A marriage, farce ab initio

In response to a dear teacher’s ask on my take, re: The PBBM-VP Sara “Rift” and the latter’s resignation as DepEd Secretary and NTF-ELCAC Vice Chair, I proffer but an echo, an eighth sense of the insights of our political pundits, whatever that is.

Still, may I say, at once, that several grounds apply – infidelity, for one – in the PBBM-VP Sara split.

But we needn’t be as clever as the creative political analyst Mr. Rigoberto Tiglao to have earlier seen that, even before white doves could fly, the wedding – couched in the expansive “UniTeam” – for all its pomp and pledges of fealty, was merely one of convenience. Not borne of liking or a shared code. But prettified, with the end of arrogating power unto one’s own Clan.

With nothing but a red and green tie to bind it – it was congenitally-infirm, in other words.

Save for awkward stabs at civility, there wasn’t even a honeymoon to speak of. Though at times playing the fickle, the patriarch DU30 was less than subtle in his PRE-MID-POST-elections’ pronouncements. And, irked during a pre-departure briefing, a usually conflict-averse PBMM laid it deadpan: “I think it’s the Fentanyl.”

Plus – in some sort of official ‘resbak,’ a Romualdez-led House denied VP Sara’s confidential funds, which the latter, of course, didn’t take too kindly. ‘Tambaloslos’ entered our national vocabulary.

Soon, an irate First Lady was on TV, plain with her contempt.

In a practical nose-thumb, the VP was seen in an anti-Admin ‘lynch’ mob. A bit eeeky since she held a cabinet post, after all.

So, a worthless autopsy, it would be to further dissect this. Seven days before resigning, at the sidelines of the 126th Independence Day rites, VP Sara said it so herself: The UniTeam was a tandem during the 2022 elections.

Now, we see it’s just dead.

That dispensed with – I hope to proffer some sightings-cum-possible-watchlist.

One, PBBM played it right not firing VP Sara, despite being somehow goaded to. A ‘firing’ would have made a martyr out of the pugilistic VP, thus backing the ‘narrative’ of an oppression-prone and vindictive PBBM. A balik-cabinet invite would indeed make look PBMM lame.

Two, the rise of opposing ‘Opposition’ claims. Already acting as de facto ‘Opposition’ mouthpiece, the irrepressible Harry Roque is sure now raising the ‘kiday’ of Sen. Risa.

Three, a Senate in a pickle. A test of loyalties, it will be, for sure, considering their interests are intertwined.

Four, the Sen. Imee ‘Big Sister’ factor, who somehow harbors higher plans, is sending mixed signals and making PBBM look weak, his Admin more fractured.

Five, the litmus test for how much power each Clan actually wields will be the incoming 2025 elections. The SocMed war will spill into real, flesh-and-blood bailiwicks.

Six, the looming ICC probe will be a gamechanger. How PBMM will handle it might yet make or break a fragile presidency.

There are more.

But what should concern us is how this split (if it actually does) will impact on another PISA dismal performance and the China Conundrum.

Perhaps, just perhaps, this marriage, farce ab initio, has already cruelly deprived our children of owning creative (Tiglao-like) minds. The ongoing aggression within us is thus better served solving this and the ongoing aggression on our very shores.