On a personal level, the President exhibits almost zero degree of vindictiveness toward those who hold world views different from his. However, off-the-grid institutional machinations, especially when clearly motivated by political reasons, appear to betray, if not defeat, FM Jr.’s brand of statesmanship.The disequilibrium demonstrates the clash between ethical and political ends.

That being so, the Dutertes become now the unlucky victims of emerging partisan or fraternal aspirations to emasculate first the father and then the daughter to weaken, if not sweep, their names into the dustbin of political history.

The suspension of Sonshine Media Network International from its social media platform and the consequent congressional inquiry into its legislative franchise by a House panel to establish any valid ground for revocation are precisely moves in that direction.

Frontline politicians are quick to articulate the corporate offenses of SMNI violative of its franchise, not to mention the alleged proliferation of fake news or false reports and red tagging. As reported, this appeared to stem from the network’s claim about how much the Speaker spent on his travels.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte has lost an effective mouthpiece through which to ventilate crucial issues of national life at critical junctures.

Vice President Sara Duterte, concurrently Secretary of the Department of Education, was not spared the whip when “implicated” on the issue of confidential funds as if, per se, the controversial budget lacked any legal basis. Even the reason raised (i.e., cost of fighting communism) that sounds “justifiable” enough fell on deaf ears. In the language of political maneuvering, the vitriolic attack against her had all the makings of a demolition job.

A grand plan hidden from public view began to crystallize when the People’s Initiative quickly fell dead in the water the very moment it was launched. This enabled cynics to easily connect the dots since one event in relation to another cannot be understood in isolation. The good thing was that just when it had the appearance of success at one end, the Senate’s opposition to the House-sponsored initiative meted out its “death” at the other. Letting the genie out of the bottle proved insurmountable following citizens’ negative reactions.

The first theater of power play dynamics held behind “closed doors” or when nobody was watching was an ironic failure. Somebody ought to have given the “marching order” for every legislative district to deliver the 3 percent signature quota in a well-orchestrated fashion. Where would the second theater be, this time under the watchful or “avenging” eyes of contra political blocs?

Every citizen of this country wants the next election cycle to be held because it’s essentially how the Constitution has pre-ordained it. More importantly, no president can have a second term thereby making six years short for a good president and long for a bad one. Again, there is no other pathway to the presidency except through a national election held for the purpose.

Historically, two women presidents tripped the whole constitutional process, one even becoming the longest serving president since Ferdinand Marcos. PGMA was the vice president who assumed office when angry protesters drove then President Joseph Estrada from the presidential residence. Can an angry and protesting former President Rodrigo Duterte drive FM Jr. from Malacañang so that the vice president can assume power?

There seems to be something missing in this jigsaw puzzle. First of all, FM Jr.’s rating in the latest Social Weather Stations survey was very good — a high of 75 percent — with three out of four adults satisfied with his overall performance. This perception alone is powerful enough to ward off any destabilization plots against the President.

On the other side of the scale, Sara Duterte garnered a relatively higher net satisfaction rating than the President in the 4th Quarter 2023 SWS survey. This simply means that in an imaginary line of succession, the next election cycle holds greater promise for the good lady.