By Junex Doronio

THE BATTLE LINES ARE DRAWN with nine senators fully backing Vice President Sara Duterte’s “right” to her P650-million confidential funds for 2024 even as the majority of the 316 members of the House of Representatives have expressed support to the leadership of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.

Vice President Duterte and Speaker Romualdez are believed to be the main protagonists in the 2028 presidential race, with Senator Risa Hontiveros as the probable “third force” standard bearer of a “center-moderate left coalition.”

At least nine senators reportedly want VP Duterte to have P650 million in confidential funds back despite the House of Representatives earlier decision to channel it to other government agencies.

The “pro-Sara” senators were identified as Sens. Robinhood Padilla, Christopher “Bong” Go, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Jinggoy Estrada, Lito Lapid, Francis Tolentino, and Cynthia Villar.

To recall, in October the House of Representatives decided to realign the P650-million total of confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) to agencies involved in safeguarding the country’s security and sovereignty in the face of Chinese incursions and harassments.

“It is essential to understand that this decision was made for the benefit of the nation and not as a personal affront to any individual, including VP Duterte,” said the congressmen from different political parties that support the leadership of Romualdez.

Notably, the beneficiaries of the House’s realignment of the confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education include the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (P300 million), the National Security Council (P100 million), and the Philippine Coast Guard (P200 million).

(ai/mnm)

By Junex Doronio

SEEING THE COUNTRY’S POLITICAL SITUATION LIKE THE “GAME OF THRONES”, American fantasy drama television series, self-styled political analyst Ronald Llamas took potshots on the declining popularity of prospective 2028 presidential timber Vice President Sara Duterte.

Llamas pointed out that the ratings plunge for Duterte happened even before the controversy of her confidential funds amounting to P125-million that was reportedly spent in just 11 days in 2022.

“Dahil yung kanyang 11% na ibinaba ay bago pa sumabog itong intelligence at confidential funds issue. Ibig sabihin, baka sa susunod na survey mas malaki ang ibababa niya,” Llamas said in a recent interview on “PolitiSkoop” hosted by Michael Fajatin and Ina Andolong

Marikina Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo revealed on Sept. 25 that the OVP spent P125 million in confidential funds in 11 days.

Llamas called this expenditure “the new pork barrel” and termed it “unprecedented”.

“Kaya saktong sakto, nagkaroon ngayon ng political motive, nagkaroon ngayon ng political situation, nagkaroon ngayong ng political support ang Kongreso para tanggalin ito sa Vice President at galit nag alit yung Vice President,” he said.

The House of Representatives led by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez gave in to public clamor and removed the confidential funds allotted to the OVP and the Department of Education in the proposed P5.7-trillion budget for 2024.

The funds will be reallocated to agencies at the forefront of efforts to address rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

It can be noted that based on the survey conducted by The Issues and Advocacy Center (The CENTER) conducted from September 23 to 30, Romualdez has increased up to 60% satisfactory ratings in a recent survey while that of VP Duterte has a 14% drop from her rating in the previous survey.

“Kaya lagi nating sinasabi, hintayin ang susunod na kabanata sa game of thrones at saka sa house of cards Philippine version,” Llamas said.

To recall, in 2013, Llamas was once rumored to be the boyfriend of Hontiveros but the latter denied this “chismis” (gossip).

“I am not seeing him. We never went out. We have been friends and colleagues for decades since I graduated from college. Magkasama kami sa Coalition for Peace,” Hontiveros said then.

Some political observers told Maharlika NuMedia that Sara Duterte and Martin Romualdez will likely square off in the 2028 presidential elections, with Senator Risa Hontiveros as the probable standard bearer of a “center- moderate left” coalition.

(AI/MNM)