A political analyst said the ordinary Filipino citizen feels what he described as “political fatigue” due to feeling neglected by the government, who appears to be prioritizing politics over its constituents’ needs amid the crisis.
“Nasa gitna tayo ng krisis at mahirap ang buhay, pero ang ating mga kababayan, nararamdaman natin ‘yung tinatawag na ‘political fatigue,’ ‘impeachment fatigue’ because they feel that they are already being neglected, they’re being set aside because of the political consideration ng ating mga leader at the moment,” Professor Froilan Calilung said during an interview on DZRH Balansyado.
Calilung said that a government’s core purpose was to govern its people, a duty that is currently being “set aside” for other matters, despite soaring inflation.
“The real intention and the real motive behind the creation of a government, which is to govern, ay nase-set aside talaga. And in the process, talagang ‘yung ating economic imperative, which is of course tied up to our political stability, is actually taken aside, and talagang malaking problema,” he said, citing the recent 7.2 percent inflation and the country’s “very high” GDP to debt ratio.
In spite of the crisis confronting the country, the professor said that the attention of the Lower and Upper Chambers of Congress, as well as the President, seems to be on the impeachment case more than it is on other, more pressing matters.
He said that as a “spare tire” to the President, or simply a President-in-waiting, the administration is reportedly funneling copious resources into ensuring Duterte’s ouster, which makes him believe the wider picture to be the 2028 Presidential Elections outcome.
“Siguro accountability and justice is one side to it but the bigger picture actually is geared towards the 2028 elections and the positioning for the upcoming elections,” Calilung speculated.
“The government, especially the administration of BBM (President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.) is actually very cautious about her (Duterte) because she appears to be the only candidate who is steadfast in trying to make this government of BBM accountable for everything: the flood control, the billions of pesos that were lost, the gold that was nowhere to be found, ‘yung Maharlika Investment Fund,” he continued, adding that if Senator Imee Marcos’ claim that each congressman was handed ₱20 million “upfront” to bribe them into voting in favor of the impeachment was true, this was a massive collective amount.
On Monday, the House of Representatives voted an overwhelming 257-26-9, with 257 voting in favor of the impeachment case, 26 opposed to it, and nine abstaining.
