Well, you really can’t fight Malacañang

It is not impossible to be a vocal oppositionist, even with a strong and adversarial president. But there is a huge price to pay for openly engaging the chief executive in a running word battle. There was a saying, originating at the time of the great Arsenio Lacson of Manila, that one cannot fight City Hall. It is a figure of speech, which means that an individual cannot win a word war with a powerful political leader —mayor, governor or, worse, like Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña — no one really can fight Malacañang. With a president like Rodrigo Duterte, no local official should mess around with him. Otherwise, the consequences can be very far-reaching.

The former de facto Chief Justice, Maria Lourdes Sereno, tried to openly disagreed with the president on certain fundamental legal issues. Look, where she is now. Senator Leila de Lima tried to be too smart in confronting the president on certain issues that matters most to President Digong. Look where goes de Lima's guts now that she is behind bars. Business mogul, Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP) reportedly said in the first few weeks of Duterte’s term, that the president should not unduly interfere with business affairs. Catching himself, MVP forthwith made amends. The price for fighting Digong is simply incalculable. MVP realized that his business empire is vulnerable to the police power of the State.

Even LP is too cautious with pronouncements their leaders are expected to make. Most of them chose to remain silent— too risky to openly disagree with the president. That is why former senate president Franklin Drilon is generally silent, except for a few and mild statements of concern. So with Senators Francis Pangilinan, Bam Aquino, and Riza Honteveros. They intermittently blurt out some words about raging issues like rice shortage, importation of marine products, and TRAIN Law. They know the delicate art of invoking the right to remain silent.

A mayor cannot tell the president not to interfere with Cebu. That would be a serious faux pas or breach of elementary courtesy. Mayor Tomas might not have said those words after all, but Digong has eyes and ears in Cebu, and he comes to know even the latest buzz in Cebu’s political world. Neither the Senate president nor the House speaker has attempted to say their piece against the president. No one can mess around with Digong nor with her daughter, Inday Sarah. Remember what happened to former speaker Bebot Alvarez.

It is not because the president does not like any opposition. He is too astute as to violate this cardinal rule in a democracy.  Rather, it is because no one owns a city or a district, and the president does not want to hear any form of arrogance, or what he rather called ''hubris.'' If you are not an ally, the best way to survive under this dispensation is to be serene like Governor Junjun Davide, and silent like Mayor Eddie Gullas.