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THE Uniteam coalition of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, described by many political analysts as the "dream team", had come a long way since sweeping the 2022 elections.
The two presidential offsprings had vowed to continue the legacy of then-outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, Sara's father.
During the first year of the Marcos Jr. administration, Sara congratulated her running mate for his "inspirational" leadership.
"I am truly grateful for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his leadership marked with decisiveness, strength, fortitude, and political will — clearly demonstrated over the past year in office," Sara said in a statement issued on July 24, 2023, right after Marcos’ State of the Nation Address.
"It is the kind of leadership that inspires us to be more aggressive in delivering what we have promised to the Filipino people," she added.
However, nearly two years later, the Uniteam faced challenges and controversies, shaking the alliance among the Marcos-Duterte circles.
VP Sara resigns from Lakas-CMD
Sara made a surprise decision when she decided to resign from the national party Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), where she served as chairperson, in May 2023.
The party adopted her days before she finally decided to run for the vice presidency.
Her resignation from the party came after its chairman emeritus former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is now a congresswoman, was demoted from senior deputy speaker to deputy speaker in the House of Representatives.
She, however, mentioned that her leadership “cannot be poisoned by political toxicity” or “undermined by political power play.”
Many speculated that there's a rift between the vice president and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Marcos' cousin.
Sara, a month after she resigned from the party, denied the involvement of the House Speaker in her decision to run for the national post.
The former Davao City mayor said that the claim is an insult to her supporters who campaigned for her to run.
She then revealed that it was Romualdez's cousin, Senator Imee Marcos, who persuaded her to run for the vice presidency.
Confidential fund
During the plenary deliberations for the 2024 national budget in September 2023, Duterte requested Congress for confidential and intelligence funds worth P500 million for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and P150 million for the Department of Education, where Sara also serves as its secretary.
However, these requests were questioned by the Philippine House Committee on Appropriations and the Philippine Senate Committee on Finance when reports from the Commission on Audit revealed that the OVP under her tenure had spent its P125 million worth of confidential funds in 2022 in just 11 days.
Duterte denied that these funds were used inappropriately. In a speech, Sara said that those opposing confidential funds are also going against peace.
In November 2023, the Vice President eventually dropped both of her requests for confidential funds saying that the requests were "divisive.”
Because of the issue, former President Duterte answered straightforwardly that the confidential funds to be used against the alleged communists in Congress seemed more understandable for critics of his daughter than merely asserting that the money would be utilized for the proposed mandatory Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program.
He also called the House of Representatives the “most rotten organization”.
On providing amnesty to Communist rebels
Sara was appointed as co-vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac). Following her appointment, she issued a warning to communist rebels, adding that the government should show “no mercy” to criminals and terrorists as it aims to enhance coordination and cooperation on national security.
In November 2023, President Marcos issued Proclamation 403, granting amnesty to the members of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade who have committed crimes punishable under the Revised Penal Code and special penal laws, specifically those crimes committed in pursuit of their political beliefs, whether punishable under the Revised Penal Code or special penal laws.
The proclamation also grants amnesty to the former members of the CPP-NPA-NDF or their front organizations who have committed crimes punishable under the Revised Penal Code and Special Penal laws in furtherance of their political beliefs.
Sara opposed the amnesty, calling it the "agreement with the devil."
She said the joint communique between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front is questionable considering the history of the peace talks in the previous administration, including under her father, former President Duterte.
People's initiative
Reforming the 1987 Philippine Constitution has been lobbied by the previous administrations.
President Marcos has been a major supporter of Charter change, who ran under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas during the 2022 presidential election, which supports changing the system of government to a Federal republic. During his presidency, Marcos said that the country has "taken steps" towards a shift to federalism.
Former President Duterte had also lobbied Federalism under his administration, but did not materialize.
In January 2024, another attempt was made, this time by People’s Initiative for Reform, Modernization, and Action (Pirma) through People's Initiative (PI) in the form of a signature campaign.
