Second of a series

WITH the passage of the 2025 budget, dubbed as the most corrupt budget ever, it is now apparent that this country is led by criminals in the highest echelons of government — the executive and legislative branches. They have, in one fell swoop, done away with the concept of "checks and balances," the main feature of good governance. The separation of powers, the hallmark of our democracy enshrined in our 1935 and 1987 constitutions, has been reduced to a parody by our political leadership.

Consider the following: the legislative branch, made up of the two houses — the Senate and the House of Representatives — to make and amend laws. They also have the "power of the purse" to allocate funds for specific purposes through the passage of appropriate laws. In short, it oversees and controls the spending of the executive branch — the presidency, which includes the Office of the Vice President, the OVP, the president's nemesis.

The executive recommends spending proposals to Congress to align with its power to enforce laws and command the military. Metaphorically, this is equivalent to the "power of the sword;" its role is to take action to protect the nation from harm.

Independent branches — a fallacy

What, in fact, transpired was that the legislative branch has allowed the bicameral conference committee (bicam) to purportedly reconcile conflicting provisions to formulate a totally different allocation protocol, employing opaque budgetary practices characterized by a lack of transparency and accountability.

One glaring example is the equivalent of the unconstitutional "pork barrel," something they can divvy up among themselves. This is the generous P26 billion "Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program" (AKAP) funds, the House speaker's brainchild, the use of which is intended to catapult him to the presidency in 2028.

Over the Senate's initial objections, P5 billion bought the silence of the senators, and the balance of P21 billion satisfying the greed of the lower house, courtesy of the bicam, an entity that does not even appear in the Constitution. But it acts with impunity where decisions are concocted in the proverbial "smoke-filled rooms." And in a subsequent "moro-moro" of a purported line-item veto, President Marcos, complicit to this travesty, left this pork intact in the budget.

Midterm elections 2025

With this connivance, we can expect the Marcos-Romualdez cabal to have the logistics stolen from the people to get their political allies elected in the local government units, which consequently will impact the choice of district representatives. This is crucial to the ambition of Martin Romualdez as he needs to retain his speakership as a springboard to the presidency in 2028.

The incoming Senate could present a different scenario. Their being elected nationwide places them in a near equivalent status to the presidency. Traditionally the launch pad to the presidency, the Marcos-Romualdez cabal needs to buy their fealty.

Of the 12 chosen Marcos-Romualdez 2025 SEnate candidates, five incumbent re-electionists have a fair chance of making it — the fourth termers Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid and Bong Revilla. So, too, Imee Marcos and Francis Tolentino on their first full term.

Add to this list the possible return of three "same old, same old," Tito Sotto already on his fifth senatorial run, Panfilo Lacson on his fourth and Manny Pacquiao on his second. These eight senators out of 12 get Marcos-Romualdez a third of the 2025 Senate.

But the betting is that the Senate institution will further be debased with the entrance of two Tulfo siblings, completing a family of three: Raffy, Erwin and Ben. We currently have two sets of siblings, the Cayetanos and Ejercito/Estrada, and a mother/son, Cynthia and Mark Villar. On the wings are children and siblings-substitutes indecently waiting. Before long, this chamber will soon be dominated by political dynasties and family clans.

Cries of protests

On Jan. 13, citizens from all walks of life gathered to protest this impunity and massive plunder of the people's coffers. The Iglesia Ni Kristo (INK) called for its membership nationwide to show indignation under the guise of peace rallies. But trolls have also been inundating social media depicting this show of force as anti-Marcos and pro-Sara Duterte — which INK has belied.

On the other hand, similar rallies, particularly in the bailiwick of the Dutertes, are being held, but with a twist — to champion the cause of their family, particularly the VP and pointedly anti-Marcos, diverting the people from the family's own misdeeds.

Nevertheless, all these could be in response to what former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio declared in his social media postings: "...The halls of Congress and the Senate reek of betrayal. This is no longer just a circus — it is a grand heist, a vicious mockery of the Filipino people's sacrifices... our so-called leaders are busy looting not just our wealth but our very dignity. They are no leaders — they are traitors — a ruthless betrayal. Let us not mince words — this is treason. Yet these cowards violated the law with impunity. Our silence makes us complicit. Our silence feeds their arrogance. Why are we not in the streets? Why do we allow these thieves to gut our nation while we watch from the sidelines? Enough is enough. This is no longer about politics — it's about survival."

"But there is hope. We, the people, are the true power of this nation. We can end this betrayal. The time to fight is now. Let our anger be our fuel. Let our indignation spark a revolution of accountability. The question is not if we can fight back. The question is, will we fight back before it's too late?"

Carpio was a veteran of the EDSA People Power (EDSA 1986) that catapulted Cory Aquino to the presidency. Carpio understood the formula that precipitated the downfall of another Marcos in 1986. It worked then. But can this be replicated? Unfortunately, the subsequent EDSA 1986 events reflected Cory's naivete and ignorance and substituted another corrupt government. The goodwill of the hordes of Filipinos clamoring for change was enormously wasted by the "kamag-anak."

Immediate but intermediate solution

All these cries and rallies could amount to nothing, knowing the enormous political power and impunity of the reigning Marcos-Romualdez cabal and their cohorts in government. We need more than mere protest.

At this point, I quote a confidant of President FVR, John Raña's postings on "...the role of the military as the ultimate arbiter of political stability. This is rooted in historical precedent, as the military has played decisive roles in events such as the ouster of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in 1986 and Joseph Estrada in 2001... the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is traditionally seen as a guardian of national stability, often stepping in during crises where civilian authority falters."

At this time when the political leadership is led by the corrupt — with very few exceptions — perhaps we need a shogun, a temporary one along the lines of an FVR.

We need the sane people in the military to take control of the situation.

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.