Duterte vs Duterte: a fight over political inheritance

Who should get the inheritance, the first or the second family? A fight can erupt over the departed’s wealth. Now we’re watching a drama over who is to inherit the Philippine presidency. Shall it be Sara Duterte-Carpio the firstborn, or another protégé of “Tatay Digong” Duterte?

It’s unfolding like a telenovela. Sara, mayor of Davao City, admits interest in the presidency but has yet to make a decision. She is cramped by her president-father’s hinging of his next political moves on her plans. Duterte intends to slide down as vice president in 2022 and install longtime aide now senator Bong Go as successor. Sara is in the way. Duterte keeps preempting Sara’s aspiration, but insists the presidency is not for women. Two Dutertes running for the two highest positions would be scandalous. Go meanwhile will gun for president only with Duterte as runningmate.

Duterte’s spokesman disclosed that if Sara does decide to become president, he and Go will have to back off. Sara retorted that they should make up their minds independent of her options. She prefers to plan her own moves and study well before deciding.

The impression is that Sara does not need Duterte’s endorsement. She said Wednesday that Duterte initially informed her of his and Go’s plan in two letters. Their consequent face-to-face “was not a pleasant event.” Sara is easily provoked, going by her Facebook tirades against critics. One time she smacked a court sheriff for demolishing city squatter shanties. Any more political pestering by Duterte and spokesman can incite her to reveal more details.

Sara and Duterte are both tough talkers. The latter says the only person he fears is his feisty daughter. Although Sara followed ex-mayor Dad’s footsteps into politics and became his vice mayor then switched positions with him, their set ways can clash. Exchanges of harsh words were not uncommon during Duterte’s 2016 presidential campaign, an insider whispered.

Sara has two siblings, Congressman Paolo and Vice Mayor Sebastian, by Duterte’s estranged first wife. Duterte admits to have many girlfriends and has a daughter with his present partner.

To be sure, the presidency is not for passing on like a crown. Ours is a democratic republican state where sovereignty resides in the people. For reminding that recently, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno was pilloried by Duterte. Sara allegedly joined the bashing online. Though Moreno and Sara have yet to declare, both are leading early “presidentiable” surveys.

That Sara attacked Moreno was later fact-checked as untrue. But it served to heighten the suspense. By then people had begun to suspect that daughter and father would run in tandem.

A subplot was the ruling PDP-Laban’s endorsement of Duterte as vice presidential candidate with choice of standard bearer. As backdrop, Duterte loyalists first wrested the party leadership from another “presidentiable,” Senator Manny Pacquiao.

Duterte used his weekly pandemic broadcasts as teleserye. One episode he devoted to advising Sara to spare herself the headaches of a gruelling presidency. Another time he said the vice presidency interested him. Then he floated Go’s name for president. This week he firmed up his VP intention. On cue, PDP-Laban top officers endorsed Go as presidential candidate.

Sara must be watching intently. PDP-Laban has announced five of 12 senatorial candidates. Sara supposedly detests two loudmouths among them.

Who Sara will pick as runningmate is now subject of murmurs. Bongbong Marcos of Ilocos and cousin Martin Romualdez of Leyte are possibilities, as is Gilbert Teodoro of Tarlac. Then again she might not need one. The 2016 election showed that a presidential wannabe can run without a VP and vice-versa. The mismatched presidential multiparty system makes that possible.

Intriguers spice up the storyline. They convinced Duterte to become VP to continue enjoying immunity from suit. They forget that a VP has no such privilege. In 2019 the police charged VP Leni Robredo with sedition. It’s the intriguers who need protection by keeping Duterte in power. When Duterte is gone, they will go to jail while on trial for plunder.

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