The editor-in-chief of the Star is all riled up. If you believe what she’s writing then nothing good came out in five years and it’s all been killings, corruption and cronyism. In her piece “The Duterte playbook”, Ana Marie Pamintuan asserts how, following the ascent to power of President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016, the Philippines was characterised by “an orgy of killings”. In short, Pamintuan suggests that it has all been an abbreviated martial rule under a Marcos copycat.
The Opposition is salivating at the internecine goings on inside PDP-Laban. It gives them hope. Pamintuan herself exhibits this in citing “speculation” that “the splintering of PDP-Laban is now just a matter of time,” clearly wishing out loud. But at this point, they have little or no credibility at all given the asininity of the Leni Robredo – Antonio Trillanes dynamic duo. The soldier of rice has been convicted of libel which imperils his candidacy for public office. Just when you think it couldn’t get worse, Robredo states that the reason why the Opposition lost in 2019 is because the students who were supporting them couldn’t vote because they were not 18 yet or did not register to vote! I can’t even scratch my bald head for this latter one because I am still in a state of shock about how stupid she can be. If these are her unscripted thoughts then she shouldn’t even be elected Barangay Captain. They’re more politically-savvy than she will ever be.
Ahead of 1Sambayan’s June 12 event, there is an absence of even an iota of excitement. There is nothing palpable. Not even a faint pulse can be felt among the Opposition’s ranks. If you think about it carefully, not even former President Ferdinand Marcos enjoyed this level of political advantage before martial law. It was only after martial law that Marcos was able to assert his control over the country. But as Pamintuan notes correctly, Duterte is not a lame duck even as he serves the last twelve months of his term. The opening of Congress in July is the last State of the Nation Address (SONA) he will deliver as President. But next year, he may be in attendance as Vice-President. Philippine politics is more riveting than Probinsyano will ever be. There is nothing left to be said but abangan ang susunod na kabanata.
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