The incongruity of vice president's position

How can the vice president remain in the Cabinet with honor and dignity and continue to act as a member of the official family of a president who is being constantly lambasted by her family? The more honorable way is to resign and serve in her position as vice president. To cut now and to cut clean. That would be the most decent way. The Filipinos would applaud her for that.

That was what Vice President Leni Robredo did, disengaged herself from the administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte. It was quite easier for her to do it because, from the very start, the two did not belong to the same party. Leni Robredo was and still is a Liberal. PRRD is PDP-Laban as of the latest. He kept on changing parties. In fairness to him however, he gave Leni a chance, but really, oil and water could not mix. Their values collided, their principles were simply incongruent. But they remained civil to each other. Leni did well in her outreach programs for the poor. Millions continued to love her and even believed that she really did not lose the elections.

To resign from the Cabinet of GMA was what former vice president Teofisto Guingona did after he delivered that famous "I accuse her speech", calling for the impeachment of the president who appointed him vice president. Guingona was a senator when the Office of the Vice President became vacant when then Vice President GMA ascended to the presidency. That happened because GMA took her oath on the premise that, by his acts, statements, and behavior, then President Erap was presumed to have constructively resigned. This was a premise which the Supreme Court upheld.

Even Vice President Salvador “Doy” Laurel resigned from the Cabinet of his close friend, the widow of Ninoy, his bosom buddy, President Cory Aquino. That was a very difficult situation for both of the two leaders of the post-martial law Philippines. Cory and Doy were together all the way from the declaration of martial law in 1972 up to 1986 during and immediately after the EDSA Revolution. Doy made a supreme sacrifice by giving way to Cory to run despite the fact that he was more qualified, better prepared, and eminently applauded with his impeccable credentials. Cory and Doy achieved victory not by the power of the ballot but by the Peoples' Revolution.

If Vice Presidents Leni Robredo, Teofisto Guingona Jr., and Doy Laurel could do the honorable thing, why can Vice President Sara not do it? She has nothing to lose but the power and prestige as DepEd secretary, and everything to gain including her self-respect. In 2028, she will have a better chance to beat Speaker Martin or even Senator Imee or whoever BBM will endorse. That way she would have the dignity to attack this administration. But, for as long as she remains with this Cabinet, she would have no moral authority to lambast it. Her father, her brothers, and her party will be on a higher moral ground.

As of today her father, her brothers, and her party call the president many names including that associated with drugs. For her to remain in the Cabinet would be a testament to her lack of consistency in values, to say the very least. To say the most, any minute she remains in the BBM official family is a finger pointed to herself for lack of a sense of delicadeza.

And we say all these with due respect to her and to her position, and even with a term of affection and endearment as a fellow Visayan. The earlier Inday Sara bites the bullet and drinks the poison of resignation, the better for her honor, personal decency, and official dignity. Many of us would do the same if we were in her shoes. In fairness to her though, this is much easier said than done. This is not easy for her. But she can do it, if she wants to.