By Atty. Howie Calleja
The acceptance by President Duterte to run as VP under PDP Laban (Cusi Faction) confirms the GO-DUTERTE tandem. The statements by Roque and Nograles to the effect that the tandem will back down if Mayor Sara runs for President (which by the way was criticized by Mayor Sara by saying that she should not be dragged into this issue) prove that this is but another Political Zarzuela created to manipulate the imagination of the voting public.
Obviously, the cracks in the Duterte administration are bigger than what they are trying to cover up. The cracks started with speaker Alvarez leaving the administration group which was then followed by Cayetano and now Sen. Pacquiao. Of course, many more followed these three avid and influential Duterte supporters for the last five years; and clearly, the slowly dwindling approval rating of the Duterte machinery is a sign that it is not as strong as it was in 2016.
This SARA-BONG-RODRIGO romcom is a political show no one is laughing to. It is a Zarzuela no fair-minded Filipino will watch this time around. Sara supporters would say that this is proof that the daughter is different and independent from the father. However, if we look closely this is just a political subterfuge.
Firstly, all Sara Supporters are undoubtedly loyal to President Duterte. They supported, enabled and even had a hand in various Duterte Initiatives which include the bloody EJK, the surrender of the West Phil Sea to China, the rampant corruption, the increased national debt and of course, our failed economy vis-à-vis our failed pandemic response.
Secondly, a DUTERTE-DUTERTE ticket is not new. We saw this in Davao. Did it change any crucial public policy in Davao? Did it create school buildings and hospitals? Did it bring lesser EJKs? Did it lessen graft and corruption? Did it end illegal drugs? Everything is simply a mirror image of the Father. So on a national scale, how would you expect again things to be different?
Thirdly, will a SARA-GO presidency prosecute all Duterte cronies and hold Duterte himself accountable for all domestic and international liabilities? Again, the answer is a resounding NO. The only way for all those who created all these blunders to be held responsible is for a new government to set things in motion.
Fourthly, will the China pivot change under a SARA-GO administration? I can surely guarantee you nothing will change; and even worse I see much stronger ties with the Chinese regime under this unholy tandem. So we can “kiss goodbye” any “concrete and strong” initiative to reassert our claim in our West Philippine Sea.
Finally, will the corruption stop? Well, heads will surely change but it will be the same “modus” from one Davao Group to another. All this “Tanging Yaman” drama we are now seeing from this DUTERTE-GO-DUTERTE Zarzuela is nothing but a GRAND PR Stunt to distance a campaign from this failed administration. But don’t be fooled they are all part of one Davao Group that would like to regain power and seek havoc again for the next six years. It is simply a move to sugar-coat the transfer of power from One Family Member to Another. It all boils down to a fight and lust for power and money of one political dynasty at the expense of the Filipino nation.
Enough is enough with this political Zarzuela because in “real life” many Filipinos are suffering and dying. The carnage must stop. The Philippines is not about one family and their capriciousness — it’s about all Filipino Families. We saw that in 1986, we booted out the Marcos dictator and his family; so in 2022 let our voices be heard and reject the Duterte family and make all Filipino Families win.
To be clear it is not politics that is splitting up the Duterte family (wink … wink), it is greed and power on who takes on the spoils after President Duterte steps down from office. It is about retaining the wealth and fiefdom in this dynastic and despotic rule. Let us make this election about the Filipino people. It is not about the Duterte family, it should be about the Filipino people and the Filipino family.