After all the hullabaloo, he eventually resigned.
And I really cannot fathom how it even evolved into the circus show that we are witnessing, unless this is a masterstroke of epic proportion by the President himself.
Far too many red flags of questionable appointments and apparent consolidation of power, which was carelessly executed, have exposed Atty. Vic Rodriguez as the weakest link of the current administration.
While there are so many issues of national significance which need attention, this inner circle power play is clearly a diversion which may become too costly for PBBM’s political standing.
I want to cling to the notion that this may be a Machiavellian move on the part of the President, that he may be deliberately allowing these issues to surface, and play it out accordingly.
He may be in this process of absorbing all of these political accommodation via his ES, who has been the punching bag and gatekeeper, all the while prepping for the real reforms that he will soon undertake.
And in giving his erstwhile ES the reins on appointments and accommodation, he absolves himself of the folly of the anointed ones, as well as freeing himself of the gratuity, or “utang na loob.”
More importantly, he has filtered and separated the chaff from the grain, and will be able to push for his national agenda sans the political baggage.
For now, this is the only logical explanation I can think of, given that Atty. Vic Rodriguez remains in play as the designated Presidential Chief of Staff.
If we are to believe the cry and hue of his own set of supporters, it seems Atty. Vic has become more formidable with his new assignment, even as most would dismiss it as merely his graceful exit.
Indeed, proximity is power, and as CoS, he has actually become closer to the President. But this is all dependent on how PBBM will define and delimit the role.
For now, we can only speculate on what the larger picture is all about.
For the sake of President Bongbong Marcos and this country, I hope that this is an art of war meant to catapult our nation to real progress and development.
After all, Sun Tzu said, “There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.”
Mark my word.