In the unforgiving arena of Philippine politics, two titanic dynasties – the Marcoses and the Dutertes – find themselves locked in a high-stakes game of brinkmanship. Like a powder keg poised to ignite, their feud is a chilling embodiment of mutual assured destruction (MAD), where each move seems calibrated to ensure that if one falls, the other does too.
What began as a tenuous alliance has devolved into an open battle, marked by fiery threats, unprecedented power plays, and an escalating arms race of influence. At the heart of this political inferno lies a question that looms large: In a fight where no victor emerges unscathed, who stands to lose the most – and at what cost to the Filipino people?
In The Line of Fire from Within
That’s the title of my June 28, 2022, ATABAY article, and it now seems more foreboding than ever. More than two years ago, I predicted simmering tensions leading to what can only be described as a MAD state between two most prominent political dynasties. Recent developments have brought this conflict into explosive declarations that reverberate through the halls of power.
Vice President Sara Duterte’s incendiary remarks made headlines:
“I have talked to a person and I said, if I get killed, go kill BBM [President Bongbong Marcos], [First Lady] Liza Araneta, and [Speaker] Martin Romualdez. No joke. No joke. I said, do not stop until you kill them, and he said yes.”
President Bongbong Marcos (PBBM) responded with equal fervor:
“The statements we heard in the previous days were troubling. There is the reckless use of profanities and threats to kill some of us. I will fight them.”
The gravity of these exchanges cannot be overstated. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin condemned Duterte’s rhetoric, saying, “No motive is more selfish than calling for a sitting president to be overthrown so that your daughter can take over.”
The drift of this pointed criticism was echoed in an Inquirer headline, years back -- Guarding Sara: Why Next VP Is Getting Own Security Team. Behind such a controversy lies a deeper, more troubling narrative.
Sara’s Unprecedented Security Detail: A Prelude to 2028?
The Vice-Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG), established to ensure Sara Duterte’s safety and that of her family, is unprecedented in scope and scale. With over 400 personnel then at its disposal – outstripping the security contingents of both the late Queen Elizabeth II and the Pope – this measure suggests more than mere prudence. It reflects an undercurrent of escalating tension and preparation for future political battles.
Consider this: If the VPSPG’s purpose is to safeguard against “strained relations” between the President and Vice President, then its existence alone acknowledges the volatile political fault lines between Marcos and Duterte. It is a stark reminder that in Philippine politics, perception often supersedes reality – a sentiment encapsulated in Imelda Marcos’ famous line from The Kingmaker: Perception is real.
This typical netizen’s comment following the UniTeam split speaks volumes: “It looks like PBBM has silent enemies in sheep’s clothing. The president must be wise as a serpent but harmless as a dove.”
The Dutertes’ Political Blueprint: The Davao Model
At the heart of the Marcos-Duterte rift lies a recurring theme: the Dutertes’ dynastic playbook. Dubbed the Davao Model, this political strategy ensures a seamless handover of power within the family. For over three decades, the Dutertes have held sway over Davao City, with Sara Duterte repeatedly stepping into mayoralty roles vacated by her father, Rodrigo Duterte.
As Vice President, Sara Duterte’s aspirations for 2028 come into focus, the Davao Model looms large. The pattern is clear: just as Rodrigo Duterte had relinquished time after time his mayorship to Sara, so too, did he deem the same with his presidency. Sara was expected to follow suit and ascend.
But her decision to run as Vice President under Bongbong Marcos’ ticket instead of gunning for the presidency in 2022 reportedly left her father devastated – a deviation from the Davao Model script that now fuels his efforts to secure her political future at all costs.
Great and Evil Lengths: Duterte’s Endgame
Executive Secretary Bersamin’s condemnation of Duterte’s actions as great and evil lengths to install his daughter as president cannot be dismissed lightly. Reports of Duterte urging the military to abandon its oath in favor of personal loyalty to him underscore the gravity of this political saga.
This question resonates deeply: Could Duterte’s move of having doubled the base pay of military and uniformed personnel (MUPs) – a tip-off from former President Fidel Ramos to endear Duterte to the armed forces – be the decisive factor in this epic feud? With pension and retirement benefits of MUPs ballooning to unsustainable levels, the seeds of this conflict may have already been sown, waiting to bear fruit at the most opportune moment.
On the flipside, could the gist of one general’s words mentioned by Jarius Bondoc in his Philstar column, carry the day to the bitter end? Wag tayo makialam, away ‘yan ng dalawang magnanakaw.
A Nation Caught in the Crossfire
The Marcos-Duterte feud is no longer confined to whispers in the corridors of power; it is an open and combustible conflict, threatening to destabilize the nation. This political rivalry – fueled by dynastic egos, irreconcilable ambitions, and a looming sense of betrayal – has far-reaching implications. The stakes are immense: the balance of power within the Philippines and the nation’s political trajectory as the 2028 presidential race looms large.
As the tension escalates, the feud takes on the chilling essence of mutual assured destruction. In the words of Winston Churchill: Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival. For the Marcoses and the Dutertes, this clash may promise no true victors – only the specter of mutual ruin. Yet, it is the Filipino people who risk bearing the brunt of this epic fallout.
What remains to be seen is whether the nation can withstand the storm brewing between its most powerful political titans. In a fight where the endgame is uncertain and the stakes could not be higher, the question lingers: will this rivalry deliver transformative change or lead the Philippines further into political peril?
Content & editing put together in collaboration with ChatGPT
Head collage photos courtesy of Canva, Asia Media Centre, New York Post, Wikipedia, & Engage Media
Still photos courtesy of The Filipino American Post, Get Real Post, AP, & Reuters
No comments:
Post a Comment