His brother Raffy is senator, his sister-in-law Jocelyn (wife of Raffy) is ACT-CIS representative, and his nephew Ralph is a lawmaker representing Quezon City’s 2nd District.

Asked by Rappler whether the Tulfo family is shaping up to become another political dynasty, the neophyte lawmaker initially said in jest: “Kauupo ko lang (I just assumed my post), how can I be a dynasty?”

But answering on a more serious note, Tulfo tried to provide nuance on the “dynasty” tag.

“Maybe a dynasty, if you’re not doing anything, if you’re just sitting there and doing nothing, staring at the ceiling. But if you do something and perform, people notice that. Let them decide. Now if it’s a dynasty and they don’t like you there anymore, I think they will not vote for you,” Tulfo said.

“And I would appreciate it. If we’re not working, then don’t vote for that politician, don’t vote for whoever he is if he is not performing. But if he’s performing, then why not, right?” he added. “We’ll just show them, there’s a difference.”

There is currently no bill filed in the House under the 19th Congress seeking to regulate or even define political dynasties. The most success a measure of that kind has had in the legislature was during the Aquino administration-era Congress, where it was elevated to the plenary.

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Substitution route

Tulfo became a congressman as a substitute nominee for party-list group ACT-CIS, replacing original third nominee Jeffrey Soriano who resigned from the House in February.

Tulfo, in a filing with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ahead of the 2022 polls, was only listed as fourth nominee of the party-list group that emerged as the topnotcher of last year’s elections.

The method he used is also called the post-election substitution route, a way of entering the House which is frowned upon by some election watchdogs, which see it as another attempt to abuse the party-list system.

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Post-election substitution drama opens party-list law to scrutiny

The practice is not illegal, but some consider it a weak spot in the country’s party-list law because it allows for placeholders who are warming the bench for politicians who want to have alternative options.

But Tulfo said the apt thing to do is reevaluate the party-list system.

“If there are questions, I guess the lower chamber should review that law. It was already enacted, so if there are problems, let’s review it,” he said.

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Limited powers

Tulfo – a former social welfare chief – was sworn in as a House member on Tuesday, May 30, after the Comelec junked at the division level a disqualification case that once delayed his congressional bid.

That petition raised questions about his citizenship and his libel conviction in court.

“We have a document coming from the embassy certifying I am a Filipino citizen. We have a ruling from the Supreme Court saying that the libel case already lapsed because 10 years have passed, that can no longer be cited as a ground for moral turpitude,” he explained.

Tulfo has limited powers as of the moment because the Comelec has yet to resolve the case with finality in the en banc. He cannot vote and attend committee hearings.

Tulfo said he is anticipating the Comelec wrapping up the case before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July.

“[In the meantime], there are a lot of things to learn in Congress, probably attend some seminars on how to file bills and all that. I have 120 bills that I listed but I have to learn how to do it,” he said.

The Tulfos are an established brand in Philipine media, having built a solid base of followers who are fed up with the country’s justice system.

In their programs, they try to resolve aggrieved Filipinos’ problems, from extramarital affairs to alleged government abuse. – Rappler.com

* Quotes in Filipino were translated into English.

The brainchild of this “extraordinary endeavor?” No less than First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.

The project involves three historical structures in the Malacañang compound – Bahay Ugnayan, the Teus Mansion, and the Goldenberg Mansion.

At the Bahay Ugnayan, the spotlight is on just one person, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

A Malacañang press statement said that at Bahay Ugnayan, “visitors are invited to immerse themselves in the life and times of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.”

“The experience provides a unique opportunity to explore the formative years of President Marcos, witness the defining moments of his tenure, and marvel at the campaign materials that paved the path to his presidency,” it added.

Inside the museum are memorabilia from the recently-conducted 2022 presidential elections.

Also part of the exhibit are documents that the Marcos camp had used in contesting the 2016 vice presidential elections, which Marcos lost – a reality the Supreme Court affirmed in early 2021.

Teus Mansion, meanwhile, features memorabilia and the history of the country’s other Philippine presidents – including the President’s father and namesake, the dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

“The Teus Mansion, an exquisite showcase of the vibrant and diverse history of Philippine presidents, houses an extensive collection of priceless memorabilia. Within its walls, visitors can marvel at presidential attire, footwear, flags, and exquisitely sculpted busts, paying homage to our revered leaders,” the Malacañang press statement said.

The display also includes the two Aquino and two Macapagal presidents – Cory Aquino and her son Noynoy and Diosdado Macapagal and his daughter Gloria – and other past presidents.

Interestingly, the older Macapagal was denied a second presidential term (terms then were four years long, with a two-term limit) as he lost to Ferdinand E. Marcos, who would go on to keep control of Malacañang for over two decades.

