Digong’s gamble

By: Artchil B. Fernandez

Pieces are moving on the chessboard last week when Vice President Leni Robredo called Du30’s gambit and accepted his challenge to co-chair the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (Icad).  Her acceptance confounded her supporters and the public in general as well as stunned the minions of Du30.

When Du30 offered her the anti-drug czar post, it was done out of pique and everyone assumed the president was again in a joking mode. Stung by Robredo’s criticisms of his pet project, the war against illegal drugs, Du30 dared Robredo to do the job. “Now if you’re better than me, I’ll hand to you full powers over the drug [war],” he sneered.

On cue, Du30’s men goaded Robredo to accept and job while mocking her. “Subukan mo, subukan mo po, at least malalaman mo ang trabaho ng Pangulo at kung gaano kalaki ang problema sa illegal na droga and makita mo kung ano ang trahabo ng Presidente to June 30, 2022. Tingnan natin kung makakatulog ka pa,” Bong Go, Du30’s private assistant who moonlights as senator, derided the vice president.

Go’s reaction reinforced public perception that Du30’s offer to Robredo is a joke while her supporters sensed it is a trick or worst a trap.  People thought she will ignore the taunt and scorn and the issue will fade away from public consciousness.

To the surprise of Go and creatures like him who worship Du30 and Robredo’s supporters, she acceded to the dare.  What started as a joke (if Du30 was indeed playing one) took a life of its own. Now Du30 and Robredo are engaged in a game of brinkmanship and it is interesting to see who will be checkmated in the end. If Du30 is really baiting Robredo and she responded by seizing it as an opportunity to showcase her mettle and leadership, who will eventually be outwitted and outmaneuvered?

While Robredo’s supporters immediately shifted their position and supported her decision, Du30’s fanatics were confused and had difficulty deciphering their cult god’s strange gamble. First they badgered Robredo to accept the post (and assumed she will not).  Now that she called their bluff, they are mad and angry that she did.

“Patayin mo lahat ng mga drug lords,” Bong Go mocked her. Director General Aaron Aquino, PDEA chief declared she will fail as anti-drug czar.  “Bawal pa-cute. This is war. Giyera eto. You have to fight di ka pwedeng magpacute dito, hindi eto beauty contest,’’ Bato de la Rosa ridiculed Robredo. “I’ve been monitoring the last three days and parang from Operation Tokhang, naging Operation All Talk,” Alan Peter Cayetano scoffed Robredo’s assumption of the anti-drug czar post.

Three views emerged to explain this latest gamble of Du30. First it was a joke gone awry. If the offer to Robredo is only a prank then Du30 is now at the receiving end of his stick. He has no choice but to give Robredo the post, providing her a platform to promote herself and end her isolation in the administration. It is a joke that backfired on the joker.

Second, it is a trap designed to ensnare Robredo with the goal of embarrassing and ultimately discrediting her. Du30 wickedly placed Robredo in a position where he will ensure that she definitely fail, thus wrecking her politically. This move is fraught with danger for Du30. If it is clear to the public that Robredo failed due to the machinations of the administration, she will gain public sympathy and the failure will be laid on the feet Du30 and his cohorts. For this to succeed requires a delicate balancing act on Du30, publicly supporting her at the same secretly sabotaging her.

Third, Du30 is sincere with the offer, his way of redeeming himself and his discredited and failed drug war. Sailing into the sunset, Du30 realized his approach to the drug menace is wrong but cannot admit it publicly. Seeking a graceful exit and at the same time saving his flagship program, he is turning over its rein to Robredo. He could also be making amends for the bloody campaign. If Robredo succeeds minus the blood and gore, Du30 can also claim credit for it. This might soften his case before the International Criminal Court (ICC) and repair his image in the international community.

Vice President Robredo on the other hand is making a huge political gambit by accepting Du30’s offer. If the offer is a trap and Du30 succeeds with his insidious plan, she is dead politically. However, while the offer is pregnant with dangers, it is also rich with opportunities for Robredo.

She can present to Filipinos an alternative approach to drug menace, one that is not premised on butchering suspected drug addicts/small-time pushers. If the alternative strategy (viewing it as a complex social problem which demands a holistic approach – law enforcement, social, health, economic, education, spiritual, political that involves the population, not just the police) works or make progress, Robredo can show to the public that she is also tough on the problem and can tackle any serious national malaise. This will bolster and burnish her leadership, bringing her political bonanza.

The appointment may be a trap but Robredo can turn the table on Du30 by unmasking his deceit, further eroding public support of the administration. She can expose Du30’s war on drugs as fake and the administration is not really serious in addressing the problem. If Robredo can prove that Filipinos were deceived by Du30, the political cost to the administration is incalculable.  The trap plan is a double-edged sword.

If this whole affair is just a political chess game, it is interesting to see which side will be vanquished at the end of the gamble. If it is a serious offer, designed to re-calibrate the war on drugs, this provides a rare chance for the highest officials of the land – president and vice-president, to work together for the good of the nation.  Sooner the real intention of the offer will be revealed. Which scenario will unfold? Abangan!