Which fiercely loyal Cabinet secretary, once one of the most favored by the ruling clan’s inner sanctum, got axed right after a high-profile family gathering turned into an icy battlefield?

Sources say family members of the “dearly departed” gave the ultimate cold-shoulder treatment to a powerful figure who doesn’t hold a single government title but still calls the shots in the corridors of power.

Despite being more than qualified and unbesmirched by scandals, the official was gone in a heartbeat — purely because of intra-family politics that even the most seasoned political power watchers in the country didn’t see coming. Welcome to the real Game of Thrones, Pinoy edition.