In the middle of the rumblings over the controversial Confidential Funds of Vice President Sara Duterte, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has remained silent.
VP Sara’s request for her office’s Confidential Funds was summarily thumbed down by the House of Representatives led by no less than the president’s cousin Speaker Martin Romualdez. The Speaker apparently gave more credence to the statements of the militant bloc in the House who would do everything to stop the Confidental Funds of VP Sara as it has been and would still be the wrecking ball in the fight against insurgency and in neutralizing the communist rebels.
There is no need to overemphasize the bonds that bind the House militant bloc led by ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro and the progressive groups in this country.
Castro and the rest of the Makabayan bloc’s crusade against the CF turned out to be successful as the House leadership decided to remove the secret funds of five agencies, including OVP and DepEd, from the proposed 2024 budget.
The question is: why would Speaker Romualdez side with the Makabayan bloc in the CF issue knowing fully well that the latter is anti-administration?
But the more intriguing question is why has President Marcos Jr., VP Sara’s runningmate, is keeping his mouth shut and doing nothing to at least appease his cousin, if he cannot defend VP Sara at all. Can’t he say: “Insan (cousin), leave it with me. Just take it easy on Sara. She’s my ally.”
He did not budge.
Instead, he allowed Speaker Romualdez, in acceding to the small bloc in Congress, to literally slam the door on VP Sara.
One can’t help but ask: is the Unity Coalition crumbling?
Back in those days leading up to the election whilst the nation eagerly await for the presidential daughter to declare her candidacy for presidency, a dejected former President Rodrigo Duterte boldly told us Bongbong Marcos would be a weak president. A weak leader.
We can’t help thinking PRRD may be right after all.
