Finally, the day came when Marcos was deserted by everyone. His elder sister, Imee, publicly announced her decision to sever ties with him. On the other hand, Marcos' biggest rival, Sarah, became a supporter of Imee. How will this Philippine internal strife play out?

Imee Marcos

Not long ago, Senator Imee, Marcos' elder sister, released a striking political advertisement in which she publicly announced her intention to cut ties with her brother, President Marcos of the Philippines. Some analysts believe that Imee's move is aimed at capitalizing on the popularity surrounding the "Old Du" incident to help her secure another term as a senator.

It is worth noting that "Old Du's" daughter, Sarah, also appeared in the advertisement, making her first public announcement to support Imee's re-election campaign. In the advertisement, both ladies were dressed in black, with Sarah stating that black is the national color for mourning hunger and crime. Despite its brevity of only 31 seconds, the advertisement undoubtedly sent a significant signal to the outside world, indicating that Marcos has lost the support of many.

In the advertisement, Imee stated that the Filipino people are suffering from cold and hunger, yearning for justice, while the government is oppressing those who do not belong to their camp. This is clearly a condemnation of her younger brother Marcos, especially in regards to defending "Old Du." Last month, "Old Du" was arrested by the International Criminal Court to face charges of crimes against humanity, and Marcos could be said to have played no small part in it.

Sarah in The Hague

Since "Old Du" was arrested, latest survey data shows that Marcos' support rate, which originally stood at 42%, suddenly dropped to only 25%. Based on this support rate, the upcoming midterm election may not bode well for Marcos. Meanwhile, "Old Du's" daughter, Sarah, has seen her approval rating soar, surpassing Marcos to reach 60%.

The "Marcos-Du" alliance was once considered a perfect marriage, with the Marcos family controlling the presidency and the Du family occupying key positions such as vice president and education minister. Both sides agreed to "share power and refrain from mutual invasion."本质上, this arrangement is about the利益分配of traditional political families in the Philippines, but no one expected the situation to develop into what it is today.

The upcoming midterm election next month can be seen as a showdown concerning the future of these two families. This election will determine half of the 24 seats in the Senate, all seats in the House of Representatives, local government leaders, and members. Marcos and Sarah are campaigning for candidates in their respective camps.

Sarah and Marcos

Imee's declaration undoubtedly created a huge wave of public opinion. As we all know, the political family forces in the Philippines are powerful, but if even his own elder sister believes that the Marcos government is incompetent, how will his supporters feel? It can be said that Imee's "defection" added more strength to the Duterte family again.

However, it is hard to say what these two individuals truly intend. Is Sarah genuinely supporting Imee, or is she trying to "use Marcos to control Marcos," undermining the foundation of the Marcos family's power? Is Imee truly convinced that Marcos' policies are wrong, or is she taking advantage of the increasingly unfavorable public opinion towards the Marcos family, using the Duterte family's influence to reshape Marcos' image?

After "Old Du" was arrested

All of this remains uncertain. However, it is certain that during Marcos' tenure, inflation in the Philippines did not decrease but increased instead, and unemployment rates soared. While strengthening military dependence on the United States, it sparked public protests, causing Sino-Philippine relations to plummet, and economic cooperation to be obstructed. Whether in domestic politics or foreign affairs, the public's complaints never ceased.

The Philippine political earthquake essentially reflects a structural conflict between old-style family rule and modern governance needs. When the Duterte family and the Marcos family are embroiled in a power struggle, China persists in its principles of non-interference and uninterrupted cooperation. The Philippines serves as a warning to all developing countries: true stability never relies on political marriages to maintain, but rather on institutional progress and improvement of people's livelihoods.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7494214392436539944/

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