By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Politics make strange bedfellows, as an adage goes, and barely 10 months before the 2025 midterm elections, the mainstream opposition and the political forces loyal to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. have more in common, particularly on the issues of the West Philippine Sea (WPS), in contrast to the perceived pro-China Duterte political dynasty and their allies.

With this political convergence, De La Salle University professor Julio Teehankee on Sunday (23 June 2024) said a broad united opposition is unlikely to emerge in the 2025 polls unlike the Genuine Opposition (GO) in 2007 that included the Liberal Party (LP) and Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) formed in opposition to the administration slate of then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“Hindi mauulit ‘yung Genuine Opposition nung 2007 dahil ang may common denominator ay hindi ‘yung dalawang bloke ng opposition,” Teehankee, whose specializations include comparative and party politics, said on Teleradyo Serbisyo.

GO won seven of 12 senatorial seats contested in the 2007 midterm elections.

Former Vice President Leni Robredo, who was expected to lead the broad opposition, has decided to run for mayor of Naga City, Camarines Sur in 2025.

On the other hand, Vice President Sara Duterte left the Cabinet of Marcos Jr. in the middle of last week, prompting her father’s former spokesman Harry Roque to label her the “leader of the opposition” but was derided by LP, Akbayan, and other progressive groups.

“In terms of narrative and yung emerging policy differences or similarities mas may common ground ironically ang BBM administration at ‘yung traditional mainstream opposition,” Teehankee noted.

He said the “common ground” can be found in foreign policy — on the WPS and the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into the Duterte administration’s “bloody drug war.”

“In terms of these two very important issues, mas may common denominator ang traditional mainstream opposition at ang BBM administration,” Teehankee said.

He stressed that a potential alliance would “of course, [be] for their political interests.”

(el Amigo/mnm)