Macchiavellian mind in operation

From Niccolo Macchiavelli’s “The Prince” the term macchiavellian, which according to modern-day internet refers to a personality trait characterized by interpersonal manipulation, indifference to morality, lack of empathy and a calculated focus on self interest, came.

I have to use the word macchiavellian to apply to whoever was behind two incidents that happened on the same day, last Wednesday. Those earth-shaking political incidents, on their face value, seemed to collide head-on as if their originators were bent on destroying each other. But as I detached myself from their intended covers, I began to discern something. I could see a macchiavellian mind at work.

The first incident. I refer to the act of the leadership of the House of Representatives that assembled, in an incredibly fast manner, more than 200 supposed signatures of congressmen, an enough number to forward the impeachment articles to the Senate. Let us remember the first, filed on December 2, 2024 and endorsed Rep. Perci Cendana; the second filed on December 4, 2024, endorsed by Rep. France Castro, Arlene Brosas and Raoul Daniel Manuel, and the third filed on December 29, 2024 endorsed by Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr. and Lex Colada. All told, initially there were six endorser-congressmen. And a veil of silence reigned. After the House secretary verified the articles, we heard nothing of them until after practically two months.

We can conclude that when the House of Representatives sent the articles of impeachment to the Senate, some 240 members of that chamber believed that Vice President Sara Duterte Carpio, committed impeachable acts. However, the sudden surge of congressmen-endorsers (from six to 240) reminded me of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The ongoing buzz talking of the millions of pesos being distributed to congressmen who would endorse the impeachment, has neither been confirmed nor denied though it fuels the idea that a Machiavellian leader manipulated them. In short, Congress says “Go, impeach Sara, go!

The second incident. I refer to the eerie unanimity of the senators in voting for a motion to adjourn their session until June 2, 2025, filed by Senator Joel Villanueva. On the very same day that the Lower House forwarded the impeachment articles to the Senate, the latter decided to take a vacation. That is the effect of the Villanueva motion. In short, Senate says “No Sara impeachment, no”. By the way, while the senators do not work in the four months vacation, they will continue to receive their salaries and enjoy other perks.

When Villanueva moved to adjourn their session, no senator probably remembered a provision in our constitution that says the Congress shall convene once every year on the fourth Monday of July for its regular session, unless a different date is fixed by law, and shall continue to be in session for such number of days as it may determine until 30 days before the opening of its next regular session, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. (emphasis mine). If someone remembered this constitutional mandate for them to continue holding sessions, he, just the same, approved in silence this desecration of our fundamental law.

We acknowledge the doctrine of separation of powers. The three branches of government are independent of each other. So, supposedly the lower and upper houses are from any interference of the president. Did not Marcos express that he would rather not agree with the impeachment of Carpio? That should be the reason of the freezing of the impeachment. Since that was a favor to the Dutertes, the heat of the Davao sentiment got mollified. But, my goodness. the sudden surge of representatives should have the blessing of the president to dramatize the completion of the breakage of the Uniteam. Macchiavellian mind.

The president may not be certain of getting the qualified number of senators sitting as an impeachment tribunal to vote for the ouster of the vice president. His better ploy is to stall the proceeding. Indeed, I think that the Villanueva motion had presidential roots. Macchiavellian mind.