Woman Bongbong can’t afford to fire

I think we’ve misunderstood Claire Castro. Completely misunderstood her.

Look at the country. Everyone is angry — mad at the government, mad at the President, at the policies, about everything. Very angry people. And who do they fight with?

Claire. The only person in the Palace who benefits from being hated. Look at Vince Dizon. Amenah Pangandaman. Christina Frasco. Poof! Gone! Look at Bongbong’s former communications chiefs.

Everybody says she’s supposed to make Bongbong popular. Fake news! Maybe she’s supposed to give angry people a face to throw potatoes at, somebody Filipinos will hate more than Bongbong.

When was the last time a Claire Castro controversy ended with Filipinos talking more about the government policy than about Claire Castro?

She can say things the President would look terrible saying. Imagine Bongbong personally trading insults with Harry Roque or answering every accusation from Sara Duterte.

Because Bongbong wants us to think he’s selling calm, continuity, the illusion that the floods are over. Marcos is selling normalcy. Though Claire Castro detonates that brand every time she opens her mouth.

And if everybody is busy demanding that Claire Castro answer for her mouth, who’s demanding that Bongbong Marcos answer for his government?

Amazing job, Claire.

So Sara fights Claire, Claire fights Sara. She called Sara “Chucky.” Very nasty doll. Kills people. You’d think Claire would be a little more careful, have a little professional courtesy, maybe. Between colleagues in the horror business.

Honestly, Claire’s the one who should come with a sticker on her forehead: “Spins quickly, bites questions, possibly haunted.” You are forced, reluctantly, to consider possession as the more charitable explanation.

Someone coughs in the direction of the President and — bam! — she’s airborne.

Everybody’s fighting. Meanwhile, Bongbong is inaugurating bridges. Very presidential. Sometimes the bridges aren’t finished. That’s not his department.

People ask, “Hey, Bongbong, why didn’t you accept Claire’s resignation?” He could tell them, “Talk to Lino. His decision.” The President respects decisions. Especially the ones he likes.

Very hands-off management. But when did the President become the guy who just respects decisions? Thought he was supposed to make a few?

You can’t have a government where everybody’s authorized to do things and nobody’s authorized to take the blame.

Look at the P50 million. For Bato. Fifty million! To catch a man wanted by the ICC.

Whose idea?

Jonvic’s.

Not Bongbong’s. Very important. I’d be upset. If my employee spent P50 million without asking me, we’d at least have a conversation.

Especially after I’d told the whole country we weren’t cooperating with the ICC.

I’d immediately get on the phone with Jonvic.

“Jonvic, what part of ‘No!’ costs 50 million pesos?”

And who explains all this? Claire Castro. Not Bongbong. At what point does the government become the President’s business?

Because, look, Jonvic runs the bounty. Bongbong runs the country. Claire’s job is to convince us Bongbong is running the country.

And her defense is that he wasn’t involved?