Reduced terror threat

fashion since 2015 when the city mayor of Davao went around the country bandying the uneven distribution of national government resources as battle cry for the presidency, yet filled his longwinded speeches with his hatred for illegal drugs.

Right after the decapitation of PGMA as senior deputy speaker, Mayor Albee Benitez of Bacolod organized his KNP (some say because they are “kulang ng pansin”) out of PDP-Laban stalwarts, who of course, prior to 2016, were also Liberals, and before that Lakas, some even LDP or PMP in earlier existence.

And who are the former PDP-Laban stalwarts?

Former Comelec Chair, MMDA and old-time Mandaluyong mayor Ben Abalos, actor turned mayor then representative for Ormoc Richard Gomez (what about the beautiful Lucy TorresGomez, now mayora de Ormoc?), Cabanatuan’s Ria Vergara, San Jose del Monte’s Rida Robes (who before joining PDP was a staunch LP supporter of Mar Roxas till the very last), Cagayan de Oro’s Rufus Rodriguez, and Manny Lopez of Tondo, Manila, among others who swore by PRRD’s PDP now headed (and bank-rolled by Palawan’s Pepito Alvarez).

Key word is “nagkakaisa” which is Tagalog for “uniting” as distinguished from “nagkaisa” which literally means “united.”

Obviously, unity is “for now,” meaning until it’s time to change partners again.

Remember the KBL, where both the Liberal and Nacionalista stalwarts of yore joined forces to support the vision of the authoritarian ruler, which was to transform the ancien societe to nouveau, only to create a squadron of nouveau riche or cronies?

What vision does the “bagong” KNP support?

E di unity, ano pa?

Not to be outdone, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas announced that it is still alive and kicking, even if they were unheard of in the “particion de bienes” after June 30 last year, and were outdone by Lakas, NUP, NPC and a few others when spoils were distributed.

To prove they were yet relevant in the politics of the benighted land, they held an oath-taking of new member-recruits, mercifully held in Malacanang (mismo!) with the president (otro mismo!!) officiating the turncoatism.

And who were the new recruits into the party held alive by South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo, Sr. and Gen. Thompson Lantion?

My friend Davao del Norte Gov. Edwin Jubahib, a former Speaker Bebot Alvarez loyalist, Zamboanga Sibugay’s Gov. Anne Hofer and former Liberal Party stalwart Batanes Gov. Malou Cayco, along with all her mayors who collectively control as few votes as a medium-sized Manila barangay.

That gave the lie to what many of the political “marites” thought, that the Partido Federal died after Vic Rodriguez left Malacanang.

Are they resurrecting the party used by PFRM Jr. in 2022 to likewise revive the call for federalism, as the name of their party implies? Not really.

The official statement merely pledges their support for the decision of the president to remain as agriculture secretary. Neat.

Expect more re-alignments next year, when the filing of COCs begin for the mid-term elections.

Some super seniors, octogenarians +++ like the fabled Juan Ponce Enrile – probably recall the “rigodon de honor,” a colonial celebratory relic revived from Commonwealth to Third Republic and until PFEM Sr’s last dance in Malacanang.

But we cannot describe the bailes politicos as a rigodon, which evoked nobility and etiquette.

None of which exist these days, even in the Senate of 24 republics, if we are to believe Senators Drilon and Lacson instead of the highly popular man called Robinhood.

And we just have to grin and bear these bailes politicos because we have to live with the flawed 1987 Constitution, because it seems that not in our lifetime will our leaders muster the political will to revise our political system.

The House can huff and puff as long as they want, their intentions for revision suspect.

The Senate will always think of themselves as the “august,” even if they do not truly represent the different tribes that make up this nation, and choose to preen on their celebrity credentials to stay in their chamber, decorum and intellection wanting.

And our president does not see charter change as important, preferring instead to focus on the impossible dream of 97.5 percent, now 100 percent rice self-sufficiency.

THE government has achieved a major victory in the war on terrorism with the recent neutralization of Abu Zacharia, said to be the emir or top leader of the Daulah Islamiyah (DI).

This is a significant achievement as the group is said to be linked to the terrorist Islamic State (IS). The armed forces and the Philippine National Police worked in close collaboration to achieve this breakthrough in restoring peace in Muslim Mindanao. News reports said combined forces of the police and military were trying to serve an arrest warrant on Abu Zacharia in a house at Barangay Bangon in Marawi City when they were met with fierce resistance.

Zacharia reportedly threw two grenades and an improvised bomb made from a 60mm mortar shell to prevent the advance of policemen and soldiers, triggering a 10-minute gunfight that led to his death.

Abu Zacharia assumed the leadership of the terror group after Owaida Marohombsar, known as Abu Dhar, was slain in a clash with soldiers in Lanao del Sur province in

The recent hostilities between government forces and the Daulah Islamiya in Lanao del Sur highlight the continuing threat from terror groups in Muslim Mindanao

March 2019.

In March 2022, the military announced that Abu Zacharia assumed leadership of the so-called Islamic State of East Asia Province that includes neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia.

In a follow-up operation in another house in Bangon, a top aide of Abu Zacharia was also killed by authorities.

Joharie Sandab alias Morsid, a DI subleader believed to be in charge of finance and logistics, allegedly hurled a grenade at government troops but it did not explode.

Another gunfight broke out, resulting in the death of Morsid.