AS the panel of prosecutors rested its case, the nation was looking forward to the defense panel presenting its own witnesses and pieces of evidence to secure a verdict of acquittal for Vice President Sara Duterte. That is, until the prosecution dropped a “bombshell.”
After 39 days of marathon hearings, offers of testimonies of numerous witnesses, and tons of documentary evidence adduced, the prosecution manifested to the impeachment court that it will drop three articles of impeachment against the vice president and retain the one on unexplained wealth. The defense opposed the move in a fierce discourse, saying the manifestation would be unfair and result in the denial of due process to the respondent.
Sadly, however, and after retiring in a corner of the session hall to deliberate, the impeachment court ruled to accept and confirm the prosecution’s manifestation with prejudice.
Public perception
The problem is not about the prosecution’s claim that the move suits public interest and that it is a valid exercise of its prerogative. The concern should not be that the withdrawal is permitted under the rules. The worry should be that the court’s ruling adds to the public perception that the impeachment process continues to progress toward ensuring a conviction.
The lowering, midway into the proceedings, of the threshold number of votes to convict to only 14; the transfer of Sen. Mark Villar and the rumored impending move of Sen. Loren Legarda to the majority bloc further fuel the suspicion. Add to that, Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta, as well as Legarda — all from the minority bloc — are facing nonbailable cases of plunder. Yet, similar charges of plunder against Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Joel Villanueva never advanced from preliminary investigation since they shifted their alliance to the majority.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla quickly rebuts such insinuations. He cited evidence, not political affiliation, as bases in filing cases against those senators. But these developments, when pieced together, tend to create a pattern geared toward eliminating Duterte from the 2028 presidential race.
Fogs of politics
Results of the Sept. 17 to 24 Pulse Asia survey show Duterte leading against former vice president Leni Robredo: 50-percent voter preference to only 26 percent. It also shows Duterte’s 54-percent performance approval and 55-percent trust ratings despite the ongoing impeachment trial and the here-and-there charges before regular courts.
Duterte’s political foes want to eliminate her name from the ballot. The legal way to attain it is to secure a conviction from the impeachment court to perpetually disqualify her from holding any government position. And with her eliminated, it is no longer a question of whether Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte would run as a substitute candidate or not. It is whether his sister’s conviction would translate to a vote for him to be president.
Therefore, the credibility of the impeachment process and the impartiality of the court that will render its decision come judgment day will bear heavily on Duterte’s supporters. Without a verdict that follows a fair trial based on law and evidence, a conviction will appear to be persecution. The strong lead she has over possible other contenders to the presidency may shift to whoever will run for president in her stead.
Duterte-Marcos political divide
While Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations recorded only a “small majority” of adult Filipinos who appreciate and trust Duterte, to garner such a score amid the ongoing impeachment trial cannot be disregarded. While the rating is not indicative of guilt or innocence of the charges against her, it reflects how the individuals surveyed perceive her performance and trustworthiness as leader of the opposition.
Meanwhile, the government’s inability to address the soaring costs of prime commodities and essential services; the spike in the inflation rate to 7.2 percent; and the peso-to-dollar exchange rate reaching P63.10 are likely to trigger a slide in the performance and trust ratings of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. His failure to arrest the ballooning national debt at P19.6 trillion, the still-unresolved plunder of some P1.089 trillion in flood-control funds, and what analysts say is poor governance and incompetent management of geopolitical issues are expected to pull his ratings down.
Amid this political landscape, we Filipinos seem to miss the bigger picture. We have come to this point where we were so politically divided as a people, i.e., between Marcos and Duterte.
When one calls out the government’s failure to govern, the incompetence and inefficiency of its officials, and graft and corruption across various agencies and instrumentalities of government, he or she is labeled as anti-Marcos or a Duterte diehard supporter. When one demands responsibility and accountability in the same areas of governance during the time of former president Rodrigo Duterte, he or she is branded as pro-Marcos or anti-Duterte.
Imagine us attacking each other for demanding from our elected government officials what we rightfully deserve as a people: good governance, promotion of public good, and advancing public welfare. We were so invested in what is fair treatment and truthful account of the Marcoses and the Dutertes that we have missed looking after what is good for our children and for our country.
The choice seems to boil down to only the Marcos family or the Duterte family and their respective political allies.
It is time to look beyond these and other known political dynasties that have lorded over Philippine politics for generations. Political kingpins to this very day, still running for government posts to maintain their hold on power and influence, with patriotism as their battle cry and the welfare of the people as their slogan.
This is not to say these political dynasties have not done any good to the nation, but it is time to elect true public servants who will advance our interests instead of their own. Otherwise, we — and future generations — stand to be the biggest losers.
atty.edarevalo@gmail.com
