Third of a series

IMEE did the unexpected. She opted out of BBM's administration alliance senatorial lineup. To refresh our memories, with former president GMA, Imee, the chief strategist, conceptualized the 2022 UniTeam, propelling BBM and Sara to victory. Imee sold the idea to former president Duterte, who was not keen on having his daughter run as BBM's vice president. The Deegong wanted Sara to run for president and confront BBM "mano-a-mano." The headstrong daughter Sara prevailed. Thus, was forged the strong sisterhood of Imee and Sara.

The UniTeam was an alliance of two political dynasties. "One from the old, discredited dynasty from the North out to regain its preeminence established by its patriarch half a century ago when Ferdinand Sr. sought to restructure Philippine society through his martial law regime. They were booted out 38 years ago by the now defunct dynasty that failed to sustain its hold on power but gave birth serendipitously to the current dynasty from the South — the Dutertes — (starting from) when Cory Aquino appointed the Deegong to the lowly post of Davao City OIC vice mayor


The Cojuangco-Aquino dynasty had no sons and daughters in positions of power, unlike the Marcos and Duterte clans. These families understand only too well the path to dominance and what it takes to get there — the sheer determination to accumulate raw power, wealth and pelf and the distribution of largesse to its allies, blind loyalty only to its own, and destruction of its rivals and perceived enemies." ("Clash of dynasties," The Manila Times, March 6, 2024)

This was perhaps very clear to Imee, that the path to rehabilitating her father's image was through an alliance with the Dutertes through Sara. But this partnership, by its very nature, was ephemeral at best. Imee's vision may have been for the two forces from the North and South to co-exist politically. But it was not to be.

Antecedents

The UniTeam's break-up weighed heavily on Imee as she is now caught in the middle — between a rock and a hard place — between the Marcos and Duterte dynasties' fight for political dominance in the coming years, perhaps even generations. But the background to this is a compelling study in internal family dynamics.

In a family steeped in Filipino tradition, we follow the concept of primogeniture — the oldest child has preeminence over the younger siblings; Imee, the oldest, is by rights the custodian of the family legacy. The Marcos literature is steeped in BBM, the spoiled one being the only male as Imelda's favorite. Imee was the father's. But more importantly, earlier in their youthful years, Imee displayed the brains and the street smarts Macoy was predisposed to. The female version of Ferdinand Sr. And the hard-headedness as shown when she defied mother Imelda on her dalliance with Tommy Manotoc (divorced from Au-au Pijuan, though Dominican Republic divorces are unrecognized in the Philippines).

'Maid in Malacañang'

This film, produced by Imee, is a fictional tale of the last three days in Malacañang during the EDSA People's Power Revolution of 1986. This provided the backdrop of the relationship of the siblings, "Ate" Imee and "Ading" BBM. Bongbong was depicted as the weak, groveling son seeking the approbation of a beleaguered father, while Imee was shown as the stronger older sister who held the family together before their exile. In a critique of the movie, Direk Cirilo has this to say: "...the movie and its depiction of BBM [was] the worst negative ad campaign against the president-elect, but the most honest opinion of BBM as a man."

This description did not sit well with BBM's spouse Liza — a fiercely protective mother hen — perhaps one of the many incidents that widened the rift between the sisters-in-law, a common occurrence in many family disputes.

Imee and Liza

These two strong-willed, powerful women in-laws could have exacerbated the rift between the two political dynasties. Imee's soul-sister Sara became anathema to Liza in that famous "bangag" incident ("Clash of dynasties," TMT, March 6, 2024). And Imee's continued loyalty to Sara is unacceptable to the influential Malacañang occupant, Liza. Despite the public display of family unity, Imee was persona non grata to Liza's Malacañang. If rumors are to be believed, not one of Imee's recommendations for a sinecure for her allies passed Liza's scrutiny. They never reached BBM's desk for approval and appointment. Again, if rumors are to be believed.

Senatorial fight in 2025

If one examines BBM's senatorial lineup, one sees an anthology of traditional politicians (trapos), tired old ex-senators longing for a comeback, questionable senators with records of corruption but sanitized with electable branded names, dregs and discards of old Marcos-Duterte alliance. Strangely, with the kind of party politics existing in the country today, to be included in the administration line-up with the huge logistics and presidential patronage, the chance of winning a seat is a real possibility. Imee's decision to go independent is puzzling at best.

