Photo courtesy: Senator Bong Go facebook page
The die is cast. Former President Rodrigo R. Duterte was arrested and flown quickly to the Hague, Netherlands and locked up by the International Criminal Court. A sinister plot to abduct him was hatched by government officials in the highest echelon of power, one of them , the DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla was in a celebratory mode, he recited the names of their exclusive circle who hijacked Duterte.
Duterte is charged for the crimes against humanity in the course of his campaign against druglords and their tentacles nationwide. The Social Weather Station last week came out with a survey which showed that 51% of Filipinos agree that Duterte be tried. This against the backdrop of the huge crowd of people, not only in the Philippines but all over the world, that poured out to the streets to protest the government’s principal role in the arrest of the country’s most popular and trusted President. And the demand that Duterte be brought home quickly, safe and sound.
Which leads me to ask:
– What if Duterte did not wage war against the drug syndicates? Will not the Philippines be a narco state? Will the dingy streets of Metro Manila be safe to walk at night? Government data showed that a total of 853 shabu laboratories where dismantled during the drug campaign of Duterte government. A total of 1.7-million drug personalities surrendered and underwent rehab. ICC charge sheet states 43 were killed during the anti drug campaign.
– What if Duterte will be convicted or in the course of the rigorous trial die? Remember he is old and frail. If today the avid Duterte supporters have sustained prayer rallies, the candles might likely be snuffed off and I cannot imagine the consequence.
– What if he is acquitted? He will come home to a hero’s welcome. I do not think he will seek revenge. He will continue governing Davao City as he, for certain, will win big in the coming elections.
– What if VP Inday Sara runs for President in 2028? She will surely win by super-majority. Will it be the end of the political career of Speaker Martin Romualdez and of the Marcoses?
What if the Senate continue with the impeachment trial? The answer goes back from where we started. PDP-Laban Senate slate is bound to win seats on account of the incarceration of FPRRD. It will now be up to the electorates to determine the future come May 12, 2025 midterm elections.
The conviction of an impeached official is a political numbers game. It needs 16 senator judges to do that. What if VP Sara will be convicted and therefore will not be able to run in public office? Will the cousins Marcos and Romualdez continue to reign?
God bless the Philippines.
