By Chloe Mari A. Hufana and Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporters
THE Commission on Elections on Tuesday dismantled illegal posters within the Philippine capital because the campaign season for the midterm elections kicked off against a fractured political backdrop.
The political pressure is heightened by a high-profile row amongst warring elites that culminated in last week’s impeachment of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Election Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia led the operations with law enforcement authorities within the district of Tondo, Manila at dawn on the primary day of campaigning by national candidates. The campaign season for local officials will start on March 28.
“It is a significant symbol, and it’s for the whole nation to indicate candidates and political parties that in the approaching days, in the event that they post campaign materials in prohibited areas, we are going to remove them,” he told reporters in Filipino.
Illegal campaign materials are those who don’t meet size requirements or placed in prohibited areas or printed on nonbiodegradable materials. Ms. Garcia said they might not remove campaign materials on private properties because of a 2022 Supreme Court ruling.
He said the confiscated posters could be used as evidence when charges are filed against erring candidates.
Ms. Duterte’s impeachment could see her faraway from her post and banned for all times from public office, and comes amid an escalating feud between her and President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., whose once-powerful alliance propelled them to a landslide election victory in 2022.
Their fallout has sent ripples through Philippine politics, turning the midterms right into a high-stakes power struggle and a preview of a possible battle between their camps within the 2028 presidential race.
Mr. Marcos is restricted to a single six-year term under the 1987 Structure and is anticipated to groom a successor, while Ms. Duterte could be eligible to run in 2028 if she survives the impeachment.
“Those fighting in open warfare throughout the midterms are the identical ones who won the historic unity victory in 2022,” political analyst and former presidential adviser Rolando M. Llamas said. “That’s very significant.”
“They secured the best vote count in our history, and yet, almost immediately after winning, they began to unravel. This impeachment is only one episode in an unfolding saga that might rival any Netflix series.”
Up for grabs within the May 12 elections are 317 congressional seats and hundreds of local posts. But the largest battle might be for 12 spots within the 24-seat Senate, a chamber filled with political heavyweights and wielding outsized influence.
HIGH-STAKES CONTEST
For Mr. Marcos, the elections are widely seen as a referendum on his leadership as he seeks to secure a legislative majority to push forward his administration’s agenda.
However the stakes are equally high for Ms. Duterte, who faces an impeachment trial within the Senate expected in June. The election for senators will feature allies of Mr. Marcos and Ms. Duterte who will grow to be jurors within the Senate impeachment trial.
For Ms. Duterte to be removed, a minimum of 16 senators, or two-thirds of members, must vote to convict her.
A survey by pollster Pulse Asia Research, Inc. last month showed nine of Mr. Marcos’ senatorial bets leading the race, but two Duterte loyalists were in the highest 12, keeping the Vice President’s camp in contention.
The trial looms as a pivotal moment not only for Ms. Duterte but for the political dynasty of her family, whose influence skyrocketed after father, Rodrigo R. Duterte, won the presidential election in 2016 on a promise to tackle crime and illegal drugs.
Mr. Duterte, 79, stays a formidable political figure and is running for mayor in his hometown Davao City, where his two sons are also running for vice mayor and for a seat on the House of Representatives, hoping to bolster the family’s southern stronghold.
The newest bout of drama erupted on Feb. 5, when the House, led by Speaker and presidential cousin Martin G. Romualdez impeached Ms. Duterte on charges that stemmed from accusations that included budget anomalies, amassing unusual wealth and an alleged threat to the lives of Mr. Marcos, the primary lady and Mr. Romualdez.
Ms. Duterte has denied wrongdoing, while Mr. Marcos has said he doesn’t support her impeachment.
Ms. Duterte led opinion polls last yr on preferred candidates for the following presidency, so her removal, in line with Mr. Llamas, may very well be a boon for Mr. Marcos’ possibilities of deciding his succession.
“In case you’re in a position to convict Sara… in a way, you level the playing field,” he said. “There’s now not any dominant candidate.”
The political opposition should develop fresh political messaging and avoid counting on the nostalgia of past campaigns, political analysts said.
Different opposition groups starting from left-leaning organizations to liberal groups also needs to support one another’s campaigns without compromising their ideals in mounting a challenge against administration bets, they added.
“When a candidate rides on the tails of a previous candidate or campaign, they give the impression of being weak or unimaginative,” Hansley A. Juliano, who teaches political science on the Ateneo de Manila University, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.
“I’m afraid this continues to be the energy of the opposition campaign, especially since clearly, the political party constructing effort within the Philippines has failed,” he added. “A candidate claiming continuity with one other candidate barely works.”
Opposition candidates should set the tone of their campaign message by addressing key issues faced by Filipinos, equivalent to high prices and food security, said Arjan P. Aguirre, who also teaches political science on the Ateneo.
“They need to win the people’s support by… offering alternative programs, laws, plans for the country’s economic recovery, food security, employment and livelihood,” he said via Messenger chat.
“It is obvious that the administration ticket has the advantage of incumbency and use of machinery. This translates to having a high awareness level and regular access to resources that may allow them to connect with voters and solicit their support,” he added.
Administration candidates even have access to government programs for politicking purposes, he added. “These resources unfortunately are available in various forms like government projects, programs and initiatives that may easily be mistaken as favors, advantages and goods.”
“Opposition candidates should be under the presumption that organizing can trump money and machinery — and it could possibly, but only whether it is for the long run and consistent,” Mr. Juliano said.
Candidates could use the impeachment of Ms. Duterte to solicit voter support, no matter their stance, said Jean S. Encinas-Franco, a University of the Philippines political science professor. She noted that some senatorial candidates could present themselves as capable jurors for Ms. Duterte’s trial, while others could offer sympathy to her supporters to also gain votes.
Opposition parties have the chance to support grassroots candidates on the local level, in line with Anthony Lawrence A. Borja, an associate political science professor on the De La Salle university.
“The present system will remain unchanged if the local level stays the identical,” he said via Messenger chat. — with Reuters
