Category: 2025

Toby, Sara, BBM

May 15, Alyansa campaign manager Toby Tiangco blasted away at Congress, blamed the impeachment of VP Sara for the poor showing of BBM’s Senate slate in Mindanao, even claimed that he had been approached to run for Speaker of the 20th Congress, but which key Congress bloc leaders denied, reaffirming their allegiance to Romualdez.

Hmmm. Toby is family, married to a Romualdez na pinsan nina BBM at Martin, so medyo unexpected na tinira niya si Speaker Martin, unless it’s all palabas, with the Speaker’s permission, anything to spare BBM from the blame game? https://opinion.inquirer.net/

May 17, VP Sara announced na “full throttle na” ang preparations for the impeachment trial — even if her lawyers are also looking for ways to stop it from taking place. “Sinabihan ko na rin sila: I truly want a trial because I want a bloodbath talaga.” And she alleges that her accusers are “motivated by personal gain” and “desperate for cash, cocaine, and champagne.”

Which reminds me of her line, back in October 2024, that she has a list of 5 impeachable offenses by PBBM. I wonder if that’s part of her arsenal. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

May 19, BBM, in a first presidential podcast, said yes when asked if he was open to pakikipagkasundo with the Dutertes. “Ako, ayaw ko ng gulo. … ang habol ko ay ‘yung stability, peaceful, para magawa namin ‘yung trabaho namin. …  I’m always open to any approach na, halika, magtulungan tayo. … Kahit na hindi tayo magkasundo sa polisiya … Gawin mo yung trabaho pero huwag na tayong nanggugulo.” https://pco.gov.ph/

Pure PR, nagpapabango sa publiko, asking not for blood but for peace. The prez knows full well that the Dutertes would have none of it. For the DDS to take him seriously, he would first have to bring Digong home. And even if he could, that ain’t happening any time soon.

But the rest of that podcast turned out interesting, informative even. The part where the prez talks about the rice situation na dinatnan niya in 2022, for instance.

Dahil ang Pilipinas, ang mga opisyal, nai-spoiled. Basta’t import lang nang import. Tapos ‘yung importation na iyan, illegal and legal. Ang katotohanan, ang nakita namin, ang pang-control doon sa presyo ng bigas ay ang smuggled na bigas. Kaya nagho-hoard. … Ang isa sa una naming ginawa, nag-raid kami ng mga warehouse. … Ito ang pinakamalupit.  Sinabi namin, ba’t may ganito? … Dahil ang nag-i-i-smuggle, mga opisyal din ng gobyerno. Kumikita sila … Pasok lang sila nang pasok. Hindi nila iniintindi ang production. Hindi nila iniintindi ‘yung sistema. Hindi nila iniintindi ang presyo ng palay, ang presyo ng bigas, ang kikitain ng magsasaka. Wala, walang ganoon. … Noong pag-upo ko … inipit namin ‘yung mga smuggled at nire-raid na namin ‘yang mga warehouse, nabawasan ‘yung supply.  Kailangan namin ayusin ‘yung NFA. Lahat ‘yan, ‘yung mga changes na ganyan, hindi ganoon kasimpleng gawin. May batas na kailangang palitan. Mayroong mga taong kailangang palitan. Ibang konsepto na. So, ngayon lang namin nabuo lahat. https://pco.gov.ph/

There’s more, stuff like this, telling what it was like after six years of Digong, and reminding that hard times didn’t start with BBM.

Senate watch, impeachment wait

The Duterte camp cannot claim victory. Losing seven Senate seats is seen by many observers as no small matter, and signals the so-called “Solid Duterte” vote may no longer hold the heretofore national influence it had despite the rankings of Senators Bong Go and Bato dela Rosa. https://manilastandard.net/

That’s from “Deconstructing the 2025 Senate poll results” by Manila Standard‘s opinion editor Honor Blanco Cabie.