Gloria Arroyo, who first assumed the presidency following the ouster of Joseph “Erap” Estrada, is an ally of President Marcos – although their alliance seems to have been tested over power squabbles in Congress.

Cory Aquino, wife of Marcos-era opposition stalwart Ninoy Aquino, was swept into power through the People Power Revolution, ending decades of abuses and corruption under the first Marcos presidency.

A section in the Teus museum also features the portraits of Philippine first ladies, including Liza Marcos.

Then-first lady Imelda Marcos bought the Goldenberg Mansion, which was renovated by National Artist Leandro Locsin, then used as a guest house for formal functions hosted by the Palace. It was once the home and headquarters of US military governor-general Arthur MacArthur Jr., father of General Douglas MacArthur.

This time, it will be the base of the Goldenberg Series, a “cultural initiative aimed at raising awareness and celebrating the diverse cultural heritage of the Philippines.” Performances, exhibitions, and programs will be hosted at Goldenberg.

Marcos, his wife, and second son Simon attended the launch of the project. It’s the first time for all three to be opened to the public as museums, although Bahay Ugnayan used to house executive offices, including the Philippine Commission for Women and the Presidential Complaint Center.

While other presidential memorabilia are on display at the Teus Museum, image cleansing is certainly a key component of the Marcos narrative.

Throughout his 2022 run and even as president, the younger Marcos has cherry picked his father’s legacy – highlighting points when convenient, and always sidestepping the rampant abuse during the first Marcos regime.

From diplomatic ties to agricultural policies, Marcos Jr. has been proudly referencing his father’s murky legacy.

The Malacañang Heritage Tours are free and open to the public, which require reservations via Malacañang’s social secretary (contact the office via email sosec@malacanang.gov.ph, call (02) 8735-6080, or Facebook message). – Rappler.com

As the architect of then-president Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody drug war, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa thinks that the former president would be a good choice to lead the Marcos administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.

“Kung ako, personally, mas maganda, pero depende ‘yan sa Malacañang (For me personally, it will be a good choice, but it depends on Malacañang) if they are willing to offer the former president the position,” Dela Rosa told reporters in a press briefing on Wednesday, May 24, when asked if he was in favor of Duterte becoming anti-drug czar.

The former police chief said that ninja cops or cops who sell drugs they seize in operations would be afraid to engage in such illegal activity.

“Kung ako, maganda sana, kasi babalik ‘yung takot ng mga drug syndicates, particularly ‘yung mga pulis na involved, ‘yung mga ninja cops, matatakot,” Dela Rosa added. (For me, it will be a good choice because drug syndicates, particularly the ninja cops, will be afraid to engage in illegal drug activities.)

It was Senator Bong Go, who served as special assistant to then-president Duterte, who floated the idea of Duterte being the anti-drug czar at a Senate inquiry into the multi-billion shabu controversy on Tuesday, May 23.

“Prerogative naman iyan ng Presidente – ang appointing authority. Pero kung saka-sakali lang, makakatulong ba kung itatalagang drug czar si dating pangulong Duterte?” Go asked Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. during the hearing.

(This is a prerogative of the President as the appointing authority, but if ever, will it help that former president Duterte is named as drug czar?)

Acorda did not give a definite answer, but said that “anything on the campaign against illegal drugs, I will be supportive.”

From July 2016 to October 2018 – a period that mostly covered Dela Rosa’s stint as PNP chief – the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said at least 4,999 were killed in police anti-drug operations.

Before he led the PNP, Dela Rosa served as Davao City police chief when Duterte was mayor. The Davao Death Squad (DDS) flourished under Duterte and was known to carry out kill orders from higher-ups that allegedly included the former Davao City mayor, according to whistleblower and former member Arturo Lascañas. He had implicated Dela Rosa as among the alleged “enablers” of Duterte.

In a decision dated March 27, the International Criminal Court (ICC) rejected the bid of the Philippine government to suspend its probe into Duterte’s drug war campaign. Duterte said he would “face the music” and “rot in prison.”

“Wala akong pakialam basta ginawa ko ‘yung dapat kong gawin (I don’t care, as long as I did what I had to do),” he said in March. Meanwhile, Dela Rosa said he was ready to face the ICC anytime.

Illegal drug trade getting stronger under Marcos?

After his allies in the Senate floated the idea of his appointment as the anti-drug czar, Duterte was quoted by Sunstar Davao as saying that the illegal drug trade has been gaining strength after he left Malacañang. He also observed that there has been a spike in heinous crimes.