Documents related to the Charter change eventually circulated in Davao City, and Third District Representative Isidro Ungab claimed that his constituents were offered P2,000 to P3,000 for their signatures.
Some of the Dabawenyos interviewed by SunStar Davao shared their experiences of being approached to sign the petition without fully understanding its content.
Some netizens also said they initially thought it was a belated "pahalipay" or Christmas gift by the Davao City government. However, they were surprised that it was a signature campaign for Charter change (Cha-cha).
Davao City lawmakers First District Representative Paolo "Pulong" Z. Duterte and Ungab expressed strong opposition to the “PI for Cha-cha”.
Rep. Duterte, in a separate statement, tagged fellow Dabawenyo lawmaker Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Partylist Representative Margarita "Atty. Migs" Nograles as the person behind the PI in the city, calling it a “scheme by a few individuals to consolidate power rather than a true reflection of the people's will.”
He criticized the movement, expressing strong opposition to it.
Nograles denied the allegation.
The issue eventually escalated. Former President Duterte and Sara voiced their opposition to the PI.
Speaking at the "Unity for One Nation, One Prayer" rally at San Pedro Square, Davao City, on January 29, Duterte accused First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Romualdez of orchestrating the PI.
Expressing his disbelief, Duterte questioned why the PI was even considered. Duterte accused those behind the PI of committing "fraud" and "bribery."
In a separate Prayer Rally event in Cebu on February 25, the former president supports Cha-cha, but only if it favors the succeeding presidents and not the incumbent president.
Two days later, Duterte reiterated that his stance on the constitutional amendment has stayed the same.
Pirma, in a Senate Hearing, admitted talking with the House Speaker about the initiative and claimed responsibility for a signature drive campaign that began around that time but denied allegations of vote-buying. By the evening of January 23, the proponents claimed that they had achieved the minimum 12 percent national voter threshold.
The proponents suggested that both chambers of Congress, the House of Representatives and the Senate, should vote jointly on the proposed amendments in a constitutional assembly. However, the 24-member Senate has opposed the proposal, as its vote would be outweighed by the 316-member House of Representatives.
The provincial and local offices of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), however, suspended accepting signatures for PI for the amendment of the 1987 Constitution on January 31.
FPRRD vs PBBM?
Duterte did not endorse Marcos’ candidacy during the 2022 elections and explained that he only supported his daughter’s candidacy.
The former president previously called Marcos a “weak leader.”
During the prayer rally in Davao, former President Duterte hit his successor, President Marcos Jr., as he repeatedly called him a “drug addict” during a prayer rally.
The event to oppose the controversial PI for Cha-Cha was held simultaneous with the administration’s Bagong Pilipinas kick-off rally at the Quirino Grandstand.
Duterte warned Marcos that he might suffer the same fate as his father as he accused him of always being “bangag.”
Duterte cited intelligence information from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) that Marcos is included in the drugs watch list.
Marcos, in response, said it could be the effect of a pain reliever Duterte has been taking for a “long time.”
Duterte, on February 28, denied saying Marcos was an addict.
Mayor Baste to PBBM: Resign!
Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte, who previously supported his sister's running mate, had also expressed his dissatisfaction with the President during his speech on January 28, as he called on the president to resign.
"Mr. President, kung wala kay gugma ug wala kay aspiration sa nasud, resign (Mr. President, if you do not have love or aspiration for the country, resign),” Duterte said during the ‘Hakbang ng Maisug-Leaders Forum for Transparency, Accountability, Peace, and Security, at the Grand Men Seng Hotel, Magallanes, Davao City.
The mayor also criticized the administration for prioritizing politics over the well-being of the people and accused them of befriending enemies of the previous administration, citing the resumption of peace talks with insurgents as an example.
Sara responded to her brother’s remarks on Marcos’ resignation, clarifying that he was expressing ‘brotherly love’ and concern for the treatment she received recently.
The mayor later on hit Senator Imee for claiming that the former apologized for his statements against the President.
Sebastian was a no-show at the public events of Marcos Jr. in the city on February 7.
