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The Philippines is in the throes of a high-stakes political drama worthy of its own Netflix series, as President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Vice-President Sara Duterte engage in an all-out war for supremacy. Once allies who coasted to a sweeping victory in 2022, the duo has now turned into sworn enemies, complete with jaw-dropping accusations of assassination plots and decapitation fantasies. In short, Westeros just found a Southeast Asian twin.
Their political divorce has turned the recent mid-term elections into a referendum on their fractured alliance, and for the Marcos camp, the results were as bitter as a cold cup of barako coffee. Typically, a sitting president expects most of his allies to sweep the Senate. Instead, Marcos could only claim six of the twelve new senators, one of whom is barely loyal. Meanwhile, the Duterte camp held strong, with four clear wins and the support of Imee Marcos, the president's own sister, who jumped ship to join Sara's crusade. Game of Thrones, meet family feud.
The cracks in the alliance began forming soon after they took office, but the real earthquake came with Marcos's allies initiating impeachment proceedings against Sara Duterte. As if that wasn't spicy enough, Marcos took things global by sending former President Rodrigo Duterte—Sara's father—to The Hague to face charges over his brutal war on drugs. Apparently, karma now travels internationally.
Impeachment requires a two-thirds Senate vote, making this election crucial. But with only a handful of loyalists in the chamber, Marcos is in political quicksand. Public sentiment hasn't helped either. His popularity is sagging, his economic performance is floundering, and even his attempts at public speaking lack presidential flair. Sara, on the other hand, is tapping into raw public emotion. She recently showed a tearjerking video of her father being whisked off to the Netherlands, framing it as a kidnapping and igniting mass sympathy.
While traditional powerhouses like the Marcoses and Dutertes continue to dominate their home provinces like mini-monarchies, national-level support is clearly shifting. The surprise win of liberal senators Bam Aquino and Francis Pangilinan might indicate that voters are tired of political dynasties clawing at each other while the country burns.
The impeachment trial is expected to start in July, and with senators eyeing their own future presidential runs, loyalty may bend to public opinion. No president or vice-president in the Philippines has ever been successfully impeached, but this epic feud may just write history. One thing's for sure: 2025 promises more drama, intrigue, and political maneuvering than a telenovela marathon. Stay tuned—this saga is just getting started.
