‘So this is not just a benign dinner-meeting, even as rumors about an impending coup in the House leadership began to fly before this dinner. It is interesting to follow where these political developments will lead to.’
IN past administrations, members of the House of Representatives and even the Senate were invited to Malacañang Palace whenever the sitting President wanted something important done in their chambers.
The speaker of the House or any senator who enjoys the confidence of the Palace usually acted as organizer or herder. We recall that this was the case when President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was pushing for Charter Change. This was also evident when President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino was trying to influence senators to vote against Chief Justice Renato Corona during his impeachment trial. Sen. Bong Revilla was even brought to the Bahay Pangarap by then Secretary Mar Roxas to discuss the presidential request, which was indelicate and not very presidential.
It is against this backdrop that we view President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent friendly dinner with a big group of congresspersons. Seldom — err, perhaps only once — in their three-year term do these congressmen and congresswomen ever get invited to eat a meal in the Palace.
Secretary Karlo Nograles, Cabinet secretary and acting presidential spokesman, said it was an “informal and relaxed gathering with lawmakers,” many of whom are friends of the President and his colleagues when he was in Congress.
While Nograles did not identify the guests or disclose how many they were, deputy speaker Mikee Romero said Duterte hosted a casual dinner for “over 100 congressmen and congresswomen.” It was an occasion for Duterte to thank the 18th Congress for the legislative support it has given his administration, and for Speaker Lord Allan Velasco to reciprocate with oral gratitude as he cited all the programs Duterte has coursed through the various representatives of the House.
Timing is a major consideration when considering the relevance of this friendly dinner at the Palace. It has been a couple of days since the end of substitution of candidates for the 2022 national elections, and we now have a semi-final list of candidates. We also have major political realignments in the making.
For sure, Duterte is still smarting from his daughter Sara’s preference for Bongbong Marcos rather than his chosen successor, Sen. Bong Go. And so the President had to turn to the congressmen for reiteration of their support, something in the nature of a loyalty check.
The fact that both Speaker Velasco and majority leader Martin Romualdez are backing Inday Sara, and by extension, Marcos, is enough reason for the Digong-Go team to worry.
So this is not just a benign dinner-meeting, even as rumors about an impending coup in the House leadership began to fly before this dinner. It is interesting to follow where these political developments will lead to.
