic development and political independence.
To sum it up, all the political parties that have fielded their respective candidates are all clinging to the American brand of democracy and freedom. The Liberal Party, 1 Sambayan, the Reforma Party and the PDP-Laban, the pseudo of Nacionalista Party, the Magdalo Party and the theocratic party CIBAC are all zealot pro-Americans viz. anti-China in their political outlook. To emphasize their loyalty to the US, they hit China hard on China, mouthing that the country and the whole South China Sea are about to be overrun and occupied by China.
The victory of the administration party would mark the final closing of the last US enclave in Asia-Pacific. That transition could even be considered historic as the defeat of the opposition in this coming election could mean a peaceful turnover of power. It will be historic as this is one rare instance where the US ceded power peacefully to its former colony.