“Lumalakas na naman daw ang droga. (The illegal drug trade is reportedly gaining ground again). There are a lot of heinous crimes committed [against] helpless citizens. The streets are really not that safe anymore,” he said in a speech in Davao City on Thursday, May 25, and specifically referred to the case of rape-slay victim architect Vlanche Marie Bragas.

Duterte had built, and won, his presidential campaign on his narrative of how he curbed the illegal drug trade, and consequently heinous crimes, in his city – and how he would do the same in the country. He had promised to end the menace within three to six months of his presidency but he not only failed to fulfill this campaign promise but he himself had admitted that his drug campaign was a failure.

‘Weak leader’

In 2021, in the lead up to the 2022 elections, Duterte called Marcos a “weak leader.” He said this when asked why he didn’t want an alliance with Lakas-CMD.

“Totoo ‘yan, hindi ako naninira ng tao, kasi spoiled child, only son, of course he can talk, he delivers English articulate, nag-aral kasi kung saan-saan, pero kung sabihin mo may crisis, ganun, he’s a weak leader at may bagahe siya,” Duterte said. (That’s true, I’m not just criticizing, but it’s because he’s spoiled, the only son…he was able to study in different places, but if there was a crisis, he’s a weak leader and he carries baggage.)

Duterte himself accused Marcos of being a cocaine user. Duterte was attacking Marcos at that time even as his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, was Marcos’ running mate.

But in a recent television interview, Duterte was defending Marcos over his remarks on the drug war campaign of the previous administration.

“Tama siya na (He is correct that) along the way, in the enforcement of the law, [there is] a rigid attitude towards the enforcement of the law, abuses will be committed,” Duterte said, when asked by his former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque about his thoughts about Marcos’ comments on his drug war campaign.

During Marcos’ US trip earlier this month, he said that “in my view, what had happened in the previous administration is that we focused very much on enforcement.”

“And because of that, it could be said that there were abuses by certain elements in the government and that has caused some concern with many quarters about the human rights situation in the Philippines,” he added.

Earlier in September 2022, Marcos declared: “I think we have found – [and] it is certainly my view – that enforcement, which has been the part of the drug war that has been most vigorously pursued by President [Rodrigo] Duterte only gets you so far.” He said the focus of his administration would be more on prevention and rehabilitation rather than law enforcement.

Both Dela Rosa and Go were staunch allies of Duterte during his administration. But the question now is, will Marcos be pressured to offer the position to Duterte, and will the former president accept the offer? – With a report from Ferdinand Zuasola/Rappler.com

This meant the group – or the “socio-civic movement,” as they described it – faced clarificatory questions raised by Comelec officials who were hearing their petition for registration for the very first time.

But the elephant in the room is this: does President Marcos have a hand in the formation of the party?

The answer may vary, depending on who you ask.

Leyte 4th District Representative Richard Gomez – Kilusan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) vice president for Visayas – answered in the affirmative when reporters asked him whether the creation of KNP has the President’s backing.

“It could potentially be the President’s party,” he said. “He’s very supportive. Remember, Ferdinand Marcos Sr. used to have Kilusang Bagong Lipunan. BBM (Marcos Jr.) will have KNP.”

Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez – KNP president – said in a separate interview that it’s the chief executive’s prerogative whether to utilize the accreditation-pending party for his future plans.

“Once we get accreditation, we will ask the President if he wants to join us. It’s up to him,” Benitez said, adding that Marcos could use the party to field an administration ticket in the 2025 senatorial election if he wants to.

Even Chairman George Garcia seemed intrigued and wanted KNP secretary general and Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez to state on record who the group’s backers are at the national level.

“May I ask questions that may land in the front pages of tomorrow’s paper?” he asked during the hearing. “Your party name has nagkakaisa (united) in it. Somebody ran under the very strong campaign of unity. Are there any other elective incumbent official higher than congressman supporting, or is a member of, this party?”

“We do not have a senator as of yet, because we are not yet an accredited political party, but we assure you that there have been some [people] who have signified their intention to be members of the party, and we can assure you, higher officials [other] than senators are interested,” Rodriguez answered.

Must Read

PDP-Laban bigwigs form new party as Marcos enters second year

Marcos ran for president in 2022 under the banner of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, but a year after his ascent to Malacañang, PFP has yet to become a power player in the country’s political arena. It is a non-factor in the House, with only two members.

In a separate interview with Rappler, PFP president and South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo downplayed the potential impact of KNP’s creation, insisting that Marcos remains committed to PFP. The two met just last week when Marcos attended the general assembly of the League of Provinces of the Philippines.

Tamayo recalled a conversation he had last year with Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Anton Lagdameo, who is PFP executive vice president.

