POWER STRUGGLE: DUTERTES AND MARCOSES IN POLITICAL CHESS GAME

 

“Mr. President, kung wala kay gugma og wala kay aspiration sa imong nasod, resign!” – Sebastian Duterte, Davao City mayor

This is a heavy article. Let’s kick off with light-hearted humor from The Simpsons.

Homer: I don’t get it. Why do I have to resign?

Bart: Dad, you’re in checkmate. You can’t make any more moves.

Homer: But I don’t want to resign. I want to keep playing.

Lisa: Dad, you have to resign. It’s the rules of the game.

Homer: Fine. I resign. But I’m not happy about it.

Marge: Homer, it’s just a game. Don’t take it so seriously.

Homer: I know, I know. But I hate losing.

Power. If I may add the last word to Homer’s last line to round off the essence of the word Resign.

Mayor Duterte’s “explosive” line above was precisely calculated and declared publicly at exactly 24:23 of the 26-minute-long speech. It smacks off the crucial buzzer-beater shot in the last two minutes of the game by Laker LeBron James swishing two clutch free throws to take back the lead, and beat, 145-144, in double overtime, Steph Curry’s Warriors in a frantic finish to the highly-watched rivalry in the NBA.

To the ongoing political circus, I just gave above my best shot by adding flesh-and-blood motions to Philstar Iris Gonzales’ on-the-edge-of-your-seat prose: “Bring out the popcorn and snuggle down in your favorite seat and watch with bated breath as our dirty political landscape unravels.”

“Explosive” is the word I adapted from the message of Vyze, my nephew, who first broke the scoop to me around midnight. His chat room message suddenly popped up on my computer screen with the action-packed banner of his posted video clip: Unity team breakdown is exploding – SMNI Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa live. (Just wondering. I read a few days ago the headline “MTRCB rejects SMNI appeals on suspension/ANC.” Was the suspension already lifted?)

Right there and then, I went on watching and listening to the whole Davao City candlelight prayer speech of Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (FPRRD) on YouTube. (For sure, the breaking of news at warp speed through the internet is leaving in the dust the typical mechanism of mainstream media in handling scoops. No wonder, major news outlets, like CNN Philippines, have been going out of business.) FPRRD’s speech, no ifs ands or buts, was explosive as revealed by the following transcribed excerpts:

FPRRD: MAY DRUG ADDICT TAYONG PRESIDENTE

“Noong ako ay Mayor, pinakitaan ako ng evidence ng PDEA. Doon sa listahan, nandoon yong pangalan mo. Ayaw kong sabihin iyan, kasi magkaibigan tayo. Hindi man magkaibigan, magkakilala. Ikaw e, pumapasok kayo ng alanganin. Mr. President, baka susunod ka sa dinaanan ng tatay mo. Diyan ako takot. Ayaw kong mangyari sa iyo yan. Pabor lang, ako lang nagmamakaawa kasi it will divide the nation. Kasi madugo itong panahong ito.”

“Alam ninyo, kung magkalitse-litse ang buhay na ito, sabihin ko sa military, sarhan nyo ang Congress. Magastos. Nagbabayad tayo. Nag-usik-usik sa kwarta.”

“Pagkaganoon magkahiwalay-hiwalay na tayo. Magdeklara na lang tayo ng independence.”

“Pagpinilit mo ito [Public Initiative], lalabas ka ng Malakanyang kagaya noong panahon na pinalayas kayo.”

“Kung babalik ako, aarestuhin ko kayong [congressmen] lahat for swindling the Filipino people [with Public Intiative].”

“Si Bongbong Marcos, bangag noon, ngayong presidente na. Bangag ang ating presidente. May drug addict tayong presidente…Mabuti na lang wala ako sa pwesto baka kasali ka pa.”

“Mga military, maawa kayo sa bayan, kung hindi namin kaya, gawin na ninyo. Kawawa ang Pilipinas.”

“Ngayon, makinig kayong mga military. Gusto ninyo iwasan ang dugo? Kayo lang ang makapigil nito. P***** I**! Pigilan nyo yang kalukuhang iyan.”

