Security treat

The first week of the year promised more fireworks, with an opening salvo from the camp of Bongbong Marcos. He removed Vice President Sara Duterte from the National Security Council, purportedly because (according to the designated mouthpiece) she isn’t considered relevant. This “reorganization” also removed past presidents as members.

That conveniently removes the father Duterte, erstwhile matchmaker-ally Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and Joseph Estrada from the very real threat posed by their eavesdropping in on matters of national security.

No reaction yet from the veep, but we should recall that a couple of months ago, Sara was feeling neglected by the council. She said she hadn’t been receiving notices of meetings since 2022, and so as a member thereof, she demanded to be given the minutes of its meetings since then. Take note --she even wanted the minutes to be notarized.

What triggered this council kerfuffle was its poking in her tiff with the prez. Remember, Sara had barfed some words about hiring an assassin to off the prez, and then the council publicly denounced her statements as a threat to national security. That brought the council before Sara’s radar, and so after nearly two years of not caring about whether there were or there weren’t issues of national security, she immediately got on the high horse and started demanding more information.

Sara demanded to see notices of meetings, pictures of the fun event, plus yes, a list of attendees. Nothing like figuring out an invitation list to a party where you hadn’t been invited to fuel those green monsters. And not to forget, not just minutes of the meetings, but those had to be notarized as well (one wonders what the import of notarization was --did they want to somehow prosecute the signatories to the minutes for perjury?).

There was no immediate response from the Marcos-Romualdez front. Dead malice, we thought. Storm in a teacup, as they said. Until now, that is.

Well, there goes your high horse galloping away, Sara. As a non-member, you pretty much are now entitled to squat. I doubt if even the fact that you were a former member would entitle you to knowledge or documentation of past proceedings.

Now what national security matters could the Marcos-Romualdez camp be discussing that they don’t want Sara to overhear? Their position on POGOs? What they intend to do about fake birth certificates for Chinese citizens? How to eject Chinese businesses sneaking in? Or the already-consistent response to China claims on t

Conversely, perhaps they don’t want Sara to find out how they’re going to lay out the red carpet for the incoming Trump administration? The American bases they’re going to allow in Mindanao? Of course the fact that it’s the home turf of the Dutertes have nothing to do with that decision (this isn’t news, I’m just totally making this up).

The military equipment they’re going to receive in return from the Americans? The spying capabilities that will be in their hands as a result (which they can then deploy amidst secessionist groups like father Duterte or religious camps led by FBI-wanted preachers)? The properties in Beverly Hills and Manhattan that they will invest in?

Expect Sara to come out blazing. More fireworks in the foreseeable future. The council might have been valueless to her before, but now that her budget has been whittled and is under scrutiny, any little scrap of influence (like information) might have been useful. This must feel like insult added to already painful injury.

How else is she going to be diminished? What else does the ruling coalition have in mind for her? Are we to be treated to more delicious humble pie?

If I were an official that been appointed to the administration due to my connections with the veep, I would probably be quaking in my shoes now. Even if there wasn’t a witch-hunt going on, there would be bulls-eye targets painted on my back. The goal of the day would be to lick boots and kiss ass in this administration fervently and loudly, so badly that there would be no doubt as to my loyalty.

At least, this administration doesn’t do anything as crude as death squads. If one had to be thankful that the Duterte presidency is over, the fact that one doesn’t hear news of random mysterious shootings by government forces anymore is a very good reason. Now, unwanted or disloyal men are just fired. Not fired upon.

Sharpen those knives, ladies and gentlemen. We’re in for more treats.