The recent indirect public attacks of Senator Imee Marcos against her cousin House Speaker Martin Romualdez and his brother President Bongbong Marcos is a classic example of what the first African-American Senator Carol Moseley-Braun said that in politics there are no permanent friends or enemies, just permanent interests. In our country of course, this has been modified as politics has become a family affair which could include the father and the mother and extend up to the second or even third degree of consanguinity. To say that it is an affair would even do injustice to the current Philippine set-up as it has already become an organized business. Thus, Senator Imee suddenly attacking her cousin or her brother is already a normal affair.
It could be two faceted though. Politics is and will always be like a two bladed knife. While at best the acidic words of Senator Imee could be best viewed as an attempt to convince his brother Bongbong to let go of Romualdez and instead honor whatever agreements the president and Vice President Sara Duterte had during campaign that could eventually benefit her as a probable vice presidential team mate for Sara, we must also remember that blood is thicker than water. It could be a ploy of the Marcoses to weaken and crush the structure of the Dutertes who are now at the lower end of the playing field.
It’s just hard to imagine that after struggling for decades to return and regain power and attempt to polish the very negative images of the Marcoses, Imee and Bongbong would simply allow personal ambitions and interests to destroy their desire to stay in power. But of course, it is merely a personal reading. Experience often suggests that those who have nowhere to go and run are prone to making desperate actions just to get to where they want to go. With Romualdez as the standard bearer, Imee as vice president is not a sound political judgement.
We also have to take into consideration the fact that former President Rodrigo Duterte came to power without allies and friends. Granting that the bickering within the family circle of the president is merely a ploy with Imee as merely an actor would negate the fact that Duterte is an astute political strategist. The recent tirades of Digong that calls all Mindanaonons to create a “separate and independent Mindanao” places Imee in an uncomfortable place. It’s a clear act of inciting sedition. Will she now openly call her supporters not to support that call of the former president? By doing so, she will be tempering her tirades and at the same time place herself alongside her brother and cousin.
In the meantime, Speaker Romualdez has been showing a lot of character in his response to the tirades of his cousin Imee. Instead of reacting, he responded that he understands the emotions of the senator and says that it’s a normal thing. He merely called on Imee and other people who don’t subscribe to the idea of amending the Constitution by way of the People’s Initiative and other contentious issues not to resort to insults and mud slinging as it will not help resolve problems. He instead suggested a continuous dialogue among the involved with him in order to hear both sides. By his actions alone, Imee is immediately reduced to the lower or even lowest form exposing her brat tendencies and attitude.
We can expect more fireworks in the meantime especially now that Duterte has already felt the movement of the International Criminal Court or ICC and Vice President Sara Duterte, still holding on to a popular position over Romualdez.
