EDITORIAL | Battle of Democracy

CARTOON BY RAPHAEL ANDREI NAVARRO

Meant to uplift the nation, democracy instead becomes a weapon in the hands of the powerful — turning the struggle for justice into a battlefield where the people themselves are caught in the crossfire.

As the impeachment continues, with some pushing for it to be terminated, the country’s progress falls, and what should have been the spirit of unity now stands as a wall that divides the nation.

Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment case traces its causes to allegations of misuse of P125 million in confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) within 11 days of assuming office in 2022, combined with controversial statements, including her remark linking the late President Marcos’ assassination to communists. With these in her baggage, it caused various civic organizations to call for her impeachment, represented as a fight against abuse of power and a betrayal of public trust.

In line with this situation, the House of Representatives pushed the complaint forward with 215 lawmakers voting to transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate. Yet just as the trial was set to begin, the Senate, with an 18–5 vote, on June 10, 2025, unexpectedly remanded the articles back to the House, demanding a re-certification to comply with the “one impeachment per year” rule.

While supporters see this as a safeguard for legal integrity, it is indeed a political tactic to delay proceedings and avoid accountability. Quiet power struggles between process and the demand for justice turn into a way to keep power to themselves and hide the truth. With the Senate’s sudden reversal, democracy falls short of its essence to uphold justice.

Backhanded Alliances

In the light of unity, it is not the people who are united, but their shared fate of suffering at the hands of those in power — leading them blindly.

As cases are being filed, tracing their roots back to the formation of the so-called ‘UniTeam Alliance’ during the 2022 Presidential Elections. Though it claimed to be an embodiment of liberal values, its emergence only escalated political polarization. The alliance’s promise of a ‘United Land’ did not endure. Instead, it revealed itself as a temporary union, formed merely to secure power within the government, rather than to serve the people.

In June 2024, Duterte took a different path by stepping down as the Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary and declaring the UniTeam ‘dead,’ claiming its purpose had already been served after winning the elections. Ironically, the alliance, driven by self-interest, became a victim of its own contradictions.

Along with the collapse of their alliance, members of the government began acting on their biases, aligning themselves with either side and forming conflicting views of their fellow leaders. New alliances emerged during the recent Senatorial Elections: the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP–Laban) and the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas, both backed by opposing camps within the administration.

At PDP-Laban’s Miting de Avance held on May 8, Duterte publicized the accusation that Marcos’ Alyansa was reviving narco-politics. This breakdown in unity has led to widespread separation among government members, and public exchanges of backlash between Duterte and Marcos reflect not unity, but a

landscape where political alliances are driven by personal interests. They had nothing to offer the public but their political wars — wars that undermined the very essence of unity.

Incompetency Over Humility

As these political figures control the system with personal feuds and false biases, the government’s capacity to address urgent issues is barely functioning, failing to meet what the people truly need.

Congress has become a battleground not for public policy, but for accusations, counter-allegations, and party alliances — demonstrating how political survival has overtaken genuine governance.

As calls for accountability grew louder, Duterte launched a personal attack against Manila 6th District Representative Benny Abante Jr. during a rally on April 26. Displaying a photo of Abante sticking out his tongue, she branded him as “walang respeto” and accused him of mocking the hunger. Instead of responding with transparency or diplomacy, Duterte clearly opted for public humiliation.

As long as leaders cling to political fanaticism over principled service, unity will remain an empty slogan and true democracy will continue to fade.

While politicians live their lives to the fullest — yet neglect their responsibility to the public as they are led by blind loyalty — accountability and national progress are pushed aside. It is the Filipino people who carry the burden, while those in power remain comfortably untouched.

Under the System

Political alliances became the fuel for what is happening in the impeachment trial.

With these, politicians continue to serve not the people, but those who are also in power — just to keep their authority — leaving Filipinos divided.

It is an undeniable truth that those who lead the country often fail to become a collective movement; instead, they set up barriers among the people — staining democracy with a hopeless justice meant to hold leaders accountable and blinding the people to maintain their hold on power.

The impeachment trial must be seen through to its rightful end, and those who should answer to the people must be removed from office. Filipinos have already been robbed of the chance to know the truth and to demand justice for the disappearance of public funds and the slow decay of political trust.

With this, it further deepens the distortion of democracy itself. It is only right, then, to dismantle the very system that props up political alliances built not to serve the nation but to protect power — alliances that have left the country fractured and the promise of genuine accountability betrayed.

*It is democracy that delivers justice, not being turned into a battlefield, and blind devotion to politicians unworthy of such worship.* — *The Metroline***