“I am calling now the Armed Forces and the PNP. Protect the Constitution. Trabaho ninyo yan. Huwag ninyong kalimutan, you should worry about the nation, the millions of Filipinos. Wag kayong mag-isip ng isa lang na pamilya. P***** I**! Ilagay nyo sa utak yan. Bahala kayo.”

“By a stroke of faith, babalik ako dyan sa Malakanyang. Kayong lahat, kagaya ng Martial Law ng tatay mo Bongbong, kayong lahat, congressmen, doon kayo sa Crame. Ipasok ko kayo ng dalawang taon, para leksyon ninyo.”

“The real purpose of the constitutional changes through People Initiative is really to perpetuate those who are in power.”

“Kung patayin nila ako, paputukin ang eroplano, wala na tayong magawa. Kung sino? Alam mo na kung sino. Yong sa Malakanyang. Yon ang arestuhin ninyo. Sila ang nag-umpisa ng kaguluhang ito.”

PBBM: IT’S FENTANYL

Bringing into play the common strategy of counter-attacking one’s accuser’s credibility in dealing with FPRRD’s “drug addict” alleged accusation, PBBM reacted:

“Well, I think it’s the fentanyl. Fentanyl is the strongest painkiller that we could buy. It is highly addictive and it has very serious side effects. FPRRD has been taking the drug for a very long time now. When was the last time he told us that he was taking fentanyl? Five or six years. Something like that. After 5 or 6 years it has to affect… kaya nga palagay ko kaya nagkakaganyan. I hope his doctor will take better care of him. Hindi pinababayaan itong mga ganitong problema.”

Lately, vehemently denying that BBM is on its watchlist, PDEA statement bannered: “PDEA says Marcos never included on gov’t drug watch list.” (Philippine Star)

Time will tell, whether or not PBBM’s strategy will do the trick in casting doubt on the reliability of FPRRD’s accusation. He is a lawyer and knows full well the impact of hard evidence in a case. Lest we forget, he was president with PDEA under his clutches for six years in his war on drugs. He still could be hiding an ace up his sleeve.

GEOPOLITICAL CHESS GAME

At this juncture, let’s shift away our focus from the King pieces – King FPRRD and King PBBM -- as we zoom out to observe the hands of the players maneuvering the match on the geopolitical chessboard – the US and China.

Much like in a high-stakes chess game, the political clash between the pro-China FPRRD and the pro-US PBBM mirrors the tension between two formidable opponents. Such a clash holds the potential to escalate into a war between the US and China, particularly in the contested waters of the South China Sea. Should the FPRRD-PBBM tensions mount and the situation deteriorates further, the specter of violence or instability looms large, threatening to draw both superpowers into the fray, either through direct intervention or subtle maneuvers to protect their respective interests and allies.

As the game unfolds, a scenario fraught with peril emerges, resembling a sudden checkmate on the political chessboard. Picture this: amid the clash between FPRRD and PBBM, a wildcard emerges, disrupting the delicate balance of power. This unforeseen twist, like a surprising knight’s move, could take the form of a coup, fundamentally altering the political landscape and sending shockwaves across the board.

Caught off guard and scrambling to reassess their positions, both the US and China find themselves in a precarious position, much like pieces suddenly threatened by an unexpected attack. This new development throws their carefully laid plans into disarray, forcing them to adapt and strategize on the fly. The South China Sea, once a focal point of their power play, now transforms into an unpredictable battleground, where every move carries significant consequences.

In this geopolitical chess match, the US and China find themselves locked in a tense standoff, each move carrying the weight of global implications. As the game continues to unfold, the world watches with bated breath, aware that the outcome of this match will shape the course of global relations for years to come.

Phew! Let’s ease up a bit by wrapping up this weighty article with a corny one-liner.

Why did the chess player go to the bank? To check his mate. End of story.

Content put together in collaboration with ChatGPT

Head collage photos courtesy of Getty Images, Vecteezy, and Boom play

Video clips courtesy of YouTube