An enigma, Imee was proselytizing about "a path and principles of my father," declaring, "... as his eldest, I choose to stand free and firm, like him, in believing that there should be no allegiance but to the Filipino people... It is never easy to stand alone in campaigns and politics... But that is the legacy my father left me, the legacy of 'Apo Lakay'... I chose to stand alone so that my 'adding' (sibling) would no longer be put in a difficult position, and my true friends won't hesitate. I choose to remain free and loyal — not to any group but to every Filipino." And in a very personal but maudlin way... "Thirty-five years ago, I made a promise to honor his life's work by building on this foundation. In some way, I hope that I have made you proud, Dad. We miss you every day."

Translation

I am not privy to the senator's thought process and, therefore, am unable to fathom her statements. But my experience with politicians and years of divining their actuations allow me the aptitude to translate her elegant, but to many incoherent, peroration.

Imee's friendship with Sara is true and deep. Upon crafting the UniTeam in 2022, there must have been an unspoken arrangement for Sara's turn at the presidency in 2028. It was a fair quid pro quo that may not have met the ambitions of the other dramatis personae. For one, the Marcos family must have felt that six years of BBM's term was not enough to rehabilitate Macoy's image or resurrect his legacy. None among them can take the cudgels after BBM. Liza's children are as yet unripe. Enter, therefore, the billionaire and self-proclaimed surrogate, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, out to pervert the Constitution with a revision favoring his position under a parliamentary system of government — as prime minister. An abomination to Senator Imee.

Imee, caught between her friendship with Sara and sympathy for the Dutertes and loyalty to BBM, may have no other recourse but to tread a middle path — not with her brother's, Martin's, and Liza's party, not with the Deegong's, but to go it alone as an independent. A heroic stand, a political suicide or simply what the old Filipinos call — amor propio!

The Senate President crowed yesterday that the party he nominally coheads, PDP-Laban, has a “pleasant problem” — too many potential senatorial candidates. Koko Pimentel’s estimate is they have up to 20 possible choices for the 12-person slate for the 2019 senatorial race. But his list includes the five administration-affiliated senatorial incumbents up for reelection next year. This is a group that has made noises that, much as it prefers to remain in the administration camp, it is unhappy with the way PDP-Laban has been designating its local leaders and candidates, and therefore prefers to strike out on its own, perhaps in alliance with the other administration (regional) party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago, headed by the President’s daughter and current Davao City mayor, Sara Duterte.

Setting aside, then, the five-person “Force,” the administration-oriented but not PDP-friendly reelectionists (Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Cynthia Villar, Grace Poe, and JV Ejercito), what Koko’s crowing over is a mixed bag. Some of them have been floated by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (with whom Mayor Duterte clashed in recent months): six representatives (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who is in her last term in the House of Representatives; Albee Benitez, Karlo Nograles, Rey Umali, Geraldine Roman, and Zajid Mangudadatu), three Cabinet members (Bong Go, Harry Roque, and Francis Tolentino), and two other officials (Mocha Uson and Ronald dela Rosa), which still only adds up to 11 possible candidates (who are the missing three?).

Of all of these, the “Force” reelectionists are only fair-weather allies of the present dispensation; their setting themselves apart is about much more than the mess PDP-Laban made in, say, San Juan where support for the Zamoras makes it extremely unattractive for JV Ejercito to consider being in the same slate. Their cohesion is about thinking ahead: Creating the nucleus for the main coalition to beat in the 2022 presidential election. The contingent of congressmen and congresswomen who could become candidates for the Senate, however, seems more a means to kick the Speaker’s rivals upstairs (at least in the case of Benitez and Arroyo) and pad the candidates’ list with token but sacrificial candidates, a similar situation to the executive officials being mentioned as possible candidates (of the executive officials, only Go seems viable, but making him run would deprive the President of the man who actually runs the executive department, and would be a clear signal that the administration is shifting to a post-term protection attitude instead of the more ambitious system-change mode it’s been on, so far).

Vice President Leni Robredo has been more circumspect, saying she’s not sure the Liberal Party can even muster a full slate. The party chair, Kiko Pangilinan, denied that a list circulating online (incumbent Bam Aquino, former senators Mar Roxas, Jun Magsaysay, TG Guingona, current and former representatives Jose Christopher Belmonte, Kaka Bag-ao, Edcel Lagman, Raul Daza, Gary Alejano and Erin Tañada, former governor Eddie Panlilio and Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña) had any basis in fact.

What both lists have in common is they could be surveys-on-the-cheap, trial balloons to get the public pulse. Until the 17th Congress reconvenes briefly from May 14 to June 1 for the tail end of its second regular session (only to adjourn sine die until the third regular session begins on July 23), it has nothing much to do. Except, that is, for the barangay elections in May, after a last-ditch effort by the House to postpone them yet again to October failed.

