By Atty. Farah G. Decano

 

WITH the recent withdrawal of Sara Duterte’s candidacy for Davao City mayor and her resignation from Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), her regional party, one cannot help but anticipate similar theatrics which were originally played out by her father in 2016.  On or before November 15, 2021, she is predicted to run for President.

Will Mayor Sara’s ally, former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr, allow her to just snatch his decades-old dream to return to Malacanang and bring glory to his once dishonored father?  The answer is with former president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (PGMA), who admirably still wields great influence among national and local politicians.

PGMA’s staying power is one for the books.  During the presidency of her successor, President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, she was lambasted by the latter almost mercilessly in many speaking events including State of the Nation Addresses (SONAs).  PGMA took it all in and maintained a dignified silence as she endured all these presidential criticisms.  She stayed quietly in seclusion for almost six years at the Veterans Hospital with intermittent public appearances while carted in a wheel chair and with her neck wrapped in braces.  It was widely believed that her confinement at the hospital was all drama to avoid possible incarceration under the Aquino Administration.  Interestingly, after PNoy’s term, she miraculously recovered, physically attended congressional sessions and rose to become the Speaker of the House.

Looks like the years of demolition against PGMA did not make any dent on her staying power in politics.  And in life.  This diminutive woman is very much alive and remains a respected authority among her colleagues.  And her number one basher, PNoy?  He is dead.  His Liberal Party is hardly breathing and is on life support.  Certainly, she played all her cards right during her darkest moments.

Whom will she support for President? Mayor Sara or former Senator Marcos Jr?

PGMA is obviously more indebted to Mayor Sara than to Senator Marcos Jr.  The tough talking woman mayor was instrumental to PGMA’s return to power by helping her clinch the speakership. By bagging the leadership in the House, the former president proved to the world that she was not yet a political has-been.  She regained a reasonable amount of respect she had lost during her last years as Philippine president and during PNoy’s time. Mayor Sara made this possible even if it went against her own father’s (President Rodrigo Duterte’s) staunch ally, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.  A grateful PGMA should be able to recall this.

Another reason to support Mayor Sara over Senator Marcos Jr is PGMA’s expected loyalty to her father, former President Diosdado Macapagal. It will be a betrayal of her father’s memory to be aligned with the son of an archrival.

To some, however, election is just a game to be won in accordance with present interests.  It has no principles, no memory of gratitude, and no ideological underpinnings.  How PGMA will play her role as an influencer of Mayor Sara and Senator Bongbong is something to look forward to.

The best role that PGMA could do, however, is to rise above this brand of politics and be in the same league as the late Senators Raul Roco and Jovito Salonga.  The latter were able to fashion themselves as unselfish political sages who spoke of truths regardless of who benefitted or got harmed.  If PGMA did a Roco or Salonga, she would, at the very least, indorse several traits of a good president which sadly may not match her present bets’.

I don’t expect PGMA to play the sage this election.  She will remain a power broker.

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments