Marcos-Duterte meeting ‘fake news,’ but who benefits if they reconcile?
No, there was no meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte. This was the vehement denial of the Duterte camp eight weeks into the Vice President’s impeachment trial.
“Fake news, fake news. Parang ‘yung ano lang ‘yan, no’ng binato ako ng laptop… O kung anuman. So it’s a fake (That’s fake news. It’s like the disinformation that a laptop was thrown at me or whatever. So it’s a fake),” defense counsel and spokesperson Michael Poa told reporters.
Poa said this amid rumors that Duterte had a private meeting with the President.
Malacañang said last week that it cannot confirm if such a meeting in fact happened. Press briefer Undersecretary Claire Castro said she was not given information regarding that so she could not confirm anything.
“Sa lahat ng kababayan natin, sa lahat ng tao ay open ang Pangulo (Our President is open to all of our fellow countrymen),” Castro said when asked if Marcos was open to reconciling with his former Uniteam running mate.
If the hypothetical meeting is about patching things up, the timing indicates that this could be related to the ongoing impeachment trial.
Remember, the President holds a considerable influence on other politicians — given the extent of the chief executive’s powers and machinery. This could touch even on the impeachment trial.
So hypothetically, it would make sense that Duterte would try to negotiate with Marcos. It’s Duterte’s position and 2028 plans that are on the line. If convicted, she will not only be removed, but will also be perpetually barred from holding any government position as well.
But the meeting did not really happen, according to Poa. The Vice President denied this herself.
“I asked her by confirming with her. ‘Can I just say this is fake news?’ And she said yes. I think she already knew before I asked her,” Poa explained.
“Similar ‘to, alam ‘nyo na ‘yung laptop issue na nabato [raw] ako noon. No’ng una, ayaw ko rin pansinin eh, ‘di ba? Kasi katawa-tawa na siya eh. Parang masyado nang petty para pansinin pa. But since no’ng medyo nagkaroon ng traction, I really had to address it,” he added.
(This is similar to the laptop issue, the claim that a laptop was hurled at me. At first, I didn’t want to take it seriously because it was ridiculous. It was too petty to be taken seriously. But since it gained traction, I really had to address it.)
It’s not only Duterte who would benefit from a hypothetical reconciliation.
There’s no assurance that the Vice President will be convicted and be barred from running in 2028, especially since the 16-vote threshold (two-thirds of the 24 senators) for conviction still stands. Also, Duterte remains the top contender to be the next president as shown by her positive trust ratings (compared to Marcos) and the early poll surveys.
A Duterte acquittal and 2028 presidential victory would definitely spell trouble for the Marcos family.
The Duterte family is said to be vindictive. Just look at how the patriarch, former president Rodrigo Duterte, went after his critics after he won as president.
So this hypothetical reunion goes both ways. It could be beneficial for the political survival of both Duterte and Marcos.
But will this happen? Given the damage both camps had already inflicted on each other? – Rappler.com
