In today’s precarious environment for journalists and government critics, the traditional print and broadcast media, including social media on various digital platforms, have become subdued, to say the least. Some quarters describe the current situation as “undeclared ML,” with cyberlibel being used as a tool to suppress freedom of expression.

The recent casualty is Dr. Lorraine Badoy, whose medical license was suspended for six months over a critical statement against the legal fronts of the communists that she made some four years ago.

I find myself lucky to be writing for the DAILY TRIBUNE, which focuses strictly on truth and nothing but the truth in news reporting, and on fearless views in its commentaries. It has been 26 years and counting. My salute to publisher Willie Fernandez for keeping the tradition alive.

Happy 26th Anniversary! And here’s my anniversary piece:

Following her resignation from the Marcos Cabinet as secretary of the Department of Education, the House of Representatives, then headed by the President’s cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, lost no time in demonizing Vice President Sara Duterte.

At the House of Romualdez, an incredible political and ideological mutation happened. Party-list representatives who served as the legal fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its New People’s Army, which had traditionally been the radical opposition, transformed into another phalanx that led the derogation of the Vice President. Speaker Romualdez knew exactly how and what opiates to serve them to make them servile.

And they all followed the Speaker’s baton. The communist fronts turned their turrets on the VP. Meanwhile, the tenant in Malacañang watched, akimbo, the denigration of Sara, who made him President and, consequently, Romualdez Speaker.

The primary goal of the vilification campaign was to eliminate VP Sara from the 2028 presidential race. Romualdez wants to become president after his cousin, Ferdinand Jr., while Risa Hontiveros has also been eyeing the presidency.

Hontiveros, in fact, has neither been coy nor reserved about her ambition. “Stopping Duterte’s return to power is our top priority,” she asserted, while declaring her readiness to run against Sara. She claimed that a united opposition can “slay” Sara in the presidential race.

The problem for Romualdez and Hontiveros, and for all perceived presidential contenders, including Naga Mayor Leni Robredo, is that legitimate surveys have placed VP Sara at an unreachable acme of trust and approval ratings.

The cabal, which dubbed itself the “united opposition,” a queer oddity given its dogged allegiance to Malacañang, was left with one last option: impeachment. Its initial move was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court because it violated the one-year bar rule and breached VP Sara’s right to due process.

While waiting for the one-year ban to lapse, the House Committee on Justice started building up its charges against the VP, recruiting as its principal witness Ramil Madriaga, an inmate whom the Philippine National Police had branded as the fifth most wanted criminal in the country and who allegedly led a notorious kidnap-for-ransom syndicate.

Another witness is Antonio Trillanes with his rehashed fairy tale. The committee also embarked on what appeared to be a fishing expedition to bolster what seemed to be weak articles of impeachment. And they are still at it.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is embroiled in a scandal stemming from ghost flood control projects and unprecedented corruption. Romualdez resigned as Speaker, vowing as he exited that he would not be the fall guy for other people’s corruption.

What about VP Sara Duterte? In contrast to what her accusers expected, she declared that she wanted the impeachment trial to move forward and challenged them to a “bloodbath,” meaning total confrontation with no retreat.

The pretrial proceedings last week proved that the sword had already been drawn from the scabbard. VP Sara’s counsel, Atty. Sheila Sison, scored a procedural point against House lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro.

The defense then shocked Luistro’s panel by announcing that it would adopt the prosecution’s witnesses and evidence as its own. That left the prosecution flat-footed. In law, when your weapons become the other side’s shield, you know the fight has just become harder.

I’m sure Antonio Trillanes, another star witness for the prosecution, must be shaking in his boots at the prospect of facing the lioness litigator Sheila Sison.

Asked by the media for her take on the pretrial proceedings, Atty. Lorna Kapunan quipped, “Mainit ang ulo ko.” She was actually referring to her period, not to rage at Sison. But the phrase fit the mood — the trial is heating up.

So who drew first blood? VP Sara with the “bloodbath” quote. Sison with the excellent procedural jab. Kapunan with the line that bled into headlines.