Of course the DDS are saying otherwise, given the unexpected win of Marcoleta, thanks to INC, and the claimed wins of Imee, thanks to both Marcos loyalists and DDS, and Camille, thanks to the rich influence of rich MannyV on both sides of the divide, but which Tito Sotto insists is an Alyansa win.
https://www.youtube

Whatever, the next battleground is the impeachment trial, and the DDS are quite optimistic that VP Sara has more than the 9 Senators she needs for acquittal. Pero siyempre mas ipinagdadasal nila na hindi matuloy ang trial due to procedural issues na maaaring iakyat sa Supreme Court. But from where we the people seat and watch, these are mere technicalities. Besides, “… whether or not Senate Impeachment Rules were followed is a political question belonging to the Senate” and not to the Supreme Court. https://law.upd.edu.ph/

Of course the DDS would prefer that the Senate drop the impeachment case altogether — the VP has the numbers to get acquitted in the end anyway daw —  because they want to spare Sara the public scrutiny, and the retelling and confirming of House findings and conclusions re her betrayal of public trust atbp. And one way or another, baka maungkat din, at baka sumabit pa more, ang kanyang ama.

So the Senate bears watching. Magpapadala ba sila sa takot kina Duterte (baka makabalik a la Trump?) o sa conventional wisdom kuno that the impeachment is divisive and therefore should be dropped?

Prof. Arjan Aguirre of Ateneo’s PoliSci Department is already seeing 3 blocs of 7 each plus a tiny opposition. https://www.youtube.com

The Duterte bloc: Bong Go, Bato, Robin, Marcoleta, Imee, and the 2 Villars.
The Chiz bloc with Jinggoy, Lapid, the Cayetano sibs, and the Tulfo sibs.
The Zubiri bloc with Loren, JV, Gatchalian, and Villanueva, plus returnees Sotto and Lacson.
The Risa, Bam, Kiko bloc.

For sure there will be realignments. Already there is talk that Sotto is being eyed to replace Chiz as senate prez. But why Sotto? Is he expected to be nicer to Sara? Is Sotto a swing vote pala? And what about Bam? Does the INC endorsement mean he will acquit, come what may? Heaven forbid.

Leni or not #Halalan 2025

In the wake of Leni Robredo‘s perceived “endorsements” of two BBM Alyansa candidates and one DDS PDP-Laban, tila nagkawatak-watak ang Kakampinks. Maraming ayaw kina Pacquiao at Abalos, mga dating DDS daw na ngayon ay BBM, mga balimbing! Mas maraming ayaw kay Marcoleta especially dahil sa closure ng ABS-CBN in the dark days of Digong, and also because he would surely vote to acquit VP Sara in the impeachment trial.

Kakampinks were happy enough when Leni formally endorsed Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan back in Feb 11 at the duo’s kick-off rally in Cavite.  And when word got around, via a comment thread on Twitter|X, that she had also promised to vote for Heidi Mendoza, everyone approved, even if wala namang formal endorsement. Marami nga na tatlo o apat lang daw ang iboboto, at alam na natin kung sino-sino iyon.

But many more Kakampinks on my Facebook feed who have Bam Kiko and Heidi topping their lists (that have absolutely no room for BBM-Alyansas or Digong-PDPs) are going for progressives, even if their chances of winning are slim. And these Kakampinks are okay with that, in the hope that the surveys are wrong or that the electorate will swing left in the last two minutes. Very fairytale-ish, but it is what it is.

Sa reddit.com ako nakatagpo ng mga Kakampink na iboboto sina Bam at Kiko, and maybe Heidi, Luke, and Leody, AND certainly some of the BBM slate (basta hindi pro-China) just because they want the VP impeached to prevent a Duterte comeback forever.

MEANWHILE, punditz are saying na dapat ay may quid pro quo, kapalit kumbaga, ang suporta ni Leni kina Pacquiao at Abalos — BBM’s Alyansa should also push daw for Bam and Kiko. Oo nga naman. But Leni shouldn’t have to ask for it pa, di ba. At kung di káya to go public, maaaring daanin sa bulungan, o puwede idagdag sa sample ballots, at the LGU level as the BBM admin’s machinery revs up for the homestretch.

