Accountability and political leverage

Accountability and political leverage | Daily Tribune

There have been several attempts to change the leadership of both houses of the legislative branch since the 20th Congress was convened post-midterm elections.

In the 20th Congress, in July 2025, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero was elected Senate President while Leyte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez was voted Speaker of the House — on the same day the President delivered his now infamous State of the Nation Address where he vowed to hold to account all those complicit in an alleged massive flood control corruption scheme.

Then, two months into the 20th Congress, Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III took over as Senate President in a successful coup early in September 2025. Less than two weeks later, Romualdez stepped down to make way for Isabela 6th District Representative Faustino “Bojie” Dy III to take over the House speakership.

But more precarious is the stability of the Senate. Since then, whispers of backroom negotiations have continued to hound the Senate and its leadership. The most recent being another “failed” coup attempt to remove Sotto as Senate President just last week — allegedly over the findings of the Blue Ribbon Committee, which implicated three incumbent senators in the flood control controversy, namely, Chiz Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva.

Rumors have continued to swirl around the alleged foiled change in leadership where veteran Senator Loren Legarda was supposedly set to assume the top post in the upper house.

Unconfirmed reports hinted at an impasse after many senators objected to the reinstatement of Senator Rodante Marcoleta as chairperson of the powerful Blue Ribbon Committee.

Christmas has come and gone with still no big fish rotting in jail — save for former Senator Bong Revilla, who again found himself incarcerated, this time in the general jail population, alongside other main figures in the Bulacan flood control mess.

But why just Mr. Revilla? What dearth of evidence exactly is there against the incumbent senators (but that was found sufficient against Mr. Revilla) that no cases have yet been filed against them?

Legislative immunity only covers crimes punishable by not more than six years and only while Congress is in session. And given the amounts involved in the flood control controversy, whatever crime is charged will surely not be covered by such immunity.

Looking at the entirety of what is going on right now, we must consider the pendency of the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte and the possibility that the opposition will question the dismissal of the impeachment complaints against the President before the Supreme Court as significant factors affecting the administration’s resolve to prosecute incumbent senators for their involvement in the flood control scandal.

Let’s not forget that the Senate stands as the jury in an impeachment trial. And to remove three or even just two sitting senators could mean the difference between conviction and acquittal.

Accountability in the context of Philippine politics has become not only elusive but also selective. It has become a bargaining chip and tool for political leverage. It appears that there is more than just the issue of providing more evidence to guarantee a conviction at play here.

Ultimately, nothing much has changed in how the government continues to operate. Political survival has become the primary objective of those occupying seats of power.

“Sarili muna bago bayan” (Self before country) has, unfortunately, become the guiding principle in all levels of government, given the instability and insecurity come 2028.