“Albee Benitez talked to the President according to SAP Anton. The President told them they can make their own party [KNP] but just coalesce with PFP if they want,” Tamayo said.

Fast-growing party

According to lawyer Edward Gialogo who answered on behalf of the party during the hearing, the KNP already has 24,000 members across 17 regions.

Funding would come from its members, who would pay an annual joining fee of P1,000.

Rodriguez said that the party’s basic objectives are to promote unity, justice, and access to affordable health care, among others.

Zamboanga del Sur 1st District Representative Divina Grace Yu – KNP vice president for Mindanao – believes the “grassroots” approach is what sets the new group apart from established political parties.

“Our movement started from the local level, like the mayors, going up. Other parties started with the bigwigs at the top. Because we started at the bottom, we understand better the problems at the grassroots,” Yu said.

Supporting Romualdez

Most of KNP’s founding officers are incumbent lawmakers who are part of the PDP-Laban contingent in the House of Representatives. They said they would resign from former president Rodrigo Duterte’s party once KNP secures its accreditation papers.

But while they are not yet an official power player in the House, they are ready to make their presence felt, in the form of a statement of support for Speaker Martin Romualdez to be released on Wednesday, May 24.

The move would follow other power blocs in Congress which released press releases affirming their loyalty to Romualdez, in the wake of an alleged ouster plot that gripped the chamber last week.

“Let’s just support the [House] leadership so there would be no squabble,” said San Jose Del Monte Representative and KNP treasurer Rida Robes.

A House official who is familiar with the power dynamics in the chamber, however, is doubtful that KNP would have great success in becoming the administration party.

“How could that be, when you have Lakas-CMD with 71 members in the House? That party has Marcos’ cousin as the party president. Then Marcos also has the supermajority in Congress, a coalition of parties. What would you need KNP for?” the source, who chose to spoke anonymously, told Rappler.

Decision out by June

A resolution on KNP’s petition for registration would be released around June, according to Comelec Chairman Garcia.

He said the poll body would take note of concerns that the name is similar to lawyer Chel Diokno’s party Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KANP), although the election chief added that no one filed a petition opposing KNP’s accreditation bid.

“Political parties having similar acronyms is often not an issue. But we will definitely consider that,” he said.

Robes is positive that the group would be recognized as a national political party.

“We have complied with the legal requirements. I believe we didn’t miss a requirement,” she said. – Rappler.com

“Alam ‘nyo, ang kinasasama ng loob ko dito sa inyo. Makinig kayong lahat mga pulis. Ako umaabot na ‘yong kaso ko sa ICC dahil sa paglalaban natin sa droga, dahil sa ating war on drugs. Tapos kayo pala, pera-pera ang iniisip ninyo. Kayo pa’ng pasok sa sindikato. Kaya hindi ko masikmura kung ganito nang nangyari sa ating kapulisan, sumasama sa sindikato,” Dela Rosa said during his committee’s hearing on Tuesday, May 23.

(You know, what I resent you for. All cops, listen. My case has reached the ICC because of our fight against drugs, because of our war on drugs. Then there you are, money is what’s on your mind. You joined syndicates. That’s why I cannot accept that this is what happened to our police, cops joining syndicates).”

Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief himself, leads the Senate probe that looks into the P6.7-billion shabu mess hounding the national police. Earlier this year, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos alleged that police officers, including generals, covered up Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo’s arrest, the former cop nabbed over one ton of suspected shabu.

In numerous occasions in different probes, Dela Rosa grilled his fellow cops, while citing in contempt those who are not cooperative in the Senate probe. During Tuesday’s hearing, Dela Rosa also challenged the cops being questioned:

“Kung gusto ninyo, galit kayo sa akin dahil sa ginagawa ko rito na imbestigasyon, you do your best. Tingnan natin abilidad ninyo. Basta hindi ko kayo tatantanan, I tell you (If you want, if you’re angry with me because of this probe, you do your best. Let’s see what you got. But, I won’t stop, I tell you),” the senator said.

Dela Rosa added: “Ang buhay ko naka-dedicate na dito sa anti-drugs, ‘yong adbokasiya ko ‘yan hanggang mamatay ako. Lalabanan ko ‘yang anti-drugs na ‘yan kahit na bitayin ‘nyo ko sa ICC, kahit sa’n tayo aabot dito. ‘Yong droga na ‘yan, hindi ko talaga ‘yan iiwanan, hindi ko ‘yan aatrasan.”

(I dedicated my life here to the anti-drugs, it’s my advocacy until I die. I will fight that anti-drugs even if you sentence me to death in the ICC, there will be no limitation. Those drugs, I won’t leave them, I will not back down.)

The police-turned-lawmaker played a big role in the drug war and is considered the “architect” of the bloody campaign that took the lives of thousands of people.

Dela Rosa was the Duterte administration’s first PNP chief, and the first one to implement the bloody war. From July 2016 to October 2018, which mostly covered Dela Rosa’s time as PNP chief, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said at least 4,999 had died.

Before he became the top cop, Dela Rosa also served as Davao City police chief when Duterte was still the mayor. In his affidavit submitted to the ICC, former cop and Davao Death Squad (DDS) member and whistleblower Arturo Lascañas implicated Dela Rosa and named him as among public officials who were “enablers” of Duterte.

Edgar Matobato, a former DDS member, likewise implicated Dela Rosa and said the former Davao City police chief was aware of the DDS’ activities. Former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda named Dela Rosa in 2021 as being part of an “apparent” policy to perpetrate extrajudicial killings.

In separate occasions, Dela Rosa said he’s ready to face the ICC “any time,” and he has “no more fears” in dealing with the Court probing into the drug war killings. – Rappler.com

Behind the effort to establish the Kilusan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) are seasoned former and current lawmakers who are big names in their respective provinces.

The jury is still out on how Marcos himself could potentially utilize the party in 2025 if he ever wants to, but standing to immediately deal with the impact of KNP’s eventual accreditation is the once-ruling PDP-Laban, where most of KNP’s founding officers are coming from.

Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia confirmed to Rappler on Sunday, May 21, that a Comelec hearing for KNP’s petition for registration is scheduled on Tuesday, May 23.

Its legal counsel Edward Gialogo explained an accredited party would be allowed to nominate candidates from the national to local races in the 2025 midterm polls, and even make a bid to become a dominant majority party, should it be in perfect shape by then.

News reports following the group’s launch in July 2022 described the KNP as a formation that seeks to reject a politics of division after a heated national election earlier that year. At the time, it had 200 members.

Duterte knows about it

Nine out of 12 founding officers of KNP are current lawmakers, and from that number, eight are currently part of the PDP-Laban contingent in the House of Representatives.

The officers of KNP, based on documents seen by Rappler, are as follows:

• President: Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez
• Vice president for Luzon: Pangasinan 6th District Representative Marlyn Primicias-Agabas
• Vice president for Visayas: Leyte 4th District Representative Richard Gomez
• Vice president for Mindanao: Zamboanga del Sur 1st District Representative Divina Grace Yu
• Vice president for National Capital Region: Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin Abalos Sr.
• Secretary general: Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez
• Deputy secretary general for Luzon: Nueva Ecija 3rd District Representative Ria Vergara
• Deputy secretary general for NCR: Manila 1st District Representative Manuel Luis Lopez
• Deputy secretary general for Visayas: Siquijor Representative Zaldy Villa
• Deputy secretary general for Mindanao: Shirlyn Bañas, defeated 2022 General Santos mayoral candidate
• Treasurer: San Jose Del Monte Representative Rida Robes
• Auditor: Negros Occidental 3rd District Representative Kiko Benitez

Rappler asked Representative Vergara whether she would formally leave the party once the Comelec accredits KNP as a national political party.

“Should our application be approved, yes, I will be joining KNP as evidenced by our registration,” Vergara said on Sunday, May 21.

Representative Robes, who regularly represents PDP-Laban in House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s meetings with party officials, said PDP-Laban members who are set to leave the group have spoken with former president and party chairperson Rodrigo Duterte.

“When [former] president Duterte learned about the Kilusan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino, he expressed his warm gratitude to all of us who were all present in the appreciation and farewell dinner on December 5,2022,” Robes told Rappler.

A high-ranking officer of PDP-Laban who declined to be named, however, downplayed the looming exit of a significant number of members from their party.

PDP-Laban itself has only around 40 members in the House, already down by half from the Duterte-era Congress.

“That’s the political reality, that some members would transfer to another party to seek new alliances or greener pastures,” the party source told Rappler.

Shakeup

PDP-Laban was the dominant majority party in the 2022 elections, out of 49 national parties recognized by the Comelec.

KNP’s move to join that list for the 2025 elections comes on the heels of growing tensions in the House of Representatives and Lakas-CMD, which the miniscule opposition interpreted as a sign of early political maneuverings for the midterm polls two years from now.

At the center of the House squabble is Lakas-CMD and its two officers: House Speaker Martin Romualdez (party president), and Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (chairperson emeritus).

Romualdez broke his silence on the issue on Sunday and underscored the need to nip “destabilization efforts” in the bud.

The statement was an apparent reference to rumors of an ouster plot against him, which came to light after his House majority demoted his mentor and longtime ally Arroyo from senior to regular deputy speaker.

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Arroyo previously denied engineering a coup against her mentee, and said she already let go of her speakership aspirations once it became clear that Marcos wanted cousin Romualdez to lead the chamber.

Marcos was nonchalant in public about the matter, even though Vice President Sara Duterte interestingly resigned from Lakas-CMD amid the the House squabble.

Marcos ran for president in 2022 under the banner of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, but their alliance was a last-minute move, months before candidacy filing in 2021. A year after Marcos’ ascent to Malacañang, the PFP is all but a ruling party. It’s a non-factor in the House, where it has only two members.

If Comelec approves KNP’s petition, Marcos would have more political parties to choose from to assemble his administration ticket in 2025. The questions are: what will he do, and is it even already on his mind? – Rappler.com

On Wednesday, May 17, the Marcos-allied House voted to demote former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from senior deputy speaker to deputy speaker of the 19th Congress. The House is led by Martin Romualdez, a cousin of the President. 

Marcos was so flippant on May 19, in fact, that he joked about the situation twice in events in Zambales and Clark, Pampanga where Romualdez was with his party. 

“Also joining us here is – from his war bunker in the House of Representatives is Speaker, Speaker Martin Romualdez,” said Marcos, who was on board the BRP Davao del Sur to watch a demonstration by the Philippine Navy. 

In the next event in Clark, where governor members of the League of Provinces of the Philippines were gathered, Marcos quipped after he was introduced by Romualdez: “Thank you very much to our Speaker of the House of Representatives. I won’t make any comments about the speakership as of yet.”

At Clark, Marcos, Romualdez, and the rest of the presidential party were greeted by Pampanga Vice Governor Lilia Pineda. Pineda, “Nanay” to those who intimately know her, also happens to be Arroyo’s very close ally and friend. 

Romualdez thanked Pineda for hosting the LPP gathering, but made no mention of the situation at the Batasan or the “war bunker,” as Marcos put it. 

“If you’ve been in government long enough, you’ll have seen many of these. In my term as congressman, nakatatlo ‘ata kaming ganyan (we’ve seen this happen thrice). It’s just part of the reorganization,” he’d say later, when asked by media about Arroyo’s demotion. 

Arroyo is a huge figure in Philippine politics and is largely credited with the rare coalescence of political forces that led to both Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte’s easy path to a 2022 win. 

But with the win secured came the harder task: organizing a ruling coalition made up of big and ambitious personalities in Philippine politics. 

Arroyo herself once eyed the speakership, but stepped aside once she realized the “wisdom” of having Romualdez as a congressional leader. 

In Philippine politics, while Congress is a co-equal branch of government, the House is almost always a supermajority of legislators allied with the president. 

The House Speaker is rarely antagonistic towards the President – the last time a House Speaker switched sides, then-president Erap Estrada found himself impeached. 

Marcos seemingly distanced himself from the House ruckus while pointing out that it’s Romualdez’s prerogative to organize the House as he sees fit.

Even some members of Lakas-CMD – which Romualdez heads and Arroyo is chairman emeritus of – were caught surprised by the swift move to demote the former president. 

Both Arroyo and Romualdez have been constants in Marcos’ trips abroad. The President has even called the former president his “secret weapon” when speaking to fellow heads of state and even business leaders. 

Arroyo has denied rumors she was seeking the speakership. Romualdez himself has stayed quiet about movements both in the House and in Lakas-CMD. Early Friday, Sara Duterte announced she was leaving Lakas, her vehicle in the 2022 polls.

Even as his two favorites in the House seemed to be in an awkward situation, Marcos was again nonchalant. “I don’t think any of us know what it all means, where the chips will fall after all this reorganization. I think we should also be careful to not read too much into it,” he told media in a chance interview at Pagudpud in his home province of Ilocos Norte. 

“I see it as run-of-the-mill, comes-once-in-a-while reorganization that happens in the House,” he added. 

Will Romualdez, who no longer joined the Pagudpud event, be on a war footing in the Batasan? And will his cousin, the President, still remain cool and collected then? – Rappler.com 

They believe her demotion, and the subsequent exit of Vice President Sara Duterte from her political party Lakas-CMD, suggest that the fragile alliance that comprises the incumbent administration (called “Uniteam”) is not having a kumbaya moment.

They even suspect that it’s a sign some politicians are positioning themselves early for 2025 and 2028.

“The positioning and contest for the 2028 presidential elections have begun even before the 2025 midterm elections,” Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman, president of the Liberal Party, said on Friday, May 19.

“The power play and intramurals in Lakas may result [in] further resignations by Arroyo and Duterte loyalists,” he added.

