There was skepticism about how long the political alliance between the Dutertes of Davao City and the Marcoses of Ilocos Norte would last, even when former Davao City mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte ran for president in the May 2016 polls, with then-senator Bongbong Marcos as his running mate for vice president. Duterte won, but Marcos lost to VP Leni Robredo.
As a show of courtesy, if not to repay the support from the north during the 2016 elections, then-President Duterte allowed the burial of the remains of deposed President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. at the Heroes Cemetery, despite protests from the opposition and civil liberties associations.
With the end of Duterte’s term on June 30, 2022, positioning for the presidential and vice presidential candidates under the administration’s UniTeam party began. Talks suggested that President Duterte wanted his daughter, then Davao City mayor and now Vice President Sara Duterte, to be his successor.
Reports also indicated that then-President Gloria Arroyo acted as a mediator, arranging for Sara to fly to Pampanga for a meeting, but allegedly, BBM snubbed the meeting, and Sara returned to Davao City empty-handed. This may have marked the start of the strained relationship between Duterte and President BBM, as the former president began criticizing the sitting president.
Sara settled for the vice presidency, despite her father’s reported initial detestation. To summarize, the BBM and Sara tandem, which their party dubbed the UniTeam, handily won the presidential elections in May 2022 against VP Leni Robredo and her running mate, then-senator Kiko Pangilinan.
VP Duterte was appointed as secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), a cabinet position that reports claimed she requested from President BBM. Many speculated that the intelligence fund budget allocated for the vice president and as secretary of DepEd was a trap. VP Sara may have gladly accepted the budget, unaware that she was walking into a trap.
Indeed, a few years later, VP Sara, perhaps careless in her office’s handling of the intelligence funds and believing she had President BBM’s full backing, did not bother to answer questions directly about how the intelligence funds were disbursed.
In a swift turn of events, the UniTeam was dissolved. Harsh words were exchanged, with former President Duterte accusing President BBM of drug use, and BBM also responding with strong language, leading to the end of their political alliance. Subsequently, the Lower House initiated an inquiry into VP Duterte’s handling of funds, which questioned Sara’s capacity to run for president.
Duterte’s camp and their supporters in Congress accused Speaker Martin Romualdez, BBM’s cousin, of orchestrating the congressional inquiry, fueled by rumors that Martin has presidential ambitions after BBM’s term, with Sara as his potential opponent.
In retrospect, UniTeam was formed to promote unity and end political divisions. But it had ironically become a symbol of the very polarization it sought to address. Tensions between Marcos and Duterte escalated, particularly when the Lower House considered the possibility of impeaching VP Sara. Their breakup reflects a larger issue: the deep-seated polarization plaguing the country.
The potential impeachment of VP Sara, now possibly at the Senate for trial, has reached the Supreme Court (SC). One group of congressmen is asking the High Tribunal to direct the Senate to start the trial, while another group from Mindanao wants the SC to declare the impeachment illegal.
The current political climate has significant implications for our democracy. With dominant political families vying for power, the risk of eroding our democracy is real. The focus on personalities and alliances rather than policies and institutions undermines the foundations of democratic governance.
Ultimately, the breakup of the UniTeam serves as a reminder that the path to unity and progress is fraught with challenges. However, by acknowledging these challenges and working towards a more inclusive and democratic future, our nation can overcome this current polarization and build a brighter future for all. In short, voters should choose the right candidates in the May 2025 midterm polls.