It had been expected since last year, but the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte finally came like a thief in the night Wednesday morning.
What President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had tried – unsuccessfully – to do, disavow any interest and involvement in the impeachment of the one who almost single-handedly carried him to victory in 2022, was finally confirmed when his eldest son, Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, top-billed the impeachment complaint.
The Iglesia Ni Cristo gave BBM the benefit of the doubt when it expressed support for him in a massive anti-impeachment rally that sent shivers down the spine of the Marcos strategists. Any doubt that the VP’s impeachment will be met by massive resistance vanished into thin air.
This explains why Speaker Martin Romualdez dilly-dallied even when it was becoming obvious that the impeachment was the last card he was left holding in the game of his life to succeed his first degree cousin. The massive and shameless vote-buying masquerading as pay-outs to beneficiaries handpicked by his political allies has come under increasing scrutiny. It would only be a matter of time before the faucet will be shut – voluntarily or otherwise.
Elsewhere, the picture looked just as grim. The bloated budget has come under fire not only by critics but also by the Makati Business Club, the bastion of conservative trade in the country. Former Finance Secretary Ramon del Rosario Jr. even openly called on top financial executives to speak out against what he described as financial misallocations in this year’s budget.
By the time Atty. Vic Rodriguez and Cong. Isidro Ungab challenged the budget in the Supreme Court, the 2025 budget had become too hot to handle. BBM and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin’s changing narratives betrays Malacañang’s virtual admission that something is terribly wrong with it.
It did not help that SMNI was able to draw out that damning reply from BBM on Rodriguez’ challenge for him to take a hair follicle drug test to settle the issue of his drug habit once and for all. It was a thunderbolt so shattering that even the mainstream media could no longer afford to ignore it. GMA in fact played it up in the debate that made Rodriguez a winner even before he could utter a word.
With the temperatures rising in the Palace and both chambers of Congress, it became increasingly clear that the impeachment is just a matter of time. It was the only issue capable of diverting attention away from the negative publicity the Marcos administration has no way of defending.
VP Inday poured fuel to the fire with her pronouncement that she was seriously considering running in the 2028 presidential election.
What was probably the biggest blunder was the hearing called by TriComm supposedly to address fake news, disinformation and trolls. It was obviously a last-ditch attempt to intimidate administration critics and anti-Marcos bloggers and influencers. Instead of putting themselves at the mercy of solons who were smarting from biting commentaries and exposes against them, at least 37 of the 40 invited by the Tricomm instead went to the Supreme Court.
It was time to throw in the last card.
Romualdez made sure everyone was on board. If the ship went down, nobody was allowed to board any life raft. Everybody who dipped their hands into the cookie jar must sign, including the Presidential son and all administration allies. If VP Sara survives, she won’t have to deal with turncoats.
The Marcoses made probably the most amazing political comebacks in the world. BBM made it with the help of VP Inday who went against the wishes of her father because she didn’t want to be president, then. Now pushed against the wall with no hope of being left alone by a paranoid administration that wants to perpetuate itself in power, she is left with no recourse not only to fight the impeachment but to fight for her life – politically and physically.
Sun-tzu’s brilliant writing in “The Art of War” would seem like it was meant for her at this particular time.
“However desperate the situation and circumstances, don’t despair. When there is everything to fear, be unafraid. When surrounded by dangers, fear none of them. When without resources, depend on resourcefulness. When surprised, take the enemy by surprise,” he wrote in circa 4 BC.
Will VP Inday spring a surprise? That is best answered by a question: can she defy destiny?
