The overpowering victory of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. within the Philippine presidential election, thank you a minimum of partly to the re-writing thru social media of the oppression and pillage that characterised his father’s rule within the Nineteen Seventies and Nineteen Eighties, isn’t the one reason why to fret in regards to the course of Philippine democratic politics.
As anticipated, the Area of Representatives is stuffed with regional dynasts who most commonly joined Marcos-aligned events and anyway will most likely vote for many of what the manager desires in go back for rewards for his or her districts or themselves.
However it’s the Senate election consequence that may be a bigger motive for worry given that previously senators, being elected on a countrywide foundation, have had an inclination to individualism and a point of independence even from the events of which they’re nominal participants.
Essentially the most hanging function this time is that prime of the senate ballot used to be a newcomer, Robin Padilla, 52, whose reputation stems from a Philippine tendency to elect actors, information readers and sports activities figures within the improper trust that can empower them as lawmakers. Padilla’s leader declare to repute is as a film and TV actor highest identified for “unhealthy man” roles, the gangster as anti-hero, simply as former President Estrada had risen to the highest by the use of heroic roles on behalf of justice.
Padilla used to be additionally a favourite of President Duterte who in 2016 had given him an absolute pardon in recognize of a 1994 conviction for unlawful firearms. Padilla have been sentenced to 8 years and served 4 sooner than being launched by means of President Ramos from New Bilibid jail, the place he promptly made a film set on the prison.
Padilla’s non secular leanings went from being a Jehovah’s Witness, a minor US-based Christian sect that has a substantial following within the Philippines, to conversion to Islam when he married a Muslim and took the identify Abdul Aziz. He therefore divorced and married a Christian on the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. His father and family members have political clout in Camarines Norte however Padilla’s surprising ascension to Senate candidate used to be impelled by means of Duterte, whose drug conflict killings have been praised by means of the actor.
His one difference is that he is without doubt one of the only a few new faces a number of the senators simply elected. Some other is journalist and TV character Raffy Tulfo. The 3rd new one isn’t truly new in any respect – Mark Villar follows his mom who adopted his father into the Senate. Different inheritors and/or re-electionists come with two sons (by means of other moms) of the disgraced former President Estrada – Jinggoy Estrada and J.V. Ejercito and Joel Villanueva, son of rich evangelist and founding father of the Jesus is Lord sect “Eddie” Villanueva, who has been elected to the Area as a party-list member.
Alan Peter Cayetano follows a sister and father into the Senate, returnee senator Francis Escudero is the son of a minister underneath Marcos within the Nineteen Eighties, re-electionist Win Gatchalian’s circle of relatives dominates the politics of Valenzuela, Juan Zubiri is the son of the governor of Bukidnon, Loren Legarda and Risa Hontiveros are the one Robredo supporters to win election. Hontiveros has been essentially the most outspoken liberal voice within the Senate towards drug killings, different extra-judicial killings and “red-tagging” of leftists. In the meantime the Liberal get together has no successors to retiring senators Franklin Drilon and Francis Pangilinan.
Notable losers within the Duterte-driven avalanche have been his critics Leila de Lima, nonetheless confined in “preventive detention” on the army’s Camp Crame headquarters on virtually for sure trumped-up drug fees, Antonio Trillanes and Richard Gordon. Left-leaning applicants Neri Colmenares and Chel Diokno additionally fared poorly.
The get together record device, which used to be established within the charter to officially contain political events within the electoral procedure for the home of representatives to facilitate multi-winner elections,. has been in large part taken over by means of dynasts and representatives of pro-Duterte and pro-Marcos teams, making an excellent larger mockery of its unique intent to offer illustration to marginalized teams.
