Sincerity is a two-way street. Trust but verify goes the caveat. Everything is great and dandy until compromises and the concessions reach standstill and sincerity becomes a one-way street. That is the time when someone needs to step-in and decide!
Vice President Leni Robredo (VPLR) was offered an extra job in the Duterte Administration despite belonging to an opposing party. One that required her to do two things (in her own words), “Be the alter ego, and having the full trust and confidence of the president”. Expectedly she is duty bound to publicly speak with one voice as Cabinet member in pushing the Presidential agenda. No gun was pointed to her head to be housing czar. She could have however stuck to her original alliances, and “causes”, as a principled stand. Rendering public service just as Vice President. It did not go unnoticed Robredo openly spoke to media and hence obliquely critiqued her boss with 1) Extra Judicial Killings; 2) Human Rights abuses; 3) Anti-Marcos Burial; 4) Gender sensitivity; 5) Anti-Death penalty; and 6) Against reverting to the original age for determining minors as criminals etc. VPLR had her own world and her colleagues knew it. She resigned as one “yellow media outlet” indicated. No! She was “constructively fired”. The true color exposed.
The peace talks with the CPP-NPA, at best is expectedly described as “guarded optimism”. The “far left” are in the Duterte government despite running and supporting another “presidentiable”. However, dark clouds gathering over contending ‘terms of reference’; Request all political prisoners be released with amnesty or charges dropped; Exhumation of Marcos burial; No NPA disarmament, etc. in short “end-states” as gauge of their sincerity? Do they want peace or to take over government? The Bangsa Moro peace talks will be frustrated if a solo-MILF peace deal and solo Federal Bangsamoro State is crafted sans Misuari’s MNLF and the Sabah territory. So long as Malaysia is central participant, the fault lines will resurrect. The allied colors unraveling the sincerity of “peace” and friendship by Digong. (Erik Espina)