Sebastian continued to criticize the president. During a prayer rally in Cebu, the young mayor of Davao City called the campaign promise of Marcos to bring down the price of rice to P20 per kilo the “greatest scam.”
He also took a swipe at Romualdez, Marcos’ cousin, saying the speaker is “isog” (brave) about his political moves only because his cousin is the incumbent president.
During the opening of the 87th Araw ng Dabaw on Friday evening, March 1, 2024, he received a letter from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) reprimanding him for his "disturbing and vulgar" remarks during a prayer rally in Cebu.
Duterte admitted that his comments during the rally, which was in opposition to the ongoing people's initiative allegedly being pushed by the allies of Marcos, were "disturbing and vulgar" but he is firm with his stand, saying he is just expressing his sentiments.
Sara has not issued any statement about this new statement.
VP Sara on attacks against her
In a recent video statement, Sara has strongly condemned the escalating "black propaganda" directed at her, characterizing it as a coordinated and malicious effort to tarnish her integrity.
The Vice President labeled these attacks as “more intense, outrageous, and desperate.”
She pointed to various instances, such as controversies surrounding confidential funds, traffic disruptions on Commonwealth Avenue, security arrangements for her office, and accusations of her involvement in the Davao Death Squad (DDS).
Duterte also addressed allegations of receiving guns from Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy and attempts to undermine her marital relationship.
Despite the attacks, she said this did not hinder her to continue serving the public.
Marcos-Duterte pa rin
Despite the deepening rift between the Dutertes and Marcoses, the two Uniteam frontrunners seemed to be not affected.
Marcos on February 7, 2024, attended various government activities in Davao City, the bailiwick of the former President, whom he had exchanged accusations with related to the use of illegal drugs.
Marcos attended three events in Davao City — the inauguration of the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project, the distribution of Land Electronic Titles (E-Titles) to more than 2,500 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs), and the ceremonial signing of the civil works contracts for the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project (DPTMP).
This was revealed when Marcos presided over a situation briefing at the Presidential Guest House in Davao City in the wake of flooding and landslides triggered by the shear line and trough of a low-pressure area in the region.
Before attending the prayer rally in Davao City, Sara attended the Bagong Pilipinas rally in Quirino Grandstand.
Meanwhile, in an interview, the so-called “Uniteam” coalition is still intact and functional, according to Marcos.
He maintained that his relationship with the Vice President is “exactly the same” even after he and his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, engaged in a war of words.
“If you remember ‘Uniteam’ is not just one party or two parties or three parties. It’s the unification of all political, hopefully all political forces in the Philippines to come together for the good [of] the country,” Marcos said.
“Well, it’s exactly the same because she has -- of that nature. And, wala naman siyang sinasabi na ganyang klase. So, hindi naman nagbabago,” Marcos added.
On the verge of collapse?
Many speculated that the continuous issues hounding the Marcos administration would eventually lead to the collapse of Uniteam.
Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) political analyst Prof. Ramon Beleno III told SunStar Davao in a phone interview that the alliance of Marcos and Sara was a “marriage of convenience during the election.”
“Kaya lang naman sila nabuo because they wanted to be stronger during the election,” Beleno said.
Uniteam, being an alliance of various political parties, has its own interests on certain matters.
“Right now, makikita mo na ang divergence ng kanilang interest and wants, kaya makikita na ninyo na nagkakaiba na ng decision making,” he said.
At this time, the two still need each other if they want to overcome these political challenges.
While there is no reported destabilization, Marcos should also consider the influence of former President Duterte in the military.
He said Sara, on the other hand, should also be cautious in her political stand as she may be accused of politicizing her alliance with Marcos, allegedly in time for the 2028 presidential elections. Sara hasn't voiced her interest in the elections.
“Ang mangyayari kasi kung lalayas siya sa administration, marami nang mag-iisip na ‘Ah, wala na siya sa administration, kaya mag-oopposition yan’,” he said.
Beleno said that it is only a matter of time before the alliance collapses unless they control the people involved behind them. RGL