Names can be floated but the real signal will come in July, when the President mounts the rostrum and calls for the big push for a new constitution—or not. Connected to this would be whether the Supreme Court disposes of its own chief, which would spare the Senate—and thus, free up the legislative calendar—to consider Charter change instead of an impeachment trial. In the meantime, what congressmen do seem abuzz over is an unrefusable invitation to the Palace tomorrow — to mark Arroyo’s birthday. An event possibly pregnant with meaning.

“Then I fall to my knees, shake a rattle at the skies and I’m afraid that I’ll be taken, abandoned, forsaken in her cold coffee eyes.” – A quote from the song, “She moves on” by Paul Simon, singer/songwriter

THE recent tremors affecting the central provinces of Mindanao caused by a series of seismic waves radiating to the northern and southern parts of the island, were like nature shaking a rattle, emitting sharp sounds and unnerving motions from the underground, both frightening and bewildering as to the intensity and confusion they generated.

The successive earthquakes and aftershocks were rattling the nerves not only of residents close to the epicenter but also those living along the active fault planes who were not used to strong earth movements. Some reported dizziness, anxiety, depression and other post-traumatic stress symptoms after experiencing continuous shaking and periodic vibrations.

As this article was written, less frequent but perceptible tremors were felt on the affected areas although everyone is reportedly bracing for aftershocks which many hope and pray, would not turn out to be the dreaded “big one,” as some irresponsible persons are falsely posting on social media. Shake a rattle drum to this latter blokes.

According to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), since the 1900s, Mindanao has been rocked by at least 35 earthquakes, three of which, felt at “Intensity 7” or worse, were deemed destructive: the 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake which caused a tsunami reaching up to nine meters that killed about 8,000 people including the unaccounted ones; the 1999 series of earthquakes in Agusan del Sur damaging roads, and poorly constructed schools and infrastructure; and the Sultan Kudarat earthquake in 2002, killing eight people with 41 others injured and affecting over seven thousand families in the provinces of Sarangani, North and South Cotabato (Rappler 2019). Shake a rattle of prayers for all who perished in these tragedies.

The series of earthquakes in October of this year, just weeks apart, with magnitudes of over 6 hitting many provinces, again, in Cotabato and southern parts of Davao accounted for the death toll of 22, damaging homes, school buildings and many infrastructure, shaking and sending chills to many residents who have to deal with continuing albeit smaller tremors which can be felt as far up the city of Cagayan de Oro and down the southern province of Sarangani.

Some local officials reported residents having developed “earthquake phobia” keeping watch on their clock hanging inside their tents in evacuation sites, losing sleep with anxiety awaiting when the next tremor would be coming. With frayed nerves, some would panic over even slight ground shakings.

But this is not about the temblor as much as the response of people and the country’s leaders and responsible officials. Except for the government of China which donated P22 million in aid and support for relief efforts in Mindanao, hurray for China, other foreign countries just expressed condolences and messages of sympathy to families of victims. No pledges, no assistance. Perhaps, they can’t trust our government agencies to do the job for them anymore. To them, a shake of the baby rattle.

To the initial bunch of donors who immediately come with their financial assistance such as Yorme Isko Moreno of Manila with his P5 million personal money, Mayor Vico Sotto with relief goods and P14 million coming from the people of Pasig City, Mayor Marcy Teodoro of Marikina with 100 modular tents, movie star Angel Locsin who moved about sans fanfare for her charity work offering food and other assistance to victims in Davao and North Cotabato, to Mayor Inday Duterte for relief distribution, Cebu provincial government for disaster relief campaign and to the many nameless others who came with their relief aids, shake a rattle of joy and thankfulness for their kindness and generosity.

To our government officials and politicians goes our appeal to set aside politics, distribute the relief items according to the wishes of their donors and not allow goods to rot because of political colors as was shown in the previous administration’s handling of donated goods. To them, shake a rattle of enlightenment and peace.

In whatever disaster or crisis that befalls the country, trust Filipinos’ resiliency and coping mechanisms such as resorting to prayers and humor to come to their succor.

Social media become a natural venue for memes, practical jokes and bantering such as the ones which came after Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy reportedly claimed that he caused to stop the earthquakes so they can no longer create damage. To everyone, shake a rattle of laughter and fun while we help provide for the needs of our less fortunate brethren in Cotabato and Davao provinces.