Que Sara, Sara

Oh, Sara. Must you telegraph everything you’re doing?

This must be a defining difference between the two dynastic giants in our political landscape. The Dutertes like opening their mouths, spewing ideas, maybe profanities, some musings and inanities, never mind the content. They allow the press unfettered access, probably enjoying the sight of reporters looking for the useful nuggets that have been spewed along with the rest.

Such was evident the past week, when she said a hitman would be activated if she was assassinated. The targets are the president, his wife Liza, and his cousin, Martin Romualdez.

As the mad scramble for news paydirt unfolded, Sara backtracked, clarifying it wasn’t an “active threat”, and that it had been maliciously taken out of “logical context”. Well, if it isn’t an “active” threat, that means it’s a passive threat, but a threat nonetheless. I hope that’s logical enough for her advisers.

Let’s leave the legal implications of what she said to the experts. Meanwhile, it’s more interesting to mull over why she would blab to the world about assassination plots. She should have just left it in her will, an open letter, perhaps. Although from her point of view, reading the will upon her demise might have been no fun for her, being dead and all. Was it a not-so-veiled message? A warning? A promise?

This balloon-floating technique is probably a logical offshoot of how comfortable the Duterte family is with social media. We did see ghastly influencers and slobbering trolls latch on to them during their steady march to power, and Sara, who belongs to a younger generation, is immersed in the digital age. There’s no discomfort, therefore, in venting in public, in letting media and ordinary citizens gain front row seats to her life, and in sharing kill plots, fantasies and inner fears. We’re still waiting for the romantic tell-all, though.

True to form, Sara had no qualms theorizing that she was going to be targeted by the latest anti-terrorism bill that her family, ironically, championed. She’s already letting everyone know she expects her passport cancelled, her bank accounts frozen and, perhaps, her assets seized. This tactic, same as when she announced her fear of being assassinated, was perhaps intended to forestall any such move being made against her. And if this came to pass, she could then step up to the podium and say “See? I told you so”.

Such a distinct contrast to the Marcos-Romualdez clan, whose moves are undoubtedly plotted behind already-murky scenes. We never know what’s going to spring from their ranks, and we can only suspect that they use fronts and pawns to implement the agreed strategy. Or shall we say, multiple strategies.

Like, did we ever predict that the speaker of the House position would be unceremoniously wrenched from the grasp of former president Gloria Arroyo, and suddenly bestowed on Martin Romualdez? Gloria didn’t see it coming, and neither did we. But that must have been schemed even from the time of the election season, when cousin Bongbong was a mere candidate for the presidency.

Even better, the Marcos-Romualdez camp probably just anoints those with ideas and ambitions of their own. These investigating senators and congresspersons and Quad Committees --they are left unchecked, and allowed free rein to sniff and growl around the Duterte family. Perhaps, there’s even an active ally within the ranks of the committees, egging the ringleaders on, but what better tools to use than those already with their own agenda. Go forth with the family’s blessing!

Noise and fury on the Duterte side. Quiet, and calibrated responses on the other. This must be driving Sara nuts. She can’t predict what her enemies will do to her, so she is goading them into action with frantic antics and verbal missiles.

But at the same time, she’s digging deeper and deeper holes for herself. Not just holes --landmines even. She’s giving her enemies weapons to hang herself with. Admittedly, they are legal weapons, and the family has not been known to respect legal processes, except to the extent that they can be deployed to serve them.

Police? Prosecutors? Judges? Prisons? Do we think these institutions are strong enough to contain her and her family? Do we think she thinks she can be cowed by government institutions and processes and personalities? That they are a match for her might? After all, she is Sara.

And what Sara wants, Sara gets. Or will she?