Lakas-CMD is the dominant party in the House with 71 members. Speaker Martin Romualdez is party president, while Arroyo is chairperson emeritus. The two have been longtime allies who have fostered a mentor-mentee relationship.

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Uniteam falling apart?

After Arroyo’s demotion from senior to regular deputy speaker on Wednesday, May 17, she issued a statement on Thursday, May 18, dispelling rumors she was trying to plot a coup against her political protégé. She also decried the “needless politicking” in the chamber.

The day after, when Duterte announced her resignation from Lakas-CMD, she used words similar to Arroyo’s, decrying “political toxicity” and “political power play” in the House.

The leftist Makabayan bloc believes the developments are a sign of cracks within the alliance, and are a reminder to President Marcos not to let his guard down.

“Is this a sign that this early, the Uniteam is crumbling apart? Marcos should be careful, especially now that he appointed her as co-chairperson of NTF-ELCAC (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict). We know that the military’s loyalty is still with the Dutertes,” House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro said.

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A repeat of 2018?

Makabayan and LP – with their forces combined – still make up only around 3% of the House’s total population, so they are outside looking in, with no options but to speculate.

Still, both parties bring up the 2018 speakership fiasco, a time when Arroyo successfully unseated Davao del Norte lawmaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

Alvarez’s downfall at the time was engineered by the alliance of Arroyo, Duterte, and the President’s sister, Senator Imee Marcos.

“Maybe come SONA (State of the Nation Address) time, someone would steal the mace again,” she said, referring to the House’s symbol of authority that was missing during Arroyo’s takeover of the lower chamber in 2018.

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But if press releases are to be believed, Speaker Romualdez continues to enjoy the support of the House’s supermajority.

From Thursday to Friday, numerous power blocs have issued statements pledging allegiance to the President’s cousin, namely: PDP-Laban, Nacionalista Party, Nationalist People’s Coalition, National Unity Party, and the party-list coalition. – Rappler.com

Press releases bombarded House reporters’ chat groups on Thursday, May 18, coming from key congressional leaders who wanted to express their support for Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The development comes a day after his mentor and party mate, former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, was stripped of her post as senior deputy speaker.

Her apparent demotion – exact details of which remain unclear – ignited rumors of a divided chamber, and gossips that it was meant to stop any threat to Romualdez’s leadership.

So is Romualdez conducting a loyalty check?

Romualdez’s office remains tight-lipped on the shakeup, but the people who directly benefited from the move have broken their silence.

Newly elected Senior Deputy Speaker (SDS) Dong Gonzales, who replaced Arroyo, made no mention of the former president in his first statement since the plenary session on Wednesday, May 17, but thanked the House leadership for his new title.

“As a loyal member of the majority, I will always support the Speaker and will continue to work for the benefit of my constituents in the 3rd District of Pampanga and of my kabalen in the province,” Gonzales, referring to Arroyo, said in a statement released past 4 pm on Thursday.

His party PDP-Laban also expressed its commitment to the House supermajority led by Lakas-CMD, of which Romualdez is president.

“The election of Representative Gonzales shows the strong ties and cooperation between the Speaker’s party Lakas-CMD and PDP-Laban in serving the Filipino people,” Representative Jose Alvarez, national president of PDP-Laban, said in a separate statement sent past 5 pm Thursday.

Nacionalista Party (NP) echoed that messaging in a separate statement released in the same hour.

“The Nacionalista Party expresses its unequivocal support to the leadership of Speaker Martin Romualdez of the House of Representatives as we remain fully committed to the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to its vision of a united and prosperous nation,” House Deputy Speaker and NP spokesperson Camille Villar said.

Even House Minority Leader Nonoy Libanan welcomed Gonzales’ promotion. “Representative Gonzales will be a huge asset to the House leadership in his new capacity,” he said.

“We reiterate our full support to the leadership of Speaker Martin Romualdez, who has ably steered the House in delivering unprecedented accomplishments less than a year in our terms,” Libanan added.

What we know so far

The circumstances that led to Wednesday night’s shakeup in the deputy speakership remains murky.

During the final minutes of the plenary session in a hall that lacked physical quorum, the House leadership moved to replace Arroyo with Gonzales.

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Arroyo remains a regular deputy speaker, but no longer carries the “senior” title that distinguishes her from eight other deputy speakers.

Minutes after the session ended, House Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe issued a statement, saying the move was meant to “unburden” Arroyo of “heavy load” that comes with being senior deputy speaker.

But while it is clear that a deputy speaker – the House’s second highest ranking official – presides over plenary sessions in the absence of the House speaker, among other tasks, a senior deputy speaker does not have extra responsibilities, based on House rules, and is an honorary title at best.

