BY GONZALO T. DUQUE
The Marcos Playbook
The coming days will determine whether the Marcos playbook will be repeated during the time of President Bongbong Marcos (PBBM).
I recall that before Marcos Sr. declared martial law on September 21, 1972, his administration was becoming increasingly unpopular, and Liberal Party stalwarts were already preparing for the presidential election scheduled for November. The possible candidates for the Liberal Party at that time were Senators Gerardo Roxas and Benigno Aquino Jr.
I still remember vividly that Benigno Aquino Jr. visited our home in Manila to officiate the oath-taking of the then-Pangasinan Vice Governor, Vic Millora, as a Liberal Party member and official candidate in the upcoming provincial election in 1969.
I asked my father, the late former Governor Francisco Duque Jr., who he was supporting as the LP standard bearer in 1972. He responded:
“I am inclined to support Gerry Roxas as the standard bearer of the Liberal Party. However, unlike Aquino, he is a more decent man and might be cheated in the forthcoming election. Aquino can wage a better fight against any Nacionalista Party standard bearer.”
At that time, while everyone was maneuvering within the Liberal Party, Marcos Sr. was preparing to declare martial law.
Before this declaration, the 1971 Constitution was nearly finalized, despite some issues raised by Constitutional Convention Delegate Eduardo Quintero regarding the alleged manipulation of the convention in favor of President Marcos. When everything began to spiral out of control, President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos declared martial law, with then National Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile serving as its chief architect.
At that time, Marcos Sr. was still relatively young.
Today, in the halls of the Senate, there is growing concern that PBBM may also declare martial law to preserve the Marcos dynasty. With numerous cases filed against those opposing the Marcos regime, lawfare seems to be used as a tool to intimidate opponents, possibly intended to secure a Sara Duterte conviction in the impeachment trial as a diversionary tactic and to mask the real purpose of the prosecution.
It appears to me that the administration’s true intent is to push for constitutional changes to keep President BBM and his family in power for an additional two years by amending the constitution and converting the current presidential system to a parliamentary system. This would deprive Sara from running for the presidency in 2028.
In the coming days, we should expect many surprises. We can see the Marcos playbook being repeated.
Pisonet and student performance
The claim that Pisonet is being blamed for the poor performance of students across the country, including in Dagupan City, has become a serious topic of discussion among educators here.
Our own Sanggunian Panlungsod has banned the operations of Pisonet in our city. The introduction of online learning was successful, especially during the pandemic. However, our children have been exposed to the exploitation of the internet through Pisonets, which are coin-operated computer gadgets found in almost every barangay.
Instead of using the internet to study, our children are glued to addictive games and access pornographic materials, all by simply dropping coins into these machines.
How do we stop this?
Banning Pisonet operations by certain business establishments (such as sari-sari stores) may be one of the few steps in the right direction. Like the issue of drug addiction, the ultimate responsibility lies with parents imposing necessary discipline on their children.
It’s important to note that without the cooperation of parents and community officials, law enforcement will ultimately fail.
City Hall construction stalled
I find myself puzzled as to why the construction of the new city hall, located in front of the old one, has stalled for so long. I’m sure it’s not due to a lack of funds, as Dagupan, under Mayor Belen Fernandez, is financially stable.
Perhaps Mayor Belen and my favorite contractor, Robert Matias, should resolve any differences they may have and focus on completing the structure as soon as possible.
As I’ve mentioned before, the old city hall, built in 1925 by the grandfather of the late Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. when he was mayor of the then municipality of Dagupan, is inhabited with a lot of “Casper and Spooky.” It needs extensive exorcisms to remove the elements that have inhabited it over the years. Therefore, it is crucial to vacate the premises as the center of power for the Dagupan City government.