It’s an understatement to say that there’s a dwindling political opposition in this country. Maybe the proper term is a dying or vanishing opposition. This is very evident in the results of the past two senatorial elections. In 2019, the entire opposition slate, the Otso Diretso or Straight Eight ticket representing the opposition coalition of the anti-Duterte elements was completely overwhelmed by the administration candidates.
This decimated the anti-establishment ranks in the Senate, which is generally regarded as the bastion of opposition in the government. After the winning senators were sworn in, only four certified opposition senators answered the call—Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Kiko Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros and Leila de Lima who had been under detention. While there were independent members who occasionally took an adversarial stance from the administration’s line or policy, they were practically enablers of the majority party except after they had declared themselves as opposition candidates in the last elections. The 2019 senatorial contest demonstrated the formidable machinery of the Duterte political organization. Not even the revered names of Aquino and Roxas represented in the Otso Diretso line-up by reelectionists Bam Aquino and former presidential contender Mar Roxas could save the day for the opposition. Bam Aquino was closest to the winning circle by placing 14th. He was edged out by fellow reelectionist JV Ejercito, 13th placer, and by Nancy Binay who captured the 12th position and the last winning slot. Roxas, who was frequently absent from the campaign sorties, could only manage to land No. 16. This is the most lopsided win in a senatorial contest since 1949 when Elpidio Quirino defeated Jose P. Laurel for the presidency. The entire LP senatorial ticket led by Senator Quintin Paredes won with Teodoro de Vera occupying the 8th and last slot. The great Claro M. Recto, an NP, landed No. 9 but he protested the results and eventually dislodged de Vera as per a decision of the Senate Electoral Tribunal handed down on April 3, 1952. This eclipsed the outcome of the mid-year senatorial election in 1967, two years into President Ferdinand E. Marcos’ first term where the Nacionalista Party almost shut out the Liberal Party allowing only Governor Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. (Ninoy) as the sole opposition candidate to win a seat in the Senate. Liberal Party stalwarts and reelectionists Camilo Osias, Maria Kalaw Katigbak and Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo dismally lost. The complete shellacking of the Otso Diretso team in 2019 midterm elections was a black day for the opposition. The 12-0 victory of the Duterte slate did not augur well for our democracy. A government with a token opposition is not healthy as there are not enough fiscalizers to check the excesses of the ruling regime. An effective system of checks-and-balances prevents abuses of those in power and ensures accountability of responsible officers.
This was not lost on the opposition as we approached the 2022 elections. Under the leadership of the civic society and a rainbow coalition of anti-establishment political forces, 1SAMBAYAN called for all genuine oppositions to unite and consolidate. The primordial objective was to gather all opposition elements and to form a ticket that can overcome the powerful candidates of the administration and avert a repeat of the 2019 disaster. However, the strict and exacting standards of the convenor 1SAMBAYAN had outrightly disqualified a number of viable candidates. Some established political groups had subordinated themselves to 1SAMBAYAN hoping that the latter could succeed to form a unity ticket under one political banner. Liberal Party, a perennial contender in every election, did not field its candidates. Its chairman, VP Leni Robredo, and the party president, Senator Kiko Pangilinan, did not carry the banner of their own party. LP has produced three of our post-war presidents, Manuel A. Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, and Diosdado Macapagal. Even Presidents Ramon F. Magsaysay and Ferdinand E. Marcos were members of the LP until they joined the NP in order to run successfully for president against the incumbent president. Without question, the failure of the opposition to field a common candidate, including their senatorial slate, had spelled their doom. The abominable practice of adopting common senatorial candidates only helped the ruling party. Common candidates gravitated to the more powerful party, which was represented by the ruling party, and joined the winning party after the elections.
In the 2022 election, the popular candidates with huge public following like Robin Padilla and Ramon Tulfo were shoo-in to enter the winning column. Movie actor siblings JV Ejercito and Jinggoy Estrada were formidable contenders with their own “masa” loyalists. President Erap Estrada still commanded a sizable following, which placed the two ahead of their rivals without political pedigree. That left us only with eight slots for grabs. Reelectionist Migz Ziubiri, Win Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Joel Villanueva and Richard Gordon were viable winners, although Gordon failed at the end of the day. The comebacking senators were equally daunting given their previous achievements in the Senate. Who could challenge the credentials of Loren Legarda, Chiz Escudero, and Alan Peter Cayetano? And last but not the least, Mark Villar was a cinch to be included in the Magic 12 given the fact that he is an heir to a glorious name with a national following and, most of all, a financial fortune that is second to none in the country. In his own right, Mark was one of the achievers of the Duterte administration. With an 11-1 result, the Senate of the 19th Congress is strongly pro-administration. Even if BBM loses support of a couple of senators, he will still enjoy a majority support that guarantees smooth sailing of his legislative agenda in the Senate. With nary an opposition in the Upper Chamber, many believe that the Senate will become a mere rubber stamp of the administration and it will cease to be an organ of the people.
But sheer numbers alone do not constitute a majority. US President Andrew Jackson once said: “One man with courage makes a majority.” Senator Claro M. Recto was known as a lone dissenter and a staunch oppositionist, whether he belonged to the majority or minority party. In the Senate where he served for several terms, he was dubbed “one-man fiscalizer.” The feisty Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago was fiercely independent and she was hardly intimidated by the majority.
Senator Hontiveros, the only elected senator from the opposition, may not be a lonely voice from the minority. Senator Koko Pimentel, a thoroughbred anti-Marcos, has already declared to join the minority in the Senate. And he may not be alone. Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano, Chiz Escudero, Nancy Binay and Grace Poe, who are noted for their independent streak, may also follow suit. I can bet my life that the opposition will not die or vanish in the halls of the Senate. There are still courageous senators who will place honor above political expediency.