'Cracks in admin expected, but better to debate issues than fight for position'
MANILA, Philippines — Makabayan bloc lawmakers said that tensions in the ruling coalition could hint at cracks within the UniTeam that dominated national elections last year, saying as well that lawmakers' energies would be better spent on debating policy.
They said the alliance of major parties and political clans was tentative from the start.
“When an alliance is not based on principles or platform, the alliance will really be fragile, to begin with and won’t last for a long time,” Rep. Raoul Manuel (Kabataan party-list) said.
Manuel added that it would have been better for constituents to see leaders “argue about their stances on the country’s issues" than a power grab over government posts that only benefit "the vested interests of the few."
He added: "The people would appreciate it if their elected officials would rather spend time debating among each other to eventually pass well-thought-out legislation on urgent matters like wage increases, affordable and reliable electricity, and others."
READ: Duterte leaves Lakas-CMD, tells political leaders to focus on work
Early split possible
Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers party-list) said that seeming tension between Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who is President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s cousin, could lead to an “early” split in the alliance led by Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte.
Arroyo has reaffirmed her support for Marcos and Romualdez . Duterte has meanwhile announced her departure from the Romualdez-led Lakas-CMD party, where Arroyo is president emerita.
“Marcos should be careful and not let his guard down, especially after making Vice President Sara Duterte co-chairperson of the NTF-ELCAC,” Castro said in Filipino.
“We know who the military is loyal to — it’s still the Dutertes. These are strategic positions that the Marcos administration should see,” she added.
The administration’s ruling coalition are also held up by temporary bedfellows who did not team up based on shared principles, Rep. Raoul Manuel (Kabataan Partylist) said.
Duterte on Friday hinted at “political toxicity” that led to, among others, the demotion of close ally Macapagal-Arroyo from senior deputy speaker to deputy speaker at the House.
Macapagal-Arroyo issued a lengthy statement late Thursday denying that she maintains aspirations to takeover Romualdez' post as House speaker -- a position she previously held in the 17th Congress.
Meanwhile, leaders of at least five major parties — Lakas-CMD, PDP-Laban, Nacionalista Party, Nationalist People's Coalition and National Unity Party — have released their own statements to declare their support for Romualdez, who has yet to publicly speak on the perceived row.
Political science analyst Arjan Aguirre noted that escalated tensions at the lower chamber and in major political parties come just days before the president is set to appoint new Cabinet members.
"We can suspect here that people are not happy with the new Cabinet composition and that they are now at each others' throats," he said.
Political science professor Cleve Arguelles meanwhile said Duterte's breakaway from Lakas-CMD — a move that appears to signal that she is with her political mentor Arroyo — is "making it clear she isn't happy with how the Speaker humiliated [former President Arroyo]."
'Tensions were there even before demotion'
Rep. Arlene Brosas (Gabriela Women’s Party) also said that tensions between the apparent Duterte-Arroyo and Marcos factions have been brewing before Macapagal-Arroyo was demoted from the second highest post in the lower chamber.
Brosas pointed out that the House has recently been scrutinizing possible revisions to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA) — an “Arroyo-era” measure.
She also said that Arroyo deviated from the Marcos administration’s position on Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s "war on drugs" when she filed a House resolution to declare an “unequivocal defense” of the former chief executive.
Marcos Jr. has acknowledged that “abuses” did happen during the course of the “war on drugs” waged by his predecessor, who “focused very much on enforcement.” He has stood firm however on the Philippine position that the International Criminal Court does not have jurisdiction over potential abuses in anti-drug operations and that domestic processes for accountability have been working.
“There are things taking place now that need careful scrutiny. What is happening inside the ruling parties? And with whom are the coalitions positioning?” Brosas added.
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