MEANWHILE, in the DDS camp, strategist Lito Banayo, who claims credit for convincing Digong to run in 2016, is expecting 4 or 5 PDP bets to make it to the Magic 12: Bong Go, Bato, Imee, Camille, and even Marcoleta (with INC’s help daw). Fair warning that VP Sara would need just 4 or 5 more votes from incumbent senators.

… Banayo mentioned Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva, Robin Padilla, and Juan Miguel Zubiri, who might vote in favor of the Vice President.

“And then, how would Alan Cayetano vote? How would Mark Villar vote if Camille Villar owes a lot of utang na loob kay Sara,” Banayo added. https://politiko.com.ph/2025/04/23/

The very same question asked of Kakampinks voting for BBM’s sure winners in aid of the VP”s impeachment: how do we know that these BBM winners will not make balimbing to Sara’s side once they’ve made it to the trial as Senator Judges?

I’m remembering the midterm elections of May 2001, post-Erap impeachment trial, post-Edsa Dos and Tres, when only three (3) of Erap’s Puwersa ng Masa slate made it to the Magic 12, and barely.

Then, as now, the nation will be watching and listening closely as the trial unfolds, being reminded of what the Senate and QuadComm hearings surfaced in late 2024, and the Senator Judges will be under intense pressure to conduct themselves with wisdom and integrity, or else.

Read Manila Standard political scientist Ernesto M. Hilario‘s Will the next Senate remove Sara as VP?

The possibility of a second Duterte administration is likely to send chills of apprehension down the spines of those who want a regime that stands firmly on the side of democracy and human rights in the country, and [who] resolutely oppose any vestige of Dutertismo that’s seen to resurface should Sara take the reins of the presidency in 2028.

… A Senate that will vote for keeping Sara Duterte in her current position as Vice President will mean an uncertain future for Philippine democracy.

It is therefore imperative for the electorate to vote only for those senatorial bets who will exercise prudent judgment and decide on her case based on a careful weighing of the available evidence unearthed by the House quadcomm instead of voting along political or partisan considerations.

Vote wisely, Kakampinks, Leni or not.

Bumoto para ma-impeach nang tuluyan

[Dahil maraming humihingi ng Tagalog version}

Sa mga botante na nagtatanong, nag-iisip, kung sino-sino ba ang dapat ibotong Senador sa May 12, ang pinaka-kritikal na laban ay ang Impeachment ng VP.

Oo, maraming pang ibang isyu na importante rin, pero sa ngayon, wala nang hihigit pa sa Impeachment sapagkat ayaw nating makabalik ang dinastiyang Duterte — sa loob ng anim ng taon ni FPRRDay lalong nalugmok ang ating Inang Bayan sa hirap, takot, patayan, at utang. Ayaw nating makabalik sila para muling maghasík ng lagim.

MALINAW NA gagawin ni VP Sara ang lahat para di ma-impeach sa Senado.

Kapag nahatulan siya na nagkasala ng at least labing-anim (16) na senador (2/3 of 24) sa Impeachment Trial, bawal na siyang tumakbo for ANY public office. Mabibigo ang balak niyang tumakbong pangulo sa 2028. Kaya naman todo ang kampanya niya para sa mga kandidatong tiyak na ipapa-walang-sala siya sa Impeachment Trial.

KAILANGAN ni VP SARA ng SIYAM (9) na KAKAMPING SENADOR

Sa ngayon, sigurado siya sa boto ng apat (4) na nasa Senado pa: Robin, Jinggoy, Allan Peter, at Mark Villar. Medyo sigurado na rin siya sa dalawa (2) ng PDP-Laban ni Digong na pasók sa Top 12 ng surveys: Bong Go at Bato de la Rosa. Kailangan na lang ng tatlo (3) para maka-siyam.

Ito ang dahilan ng kanyang pag-endorso kina Imee Marcos at Camille Villar, kahit pa kadugo’t kaalyado ng BBM Alyansa. At ng pag-endorso ni Cong. Pulong Duterte kina Gringo Honasan at Ariel Querubin (utos daw ni Digong@ICC).  Pag nakapasok iyang apat (4), may sampu (10) nang kakampi ang VP at pihadong mahahatulan siyang inosente kahit maysala.

