SUNUGAN NG TULAY

GANAP na nakipagsunugan ng tulay si Sara Duterte sa kanyang huling kaibigan at kakampi sa naghaharing koalisyon – BBM. Hindi namin alam kung batid ni Sara ang epekto ng kanyang binitiwang paumanhin sa mga kasapi ng Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KoJC) sa Davao City ngunit kung susuriin, iisa ang implikasyon: brak na kami ni BBM.

Ito ang salita ni Sara sa isang opisyal na pahayag: This is why I am asking the forgiveness of all members and devotees of the KoJC for leading with you and requesting you to vote for Bongbong Marcos Jr. in 2022… You deserve better. Filipinos deserve better.”

Hindi malaking relihiyon ang KoJC. Itinuturing ito na isang kulto sa ilang sirkulo ng bansa. Mas malaki ang kasapian ng mga Christian Evangelical, Jesus is Lord (JiL) ni Eddie Villanueva, Iglesia ni Cristo (InC) ni Eddie Manalo, at iba pang relihiyon tulad ng Philippine Independent Church, denominasyon ng Simbahang Protestante at iba pa.

Sumibol sa Davao City ang KoJC at humaharap sa maraming sakdal sa Estados Unidos si Apollo Quiboloy, ang kinikilalang punong pastor ng KoJC. Magkaibigan si Quiboloy at Gongdi, ama ni Sara. Sinusuportahan ng mag-ama si Quiboloy.

Pinagtatawanan ang mag-ama dahil pareho silang nagbibintang ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao ni Quiboloy. Ngunit hindi sila nagsalita kahit kalian tungkol sa karapatang pantao noong si Gongdi at pangulo. Sinusuportahan nila ang China sa pangangamkam ng ating teritoryo at hindi sila nagsasalita kalian sa paglabag ng China sa international law.

Dahil umalis na sa koalisyon si Sara, inaasahan na hindi kasama sa tiket ng administrasyon ang mga kaalyado ng mag-ama tulad ni Bato dela Rosa at Bong Go na parehong tatakbo bilang mga reeleksiyonistang senador. Hindi kasama ang sinumang kandidato ni Sara. Maglalayag mag-isa si Sara sa larangan ng pulitika.

Hindi oposisyon si Sara. Hindi siya kinakitaan ng galing o kakaibang kakayahan upang ituring siya na oposisyon. Maaaring ituring siyang sawi, o pulitikong bigo upang bumuo na sariling pwersa sa koalisyon. Maliban kay Harry Roque at Sal Panelo, halos walang supporter si Sara sa loob ng koalisyon. Kahit si Bong go at Bato sy hindi niya kasundo.

Kaaway niya ang karamihan ng nasa koalisyon tulad ng mga kasaping mambabatas sa Camara de Representante at ang mga senador. Hindi malaman kung kakampi rin niya si Imee Marcos na kasalukuyang naghahangad na makasama sa tiket ng administrasyon para senador.

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NOONG isang linggo, isang undersecretary ng Department of Justice (DoJ) ang nagpipilit na “mayroon epektong malaki” umano ang hatol ng Appeals Committee sa International Criminal Court (ICC) na ituloy ang formal investigation ng ICC kay Gongdi at mga kapanalig na nahahrap sa sakdal na crimes against humanity sa ICC. Hindi na naming ibibigay ang pangalan ng DoJ undersecretary sa pangambang sisikat lang na walang sapat na dahilan.

Kalokohan ang pinagsasabi niya. Hindi totoo na may epekto. Ang totoo ay kasalukuyang gumugulong ang formal investigation. Bahagi ang sumusunod ng aking pangalawang aklat: “BUMPS Dictatorship and Democracy in the Philippines 1972-2022.”

Changes occurred when the ICC Appeals Chamber, which serves as the chamber of last resort, or a sort of supreme court in the ICC, rejected on July 18, 2023 the second appeal the Philippine government lodged to delay the formal probe on the charges against Duterte and his cohorts. It appears to be the final decision on the issue.

The Philippine Government did not risk becoming the laughing stock in the world community by lodging a third appeal. It did not indeed lodge a third appeal. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the Philippines would stop communicating with the ICC. It was his way to end the issue with the ICC. It was Duterte and his cohorts, who had a hard time understanding his statement, as they have kept twisting it to their favor.

CLOSE CALL. It was a close decision, 3-2, by the Appeals Chamber. But how the decision would appear in its final form does not matter anymore because in the end, the Philippine Government has lost all efforts to stop the formal investigation. Quietly, the ICC, as reported without fanfare or any official confirmation, went into its business of formal probe of Duterte and his cohorts’ involvement in the bloody but failed war on drugs. His subalterns, mostly lawmakers, who hardly have stature and credibility, continued to make noises, but they were hardly successful. Neither did they create any traction in the public mind.

The first change appeared when House Resolution 1393 had materialized. It asked the Marcos administration to cooperate with the ICC in its probe on the alleged crimes against humanity against Duterte and ilk on the ill-fated war on drugs. The lawmakers filed other resolutions on Nov. 21, 2023 seeking to allow the ICC entry into the country. On Nov. 23 , they were read on first reading and referred to the House committee on rules, after which tthey were sent to the justice committee.

A week later, two House committees approved and consolidated resolutions that encouraged the President to allow the Philippines to cooperate in the ICC’s probe into Duterte’s war on drugs. Through a voice vote, officials and members of the joint committee on justice and human rights adopted House Resolution 1477 of Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. and 1-Rider Party List Rep. Ramon Gutierrez and consolidated it with House Resolution 1482 of Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman.

The Senate took an indifferent stance. It neither approved nor opposed the formal investigation on Duterte and his cohorts by the ICC, but watched nonchalantly the dynamics at the House. There is no way to look at it, but conclude that it was leaving everything on the other chamber on this ticklish issue. What it had were the four or five senators, who kept talking on the issue without understanding its complexity because they neither read nor understood the nuance of the Supreme Court decision and other pertinent literature on the issue. Or they twisted their meaning to promote the perverted interpretation of the Duterte camp.

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MGA PILING SALITA: “Once untouchable who sold his soul for power and unlimited benefits, he has now become a mere shadow of himself, like a cornered tuta desperately trying to save his tarnished reputation. Naalala nyo ba nuong nanawagan pa sya at hiniling na sana ay makulong si Sen. deLima ng habang buhay?. Ngayon kasama si Cam at nananawagan ng people’s protest sa harap ng Malacañang, a desperate move not gaining attention. Tama ang sabi nya, lumiliit na ang kanyang mundo.” – Glenn Lopez

Whenever students or complete strangers ask me questions about political journalism, I have a single standard answer: Political writing is no different from entertainment writing, or show business, to be specific. A political writer should know how to handle intrigues just like any showbiz writer and make them interesting for the consuming public. He should not hesitate to report political troubles and use colorful language in his reportage. The late Washington Post columnist and journalism pundit David Broder said: ” A political writer is essentially a fight promoter.”