Politics thicker than blood
It used to be an indubitable and universal truism that blood is thicker than water, and therefore, any political diversity would always give way to the primacy of blood relations. But as things are emerging today, it is becoming very clear that in the upcoming midterm elections in 2019, there is a real need to re-examine what we used to hold as an immutable principle.
It is becoming very clear that politics nowadays takes precedence over any family relationship. Brothers are fighting against brothers, or brothers against sisters, even fathers against sons. Many Filipinos are skeptical and they believe that these blood relations are just making a show of enmity just to make sure that political leadership and power (all the money and perks that come with it) shall remain within the same family.
For the Senate, two sons of president/mayor Erap are slugging it out: Jinggoy Estrada (son of former senator Dra. Loi), who is staging a comeback under the banner of PMP, Partido ng Masang Pilipino, appears within the winning circle if surveys are to be taken without any grain of salt. On the other hand, JV Ejercito (son of San Juan mayor Guia Gomez), who is running under the NPC (National Peoples’ Coalition of Senate President Tito Sotto and businessman Danding Cojuangco), is in the peripheries of the winning ball park. These two half-brothers are not really in good terms. JV never visited Jinggoy in detention. And Jinggoy has always evaded mentioning JV’s name in all his press conferences.
In Makati, it appears that former vice president Jejomar Binay is supporting the reelection bid of his elder daughter, Abigail, who is running against her younger brother, former mayor Junjun Binay. Abby is the standard bearer of UNA in Makati, while Junjun has his own local party, called Una ang Makati party. Senator Nancy Binay and another sister are supporting Junjun. I’m sure their mother, Dra. Elenita Binay, is torn between two factions of her children. Most of the incumbent councilors, including Rico Puno, have shifted loyalty to Junjun, and most of the barangay chairmen too, allegedly. Only a few councilors, including Jong Hilario (of “Ang Provinciano” and “It’s Showtime”), have opted to stick it out with Abby.
It has been reported that in Iloilo, three members of the same household are running against each one another for the same post of first district congressman: Janet Garin (who is supposedly facing some charges related to Dengvaxia); her husband Oscar Garin Jr., the incumbent representative; and the patriarch Oscar Sr., the mayor of their hometown. In another Iloilo district, two brothers belonging to the Tupaz family are also running against each other. In Isabela up north, brothers Benjamin Carlo Dy and Mark Ryan Dy are opposing each other and also against their uncle, Napoleon, for governor. For mayor of Cauayan, Bernard Faustino Dy, incumbent mayor, is being opposed by his aunt, Norma Dy. In Magindanao, Mariam is running against Freddi for governor. They carry the same family name. Perhaps they live in the same house. Wow.
In Danao, there used to be a Durano versus Durano political showdown. The Cuencos, Don Mariano and Don Miguel, were not always together. In the fifties, in our town, Ronda, there was a case of Villalon versus Villalon, father and son, then uncle versus nephew.
Thus, when it comes to Philippine politics, bonds can be broken and relationships can be set aside. Brothers Lito and Sonny Osmena, just like Serge and Tomas, were not always in the same side. Blood may be thicker than water but politics is thicker than blood.
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