ADMINISTRATION lawmakers yesterday slammed what they called as a “politics of division” strategy after former president Rodrigo Duterte accused Speaker Martin Romualdez of attacking his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte for being perceived as a “good” presidential candidate in 2028.
“Ang bansa muna ang unahin natin bago ang ating mga pulitikal na interes. Malayo pa po ang eleksyon. ‘Yung kapakanan muna ng mga kababayan natin ang atupagin natin (Let’s prioritize the country before our own political interests. The election is still far. Let’s first work for the benefit of the people),” said Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel who is a party mate of the ex-president in the former ruling party PDP-Laban.
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, president of the NUP, which is the second largest political party in Congress, decried the “crass, divisive politics perpetrated by some quarters at a time when the country faces yet another threat of high oil prices and its ripple effects on the economy.”
Pimentel said all sectors should take advantage of the rare opportunity of having a President and a Vice President under one coalition “instead of trying to drive a wedge between President Bongbong Marcos (Jr.) and VP Sara Duterte who have succeeded in working together in bringing back the nation on the path of robust economic growth.”
He said the opportunity stems from the fact that for the first time in 18 years, both the President and the Vice President ran and won under the same coalition, “which means the government would be able to work in unison in fulfilling their joint agenda for economic renewal and long-term growth.”
Marcos and VP Duterte ran and won under the UniTeam ticket in the 2022 national elections, vowing to unite the country and uplift the lives of Filipinos.
The elder Duterte on Tuesday night accused Romualdez, who is a first cousin of President Marcos, of working to discredit his daughter after lawmakers stripped the Office of the Vice President (OVP) of its proposed P500 million confidential funds under the P5.768 proposed national budget for 2024.
He said that since Romualdez supposedly wants to seek the presidency in the next national elections, “he filled the bellies of House members.”
He even accused the House of having its own confidential funds following social media posts that the lower house allegedly has a P1.6 billion in CF item under this year’s P5.268 trillion national budget, an allegation which members of the House committee on appropriations led by its chair, Rep. Zaldy Co (PL, Ako Bicol) and senior vice chair, Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo have already proven to be false.
Pimentel defended the Speaker from the ex-president’s tirade, saying that “when his detractors spoke ill of him, he (Romualdez) did not stoop down to their level.”
“He showed strength of character and a high degree of professionalism by ignoring their unfounded allegations and focusing instead on making the House a highly respected and productive institution on his watch,” he said.
Pimentel said the people should rally behind the administration now that “dissatisfied sectors have started to resort to baseless allegations in a futile attempt to discredit the President and his allies.”
The row between the Vice President and the Speaker, who was her campaign manager during the 2022 elections, first came to light after the younger Duterte resigned from the ruling Lakas-CMD, denouncing what she described as the “political toxicity” and “political power play” in the lower house when her close ally former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo was ousted as Senior Deputy Speaker for allegedly plotting a coup against Romualdez, the president of Lakas.
Since then, the Vice President began making derogatory remarks believed to be aimed at Romualdez, who decided to keep mum.
The two, however, were perceived to have already patched things up after they were seen walking arm in arm during the President’s sendoff to Malaysia last July.
‘LOWEST FORM’
Villafuerte said the last thing the country needs right now is “for crass, divisive politics distracting us from the possible problems that could arise from this brewing crisis (Israel-Palestine conflict), particularly its effect on fuel prices.”
He called on perpetrators of this “kind of politics at its lowest form” to back off and assist the government instead in providing solutions that would support the country’s economic renewal.
“Sa halip na gumawa ng mga imbentong kwento, magtulungan na lang tayo. Lahat naman tayo ay apektado dito. Tapos na ang panahon ng mga siraan, mga alegasyon na walang basehan at haka-haka lamang. Pagkakaisa ang tamang paraan para malunasan natin ang mga problemang kinakaharap ng ating bansa (Instead of concocting stories, let’s help each other. We’re all affected here. The time for smear campaigns, baseless allegations and speculations has passed. Unity is the right way to resolve our country’s problems),” Villafuerte said.
He pointed out that external factors beyond the control of any government, such as the increase in oil prices in the world market, have contributed in large part to the elevated inflation rate.
Villafuerte also said that the President’s unity strategy has paid off, with his administration able to recruit highly qualified officials to his Cabinet from diverse political backgrounds and affiliations.
“But despite this, the President has already been unfairly pummeled, barely one-and-a-half years into his term, by irresponsible quarters whose primary goal is to protect their political interests. This behavior is repugnant and should be rejected by all Filipinos who aspire for true unity and prosperity for our country,” he said.
DEATH THREATS
Meanwhile, Rep. Arlene Brosas (PL, Gabriela) condemned the death threats made by the former president against members of the Makabayan bloc, particularly Rep. France Castro (PL, ACT).
In defending his daughter ‘s request for confidential funds, the former president said Castro is the target of the secret funds and that he wants to kill her and all groups he branded as communists.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the death threats made by former President Duterte.
Threatening the lives of elected representatives is a blatant violation and a dangerous attack on the rights of individuals who are merely pushing for transparency and accountability in government spending,” said Brosas.
Brosas said the Makabayan bloc is taking the threats seriously, “especially with his (Duterte) administration’s bloody legacy of extrajudicial killings and political persecution.”
Brosas said that the bloating of the budget for CIFs started during the administration of President Duterte, where he funneled P4.5 billion in “confidential” or “intelligence” funds into the Office of the President.
“It is no surprising that former President Duterte, who was best known for being misogynistic and violent, would issue death threats against progressive lawmakers in defense of Vice President Sara Duterte as he and his daughter seemed to share the same obsession on confidential funds,” added Brosas.
Since the former president no longer has immunity, Brosas called on authorities to take these threats seriously and ensure the safety and security of all elected representatives.
“We will not be silenced by threats and intimidation. We will continue to advocate for government transparency and the abolition of confidential funds. We in the Makabayan bloc are also looking into possible legal actions against him,” she said.
