THE latest news that after all their bickering, 1Sambayan and the Makabayan have allied together to support the presidential ambition of Vice President Leni Robredo is, for those in the know, actually “old news.”
1Sambayan was formed in March 2021 purposely as an electoral opposition to Pres. Duterte for the May 9 elections this year centered on Robredo, now the Liberal Party’s (LP) “disente” and “democracy” icon after the death of the Aquinos—Ninoy, Cory and Noynoy.
Composed of pro-US personalities and representatives of oligarchic and elite interests and with most of them the ‘has-been’ officials from the discredited ‘Yellow’ regime of Pres. Noynoy Aquino, they have been earnest and sincere in their effort to discredit and bring down the administration of Pres. Duterte since Day One of his presidency.
With his foul mouth and abrasive personality, and in their rightful arrogance, they see him as wholly “unfit” – “hindi disente”— to be called “honorable” and yes, “president.”
Makabayan, of course, has long been identified with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP); the organizations that composed it—Bayan Muna, KMU, COURAGE, ACT, LFS, Anakpawis, Kabataan, etc., — were among those named by CPP founder Jose Maria Sison, as far back as 1987, as composing the CPP’s ‘legal democratic forces’ in the Philippines.
Their “main task” is to “advance” the CPP’s armed struggle by exploiting the available “democratic space” in our body politic– entering Congress, the Cabinet, etc., so they can subvert the government from within; pushing the fiction of ‘peace talks;’ and yes, creating “political alliances” that would not only give them “respectability” but also, “political credibility” before the electorate.
If the long history of the CPP and its front groups show they are guided by only one “principle” — political opportunism– the same can be said of 1Sambayan and all other political opposition groups who grew up feeding on the “legacy” of Ninoy Aquino and his brand of politics.
As the supreme political opportunist, Ninoy helped in the founding of the CPP and its armed thug, the New People’s Army (NPA) in the late ‘60s, believing that arming the Reds (and the Moros too) can help him become president after Marcos under a “coalition government” that he would expectedly head.
If their “idol,” Ninoy, did it—go in bed with terrorists– why can’t they? This seems to be the argument running through the minds of those who came after him at the LP and in the mainstream political opposition, during and after the Marcos years.
When 1Sambayan was formed last March 2021, Makabayan is already among its “co-founders.” The sore point coming out only when Robredo released the list of her Senate bets, after the filing of the certificate of candidacy last October 2021, which did not include Makabayan’s Senate candidates, Neri Colmenares and Elmer Labog.
Aware of just how discredited the LP and its Yellow color has become, Robredo also dumped the “Yellow” color in favor of the “Pink” color, while also issuing statements favoring the government’s anti-terrorism strategy (read: anti-CPP), statements that are not acceptable to Makabayan.
But clearly, some powerful forces “intervened” (US Imperialism perhaps?) that everything has been sorted out:
In exchange for full CPP support thru the Makabayan, Colmenares has been included in 1Sambayan’s Senate list that Robredo, lacking any political clout or machinery of her own, would have no choice but to accept.
Of course, the “only problem” remaining for Robredo is that most Filipinos are now fully aware of the true character of Makabayan and whose interests 1Sambayan actually represents.
Has it not entered the mind of Madam Leni that with 1Sambayan and Makabayan joining hands for her, Filipinos would be dumbed 100 times over if they still elect her as president?
Has our Vice President, on her own, even reading and studying our recent history by the way? Or was she in her exalted position as “opposition presidential candidate” because she is, well, dumb? A “putty” in the hands of malevolent interests?
We boldly predict that this is one alliance that is sure to doom Robredo’s candidacy.
And you can take that to the bank.
(Editor’s Note: The print version of this Editorial has been shortened due to space constraint).