At kung hindi man makapasok sa Magic 12 sina Honasan at Querubin, nandiyan naman sina Willie Revillame at Philip Salvador na akyat-panaog labas-pasok sa Top 12 ng mga survey. At baka maaasahan din si Pia Cayetano na kabalikat ni Alan Peter.

Mas marami, mas mabuti para kay Sara. Kung makaka-13 siya, ibig sabihin, majority + one, makakayang palitan ang Senate President ng isang DDS. Yari tayo sa Impeachment Trial.

SA KABILANG BANDÁ
SA ATING BANDÁ

Kailangan natin ng sixteen (16) senators na magco-convict kay VP Sara batay sa mga ebidensiyang nasiwalat sa QuadComm hearings na napanood at napakinggan natin.

May maasahan tayong apat (4) na nasa Senado pa: Chiz Escudero, Risa Hontiveros, Win Gatchalian, at Raffy Tulfo (?).  Hindi tayo sigurado kina JV, Loren, Joel, at Migs.

May maaasahan ding pito (7) na BBM-Alyansang pasók sa top 12 ng SWS April survey — Erwin Tulfo, Lito Lapid, Tito Sotto, Bong Revilla, Abby Binay, Ping Lacson, at Manny Pacquiao.

Totoo, ayaw na sana natin sa mga tulad nilang mga lumang politiko o “trapo” (traditional politicians), lalo na yung mga artista’t dinastiya, na sa hinaba-haba ng panahon ay di nakapagpasá ng mga batas para sa malawakan at malalim na pagbabago ng isang marumi at maramot na sistemang pangkabuhayan.

Pero bilang mga kakampi ni BBM sa Alyansa slate, puwede silang asahan na magdesisyon sa Impeachment Trial batay sa ebidensiya, alang-alang sa Inang Bayan.

Kung dati-rati ay iniismiran o binabale-wala natin ang mga survey — iba kasing mga kandidato ang gusto nating manalo, at sila ang ating ibinoboto, basta, kahit nangungulelat at pihadong matatalo — SA HALALANG ITO ay hinihingi sa atin na bumoto tayo ayon sa survey.

Oo, maniwala tayo sa survey. Noong May 2022 nga, nanalo ang labing-isa (11) sa labing-dalawa (12) na pasók sa Top 12 ng Pulse Asia April survey.

SIXTEEN (16) VOTES para mahatulang maysala si VP Sara.

May apat (4) na nasa Senado pa, plus pito (7) na pasók sa Top 12, ay labing-isa (11). Kailangan natin ng lima (5) pa.

Pumili tayo doon sa mga may laban, yung di malayo sa Top 12, na maasahan natin sa Impeachment Trial. Tulad nina Bam Aquino (15th), Kiko Pangilinan (16th), at Benhur Abalos (18th). At konting kembot na lang sana, sina Heidi Mendoza (24th), France Castro (26th), Leody de Guzman (32nd), at Luke Espiritu (30th).

Parang ganito rin ang iniisip ni former VP Leni Robredo na ka-e-endorse kina Benhur at Manny Pacquiao, idinagdag kina Heidi, Bam, at Kiko. May pag-asa talaga.

LISTAHAN ng 14
Pumili ng 12

Benhur Abalos
Bam Aquino
Abby Binay
France Castro
Luke Espiritu
Leody de Guzman
Kiko Pangilinan
Ping Lacson
Lito Lapid
Heidi Mendoza
Manny Pacquiao
Bong Revilla
Tito Sotto
Erwin Tulfo

Kung ayaw mo sa artista, ilaglag sa listahan si Revilla (na kurakot din daw) at si Lapid. O kaya, dalawang dinastiya (si Revilla pa rin). Ang mahalaga ay maka-12, pandagdag sa apat (4) na incumbent Senators na kakampi na natin. para maka-16 Senators na maaasahang isasaalang-alang ang ebidensiya sa mga kasong kriminal na hinaharap ng VP.

Ipakalat ang listahan mo. Ipalaganap ang panawagang ito.

#VoteToImpeach #SaraMaysala