Adding mystery to the post-switching was Arroyo’s terse reaction to the demotion on Wednesday night.

“It’s the prerogative of the House,” she said.

Arroyo and Gonzales are close allies. Gonzales was among the guests of Arroyo during her Christmas party with reporters in December.

Gonzales is from PDP-Laban, which was the ruling party under the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Arroyo, meanwhile, is chairperson emeritus of Lakas-CMD, the political party vehicle behind the successful vice presidential campaign of Sara Duterte.

Speaker Romualdez is a mentee of Arroyo. A day before her demotion, the two were pictured attending an oath taking ceremony for a new Lakas-CMD member.

The rumors of instability in the House come just two months before President Marcos’ second State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Arroyo, a savvy political operator, orchestrated the ouster of Pantaleon Alvarez as House speaker on the day of the SONA in July 2018, during the Duterte administration years. – Rappler.com

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. slipped quietly back in Manila late Sunday, May 7, after a whirlwind week that took him to Washington DC for an official working visit then London for an “official” visit to attend King Charles III’s coronation.

Typically, there’s a (semi) public arrival ceremony and protocol involved when Marcos returns to Philippine soil after a trip overseas, of which he’s had many since he assumed office in June 2022.

After the chartered Philippine Airlines plane lands and parks in Villamor Airbase, Marcos is accorded arrival honors and delivers an arrival speech, which is then broadcast live via both government and private news entities, including RTVM, the agency tasked to document the President’s activities.

Reporters are informed of this beforehand through an advisory via the Presidential Communications Office, or the communication arm of the Palace.

For this arrival, there was no such advisory.

Instead, Marcos’ return was first (in)formally announced in an Instagram post by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. “It feels good to be back home! Can’t believe we have to unpack and then pack again for the upcoming ASEAN meet on Tuesday, May 9th,” she said in her caption.

Responding to media queries, PCO Secretary Cheloy Garafil said: “No arrival honors. He was welcomed by the chief of protocol and Air Force officers.”

Parked behind Marcos, instead of the usual PAL plane (PR001 for flights leaving Manila, and PR002 for flights returning to Manila), was a red and white aircraft the First Couple had presumably used to fly back home from London.

Marcos’ flight arrangements to the UK were previously unclear to the media – the plane the government had chartered to fly to Washington DC for the official working visit with almost all of the Philippine delegation (Cabinet officials, support staff), including this reporter, on board flew back to Manila on May 5.

The only other time Marcos’ return to the Philippines lacked the usual pageantry was when he flew to Singapore – without prior announcement – to watch the Grand Prix.

Imelda, Charles’ ‘friend’

Instead of the usual arrival message, the PCO released to the media a statement from Marcos on the UK visit for the coronation.

“I join the community of nations in congratulating His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla on the joyous occasion of their Coronation on 06 May 2023, at Westminster Abbey in London. It was as grand and magnificent a ceremony as could have been, full of symbolism and weighted by history. It was a great honor for me to represent the Philippines on such a historic occasion,” said Marcos, who attended the event with his wife, the First Lady.

“Filipinos wish His Majesty King Charles III a long and happy reign. May his Coronation signify the start of a new chapter of peace, progress, and prosperity for the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth,” he added.

Marcos made no mention in his statement if a planned “very casual” meeting with the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pushed through, although the Philippine president did make sure to report on an apparent interaction with the new monarch.

“A day before the Coronation of King Charles III, we were able to speak with His Majesty at the reception, where we sent him the congratulations of all Filipinos. He asked after his friend, my mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, and recounted fond memories of the time they shared together,” said Marcos.

The former first lady, part of the so-called “conjugal dictatorship” between herself and her husband Ferdinand E. Marcos, was in power for over two decades, several of those years under Martial Law. His regime is remembered for the human rights abuses and pilferage of public coffers by both the clan and their cronies. Prince Charles was a teenager when the Marcos years started, and in his late 30s by the time the clan was finally forced out of Malacañang during the People Power Revolution of 1986.

In 1970, when Marcos had just been reelected for a second term, Imelda reportedly requested an audience with Queen Elizabeth II, the current King’s late mother and the reigning monarch then. The request for both Imelda and Marcos Jr. was granted, although cables from the British foreign office noted then how diplomats were baffled over why the audience was allowed because it had “never been done before.”

The current president spent many years in the United Kingdom, both for high school and college, although he failed to earn an undergraduate degree. His three sons, now all adults, hold degrees from UK institutions.

After a day-long stay in Manila, Marcos and the First Lady will be flying to Indonesia, this time for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit. – Rappler.com