‘This is how Philippines politics and its principal actors behave, and if they tell you this is good for democracy and you’re wont to believe it, you have another think coming.’
THE political fight among candidates seeking the highest office of the country has begun with a spat between two so-called opposition candidates — Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Vice President Leni Robredo.
Moreno has called out the Vice President on her oft-repeated appeals for all political leaders opposing President Duterte to unite. Mrs. Robredo believes — and rightly so — that the opposition has a better chance of beating whoever is Duterte’s anointed candidate if they stand united. This means, however, that they will just support one candidate in the presidential race.
Isko Moreno retorted with an acerbic statement thus: “You cannot talk of unity, you yourself, hindi mo nga ma-unify ang sarili mo. You’re not even proud of your party. Oh my God. How can you… kung kaya mong iwanan ang mga kasama mo, paano pa kaya kaming mga 110 million Filipinos?”
Moreno was clearly referring to Robredo’s running as an independent candidate instead of under the Liberal Party of which she is chairperson, and adopting pink as the color of her campaign, presumably in an effort to distance herself from the yellows who are now perceived to lose their influence with the death of former president PNoy Aquino.
The camp of the Vice President was reportedly surprised at the mayor’s tirades, and said Robredo only had respect for Moreno — the reason she did not divulge details of her unity talks with him, and Senators Emmanuel Pacquiao and Panfilo Lacson.
Vice President Robredo’s group also displayed a modicum of civility by not throwing shade on Moreno on the matter of party junking. Remember that Moreno resigned from his political party (was it the NUP?) to join Aksyon Demokratiko, explaining that it was because his party was committed to support another candidate.
This quarrel between Moreno and Robredo is just the opening salvo of even serious comments, accusations and counter-accusations among candidates in the coming weeks leading to the elections in May 2022.
This is how Philippines politics and its principal actors behave, and if they tell you this is good for democracy and you’re wont to believe it, you have another think coming.
